ã€ŠHow To Live As A Writer In A Fantasy Worldã€‹


 Chapter 0: Prologue

    I have a lot to say, but I¡¯ll start with the most important point. I used to be a writer. A fantasy novelist who was not well-known but still had arge fan base.

    Of course not now that I¡¯ve been reincarnated.

    I had no idea why I had been reincarnated out of nowhere, but the memory of my death was clear.

    My heart suddenly throbbed as usual while I was writing a novel, and I soon found myself unable to breathe.

    I believe it was a heart attack. Since I lived on my own and was independent, no one could help me.

    Well, it wasn¡¯t a shame or anything.

    In the first ce, my family was involved in a car ident shortly after I began university, leaving me alone. In a way, it was a lonely death.

    What bothered me was the fact that I couldn¡¯t finish the work I was working on. My death would be known, but I only felt sorry for the readers.

    So, as soon as I realized I had been reincarnated, I began to consider writing a new work based on my previous life¡¯s memories to alleviate my boredom.

    Until I realized that this was a world that was frequently referred to as ¡®fantasy.¡¯

    ¡°¡­what should I do?¡±

    All I had to do now was fold and live.

    Fortunately, I was born into a noble family in a world set in the Middle Ages.

    Although it was a manor in the quiet countryside, it had everything and the cost was hundreds of times less than being born as amoner.

    Commoners weremoners because they are low-ss citizens who dared not stand up to nobles.

    Furthermore, I was born as the youngest, rather than the eldest, son in the family, and I was living a leisurely life free of power struggles.

    ¡°Well¡­.¡±

    And then I returned, and time has passed, and I am now 16 years old.

    I was reading a thick book on the finned bed.

    Reading was one of my previous hobbies, so I naturally epted it here.

    The issue is¡­

    ¡°Fuck. What exactly does this mean?¡±

    Each book was aption of literary works. Or should I say it was a collection of poems written by poets?

    Even popr romance novels were difficult toprehend due to their highly expressive and unreadable content.

    To put it bluntly, it was like an SAT English test filled with meaningless words. The legendary English test, which even foreigners who speak English as their firstnguage cannot pass.

    ¡°Damn it. That is why it is only read by nobles.¡±

    I became enraged and threw the book away. My head hurt because I had to solve problems with each sentence I read.

    Just right in my head! It would be great if you could just write it down so I can imagine it. What¡¯s more amusing is that reading was a basic culture among the aristocrats.

    It¡¯s almost as if¡­

    ¨C Have you read this work? What are your thoughts on this part?

    ¨C I believe it is about this and that. How about Count?

    -I hold a different opinion. I mean¡­

    Read the book and then have a 100-minute discussion about it.

    When I asked my parents about it, they exined that it was a test of how deep the culture was. I¡¯mpletely speechless.

    Above all, I heard that nobles were adamant in their assertions, and that fights frequently erupted when opposing viewpoints were not met.

    Hearing this, I reminded myself that it was also a bountiful year and I was delighted.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t my past life a fantasy to these people?¡±

    I muttered to myself as I looked down at the battlefield.

    Monsters, elves, dwarves, beasts, demons, and so on could also be found here. There were various races.

    The racial characteristics were also distinct from what I was used to, but there were some simrities.

    Whether elves evolved naturally, dwarves were agile, or beasts resembled animals.

    The ¡®Demons,¡¯ on the other hand, were a little different, and they were rejected and despised by the people of this world as ¡®the cursed ones.¡¯

    The demons were descendants of the ¡®devil¡¯ who brought this world to the brink of ruin in the distant past.

    If you look at this cut, you might think it¡¯s a silly story, but the problem stemmed from the demons¡¯ distinct racial characteristics.

    Maybe it¡¯s because they inherited the devil¡¯s blood, and if they didn¡¯t ovee their ¡®desire,¡¯ theypletely be a ¡®devil.¡¯

    If they be a devil, it is nothing more than a monster that destroys things at random.

    People who are closely rted to demons all met tragic ends as a result of these racial characteristics, and the demons also cursed their own fate and wished to live as ¡®humans.¡¯

    Even if they imed to be a high priest or do not transform into a demon, they had strong inherent power and were in the process of establishing their own country, having arge and small impact on those around them.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    I think I¡¯lle up with something amusing.

    There are gods in this world and priests who borrow God¡¯s power. So, what if we could properly connect the fundamentally opposed demons and priests?

    I believe it was more enjoyable than I anticipated.

    ¡®What gets deeply embedded in a person¡¯s mind is a tragedy.¡¯

    A love that was impossible to realize. A love story between a priest and a demon would draw a lot of attention.

    And it would be magnificent back-to-back. For example, you could be a demon to protect someone you care about, or even to stop the other person by giving up your body.

    In my previous life, my readers referred to me as a professor at Satan University..

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s quite a thing.¡±

    I needed a book that was easy to read because I only read books like the English test for the SAT.

    But in this day and age, I¡¯d rather write it down myself than have such a book.

    There was nothing I could do, so I jumped out of bed and went in search of one.

    ¡®Ah. If I write this incorrectly once, I must rewrite it.¡¯

    Because of the times, neither a proper ballpoint pen nor a pencil was invented.

    As a result, I was forced to use ink and pen, but fortunately, the paper is well developed.

    After all of the preparations werepleted, I pondered how to write the introduction.

    Thenguage was not an issue. If I typed Korean in my head, it was automatically tranted into this world¡¯snguage, and the grammar was the same as in Korean.

    ¡°First and foremost, the background is simple¡­¡±

    It felt a little strange writing a fantasy novel in a fantasy world.

    Since I¡¯m bored, I am using it as a hobby; If it goes well, it¡¯s good; if it doesn¡¯t, no need to worry.

    Because my family was wealthy enough, there was no need to make a living as writers.

    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    With a light heart, I yed with the pen.

    Despite the fact that this was a fantasy world, I felt as if I were writing a regr fantasy novel for the reincarnated me.

    ¡®I¡¯m not going toment on this.¡¯

    I decided not to think about whether or not to show it to my family in the near future.

    ¡°Even if the setting is the same, I¡¯ll have to turn the entire story into fiction.¡±

    Because, after all, this was a work of fiction. Well, well.

    * * *

    ¡®Demons¡¯ are the devil¡¯s descendants. This is an unchangeable truth, and they had been cursed.

    Even the devil¡¯s horns, red eyes as bright as blood, and ck mana with a hint of ominousness.

    Each one resembles a devil, and if they lose their reason, they would transform into a true devil, which is why people avoided them.

    As a result, even if they formed a country, other countries refused to recognize it, and if it hadn¡¯t been for ridiculous power, they would have dealt with it sooner.

    Even the demons had silently epted this heinous discrimination, but they were striving to live as humans.

    However, when these efforts were futile, when there was a lull, the demonized demons caused damage, so their hopes were naive.

    Until a book appeared in the world.

    ¨C A novelist who established a new paradigm. What is his name?

    ¨C A hero epic that will be remembered for a long time. It does, however, contain tragedy and sorrow.

    ¨C Powerful expression and readability that can be imagined in the head. An easy-to-read book for people of all ages.

    Xenon¡¯s biography.

    It was an unannounced novel that was published one day.

    I thought it was just a literary novel at first, but after a rumor that a nobleman read it all day and night, it spread.

    The overall plot revolved around the Great Devil who brought the world to the brink of ruin in the past, a group attempting to resurrect the demon, and a hero who stops it.

    On the surface, it appeared to be a typical hero¡¯s epic, but the fact that it had a strong connection to the ¡®Demons¡¯ drew attention.

    ¨C A book about the sad fate and loneliness of demons.

    ¨C As a half-human, half-demon creature, it expresses the hopes of demons who live alone and are rejected by both sides.

    ¨C Following the sin of ¡®Sakran,¡¯ which touched many readers¡¯ hearts. He sacrificed himself as a human, not a demon.

    Following the one demon¡¯s sacrifice, the only story in the newspaper was about that. It was so moving that even people who didn¡¯t usually cry said they did after reading this part.

    Above all, this was a story that made even those who despised demons cry out in sorrow and regret.

    ¨C Injustice and discrimination against demons. Is it genuinely moving?

    ¨C Those who wish to live as humans rather than demons. We turned them into demons.

    What¡¯s more surprising was that people¡¯s attitudes toward demons had shifted dramatically.

    Most people initially treated demons as devils, but that changed after Xenon¡¯s biography was published.

    From a ticking time bomb with no idea when it would detonate to a despondent race yearning to be human.

    They are not demons, but rather beings who have been doomed since birth.

    Because of this incredible transformation, the country of demons, ¡®Helium,¡¯ expressed its appreciation for the Xenon¡¯s biography.

    ¨C I¡¯m not sure who it is, but please ept my heartfelt gratitude. This person understands the demons¡¯ tragic fate better than anyone else.

    ¨C Sincerity is defined as the desire to serve someone while oveing their desires. All demons learned moderation from this single sentence.

    The King of Helium, known throughout the world as the ¡®Demon King,¡¯ also expressed his gratitude to the author of the book.

    As the story progressed, the writer who was breaking millions of people¡¯s hearts was now¡­

    ¡°This¡­ is what¡¯s happening.¡±

    Reading the newspaper made me sick.

    ¡°I still have some time left to finish¡­?¡±

    How should I proceed?

    ¨C ¨C ¨C End of Chapter ¨C ¨C ¨C

 Chapter 1

    My impression of seeing the newspaper could be described in one word.

    Even if something was wrong, it¡¯s been wrong for a long time.

    I was just writing a book for killing time, and the world was already in chaos. In this world, science was not well established, and there was no radio, let alone a smartphone, so only newspapers informed the world of news.

    However, the theme of the book I wrote had made headlines in this newspaper. I couldn¡¯t help but be bewildered.

    ¡°Hahahaha! As expected, my eyes weren¡¯t wrong! Good Job! Our youngest son¡±

    While I was reading the newspaper with a stupid look on my face, I heard a loudugh in front of me.

    I took my gaze away from the newspaper and raised my head in a dazed frenzy.

    Red hair that had grown like a mane and a well-kept beard. Golden eyes gleamed like a raptor.

    Hawk Ducker Michelle was the name of this middle-aged man who exuded masculinity like a veteran warrior.

    He was my father.

    ¡°Yes indeed. I have already told you. Isaac excels as a schr rather than a knight.¡±

    A beautiful woman pped Hawk¡¯s thick arms and made a fuss next to me.

    Long indigo blue hair down to the waist and doll-like facial features. Her eyes were unusually purple.

    Everyone would have noticed at this point, but the woman who only appeared to be in her early 30s was my mother, Anna Ducker Michele.

    ¡°My Isaac is great too. Everyone says they are looking for you.¡±

    My mother smiled gracefully as she congratted me with a happy expression on her face.

    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, Mother. That doesn¡¯t help me at all.¡¯

    The words above rose up my throat, but I barely suppressed them. Because I didn¡¯t want to ruin this peaceful atmosphere for nothing.

    I justughed awkwardly like an idiot.

    ¡°¡­Can¡¯t you keep it anonymous?¡±

    But shouldn¡¯t there be ast line of defense? In a timid tone, I inquired of my parents.

    It was possible because my parents assisted me in publishing my novel anonymously.

    I¡¯m telling you right now that I don¡¯t want to get caught up in a noisy environment. Even the newspapers are making a big deal about it right now, but I have no idea what¡¯s going on outside.

    ¡°Okay. If you want, I¡¯ll do it, but your identity will be revealed sooner orter.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Even if your father is a nobleman, he¡¯s just a baron, and with the imperial family looking for you, how long do you think it will go on?¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    My father¡¯s exnation made sense to me. My father was a Baron, the lowest among the five ranks, no matter how noble he was.

    Furthermore, my father was amon knight who rose to aristocracy through a couple of serious achievements, making it difficult to say that he was a proper aristocrat.

    So, if you¡¯re determined to find me from above, it means I¡¯m helpless.

    ¡°But, don¡¯t worry too much. I understand your worries. Your father will put an end to this as soon as he can.¡±

    My father softly smiled and patted my head, as if he had read my worried mind. The calluses felt rough and hard to the touch, but my mind was at ease.

    ¡°Mom will also investigate the situation as thoroughly as possible at the tea party. Mom wants Isaac to have a good life.¡±

    ¡°Mother¡­¡±

    How warm was this warmth? With an emotional expression, I looked at my parents.

    The reason why I was able to recognize them as parents were because of this warm warmth.

    Then my mother smiled and said to me in a gentle voice.

    ¡°So Isaac. Can mother ask this one thing?¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°When is the next episodeing out?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Your mother is waiting for Lily and Jin to get together.¡±

    It drained all of my enthusiasm.

    I lowered my head, wistfully looking at her smiling face.

    Her emotions were touching, but there was something I couldn¡¯t bring myself to tell my mother.

    ¡®Jin is the final boss, Mother.¡¯

    There were supporting actors who rode a love line among the characters in Xenon¡¯s biography. These were ¡®Lily¡¯ and ¡®Jin¡¯ mentioned by my mother.

    For reference, Jin was a demon, and Lily was a priest who was also revered as the next saint.

    Looking at it alone, it may appear to be a passionate love line, but in my previous life, I was called a professor at Satan University.

    In the final act, Jin will ept the remnants topletely destroy the Great Evil and establish himself as the story¡¯s final boss.

    The main character, whose mental state has been shaken, is defeated, but the fact that he desperately seeks Lily through his will is an added bonus.

    ¡®¡­it¡¯s really fucked up.¡¯

    It was okay for my family to read my novel. However, when I hear it from their mouth, my heart trembles.

    Should I change it to a happy ending now? That¡¯s what I thought, but I can¡¯t do that because I have a lot of double-track and bait that I had done so far, making it impossible.

    I have time left until the ending anyway, so my life will be stuck until then.

    ¡°Honey, don¡¯t put too much pressure on Isaac because he¡¯s going to enter the academy soon. What if the story goes awry?¡±

    ¡°Oh, writer Isaac? I¡¯m sorry if did something wrong¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh,e on!¡±

    In the end, when I shouted out of shame, my parents burst intoughter that matched their personality. On the other hand, my face was reddening in real-time.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, dear. Anyway, are you going to enter the academy with literature rather than martial arts?¡±

    My father stoppedughing and asked me. I calmed my excitement and thought of the academy I would attend in the future.

    The Academy, or ¡®Halo Academy¡¯, was the best educational institution in the country.

    As the best educational institution, it boasts a huge curriculum, just like the universities of my previous life.

    It was divided into two categories: martial arts, which emphasized strength, and literature, which emphasized intelligence.

    ¡®Why would I go into martial arts?¡¯

    Because monsters existed in this world, there were monsters like tigers, lions, elephants, and other ¡®like¡¯ monsters. And, like the main characters in other novels, I have no talent for raw strength.

    In the past, my father trained me harshly to be a knight like him, but he gave up because I was so mischievous.

    ¡°Yes. I prefer literature to martial arts.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­.I see what you mean. Instead, daily physical training is essential. Okay?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    I did physical training on a regr basis. Because physical exercise improved not only physical strength but also patience.

    Previously, I was able to concentrate on writing for 3 hours after only 30 minutes in front of theputer. As a result, I was able to publish one book per month.

    However, because I wrote with a pen tip now, calluses were deeply etched, but I didn¡¯t have to be concerned.

    ¡°Do you intend to continue writing after you go to the academy?¡±

    This time, my mother asked me a question. She looked worried that I might enter the academy and focus on my studies.

    As a child, it was natural for me to focus on my studies, but my mother, on the other hand, was more concerned about my novel.

    It was a bit absurd, but considering the ripple effect of my novel, it was understandable.

    ¡°Well¡­ I have to write. It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t have a break. Instead, I think one book every month or two would be better, even if it¡¯s short.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a shame. But focus on your studies. You have your siblings there, so call them if you need to.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Halo Academy was a must-attend for nobles, and so had my siblings.

    However, not only as a student but as a teaching assistant. A teaching assistant was a position that only a few outstanding students could hold.

    In addition to that, they could be said to be among the talents that many knights are already paying attention to.

    ¡°By the way, it¡¯s amazing. Your brother and sister are all knights, but you¡¯re a writer.¡±

    ¡°It must be like me. I was also quite good at writing when I was young.¡±

    ¡°Then shall we have another child? I wonder what will happen this time?¡±

    ¡°Oh, my gosh. Isaac? Dad and Mom are going out for a while, so see you in a little bit¨C¡°

    My parents left my room hand in hand. I blinked as if a storm had passed by.

    ¡°¡­Hoo.¡±

    The ground had vanished, and only sighs could be heard. I was still baffled as to how this happened.

    I just used my previous life¡¯s job to write, and the repercussions were terrifying.

    ¡®I¡¯m not going to write today.¡¯

    I murmured and unfolded the finely folded newspaper. As soon as I opened the newspaper, it was full of news about my work.

    Sometimes, some famous people criticized the quality of literature, but it was swiftly buried.

    ¡®¡­Is this something worthy of such praise?¡¯

    Despite the favorable reviews, it was hard to believe that the treatment of demons had changed.

    The devil devoured the world 3,000 years ago, and demons have discriminated been against by humans for more than 1,000 years. However, it was difficult to believe that such discrimination had vanished after only one novel.

    In fact, my work was neatly buried, but it was reliable that my father worked behind the scenes so that I wouldn¡¯t be heartbroken.

    The ripple effect was at an unbelievable level, to the extent that it made me think like this.

    ¡°Whew¡­ Let¡¯s finish it quickly and do something else¡­huh?¡±

    While flipping through the newspaper, there was a piece of news that suddenly caught my eye.

    ¨C Cecily Drat Aicilia Bean, Princess of Helium. She¡¯s going to attend the Halo Academy. Minerva Empire also granted permission.

    ¨C Now that the discriminatory gaze towards demons has been alleviated due to the influence of Xenon¡¯s biography, for the friendship of each country¡­

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Don¡¯t be such a jerk, eighteen.

    <em>{T/N: The word is ¡®??¡¯ which trantes to ¡®18¡¯. The number eighteen is pronounced Ship-pal (??). If you say this number with even the slightest error in pronunciation, it sounds like the F word in Korean (shi-bal / ??). It¡¯s so simr that ¡¯18¡¯ is often used as ng on chat rooms to rece the F word}</em>

    * * *

    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯ll be okay? Cecily, before I am the king of the demons, I¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Dad. Haven¡¯t I already made all the preparations?¡±

    A man and a woman were conversing in a dimly lit room.

    Jet-ck hair, blood-red eyes that glowed in the dark. Finally, even the horns protruded from his head like a demon.

    They were demons

    ¡°This is my choice. And Dad also knows that now is the right time for other tribes and demons to form friendly rtions with each other, right?¡±

    A beauty, with her ebony hair up to her waist, said to the man in front of her.

    In line with her alluring voice, her beauty was elegant and beautiful that it could be called fatal, and her body was mature enough to stimte the dark minds of many men.

    Because of her appearance, she exuded an aura that would tear people¡¯s hearts even if she were still.

    ¡°That¡¯s right¡­¡±

    The man in front of her crossed his arms and smiled bitterly at her question.

    It seems that the age difference between them wasn¡¯t much, but the demons had a longer lifespanpared to original humans. So, it was not at all strange that demons had a rtively young appearance.

    Descaldrat Eisilia bin Helium, the woman¡¯s father and the man known as ¡®The Demon King,¡¯ responded while looking at his daughter.

    ¡°It¡¯s because I can¡¯t believe it either. I know that the way people look at our people has changed since the book appeared in the world. But the emotional gap doesn¡¯t heal easily.¡±

    As Descal said, the discriminatory gaze towards demons had greatly decreased, but the conflict that had urred in the meantime was still deep.

    There were still demons who turned into devils in the world, and there were people who were harmed by those demons. Even if the damage was unintentional, problems arise from the moment it urs.

    At that, Cecily, the daughter of the Demon King and the only princess of Helium, smiled and opened her mouth with timid words.

    ¡°Did you read Xenon¡¯s biography too? Remember what Sakran said at the end of the fifth volume?¡±

    ¡°¡­ -..¡±

    Descal did not reply.

    That scene left asting impression on himself as the Demon King.

    At the same time, it imprinted on the readers of the book as a ¡®race that wants to prove to be human¡¯ rather than a ¡®demon¡¯.

    At that moment, there was an evaluation that Sakran was the true protagonist, and no one else.

    Meanwhile, Cecily was the first to speak up when there was no answer from Descal.

    ¡°Sakran looked at the people he had protected in his final moments and said, Don¡¯t be afraid to be the devil yourself for the sake of your loved ones. That is true human courage and sacrifice. I die not as a demon, but as a human. He said.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Despite the fact that it is a fictional story, I do not believe it is fiction at all. The author of this story must have been very grateful to our people in the past. Otherwise, he would not have written such a moving story that fully revealed our people¡¯s pain and suffering.¡±

    ¨C Cecily, with her hands, sped tightly together and a glum expression on her face. She was so moved that she didn¡¯t realize what kind of face she was making.

    <em>But if Isaac saw this, he would think to himself:</em>

    <em>I believe I saw that in a game. I wrote it without thinking about it because it was from my previous life and there would be no giarism issues.</em>

    Cecily, on the other hand, had no way of knowing. She had simply mistaken herself.

    Descal looked at Cecily with aplicated expression, who was drowning in her imagination and gently touched him.

    ¡°¡­Sakran is the head of the ¡®Demon hunter¡¯ that kills his demonized people. As you may know, there is a secret organization in Helium that carries out the same mission.¡±

    In Xenon¡¯s biography, there was a group that punished people who had be demons because they couldn¡¯t ovee their desires.

    <em>{T/N: It kind of goes like this ¨C the demon folks aren¡¯t originally a demon. They have demon blood in them because they are the descendants of the Great Devil. However, if they cannot ovee/or lose to their desires, they turn into demons/monsters and kill/harm/cause damage.}</em>

    The name was ¡®Demon Hunter¡¯ and it was set to have a much stronger power than other demons by epting some of the power of the devil.

    However, the problem here was that there were associations that carried out simr tasks in Helium.

    ¡°You mean ¡®Reaper¡¯? Of course, I know. My guess is that the author of this book probably got the favor of a member of the Reaper.¡±

    Cecily nodded, falling into the illusion of being alone again.

    If Isaac saw this situation, he would say the same thing as before.

    I¡¯ve seen that in a game too. It was really written without any meaning or intention.

    However, as previously said, it was sad that they had no way of knowing Isaac¡¯s heart.

    ¡°This is why outsiders are questioning whether demon hunters really exist. Thanks to this, they have been able to use this as an opportunity toe out in the open.¡±

    Those who had turned into demons were killed by the same people. Just by looking at this, you could see how strong the Reaper was and how holy and noble the organization was.

    Also, the Reaper suffered from terrible mental pain whenever they killed a demon that was originally their kin. So, the Reaper had a much higher rate of suicide than being drunk with power and turning into a demon.

    Due to the specificity of this mission, they were active in the dark, but after the release of Xenon¡¯s biography, they had the opportunity toe out in open.

    Furthermore, some high-ranking demons who read the book even suggested that it be officially established. There was no such thing as good news for a Reaper who epts their holy destiny and works without any reward.

    ¡°Anyway, if that¡¯s your will, then don¡¯t be discouraged. Instead, don¡¯t be so sure that the author in the Minerva Empire. If he has published it anonymously, there¡¯s a good chance he¡¯s a hidden sage. Even if you meet by chance, be polite.¡±

    ¡°Dad. I¡¯m an adult now, too?¡±

    Cecily shook her hand at Descal¡¯s worried words and trembled softly. Still, Descal couldn¡¯t hide his expression.

    He only had one daughter, but he was anxious as a father because she was so yful.

    Her beautiful appearance was dark and insidious, and her sly, lustful hands reached out. There¡¯s no need to worry about that, either.

    Cecily had the ability to easily blow up a mountain. She was not stated as the next demon king of Helium for no reason.

    ¡°Ah- I want to meet you soon. Benefactor of our demons¡­¡±

    Cecily sped her hands tightly, looking forward to meeting the author.

    Descal shook his head at her appearance, which was no different from a serious illness.

    ¨C ¨C ¨C End of Chapter ¨C ¨C ¨C

 Chapter 2

    As I said before, my hobby was reading. There was no smartphone, noputer, and no TV here, so I naturally took up reading as a hobby.

    When they say it¡¯s not fun, you can ask if you haven¡¯t written your own fantasy novel, but that¡¯s only limited to ¡®novels.¡¯

    Because this was a fantasy world, there were different races and monsters, as well as adventurers who enjoyed exploring the unknown. Besides, because there was a ¡®god,¡¯ myths were widespread.

    And I enjoyed reading adventurers¡¯ exploration stories, autobiographies, and myths.

    An autobiography or myth written by an adventurer was enough to make me feel like I was reading a fantasy novel. Others, of course, will dismiss it as a diary or a boring myth.

    ¡®The portrayal still appears to be that of a beggar.¡¯

    Furthermore, the descriptions were abysmal. To put it mildly, it was intuitive.

    Assume your autobiography included a line about discovering a monster or a nt. The description simply stated that something was discovered, with a brief exnation.

    As a result, whenever I read an adventurer¡¯s autobiography, I brought along an illustrated book. The illustrated book included pictures and exnations, making it ideal for imagining.

    ¡°Master Isaac. It¡¯s time to eat.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Leave it there.¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    While reading the book, the maid who had brought my lunch in a tray hesitated. What? I took my eyes off the book.

    The brown-haired maid in a cute outfit looked at me and cautiously opened her mouth.

    She said, ¡°The hostess has instructed me toe and see Master Isaac finish his meal¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°She said reading is good, but you have to be strict with meals.¡±

    ¡°Ehh¡­ Okay.¡±

    I had no choice but to close the book silently because I was really eager to watch it to the end.

    Then, as the maid began to ce food on my desk, I set aside the old manuscript. The maid¡¯s gaze naturally followed me as I put the manuscript away.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    In fact, this maid had no idea I was the author of Xenon¡¯s biography. Only my family was aware that I had written the Xenon biography.

    When someone other than you discovers a secret, it was no longer a secret, but what could I do? The secret would never be revealed as long as my parents did not make a mistake.

    I stored the manuscript in a desk drawer in case something went wrong. Furthermore, until tightly sealed with a padlock.

    Well. It¡¯s perfect. Now all that remained was to enjoy the delicious meal.

    ¡°I ate it all.¡±

    ¡°You should have broli, too.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡±

    Give me some red pepper paste. I don¡¯t like raw broli.

    The maid took a deep breath as I vehemently refused. I looked like a childining about side dishes.

    ¡°Then thank you. Oh, how about today¡¯s newspaper?¡±

    ¡°Here it is.¡±

    After that, she put the empty bowls on the tray and went outside. As soon as she left, I unlocked the drawer, took the manuscript out of it, and ced it on my desk.

    I¡¯m almost finished with the books, and I¡¯m going to start writing now.

    After I finish my work, I intended to read the newspaper.

    ¡®I¡¯m d there are so many useful books.

    As someone once stated. Books are the brain¡¯s food.

    And I wholeheartedly agreed with this statement.

    I¡¯d struggle to write Xenon¡¯s biography if it weren¡¯t for the books. The books on mythology, or religion, were especially beneficial.

    Because of the stupid deedsmitted by one religion in the past, the world had a very negative view of fanatics. Of course, anyone would be offended if they saw a negative portrayal of their religion.

    So I did not exin it directly, but I wrote it enough to think that everyone thought, ¡°Oh, this religion is based on this real religion.¡±

    ¡®Besides, there are no saints at all. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be med for this.¡¯

    Rather, there was news that the number of believers of the religion in the background had increased significantly. I don¡¯t know why, but maybe the supporting role yed a big role.

    I added a passionate romance between a saint and her escort in Xenon¡¯s biography, and as you know, it was the story of Lily and Jin.

    When I heard my mother say that the story of the two of them was so lovely, I couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for them. It¡¯s especially popr with women, she said.

    Of course, it didn¡¯t change that Jin was the final boss.

    ¡®Sorry. mother. I have no intention of letting the two of them end up together.¡¯

    I¡¯m hoping this doesn¡¯t get me kicked off the family register. I tried to ignore the thought that suddenly urred to me.

    A novel was just a novel. Let¡¯s move on to the fact that my novel had changed the treatment of demons.

    * * *

    ¡°Turn it off.~¡±

    How much time has passed? I stretched to loosen up my crumpled body.

    And looking at the clock, it was already 4:30. It was 1:30 for lunch, which means that I wrote for 3 hours.

    ¡®I¡¯ve improved my concentration a lot.¡¯

    There were some things that had nothing to do withputers or smartphones, but my concentration was brilliant.

    Was it when I was ten years old? It was the result of my father¡¯s training to raise me as a knight like my older brother and sister.

    Of course, my father realised I had no talent as a knight and gave up after a year, but my concentration and patience improved noticeably.

    <em>woo woo woo woo duk-</em>

    Perhaps it was because I had been sitting at my desk for too long, I twisted my back a little, and heard a rhythmic bone sound.

    I rxed with a simple stretch and went to the full-length mirror. The mirror then reflected my newly acquired face after reincarnation.

    ming red hair and golden eyes that shine like a wild beast So far, I¡¯ve inherited my father¡¯s genes but not his facial features.

    The facial features were dense and distinct, simr to my mother¡¯s, and quite adorable, but the expression of being as pretty as a doll was appropriate.

    The owner of this face, even with pure white skin, was Isaac Ducker Michelle.

    Not the ¡®Kim Yoo-hwan¡¯ of my previous life, but the ¡®me¡¯ of now.

    ¡°I¡¯m d I was born handsome.¡±

    My height was still growing, so I barely exceeded 170 cm, but my face was the original fashion. This expression suits me perfectly.

    The only dissatisfaction is that it looks as soft as a gisaeng oraebi, but this can be ovee. It¡¯s a luxury to want that on this face.

    I looked around my face to see if there was anything I could take care of, then moved and threw myself on the bed.

    ¡®I¡¯m going to the academy tomorrow.¡¯

    I¡¯ve been to college in my previous life, but I¡¯m still looking forward to it. What kind of life will it be at the academy?

    Borrowing the words of my older brother and sister who entered first, I heard that no one knew what would happen. Haha, even at the university of your previous life, if you make a mistake, you will be buried.

    I¡¯m a baron, so it¡¯s fine, butmoners who passed a tough test and entered the school must have a pretty hard time.

    ¡®And the Princess of Helium¡­¡¯

    Upon hearing the news that Cecily, Princess of Helium, will be attending the Halo Academy, I gathered information about her.

    I could describe her in one word: a strict daughter.

    Not only did she have literary and martial arts abilities, but her beauty was so stunning that it had spread throughout the world. At first nce, I thought I heard she had subus blood, but I wasn¡¯t sure.

    The only w was that she was a demon, but this no longer mattered.

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    Perhaps it¡¯s a relief. My academic life might be better if all of the attention were on her.

    Moreover, critics were presuming that the author of Xenon¡¯s biography was an old sage. They¡¯d never guess he was a blue-eyed teenager under the age of 20.

    So all I had to do was enjoy my academic life while avoiding suspicion. Be careful not to let the manuscript get caught

    ¡°First of all, I should build up a stockpile as much as possible.¡±

    Today will be thest time I can writefortably. I jumped out of bed and sat down at my desk again.

    ¡°Ah. That¡¯s right. Come to think of it¡­¡±

    Thetest volume was released three days ago. I stopped holding the pen and opened the newspaper the maid gave me.

    ¡®What will be the reaction today?¡¯

    It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve used a skill called ¡®Cutting Magician¡¯, so it shouldn¡¯t be too radical¡­

    ¨C The Crown Prince of the Minerva Empire, Leort. The author of Xenon¡¯s biography should publish the next volume immediately. If he doesn¡¯t, we will find him and lock him up in the Imperial Pce.

    ¨C Not only that, but Princess Rina has also urged to publish the next volume quickly¡­

    ¨C Xenon in a crisis. How will he get out of the situation? Colleague¡¯s Sacrifice? if not¡­

    ¨C All readers are hoping for the next volume toe out as soon as possible, and the author¡¯s identity must be revealed urgently¡­

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    I gently closed the newspaper.

    I¡¯ve seenments like this in a previous life, but I couldugh at them. That¡¯s because readers were joking around since my work was fun.

    ¡®But it looks like it¡¯s really going to happen here. Fuck.¡¯

    So damn scary

    *****

    ¡°Ahhhh!!¡±

    The imperial pce of the Minerva Empire, is filled with gold andcks even words of majesty.

    A man¡¯s shout echoed from the imperial pce. Because it was the imperial pce, where the imperial family lived, no detail could be overlooked, so what was this scream?

    Naturally, there would be amotion, but no one responded. The screaming man¡¯s location is alsopletely soundproofed, and best of all.

    ¡°You bastard! Why are you hanging up here?! Uh?! Why are you hanging up here!!¡± <T/N: the curse of cliffhanger>

    Because he was screaming out of unbearable anger, not pain.

    As the man was gazing fiercely at the book he had thrown away, a woman sitting across from him quietly opened her mouth.

    Even though her voice was not like that of a man, there was a hint of anger.

    She said, ¡°This ¡­ this ¡­ this was clearly aimed. How in this urgent moment¡­!¡±

    Golden hair shining bright enough to reflect light. Beautiful blue eyes like sapphires.

    Lastly, the facial features seemed to have been sculpted by a craftsman with all his heart and soul. She was clearly exuding a beauty that wasparable to even a work of art.

    Her name is Rina Urmi Christine, the first princess of the Minerva Empire.

    She was also a big fan of Xenon¡¯s biography, but she¡¯d never been as angry as she was today.

    ¡°Brother. You really don¡¯t know who this author is?¡±

    Rina hurriedly asked the man in front of her in a trembling voice.

    At that, The man, Leort, Rina¡¯s older brother and Crown Prince, sighed and sat down on a soft chair.

    If Rina had a cute puppy-like face, then Leort had a rather ferocious-looking tiger-like face, but his hair and eye color were the same.

    ¡°¡­even if I go to the publisher, they can¡¯t tell me. It¡¯s hard to track because the author submitted the manuscript anonymously. Still, we will find him someday.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you find it sooner? I¡¯ve been wanting to see it for a long time, but I really want to see the face of the author who yed such a prank.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to do that too, but I can¡¯t afford to spend manpower in a ce like this. Even if we look for it, it¡¯s only our loss if the author runs away. Are you praying that Xenon¡¯s biography will end like this?¡±

    ¡°Shh¡­¡±

    Rina kicked her tongue and expressed regret. She, too, was a huge fan of Xenon¡¯s biography, hoping for more of the books.

    The main character of Xenon¡¯s biography was a male, so you would think it will be read mostly by males, but in reality, the gender of the reader was divided in half.

    This was because the story itself was interesting, and the female protagonist who was always by Xenon¡¯s side was really attractive.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure Xenon isn¡¯t going to die here, right? I¡¯ve never seen Mary mourn. They¡¯re supposed to get married and have children.¡±

    ¡°How could he? If he turns Xenon into a half-sick man, I would find him somehow and make him the same.¡±

    If Isaac had heard this conversation, he would have hastily released the next volume. In fact, the Crown Prince had the ability to do that.

    Rina sighed in relief at her frustration and she opened her mouth in a scruffy voice.

    ¡°Whoa¡­ Now we have to speak our minds in the newspaper. If the author reads the newspaper, at least he will be alert.¡±

    ¡°Well. Will this person bend his will? I don¡¯t think so.¡±

    ¡°But he¡¯s probably a sage who¡¯s been through everything in the world, so he¡¯ll pay attention.¡±

    They also assume that the author of Xenon¡¯s biography was an old sage.

    It had a readability and expressive power that only those with higher education, other than general aristocrats, couldprehend.

    There has never been a novelist whose writing is so good that it can be recreated in the mind.

    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll have to wait for the next episode toe out. So far, has Xenon¡¯s biography been published once a month? If ites out sooner, ites out once in a fortnight.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Fortunately, the academy starts tomorrow. My brother and I will be very busy, so we won¡¯t be bored like we are now.¡±

    ¡°Sigh¡­ it¡¯s so annoying. Come to think of it, you¡¯re entering the academy, right?¡±

    ¡°yes.¡±

    It is already an open secret that the princess, Rina, will enter the academy. Again, it is an open ¡®secret¡¯.

    Isaac was unaware of the news as he had only heard about the world through newspapers until now. He should have been out there.

    Moreover, Isaac was the son of a baron, and his personal connections were narrow as his father had risen from amoner to a nobleman. Even if his mother collected information at a tea party, there was a limit.

    ¡°There will be troublesome things. Most of them are just fawning about their identity.¡±

    ¡°You think I don¡¯t know that? I¡¯m already going through so much pain.¡±

    It was true that Halo Academy was the best educational institution in the Minerva Empire, but that doesn¡¯t mean only those who haven¡¯t been in contact before were admitted.

    Commoners had one or two friends they knew before joining the academy, let alone aristocrats. Nobility, unlikemoners, can enter the school unconditionally, so in most cases, they are guided by their parents to build awork in advance.

    Yes. Isaac, who had never been outside except for basic physical training, was a special case. Even when Isaac¡¯s parents encouraged him to go outside, he persevered. Even his loving parents gave up.

    In other words, Isaac didn¡¯t have anyone who could be called a ¡®friend¡¯ right now.

    ¡°And you said the Princess of Helium is going to the academy too? I heard that she¡¯s also a big fan of Xenon¡¯s biography.¡±

    ¡°The demons have no choice but to do so. Since this book came out, the treatment itself has changed.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    Rina habitually poked her cheek and opened her mouth with a grin.

    ¡°Maybe she can be a good friend.¡±

    ¨C ¨C ¨C End of Chapter ¨C ¨C ¨C

 Chapter 3: Uneasy Start (1)

    Time passed quickly and the day of admission came.

    Because everything had already been nned a few days before, all I had to do was check the suitcase, and the carriage had been reserved in advance. All that remained was to bid my parents farewell.

    ¡°My dear Isaac. Will you publish the book even when you go to the academy?¡±

    ¡°¡­Mother, the book is more important to you than me, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Fufu. It¡¯s a joke. Don¡¯t make that face.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t a joke, in my opinion. Iughed bitterly. Nheless, she hugged me because she adored her children.

    ¡°Isaac. Your father has got something for you.¡±

    My father then approached me and handed me a pen.

    It looked simr to a ¡®fountain pen¡¯ from my previous life, and the gold frame on the ck background caught my eye.

    It was giving off a beautiful figure that made my eyes wide open for me, who had always used only the nib.

    So, as I alternated between the fountain pen and my father, he exined with a happy smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s called a magic pen. It has magic that reces mana with ink. If you can recharge only mana, you can use it for the rest of your life.¡±

    ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t this expensive?¡±

    Instead of science, magic flourished in this world. Magic could be used to receplex things like machines and engineering.

    However, because magic was not poprised or widely used in this world, it was mostly used by the upper sses.

    Even these magical items required meticulous craftsmanship, so the majority of them were created by Dwarves.

    As a result, the cost of this magical pen, which my father gave me as a gift, would be exorbitant. It would easily exceed amoner family¡¯s annual living expenses. Even if my father was a baron, it was a massive expense.

    ¡°This is insignificant inparison to the money you have earned. And since it was a gift for you, this was all I coulde up with. Your father sincerely apologizes.¡±

    ¡°Father¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mean to say that you should write hard when you go there, but don¡¯t neglect your studies. If there is something difficult, ask your older brother and sister there.¡±

    My father gave me advice in a warm voice and held the magic pen in my hand. As he had worked as a knight for most of his life, I could feel his hardened hands.

    Then he stroked the bump between my middle finger¡¯s first and second knuckles. The calluses I¡¯ve developed while writing had been dubbed ¡®pen-hooks.¡¯

    ¡°You could even call them scars of glory. Dad is proud of you.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°This is an honor you have earned for yourself, not through the efforts of others. So act as if you are proud of yourself.¡±

    ¡°¡­yes.¡±

    Being born and raised by such wonderful parents was an honor and a blessing. Nothing was more important than growing up with loving parents.

    Even in my previous life, my family vanished before I could repay the favor, but not in this one. I boarded the pre-booked carriage after sharing a deep hug with my father.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go!¡±

    ¡°Take care of yourself! When it¡¯s vacation,e back with your brother and sister!¡±

    ¡°If there¡¯s anything, call us! Stay healthy!¡±

    My parents watched me until the end, even after I boarded the carriage. They entered the mansion as the distance increased, but I kept looking back.

    ¡®I¡¯m leaving now.¡¯

    In the rattling wagon, I gazed out the window at the scenery. My father¡¯s estate was nearly empty enough to qualify as a rural vige.

    Instead, there were almost no monsters, and young people lived happily every day, making it a lively ce. And because my father was a knight who had previously achieved terrifying feats, some young men sought training from him.

    asionally, whenever I wrote, there was quite a lot of noise outside, but most of them were aspiring knights who were being trained by my father. Perhaps some of the best of them were sent to the academy under their names by their fathers.

    ¡®I won¡¯t be able to see that anymore.¡¯

    What should I say about this feeling right now¡­ I couldn¡¯t describe it in one word.

    I was looking forward to it, but I wondered if I would be able to adapt well, as I¡¯d never had a lot of interpersonal rtionships. It was apletely different world from the one I knew.

    It was said that people live in the same ce, but it was unclear whethermon sense would work here. There were too many variables because it was a world where status exists.

    ¡®What am I doing now that I am so worried?¡¯

    I made the decision to take it easy. People won¡¯t believe I wrote Xenon¡¯s biography, and all I had to do was to act as a sincere student.

    I¡¯m not sure what I¡¯ll learn at the academy, but my goal was to work hard and earn a schrship. If something bad happens in my life, I tell my brother or sister.

    ¡®I have to go and find my brother and sister first.¡¯

    My sister¡¯s hair was indigo blue, but my brother had red hair like my father¡¯s, so it would be easy to find them. Because red hair was rare in this world. Especially the golden eyes shining like a wild beast.

    I leaned backfortably on the backrest, and then a question came to mind and I asked the driver.

    ¡°Mister Coachman. How many hours does it take to get to the academy?¡±

    ¡°If the weather is good, it will take about ten hours.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s shorter than I thought. I thought it would take at least a day.¡±

    ¡°The estate that Baron Michelle manages is close to the capital. Besides, this estate has not been developed yet, but it will be fully developed in 5 years.¡±

    10 hours was the perfect time to read a book or take a nap in moderation. Still, it didn¡¯t change that it was a very long time.

    When I was reincarnated for the first time, I was unsure how to spend my time to the fullest. The oue was a book.

    But there were times when I felt science could have been invented a little more. Even dwarves, who were more dexterous than humans, devoted their time and energy to creating superior weapons and items, but transportation was primitive.

    ¡®Should I put it in Xenon¡¯s biography? A masterpiece created by the Dwarven craftsmen together.¡¯

    This will also be beneficial. At the same time, dwarves were shrewd geeks who created bizarre magical weapons. So, if there was a goal for transportation and supplies, as well as a moderately bleak past, the likelihood was sufficient.

    A teacher and a disciple were the same as parents and children, especially among Dwarves, so I heard from my father that there was a tradition that when the master leaves the world, the disciple would follow.

    Even if it was something that everyone pointed at, it was something that they endures to the end. This exins why dwarves had so many geeks.

    ¡®The unfortunate past had to end. I can set it up as a moving steam lotive by burning mana.¡¯

    I scribbled in my notebook with the magic pen that my father had given me. In my previous life, I had a habit of recording things so I wouldn¡¯t forget them, but now I used a notebook instead.

    ¡®Anyway, I don¡¯t even know how it works, so should I really make it?¡¯

    As I would tell you in advance, I am a literati. I don¡¯t know anything about machines.

    I¡¯ll just express what I can roughly imagine in my head, and if it¡¯s really difficult, I¡¯ll add an illustration.

    Aside from that, I¡¯m surprisingly good at drawing. When Xenon¡¯s biography was first published, a world map was included to aid readers¡¯prehension.

    Of course, I don¡¯t im to be an expert at drawing, but it was enough to keep me immersed. It was also enjoyable to draw by hand, so I included several illustrations with each edition of the book.

    ¡®It just feels like an old novel.¡¯

    Before web novels became a hit in a previous life, paper books had several illustrations for understanding the worldview (setting). Thanks to that, I was able to immerse myself more.

    I jotted down the steam lotive¡¯s settings in a notebook and checked to see if the ink was dry. As expected, the ink in the notebook dried up quickly because it was expensive.

    It made me feel better knowing that my father had given me something really nice. I then focused solely on reading until I arrived.

    ¡°Patron?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Patron?¡±

    ¡°yes?¡±

    While I was concentrating on reading, the driver called me. I closed the book for a moment and lifted my head.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be arriving at Halo Academy soon.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Already?¡±

    ¡°Heh heh heh. Not already. Ten hours have passed. Your concentration is terrific.¡±

    The coachman said with a wide smile. I scratched my head at the redness and nced out the window.

    ¡°Wow¡­¡±

    It was both a city and the capital. There was a noticeable difference from a distance.

    When I went out on the streets in my hometown, it was mostly fields or farnd, but this ce was densely packed with buildings. The architecture of the building and the people walking down the street transported you to Europe.

    I saw a knight in iron armor and a wizard with a staff on asion, but he seemed to be in charge of security.

    ¡°If you look ahead, you will see the Halo Academy.¡±

    ¡°Where¡­ oh.¡±

    As the coachman said, looking ahead, I saw a building with a unique structure. My review of seeing it.

    ¡®¡­Is it Hogwarts?¡¯

    I¡¯m not lying when I say that Hogwarts from Harry Potter was standing up. Up to a castle-sized conical roof. It had the same Hogwarts appearance that I was familiar with.

    Of course, it wasn¡¯t exactly the same; there were some differences, but they are minor.

    ¡®Don¡¯t tell me there are magic spells like Abracadabra?¡¯

    I¡¯ve never seen a wizard with my own two eyes, so I even thought about it.

    ¡°We¡¯ve arrived. I hope you have a good life then.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. You worked hard.¡±

    When I got off the carriage, the driver greeted me like a gentleman. I also greeted ording to the etiquette I learned at home.

    After that, the coachman smiled once and turned around. I turned my back to watch the coachman walk away.

    ¡°Hey¡­¡±

    Even though I didn¡¯t want to show it, admiration naturally escaped my lips. Anyone who had ever lived on Earth could understand how I felt.

    Everyone would be impressed by this fantasy civilization, which previously existed only in cartoons and novels. I could feel it from afar, but it was more like a castle than a university.

    ¡°¡­this is not the time.¡±

    I quickly regained myposure and looked around. People who were presumed to be freshmen were already making their way towards the gate.

    I asionally saw people wearing uniforms, presumably school uniforms, and they were most likely enrolled students. School uniforms were only provided to iing students.

    So, calming my pounding heart, I walked towards the gate. As I moved my feet, I heard the sound of the luggage being dragged in the suitcase.

    ¡°Oh! Oh! Look over there! Isn¡¯t that Prince Leort?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true. He looks great whenever I see him¡­¡±

    ¡°Is that Princess Rina next to him?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps so? The princess is pretty too. I¡¯m envious.¡±

    Then, suddenly, the atmosphere became noisy. People heading to the entrance to the academy stopped in the middle and looked in one direction.

    I also turned my head to see what the fuss was. And a man and woman who showed off their dazzling beauty were walking side by side.

    ¡°¡­Oh.¡±

    That is how people can be. I was also proud of my face right now, but in front of that man, I felt like I needed to take a step back.

    Also, how about a woman walking side by side with a man? Wearing a pure white dress, she was exuding her beauty as an elf who were called the incarnation of beauty.

    The peculiar thing was that both of them were blonde, although their impressions were slightly different, anyone could see that they were siblings.

    ¡°¡­More than that, the Crown Prince and the Princess?¡±

    Those two people who said they will catch me and kicked me in the newspaper? As I was thinking about it, someone grabbed them.

    She was a cute girl with wavy brown hair and round eyes, and she had the body of a squirrel.

    ¡°Leort-sama! Long time no see!¡±

    ¡°Hm? You¡­¡±

    It would not have been an illusion that Leort¡¯s expression was cracked for a moment.

    Either way, the girl with brown hair was more attached to Leort. Seeing that she was even sneaking her arms around him, it seemed that she was trying to emphasize her friendship with Leort to the people around her.

    But Leort had a grave response when the girl held her arm. In the meantime, the girl said in a sonorous voice.

    ¡°I¡¯m Sophia! Do you recognize me?¡±

    ¡°¡­ah. It¡¯s Sophia the little girl. I know you well.¡±

    It was a lie. Anyone could tell by the artificial smile. The Crown Prince was now very displeased.

    It¡¯s understandable that anyone would be angry if someone they don¡¯t know approached while walking down the street. Even more so if it¡¯s a trick where you can see the purpose clearly.

    Unfortunately, however, the young girl named Sophia was ignorant of whether or not she had two lives and brought her body even closer.

    She looked impressed.

    ¡°Gee, you remember! I honestly thought you wouldn¡¯t know¡­!¡±

    ¡°How can I not know a little and cute woman like you?¡±

    ¡°Ahh¡­!¡±

    Wow. Look at her shamelessly lying without saliva in her mouth. Still, anyone with that voice and that face would be worthy.

    Of course, acting wasn¡¯t a difficult task.

    ¡®It¡¯s not easy for the Crown Prince.¡¯

    I grinned inward with some sort of pity and stepped back. It was a story in a faraway country for me, so meddling was just poison.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right! Did you read Xenon¡¯s biography that was published this time, Leort-sama?¡±

    When Sophia asked him that question. I stopped in track and looked back at Leort.

    As soon as the story about Xenon¡¯s biography came out, Leort¡¯s expression brightened. He liked me enough to threaten to lock me up in the imperial pce, so it might be natural.

    ¡°Of course. Have you read the new book?¡±

    ¡°Of course! But the ending¡­ I was angry because the author seemed to be ying with people¡¯s hearts. You agree, too, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why the author is so talented that he can move people¡¯s hearts. I also got angry after reading the ending. The same goes for my brother.¡±

    ¡°Rina-sama too?¡±

    Sophia¡¯s gaze turned to the princess, that is, Rina. Rina replied with a smile.

    However, her gaze was not on Sophia, but on Leort.

    ¡°Brother. Do I even have to say such a thing? It¡¯s embarrassing.¡±

    <em>Why do you make me ssh the fire? It sounded like this.</em>

    But Leort wasn¡¯t easy either.

    ¡°Hobbies are fun when you share them.¡±

    <em>Let¡¯s suffer together. It sounded like this.</em>

    Although he spoke mildly and used noblenguage, the essence of the siblings did not seem to change wherever they goes.

    ¡°How did you two feel when you read the ending? It¡¯s really like what I saw in the newspaper¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, you mean that? I wrote it out of anger, so you don¡¯t have to worry too much.¡±

    ¡°Me too. Miss Sophia doesn¡¯t have to worry about it.¡±

    That was very fortunate news for me. I breathed a sigh of relief in a relieved mood.

    Seriously, who would write such a thing in a newspaper in their right mind¡­

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m half-serious that I want him locked up in the Imperial Pce. Hahaha.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I¡¯m never going to get involved with or run into any of these bastards.

    I moved my legs quickly, wanting to hear nothing more.

    ¡®No. But wait. Is it possible for the princess to enter the school too?¡¯

    When I thought about it, the situation seemed to have gotten worse.

    I¡¯ll never get caught.

    ¨C ¨C ¨C End of Chapter ¨C ¨C ¨C

 Chapter 4: Uneasy Start (2)

    I will ask everyone. What is your first thought when you think of an entrance ceremony?

    ¡°Finally, we wish the students who have enrolled in our Halo Academy nothing but glory and blessings¡­¡±

    What exactly was it? These were the Principal¡¯s words. Should I address him as President here?

    In any case, the long and tedious speeches seemed to be the same wherever I went. Instead, I was bored by myself, but the new freshmen next to me had dazzling eyes.

    The Principal of Halo Academy, which was said to be the best educational institution in the Minerva Empire, had to be a high-ranking individual, and the way these high-ranking individuals perceived him exined why.

    For me, it was just a good word from a good-looking old man. I wished this time would pass as quickly as possible.

    ¡®By the way, how much money did you spend here?¡¯

    The entrance ceremony was held in the auditorium, and the scale was frightening. It¡¯s about the size of two regr gyms.

    It was estimated that the capacity had increased as not only freshmen but also parents and other visitors came to see promising students. However, the sheer size remained unchanged.

    ¡®¡­I can¡¯t see anything.¡¯

    Above all, the principal¡¯s face on the podium couldn¡¯t be seen. Not only the principal but also the faces of the people sitting in the chairs next to him.

    I was also sitting in the back, and I had poor eyesight. As I read and write books every day, my eyesight naturally deteriorated.

    That¡¯s not too bad, it was good enough for everyday life. If it wasn¡¯t for that, I would have worn my sses earlier.

    Since I felt the difort of sses in my previous life, I have been managing them steadily.

    ¡°¡­so, I wish everyone good luck. That¡¯s it.¡±

    When the principal, or no, the president¡¯s instruction was over, thunderous apuse erupted. I was spacing out for a while, so I was startled and instantly apuded.

    Then, the sound of apuse calmed down, and I wondered if I was finally going to the dormitory, the voice of the guide rang out. By the way, that¡¯s a magic broadcast.

    [Next, we will proceed with a speech from the Princess of Helium, Cecily Drat Aicilia Bean.]

    Damn. I can¡¯t believe there¡¯s still something left.

    As I was muttering to myself, the inside of the auditorium began to rumble.

    ¨C Are you really going to the academy? a demon?

    ¨C I¡¯m a little nervous, though.

    ¨C Wow¡­ It¡¯s so pretty.

    I¡¯m ashamed to say these things out of my mouth, but through Xenon¡¯s biography, the gaze toward the demons changed.

    I couldn¡¯t even imagine how discriminatory they would have been living before. As demons were always treated as more than a walking time bomb, it must have been very severe.

    Maybe that¡¯s why the demons seemed to have difficulty getting out of Helium because it is not easy. Cecily¡¯s decision was so unconventional and bold.

    ¡®¡­but I can¡¯t see anything.¡¯

    Even if I narrowed my eyes and focused my gaze on the podium, I still couldn¡¯t see the princess well. In fact, it¡¯s strange to see a detailed face from this distance, but to me, it¡¯s just a ck mass moving.

    Pretty, beautiful, big breasts, sexy, etc. There were a lot of praises rted to her appearance, but unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t see it.

    Had I known this would happen, I would have sat in the front. This was all because of my habit of sitting in the back seat in my previous life.

    <em>Woong-</em>

    [Oh, Oh, Um. Hello everyone. Nice to meet you. My name is Cecily Drat Aicilia Bean, Princess of Helium]

    Wow. your voice is really cool. It sounds like it would be a hit on the radio.

    Perhaps I was the only one who thought so, and as soon as Cecily opened her mouth, the inside of the auditorium became silent. How pretty the voice must be to make the noisy auditorium quiet in an instant.

    Meanwhile, Cecily continued what she wanted to say in an alluring and dark voice.

    [You know, you still won¡¯t believe it. Because I was a demon, I was called the darkest being in the world. Perhaps there are still some people who are reluctant, and maybe there are others who despise us.]

    Perhaps it was because the words had a strong appeal. I put my thoughts aside and began to listen intently. Perhaps everyone else was thinking the same way I was, because they all listened with solemn expressions on their faces.

    Cecily seemed to take a look around her audience and then expressed her feelings in a powerful voice.

    [Then, one day, after a book was published, the view toward demons changed. The book portrayed us as pitiful beings wishing to be human, a time bomb that never knew when it would explode. Through that story, it directly revealed the desire we desperately wanted.]

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    I smiled shakily. It was nothing, but hearing those words directly made my face all get hotter.

    Does Cecily know that the author of Xenon¡¯s biography is in this auditorium? Even if the sky falls, she will never know.

    [I¡¯m going to show you what he showed you in the previous book. That we demons, like humans, canugh, talk, cry, and have fun. We will undoubtedly show you. Thank you.]

    Words that clearly showed one¡¯s will and determination rather than words thate out of one¡¯s mouth.

    That was really cool. All I could think about at the time was how wonderful it was.

    Would it be possible for me to do that? I can definitely say I can¡¯t do it. I didn¡¯t live a crooked life like Cecily, and I didn¡¯t have the courage.

    ¡®¡­not bad.¡¯

    As I watched Cecily go down from the podium, I cheered with sincerity. When I read it in the newspaper, it felt so absurd, but now my heart was touched.

    If the heroine in the novel appeared in reality, it would be just like that. I just thought it was really great.

    ¡®I wish I could have seen her face properly.¡¯

    It¡¯s a pity that I couldn¡¯t see her face because of my bad eyesight. Well, she¡¯s a freshman too, so maybe we¡¯ll run into each other sometime.

    [This concludes the Halo Academy¡¯s 1012th Entrance Ceremony. Please check the ss assigned to each new student. sses start tomorrow. That¡¯s all.]

    The long and lengthy entrance ceremony has finallye to an end. We¡¯ll have to check the ss in a little while, so I was going to go to the dormitory first.

    I stayed still as people rushed out of the auditorium. If I cut in now, I would get hit here and there, so I was nning on going out after a while.

    ¡°Isaac!¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Here, here!¡±

    Then I heard my name being called. I wouldn¡¯t have known if they had called someone with the same name, but because it was a familiar voice, I couldn¡¯t help but turn my head.

    When I turned my head, I saw a man with red hair like mine and golden eyes like a bird of prey, waving his arm. Also next to him stood a woman with golden eyes just like his and navy blue hair.

    As soon as I saw the faces of the two, I ran towards them with a smile on my face. I couldn¡¯t help but smile with joy.

    ¡°Brother! Sister!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while. Isaac.¡±

    ¡°How have you been doing?¡±

    It¡¯s my brother and sister. The names are Dave and Nicole, respectively.

    The older brother resembles our father, exuding the image of a strong warrior, and the older sister resembled our mother, so she was quite a beauty.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°For some reason, I¡¯m here to see our youngest¡¯s entrance ceremony.¡±

    Nicole bowed slightly and answered in a soft voice. The reason she bowed was so that she could be at my eye level.

    I¡¯m not sure about her face, but her body was passed down from our father, so she was quite tall. She¡¯s probably taller than the majority of men.

    ¡°How have you been? How are your father and mother?¡±

    Then Dave asked about our parents¡¯ well-being.

    I met his golden eyes and answered kindly.

    ¡°It¡¯s always the same. I think they¡¯ll be like that forever¡±

    ¡°Really? Our parents are¡­ Do they like each other that much?¡±

    Dave grinned and looked around. There were still a lot of people around who hadn¡¯t left.

    Dave bowed his head slightly and asked me in a whisper.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say this as soon as we met, can you tell me when the next volume ising out?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Once again, as expected. I hardened my body for a moment before putting on a sad face.

    Dave was startled by my expression and began to spit out excuses one by one. Nicole¡¯s eyes narrowed next to him.

    ¡°Oh, no. Of course! It¡¯s important to see our youngest more! Still, I can¡¯t help but wonder¡­¡±

    ¡°Be quiet. Is the book more important to you than your brother? This child is upset. Isaac, you can ignore that idiot. Okay?¡±

    ¡°¡­yes.¡±

    By the way, if you add up the age of my previous life, I am older than these two. But I don¡¯t care about that little thing anymore.

    This is because my mind isplicated after paying attention for no reason, and these two have a more mature side than me. Or maybe I could have aged like a shit.

    ¡°Sigh¡­Anyway, I¡¯m sorry. You must be under a lot of stress, and I made a mistake.¡±

    ¡°No. It¡¯s okay. By the way, did you hear the speech the Princess of Helium gave earlier?¡±

    In a situation like this, it was best to change the topic. As soon as Dave heard my question, he turned his gaze to the podium. I and Nicole followed his gaze.

    Princess Cecily still remained on the podium. And there was someone beside her, and she was Princess Rina, whom I saw at the entrance to the academy.

    Although I didn¡¯t know what the two women were talking about, their expressions were quite bright.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure she has the qualifications to be a princess. If it was me, I couldn¡¯t do that in front of everyone.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ right?¡±

    ¡°So how do you feel? It¡¯s actually your book that made the Princess of Helium stand on the podium.¡±

    Nicole asked quietly. But I couldn¡¯t answer easily.

    Should I say it doesn¡¯t feel real, or should I say it¡¯s strange?

    I felt moved when I heard the speech, but now it¡¯s really awkward. I really thought so.

    The reason why I felt this way was because of my past life, but above all, I had no experience in the world right now.

    I had never seen discrimination against demons with my own eyes, nor did I know what kind of incidents and idents the demons who were demonized caused. In fact, I didn¡¯t even know themon sense of this ce.

    ¡°¡­to be honest, it doesn¡¯t really make sense to me. As you and my older brother know, I never went out and only read books at home. I don¡¯t know because there is nothing topare with.¡±

    ¡°Hey. As your older sister said, don¡¯t underestimate yourself too much. You¡¯re our family¡¯s precious treasure. You understand?¡±

    Nicole, who heard the answer, gently patted my head. I looked at her face with a pleased smile.

    I also grinned and lived up to her expectations. Then Nicole pinched my cheek slightly.

    ¡°If there¡¯s anything you need, ask me and my brother. I don¡¯t know what will happen because of different majors, but I can help you with your life.¡±

    ¡°yea, I got it.¡±

    ¡°When you are at the academy, you have to focus on your studies. Don¡¯t feel burdened about writing. Okay?¡±

    ¡°yes.¡±

    ¡°Nice boy. Our Isaac.¡±

    Like this, Nicole tends to see me as a child. In fact, not just her, but our entire family.

    The world treats me as an adult when I turn 17, but won¡¯t they be like this until I turn 20? Still, it didn¡¯t feel too bad. Maybe it was because the family I could rely on in my previous life suddenly disappeared.

    The rtionship between family members was so warm and lovely. It was a fact that I realizedter, so it was more important to me.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go now. If you want to find us, call us anytime.¡±

    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll go.¡±

    I waved vigorously as I moved away from them. They both sent me messages of support and waved their hands.

    Leaving behind the heartwarming reunion, I headed to the dormitory first. The location of the dormitory was exined by the guidance assistant before the entrance ceremony.

    ¡°Luluru~¡±

    Today, the thought of restingfortably in the dorm made me feel better.

    *****

    Meanwhile, in the auditorium, after Isaac left.

    On the podium of the auditorium, two beauties as beautiful as elves were chatting with bright expressions.

    One had jet-ck hair and blood-red eyes, and the other had golden hair and blue eyes, each exuding a different charm.

    In particr, the woman with her jet-ck hair had horns protruding from her head, and anyone could tell that she was a demon.

    Yes. The princess of Helium, Cecily, who entered Halo Academy this time, and the princess of the Minerva Empire, Rina.

    They were genuinely happy,ughing like any other ordinary girl.

    ¡°hahaha! Really, that¡¯s¡­ Ahh. Rina-sama. Do you know that scene? The part where Mary kicked the rogue.¡±

    ¡°Oh, of course, I know. I think the name of the kick¡­¡±

    ¡°Hectopascal Kick. I heard it¡¯s one of the names of storms in your world.¡±

    ¡°Fuhu! I remember. How refreshing it was back then.¡±

    Rina, the princess of the Minerva Empire and a freshman like Cecily, smiled modestly.

    In her heart, she wanted tough like Cecily, but as a princess, she kept her dignity. Rather, Cecily, whoughed loudly without looking around, was unique.

    ¡°Are you also a big fan of Xenon¡¯s biography, Rina-sama? Seeing that you know even these details.¡±

    ¡°Of course. To be honest, even if you haven¡¯t read Xenon¡¯s biography at all, wouldn¡¯t anyone have seen it at least once? I can assure you. But¡­¡±

    Rina blurted her words for a moment, then nced up and down Cecily¡¯s appearance. Everything was so perfect that words were insufficient to describe her as beautiful.

    If she has pushed her innocent image to the limit, Cecily has pushed her mature image to the limit. In particr, there were the most prominent parts.

    It was the chest, that is, the chest. She was pretty big herself, but Cecily¡­ No further exnation was needed.

    Her only blemish was that she was a demon, and honestly, in front of this beauty, even if Xenon¡¯s biography had not been released, she would have melted the affections of many men.

    In response, Rina managed her expression as much as possible and asked Cecily.

    ¡°¡­Cecile, what do you think of the author of Xenon¡¯s biography?¡±

    ¡°The author?¡±

    ¡°Yes. He couldn¡¯t ease the fate of the demons, so he made it understandable to everyone. Isn¡¯t he actually a benefactor?¡±

    Rina also treated demons as bombs before the publication of Xenon¡¯s biography. In fact, when she went out of the imperial pce, she was attacked by demons who were demonized.

    From then on, she thought that the demons were a person wearing a devil¡¯s mask, but after Xenon¡¯s biography came out, it waspletely different.

    ¡°I was also attacked by demons who were demonized. From then on, I was terrified of demons. But after this book came out, my views on demons have changed.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Even I¡¯m thinking this right now, but I¡¯m curious what Cecily-sama thinks.¡±

    Hearing that question, Cecily was puzzled at first but then smiled softly.

    There was a saying that there was nothing more beautiful than a smile full of sincerity. It was Cecily now.

    As Rina was inwardly admiring her beautiful smile, Cecily ced her hand on her chest and opened her mouth.

    In her blood-red eyes, there was a mixture of sadness and affection, and it wobbled softly.

    ¡°Benefactor¡­ even it¡¯s not enough. He¡¯s the only person who sees our demons as humans rather than demons. I want to give him my all.¡±

    ¡°Is it that bad?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Our demons have a history of being demonized for over 1,000 years. Do you remember what Sakran said at the end of Volume 5?¡±

    ¡°Ah. That part¡­¡±

    Although it waspleted yet, readers would definitely choose thest half of Volume 5 if they choose the best scenes from Xenon¡¯s biography. Because that scene fully represented the lonely fate of the demons.

    Cecily opened her mouth in a low, subdued voice as if she was still immersed in the lingering mood.

    ¡°I¡­ want to be like Sakran. Even at thest moment, as a demon who ends his life as a human rather than a demon.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Then what do you think of the author, Rina-sama?¡±

    ¡°Ah, I¡­¡±

    Rina panicked for a moment and avoided Cecily¡¯s gaze. When she listened to her inner feelings, she humbled herself.

    But maybe it¡¯s because of her improvisation as a princess. Rina hastily uttered an answer.

    ¡°Who wants to be locked up in the imperial pce and let only write?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes?¡±

    Oh, she made a mistake.

    Rina realizedter that she had made a mistake in her own words, so she hastily covered her mouth. But she can not pick up the words once brought out.

    Cecily burst intoughter as she stared nkly at her, as Rina¡¯s pure white face turned red in real-time.

    ¡°Puhahahaha! What is that! Are you serious?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s¡­!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what you said in the newspaper, were you serious?¡±

    ¡°My, please, listen to me!¡±

    As a result, the friendship between the two women deepened.

    ¡°Pu-et-choo!¡±

    After arriving at his dormitory, Isaac, who was writing suddenly sneezed.

    ¡°Ugh. Oh, damn it. I got saliva on it.¡±

    He tore the manuscript smudged with saliva.

    ¨C ¨C ¨C End of Chapter ¨C ¨C ¨C

 Chapter 5.1: Uneasy Start (3)

    Just as Halo Academy lived up to its reputation as one of the best educational institutions in the world, the facilities of the hostel were amazing enough to leave your eyes wide open.

    First of all, it was basic to have a single room per person, and the room itself was very spacious. It was not a one-room apartment, but an apartment of almost 20 pyeong.

    There was even a device that could control the temperature of the dormitory as if by magic, as well as a refrigerator. I have no idea what it was, but it had to be done by magic.

    ¡®It¡¯s got to be good.¡¯

    This was a fantasy world where previous lives¡¯mon sense had been horribly shattered. There were a lot of monsters that drop even meteorites right now, but it wasmon sense.

    I entered the hostel after taking a look around. There was afortable bed, a desk, and everything else I required.

    It was extremely satisfying.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    I found clothes neatlyid out on the bed in a familiar color. I dragged the suitcase and walked towards the bed.

    As I got closer and checked, it was the uniform provided by Halo Academy. The top was a white shirt, and the pants were ck. In addition, there were several clothes that could be worn over the shirt.

    Since Minerva was an empire with four seasons, it seemed to fit the seasons. I looked around at the school uniform that seemed to fit my body perfectly.

    ¡®They measure your clothes before, and you pay them right away.¡¯

    To be honest, wearing a school uniform was preferable to wearing regr clothes. Even if you dress simply, you will wear the same outfit every day.

    I eventually put on my school uniform for one trial. There was also a full-length mirror, which made it easy to check my appearance.

    ¡°Suup¡­ No matter how you look¡­¡±

    I looked like a girl disguised as a man. My face resembled my mother¡¯s, my lines were pretty and thin, and my body was also slim. Of course, it was better than being ugly.

    I hung my uniform on a hanger and started unpacking. To be honest, I only had a few books, clothes to wear on the weekend, and finally a manuscript. It was something to take care of.

    ¡°Now is the time¡­¡±

    I unpacked everything and checked my watch. The current time is 4:30. Slowly it¡¯s time for dinner.

    I wanted to enjoy a meal together with my older brothers and sisters, but they are busy. It¡¯s impossible to call someone who¡¯s already busy over trivial things like this.

    I thought about just starving myself, but I was curious about how the rice was served here, so I decided to go. I can write a manuscript during that time.

    ¡°Oh, right. Paper.¡±

    So, first of all, I needed to know where the manuscript paper was sold. I had brought a lot of spare, just in case.

    There were no pencils and erasers here, so if you made one mistake, you had to discard the manuscript. Because of that, there were many times when I got angry or spit swear words out of my mouth.

    ¡°Puetch! Oh, damn it.¡±

    Just like right now.

    While writing the manuscript as I was running out of time, I suddenly sneezed. The manuscript was smeared with saliva and the ink smeared.

    I couldn¡¯t help but frown now that I was almost at the end of one page. But what could I possibly do? It was sad, but I had no choice but to throw it away.

    I transcribed the manuscript onto new paper before tearing it up, then ripped the remainder of the paper into shreds and threw it away.

    However, my concentration was broken by the sneeze, and I was forced to put down the magic pen.

    ¡°The time¡­ only thirty minutes have passed?¡±

    Since it¡¯s like this, let¡¯s eat and look around the academy. I stretched to loosen up my slightly stiff body and prepared.

    I debated wearing a school uniform or not, but I didn¡¯t see the point, so I went out in my regr clothes. I remembered to bring the pocket money and student ID that my parents had given me.

    By the way, the student ID was magically processed, making forgery impossible. If it had been possible, the country would have taken them directly. Also, the student ID was issued before admission.

    ¡°It¡¯s really spacious.¡±

    I toured the inside of Halo Academy in earnest. When viewed from the carriage, it looked like a castle like Hogwarts, but the inside waspletely different. It was safe to say that it was another city or vige

    Buildings for lectures, as well as libraries, bookstores, shops, clothing stores, restaurants, cksmiths, etc.

    It really had the shape of a small city.

    However, they were not randomly mixed but were well separated. Well, if it was mixed up, it would have felt a little cluttered

    It was as if they had designed it as a city and not as an academy from the beginning.

    <em>rattle-</em>

    ¡°Wee~¡±

    ¡°Is there a manuscript here?¡±

    ¡°What manuscript paper are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°This kind of material.¡±

    Buying manuscript paper at the store was easy. Take the paper you prepared in advance and show it to the store owner and you¡¯re done.

    Also, the price of paper was very cheap. The widespread avability of books suggests that papermaking technology was quite well developed.

    I looked around the store to see if there was more to see and went outside. There were many strange things but not enough to attract my attention.

    ¡®Shall I go to a bookstore?¡¯

    On the way back to the dormitory, I suddenly remembered a bookstore I had seen on the way. I know that the building was quiterge like therge bookstore in my previous life.

    So far, with the help of my parents, I had only given manuscripts to publishers and had no idea how my books were selling. It wouldn¡¯t hurt to see it at least once.

    Therefore, I turned to the bookstore on my way home. The road was already memorized in my mind.

    and¡­

    [Currently, all volumes of ¡®Xenon¡¯s Biography¡¯ are sold out. We sincerely apologize to our guests.]

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    At the entrance, an unusual phrase was written. It was not even published recently, and all the books were sold out. Was this really true?

    As I looked at the phrase with a stunned face, a woman next to me said in a sharp voice irritated.

    ¡°I-I. Really! I¡¯ve only read 5 books yet! When the hell is iting out?!¡±

    ¡°Hang in there, Marie. The publishing house said they are only printing Xenon¡¯s biography, so it wille out someday.¡±

    ¡°When the hell is that one day?! You said that it was sold out even when you came here!¡±

    The noise made me wonder about her face. I turned my head and saw the woman who was making a fuss.

    She looked stubborn because of her frown, but she was a cat-like beauty. Uniquely, she had snow-white hair and blue pupils.

    The man who was sweating to calm the woman was presumed to be his brother. Although the facial features were different, the color of the hair and eyes matched perfectly.

    As I was thinking about it, the woman¡¯s hysteria continued.

    ¡°You said that if you enter the Halo Academy, there will be a Xenon biography! Were you lying to me?¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­ I¡¯m sure it was until yesterday.¡±

    ¡°How many books?¡±

    ¡°¡­there were three books for volume six and none for seven.¡±

    ¡°Are you kidding me now?! You should have bought it for me!¡±

    ¡°Marie. As you know, Xenon¡¯s biography is blocked by a rule that one person can only buy one. Don¡¯t you know that a gang who used to be a hoarder in the past was arrested?¡±

    I was dizzy now.

    I¡¯m not sure about anything else, but I¡¯ve never heard of book hoarding. He¡¯s not smuggling anything.

    Unfortunately, the white-haired woman looked at me as I wasughing in bemusement. Then she became even more enraged and yelled at me.

    ¡°Hey. Who are you? Did you justugh at me?¡±

    ¡°Marie!¡±

    ¡°Let go of me. Did heugh at me?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Don¡¯t worry about it and go on your way.¡±

    ¡°Let go! Let go of me!!¡±

    The woman named Marie stared at me far and wide as she was dragged along by her brother. Even as they left, I had no choice but to stand still, nailed to the feeling that a storm had passed.

    But thanks to this, I was able to realize a little how my current novel was.

    ¡°¡­let¡¯s eat some rice.¡±

    I think he¡¯s also a new student, so he won¡¯t be assigned to the same ss, right?

    ¨C ¨C ¨C

 Chapter 5.2: Uneasy Start (3)

    This year, there were approximately 200 freshmen at Halo Academy. There were 150 martial arts students and only 50 literature students here.

    The setting of this world exins why there were three times as many people in martial arts as there were in literature. Unlike in my previous life, the world relied on the power of humans rather than machines in a world where monsters and mana existed.

    As a result, education became more focused on ¡®Martial Arts,¡¯ and magic, as a type of force, was incorporated into martial arts. As a result, I heard that even within Martial Arts, sses were divided based on characteristics.

    If you look at it this way, you might think that literature was being overlooked, but it was not. There were numerous examples of people changing the world without the use of individual strength.

    Furthermore, unlike martial arts, which was closely associated with the military, literature was considered a profession. If soldiers are the spear and shield that protect the country, the profession is the country¡¯s backbone.

    So, how would the literary ss go?

    That¡¯s the way it is. It¡¯s like cramming all 50 students into one ss.

    Cecily and Rina eventually ended up in the same ss. Damn it.

    ¡°Ah~ Princess Cecily is also a literature person. It¡¯s an honor to learn together.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Who are you?¡±

    While Lina and Cecily were having a friendly conversation, a boy interrupted. Cecily and Rina¡¯s faces were etched with displeasure for a brief moment, but it quickly faded.

    In any case, the male student introduced himself with a gentle smile.

    ¡°My name is Jackson Mirrell Kerrison. The beautiful Demon Princess and the Great Sun of the Empire.¡±

    I snorted at the man who was already ying tricks. The insides were so obvious that I was dumbfounded.

    You might ask me if I¡¯m overreacting, but if you¡¯re stuck in a concept, you don¡¯t get involved in a conversation like that.

    Even if other people saw Rina and Cecily sitting next to each other, they would not approach. I¡¯m not sure if I should call that bravery or arrogance. Perhaps he¡¯s simply ignorant.

    Cecily tilted her head and opened her mouth to say she wasn¡¯t interested when she heard Jackson¡¯s self-introduction.

    ¡°Even if I hear it, I don¡¯t know. Perhaps Rina is aware?¡±

    ¡°¡­Count Kerrison is one of the richest families in our Minerva Empire.¡±

    Jackson shrugged when Rina exined to her about his family. Should we y as we like? In any case, every single action of his was unwitting and greasy.

    After that, Jackson asked Cecily in a subtle voice, as he drew his face closer to her if he had gained any confidence. Cecily kept her calm as his face got closer.

    ¡°Did you hear that? What do you think?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Yes. If you are interested in me¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not interested, so will you go away?¡±

    ¡°ter. Huh?¡±

    Of course, when Cecily tly refused, his expression changed to bewilderment.

    Cecily maintained her calm demeanor.

    ¡°I was talking to Rina, and I must say that it was disrespectful of you to cut in.¡±

    Cecily then asked Rina a question.

    ¡°Rina. Are all the nobles of the Minerva Empire like this?¡±

    ¡°No. It¡¯s just him. Did you say Count Kerrison? Did you learn to flirt with Lady at Count Kerrison?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. That¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°If you have nothing more to say, will you go back? The ss will start soon.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m sorry!¡±

    When Rina, not anyone else, gave a sharp order, Jackson quickly apologized and returned. When I examined his face, it was bright red, as if it were about to explode.

    He could have gone halfway if he had stood still, but that guy ate it himself. Count Kerrison, on the other hand, would never dare to open up to the princess.

    If you fold it for no reason, your family will copse, let alone you, so shouldn¡¯t you behave properly? You¡¯re an idiot if you can¡¯t even do that.

    ¡°Huh? You are that redhead from yesterday!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    I was keeping an eye on the situation when I heard a chirping voice next to me. A very familiar voice.

    I turn around to see what it is. Marie, the white-haired girl I met at the bookstore the day before, was pointing at me.

    ¡®Ah, goodness. She¡¯s a literature student, too?¡¯

    <em>Heaven abets you</em>. <em>I have the same major as the woman I had a bad first meeting with.</em>

    Perhaps not knowing what I was thinking, Marie, the white-haired girl, shot at me with her hand on her waist.

    ¡°Youughed at me yesterday, right?¡±

    <em>Not really.</em>

    ¡°Well, seeing you standing in front of the door, you must have been in the same situation as me. Isn¡¯t it? You must have been annoyed to see that the books were sold out too.¡±

    I have a draft, not a book. And rather than annoyed, I was baffled.

    I couldn¡¯t think of anything else to say, so I kept my mouth shut, and Marie raised one corner of her mouth and grunted. It seems that she misunderstood and made judgments on her own.

    After that, she took a deep breath and opened her mouth with the nuance that she had been kind.

    ¡°Phew. All right. What¡¯s the point of fighting in simr situations? I¡¯ll especially forgive the rudeness of yesterday.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure the author doesn¡¯t want us to fight either. Besides, the situation would be a disgrace to his reputation, not to us. Don¡¯t you think so?¡±

 Chapter 6: Uneasy Start (4)

    ¡°My name is Marie. Marie Hausen Requilis. What about you, redhead?¡±

    Marie, the white-haired girl, Marie, introduced herself as she positioned her buttocks close to me. Until just now, she was alone, drumming and doing well, but now she was friendly again.

    Although the event from yesterday was the result of a misunderstanding, she appeared to have a hot temper but her personality itself didn¡¯t seem bad. Anyway, she introduced herself first, so I should do it too.

    I gazed silently at her smiling face and opened my mouth in a calm voice.

    ¡°Isaac Ducker Michelle.¡±

    ¡°Ducker Michelle? You are, as expected, the son of a nobleman.¡±

    ¡°You look like a noble too.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m the daughter of the Requilis family. Heh.¡±

    I didn¡¯t ask. As I thought to myself, Marie gave herself a triumphant response, raising her chin. She seems to be proud of her family.

    By the way, it¡¯s the Requilis family. They were neither a count nor a marquise, but a duke which was the next-highest status after the emperor,

    I was well aware of how famous the Duke of Requilis was. When I was educated by my mother in the past, I even learned the history of the Minerva Empire, so it was only natural to know.

    Anyway, to exin, the Duke of Requilis was one of the founding contributors to the Minerva Empire. Furthermore, since ancient times, it has practiced ¡®noblesse oblige¡¯ and had a ster reputation among the popce.

    <em>[T/N: Noblesse Oblige refers to the unwritten obligation of people from a noble ancestry to act honorably and generously to others.]</em>

    Of course, there were asions when a bastard appeared, but if caught, the family register was dug up and they were expelled.

    ¡®I wish all the nobles were like this.¡¯

    After the emperor, the duke personally practiced noblesse oblige, but what about the other nobility? Unfortunately, that was not the case at all.

    In the world I once lived in, there were many people who abused their high position of authority, but this was a world where sses exist. It was difficult to leave evidence because there were no smartphones orputers.

    Because of this, nobles still had a propensity to treatmoners differently. Even outright persecution could dispel power.

    I gave Marie a quick look before speaking. I made sure to speak courteously and respectfully, just in case.

    ¡°You were the daughter of the Duke of Requilis. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t recognize you.¡±

    ¡°¡­just speak informally. I hate things like that.¡±

    Marie¡¯s pretty face crumpled when I spoke formally. As the rumor has it, she seemed to hate authoritarianism.

    So I started speaking informally as she wanted. Marie chattered as iffortable with that.

    ¡°How many books of Xenon¡¯s biography do you have? I only have five.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    I have the draft. I barely managed to hold back these words as they nearly reached my throat.

    I pondered my response and decided to use a lie to persuade her.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have anything in my possession, but I know the story. My mother lent me to read it¡±

    ¡°Really? Well, there were a lot of people like that. My brother didn¡¯t even lend it to me.¡±

    ¡°why?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a man who takes his stuff terribly. Even my family hates touching his stuff.¡±

    If it¡¯s her brother, is it the white-haired man who gentlyforted Marie yesterday? I nced at the grunting Marie, and then a question came to mind and I asked her.

    ¡°By the way, yesterday, I overheard your brother say that a gang was arrested for hoarding Xenon¡¯s biography?¡±

    ¡°Huh? You didn¡¯t know¡­ Oh, you don¡¯t know. It¡¯s been caught recently, so it¡¯ll take some time for the news to appear in the newspaper. Maybe in two days.¡±

    As expected of a ducal family, the speed of obtaining information was unmatched.

    When I looked at her with eyes that it was great, Marie shrugged as if she had read my mind. Her nose was just as high as the sky.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to look at me like that. This is the most basic thing in our family.¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s great. My house is a rural vige, so I only have a newspaper to get news from.¡±

    ¡°Rural Vige? Puhat. You¡¯re so funny.¡±

    <em>Deureureuk ¨C</em>

    While chatting with Marie, I heard the sound of the front door of the ssroom opening. As soon as the sound was heard, the lecture hall, which was roaring, quickly became quiet.

    <em>Tuk-tuk-tuk-tuk-</em>

    An old man walked towards the center in front of a ckboardrge enough to fill a wall. His hair was a mixture of turbid gold and white, and his mustache was nicely grown, but he looked somewhat stubborn.

    The clothes were exactly what professors were supposed to wear.

    ¡°Xhm.¡±

    Finally, the old man standing in the center of the ckboard coughed and looked around the crowd. All of the students, including myself, waited for his mouth to open.

    When the old man¡¯s gaze moved from the right to the left, his tightly closed mouth opened.

    ¡°Nice to meet you. Students. My name is Beerus Artristan, a professor of humanities.¡±

    His voice was gentle and rxed, and it entered my ears one after the other. The professor, who introduced himself as Beerus, bowed his head as the students apuded.

    Then he straightened his back and said in his unique rxed tone.

    ¡°First of all, wee to the Halo Academy, and to literature. Especially this year, special people have entered the Halo Academy.¡±

    While looking at Rina and Cecily, he shifted his gaze and looked at Marie. Even if she was not an imperial princess or the demon princess, Marie was a very special person because she came from a ducal family.

    ¡°¡­what do you mean?¡±

    Of course, Marie grumbled when she was pointed out. Meanwhile, the professor continued in a gentle manner.

    ¡°First of all, I¡¯ll tell you what your life will be like in the future. In literature, you take amon ss for two years, but after that, you have to find your own way. People interested in medicine will take medicine, administration for public administration, politics for politics, and humanities for humanities. From then on, you can choose the path you want.¡±

    I listened to the professor because I had little knowledge of the academy, especially literature. My older brother and older sister were all ignorant, so there was nothing they could teach me.

    ¡°Well, then you¡¯ll have questions here. What should I do if I can¡¯t find my way for two years? You do not have to worry. It¡¯s only natural at your age to wander around without finding your way. We can wait.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Most of the peoplee to literature because they want ¡®knowledge¡¯. It doesn¡¯t matter if you want knowledge without having to find a way.¡±

    So whether you find your way or not, you can graduate. Will I just get my diploma or go into it as an intern?

    In fact, in a world close to the Middle Ages, such an idea in itself was remarkable. I clenched my chin and waited for the professor¡¯s next words.

    ¡°Today is your first history ss, so I¡¯ll ask you a simple question. What do you think ¡®knowledge¡¯ is? If you give a good answer, I will give you extra points.¡±

    The ss started at the same time as the first question. As soon as I heard his question, a quote came to my mind.

    ¡®Knowledge is power.¡¯

    If this were Earth, this would be one of the most well-known phrases that everyone would have heard at least once. However, I did not raise my hand. Born and raised in South Korea, it was very difficult for me to raise my hand and announce myself.

    While I was still, a student raised his hand. Surprisingly, it was Rina.

    As soon as Rina raised her hand, Professor Beerus looked at her and held out his hand.

    ¡°Your name is¡­ Rina, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, professor.¡±

    ¡°What do you think knowledge is, Rina?¡±

    Even the princess of the Minerva Empire seemed to be nothing more than a student for the professor. As if Rina didn¡¯t even care about that, she got up from her seat and answered in her oriole-like voice.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s something necessary for a person to go higher.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ Please exin in detail.¡±

    When the professor asked for an additional exnation, Rina began to bring up the exnations one by one, as if she had expected it.

    ¡°From techniques that circte the mana inside the body, to magic, auras, and architecture to rebuild civilization. All of this is possible only with knowledge. Without knowledge, people can do nothing. I think it will take you to a higher ce.¡±

    ¡°Very good. Apuse everyone.¡±

    <em>p, p, p, p!</em>

    When the professor urged to apud, loud apuse filled the ssroom. As I was pping along with others, I nced sideways.

    Marie was pping with a sullen face. Seeing one side of her mouth pouting, she looked somewhat displeased.

    ¡°As student Rina said, knowledge can take a person to a higher ce. But that¡¯s not the answer I¡¯m looking for. Can anyone exin more briefly here?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Even when the professor asked again, no one raised their hand. It should, of course, abbreviate the princess¡¯ answer.

    If you make a presentation and give a strange answer, you will certainly beughed at, and if the professor is satisfied, it is a problem. Because it will be taken in several ways.

    ¡®A bloody ss society.¡¯

    I clicked my tongue inward.

    Perhaps everyone was inwardly praying that time would pass. It would be more frightening to be caught by others rather than disappoint the professor. At least Cecily and Marie should present it to have less impact.

    <em>Swagh-</em>

    As soon as I thought about it, Cecily, who was sitting next to Rina, carefully raised her hand. She looked diffident and insecure.

    Of course, the professor was happy to have another student present. Professor Beerus opened his mouth with a smile as soon as Cecily raised her hand.

    ¡°Oh! I think the name is¡­¡±

    ¡°Ce-, I¡¯m Cecily¡­¡±

    ¡°Okay. Student Cecily. What do you think knowledge is?¡±

    Contrary to when she spoke confidently, her voice now was quite depressed. Unlike the speech, her confidence disappeared because maybe she was not sure.

    ¡°Hoo¡­¡±

    Cecily looked around and patted her chest as if trying to convince herself. She then rose from her seat and answered in her voice, which regained her confidence.

    ¡°I think it is something necessary for people to live like humans.¡±

    It was indeed a demon-like answer. Professor Beerus also slightly pointed out his face and asked her seemingly interested.

    ¡°Can you borate?¡±

    ¡°Yes. As Rina announced, knowledge is essential for a person to advance to a higher ce, but I think it is possible only when he or she is a ¡®person¡¯ before that. He who has no knowledge will be a beast without any possibility of development.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a very primitive answer indeed. But it¡¯s great. Apuse, everyone!¡±

    Like Rina, thunderous apuse filled the ssroom. I looked at Cecily¡¯s back, who hurriedly sat down in her seat with a strange expression.

    When she, who was not a person but a demon, came up with such an answer, it felt like something touching

    ¡°Both students came up with very good answers. Unfortunately, this wasn¡¯t the answer I was hoping for. Do any other students want to present?¡±

    There¡¯s no way.

    After Cecily has presented, there would be no more applicants for the presentation. I can assure you.

    I wish it would end like this, but¡­

    ¡°If there are no more students to present, I will nominate them myself.¡±

    As expected, the professor was simr to those from my previous life. I lowered my head so as not to make eye contact.

    ¡®Please don¡¯t catch me. please¡­¡¯

    But the ominous premonition was always true.

    ¡°The redhead student with his head down there? The student should answer.¡±

    I med my father for giving me red hair for the first time in my life. It¡¯s a color that stood out wherever you go.

    ¡°Hey, I think the professor is talking about you¡±

    ¡°¡­I know. Whoo.¡±

    I muttered fifty thousand swear words to myself and raised my head. When I lifted my head, dozens of eyes were looking straight at me.

    I wanted to be nervous about what I was looking at, but I stood up with a tight squeeze. Professor Beerus asked as soon as I reluctantly rose.

    ¡°Red-haired student. What is your name?¡±

    ¡°¡­My name is Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Student Isaac. What do you think knowledge is?¡±

    What should I answer? I tried toe up with a different answer as much as possible, but only the sayings from my previous life were spinning around in my head.

    Now that this has happened, I pretended to be troubled and opened my mouth in the calmest voice possible.

    ¡°¡­I think it¡¯s power.¡±

    ¡°Oho.¡±

    What. Damn. What¡¯s that exmation and why are your eyes shining?

    As I mumbled inwardly, the professor asked me in an excited voice unlike before.

    ¡°Why do you think so? That¡¯s an interesting answer.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    As soon as I heard the professor¡¯s question, I looked at the seats where Rina and Cecily were sitting.

    A pair of blue eyes and a pair of red eyes were looking straight at me with curiosity. I barely managed to open my mouth, feeling the anxiety rising in real-time.

    ¡°¡­from ancient times, knowledge has been used to develop civilization. Like how to make a fire, how to farm, how to build a building, and what kind of knowledge you need to catch monsters. This shows that knowledge has more power than strength.¡±

    ¡°You summarized Rina¡¯s presentation. What do you think of Cecily¡¯s presentation?¡±

    No. This is it.

    Regardless, the professor¡¯s eyes became even brighter. I sighed and replied as if it was going to be okay.

    ¡°¡­there is clearly a limit to the knowledge that you can get on your own. So you can interact with people, or you can rob them through fights. And being human¡­ cannot be defined as one thing, so I¡¯ll stop here.¡±

    I really had nothing more to say, so I sat down without dy. At the same time, silence fell in the ssroom.

    I noticed something unusual when the silence fell and looked at the professor. The professor is looking at me with an expression of appreciation for my presentation.

    It was clearly different from when Rina and Cecily presented.

    Then the professor eximed in an excited voice.

    ¡°Really! It was a perfectly wonderful answer! You said Isaac, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°I will give extra points to student Isaac! Please give a big round of apuse!¡±

    <em>p p p!</em>

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Don¡¯t do this to me. Damn it.

    ¨C ¨C ¨C End of Chapter ¨C ¨C ¨C

 Chapter 7: Uneasy Start (5)

    ¡°Oh,e on, do you have a smart brain?¡±

    ¡°Shut up.¡±

    I was not pleased with thepliment. Compliments should be treated as such, but when delivered with a smirk, theye across as teasing.

    Above all, I was more concerned about the countless stares that had been directed at me before instead of the professor¡¯s extra points. Rina and Cecily were intrigued, but not all eyes were favorable.

    I¡¯m not sure what the future would bring, but it¡¯s best to keep my mouth shut and stay low for the time being. As the apuse gradually faded, Professor Beerus began exining in a rxed tone.

    ¡°Like Isaac¡¯s answer, knowledge is like a weapon that can be a power. Power has an inseparable rtionship with people. Also¡­¡±

    Unlike the presentation, the lectures remained boring. However, I, like the rest of the students, was focused on the professor¡¯s lecture.

    It was boring, like a college ss from my past, but it wasn¡¯t meaningless. Besides this, it made me realize that I was attending an academy found only in fantasy novels.

    After about 30 minutes of the professor¡¯s lengthy exnation, a story that would draw everyone¡¯s attention popped up.

    ¡°Let me ask you a quick question here. Have any of you read the book called ¡®Xenon¡¯s Biography¡¯?¡±

    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±

    Why was my book mentioned all of a sudden? While I was bewildered, the professor sighed, coughed, and spoke again.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I said it wrong. Is there any student here who hasn¡¯t read Xenon¡¯s biography yet?¡±

    As soon as the professor asked the question, I looked around. No matter how popr Xenon¡¯s biography was, maybe one or two out of 50 people weren¡¯t interested.

    However, as if all the predictions were my misjudgments, no one raised their hand.

    ¡®No. Really?¡¯

    It was absurd at first, but it¡¯s not that I just don¡¯t understand. Even if it was a fantasy world where magic exists, this was still close to the Middle Ages. There would be very few things to enjoy in your spare time.

    Smartphones,puters, and televisions were not invented, so the things you could enjoy in your leisure life were extremely limited. In addition, the nobles would read books for their own education, so they would have naturally encountered Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    When I thought about it like this, there was no way to exin that I was born in good times.

    ¡°That will make it easier to talk. As you may be aware, Xenon¡¯s Biography story blew up suddenly a year ago. When I read this work, I was taken aback. How much knowledge is required to create a world?¡±

    It¡¯s been ubiquitous in the past life. Fantasy was there. As long as you mix the seasonings well, Readers agreed that a simr story would be interesting.

    ¡°How much experience do you need to write this beautiful story? I¡¯m sure the author of Xenon¡¯s biography has gone through experiences that I can never imagine.¡±

    ¡­I just read a lot of books at home. However, what the professor said was notpletely wrong, I was a ¡®reincarnated person.¡¯

    Not only did I have a different experience of a different world, but I also encountered a culture I had never encountered before. This was also an experience.

    Moreover, it was easy to create a new story because of the ease of ess to stories created by other people, such asics and novels.

    ¡°The most important thing is expressiveness and readability. You all know the feeling of vividly reying the scene in your head. I can imagine how much effort and research the author put into writing these sentences.¡±

    If youpliment me like that, I feel embarrassed. I almost smiled bitterly.

    If I read the book I wrote right now and do that, wouldn¡¯t I be stunned if I saw The Lord of the Rings or Sherlock Holmes?

    I wonder what would have happened if Tolkien or Conan Doyle had reincarnated here.

    Ah. Tolkien would most likely be embarrassed watching his world-building turn into reality.

    ¡°Writing an immortal masterpiece like Xenon¡¯s biography is certainly difficult, but since the author of Xenon¡¯s biography has already paved the way, it won¡¯t be difficult to follow that path. However, knowledge and experience necessary to create a new world are essential.¡±

    ¡°Professor. May I ask you a question?¡±

    As Beerus continued his exnation, someone raised her arm. She was sitting in the front row, a girl with auburn hair. Maybe because she sat in the front seat, I couldn¡¯t see her face.

    No matter where you go, no professor disliked a question, Professor Beerus asked her with a smile.

    ¡°Of course. Your name?¡±

    ¡°My name is Leona.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Student Leona. What¡¯s the question?¡±

    When Leona rose from her seat, she was apanied by a flurry of stares. She continued, slurring and saying what she wanted to say tersely.

    ¡°As the professor exined, Xenon¡¯s biography went beyond fiction and left a mark on the cultural world, paving a new path. Thanks to this, it is still gaining unprecedented poprity.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°But this is what some critics say. It is a book that can be read with fun regardless of ss, but it is not enough to build culture. I would like to ask what your opinion is.¡±

    I think I know roughly what she wanted to say. When Xenon¡¯s biography was a hit, it was mostly well-received, but a few criticized it.

    This was content that was said to be inappropriate for building culture. I looked at it andughed.

    ¡®If you twist, they will use it as easily as me.¡¯

    As I mentioned before, novels in this world were at the level of the SAT English problem. Because all of the words I¡¯ll ever hear only once in my life were concentrated in one book, I have no idea what it meant, let alone the story.

    The professor nodded when he heard Leona¡¯s question.

    ¡°I understand what you mean. Just like the student said, Xenon¡¯s biography is easy to read, but there are people who hate it. But do you know that?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°The one thing that critics have inmon is that they are novelists. Before Xenon¡¯s biography came out, they were the writers who had the highest recognition ¡®only¡¯ to aristocrats, notmoners. One of them is Professor Megner, and he¡¯s one of the professors here beside me.¡±

    The professor emphasized ¡®only¡¯. Professor Beerus took his gaze away from Leona and, walking back and forth in front of the ckboard, exined in a rxed voice.

    ¡°The reason they were so popr with aristocrats rather thanmoners was that most previous novels were only read by nobles. There were many difficult words formoners to decipher, making it nearly impossible. Therefore, readability was reduced, andter on, the flow of the story was twisted in strange ways.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Xenon¡¯s biography, on the other hand, used simple sentences and expressive power that evenmoners could understand. Xenon¡¯s biography isn¡¯t cultural? It¡¯s just nonsense. In essence, culture can only be obtained through academic and knowledge acquisition.¡±

    The professor, who had been pacing around, came to a halt. And he finally asked her a question, his gaze fixed on Leona.

    ¡°Okay then, Leona student. I¡¯m going to ask a different question.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Professor.¡±

    ¡°How many books did Leona read about Xenon¡¯s biography?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve read all of the most recent ones.¡±

    When Marie heard the answer, she said.

    ¡°Wow, even I haven¡¯t read thetest one. How did she read it?¡±

    ¡°There must have been a way.¡±

    Hearing Leona¡¯s answer to what we were talking about, the professor nodded and spoke softly.

    ¡°Then what do you think of demons after reading Xenon¡¯s biography?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Leona didn¡¯t answer, but shifted her gaze towards where Cecily was sitting. Cecily flinched slightly, not knowing she was going to be mentioned, but she looked straight into her eyes.

    After a while, Leona, who had been facing Cecily for a few seconds, spoke, as if she understood.

    ¡°Sorry. I think I asked the wrong question.¡±

    ¡°No, it was a very sharp question. I will give extra points to Leona.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, professor.¡±

    Despite the unexpected bonus points, Leona answered in a calm voice. To those who don¡¯t know her, she might appear like a robot.

    ¡°Anyway, in order to make certain knowledgepletely on your own, you must first understand what that knowledge tells you. Zeno¡¯s biography is an extremely advanced novel.¡±

    Wow. You wrapped up a novel that I wrote as a hobby without thinking about it like that. That¡¯s ability too.

    In the meantime, the professor continued the lecture by mentioning Xenon¡¯s biography from time to time. The students also began to listen to the professor¡¯s lecture with more interest than before.

    ¡°Especially, what I want to say here is that you should never be arrogant even at thest moment¡­¡±

    Along the way, the professor himself made up the meaning of the story that even I didn¡¯t know. The trap is that the writer himself wrote it without any meaning.

    A person who is too smart interprets an easy trap as moreplicated.

    So, from the middle, I listened to the lecture with a dull expression. ncing to the side, Marie was listening with twinkling eyes.

    ¡°Well¡­ Time is running out.¡±

    How long has passed? The professor checked his wristwatch and announced the end.

    I don¡¯t know, but I heard some sighs from the students because it was quite fun. Was it that fun?

    Professor Beerus said with a smirk, wondering if the sound of sighing made him feel better.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be too sad. We have a lot of time besides today.¡±

    ¡°What do other professors teach beside you?¡±

    ¡°History, theology, magic, medicine, administration, politics, philosophy, biology, etc. Each professor will teach you the basic knowledge. Also, after this time, we will issue a timetable to you.¡±

    ¡°Do we have to get good grades all of them?¡±

    One student asked in an anxious voice. Surely you¡¯d have a headache to hear that one by one. I have to say that I am running to the extreme of inefficiency.

    Professor Beerus shook his head in denial at the question.

    ¡°No. You can take the sses you want, but you will need a certain score.¡±

    ¡°Then you¡¯re saying that we don¡¯t have to attend a major we are not interested in?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t really matter. Professors will only focus on students who are interested in their lectures anyway. Instead, as I said before, it would be better to take as many lectures as possible and get attendance points in order to secure more than a certain score.¡±

    As exined earlier, students takemon sses until their second year, but if they can get a certain score, it means that they do not need to take sses they are not interested in.

    Obviously, if you look at this, it was a system simr to the university of my previous life. The difference is that the major was decided in advance even if I do not have to apply for a course separately.

    Still, I was satisfied with the system as it was familiar to me.

    ¡°It¡¯s almost time. It was a pleasure to meet you, students.¡±

    At the end of the lecture, Beerus bowed down and greeted us like a gentleman. Of course, it was an impressive lecture, so the students responded with apuse.

    Before long, Beerus left the ssroom, and people who were supposed to be teaching assistants came in and handed out papers to the students. It seemed to be the timetable the professor had mentioned a while ago.

    ¡°Crazy. What is this?¡±

    As soon as I checked the timetable, I was startled. It doesn¡¯t matter if the sses were tightly packed from 9 am to 5 pm, but the number of majors was huge.

    No matter how many times you search for the same major, they were all different majors. Marie also clicked her tongue and muttered in a troubled voice.

    ¡°This is just too much. I just need to secure a certain score here, right? What major are you going to take?¡±

    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s listen to everything first. There are so many I don¡¯t even know. First, I¡¯m considering history, theology, and biology.¡±

    While answering Marie¡¯s question, I stared intently at the timetable. I was honestly confident in the three subjects I talked about. The rich knowledge I got from the books was stored in my head.

    Of course, I would only listen to the major I am not interested in once and ignore it afterward, but there was only one thing I was worried about.

    ¡®I don¡¯t care about the score, but will there be a group project here? That would be annoying.¡¯

    It was when I was looking at the tightly packed timetable with a serious expression.

    ¡°Mr. Isaac?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    A woman¡¯s voice, like a jade marble rolling, prated my ear. So I took my eyes off the timetable and raised my head.

    And¡­

    ¡°You¡¯re considering history, theology, and biology?¡±

    Rina, who exudes a radiant beauty like the sun, was looking at me with a smile on her face. There was a strong curiosity in her blue eyes.

    Also, next to her was Cecily, looking at me with simr eyes, if not more than Rina.

    ¡®¡­Damn it.¡¯

    I curse you, professor.

    ¨C ¨C ¨C End of Chapter ¨C ¨C ¨C

 Chapter 8: Encounter (1)

    While I was cursing the professor in my mind, Rina looked at Marie sitting next to me and greeted her politely.

    ¡°Marie is here too. It¡¯s been a while.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s been a long time.¡±

    Apparently, the two knew each other. But, unlike Rina, who was smiling, Marie had a dissatisfied expression on her face.

    It was possible that Marie was talking informally because her family was responsible for the founding of the Minerva Empire, but looking closely, Marie was openly displeased with Rina. Although Rina didn¡¯t really care.

    Despite Marie¡¯s informal greeting, Rina continued to smile and reverted her gaze to me. I pretended to be as calm as possible as soon as I met her gaze.

    Rina then revealed a more radiant expression and introduced herself in an elegant voice.

    ¡°I will introduce myself officially. As Mr. Isaac knows, I am Rina Urmi Christine, the first princess of the Minerva Empire. Please feel free to call me Rina.¡±

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m Isaac Ducker Michelle. It¡¯s an honor to meet you, Princess Rina.¡±

    ¡°Ducker Michelle?¡±

    Rina¡¯s eyes widened slightly as I rose from my seat and formally introduced myself. Looking at my hair and face alternately, she muttered inaudibly.

    ¡°Golden eyes and red hair¡­ I thought I was familiar with it¡­ But, it is literature¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°No. Anyway, you can call me Rina without the princess part. Cecily? Do you want to say hello to Cecily as well?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes!¡±

    Rina skillfully turned it over and called Cecily from behind. They seemed to have be quite close in the meantime, seeing that they talked to each other even though they hadn¡¯t met before.

    I looked Cecily in the face as she stepped forward. Cecily also looked at me with a nervous look on her face.

    ¡®Really, all of them are unrealistically beautiful.¡¯

    Marie, Rina, and Cecily.

    All of them were unrealistically pretty, so it doesn¡¯t really make sense to me. They felt like a character drawn with sincerity, not a person, popped out into reality.

    Not to mention, Cecily was a demon. I was reincarnated into this world and met one for the first time.

    The jet-ck hair was familiar, so I could ignore it, but the blood-red eyes and the horns protruding from both sides of the head were truly foreign.

    More than anything¡­

    ¡®¡­The shirt is moring for help.¡¯

    It¡¯s a bit exaggerated, but her chest was the size of my head. Even if she tried to cover it with the school uniform, it was boasting a sense of intimidation that cannot be hidden. Rina, who was standing next to her, was also quiterge, but it was not enoughpared to Cecily.

    On the other hand, Marie was ¡­ moderatelyrge. The two girls in front of her were too big. If you are an aristocrat, it is only natural that you grow well as you eat and sleep well.

    Speaking-

    ¡°Hello. My name is Cecily Drat Eisilia Bin, Princess of Helium. Nice to meet you.¡±

    As I heard in the speech, Cecily introduced herself in her distinctive alluring voice. She put her hand to the heart and bowed her head politely.

    Thanks to Rina, she gained her confidence, and there was a bit of liveliness in her voice as well.

    I replied, somehow keeping my eyes fixed on her face. Eye contact was also difficult.

    ¡°As you may have heard earlier, my name is Isaac Ducker Michelle. It¡¯s an honor to meet you, Princess Cecily.¡±

    ¡°You can call me Cecily, just like Rina said.¡±

    ¡°I see. By the way¡­¡±

    I took turns looking at Rina and Cecily and brought out the main topic.

    ¡°What brought you two to me?¡±

    As I asked, I nced around. As expected, many students¡¯ eyes are focused on this area.

    Most were full of curiosity, but there were also a few hostile gazes among them.

    In particr, the young count who immediately fell in love with Cecily as soon as he arrived. Maybe his name was Jackson. I can¡¯t even remember.

    Anyway, he was looking at this side with deadly force, and it seems he will be called out sooner orter. I was more bothered than afraid, so I should be careful not to stand out for a while.

    In the meantime, Rina, who heard my question, spoke in an elegant tone.

    ¡°I was impressed with the presentations in ss. It was an answer I hadn¡¯t thought of.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re overpraising.¡±

    ¡°No. It¡¯s not an exaggeration at all. Then I suddenly wondered. Why did Isaac have such a thought?¡±

    If you¡¯ve lived on Earth, you¡¯ve probably heard it at least once. Princess.

    Of course, I couldn¡¯t say it directly. I rolled my eyes and quickly pondered what answer I would give.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you sit down and talk? I think we¡¯ll be next to each other next time.¡±

    Then, in the middle, Marie¡¯s blunt voice came in. When I turned my head to see, Marie rubbed her chin with an annoyed expression on her face.

    Her gaze was directed towards Rina, and she seemed to dislike Rina quite a bit.

    ¡°Ah. I¡¯m sorry for this. Shall we take a seat then?¡±

    ¡°¡­yes.¡±

    Somehow, Cecily, Rina, I, and Marie were seated in that order. Even if I look to the right or to the left, it¡¯s nice to have a beautiful woman, but the pressure was no joke.

    Sure enough, the daughter of the duke was sitting on my left, and the princess of Minerva and the princess of Helium are sitting on the right side by side.

    If I y with my mouth wrong, not only will my neck fly away, but my house will also disappear into dust.

    Could this be the feelings of the soldier who was caught between the US president and the Korean president? I was pretending to be as calm as possible, but my heart was pounding violently with tension.

    ¡°So what¡¯s the answer?¡±

    While I was very nervous, Rina asked the question again. Her eyes were shining like sapphires, filled with curiosity and anticipation.

    ¡®Fuck. What do I do.¡¯

    No matter how much I think about it, I can¡¯t think of a proper answer. I have only heard that saying in my previous life, and I have no idea where it came from.

    Still, it was better to be honest than to lie. For some reason, if Rina digs in, I¡¯ll have toe up with another lie.

    I opened my mouth calmly, barely soothing my pounding chest in a different way.

    ¡°¡­I do not know.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just thought so. There¡¯s no way to exin it.¡±

    ¡°You just thought so¡­¡±

    Rina opened her eyes and muttered shakily. I don¡¯t know whether she¡¯s disappointed or surprised, but she¡¯s probably closer to disappointment.

    But all of this was purely my imagination.

    ¡°That¡¯s great.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re really amazing. You¡¯re saying that you always thought of knowledge as power, right?¡±

    No. Why is the story like that? What kind of misunderstanding did you make toe to such a conclusion?

    While I was bewildered, Rina asked directly, her eyes brighter than before.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say this, but you don¡¯t have any physical talent, do you?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ yes. My father gave up halfway through.¡±

    ¡°I see. I wondered why Sir Hawk¡¯s son had entered literature rather than Martial Arts¡­ but now I understand. Sir Hawk would certainly have told you to build up your intellect if you couldn¡¯t build a force.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ Rina? Is Isaac¡¯s father a great person?¡±

    Cecily, who was listening quietly, asked Rina. I was also curious because I didn¡¯t know how great my father was.

    My father was originally amoner and became a nobleman while he was working as a knight, but I do not know exactly what kind of achievement he achieved. My father himself was reluctant to tell me, and my mother answered vaguely that I would know when I grow up.

    But now that I hear it, it was expected that he was such a great man enough to be in the ears of a princess of the royal family. At home, he was just a father with a warm and friendly image.

    While I was thinking about it, Rina looked at Cecily and spoke about my father, Hawk.

    ¡°Have you ever heard of the Red Lion of Minerva?¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s a red lion¡­ No?¡± <T/N: No as in surprised ¡®No, Don¡¯t tell me He¡­¡¯>

    As soon as Cecily heard Lina¡¯s question, she opened her eyes wide and looked at me. It¡¯s frustrating that they only know each other and I don¡¯t know at all.

    ¡°Oh, no wonder. I¡¯ve heard of amander and red hair, so you¡¯re the son of the Red Lion. Your eyes are golden.¡±

    Even Marie seems to know. As a son, I didn¡¯t know.

    I blinked once and asked Marie with a questioning expression on her face.

    ¡°You know?¡±

    ¡°Huh? You don¡¯t know? Even though you are the son of the Red Lion?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I asked my mother, but she didn¡¯t tell me.¡±

    ¡°Surely it is. Sir Hawk was not happy to let others know of his achievements. He was originally entitled to the title of Count, but he was deliberately granted the title of Baron, saying that the position was excessive.¡±

    Rina exined it instead. I looked away from Marie and looked at her.

    Her eyes have be more burdensome than before, and Cecily next to her had a look that strengthened her curiosity. I don¡¯t know anything else, but I can guess that the situation is going strangely.

    ¡®What the hell were you doing when you were on active duty?¡¯

    She said that he almost received the title of count, so he was also themander of the Navy Knights.

    For reference, the Navy Knights are the most famous and most powerful Knights in the Minerva Empire.

    ¡°Sir Hawk has made countless achievements as themander of the Navy Knights. If it had not been for his will to restfortably, he would have kept his position as the Knight Commander for decades.¡±

    It was real.

    ¡°Anyway, since you are the son of Sir Hawk, he¡¯d usually tell you to build up your strength just in case, right? Sir Hawk always told the Knights to develop the ability to prepare for variables.¡±

    ¡°¡­yes.¡±

    Things have gone strangely, but I¡¯m d to hear that. Thanks to my wonderful father, Rina was making her own decisions.

    When Rina heard my answer, she smiled stronger than before and spoke to me with anticipation.

    ¡°You said a while ago that you¡¯re considering history, theology, and biology? Anything else?¡±

    ¡°Maybe¡­ Philosophy and the humanities?¡±

    ¡°Philosophy¡­ I¡¯ll be looking forward to it.¡±

    I¡¯m not saying I¡¯m asking you, I¡¯m saying I¡¯m looking forward to it. I realized the meaning contained in it. It means to show performances that match your expectations in the future.

    Well, what could I do? For now, it¡¯s enough if they somehow don¡¯t find out that I¡¯m the author of Xenon¡¯s biography.

    ¡°Oh, by the way, Mr. Isaac?¡±

    ¡°You can talk casually.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Isaac. I¡¯ve been curious about something.¡±

    ¡°Please speak.¡±

    ¡°This.¡±

    Rina pointed at my finger. To be precise, it was the calluses on the middle finger of my right hand, that is, the ¡®pen-hook¡¯ side.

    When I slightly questioned her, Rina opened her mouth in a curious voice.

    ¡°That callus, don¡¯t you have to use a pen quite often to get calluses?¡±

    ¨C ¨C ¨C End of Chapter ¨C ¨C ¨C

 Chapter 9: Kkondae (1)

    ¡°¡­Why do you ask that?¡±

    Is this how it feels like to have a sinking heart and the whole body¡¯s blood cooling down?

    I couldn¡¯t hide my trembling voice and asked Rina. And I didn¡¯t forget to gently cover my right hand.

    Rina looked puzzled for a moment when I was embarrassed, but soon answered my question.

    ¡°Most of the officers working in the Imperial Pce have calluses there. I wondered if Isaac had the same reason.¡±

    Like she said, the typewriter was not yet invented here, so writing was mostly done by hand only. Therefore, calluses inevitably formed in the hands of those who filled out the documents, especially the officers working in the Imperial Pce.

    In the face of an impending crisis, I quickly spun my brain. Fortunately, Rina had no idea that I was writing a book. If I answer this in an understandable way, I can pass the situation wisely.

    After much deliberation, I was finally able to speak the correct response.

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s from studying. I have a habit of taking notes while studying. It makes it a little easier to remember.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ Really? Well, it¡¯s not unusual to have that habit if you want to acquireplete knowledge. I used to do that when I was being educated at the Imperial Pce.¡±

    Fortunately, it appears to have worked to some extent. Even though I was a suspect because of my reaction, it¡¯s better than being caught.

    After that, just as I was about to breathe a sigh of relief, Marie, not Rina, chimed in.

    ¡°But now that I see it, your hands are so pretty. Can I take a look?¡±

    ¡°Huh? My hand?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯spare it to mine.¡±

    Marie extended her hand and encouraged me. I was initially perplexed, but I quickly epted it because it was an insignificant issue.

    ¡°Wow, your hands are so pretty. I think they¡¯re prettier than mine.¡±

    Comparing her own hand with mine, one marveled at her sincerity. Probably because of the pen-hook, the hand itself was very pretty.

    Not only were my fingers long and thin, but the skin was white, and the idiom ¡®seomseomogsu¡¯ suited me well.

    [T/N: ¡®seomseomogsu¡¯ or ¡®????¡¯ is an idiom that means ¡®thin(?) and slender(?) woman hands(?), like a jade. (?)]

    I scratched my head and smiled shyly at Marie¡¯s admiration. Even my mother praised it, but when I heard it from others, it made me feel embarrassed for some reason.

    ¡°Are you taking care of it separately?¡±

    ¡°No. It¡¯s just been like this from the beginning.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so jealous. My skin cracks easily and it annoys me.¡±

    Marie grumbled, but her hands were also very pretty. Since she was a duke¡¯s daughter, she must have paid attention to various aspects as well as her appearance.

    Perhaps it was the change in atmosphere that caused my heart, which had been pounding with tension, to gradually calm down. I chuckled as Marie looked at her hand.

    ¡°Oh, right. Cecily, can you show me your hand too?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Me?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m curious what a demon¡¯s hand looks like.¡±

    Cecily blinked her red eyes in response to Marie¡¯s surprising question. She didn¡¯t seem to mind that she spoke in a casual manner.

    Cecily, hesitating for a moment, cautiously showed her hand. However, there were far too many calluses on her hand for a princess of a country. The palms, in particr, were rough and cracked, much like a tortoise¡¯s shell.

    When everyone was unable to open their mouths due to her hand¡¯spletely unexpected state, I looked at it closely because it reminded me of something I¡¯d seen somewhere. It¡¯s the same with my father¡¯s, brother¡¯s, and sister¡¯s hands.

    This is a sign of countless training.

    ¡°Do you use a sword?¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    In response to my question, Rina eximed, realizing itte. Cecily replied, wrapping her hands in embarrassment.

    ¡°Yes. I learned swordsmanship from a young age.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t demons specialized in magic?¡±

    That¡¯s what I heard when I gathered information rted to demons.

    The Demons, along with Elves, were inherently superior to other races when it came to magic. If humans express magic by calcting all kinds ofplex calctions, demons perform magic as if they were just breathing.

    Furthermore, ¡®ck mana¡¯, which can only be used by demons, was several times stronger than normal mana. So, when a normal wizard throws a ball of fire, the demons drop a Meteor altogether.

    ¡°It¡¯s true, but since I¡¯m a princess of Helium, I¡¯ve learned various martial arts. As you know, ¡®control¡¯ is an essential skill for us demons.¡±

    ¡°A healthy mind resides in a healthy body. You mean this, right?¡±

    Even in my previous life, if you look at athletes, firefighters, and special forces soldiers, they were both physically and mentally at an incredible level.

    You can¡¯t do what you want; you have to do what you must do, and sometimes you¡¯re forced into extreme situations, so your mental strength will be tested.

    As I spoke with that thought, Cecily¡¯s eyes widened. Cecily then nodded as if she had gained enlightenment and murmured quietly.

    ¡°A healthy mind resides in a healthy body¡­ That¡¯s a really good saying. I¡¯ll always keep it in mind.¡±

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m honored to be of any help.¡±

    When I nced at Rina, I saw her eyes had be more subtle. I tried to ignore it.

    After a while, Rina¡¯s lips were about to say something.

    <em>Jjaak!</em>

    The sound of apuse resounded out of nowhere in the ssroom. If it had been simple apuse, it would have been buried in the surrounding sounds, but it resounded like an echo, drawing everyone¡¯s attention.

    So I, as well as three people, turned our heads forward and saw an elderly man standing proudly in front of the ckboard, unaware of when he came to the ssroom.

    If Beerus, who was a professor of humanities, had a strict image overall, the professor who came in this time had the impression of being kind.

    In addition to that, he has a thick beard, and his long white hair looks like Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings.

    ¡°Hmm. Now I¡¯m ready to speak. Now that the break is over, let¡¯s all focus.¡±

    The new professor gave instructions with a heavy nod as the students focused on him. I looked at the professor who looked like Gandalf and checked the timetable.

    The timetable read ¡®Leaf Magner,¡¯ and he was a professor of magic and one of the critics of Xenon¡¯s biography.

    ¡°My name is Leaf Magner, a professor who will teach you the knowledge of magic. Nice to meet you.¡±

    As soon as Professor Magner announced his name in a low-pitched voice, apuse erupted in unison. As I apuded, I took out the notebook and magic pen I had brought in advance to the desk.

    Professor Beerus, who was a professor of humanities, didn¡¯t feel the need to take notes, so I didn¡¯t take them out, but it seemed something different this time. Not only was it different from the original style, but it¡¯s magic.

    When we think of fantasy, we naturally think of power and magic.

    As I said before, magic was close to a privilege that only high-ranking people can use. Furthermore, even if knowledge rted to magic is published in a book, there are many words that cannot be understood. It was so unkind to record it so that only the wizards could recognize it.

    ¡°Are you interested in magic? You didn¡¯t do it like now.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m interested. I¡¯ve never seen it before.¡±

    Even when Marie asked in a voice that was unexpected, I answered immediately. Magic! What a wonderful sound!

    Although I may not manifest magic directly like Martial Arts, it was enough to hear the theory. For me, as an Earthling, this knowledge was more valuable than anything else.

    Soon, the sound of apuse that filled the ssroom faded, and Professor Magner opened his mouth in an old voice.

    ¡°Before I go into a full-fledged ss, there was a little jarring in my ear. Did you say Xenon¡¯s biography?¡±

    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±

    Xenon¡¯s biography was mentioned as soon as it started. It was time to think so.

    Professor Magner made a displeased expression and made a remark that made my eyes twitch.

    ¡°Be careful not to mention that low-grade novel at the time of my lecture, if possible. Because I don¡¯t want to admit that as a novel.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    It was a new concept of malice. No. I saw maliciousments in newspapers, and those were just gossip. It was nder thrown in front of the person concerned.

    I don¡¯t know that the main character of the malicious gossip is in the same space, but I still don¡¯t feel very good. Beyond bad, I felt very dirty.

    Still, what can I do? I just have to think of him as an idiot. I let out a long breath in frustration, then nced at the sides alternately.

    Unsurprisingly, none had very good expressions. Among them, Cecily was the worst, twisting her face and exhaling a ferocious aura as if she would go fight right away.

    It was a little scary for me as a general person, although I was presumed to be patient.

    ¡°¡­Cecily?¡±

    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s going to get a little cold¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­! Mi, sorry¡­¡±

    Fortunately, when Rina quietly pointed it out, Cecily quickly regained her energy and apologized immediately. I looked straight ahead, rubbing my trembling arm.

    Should I say it is an overreaction? When Professor Magner talked about Xenon¡¯s biography, the ssroom became as quiet as a dead mouse. Like it or not, Professor Magner clicked his tongue and regretted it.

    ¡°Tsk tsk tsk¡­ that bullshit made me lower my eyes. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m really sorry.¡±

    Then you shouldn¡¯t have used difficult words from the beginning. Even the nobles are ming others for putting in words that are difficult to understand.

    Professor Magner started the lecture, regardless of the sudden chilling atmosphere. It was a distinctly different atmosphere from Professor Beerus¡¯s time, but it seemed good to take a ss.

    ¡°First of all, it is important to know that learning magic doesn¡¯t mean you can use magic. So what¡¯s the difference between the two? It¡¯s simple. One is about learning knowledge rted to magic, and the other is literally learning magic.¡±

    Compared to the previous life, one is learning the history of machines, and the other is making those machines. Even if magic is a power granted only to high-ranking people, it has already been ingrained into life, so its history will be very vast.

    ¡®It would have been better if he hadn¡¯t said something useless at first.¡¯

    I am very interested in magic. However, the professor is very rude.

    The dislike of Professor Magner has long since prated the floor and reached the mantle. Anyone who has worked hard for their creations will be offended if they are criticized right in front of them.

    <em>square- square-</em>

    I wrote it down in my notebook with a magic pen while calming my boiling inside. Maybe it was because no one other than me had a notebook or pen, but the sound of scribbling was particrly loud.

    ¡°Then before I ask you a question¡­ the red-haired student.¡±

    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±

    Why me again? Is it because of my red hair?

    While I was greatly perplexed, Professor Magner exined why he had called me.

    ¡°I saw you recording something earlier, but if it¡¯s rted to magic, don¡¯t record it.¡±

    ¡°¡­Why?¡±

    ¡°Magic is a power that can only be used by those who have been chosen since ancient times. It should never be spread arbitrarily. Even if it is a piece of knowledge.¡±

    ¡°No, what is that¡­¡±

    Isn¡¯t that an old-fashioned idea? So, what about this magic pen or the temperature control function ced in the dormitory? Refrigerator?

    It was so absurd that the words did note out of my throat. Even that statement is in direct opposition to Professor Beerus¡¯s beliefs.

    Somehow, books rted to magic were rare, so there were only so many wizards. It¡¯s understandable to see such thoughts taken for granted.

    ¡°Then does the professor deny the idea that knowledge should be widely spread?¡±

    In the end, a student who I couldn¡¯t see asked a question. I also wanted to say that, so I waited for Professor Magner¡¯s answer.

    But when Professor Magner heard the question and stroked his voluminous beard, he came up with an unexpected answer.

    ¡°That¡¯s not it. It¡¯s limited to magic, and other knowledge doesn¡¯t matter. Magic is a dangerous power. You can tell by looking at the races that use that power as if it were breathing, that is, demons and elves. What if you can¡¯t control it? It¡¯s a walking disaster.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°In that bullshit, they are described as a being with a tragic fate, but after all, demons are just demons. No matter how much they pretend to be human, their essence does not change in the end.¡±

    That¡¯s outright racial discrimination. Of course, as soon as Professor Magner made those remarks, many eyes turned to Cecily.

    I was afraid that Cecily would be angry, but she only smiled bitterly. This was a look that was roughly expected.

    No matter how much Xenon¡¯s biography has changed the views on demons, there were still many people who still treated demons as an element of anxiety. In addition, Professor Magner was an old-fashioned person who denied Xenon¡¯s biography.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Cecily. You don¡¯t have to worry about what that professor says. Okay?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡±

    Even as Rina hummed andforted her, Cecily¡¯s face didn¡¯t seem to straighten out at all. Rather, she lowered her head in despair.

    I mulled as much as I could after seeing it. Even if it means getting kicked out of the ssroom, let¡¯s screw Professor Magner. Let¡¯s screw him so that he will never forget.

    Luckily, Professor Magner called me again.

    ¡°Then put off the useless words, there the red-haired student.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes, Professor.¡±

    ¡°What does the student think magic is?¡±

    What¡¯s that? It¡¯s a fucking mysterious force.

    If I said it straight away, I wouldn¡¯t be able to screw him and I would just be kicked out, so I answered roughly.

    ¡°¡­I think it has the power to relieve people¡¯s troubles.¡±

    ¡°Can you tell me more?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    I got up slowly from my seat. Just like with Professor Beerus, when I stood up again, I could feel gazes focused on me.

    Then I returned the remarks that Professor Magner had made just before.

    ¡°Magic is certainly a dangerous power, but it is a power that, if used properly, can save people¡¯s lives or achieve desired ends.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°¡­Mr. Isaac?¡±

    Professor Magner frowned at my answer, and Cecily looked at me with her eyes wide open. But this was not the end.

    ¡°Magic can only be used by the chosen one, but if you look closely, it is ingrained in our lives. Being able to control the temperature of the ssroom now is also magic, and the ID card issued when entering Halo Academy has magic. Like this, magic is a double-edged sword. Sometimes it threatens people¡¯s lives, but sometimes it saves people¡¯s lives and adds convenience to their lives.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if the subject who uses that power is the demon. Right now, it is absurd to discriminate against demons as we humans are using magic as a weapon of mass destruction. So I think it¡¯s right to say that the disaster you mentioned are not the demons, but the wizards themselves.¡±

    The more I continued, the more Professor Magner¡¯s expression hardened. To be honest, if it were me, I would also be ufortable. Because it¡¯s like a single young man is denying everything you thought was right.

    Professor Magner took a deep breath as if to calm his anger and then opened his mouth in a subdued tone.

    ¡°¡­It must be the ability to beautify stupid talk. But the question I asked is the definition of magic, not the argument.¡±

    ¡°Then what do you want me to do?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m asking you to tell me the definition of magic. Magic definition.¡±

    I answered that question in a sarcastic tone.

    ¡°If I exin it in difficult words, you won¡¯t understand it anymore. As you know, the students here have low eyes.¡±

    <em>Ha ha ha ha ha!</em>

    At my words, feebleughter resounded in the ssroom. Marie burst intoughter, and Rina smiled precariously as if it was refreshing.

    Only Cecily was looking at me with a mysterious expression, but when I made eye contact with her, I smiled.

    When I smiled, she, who had been depressed before, smiled a little.

    ¡°Whoa¡­ Look. Student.¡±

    At that moment, Professor Magner called me. The lecture hall, which had burst intoughter at the same time as the professor called, became quiet in an instant.

    ¡°Yes, Professor.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need an unfaithful student like you.¡±

    Professor Magner then sentenced me with an angry face.

    ¡°Get out.¡±

    ¡°¡­yes?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll lower my eyes and tell you what you want. Get out.¡±

    Professor Magner pointed out the ssroom and said firmly. The atmosphere in the ssroom was even worse than before.

    I had a snowball fight with Professor Magner for a while, then looked around. Marie was watching, Rina looked surprised, and Cecily looked worried.

    At that, I smiled and opened my mouth as if to reassure.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be back in the next hour anyway.¡±

    ¡°What are you murmuring about? Get out of here fast!¡±

    Eventually, Professor Magner couldn¡¯t contain his anger and shouted. It was so loud that an echo could be heard.

    As soon as he screamed, I hurried down to the door. As I went down to the door, Professor Magner looked at me and muttered.

    ¡°Spoiled bastard. These days, kids¡­¡±

    Yes, yes. Thank you for what you said.

    But do you know that? The big shit doesn¡¯t end here.

    I pretended to go to the door, then turned back as if I had remembered something. Professor Magner asked me with a tone of annoyance as soon as he saw me going back.

    ¡°Why are youing back?¡±

    ¡°I left something behind.¡±

    ¡°What is that?¡±

    As soon as Professor Magner asked, I faced him directly. I could vividly feel the students sitting at their desks looking this way.

    Now, it¡¯s time to eat thest shit. You¡¯re an old-fashioned maliciousmenter.

    Without a single stutter, I uttered a vast amount of words one after another.

    ¡°It consists of a lot of nk paper, on which you can record and summarize or organize the knowledge you have learned, sometimes it is necessary to analyze information, sometimes it is necessary to draw a picture and to produce it you need the help of a printing house. In the past, it boasted a high price, but now it is easily avable in the market.¡±

    [T/N: kind of reminds me of the scene from ¡®3 Idiots¡¯. ]

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Uhhhhhhhh. Breathless. It¡¯s in a movie, too. But I was satisfied that I did it to the end without stuttering.

    I checked Professor Magner¡¯s reaction while pretending to be as calm as possible. He opened his mouth slightly, not knowing what he heard.

    ¡°¡­What the hell is that?¡±

    <em>What is it?</em>

    ¡°Notebook.¡±

    Some of my notebooks I left behind.

    <em>ha ha ha!</em>

    Contrary to the lengthy exnation,ughter once again resounded in the ssroom at the identity of the object, which was so simple. But Professor Magner¡¯s face was slightly red from his humiliation.

    After a look at the students, Professor Magner rebuked me in a voice that was more of an absurdity than anger.

    ¡°It¡¯s just a notebook. Why did you exin it that way? Are you testing me?¡±

    No. I¡¯m trying to screw you.

    I couldn¡¯t say those words exactly, but I could answer a simr point.

    ¡°I thought that a professor with high eyes would understand.¡±

    <em>Ha ha ha ha ha!</em>

    Unlike the inside of the ssroom, which eventually became a field ofughter, Professor Magner¡¯s expression was worth seeing. I left Professor Magner in disbelief, went back to my seat, and took my notebook and pen.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that too reckless? What if you go beyond suspension and get expelled?¡±

    While I was taking my notebook and pen, Rina was concerned about my safety. Even if she said so, she seemed to be happy inside as she was smiling.

    To that question, I shrugged my shoulders and answered in a calm voice.

    ¡°Then the professor¡¯s evaluation will get worse? Well, the evaluation is still bad.¡±

    Politics like this is simple. In fact, if I take excessive discipline, Professor Magner¡¯s identity cannot be guaranteed.

    In front of many students, Professor Magner denigrated Xenon¡¯s biography, which caused a stir as a low-level novel, and further discriminated against demons. This alone has little chance of being buried socially.

    ¡®I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll hear from my parents, but¡­¡¯

    It was that moment.

    ¡°¡­it¡¯s fun too.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°No. Nothing.¡±

    Even if I asked again, Rina only smiled.

    *****

    It was the next day. As I sat down in the ssroom, Marie, the beautiful woman with white hair, sat down next to me and told me some great news.

    ¡°Hey, did you hear that?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You know Professor Magner. He¡¯s been stripped of his professorship.¡±

    ¡°What? Really?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I heard that it was because he called Xenon¡¯s biography story bullshit.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I realized the power of my work again.

    ¡®If I conclude it with a bad ending, I won¡¯t be burned at the stake, right?¡¯

    ¨C ¨C ¨C End of Chapter ¨C ¨C ¨C

 Chapter 10: Cecily (1)

    The hours flew by. Most of the first sses, such as orientation, taught simply what I needed to know, so I had a lot of free time in between.

    As a result, when ¡®Economics,¡¯ the final lesson of the first week, ended, I sat still while the other students left. Because there was a lot to consider.

    ¡®Crazy. ¡®All the ws of high school.¡¯

    This was not the way to go to the next semester after attending lectures for three months and then going on a three-month-long vacation like in my previous life. I have to attend sses for 4-5 months, with only two to one month off.

    In addition, the number of majors is 18 in total, and the maximum score for each is 100 points, where a minimum of 900 points must be scored to avoid being penalized. If you have a total score of 1200 or higher, you can get a schrship, but it is virtually impossible.

    It is difficult to get 100 points in one subject right now, but 1200 points is an area that is impossible for me.

    ¡®For now, philosophy, humanities, biology, history, and theology are mandatory, but the rest is a problem. I thought it was liberal arts, but why is there math?¡¯

    I grumbled in my heart, but mathematics was critical in this world. It¡¯s nothing else, and since it has a close rtionship with magic, mathematics naturally developed.

    Why, in certain ssic fantasy novels, mathematical forms are utilized to calcte magic. It is a clich¨¦ in which the main character is transformed into a magical genius by retaining the forms acquired in middle and high school.

    But it is also useful here. Instead, it¡¯s not the math I learned in school like a novel. When you create new magic, you logically write the number about it to make it easier to use.

    ¡®Magic is math and physics. What a terrible mix.¡¯

    No wonder the books rted to magic were very difficult. It contained words used by mathematicians and physicists, so it is impossible for me, a liberal arts student, to understand.

    Moreover, since the energy called ¡®mana¡¯ is realized here as a fireball or a block of ice, mathematics, and physics are bound to advance like crazy. Therefore, it is convenient to think of a wizard as a being equipped with aputer in his head.

    It can be said that geniuses like Newton and Einstein from previous lives are scattered here all over the ce.

    For this reason, I gave up math neatly. It¡¯s a major that only real geniuses can learn.

    I thought about learning math once because of my experience as a child in my previous life, but I gave up my mind as soon as I took the first ss.

    ¡°¡­.aac?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Mr. Isaac?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    While I was writing my future ns in a notebook, someone called me. A charming voice tickled my ears.

    I turned my head to see who was calling my name and was a little surprised.

    Cecily, the Princess of Helium, was looking at me, her blood-red eyes shing.

    ¡°¡­Ms. Cecily?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I broke your focus. Isaac is the only one in the ssroom right now.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    I listened to her and looked around. Like she said, the ssroom was empty with no one in it.

    Because of my concentration, I didn¡¯t seem to notice at all when everyone left.

    ¡°¡­Rina-sama and Marie?¡±

    ¡°We saw Isaac¡¯s focus, so they went first. I stayed there, but you didn¡¯t want to leave, so I called you.¡±

    ¡°Ha Ha Ha¡­¡±

    I scratched my head in embarrassment. I almost stayed in the ssroom until night.

    ¡°Thank you. Thanks for not wasting time.¡±

    ¡°No. Mr. Isaac does this normally?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ yes. I do this often.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing, but looking at it now, it seems a bit dangerous.¡±

    Cecily said, smiling. I tried to turn away from her as my face flushed from her smile.

    It felt like a cartoon character at first, but I grew used to it. It is good if I get used to it, but after getting used to it, her attractiveness drew my attention even more. That¡¯s why I shifted my focus.

    ¡°Are you busy after this hour, Isaac?¡±

    While I was barely cooling my hot face, Cecily asked me. I looked at her, barely soothing my flushed face.

    I don¡¯t know why she asked such a question, but I¡¯ll have to answer it. There are times when I have nothing to do other than go back to my dorm and read a book or write a manuscript.

    ¡°No. Not really.¡±

    ¡°Then why don¡¯t we take this opportunity to get to know each other?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    At Cecily¡¯s suggestion, I nced at her. It¡¯s not strange for her to do me such a favor. She¡¯s been showing a sharp interest in me since Professor Magner¡¯s incident.

    Just before I opened my mouth, I thought that this was okay, so I pulled out an answer with a prank.

    ¡°Is that a date?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    On the contrary, I was counterattacked. I stared nkly at Cecily¡¯s smile and felt my face heat up in real-time. With that smile on her face, no man can stop it.

    Meanwhile, Cecily saw my reaction and smiled faintly, and said in a yful tone.

    ¡°Mr. Isaac? Did your hair and face color just match?¡±

    ¡°¡­the jokes are mean.¡±

    ¡°The joke was yed by Mr. Isaac first.¡±

    ¡°¡­Sorry.¡±

    Whatever it was, I decided to continue the conversation with my face blushing. Shame is a luxury in the yard where it¡¯s all caught.

    ¡°¡­Anyway, I don¡¯t really have anything to do. I¡¯ll just read a book when I go back to my dorm.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s move from the seat?¡±

    ¡°Have you thought of a ce?¡±

    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to talk while having a simple meal.¡±

    I listened to her suggestion and checked the watch. The lecture ended at exactly 4:30, but now it¡¯s 5:00.

    It¡¯s a bit early for dinner, but not too early either. If I get hungry at night, it would be okay to eat thete-night snack that I put in the refrigerator in advance.

    ¡°Okay, but I don¡¯t know much about restaurants¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a bad idea to eat school food.¡±

    ¡°All right.¡±

    There are many restaurants in Halo Academy that are often referred to as restaurants, but the academy was free of charge.

    This was all possible by pouring money into it, and that¡¯s why Halo Academy had a better reputation than academies in other countries. Welfare for students, regardless of ss, was outstanding.

    So I put the notebook in one hand and the pen in the front pocket of the school uniform. Cecily asked in a curious voice as she looked at me.

    ¡°Does Isaac usually carry a notebook and fountain pen?¡±

    ¡°No. I tend to prepare notes only during lectures.¡±

    I usually carry a notebook with me, but I didn¡¯t dare to speak it loud. I¡¯m sure she will ask me why I always carry a notebook.

    Cecily looked at the magic pen in my front pocket and the notebook in my hand, and nodded. Then I suddenly thought of something I was curious about and asked her a question.

    ¡°Cecily, don¡¯t you take notes?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a demon, so I remember everything I¡¯ve heard once. I remember the food I ate on New Year¡¯s Day 10 years ago.¡±

    ¡°Wow¡­¡±

    Is it because they are a long-lived race? Her memory was no joke.

    In the book, it seems true that the longer the lifespan, the higher the memory. If so, it is difficult to understand how good the memory of an elf, the representative of longevity, is.

    But having a good memory can never be an ¡®advantage¡¯.

    ¡°Even if it looks like an advantage, it must be very difficult.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°It means you remember all the bad things too.¡±

    There is a saying that oblivion is a blessing. Bad memories should be forgotten as soon as possible, but if that is not possible, it will be a lifelong wound.

    Cecily¡¯s face went nk when I said I felt sorry for her. However, her expression soon turned into a deep smile.

    ¡°I thought about it from the beginning, but Mr. Isaac is very thoughtful. Everyone would think that having a good memory is an advantage.¡±

    ¡°The word trauma is not for nothing.¡±

    Even I, who remember my previous life, have experienced trauma. That is when my family in my previous life passed away due to an unexpected ident.

    The memories of that time are really¡­ It was terrifying. Of course, what I thought would be by my side disappeared without notice.

    But because of this, I btedly realized the importance of family. My current family has only good people, so I am living a very satisfying life.

    As I pondered the thought, Cecily opened her mouth in a curious voice.

    ¡°Sometimes when I talk to Mr. Isaac, I feel like I¡¯m talking to an old man even older than me. How old is Mr. Isaac?¡±

    My heart throbbed for a moment, but I responded calmly.

    ¡°I¡¯m 17 now. What about Cecily?¡±

    ¡°105 years old.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s it¡­ Huh?¡±

    105 years old? I looked at Cecily, wondering if I had heard it wrong.

    Cecily tilted her head with a face saying what was wrong but soon realized it.

    ¡°To the demons, being 100 years old is like having just reached adulthood. It is customary to be a demon and live as a human until the age of 100. Of course, even if converted into a human, I am older than Mr. Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ that¡¯s right.¡±

    I murmured, moving my gaze to her head. As if to prove that she was a demon, her two horns were protruding.

    Sometimes I forget that Cecily was a demon. If I looked at her usual behavior, she was not a demon, but an ordinary normal ordinary person. Who would consider such a pretty and yful woman to be a demon?

    And yet often there was a sense of difort because it was the first time she had ever lived like this. Though she thinks for herself, she barely understands it.

    ¡®Then she had only been living in Helium until this time?¡¯

    Most likely it is. The demons who lived in Helium said they lived there all their lives.

    In the early days, there have been very few cases in the past 100 years that demons havee out to establish ties with other countries. So Cecily got a special mention in the newspaper that he was going to Halo Academy.

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    In the meantime, did she notice that my gaze was directed towards her horn?

    Cecily let out her strange snoring and closed her eyes beautifully. She then asked me in a subtly, yet hopeful voice.

    ¡°How do you feel? Do I really look like a normal human when you look at it like this?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°¡­Huh? Is that it?¡±

    On the contrary, to my sharp answer, Cecily showed an absurd reaction. It was rather me who couldn¡¯t understand the reaction.

    I blinked and asked her in her reverse.

    ¡°What answer do you want?¡±

    ¡°That ¡­ I¡¯m not like a demon, or that it¡¯s not awkward living like a human¡­¡±

    The more she spoke, the more her voice crawled in. For a moment, I remembered the way she lived as a demon.

    Until the publication of Xenon¡¯s biography, she would have been despised as a demon. Even more, she has a good memory, so bad memories must have gued her constantly.

    I couldn¡¯t think of anything else to say here, so I caressed the back of my neck. But I had to open my mouth because I felt like I had to say something.

    ¡°Well. I¡¯ve read Xenon¡¯s biography, and I think demons are human too. Besides, I have never been harmed by demons, so I don¡¯t have any preconceived notions.¡±

    ¡°¡­Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Afterward, Cecily seemed to be contemting something and asked a question, looking straight at me in the face.

    It may be my mistake, but the expression on her face seemed to contain tension and determination.

    ¡°So what does Mr. Isaac think of the demons?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    ¡°Really¡­ Do you think we can be like humans?¡±

    How do I answer this? As much as possible, I want to speak in a good way, but sometimes a whip is necessary. The disappointment grows as much as the original expectation.

    Even though the number of people who treat demons as humans had increased thanks to Xenon¡¯s biography, in the end, the nature of their birth cannot be changed even if they are gods. Perhaps even at this moment, demonized demons are running rampant.

    I took a step, turned my head, and looked at Cecily. My face shone in her ruby-colored eyes.

    At her appearance, waiting only for my answer, I said firmly.

    ¡°No.¡±

    <em>Thud-</em>

    With the restaurant just around the corner, Cecily¡¯s footsteps stopped.

    ¡°Demons cannot be human.¡±

    A cold atmosphere settled between the two of us.

    ¨C ¨C ¨C End of Chapter ¨C ¨C ¨C

 Chapter 11: Cecily (2)

    The demon people.

    A race with horns, red eyes, and ck mana ¨C the descendants and symbols of the Devil.

    3000 years ago, when the Devil brought the whole world to ruin, he indiscriminatelymitted evil deeds without distinction of the race to satisfy his desires.

    Not only did hemit murder and rape, but also human experiments and various other horrific acts which appalled people around the world.

    epting the devil¡¯s seed and bing pregnant, or transforming into a mutant through the mana received through human experiments ¨C through this terrible process, ¡®Demons¡¯ were born, and uniquely, only humans were transformed into Demons.

    Numerous opinions havee and gone about why it only affected humans, not elves, dwarves, or beasts, but the most potent hypothesis was the singrity of ¡®human¡¯.

    Humans have a shorter lifespanpared to other races, and inherently poor physical abilities, but instead, they have tremendous ¡®learning power¡¯, which is said to have worked in a wrong way. In addition, human beings could ept the devil¡¯s seeds more deeply because they were so distinct in terms of ¡®Light¡¯ and ¡®Darkness¡¯ than other species.

    [Beings that will one day turn into devils.]

    [Pretends to be human, but the blood of the devil flows.]

    [They must be eliminated.]

    However, other races, including humans, did not recognize demons as victims, or ¡®humans¡¯, but decided that they were ¡®devils¡¯. In fact, it was simple to ostracize them because they would be demons if they get angry enough to control their reason or fail to control their desires.

    Even the holy church ¡®Savior¡¯ caused an unprecedented incident of indiscriminate ughter of demons under the pretext of ughtering all devil¡¯s seeds. From the Savior¡¯s point of view, the Devil tried to bring down God because he could not deny Him so he joined forces without dividing the hardliners and moderates.

    After this maddening incident, the demons were divided into two factions.

    One were those who truly became ¡®devils¡¯ and wanted revenge on the world, and the others were those who pursued self-control and lived as ¡®humans¡¯. However, the forces that became devils were soon eradicated and disappeared from the world.

    Then the remaining forces, the demons who want to be human in pursuit of ¡®self-control¡¯, What happened to them?

    While other great powers, including Savior, were at war with each other due to differences in ideology, demons seeking self-control took advantage of the opportunity to establish Helium. Naturally, most of the countries did not recognize Helium, but they werepelling, honing their strength in pursuit of self-control.

    No matter how strong they are, the moment they invade, they will be attacked by other countries, so it is impossible to move around. Eventually, it was said that they should take advantage of the opportunity to organize it.

    It was funny that 1000 years had passed since then.

    However, within that time, discrimination against demons never disappeared. Humans weren¡¯t the only race that hated them.

    At this rate, it seemed that the wishes of the demons would nevere true.

    Until a book appeared in the world.

    *******

    Born as a princess of Helium and the daughter of a demon king, I suddenly thought of this.

    Why are we demons being discriminated against by other races? Why do we, seemingly no different from humans, have to live with such harsh treatment?

    Above all, why do we have to live as ¡®humans¡¯, not as other races?

    Most demons were born in Helium and died in Helium. You might think of it as a frog in a well, but the demons who went outside usually suffered a bad tragedy.

    It wasmon to lose a loved one or to be betrayed by a loved one and be one of the devils, and to return to Helium again after suffering discrimination that cannot be spoken out of the mouth.

    Worst of all, they were treated as devils and killed without asking or questioning. Outside of Helium, they were often killed just because they were demons.

    ¡°Father. Father.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Why are you calling me?¡±

    ¡°Why do we have to live like humans?¡±

    It was the year I turned 20.

    I asked the King of Helium, my father. <em>Do we really need to live like humans?</em>

    My father looked surprised for a moment at my question, and then put on a bitter smile. And he gently stroked my hair with his rough, clunky hands.

    ¡°Cecily. Do you know how we demons appeared in the world?¡±

    ¡°I know that the Devil did bad things to people and the present demons were born. Of these, only humans became demons.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Our ancestors were originally humans. Even now, we are closer to humans than other races. So if we live like humans, we will be able to be treated as human beings.¡±

    ¡°But we don¡¯t have to live like humans right now. Can¡¯t we just live as demons?¡±

    Dad smiled even more at my question. Then he slightly bent his knees and brought his to eye level on the level with mine.

    As if to let me know that I was a demon, my face was reflected like a mirror in his blood-red eyes. Father faced me for a while, then gently grabbed my shoulder and uttered an iprehensible answer.

    ¡°That¡¯s our demon. Cecily.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know right now, but one day you will understand your father¡¯s words. That realization will definitely help you a lot in your ¡®life¡¯, so never forget it and engrave it. Okay?¡±

    ¡°¡­Okay.¡±

    Even 80 years after that, I couldn¡¯t understand my father¡¯s words. I thought it would always be like that.

    Until a book came out thatpletely changed the lives of demons. I was convinced that the lesson contained in that book was the realization my father was talking about.

    But father shook his head and said no.

    ¡°Cecily. It¡¯s true that the book revealed the tragedy of our demons and changed our lives. But that¡¯s not the identity of the demons I¡¯m talking about.¡±

    Then what is it? How does Dad define us?

    I had that question in my heart when I entered Halo Academy. I hoped that the answer could be found in the human society where I first stepped in.

    That¡¯s the way it should be¡­

    ¡°No.¡±

    Why aren¡¯t you a demon?

    ¡°Demons cannot be human.¡±

    Do you dare say such words?

    I stopped walking toward the restaurant and looked at the human in front of me. A human with impressive red hair and golden eyes that stood out from afar.

    His face was thin, so it would be more urate to describe him as pretty rather than handsome, and his physique was likewise slender, so he emanates a neutral image. If a girl dressed up as a man, it was pretty believable.

    ¡®¡­Why?¡¯

    My mouth was bitter as if I swallowed a pill. But first, a question reigned in my head.

    He was a person who interested Professor Magner. He was a man who refuted that demons were not dangerous, but that wizards who dealt with magic were dangerous.

    At the same time, the first human she met ¨C the princess of the Minerva Empire, Rina, also showed a deep interest in him and naturally became close. However, I didn¡¯t have the opportunity to talk.

    So, as we talked now, I realized that he was a very considerate person. I¡¯ve felt it before, but every word he spoke lingered in my mind.

    It was the same even now.

    ¡°¡­Mr. Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Ms. Cecily.¡±

    ¡°There is a contradiction in Mr. Isaac¡¯s answer. Do you know?¡±

    The red-haired man, Isaac, said a little while ago that I look like a human. I don¡¯t look like the devil at all.

    However, the demons spoke out words that could not be human. Indeed, it cannot be contradictory.

    As I struggled to understand the meaning of his words, Isaac blinked his eyes a few times before opening his mouth.

    ¡°Miss Cecily.¡±

    ¡°Please speak.¡±

    ¡°Have you ever heard a human saying that he wants to be like a human?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    What kind of nonsense is that? Puzzled, I shook my head.

    I don¡¯t know what Isaac wanted to say, but it¡¯s better to listen carefully. Because his words had a lot of meaning.

    Isaac closed his mouth for a moment when I shook my head and opened his mouth in a calm voice.

    ¡°You¡¯ve probably never heard of it, and you won¡¯t hear it forever. Because humans are human from birth. As demons are born as demons, you must live as demons.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask you again. What does it mean to live like a demon? We have worked tirelessly to live like humans. It will be so in the future.¡±

    Like Sakran who sacrificed himself in Xenon¡¯s life, most demons aspire to live as humans. He wanted tough, talk, and have fun with people like normal humans.

    That is the desire of the demons who pursue self-control, and it is a noble destiny. I thought so far.

    Until a year ago, I only thought of that, but I couldn¡¯t put it into practice, but thanks to Zeno¡¯s biography, I seized the opportunity. I never wanted to kick that opportunity.

    But Isaac didn¡¯t know how I felt, so he answered with a carefree attitude to the world.

    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s what I think of demons. Princess of Helium.¡±

    ¡°¡­So what is it? What you say is all contradictory.¡±

    Now I was starting to get annoyed. I wondered if this person was making fun of me.

    I don¡¯t know why his sarcastic rhetoric that fed Professor Magner was here, but now I was just frustrated and bursting.

    I waited for a while for Isaac to speak. But he showed no sign of speaking.

    I couldn¡¯t stand it any longer and was about to turn my back.

    ¡°It can be the brightest light, but it can also be the ugliest darkness.¡±

    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±

    His mouth, which had been heavily closed, opened, and words that could not be easily escaped flowed out.

    While I was stunned as soon as I heard him, he spoke once again.

    ¡°A more human race than anyone, who knows they can¡¯t be human, but craves to be human.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Oh. That¡¯s right.

    ¡°This is what I think of demons, and I think it¡¯s how they live as ¡®people.¡¯ Cecily.¡±

    That¡¯s what my father said.

    Demons were well aware that they cannot be human on their own. However, they desired to be human more than anyone else.

    So, unless they be devils, demons have no choice but to be more human than humans. Because humans are born as humans, they have no desire to be a human by themselves.

    Demons can truly be devils, but conversely, they can be more human than anyone else.

    While I was lost in thought, Isaac shrugged his shoulders with a sly expression and continued with a polite, calm voice.

    ¡°Well¡­ Not only demons, but other races don¡¯t know what kind of existence they are. Please understand that what I just said is entirely my opinion.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Ms. Cecily?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Oh, Yes. I heard you. Thank you.¡±

    I came to my senses at Isaac¡¯s call. He smiled when I came to my senses. I looked at his smile with nk eyes.

    That smile really shined like the sun in the blue sky. It also felt more beautiful than any other jewel.

    To the extent that I want to hold it in my hand and keep it.

    ¡°Then shall we go eat now?¡±

    I answered his question with a sincere smile, not a yful smile.

    ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Suddenly¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m older anyway, right? It doesn¡¯t matter when Rina speaks informally too, right?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±

    It would be no mistake to say that dinner was more delicious that day.

    ******

    After a good dinner with Cecily, I went straight back to the dorm. It¡¯s because Cecily went back first saying that she had something to think about for a while.

    ¡®By the way, I¡¯ve definitely heard it somewhere¡­¡¯

    No matter how much I think about it, I think I¡¯ve heard what I said to Cecily somewhere. If it wasn¡¯t my misunderstanding, I heard it recently, but I can¡¯t remember where I heard it.

    After that, it was time to return to the dormitory and check the manuscript.

    ¡°Oh shit¡­¡±

    As soon as I checked the manuscript, I had no choice but to spit out swear words. The frowning expression was a bonus.

    Because¡­

    ¡°This is what I said.¡±

    The advice I gave to Cecily was written right in my manuscript.

    ¨C ¨C ¨C End of Chapter ¨C ¨C ¨C

 Chapter 12: Gymnasium (1)

    It was my first weekend since starting at Halo Academy. Despite the fact that the world I live in was from the Middle Ages, the concept of a week from my previous life itself has been implemented since ancient times.

    ¡°Uh~ I slept well.¡±

    It¡¯s been a long time since I overslept, so my body and mind felt refreshed. I stretched out and checked the clock, and it was only 8:30. I thought I overslept, but it seems I didn¡¯t.

    But it¡¯s over if I rx today. If I hadn¡¯t checked the manuscript yesterday, I would have been in trouble, so I hurriedly went through the revision.

    ¡°It was really dangerous.¡±

    I was lounging around in bed and then jumped up. Looking toward the desk, the traces of the hard work from yesterday evening until night were still intact.

    Everything I had said to Cecily in front of the restaurant yesterday was written down in the manuscript. Xenon¡¯s words tofort Jin, his best friend, and the second main character.

    It was a crucial scene because it set the stage for Jin to grow internally as a result of the situation. The issue was that I had just said those words to Cecily.

    In the end, I reced it with a little changes, but the nuance was simr, so it was a bit annoying. With the astonishing memory of the demons, she will remember everything I said and notice something suspicious.

    ¡®What then¡­¡¯

    I¡¯ll have to justify it as a coincidence. As seen so far, most people assume that the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography is an experienced sage and not a young person like me who¡¯s not even in his 20s.

    I scratched my stomach and figured out how to make breakfast. School meals were provided during the week, but weekends must be handled separately at the restaurant. Still, the price was cheap since students were given benefits.

    ¡®By the way, where do I exercise?¡¯

    When I was at home, I used to do some light exercise every morning. My father encouraged me to exercise because sitting at a desk every day would make my back stoop and my body stiff.

    I exercised hard following my father to take care of my health. Jogging was basic, and I did various stretching exercises to loosen my stiff body.

    Thanks to that, there was almost no difort or pain anywhere in the body.

    Although, because I am so focused on my work, my eyes would asionally be dry and my vision deteriorate.

    ¡®Come to think of it, the gymnasium looks spacious¡­¡¯

    I discovered amon gymnasium as a result of walking around the academy whenever I had time. In fact, it is even more strange that there is no gymnasium in the yard where there is a martial arts school that educates knights and wizards.

    However, I did not go inside right away. Because I didn¡¯t feelpelled to enter.

    ¡®I should eat breakfast as takeout after exercising.¡¯

    There were several restaurants avable for takeout at Halo Academy. It was for students who thought that waiting for a meal was a waste of time.

    In addition, there were far more cases where literature students ordered takeout because the body was more important to non-literature students, they tend to eat bnced meals every day, but literature students did not.

    You can ask why takeout in the Middle Ages, but surprisingly, this world had a well-developed restaurant industry. Not only do various spices exist, but trade was also very active.

    With a little exaggeration, the food was not much different from what I was used to, and there were also street snacks.

    ¡®Although there are no carbonated drinks like Coke.¡¯

    If there was even that, chemistry and mechanical engineering would have developed together. I can¡¯t even think of making a soda with magic.

    I easily finished my workout and changed my clothes, thinking I should eat a sandwich. I intended to shower after my exercise, but I didn¡¯t forget to wash my face. Because this was basic.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ I¡¯m definitely wearing in clothes here¡­ Ah, there is.¡±

    There were few clothes I brought from home, but I brought clothes that I would wear every time I exercised. It could be because there were dwarves who represented dexterity, but the types of clothing was just as varied as in my previous life. They had leggings as well as tracksuits.

    However, because there is no ¡®factory,¡¯ a symbol of the industrial revolution that allowed mass production, workers had to work hard to make it one by one. As a result, clothing made of special materials, such as tracksuits or leggings, was filthy expensive.

    If I were amoner, I would have bought it with trembling hands.

    ¡®It¡¯s really a strange world from one to ten.¡¯

    There was mana and magic, as well as other races, so it appears that this result was achieved.

    Perhaps the development of mechanical engineering was hampered by this subtle imbnce. They will almost certainly be able to do so as long as they cover the inconvenience with magic.

    Then you might ask what a thermostat is, as in a refrigerator or air conditioner, but I¡¯m not sure. I am not a wizard, but rather a writer who writes.

    From what I¡¯ve heard, the wizards were also categorized intobat and support and the support wizards were simr to engineers from my previous life.

    ¡®Well, mechanical engineering is more important for things like washing machines and steam lotives. Even magic has its limits.¡¯

    I went outside in a red sweatshirt that matched my hair color and the fresh morning air greeted me ¨C the perfect weather for light exercise.

    ¡®First of all, the gymnasium¡­¡¯

    There was a restaurant that I had thought of in advance, so I can go to itter. The food there tastes good and the price was cheap, making it perfect for me.

    ¡®It¡¯s the weekend after all.¡¯

    As I walked to themon gymnasium, I took in my surroundings. Because it was the weekend, more people were dressed casually rather than in school uniforms.

    ¡°Hey. That looks delicious. Shall we go?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Sally! Come with me!¡±

    ¡°Follow me quickly, Kei! This looks so much fun!¡±

    Aristocrats wore clothing made with great care, whereasmoners wore clothing that was easily avable on the market.

    There were a few people wearing tracksuits like me, but I was too focused on my running to notice them. Passers-by only saw me once, and then they went about their business.

    Within the Halo Academy, it appeared to be a familiar scene. Everyone was preupied with doing what they wanted to do.

    ¡®It¡¯s simr to downtown college.¡¯

    On weekdays, when lectures were over, there were times when I visited the library or went straight to my dormitory, but the number of people was small. However, on weekends, it was crowded with people overflowing with energy.

    In addition, there were few rare races that I hadn¡¯t seen before, and not only the elves, who were said to be the embodiment of beauty, but also the dwarves asionally caught my eye.

    ¡®What about demons¡­¡¯

    Since Cecily was the only demon who entered Halo Academy, of course, there would be none. The reason why there are none is probably that they are not on good terms with humans. If you look at the history, you can see why.

    I arrived at themon gymnasium quickly because I was walking around without stopping. To be precise, in front of themon gymnasium¡¯s entrance.

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s really big, big.¡±

    Because it was a ¡®public¡¯ facility, it boasted a vast scaleparable to that of a ser field. The auditorium was also quiterge, but the public gymnasium was muchrger than that.

    The overall shape of the building was simr to the Colosseum, and it was exined during the entrance ceremony that it was covered with defensive magic, making it probably the most durable.

    ¡°Oh? Isaac?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    A familiar voice reached my ears while I was looking at the public gymnasium boasting tremendous majesty. I moved my gaze in the direction of the voice.

    ¡°¡­Sister?¡±

    Standing there was Nicole, my older sister, and a beautiful woman with long navy blue hair tied in a ponytail and wearing a navy blue tracksuit.

    As soon as she met me, she crossed her arms and asked questioningly.

    ¡°What are you doing here? Are you trying to exercise?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes. I¡¯m here for a quick workout.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    After hearing my answer, Nicole moved her gaze toward themon gymnasium. Then she looked at me again and said firmly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so¡±

    ¡°Huh? Why?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a training ground. A ce where martial arts are performed. It¡¯s definitely not a ce that¡¯s suitable for warming up as you think. If it¡¯s ¡®training¡¯ I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t even do simple exercises?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s possible, but¡­¡±

    Finding it hard to exin, she scratched her chin and looked at themon gymnasium before opening her mouth in a vague voice.

    ¡°How to say¡­ There are so many weird guys out there. There are also guys who enjoy teasing others.¡±

    ¡°In what way? Throwing gloves and fighting¡­¡±

    ¡°When are you talking about?¡±

    Nicole answered my question with a look of absurdity. I let out an embarrassingugh. Instead, seeing that Nicole asked back when was the story, it seems that such a culture itself existed.

    ¡°Anyway, there¡¯s no such thing, and it¡¯s easy to think that the kids are a bit mischievous, especially with freshmen.¡±

    ¡°Do the literature students alsoe?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t know aboutmoners, but quite a few noblese. Usually, most people learn basic martial arts from their families and enter the academy. You are a special case.¡±

    As Nicole exined, I knew very little about martial arts. To be precise, I could understand with my head, but my body didn¡¯t follow.

    It was also possible to control mana and raise physical abilities, but that was the end. Even in my previous life, I barely used my body, and being reincarnated in a fantasy world was no different.

    My concentration was surprisingly high, but my physical strength didn¡¯t support me.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go in anyway. I¡¯m more curious because you said that.¡±

    ¡°Ehh. Should I not have told you? I shouldn¡¯t have said it.¡±

    Nicole scratched her head with a troubled smile before cing her hand on her waist.

    ¡°Okay. It wouldn¡¯t hurt toe for the experience. If you step inside instead, it¡¯ll be hard to help you.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because I have to fight with the students. Did you forget that your sister is an assistant?¡±

    ¡°Ah. That¡¯s right.¡±

    Being a Martial Arts teaching assistant was only possible if you had exceptional skills. And Nicole was currently working as an assistant at Halo Academy with Dave.

    If I can get a sense of what role she ys, it¡¯s easy to roughly see her as a martial arts master. Even if the physical strength is exhausted, the student has to persevere if he wants to fight, so it is physically quite strenuous.

    I nodded at her warning and opened my mouth when I suddenly remembered something.

    ¡°Then can I watch the sparring?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay to look around. Are you going to write it in the book?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Okay. That should be fine.¡±

    So I followed Nicole and entered the public gymnasium. Upon entering, the structure was unexpectedly very simple, contrary to my expectations.

    Locker rooms and shower rooms were divided ording to gender, and further inside, various weapons presumably for training were ced. Out of curiosity, I pulled out a sword. Since it was for training, the de was not sharp.

    As I was looking around the steel training sword, Nicole stopped at a crossing and asked me.

    ¡°Where do you want to start? The arena or the yground?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Is there a separate ce to exercise?¡±

    ¡°Of course. sparring next to exercising. How can it work? It¡¯s dangerous.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go to the yground.¡±

    The reason why I came to the public gymnasium was to exercise. Nicole nodded at my words and moved forward.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m telling you in advance, don¡¯t be intimidated after seeing it, okay?¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    <em>How great is it for Nicole to say that?</em>

    ¡°Whoa¡­! Whoa¡­!¡±

    ¡°Hey! Good job! Good job! Pull faster!¡±

    ¡°Mike! If you lose this, you¡¯ll be in big trouble!¡±

    There was a time when I thought so too.

    As soon as I entered the yground, I couldn¡¯t close my jaw when I saw the scene unfolding in front of my eyes. I couldn¡¯t tell if what I was seeing was real.

    First of all, to exin the situation, two men each tied a rope around their waists and were dragging a lump of metal, sorge that it was almost the size of a house. Only one person is dragging such a lump of metal.

    ¡°Should I bring something bigger than this?¡±

    ¡°This is enough. Let¡¯s begin.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    But the other side wasn¡¯t easy either. People who put an iron block on their backs while doing push-ups were noblemen, and there were also people who performed artistic acts with pull-ups.

    What they had inmon was that they wore clothes that fully revealed their physical beauty, regardless of age or sex. Most of the men are shirtless and all the women are sleeveless.

    Thanks to that, it was pleasant to the eyes, but more than that, I started to suspect that they were really human beings.

    While I was opening my mouth in amazement, Nicole raised one corner of her mouth and asked me.

    ¡°How is it? Isn¡¯t it great?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re thinking of working out here, I won¡¯t stop you.¡±

    ¡°¡­No. I¡¯ll just run outside.¡±

    I didn¡¯t have the courage to stand among those monsters. Nicole patted me on the shoulder as if it was okay.

    ¡°Then watch your sister spar for about an hour and then go exercise. Okay?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    In the end, I turned around from the yground for the training ground. At least, I feel relieved that I can see a sparfortably.

    ¡®From now on, I¡¯ll have to bring my notebook and magic pen.¡¯

    As everyone knows, there is a world of difference between listening and seeing with your own eyes. Moreover, it is clear that it will be of great help to the battle scenes of Xenon¡¯s life, which were somewhat poor.

    Right now, I have no choice but to remember it in my head, but it would be nice to use this as an opportunity toe every week. Coincidentally, my sister is also an assistant, so there is no need to be self-conscious.

    ¡®Anyway, the aisle is quite long.¡¯

    For safety reasons, the passage to the training ground was quite long. Also, the closer I got to the exit, the more I heard the intermittent sound of metal rubbing against each other.

    It wasn¡¯t long before I and Nicole reached the exit.

    <em>Whoo!</em>

    Suddenly, the sound of an object cutting through the wind entered my ears. I was about to recognize the sound.

    <em>Tup!</em>

    The object that flew fiercely through the wind stopped right in front of my eyes and before I could raise my hand, Nicole quickly blocked it.

    I didn¡¯t know what was going on, so I blinked and checked what object Nicole was blocking.

    It was just a simple ball. A ball that looks like it¡¯s going to be soft. However, it flew fairly quickly and Nicole caught it before I could catch it.

    Blinking at thepletely unexpected situation, I stared at the ball, then moved my gaze to Nicole. My reaction may be a bit slow, but Nicole¡¯s reaction speed was great.

    ¡°¡­this bastard really¡­ even when I told them not to do something like this¡­!¡±

    Either way, Nicole¡¯s impression was crumpled.

    It was the first time I had seen my sister like this, and the first swear word I had ever heard from her. and¡­

    ¡°Ah~ I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry. The ball I threw flew that way.¡±

    A husky woman¡¯s voice came out of the exit.

    ¨C ¨C ¨C End of Chapter ¨C ¨C ¨C

 Chapter 13: Gymnasium (2)

    ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°You threw the ball because you thought my brother was a freshman in Martial Arts? And you thought I was next to him anyway, so I¡¯d stop it?¡±

    ¡°¡­yes.¡±

    The woman quietly answered Nicole¡¯s question, which seemed to contain her anger. For your information, the woman had her head bowed and was kneeling in front of Nicole.

    As I stood next to Nicole, I peered down at her. Being outside of therge gymnasium, there weren¡¯t many people around who were looking at us. Sometimes people would just nce at us as they passed by before continuing with their work.

    It appears that they were concentrating on those who werepeting at a distance rather than on us.

    While I was thinking about it, Nicole yelled at the kneeling woman.

    ¡°You say that now?! Eh?!¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Even if it¡¯s a joke, I told you not to y a joke like that! My words don¡¯t mean anything to y¡¯all, do they?¡±

    As Nicole yelled, the woman on her knees trembled. For me, who has only seen Nicole¡¯s kind side so far, this was quite an unexpected reaction.

    Hell, not just Nicole, but any sibling would be angry. After all, the youngest sibling she cherished was almost seriously injured.

    She had never raised her voice before, so the situation was just new to me.

    ¡°Answer me, Adelia. Am I wrong?¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±

    The woman apologized in a voice like an ant crawling. But Nicole let out a long snort as if her anger still wasn¡¯t resolved.

    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize to me, apologize to Isaac. If you joke around like that next time, I¡¯ll officiallyin to the professor, so be careful. Okay?¡±

    ¡°yes¡­¡±

    ¡°Well, now apologize.¡±

    At Nicole¡¯s words, the woman gently raised her head and I watched as she revealed her face.

    She was a beauty with a boyish vibe, with light brown hair that was neatly cut short to the neck, a pointed nose bridge, and impressively long eyshes.

    While I was staring into her blue eyes, she also stared at my face and opened her mouth.

    ¡°Oh, pretty¡­¡±

    That mouth of hers was the problem. As useless words came out of the woman¡¯s mouth, Nicole¡¯s momentum grew even more terrifying. To be honest, I had nothing to say about it.

    The woman bowed her head when Nicole exuded a dangerous aura and urgently apologized.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was joking too much. From now on, I will never y a joke like this.¡±

    Like her boyish appearance, her tone of voice was husky, which suited her quite well. That frivolous way of speaking seems toe out only when she¡¯s ying a prank on Nicole.

    I answered with a slight daze when she apologized with her head down.

    ¡°Oh, yes. It¡¯s okay. By the way, did you say it¡¯s Adelia?¡±

    ¡°Yes. My name is Adelia Cross.¡±

    Considering that there is no middle name that is given only to aristocrats, Adelia was amoner. I thought she was a noble just by looking at her beauty, but I was a little surprised because she wasn¡¯t.

    ¡®But she said she was joking and threw a ball at me¡­¡¯

    Then it¡¯s either one of the two. Either Adelia and Nicole are best friends, or she¡¯s thoughtless. However, it is presumed to be the former when you see that she is talking nonsense to Nicole.

    I looked at Adelia, who looked nervous and asked a question.

    ¡°Are you friends with my sister by any chance?¡±

    ¡°Huh¡­¡±

    Adelia looked at Nicole as she was about to answer. Nicole still had an angry expression on her face but responded with a flick of the chin.

    At this, Adelia gave an awkward smile and answered quietly.

    ¡°Yes. We are friends. We¡¯ve been together ever since we entered school.¡±

    ¡°Then just speak informally. You¡¯re my sister¡¯s friend.¡±

    ¡°Really? Is that okay?¡±

    But I said without honorifics right away. When Adelia asked with a broad smile, I nodded, though I was dumbfounded.

    At that, Adelia let out a sigh of relief, as if she was finally going to live, and started to speak at a rapid pace.

    ¡°I¡¯m really, really, really sorry. I¡¯ll apologize again. I did it because I wanted to know who Nicole had brought. But I never dreamed it would be her brother.¡±

    ¡°As I said before, I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s a thing of the past, and you threw it with the expectation that my sister would be able to block it anyway, right? I am d you didn¡¯t throw a dagger¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, really sorry. If I threw it at someone other than Nicole, I would have been expelled¡±

    ¡°How can a girl who knows me y such a joke?¡±

    Adelia couldn¡¯te up with a good excuse when Nicole pressed her with a ferocious voice. She let out an embarrassingugh and hesitated, then bowed her head in her apology.

    Nicole, too, sighed heavily when Adelia seemed to be reflecting on her sincerity and reluctantly forgave her.

    ¡°Huff. Like I said before, don¡¯t y a prank like that from now on. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s only once or twice, but every time Ie to the gym, I get annoyed too.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±

    ¡°Sister. Have you been like this since the beginning?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s always been like this every time Ie to the gym.¡±

    Somehow the reaction was quick. It seems that Adelia¡¯s criminal record was more than once or twice.

    Nicole must have been quite annoyed when she joked around like this every time she came to the gym. Besides, today, even more so, I, not anyone else but her younger brother, was almost in danger.

    I looked at Nicole who was scratching her head, and suddenly a question came to mind, so I looked toward the entrance to the gym. The entrance was in the form of a long passageway, and it was dark inside with some light, but I could barely make out the figures.

    But Adelia was certain that Nicole wasing from the darkness. Even if a familiar silhouette was walking, she wouldn¡¯t be convinced by that alone.

    ¡°Miss Adelia.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Did you call me?¡±

    ¡°Can Adelia-san also grant mana to the eyes?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Even if it looks like this, it¡¯s as good as one skill.¡±

    It was a response full of pride. Obviously, seeing that she follows my older sister as a teaching assistant, her skills have already been proven.

    <em>If you¡¯re asking what the ability to inject mana into the eye has to do with skill, just think about how sensitive our eyes are.</em>

    <em>Being able to check objects straight in the dark by injecting mana into the eyes proves that they are excellent at mana control.</em>

    I know this because I had asked my father when I first wrote Xenon¡¯s biography. My father was also delighted, and he told me that he had this and other abilities. Other than that, I created it separately by borrowing memories of my past life.

    I looked quietly at Adelia, who seemed to have regained her energy, and asked her.

    ¡°Then is it okay to tell the body temperature?¡±

    ¡°What? How do I do that? It¡¯s a skill that can only be used by at least a Knight Commander.¡±

    Adelia responded in an absurd voice. My father said that with a little effort, anyone can use it, but it seems that was my father¡¯s standard.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯re Nicole¡¯s little brother? I¡¯m saying this out of spite, but don¡¯t even dream ofparing your father to anyone else. He¡¯s someone who changes maps with just one knife, is thatparable?¡±

    ¡°Is my father like that?¡±

    I already knew that my father was an amazing person, but I didn¡¯t know he would be that amazing. When I asked Nicole if it was true, she shrugged her shoulders and replied.

    ¡°Well. I don¡¯t know. You know. When was thest time our father said anything with his mouth?¡±

    ¡°No, but why?¡±

    ¡°He says that whenever that achievementes out of his mouth, the face of the knights who sacrificed themselveses to mind. Isaac, you don¡¯t know, but before you were born, he couldn¡¯t sleep at night without alcohol.¡±

    Judging by the symptoms, he was a soldier with PTSD.

    Moreover, since my father was the Knight Commander, and also belonged to the Navy Knights, he must have had more than twice as much experience inbat as others. I heard that the Navy Knights are given various missions as they are the strongest knights of the Minerva Empire.

    Among them, there is a mission to subdue demonized demons. In fact, it is clear that the subjugation of demons is thest resort, not only in the Navy Knights but also in various ces.

    Despite this, seeing that he raised three siblings safely, he was a man of great mental strength.

    ¡°Anyway, Adelia. You¡¯re going to prepare for the sparring now, right?¡±

    ¡°I have to. There are a lot of freshmen, so it¡¯s going to be pretty busy.¡±

    ¡°Then, as a punishment, do it alone today. I¡¯ll take my younger brother with me.¡±

    ¡°What? Wait a minute. But that¡¯s still¡­¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    When Adelia protested, Nicole instead raised one eye. In the end, Adelia, who hadmitted a mistake, had no choice but to lower her tail.

    ¡°¡­okay, but only today?¡±

    ¡°I will think about it.¡±

    ¡°Oh, please. Don¡¯t do that.¡±

    ¡°Who was the one who almost made my precious brother get a ck mark on his face?¡±

    It seems that Adelia got her weakness captured properly. I looked between Adelia kneeling to her knees and Nicole, who was pondering with her arms folded.

    If I look at it this way, it was true that they were best friends who transcended social status. It may be because our family was generally distant from authority, and Adelia¡¯s actions were enough to frighten others.

    As she said earlier, she would have been expelled from school and even sentenced to prison for threatening the life of a nobleman.

    ¡®How did this person be friends with my sister?¡¯

    The situation ended with Nicole granting Adelia¡¯s favor while I was thinking.

    ¡°Now then, go to sparring. I¡¯ll be in the audience, so exin the situation to people well.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Did you say it¡¯s Isaac?¡±

    ¡°Yes. My name is Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Watch carefully how this older sister fights. I¡¯ll make you fall in love right away.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense and just go.¡±

    Adelia lightly grabbed the training sword Nicole had brought in advance. She waved her arms in a calm manner as she moved her steps into her gymnasium.

    Like an immature child, she was a rude person, but strangely, it didn¡¯t feel hateful. I asked Nicole what I was curious about, as he waved her hand to Adelia, who was getting farther away.

    ¡°Sister. How did you be friends with that person?¡±

    ¡°It just happened. I¡¯ve been walking around since I started school, so I started talking to her and it continued until now. Her personality is a bit vulgar¡­ No, even if it¡¯s strange, I can guarantee one thing. She was mischievous earlier, but she¡¯s not a bad person.¡±

    ¡°Nicole?¡±

    While we were talking, someone called Nicole from behind. It was a man¡¯s voice and a low, low-pitched voice.

    At this, not only Nicole but also I turned my head to see who it was.

    ¡®¡­Huh.¡¯

    And as soon as the man¡¯s face caught my eye, I felt my brain freeze in real-time. He was a face I never wanted to see because he was too familiar to me.

    While I was stiff, Nicole said in a nuance that she was d to see a man. Unlike the man who spoke informally, Nicole¡¯s ent was full of courtesy unlike before.

    ¡°Leort-nim? You came early today.¡±

    ¡°Because this week was the beginning of the new semester. I wasn¡¯t busy at all.¡±

    Like Rina, he had golden hair and clear blue eyes. If Rina had a neat, puppy-like face, the man in front had a strong impression of a tiger.

    Meanwhile, the man talking to Nicole turned to me and quietly blurted out.

    ¡°But next to¡­¡±

    ¡°This is my younger brother. Say hello, Isaac. This is Leort-nim, the Crown Prince of the Minerva Empire.¡±

    Not knowing what I was feeling, Nicole patted me on the back and greeted me. I was very nervous face-to-face with Leort.

    I was very embarrassed by the unexpected meeting, but I have to say hello somehow. Moreover, there is no need to be nervous, and Leort and I are meeting for the first time, and he has no idea that I am the author of Xenon¡¯s biography.

    This means that there is no fear of being imprisoned in the imperial pce all of a sudden.

    With that thought in mind, I greeted Leort based on the etiquette I had learned at home. It is important that there be no suspicions now.

    ¡°Hello. My name is Isaac Ducker Michelle. It¡¯s an honor to meet you, Leort-nim.¡±

    ¡°Aha. It¡¯s Nicole¡¯s brother. That¡¯s why I thought you resembled each other somehow. Nice to meet you. Minerva¡¯s rightful heir, Leort Urmi Jacqulis. By the way, Isaac?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Ho.¡±

    Why. Why are you eximing like that? Uneasily.

    As I was muttering in anxiety, Leort asked me with a very happy face.

    ¡°Were you the student Rina was talking about?¡±

 Chapter 14: Gymnasium (3)

    You¡¯ve most likely seen a photograph of a sergeant sitting next to a four-star general with a nervous expression.

    The point is that the angles are fixed and cannot tolerate even the slightest error. Of course, unless I¡¯m in that situation, I canugh it off.

    But how would I react if I were in such a situation?

    How would I feel if the soon-to-be emperor sat next to me, an authority figure who threatened to imprison the author of Xenon¡¯s biography if he found him?

    ¡°Rina imed that despite being a student, you have a lot of knowledge. It was fascinating to learn that Professor Magner was in trouble.¡±

    ¡°¡­thank you for your understanding.¡±

    ¡°Haha. Don¡¯t be too concerned. Despite the fact that I am the Crown Prince, I don¡¯t intend to harm anyone with authority.¡±

    Even when Leort spoke with a friendly tone, I couldn¡¯t help but smile. Although he was the crown prince, the person who wishes to imprison me in the imperial pce is sitting right next to me, so I can¡¯t help but be nervous.

    ¡®Because of the seating arrangement¡­¡¯

    Currently, I was sitting in a good spot to watch the sparring. A translucent ss was installed between the spectator¡¯s seat and the arena, making it easy to watch. In addition, the ss was imbued with defensive magic, making it safe to watch.

    However, the biggest problem was the seats. I wouldn¡¯t know if it was one seat away from Leort, but it was a situation where Leort sat in the middle, and Nicole and I sat on either side. The pressure was noughing matter.

    ¡°I thought you were rted to Nicole by looking at the color of your eyes, but I didn¡¯t know you were really her brother. Come to think of it, Dave¡¯s hair is red, too.¡±

    ¡°Do you know my brother too?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Most of those who work as teaching assistants at Halo Academy join higher-tier Knights, so you should always keep an eye on them. Oh, did you know that Dave became an Apprentice Knight?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    It was the first time I heard of it.

    I blinked open my eyes and looked at Nicole, who was sitting across from me. Nicole, too, opened her mouth in a regretful tone, as if she had forgotten.

    ¡°Sorry. I forgot. Actually, he was selected as an apprentice knight two days after the entrance ceremony. I think he also forgot for a while because he was meeting you.¡±

    ¡°Where did he go?¡±

    ¡°Navy Knights. Do you know where it is?¡±

    As you know, I nodded.

    It seems that Dave inherited our father¡¯s talent and trained him to grind his teeth, and eventually joined the Navy Knights.

    I was proud as a younger brother, but I felt a little sad when he left without saying a word.

    ¡°Then when is heing back?¡±

    ¡°Well? I don¡¯t know when the Apprentice Knights will be back after training. I¡¯ll keep in touch though.¡±

    ¡°If you want, can I secretly give you a vacation?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay.¡±

    Leort, who was sitting in the middle, raised one corner of his mouth and jokinglyughed awkwardly. I don¡¯t know about anyone else, but the joke he made didn¡¯t sound like a joke at all.

    <em>Chaeeng!</em>

    After a brief chatter, the match finally started in the arena. When I heard the noise of metal colliding with metal, I shifted my gaze to the arena. It was the same with Leort and Nicole.

    In the center of the arena, Nicole¡¯s friend, Adelia, was fighting with another man while holding a long sword. When a supposed student of hers attacked, Adelia effortlessly returned it.

    I stared nkly at the two of them fighting as if they were dancing. It was difficult to even follow with my eyes.

    ¡®So, actual fights look like this.¡¯

    I have often seen Dave or Nicole sparring with our father when they return home for vacation. However, he was not as fierce as Adelia now, and our father taught the problems one by one.

    But now, she was pouring attacks with the mindset of having to defeat the opponent somehow. Anyway, Adelia¡¯s opponent swung his sword without stopping. Naturally, Adelia counterattacked and epted them one by one.

    ¡°Who is the student fighting against Adelia now?¡±

    ¡°He is Ian, and he has excellent records in swordsmanship.¡±

    {T/N:- damn, why do the novels I trante have a lot of character name crossover¡­Just so y¡¯all know, Ian is the original protagonist of ¡®Demon Limited Hunter¡¯ and I have slowly started trantion for that too.}

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    Even while Nicole and Leort were talking next to each other, they focused on the match. I always received advice from my father when referring to the battle scenes, but it was different when witnessing it with my own eyes.

    As Xenon¡¯s biography is the story of the protagonist growing into a global hero, he fights numerous battles. To me, it was a fantasy, but to the people of this world, it was a ¡®reality¡¯. A world in which such strange things were not strange at all.

    I was a little taken aback when my father praised me for being very realistic, even when I described an ability that was ridiculous by my standards.

    ¡®Because they say it¡¯s possible even with ridiculous abilities¡­¡¯

    If you just use mana to demonstrate these abilities, everything is eptable. Rather, it would be impossible for people in this world to have a heavy lump of iron floating in the sea or a wagon moving without a horse.

    So I was even more curious. In the future, a new culture called ¡®Steam Lotive¡¯ will appear in Xenon¡¯s biography, but what kind of reaction will it have? Would you say it¡¯s impossible or would you say it¡¯s possible?

    I was looking forward to it but of course, I would be watching it from afar.

    ¡°By the way, Nicole. Have you read Xenon¡¯s biography published this time?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    While I was thinking about the future story in my mind, Leort suddenly asked Nicole. Nicole, who was concentrating on sparring, gave a very puzzled look at Leort¡¯s question. It was probably because I was right next to him.

    I was equally surprised, but I acted as if nothing was wrong, pretending to be casual. If I overreact here for nothing, I might get a strange look.

    ¡°I know you liked Xenon¡¯s biography too.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ yes. I¡¯ve read seven volumes.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    Leort, who gave a short answer, looked at me this time and asked a question.

    ¡°How about you, Isaac?¡±

    ¡°¡­I read it too.¡±

    ¡°How many books?¡±

    I have already envisioned the ending in my head <em>and that too a sad ending. </em>I rolled my eyes and repeated the lie I had told Marie.

    ¡°I¡¯ve only read up to book 5. Even if I try to buy a book, it¡¯s sold out every time¡­¡±

    ¡°Huh? Didn¡¯t Nicole read up to book 7? Did she not lend it to her younger brother?¡±

    ¡°I was going to borrow it anyway. Except for vacation, my sister didn¡¯t have much time at home, so I was sorry to even borrow it.¡±

    ¡°Ah. If that¡¯s the reason, it makes sense.¡±

    Leort nodded and responded that he understood. It was an unexpected crisis for me, but I seemed to have somehow ovee it, fortunately.

    It was time to focus on sparring, hoping that the conversation would be cut off after that.

    ¡°I¡­ Leort-nim.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Why are you calling me?¡±

    ¡°Leort-nim, if you find the author of Xenon¡¯s biography, will you really lock him up in the Imperial Pce?¡±

    Until Nicole asked a question full of concerns and worries.

    I listened quietly, pretending to be focused on the sparring as much as possible. I could understand to some extent why she asked Leort such a question. Since the Crown Prince put such a word in the newspaper, it was natural for her to be worried as an older sister.

    In the meantime, Leort listened to her question, sighed, and shook his head. It was slightly different from the reaction he showed on the day of his admission.

    ¡°It¡¯s a joke. It¡¯s a joke. You don¡¯t have to take it too seriously. At first, I was very angry, but now I want to wait slowly.¡±

    ¡°Then finding the author is¡­¡±

    ¡°The work must continue. Moreover, if we look at the expected developments in the future, I think it will be a little dangerous.¡±

    At Leort¡¯s answer, Nicole and I looked at him with surprised expressions. When the Crown Prince, who had superior intelligence than others, said such a thing, it can¡¯t easily be ignored.

    I crossed my eyes with Nicole, who was sitting next to me and asked Leort quietly.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ Ah, before that Isaac? If you don¡¯t mind, can I tell you? It contains the plot of book 7.¡±

    {T/N:- my respect for the crown prince went through the roof¡­I see inte trolls giving spoilers and my man, the crown prince, is asking for permission before giving spoilers.}

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡±

    I already know everything.

    Leort thanked me again and then went on to exin.

    ¡°Anyway, I expect that the main culprit who put Xenon in crisis at the end is a nobleman.¡±

    I looked at Leort with a surprised face. His prediction was correct.

    At the end of Book 7, Xenon goes on a reconnaissance alone, and contrary to the saying that it is a safe ce, it is a demonic zone with monsters and barriers. Fortunately, he showed his wits, broke the barrier, and broke through the area, but there were a lot of traps and raiders waiting for Xenon.

    Xenon, who was still fighting the assants with a tired body, eventually gets hit with an arrow in the chest, and Book 7 ends there.

    Of course, thanks to the ne that Mary, the heroine of Xenon¡¯s biography, gave as a gift, the fatal wound was avoided. After that, of course, he¡¯s going to be unmatched and find the person behind it.

    ¡®It¡¯s not like I¡¯m throwing a bait in front of him¡­¡¯

    I think I may have found the parts that I was curious about after reading through them several times. I don¡¯t know why, but as a writer, I felt proud.

    But the most important thing is not this, so I threw that idea away.

    ¡°If the main culprit is really a nobleman¡­ will there be any big problems?¡±

    This question was asked by Nicole, not me. Leort answered without taking his eyes off the arena.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like any other book, and since it¡¯s Xenon¡¯s biography, it might be a problem. I¡¯m worried that the aristocracy¡¯s perception will change for the worse as it changed the perception of the demons. There are many books that criticize the aristocracy, but most of them are close to satire, and they don¡¯t have the same ripple effect as Xenon¡¯s biography. ¡°

    Was it like that? Such concerns were understandable.

    Despite the fact that I always wrote in the introduction that it was a fictional story, the perception of the demons changed radically. Therefore, if the mastermind who threw Xenon into the trap was revealed as a noble, there is a high possibility that various problems would arise.

    But it¡¯s ok, I¡¯m not stupid, and I¡¯ve prepared enough. The situation that Leort is concerned about will be a famous scene that reveals the aristocratic power and darkness.

    A battle between a nobleman who looks down on his people and a nobleman who truly cares and takes care of his people. It is a part of the political battle, but it will taste fresh from the moment Xenon, who has returned from his exile, appears.

    ¡°¡­if that¡¯s really the case, what would you do?¡±

    Nicole asked Leort in a very cautious tone. To that, Leort replied roughly, waving his hand.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll keep writing. It¡¯s a protection concept, never pressure. It¡¯s a useless assumption in a situation where you don¡¯t even know who the author is in the first ce.¡±

    ¡°Is that so¡­¡±

    That alone puts a lot of pressure on me, Crown Prince.

    I smiled bitterly and turned my head to the arena. As if the match was over, Adelia and her student were facing and greeting each other. Unlike a student who seemed to copse at any moment while panting for breath, Adelia was the same as before the spar.

    ¡°Well, I guess that¡¯s enough. I¡¯ll go now.¡±

    When the match was over, Leort jumped up from his seat. I looked at him with questioning eyes as he stood up.

    ¡°Are you leaving already?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m smart, too. It¡¯s better to go quickly because you¡¯ll be ufortable with me. But it was fun.¡±

    Leort disappeared suddenly, leaving only those words. I looked at his back as he walked away and then looked at Nicole.

    At the same time, Nicole was also looking at me, and we bothughed bitterly, without saying who said it first. It seems that she, like me, had a tight chest.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°yes.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have to be careful in the future.¡±

    ¡°I was going to do that anyway.¡±

    ¡°By the way, is it really a nobleman who put Xenon in danger?¡±

    The development that Leort had expected earlier was impressive. I looked around, confirmed that no one was there, and quietly opened my mouth.

    ¡°Yeah. Do you know Count Crost? He¡¯s the culprit.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Sister?¡±

    When I revealed the identity of the culprit, Nicole¡¯s expression turned serious. I must say she was shocked by something.

    While I was confused by that, Nicole muttered in a confused voice.

    ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t ask who¡­ it was¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    I identally revealed a spoiler.

    {T/N:- that settles it. Crown Prince >>> MC}

 Chapter 15: Picture (1)

    I had an unexpected meeting with Leort, but that alone did not hinder my writing Rather, I received momentum and continued the story.

    ¡®Here¡¯s the Earl of Castlerock shouting. He says that a nation is the people.¡¯

    There was one famous movie in my past life ¨C the story of awyer who desperately protests for the victims of the military regime.

    In particr, I can vividly remember seeing the famous scene. It was so immersive that I wondered if it was really acting.

    ¡®As Leort said, I¡¯ll get a little bit of hate, but¡­¡¯

    A conflict between Xenon, amoner, and aristocrats, was unavoidable. Because the factions that originally held vested interests were extremely wary of someone taking their ce. A story that could actually happen.

    It doesn¡¯t matter though. As the saying goes about carrots and sticks, it will be okay if I show the good side of aristocrats too.

    Even more so, if it is a fair criticism, it will be tolerated to some extent. After listening to Leort¡¯s words, I looked for books in the library and there were indeed satires directed at the nobility. Although it was a shame that there was no direct critique.

    ¡±As for the exterior of the steam lotive¡­ let¡¯s just draw a picture. I can draw it in my notebook for practice.¡¯

    The episodes of Xenon¡¯s conflict with the nobles were from the beginning to the middle of Book 8. After that, he goes to thend of the dwarves to rest and get newspapers, and there he meets a geeky dwarf who wants to invent a ¡®steam lotive¡¯.

    Xenon helps the geek dwarf invent something that everyone thought was impossible, and after a lot of misjudgment and trial and error, he finally invents a steam lotive.

    The story of Volume 8 ends by suggesting a new path called ¡®mechanical engineering¡¯ rather than ¡®magic¡¯.

    ¡®Isn¡¯t this a supply wagon?¡±

    There was no need to exin the importance of supply in all wars, whether on Earth or in a fantasy world. Even in a fantasy world, the army needs to eat well in order to advance.

    You might wonder if you can rece the steam lotive using magic like teleport or warp without inventing it, but it was impossible. This is due to the fact that the distribution method of teleport or warp was extremely inefficient and dangerous magic.

    It was fine to use it for oneself, but problems arise when you move something other than yourself. It takes a massive amount of mana toplete, and if it fails, it will disintegrate like a grain of sand. It is only used in situations that are important enough to warrant such a risk, and aside from that, mostly wagons are used.

    ¡®Except for demons of course. If you look closely, they are a fraudulent race.¡¯

    One of the reasons why Helium, the country of the demons, became a great power that even the Minerva Empire could not touch was because of its ridiculous transportation capabilities. When other countries use wagons to supply supplies, the demons use magic to ignore distances.

    This is all thanks to the ability to use magic like breathing. To them, magic is more like a ¡®power¡¯ that makes everything happen if you imagine it.

    Even though I¡¯ve never seen magic before, it sounds awesome.

    ¡®It¡¯s magic¡­¡¯

    I ced thepleted manuscript on the desk¡¯s edge and checked my watch. It was 10:30. It is better to sleep now, for tomorrow¡¯s sake.

    After a quick wash, I threw myself on the bed. The fluffy sensation was transmitted down my back.

    ¡®Tomorrow there is only humanities, magic, and¡­ anthropology.¡¯

    I already had an idea of what major to take.

    Humanities, Magic, History, Theology, Alchemy, Anthropology, Philosophy, Psychology, Public Administration, Military Science, and International Studies.

    There were a total of 11 subjects like this, and if you don¡¯t know anything else, you¡¯ve probably heard of ¡®Alchemy¡¯ for the first time. Simply put, it is the chemistry of the world.

    Even on Earth, Alchemy was called the father of modern chemistry, and although this may be a fantasy world, alchemy had greatly advanced. You don¡¯t have to go far to understand that potions are crafted using alchemy.

    ¡®It¡¯s not as established as chemistry, but it¡¯s still interesting.¡¯

    Whether it is an atom or a molecule, it has not been established in detail, but maybe someone will establish it in the distant future. I looked up at the dark ceiling and quietly closed my eyes.

    As sses begin in earnest, I was both nervous and excited. Taking 11 majors was already a headache, but I have no choice but to work hard to avoid failing.

    The fortunate thing is that it is not a rtive evaluation, but rather an absolute evaluation. If I put in the effort, I can get a perfect score.

    ¡®Xenon¡¯s biography¡­ I will only write it on weekends for the time being¡­ all¡­¡¯

    Is it because I was lying on the bed? As I closed my eyes, in total darkness, I felt my consciousness sinking and fell asleep.

    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤¡ã??©¤©¤©¤¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã©¤©¤©¤??¡ã©¤©¤©¤??¡ã

    When the next day came, I skipped breakfast and headed straight to the lecture room. Entering the ssroom, the sight of familiar faces ¨C Marie, Cecily, and Rina ¨C greeted me.

    It seemed to shine on its own as I watched the beauties, each with their own distinct personality, gather and talk about themselves.

    Are they all studying humanities together? I noticed something strange while looking around the empty seats.

    ¡®Are there no seats?¡¯

    Students sat on either side of the three women. I was suspicious because no one had been near them untilst week. Even more so when you consider the number of empty seats in the front.

    I sat without hesitation in an empty seat, but I returned my gaze because my question had not been answered. And as soon as I turned my head, my eyes met with Marie, one of the three people who were cheerfully chatting.

    ¡°Ah! That¡¯s Isaac.¡±

    As soon as Marie shouted, Cecily and Rina followed and looked at me. I made eye contact with them and greeted them by waving my hand.

    ¡°But why doesn¡¯t he sit next to us¡­ What? When was it full?¡±

    ¡°Huh? That¡¯s right.¡±

    Listening to them, it appeared that they had finally realised what was going on around them. I looked at those three perplexed people, and my gaze was drawn to the boy sitting to their right.

    Was his name Jackson? He was, after all, the one who had been smitten with Cecily and Rina from the first day. He raised one corner of his mouth as soon as he made eye contact with me.

    I could sense the mean smile indeed. That¡¯s what that guy did.

    It seems that he was jealous because the women who had insulted him were paying attention to me. I¡¯m not sure if he recruited the students or if they knew each other from the start, but it was very pathetic.

    ¡®Are factions forming already?¡¯

    He said that he was the son of a wealthy Count, so there is a high possibility that he bought it with money.

    ¡®You¡¯re not a kid, what are you doing¡­ No. If you¡¯re 17, you¡¯re a kid.¡¯

    I turned my head forward because I didn¡¯t want to get caught up in troublesome things. I want to enjoy a smooth academic life as much as possible.

    ¡°Oh, my.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    As soon as I turned my head forward, someone sat down next to me and greeted me warmly.

    Marie, the white-haired beauty, was looking at me with a smile.

    I blinked a couple of times as she sat down next to me. She was sitting there. I wonder why she came here to sit next to me.

    While I was thinking about it, Marie said with a sad expression on her face.

    ¡°Won¡¯t you ept my greetings?¡±

    ¡°¡­Hi.¡±

    Only then did Marie nod her head in satisfaction. I looked at her and then behind her.

    Cecily narrowed her beautiful brow as if she was ufortable somewhere, and Rina next to her had a subtle expression.

    Onest look at Jackson¡¯s side, he was full of annoyance. I felt refreshed because he unintentionally ate shit.

    ¡°What did you do over the weekend?¡±

    ¡°You?¡±

    ¡°I went around here and there with my brother. There were many interesting things. What did you do?¡±

    ¡°I read books in the library. There were many interesting books. And I went with my sister to the arena to look around.¡±

    ¡°Do you have a sister?¡±

    ¡°Not only an older sister, but I also have an older brother.¡±

    ¡°So, you are the youngest too? Now I see.¡±

    I was able to talk with Marie about a variety of topics before ss. It felt much more natural talking to Marie than to anyone else. She was free of authoritarianism and had an easygoing personality, so I could speak freely with her.

    Rather, just talking to a beautiful woman with strong characteristics like Marie was enough to be grateful. Also luckily, the conversation code worked well.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t Isaac say he only read up to Book 5 of Xenon¡¯s biography? I could lend it to you.¡±

    asionally, there were instances that made me terrified. Fortunately, it was the expected question, so I was able to answer it with ease.

    I was chatting with Marie, not realizing how much time had passed when the professor walked into the ssroom. Beerus, the humanities professor, of course.

    ¡°Hello, students. Then, we will start our sses in earnest from today.¡±

    When the lecture began, the students apuded, as they had done the previous week.

    As the apuse died down, Professor Beerus coughed and began the ss in his distinctive calm tone.

    ¡°Last week, I exined about ¡®knowledge¡¯. Then what are you learning in this ss? It¡¯s simple. Just tell me what kind of knowledge you got from a book or experience. Is it too sudden? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll give you plenty of time.¡±

    The professor set the time limit to be exactly 40 minutes. In an instant, the students hollered, but Professor Beerus deftly ignored them.

    ¡°Oh, and I¡¯ll give you bonus points if you present a book or experience other than Xenon¡¯s biography. Of course, I¡¯ll give you extra points if the presentation is great even if it¡¯s rted to Xenon¡¯s biography. However, please specify what kind of knowledge you obtained. Now¡­¡±

    <em>Start!</em> As the professor shouted, the students began to organize their thoughts in their prepared notes or mumble quietly.

    I also jotted down my thoughts in a notebook that I had prepared ahead of time. I was confident because of the many books I had read and the knowledge I had gained from them.

    ¡°I¡­ Isaac?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Then Marie quietly called me. I looked at her with <em>an expression of what¡¯s up?</em>

    As I looked, Marie seemed a little hesitant and then asked with a shy smile.

    ¡°¡­Can you lend me a notebook? I only brought a magic pen¡­¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case.¡±

    I dly ripped up a piece of paper and gave it to her. When I readily handed her the paper, Marie expressed her gratitude with a bright expression on her face.

    It was around the time I received Mari¡¯s thanks and focused on my notes again.

    ¡°Huh? Hey. What is this?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Marie showed me the back of the paper that I had given her. As soon as I saw the picture she showed me, I couldn¡¯t help but scream inside.

    At the same time, Marie asked me with her curious eyes.

    ¡°Did you draw this by any chance?¡±

    On the back of the page was a steam lotive that I sketched yesterday for practice.

    {T/N:- I shall pray for our MC. Talk about raising gs.}

 Chapter 16: Picture (2)

    I was horrified for a moment when I saw the picture of the steam lotive Marie showed me, but I quickly checked my notebook. Originally, the notes were divided into two sections: notes summarising Xenon¡¯s life development and general notes.

    I had just wanted to keep turning the page at that time, and this is what happened. My notes on the progression of Xenon¡¯s biography were all over the ce. I could only do it at that time.

    <em>I brought the wrong notebook.</em>

    Apparently, I made this mistake because the book cover of the notebooks was simr, but this is absolutely my fault. I thought I should be careful every time, but I ended up making a mistake.

    ¡®I should have been more careful¡­¡¯

    I couldn¡¯t help but sigh inwardly. It¡¯s not that people don¡¯t rewrite, it¡¯s a disaster caused by myxity, which has continued from my previous life until now.

    The reason my family is constantly worried about me is not that I am the youngest, but because of my clumsy personality. When I was younger, I slipped while trying to pull out a book about which I knew nothing and almost got into trouble. I then recall that my father may have grabbed me quickly.

    Not only that, but something simr happened recently. It was the conversation I had with Cecily that was written in the manuscript. That should give you some idea of how stupid I am.

    ¡°It looks like a wagon with wheels on it. Except it has horns or something.¡±

    Marie tilted her head, looking around at the steam lotive I¡¯d drawn. Fortunately, only the front section of the steam lotive was drawn, and it was also sloppy. If anyone sees it, it will resemble a carriage.

    In particr, it was not drawn in 3D, but t like 2D, so it will look very simr to a carriage except for the engine that emits steam.

    I judged that there was still a chance to deal with it, and spoke to Marie in the calmest voice possible.

    ¡°I drew this because I was bored. I¡¯ll give you another page other than that.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ OK.¡±

    Without question, Marie returned the page with the steam lotive to me. I crumpled up her returned page and handed her another piece of paper.

    It was an essential procedure to check the front and back to prevent the same situation as now.

    ¡°How are you going to present it? I don¡¯t have anything to do, so I¡¯m going to write Xenon¡¯s biography.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve read a lot of books, so I¡¯m going to pick one of them.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m envious. It¡¯s a matter of getting extra points.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll know that when you present it. Even if it¡¯s simple, it will depend on how well you present it, right?¡±

    Last week, Professor Beerus singled me out and I couldn¡¯te up with a proper answer, but now that I have time, it¡¯s okay. It is thanks to the presentation skills I have honed since my previous life.

    In fact, it was a case of natural growth as I was in charge of the presentation every time I did a group assignment during my university days. One or two people kept missing in the middle, so I was in charge of the presentation by filling in the gaps. Of course, I gave a shit to the group member who got out of the group assignment with the most ridiculous excuses.

    ¡®But what about the presentation format?¡¯

    Suddenly a question came to mind, and I gently raised my hand. As soon as I raised my hand, Professor Beerus was delighted and asked me a question.

    ¡°What do you have to say? Student Isaac?¡±

    Also, Professor Beerus remembered my name. I didn¡¯t care though.

    ¡°I would like to ask if we are going to make a presentation in front of the ckboard.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll do thatter. It¡¯s a group assignment, an assignment that randomly groups team members.¡±

    ¡°¡­a group assignment?¡±

    <em>Oh my god. The terrible group assignment exists here too.</em>

    {T/N:- I need some GDs in academy novels, it would be fun. I have yet toe across one.}

    Professor Beerus smiled heartily as if he didn¡¯t notice my paleplexion. What on earth is the group assignment he envisions?

    ¡°Yes. Of course, there are students who are difficult to deal with as Isaac thought. But that¡¯s okay. So far, there have been no problems with group assignments.¡±

    ¡°¡­Then I¡¯m d.¡±

    ¡°Even if there is a problem, don¡¯t worry, just tell me and I¡¯ll take care of everything.¡±

    Perhaps it will be postponed or covered up so that there is no problem. Credibility is lost in a society where identity exists. Perhaps a high-ranking student had been harassing his teammates.

    I may think I¡¯m ahead, but it¡¯s that kind of world. That¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t rx easily. I wish I could be in the same group as a guy with a rational mind.

    Meanwhile, Marie next to me listened to our conversation and asked the professor a question.

    ¡°Are there any majors other than humanities that have group assignments?¡±

    ¡°I know there are some subjects.¡±

    I¡¯ll just have to be disheartened and ept it. As I said before, I can only hope that there are only normal children.

    ¡°You said earlier that you arbitrarily coordinate team members, right? What if there are students who want to be together?¡±

    ¡°No. It is against fairness, so that part is absolutely impossible.¡±

    ¡°Eh¡­¡±

    When Professor Beerus sternly pressed her, Marie pursed her lips and expressed her regret. If that was possible in a group assignment, it wouldn¡¯t be a true group assignment.

    ¡°Now, the time has passed. The students will make the presentation in turn, starting from the front row.¡±

    The presentation went smoothly. Some students were so nervous that they stutter, while others conveyed excellent presentations.

    Me? It was just in ordinary. It wasn¡¯t great, and it wasn¡¯t bad either. However, Professor Beerus was satisfied with my broad knowledge as I only read books at home.

    ¡°I¡­ So, how I felt about this part¡­ The¡­¡±

    Something quite unexpected also happened: Marie, who was next to me, stuttered and ruined her presentation. It was an unexpected situation for me, who usually only saw her bright and energetic side.

    ¡°Good job, Student Marie. Next time, please make your presentation a little more confident. Okay?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡±

    In the end, she managed to finish her presentation somehow, but as soon as she sat down, Marie copsed on her desk. Her embarrassment seemed to overwhelm her as I noticed her slightly exposed ears turning red.

    ¡®Well, even if it was an education at home, it wouldn¡¯t have developed the presentation skills.¡¯

    Although some people may have learned more about basic knowledge and culture than others, not presentation skills. If infusion education is what nobles learn at home, then the academy is higher education. This means you have more areas where you can improve your skills.

    Moreover, there will be more presentations like this in the future, but she will be pessimistic. Her heart will be filled with the first feelings of humiliation, shame, and embarrassment,

    ¡°The remarkable thing here is watching my father¡¯s training¡­¡±

    I nced at Marie, who was lying on her face, even while the others were presenting. She continued to lie down, not having the courage to raise her head.

    In response, I pressed my cheek to the desk to relieve Marie¡¯s mood and yed a prank on her. And I waited patiently for her to look at me.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    <em>Oh. Our eyes met.</em>

    Marie, lying on her face, nced at me as if she felt my gaze while watching. Of course, she buried her face again after that, but it was clear that our eyes met.

    ¡°Marie.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Marie?¡±

    ¡°¡­Why.¡±

    ¡°Are you crying?¡±

    <em>flinch-</em>

    Marie¡¯s body trembled violently when I asked in a yful manner. Then she slowly lifted her buried face from her desk and looked at me.

    Her red face, in contrast to her picky expression, was impressive, to the point where itpeted with my hair.

    Even when she gave me a stern look, I didn¡¯t lift my cheek from the desk. She looked at me for a moment before opening her mouth and sighing deeply.

    ¡°¡­if I¡¯m going to excuse myself, I wasn¡¯t taught these things at home.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t your brother tell you?¡±

    ¡°My brother is a martial arts student. Not literature. And you¡¯re lucky. You¡¯re good at presenting and reading a lot of books.¡±

    Marie grumbled as if my antics have put her at ease. I smiled and raised my cheeks off the desk.

    Her face was still red, but her grunting indicated that she had regained her energy. To be honest, it made no sense to be upset because she botched one presentation. It must have taken some thought.

    ¡°¡­And what you did earlier.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°What you did when you saw me earlier.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    When she asked, I tilted my head, and Marie frowned slightly.

    I was rather embarrassed by the reaction. Marie let out a long nose breath as if frustrated by my reaction.

    ¡°¡­No. That¡¯s fine. Just think whatever you want.¡±

    ¡°that¡­¡±

    ¡°The two students over there? Can you lower your voice a bit during the presentation?¡±

    <em>Eekkk</em>. I guess I was talking too much. When I was pointed out by the professor, I immediately shut my mouth.

    Marie also kept her mouth shut, the anger on her face subsided, but her ears were still red. Her hair color was also white, which made her stand out even more.

    ¡°¡­it¡¯s a rule.¡±

    ¡°Huh? What?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.

    There was a brief incident, but Marie also returned to her original form. In the meantime, her turn has passed to Cecily.

    ¡°As you can see, I¡¯m a demon. Although not as long as an Elf, our race has a longer lifespan than a human. And I¡¯ve learned a lot over the past 100 years.¡±

    I felt it during the speech, but her voice was so beautiful that it seemed captivating. Her voice had the power and charm to entice people.

    Even now, students who had previously been uninterested in other people¡¯s presentations were concentrating on Cecily¡¯s. She was a demon, but she was still amazing.

    I listened carefully to Cecily¡¯s presentation. If she mentioned the years she has lived, I have a feeling that a good story wille out.

    ¡°But I recently met someone who has more knowledge than me and knows more about demons than I do. I learned a lot from him.¡±

    Then she looked at me with a truly lovely smile. I couldn¡¯t help but be taken aback by her genuine smile.

    Are you talking about what happenedst week? Based on what she said, that was the only situation.

    ¡°That¡¯s when I realized that people with something to learn are worth being around for that alone.¡±

    ¡°What did you learn from him?¡±

    Is it because Cecily is a demon? Professor Beerus asked with a curious expression, stroking his mustache.

    At this, Cecily looked at Professor Beerus and spoke out.

    ¡°I learned what kind of race the demons are, at least in part. I didn¡¯t even know about it myself. If the professor wants, I can tell you.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ Unfortunately, I¡¯m human, so I¡¯m not sure I can rte to the definition. Still, it was a great presentation. Let¡¯s give Cecily an extra point.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Cecily nodded at the professor¡¯s praise for giving her extra points. Then she looked at me again and smiled.

    I was embarrassed by that smile, but I apuded. The presentation itself was neat and perfect.

    Next up was Rina, who was sitting next to Cecily, and she gave a presentation just as well as Cecily. In particr, I was impressed with her elegant yet gentle tone of voice.

    When everyone¡¯s presentations concluded, it was time for the lecture to end. Professor Beerus pped his hands and drew everyone¡¯s attention when thest student¡¯s presentation waspleted.

    ¡°Now, pay attention. There is something I need to tell you before the ss is over. As I told Isaac earlier, my lecture has a ¡®group assignment¡¯. It may be unfamiliar to you, but simply think of it as team y.¡±

    ¡°Group assignments? Team y?¡±

    ¡°What the hell is that?¡±

    The ssroom rattled when Professor Beerus mentioned the group assignment. I¡¯m not sure what everyone is saying, but I¡¯m well aware of how tedious and pointless that group assignment is.

    Those poor littlembs don¡¯t know that. As I would expect, the moment the group assignments are finished, the students will have a negative attitude toward others.

    In the meantime, Professor Beerus brought out the exnation of the group assignment as the buzzing in the hall seemed to calm down.

    ¡°The purpose of this group assignment is simple. I present an assignment, and you canplete the assignment with a team member I randomly designate. It¡¯s really simple, right? However, if there are disloyal students or cheating is discovered, the student will receive 0 points. As a professor, I have often seen students using their backgrounds, so don¡¯t ever think that you won¡¯t get caught.¡±

    Even with such a warning, those who use power will eventually use it. It¡¯s sad, but that¡¯s the reality.

    In addition, some people will cheat even if they don¡¯t use their family background, and some people will avoid it with ridiculous excuses. Fortunately, students are likely to attend the group project because it will be their first time. A snout is much better than being invisible.

    ¡°Also, cooperating with a team member other than the team member I designated will be counted as 0 points.¡±

    ¡°Then professor. How are team members assigned?¡±

    ¡°In consideration of fairness, we n to draw lots.¡±

    One thing about fairness is that you aremitted to it. I chuckled bitterly. However, there is no method that is so fair that it can bepared to drawing lots.

    ¡°The group assignment will be held three weeks from now, but I¡¯ll tell you the details in advance. The content is rted to your favorite Xenon biography.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Could my book be a textbook? This is a weird thing.

    As I wasughing inwardly, Professor Beerus brought out the content of the assignment that shocked me.

    ¡°The assignment I will assign you is to anticipate, analyze, and present the development of Xenon¡¯s biography in a coherent manner. Xenon¡¯s biography contains many clues that can sufficiently predict future development. I¡¯ve also found a few.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°It makes no difference if the hypothesis is incorrect when the new book on Xenon¡¯s biography is published. What I want to do is piece together the clues, clearly analyze cause and effect, and predict how the hypothesis will affect the oue. The reason I¡¯m speaking now is out of consideration for students who haven¡¯t read Xenon¡¯s biography, which was recently published.¡±

    Afterward, the professor looked around the ssroom, which quickly became quiet, and asked the students with a proud expression.

    ¡°How about it? It¡¯s really easy, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    It¡¯s really easy. Professor.

    Since I am the author of the book, I think it will be as easy as lying down and eating rice cakes. Of course, I believe it would be difficult to write it down as it is because doing so would elicit a lot of suspicions.

    ¡®¡­Then what should I do? Should I make a presentation?¡¯

    I felt like I was in a dilemma.

    As one of the readersmented yesterday, suggesting that ¡®Xenon¡¯s Biography¡¯ could be changed to ¡®Xenon¡¯s Saga¡¯. So, I did some google and saw that ¡®Memoir¡¯ is also synonymous to ¡®Biography¡¯.

    So, should I keep ¡®Xenon¡¯s Biography¡¯ as it is or should I change it? If yes, whether to ¡®Xenon¡¯s Saga¡¯ or ¡®Xenon¡¯s Memoir¡¯?

 Chapter 17: Offer (1)

    If you were to ask me what I¡¯ve been interested in since being reincarnated here, I¡¯d say ¡®History.¡¯

    Consider this. It was filled with new histories, not the ones I had grown up with.

    World War I or World War II which changed the fate of the earth had disappeared, and there was no General Yi Sun-sin and King Sejong who overturned the fortunes of the Republic of Korea.

    In fact, rather than saying no, it was a phenomenon caused by the itself, but it is still very interesting. In my previous life, I used to look up the history I was interested in not only on the inte but also in books.

    So when I was at home, I read novels, and if I couldn¡¯t stand it, I read through history books several times. Unlike novels, history has clear causes and effects, and although it was subjective, it contains various contents, so it was enough to arouse interest.

    ¡®There are a lot of books in the library. I want to read them quickly.¡¯

    Just like in my previous life, it was Tuesday today, the day after Monday.

    While waiting for the history ss to begin, I jotted down my notes. Thanks to yesterday¡¯s mistake, I brought my lecture notes today.

    The history of the world, which I had organized separately, was analyzed in the lecture notes, but it was not just the history of a single country.

    In terms of past life, it was an analysis of what happened during ¡®World War II,¡¯ what battles took ce, and who was involved.

    And, just like World War II on Earth, there was a ¡®Tribal War¡¯ in this world as the conflict between tribes intensified. This is a major event that urred exactly 300 years ago, and it was fought regardless of Humans, Dwarves, Elves, Beastmen, or Demons.

    ¡®It¡¯s hard to analyze because it¡¯s a war between races and not between humans.¡¯

    Despite having superior abilities to other races, elves are often self-sufficient due to their unique ideology of selection, ignorance, and arrogance.

    The reason the dwarves sided with humans was simple. Because the human poption was overwhelming, they bought the most Dwarf weapons and had a strained rtionship with the elves.

    At that time, the beastmen were treated as a ve by humans and allied themselves with the elves, while the demons were divided into two factions, ¡®Anger¡¯ and ¡®Temperance¡¯, and fired magic at each other.

    What the two races had inmon was that they had suffered great damage from humans. After that, the rtionship between humans and beastmen deteriorated further, and even after the generation of elves changed, they were still on the wrong side.

    But, of course, the mostplex of these were human beings. Although it may seem like they were colluding on the outside, there were many cases where all kinds of politics and conspiracy tricks were rampant on the inside, and there they ate their own flesh.

    In addition, a ¡®Hero¡¯ who always appears in difficult times appeared and made a mark in history.

    ¡®Each race suffered significant damage, but the Dwarfs, unsurprisingly, benefited the most. Because they made a lot of money and had few casualties.¡¯

    What if the other race touched Dwarves? Perhaps the tribal war would have very likely tilted to one side, and not ended with a draw with scars.

    ¡®But what the hell happened to the elf that copsed on its own? Did I look down on them too much?¡¯

    There were severalrge-scale battles in the tribal war, and there are books containing the process leading up to the battle. As I read these books, I couldn¡¯t help but have a lot of questions.

    Unfortunately, however, most of the history books I read were written from a human point of view, so all sorts of spections abounded, and I couldn¡¯t figure out why the elves copsed. However, it was clear that it was rted to the generational change that urred immediately after the end of the war.

    ¡®That¡¯s probably why Aiker, who was the main force of the elves, was suddenly arrested. Anyway, no matter where you go, the old man is the problem.¡¯

    After 10 long years, the war came to an end. Since the war had been going on for 10 years, with the exception of the Dwarves, there was enormous damage. In particr, on the human side, some kingdoms could not ovee financial difficulties and went bankrupt or were absorbed by the Minerva Empire.

    The war between races was over, but the war between humans was not over.

    ¡®If you look at it this way, it means that all ces where humans live are the same.¡¯

    Just as the Cold War broke out between the United States and the Soviet Union after World War II ended in my previous life, this world had gone through a simr process. The only difference is that magic developed rapidly, and not science or engineering.

    The problem is that it has developed at this level now. In the past, you can roughly see how high-order abilities were in magic. Humans would have literally only been able to use the chosen ones.

    ¡°Umm¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±

    While my concentration was slightly disrupted by my concerns, I btedly noticed that someone was staring at me. I raised my head slowly, taking my gaze away from the notebook.

    I was finally able to reach the face beyond the slim waistline and the chest that reveals my presence, and I met the green eyes full of curiosity beyond the round sses. I blinked before I could make out who the face was.

    ¡°¡­Professor?¡±

    Professor Elena Heavensinger, the Professor in charge of History.

    Professor Elena was a beautiful woman with light green hair tied up and wearing sses, giving off an intelligent image, but her biggest feature was her long, elongated ears.

    As you may have realized by this time, Professor Elena was an ¡®Elf¡¯, a race known to be the incarnation of beauty and chosen by God among various races.

    You might ask why the Elves are at Halo Academy, but it¡¯s not really that strange. As I said before, a generational change took ce in the Elves after the Tribal War, and that generational change included active exchanges with other races.

    That¡¯s why she¡¯s able to work as a professor at Halo Academy. In addition to Professor Elena, there are also Elf freshmen and a Professor in Martial Arts but unfortunately, there are no Elf freshmen in Literature.

    ¡°Did you write all of this?¡±

    Professor Elena pointed to the notebook and asked me while I was blinking to grasp the situation. I moved my gaze along the finger she pointed.

    Perhaps because of my concentration, I didn¡¯t even know who was watching right in front of me. Still, it wasn¡¯t a note about Xenon¡¯s Saga, so there was no big problem.

    I nodded my head to answer her question. Professor Elena looked back and forth between my notebook and me with her hand on her chin, then she quietly opened her mouth.

    ¡°Can you show it to me for a minute?¡±

    ¡°Yes. What¡­¡±

    I gave her the note and checked the time, and there were about 10 minutes left until ss started. She came about 20 minutes earlyst week too, so there¡¯s nothing particrly strange about it. It just makes me a little embarrassed to show interest in my notes.

    While I waited with a bit of trepidation, Professor Elena looked at my notebook carefully. She asionally rolled her eyes or caressed her chin, as if she was thinking about something.

    After that, Professor Elena, who read through thest page, came up with a brief critique.

    ¡°The analysis is pretty well done. The situation between each race is well exined within the framework of the tribal war, and the cause and effect are clear. Wouldn¡¯t it be good to submit it as a thesis?¡±

    Professor Elena, who was giving the critique, corrected it with an ¡®Ah¡¯ as if she realized something toote.

    ¡°No. This isn¡¯t written in the form of a thesis in the first ce, right? And yet, this is incredible. You¡¯re really good at writing.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for thepliment.¡±

    ¡°Isaac, right? Who taught you these things? Your writing skills are unusual.¡±

    Professor Elena asked me, pointing a finger at the notebook. I pondered on what to answer and came up with an answer as if embarrassed.

    ¡°I learned it myself.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    I can¡¯t even talk about what I learned at the university in my previous life. Elena nodded her head at my answer, and she opened her mouth in a voice of surprise.

    ¡°Last week and today, sitting in the front row, it seems that you are very interested in history?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fun.¡±

    If nothing else, these words were sincere. I liked history in my previous life, but now the more I dig into it, the more storiese out, stimting my imagination.

    Professor Elena also looked at me with a curious expression as if she could sense the sincerity in my answer.

    ¡°Wait a minute.¡±

    She returned the notebook to me and left the ssroom with only those words. For a moment, I was able toe to my senses with the voice I heard from the left.

    ¡°Seeing that the professor also praised him, I guess Isaac has excellent writing skills.

    It was Rina. She was staring at me with her chin resting on her hands, her blue eyes full of interest.

    I flinched slightly at her question for a moment, then smiled awkwardly as I stroked the pen-hook protruding from my middle finger. Rina smiled brightly at my foolishugh.

    ¡°Does Isaac know the history of us demons as well?¡±

    This time on the right. Following the voice, I shifted my gaze to meet red eyes that were the perfect opposite of Rina¡¯s. Cecily, of course.

    I listened to her question, pondered it, then shook my head.

    Unfortunately, the demons maintained a closed stance until the publication of Xenon¡¯s Saga, so there was very little information.

    Even if there were history books about demons, they were all from a human point of view, so it was very subjective.

    ¡°No. I don¡¯t know much about it, except for the indiscriminate massacre of demons during the founding process of the Kingdom and the Savior Church. As you know, demons hardly ever interacted with the outside world until a few years ago.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ well that¡¯s right too. So can I bring some books? I can ask fatherter.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    I looked at Cecily, eyes wide open at her unexpected favor. Cecily grinned at my reaction and opened her mouth with her yful tone.

    ¡°Of course. Instead, there is one condition.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Call me Big Sister.¡±

    {T/N:- more like Noona. And if you have read Pornhwas, you would know this doesn¡¯t stop MC from doing all that stuff.}

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    While I was dumbfounded by her absurd conditions, Cecily pressed on to me while still maintaining a yful tone.

    As she pressed on, I couldn¡¯t help but hesitate for a moment.

    ¡°Big Sister, Try. Why? Are you shy?¡±

    ¡°Sister Cecily.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Did you?¡±

    Now it was Cecily¡¯s turn to panic. I¡¯m not sure what kind of reaction she wanted to get from me, but I¡¯m used to calling people older than me brother or sister.

    {T/N:- now that¡¯s an Uno Reverse.}

    What¡¯s difficult when you already have a brother and sister?

    Cecily pouted after my simple answer, putting on an expression that wasn¡¯t like this. Then she turned her head around, grumbling, clicking her tongue.

    ¡°Sheesh. It¡¯s not funny. Come to think of it, didn¡¯t you say you have a real sister?¡±

    <em>¡°Puheut.</em>¡°

    While Cecily grumbled, Rina, watching the situation, let out a smallugh. She was natural, but there was no reason Cecily couldn¡¯t hear it.

    ¡°Huh? Rina. You¡¯re alsoughing at me?¡±

    ¡°No? Maybe Cecily heard it wrong?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so¡­¡±

    I waited for Professor Elena toe while the two women between me chatted. For your information, the reason Marie wasn¡¯t in the ssroom when Rina and Cecily were already there was that she hates history. She trembles when ites to history.

    Even that Jackson guy, who tried to insult me in the humanities ss yesterday, wasn¡¯t here. Obviously, History was boring, and unless you¡¯re interested, it¡¯s the same everywhere. Maybe that¡¯s why there were only about 30 people sitting in the ssroom.

    ¡°Now. Here¡¯s the book.¡±

    ¡°¡­What is this?¡±

    After a while, Professor Elena returned to the ssroom and handed me a thick book. It was an old book that smelled of musty paper, but there was no title on the cover.

    When I asked her about the book, Professor Elena answered her.

    ¡°It¡¯s an interpretation of the history books of the Elves in theirmonnguage. Elves tend to write books in their ownnguage.¡±

    ¡°Huh? G-, really, this is¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s right. It¡¯s a history book seen through the eyes of an Elf, not a Human. I also found it by ident in the library.¡±

    ¡°Wow¡­¡±

    I nced at the worn-out book with twinkling eyes. Although it looked old and unsightly, it was a more valuable treasure to me than any other item.

    Through this history book, I can decide what kind of race the Elves in this world were, and what settings to add to the Elves that will appear in Xenon¡¯s Saga. I was still thinking about how to describe the Elf, but Professor Elena helped me in a timely manner.

    ¡°Thank you, Professor. What should I do with this grace¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t really need the thank you, are you taking another ss after this ss is over?¡±

    Then she continued with a friendly smile.

    ¡°If not, I want to ask if you cane and visit me for a moment.¡±

 Chapter 18: Offer (2)

    As Professor Elena asked, I headed to herb after all the sses were over. Theboratory was located in a building called ¡®History Hall¡¯.

    As Professor Beerus mentioned, at Halo Academy, we must takemon sses until the second year, after which we must choose our own career path. Perhaps as a result of this, there are buildings for each major, resulting in a high level of professionalism.

    ¡®It¡¯s just like a university.¡¯

    It¡¯s high school until the second year, and after that, it¡¯s a university where we have to go around the building to listen to lectures. I wandered around looking for the History Hall through the map that Professor Elena gave me.

    Because Halo Academy was the size of a small city, simply walking around took a long time. If I had known this was going to happen, I would have eaten one meal and then left.

    ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter since I got the book.¡¯

    Today, in my spare time, I read the Elf history book that Professor Elena gave me.

    Like an elf who thinks of himself as a descendant of God, there were many words that are difficult to understand, but there was no difficulty thanks to my regr reading of books. I had no choice but to go through the dictionary and find out the meaning.

    Still, there were many achievements. I hadn¡¯t read even 1/10th of it yet, but I had a rough idea of what kind of race the Elves were. If demons were a mutant caused by the devil, elves were more like descendants of ¡®angels¡¯.

    It was a fact that was never mentioned in history books written from a human point of view, but it seemed possible because elves were a long-lived species, so there were very few lost records. Or maybe they have a habit of putting importance on records.

    Anyway, knowing that elves were descended from angels was one of the most important things I learned. Howe there are no angels if there are still demons in this world? It immediately dispelled my doubts. The elf¡¯s mana, unlike that of the demons, has white mana.

    ¡®Other races only knew about the devil; they had no idea about angels.¡¯

    Because I remembered my previous life, I assumed that if there was a devil, there would also be angels, but this was not the case with other people. They must have believed that the only thing that could oppose the Devil was God.

    ¡®I should go with the story of interacting with elves from the middle of Volume 9 to the end of Volume 10.¡¯ The devil¡¯s executives are also very active.¡¯

    I jotted down the progression of Xenon¡¯s life in a notebook on the way to the History Hall. Because the eighth manuscripts were alreadypleted, I can mail them to my parents and call it a day.

    ¡°You are here?¡±

    After a while of walking, I arrived at the building depicted on the map. It wasn¡¯t particrly cool because it¡¯s a history hall, but it was a dull yet highly functional structure.

    It was probably because the building was only used by professors or teaching assistants, and there was no need for a training room in martial arts.

    ¡®Because Martial Arts requires a training room. There are many more.¡¯

    Again, this was a fantasy world with monsters and mana. Even at the Halo Academy, martial arts that develop military power are inevitably a priority. As a result, I¡¯ve heard that there are numerous cases where the literature side hasined about budget issues.

    I re-examined the map and the building, double-checked the name ¡®History Hall¡¯ written at the entrance, and proceeded. The front door was a well-kept wooden door with a glossy appearance.

    ¡°Ohhh¡­¡±

    As soon as I passed through the front door and entered the hallway, I couldn¡¯t help but be amazed. It exudes an old-fashioned atmosphere and there was even a watermill in the center of the hallway.

    What¡¯s more, portraits of great men who made their mark in history were hung on the hallway walls, many of whom I had read about in books but had never seen in paintings before. A brief historical record, along with the great man¡¯s name, was written beneath his portrait.

    ¡®There is a great man in each race.¡¯

    Also, great people were ssified for each race and written on the wall.

    Naturally, most of the portraits were of humans ¨C the race with short lifespans but thergest number. The other races were few and far between, and even there were no demons at all.

    I looked around the hallway with a curious expression on my face, then came to my senses and moved to Professor Elena¡¯s office. Professor Elena¡¯sboratory was room 104.

    <em>Knock- Knock- Knock-</em>

    ¡°Professor Elena. It¡¯s Isaac. Are you in there?¡±

    Through the sign hanging in the middle of Room 104 and the door, I was able to find Professor Elena¡¯sb. As I knocked and said my name, I heard a rustling sound through the door.

    Seeing the word ¡®Room¡¯ written on the sign, it seemed that Professor Elena opened the door herself.

    <em>Kiikkkkk-</em>

    ¡°¡­Who are you?¡±

    No. I will correct it.

    When the door opened, a zombie greeted me from behind ¨C not a true zombie, but she¡¯s quite frail inparison.

    The dark circles came down as if they were about to jump rope, the ck eyes were dead as rotten fish eyes, and the skin was very pale rather than crumbly. With her dull blonde hair tied back in a ponytail and the corners of her eyes drooping, she gave the impression that she could copse at any moment.

    I stumbled backward as soon as I saw her. As I took a step back, I could see who had opened the door and greeted me.

    ¡®¡­Elf?¡¯

    It was an elf who opened the door and greeted me ¨C a female elf like Professor Elena.

    Although her beauty faded due to her appearance which seemed like a zombie would be a friend, she couldn¡¯t hide her true beauty. Rather, it exudes a strange atmosphere, including the beauty of decadence.

    ¡°¡­Excuse me?¡±

    As I stared nkly at her, the elf tilted her head and called again. And she even slowly blinked her eyes.

    So I hurriedly came to my senses and asked her in a very cautious manner.

    ¡°That¡­ Is this Professor Elena¡¯sb?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right¡­¡±

    I checked the sign for theboratory again in response to the slurred tone and answer. Professor Elena¡¯sboratory was certain. I presume the elf in front of me was Professor Elena¡¯s assistant.

    ¡°Who¡¯s here?¡±

    A familiar voice came from inside theboratory at precisely the right time. The elf who was supposed to be a teaching assistant looked back and replied in a tired voice.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ He¡¯s said he¡¯s Isaac¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah! Bring him in quickly.¡±

    ¡°Come in¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­Excuse me.¡±

    I was a bit reluctant for some reason, but I moved my steps inside. As I moved, I did not forget to make eye contact with the elf who opened the door.

    It was a little scary to look at her with the eyes that aremonly referred to as dynamic eyes, but it was tolerable. Eventually, when I entered theboratory, I could see various books and papers piled high with the musty smell peculiar to old books.

    A cursory nce revealed that most of the books were rted to history. It looks like aboratory for studying history.

    ¡°Come here. Please sit down.¡±

    Professor Elena, who was sitting at the desk, smiled as she greeted me. Feeling awkward, I sat down on the reception couch she pointed to.

    When I sat down on the sofa, Professor Elena also sat down on the sofa across from me. For information, there was a table ced between the two of us.

    ¡°Here are some sweets and tea¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, thank you.¡±

    Shortly after sitting on the sofa, the assistant ced the food on the table. As I thanked her, she turned around to return to her desk.

    ¡°Where are you going, Cindy? Sit next to me.¡±

    ¡°I want to rest¡­¡±

    ¡°I know you¡¯re tired of writing your thesis, but it¡¯s important to you too.¡±

    ¡°yes¡­¡±

    The Elf named Cindy sat down at Professor Elena¡¯s instructions. And so, across from me, two elves who were pr opposites were seated.

    ¡°A bit flustered, huh?¡±

    Not a little bit, but a lot. As soon as I open the door and a half-dead corpse wees me, anyone would be shocked.

    But I couldn¡¯t say the above words directly, so I justughed awkwardly. Professor Elena also noticed my feelings, so she put her hand on Cindy¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Recently, she¡¯s been up all night for a thesis. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s not in the right state.¡±

    ¡°If you know, let me sleep¡­¡±

    ¡°If you just write the thesis.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s unreasonable¡­¡±

    Seeing the two of them¡­ reminded me of a professor and a graduate student from my previous life. I¡¯ve never been a graduate student myself, but there were a lot of memes around the inte.

    What struck me the most was that graduate students were not treated like most people. The majority of them imed to be servants to the professor in order to obtain a doctorate. I even seem to have heard that they even did private errands.

    Maybe it¡¯s because of that meme, but I have the impression that graduate students make good ves.

    ¡®Could it be me too?¡¯

    Around the time I was slightly worried inside, Professor Elena, who had been scolding Cindy, looked at me and opened her mouth.

    ¡°First of all, her name is Cindy. Her full name is Cindy Skywalker. She¡¯s been my teaching assistant for 25 years.¡±

    ¡°What kind of ve a teaching assistant is¡­¡±

    ¡°Could you shut up? He¡¯s misunderstanding.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a misunderstanding, it¡¯s the truth¡­¡±

    ¡°Then get out.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±

    Rather than a professor-assistant rtionship, they were more like good sisters. If Elena really treated Cindy like her ve, she wouldn¡¯t y with her like that.

    I looked at the two with a strange look, and then I suddenly remembered something I was curious about and asked a question.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been a teaching assistant for 25 years?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. In order to be a professor, you have to work as a teaching assistant for a certain period of time and get a doctorate, right? This is the case with most teaching assistants in literature.¡±

    It¡¯s the first I¡¯ve heard of it. Was there a concept of a degree such as a master¡¯s or doctoral degree? Well, it might be strange not to be in a story with an academy and a professor.

    While I was confused, Professor Elena went on to exin.

    ¡°It¡¯s the same with us Elves. We must obtain a degree while working as teaching assistants under the supervision of a professor. However, as you know, Elves learn at a much slower rate than humans, so it takes a long time.¡±

    ¡°How long does it typically take on average?¡±

    ¡°A few years is at least 30 years, which, when converted to a human lifespan, is about 3-4 years. Furthermore, in order to obtain a doctorate, that is, to be a professor, we must first pass a rigorous screening process within ¡®Yggdrasil.¡¯ We have to submit my doctoral thesis, and the requirements are very stringent.¡±

    Yggdrasil was the capital of Alfheim, thend of Elves. As you can see, it has the same name as in Norse mythology.

    By the way, even within Yggdrasil, it seems that the standards are very strict, considering that you have to go through an examination before you can be a professor.

    ¡°I¡¯m envious¡­ that humans only take 5 years at the longest¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re slow to learn, even by Elf standards, so five years is no option. Anyway, I called you for one reason.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    I was slightly nervous and waited to see what kind of request Professor Elena would make. If it is an unreasonable request, of course, I would decline it. It¡¯s hard to even write a manuscript right now, and I can¡¯t devote time to other things.

    In the meantime, Professor Elena opened her mouth, cing her hand on Cindy¡¯s shoulder as she munched on snacks.

    ¡°Teach her how to write.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Huhhh¡­?¡±

    I, of course, and even Cindy, who was still, looked at Professor Elena, perplexed. With a hand over her shoulder, Professor Elena lightly pinched Cindy¡¯s cheek.

    ¡°She¡¯s good at everything, but she can¡¯t write very well. It took her at least five years to write a master¡¯s thesis. Even that didn¡¯t seem like anything to me.¡±

    ¡°It hurts¡­¡±

    Even as Cindy murmured, Professor Elena did not let go of her hand pinching her cheek.

    ¡°I could¡¯ve taught her how to write, but I¡¯m busy as I am.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you just call another student?¡±

    ¡°I was going to do that, but you were the one who caught my eye just in time. In fact, she just started writing her thesis in earnest.¡±

    <em>So what have you been doing for 20 years? </em>Although Elves are slow to learn by human standards, looking at it this way, it seems a bit harsh.

    Of course, learning is slow, and that doesn¡¯t mean that she has low memory. As an Elf who lives longer than the demons, she will remember everything that happened several decades ago.

    Simply put, memory is good, but the application is poor. Of course, it will change from the moment she fully understands the concept.

    As I slowly pondered her words, I began to ask questions one by one.

    ¡°Are there any other assistants? It seems a little strange that there is only one assistant in the first ce?¡±

    ¡°Everyone has graduated and now I¡¯m a professor. She¡¯s my first Elf assistant. And most of the professors in the History Hall are my students. Asking them to do so seems to take up my busy time, so I put up with it.¡±

    ¡°Is there a student who has better writing skills than me, who has just entered the school?¡±

    ¡°In my opinion, you are the best. Do you not know how many students I have seen while working as a professor for 100 years ?¡±

    Professor Elena gently answered my questions one by one. Most of them were reasonable and understandable reasons, so I had nothing to say. In particr, I was shocked to hear that my writing ability was the best among the students she had seen in 100 years.

    After a while, when I stopped asking her any more questions, she lifted up her slipped sses and opened her mouth in a slightly disappointed tone.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to if you don¡¯t like it. I don¡¯t have the power to force you. So how about this?¡±

    She hesitated for a moment, then spread her arms wide. It was an exaggerated action as if to look at this and as I was confused, Professor Elena spoke in a proud voice with her arms outstretched.

    ¡°Most of the books and papers here are things I collected or wrote while working as a professor. Not only the history written from the perspective of humans and elves, but also dwarves, beastmen, and even demons.¡±

    ¡°Em, Ddemons? How about demons¡­?¡±

    ¡°There was a demon that I met by chance. I chose as many as I could from that person. Unfortunately, he has now returned to his hometown.¡±

    After that, she leaned out her upper body and suggested again with a soft voice. I could see the light of greed over the round sses.

    ¡°If you help Cindy, I can lend you all of the books here. You cane in and out of theb as you please.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°What do you want to do? By the way, it doesn¡¯t matter if you help her when you have time. We have a very long concept of time than you humans think. It doesn¡¯t matter even if it¡¯s once a month.¡±

    What¡¯s the point of saying more? The answer was fixed.

    ¡°I look forward to working with you in the future.¡±

    But I had no idea until this time.

    <em>Elves meant it when they said that their learning speed was extremely slow by human standards.</em>

    ¡°Thank you very much¡­¡±

    <em>How slow-brain is this Elf named Cindy by my standards?</em>

    ¡°Then, shall we go eat together to celebrate? Have you had dinner by any chance?¡±

    ¡°No. I haven¡¯t eaten yet.¡±

    <em>I had no idea.</em>

    <strong>¨C ¨C ¨C End of Chapter ¨C ¨C ¨C</strong>

 Chapter 19: Steam Locomotive (1)

    After epting Professor Elena¡¯s suggestion, my daily life changed a little bit. Previously, I would go to the library or have a quick meal and head back to my dorm, but these days, I visited Professor Elena¡¯sb.

    And today was Friday when all sses end. After mailing the eight-volume manuscript of Xenon¡¯s Saga to my parents, I went straight to theb. I didn¡¯t forget to knock before entering theb.

    After a while, I opened the door and entered theb, which had a distinct musty odor. As soon as I opened the door, I saw Cindy sitting at her desk and writing something.

    ¡°Hello. Cindy.¡±

    ¡°Hello¡­¡±

    Anyway, Professor Elena was often away on business trips, but not Cindy. She always greeted me with the appearance of a haggard corpse. I had grown ustomed to her appearance and had stopped paying attention to her.

    ¡°How are you today? Are you still tired?¡±

    ¡°Maybe a little better¡­? I don¡¯t know¡­¡±

    That gging tone seems to be beyond repair. I heard she¡¯s been tired for years, not months, but it must be difficult. If she were a human, she would have died from exhaustion, but elves seem to be resilient.

    I sneaked aside after staring nkly at Cindy, who appeared to be sitting at her desk writing her thesis. I don¡¯t know how to write a thesis, but Professor Elena asked me to assist with the writing process instead. So I kept an eye on how serious it was¡­

    ¡°¡­Cindy?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­?¡±

    ¡°Can you stop writing for a moment and read what you wrote?¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    That¡¯s how serious it was.

    I held back the above words and urged Cindy again.

    ¡°Read it. From the middle here.¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­ The human war that followed the tribal war clearly demonstrated the dark side of humanity, and it was the reason why the Minerva Empire was able to establish itself as a great power, and it¡¯s the reason why many countries are still crying for independence. The Kingdom of Mechterton, the Empire¡¯s adversary, has formed an alliance with neighboring kingdoms¡­¡±

    ¡°Stop.¡±

    That¡¯s about it. It¡¯s legible and it¡¯s five minutes before the mess.

    ¡®It¡¯s like reading my first work¡­¡¯

    In my previous life, I was praised for having good writing skills, but I was never good from the beginning. Rather, what kind of story was my first work? The readability was so bad that the word came out of my mouth. Cindy¡¯s current thesis follows the same mistakes that first-time writers make.

    Mistakes in repeating the same word or linking sentences together for readability. This is one of the mostmon mistakes beginners make.

    She must understand the essential problem well, so I asked Cindy, who was making a confused face.

    ¡°Cindy. Do you understand what this means?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean¡­?

    She tilted her head and asked the question. I sighed heavily at Cindy¡¯s situation of not knowing what the problem was.

    ¡®Even so, this is a bit harsh¡­¡¯

    I¡¯ve criticized the novels in this world for being like an SAT English test, but the thesis was an exception. A thesis is a type of record written by a researcher based on his or her own research, so it does not matter if technical terms appear.

    A thesis, however, should clearlymunicate what the researcher wishes to say to the other person.

    I have no idea how to write a thesis, but I am well aware of its purpose. At the very least, it should never be used arbitrarily as Cindy did.

    As I was pondering where to begin, I asked a curious question.

    ¡°Cindy. Have you ever read Professor Elena¡¯s or someone else¡¯s thesis?¡±

    ¡°There are many¡­¡±

    ¡°But you write like this?¡±

    I once read a thesis she wrote with Professor Elena¡¯s guidance. I was a little confused because technical terms appeared in the middle, but thanks to the many books I¡¯ve read so far, I was able to thoroughly read it.

    Cindy blinked slowly at my absurd question and responded quietly.

    ¡°Even if I try to write like that¡­ If I keep writing, it will start to sound like the thesis you read¡­¡±

    ¡°If you are evaluatedter, you will be rejected because you are simr.¡±

    ¡°yes¡­¡±

    Her memory was good, but her application ability was inferior. From my human standards, she was an idiot, but from an Elf¡¯s point of view, Cindy was perfectly normal.

    As mentioned before, human beings inherentlyck strength and abilitypared to other races, but there are ¡®acquisition¡¯ and ¡®adaptation¡¯ that can make up for them. If wepare the entire race, elves are normal and humans are abnormal.

    As previously stated, magic has historically been praised as a ¡®force¡¯ that can only be used by those chosen by the gods. Until the tribal war 300 years ago, only elves, demons, and a few humans possessed the ability to use magic.

    3000 Years Ago, Demon Wars? There were no records of humans using magic during that time period, only a few elves. The Tribal War 300 years ago was when the magic began to flow into humans in earnest.

    In any case, in less than 500 years, humans have transformed it into an ability that anyone can use, given their background, talent, and hard work. From the point of view of the long-lived Elves, the speed of development was truly terrifying.

    ¡®I¡¯m suddenly curious. Why are humans so quick to learn?¡¯

    It was something I took for granted when I was on Earth, a world where only humans exist. Even in creations, humans were programmed to learn faster than other races.

    But, since I was reincarnated in this world, I was very curious. Why do humans learn more quickly than other races?

    While I was repeating the question in my head, Cindy asked me in anguid tone.

    ¡°So when are you going to teach me¡­?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes. Professor Elena instructed me to teach you, so I must do so. Just one question.¡±

    ¡°What is that?¡±

    ¡°Has Cindy never learned to write?¡±

    I already have to tell her the basic knowledge, but I asked just in case. If she¡¯s learned roughly, she¡¯ll see the hope at least.

    Cindy blinked slowly at my question and answered quietly.

    ¡°There were a few people who taught me how to write¡­¡±

    ¡°Huh? What do you mean? Didn¡¯t you say Professor Elena wasn¡¯t there?¡±

    ¡°It was someone else who helped, and there were a few people who taught me for money¡­¡±

    Then she answered in a moreplex, subdued voice than before. Her pointy ears drooped down below her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t run away saying you can¡¯t teach me anything anymore¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a little¡­ I guess I¡¯m a little slow by human and elf standards¡­¡±

    {T/N:- feeling sad for her.}

    For some reason, I had the impression that I had been caught.

    ©¥©¤©¥©¤©¥©¥©¤©¥¡¸?¡¹©¥©¥©¤©¥©¤©¥©¤©¥

    Xenon¡¯s Saga had always been like this, but Volume 7 caused even more of a stir than usual as soon as it was released. It was because the author abruptly ended the story at a crucial point, and it broke the hearts of many readers.

    As a result, the Crown Prince of Minerva said he will arrest and imprison the author in the imperial pce, or the Princess would pressure him to publish the next volume as soon as possible.

    There was a lot of turmoil in many ways, but there was a saying that time was the best medicine and it gradually stopped and they waited for the next book. The readers also calmed down and focused on their jobs while waiting for the time to pass.

    The 7th volume of Xenon¡¯s Saga was then published, and about a monthter, the release of the 8th volume, which everyone had been waiting for, was announced in the newspaper. There was, however, one sentence that piqued my interest.

    [It contains scenes that may be offensive to the nobles.]

    The above phrase was published by the publisher who reviewed the manuscript first. Not only the nobles, but also the vast majority ofmoners, were perplexed by that phrase.

    What kind of scene was it that suggested it might offend nobles who aren¡¯t evenmoners? The answer to that question was only known after the publication of the new Xenon¡¯s Saga.

    <em>[There is nobility above the people, a king above the nobility, and the king can only exist because the state exists. However, it is the people who support the state. In other words, whether it¡¯s a king or a noble, it means nothing in front of the people. But, Count Crost. You¡¯re destroying the state¡¯s foundations just for being offensive. It is truly the conduct of a nobleman. Don¡¯t you think so?]</em>

    The character in the novel, it was said by a nobleman, but it was a harsh criticism. Even if it is a fictional story, it is only the author¡¯s job to create the story.

    So far, no books or paintings have satirized or criticized the nobles¡¯ atrocities, but Xenons¡¯ Saga was too straightforward. Considering the ripple effect of Xenon¡¯s Saga, it was undoubtedly a very dangerous statement, although not unusual.

    ¨C A scene that clearly exposed the dark side of the aristocracy.

    ¨C In reality, there are many cases where nobles intimidatemoners. It was just hidden from everyone.

    ¨C History repeats itself. If this goes on, an incident like the ¡®Zeros Revolution¡¯ will happen again.

    In fact, there is an event simr to the ¡®French Revolution¡¯ on Earth in this world. It was the ¡®Zeros Revolution¡¯ that broke out in the Kingdom of Teres, which has been regarded as the eternal enemy of the Minerva Empire.

    Because a great man named Zeros was the leader, it is called the Zeros Revolution for convenience.

    Because of that one revolution, the kingdom of Teres was reeling and many corrupt nobles were brought down. Although the revolution itself was not sessful, its aftermath was truly terrifying, enough to raise awareness.

    However, despite such a major incident, the nobles still looked down onmoners. On the contrary, there were cases where it was more viciously concealed and thoroughly prevented from being known externally.

    ¨C Nobles andmoners are different from birth. Even the author of Xenon¡¯s Saga doesn¡¯t think it¡¯s such an insult.

    ¨C A novel is still a novel. If it were amoner like Xenon, he would have been given a title rather than confronting aristocrats.

    As a result, some nobles harshly criticized the first half of the 8th volume. However, only a few nobles are expressing criticism, and the majority of nobles are only expressing bitter reactions.

    One criticmented on these numerous responses.

    ¨C Most of the nobles who read this story and got angry were treatingmoners as ves. Wouldn¡¯t the prisoners be openly treated as ves? It can only be said to be a truly aristocratic mindset.

    The mouths of the nobles who poured criticism and reproach on such a heavy fact were shut tight. There was no such scene.

    Anyway, due to the beginning of the 8th volume, countries with aristocratic sses became noisy for a while, but countries without a noble ss went on.

    The nobleman who put Xenon, the main character, in danger, was eventually stripped of all his posts and imprisoned, and Xenon headed to thend of the dwarves for a short break.

    Many readers expected it because it was the first time in Xenon¡¯s Saga that he traveled to a country of a different race, rather than a human country. Naturally, among them, the Dwarves had the greatest expectations and concerns.

    ¡°Ummm¡­¡±

    ¡°How about it? Isn¡¯t it worth a try? Here¡¯s a rough description and pictures.¡±

    A dwarf with a thick grey beard and an odd-looking face was focused on the drawing on the paper.

    Next to him, a young dwarf with a beard that barely covered his face was rushing with an excited expression. The gray-bearded dwarf concentrated solely on the drawing, ignoring the urgings of the dwarf next to him.

    What he was looking at was a painting that appeared in the middle tote part of the 8th volume of Xenon¡¯s Saga, which was published this month.

    What he is currently seeing is a painting that appeared in the mid-tote part of the 8th volume of Zeno¡¯s biography published this month. It was attached with some kind of adhesive to prevent it from falling off while reading it, but I found itter.

    Then, the gray-bearded dwarf tilted his head and muttered the name of the picture mentioned in the book.

    The name of this lump of iron is a steam lotive?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°But this huge lump of iron moves through a special engine? Only on a special road called ¡®Railway¡¯? Not only in the front, but also in the back, like a wagon?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°Does moving the wheel maximize the rattling of the lid when boiling water in the kettle?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Whenever the gray-bearded dwarf asked a question, the young dwarf responded brightly. The gray-bearded dwarf burst outughing at this.

    ¡°Hahaha. Son? Don¡¯t talk nonsense. Novels should be read as novels. When you substitute it for reality, it gives you a headache. We just need to make better weapons.¡±

    ¡°But Father. It¡¯s realistic. Wouldn¡¯t it be better than nothing at all?¡±

    At his son¡¯s question, the gray-bearded dwarf waved his hand and said in an imusible voice.

    ¡°It¡¯s realistic, and this father is old and can¡¯t afford to make something like this. I¡¯d rather gather like-minded people and make them all together. You¡¯d rather get like-minded people together and make it all together. And here they say coal? It¡¯s full of stones, so take care of it. We need more hearthstone than ck stone.¡±

    ¡°Then aren¡¯t you going to help me?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t help you directly, but I can support you with money. It¡¯ll be easy to find people like you who are reckless idiots.¡±

    ¡°Okay! Please wait a moment! I¡¯ll collect them soon!¡±

    The young dwarf responded vigorously and ran back and forth out of the forge. The gray-bearded dwarf smirked at his son¡¯s passionate look, then nced down at the paper once more.

    The quality of the paintings cannot be described in words, but the general appearance was clear. There was also an exnation included with the book so you could see what it is used for.

    ¡®Your imagination is great. How did youe up with this idea?¡¯

    It was an idea that even the dwarves, a race of artisans and called the masters of creation, and even the gray-bearded dwarves, the best of the dwarves, couldn¡¯t help but admire. In the current climate, where many people believed there was no substitute for magic, the appearance of such a ¡®machine¡¯ will surely cause a massive upheaval.

    It was clear that ¡®humans¡¯ would benefit the most. Even if theyck natural abilities, they have an unrivaled ability to learn and adapt.

    Perhaps the invention of the steam lotive would give way to machines instead of magic.

    ¡®Did this guye from another world?¡¯

    {T/N:- *cough* *cough*}

    The gray-bearded dwarf had no choice but to ask such a question sincerely.

    <strong>¨C ¨C ¨C End of Chapter ¨C ¨C ¨C</strong>

 Chapter 20: Steam Locomotive (2)

    It¡¯s been a fortnight since the release of the eighth volume of Xenon¡¯s Saga. I brought a newspaper that was ced in front of the dormitory door before beginning a new day today.

    There were two kinds of newspapers avable: one from Heutor Newspaper and one from Tutli. The difference was that Heutor¡¯s newspaper focused on humans, whereas Tutli¡¯s newspaper covered a wide range of topics regardless of race.

    Because I had subscribed to two newspapers instead of one, the subscription fee was a little high, but it wasn¡¯t a big deal. My parents¡¯ allowance for living expenses was good enough.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    After a quick breakfast, I opened the newspaper and began looking for the news I wanted. As you all know, the news I wanted was about the publication of Xenon¡¯s Saga¡¯s eighth volume released this year.

    Firstly, I read the Heutor newspaper, which focused on the human side, and the news I was looking for was listed on the first page. I leaned forward slightly, checking the news.

    [The Xenon¡¯s Saga that touched the hearts of many readers finally shows up. By the way¡­]

    Just as expected. Several reactions were listed. While some critics criticized directly because they thought it was time, many others urately viewed the bitter reality. It was a natural reaction because aristocratic criticism was a sensitive and hot topic for them.

    Nheless, there did not appear to be any major issues. <em>To be honest, am I allowed to put this in the first ce?</em> I wanted to, but after hearing Leort¡¯s story, I was able to make up my mind. If someone decides to find me to kill me, I¡¯ll just hide right away or entrust myself to the imperial family.

    ¡®Well, it¡¯s not just the dark side.¡¯

    If Count Crost, who trapped Xenon, was a figure who revealed the dark side of aristocrats, Count Kay, on the contrary, is a figure who reveals the bright side of aristocrats.

    Maybe that¡¯s why there were quite a few reviews for Count Kay. Most of them were praising the appearance of Count Kay as a virtue that nobility should aim for.

    ¡®If it hadn¡¯t been for the Zeros Revolution, it would have been a bit dangerous.¡¯

    Simr events to the French Revolution on Earth existed in this world. Perhaps because of that, it was rare to see nobles ¡®openly¡¯ intimidating or discriminating againstmoners. The aristocratic practice of disrespectingmoners still exists, but I have not seen such a situation yet.

    As the saying goes, ¡®one loach muddies the water,¡¯ there were many nobles whose ideas were deeply ingrained. Even if they don¡¯t go far at first, Marie¡¯s family, the Duke of Requilis, was realizing noblesse oblige.

    The Duke, the second highest in the hierarchy after the Emperor, lived by such a motto, and the nobles below him had no choice but to be wary.

    I turned the pages after reading each country¡¯s reaction one by one. Because the Heutor newspaper was apany with roots in the Minerva Empire, the criticisms of other countries were at the back.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    As expected, the Kingdom of Teres was showing the most intense reaction. Since it was the Kingdom of Teres where the Zeros Revolution took ce, it was more sensitive to this kind of story.

    But the funny thing was that almost all of them were excited about Count Crost. Themoners, as well as the nobles and even royalty, were no different. All of them were of one mind and one heart and were enjoying the end of Count Crost.

    ¡®Didn¡¯t I say that there was not much difference between themoners and the nobles in the Teres Kingdom?¡¯

    The Kingdom of Teres was implementing a method of governance that was close to a constitutional monarchy. It did not mean reigning but not ruling, but rather not ruling as you please. If an aristocratmits discrimination due to a bout of measles, he is severely punished.

    I kept flipping through the newspaper and checked the time. Now it¡¯s time to go to ss. I¡¯d only read the Heutor newspaper and haven¡¯t checked the Tutuli newspaper yet.

    ¡°I¡¯ll just read it after ss.¡±

    I put the newspaper on the bed and got ready to head to the ssroom. I didn¡¯t forget to check my lecture notes before going out. <em>One fatal mistake was enough.</em>

    As I walked out the door, the fresh morning air greeted me. I proceeded to the ssroom with light steps.

    ¡®By the way, how do I purchase Xenon¡¯s Saga at the academy?¡¯

    As soon as the news that Xenon¡¯s Saga was released, a huge number of people gathered in front of the bookstore.

    After seeing it, I was more shocked than surprised and didn¡¯t say anything. Perhaps it would have lessened by now.

    My parents have the first edition, so it shouldn¡¯t be a problem for reading, but my older sister and older brother were the problems. Right now, even the author himself cannot purchase the book except for the first edition, and it is questionable how to get those two.

    ¡®It¡¯s amazing how I bought it until now.¡¯

    As I walked down the street with that thought in mind, I arrive at the lecture hall. As soon as I entered the ssroom, various stories entered my ears one after another.

    ¡°Did you read the eighth volume that came out this time?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I read it. It was a bit bitter, but it¡¯s as expected.¡±

    ¡°Amoner made such an achievement, and there is probably no nobleman who will not stand in check. What would happen if such a thing had actually happened?¡±

    ¡°Hey. Did you buy the one that came out this time? If you bought it, lend me.¡±

    ¡°No. I mean, I haven¡¯t read it all yet.¡±

    It was now a topic of discussion that entered through one ear and flowed through the other. I¡¯ve been listening to it a lot, so I¡¯m passing it along lightly. It was more important to ensure that my acquaintances were seated.

    I rested my butt on a nearly empty seat and looked around the room.

    ¡°Cecily, did you read the eighth volume of Xenon¡¯s Saga that came out this time?¡±

    ¡°No. I haven¡¯t even bought it yet.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see. I can lend it to you, can I?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m curious about the content, but I can bear it.¡±

    Cecily was the only one who drew my attention, but she was surrounded by female students. She wore an awkward expression as she answered the barrage of questions from the female students gathered around her. Apparently, the current situation was burdensome.

    Even though I had my doubts about Rina not being by her side, I was able to confirm that they had been sitting apart for a while and btedly. When I looked over at Rina, I noticed arge group of female students gathered next to her.

    ¡°What do you think, Rina? Even though it¡¯s a novel, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s gone too far?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ well? If we don¡¯t do anything wrong, we can be proud. If it were me, I¡¯d take a hero like Xenon as it is. In fact, that¡¯s often the case.¡±

    ¡°Then why do you think Xenon didn¡¯t receive the title of noble? Count Kay also suggested that he could be a noble if he joined the knighthood.¡±

    ¡°It must have been that Xenon decided that a free adventurer was better than a nobleman.¡±

    Unlike Cecily, who was at a loss, Rina was dealing with female students with a calm and elegant tone. She looked like a grown-up was telling a funny story to her children, and she almost let out a littleugh.

    ¡®Why are they sitting apart?¡¯

    Cecily and Rina would always hang out together. At least I never saw the two of them apart.

    But now they were torn apart and were far away. As I had only seen the two of them hanging out together, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder.

    ¡®Did they have a fight?¡¯

    I looked back and forth between the two of them, who were straining to deal with the group of female students, and then turned my gaze forward. It¡¯s not something I should be concerned about right now.

    ¡®But where did Marie go¡­¡¯

    As I was thinking about it, someone sat next to me and greeted me brightly.

    ¡°Hello!¡±

    Speak of the devil and here she is.

    Marie waved at me with a bright smile. I also waved my hand to say hello.

    ¡°¡­Yeah. Hello.¡±

    ¡°Huh? What¡¯s with the reaction?¡±

    ¡°Never mind.¡±

    I was curious as to why she, who usually arrives early to ss, came at this hour, but I didn¡¯t bother to ask.

    It could be because Cecily and Rina were sitting apart and the girls were swarming around them, so she was sitting next to me.

    Meanwhile, Marie greeted me with her characteristically lively voice.

    ¡°What did you do over the weekend?¡±

    ¡°I read a book.¡±

    ¡°What book? Eighth volumes of Xenon¡¯s Saga?¡±

    ¡°No. A history book.¡±

    ¡°Eh. A history book?¡±

    Marie, who heard my answer, looked as if she heard something she couldn¡¯t bear to hear. Like I said before, Marie hated history to the point where she shudders.

    I silently nodded, and Marie opened her mouth as if she couldn¡¯t understand.

    ¡°Why do you have to find and read that uninteresting thing? There are so many good stories to read like Xenon¡¯s Saga.¡±

    ¡°I was having fun.¡±

    Moreover, in Professor Elena¡¯sb, there were piles of history books and papers that I have never been seen before. These days, I live for the pleasure of reading them.

    Teaching Cindy to write seemed like it would give me cancer. Cindy¡¯sprehension was catastrophic, to the point that she had to chew and digest to barely understand. Still, she wasn¡¯t without passion, but she couldn¡¯t bear to curse.

    ¡°Yeah. Everyone has different tastes. By the way¡­¡±

    Marie looked back slightly and mumbled. Her gaze turned to Cecily and Rina.

    After that, she shook her head and opened her mouth with the nuance that she could not stop..

    ¡°They¡¯re still like that.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Oh. You don¡¯t know. They had a fight at the cafe yesterday.¡±

    <em>As expected, they fought. </em>I had roughly expected it, but it was equally astonishing.

    I took turns looking at Rina and Cecily, who were still surrounded by girls, and then asked Marie.

    ¡°Why? What did they fight for?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I happened to pass by and saw it.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    <em>Is there a topic for those two to fight about? </em> No matter how much I thought about it, nothing came to mind.

    ¡°Anyway, did you read the new Xenon¡¯s Saga book released this time?¡±

    While I was thinking deeply, Marie asked me with a slightly joking ent. I got out of my thoughts and faced her.

    Her eyes were slightly folded, giving the impression of a smirk, but somehow it felt unlucky. It¡¯s like feeling a sense of superiority. To this, I answered with a raised eyebrow.

    ¡°No. You?¡±

    ¡°Wew.¡±

    She didn¡¯t answer but let out a strangeugh. As soon as I saw the reaction, I could predict that Marie had bought the eighth volume.

    And sure enough. As soon as Marie¡¯s mouth opened, the answer I expected came out.

    ¡°Of course I got it. Even the ones I couldn¡¯t buy until now. My father put a lot of effort into it.¡±

    ¡°I see. You didn¡¯tmit anything illegal, did you?¡±

    ¡°It can¡¯t be. I just mobilized my personal connections. It¡¯s absolutely not illegal, right?¡±

    <em>Do you need to mobilize your personalwork too just to buy a few books? </em>It was also the Duke¡¯s family with the most power after the emperor.

    While I was puzzled to myself, Marie said with an aggravated expression.

    ¡°Are you jealous? If you are jealous, say you¡¯re jealous. If you really want to, I can lend it to you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Even if it takes time, I can buy itter.¡±

    I am, above all, the author. It was time for me to raise my hand and respond directly.

    Marie listened to my answer and looks at this? She smiled and let out a deep sigh.

    ¡°Huh¡­ If ites to this, I¡¯ll have toe up with an irresistible story.¡±

    ¡°An irresistible story?¡±

    <em>What the hell is she talking about? </em>Marie looked around while I asked myself that question. She seemed to be careful that no one else would listen.

    Then she waved her hand as if to ask me toe closer. I brought my face close to her, holding my question in my heart. Marie was momentarily taken aback, and she quietly shouted.

    ¡°Hey, hey! Bring your ears close, not your face. Ears!¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    I turned around and brought forward my ears. Marie sighed and brought her hands together to her ears to keep her voice from leaking out.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be surprised to hear this. Actually, my father told me something startling.¡±

    ¡°Really? Did the Duke send you a letter?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. What was written in that letter¡­¡±

    Marie paused for a moment, then looked around again. Then she whispered in my ear.

    ¡°My father said he found the author of Xenon¡¯s Saga.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    With that one word, I felt my heart stop.

    ¡°I heard they even invited him to our house? The author said he readily epted it.¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but frown at the exnation that immediately followed.

    I wonder what kind of bullshit this is.

    {T/N:- I wonder want kind of punishment is there for scamming a Duke.}

    <strong>¨C ¨C ¨C End of Chapter ¨C ¨C ¨C</strong>

 Chapter 21: Steam Locomotive (3)

    After hearing Marie¡¯s information, I couldn¡¯t help but raise my brows. Why did she bring up such a story when I was the author of <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga</em>? I thought she was bluffing or lying for a moment.

    But, if I think about it, it¡¯s less likely to be a bluff, and if she truly intended to lie, she wouldn¡¯t have discussed it privately with me as she did now. Marie thought it was vital information and asked me to hear her out.

    ¡®¡­Huh?¡¯

    In my previous life, there was a popr meme called ¡®The Hongchul team without Hongchul.¡¯ It referred to a situation in which everything was perfect except for the most essential piece. In other words, a red bean bread without red beans.

    And that was exactly the situation right now. The author was right in front of her, and I¡¯m still perplexed that she told a total stranger.

    ¡®¡­Did her father make a mistake in telling her, even though he¡¯s wrong about who the author is?¡¯ I took a moment to collect my thoughts before facing Marie. She had a confident expression on her face, smirking as if I¡¯ll never be able to deny her im.

    Putting aside other concerns, the first priority was confirmation. I kept my cool as much as I could and asked quietly, ¡°¡­Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Is he the real author of <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga</em>?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Don¡¯t you believe me?¡±

    <em>I can¡¯t help but not believe it.</em> You left the real author behind and invited the wrong person. Well, your father did. However, since I couldn¡¯t tell the truth as it is, I thought it would be best to find out what happened as best I could.

    ¡°Of course. As you know, it¡¯s been a year since <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga </em>was first released as a serial novel. In that year, there were only rumors about who wrote <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga</em>, with no concrete evidence. Even the Imperial Family is looking for the author, but they have no leads.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°But apparently your father found one. How?¡±

    ¡°I, too, am unaware of the details. His letter only stated that they had found the author and would be inviting him to our mansion. Maybe Father identally stepped on his tail?¡±

    Hearing that story, I was reminded of the process of how I started getting my manuscript published. I am not sure about the specifics, but my father said he had someone deliver the manuscript directly to the publisher.

    My father is the former captain of the Navy Knights, so he must have many connections that I was unaware of. Perhaps it was one of these that had their tail stepped on. Also, beforeing to the academy, my father stated that he had been able to hide things well up until now, but that the truth would be discovered one day.

    As I rubbed the pen-hook in my hand, another question came to mind. I asked rather bluntly, ¡°Is there any possibility of impersonation?¡±

    ¡°Ah. What kind of madman would impersonate his identity in front of a nobleman, especially a high-ranking duke who is just below the rank of the emperor?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ that¡¯s right.¡±

    <em>Did her father really make such an embarrassing mistake?</em> It¡¯s not like there¡¯s no possibility at all, so I¡¯m a little worried. However, the world was vast and full of insane people. As Marie said, no one would dare to cheat a powerful duke, but many people risk their lives to gamble from time to time in order to make a fortune. <em>¡®It¡¯s almost certainly an impersonation¡­¡¯</em>

    I wouldn¡¯t know if she just says they found the author, but since she said they were inviting the author to the mansion, the odds were on the impersonation side. As a result, the first step was to write a letter home, exining the situation. It¡¯s good to be mindful of the worst-case scenario.

    After organizing all my thoughts, I took a long breath. I then turned to face Marie and spoke. ¡°So¡­what?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°What do you want me to do? Did you have anything you wanted to ask me?¡±

    The subject turned around and returned to the starting point. If Marie was willing to give me such sensitive information, she must have wanted something from me. Marie looked puzzled for a moment at my question, then smiled mischievously. Her confident expression vanished, leaving only shyness.

    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­I have an offer for you. Will you ept it?¡±

    ¡°What offer?¡±

    ¡°When the authores to the mansion, I¡¯ll bring you too. You¡¯re a fan of <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga </em>too. It¡¯d be nice to get a handwritten autograph, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    <em>It would be my own autograph¡­</em>Come to think of it, I didn¡¯t have my own special signature in my previous life. If there was anything at all, it was merely my scribbled signature when signing at book events.

    But when I heard this offer from Marie, I seriously felt the need to have my own autograph. At the least, it will allow me to be able to prepare for the same situation as now¡­that is, dealing with impersonators. I think it would be best to include a handwritten autograph for my next manuscript. ¡®You can¡¯t trace a person with just one autograph.¡¯

    That was difficult even on Earth with its excellent scientific technology. Even if there is magic, it wouldn¡¯t be used for such trivial things.

    In any case, I decided to ept her offer. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s an impersonator or not, but I¡¯d like to watch when the mask is removed. Should I bring popcorn?

    ¡°Okay then, I guess I¡¯ll ept. What do you want in exchange?¡±

    Marie answered my question in a low voice, keeping a shy face. ¡°Can you teach me some¡­history?¡±

    ¡°History?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Why all of a sudden? You hate history.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±

    Here¡¯s what Mary eventually brought out as her exnation. As we all know, passing a grade requires a specific score in any school setting. So, Marie focused on the particr majors she was interested in while excluding others such as history.

    The concept of reviewing knowledge learned from one¡¯s own family, she says, is easy for her in her own way. However, after the letter came from her family, the situation changed drastically. It was her father, the Duke of Requilis, who imposed a condition on her.

    <em>A condition to score at least 90 points in history. </em>If not, he told her not to even dream of reading <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga </em>in the future.

    I couldn¡¯t understand why he picked only history when she was good at other majors, but after hearing Marie¡¯s exnation, I sort of understood.

    ¡°Our Requilis family is one that values history. We believe that we can correct the present by reflecting on the mistakes of the past and take the lead in the future. That¡¯s why we tend to study history from the old days.¡±

    ¡°Is this an ideology that has been passed down from generation to generation?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± I was amazed. I knew from the beginning that the concept was well embedded in some cultures, but the Requilis family was even wiser and more fanatic than that. This was the reason why the family remained strong even after hundreds of years had passed since the founding of the Minerva Empire.

    Instead, home education seems to be difficult to give a very good evaluation of. Perhaps the reason why Marie hates history is because of her natural rebelliousness. Even in my previous life, one of the reasons why children hate studying is because of their parents¡¯ coercion.

    So, I asked Marie if my guess was correct. ¡°Is that the reason you hate history? It¡¯s because the family pesters you all the time about it?¡±

    ¡°Uh! That¡¯s right! How did you know?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a normal kind of thing.¡± I continued speaking half to myself regardless of whether Marie gave me a good look. ¡°But can a student teach another student? Well, I don¡¯t really care. A review concept is enough¡­¡±

    ¡°Maybe since it¡¯s not cheating, it¡¯ll be fine? If it¡¯s a problem, we can do it secretly.¡±

    ¡°What are you doing secretly?¡±

    As we were talking, a familiar voice chimed in; a scary voice that could shake the hearts of men. At that, I, as well as Marie, turned our heads toward the voice. We both saw Cecily sitting in the back seat, unaware of when she came.

    Also, she was looking at us with a face full of yfulness, her eyes half-closed. I, who had no idea when she had arrived, spoke in a shaky tone to Cecily. ¡°¡­when did youe?¡±

    ¡°A while ago. The seat behind you was unupied, so I moved right away.¡±

    As soon as I heard Cecily¡¯s reply, I checked where Rina was. Around Rina, the girls who had been chatting with her for a long time were still sitting there.

    I¡¯m sure there were quite a few students by Cecily¡¯s side too, so I wonder how she escaped.

    ¡°Anyway, will you answer my question first? What are you doing secretly?¡±

    ¡°Huh¡­¡± I looked at Marie without answering right away. Marie was openly expressing feelings of difort. If it were Rina, I wouldn¡¯t know, but since she usually got along well with Cecily, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder.

    When I couldn¡¯t easily respond due to the strange change in atmosphere, Marie clenched her jaw and spoke curtly. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Isaac has agreed to help me with my history studies.¡±

    ¡°History? Didn¡¯t you say you hate history?¡± Cecily widened her eyes and expressed her doubts. She appears to be well aware that Marie despises history.

    At that question, Marie took a deep breath and opened her mouth in a slightly lowered voice. ¡°¡­My family told me to get a good score in history. If I don¡¯t get over 90, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to read <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga </em>in the future.¡±

    ¡°Aha. That¡¯s why you asked Isaac. Isaac knows a lot about history.¡±

    Marie nodded, as if she had no intention of denying it. Confirming it, Cecily looked at me with curious eyes.

    I flinched at her gleaming red eyes. <em>Should I call it the eyes of a beast looking at its prey? </em>Anyway, something was troubling me.

    ¡°Then can I join you too?¡±

    Sure enough, my anxiety was well-founded. Just like how Marie had given up on trying to keep everything private, as if she had anticipated this development, she replied, ¡°Do whatever you want. Because it¡¯s Isaac who allows it, not me anyway.¡±

    Cecily looked at me. ¡°Then can I join you?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡±

    I can¡¯t say no because I¡¯m afraid of the aftermath. Cecily thanked me and smiled softly when I gave permission. As soon as a beautiful girl like Cecily smiles, my face heated up instantly. To change the subject, I quickly cleared my throat to barely cool my face, which was starting to heat up.

    ¡°¡­Ms. Cecily? I have a question I want to ask, is that okay?¡±

    ¡°Why did I get in a fight with Rina?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    <em>How did you know? Did you suddenly learn mind reading?</em>

    After I was momentarily taken aback, she giggled.

    ¡°Oh. Isaac doesn¡¯t know, but your thoughts tend to show on your face. Doesn¡¯t Marie agree?¡±

    ¡°To some extent.¡±

    ¡°¡­Is it so obvious?¡± I fumbled as I heard these words. I thought I was good at acting, but I guess I was wrong.

    Marie smirked as I tried to settle my face, startled by their opinion of me.

    ¡°Did you give me a picture by mistake the other day? Do you know what your face was like back then?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°That pale face of yours turned blue in an instant, then returned to normal. Anyone could tell that you were embarrassed. Is there anyone who wouldn¡¯t be able to notice?¡±

    ¡°No. That¡¯s¡­hah.¡± Changing the color of one¡¯s face is a thing that cannot be helped. No matter how good an actor is, one cannot change their face color freely. Unless they¡¯re a chameleon, of course.

    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s get over this for now, Ms. Cecily.¡±

    ¡°All right.¡±

    ¡°So why did Ms. Cecily get in a fight with Ms. Rina?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing special. And we already made up.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Then why were you fighting?¡±

    Cecily shrugged her shoulders and answered kindly, ¡°Because Rina had revealed almost all of the contents of Volume 8 of <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga </em>to me.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Rina must have thought that I had already read it. That made me a little angry. Although we reconciled, that¡¯s why we sat apart. All I could hear were her stories and opinions about the eighth volume.¡±

    It was an understandable reason, I guess.

    {T/N:- that¡¯s how I felt when I was spoiled about Mushoku Tensei in its entirety.}

    ©¥©¤©¥©¤©¥©¥©¤©¥¡¸?¡¹©¥©¥©¤©¥©¤©¥©¤©¥

    Time passed, and another humanities lecture came to an end.

    While Isaac was in the school restroom, Marie, the white-haired beauty, was staring intently at a picture. After finishing all her notes, Cecily got up from her seat and called out to Marie.

    ¡°Marie, don¡¯t you want to go to the bathroom with me?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Not really?¡±

    ¡°Really? But what are you looking at now?¡±

    Cecily was intrigued by the picture Marie was holding in her hand. In response, Marie nced at Cecily and exined calmly.

    ¡°This is an illustration attached to the Eighth Volume of <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga</em>. It¡¯s a steam lotive, and it ys a pretty important role in the story. Shall I tell you?¡±

    ¡°No. Don¡¯t ever tell me. You know what I mean?¡±

    ¡°Okay then.¡±

    Cecily also left the ssroom. As soon as Cecily was gone, Marie focused more on the picture.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The title of this picture, which was the core of the Eighth Volume of <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga</em>, was the <em>steam lotive.</em> It¡¯s a rare masterpiece created by a geek dwarf who inherited his master¡¯s will and changed the course of his life.

    Currently, most readers were paying attention to the initial criticism regarding the story¡¯s portrayal of the nobility, both good and bad, but interest in the steam lotive was also high.

    Many people said it was impossible to create such a mode of transportation, yet there were estimates by others that if it were invented, it would advance civilization by several stages.

    But apart from everything else, it was the appearance of the steam lotive that drew Marie¡¯s attention. It had a cylindrical body with wheels and gears attached, and a steam-dispensing funnel that was mounted like a horn on its head.

    And Marie had seen something simr to this picture.

    ¡°It may be simr, or it may not be¡­¡±

    She scratched her cheek in confusion.

    <em><strong>Editor and Proofreader:-</strong> In Valen¡¯s Name</em>

    <em>fes, if you feel like the trantion quality and readability have improved a bitpared to before, it¡¯s coz of IVN. Don¡¯t forget to show your support and appreciation in thements.</em>

    <strong>¨C ¨C ¨C End of Chapter ¨C ¨C ¨C</strong>

 Chapter 22: Human (1)

    If History was the major I was most interested in when I first arrived at the Academy, then Anthropology became the next major I found myself interested in. This world¡¯s anthropology included not only humans, but also various races such as elves, beastmen, dwarves, and demons. As a result, in anthropology sses, we learned about the unique characteristics of each race, as well as their strengths and weaknesses.

    Halo Academy, on the other hand, used an education method that focused on humans andpared them to other races. This was because it was a human-founded educational institution, and the majority of its students were human. Nheless, the people from different races who enrolled in Halo Academy were satisfied. The world is vast, and there are numerous races, but they are well aware that humans have always been at the center of events.

    ¡°ording to a recent study, humans number approximately 1.6 billion, while the other races total only 800 million. Humans have gained the upper hand due to theirrge poption and ability to develop endlessly. And¡­¡±

    An elderly gentleman with thick grey brows stood in front of the lecture hall, enthusiastically exining things. Meanwhile, I sat in the front row listening avidly to all his lectures.

    Professor Roy Magnus was the name of the elderly man. He was, as one could guess, an Anthropology Professor. As passionate as Professor Beerus, the Humanities professor, there was not a single moment of boredom in Professor Magnus¡¯ ss either.

    ¡°Of course, other races have their own strengths, so they are constantly keeping humans in check. Dwarves haveplete control over the arms trade, and each elven warrior is as powerful as a Knight Commander. The same is true for beastmen. Finally, demons are unrivalled in terms of magic. But what about humans? There is nothing special about us by nature. The event that revealed all these strengths and weaknesses was the Tribal War.¡±

    Anthropology, by its very nature, was inextricably linked with the ¡®Tribal War¡¯. The good and bad sides of each race were revealed in that war, and humans took the initiative in earnest. On this point, Ipletely agree.

    But I had a question that was not rted to that. When Professor Roy paused in his exnation to catch his breath, I gently raised my hand. Professor Roy¡¯s face lit up as I raised my hand.

    ¡°Oh, yes. Student Isaac. What question would you like to ask today?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    When I heard the professor¡¯s words, I smiled bitterly. Anthropology was the second major I was interested in these days after History, so from the first ss, I asked questions like this. As a result, Professor Roy had a favorable opinion of me.

    Of course, the other students¡¯ gazes were inversely proportional to his. It was because I received points for asking a lot of questions. <em>Anyway, I¡¯m going to ask him whatever questions I want.</em>

    ¡°Didn¡¯t Professor say the number of humans is 1.6 billion? And none of the other races add up to 800 million.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°For the moment, I¡¯m going to talk about elves. Elves have the lowest fertility rate of any race and as a result, they have the smallest poption. I¡¯ve heard that the poption of elves is 100 million at the most.¡±

    ¡°And there are 250 million dwarves, 350 million beastmen, and 100 million demons. It¡¯s a rough calction.¡±

    Professor Roy had exined that the poption of elves was quite small, even when measured as a percentage of the total poption. Isn¡¯t 100 million out of 2.1 billion sufficient? That was true, but when viewed from the perspective of my previous life, there was something clearly odd.

    It should not be forgotten that only ¡®humans¡¯ existed on Earth. Considering the racial characteristics of the elves, they are seriously few.

    ¡°Yes. In addition, elves can live about 1,000 years, if we consider their longevity. Even if humans live long enough, it is a staggering figurepared to just over 100 years. Even if you roughly calcte it, it is more than 10 times. But even taking this into consideration, I think it¡¯s odd that the poption of the elves is so small.¡±

    ¡°In other words, what you are saying is that despite the number of human deaths during those 1000 years, the small number of elves is strange. Is this what you mean?¡±

    Professor Roy neatly organized the questions I wanted. As I nodded, he made eye contact with Cecily, who was sitting next to me. Professor Roy, who met her eyes for a moment, then turned away and looked around. Except for Cecily, a demon, there were only humans in the ssroom.

    ¡°Um¡­ that¡¯s a pretty interesting question. Since we¡¯ve only talked about elves first, let¡¯s talk about their biological characteristics, then their cultural characteristics. First of all, Isaac. How much do you know about sex?¡±

    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±

    I was stunned by the surprise question that came in unexpectedly. I¡¯m not sure if it was another question, but when I was suddenly asked about so-called ¡®Sacred Knowledge,¡¯ I couldn¡¯t help but feel embarrassed. Professor Roy, who asked the question, hurriedly added a further exnation when the atmosphere in the ssroom became strange.

    ¡°Ah, everyone, don¡¯t think strangely. This can only be exined using fragments of Sacred Knowledge. Anyway, student Isaac. The answer to my question?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­well, I know everything,¡± I answered, but I couldn¡¯t stop my face from blushing in real-time. I hope this was an exnation worth giving an answer to.

    {T/N:- He better write and publish Kamasutra too alongside. I wonder how the world would react to that.}

    While I was thinking that way, Professor Roy coughed and brought out exnations one by one. ¡°Hmm, then I¡¯ll exin. You¡¯ll learn this during your Biology ss, but there are some students who don¡¯t take Biology, so please listen carefully. First of all, human beings¡­that is, human women¡­get a chance to have children once a month. But Elves have a very long cycle. ording to research, on average, just once a year.¡±

    ¡°Woah¡­¡±

    I was truly amazed by Professor Roy¡¯s exnation. That¡¯s why the fertility rate had fallen to such an atrocious level. Rather, it was more amazing that they did not go extinct despite having such a long menstrual cycle.

    ¡°And one more thing. There is a cultural characteristic of elves. Unlike humans, elves tend to regard sexual intercourse as a sacred ¡®ritual.¡¯ Elven men¡¯s s*xual desire is also mildpared to humans. Oh, in this case, it would be better to exin that human s*xual desire is stronger than other races.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Because of these aspects, the elf poption is small. How is it now? Do you understand?¡±

    Professor Roy¡¯s question elicited a slow nod from me. As a mysterious race, the reason for the low birth rate was also mysterious.

    Most of all, I felt a bit strange. In my previous life, elves were only described as having a low fertility rate, nothing more. No one was curious because it was a mon sense¡¯ concept with no exnation. It was the same for me too. But not now. I realized again, thanks to the simple and clear exnation, that I had been reincarnated in a fantasy world.

    ¡°Thank you. It makes my head feel clearer about it.¡±

    ¡°Rather, I¡¯m grateful. I have never seen a student asking such interesting questions. I hope next time you will ask more interesting questions like this.¡±

    ¡°Then what about beastmen?¡±

    ¡°Well?¡±

    It was not my question. It wasn¡¯t a question from Cecily, who was sitting next to me. At this, I turned my head.

    I looked to the side where the sound came from and saw a beautiful woman with auburn hair raising her hand. She had a detached expression that didn¡¯t show any emotion, just like her hard tone. Meanwhile, the woman with auburn hair brought up the question she wanted once more as my attention was focused on her.

    ¡°I would also like to know why the number of beastmen is small.¡±

    ¡°Your name is¡­ Leona.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me.¡±

    ¡°So what are you curious about?¡±

    ¡°Beastmen have a strong s*x drive just like humans, and their menstrual cycle is simr to that of humans. However, the number of beastmen is only 200 million. I wonder why.¡±

    Leona¡¯s question was also valid. Beastmen had an appearance that resembled a cross between a human and an animal, and they insisted on living a primitive life in the past, but they established their own nation around 300 years ago. But even so, their numbers were surprisingly low whenpared to humans. Although their country has not been in existence for long, it is umon when considering it fully.

    After listening to Leona¡¯s words, Professor Roy touched his chin as if thinking for a moment, and then, unlike before, gave a rather ambiguous answer.

    ¡°It¡¯s a fairlyplex matter. There are cultural characteristics unique to beastmen, but during the Tribal War, beastmen were ughtered by us humans. At least tens of millions of beastmen must have been wiped out of existence. Because of that, they still have a bad rtionship with humans.¡±

    Professor Roy talked about the worst war crimes evermitted by humans during the Tribal War. Although the Holy Nation ¡®Savior¡¯ had a history of massacring demons indiscriminately, that was limited to only one country, and that incident was a crimemitted by the ¡®Human Alliance.¡¯

    When the prisoners they had used as ves allied with the elves, the Human Alliance killed them all. To my eyes, it was far worse than the Holocaust, the massacre of Jews by Nazi Germany in World War II. Even more worrisome was that they offered a reward for killing each escaped prisoner. Because of this heinous incident, the beastmen poption was cut in half and reduced to a quarter. It was a piece of history that demonstrated how cruel humans can be.

    ¡°Besides, beastmen are a race that is passionate about battles from birth. From a human point of view, it can be called savage, and from a beastman¡¯s point of view, they consider themselves honorable warriors. Due to their cultural characteristics, they are often killed in action rather than by natural death. Even beastmen who die naturally despise themselves for not being able to die with honor.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Still,pared to 500 years ago, the poption growth rate is simr to or higher than that of humans. I can¡¯t give you a clear answer because the answer that Student Leona wants is currently in progress. Keep that in mind.¡±

    ¡°I see. Thank you for the exnation.¡± Leona took her seat after her characteristically blunt response. While listening to her words, I suddenly remembered what the rtionship between humans and beastmen was like.

    ¡®It¡¯s quite dangerous¡­ and it¡¯s the same for both sides.¡¯ The main thing that defined the rtionship between humans and beastmen:

    <em>Sworn Enemies.</em>

    {*T/N:- the raws are ??? ??? ??.}

    The beastmen universally despise humans, while humans regard them as insignificant. In particr, I have heard instances where they are frequently sold as ves on the ck market.

    Simply put, humans regard beastmen as lesser beings than themselves. Since demons were seen as dangerous public enemies rather than particrly ¡®inferior,¡¯ the same prejudice for them seemed to be rare.

    ¡°Isaac. Do humans and beastmen have a bad rtionship?¡± Cecily asked me in a whisper as if she was curious about that part too. Her red eyes were full of curiosity.

    To that, I looked at Professor Roy and answered quietly. ¡°Yes. Too many humans still regard beastmen as inferior beings, while the beastmen see humans as the equivalent of demons who ughtered their own kind without mercy. As the professor said earlier, this is a vicious cycle that has continued since the incident that urred during the Tribal War.¡±

    ¡°Just like we demons were treated as <em>time bombs</em> by all races?¡±

    ¡°Even though demons and beastmen are simr in certain ways, unlike demons, beastmen are treated as ves by humans only.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    <em>As a demon who has been severely discriminated against since birth, did she feel a sense of kinship? </em>Cecily nodded her head with a subtle gaze.

    Then she lowered her gaze to think about it for a moment and opened her mouth. ¡°Then, wouldn¡¯t it be possible to reconcile when another story about humans and beastmenes out in <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga?</em> If it can change the perception of us demons, then nothing¡¯s impossible.¡±

    ¡°I do not know¡­¡±

    I thought hard as I rubbed my pen-hook lightly. It was true that the perception of demons had changed through <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga</em>, as she said, but even I did not expect it. Even more, humans and beastmen were bound by <em>a chain of ¡®hate.¡¯ </em>As the saying goes, revenge breeds revenge, it was difficult to break this chain of hatred, <em>even if a positive story about beastmen was told in </em>Xenon¡¯s Saga.

    ¡°Do beastmen also read <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga?</em> Because humans are the main characters, there are reviews by dwarves and elves in the newspapers, but no matter how much I search for beastmen, there are none.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe they¡¯re just not talking, but actually enjoy reading it?¡±

    ¡°Then what¡­?¡± I sighed and answered.

    ¡°It¡¯s going to be a pretty interesting story.¡±

    Unlike what I just said out loud, it was my intention.

    <em>¡®What if they actually do read it?¡¯</em>

    Cecily didn¡¯t know, but there was a future story arc where Xenon and the Prince of Beastmen develop mutual trust and be friends. It was the story of a human expressing a sincere apology to the beastmen and forming an alliance to fight the Devil.

    <em>¡®It¡¯s not realistic at all, huh¡­¡¯ </em>No. There¡¯s a living witness right next to me to talk about such a reality. A demon who was despised not only by humans but by all races.

    Cecily tilted her head as I nced at her. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? Do I have something on my face?¡±

    ¡°¡­No. Nothing.¡±

    ¡°You know that your face is red again, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Be honest. You though I was pretty, right?¡±

    I just kept my mouth shut.

    <em><strong>Editor and Proofreader:- </strong>In Valen¡¯s Name</em>

    <strong>¨C ¨C ¨C End of Chapter ¨C ¨C ¨C</strong>

 Chapter 23: Human (2)

    I discovered one thing while living at the academy. Cecily was a mischievous, mean-spirited person when she sensed someone¡¯s weakness. She was a model of a polite princess when using respectful words to me, but once she let go of those, she was always good at pulling pranks.

    ¡°You can be honest. You know I¡¯m pretty. That¡¯s why you stared at my face earlier, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­that¡¯s not it.¡±

    ¡°Then why is your face red?¡±

    It was the same even after the Anthropology lecture was over. Cecily¡¯s mischief continued all the way to the school cafeteria. She urged me in a persistent voice, determined to hear my ruffled response with my own mouth. I denied it as much as I could, even as I vividly felt my face turning red again with every word she spoke. It was because I couldn¡¯t predict what kind of prank would ur if I simply affirmed it.

    When I denied it until the end, Cecily made a puzzled expression. ¡°You called me big sister (Noona) the other day, so why aren¡¯t you answering now? I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not the same now as it was then. And there are others who are watching.¡± Even as I said that, there were students whispering around us.

    I¡¯m not exaggerating, but just by looking around, I could feel many students¡¯ gazes directed toward us. Naturally, it was because of the beautiful Cecily, who was friendly with me. Cecily was the princess of Helium, and coupled with her striking appearance, she had been a hot topic since the entrance ceremony, so many people are naturally curious about her.

    Naturally they all wondered why such a person got along with an unknown male student like myself. Rumors spreading within a school setting were a natural urrence, however. Because it¡¯s been about three weeks since the entrance ceremony and there weren¡¯t many Literature students as there are Martial Arts students, gossip about Cecily and myself must have already spread as quickly as it could.

    ¡®I don¡¯t have a big problem yet, but¡­¡¯ I also have ears, so I vaguely know what my current reputation is. <em>A red-haired person of interest to the professors and at the same time, an unlucky redhead to the very same students</em>. These are all stories I heard by chance in a restaurant the other day.

    Right now, they seem to be watching because of Cecily and Rina, but you never know when it might explode. The students enrolled in Halo Academy are emotionally imperfect teenagers and there are many children from high-nosed aristocratic families. Even if they don¡¯t go overboard with their petty jealousies and dislike right now, a guy named Jackson was already displeased with me.

    When I finally became honest about it and exined the situation to Cecily, her reaction was:

    ¡°¡­Really?¡± Cecily seemed to grasp the true atmosphere only after hearing my words. Seeing her slightly frowning face, it was clear that she didn¡¯t like it. As Cecily also looked around, the whispers died away abruptly.

    I nced at her and, in a cautious voice, suggested to Cecily, ¡°If you¡¯re ufortable, let¡¯s part ways.¡±

    ¡°No. There¡¯s no problem with this. It¡¯s always been the case in Helium.¡±

    ¡°Helium doesn¡¯t have any nobility except for the king, right?¡±

    She replied with a soft smile, ¡°Even if there are no nobles, that doesn¡¯t mean there¡¯s no way to keep the king in check.¡± It was probably something I didn¡¯t know about. Of course, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t get it. I nodded my head as if I Knew it, and she smiled faintly. It was close to saying thank you for not asking, but after a while, her smile deepened and her yfulness began to show through again. I wanted to see that, but it was already toote.

    ¡°So what¡¯s the answer to my question from before? When are you going to admit it?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°If you keep your mouth shut, I¡¯ll do something weird and probably embarrassing to you.¡±

    In the end, I had no choice but to surrender. I covered my face with one hand and opened my lips as if giving up.

    ¡°Okay, yes. You¡¯re very pretty. Of all the people I¡¯ve seen so far, Ms. Cecily is the prettiest.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you call me Cecily <em>noona?¡±</em>

    ¡°¡­Cecily Noona.¡±

    ¡°Huhu. Thank you. It feels like I¡¯m always being bowed down to, but hearing words like that from Isaac is new and refreshing.¡±

    <em>¡°Hufff¡­¡±</em> Now I¡¯m so red, it looks like my face was going to explode. I took a deep breath to get rid of the heat rising from within. Even so, I was embarrassed because I didn¡¯t think I would go down without a fight.

    Either way, Cecily giggled like a girl and tickled my ears. <em>Is teasing me so much fun for you?</em> It was difficult for me to understand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Your reactions are so funny that I can¡¯t stop.¡±

    ¡°¡­My reactions are funny?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Then it won¡¯t be fun if I don¡¯t react to anything, right?¡±

    ¡°Heh. Try it once.¡±

    ¡°¡­Sorry.¡± In addition, Icked initiative. Cecily smiled slightly as I lowered my tail and spoke softly like before.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious about the demons?¡±

    ¡°Why do you ask?¡±

    When I threw this question back at her, Cecily spoke of what had happened during Anthropology ss. ¡°Before, you asked why the elves had a small poption. I thought you weren¡¯t curious about the demons.¡±

    ¡°No. I have a lot of questions.¡±

    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you ask?¡± Cecily tilted her head and asked me that in a tone as if she didn¡¯t understand.

    I answered quietly while looking at her face. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll make a mistake.¡±

    ¡°You are afraid you¡¯ll make a mistake?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    For hundreds of years, demons were persecuted regardless of whichever race they interacted with. So I was a little hesitant to ask questions about demons to Cecily. It will be awkward for both Cecily and myself if I touch upon a painful or taboo subject. It wasn¡¯t because Icked courage; it was just out of consideration. That way, at least I can have an amicable rtionship with her by not digging up the other person¡¯s wounds. That¡¯s why, like Cecily, I don¡¯t joke around and ept it quietly.

    ¡°¡­Yeah. Isaac is very caring.¡± She muttered that with a happy smile as if she understood my feelings. Then she told me that I was kind. She added, ¡°It¡¯s fine. You can ask me anything.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. You aren¡¯t just anyone, you¡¯re Isaac. I know there won¡¯t be any malice at all.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case¡­¡± I muttered and looked around. As we talked, we arrived at the cafeteria before we knew it, but there weren¡¯t many students there. The majority of them eat out. In response, I picked up an empty bowl from the small stack and asked Cecily a question. It¡¯s something I¡¯ve always been curious about, so I was a little excited. ¡°What do those horns do?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Horns?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Cecily heard my question and fiddled with the horns rising from her temples. The horns became redder as they reached their tips. Horns, along with ck mana, were a characteristic that could be considered the demons¡¯ symbol. However, there was no proper research on demon horns and only strange rumors abounded.

    For example, is mana gathered in demon horns, or is it simply a symbol of the devil? And so on. As a result, even in <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga</em>, I rarely mentioned demons¡¯ horns.

    ¡°Ummm¡­¡± Cecily took a moment to organize her thoughts and began to put food into her empty bowl bit by bit. I also put food in mine bit by bit, waiting for her to provide an answer. Eventually, when we found empty seats and sat down, Cecily, who was sitting across from me, answered. ¡°Did I tell you about our menstrual cycle?¡±

    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±

    <em>Tuk¡ª</em>

    It¡¯s an embarrassing answer enough to miss the fork that I used to lift up my food. For a moment, I couldn¡¯t tell if she was serious or just joking. Contrary to my feelings, however, Cecily¡¯s face remained calm. Through this, I could see that she was sincere and not joking.

    Even though I looked at her with a puzzled expression on my face, Cecily continued speaking as if it was not a big deal. ¡°As you know, demons are descendants of the Great Devil. And demons are literally <em>the crystallization of ¡®desire.¡¯ </em>Because of this, we demons have a difficult time controlling our desires in certain cycles. This phenomenon is referred to as the <em>¡®Evil Cycle,¡¯</em> but only our men say that while demon women tend to just use the term <em>¡®menstruation</em>.¡¯ Ironically, it oveps with our true menstrual period.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    So that¡¯s how it is. As a result, the tense mind gradually rxed. Instead, I couldn¡¯t stop the heat from rising to my face.

    I coughed out all the thoughts in my head and asked another question. ¡°Then how do you endure it? I don¡¯t know the details since I¡¯m a human male, but women also say that every time they menstruate, their stomach hurts.¡±

    ¡°I usually calm down through meditation. As for the pain from menstruation itself, recently medicine has been invented so there is no major issue.¡±

    ¡°What if someone, um, touches you during the Evil Cycle? Will you be a¡­a devil?¡±

    ¡°No. I don¡¯t be a devil just because of that. Most demons be devils after they experience a terrible tragedy. Either they¡¯ve lost their loved ones in front of their eyes, or they were betrayed by a trusted friend,¡± Cecily exined as she picked up minced meat with a fork from her bowl and put it in her mouth.

    She went on after taking a bite, ¡°Well, like you already suspect, we can be as violent as devils. Our women especially tend to be like that.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the same with humans.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? I heard earlier that human females menstruate once a month? It must be very difficult. Demons only do it once every six months.¡±

    Are the long-lived races on the long side of the menstrual cycle? Elves and demons have a very long menstrual cycle then. Or it could be that humans and beastmen have an abnormally short one.

    With growing curiosity, I hurriedly moved on to the next question. What kind of race the demons were was more important than the meal.

    ¡°So, does that mean that as a demon¡¯s horn grows, their cycle approaches?¡±

    ¡°No. The horns don¡¯t grow and this red part covers the entire horn.¡± Cecily tapped the tip of her horn, which was dyed red as if painted over. Approximately a quarter of the area was currently covered in red.

    ¡®If the horns are all dyed red, you must never touch them, right?¡¯ That¡¯s what she implied after exining the Evil Cycle. I don¡¯t know what kind of disaster will happen if I just touch one of them.

    I chewed the food in my mouth and asked other questions in session. ¡°What if the horn is cut off?¡±

    ¡°It will be restored quickly. And even if it is cut off, there is no sensation.¡±

    ¡°Is the horn itself numb?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me then, but can I touch it?¡±

    ¡°¡­Eh? Pu, touching the horns?¡± Cecily¡¯s reaction to my question was very strange. She stuttered with her eyes wide, and a slight blush appeared on her cheeks. It clearly shows that she was embarrassed again. I tilted my head at her unexpected reaction but quickly realized that it was another sensitive topic. If it¡¯s that embarrassing, it must have an unusual meaning.

    And my expectations were met precisely when she exined, ¡°That¡­ah, sorry. Touching the horns of demons is an act of affection between lovers. It means that I will love you even if you were to be a devil.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­so it¡¯s romantic.¡±

    ¡°Really? It¡¯s romantic¡­?¡± She stared at me. ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard someone call it that who¡¯s not a demon.¡± Cecily scratched her cheek in embarrassment.

    It waspletely different from how she usually yed pranks on me, so it came to me anew. <em>¡®Thanks to that, I was able to put one in.¡¯</em>.

    It was also information that could add bone and flesh to the story of Jin and Lily, who are riding a heartbreaking love line in <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga</em>.

    <em>Jin is a knight only for Lily, and Lily strokes his horns as he kneels down on one knee. Because of that, Jin looks up at Lily, startled. There is no story in this world as sad as the love between a demon and a priest.</em>

    Of course, in the final half of the novel series, Jin will appear as the Final Boss. <em>I¡¯m sorry, Mother</em>, but it¡¯s hard to change the ending because there are so many lines filled with double meaning and other hints scattered throughout the story. If it¡¯s really hard, I¡¯ll release a side story.

    Shoving everything in my mouth just as the atmosphere became awkward, I swallowed and told Cecily, ¡°Cecily, do you have any questions about humans?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­huh? Questions about humans?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s kind of weird when I¡¯m the only one asking. If you have any questions of your own, please ask.¡±

    ¡°Humans, you say¡­¡±

    Fortunately, somehow, the awkward atmosphere seems to have cooled off. I quietly put more food in my mouth until Cecily was ready. Cecily, as if organizing her thoughts, continued eating while thinking.

    <em>Jerk-jerk-jerk-</em>

    Then a familiar face came into my sight. When I shifted my gaze a bit while munching, Leona, a beautiful girl with a hard impression, was walking far in the distance. I didn¡¯t notice at first because I wasn¡¯t normally interested, but Leona was wearing pants, unlike the other girls. Despite her pretty face, her expressions were usually so hard and sharp that she looked more like a schoolboy from a distance. ¡®Doesn¡¯t she have any friends? Why is she sitting so far away?¡¯

    Even though there weren¡¯t many students in the dining room, Leona sat particrly far away in an empty corner. Rather, she stood out even more because there was no one around her. As I was muttering to myself while resting my chin, Leona sighed deeply as if she were worried about something. And then¡­

    <em>Prick-</em> <em>{*T/N: A word describing the motion of sticking out one¡¯s lips or making one¡¯s ears stand</em><em>erect.}</em>

    Suddenly, something pricked up on the top of her head. And not just one, but two. Unfortunately, my eyesight was not that good so it was impossible to make an urate guess. But I could tell that something had risen above her head at that moment.

    ¡°¡­!¡± Leona also hurriedly put her hand to her head, perhaps realizing that something had risen above her head there. That hard impression of hers vanished without a trace, leaving only her bewilderment.

    I blinked and rubbed my eyes to see if I had seen something wrong. I rubbed my eyes and looked at Leona again, and as if she had gotten over some embarrassment, she started eating as usual, expressionless again.

    It happened while I was staring at Leona. Cecily called my name in the meantime now that she seemed to have organized her thoughts. ¡°Isaac?¡±

    ¡°¡­Oh, yes. Noona.¡±

    ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve been dazed for a while. I just remembered a question I wanted to ask, so can I?¡±

    ¡°Yes, certainly.¡±

    After I gave permission, Cecily asked in a really curious tone, ¡°What do you think is the reason that humans are currently considered the center of the world?¡±

    ¡°The center of the world?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I know how it sounds. I heard it in lecture, so I¡¯m curious about your opinion.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± It was a fairlyplex question to answer. Even on an Earth where there were only humans, we are a race that can¡¯t be judged prematurely. Because the ones judging humans as a whole are also humans.

    But, ironically, that¡¯s why an objective exnation was possible. In this case, I¡¯m sure of one thing. A human being can be supremely good, but he can also be supremely evil. You can think of the fierce battle between the theory of goodness and the theory of evil. However, that was the standard often used on Earth, and this world should be viewed from a slightly different perspective. As I habitually rubbed the pen-hook with my thumb, I nced at Cecily. Cecily was staring at me as if waiting for my answer.

    At this, I stopped my thumb and spoke quietly. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you in advance: this is my subjective opinion only, so you don¡¯t need to listen carefully. There are many professors with more experience of the world than me.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You can tell me what you think.¡±

    ¡°Yes. That¡­¡± I stopped talking and nced past Cecily. Leona, who was eating alone, was looking straight at me. I wondered if she had heard our discussion from a distance, but decided that she didn¡¯t. Our voices were not that loud, and the distance was very far.

    Anyway, I didn¡¯t care and continued what I was saying. ¡°¡­The reason humans could be considered the ¡®center of the world¡¯ is simple: humans are overly stupid, reckless, and foolish.¡±

    <em>Prick-</em>

    As soon as I said those words, strange things popped out of Leona¡¯s head once again.

    <em><strong>Editor and Proofreader:- </strong>In Valen¡¯s Name</em>

    <strong>¨C ¨C ¨C End of Chapter ¨C ¨C ¨C</strong>

 Chapter 24: Human (3)

    As soon as I gave this answer, something popped out of Leona¡¯s head again. I had no idea the first time I saw this, but after seeing it twice, I had a good guess.

    Leona is not human but of a different race. Judging from the fact that something lifted above her head, and not from other parts, it is highly likely that she was a beastmen. So my question is: <em>¡®Have beastmen also entered the academy?¡¯</em>

    As the professor said during the lecture, the rtionship between humans and beastmen was the worst. It¡¯s no better than elves and dwarves, who have been on rough terms since ancient times. As a result, there has never been a case where beastmen enrolled in Halo Academy.

    <em>So what about the beastmen I sometimes saw in the downtown area over the weekend?</em> They were hired as security guards, not students. Beastmen are naturally capable of being security guards thanks to their exceptional five senses.

    Above all, despite the bad rtionship, the biggest reason they¡¯d be working within human society is ¡®money.¡¯ Because the country of beastmen/beastkin was newly established, its situation was simr to that of a developing country. As a result, they frequently work hard while being subjected to a variety of stares.

    ¡®There must be circumstances.¡¯ But it¡¯s none of my business. She must be hiding her identity for her own reasons. Rather, it was more important to solve Cecily¡¯s question first.

    ¡°¡­ Because humans are stupid, they can take control of the world?¡±

    ¡°Basically, yes.¡±

    ¡°Sometimes I really don¡¯t understand what Isaac is talking about,¡± Cecily said this, putting her dish down for a moment and casting a subtle nce at me. I also took a break from eating because of the red-eyed gaze that seemed to be drawing me in.

    After that, she seemed to be contemting my words for a moment, then put her hand on her chin and opened her mouth with a sigh. ¡°Can you exin it to me so I can understand? You don¡¯t have to twist your words around likest time.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a particrly grandiose reason. It¡¯s a simr point to what the professor exined in the anthropology lecture.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m curious though. Tell me quickly.¡±

    I cast a nce at Leona over Cecily¡¯s shoulder who was rushing her meal all of a sudden. Her ears, which had risen above her head, had already dipped, but her eyes remained fixed on me.

    I tilted my head to see if she could hear us from this distance, then tried to ignore her and exined, ¡°As Cecily knows, humans are good at nothing except for their excellent adaptation and learning ability. They are inferior to other races in terms of longevity, physical abilities, magic, wisdom, and dexterity. They are not even good at handling mana. A race with a short lifespan and no inherent advantages. Have you gotten a sense of it yet?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know?¡±

    ¡°Humans have the advantage of being able to learn quickly, but in the ancient days when they started from zero? There was nothing to learn, so how did they survive until now?¡±

    Cecily heard these words and her eyes widened as she began to wonder.¡±Huh? Is that so?¡±

    In my previous life, there were only humans so they couldpete with each other, but this world is different. Right now, there are a lot of races that are born with superior abilities to humans.

    Can humanspete in such circumstances? If humans were wise, they would have preferred to live as ves, hiding or bowing their heads and notpeting.

    But humans, being stupid or reckless, chose topete with other races. Perhaps, in the eyes of the other races, they wondered why they did that? Weren¡¯t they dumbfounded by such a choice? Even if it¡¯s me, even I¡¯ll also snort if a monkey tries topete with me.

    ¡°Of course, it wasn¡¯t easy in the beginning. Because they didn¡¯t learn anything. But humans did not give up and started to imitate the strengths of other races. From then on, ¡®knowledge¡¯ was umted, but naturally, they were stillcking. In the end, imitation is just imitation.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Cecily nodded and agreed with me. In fact, humans have a poption of over 1.5 billion in this world, but among them, there are only a few who can fight evenly against the other races.

    No matter how much humans progress, unless they are geniuses, their innate limitations are obvious. If an ordinary elf warrior werepared to a human, there¡¯s too much of an imbnce between the two since an elf is equivalent to a knight-level force.

    ¡°I think this is the reason why our breeding ability is superior to other races. In the early days, we had topete with quantity rather than quality to survive, so we increased our numbers recklessly. In the eyes of the other races, they would have thought it was a simple and useless act. Beastmen have good physical abilities, but humans aren¡¯t that great, right?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­speaking of which, don¡¯t beastmen have good reproductive abilities? During the Tribal War, beastmen were ughtered by humans, but there must have been plenty of beastmen around before, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s when human learning reallyes into y. Historically, it was the elves who first established a real civilization, but humans were the next to establish one. Based on the knowledge and abilities they learned from the elves, they built their own civilization and gathered their scattered people together to amass their strength. A tribe that lives a tribal life and a tribe that created civilization and society. Isn¡¯t there already a difference?¡±

    ¡°I see. The beastmen founded their own country only 300 years ago, didn¡¯t they?¡±

    As mentioned before, the beastmen founded their country only 300 years ago. It is said that during the Tribal War, many of their people were ughtered by humans, and they felt a sense of crisis. However, unlike human beings who were strong from the start, their society was still very unstable because it was established in a hurry. Even among the beastmen, there are various ethnic groups, and a barbaric climate is stubbornly maintained.

    ¡°Yes. Anyway, in conclusion, humans were stupid enough not to give in and just die. Knowing their own weaknesses, if they were ¡®smart¡¯ from the beginning, they would have given up long ago, right? There were nations and peoples around us who were better than us, and humans naturally would have been desperate and discouraged.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s paradoxical. Not dying out quickly because they¡¯re stupid?¡±

    ¡°No. Like I¡¯ve already said, being the stupid and reckless race that we are, humans chose topete even though they had few advantages.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­you mean <em>grit?¡±</em>

    Cecily finally got the point right. Although I exined it at length, the biggest reason why human beings have survived to the present day and have been able to take the lead in the world is their ¡®spirit¡¯ to never give up.

    Humans are the race that made it possible by delving into what everyone thought was impossible. The race that fought to the end during the war against the Great Devil 3,000 years ago was also human. Nothing else but human <em>grit </em>made human civilization possible, which could be seen as a kind of racial ¡®ability.¡¯

    However, there was one more decisive reason why humans have been able to take the lead in the current world.

    ¡°What I¡¯ve said is all true, but humans are also much more united than other races. Normally, they are busy fighting among themselves, but when a real crisises, theye together and defeat it.¡±

    ¡°Like the Tribal Wars and the Demon War?¡±

    ¡°Exactly. The tenacity that never gives up and the cohesion that brings humans together in times of terrible crisis. These two factorsbine to give humans the upper hand.¡±

    What¡¯s even scarier here is that human potential is limitless. Humans are more aware of their own shorings than anyone else, so they strive to constantly improve. I know this because I have memories from my past life. But that doesn¡¯t mean there aren¡¯t any concerns. As I poked my food with a fork, I opened my mouth again.

    ¡°Of course, this ¡®tenacity¡¯ and ¡®unity¡¯ isn¡¯t always an advantage. It can be turned into a heinous sin, such as the beastmen massacre. Most worryingly, such an incident is likely to ur again in the future. I am certain of it.¡±

    ¡°Why do you think so?¡±

    ¡°Even if you don¡¯t want to go far in the past to look at history, the demons were ughtered thousands of years ago, right? Who do you think was the mastermind behind that massacre?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    Cecily¡¯s face stiffened slightly at my question. Although it may be straightforward for her, there is no better example than this.

    ¡°Anyway, do you understand now?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes. Thanks. Humans are veryplex beings. I need to study a little more.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s good to know about humans, Cecily, but I don¡¯t want you to learn just the bad parts. As you can see from the demon massacre and the beastmen massacre, humans oftenmit worse things than demons.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for the advice. Still, I¡¯m d that there are only good people around me.¡± Cecily said so softly and smiled. I chuckled at her smile and then shifted my gaze to Leona in the distance.

    She was staring at me, forgetting to eat. Looking at her expression, it was as if she had heard everything I was saying.

    ¡°Where are you looking?¡± Cecily asked.

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s nothing. By the way, are you done with your meal?¡±

    ¡°No. I couldn¡¯t eat because I listened to your story. Do you have any more sses?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t. What about yourself?¡±

    ¡°I have Math.¡±

    ¡°Is it difficult for you?¡±

    ¡°Not really. It¡¯s actually easy, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    There was an incident that Cecily was not aware of, but the meal itself went smoothly. I had a great time chatting with Cecily in the cafeteria until sses resumed. Sometimes the girl would y a silly prank on me, but it wasn¡¯t a big deal because no one was around.

    However, it looked like Leona was a little nervous. Seeing her looking at me with her characteristic blunt eyes, I felt strangely overwhelmed.

    ¡°It¡¯s already time. I¡¯ll get up first.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°What about you, Isaac?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll eat some more before I go. Go on ahead.¡±

    ¡°Okay. See you next time~¡±

    With lunch over, Cecily smiled brightly and waved goodbye as she left. I waved my hand in turn and sent her off warmly. After Cecily left, I was left alone in the originally unupied cafeteria with only Leona, who was sitting far away.

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    I stared at Leona, and Leona was staring at me. As I was thinking about what to do, I came up with an interesting idea and took action. First, I ced my clenched fists on both sides of my temple, then opened my tightly clenched hands.

    It was an expression of the ears that popped out above Leona¡¯s head earlier.

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    The effect was awesome. As soon as I expressed it in mimicry, Leona¡¯s eyes widened and her body stiffened.

    <em>Perkk¡ª</em>

    As a bonus, Leona¡¯s ears popped out as she lost control. After that, it seemed that she was urgently trying to fix it, but it was meaningless because she was already caught.

    <em>UP! </em>As I was grinning inside, Leona jumped up from her seat. I also started to get up from my seat, wondering if she wanted to talk about it separately.

    <em>Tup¡ª!</em>

    ¡°¡ªHuh?¡±

    ¡°Follow me for a minute.¡± ¡ªUntil she suddenly appeared in front of me, grabbed my cor, and dragged me. I didn¡¯t even realize it until it happened. I blinked, wishing I knew the beastmennguage, and hurriedly shouted at Leona, who yanked me by the cor. ¡°Hey, I need to clean up our dishes first¡­!¡±

    <em>¡°Krunggg¡­!¡±</em> As soon as I retorted, Leona <em>barked</em> ferociously.

    <em><strong>Editor and Proofreader:- </strong>In Valen¡¯s Name</em>

    <strong>¨C ¨C ¨C End of Chapter ¨C ¨C ¨C</strong>

 Chapter 25: Human (4)

    Leona grabbed my cor and dragged me away and I couldn¡¯t even resist. When I tried to say something, she growled like an animal, and even when I tried to escape using all my strength, I couldn¡¯t move. Instead, she held on to me more strongly and restrained me against any attempt to rebel.

    The longer this went on and the more I continued to resist, the more it felt like my clothes were going to rip off, so I gave up halfway and let her drag me along wherever. Maybe I was lucky, but there was no one passing by in the hallway to see us.

    <em>Then, rather abruptly¡ª</em>

    Leona <em>stopped</em> when we finally reached the entrance to a deserted building. At the same time, I felt the grip on my cor slowly loosen. I took a couple of careful steps back and adjusted my clothes as she let go of me. The whole area around my cor had be wrinkled from how insanely strong she was.

    ¡°¡­ Hey.¡±

    I had been adjusting my clothes for a while when Leona called out to me in a low voice. It was a tone full of threats, not the hard tone I heard in every lecture so far. At that, I couldn¡¯t help but pause and look at her.

    Then, as she raised her stiffened head to re at me, I faced her beast-like golden eyes. Earlier, she had blue eyes, but now they were the same as mine.

    Leona spoke with conviction as soon as she was face to face with me. ¡°¡­Did you see?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have done that, right? Be honest. Did you see it?¡±

    Is there any reason to deny it? I did it to confirm that she was a beastman from the beginning. But the beast-like pressure from Leona was no joke.

    ¡°Look, I saw it, okay? Something was sticking out of your head¡­¡± I managed to speak, barely calming my trembling heart. But I couldn¡¯t help the slight trembling in my voice.

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­So, are those really ears?¡± I was curious, naturally. Leona raised the corners of her mouth at my cautious question.

    Instead of words, she responded with actions,

    <em>Perkkk-</em>

    Leona¡¯s triangr ears perked up from her reddish-brown hair. They were not human ears, but animal ears. As expected, Leona was not human but a beastman, beastkin, whatever. ¡®So the reason you are wearing pants is to hide your tail?¡¯ I was thinking of a usible hypothesis in my head.

    Leona hid the ears that had risen above her head again and replied cynically, ¡°Are your questions answered now? Or what? Do you want me to show you my tail too?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ no. It¡¯s fine.¡±

    Again, it¡¯s a tone I¡¯m not used to. The Leona I¡¯d seen so far was normally a blunt, emotionless student, but now she¡¯s just a¡­ delinquent student (ie. a bully), I guess. I even felt a sense of disparity as her tone of voice changed 180 degrees, even to the impression that it had be quite harsh and snarly in tone.

    ¡°Whoo¡­¡±

    Leona, as if her feelings had beplicated, shook her head roughly and let out a deep sigh. I waited quietly for Leona to organize her thoughts and calm down. She must have hidden her identity because she had her own circumstances, but now that I found out her secret, things must have be twisted for her. If I knew this would happen, I would have just pretended not to notice and moved on, but instead, I let her know what I saw out of curiosity.

    The girl started murmuring, ¡°What should I do? It¡¯s too dangerous to get rid of aristocrat rats and birds without anyone knowing¡­ Should I just threaten you? Ah, this is crazy¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    Leona¡¯s murmurs reached my ears one after another. It¡¯s all the more frightening because she seems to be sincere, they¡¯re not merely empty words.

    I had a strong premonition that something would happen to my personal safety, so I called out to her cautiously. ¡°Excuse me¡­¡±

    ¡°Huh? What? Do you have anything to say?¡± As soon as I called her, Leona asked me that with a cynical expression and tone.

    I hesitated for a moment, then got the words out to say, ¡°That, um¡­ I won¡¯t tell anyone what you are, so you don¡¯t have to worry too much.¡±

    She stared at me. ¡°If you were me, could you easily believe that?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­well, it¡¯s true, you don¡¯t know me. And I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re up to either.¡± An honest answer that doesn¡¯t contain any lies.

    As soon as Leona heard my reply, she uttered a faint ¡®<em>Haha!¡¯</em> that sounded like a gasp and muttered bitterly, ¡°This punk is actually serious, huh¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    I shouldn¡¯t have said anything. I swallowed my saliva with a feeling of numbness in my throat from the mere threat. Originally, I would have kept myposure as much as possible, but for some reason, normal thinking was difficult now. Is it because of the daunting feeling emanating from Leona?

    <em>¡°Whoo</em>¡­ Fine. It¡¯s okay then. Anyway, don¡¯t ever reveal that I¡¯m a beastman. Got it?¡±

    ¡°¡­And if I say anything?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll rip your limbs apart,¡± Leona said while growling like before. I was scared that I would indeed find myself eviscerated, but I still had courage to ask one question. Why does Leona live her life at the academy while hiding her identity? If I ask this question, she¡¯ll get nervous again, but it¡¯s still worth asking.

    After calming my trembling heart as much as possible, I mustered up the courage and said, ¡°¡­I want to ask you something, can I?¡±

    ¡°You actually have something you want to ask in <em>this</em> situation?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m curious.¡±

    She muttered, ¡°<em>Phew. </em>I¡¯m not even a Miao tribe member, so why are there so many curious people around here? Fine. Ask.¡±

    Leona crossed her arms and shook her head at me. As she crossed her arms, her voluptuous body was revealed through her school uniform. I opened my mouth, trying as hard as I could to keep my gaze from going to a certain well-endowed ce.

    ¡°Why did you go to the bother of hiding your identity while entering the academy?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m obligated to answer that.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ I see. So far, all that stiff attitude of yours in ss has been acting, hasn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Well, naturally. That way I won¡¯t be suspected of being a beastman. You humans think that we beastmen are a warlike, savage race, right? That¡¯s why I tried to act all analytical and rigid like one of you.¡±

    I nodded at her answer. As I¡¯ve noted before, humans treat beastmen as savages or primitives. Furthermore, there are quite a few people who think of beastmen as nothing but ves.

    In addition, there is a widespread perception that beastmen are ferocious due to their usually belligerent temper. Because of this, humans unconsciously assume that there will never be a beastman with a rational and rigid personality like Leona. This is an aspect of humanity that Leona used well in her daily performance.

    I asked, ¡°Are you going to be like that forever?¡±

    ¡°Of course. It¡¯s something I have to endure in order to graduate safely without being discovered.¡±

    ¡°I see. Is it really worth it?¡±

    Beastmen are a race with a stronger ¡®instinct¡¯ than other races. Unlike demons who fight fiercely with their inner evil, the beastmen have no intention of suppressing their instincts. It would be appropriate to say that it goes against everything she is as a beastman.

    After all, for beastmen, <em>instinct</em> is inseparable. No matter how well-controlled Leona is, her natural instincts can¡¯t be suppressed. Even if she doesn¡¯t want to stand out in public, as soon as I provoke her, her ears will pop out! And I can tell just by looking that they¡¯ve popped out again.

    Sensing what I was thinking, suddenly Leona smiled wryly as if she was mindful of that part too. It was apletely different expression from before. ¡°¡­I¡¯m putting up with it because it¡¯s worth it. If it weren¡¯t for that, I wouldn¡¯t have applied to be a student here.¡±

    I found myself nodding. ¡°It must be very hard.¡±

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s hard¡­ No, hey. Can you stop asking me stuff? How long are you going to do this?¡±

    It¡¯s a pity. I just needed a little more. Leona¡¯s brows furrowed as all my regret was revealed on my face.

    ¡°Why do you look so <em>sad</em> now? Do you want to die?¡±

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    <em>¡°Whoo</em>¡­ Anyway. Don¡¯t tell anyone that I¡¯m a beastman. Got it, human?¡±

    ¡°Ah, got it. Oh, there¡¯s one thing more.¡±

    ¡°Now what do you want to ask?¡± From looking bored of all this, she suddenly became nervous.

    Undaunted, however, I found the courage to ask, ¡°Did you hear everything I was saying at the cafeteria a while ago?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I heard everything. Why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m curious about what you think.¡±

    ¡°Hah?¡± Leona stared at me, dumbstruck by my question. <em>What¡¯s with this kid¡¯s face? </em>It contained the full sentiment.

    ¡°You really¡­ <em>Haa. </em>You¡¯re worse than the Miao n. Are all humans like this?¡±

    ¡°Nope. I¡¯m just curious about lots of things, that¡¯s all. Especially for people of different races.¡±

    ¡°Oh my¡­¡± In the end, Leona shook her head as if defeated by my endless curiosity. She seemed to have given up. Seeing her look of resignation, I giggled for joy inside, but still managed to keep my expression as nd as possible.

    Eventually, with a sigh, Leona looked at me with her arms crossed. I also waited quietly for her to speak. In the meantime, as if she had taken control of her heart, her golden eyes returned to blue.

    How much time had passed like that? Leona¡¯s tightly closed lips opened and her characteristic cynical voice came out. ¡°I¡¯m not going to tell you.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Why?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to tell you. Did you think I would answer you?¡± Leona grinned and strode over to me while I panicked. I hadn¡¯t noticed it until now, but as she got closer, I could see that she was quite tall. I think she¡¯s over 175cm since I have to look up a little.

    Anyway, Leona stood tall in front of me and slowly raised her hand. Then she pressed it against my cheeks tightly and made my lips pop out.

    ¡°Uh boo? What ish it¡­?¡±

    ¡°By the way, why does this Red Cat have so many questions?¡±

    Did she call me a red cat because my hair color is red? But for now, my priority was to shake off Leona¡¯s strong hand which had grabbed my lips.

    Of course, her hand didn¡¯t even budge even though I struggled and found myself bbergasted. The basic physical abilities of the beastmen are excellent among all races, and now that I¡¯ve experienced this fact firsthand, I realized it is difficult to ovee Leona¡¯s power. It¡¯s not just unreasonable, it¡¯s impossible.

    Even though I resisted, Leona kept a smirk on her face and issued her warning again. ¡°I¡¯m warning you again, human, the moment you say that I am a beastman, I will pluck out your tongue. It¡¯s actually rather difficult to rip off a person¡¯s limb in a ce like this and get away with it, so I¡¯ll let it slide. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡± There it is. But I have no choice but to agree because I am afraid.

    Leona nodded her head with a satisfied expression when I said yes, and let go of my cheeks. I was holding my breath for a while, but my cheeks tingled.

    ¡°Let¡¯s hope your mouth feels heavy. Before that¡­¡±

    <em>Ugh¡ª</em>

    As I rubbed my tingly cheeks, Leona leaned her head close to the nape of my neck. I was so startled and frightened that I tried to step back but was thwarted when she grabbed my wrist.

    After that, Leona stuck her nose in the nape of my neck and started sniffing. <em>¡°Sniff. Sniff. Sniff.¡±</em>

    Feeling my face flush at the subtle sensation of her breath, I hurriedly tried to get out of her grasp, but to no avail. All I could do was push Leona¡¯s head away. But she didn¡¯t move a millimeter, so I had no choice but to shout and stuttered in embarrassment, ¡°What¡­what are you doing?!¡±

    ¡°Oh? I¡¯m trying to remember your smell. But the musty smell of books is wafting off you.¡±

    Leona sniffed for a while, as if trying to remember my body odor, then pulled her face away. She also let go of my wrist, which she had held firmly for a while. I hurriedly checked my wrist. There was a bright red bruise.

    I caressed my throbbing wrist, frowning while feeling pain, and asked in a tone of iprehension, ¡°What are you going to do by remembering my smell?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to keep an eye out and take a look at whether you do something useless or not. How can I trust you?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re done with my business now, right? I¡¯m leaving.¡± Leona tapped my head and moved away vigorously.

    I caressed my sore wrist and looked at her back as she departed, then shouted Leona¡¯s name. ¡°Leona!¡±

    ¡°Ugh, really¡­! What now?¡± As soon as I called, she turned her head to face me. Seeing her face, she looked like she won¡¯t let me go if I talked about useless things.

    I regretted my impulsiveness a little because I thought I shouldn¡¯t have called her, but I brought up thest question I wanted to ask. ¡°Do you read <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga</em> too?¡±

    ¡°What? <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga?¡±</em>

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Hah.¡± Hearing my question, Leona let out a tired sigh. She then waved her hand and replied in a voice that sounded annoyed, ¡°I don¡¯t know. Things like that¡­ I have no interest in something like <em>Xenon</em> because it¡¯s not fun at all.¡±

    ¡°¡­okay.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go. Don¡¯t ask anymore, I¡¯ll chew on whatever limb is closest if you ask me something again. Got it?¡± Leona started to disappear from my sight, leaving only those words.

    I grabbed hold of my red, bruised wrist and watched her nkly, then suddenly thought of a strange thing she said.

    ¡°¡®¡­not fun?¡¯ Are you saying you read it?¡±

    It was when I mumbled that¡­

    <em>Perkkk-</em>

    ¡­she may have heard my murmur, since a pair of ears popped above Leona¡¯s head once more.

    <em><strong>Editor and Proofreader:- </strong>In Valen¡¯s Name</em>

    <strong>¨C ¨C ¨C End of Chapter ¨C ¨C ¨C</strong>

 Chapter 26: Gathering (1)

    What kind of being is ¡®God¡¯?

    On Earth, many people believe in God solely through ¡®faith,¡¯ while others believe it is a being created by humans from their imagination. As much as there was religious freedom, it was individual freedom that ultimately allowed one to choose whether or not to believe in God. By the way, I am an atheist.

    But in this world, denying God will cause you more trouble than anything else. This is because, unlike the Earth, there is clearly a ¡®God¡¯ here. In fact, there have been several cases where some mentally ill people have been punished by thunder, with thunderbolts falling from the dry sky after they did some rampaging, iming that there is no God.

    Instead, it is not an omniscient and omnipotent being like ¡®God¡¯ in its literal meaning, but is closer to the Absolute or Transcendental being who watches over the world. Also, using the believers¡¯ faith as a form to distribute power to them, punishing them for viting the rules, and so on. In addition, there are cases in which miracles are performed or oracles are issued through God¡¯s own ¡®incarnations¡¯.

    In a nutshell, God and its believers have a parent-child rtionship, perhaps even a more profound connection than that.

    ¡®God, huh¡­¡¯ Currently, while listening to a Theology lecture, I was thinking about something else.

    Is it correct for me to regard theology as a science in my previous life? There have been numerous debates about it, but it is one of the world¡¯s most important studies since it is so closely associated with history. It is strange that, despite the fact that the existence of God is obvious here, theology as a science has not developed. As a result, even professors who are currently teaching theology are on par with an archbishop. As a nobleman¡¯s son, I am aware that he wields the same authority as a Count.

    ¡°Luminus, the God of Light, said this. ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter if you believe in me or not. But always devote yourself to going on the right path. I will help you to go on the right path.¡¯ And¡­¡±

    There are three deities in this world. The professor first mentioned ¡®Luminus,¡¯ the God of Light. Luminus is the god that humans primarily believe in, and because the number of believers is enormous, his influence on the world is terrifying.

    And although there are many words that symbolize Luminus, the most popr among them is ¡®Sun¡¯ and ¡®Hope.¡¯ Perhaps, as a result, Luminus followers make up a significant portion of soldiers who go to war, where their lives are always at risk. I know my father believes in Luminus as well.

    The second is Mora, the God of Darkness. Mora is uniquely a god that the demons believe in. The reason why demons believe in Mora is that she symbolizes darkness¡­that is, ¡®Moon¡¯ and ¡®Rest.¡¯ If you look at the gloomy reality of the demons, you can see what kind of rest they want.

    Finally, there is ¡®Hirth,¡¯ the God of Nature. This god is primarily worshipped by beastmen and dwarves.

    Hirth symbolizes ¡®nature¡¯ itself, and for beastmen who lived in the wild, there could be no other god of morefort than Hirth. Dwarves also understand that the ¡®materials¡¯ for their creationse from nature, so they worship Hirth too.

    Then you might ask what kind of god the elves believe in, but they worship all three gods. Being descendants of ¡®angels,¡¯ they can use their divine powers more easily than other races.

    As I recalled the gap between elves and the other races, a question came to mind. ¡®Do the gods know why I was reincarnated here?¡¯ But I had no intention of going to the temple and asking about it. Even now I am living well enough, and I hate it when things getplicated.

    Furthermore, because they are gods, there is a good chance they were aware of my existence earlier. There is still no word of an oracle being given or that an ¡®incarnation¡¯ of God has appeared. So far, I¡¯ve been living afortable life.

    I n to visit the temple if the opportunity arises, but until then, I intend to live a normal life. What¡¯s more, I don¡¯t have the ability to change the world like the main character in a webtoon, anime or novel, so they don¡¯t probably care¡­

    ¡®¡­ Does that include the novel that I wrote?¡¯

    Anyway, let¡¯s move on. For now, focusing on lectures takes a priority over anything else. I brushed such thoughts out of my head. Putting aside all my thoughts, I looked ahead and saw the professor giving a lecture in a calm tone.

    The professor¡¯s name was Hord, and he was very tall and skinny. I heard that he has a high-profile position as an archbishop in the Luminus Order, and is actually a person of great fame. While listening to the professor¡¯s exnation, I looked around. Because Theology was as boring as History to a lot of people, there weren¡¯t many students in the ssroom. These students were almost certainly devout followers of the god they worship.

    <em>How do I know? </em>Many students participated out of curiosity at the beginning but chose to escape a level of boredom they couldn¡¯t even imagine. Because I am personally interested in the subject, I listen with rapt attention to the lectures. The issue is¡­

    <em>¡ªdoze¡ªdoze¡ª</em>

    It means that Marie, who was currently sitting next to me, was dozing off. I stared at Marie nodding off with her eyelids half-closed. Each time she nodded her head, the pen in her hand scribbled onto her notebook, and her silky white hair gradually began to cover her face.

    {T/N:- when you are dozing off while sitting, your head follows a ¡®nodding¡¯ act.}

    Eventually, Marie¡¯s eyelids closedpletely and her head slid down all the way. Beyond just drowsiness, she waspletely asleep.

    ¡®I¡¯m sure she¡¯d been well rested and paying attention through most of the previous week¡­¡¯ For reference, Theology was a 9 o¡¯clock ss. So what did Marie dost night that made her doze off from the very first lecture?

    I was a little puzzled, but I thought it would be good to wake her up first. I couldn¡¯t touch her, so I put my hand in front of Marie¡¯s ear.

    <em>Suddenly¡ª!</em>

    ¡°¡­Hmm?¡±

    When I snapped my fingers, Marie flinched and slowly raised her head. When she lifted her head, the hair that had hung down like a silky curtain lifted slightly, but when she looked to the side, she had a somewhat nk expression on her face.

    I opened my mouth, convinced she was still half-sleeping. ¡°Are youing to your senses?¡±

    ¡°¡­ Huh?¡±

    Marie turned her head to me in a dreamy state when I asked her that. Marie¡¯s face, with its hazy yet distinct charm, drew my attention. She used to only have a lively appearance, so this was kind of refreshing.

    Even as she pondered my words, Marie blinked and looked ahead, still not grasping the situation. Did she understand the situation after realizing the professor was still giving his lecture?

    She shifted her gaze to me again and asked in disbelief, ¡°¡­Did I doze off?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. You slept well.¡±

    ¡°Oh, my.¡± In response to my answer, Marie rubbed her eyelids and groaned.

    I asked the question I had kept to myself as she slowly revived, ¡°What did you do yesterday for you fall asleep in the first Theology ss?

    ¡°¡­ <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga</em>.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Ahhh¡­¡± After a long yawn, Marie answered in a hoarse voice, ¡°I was up all night re-reading from the 1st to thetest volume. Originally, I was only going to read up to the third volume, but somehow I ended up reading all of them¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°You know. Professor Beerus told us to predict the development of <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga</em> as a group assignment.¡±

    I ran out of things to say. In the next week or so, the group assignments will begin in earnest. So she must have been working hard on her side.

    However, being motivated enough to disrupt your sleep patterns is not a good thing. If you do that, you may miss both rabbits. {*T/N:- There¡¯s a saying that if you focus on two things at once, you end up getting none.}

    ¡°Still, do it in moderation. Otherwise, it will be difficult to concentrate on the lecture like today.¡±

    ¡°But what can I do since it¡¯s so much fun to read? I¡¯m already looking forward to the next volume¡­¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help butugh bitterly at Marie¡¯s voice. As the writer, I was happy enough, but the next volume will be out in at least two months.

    Before entering the academy, I had a stockpile so I was able to release the 8th volume sooner. But I don¡¯t have much time right now to write a manuscript, and it will only be more difficult as the exam period approaches.

    Not only that, it¡¯s nothingpared to the time I spent teaching Cindy to write and History to Marie and Cecily. Whenever I have some free time, I go back to my dorm and write, but I also need enough spare time for research.

    ¡®Thanks to the free time I do have, I can set up the settings in the novel meticulously¡­¡¯ The papers and books in theb are extremely useful to me. Moreover, while Cindy only has poor writing skills, she is very knowledgeable about the history and she clearly exined any topics I was curious about.

    Xenon¡¯s Saga Volume 9 will be a fascinating episode in many ways. The Devil¡¯s executives, who have shown their presence thus far, will begin toe forward in earnest, causing a lot of new horrors.

    This is because there are humans, beastmen, demons, and even elves among the Devil¡¯s executives. For reference, the background setting is the ¡®Seven Deadly Sins¡¯, which weremonly used in the subculture in my previous life, and each has special attributes.

    While I was thinking about the story settings in my head for a moment, Marie muttered softly while looking at her notebook. ¡°¡­I must have been really sleepy. What did I write down?¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t write anything down, you just drew a long wavy line.¡±

    ¡°Tch, I am sorry, but do you have any notes? If you show me, I¡¯ll buy you something delicious.¡±

    ¡°Whoa¡­only this time?¡± When Iplied and showed Marie what I had written, she smiled brightly and began to write it down.

    ¡°Thank you~¡±

    But there was one thing I overlooked. ¡°Ummm¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    <em>It¡¯s not easy to escape from sleep. </em>I couldn¡¯t help but be surprised when I saw Marie dozing again after transcribing my notes. <em>If that¡¯s the case, why did you bother asking me to show mine?</em>

    I took a deep breath and was about to wake Marie again.

    ¡°Just let her sleep. Marie sleeps a lot, so if she goes to bedte, she keeps dozing off.¡± It was Rina who was sitting to my right. She was looking at Marie, who was dozing off with a still expression on her face.

    I heard these words and asked, ¡°Is that really okay? If she gets a penalty for doing this¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Marie has studied the subject under tutors back home, so she¡¯ll get a decent score in Theology. I can guarantee it, having been educated together in the Imperial Pce.¡±

    Listening to Rina¡¯s words, it seems that she and Marie had gone through separate advanced courses before. After all, either as a princess or as the daughter of a duke, they must have received a very different education from other nobles.

    After she said this, I asked the question I had in my mind, ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering about it since the other day: when did Ms. Rina and Marie first get to know each other?¡±

    ¡°Probably¡­when we were 10-years-old? I know we¡¯ve met asionally since then.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°Why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m just curious.¡±

    Usually, Marie is a bit grumpy about Rina. Marie frowns whenever she looks at Rina, and I can see that much. However, since I can¡¯t ask the parties directly regarding the reason, I n to bury it in my heart.

    Rina grinned as if my answer were nd, and then called my name. ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Are you interested in attending a little gathering?¡±

    ¡°A gathering?¡±

    ¡°Yes. A gathering.¡±

    As I looked at Rina with a puzzled expression, she smiled and said to me, ¡°There is a gathering soon, but rather than calling it just a gathering, only freshmen will attend. A lot of people will attend regardless of the program they¡¯re in, whether they¡¯re in Academics or Martial Arts.¡±

    ¡°¡­This the first time I¡¯ve heard of it.¡±

    ¡°My brother warned me beforehand. And in a little while, the Academy will also notify you. What do you think?¡± Rina met my eyes straight and invited me again with a face filled with anticipation and interest. ¡°Will you attend?¡±

    It¡¯s a good suggestion, I thought, or rather, a request.

    ¡°It¡¯s up to the individual whether to attend or not, but personally I want you toe.¡±

    To me, it was no different from a ¡®princess¡¯mand.

    ¡®¡­it¡¯s sad.¡¯ If <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga</em> Volume 9es outte, it¡¯s Rina¡¯s responsibility.

    <em><strong>Editor and Proofreader:- </strong>In Valen¡¯s Name</em>

    <strong>¨C ¨C ¨C End of Chapter ¨C ¨C ¨C</strong>

 Chapter 27: Gathering (2)

    As Rina mentioned, the academy announced that a freshman gathering has been scheduled. I¡¯m sure no students are unaware because the notice has been posted on the bulletin board in the hallway like a poster. I also read the notices posted on the bulletin board one by one and quickly checked the detailed schedule and location of the event.

    The gathering will take ce next Saturday in the auditorium where the entrance ceremony was held. It is entirely up to me whether or not to attend, but I believe it is in my best interests to do so due to Rina¡¯s pressure.

    ¡°What? You¡¯re thinking of going to the freshman gathering?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Time flew by and the weekend quickly approached.

    After doing some simple calisthenics, then doing more writing, I headed to the training hall to meet up with Nicole. She had just finished doing lots of sparring and her whole body was covered in sweat.

    At my words, Nicole wiped away her sweat using a towel and asked in a slightly uprehending voice, ¡°All of a sudden? I thought you¡¯d hate that?¡±

    ¡°Something happened and I, ah, just decided to attend.¡±

    ¡°¡­what happened?¡±

    For a moment, Nicole¡¯s voice became a little cold. At the same time, her golden eyes visible through the moving towel wiping her face turned fierce. Since she¡¯s my big sister and she adores me, she knew something had happened to me.

    I opened my mouth quickly when I saw Nicole¡¯s dangerous expression. I feltpelled to be cautious with my sister with my every word, exining, ¡°Noo-noona, there¡¯s nothing to worry about. I¡¯m attending out of curiosity.¡±

    To my hasty lie, Nicole replied in a tone that she still didn¡¯t believe me, yet she moved on anyway. ¡°¡­That¡¯s all right, then. Is the reason you came to me because you wanted to ask about the gathering?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ The gathering, huh¡­¡± Nicole began to think as she wiped more sweat off her face. I waited for her to say something.

    ¡°Hey~¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    As I stood there waiting, a familiar voice entered my ears. It had a husky but boyish tone to it. When I turned my head, I saw Nicole¡¯s friend, Adelia, approaching us from a distance. She, too, appeared to have finished all her sparring and sweat was pouring down like rain.

    ¡°What were you talking about? Let me in, too.¡±

    ¡°Eh.¡±

    Adelia soon arrived, wrapped one sweaty arm around my neck, and began treating me in a friendly manner. I was more than embarrassed by the sudden skinship. The reason for this may be skinship, but Adelia¡¯s outfit was also the problem. Currently, Adelia was wearing a so-called sleeveless shirt.

    Not only could I feel the soft touch of her bare skin, but the subtle body scent mixed with sweat stimted my sense of smell. It was extremely stimting for me, who had no contact with people of the opposite sex other than my family.

    It was even more embarrassing in my previous life because I didn¡¯t interact much then either due to the shock of my parents¡¯ deaths.

    ¡°Hey! What are you doing? Get away from my brother right away!¡± Nicole yelled at Adelia¡¯s unexpected closeness with me and pulled me away from her. My neck was freed from Adelia¡¯s possessive grasp thanks to her, but I couldn¡¯t stop my face from heating up.

    Despite Nicole¡¯s condemnation, Adeliaughed and shrugged. ¡°Are you afraid I¡¯m going to do something stupid to your dear brother? Don¡¯t worry. Your brother is cute, but he¡¯s not my type.¡±

    ¡°Noisy. In my eyes, you¡¯re just a danger. Could it be that you¡¯ve erased the memory of throwing that ball at Isaac?¡±

    ¡°¡­That was a real mistake. I¡¯m sorry.¡± When Nicole mentioned the incident that had urred two weeks ago, Adelia immediately apologized as if she had nothing else to say. And after that, Adelia hurriedly changed the topic, as if she was a little embarrassed when Nicole shot her a ferocious gaze.

    ¡°What were you talking about anyway? I was just curious.¡±

    ¡°¡­No big deal. Isaac is going to the freshman gathering.¡±

    ¡°Freshman gathering?¡± Adelia¡¯s eyes widened and she shifted her gaze to me. There was a deep intrigue in her light blue eyes. Eh? ¡°It¡¯s a freshman gathering¡­ It reminds me of the old days. It was really fun back then.¡±

    Adelia nced at Nicole, then turned to me and admitted, ¡°You don¡¯t know, but back then I was the worst sort of troublemaker. Nicole knows all about it.¡±

    It seems that Nicole and Adelia also attended the freshman gathering in their first year. Also, Adelia was smiling, apparently having quite a bit of fun remembering, while Nicole had a disgusted expression. Hers was a pr opposite reaction.

    Nicole exined, ¡°Anyway, the freshman gathering has many simrities to a normal social gathering, but it¡¯s not the same. The freshmen and seniors can get together andugh and talk and y. It¡¯ll be a lot more fun than Isaac thinks, okay?¡±

    ¡°Is that all there is? Isn¡¯t there a political back-and-forth like most social gatherings these days, or a ball?¡±

    ¡°What kinds of politics do kids like us know? It¡¯s a meeting to get to know each other, that¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡±

    Is Nicole really not aware? That nothing less than the Imperial Princess, with a close rtionship to this nation¡¯s politics, Rina herself, has duped me into going? However, I won¡¯t say this out loud because I think it will cause unnecessary worries.

    I listened silently to Nicole¡¯s exnation and started asking questions. ¡°Are there only freshmen present?¡±

    ¡°Apart from a few selected seniors and teaching assistants, there will only be freshmen.¡±

    ¡°Okay. What should I wear? It¡¯s not even in the notice.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you wear the school uniform, but it¡¯s better to dress up neatly. There¡¯s a saying that clothes are wings, right?¡±

    ¡°Apart from us aristocrats, what about themoners?¡±

    ¡°The clothes here are pretty cheap. And Halo Academy also gives schrships tomoners.¡±

    Nicole answered every single question I had, then pped her hands with satisfaction that the school seemed to be taking care of everything properly.

    ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll take this opportunity to buy Isaac¡¯s clothes. The sparring sessions ended just in time, so the timing is good.¡±

    ¡°I already brought something from home.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going to wear the stuff you had at home? Absolutely not. This older sister will dress you up, so keep quiet and follow me.¡±

    It seems that the development has abruptly shifted to shopping. Still, it¡¯s not too bad; I¡¯ve been shutting myself away at home, so Nicole should be more fashion-savvy.

    Nicole told me with the look on her face that she was looking forward to going shopping. ¡°Just wait here until I go wash up. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    ¡°Adele. Do you want to go shopping with us too?¡±

    ¡°I pass. I want to sleep now.¡±

    So, Nicole and Adelia went to wash up. I sat on the ground as I watched the two of them walk through the dark passage. The cool stone floor sensation passed through my buttocks.

    While I waited, I imagined how the meeting would go. ¡®Is it like a wee party for freshmen?¡¯

    I don¡¯t think there will be a talent show or anything resembling my previous life¡¯s freshmen¡¯ wee party at the university. The y culture here isn¡¯t particrly developed, and they may think it is shallow. After all, if they have an emcee, he or she will host the show first, followed by free time. To spice things up, a band may be invited to y background music.

    I¡¯m half-forced to attend the gathering because of Rina, but I¡¯m secretly looking forward to it. Maybe it will help improve my limited skill at interpersonal rtionships a little. ¡®Now that I think about it, aren¡¯t all of my acquaintances women?¡¯

    Cecily, Marie, Rina, Cindy, and Adelia. These five girls are the first people I met after entering the academy and with whom I have maintained a cordial rtionship to this day. It wasn¡¯t even that I was the first to approach them; they were.

    In my previous life, after my parents died, I lived almost disconnected from my surroundings, and even after my reincarnation, that point did not change. My current parents were worried about my insr personality, but I¡¯m actually living well.

    ¡®Looking at it this way, it appears that there is something wrong with my personality¡­¡¯ Rather than making many friends, I prefer to have close rtionships with just a few. Also, instead of <em>me</em> approaching <em>them</em> first, I want the other side to approach me.

    Icked the courage to approach strangers first, and Icked the skill to forge a strong bond and make friends within seconds of meeting like some people. To be honest, I was grateful to those who approached me and made it look so easy.

    My reticence sometimes gets me in trouble, but that much can be overlooked. Unless it has anything to do with my writing, like <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga</em>.

    ¡°Isaac?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Why are you spacing out so much? Let¡¯s go now.¡± While I was lost in my thoughts, Nicole came back after changing her clothes. I awoke from my trance and stood up.

    ¡°Did Adele-noona go back first?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. She thought about following us, but she went back first because she¡¯s too tired today. But when did you start calling Adele your ¡®noona¡¯?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because Adele-noona told me to call her that. We talked about it when you went over to spar for awhile.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ Really? By chance did she say something useless?¡±

    ¡°Not really. Other than pinching my cheeks or asking what my ideal type is?¡±

    ¡°You two¡­¡±

    I shouldn¡¯t have said that. I couldn¡¯t help but notice Nicole¡¯s expression starting to distort like a demon.

    <em>¡°Phew</em>¡­ never mind. I¡¯ll think about itter. Anyway, Isaac, do you have any clothes in mind?¡±

    ¡°Something like a formal suit?¡±

    ¡°A suit¡­¡±

    Nicole nced up and down at me at my response. Then she nodded and said as if she had a rough idea, ¡°Certainly you are thin, so a suit would be perfect for you. Overall, a in style that is not shy?¡±

    ¡°Yes, exactly.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ Still, it would be nice to have a patterned waist-scarf, maybe. Let¡¯s pick a suit that matches your hair color.¡±

    ¡°Red? Really? Won¡¯t it be too conspicuous?¡±

    My hair is red, and to be specific, it is a bright red that stands out even from a distance. Not to mention that my eyes are golden and gleam like those of a beast, so once you meet me, you will never forget them.

    Despite my question suggesting denial, Nicole flicked her index finger and opened her lips. ¡°There¡¯s something that you are mistaken about. It¡¯s that you stand out everywhere with just your red hair, regardless of your clothes.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Early on, Dave was known for his red hair before he became famous for his skills. Even those who didn¡¯t know Dave¡¯s name recognized him by his red hair.¡±

    Oh really? If so, there is nothing left to say. I¡¯ve thought about it before, but it seems that red hair is rare in this world as if it¡¯s almost non-existent.

    ¡°Come to think of it, do you know what Big Brother is doing right now?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Oh? I sent him letter, but he¡¯s probably still training. I don¡¯t know the details.¡±

    ¡°Do you n to join the Navy Knights too?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d love to, if possible, but the Navy Knights aren¡¯t something ordinary so it¡¯s not easy to enlist. Thepetition rate is 1 to 100, and a lot of them transfer to other ces because it¡¯s too hard.¡±

    Hearing this, I believe I have a better understanding of how strong my father was. He was not just a member of the Knights, but the Knights¡¯mander, so he would have been treated as a tactical weapon in the Minerva Empire.

    After all, the Knights of the Navy fight other races more than their fellow humans. These days Father has been quiet, but in the past, he shed with beastmen who crossed our borders without even breaking a sweat, and even fought elves.

    I wondered briefly if my father was the stereotypical reclusive master warrior that you read about in fantasy novels, and then I moved on to another question.

    ¡°Did sister really once attend the freshman gathering too?¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course I did.¡±

    ¡°Did you happen to wear a nice dress?¡±

    ¡°I wore a dress for the first time in my life.¡±

    ¡°Aha. What happened then?¡± As a younger brother, it¡¯s a bit strange for me to say this but my older sister, Nicole, resembles our mother and has a very attractive appearance. Furthermore, she has a healthy body as a result of the consistent training she has received from our father since childhood.

    A beauty like this attended a meeting while wearing a fancy dress? It was basic for her to receive all kinds of stares, and there is a high probability that she received countless introductions from men in particr.

    And my predictions were right.

    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t have a very good memory. The men were so attached to me that I couldn¡¯t even enjoy the event properly. I didn¡¯t attend any gatherings from then on.¡± Nicole¡¯s expression darkened slightly. Her voice was full of annoyance and regret.

    ¡°Um. As expected. Is there anything else besides that?¡±

    ¡°I have no intention of telling you, so take care of yourself.¡±

    ¡°Heh. Okay.¡± I gave up right away because it would be difficult to dig deeper and upset Nicole¡¯s heart. Besides, the struggles of beauties like Nicole were something I, as a man, can¡¯t understand.

    Nicole smiled mischievously when I stopped asking questions, then asked softly, ¡°Why? Do you want to see your sister in a cute dress?¡±

    ¡°No. Not at all. I think I¡¯ll have to throw my eyes away if I saw that.¡±

    ¡°Hahaha. Our Isaac is good at jokes, isn¡¯t he?¡±

    <em>¡°Ouch!¡± </em>She pinched me! She may have been pinching me weakly, but her basic grip is terrifying and it hurt a lot.

    Anyway, after this brother and sister friendly conversation, the two of us were able to arrive at the clothing store before long. It was an apparel store located in the downtown area of Halo Academy, so it was quiterge.

    ¡°Wee. How can I help you?¡± As we walked inside, the receptionist weed us with a friendly business smile. I was a little hesitant because it was my first time in this world¡¯s version of a clothing store, but Nicole took it skillfully.

    ¡°I¡¯m looking for a man¡¯s formal dress suit, where can I go?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes. You can go over there for the men¡¯s dress section.¡± The receptionist pointed.

    ¡°Thank you. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± I was able to reach the men¡¯s formal wear section after exploring around the area a bit. Various types of formal attire were lined up as if to fit the term ¡®men¡¯s formal wear¡¯ in a corner.

    I was hesitanting here because it reminded me of a department store, which were often crowded, but I forced myself to enter saying it was a fantasy. It won¡¯t be too busy inside, will it? Nothing is more stupid than usingmon sense from a previous life to predict the future in a world like this, however.

    A dissatisfied voice from nearby said, ¡°Haa¡­ This is also not good. Is there anything else besides this?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ Guest. I¡¯m sorry, but this is thest one.¡±

    ¡°What? Are you kidding me? Is this the only thing?¡±

    After arriving at the formal-wear corner, it seemed that there was already a customer looking around. However, things were a little strange.

    The dissatisfied voice continued, ¡°There are more clothes than these in our mansion! Does it make sense that this is all you have?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but these clothes are everything in our store.¡±

    ¡°Sorry? That¡¯s it for an apology? Shouldn¡¯t you bring more styles of clothes here somehow?!¡± A man who appeared to be a guest was yelling, and it was clear that the salesdy was at a loss for words.

    Nicole and I went in the direction of the voices to probe the scene. After all, I needed the assistance of an employee in order to get a suit fitted. When we arrived at the source of themotion, my eyes widened.

    ¡®That guy¡­¡¯ A total of three people stood in front of a full-length mirror. A younger man yelling, a helpless maid next to him, and an older man standing farther away with clothes dangling from his arm. In addition, the young man who yelled was dressed in avish robe. Even for someone unfamiliar with the world of fashion like myself, the robe exuded an exorbitant price like it was proud of itself.

    But the younger man¡¯s appearance drew even more attention. He was attractive, but his expression had be stern and arrogant enough to reduce his attractiveness to zero so I didn¡¯t want to take a good look at him.

    ¡°Damn¡­ Should I have brought something from the mansion? I thought Halo Academy was good at supplying everything needed for its students, but that wasn¡¯t the case at all.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­Huh?¡± The young man who had been muttering something looked this way, perhaps feeling Nicole¡¯s and my gaze. And when he met my gaze, his eyes widened and he looked slightly surprised. ¡°You¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    Jackson was the name of the young man in the colorful robe. He was the son of a count, and he had been trying to work his wiles on Cecily and Rina since the first day, but his hopes were always dashed.

    He¡¯s also the one who hates me because I managed to get Cecily¡¯s and Rina¡¯s attention. I could see that much as he stared at me with ferocious eyes every time I attended the same ss.

    I was uninterested in him, however. I was too preupied with school to pay attention to just one childish person. Anyway, I thought about what to say in the moment of silence¡ªI quietly opened my mouth.

    ¡°Hi.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    Jackson¡¯s face contorted at my grave-sounding greeting.

    <em><strong>Editor and Proofreader:- </strong>In Valen¡¯s Name</em>

    <strong>¨C ¨C ¨C End of Chapter ¨C ¨C ¨C</strong>

 Chapter 28: Gathering (3)

    Initially, a person¡¯s first impressionsts a long time. If you have a good first impression of someone, you will like that person until a certain incident urs, and if you have a bad first impression, that bad impression won¡¯t go away no matter how much good the person does afterward¡ªthe so-called ¡®colored sses¡¯, which have a huge impact on human rtionships that cannot be ignored.

    And Jackson has a grudge against me, so no matter what I do, he¡¯ll hate me.

    ¡°Do you know him?¡± Nicole asked me in an awkward atmosphere. She¡¯s quick-witted, so she must have noticed Jackson¡¯s difort with me.

    In the first ce, her question was ¡®someone I know¡¯, not ¡®friend.¡¯ Well, I nodded my head because she was right about the certain someone I know.

    ¡°Yeah. We both are Academics students.¡±

    ¡°Ah, right¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t think that you and I are on the same level. It¡¯s just disgusting.¡± Before Nicole could speak, Jackson¡¯s rant pierced our ears. Nicole blinked, wondering if she had heard the words correctly.

    Meanwhile, Jackson was expressing his displeasure as if the verbal abuse he had just hurled were obvious and true. I was aware that he was steeped in ¡®chosen people¡¯ ideology, but I didn¡¯t know he would say it so openly in this way.

    Jackson went on, ¡°I¡¯m just in a bad mood. Anyway, how much is this and that?¡±

    ¡°Huh? That¡­ It¡¯s 27 gold and 59 silver in total¡­¡±

    In Korean currency, one piece of gold was worth about 100,000 won. And 1 gold equals 100 silver, so it was roughly around 2.76 million won.

    Jackson expressed his displeasure at the exorbitantly high price, but then opened his mouth and stated that he didn¡¯t care about the price. ¡°Tsk. The design sucks, and it¡¯s needlessly expensive. Anyway, Rex, pay the price and follow me.¡±

    ¡°All right.¡±

    Perhaps wanting to get out of the gloomy atmosphere as soon as possible, he threw off his shy costume and gave an order to the attendant named Rex. Rex picked up the robe that Jackson had thrown on the floor.

    Then, as Jackson instructed, he took a pouch from his pocket, counted the gold coins one by one, and handed them to the salesdy.

    ¡°Here is 28 gold. Keep the bnce.¡±

    ¡°Ah. Th-Thank you.¡±

    ¡°What are you doing?! Aren¡¯t youing already?!¡±

    Although the attendant was not slow, Jackson let out a high-pitched voice filled with annoyance. While the employee flinched at the needlessly-high voice, Rex responded without blinking, as if this were the norm.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Young Master.¡±

    ¡°Hurry up quickly. And¡­¡± Jackson changed his mind and turned to face me. Despite the harsh gaze, I remained unimpressed and unaffected. After staring at me for a while, he nced at Nicole standing next to me.

    Then he sarcastically raised the corner of his mouth and said, ¡°Could it be that you came to buy a suit with your sister? You¡¯re not going to attend the freshman meeting, are you?¡±

    ¡°Oh yes, I am.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡±

    It¡¯s not necessary to say much to a guy like this, and it¡¯s best to respond to sarcasm with a blunt answer. As I replied so, Jackson¡¯s eyes twitched as I took his attitude in casually.

    Jackson¡¯s expression broke for a moment, but he soon opened his mouth with a mockingugh. ¡°¡­Yes. You¡¯ll know when you attend. You¡¯ll soon realize it¡¯s just not your ce to attend.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Rex.¡±

    ¡°All right, Young Master.¡±

    Jackson then took a step and began to walk away. Before leaving, the attendant named Rex turned his head to face me. His bright green eyes stunned me a little. The attendant then bowed his head and apologized, as if he was sorry. Unlike his young master, the servant had a more refined and respectful personality.

    ¡°¡­what¡¯s with that bastard?¡± Nicole muttered in an angry and almost ludicrous voice not long after Jackson and the attendant hadpletely left. I could probably guess how enraged she was when she cursed.

    I looked at her face. To slightly exaggerate, she looked like she wanted to go on a rampage right away. To be honest, if my cherished siblings were openly insulted by others in front of me, even if it¡¯s someone like me, I would be furious too.

    I thought about how to exin Jackson to Nicole, then simply told her what I knew. ¡°Jackson is simply a guy who hates me. I heard he¡¯s from a wealthy Count family?¡±

    ¡°A wealthy Count¡­? Oh, he¡¯s probably from the Kerrison family.¡±

    ¡°Huh? That¡¯s right. How did you know?¡±

    ¡°It would be strange if there¡¯s someone I don¡¯t know. Kerrison is in the top 10 of the Empire in terms of wealth.¡±

    Oh? It seems that the Count of Kerrison is famous.

    My sister asked, ¡°But why is he saying something so weird to you? What happened?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Nicole understood after I exined it to her a bit: from the first ss to Cecily and Rina, Jackson¡¯s obvious infatuation with the two girls, and everything in between.

    However, I did not mention Cecily and Rina by name, but referred to them simply as ¡®pretty schoolgirls.¡¯ Nicole already knew what those two girls were like, so there¡¯s a good chance she¡¯ll think I¡¯ve gotten into trouble if I mention them.

    As a result, the exnation was a little lengthy, but I briefly summarized it to ensure that she understood everything.

    ¡°¡­He¡¯s just freaking out on his own, huh?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s like that.¡±

    Jackson, as Nicole mentioned, was going wild by himself. The guy couldn¡¯t help but feel upset because the girls he liked were closer to me. Furthermore, those two women were uninterested in Jackson.

    Of course, he never gives up and talks to them whenever the opportunity arises, but Cecily and Rina still treat him in a businesslike fashion. In particr, I wonder if their favorability towards Jackson has decreased even more due to the seating assignment the other day.

    If he would stay quiet and even go halfway toward moderating his superiorityplex, he might receive better treatment from them; well, that¡¯s exactly what I want to say to Jackson.

    Meanwhile, Nicole appeared to think for a moment before cing her hand on my shoulder and asked, ¡°Isaac, if he starts directly harassing you, tell me. I¡¯ll do something about it, okay?¡±

    I turned to look at her face. It was a face full of worry.

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± If Jackson starts bullying me, Rina will be the first to use her hand. Or maybe Marie, who is closer to me, will take care of it first. Unlike Jackson, Marie doesn¡¯t uphold a sense of noble-born authority, because she is the daughter of a duke whose family is already much higher in noble authority and wisdom without needing to show it. However, Nicole will not know this at all unless I tell her.

    In response, Nicole gently stroked my hair as if assuming my hesitancy was because I was actually worried when I just rolling my eyes. Her angry face was gone, leaving only a kind smile.

    ¡°You can¡¯t answer because you¡¯re afraid your sister will get into trouble? If that¡¯s the case, don¡¯t worry. Your sister has some connections.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­okay.¡±

    ¡°Then shall we buy nice clothes now? Excuse me?¡± Nicole turned to the salesdy.

    ¡°Oh, yes! How can I help you?¡± At Nicole¡¯s call, a salesdy who had been waiting from afar hurried over quickly. It is an impression of a foolish appearance with clean skin.

    ¡°I need formal clothes for him, but do you have a red suit? A color simr to his hair as much as possible.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ A scarlet suit¡­ All right, wait a minute. I¡¯ll take some measurements first.¡±

    There was a minor incident aftering here, but the nned fitting for a new suit didn¡¯t change. I stood in front of a full-length mirror and spread my arms wide as the salesdy brought a tape measure.

    Thedy stopped suddenly, looking startled, and asked in a timid voice, ¡°Um¡­ can I touch your body?¡±

    ¡°Huh? What do you mean by that?¡±

    ¡°Just before, the customer told me not to touch his body¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± There was only one person who was here before me. I sighed and answered quietly, ¡°¡­I¡¯m fine, so you can just do it.¡±

    What a shoddy ss-based society this is.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    Weekends are valuable to everyone. Some people take a delicious break to rx, while others enjoy hobbies to soothe their minds and body.

    And Cecily, the princess of Helium, spends her weekends conversing with Rina. Rina was her first human friend since entering Halo Academy, and along with her other hobbies, no one was more at ease with her.

    Despite the fact that Rina revealed the contents of <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga</em> Volume 8 before Cecily had a chance to read it and they warred a bit, Rina apologized first and the matter was settled. Cecily, who refused to separate herself from Rina, had fully epted Rina¡¯s apology.

    ¡°Now. Here it is.¡±

    Inside a cafe with an antique vibe, Rina ced a book on the round table and spoke to Cecily across from her. The book she ced on the table was none other than the next edition of <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga,</em> the recently published Volume 8.

    Cecily carefully held up the copy of <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga</em> Volume 8 in her hand. She then flipped through the book¡¯s pages, briefly inspecting its contents. Momentster, Cecily, after confirming that the book Rina had given her was genuine, closed the book with a satisfied expression.

    Rina inquired, a little taken aback by her behavior, ¡°You didn¡¯t trust me and actually checked it?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s possible you might have just changed the cover of the book without providing the true contents. I heard that scams like that are prevalent these days.¡±

    ¡°You know those words hurt me? Have you forgotten who I am?¡±

    Cecily smirked, thenughed. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s a joke, just a joke. There¡¯s no way you would do anything weird to me, right?¡±

    Cecily¡¯s joke was a bit offensive to her, but Rina held it in. It was because the crime she hadmitted against Cecily earlier was too great.

    It¡¯s different for everyone, but if someone reveals the ending of a favorite novel in the midst of an exciting development, it¡¯s bound to make people angry. Even if you gave away spoilers by ident, the other person is still offended. Especially since Rina told Cecily the crucial identity of the person who duped the Xenon character because she thought Cecily had already read the eighth volume, which resulted in disaster.

    Naturally, Cecily got angry, and Rina found herself in a bad mood too, and even had an argument with her about it. Fortunately, they calmed down and reconciled, but after that, Cecily never sat next to Rina.

    ¡°Phew¡­ I get it. And I ask you, don¡¯t ever tell anyone that I bought the 8th volume for you. Okay?¡±

    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll carry this secret to the grave.¡±

    Rina smiled at Cecily¡¯s happy smile as the girl hugged Volume 8 tightly. <em>By the time she enters her grave, Rina¡¯s own descendants will probably join her. </em>For a moment, Rina had such an unkind thought, but she shook it off. What¡¯s important right now is not Volume 8, but asking about her current situation.

    ¡°How¡¯s academy life these days? Is it good?¡±

    ¡°There are no problems yet. Also, you are helping me out, after all.¡±

    ¡°Even a country like this has its limits. Do you have any concerns or questions?¡±

    Cecily has lived for over 100 years, but this was her first time living in human society. Fortunately, the culture of the demons has many simrities with human culture, and so far she was living without difficulty.

    But sometimes demons surprise people. The biggest example is flying through the sky using magic. Halo Academy prohibits the use of magic except in certain areas, so Rina was bound to be surprised

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any specific questions, and if it¡¯s something I care about¡­well, the freshman gathering? ¡± Cecily answered Rina¡¯s question by tapping her cheek with her index finger as she said that.

    Rina raised one eyebrow slightly in response. Cecily had also decided to follow Rina to the freshman meeting.

    ¡°Gathering? Why the Gathering?¡±

    ¡°I was curious about what kind of topics would be discussed at the gathering. Not only ss-rted subjects but also topics rted to the non-academic students who areing to the freshman gathering.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. But I¡¯ll bet <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga</em> will be one of the things discussed there. I¡¯m sure of this.¡±

    ¡°Certainly, like you just said, it would be very disappointing if <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga</em> were not included.¡±

    As <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga</em> was at the center of many topics recently, it was an indispensable one for public gatherings. Moreover, since the new volume was recently released, various stories will naturally be discussed.

    ¡°Come to think of it, what are you going to wear to the gathering?¡±

    ¡°I have a dress I brought from Helium. I¡¯m going to wear that.¡±

    ¡°Can you tell me what it looks like?¡±

    ¡°What it looks like¡­?¡± In response to Rina¡¯s question, Cecily set the book down for a moment. As long as she describes the clothes, she may as well draw a picture on the table using her finger, which should be sufficient.

    Rina began to imagine it in her head as Cecily carefully drew a picture on the table with her finger. Rina¡¯s face became increasingly stunned beyond surprise as Cecily sketched out her dress.

    Furthermore, the surprised look on her face gave way to shock soon afterward, until Rina finally raised her head and stared at Cecily midway through her description. Her gaze was drawn to Cecily¡¯s voluptuous chest. Even in her normal attire, she exudes an overwhelming presence.

    Rina¡¯s gaze shifted away from the girl¡¯s chest and met Cecily. Cecily¡¯s expression was calm after she finished exining.

    Rina sighed and asked, ¡°¡­Are you really going to wear something like that to a gathering?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Is there a problem?¡±

    ¡°No. There¡¯s no problem¡­¡± Rina was at a loss as to how to exin this. The appearance of the dress Cecily described was obviously in and simple to a certain degree. That¡¯s for sure. But the problem is that it¡¯s too simple.

    Rina asked her in a voice of concern, ¡°¡­Wouldn¡¯t that be too revealing?¡±

    Cecily¡¯s answer was even more spectacr. ¡°Won¡¯t I be racy no matter what I¡¯m wearing?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡±

    Rina was stunned by the direct response. Like she just said, Cecily with that body of hers would look seductive no matter what dress she wore. However, the dress Cecily was going to wear was so oundish that it could be described as unconventional.

    ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s a bit¡­ isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s too revealing¡­¡±

    ¡°I know what Rina is worried about. But you don¡¯t have to worry. I can tolerate this much. More than anything¡­¡± Cecily paused for a moment before giving off her signature mischievous smile. ¡°..It¡¯s also because I am looking forward to seeing what kind of reaction a certain someone will show.¡±

    <em><strong>Editor and Proofreader:- </strong>In Valen¡¯s Name</em>

    <strong>¨C ¨C ¨C End of Chapter ¨C ¨C ¨C</strong>

 Chapter 29.1: Gathering (4)

    What are some examples of when time seems to pass quickly? Everyone has different standards, but there are two main cases.

    The first is when doing something you enjoy or find fun. The adage <em>¡®time flies when you¡¯re having fun</em>¡® is urate in that people lose track of time when they¡¯re engrossed in something. They mayter be remorseful and me it on ack of time.

    The second case is when someone is stuck in a daily routine. This case is slightly different. The process is tedious, but when you look back, you realize how quickly time has passed.

    And I am experiencing both of the aforementioned phenomena. The lectures I wanted to listen to were enjoyable, and the time definitely flew by, while the boring lectures flew by because I was too dazed.

    As a result, it seems like just yesterday when I bought my suit with my sister, but it was already Friday. I didn¡¯t take economics, thest lecture on Friday, so all my sses were over at 3 o¡¯clock.

    ¡°Today¡¯s lecture ends here. I hope you have a good time at tomorrow¡¯s gathering, everyone.¡±

    As the professor with short hair bowed politely, the ssroom erupted with apuse. I also responded with strong apuse to his excellent lecture.

    The lecture I just listened to, ¡®Military Studies¡¯, was nothing more than a lecture to get credits, but the professor exined it so well that I naturally became interested in it. When I asked questions based on my previous life history knowledge, the professor exined things in a way that I could understand.

    ¡°And student Isaac?¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    As the apuse grew louder, the professor called my name. I stopped apuding at this point and paused.

    The professor maintained his unique stern expression and spoke with a tone that seemed to emphasize, ¡°As I said before, naval battles on the sea arepletely different from ground warfare. As the student said, even if there is an ¡®incarnation¡¯ involved in the battle, the power thates from the overwhelming difference in the physique cannot be ovee.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes.¡±

    ¡°But it was a pretty good question. How to usemand strategy alone to turn around an unfavorable battle situation in the absence of troops armed with noticeable force. However, a wisemander would not have gone into that battle in the first ce. Well then¡­¡±

    The military science professor gave a concise exnation and left the ssroom. Even after he left the ssroom, I couldn¡¯t help but feel dazed.

    ¡®Then how did they win the Battle of Myeongnyang?<sup>[1]</sup>¡® I wondered.

    The topic I asked about during the lecture was rted to ¡®The Battle of Myeongnyang.¡¯ It was the achievement of Admiral Yi Sun-sin and a historical fact that no one in Korea could not know. Of course, I did not exin the historical context in detail, I merely adapted a version of the story to fit this world. Even at the Battle of Myeongnyang, the Joseon navy was understaffed, but the specifications were excellent, so I didn¡¯t leave anything out. For this one ss, I sat quietly listening to lectures for two weeks before finally asking this question today.

    The professor of military science, however, cut it short and concluded <em>It is possible to cause significant damage to the opponent, but it is ¡®impossible¡¯ to win¡ªeven if themander is a chosen ¡®incarnation¡¯ of God.</em>

    ¡®Did I make the analogy too strange? If that¡¯s not the case¡­¡¯

    Even if Earth and this world are different, it is impossible to discern whether the Joseon navy¡¯s victory was a fluke or if the existence of Admiral Yi Sun-sin himself was beyondmon sense.

    The original situation ording to Earth¡¯s historians was even worse than the situation of the naval forces I described to the professor. Even though I made the background and the situation a little better just in case, the professor still concluded that it was impossible.

    ¡°Why are you looking so serious? Such a naval battle as you described doesn¡¯t even make sense to me.¡±

    While I was agonizing over how to portray it in a more realistic way for this world¡¯s experts to understand, Marie, who was sitting next to me, chuckled. I put my thoughts aside and looked at her. Marie raised one corner of her mouth, making a face that told me she wanted me to say something more sensible.

    ¡°¡­Do you think so too?¡±

    ¡°Of course. With only 12 ships, how can you defeat an armada of over 100 ships? If it were me, I would have cut off the head of themander who was nning to fight like that. It¡¯s better to preserve that force andbine it with other forces. In that case, there won¡¯t be any useless deaths.¡±

    And yet, ording to Korean history, Admiral Yi Sun-sin was victorious. He was half-abandoned by the King and Won-gyun ruined the military he had built with his own hands. But these words never came out of my mouth. I justughed like an idiot and agreed with her.

    ¡°Hahaha¡­ As expected, right? It doesn¡¯t make sense, does it?¡±

    ¡°Sometimes you have a geeky side.¡± Marie rose from her seat as she said so. I also got up from my seat to return to the dormitory.

    ¡°Are you going back?¡± Rina, who was sitting behind us, asked softly as we rose from our seats. Also, Cecily, by the way, was sitting next to Rina.

    Originally, Cecily had nned to sit away from Rina until she finished reading the 8th volume of <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga</em>, but that was no longer the case. I believe she read the 8th volume already.

    ¡°Come on, you know that Isaac and I don¡¯t take economics. Why bother asking?¡± In the meantime, Marie answered Rina with a harsh tone. I¡¯d felt it before, but Marie became increasingly ufortable with Rina over time. She acted wary before, but now she was openly harsh.

    Rina, on the other hand, simply shrugged her shoulders. The small smile on her lips indicated that she was unconcerned about Marie¡¯s behaviour.

    ¡°I¡¯m just disappointed. I wanted to talk with you guys a little longer.¡±

    ¡°Can you stop saying things you don¡¯t mean? Let¡¯s go, Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­yes.¡±

    ¡°See you both at the gathering tomorrow.¡± Before I could move on, Cecily smiled brightly and waved at me. As if bewitched by her greeting, I waved back and hurriedly followed Marie. I didn¡¯t forget to say greet to Rina while following Marie. Rina¡¯s smile widened when I greeted her with a nod. That smile made me uneasy, but I managed to shake it off.

    <sup>[1]</sup> In the Battle of Myeongnyang, on October 26, 1597, the Korean Joseon Kingdom¡¯s navy, led by Admiral Yi Sun-sin, fought the Japanese navy in the Myeongnyang Strait, near Jindo Ind, off the southwest corner of the Korean penins.

    With only 13 ships remaining from Admiral Won Gyun¡¯s disastrous defeat at the Battle of Chilchonryang, Admiral Yi held the strait as a st stand¡± battle against the Japanese navy, who were sailing to support theirnd army¡¯s advance towards the Joseon capital of Hanyang (modern-day Seoul).

    For more information, visit the wikipedia page <strong>=></strong>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Myeongnyang

    <em><strong>Editor and Proofreader:- </strong>In Valen¡¯s Name</em>

    <strong>¨C ¨C ¨C End of Part 1 ¨C ¨C ¨C</strong>

 Chapter 29.2: Gathering (4)

    ¡°Really¡­ I hate that annoying smile every time I see it,¡± Marie grumbled as she walked out of the ssroom and back to her dorm. Instead of calling it grumbling, it was more like backbiting.

    I was curious as to why Marie disliked Rina, but she didn¡¯t say anything. Initially, I tend to avoid getting involved in things like this until they are willing to talk about it themselves. Instead, it is better to change the atmosphere to another topic.

    I looked at Marie and gently mentioned the other topic of the past week. ¡°Are you going to the gathering tomorrow too?¡±

    ¡°Even if I don¡¯t want to go to an event like that, I have to. Because I¡¯m the daughter of the Duke of Requilis. I need to build up connections in advance.¡±

    Nicole had said that the gathering was an event where freshmen got together,ughed, and chatted a lot, but after hearing Marie¡¯s side of the story, I think it was more than that. Like she said, connections¡ªor rather, personal connections¡ªare the most important aspect of aristocratic life. There will be no one to help you in a crisis if you have no connections, and above all, politics is an essential issue for nobles.

    This gathering of freshmen may just be a friendly get-together event formoners, but it was aworking opportunity for aristocrats. Simply put, it can be viewed as a rehearsal for one¡¯s political and personal future.

    Looking at me, Marie asked, ¡°You said you were going to attend, too, right? I heard it from Rina.¡±

    I¡¯m not sure when she heard it from her, but it¡¯s certainly true, so I nodded. Marie¡¯s fine brows furrowed slightly as I affirmed it. Her expression of dissatisfaction was evident on her face.

    She asked, ¡°You really have a knack for making people ufortable. Rina didn¡¯t pressure you, did she? Be honest with me.¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not. Can¡¯t I participate voluntarily?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± At my denial, Marie opened her blue eyes and studied me. As Cecily mentioned before, I tend to show my inner feelings on my face too much.

    Although Marie can¡¯t read my expressions to the level of mind-reading like Cecily, she could make a guess based on the color of my face. So I was somehow keeping my facial color from changing by calming my mind.

    After a while, Marie, who had been staring at me intently, withdrew with an ambiguous expression. Fortunately, the color of my face did not change.

    ¡°Is it really voluntary? ¡®I hope Rina will attend¡¯- didn¡¯t you say it with this tone?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not.¡±

    As much as she hates Rina, Marie knows Rina well. To throw her off even more, I added, ¡°And I even bought a suit.¡±

    ¡°A suit?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± When I said that I had bought a suit, she let out a strange sigh and looked me up and down. It seemed as if she wanted to make ament, and I felt bad.

    Eventually, Marie nodded and spoke, as if she had finished her evaluation of me. Her voice sounded satisfied as she said, ¡°A suit would look pretty good on you. Who did you buy it from?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ I don¡¯t know. My sister picked it for me.¡±

    ¡°And the price?¡±

    ¡°Was it 7 gold and 99 silver?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Is that all you can do?¡±

    Hearing her say that, I sighed inwardly. She really is a duke¡¯s daughter, after all. 8 gold¡­no, a whopping 800,000 won in Korean currency, was treated as ¡®barely adequate¡¯ from her perspective, huh.

    Recalling her family background, I asked in reverse, ¡°And how about you?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I brought something from my family home. My father gave it to me as a birthday present. It¡¯s a dress designed by the renowned Zelt for me.¡±

    Mari stated this confidently, but I had no idea who Zelt was. Perhaps he was a sewing craftsman.

    Fabric for making clothes, such as training suits or leggings, was well-developed in this world. That¡¯s because alchemy reced chemistry here, and the recipe was widely distributed, allowing for some mass production.

    Making a dress, on the other hand, was a different story. Because no sewing machine has been invented here yet, you must sew by hand, stitch by stitch. Even ifmoners don¡¯t know much about it, nobles¡¯ clothes are made by artisans, so the price is exorbitant.

    ¡°It must be very expensive.¡±

    ¡°Of course. Even if you take an educated guess, it should easily exceed 100 golds. Well, it¡¯s still cheap inparison to Zelt¡¯s.¡±

    I don¡¯t understand how rich people can afford to pay 10 million won for a single dress.

    Marie smiled like a mischievous child as she talked. She went on to make a confident deration to me as she stated, ¡°Don¡¯t fall in love with me when you see me in my dress. Even my brother reluctantly said that I was pretty.¡±

    I responded with just three short words to her prank. ¡°You¡¯re still pretty.¡±

    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re pretty enough now.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­uh¡­¡± She must have realized I was direct but sincere. In an instant, her snow-white skin turned red. My response had to have been too embarrassing. However, it is true that Marie is a beautiful woman. And I just said it straight out.

    ¡°Uh¡­I¡­that¡¯s¡­uh¡­¡± Marie was restless for a long time after that and couldn¡¯t speak easily. Her face was so red that if you pressed her cheek with a finger, red water might drip down.

    Seeing that, I thought I shouldn¡¯t have said it, but she was the one who joked with me first. To be honest, I didn¡¯t want to take it back because I was sincere even if it was said as a joke.

    ¡°Uh¡­that¡­thank you. I¡¯m a bit embarrassed to hear that from you, not anyone else.¡±

    ¡°Eh? What¡¯s wrong with me then?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re just¡­<em>blunt</em>, and if you lie, your face usually shows signs of it, right? So¡­ Anyway, um, that¡¯s right.¡± Marie nodded, her face flushed, and then shut her mouth again.

    After a while, Marie, who had been walking in silence beside me while staring at the ground, nced at me.

    ¡°¡­Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Am I really pretty?¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, ask someone else. If you ask ten people, ten would say you are pretty.¡±

    ¡°¡­<em>He-he</em>.¡±

    Was my answer that good? Marie smiled broadly at my direct response. In contrast to her shy first impression, her adolescent girl-like freshness wasing out. Marie¡¯s different side struck me in a new way when such a heartwarming smile appeared without my knowledge.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Will you definitelye to my mansion during vacation?¡±

    Is it just my imagination that those words came out of nowhere? This friendly atmosphere right now, and Marie¡¯s reaction, felt a bit strange. Anyway, there must be a good reason and I had no intention to reject it.

    ¡°Of course, I wille. Didn¡¯t you say that the writer of <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga</em> is alsoing?¡±

    After hearing about it from Marie, I sent a letter to my father. And my father wrote back that his tail had never been stepped on, so it was very likely an impersonation. I was relieved to hear that, but I was more interested in the identity of the impersonator. What kind of idiot would try to con not just anyone but a high-ranking Duke?

    Marie listened to my words and blinked as if btedly realizing something. She said, ¡°Ah~ that? I forgot to tell you, Isaac. My dad said he was an impersonator.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°It was an impersonator. We investigated because there were numerous suspicious circumstances. We found out that in the past, he was a well-known con artist. Now that <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga</em> is so well-known because he attempted to impersonate such a renowned author, that made it easier for him to be caught.¡±

    It was an embarrassing and futile oue for a scammer like that, but in retrospect, it was inevitable. If I was a duke, I wouldn¡¯t believe such a im so easily and would send someone to investigate meticulously. In other words, the impersonator dug his own grave. He had hoped to make a lot of money, but even if his opponent, the duke, were a naive fool, it was toote.

    Marie went on, ¡°My dad also met the impersonator once, and the kind of calluses that only people who write for a long time have? There was no such thing. Don¡¯t you have those too, Isaac?¡±

    ¡°This?¡± I raised my hand and showed her the ¡®pen-hooks¡¯ she described. Marie checked the pen-hook on my middle finger and nodded her head vigorously.

    ¡°Yes. Yes. That¡¯s right. My dad also got a callus on that side while doing so much paperwork. But I think yours are even worse than my dad¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°Well, I tend to study hard.¡± I¡¯ve already polished my response for this kind of situation, huh.

    Marie listened to my answer and looked at my hand with a puzzled expression, then asked in an anxious voice, ¡°¡­Then won¡¯t youe to our mansion?¡±

    ¡°Huh¡­?¡± I thought deeply about her question. <em>I¡¯m sorry to say to you, Marie, but since the invited writer has already been exposed as an impersonator, there is no reason for me to visit your mansion, is there?</em>

    ¡®In other words, there¡¯s no need to take risks and go¡­¡¯ The duke hired someone to investigate and catch the impersonator, and after listening to Marie¡¯s story, it¡¯s obvious her dad seems to be a keen observer. Therefore, the moment I meet the Duke and shake his hand, he will likely notice the existence of my so-called pen-hook.

    I can tell her dad the duke that it¡¯s because I study a lot, just like I told Marie, but it¡¯s natural that doubts about a person grows quickly from the moment they first creep up. In particr, since the duke is the kind of person who will keep all possibilities in mind, it is unlikely that he will assume the author of <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga</em> to be just an elderly sage.

    Above all, I¡¯m not a pervert, and the tiger¡¯s mouth is wide open, so there¡¯s no reason to risk my head¡­

    I nced at Marie, who had an uneasy expression on her face, and carefully brought out an answer. I¡¯m sorry for Marie, but it¡¯s right to reject what might be dangerous.

    ¡°¡­maybe?¡±

    ¡°Ack¡­ you. Don¡¯t just tell me no.¡±

    Marie grumbled in disappointment, then muttered to herself softly, as if she had a sh of inspiration. She gently touched her chin, as if she seemed to be nning something, yet her expression was solemn. What kind of serious scheme is she hatching? I couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy when I saw her serious face for the first time while I was with her.

    Her voice mumbled, far too low for me to hear, ¡°If it doesn¡¯t work, make it happen¡­ If he doesn¡¯te, make hime¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­All right, fine. Isaac?¡± Marie, after muttering in an inaudible voice, smiled as she called me.

    I was filled with dread and responded firmly, ¡°¡­What?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not inviting you, but will you decline my dad¡¯s invitation too?¡±

    ¡°¡­Hey?¡±

    Now she¡¯s using her dad¡¯s back to cast a gabulgi<sup>[1]</sup>? Even when I realized it with a puzzled expression, Marie only smiled.

    She went on, ¡°Though I didn¡¯t say it, my father is also interested in you, you see. He mentioned how much knowledge a student needs to teach history. Besides, if I do well in history, he¡¯ll be even more interested, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°What do you want to do? Will youe when I ask¡­or when my father asks?¡±

    I sighed inwardly. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go. We can go. You¡¯re so mean.¡±

    ¡°Good!¡± Marie clenched her hands in delight when I replied, with the implication that I was giving up. I shook my head as I observed her selfish joy.

    At the very least, it was still Marie, so I reluctantly epted it. If it were someone else, I would reject itpletely. Marie may not have realized it, but the situation at hand was clearly one where she used ¡®Noble Authority.¡¯ It was an act far removed from the Requilis family¡¯s ideology of <em>¡®Noblesse Oblige¡¯.</em>

    But if I told Marie about it now, she might be shocked. It would be better for both me and her if I buried this issue in my heart.

    Furthermore, seeing Marie wandering around being happy made my most negative thoughts fade away.

    ¡°So you¡¯re reallying? If you suddenly say no, I¡¯ll scold you.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Don¡¯t worry, that will never happen.¡±

    ¡°Okay, good. Then see you at the gathering tomorrow! Bye~!¡± Marie waved her hand vigorously and moved to the girls-only dormitory.

    I also waved my hand and headed to the boys¡¯ dormitory. As soon as I got back to the dorm, I threw off my school uniform and dropped myself on the bed. A soft sensation permeated my entire body after doing so and I felt a strong desire to rest like this.

    ¡®Even if there happens to be a duke, tomorrow at the gathering¡­¡¯

    The Freshman Gathering is an event that brings together not only Academics students but also Non-Academic students. Nicole said I didn¡¯t have to worry, but I was still worried.

    Because Jackson was eager to eat me right now. I wondered what insults I would receive at the gathering. Of course, since I¡¯m treating Jackson like an adult, despite his arrogant behavior, it¡¯s okay. Even if a guy whose head hasn¡¯t matured yet is screaming insults at me, it probably won¡¯t evoke any feelings. Even being tainted with the ¡®Chosen People¡¯ ideology felt like a middle school illness, and it did not resonate with me.

    ¡®By the way, will Leona attend?¡¯ I suddenly remembered Leona, the beastkin girl. Will shee to the meeting tomorrow? To be honest, given her circumstances, there¡¯s a good chance she won¡¯t show up.

    Iy on the bed, staring nkly at the ceiling before turning my head slightly. My clothes for tomorrow were on a hanger in the closet. That suit alone was worth over 800,000 won. ¡®I hope it¡¯s worth it.¡¯

    With that thought, I reluctantly jumped out of bed. It¡¯s a waste to lie here doing nothing like this. In this case, it is better to work on my manuscript.

    Then, instead of the lecture notebook, I sat at my desk and opened a notebook that summarized the current development of <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga</em>. The story development and episodes were meticulously organized, and the characteristics and rough descriptions of the characters were also recorded.

    ¡®For the Seven Deadly Sins story arc, regarding Anger¡­let¡¯s go with beastmen. If I add the setting that a beastman family was massacred by humans, and even betrayed by other beastmen¡­¡¯

    I took the magic pen my father had gifted me from my front pocket and began writing.

    <sup>[1]</sup> The word is used when someone asks an unavoidable, irresistible question.

    <em><strong>Editor and Proofreader:- </strong>In Valen¡¯s Name</em>

    <strong>¨C ¨C ¨C End of Chapter ¨C ¨C ¨C</strong>

    <strong><strong><strong><strong>Part 1 Index </strong></strong></strong></strong>

 Chapter 30: Gathering (5)

    Wearing a suit makes you look many times better. I rarely wore a suit in my past life, but I definitely looked ssier when I did. But what if you have a handsome face and a good body, and your clothes and shoes fit perfectly?

    You overflow with confidence to the point that you feel like you can do anything beyond normal satisfaction. I remembered a handsome actor from my past life who embodied the same air of smug confidence. As I said, the importance of appearance goes without saying.

    ¡°Good.¡± I stood in front of a full-length mirror, looking at myself in a suit, or formal dress in the local pance. The mirror reflected an image of a handsome young man with bright red hair, who was smiling while adjusting his bright-red formal dress.

    The formal-dress suit was in, with no ornamental decorations, filigree, or patterns used by other nobles to unt their wealth and fame. Other nobles may mock it as in, but the cost of such attire is prohibitively expensive for the majority of people. It¡¯s simr to the suit I wore in my previous life, so I¡¯m satisfied with myself.

    Not only that, but I¡¯m also wearing a white scarf around my neck. The scarf was embroidered in pure gold with a falcon design, symbolizing the Minervan Empire. It¡¯s a simple style that fully expresses one¡¯s individuality. Even without it, my striking red hair and matching outfit would draw attention.

    ¡®The style¡­ I¡¯ll keep it like this. There¡¯s nothing to touch.¡¯ It¡¯s not like I know how to apply makeup, and it would look strange if I did, so I¡¯d rather not touch anything in the first ce. I¡¯m already attractive with just this much and there¡¯s nothing else to add.

    Instead, I recently visited a beauty salon to have my hair neatly managed. When I arrived at the salon, it was packed with students preparing for today¡¯s Freshman Gathering, and among them were familiar faces.

    Rina, Cecily, and finally Marie. Unlike the other customers, these three had a group of four or five employees clinging to them as if undergoing surgery. ¡®The Princess, the Duke¡¯s Daughter, and the Demon Princess. They must be busy.¡¯

    I finished it quickly because I only had to have the salon staff style my hair neatly. Originally, the staff was focused on only three people, but Rina, who noticed my presence, was considerate and let them take care of me first. Even so, just a little haircut was enough, so one person sufficed. Before leaving the hair salon, I was looking forward to what they would look like afterward.

    ¡®Because the gathering officially starts at 5:30¡­¡¯ I took my eyes off the mirror and checked the time. The current time is exactly 5 o¡¯clock. It was time for me to depart for the auditorium. The distance between the dorm and the auditorium was less than ten minutes, so I could walk there slowly.

    Then, after putting on the shoes required for formal attire, I walked outside and toward the main auditorium. The sun was setting and it was getting dark outside.

    ¡®I¡¯m a little nervous.¡¯ There was a freshman wee party in my past life, but now it¡¯s a simr yet different gathering for freshmen. I¡¯m not sure who will happilyugh and talk without struggling, but some people, they will have to work hard to build awork.

    Fortunately, I am closer to the former, but the world does not always revolve as <em>you </em>wish. Furthermore, Jackson is the most important uncertain variable. I¡¯m not sure what he¡¯ll do to get me in trouble, but it¡¯s better to be prepared. ¡®Rina and Marie will be there, so he won¡¯t be able to openly insult me¡­¡¯

    I took a look around on my way to the auditorium. It¡¯s only natural that there are a lot of passers-by since it¡¯s the weekend, but today people in stylish suits or pretty dresses caught my eye everywhere.

    Like the others said, the gathering will be attended by both academics students and non-academics students (ie. the martial arts students). Seniors or assistants representing various majors may also attend, so the number of people must be quiterge.

    ¡®Wow¡­ That person is really cool.¡¯ I asionally came across people who looked so cool that I was in awe of them. Judging from their tall height, straight stature, and well-built physique, they are no different from athletes.

    I don¡¯t know the details of their appearance because I don¡¯t have good eyesight, but even though they are far away, their coolness was exploding. I¡¯m sure none of the students are out of shape, so whatever they wear will look great.

    ¡®I, too, want to grow taller.¡¯ Aftering to the academy, I grew 1 cm taller but it¡¯s sad that I¡¯m not even 173 cm at all. The only sce I can find is that I¡¯m still growing. I was 175 cm tall in my previous life, so I¡¯m grateful even if I grow up to that height.

    ¡°Isaac?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Just as I was about to enter the auditorium, a familiar voice called my name. The face that caught my eye startled me as soon as I turned my head.

    Leort, the Crown Prince of the Minerva Empire and a handsome young man with a form like that of a tiger, was looking at me with curiosity in his eyes. The key point to consider here is whether Leort was also dressed formally.

    Unlike me, Leort was dressed in a regal robe befitting a crown prince. Overall, the white background and golden color scheme worked well together, and it looked much better than the formal dress Jackson purchasedst week.

    I surveyed his appearance quickly and then spoke in a puzzled voice. ¡°Sir Leort?¡±

    ¡°As expected, it¡¯s Isaac. I saw red from afar, so I followed you, but I didn¡¯t think it was real.¡±

    ¡°So what brings you here?¡±

    That¡¯s what I said, but I think I know roughly. Perhaps Leort hade to the freshman meeting as well because he is a student representing the political science major.

    And Leort gave me the expected response. ¡°You must have guessed by looking at these clothes that I havee to attend the gathering. It seems that you are also heading to the auditorium to do so?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± After hearing my simple answer, Leort looked me up and down, stroking his chin,. Compared to his extravagant regal dress, mine was in and unappealing.

    However, Leort smiled kindly and praised me in a pleasant voice. ¡°It really suits you. It¡¯s unusual toe across someone who looks good in red.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m ttered. But I pale inparison to Mr. Leort.¡±

    ¡°No. In my eyes, you look much nicer than nobles who use expensive clothes to radiate wealth.¡±

    ¡°That¡­um, thank you.¡± It was more embarrassing because it was genuine rather than just hollow words. As I scratched my cheek, Leort let out a chuckle.

    ¡°Since it¡¯se to this, let¡¯s go together.¡±

    I blinked in surprise. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s okay?¡±

    ¡°Who cares what anyone else says? If anyone bothers you, I¡¯ll take care of it.¡±

    ¡°That¡­I see.¡± If I continued to refuse, I might offend Leort. So when I agreed reluctantly, Leort moved his legs forward first.

    I followed him, looking around as he walked ahead. Walking alongside him may undermine his royal authority. It was one of the manners taught at home.

    ¡°Isaac. Have you read the 8th volume of <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga</em> that was recently published?¡±

    Leort, who was leading the way, asked me a question. To be honest, I was perplexed as to why this question wasn¡¯t raised before.

    It was a question I had anticipated, so I answered without hesitation, ¡°No. Although I have not read it yet, I did read the newspaper critique. They said that in Volume 8, there was a story element criticizing the nobility. There was also mention of a new means of faster transportation called a steam lotive.¡±

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s fine to criticize the nobility, but the steam lotive surprised me. If a mode of transportation such as the steam lotive is truly invented, the world will change dramatically.¡±

    ¡°Do you think we can build one, Mr. Leort?¡±

    The steam lotive was one of the inventions that symbolized the ¡®industrial revolution¡¯ in my previous life. Furthermore, the ¡®Industrial Revolution¡¯ did not happen out of nowhere, but was the result of science and technology that had umted gradually since ancient times.

    As a result, for the Industrial Revolution to ur, technology beyond a certain level is required, but in this world, there is a subtle imbnce between science and magic.

    A simple example, such as a refrigerator, can be reced with a magic icebox, but aplex machine, such as a steam lotive, cannot. Furthermore, even that is like magic to the people here, not engineering.

    Leort also expressed his somewhat negative viewpoint, as if he were aware of it. ¡°Well¡­ It¡¯s unfortunate, but novels should be treated as such. The novel exined the basic concept, but that alone is not enough. We need a moreplicated theory than that because we have to move that massive block of iron and steel without the use of magic. And if we have the technology to build a steam lotive, we can use it to create a variety of inventions.¡±

    ¡°That means it¡¯s hard.¡±

    ¡°Yes. However, the idea itself is amazing. How much knowledge and experience does a person have to imagine something like this? I don¡¯t even have a clue.¡±

    It¡¯s not that I have a lot of knowledge and experience, it¡¯s just that I came from another world. Since I havepletely different knowledge from the people of this world, there must be many people who think like Leort.

    Still, it was somewhat disappointing that they thought it was too difficult to make a steam lotive. Even in the newspapers, most of the reviews said that it would be better to do magic research than to do such ¡®stupid things.¡¯

    ¡°I¡¯d like to peer inside the author¡¯s mind at least once. I sometimes wonder if he¡¯s from another world¡ªthe whole story of Xenon and this steam lotive, for example.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    Although said in a flowing manner, it struck me as a very dangerous statement. Fortunately, Leort was looking ahead, because if he saw my face right now, I¡¯d be in big trouble. I tried everything I could to restore my lost sense of calm. I could tell my face must have turned pale by now, even without checking in a mirror.

    <em>¡®I didn¡¯t expect those words at all¡­¡± </em>I thought that with a nervous feeling.

    Soon after, as the entrance to the auditorium began to appear, Leort said, ¡°We¡¯d better part ways now. I have other matters to attend to.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    ¡°Then I hope you have a good time at the gathering. Oh, by the way, will Nicole be attending?¡±

    ¡°No. My sister hates gatherings so she won¡¯t be attending.¡±

    ¡°Hmmm¡­ I see. I guess she still has that incident on her mind¡­¡± Leort heard my answer and muttered this in hushed tones. It was barely audible, but it piqued my interest.

    Nicole apparently had a reason for not attending gatherings. If it was an incident that Leort, who arrived at schoolter than Nicole, was aware of, it had to be well-known within the academy.

    ¡°Anyway, I understand. Then we¡¯ll see youter.¡±

    ¡°I hope you have a good time too, Mr. Leort.¡± I made my goodbye as I was taught at home, and Leort waved and walked away. I followed his back as he walked away, then turned my gaze to the auditorium.

    It wasn¡¯t as big as the gymnasium, but it was still quiterge. It¡¯s a ce I haven¡¯t been to since the entrance ceremony, but it¡¯s novel to see it like this. ¡®I wonder how the inside is decorated?¡¯ The inside was very spacious as if two gyms were joined together. I walked towards the entrance with anticipation.

    The main event started at 5:30, yet there was no one guarding the entrance. Eventually, it was time to pass through the doors and enter the auditorium itself.

    ¡°¡­that¡¯s amazing,¡± I couldn¡¯t help but admire the interior of the auditorium as soon as I saw it.

    A chandelier was installed on the ceiling to light up the interior, and beneath it were long stretched tables with delicious food ced on them.

    Because the middle section was empty, it was assumed that it was a space for dancing, simr to a ballroom. Rather than a gathering, I felt like I was at a party hosted by a high-ranking aristocrat.

    ¡®The people here are¡­ quite a lot.¡¯ It was crowded, possibly because it was a gathering of both academic and non-academic students. I know it was free to attend, but there were a lot of students there. Not only freshmen but also seniors and teaching assistants from their majors.

    I moved my legs as I gulped at the immense pressure I was already feeling.

    ¡°Ho-ho-ho. Really? That is a fascinating story.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Lady, you have such a lovely smile.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    As I approached the main podium, I could hear conversation from time to time, but nothing stood out. The most important thing now was to find a familiar face. Of course, I have no intention of blindly approaching someone I know. If they are the ones I know, they must be surrounded by a lot of people.

    It¡¯s far better to be skeptical and keep some distance than to pretend to know someone for no reason, otherwise the atmosphere will flow strangely as a result. ¡®Should I just eat something? I¡¯m hungry right now¡­¡¯

    It happened just as I was considering a snack and sneaking toward the table.

    ¡°Isaac!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Isaac! Here! Here!¡±

    <em>My damn red hair</em>, Imented inwardly as soon as I heard the familiar voice. Given how far away the voice is, it was certain that the person was quite a distance away, but it seems they have seen and recognized me.

    <em>Hah, I have red hair and a red suit, so they can¡¯t help but see me. </em>I gave up halfway and turned to face the source of the voice. When I turned in the right direction, I noticed someoneing this way.

    It was Cecily, with her hair as ck as the night sky and horns, the symbol of the devil, protruding like a crown. It¡¯s as if she just finished her makeup at a salon¡­

    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±

    But my thoughtse to an end there. It was because the closer Cecily got, the more her oundish outfit drew my attention. I couldn¡¯t help but rub my eyes for a moment, wondering if I was seeing things wrongly. But Cecily¡¯s dress as she approached me didn¡¯t change. I slightly opened my mouth and took in her beautiful appearance.

    If my hair was a lighter shade of crimson, her dress was a darker cherry color. It was a color thatplemented her, but her dress itself was the issue.

    Normally, in case of a revealing dress, the back and shoulders would bepletely exposed, or the chest would be barely visible, but Cecily¡¯s dress was even worse than that. From the waistline, the dress split in a V shape, partially covering Cecily¡¯s breasts, but due to the overwhelming presence of her chest, her bosom was almostpletely exposed.

    And that¡¯s not all. Each time she came closer, her breasts fluttered a little, stimting my unconscious desire.

    ¡°You are hereter than I thought. I thought for sure you left the salon earlier than we did.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Come to think of it, isn¡¯t Isaac also wearing red like me? It suits you well.¡±

    Cecily approached me before I realized it and, as usual, treated me in a friendly manner. Even with her warm wee, I couldn¡¯t bring myself back to reality. Aside from her dress, the scent of roses stimted my sense of smell and the seductiveness that emanated indistinctly tried to bring my buried shady desires to the surface.

    Is this how it feels to be confronted by a subus? I couldn¡¯t figure out if I should keep myself from reacting after getting her attention.

    ¡°How do I look? Do I look good? Other peopleplimented me saying that I look good, but what about Isaac?¡± Cecily asked, pulling up the ends of her dress if she didn¡¯t know how I felt. Her voice was full of anticipation and her trademark yfulness.

    I closed my eyes tightly in response to the question, then returned my gaze to Cecily. And¡­

    <em>gulp-</em>

    Instead of answering verbally, I gulped down my saliva. <em>Was this alone a sufficient answer?</em>

    ¡°Ffffft.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    Cecily covered her mouth with one hand and smiled wryly. Then she said teasingly. ¡°Isaac¡¯s face is bright red.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± If there¡¯s a man who doesn¡¯t even blush when he sees a beautiful girl like this, <em>he¡¯s definitely a eunuch or gay.</em>

    <em><strong>Editor and Proofreader:- </strong>In Valen¡¯s Name</em>

    <strong>¨C ¨C ¨C End of Chapter ¨C ¨C ¨C</strong>

 Chapter 31: Gathering (6)

    Marie, the daughter of Duke Requilis and a freshman in the Academy¡¯s Academics Department, was in a good mood right now.

    She used to dislike going to events like family gatherings, yet she always wanted to help her family someday. <em>Even if you have knowledge that surpasses others, if youck the experience to apply it, it is meaningless.</em> It was to put what she¡¯d been learning at home into practice through her family¡¯s ideology.

    In fact, each experience she had in a social setting was extremely beneficial, so Marie reluctantly stepped forward.

    Even though she wanted her makeup to be done quickly and neatly, for today¡¯s event she double-checked for any ws. The makeup process, which normally takes about an hour, took more than three hours.

    However, the makeup turned out well, and the dress she brought from the mansion fit perfectly with no ws. Marie was satisfied with her beautiful appearance and went to the Freshman Gathering with a surprising feeling of pleasure.

    ¡°Oh! Aren¡¯t you the Young Lady of the RequilisFamily?¡±

    ¡°Yes. My name is Marie Hausen Requilis.¡±

    ¡°I am Genia Cleton Hirtu of the Hirtu Family.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s the Hirtu Family¡­ Ah! Are you Viscount Madd¡¯s daughter?¡±

    ¡°Yes! You know him as well. It¡¯s a great honor to meet you, Marie.¡±

    ¡°Is Miss Genia having a pleasant time?¡±

    While on her way to the gathering, someone recognized Marie, but she handled it well. As a noble from a Ducal family, she had learned how to greet people at the age of 14 thanks to her participation in ¡®social society.¡¯

    Of course, she didn¡¯t interact with people while wearing a ¡®mask,¡¯ like some others she knew. Some people just can¡¯t act, but rumors about her had already spread far and wide in society circles. Marie, the daughter of the RequilisFamily, had a lively personality. To put it bluntly, she has a tomboyish personality, but no one dared to openly criticize her because of her background. Rather, they were too busy ttering her with in yet sweet words.

    Marie really hated such people; pretentious people hiding knives on the inside while ttering on the outside. In order to gain something, these opportunists will reveal their true selves.

    ¡®This feeling again. I really hate it.¡¯ Even though Marie couldn¡¯t act, she could tell whether people were being genuine or not by their expressions. She was different from Rina in that she could naturally pick up on social cues, whereas Rina had excellent observational skills.

    She also had a strong feeling that the student Genia, who was being friendly with her, had a calcting attitude toward trying to connect with high-ranking noble families like hers. Even though she didn¡¯t show it on the surface, Marie felt very ufortable in this situation.

    ¡®He never gives me that feeling.¡¯ Marie was currently chatting with Genia, but in her mind, she couldn¡¯t stop thinking about the red-haired boy she had recently met since starting school here¡ªa man with crimson hair and golden eyes that glowed like a beast from afar.

    Their first meeting was not very good, but the more time they spent together, the more she realized that he was a person who was far from superficial, even if he appeared distant. Even if he lied a little, his face showed it all, and while his tone was blunt, he put his sincerity into every answer.

    ¡®Sometimes it seems like he¡¯s hiding something¡­¡¯ It¡¯s probably a personal secret of his, but if so, it¡¯s certainly not a ruse Marie loathed. It¡¯s not her hobby to snoop into other people¡¯s personal lives as some do.

    In any case, as Marie continued speaking with Genia, she thought about the boy she was recently interested in. She arrived at the main auditorium, where the gathering was to take ce before she realized it.

    ¡°We¡¯re already there. It¡¯s a shame.¡±

    ¡°We can chat inside just as easily.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Of course. But I have someone else I¡¯d like to meet separately, so I think we should split up here.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    Marie was eager to get out of there as soon as possible, which left Genia deeply disappointed. For Marie, she wanted to walk over to <em>his</em> side and talk like they always do.

    <em>What type of clothes did he wear to today¡¯s gathering? </em>He bought a cheap dress suit that cost less than 8 gold, but for some reason, she thought it would look good on him. Even though he was not tall, his lean physique would make up for it.

    Leaving Genia behind, Marie strolled inside the main auditorium. Even for her, who has been to numerous social gatherings, the interior of this auditorium is quite well-decorated. And for someone as tall in noble stature as herself, it was something to behold.

    But there was something more important to her than the auditorium setting.

    ¡®Red hair¡­ Red hair¡­ Red hair¡­¡¯ As soon as Marie walked into the auditorium, she began looking for someone with red hair. There was a chance he hadn¡¯t arrived yet, but finding him came first.

    Marie¡¯s alertly-moving gaze soonnded on red hair and a dark-haired woman who stood partially in front of that red hair too.

    ¡®¡­Cecily?¡¯ It was a face Marie already knew well¡ªthe princess of Helium, and one of the high-ranking women she met at the academy.

    The woman, dressed quite provocatively, was engaging in friendly conversation with the red-haired male student. The male student was deeply flushed while engaged in the conversation with a tender expression.

    ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡±

    Marie¡¯s brows twitched for a split second and at the same time, an unknown emotion welled up from the depths of her heart. Seeing the two of them talking like that with her own two eyes was extremely unsettling. So much so that she wanted to separate the two right now. In response, Marie moved her legs and approached them. Unknowingly, her face had hardened.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    It is said that a woman¡¯s transformation is innocent. This is a kind of maxim that arose as a result of the fact that ordinary women can look stunning when they put on makeup.

    The men, on the other hand, usuallyughed and imed, <em>¡®It doesn¡¯t matter.¡¯ </em>Breaking up with a girlfriend because her bare face is unattractive is an extremely rare urrence and men are frequently chastised for ending rtionships in such a way. Of course, this is only for ordinary women who be beautiful with makeup, and women who are beautiful even without makeup frequently use makeup to tone down their beauty, or conceal itpletely.

    Furthermore, in Cecily¡¯s case, her attractiveness was not limited to her face but extended to other areas as well.

    ¡°Isaac, your face is flushed.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡±

    Cecily, who spoke in a yful tone, had me staring nkly. Is it because of the heat on my face? I couldn¡¯t even tell that my own face was red.

    ¡®Really now¡­¡¯ Finally, I sighed and covered my face with one hand. And I was able to keep the base desires that arose from the depths of my heart at bay. I wasn¡¯t a eunuch, and seeing Cecily like this made my instincts as a mane out.

    Most men will understand my feelings. It¡¯s natural for a man to be drawn to a beautiful woman, especially when she¡¯s dressed provocatively and flirting with him. As a man, however, I should try to control my instincts. I inhaled deeply and opened my mouth.

    ¡°Huu¡­ Noona¡­?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, what?¡±

    ¡°¡­Aren¡¯t your clothes a bit¡­too much?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s too much?¡±

    <em>Don¡¯t you know? </em>No, I¡¯m sure she¡¯s doing this on purpose. I sighed again at Cecily, who asked, maintaining her yfulness.

    ¡°That¡­ dress¡­¡±

    ¡°Is it too racy?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡± As my heart calmed down a bit, I lowered the hand that was covering my face. Cecily¡¯s fixed gaze on my face began to shift downwards as soon as I lowered my hand.

    I¡¯m not a sage, and as a man, I can¡¯tpletely control my instincts.

    Meanwhile, Cecily looked at me, then softly smiled and opened her mouth, saying, ¡°You don¡¯t have to try so hard not to look.¡±

    ¡°¡­but that¡¯s rude.¡±

    ¡°If you say it¡¯s rude for me to wear this dress, wouldn¡¯t it be weird for that person? And most demons wear clothes like this to social gatherings. Men, in particr, are honest about their desires, aren¡¯t they? It¡¯s a way to test how much they can control their desires.¡±

    That¡¯s true¡­ it¡¯s a reasonable phenomenon, I suppose. I nodded my head weakly to her exnation.

    If other people wore clothes like this, people would gossip, but it felt different because Cecily was wearing them. Along with her elegance, her inherent dignity has been enhanced, adding to her allure.

    However, it is still something that I find difficult to look away from. ¡°¡­Are you going to keep going like that?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Of course. Is Isaac worried that others will look at me strangely?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°I guess I¡¯m right, seeing as your face turns red without a word,¡± Cecily said, wiggling her fingers.

    I felt my blood pressure rising in real-time. I hurriedly changed the subject so as not to get a nosebleed. ¡°Oh, ah, anyway! What were you doing before?¡±

    ¡°Oh, just talking to some people I¡¯ve never met before. It wasn¡¯t very pleasant. Most of them, both men and women, gave me lust-soaked gazes. Certainly, humans are honest with their desires.¡±

    Despite her calm tone, the content of her words was unpleasant. Frowning slightly since I didn¡¯t understand, I asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you feel bad? Even if you are a demon¡­¡±

    ¡°Isaac. Don¡¯t arbitrarily apply human standards to other races. Humans have their own ways, and so do we.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡±

    ¡°We demons want to live as humans, but if we ept what others impose on us, it will only be an imitation. Demons, as you stated previously, should live like demons.¡±

    At Cecily¡¯s sharp advice, I had no choice but to keep my mouth shut. I felt like I¡¯d been hit with a hammer in the head. Imposing human ways on other races, as she stated, is an unjust and ridiculous action. Perhaps my actions upset her.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry. I spoke carelessly.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. This must be due to your thoughtfulness as well. It feels good to be thought of in that way.¡±

    Cecily smiled as she shrugged off my apology. I returned her gaze with a calm smile.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    In the friendly atmosphere, a familiar woman¡¯s voice cut through the gap. Cecily and I both turned our heads in the direction of the voice. Standing there stood a girl no less beautiful than Cecily, with her arms crossed. I¡¯m not sure what she was dissatisfied with, but she looked very unhappy.

    For a brief moment, I had no idea who this beautiful woman was, but I recognized her white hair and bright blue eyes. ¡°¡­Could it be Marie?¡±

    ¡°Why are you calling me that?¡±

    At the mention of Marie¡¯s name, the beautiful woman answered bluntly. With a slightly dazed expression, I looked at Marie. Her white hair, which was long enough to reach her waist, was tied in a ponytail, revealing her swan-like nape, and perhaps because of the makeup, she gave off a mature look overall.

    The white dress with a faint bluish tinge was also daring, though not as much as Cecily¡¯s. The shoulders werepletely exposed, and the thunderbird-like corbone line was visible, as were the moderatelyrge breasts, which exuded sex appeal. Finally, she wore expensive-looking jewellery, as befitting a youngdy from a ducal family, but it added little to her beauty.

    In conclusion, whereas Marie as a student exuded a youthful beauty, the current Marie exudes a mature beauty akin to Cecily.

    ¡°Why are you staring at me like that? Do I look weird?¡± Marie asked in a grumpy voice as I nkly stared at her. She must have been embarrassed to avert her gaze and reveal her flushed cheeks.

    I hurriedly gathered my thoughts and spoke from the bottom of my heart, ¡°No. It¡¯s just¡­ I was too surprised. You¡¯re too beautiful, I didn¡¯t recognize you for a moment.¡±

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m beautiful?¡± Marie¡¯s previously sullen face softened a little at the word beautiful. Then, after looking up and down at Cecily next to me, she cautiously opened her mouth again. ¡°¡­How beautiful am I?¡±

    ¡°To the extent of falling in love at first sight, like I said before.¡±

    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±

    As soon as I answered that, Cecily next to me revealed her doubts. Her expression showed that one of her eyes was squinting as if she was thinking about something.

    Regardless, Marie¡¯s mouth drew a line as if she was satisfied with my answer. Then, facing me, she spoke without hesitation. ¡°You¡¯re good at answering ambiguously, so when did you learn to be so blunt? But it doesn¡¯t matter, I¡¯m not losing to anyone, at least.¡±

    ¡°When have I ever answered ambiguously? If I did, I would have used all sorts of empty ttery and said that you were a goddess of beauty.¡±

    ¡°That would have been something to hear if you did. It¡¯s too bad.¡±

    ¡°Then should I do it now?¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s enough. By the way¡­¡± Marie, who was conversing with me, slurred her words and turned her gaze to Cecily rather than to me. She looked her up and down again and cautiously opened her mouth. ¡°Cecily is¡­ quite bold, isn¡¯t she? I don¡¯t know where to look.¡±

    Marie seemed to share my sentiments. Regardless of who the person is, they would have a simr reaction if they saw Cecily.

    Meanwhile, Cecily smiled and made an unexpected move after hearing Marie¡¯s remark. ¡°Yes. Marie is bold too, right?¡± She subtly grabbed my arm and drew me closer to her chest.

    Her action was smooth and natural, and it took me a moment to react. The fire that had been dormant rose again as soon as the soft and pliable touch was transmitted through my arm.

    ¡°What, um¡­what are you doing¡­?¡±

    ¡°I was curious how Isaac would react to this dress.¡±

    <em>What¡¯s this again? </em>Cecily¡¯s answer perplexed me. This is a markedly different response from her previous one. She was obviously joking, judging by her unique yful way of speaking, but I still didn¡¯t get it.

    ¡°¡­what do you mean?¡± Marie appeared to be taken aback by Cecily¡¯s response as well. While squinting one of her eyes, she expressed her mental confusion.

    Cecily tightened her grip on my arm even more. Even if I tried to pull it away, it wouldn¡¯t budge. When I struggled, the feeling of her soft bosom was clearly transmitted.

    ¡°It¡¯s as you heard. I was curious about Isaac¡¯s reaction.¡±

    ¡°No, um¡­Cecily Noona? Earlier, you definitely said¡­

    ¡°¡­This is another of your jokes, right? Can¡¯t you see Isaac is in trouble?¡± Before I could open my mouth again, Marie strode forward and grabbed my arm, the one that Cecily was holding. However, Marie, who was close to normal in physical strength, was unable to ovee Cecily¡¯s demon-enhanced strength.

    As a result, the two women confronted each other, with my arm between them. Despite the sudden chill in the air, Cecily maintained a mischievous demeanor. ¡°It is not a joke. And crossing one¡¯s arms in this manner is a kind of reward for someone who has conquered their desire. It¡¯s an old culture of our Helium.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s amon story among you demons. We, humans, won¡¯t take your actions very well in a public setting like this. What you¡¯re doing to Isaac right now is an act only between lovers. It might make others doubt your chastity.¡±

    ¡°I told Isaac earlier that applying human standards to other races is not a good idea. And we demons have a very conservative view of chastity.¡±

    ¡°Since you came to the human world, shouldn¡¯t you follow humanws and customs? At least, that¡¯s what I believe.¡±

    The two women engaged in a fierce battle without making any concessions. What is notable here is that Marie had a hardened face, whereas Cecily always wore a mischievous smile.

    But it makes no difference. As I looked around, I noticed several eyes looking at us with interest. The Princess of Helium and the Young Lady of Requilis fighting over a man. What an exciting development this was to them, no doubt.

    You¡¯ve probably heard this: <em>Life is aedy when seen from afar, but a tragedy when seen up close.</em>

    ¡®¡­I want to go home.¡¯ That¡¯s how I felt right now.

    <em><strong>Editor and Proofreader:- </strong>In Valen¡¯s Name</em>

    <strong>¨C ¨C ¨C End of Chapter ¨C ¨C ¨C</strong>

 Chapter 32.1: What Nonsense Is This (1)

    ¡°What are you all doing here?¡±

    When the difficult situation continued for several minutes, a gentle woman¡¯s voice intervened. Her voice was filled with wonder and curiosity. Not only did I turn my head at that voice, but so did the two women holding my arms.

    A woman with wavy golden hair and sapphire-blue eyes, while holding a wine ss in one hand, looked at us in puzzlement. The off-shoulder dress she wore, with its gold and white ents, exuded an elegant and lofty elegance. In addition, she wore a lot of expensive jewelry on her body, as if to show off what kind of person she was.

    Rina appeared as this country¡¯s ¡®Princess¡¯ rather than just a student today, simr to Marie, whose aura had changed 180 degrees from before. ¡°Are you having a <em>love battle?</em> If so, it¡¯s pretty fun to watch.¡±

    Rina said this with a hint of interest and sipped from her wine ss. She had the demeanor of someone watching a fire zing across the river, but her words were somewhat chilling.

    ¡°¡­Love battle?¡± When she heard Rina¡¯s words, Marie furrowed her brows and turned to face me. Unconsciously, I also met Marie¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°¡­Ah!¡± Then, with a sudden look of startlement, Marie took her hand off my arm. Hearing Rina¡¯s words, she seems to have realized, albeit btedly, how others would perceive the current situation.

    Cecily, meanwhile, also quietly let go of my arm, as if she wanted to stop ying. It was the moment my arms, which had been nearly buried in her full chest, were finally free. It might seem a little strange to say, but Cecily¡¯s breasts were fluffy, like a pillow full of feathers. As she removed her arm, I could feel it more clearly.

    ¡°Who¡­who¡­ah, who is <em>fighting?</em> Don¡¯t just make assumptions, will you?¡± As the situation came to an end, Marie hollered at Rina. Her snow-white skin blushed as she stammered at first, indicating that she was embarrassed.

    Rina shrugged her shoulders, as if it didn¡¯t matter, and replied with a nonchnt expression, ¡°I apologize for any confusion. It looks like Cecily was joking, right?¡± Rina then turned to face Cecily. Her tone was calm but assured.

    ¡°You noticed it right away. As expected of Rina.¡± Cecily, right on cue, did not deny it and immediately acknowledged it.

    I looked at Cecily as I tried to cool my own burning face. Unlike Marie, Cecily¡¯s rxed response, with her hands behind her back and her gaze elsewhere, suggested that nothing was wrong.

    But I¡¯m still baffled as to why she pulled this prank. Even though it was apparently a joke, it was a little much. Grabbing my arm without hesitation, even if it¡¯s for a ¡®reward¡¯ or something, is akin to disying affection.

    ¡®¡­Is she just ying a prank on me because I am easy to tease?¡¯ Cecily has feelings for me. It¡¯s not an illusion. If you observe her attitude towards me and her pranks, you¡¯ll realize it no matter how tactless you normally are.

    However, there are times when it is difficult to distinguish between a crush¡¯ as a person and a crush as a member of the opposite sex. As she previously stated, a reward-like concept to a demonkin would be simr to human-to-human feelings.

    ¡®I guess I have to think of it as just flirting¡­¡¯

    For the time being, it is preferable to believe so. Evidence that Cecily liked me as a member of the opposite sex was still insufficient, and even if she did, I was going to distance myself.

    I, the son of a baron, and Cecily, the princess of Helium. This alone should tell anyone how great the social gap between us is. Of course, once she realizes I¡¯m the author of <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga</em>, the tables will be turned, but let¡¯s forget about that for now because no one wants to reveal a well-kept secret.

    It¡¯s not just Cecily, however, but also Marie who¡¯s a problem for me. Her social rank is also among the top of this country.

    ¡°By the way, Isaac¡¯s suit reminds me of Cecily¡¯s a little. It looks great with your hair color.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Ms. Rina seems to be shining like the sun in the blue sky, too.¡±

    ¡°<em>Huhu</em>. Thank you for thepliment. Marie seems to be prettier than before. Is this what you meant when you said you would be working hard on something for today?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not at all happy to hear you say that.¡± Despite Rina¡¯splimentary words, Marie treated her coldly. Despite the fact that Marie is the daughter of a duke, she still showed disrespect to the princess, who is superior to her.

    Rina, however, didn¡¯t seem to mind at all, merely smiling like usual, and didn¡¯t say anything else in response. After seeing Rina¡¯s demeanor remain calm and unruffled, Marie¡¯s own expression started to crumple in real-time.

    ¡°¡­Anyway, what are you going to do now?¡± Mari asked Rina, maintaining her cold demeanor, to which Rina replied in her characteristically soft tone, ¡°I was going to take Isaac with me. I thought it would be nice to introduce Isaac to a friend I know.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re asking Isaac toe with you? Don¡¯t you have to ask Isaac¡¯s opinion?¡±

    ¡°Well, I guess I could ask him now. What does Isaac think?¡±

    Even after Marie¡¯s hostile-sounding question, Rina answered skillfully. She looked at Marie¡¯s annoyed face and then asked for my opinion. I rubbed the nib on my middle finger, feeling ufortable once again.

    I¡¯m already getting a lot of looks, and what if I follow Rina around the venue? It is obvious what others will think. Even if Rina is disappointed, rejecting her offer is preferable to entering theplicated world of aristocratic politics. Even if she applies subtle pressure again, I will refuse.

    ¡°I apologize. I don¡¯t want to cause any trouble to Ms. Rina, so I shouldn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Even if I personally ask you to?¡±

    After I politely expressed my refusal, Rina said what I expected. ¡°Please,¡± she added, but it was more like an order from a royal princess. I was looking Rina in the eyes as she said this. Her eyes were filled with the certainty that I would be unable to refuse. But I can assure you, princess, that you are wrong.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Princess. I¡¯m not interested in situations that get tooplicated. Not at all. I just want to enjoy the Gathering itself at this moment.¡± I said this in a strong voice, making my intentions clear to Rina. I ced a hand on my chest to show my resolve.

    Rina¡¯s eyes widened slightly, perhaps because I¡¯d said it so bluntly, using the title of Princess instead of calling her by her first name as I usually did. She hadn¡¯t expected me to say this at all. Even if it hurts her feelings, it¡¯s better for my future reputation if I cut her off here.

    ¡°¡­Okay. If that¡¯s what you intend. I can¡¯t take someone who doesn¡¯t feelfortable being with me.¡±

    Rina understood what I meant, but she didn¡¯t show any signs of disappointment. She was silent for a moment, and when she had nothing more to say to me, she turned to Cecily next to her.

    ¡°And you, Cecily?¡±

    ¡°Me? I¡¯m just wondering who Rina¡¯s friends are.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Marie¡ª¡±

    ¡°Do I really have to answer that?¡± Before she could finish the question, a harsh reply came back from Marie.

    Rina, as expected, smiled and opened her mouth. ¡°Marie. Before I say anything, how long are you going to keep that attitude? Do you hate me so much?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to get close to someone who always wears a mask. I can understand where you¡¯reing from, but it shouldn¡¯t have happened, at least not to me.¡±

    Rina had apparently caused Marie great pain in the past, huh. Rina isn¡¯t saying much about it, so I¡¯m guessing she feels that she made a mistake.

    The stunned silence that followed Marie¡¯s answer was broken only briefly when Rina spoke again. Instead, her voice was weaker than before as she murmured, ¡°¡­We¡¯ll talk about itter. Cecily, shall we go?¡±

    ¡°Um, yes, certainly.¡±

    ¡°Then I hope you two have a good time.¡±

    Rina led Cecily to a spot where people were gathered in groups of twos and threes. Cecily waved a quick goodbye and smiled at us as she walked away.

    I waved back in<em> d¨¦j¨¤ vu</em>, feeling like I¡¯d been through a simr situation before. Marie next to me also waved back at Cecily, but didn¡¯t even spare Rina a nce.

    <em><strong>(To be continued¡­¡­¡­¡­)</strong></em>

    <em><strong>Editor and Proofreader:- </strong>In Valen¡¯s Name</em>

 Chapter 32.2: What Bullshit Is This (1)

    The chapter title has been changed from ''What Nonsense Is This'' to ''What Bullshit Is This''. Though I feel it wouldn''t make much difference, it just shows the MC''s feelings a bit more.

    When Rina and Cecily were surrounded by people and soon out of sight, Marie looked at me and suggested something. Her face was bright and cheerful, unlike the way it was around Rina.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we go somewhere else, then?¡±

    ¡°Umm¡­¡± I cast a nce at Marie, who had casually referred to us as <em>¡®we,¡¯</em> and didn¡¯t answer right away because I had something to think about.

    The reason for rejecting Rina¡¯s proposal was partly because I didn¡¯t want to get involved politically, but the fundamental reason was that I felt ufortable around Rina. She wasn¡¯t someone I feltfortable talking to, like Marie or Cecily.

    But in Marie¡¯s case, things were a little different. I consider myself to be close to her, and she currently has feelings for me. I couldn¡¯t tell if these were feelings as a member of the opposite sex or as a person like Cecily, but I could say that it was not an unpleasant rtionship.

    <em>¡®Still, I have to say something.¡¯</em>

    Feeling a little worried, I asked Marie, ¡°If I¡¯m with you, won¡¯t the reason for rejecting Ms. Rina¡¯s proposal disappear?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Marie didn¡¯t answer right away, probably because she was at a loss for words. Her blue eyes rolled back and forth, searching for a reason.

    No matter how far away Marie is from a sense of authority, she still hails from the Duke of Reqiluis¡¯ family. Even if she wants to avoid it, it is aplicated thing to be in a position where she has no choice but to be politically involved.

    Moreover, she had brought up a simr point before. Even if she does not want to attend gatherings like this, as the daughter of the Requilis Family, she is obligated to do so in order to expand herwork. It¡¯s an inescapable truth.

    <em>What choice will Marie make here? </em>I waited patiently for her to organize her thoughts.

    She nodded after a few moments, looking over to Rina and Cecily. She¡¯d apparentlye to a conclusion.

    ¡°¡­Not right now. I have things to do, you know.¡±

    Marie spoke with a slightly gloomy expression. Her work was obviously to expand herwork. If she valued the gathering as a simple, friendly get-together of academy students like I did, she¡¯d be happy to join me, but s, it wasn¡¯t to be.

    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll see youter, then.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll meet you when the event is over. Oh, and¡­¡± Marie stopped talking and stared at my face. In response, I tilted my head in question.

    She opened and closed her mouth, blushed slightly, coughed, and then spoke to me in a quieter voice than before, ¡°That¡­because of Cecily¡¯s prank earlier, other people might ask what¡¯s going on between you and me. Then¡­¡±

    ¡°Then?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡±

    Marie¡¯s speech was no longer just slurred, it was gone, and at the same time, her face was beginning to turn a deeper shade of sunset red.

    Well, I could sense what she was thinking. She¡¯s probably trying to figure out what kind of rtionship she has with me. I waited quietly for her lips to open.

    After a few moments of deliberation, she nced at me and sighed heavily, and opened her mouth in a slightly mixed voice, ¡°¡­Just say we¡¯re just friends, okay? Tell them that Cecily was ying a prank and you were worried about her.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°¡­Okay. Then have a good time.¡± Marie walked away after a weak response to my forthright reply. It wasn¡¯t until she turned around that I noticed the back of her dress was open. Although not as good as Cecily, Marie¡¯s dress is also daring.

    I looked at her for a moment, her back alone radiating beauty, before turning away as the situation appeared to be resolved.

    ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Suddenly I felt eyes on me from behind so I turned my head back. But, as if it was all an illusion, no one was looking at me.

    Only Marie¡¯s back, which was getting further away, was visible. I turned away after looking at her back once again.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just get some wine.¡±

    On my way to the table, I thought about the wine Rina had in one hand earlier. You¡¯re considered an adult here when you turn 17, so it¡¯s okay to drink.

    I don¡¯t really like drinking, but I was curious. <em>What does wine taste like in this world? </em>I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s because my taste buds are childish, but I prefer it sweet rather than bitter.

    ¡®But when will the event start¡­¡¯ I muttered to myself as I made my way to the table.

    ¡°Hey, the redhead over there!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    The redhead in question was me, and I could roughly guess who it was based on the voice that kept repeating in my head and the fact that I was called a redhead instead of my name.

    I turned my head, and sure enough, I saw a familiar face in the distance. Despite being surrounded by others, that undeniable presence was unmistakable.

    As my unmistakable face draws the attention of those around me, I nervously surveyed my surroundings just in case. But sure enough, there¡¯s only me with red hair.

    In response, I pointed my index finger at myself and questioned, ¡°Me?¡±

    I wonder if that got through. The unmistakable presence¡ªthat is, Jackson¡¯s face¡ªappeared twisted and distorted. His expression clearly showed an <em>¡®If not you, then who?¡¯ </em>look.

    I walked over to Jackson, giggling inwardly at his reaction. Then the people around him focused their attention on me. They were all unfamiliar faces, presumably not students. The men were mostly tall or broad-shouldered, and some women wore men¡¯s robes rather than dresses.

    I stood in front of Jackson and gave him the same blunt greeting as before. I didn¡¯t care even if there were a lot of people watching.

    ¡°Hi.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡±

    Jackson¡¯s face crumpled even more than before. For some reason, he seemed unhappy with my greeting.

    He then took a deep breath as if to clear his throat and spoke quietly. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ You have no manners. Didn¡¯t your family teach you to show respect to those who hold a higher rank than you?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡±

    I didn¡¯t answer right away, just nced around. The faces I saw for the first time were watching this situation with interest. It seems like he was trying to paint me as a rude bastard in front of everyone, but he¡¯s got one thing wrong.

    ¡°That¡¯s only when you¡¯ve ¡®officially¡¯ taken over the title, not when you¡¯re one of us.¡±

    ¡°¡­what?¡±

    As soon as I said that, Jackson gave me a puzzled look. It turns out that the only time you should be polite is when you¡¯re officially titled.

    There are, of course, exceptions. One example is royalty, which is higher than nobility. This is why I always addressed Rina in a respectful manner. Because Cecily asked me to call her <em>Noona</em>, that was an exception.

    But Jackson had this weird belief that I don¡¯t know where he got it from. Besides, unless you have a condescending mindset like Jackson¡¯s, people are usually respectful and honor each other.

    ¡°But shouldn¡¯t they be formal with each other?¡±

    ¡°That redhead spoke informally first.¡±

    ¡°No, it was Jackson who called out to the one with red hair first.¡±

    Ah, but that doesn¡¯t make me right. As one can see from what the others are saying now, we were bothbeled as rude. However, Jackson appeared befuddled by the current situation. I¡¯ve never been publiclybeled as rude before so this was a first.

    I opened my mouth to continue the conversation since he was stumped. The first thing I need to know is why he called me. ¡°Anyway, do you have something to tell me? There has to be a reason you called me, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­Hmm? Hmm.¡± Jackson cleared his throat and calmed down, perhaps as a result of my question. And he spoke to me with his usual condescending demeanor, ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. I happened to see you while passing by. There was a funny situation before that.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡±

    ¡°The daughter of the Duke of Requilis and the Princess of Helium. They are people you can¡¯t get close to, no matter what anyone says. They live in different worlds, unlike us.¡±

    ¡°So what¡¯s the point? If you¡¯re going to talk about weird things, I¡¯m leaving.¡±

    ¡°Now, wait! Listen to me!¡±

    When I gestured as if I was really going, Jackson stopped me abruptly. It seems that he never expected that I would act like this. But now I¡¯m a little annoyed that my precious time is being taken away. I was going to drink my wine, after all, so what the hell?

    With a look that implied that he still looked down on me despite my brusque expression, Jackson said, ¡°The story I want to tell is simple. It¡¯s to test each other¡¯s logic.¡±

    ¡°Logic?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I didn¡¯t think it was worth it at first, but after seeing how much attention you were getting from professors, I changed my mind. Your knowledge and understanding have been validated, so I¡¯ve been wondering how sound your logic is.¡±

    <em>Umm¡­ So you¡¯re going to humiliate me in front of everyone, assuming you¡¯re smarter than me?</em>

    I¡¯m not sure why he made such a confident proposal. Rather, it could be the equivalent of arm wrestling for Jackson. Apparently, he wants to humiliate me and show off his brains at the same time, which will backfire if he loses.

    I raised one eyebrow and expressed my doubts. Let alone a suggestion, I was curious about the subject.

    ¡°What¡¯s the subject? If it¡¯s weird, I¡¯ll reject it.¡±

    ¡°<em>Xenon¡¯s Saga</em>.¡±

    ¡°¡­what?¡±

    <em>Why is this happening all of a sudden?</em>

    ¡°Everyone here is a huge admirer of <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga</em>,¡± Jackson said as he spread his arms and pointed to the people gathered around him. ¡°Just a few moments ago, we were discussing how the story will unfold in the future, each with our own opinions and logic.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°And then I saw your face. You, the freshman in Academics, are often receiving the attention of the professors.¡±

    ¡°So?¡±

    At my question, Jackson sneered and continued, ¡°As you know, <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga</em> has Xenon and Mary as the main characters, but Jin and Lily are just as important. In addition, the pitiful love story between Jin, a demon, and Lily, a saintess, is tugging at the heartstrings of countless readers. We were just discussing it a moment ago.¡±

    ¡°So I noticed.¡±

    And I¡¯m going to tragically end that love story. No matter what others say, shouldn¡¯t rice cakes* and foreshadowing be collected?

    {*T/N:- The literal trantion is ¡®Tteokbap¡¯ which is used as a metaphor to describe something popr and hot like a hot topic, hot issue, or hot information that will catch people¡¯s interest, a.k.a. bait.}

    But the discussion of <em>ships</em>, I thought, was a little off. I thought we were going to talk about the economy or politics of the story, but as Nicole once said to me<em>, ¡®Kids will be kids.¡¯</em>

    Jackson, seemingly bolstered by my affirmation, rattled off a series of exnations, adding, ¡°But I don¡¯t think so. Jin and Lily can never get along. I can be sure of this.¡±

    ¡°¡­Why?¡±

    <em>You bastard, did you find the rice cake I hid so tightly?</em>

    I felt my liking for Jackson rise a bit from where he usually crawled on the floor <em>(metaphorically speaking)</em>, and focused on his words. From a writer¡¯s point of view, there¡¯s nothing more gratifying than when a reader deduces a plot twist through reasoning.

    Furthermore, what if it is a case of meticulous analysis and reasoning based on foreshadowing and my rice cakes to draw his conclusions? I will write more diligently now that I know you enjoy my work so much.

    That¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t help but have more expectations for Jackson. Everyone thinks Jin and Lily should end up together, but if he says they can¡¯t, there must be something¡­

    ¡°Because Lily will eventually go to Xenon.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°Abination of a demon and a saintess¡­ God won¡¯t allow it no matter how fierce their struggle to be together is. Lily will eventually realize this too. Besides, you can tell that she has feelings for Xenon from the way she often shows kindness to him.¡±

    ¡°Fuck. What?¡± What the hell is this bullshit? I let a heartfelt curse slip out of my mouth as soon as I heard his exnation.

    This asshole just turned a perfectly good character into a fucking bitch.

    <em><strong><strong><em>(¡­¡­¡­¡­ Thank you for reading¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­)</em></strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>Editor and Proofreader:- </strong>In Valen¡¯s Name</em>

    <strong><strong><strong><strong>Previous Part Index </strong></strong></strong></strong>

 Chapter 33: What Bullshit Is This (2)

    As far as discussing the <em>rtionships </em>goes, we canugh it off. Some may find Jackson¡¯s topic of logical debate strange, but here¡¯s aparison.

    <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga</em> follows a simr format to analyze the rtionships between characters in a literary novel in a Koreannguage ss. Furthermore, <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga</em> is written in a way that makes it easy to recognize the characters without having to exin them, so the rtionship between the characters is fairly obvious.

    Right now, many people are aware of the rtionship between the main character, Xenon, and the heroine, Mary, as well as the rtionship between Jin and Lily. If Xenon¡¯s colleagues are included here, it bes quiteplicated.

    ¡°Fuck. What?¡± However, Jackson¡¯s words were so ridiculous that I, the original author, couldn¡¯t understand them. Usually, I tend to refrain from swearing, even subconsciously, but the words just came out of my mouth.

    Maybe Jackson didn¡¯t know I was going to curse at him, so he looked a bit surprised, but it was only for a moment. He stretched out his index finger as if to say <em>¡®Look¡¯</em>, and exined with his characteristic arrogant expression.

    ¡°Hearing you cursing like that, you must be impressed too. Of course, none of us expected Lily to go to Xenon. Don¡¯t you all think so?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­after hearing it, I suppose you¡¯re right.¡±

    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped because their nature is different from each other.¡± When Jackson asked the audience for their opinions, there was a general feeling of eptance. Reading the atmosphere, I could see him waving his hand and running away.

    I don¡¯t know if they were being incited to agree or if they had something to say that they hadn¡¯t said yet, but I¡¯m guessing thetter since not one, not two, but most of them agreed. These people aren¡¯t stupid enough to be easily persuaded by that.

    Even though I wanted to scream, I held off. Instead, while barely calming my simmering heart, I asked Jackson, ¡°¡­Is that all? Just because Lily has a crush on Xenon?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. I¡¯m not talking about the world we live in now, but the world in <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga</em> where discrimination against demons still exists. Even more so, Lily is a priestess with a promising future within the Church of Light. That is enough, but I¡¯m more concerned about Jin¡¯s birth.¡±

    ¡°Birth?¡±

    The heat that was simmering inside of me quickly dissipated, as if I¡¯d been doused with cold water. I was listening to this as if it were a bunch of bullshit a moment ago, but now that Jackson had ¡®mentioned¡¯<em> birth</em>, the story changed.

    He was right, because Jin¡¯s birth was one of the most important plot points in the story.

    Jackson smiled, as if he had read my expression, and continued triumphantly, ¡°Yeah. Most people probably didn¡¯t notice because it was mentioned in passing, but Sakran, the leader of Demon Hunters, told Jin, ¡®A demon with horns asrge as yours and a concentration of ck mana as dense as yours are extremely rare.¡¯ In addition, demons in <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga</em> are notable for the fact that their devil blood bes a little thinner with each generation.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡±

    ¡°To summarize, Jin is a demon born to a true demon and a human, rather than a demon born to demons. As a result, the demon¡¯s features are bound to stand out even more.¡±

    ¡°Wow¡­¡±

    <em>p- p- p- p. </em>I pped my hands in genuine admiration. The start was odd, but the entire process fits the story I wanted to tell.

    In fact, unlike other demons, Jin was a demon who was far closer to the Devil than a human. His mother was raped by a true demon and forced to give birth to him, and this unfortunate demon grew up under severe abuse from childhood.

    Even the true demon who raped Jin¡¯s mother was no ordinary demon. He was one of the Seven Deadly Sins that would appear in the future, in charge of ¡®gluttony¡¯, and had the ability to steal the power of others.

    Jin inherited this ability as well, and in the distant future, he will use it to absorb the power of Diablo, the fake final boss, and the arch-demon. Of course, after that, he will be consumed by power and tragically defeated by Xenon.

    ¡®At least he¡¯s not stupid.¡¯ He may be a jerk and an asshole, but he¡¯s not stupid. Rather, he is more like an avid reader who has read the <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga </em>more diligently than anyone else.

    However, even if he is an avid reader, there¡¯s no excuse for being an asshole. Moreover, Jackson is currently in a situation that is both fortunate and unfortunate. The fortunate part is that I am the original author of <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga,</em> while the unfortunate part is that I am the original author of Xenon¡¯s Saga.

    In the meantime, when I apuded and showed my admiration of Jackson, he put on a proud expression. He exuded confidence that told me to look up to him.

    ¡°How is it? If you have something to say, you better do it now.¡±

    ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is that Jin¡¯s birth issue and Lily¡¯s position ovep and they don¡¯t end up together, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I hear you¡­¡±

    ¡°But it doesn¡¯t make sense for Lily to turn a blind eye and go to Xenon over something like that, does it?¡±

    I cut Jackson off mid-sentence, voicing my own opinion. Confusion shed across his face as if he hadn¡¯t expected me to tly deny it.

    Jackson¡¯s reasoning was really good, but unfortunately, as the original author, I have to deny what I have to deny. In fact, Jackson¡¯s exnation was so usible that many people may interpret it differently than I intended.

    Thest thing I want is for my characters to be judged in a strange way.

    ¡°¡­What doesn¡¯t make sense?¡± Jackson said, his voice low with displeasure as I retorted. It seems that he was not in a good mood because his reasoning, which he poured his passion into, was denied.

    Of course, Jackson¡¯s reasoning does have some merit, so it¡¯s worth mentioning.

    ¡°As you said, there is something suspicious about Jin¡¯s birth. Maybe it¡¯ll be a big stumbling blockter. No, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s a stumbling block. The fact that his demon¡¯s features are thicker than others means that it is closer to the Devil than to humans.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°But do you really believe Lily is unaware of this? If he had been with her since childhood, would she be by his side even knowing that?¡±

    There are many reasons why Jin and Lily¡¯s love route is tragic, but one of them is that they are <em>childhood friends</em>. Jin was abused as a demon even by his own mother, and even more so for being a demon.

    If he had grown up like this, he would have really be a true ¡®demon¡¯, or devil, but his lifepletely changed after his idental encounter with Lily. In the story itself, it¡¯s often said that he was saved because of her.

    Lily also falls in love with Jin, who demonstrates her steadfast devotion, but she is unable to approach him willingly due to their respective positions and circumstances.

    ¡°And Lily¡¯s kindness to Xenon was more like human-to-human kindness than reasoned kindness. Xenon, in particr, prevented Jin from bing a true demon a few times, correct? Lily couldn¡¯t help but be grateful. Plus, they know each other¡¯s minds very well. There are quite a few depictions of themughing while asionally looking at each other, or holding hands in secret.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°On top of all that, Lily gave Jin flowers a few times. Do you know what kind of flowers they were?¡±

    Jackson listened to my question and frowned as if pondering. To answer the question ahead of time, the flower that Lily gave to Jin was a Lily.

    Lilies have many meanings, but the most representative of them is definitely <em>¡®pure love.¡¯ </em>Lily, as the name implies, was openly expressing her feelings for Jin.

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s a white flower, a lily. And a Lily represents unchanging love or innocence.¡±

    After a few moments, the answer came. But it wasn¡¯t from Jackson, it was from one of the people who had been watching our discussion closely.

    I turned my head toward the person who spoke. The person who answered was a pretty young man with neatly pulled-back brown hair. Because he was tall and had a sturdy physique exposed despite formal dress, I assume he wasn¡¯t a academic student. He also had sharp eyes and a chiseled jaw. Overall, he looked like a cool, handsome man.

    Anyway, I have to say what I have to say. I shifted my gaze from the brown-haired man back to Jackson. Jackson kept his mouth shut after hearing what a lily represented, as if he didn¡¯t have anything to say.

    ¡°Lily is emphasizing to Jin that her feelings for him will never change. Jin is well aware of this, which is why he devotes himself more than anyone else. So even if they don¡¯t end up together, it¡¯s impossible for her to go to Xenon at this point. It¡¯spletely out of character for her. The fact that she was named Lily in the first ce is proof of that.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡±

    ¡°Still, my admiration earlier was genuine. You said that Jin¡¯s birth was unusual because you caught the foreshadowing that others would easily overlook. To be honest, that surprised me a bit too.¡±

    <em>¡°Keugh¡­!¡±</em>

    It sounded like I offered apliment, but apparently not to Jackson. I wondered for a moment if I¡¯d said something wrong as Jackson pursed his lips and started blushing, but I soon figured out why.

    The remark I just said, <em>¡®That surprised me too¡¯ </em>was said from the point of view of the original author, but Jackson has no idea that I am the original author. So there¡¯s room for him to take that statement to mean that I¡¯m above him. But what can I do? <em>Words once spoken cannot be taken back.</em>

    Besides, given Jackson¡¯s usual tirades against me, I didn¡¯t feel the need to correct him. Let him have another tirade.

    ¡°So you don¡¯t think Jin and Lily can be together, either?¡±

    While Jackson¡¯s face was turning red, someone asked me this question. It was the same brown-haired man who had just given an answer about lily flowernguage.

    I took a moment to consider the man¡¯s pleasant, mid-range voice and the fact that, unlike Jackson, he was actually polite. My conscience pricked as I realized that telling him what was going to happen would be a spoiler.

    Worse, I might get my tail stepped on over this. I¡¯m the kind of person you can¡¯t forget once you¡¯ve met me. In that case, I cannot ignore it.

    After mulling it over in my head, I opened my mouth with the nuance that this was just my hypothesis, ¡°Well, only the author knows that, but I¡¯m leaning towards the side that it can¡¯t continue.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Jin is a knight, devoted to Lily. It means that he is willing to give up his life if Lily is in danger. In fact, there¡¯s actually some portrayal of that.¡±

    ¡°Oh, is that it? Jin¡¯s monologue about how he¡¯s willing to be a true demon for Lily¡¯s sake.¡±

    This man knows that far. I flinched at the sight of the brown-haired man who answered with a bright expression. I¡¯d thought he¡¯d be cold and emotionless, but looking at him now, what can I say¡­? Now that I see the twinkle in his eye, there is a certain amount of enthusiasm there.

    ¡°Uh¡­ maybe that¡¯s part of it? Anyway, Jin is willing to give his life for Lily, even if it means bing a true demon.¡±

    ¡°Poor thing¡­ Is that really going to happen?¡±

    ¡°Only the author would be aware of that. Still, I hope the two of them end up together.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have to look them up when I get back to my dorm. I didn¡¯t realize it when I read it, but hearing it now is fascinating.¡±

    As soon as I finished, the onlookers began exchanging opinions. As the situation seemed to calm down, I looked at Jackson.

    He had a look of frustration on his face that things weren¡¯t going the way he thought they would. It was unsettling to see him staring at me.

    ¡®Why would you say such an absurd thing?¡¯

    His misfortune, once again, is that I am the original author of <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga</em>. If it had been someone else he was debating, that person would almost certainly have been persuaded by his logic.

    The certainty that Jin and Lily would not end up together was good to see, but I couldn¡¯t let go of the thought that Lily, the epitome of purity, would go to Xenon.

    I nced over at Jackson, who was struggling to speak, and quietly opened my mouth, ¡°So, is there anything else you want to say? I¡¯m fine with anything.¡±

    ¡°¡­Ugh!¡± I could clearly hear his teeth grinding and he walked away, not wanting to face me anymore. As he walked away, no one looked at him.

    Seeing that, I was about to walk away too.

    ¡°Excuse me, <em>red-haired gentleman?</em> What¡¯s your name?¡± The cool-looking man with brown hair called me.

    I looked at him, slightly confused. Then, a face filled with anticipation and interest caught my eye and I knew I was caught up in something troublesome.

    ¡°¡­My name is Isaac. Isaac Ducker Michelle.¡±

    ¡°Ducker¡­ Micelle?¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s Michelle, isn¡¯t it thest name of the Red Lion?¡±

    ¡°Come to think of it, Assistant Professor Nicole is also named Michelle.¡±

    As soon as they heard my father¡¯sst name, who was famously known for being the Red Lion, each of them started whispering. Nicole¡¯s name was also mentioned asionally, and apparently, she is also famous among the new students. Hey, with a face and skills like that, it would be weird if she wasn¡¯t famous.

    ¡°So that¡¯s why ¡­ you looked familiar with your red hair and golden eyes¡­you must be the son of the Red Lion. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you; I¡¯m Edin Mavi Signer, eldest son of Count Signer.¡±

    ¡°Nice to meet you, Edin. By the way, may I ask why you called me?¡±

    The brown-haired man, Edin, answered my question as if it were no big deal. ¡°I wanted to talk to you, Isaac. As Jackson said earlier, everyone here is a huge fan of <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga</em>. I think Isaac is simr so I thought it would be fun to hang out with you.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡±

    I¡¯m not a fan, I¡¯m the author. I smiled vaguely at Edin¡¯s invitation. But, unlike Jackson, he probably won¡¯t fight with me, and he also had a few questions. I have no intention of rejecting such a friendly overture. Besides, it would be nice to get to know him better and increase mywork of acquaintances.

    ¡± Sure, sure. Do you mind if I have a ss of wine first? I¡¯m a little thirsty.¡±

    ¡°Oh, certainly. The wine is on the table over there.¡±

    I walked over to the table Edin pointed to. Then, as I approached, the waiter who was serving in advance poured me a ss of wine himself so I didn¡¯t have to choose it myself.

    The wine in my ss had a deep purple color, and when I sniffed it, the aroma of grapes stimted my sense of smell. ¡®Should I take a sip?¡¯ It wouldn¡¯t hurt to take a sip before going back. I took a sip of the wine while looking at my surroundings.

    ¡°¡­Oh.¡± The wine wasn¡¯t bitter at all, but a subtle sweetness lingered in the mouth. It was perfect for my child-like pte.

    Satisfied with the taste of the wine, I returned to the seat. Judging by the fact that the group did not disband even after Jackson left, it seemed that only fans of <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga</em> were gathered.

    As evidence of this, most of thements that came out of the group were remarks about <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga</em>. There were so many different opinions that I was embarrassed to hear them all.

    ¡°Ah, there you are. Just in time, we were talking about something interesting.¡±

    ¡°Something interesting?¡± Something must have happened while I went to get the wine. When I asked, Edin nodded and opened his mouth.

    ¡°Yes. We were all discussing Mary¡¯s origins. As Isaac knows, Mary is a wizard, right? But magic is a very difficult skill formoners to learn, so most of the spection is centered around her being a noble, a marquise, or higher.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ Is that so? What do you think, Edin?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing that Mary might be rted to the elves. The story of <em>Xenon¡¯s Saga</em> tends to describe her appearance consistently, and it¡¯s always mentioned that her ears are covered by her thick hair. Not to mention, elves, like demons, are masters of magic. It should be easy to assume she¡¯s hiding it.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°What do you think, Isaac?¡±

    <em>What the¡­ How do you know all that?</em>

    I could only blurt out a stupid answer to Edin¡¯s exnation, who had it all figured out. ¡°¡­I wouldn¡¯t know that far, would I?¡±

    My conscience was pricked when I said this in front of my faithful readers.

    <em><strong><strong><em>(¡­¡­¡­¡­ Thank you for reading¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­)</em></strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>Editor and Proofreader:- </strong>In Valen¡¯s Name</em>

    <strong><strong><strong><strong>Previous Part Index </strong></strong></strong></strong>

 Chapter 34: Alcohol is a Problem (1)

    After chatting with Edin and the others, the event of Gathering began in earnest. The actual event was just a short speech by the moderator, a few words of encouragement to rx and enjoy the venue, and a band ying music.

    However, the atmosphere in the auditorium became more ripe after the speech was done. Before this, there was a bit of a raucous atmosphere, but that changed after the band started ying.

    But my interest in the music they were ying and the instruments they were using was fleeting, and I was busy chatting excitedly with Edin.

    ¡°You¡¯ve read a lot too, Mr. Isaac. That¡¯s great.¡±

    ¡°No. Mr. Edin is more amazing. I have a lot of free time because I am a literature person, but you are not, by your own admission.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for thepliment. Have you read the autobiography of Alexis the Explorer?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I have read it. I especially enjoyed the part about eating caterpirs and them tasting like vomit.¡±

    ¡°Oh. I see you remember that part, so¡­¡±

    As I talked to Edin, I learned a few things: he¡¯s a bookworm, just like me. Moreover, his favorite genre was autobiography or stories of explorers, so we had an easy conversation.

    Because of that, I didn¡¯t notice the time passing as we chattered, so I naturally ended up drinking a few sses of wine. I think I had about five while Edin finished only one.

    ¡°Mr. Edin, have you ever fought a monster?¡±

    ¡°Once upon a time, I went hunting with my father. I was a bit surprised when an orc suddenly appeared. But it wasn¡¯t too difficult.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ and what about ogres? I heard ogres are really strong?¡±

    ¡°Well? I¡¯ve only met one, and at that time we cooperated with other knights to subdue him.¡±

    Because of this, time passed and I was able tost to the end. Unlike Jackson, Edin had a firm grasp of the concepts and a cool personality that made me feelfortable with him.

    Edin, too, seemed to like my hesitant approach and broke out into a heartyugh every now and then.

    ¡°Hahaha! That¡¯s true¡­ Ah, right. Mr. Isaac? I was wondering about something, if I may ask?¡±

    ¡°Sure. What is it?¡±

    Was it because I had too much wine? Normally, I would have been a little wary, but the sweetness of the wine took over my brain and I didn¡¯t think about it. The wine was not bitter, but sweeter, and I¡¯d had too much.

    Meanwhile, Edin looked around for a moment, then, realizing that no one was near us, leaned in close and asked me in a whisper, ¡°A while ago, Lady Reqilis and Princess Cecily fought over you.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    ¡°Can you tell me why they fought then?¡±

    It felt like my mind, which was a bit hazy, started clearing up. I shook my head vigorously after hearing the question, then checked his face. There was no malice in his expression, just pure curiosity. The expression on his face was so nd and cool that it was difficult to distinguish his expression, but I could tell this much.

    In response, I pressed my finger firmly to the bridge of my nose and opened my mouth. It must have been because I¡¯d had too much wine, and my head was spinning.

    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ Cecily-noona was joking with me. Marie saw that and told her to take her hands off me. You know, linking arms is something lovers do, right? But demons are different. Marie was worried about that, too, so she told her, and me, to pull away.¡±

    ¡°Cecily-noona? Are you sure you can address Princess Cecily <em>noona </em>in such a friendly way?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡± I was speechless again. I shook my head vigorously once more at Edin, who had asked this in surprise.

    But words, once spoken, cannot be taken back. Still in a daze, I barely managed to answer. ¡°Uh, yeah. We¡¯ve talked a few times and be close. Maybe that¡¯s why we y jokes well with each other.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ Really? Have you had a few sses of wine, by the way? Because your face is the same color as your hair.¡±

    ¡°Well? Ah, maybe¡­¡± Hearing Edin¡¯s question, I pondered.

    Once at the very beginning. Once before the event started. After that¡­ I just remembered that I drank every time the wine ss was empty.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It was delicious, so I drank it every time my ss was empty.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    At my answer, Edin stared nkly at me. It¡¯s like he¡¯s trying to gauge how drunk I am.

    But contrary to his thoughts, I was fine. Although I was a bit hazy and my tongue slurred a little, I was still capable of normal thoughts. At least, as far as I¡¯m concerned.

    ¡°¡­ Just drink that much for today. Otherwise, you will make a mistaketer.¡±

    ¡°Stop drinking something so delicious? There¡¯s no way.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Isaac. You don¡¯t drink wine because it¡¯s delicious. It¡¯s for the pte.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll just have onest drink.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s just one ss¡­¡±

    Edin heard myst offer and reluctantly agreed. Still, it was an expression that implied it wasn¡¯t very trustworthy.

    Regardless, I poured thest quarter of the wine into my mouth. At first, I felt the bitter taste, but then the subtle sweet and sour taste dominated my mouth. It was ideal for me, who had refused to drink beer due to its bitterness in my previous life. Since this is the case, I believe I could easily consume several bottles.

    ¡°Whoa! As expected, it¡¯s delicious. What did you say the name of this wine was?¡±

    ¡°Alchione. It is one of the most well-known wines in the world. The taste varies greatly depending on how long it has been aged. As far as I¡¯m aware, the wine served at gatherings like this has to be at least ten years old.¡±

    ¡°It must be very expensive.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that expensive. It¡¯s as simple to brew as it is well-known. That is why it is a wine that is easily essible to themon people.¡±

    Edin tried to exin it to me, but I couldn¡¯t hear him. My head was spinning even more than before, most likely as a result of the wine I had just drank. Alcohol is still alcohol, no matter how sweet it is. I struggled toe to my senses, but my foggy mind remained.

    Edin approached me with concern as if he had noticed that I was not feeling well.

    ¡°¡­You must be really drunk. Stop drinking now.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll just have one more drink.¡±

    ¡°When you¡¯re drunk, one drink turns into two, then three. Enough¡­¡±

    It was when Edin was holding me back¡­

    ¡°Isaac?¡± A familiar voice pierced my ears through my dizzy mind. I blinked at the sweet woman¡¯s voice and then turned my head.

    Cecily, with a wine ss in one hand, was looking this way with her eyes wide open. <em>Why is she here when she should be by Rina¡¯s side?</em> It seems that her business was almost over.

    In the meantime, Edin opened his eyes slightly wide when Cecily appeared and asked so quietly.

    ¡°¡­Princess Cecily?¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡± It was only then that Cecily noticed Edin¡¯s presence and began to formally greet him. ¡°Hello. My name is Cecily Drat Aicilia Bean, the princess of Helium. Please call me Cecily if you feelfortable with it.¡±

    ¡°I-I am the eldest son of Count Signer¡¯s family, Edin Mavi Signer. It is an honor to meet the heir of Helium.¡±

    Edin¡¯s gaze dropped momentarily at her polite greeting, then he bowed ording to protocol. That must have been his gaze going to her chest. When you see him stuttering to the end, it¡¯s obvious.

    <em>So you¡¯re a man, too.</em> To be honest, if you saw Cecily now, you would have been drawn to her regardless of gender.

    ¡°Nice to meet you too. By the way¡­¡± Cecily, who spoke, looked at me and then asked Edin, ¡°May I ask what happened to Isaac?¡±

    ¡°Oh, well¡­ He had a little too much of the wine.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t drink much, so that¡¯s¡­¡± My pronunciation was a little slurred. <em>Don¡¯t worry though. My head is a little dizzy, but I¡¯m fine. </em>Maybe.

    ¡°Hmph.¡±

    Cecily examined my condition and raised the corners of her mouth, making a faint nasal sound. My vision was blurry, but I could make out the smile that came out whenever her yfulness was triggered. It made me feel a little uneasy.

    As soon as I saw it, I reflexively took a step back. Cecily quickly grabbed my wrist before I could do so and turned to Edin.

    ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me, do you mind if I take Isaac with me?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Is that okay?¡±

    <em>Say it¡¯s not okay.</em><em>Hey</em>. But Edin betrayed my expectations.

    He looked back and forth between me and Cecily, then epted with a shy expression.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind¡­ But instead, please don¡¯t let him drink any more wine. I¡¯m afraid this will get him into trouble.¡±

    ¡°Sure. Let¡¯s go, Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± In the end, I had no choice but to move my feet, guided by Cecily¡¯s hand. I focused my remaining nerves on the wine ss, lest I identally drop it.

    Of course, I didn¡¯t forget to say goodbye to Edin before I left. My pronunciation was a bit slurred, but my intentions were conveyed and Edin, worried about me, told me to drink in moderation. <em>I told you I¡¯m not drunk.</em>

    The next ce we arrived at, led by Cecily, was a table with various foods. As soon as Cecily arrived at the table, she softly asked the waiter who was waiting with the wine.

    ¡°Can you get us some more wine, please?¡±

    ¡°Of course, my beautifuldy.¡±

    ¡°Then Isaac, you take a drink first.¡±

    ¡°Ah, sure¡­¡±

    Following Cecily¡¯s words, the waiter brought out clean wine sses and poured the wine neatly. It was not a purple wine, but a deep red wine.

    I noticed that it was different from the wine I had drunk so far and asked the waiter. My pronunciation was so twisted that I slurred like a mollusk. ¡°Is this mousse wine?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Red Kali. Unlike Alcione, it¡¯s more sour.¡±

    ¡°Try it once. It¡¯s delicious. Before that¡­¡± Cecily sipped thest of the wine and handed the ss to the waiter. Without saying anything, the waiter poured more wine into an empty ss.

    The color of the wine and Cecily¡¯s dress were simr, now that I think about it. A dazzling beauty holding a ss of wine simr to the color of her dress in one hand. When viewed in this light, it appeared to be a painting.

    As I stared nkly at her figure, Cecily smiled. An alluring voice dug into my ears as she said to me, ¡°I heard that in the human world, there is a culture of clinking sses before drinking. Is it called a <em>toast</em>?¡±

    ¡°Originally, the dwarves did it first¡­¡±

    In my previous life, it was a culture that happened by chance, but here it was a culture that was created by humans after following the dwarves. That¡¯s a fact that I learned by ident while reading various history books.

    However, many people mistake toasting for human culture, because the number of humans is overwhelming and the dwarves don¡¯t care.

    ¡°Huh? I had no idea.¡±

    ¡°As for the demons¡­ do you have a toast that you do?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s something simr. We raise the ss slightly. It¡¯s like a tribute to honor a kindred who met a sad fate. That¡¯s why we don¡¯t do it often on such a joyous day.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡± I nodded and lowered my head slightly.

    Conversing with Cecily like this, I learned new characteristics of the demons that I could not find in the books.

    Last time, I learned what stroking a demon¡¯s horn meant, and I also learned that a demon¡¯s ¡®inner evil¡¯ grows stronger with each cycle. So these little details¡­

    ¡°¡­that would be nice¡­¡± Could it be because I was drunk? The words slipped out of my mouth.

    Fortunately, I had my head lowered and murmured softly, so all Cecily could hear was¡­

    ¡°¡­write it down¡­ Isaac?¡±

    No. Even though I was embarrassed, I raised my head for a moment and faced her. ¡°¡­Huh?¡±

    ¡°Shall we make a toast?¡± Cecily smiled brightly and held out her ss of wine, inviting me to join her. I could see the red liquid swirling in the ss.

    In my mind, I knew I shouldn¡¯t drink anymore, but my body was already moving. I¡¯m not sure if it was because I hadn¡¯t had a drink in a while, but despite Edin¡¯s warning, I wanted to drink more.

    <em>Clink-</em>

    As we clinked our sses, a clear and pleasant sound was heard. Cecily grinned and raised her ss to her lips as soon as she made the toast.

    I also brought it to my mouth to drink the wine. Then, a reddish liquid gradually flowed into my mouth.

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± I trembled. Just like the waiter exined, unlike Alcione, it was more sour than sweet. A less sour lemon vor, I judged.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    While I was still reeling from the sour taste in my mouth, Cecily called my name. I managed to open my mouth, despite feeling like I was about to snap. ¡°Yes¡­noona¡­¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯ve been wondering about, do you mind if I ask?¡±

    ¡°What is it¡­?¡±

    My vision now was more than blurry, it was hazy. In addition, the voices of the murmuring people and the music of the band was deafening, echoing in my ears. But strangely enough, I could hear Cecily¡¯s question clearly.

    ¡°Do you like to write?¡±

    <em><strong><strong><em>(¡­¡­¡­¡­ Thank you for reading¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­)</em></strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>Editor and Proofreader:- </strong>In Valen¡¯s Name</em>

 Chapter 35: Alcohol is a Problem (2)

    A book that had a tremendous impact on the world, Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    At first nce, it may seem like a typical hero¡¯s story, but the tale it holds is very profound. It portrays demons, usually treated as devils, as unfortunate beings and depicts fragments from the light and dark sides of nobles.

    Until now, when ites to novels, there have been only books with convoluted sentences and overwhelminglyplex words. However, Xenon¡¯s Biography takes apletely different approach. Sentences and descriptions that seem to y out in one¡¯s mind, leaving behind memorable scenes and messages that linger.

    Above all, it was enjoyable. It tells the story of amoner who lived an ordinary life but encountered a ¡®Strange Fate¡¯ and developed his talents, ultimately bing a hero who saves the world. In addition, there are charming female leads and supporting characters.

    (TL note: strange fate is something like falling off a cliff and finding an elixir or a neighbourhood old grandpa turns out to be a swordmaster and trains the protagonist.)

    As such, Xenon¡¯s Biography has established itself as a popr book that is easy formoners to read and enjoy by people of all ages, genders, and races.

    Furthermore, readers are curious about the next installment of Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    Who is the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography? Who can write a book like this?

    Many critics have offered various opinions, but the most credible hypothesis is that the author is an elderly sage. The hypothesis that the author is an explorer who has traveled around the world in the past and gained various experiences has been particrly emphasized.

    Teenagers who still should be cared for by parents and 20-year-olds who have just entered society were naturally excluded. This is because Xenon¡¯s Biography had too many scenes that could only be written with abundant experiences.

    At least, unless you lived in another world.

    "...why are you asking that?"Isaac, red-haired and with half-open eyes, asked Cecily in a shaky voice. The golden eyes that shone like amber, had dimmed and his voice, which had been blunt, was now weak.

    His face turned red like his hair, which anyone could tell he was drunk. It was apletely different appearance from his usual self.

    <i>¡®How cute.¡¯</i>

    While thinking that it was cute, Cecily recalled her usual suspicions at the circumstances. First of all, the callus of the middle finger, or pen-hook, that Rina mentioned.

    Like the calluses on the palm of a knight who had held a sword for a long time, the callus on his middle finger was a mark that could only be obtained by holding a pen for a long time. It was not just a month or two, but a callus so severe that it had to be at least years.

    Of course, Isaac, who had a habit of taking notes, could have calluses. Besides, he had said that he liked studying, so it could be overlooked up to this point.

    The second was Isaac¡¯s attitude towards Xenon¡¯s Biography, which he usually dismissed. He certainly liked the story of Zennon like other people, but he wasn¡¯t as enthusiastic about it like others. It was just his hobby to read.

    However, considering his previous attitude and the story she secretly overheard from Jackson earlier, he seemed to be seeing through the Xenons¡¯ story. If he knew the story this much, it would mean he was passionate about it, but Isaac was strangely indifferent.

    Lastly, it was about the identity of the demons that Isaac mentionedst time.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s simr to what Xenon said to Jin. Is this really a coincidence?¡¯</i>

    There is a scene where another protagonist, Jin, contemtes the identity of the demons while watching Sakran¡¯s sacrifice, and Xenon helps alleviate his concerns. Other races, including humans, may see it as just Xenon providing encouragement, but for Cecily, there was a context that cannot be easily overlooked.

    Isaac defined the demons as ¡®the most humane beings who know better than anyone that they cannot be human, but yearn to be human.¡¯ And the sentence that Xenon said to Jin is as follows.

    [Don¡¯t worry. Unlike what you¡¯re worrying about, even if demons be devils, they can die like humans. Look at Sakran. Even Gods can¡¯t help with the inherent qualities of a person. That¡¯s why demons are even more human-like.]

    Xenon¡¯s words were simr to what Isaac said to her.

    If Isaac is really the author of the Zennon story, then there are surprisingly many pieces of evidence that fit. However, this alone is not conclusive enough proof.

    Above all, Isaac is currently 17 years old, and even if we consider him as a human, he has just be an adult. Despite having abundant knowledge, he couldn¡¯t have abundant experience.

    Moreover, Isaac has admitted that he has hardly ever been outside his house and lived a sheltered life. Given that, the Xenons story is filled with experiences that require firsthand observation or a lot of experience, which Isaks.

    Due to this indecisive evidence, the proof that ¡°Isaac is the author of the Xenon¡¯s Biography¡± has not been established. Upon hearing Isaac¡¯s question, Cecily shrugged her shoulders.

    "I just asked out of curiosity. Doesn''t Isaac like reading and writing things? I wondered if you were also writing a book.""...No, I''m not writing a book...""So?"Cecily turned her gaze to Isaac as she watched the wine swirl in her ss.

    Maybe it was because of the alcohol. If it had been a normal day, it would have been easy to tell what Isaac was thinking because everything showed on his face, but now it was difficult to discern.

    People tend to make mistakes when they¡¯re drunk, but Isaac seemed to be even more tightly guarded. That made me more suspicious. Once a doubt arises, it tends to grow and persist, even if it¡¯s been proved wrong before.

    <i>¡®I wish I could just use magic, but¡­ That¡¯s not the way to go.¡¯</i>

    The utility of magic is endless. There is magic that can be easily used in life, and magic that maniptes the mind to express one¡¯s true feelings. However, using magices with its own set of risks and consequences. Misuse of magic can cause harm to oneself and others, and it can also attract unwanted attention from those who wish to exploit it for their own gain. Therefore, it is important to use magic responsibly and with caution.

    Although it is a magic soplex that a human could never touch it, magic is known as the expertise of demons. With a little effort, she could use it well enough.

    However, magic cannot be used except in certain areas at the Halo Academy, and mental magic has many risks and aftereffects. You can¡¯t just act confident and go through the head of a person you like.

    If it was someone I didn¡¯t knowpletely, I would have leaned towards using it, but it¡¯s Isaac. Isaac is special to her, so it¡¯s right to treat him preciously and with respect.

    <i>¡®Humans are numerous. Once in a while, there may be a true coincidence where circumstances ovep.¡¯</i>

    Even if he is considerate and thoughtful, he is still 17 years old. In addition, the number of humans is overwhelminglyrgepared to other races, so there is no need to point out Isaac.

    <i>¡®Still, I¡¯ll need to keep my doubts.¡¯</i>

    The probability of Isaac being a writer is significantly low, but it increases slightly if he¡¯s just involved. Cecily checked Isaac¡¯s condition for a while while pondering who was around him.

    Isaac was on the verge of losing consciousness, and if he continued like this, he would probably copse and fall asleep. It seemed that he needed to be seated or taken care of.

    "Isaac. Are you okay?""...yes.""You don''t look fine at all. Let''s sit over there and rest."Cecily pointed to a chair ced in the corner of the auditorium. There was also a wall, so it is a perfect ce to rest and lean on.

    Isaac also turned his gaze in the direction she indicated and soon shuffled his steps there. He held a wine ss in one hand, which looked a little funny, but her concern outweighed it.

    Although she walked with him in case he stumbled, she was still very uneasy. He seemed to be walking like a newborn penguin following its parents.

    "The alcohol... is... quite... delicious... hehe."Now he¡¯s even giggling. As she watched Isaacugh, Cecily couldn¡¯t help but make a fresh expression.

    Isaac, who is usually taciturn and only asionally shows a change in expression when joking around, but he rarelyughs. Even when he does smile, it¡¯s usually just a smirk and he neverughed foolishly like he is now.

    <i>¡®He¡¯s even cuter when he smiles.¡¯</i>

    The more I look, the more he looks like a baby penguin. Even though his build is not that small, it feels small, and his distinctive features also feel cute. It might be because he is much younger than me.

    Still, it seems that excessive drinking should be banned in the future. He would be aughing stock due to a rumor of him drinking too much at this gathering, which wouldn¡¯t be good for Isaac either.

    "Take a rest here until you''re sober. Got it?""Yes¡­¡±"By the way Isaac, writing isn¡¯t really your hobby, right?"Cecily asked a question, subtly changing the word ¡°hobby¡±. She was hoping that Isaac, who was not in his right mind because of alcohol, would give as much evidence as possible.

    Isaac stared at Cecily at the question and smiled broadly. Then answered brightly.

    "I don''t know about that..."¡°...¡±Cecily let out a faint smile as she watched Isaac brightly respond like a child.

    Although normally he appeared mature, now he looked like a child.They say that when people get drunk, their true nature is revealed. Is this Isaac¡¯s true nature? It is truly a desirable nature.

    Cecily put her hand on Isaac¡¯s head and spoke kindly. It was the moment when her characteristic yfulness kicked in.

    "Okay. Since Noona is going, you stay here quietly. Isaac is a good boy, so he will listen to older sister, right?""Yes...""Yes. Yes. Isaac is a good boy after all."He gently stroked the hand that was ced on his head. Whether she had taken care of it separately or not, but it felt soft.

    As Cecily continued to stroke his head, Isaac giggled and wobbled like before. It was evident that he was feeling good.

    "Okay then, I''ll go now. You have to stay here just like Noona said, okay?""Yes!"Cecily left behind Isaac¡¯s enthusiastic response and moved on. Even as she walked, she didn¡¯t forget to check on Isaac, just in case.

    Isaac was moving back and forth like an Ottogi doll with his back straight. Cecily felt a little anxious when she saw it, but she moved on, thinking It should be okay.

    Less than three minutes after Cecily began talking to others.

    ¡°Huu¡­¡±Isaac¡¯s eyes slowly closed and eventually he fell asleep.

    Trantors note:

    Hello!

    I¡¯m Ghostre the TL here! After seeing How To Live As A Writer In A Fantasy World not being picked up despite being this good I decided to give it a shot. I¡¯m doing an edited MTL with help from chatGPT and currently striving to reach the quality the previous TL¡¯er managed to achieve. It may not be the best but I will try to at least make it enjoyable and not painful to read.

    For now I¡¯m uploading this chapter to see if NU bot finds this and to get your opinion on quality of this trantion, so let me know what you think about it.

 Chapter 36: Alcohol Is A Problem (3)

    "...uh.""... ...""Oh¡­!""...oh!""Ummm..."

    What on earth is this sound? An unidentified sound echoed in my ear.

    I groaned at the unidentifiable sound that buzzed in my ears. My head was dizzy and his insides were burning like a hot fire.

    I didn¡¯t feel well enough to close my eyes and go back to sleep like this.

    "Wake up!""What¡­ ?"

    This time it sounded vividly in my ears. The sound of someone shouting at me to wake up.

    Trembling, I barely managed to open my eyelids, which I had not even considered lifting until I heard that sound.

    As my hazy vision gradually cleared up, a familiar face came into view. White hair and blue eyes. And even a somewhat dissatisfied expression.

    My judgment was slightly dyed due to my dizzy head, but it was certainly Marie.

    "Are you awake now?""Ugh..."

    I couldn¡¯t answer Marie¡¯s dissatisfied question immediately. It was because as soon as my consciousness returned to some extent, a headache came over me.

    I managed to open my mouth with a throbbing headache, and my dry voice flowed out from my lips. A rather dry voice came out of my mouth because I hadn¡¯t drunk water in a while.

    "...Where am I?""Where do you mean where? The auditorium."

    Oh, that¡¯s right. I remember Cecily taking me here just before the film was cut off. I don¡¯t know what happened in the process, though.

    I think we had an important conversation, but strangely enough I couldn¡¯t remember it. Well, I guess it can¡¯t be helped since I was drunk.

    I don¡¯t know what I did after that, but I think I probably fell asleep quietly. As they say, old habits die hard, and I tend to pass out if I drink too much.

    "By the way, I was wondering where you went, but you were passed out here. How many sses of wine did you drink exactly?"

    Marie¡¯s tone, which was filled with disdain, struck my ears. But even with the reprimands mixed in, her sincerity came out.

    I opened my mouth, pressing down on the bridge of my nose. My voice was still hoarse.

    "...I don''t know."¡°Okay. I guess you don''t know. Here.¡±"Huh?"

    Marie handed me something while I was pressing on the bridge of my nose. Unlike a wine ss, it was an ordinary ss cup, and inside it contained clear and transparent liquid and spherical ice.

    I didn¡¯t know there were ss cups because I only drank wine. Of course, since I have only drank wine.

    "It''s just ordinary cold water. I didn''t put anything weird in it, so just drink it without any fuss."

    When I was staring nkly at the ss for a while due to my dizzy mind, Marie told me what the liquid was in the cup in a gruff voice.

    It was only then that I said ¡°ah¡± and carefully took the ss. A refreshing coldness was transmitted through both of my hands as soon as I received it.

    Then, I looked closely at the ss with ice and brought it to my mouth with both hands, afraid that I might drop it.

    gulp- gulp- gulp-

    "Whoa!"

    After drinking half of the cold water, a heartfelt exmation burst out of my mouth.

    Just a while ago, my chest was burning as if I had lit a fire, but thanks to the cold water, I felt like I was alive again. My throat, which was as dry as a desert, also felt like it had returned to normal.

    "Do you feel a little better now?"

    Marie looked at my reaction and asked me with a smile. I answered as I felt my dizzy head gradually improve.

    "Thanks to you. Where did you get this?""It was on the table. There''s not only wine, but also cocktails."

    It seems like there were other drinks besides wine. But I wouldn¡¯t have known since I was drinking wine non-stop as it was too delicious.

    I shook my head from side to side and looked around to clear my head. Now that I looked, I couldn¡¯t see the band that was ying on the stage, and the number of people inside the auditorium had significantly decreased from what I remembered.

    It seemed like a lot of time passed after I fell asleep, sitting in a chair. I asked Marie quietly, scratching my head in embarrassment.

    "That... by any chance...""I don''t know when you fell asleep. I only just got some free time myself. It''s been about four hours since we parted ways."

    Marie spoke first as if she had read my thoughts. She even added a displeased expression while crossing her arms.

    Considering that she must have been busy running around here and there, so this question could have been rude. With that in mind, I struggled with what to say and eventually opened my mouth.

    "...Then we can hang out together now, right? That''s what you said before we parted ways.""Huh? Yeah, that''s right. But are you going to be okay?"

    Marie was momentarily taken aback by my question, but she immediately became worried about my condition. Considering that I almost fell while drunk before I passed out, she had a reason to worry.

    However, after falling asleep and waking up, the effects of the alcohol had somewhat dissipated. Moreover, the cold water that Mari gave me acted as a sort of a remedy, enabling me to function normally.

    Of course, I still had a headache and felt nauseous. I vaguely remembered hearing that wine can cause particrly severe hangovers.

    "I seem to be able to move around. Also, I heard something from my father. He said that circting your mana can alleviate a hangover.""Ah, that? I''ve heard about that from my older brother, too.""Huh."

    I stood up from my seat and started circting the energy within my body. Even if I didn¡¯t have much talent in martial arts, I could still circte my mana.

    As I continued to concentrate, the sluggish mana in my body began to move vigorously. Whenever I circted my mana, I couldn¡¯t help but be surprised by the refreshing and cool sensation it brought. It always felt unfamiliar to me.

    <i>¡®It''s amazing to think that this energy can be used inbat.¡¯</i>

    It was when I was fixing my clothes while thinking about it.

    After hearing about my method of circting mana to relieve a hangover, Marie seemed to ponder deeply for a moment before suddenly opening her eyes wide with excitement. Something seemed to sh through her mind.

    Suddenly, she grabbed my arm with an urgent expression and eximed loudly. Her bewildered expression was overwhelming.

    "Hey! Hey! Stop right now! You can''t circte mana right now!""Huh? Why not? I''m starting to feel better..."

    Ding-

    Before I could finish speaking, a headache rushed over me like getting hit in the head with a hammer, leaving me unable to speak any further.

    I stumbled back to the spot where I had been sitting, ovee by the sudden headache. To make matters worse, my stomach, which had been settled down by the cold water, began to feel nauseous.

    "I''m telling you, using mana will make the hangover worse! It''s likepressing all the time you would feel hungover into a shorter period!""Ugh...""Really... do you even know what you were doing?¡±

    Despite the continuousints, I couldn¡¯t hear anything. The headache and nausea that had just subsided rushed back all at once, leaving me disoriented.

    "Gosh... it¡¯s not even aedy."

    Marie grumbled as if she was bbergasted and plopped down onto the chair beside me.

    It seemed like she was waiting for me to recover, which might take a while. I felt sorry for causing trouble and had no choice but to apologize.

    "...I''m sorry. I had no idea this would happen.""Don¡¯t be noisy and just drink water."

    Come to think of it, I still had half the remaining cold water in my hand. After hearing her words, I quickly chugged the remaining water all at once.

    Thanks to the ice, the coldness still lingered, and I could feel the refreshing sensation all the way down my throat. It helped calm my stomach that was feeling queasy, and I started feeling a bit better.

    But the stomachache was the same. If I had kept circting the mana, I might have copsed, let alone stopping it immediately.

    "Ugh...""If you''re having a hard time, I''ll call someone to take you to your amodation. Usually at events like this, there are many people who end up drunk like you, so the waiters are always on standby."

    Marie rmended me in a worried voice, judging that my condition was not as good as it seemed. But I noticed the disappointment hidden in her consideration.

    Well, if I couldn¡¯t keep my promise after finally getting some free time, anyone would be disappointed, even if the other person¡¯s condition wasn¡¯t good.

    Besides, while I was sleeping, she must have been running around here and there trying to be helpful to her family, and as a result, she would have been exhausted. Despite that, she came to see me to keep her promise.

    So, I didn¡¯t want to disappoint her if possible. I tried to open my mouth and reassure Marie that I was okay.

    "I''m fine. My head is just a little dizzy, but it¡¯s nothing to worry about.""Really? That''s a relief.""Still, it might be hard for me to move around. Should we just talk here?""Here?"

    I nced at Marie while I was feeling nauseous, and she was looking at me with her eyes wide open. I nodded instead of answering to save as much energy as I could.

    Upon seeing my response, Mari blinked her cat-like eyes and then smiled like she couldn¡¯t help it.

    "You''re all good, but sometimes you can get silly.""It''s because of the wine this time.""That''s a very convincing excuse.""You didn''t drink?""I did drink, but not as much as you did. And it''s a trait of the Requilis family that they don''t get drunk easily.¡±

    It seems she has inherited good genes, not just in appearance. I couldn¡¯t help feeling envious and looked forward.

    It seems like they¡¯re starting to tidy up now, as the waiters were clearing the tables one by one. The number of students who participated in the gathering has also decreasedpared to before.

    Even so, only one person stood out, and of course it was Cecily, who was wearing a red dress. She was getting along with Rina as usual.

    Perhaps if you were to ask her to name her closest friend, she would choose Rina. Whenever I see her, Rina is almost always by her side.

    "... ..."

    Did she catch me looking at her? Cecily, who was talking with Lina, looked directly in this direction and waved her hand lightly.

    Although I had no energy to move, since she greeted me first from over there, I should respond. As I weakly waved my hand, Cecily chuckled lightly.

    "Is she looking at you?"

    Marie asked in a disgruntled voice from the side. I roughly replied in a weak voice.¡±

    "Probably. By the way, it seems like Cecily is always with Rina whenever I see her.""...I guess they''ve made up with each other."

    Perhaps Cecily had taken to heart what happened during the break up as her evaluation of Rina had be quite harsh. I couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly at what she said.

    In the meantime, Marie looked at her nails, and spoke in a calm voice.

    "...Isaac.""Yes.""I''m just asking because I''m curious, what''s your ideal type?""Ideal type?"

    I listened to Marie¡¯s question that was out of the blue and looked at her. She briefly hesitated when she met my eyes, then fidgeted with her nails, urging me to answer.

    "Yes. Your ideal type.""Why all of a sudden?""I''m just curious. There''s no particr reason."

    Marie answered as if it was nothing, but I could tell from her slightly reddened ears that she was a bit embarrassed. Unfortunately, her hair, as white as snow, made it even more noticeable.

    For a moment, I was taken aback by her reaction that didn¡¯t seem like her usual self. But then, I cleared my throat and mumbled as I rubbed my chin, pondering her question about my ideal type.

    "My ideal type..."

    To be honest, I haven¡¯t really thought about it. Maybe if it was in my past life, but now, beautiful women are all around me to the point where I can¡¯t even walk without bumping into them.¡±

    Including Marie, there¡¯s also Rina, Cecily, Leona, Adelia, and finally Cindy, an elf that¡¯s referred to as the incarnation of beauty.

    It will depend on your taste, but these people are by no means ones who can be called ugly. If someone were to say they are ugly, it¡¯s probably because that person has some strange tastes.

    Anyway, I haven¡¯t really thought about it at the moment. If I had to think of something, maybe having big eyes?

    As the thought urred to me, I stopped stroking my chin and opened my mouth.

    "Well...I haven''t really thought about it. I guess having big eyes is always nice.""Then what about women with big breasts like Cecily or Rina?"

    That¡¯s a very straightforward question. I was caught off guard by Mari¡¯s serious tone. Without saying a word, I met her gaze, which had suddenly be serious, and then silently lowered my gaze.

    While it¡¯s not as striking as Cecily¡¯s, Marie¡¯s dress is also quite bold, with a slightly exposed chest. Her snow-white skin would surely catch the eyes of many men.

    In any case, Marie¡¯s breasts were by no means small. Cecily was too big, but by my standards, Marie was also on the big side.

    ¡®No, this isn''t it.¡¯

    Due to the influence of alcohol, the conversation briefly veered off track, but we returned to the main topic. I raised my gaze and met her face once again and confessed my honest feelings.

    "...It''s nice if they''re big. It''s not just me, but other men would probably feel the same way. It''s an instinct.""Oh, really? I see..."

    Marie was about to turn her head with a gloomy expression. In a sh, I thought of something and quickly added.

    "Oh, there''s one more thing. It would be nice if we shared the same hobby.""Hobby?""Yes. A hobby."

    Even in the previous life, putting aside everything else, if our hobbies matched, we would basically get along well. Although we lost touch after my parents passed away , I had a female friend who I almost dated and we shared the same hobby.

    The same was true of Edin a while ago. It may be because I drank wine, but as soon as I knew that we had the same hobby, words poured out like a flood. Even though it¡¯s our first time meeting.

    "There is a certain sense of familiarity when you have the same hobbies. It feels like you can share and enjoy something together, you know? I like things like that.""Surprisingly ordinary, isn''t it?""That''s right. As you know, my hobby is reading, right? But these days, people only read Xenon''s Biography. I wish they would read some other books as well."

    At least these words were sincere. Until then, people had read a variety of books, but since the release of the Xenon series, the situation has changed.

    Due to being ustomed to the easy-to-read Xenon series, I have not even given a nce to other books. It was a somewhat regrettable reality.

    "...History?""Huh?""Don''t you like history too?"

    Marie asked cautiously. I slightly smirked at her question, then nodded my head and answered.

    "I like it. Why?""I just remembered and asked. There''s no particr reason. Oh, and..."

    Marie hesitated a little before speaking, then shook her head.

    "No, it''s nothing. Anyway, is your ideal type someone who shares your hobbies?""Yeah. What about you, Marie?""Me?"

    She pointed her finger at herself and asked In response to my follow-up question. I nodded my head to confirm.

    Then she stared at my face and raised the corner of her mouth. It was a mischievous smile that seemed familiar somehow.

    "I''m not going to tell you.""What?""I''m not going to tell you. Isaac, you''re surprisingly naive, aren¡¯t you?""No. Ha..."

    I sighed. If I had known it woulde to this, I wouldn¡¯t have answered either. It was the result of my judgment being clouded because of my dizzy head.

    When I wasughing in disbelief, Mary mumbled as if she was following along.

    "Someday...""Huh? What?""It''s nothing. By the way, is your head feeling better now?""I feel like throwing up."¡°If you throw up here, rumors will spread... Oh, I''m sure it already has. Sitting in a chair,pletely drunk with messy red hair. Sounds really funny, right?""Can I really hit you for real?""If you hit me, I''ll tell my dad."

    It took about 30 minutes for me to recover. Marie and I came out of the auditorium and had a brief conversation, and as it gotte at night, we said goodbye and parted ways.

    And just before parting ways, Mari called me over.

    "Ah, right. Isaac, there''s something I forgot to mention.""What is it?""You look cute when you sleep.""... ...""Then, see you next week. Bye~"

    I couldn¡¯t help butugh as I watched Marie wave her hand cheerfully and walk away.

    <i>¡®I shouldn''t drink alcohol next time.''</i>

    This gathering was, at least for me, a dark history in itself.

    Trantor notes:

    Hangover from wine indeed is the worst.

    I fixed some formating, also I¡¯m gonna post 2 more chapterter today.

 Chapter 37: Group Assignment (1)

    Even though I created a dark history for the first time in my life during the gathering, it didn¡¯t change my daily life. I suffered from a hangover all weekend, although it didn¡¯t cause any major obstacles for me to write.

    I just went in and out of the bathroom a lot. I¡¯ve heard that wine causes a worse hangover than other alcoholic beverages, and I felt that fact keenly.

    Anyway, despite some issues, I was able to write smoothly like a ship with sails set even if there were some bumps in the road. The historical knowledge I learned from Cindy while teaching her writing skills and the ecology of the demons that Cecily taught me were a great help.

    However, it¡¯s inevitable that the progress has slowed down as my free time has decreased by more than halfpared to when I¡¯m at home. It¡¯s only natural because I only focused on writing every day when I was at home.

    <i>''Certainly... the next volume will take two months at the earliest.''</i>

    At home, I was able to submit a manuscript every 15 days at the earliest or a month at thetest, but it was very difficult to do so because of the current situation. In fact, two months is a very fast pace given the circumstances.

    Because of this, I sometimes think how great it would be to have a machine like a typewriter. We live in a world where paper-making and printing technologies have advanced enough to produce newspapers, but why are machines underdeveloped?

    <i>¡®What can I do? It''s still the Middle Ages.''</i>

    In this world, not only industrial technology, but even objects that can be called ¡®machines¡¯ have not properly emerged, so the concept of ¡®engineering¡¯ itself does not exist. The refrigerator in my lodgings, the temperature control function, and finally the magic pen I use are all ¡®magic¡¯ instead of engineering.

    Perhaps even if we reach the Industrial Revolution, machines will not be entirely mechanical like in our past lives, and may contain a little bit of magic. I shook my head from side to side after recalling the steam engine I wrote about in volume 8.

    <i>''It''s not something to be concerned about until then.''</i>

    After finishing my work, I stopped abruptly while writing with the magic pen my father had given me.

    <i>¡®Come to think of it, don¡¯t we have a group assignment starting tomorrow?¡¯</i>

    My forehead automatically furrowed at the thought of a group project. I don¡¯t have a single good memory of doing a group project in my past life.

    During group project periods, even a miracle of miracles, things like a sick parent, attending a funeral, or a broken phone preventingmunication can happen.

    It ismon to be absent for various reasons, and there were even cubs who went to serve in the military.

    The most frustrating experience for me was when I did everything alone and still received a C grade from the professor. The memory of being scolded for doing everything alone instead of showing leadership and leading the group was still lingering in my mind.

    I wish such situations did not exist. If someone cannot do it, I am willing to do it all myself.

    <i>¡®Am I a fucking writer if I can''t even do that much?¡¯</i>

    The trauma of group projects was so strong that I ended up cursing. I had nothing but negative feelings towards group projects.

    Some people might ask if it¡¯s different because it¡¯s a whole other world here. Unfortunately, however, the essence of a ¡°human¡± does not change anywhere. Moreover, since there are social sses, the situation could be worse.

    <i>¡®But there isn''t even a PowerPoint here, what should we do? Should we draw a picture?¡¯</i>

    The difference between having and not having visual effects is huge. It¡¯s like the saying goes, ¡°hearing a hundred times is no better than seeing once¡±, and seeing something once is still better than not seeing it at all.

    It seemed wise to ask the professor about thister. If possible, I would like to present a rough drawing. The higher the grade, the better.

    <i>¡®We have to select a topic... It''s going to be harder than I thought.¡¯</i>

    Not for me, of course. I put off the group project and concentrated on writing for now. Currently, writing the setting about the Seven Deadly Sins is a priority.

    ''Let lust be a demon. And as for appearance...''

    I stopped the hand that was ying with the magic pen. A demon in charge of lust came to mind, Cecily, even dressed up in a dress she wore to the gathering.

    ording to the rumors I heard during the entrance ceremony, she was a descendant of a subus. If you only look at her behavior or the alluring atmosphere, the credibility is very high.

    <i>¡®...If I write something like this, I''ll certainly be suspected, so let''s describe it differently. I can add a setting that she was betrayed by a human man who treated her equally despite being a demon. Finally, the name should be¡­¡¯</i>

    Of course it¡¯s only natural that the name of a beastman in charge of anger is Satan.

    <i>¡®The fact that the name of a beastman is Satan... That''s really something.¡¯</i>

    I giggled inwardly and continued to write the story without interruption.

    ?????

    There¡¯s a saying about group projects.

    Unity is death, and separation is life.

    Normally, the proverb should be the exact opposite, but it doesn¡¯t apply to group projects. Paradoxically, when two or three people team up to do a task that could be done by one person, the efficiency of the work decreases sharply.

    Of course, that¡¯s just what the saying implies, and it¡¯s not always true that only bad things happen during group projects. It could also be an opportunity to get to know each other and build connections, which could lead to even better rtionships.

    The problem is though, whenever I do group assignments, I meet a team member who¡¯s like a total loser. Thanks to that, I was able to vividly experience the process ofing to hate humanity.

    Anyway, to make a group project ¡®slightly more¡¯ efficient, it¡¯s essential to first assign a small number of people. That¡¯s an absolute must.

    Just like the proverb that says ¡®too many cooks spoil the broth,¡¯ it seems that there are problems that arise when the number of people exceeds four. In many cases, when people run away thinking <i>¡®I¡¯ll be fine on my own~¡¯</i> problems start to ur.

    Those kind of bastards that are nning to me everything on the professor.

    ¡°As I mentionedst time, I will randomly assign groups today and give you an assignment. The topic is to predict the development of Xenon''s Biography. Exin why you came up with that hypothesis and provide evidence to support it.¡±

    As Monday approached and the humanities ss began, the professor brought up the topic of group assignments right away. As always, I sat in the front row and inwardly smirked after hearing his words.

    <i>''It''s finally here.''</i>

    Even in my past life where social sses did not exist, group assignments were the perfect trigger for human mistrust. I wonder how it will be here.

    In the meantime, the professor counted the number of students inside the ssroom one by one, then he opened his mouth with his characteristic soft voice.

    "The exact number of students currently attending my lecture is 46. We will divide them into groups of four and randomly assign the remaining 2 students. I will provide paper for you to write your name on and you can put it in the box¡±

    After that, Professor Beerus handed out a small bundle of paper to the student in the front. I took one sheet from the stack of papers and passed the rest to the back.

    "I hope we can be in the same group if possible. It''s because you are the mostfortable for me to work with."

    As I was folding the paper with my name written on it squarely, Marie, who was sitting next to me, opened her mouth. I nodded my head because Ipletely agreed with her.

    I would rather be in the same group with someone I know and feelfortable with, even if it means doing it alone, rather than being with someone I don¡¯t know.

    "I hope I can be in the same group as Isaac. If it''s Isaac, he might have already predicted the development of the Xenon¡¯s Biography."

    Cecily, who was sitting behind and probably heard Mari¡¯s words, spoke up in her yful tone. As soon as I heard Cecily¡¯s words, I couldn¡¯t help but flinch slightly.

    I couldn¡¯t figure out why she said that, but it wasn¡¯t a good thing for me. Besides, her words somehow seemed to have a hidden meaning, and it gave me a somewhat ufortable feeling.

    "Cecily, are you saying that you only want to rely on Isaac and not do anything?"

    Rina, who was sitting next to Cecily, asked in her soft voice. Cecily shrugged her shoulders nonchntly and replied with a hint of sarcasm in her tone.

    "Well, I don''t know. What about you, Rina? As the princess of this country, it seems like other people will do everything for you, right?""Well, I would appreciate it, but I also have a conscience. I should help too."

    Rina smiled slightly as she spoke, but Marie¡¯s expression quickly hardened. Marie looked back at her for a moment before turning her head forward again.

    Then Mari murmured ufortably under her breath, and expressed her ufortable feelings.

    "...What conscience? She¡¯s saying things that she doesn¡¯t even mean.""... ..."

    I deliberately pretended not to hear. It¡¯s not just once or twice that Mari has expressed her displeasure with Rina so now I can let it in with one ear and out with the other.

    After a moment, Professor Beerus collected folded pieces of paper with names on them and put them one by one into a box. Then, in order to mix the papers evenly, he shook the box vigorously and stirred it with his hand. It¡¯s not like he was making bibimbap, but he sure was mixing them evenly.

    "Okay. Then, I will draw the names. The first person to be drawn is..."

    When the professor unfolded the neatly folded paper, he looked at me with a surprised expression. Although I had some expectations when I saw the paper folded neatly into a square, it seems that my prediction was correct.

    While I was thinking about it, Professor Beerus tugged at his mustache with interest and called out my name.

    "Student Isaac Ducker Michelle. And next..."

    Please let someone I knowe out. Oh, except for Jackson, of course.

    While I was waiting anxiously, the professor took out a paper from the box and called out the name with a strong voice like before.

    "Aira Ben Matheus.""Yes!"

    As soon as the name was called out, a loud cheer was heard from the back. Judging from the voice that entered my ears so clearly, it seemed to be a woman¡¯s voice.

    In response, I turned my head back to see who my team member was. A cute-looking girl with brown hair raised her hand.

    Of course, I didn¡¯t recognize her face either. Judging from her middle name, she was probably a noble¡¯s daughter or someone from a prestigious family.

    "Next is Benjamin nk.""Yes, yes!"

    A reply came from not too far away. I leaned my head forward and looked to the side where the sound came from.

    A boy with dark blond hair and curly hair caught my eye. For some reason, he seemed very tense.

    Unlike the girl named Aira and I, he doesn¡¯t have a middle name, so I guess he¡¯s amoner. In Halo Academy, admission to the literary department for amoner, who is not from a noble background and not proficient inbat, would require a very difficult process.

    Compared to my previous life, it is like a middle school student who has only gone through the middle school curriculum, has to pass the Seoul National University entrance exam. Unless their intelligence is at a genius level, it is almost impossible to get admitted.

    Which means that at least it¡¯s not ipetent. I considered that somewhat fortunate.

    "Lastly... Leona Lions."

    Wait a minute. What?

    I blinked as soon as I heard the name the professor called.

    I looked around to find a familiar face and ended up looking at a woman. She had a typically expressionless face, but her surprise was written all over her face.

    It was Leona, who I discovered to be a beastwoman.

    <i>¡®...I don''t know whether I should like it or not.¡¯</i>

    If it¡¯s meant to be, then it¡¯s meant to be. I hesitated on how to react after facing Leona but decided to gently wave my hand.

    Leona, also startled, quickly erased the look of surprise on her face and turned her head. Although I felt disappointed that the greeting was ignored, I understood her position and didn¡¯t take it personally.

    "We have a group of four people. Next is... Jackson Mirrell Carrison."

    As soon as the group members were determined, the person I was keeping an eye on, Jackson, was called out. Although I wasn¡¯t paying much attention since I knew that Jackson wouldn¡¯t be in the same group as me.

    ¡°Marie Hausen Requilis¡±

    Surprisingly, Jackson and Marie were assigned to the same group. I wondered if this too was just a coincidence.

    I checked Marie¡¯s reaction as soon as the professor called her full name.

    "Of all people, with him..."

    Marie made a face as if she was chewing shit. Considering that she had seen Jackson flirt with Rina and Cecily with her own two eyes, it was understandable for her to react this way.

    For reference, Jackson hit on Marie once and didn¡¯t do it again after that. It was only natural after Marie openly cursed at him to screw off.

    But the problem didn¡¯t end here.

    ¡°Rina Urmi Christine¡±"Hmm?"

    Even Rina, whom Mari hated so much, joined the group. When I looked back, Lina was also surprised and raised one eyebrow.

    Even until this point, there were already plenty of problems, but then the final blow came right after.

    "... ..."

    Professor Beerus, who had been calm until he picked Rina, hesitated as soon as he checked the paper he had chosen next time. After that, he made a puzzled expression and turned his head to me.

    I looked at it and waited until his mouth opened. And¡­

    ¡°Cecily Drat Eisilia Bin¡±

    A crazy party was formed by breaking through the extreme odds.

    Trantors notes:

    I couldn¡¯t find full names for Leona and Jackson from previous TL so now they are what they are.

    One more chapter for now and another wille in few hours.

 Chapter 38: Group Assignment (2)

    What kind of absurd probability is this? As soon as I heard Cecily¡¯s name called outst, my eyes widened. It couldn¡¯t be anything but an incredible coincidence.

    What is the probability that those three and Jackson will be in the same group? Unless the lottery was fixed, it¡¯s almost impossible to believe even if it¡¯s not entirely impossible.

    After Professor Beerus called out Cecily¡¯s name, I was momentarily stunned and looked back. Seeing that Cecily and Rina had simr expressions, it was clear that they were also very surprised.

    <i>¡®Did he really manipte it?¡¯</i>

    This raised a reasonable suspicion. It¡¯s one thing if only one person is chosen, but it¡¯s hard not to think that way when three people end up in the same group.

    Then, when Professor Beerus started calling the next names, I checked Marie¡¯s reaction before looking for Jackson.

    The fact that Jackson, Rina, and Cecily ended up in the same group would be like a bolt from the blue to her. It was these three people who ended up in the same group, not anyone else.

    As I had expected, Marie was clearly showing her disbelief with her slightly open mouth. Even I was in awe of the reality that was so hard to believe right now, so it must have been even more shocking for her.

    The difference is that I am in a position to watch from across the river while she is struggling in the fire.

    <i>¡®Constion¡­ I¡¯d rather not do it.¡¯</i>

    In a situation like this, it¡¯s wise to just keep your mouth shut. It was already unlucky for her to end up in the same group as Jackson, and now that Rina, who could make things even worse, is also in the same group, it¡¯s better not to say anything to her.

    Moreover, after the meeting, her gaze towards Cecily was not really good. Although it¡¯s not as obvious as her tant dislike for Rina, she has been wary of her.

    <i>¡®It will be difficult.¡¯</i>

    It¡¯s not just at a difficult level, it¡¯s a hell level party. Marie is from the Requilis family, which ismitted to practicing noblesse oblige, so she tends to take action on her own, but what about other people? The question came up of itself.

    The princess of the Minerva Empire, the princess of Helium, and the son of a wealthy count.

    These three individuals were probably more likely to instruct others rather than to do things themselves. Especially among them, Rina would have had the strongest tendency towards that, as her position was more befitting of a ¡®leader¡¯.

    In other words, she tends to finish her work efficiently by having someone suitable do the job rather than acting in person, but in other words, she is likely to have a free ride in the group project.

    ¡°¡­Will he really not change it?¡±

    As time passed, Marie muttered with a frustrated expression, having toe to terms with an unbelievable reality. I could fully sympathize with her, but I didn¡¯t console her. I just looked at her with a gaze of sympathy.

    Although I felt sorry for Marie, the professor had emphasizedst time that there would be absolutely no changing of team members, and that if such behavior were discovered, they would be mercilessly punished.

    It¡¯s better not to think that it¡¯s enough if you don¡¯t get caught. Even if the professor is not a strict person, if caught, there will be a tremendous risk. It is inevitable that rumors will spread within the ss and perhaps you would even receive the lowest grade.

    ¡°That concludes all the team assignments. As I have emphasized before, it is impossible to change team members, and if caught, you will face severe punishment. Please be careful.¡±

    ¡°¡­haha.¡±

    Just in time, the professor kindly gave her a confirmation shot. At that, Marie let out a nkugh as if she had given up.

    I almost burst intoughter when I saw that, but I managed to cover it up by coughing. I think it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve ever seen Marie make such an expression.

    ¡°The presentation period will be held exactly two weeks from now, and during that period, sses will be reced with group discussions. In addition, for students who give a good presentation or ask sharp questions, bonus points will be given to the entire team.¡±

    It¡¯s understandable that he chose Xenon¡¯s Biography as the subject, but looking at it now, the professor secretly liked to eat it raw. However, considering that the students¡¯ ss schedules are very tight, it seems like they are substituting group discussions as a form of rest.

    (tl note: eat raw ¨C to do or try to do something without much practice or preparation. Here it means that he chose an easy subject.)

    Soon after listening to Professor Beerus¡¯s exnation I quietly raised my hand. I had a question I wanted to ask. When I raised my hand, Professor Beerus also readily reached out to me with a smile.

    ¡°Yes. Student Isaac. What are you curious about?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to ask if it¡¯s okay to use visual materials for the presentation.¡±

    This world has not even developed machines, let aloneputers. There is no beam projector let alone the PowerPoint that I used in my previous life, so I have no choice but to rece it with arge paper.

    After hearing my question, Professor Beerus gently stroked his mustache and pondered for a moment before calmly answering.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Using visual materials also means that you have prepared thoroughly. However, for this week¡¯s topic, visual aids may not be of great significance.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°The topic of this group project is to predict development, not to evaluate it. In my personal opinion, using a ckboard is sufficient.¡±

    Well, that¡¯s a relief. It seems like there¡¯s no need to go through the trouble of drawing pictures on arge piece of paper.

    Instead, it seems like we will have to work a little harder on organizing our materials and practicing our presentation since using a ckboard during the presentation is an unfamiliar task for us.

    <i>¡®¡­Wait a minute. Why am I naturally assuming that I will be the one to give the presentation?¡¯</i>

    That¡¯s why traumas can be scary. After being criticized several times during group projects, I naturally turned my focus towards doing the presentation.

    Of course, there is also the fact that I am the writer of Xenon¡¯s Biography. Perhaps there are other group members who are better at presenting than me, so I¡¯ll have to keep an eye on it.

    <i>¡®Watching others present could be interesting too.¡¯</i>

    If I¡¯m lucky, there may be people who offer me unexpected developments. Like Jackson at a gathering, there must be some students who are good at reading between the lines and catching subtle foreshadowing or hints.

    Even though the result was strange, considering it, Jackson¡¯s observational skills are excellent.

    <i>¡®¡­But I¡¯m not sure if he can pull it off.¡¯</i>

    I nced back while the professor exined the points to be careful of while working on group assignments. Rina and Cecily looked like they didn¡¯t care, as if they had sorted out all their thoughts.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll do well on their own.¡¯</i>

    I wonder who will suffer the most among that crazy party. I am predicting either Marie or Jackson.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s finish today¡¯s ss here. For the remaining time, each group member should familiarize themselves with each other¡¯s faces and establish a n.¡±

    Although there was still over an hour left in ss, Professor Beerus quickly ended the ss. It seemed like he ended the ss early so that the team members could learn about each other¡¯s faces for the time being.

    Finally, the ss ended with Professor Beerus politely saying goodbye. Before getting up from my seat, I checked on Marie¡¯s condition next to me .

    I couldn¡¯t see her face because her face was buried in the desk with her hair hanging like a curtain, but I could sparsely make out a few murmurs.

    ¡°It¡¯s over¡­ I have to give up on the humanities¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°If it was Isaac instead of him, it would have been possible, but why of all people¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Lumines-nim, why are you giving me such a trial¡­ I pray every day¡­¡±

    Do I really have tofort her? I took a closer look at Marie¡¯s sadness, which seemed to be sinking to the ground.

    However, just like pouring oil onto a zing me, Rina, who was sitting behind us, encouraged Marie in a carefree voice.

    ¡°Now that it¡¯se to this, how about we both try our best? The professor warned us not to change our group members, so wouldn¡¯t it be better not to give up?¡±

    ¡°¡­Bitch.¡±

    I¡¯ve never heard Marie swear before. That must mean she¡¯s really angry. Although Rina probably didn¡¯t hear it, because she spoke quietly.

    ¡°By the way, it would have been nice to have Isaac in our group, but it¡¯s a shame.¡±

    Rina looked at me and gave me a subtle smile. I responded with an awkward smile.

    ¡°Jackson will be fine, too. I felt it at the gathering, and although I don¡¯t know about other things, he¡¯s a guy with pretty good observation and analytical skills.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the same for you?¡±

    This time, it was not Rina but Cecily who asked me a question. Seeing the confidence in her voice, it seemed that both Rina and Cecily have a tendency to overestimate me.

    Many people seem to misunderstand, but I am not a genius. I just have a lot of misceneous knowledge thanks to my past life. Moreover, in this world, essibility to information is much more behind than in my past life.

    I opened my mouth with a bitter smile at Cecily¡¯s question and came up with a usible excuse since I couldn¡¯t bring up stories from my past life.

    ¡°You¡¯re overestimating me too much. I just read a lot of books, that¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°It seems to me that Isaac underestimates himself? Even the asional consideration he shows is something only a thoughtful person can do.¡±

    The ¡°consideration¡± that Cecily mentioned was more like a habit. As everyone knows, it is a habit that arose from my slightly mischievous temperament. It is a habit of thinking twice before speaking or acting.

    Of course, even with such a habit, one¡¯s nature does not change. You can still tell when I asionally behave mischievously.

    ¡°Well¡­ You can think of it as a habit. I have a slightly mischievous side, so I tend to think twice before doing anything.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good habit. It would be hard to get into that habit.¡±

    Those were Rina¡¯s words, not Cecily¡¯s. I gave her one nce and opened my mouth.

    ¡°That¡¯s true, but sometimes I end up missing opportunities. There is always a weakness that is overshadowed by one¡¯s strengths for people who are exceptional in some way. If a situation arises where I cannot use my strengthster, only my weaknesses will be exposed.¡±

    It¡¯s not necessary to go far, even I make various mistakes if I don¡¯t think twice. There was a time when I almost got caught by Marie because I brought the material notebook instead of the lecture notebook by mistake.

    After hearing my words, Rina shut her mouth tightly as if she had thought of something. In addition, her expression darkened slightly, so it seems that she recalled something unpleasant.

    ¡°While the atmosphere momentarily quieted down, I quickly organized my notes and stood up from my seat to leave. As the ss was over, I was going to follow Professor Beerus¡¯s advice and familiarize myself with my group members¡¯ faces.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be on my way. I hope you get good results.¡±

    ¡°Isaac, you should hang in there.We¡¯ll¡­ try our best.¡±

    Cecily said quietly, looking at Rina and Marie once each. It seems she also knew well that the current bnce among the group members was extremely bad. It could be inferred from how her words trailed off.

    So what do I do? Although I feel sorry for Cecily, it¡¯s not my concern. If any of them ask me for help, I n to firmly refuse.

    You may think it¡¯s cruel, but don¡¯t they need this kind of experience too? It was about the time I got out of my seat and headed toward Leona.

    ¡°Good morning. Beautifuldies. It¡¯s an honor to be on the same team with you.¡±

    ¡°¡­Hello. Nice to meet you too.¡±

    As soon as I left, Jackson showed up and smirked at me. His voice was so different from when he was addressing me, with a greasy voice and a gentlemanly tone.

    And Cecily epted the greeting on behalf of Marie, who was putting her head on the desk, and Rina, who was lost in thought. Her characteristic mischievous expression was gone, leaving only rigidity.

    Perhaps Jackson might see this as an opportunity. I looked at Jackson who continued his conversation with Cecily with a pleasant smile, but then turned my back on them. Meeting with my teammates was a priority right now.

    <i>¡®I wonder if I can work well with Leona.¡¯</i>

    Leona, who didn¡¯t reveal her true self, had a much more stoic and model-student image than me. Unless we¡¯re alone, she wouldn¡¯t show her chic side.

    Above all, it¡¯s much better than being at that crazy party. I walked towards where Leona was sitting and suddenly ran into a male student.

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°Oh! Hello! I¡¯m Benjamin nk!¡±

    Dull blonde hair with curly locks, and even an innocent face.

    It was Benjamin nk, one of my group members. I stoically nodded my head in response to his cheerful greeting.

    ¡°My name is Isaac Ducker Michelle. You can just speak informally.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ that, yes¡­? But you¡¯re a noble¡­¡±

    Benjamin was flustered by my words and tried to read my face. Seeing that he couldn¡¯t even make eye contact properly, I thought I could see what he usually thought of nobles in general.

    <i>¡®This damn ss society.¡¯</i>

    Unfortunately, in this world, Benjamin¡¯s reaction is normal. Unless you¡¯re from a noble family, there¡¯s a clear gap betweenmoners and nobles.

    That¡¯s why it¡¯s not strange for Benjamin to feel uneasy around me. I sighed inwardly before speaking to him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about that kind of stuff, so just speak informally to me. It makes me ufortable otherwise.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ Really? Okay. I¡¯ll speakfortably.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re talking informally to me right away.¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a joke.¡±

    Somehow, the military from my previous life came to mind. Benjamin looked bewildered when I added that I was joking.

    I chuckled at his bewildered expression and moved on with Benjamin hurrying along.

    ¡°I-Is it really okay to speak informally?¡±

    ¡°I told you so.¡±

    ¡°Okay. I¡¯m really going to drop honorifics.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re already doing it now, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    As I chatted with Benjamin, we eventually arrived at the desk where Leona was sitting. Leona was writing something in her notebook and closed it quietly as we approached. She then raised her head and met my eyes.

    Her expression was not cynical like before, but rather stiff, as if not even a drop of blood woulde out even if she were pricked with a needle. It seemed like she had sessfully kept a certain concept.

    ¡°My name is Leona Lions. Nice to meet you.¡±

    She took turns looking at us and introduced herself in a dry voice. Although there was a slight sense of incongruity with her attitude being so different from her real appearance, I suppressed it.

    ¡°My name is Isaac Ducker Michelle.¡±

    ¡°My name is Benjamin nk. Nice to meet you.¡±

    It was when the three of them exchanged greetings with each other.

    ¡°Oh, you already gathered?¡±

    A refreshing girl¡¯s voice came into my ears. Of course, not only me but the other two also turned their gaze in the direction of the sound.

    A girl with brown hair, brown eyes, and cute doll-like appearance was approaching. When I saw her from afar, I didn¡¯t realize it, but up close, I noticed that she was quite small in build.

    Then, she looked at the three of us in turn and politely greeted us by cing her hand in the center of her chest.

    ¡°I am Aira Ben Matheus of the marquis Matheus family. And¡­¡°

    The girl who introduced herself as ¡°Aira¡± looked at Benjamin and Leona alternately. After a moment, I caught a glimpse of her slightly raising the corners of her mouth, as if she had finished assessing everything.

    As I saw that, I furrowed my eyebrows slightly. Surely she wouldn¡¯t say it out loud¡­

    ¡°Except for Mr. Isaac, everyone else is amoner, right? I¡¯ll just speak informally then.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh,e to think of it, Isaac is from the baron Michelle family, right?¡±

    It was predictable to a certain extent, seeing as he added ¡®baron¡¯ to the end of myst name. It was a conclusion that could be drawn from the experience of struggling and arguing in group projects.

    ¡°I look forward to your kind cooperation in the future. I will be keeping an eye on you guys.¡±

    So, there¡¯s a bitch who¡¯s trying to get a free ride by using her status, huh.

    Trantors note:

    This one is gonna be a bit long.

    I set font color to grey cause I thought it will be easier to read, but I still want to ask you if you prefer text in gray or white.

    As <strong>In Valen¡¯s Name </strong>noticed I tranted Isaacs book as ¡°Xenon¡¯s Biography¡± instead of ¡°Xenon¡¯s Saga¡±, but that is because in early chapters it¡¯s mentioned that adventurers publish their adventures as a ¡®biography¡¯ so I think Isaac purposefully named it as such. Just thought I mention this, tho I may be wrong.

    I¡¯m going to trante at least 2 chapters a day until I hit 50th chapter so that there is something to read, but after that I will be slowing down to 5-7 chapters per week. Maybe¡­

    I¡¯m also thinking about picking up another series I have my eyes on, once I get to chapter 50 and get some chapters stockpiled.

 Chapter 39: Group Assignment (3)

    There are various types of viins in the group assignments.

    An ipetent team member who has absolutely no knowledge in that field and can¡¯t do anything. A whining member who always has othermitments and demands to finish quickly. A troublemaker who not only ruins teamwork with unnecessary stubbornness but also causes serious conflicts.

    As seen in the example above, there are various viins in group assignments, but the representative viin among them is the ¡®Free ride¡¯.

    So what does ¡®free ride¡¯ mean? As a word, it refers to the ¡®criminal act¡¯ of using transportation without paying. In group assignments, it refers to people who have no conscience and expect others to do all the work even though they haven¡¯t done anything themselves.

    However, as shown in the definition of free rides, it stops being a criminal act if only the right price is paid. In group assignments, there are also cases where someone bes a ¡®Financier¡¯, providing various conveniences, if they have a really unavoidable situation or have no knowledge in that area.

    For example, renting a study room in full by themself, or buying delicious food every time they attend a discussion, etc. In this case, it is not a free ride, but a situation where you can ride the busfortably by paying the transportation fee.

    Of course, it is not good to do this in reverse and try solving everything with only money. At the very least, you should discuss the circumstances before and obtain the consent of the team members before proceeding.

    ¡°I look forward to your kind cooperation in the future. I will be keeping an eye on you guys.¡±

    A cute yet elegant look. And even a slender body that seems to be less than 160cm.

    Aira, a girl with brown hair and a cute doll-like impression, greeted me with a smile. At a nce, she looked like a polite nobleman¡¯s daughter.

    However, before she greeted me, I could clearly see her gaze scanning Benjamin and Leona. It was definitely not a gaze that treated them as an equal.

    She wasn¡¯t ring at me openly like Jackson, but it could be said that she was harboring a knife in her heart. I may have overreacted, but as a self-proimed pushover during group projects, I was able to see through her to some extent.

    Whether this person is willing to participate in the group project or just trying to ride along without contributing.

    For now, Aira¡¯s first impression was close to thetter.

    <i>¡®But Marquis Matheus¡­¡¯</i>

    As everyone knows, the Marquis is a rank just below the duke, and there are a total of three marquis families in the Minerva Empire. Among them, the Martius family is the Marquis in charge of the frontier of the Minerva Empire.

    In addition, my father once served the Matheus family, and I know that Dave is currently training as a squire in the Navy Knights, which is part of their family. The Navy Knights are a special forces unit that performs special operations rather than regr battles, and they are affiliated with the Matheus family, a military family.

    ¡°¡­my name is Isaac Ducker Michelle. So you were the Matheus family¡¯s daughter. It¡¯s an honor to meet you.¡±

    I formally greeted Aira, who was waiting for my answer with a friendly expression on her face. I couldn¡¯t say the first impression was great, but we¡¯ll have to see.

    Aira raised the corner of her mouth at my greeting, and this time she looked at Benjamin. Benjamin flinched at her as he met her eyes, then hurriedly greeted her.

    ¡°M-My name is Benjamin nk! I-I look forward to your kind cooperation!¡±

    ¡°Please take good care of me, too. And¡­¡±

    Finally, Aira turned her gaze towards Leona. As soon as Leona met her gaze, she opened her mouth with her characteristic stoic expression.

    ¡°My name is Leona Lions.¡±

    Unlike Benjamin, who was shaking with nervousness, Leona greeted them with a stoic expression and a rigid voice. If it were an ordinary person, they might have thought that she had an unusual personality and let it pass.

    However, it seemed that Aira was not one to let it go. When Leona greeted her bluntly, the corners of Aira¡¯s mouth that had risen slightly, fell a little.

    ¡°¡­is that it?¡±

    And then she even asked again. The tone of her voice had lowered, and anyone could tell that she was being childish.

    However, Leona seemed to have not noticed the meaning and replied in a consistent tone. She tilted her as if she really didn¡¯t know.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I say hello?¡±

    ¡°¡­No. I just think you have a unique personality.¡±

    Fortunately, it seemed to pass somehow. A slight difort was evident on Aira¡¯s face, but I pretended not to notice. I sighed inwardly as I watched it.

    Even if the world changed, my luck for the group project seems to be as bad as always. In addition, it was difficult to predict the future because it seemed that the first impression waspletely ruined. Of course, this wasn¡¯t Leona¡¯s fault, it¡¯s purely because of Aira, and her sense of authority.

    I¡¯ve said it before, but the gap between nobles andmoners is so great that it cannot be described, and there¡¯s even a difference between nobles and nobles. Commoners must always back out unconditionally, regardless of how low-ranking noble the other is.

    It¡¯s only because I lived in a democratic society, but unfortunately, such a system is normal in this world. If I were born in this world without memories of my past life, I might have lived with a sense of authority like Jackson or Aira.

    ¡°¡­Anyway, the greetings are over, what should we do now?¡±

    While the bizarre atmosphere continued, Aira brought up the main topic. It seemed that she was also ufortable with the situation.

    In response to that question, I recalled the group assignment method that Professor Beerus had just exined. In fact, there was not much difference from the group projects of my previous life, and it was rather at apletely elementary level.

    So we have to decide the most important part now.

    Something that someone must do, but I don¡¯t want to do it and hope someone else does it.

    ¡°¡­who wants to be the leader?¡±

    It was necessary to decide who will lead the group.

    As I spoke up and looked around, everyone else started rolling their eyes. This made it clear that some things never change no matter where you live.

    However, at this moment, it is right to say that our group is unique. Benjamin, amoner, may hesitate to take the lead when there are nobles like me and Aira, while Leona is not very active as long as she gets to maintain her concept.

    Therefore, it means that I and Aira are the only ones who can be the team leader.

    <i>¡®I¡¯d rather do it myself.¡¯</i>

    It makes me feel morefortable that way. Even in my past life, I took on tasks without hesitation instead of feeling ufortable and being self-conscious about it.

    I sighed inwardly and was about to open my mouth.

    ¡°If there¡¯s no one else to do it, I¡¯ll do it. That would befortable for you guys too, right?¡±

    Apletely unexpected situation unfolded.

    cing her hand confidently on her waist, Aira dered that she would take charge as the team leader. I looked at her in surprise.

    I don¡¯t know where her confidence came from, but the team leader is the person with the greatest risk in a group project. If all team members perform well, there won¡¯t be any issues. However, being the leader means receiving all sorts of stress the moment even a single viinous member appears.

    Can Aira really handle the role of team leader? I expressed my concern with genuine worry.

    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t mind? It won¡¯t be easy.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Leave everything to me. You guys just have to do what I tell you to do. Got it?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    This style can be rather poisonous. Since ancient times, people who are full of enthusiasm but ipetent are the most dangerous. This is because not only does their work efficiency suffer, but they can also put their allies in danger.

    ¡°However, if she bes a ¡®financier¡¯ as mentioned earlier, the story changes. Aira may not know, but this project is easy enough for me to handle alone. I¡¯m a Xenon¡¯s Biography writer, and if I can¡¯t even do this, I should put down my pen.

    Anyway, all we can do is hope that Aira bes a leader rather than a dictator. If she truly has a dictator-like style, the future will be more difficult.

    In addition, if she takes advantage of us, the probability is high that she¡¯ll order us around without doing anything herself. When I saw her gaze earlier, there was a high possibility of this happening.

    ¡°First of all, is there anyone here who hasn¡¯t read all eight volumes of Xenon¡¯s Biography? For your information, I have read them all. I also have the books in the dorm, so I can lend them to you if you want.¡±

    I wonder if her mindset has changed since bing the leader. Surprisingly, Aira was quite enthusiastic.

    Is she really a free ride? It was almost to the point that I considered taking a look at her again, as I answered.

    ¡°I¡¯ve read them all.¡±

    As soon as I opened my mouth, Leona also said the same thing as me. Then, we both looked at each other without anyone saying who would go first.

    However, when Leona met my gaze, the bottom of her eyes twitched, and she turned her head forward again without saying anything. I felt a little uneasy.

    As for me, I may be a writer, but I wonder how Leona managed to obtain it. It¡¯s the Xenon¡¯s Biography, which even Marie, the daughter of the Requilis ducal family, had difficulty obtaining.

    Then, I tilted my head and looked at Aira. She had a surprised expression with one eyebrow raised.

    ¡°¡­I see. It must have been hard to obtain, but you managed to get it.¡±

    Judging from the reaction, she seems to have guessed that me and Leona couldn¡¯t get Xenon¡¯s Biography. However, what is noteworthy here is that she seemed quite disappointed about it.

    Xenon¡¯s Biography is a tremendously popr book that would sell out immediately as it was released, so it is actually really fortunate to obtain it. In order to proceed with the assignment easily, reading at least one more book will make the process easier.

    However, even though I don¡¯t know what exactly she didn¡¯t like, Aira seemed ufortable. Perhaps the situation didn¡¯t flow the way she wanted it to.

    ¡°I-I haven¡¯t read all of them. In fact, I haven¡¯t even read the 6th volume¡­¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    As if to contradict my doubts, as soon as Benjamin opened his mouth carefully, Aira¡¯s expression changed to anger. Looking at that, I felt uneasiness creeping up for some reason.

    Aira then tapped her lips and told Benjamin with a patronizing tone.

    ¡°Should I lend them to you? I actually bought all eight volumes.¡±

    ¡°R-Really? That would be great¡­¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s one condition, though.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    Benjamin¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as Aira interrupted him and mentioned the condition. Not only him, but I also felt equally flustered.

    As if to make sure, I nced at Leona, and she was still maintaining an inscrutable expression like earlier. Nevertheless, I secretly spected that she might have simr feelings to mine.

    In the meantime, Aira rolled up the corners of her mouth and brought the condition to the flustered Benjamin.

    ¡°You have to do it instead of me¡­¡±

    ¡°I can lend you the book.¡±

    Before Aira could finish speaking, Leona cut her off. Leona¡¯s tone was curt and formal, but there was a hint of difort in it.

    When Leona interrupted her, she suddenly stopped. Then she closed her mouth tightly and red at Leona with a cold gaze.

    ¡°¡­Did you learn that it¡¯s okay to interrupt people while they¡¯re speaking?¡±

    The cool pressure from Aira continued. Despite her doll-like appearance and petite frame, an atmosphere that did not match her appearance slowly flowed out.

    But Leona was also formidable. Sitting in her seat, looked up at Aira and replied stiffly.

    ¡°I spoke up because I didn¡¯t feel the need for you, Aira-nim, to lend it. I apologize if you were offended.¡±

    ¡°Will an apology be enough? My mood has worsened now, you know?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Leona did not respond to Aira¡¯s continuous pressing question. Although she was still expressionless, her face seemed to contain the thought of ¡®Do I really have to do it?¡¯.

    In response to that, Aira clicked her tongue, then warned Leona in a sharp voice. Fortunately, it seemed that she had decided to let it go.

    ¡°This is a warning. If you show such behavior again next time, I will remove you from the group. As the leader of the group, I have the authority to do so. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°Okay. But I¡¯ll lend Mr. Benjamin the book.¡±

    ¡°Do as you please.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Ms. Leona.¡±

    Benjamin thanked Leona and looked at Aira. It looked a little pitiful to see him groveling.

    I muttered to myself as I watched the situation.

    <i>¡®There¡¯s no need to create unnecessary division¡­¡¯</i>

    It might have been better for Aira to lend the book to Benjamin and get paid for it. Benjamin was amoner, and Aira was a noble.

    What Leona had just done was clearly an act that undermined the authority of the nobility. While I personally don¡¯t care about such a sense of authority, other nobles may look down on her.

    As I said before,moners must bow down even if the other person is a young master or a youngdy who has not officially inherited the title. This is a kind of mon sense¡¯ concept.

    ¡°Hmph. Commoners¡­ can¡¯t be angry with something like this¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? Do you have anything to say?¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡±

    I think I have a rough idea of what kind of style Aira has. I¡¯m not entirely sure yet, but there¡¯s one thing that¡¯s certain.

    The moment something rubs her the wrong way, this group will dissolve into thin air.

    I could vaguely feel it when she said that she had the authority to do so because she was the leader. I¡¯ll have to keep an eye on her in the future, but it seems that she dislikes anything that undermines her authority.

    <em>¡®This is making me a little tired¡­¡¯</em>

    It urred to me that something more than a free ride might be born.

    While I was lost in thought, Aira stared at my face with a sharp expression and called out my name.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yes, what is it?.¡±

    ¡°You can do it well, right?¡±

    It may sound like a question of trust in me, but it also implies that Benjamin and Leona aren¡¯t trustworthy.

    It seems that she found me, a noble who stands out in the ss, more reliable than amoner.

    In addition, she will never know, but I am the original author of Xenon¡¯s biography, the subject of the group assignment.

    I can guarantee that I can chew it up and swallow it whole, not just do it well.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry.¡±

    ¡°Hmm. Really? Okay. I¡¯ll trust you once.¡±

    Are we already divided into nobles andmoners? Aira encouraged me by tapping my shoulder twice. Then, she looked at Benjamin and Leona with a suspicious gaze.

    I stared nkly at Aira, put on a blunt expression on the outside, and let out a deep sigh on the inside.

    <em>¡®Everything will be fine, so please don¡¯t be stubborn.¡¯</em>

    I can do everything, so please don¡¯t just troll.

    Although I don¡¯t know if she¡¯s capable or not, it¡¯s clear that she has a sense of authority, as seen in the conflict with Leona just now. I want to avoid the group being blown up in mid-air because of her useless shit stubbornness.

    <em>¡®Just in case, I should keep the worst-case scenario in mind¡¯</em>

    Although it¡¯s squeaking from the beginning, there hasn¡¯t been a big problem yet.

    At least for now. Above all else¡­

    <em>¡®Looking back, it looks like a fairy.¡¯</em>

    I believe everyone knows who I saw and thought of above.

    (TL note: ¡®Looking back, it looks like a fairy.¡¯ ¨C An expression jokingly used to refer to something that doesn¡¯t seem particrly special in itself, but looks rtively better whenpared to others.)

    Trantors note:

    I don¡¯t actually¡­

    Is it better to upload the chapters for the day one by one or all at the same time?

    I uploaded some illustrations on this novels main page so feel free to check them out. Nsfw warning tho.

    Today¡¯s Chapter 1/2

 Chapter 40: Group Assignment (4)

    Although the start was a bit shaky, the progress itself went smoothly. There were parts of the group project topic that were just right for me, and Leona, who had a conflict with Aira, followed along without anyints after that.

    Benjamin, who nearly broke his back in a whale fight, was able to participate in the assignment by receiving a book from Leona. So, the full-fledged discussion took ce in the evening after all sses on Friday.

    ¡°Oh, when is Ms. Airaing?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe someday.¡±

    It was Friday, and in front of the restaurant that we had set up as a meeting ce.

    Benjamin and I talked about Aira, who had no intention of showing up. Leona, standing next to us, didn¡¯t say anything, but her already stern expression became even harder.

    Since we didn¡¯t even have smartphones, let alone phones, we were frustrated because we didn¡¯t know where she was.

    ¡°She clearly said in the military science ss to meet here¡­¡±

    As Benjamin questioned, all of our group members attend the military science ss. So after all the lectures were over, Aira emphasized that we all had to meet up by the promised time.

    She even promised us that if we werete for the appointed time, she would give us a warning. But now she was the one who broke the promise. What the hell is she doing?

    ¡°What if she doesn¡¯t show up? That can¡¯t happen¡­¡±

    As Benjamin muttered anxiously, I nced at him. He seemed uneasy about Aira not showing up, as he absent-mindedly nibbled on his fingernails.

    It seems like I need to reassure him somehow. I opened my mouth to tell him it was nothing.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be too anxious. There may be some unsaid circumstances. If Aira doesn¡¯te even after 10 minutes, let¡¯s discuss it between ourselves.¡±

    ¡°I-Is that okay?¡±

    ¡°Why not? It¡¯s too much of a waste to disband today just because Ms. Aira is not here.¡±

    ¡°But Ms. Aira is the team leader¡­ We could get scolded if we do it between ourselves and she finds outter.¡±

    At Benjamin¡¯s response, I was momentarily bewildered, thinking to myself, ¡®What bullshit is this?¡¯. It was as if Benjamin regarded Aira as someone higher than himself. However, upon careful consideration, Benjamin was amoner and Aira was the daughter of a marquis.

    Due to the enormous difference in social status, Benjamin naturally thought of Aira as a person of higher standing. Although I wanted to say something , I couldn¡¯t say anything, because of the problem with the ss system.

    If I suddenly brought up my inner thoughts, I might receive strange looks instead.

    <i>¡®I think I might be the weird one here.¡¯</i>

    Probably so.

    Even Marie from the Requilis family, who practices noblesse oblige, takes it for granted to be treated with respect bymoners. The reason why I was able to talk to her was because I was, at least, a noble.

    Furthermore, it is strictly considered as an act of ¡®undermining authority¡¯ formoners to use casual speech with nobles without honorifics. Even the Requilis family, who never use their power to act recklessly, strictly prevent any approach to their authority.

    Instead, authority and authoritarianism must be clearly distinguished. If authority is simply having legitimacy, authoritarianism is using that legitimacy to exercise control.

    Of course, there was a time when authoritarianism became so severe that a revolution simr to the French Revolution in my past life, called the Jayros Revolution, broke out. As a result, authoritarianism has weakened regardless of a country, but authority itself has remained strong.

    <i>¡®However, that doesn¡¯t mean I can ask them to use honorifics again.¡¯</i>

    If it were Benjamin, he would obey quietly, but I would feel dirty. The worst thing in the world is giving something and then taking it away.

    <i>¡®I wonder why our small and petite team leader is nowhere to be seen.¡¯</i>

    Even though she has set the time, I¡¯m getting more and more angry because I can¡¯t even see her hair. If this is how it¡¯s going to be, I don¡¯t understand why she volunteered to be the team leader.

    ¡°I, I¡¯ll be back in a moment. I¡¯m going to the restroom!¡±

    Benjamin, who had been fidgeting like an itchy puppy for a while, ran to the bathroom after saying that. From the way he held onto his stomach and ran, it didn¡¯t seem like he was just fooling around ¨C he really looked like he was in pain.

    Anyway, with Benjamin gone, only Leona and I were left standing awkwardly near the entrance of the restaurant. It was Friday, so there wasn¡¯t a single person walking around in the hallway. The only thing that filled the air was a quiet silence, making the atmosphere even more ufortable.

    In the awkward situation, I nced at Leona briefly. Coincidentally, Leona was also looking at me with a sidelong nce.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    The two of us looked at each other sidelong for a moment before turning our heads awaypletely. As I turned my head, I noticed Leona¡¯s expressionless face.

    While I was wondering what to say in this situation, surprisingly, Leona spoke first.

    ¡°Hey. Penguin.¡±

    Her tone was so different from before, even though she was maintaining the same concept. I was briefly taken aback by her chic demeanor, and when she mentioned the word ¡°penguin,¡± I couldn¡¯t help but narrow my eyebrows.

    It was ridiculous to call me a penguin when I had a perfectly good name. Frankly, I was dumbfounded.

    By the way, there is also an animal called a penguin in this world. They live in extremely cold regions such as the Antarctic or Arctic, where ice sheets are formed, and their appearance was exactly the same as the one in the encyclopedia.

    However, as this is a fantasy world, there is a species that lives in theva zone, not in the pr regions. They are monsters that harm people, not animals.

    Anyway, enough of the exnation, the priority is to answer Leona. I don¡¯t know why she referred to me as a penguin of all things.

    ¡°Why are you calling me a penguin, leaving behind a perfectly decent name?¡±

    ¡°You just look like a penguin.¡±

    Leonaughed and teased me, wondering if she abandoned the concept since there was no one around, I was momentarily dumbfounded but immediately counterattacked.

    ¡°You¡¯re like a dog.¡±

    ¡°¡­Do you want to die? It¡¯s not a dog, it¡¯s a lion.¡±

    Leona frowned and growled like an animal. She seems angry about being called a dog rather than being insulted.

    At this, I tilted my head slightly and brought up another question. I couldn¡¯t think of anything other than dogs or cats when it came to beastmen.

    ¡°Then a cat?¡±

    ¡°Would you please notpare me to the mere Miao tribe? As a member of the great lion tribe, it is greatly insulting to me.¡±

    ¡°You called a human being a penguin.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Leona scratched her head, seemingly at a loss for words about that point. Then she grew sullen, turned her head, and started to act unreasonable.

    I snorted at it and opened my mouth.

    ¡°So why did you call me? Do you have something to say?¡±

    ¡°I called you because I was curious about what you think of that woman.¡±

    When she said ¡®that woman¡¯, was she referring to Aira? I guess she was.

    After hearing Leona¡¯s question, I thought carefully. After all the team projects I had in my previous life, I had a rough idea of what Aira was like.

    Moreover, every time I thought of the crazy party, I automatically thought that we had it better. If it had been Jackson instead of Aira, the team assignment would have been a total disaster.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. She¡¯s proactive in her own way, but I just wish she would focus on her own work. That¡¯s about it. What about you?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like her attitude. While everyone else is working hard, she just wants to y and have fun by herself. She¡¯s like a noble in appearance, but in reality, she¡¯s nothing special.¡±

    Perhaps because her first impression was so bad, the harsh criticism continued. Although I can¡¯t deny it because it¡¯s true.

    I quietly watched her as she grumbled, then suddenly thought of something and asked her.

    ¡°Are there no nobles in the Animers?¡±

    Animers is a nation of beastmen founded 300 years ago. They gathered beastmen scattered all over the world, and they built their own civilization.

    Leona shook her head from side to side after hearing my question. Seeing that, I thought that there were no nobles in Animers, but that wasn¡¯t the case either.

    ¡°There are no marquises or anything like that as in the human world, but the authority depends on each individual¡¯s power. You may or may not know this, but among beastmen, there is a deep-seated culture of revering power.¡±

    ¡°So are there separate social sses then?¡±

    ¡°Of course there are. Do you want me to tell you about them?¡±

    I nodded my head. I rarely had the opportunity to learn about the ecosystem of beastmen, but I was lucky this time.

    After I nodded, Leona smiled and raised her chin slightly. It seemed like she was organizing her exnation for a moment.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see. First of all¡­¡±

    ¡°Guys~!¡±

    Before Leona could speak, a familiar voice entered my ears. It was a cheerful, prepubescent girl¡¯s voice.

    At that, Leona closed her mouth, and I moved my gaze in the direction of the sound.

    As expected, our team leader, Aira, who waste for our appointment, wasing towards us with a bright expression on her face. Seeing her smiling like that even though she waste made me think she was quite shameless.

    Afterwards, Aira stood in front of us and raised her eyebrows in surprise. It seemed like she was wondering because there were the two of us without Benjamin.

    ¡°Huh? Why are there only two people? What about curly hair?¡±

    She even called Benjamin curly hair. It was clear that she was looking down at Benjamin, amoner.

    When she stared at me and asked a question, I opened my mouth to answer. I couldn¡¯t believe she was asking about hym going to the bathroom. She was the one who waste.

    ¡°Benjamin went to the bathroom for a minute. He¡¯ll be back soon.¡±

    ¡°What? The bathroom?¡±

    My response that Benjamin went to the bathroom made Aira furrow her eyebrows. She seemed to be fully expressing her frustration, as if asking if I was kidding.

    Then, she crossed her arms and asked me for confirmation in a suspicious voice.

    ¡°He didn¡¯t run away, did he?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°When did he go to the bathroom?¡±

    ¡°He left about five minutes ago.¡±

    ¡°But seeing that he hasn¡¯te back yet¡­¡±

    ¡°Since he went to do the big one, you don¡¯t have to be suspicious.¡±

    Before Aira had any unnecessary suspicions, I took the initiative. She has shown authoritarian tendencies since bing the team leader, and I am worried that she might do it again.

    Originally, the team leader was closer to a ¡®person in charge,¡¯ but in this world where the ss system exists, it has degenerated into a position of authority. We can roughly understand this from the fact that Aira warned Leonast time.

    After listening to me, Aira looked at me hesitantly and then smirked. It was an expression that seemed to say ¡®you¡¯re just like the others¡¯.

    Then she put her hands on her waist and spoke in a very refreshing tone.

    ¡°Do we really need to wait for him?¡±

    ¡°¡­yes?¡±

    What kind of bullshit is this? This is a statement that goes beyond hypocrisy and is as if her conscience has exploded.

    In the meantime, Aira confidently voiced her thoughts, putting her hand firmly on her chest. Even though I didn¡¯t know what she believed in, it was like she had put a steel te on her face.

    ¡°I¡¯m the leader, so you have to wait unconditionally, but he¡¯s not? Besides, I¡¯m not toote, and it¡¯s his fault that he couldn¡¯t wait for that time.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°So let¡¯s just leave that curly hair behind and go alone. We can make some excuses if we¡¯re asked where we wentter.¡±

    Where did you leave your conscience behind to say that? While I was in shock and speechless, Aira quietly grabbed my arm and gently pulled me.

    It was like someone was trying to take me away. I was startled by the feeling and quickly pulled my arm out.

    ¡°¡­what are you doing?¡±

    As I pulled my arm away, Aiira¡¯s voice rapidly lowered. Her face was also crumpled, as if her mood had soured after I pulled my arm away.

    But whether her mood worsened or not, I had to say what needed to be said. Although I wanted to get angry, I held back at least once.

    ¡°Rather, I want to ask you, Ms. Aira. What the hell are you doing?¡±

    ¡°I just wanted to go quickly. What¡¯s the problem? Oh! Are you worried that we won¡¯t be able to discuss because there¡¯s onemoner missing? Don¡¯t worry about that. It won¡¯t be a problem if we just have us, even if onemoner is missing.¡±

    Does Leona not count as part of us? Even though Aira giggled to herself, she didn¡¯t even nce at Leona.

    I was confused whether it was Aira¡¯s mentality that was strange or if it was just the mindset of the nobles. No matter what, this is pretty serious.

    ¡°Aira, the professor also mentioned this. It would be better for the team if we bring all members to the end. If you leave with Benjamin, it will be a disadvantage for you as the leader.¡±

    Finally, Leona, who had been ignored, advised Aira. She spoke in her usual tough and blunt manner ording to her concept, but there was a slight anger underlying her words.

    However, perhaps because it was advice from Leona, who was not a noble but amoner, Aira¡¯s expression became even more hostile than before.

    Despite her doll-like elegant appearance, a bloody energy emanated from her.

    ¡°The two of us are talking right now. Why are you interrupting?¡±

    ¡°I was just worried that Ms. Aira might be at a disadvantage.¡±

    ¡°Is it just because of this that you¡¯re worried about me being at disadvantage? Aren¡¯t you being too naive? I¡¯ve heard from my father that there has never been a case where points were deducted just because one member was missing. Instead, Professor Beerus gave zero points to that member.¡±

    I feel like I want to open up her skull and peek inside her brain. I wonder what kind of family education she received that has instilled such a mindset in her.

    If not¡­

    <i>¡®Is it to drive out Leona?¡¯</i>

    It¡¯s also possible that she intentionally said those words to drive out Leona, not for Benjamin. She may have recognized that Leona is the type to speak her mind from their first encounter.

    So Benjamin is just an excuse, and she made an unreasonable suggestion just to find fault with Leona.

    ¡°But it¡¯s not impossible. We waited for Aira-nim, so I think we should wait for Benjamin too.¡±

    ¡°Then you wait to your heart¡¯s content and have a cozy discussion with each other. I¡¯ll talk to him alone.¡±

    At Leona¡¯sment, Aira acted as if it was the right time, so she grabbed my arm and pulled it toward her chest. Unlike Cecily, which was soft, a t feeling was conveyed through my arm.

    Anyway, both of us were equally taken aback. I tried to pull my arm out of the unexpected physical contact, but it was unsessful because she held on tightly.

    In the end, I had no choice but to shout at Aira.

    ¡°W-What are you doing right now? Please let go of me quickly.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to. You¡¯re going toe with me, right?¡±

    I thought it was crazy to be alone with her, but despite my inner thoughts, I couldn¡¯t help but hesitate when I met Aira¡¯s gaze.

    The corners of her mouth went up subtly with the eyes that were deep and wet with greed. Her expression oozed with a sticky obsession, indicating that she wouldn¡¯t let go of her prey no matter what.

    <i>¡®What did I do?¡¯</i>

    Why was she showing this side of herself when she had no ulterior motive before? As I stared at her expression, I quietly spoke up.

    ¡°¡­ Ms. Aira.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Right now, Ms. Leona is right. So please let go of me.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    When I took Leona¡¯s side, the corners of Aira¡¯s lips, which had been upturned, fell vertically. The creepy look in her eyes also instantly turned cold, and the strength she had exerted on my arm was released softly.

    As I slowly pulled my arm out, Aira¡¯s fallen lips rose again. Her gaze also started to emanate a dangerous energy.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say yourst name was Ducker Michelle?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes. That¡¯s right.¡±

    Why did she suddenly bring up the family name? I tensed up as a sense of foreboding rose within me.

    All this time, Aira started ying with her hair with one hand and spoke with a sly tone.

    ¡°As you may know, the Marquis Matheus family has a very famous order of knights. It¡¯s the Navy Knights.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°And I heard from my older brother a few days ago that the son of the former knightmander recently joined the team. His name was probably¡­ Dave?¡±

    Flinch-

    I flinched when I heard Dave¡¯s name mentioned by Aira. Without realizing it, my fists clenched when my family¡¯s story came out of someone else¡¯s mouth.

    Without noticing my reaction, Aira continued with what she wanted to say. She was not just confident but arrogant.

    ¡°Navy Knights are mainly responsible for protecting the borders and blocking any threats to the empire in advance. It may seem honorable on the surface, but in my eyes, they are just foolish people who recklessly engage in dangerous activities.¡±

    Is it appropriate for a noblewoman, especially from a military family, to say such a thing? Not to mention, the Navy Knights often confront tribal beastmen , and often fight with the Elven Reconnaissance Squad.

    Although it is called a border, it is practically a front line. If you see that the mortality rate of the Navy Knights is more than three times higher than that of other corps, you can roughly estimate how dangerous the situation is.

    However, Ai-ra seems to be underestimating such knights too easily. She imed that they are foolish people who sacrifice their freedom to protect the country. She, who belittles them, does not deserve to be a daughter of a military family.

    ¡°You know what I¡¯m talking about, right?¡±

    Aira crossed her arms, tilting her chin slightly. It is a message that is close to a threat, stating that I can never refuse her proposal.

    It seemed like she had a trick up her sleeve for what to do with Dave if I were to refuse. Perhaps, she could send him somewhere even more dangerous than the border. As the daughter of a prestigious military family, it is not entirely impossible.

    At these thoughts, I took a deep breath as I listened to her threatening question.

    ¡°Yes. I understand.¡±

    Now that it¡¯s like this, I can¡¯t help it.

    ¡°Bitch.¡±

    Let¡¯s all look into it together.

    Trantors note:

    Holy shit what a bitch. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen this much bullshit.

    Today¡¯s Chapter 2/2

 Chapter 41: Group Assignment (5)

    No matter how angry you are, there are things you should never touch. Among them, the most representative one is family.

    Even a decent person would get angry if their family was touched, but if they just endure it? That is not a decent person, but rather a pushover.

    Additionally, I am someone who has a strong trauma about family. It¡¯s because my parents passed away in an ident in my previous life, and I suddenly became alone. I had no siblings, so the connection between family members has beenpletely severed.

    Of course, Aira wouldn¡¯t know that I¡¯m a reincarnated person, but that¡¯s beside the point. If you have the bare minimum ofmon sense, you shouldn¡¯t say such things, especially when you¡¯re a daughter of a military family.

    ¡°¡­What, what? What did you just say¡­¡±

    As soon as the vulgar curse burst out of my mouth, Aira stuttered and seemed shocked, with her eyes widened and her mouth open.

    So what do I do? I looked at Aira with cold eyes as she faltered back. As you all know, I don¡¯t swear a lot.

    However, Aira made a sharp cursee out of my mouth. At the time of the gathering, Jackson made me dumbfounded so it just came out, but this time I was so angry that it burst out of my mouth.

    I looked straight at Aira, who was shocked and unable to speak, and said what I wanted to say.

    ¡°Why? Did you not hear me? Should I say it again, you little bitch?¡±

    ¡°You, you¡­! How dare you¡­! Do I look easy to you?!¡±

    Aira was furious, even pointing a finger at me. Judging from her face turning red and blue in real time, she was really angry too.

    However, it is rather me who should be more angry than her. Aira touched a part she should never have touched.

    I opened my mouth, barely suppressing the rage bubbling up like an active volcano. I tried to keep myposure as much as possible, but I couldn¡¯t stop my voice from sinking low.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think I¡¯ve been easygoing with you? Bullshit should at least be called bullshit. All you do is talk nonsense. Forcing someone who doesn¡¯t like you and even dragging their family into it because you can¡¯t have your way? And even a soldier who doesn¡¯t know when they might die working on a border?¡±

    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s a bigger mistake to swear over something like that! And knights and soldiers who aren¡¯tmanders are just guard dogs! Why would you let go of afortable life and risk your life to be a soldier? That¡¯s the part that¡¯s even harder to understand, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Wow¡­ Really¡­¡±

    Fuck. I¡¯m just amazed. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m hearing what I used to hear in Korea even after I was reincarnated.

    I don¡¯t know how she received her home education, but if a daughter from a military family speaks like that, it is clear that the situation is serious. Otherwise, the household is probably fine, but her personality must be distorted if such wordse out of the mouth of a daughter of a military family.

    I inhaled and exhaled deeply as I watched Aira. My chest felt tight as if I had eaten sweet potatoes.

    ¡°Are you really the daughter of Marquis Matheus, who is in charge of the border?¡±

    ¡°Why would I lie? Don¡¯t you know that impersonating a noble is a crime? How stupid¡­¡±

    ¡°The stupid one here is you, who insulted the soldiers. It would be quite amusing if the news spread that a daughter of a military family insulted the soldiers, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±

    To put it in the context of a previous life, it¡¯s like the daughter of a 4-star general insulting a soldier from Hwihwa. Of course, if this story were to spread to the ears of the soldiers, it would seriously damage trust, to the point ofpletely destroying the reputation of the person who insulted them.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong about that? They¡¯re all people under me anyway?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t your parents or siblings tell you to care for your subordinates?¡±

    ¡°I only learned that in order to be a good leader, you have to lead the people below you well. Is something wrong?¡±

    ¡°Sigh¡­¡±

    That kind of thinking is absolutely ridiculous. As I listened to her words, I realized there was no response I could give, and I shook my head in disbelief. Aira¡¯s mindset was very concerning.

    Being born into a marquis family, she naturally had the idea of noble authority ingrained in her, and the way to be an excellent leader, as she mentioned. These two things created a truly beautiful synergy.

    In addition to this, all of this was achieved at the age of 17. It seemed that she firmly believed she could handle the role of the leader herself, which was the reason she took on the position of squad leader.

    ¡°¡­Let me give you a piece of advice. If you keep going like this, someday you¡¯ll experience something even worse.¡±

    ¡°Who would believe such words? Who do you think you are?¡±

    Even though I gave sincere advice, the expression on the child¡¯s face was one of disbelief. However, ¡®mutiny¡¯ is an historical fact that remains unchanged regardless of time or ce.

    In addition, dangerous ces such as the front lines or borders are where mutiny frequently urs. Most often,manders sacrifice their subordinates to preserve their own lives, only to end up being killed by their subordinates in turn.

    Would Aira really be aware of such facts? Since she has never experienced the life-and-death situations on the front lines, she may be able to casually make such remarks.

    I struggled to find a way to educate that naive little kid and eventually gave up on verbalmunication. No matter what I say, she will never listen.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to believe it, you don¡¯t have to. I¡¯m just telling you out of concern. You don¡¯t n on bing a militarymanderter on, do you?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? I¡¯m the daughter of Duke Matheus. Afterpleting all the military studies at the academy, I will bemissioned as amander.¡±

    ¡°Really? Congrattions. That time will be several times worse than me cursing you now.¡±

    I feel like saying something even harsher back, but I resisted the urge because it would have crossed the line.

    Even though she mentioned my family, I didn¡¯t want to give her any more reasons to cause trouble. Most of all, I just wanted to get out of this situation as soon as possible.

    ¡°You really¡­! I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re believing in, but you¡¯re finished now. I¡¯m going to tell our dad right away! Got it?!¡±

    Aira shouted out loud, angry at my direct words. I replied as if it didn¡¯t matter.

    ¡°Either do it or don¡¯t. Anyway, you don¡¯t n on participating in the assignment, right?¡±

    ¡°Who would want to work with someone like you?! Do you think you¡¯re so great because you get attention from the professors?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that about you? Who are you to tell us what to do? And the Marquis¡¯ daughter? There are people around me who are much higher than you.¡±

    I didn¡¯t mention who they were. Even though I was friendly with them, I didn¡¯t want to use them.

    ¡°Ugh¡­!¡±

    Aira grit her teeth and shuddered when I beat her with a fact. His face was visibly red, burning up with anger.

    Then she cried out, as if she ran out of things to say. However, it didn¡¯t pose any threat at all.

    ¡°Fine! I don¡¯t need any of you because I can do well on my own! What¡¯s so difficult about predicting the development of Xenon¡¯s Biography¡­!¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a team leader? Surely you¡¯re not trying to be the leader all by yourself, are you?¡±

    ¡°Do as you please with those twomoners! I¡¯m so annoyed! Really!¡±

    Ira made a tantrum on her own, then turned around and stomped away. Judging by her tightly clenched her small fists, it seemed that she was very angry.

    As I let out aplicated sigh, wondering if the situation was over, Aira stood in ce and nced back at me. And she cried once more in anger.

    ¡°You know you¡¯re in trouble, right? Do you have any idea what my dad is like?! He¡¯s called ¡°Iron blood¡±! ¡°Iron blood!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, so go on. The noise is killing me.¡±

    ¡°What¡­! You¡¯re a bastard¡­!

    As I waved my hand as if I was annoyed, Aira quickly disappeared as if she was running away. I felt as if a storm had just passed by, and I grabbed the back of my neck.

    Honestly, I didn¡¯t expect her to bring up my family, but the situation was somewhat foreseeable. She just had a sudden outburst.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t know how to exin it to the professor.¡¯</i>

    I have no choice but to wish Professor Beerus to be flexible. It¡¯s not just a simple disagreement, but a situation that arose because Aira crossed the line.

    <i>¡®Surely not all other nobles think like Aira, right?¡¯</i>

    Being a soldier is a job that should never be looked down upon. They are heroes who willingly sacrifice their own freedom for the freedom of their country.

    Even in South Korea, where the status of soldiers may not be as high as in other countries, if someone like Aira openly insults them, they will face social condemnation. In the United States, where soldiers are treated as heroes, such behavior can lead toplete social ostracism.

    Moreover, the Minerva Empire has such a vast territory that the proportion of soldiers who die in battle is higher than in other countries. Therefore, it is understood that the status of soldiers is also higher there. That¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t understand why she would say such a thing.

    <i>¡®Surely she doesn¡¯t view war as something easy, does she?¡¯</i>

    It could be that she doesn¡¯t know what kind of situations soldiers on the front lines face. Since she has never experienced it herself, she may be saying those things without understanding.

    This is actually a phenomenon that often urs. During the First World War, young men who enlisted with ¡®romantic¡¯ dreams experienced the living hell of trench warfare. If it was like that in the 1900s, there¡¯s no need to exin how it was in the medieval times.

    Above all, even our father, who was once renowned as the ¡®Red Lion,¡¯ couldn¡¯t sleep if he didn¡¯t drink alcohol. This is a story that Nicole told mest time.

    <i>¡®War¡­¡¯</i>

    Even in Xenon¡¯s Biography, there is a part about war. Originally, it was intended to be a scene that showcased Xenon¡¯s heroic deeds, but after seeing Aira, I was a bit hesitant.

    I had a vague concern that people might view war lightly because of the descriptions I wrote.

    Furthermore, in the story of Xenon, the enemy is not human, but demons. Even if there is a war against demons, I have no ns for a war between people.

    <i>¡®¡­This is something that must be depicted in the next work.¡¯</i>

    Although the n went awry when Xenon¡¯s Biography became an unintended hit, I had originally nned the next work separately.

    If you use fantasy in a fantasy world, it¡¯s an ordinary novel, but if you use modern stuff, wouldn¡¯t it be fantasy? The work is a product of such an idea.

    I nned to secretly write it right before Xenon¡¯s Biography ispleted. I probably won¡¯t start writing until about a year from now.¡±

    ¡°So what are we going to do now? Can we do it by ourselves?¡±

    While I was lost in thought for a moment, Leona spoke in a blunt tone. I snapped out of it and looked at Leona.

    She had her arms crossed and was making a sullen, and I rubbed the back of my neck in embarrassment as I answered.

    ¡°We can¡¯t help it. Honestly, aren¡¯t you feeling the same way?¡±

    ¡°It does feel good, but it will be hard to get good grades. are you confident enough to present it so well as to cover that up?¡±

    I smiled confidently at Leona¡¯s worried question.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    I¡¯m a writer, but she¡¯s worried that I might not be able to do well.

    Leona looked surprised at my cool answer for a moment, but soon shrugged her shoulders.

    She seemed to know that there was no answer no matter how much she thought about it.

    ¡°You¡¯re pretty confident, huh? I will be watching you..¡±

    ¡°Are you trying to get carried too?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to sell my conscience like that jerk. Oh, by the way¡­¡±

    She stopped talking and stared at me. By the time she tilted her head at the observing gaze, Leona¡¯s tightly closed mouth opened.

    ¡°¡­you said yourst name was Ducker Michelle, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Is your father¡¯s nickname ¡®Red Lion¡¯ by any chance?¡±

    It seems that my father is quite famous. Even Leona, who is a beastman, knows about him.

    I nodded my head absentmindedly at her question. Leona¡¯s expression became slightly strange, and she muttered something in a barely audible voice.

    ¡°A penguin from the lion¡­They¡¯re a father and son, but I guess an apple can fall far from the tree.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. By the way, Benjamin, when is this guying?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here!¡±

    They said even a tiger woulde if I called, and Benjamin returned as soon as Leona mentioned it. He was almost like a puppy when he ran panting, waving his arms.

    Afterwards, Benjamin confirmed that we were still alone despite going to the bathroom and said with an anxious expression.

    ¡°Ah, Ms. Aira hasn¡¯te yet?¡±

    ¡°She came, but she went away again. She won¡¯t be with us from now on.¡±

    ¡°What?! W-What does that mean? What happened?¡±

    ¡°Something did happen. But don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡±

    After that, the group assignment went smoothly.

    ¡°¡­so only the three of us are able to attend the discussion. No matter what, I can¡¯t stand it when she touched a soldier, especially my brother who works at the border.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ I see. Normally, everyone should receive a deduction, but since this is a special case, only the student will be penalized.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, professor.¡±

    On the following Monday, I went to see Professor Beerus separately and fed Aira a very big fuck you.

    Trantors note:

    Today¡¯s chapter 1/2

 Chapter 42: Crisis (1)

    After Aira ran away from the group, the group project progressed so smoothly that any concerns we had about it seemed pointless.

    It was said that minnows naturally muddy the water, but when those minnows disappeared, the water that had been murky also became clear on its own.

    As I always said, it was enough for me to do the task myself, but as it was a group task, I worked hard. If Benjamin and Leona came up with usible hypotheses, I would refute or fleshed it out.¡±

    As a result, we achieved a very satisfying oue, but of course, since I only added substance to the hypotheses they organized, I took charge of the presentation myself.

    ¡°But didn¡¯t you say that Xenon¡¯s Biography wasn¡¯t interesting? It seems like you read it very in depth though?¡±

    ¡°Everyone, shut up! I was just curious about what¡¯s next!¡±

    When Benjamin left, I was able to have various conversations with Leona. I realized that she was not just someone who talked a lot but also an enjoyer of Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    Her ears, which flinched above her head whenever she was excited, were a little annoying, but since Leona only showed her true self when she was with me, it wasn¡¯t a big problem.

    ¡°Are you really confident in giving a good presentation? If it¡¯s difficult, I can do it for you.¡±

    Leona, who calmed down her excitement after a moment, asked me with her signature cynical tone. She crossed her arms and stared at her, but there was a mix of worry and concern in her eyes.

    I wasn¡¯t sure if she didn¡¯t trust me or if she felt sorry for me for being in charge of the presentation. However, considering Leona¡¯s personality, I assumed it was thetter.

    ¡°I can do it well. Trust me once. Or do you want to try it?¡±

    ¡°Alright then. Tomorrow is the day of the presentation, why bother changing anything now. Anyway, I¡¯m leaving. See you tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Okay. See you tomorrow.¡±

    As Leona waved her hand and left, I also waved and saw her off. The ce where Leona and I had been was a deserted ce, so we could talk as much as we wanted without any disturbance.

    A littleter, I moved my feet after seeing Leona¡¯s figure disappear. I have done the final check, and I nned to take it easy and write something during the remaining time.

    <i>¡®I wish I could quickly be a third-year student. At that time, I would have more free time.¡¯</i>

    As I returned to my dorm and threw myself onto the bed, I thought about the future. As Professor Beerus exined during the first ss, we have to score above a certain point to advance to the next grade until the end of our second year.

    However, once you be a third-year student, you only have to focus on the major you want to concentrate on. That¡¯s it. I also learned this information when I went to see Professor Beerus separatelyst Monday and reported the situation of Aira.

    If the first two years are like abination of high school and university, starting from the third year, you be a university student who focuses only on one subject. You don¡¯t need to worry about grades or other stuff, you just concentrate on your major to get good grades.

    <i>¡®Me, on the other hand¡­¡¯</i>

    Of course, my goal is to major in history. There¡¯s no other subject that interests me as much as history in this world.

    After bing a 3rd year student, I wanted to quickly finish writing Xenon¡¯s Biography and write my next work. I wanted to write a modern-day story that would be treated as a fantasy in this world.

    Instead, as it deals with a tragic wartime story, there will be no heroic journey like in the Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    No, no. Instead of thinking about the next work, let¡¯s focus on Xenon¡¯s Biography for now.

    If I touch it without good reason, I could end up bing an octopus¡¯s foot. There is a risk that the quality of the work may also deteriorate, so it is beneficial to concentrate on Xenon¡¯s Biography for now.

    Of course, if there are two volumes left until thepletion, I n to establish the settings slowly. It should be okay by then.

    <i>¡®¡­I should make use of my time instead of thinking like this.¡¯</i>

    It¡¯s a waste of time to fool around like this. Recently, there have been not just one or two areas that require attention, such as the problem with Aira, but it is bearable even though it is a bit tiring.

    Above all, if I keep my eyes closed now, I feel like I¡¯ll wake up tomorrow morning. It might be better to finish at least one part and go to bed.

    Leading my weary body, I sat down at his desk. Neatly stacked on the desk were manuscript papers that I had stopped writing just before leaving my room.

    <i>¡®I wonder if they are doing okay?¡¯</i>

    While imbuing mana into the magic pen, the thought of the crazy party suddenly came to my mind. The first day seemed good enough, but as time passed, it was clear that cracks were beginning to form.

    Rina, who always had a rxed expression, became expressionless, and the expression of Cecily, who used to brighten up when she saw me, also darkened suddenly. As for Marie, she seemed to have given up halfway and asionally let out a sneer.

    Above all, the most impressive person among them was undoubtedly Jackson. He was trying to cling to them somehow, but he was gradually bing fed up with them.

    Furthermore, he asionally sent me jealous (!?) nces. I can roughly predict how serious it is.

    I think it¡¯s probably because we had to do a group project together. It¡¯s abination that couldn¡¯t mix like water and oil from the beginning.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s a little pitiful. We only had one¡­¡¯</i>

    drip-

    While lost in thought, liquid dripped from my nose. I snapped out of my reverie and wiped my hand on my chin, feeling a slight stickiness.

    With a feeling of disbelief, I took my hand away and found bright red blood on it. It was a nosebleed.

    I felt sluggish today and it seemed like my body was sending me a warning.

    drip- drip-

    As I stared absent-mindedly at the blood on my hand, drops of blood started to fall onto my manuscript paper. I was startled and hastily cleared away the manuscript paper.

    Fortunately, the blood was only on the edge and I was able to prevent a major disaster of rewriting the manuscript. Still, I need to quickly stop the nosebleed.

    ¡°Phew, tissue¡­¡±

    It seemed that I should take a break from writing today.

    *****

    As time passed, the day of the presentation arrived. It meant that the end of the group project, which had been filled with a lot of talk and trouble, was approaching.

    ¡°Hey. Are you sure you guys have everything ready?¡±

    ¡°We do.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Got it. Since I¡¯m the team leader, if you apologize, I¡¯m willing to ept you back on the team¡­¡±

    ¡°Fuck you.¡±

    And just before the ss started, Aira came to see me out of the blue and acted shamelessly, but I strongly cursed her once again.

    Although Marie, who was sitting next to me, looked surprised when I cursed Aira, I didn¡¯t pay attention to her reaction.

    It was beyond my imagination that Aira would have the audacity to put a spoon on someone else¡¯s table after she had overturned her own. I felt nauseous with her impudence and felt like I couldn¡¯t bear it without cursing her.

    ¡°You¡­! Just wait and see! I¡¯m really going to send a letter to my dad!¡±

    ¡°Do as you please.¡±

    Anyway, Aira just left with a remark that I would regret it. I shook my head as I watched her quickly walk back to her seat on her short legs.

    I wonder how far someone has to go astray in order to be like that. In other words, she¡¯s a woman who is even more impressive than Jackson, in a different sense.

    ¡°Did you fight with her?¡±

    As I sighed inwardly, Marie sitting next to me asked a question that was full of doubts.

    I answered in a calm voice without even looking at her. No matter how much I thought about it, I was still furious at the audacity.

    ¡°We fought. She said something she shouldn¡¯t have said.¡±

    ¡°What did she say to make you react like that?¡±

    ¡°A few weeks ago, my brother joined the Navy Knights. And she¡¯s the daughter of Marquis Matheus. You know what I¡¯m saying?¡±

    ¡°I think I know roughly.¡±

    Even though I didn¡¯t say much, Mari nodded her head as if she understood. After all, her family is so famous that it would be strange if there was anything she didn¡¯t know.

    While watching her nodding, I asked in a voice of concern, wondering if she was also criticizing the soldiers like Aira.

    ¡°Marie, what do you think of soldiers?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Why?¡±

    ¡°The reason I fought with Aira was because she treated soldiers like guard dogs, although there was also a problem with my brother. I wondered if all nobles were like that.¡±

    Of course, I don¡¯t think Mari has that kind of mindset. However, I was concerned that most nobles, not just Mari personally, might think that way.

    I couldn¡¯t even guess how other nobles would think, considering that the daughter of a military family could speak such rude words without hesitation.

    Then Mari frowned and asked me in a serious tone if I was being sincere.

    ¡°¡­Are you crazy? If you say that kind of thing, they¡¯ll forcibly enlist you, you know?¡±

    ¡°Forcibly enlist?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s one of the famous punishments among nobles. If a noble¡¯s child insults a soldier, the parents will forcibly enlist them as soldiers. Most of them can¡¯t endure it for even a month and end up whining, but they have to serve for two years byw. It¡¯s a legally defined punishment, so being a noble doesn¡¯t make any difference.¡±

    It¡¯s a truly ingenious and effective punishment. If you were subjected to mandatory military service, you would know just how terrifying the punishment Marie mentioned is.

    You will know how warm your home is, how good your family and society are, and finally, how fucked up the military is.

    Furthermore, without smartphones or televisions in this world, there will be many absurdities that are noughing matter. For the noble children who grew up in a greenhouse, there is no more effective punishment than this.

    ¡°What if the parent insults the soldier, not the child?¡±

    ¡°That kind of situation is almost unheard of, but it wouldn¡¯t look good if it happened. And if a daughter of the Matheus family really insulted a soldier, the repercussions would be enormous. Enlistment would be confirmed, and in the worst case, she could even be expelled from the family.¡±

    Enlistment¡­ I think that would be quite fun. Won¡¯t even Aira feel the harsh reality on the second day of training?

    I eximed with anticipation, hoping for that moment toe soon. She needs to suffer once to wake up.

    ¡°Anyway, have you guys prepared everything for your team?¡±

    While I wasughing out loud, Marie asked me in a cautious voice.

    I responded to Marie, who was watching me carefully after asking that question.

    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t feel the need to answer that, do I?¡±

    ¡°Everyone finished. How about you all?¡±

    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t feel the need to answer.¡±

    Judging from the way she¡¯s smiling wryly, it seems they failed as expected.

    Still, I was curious, so I dared to ask the question.

    ¡°Did you participate at least?¡±

    ¡°I only participated, but there was nothing substantial that I did. We just gathered and chatted, and that was it. It happened only twice as well.¡±

    ¡°What about researching and presenting the material?¡±

    ¡°Who do you think did everything? By the way, I didn¡¯t do anything.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    As Marie asked in return, I became speechless.

    So that¡¯s why Jackson¡¯s expression was so dark. I felt sympathetic somehow.

    ¡°To be honest, I gave up from the moment the team was assigned like that. The grade might sting a bit, but it won¡¯t be too harsh. If it doesn¡¯t work out, I¡¯ll focus on another major.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of major¡­ What major will you enter when you be a third-year?¡±

    I suddenly became curious and asked. I unhesitantly chose a major in history, but don¡¯t know about others.

    Of course, it might be a bit early to ask now, even though the first semester hasn¡¯t ended yet. But she must have something in mind, right?

    After hearing my question, Marie put her hand on her chin and thought for a moment before speaking quietly.

    ¡°About my major¡­well, I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯d like to major in political science, but since Rina is there, I¡¯ll pass. Right now, I don¡¯t have anything specific in mind. I just want to graduate and be done with it. What about you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m obviously majoring in history.¡±

    When I answered without any hesitation, Marie made a strange expression as if she heard something unexpected.

    ¡°Is history that interesting? I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    ¡°Maybe you think that way, but not me. How isn¡¯t history interesting?¡±

    ¡°Got it. Got it. That¡¯s why you¡¯re good at history. Are you nning to write a book about it? Didn¡¯t you receivepliments from Professor Elenast time for writing well?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    The conversation suddenly paused for a moment. She may have said it as a joke, but it could not be regarded as a joke.

    Then Marie observed my face and said with a strange expression.

    ¡°What¡¯s with that expression? Are you really writing one?¡±

    ¡°No?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    When I denied it, she stared at my face and then lowered her gaze. Marie¡¯s gaze was precisely directed towards my right hand, where the pen hook was located.

    I almost instinctively hid my hand, but I managed to control myself just in time to avoid arousing suspicion. Marie also opened her mouth, turning her eyes forward to see if she had no more suspicion.

    ¡°Well¡­ if you say it¡¯s no, then it¡¯s not. But if you really write a book, show it to me. I¡¯m curious.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because I don¡¯t write.¡±

    ¡°Who said anything? Oh, of course, I can ask my dad to support you financially if you need it.¡±

    ¡°Ah, thanks, I appreciate it.¡±

    Even if I grumbled as if to stop, Marie only giggled. Fortunately, he seemed to have said it as a joke.

    <i>¡®How long do I have to live anxiously?¡¯</i>

    I really wanted to rify, but I was afraid of the aftermath. I had to endure it, even if it meant watching my father suffer as he struggled to hide our true identity.

    Anyway, ss started and the presentation, the flower of the group assignment, began. As I expected, Jackson was the presenter for Mari¡¯s group, and his exhausted appearance evoked sympathy from the audience.

    <i>¡®You are suffering too.¡¯</i>

    I think the incidents of being picked on might decrease after this. I looked at him with a sympathetic expression as he returned to his seat with exhaustion.

    I wonder if he noticed my gaze. Jackson, who met my eyes, just gave a hollowugh without any reaction.

    With that, all the presentations were over and the humanities ss came to an end, and the rest of the sses proceeded normally.

    After all the sses were over, we had a meal with our teammates and returned to our dorm.

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    When I opened the door of the amodation and went inside, I saw a letter envelope lying on the floor.

    When I picked it up, it turned out to be a letter from home . I had no choice but to wonder if there was any mail I sent to my parents recently.

    <i>¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯</i>

    Then, I sat on the bed and tore open the envelope to take out the letter. And the identity of the letter was¡­

    [The tail has been stepped on. Be careful for the time being.]

    It was a warning written in my father¡¯s handwriting.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I blinked my eyes as I looked at the warning letter.

    Trantors note:

    Cliffhanger! HaHA!

    Today¡¯s chapter 2/2(?)

 Chapter 43: Crisis (2)

    After reading the letter my father had sent me, I couldn¡¯t help but space out for a moment. It was definitely from my father, as I could tell from his unique short and bold writing style.

    However, if you only looked at the content, it didn¡¯t contain any spy-like information or anything extraordinary. Because of this, it took me some time to understand, but soon I had no choice but to harden my expression.

    <i>¡®¡­the tail was stepped on?¡¯</i>

    The reason I was able to submit my manuscript anonymously to the publishingpany was because of my father¡¯s help. I¡¯m not sure what kind of work my father is involved in, but I can roughly guess that he is using his connections.

    Thanks to that, I was able to remain anonymous until the end even when Xenon¡¯s biography became a huge hit and everyone looked for me. However, my father said that I was also being searched for in various ces, not only by the royalty and nobility, so he emphasized that I shouldn¡¯t let my guard down.

    And it¡¯s only today that it seems its tail has been stepped on. I rubbed my chin and stared at the letter.

    <i>¡®Don¡¯t you know who it is?¡¯</i>

    The subject was neatly omitted, so I couldn¡¯t tell who stepped on the tail. Considering my father¡¯s personality, he would have written all the important parts even in a short letter, so the probability of him not knowing who it is, is high.

    That¡¯s true, the one who stepped on my tail would have probably hired someone to do it, so it would be even stranger if I knew who it was. Anyway, the fact that I need to be careful remains unchanged.

    <i>¡®¡­I need to be alert for now.¡¯</i>

    I don¡¯t know who stepped on my tail, and just because my tail was stepped on doesn¡¯t mean my identity has beenpletely exposed. Still, it will be good to follow my father¡¯s warning.

    To be honest, there¡¯s nothing I can do about it. For now, all I can do is to hope that my father can cut off the tail that has been stepped on.

    If I be overly self-conscious, it could lead to problems with my writing or make other people suspicious of me. Therefore, it¡¯s best to act as usual but maintain myposure.

    <i>¡®But there is only one letter?¡¯</i>

    Usually, my parents send letters together, so if my father wrote a letter, there should be one from my mother as well. My father wrote a short letter to convey the news, but my mother must have written a long letter to bury me and check my progress.

    And sure enough, as if to prove me right, another letter was neatly tucked inside the torn envelope from earlier.

    As I took out the letter and unfolded it neatly, I noticed the beautiful, well-written handwriting. Unlike my father¡¯s, my mother¡¯s letters were characterized by a delicate style.

    [Isaac, it seems that your father only wrote what he needed to say without asking about your well-being, so your mother has also sent a letter. After reading yourst letter, your mother feels relieved that you seem to be adjusting well to academy life. However, I am worried that you might be struggling with the recent increase in temperature since you tend to be sensitive to the heat. Mother still remembers when you copsed during training with your father, and that image still lingers in my mind. While I jokingly ask when the next book will be released, I always emphasize the importance of your health. Your academy life may be busy, but please remember to take care of your health¡­]

    As I read the sentences filling up the A4-sized paper, my heart automatically warmed up. Whether in this life or the past, it¡¯s clear that mothers are angelic beings who think only of their children.

    asionally, some noble families treat their children as political tools, but our mother was not like that. She was just a normal mother of an ordinary family.

    With a sincere smile on my face, I slowly read through the letter my mother had written, and the graceful handwriting made my eyes naturally happy.

    [Your father did write a letter telling you to take care of yourself, but you don¡¯t have to worry too much. Even if you were caught, our family will protect you. Especially, you may not know, but your father was the leader of a famous knight order in his heyday. So even if you were caught, they wouldn¡¯t easily harm us even in the pce. Don¡¯t worry. If anything happens, your father will personally go to the pce.]

    I couldn¡¯t even guess what kind of person he was in the past when they say that they wouldn¡¯t easily harm us even in the pce. After all, he gave up his count status and became a baron, and ording to what Rina told me, it is certain that he is an unusual person.

    He seems like a stereotype of a hidden master that you would see in a novel. However, it is certain that he has a dark past, considering that he himself has chosen to receive a lower rank. Especially since he dered retirement at a fairly young age.

    [¡­Therefore, our family is always supporting you. Don¡¯t overdo it and keep doing what you want to do. Love, Mom.]

    Even after reading all of the letter, the aftertaste lingered. Although my mother had said that she was good at writing in the past, I could tell from the letter that it was definitely not an empty boast.

    Her handwriting was so fluent and beautiful, almost to the point of being described as exquisite. The words she wrote were also very moving. There was nothing missing.

    <em>¡®¡­I shouldn¡¯t disappoint her.¡¯</em>

    Although she teasingly urged to know when Jin and Lily would get together, it was only a joke. On the contrary, my mother didn¡¯t like the story being forced to go in a strange direction due to external pressures.

    After rereading my mother¡¯s letter once again, I neatly folded it and put it in the desk drawer. The first drawer contained manuscript paper and spare notebooks, while the second drawer stored letters my parents had sent me.

    <i>¡®First of all¡­¡¯</i>

    Having finished everything I needed to do today, I sat down in a chair and began writing a letter instead of reading about Xenon¡¯s Biography. The letter was full of worries, so I felt that I needed to ease those concerns.

    Of course, it seemed best to mention that due to circumstances, the next volume of Xenon¡¯s Biography would not be released for at least another two months.

    <i>¡®The tail was stepped on¡­ since there¡¯s nothing I can do about it, I¡¯ll just write¡¯</i>

    I wrote a reply with a much more rxed mind through my mother¡¯s letter.

    *****

    The Minerva Empire is one of the strongest nations in human society. Not only is its territory vast, but its military and economic power are also unrivaled.

    As a result, every single statement uttered by the Empire carries significant influence throughout the world, to the extent that other races cannot ignore them.

    However, even the Minerva Empire has a country that has been evaluated as an eternal enemy since ancient times, and that is the Ters Kingdom.

    Compared to the Minerva Empire, the Ters Kingdom has rtively weak military and economic power, but one thing that stands out overwhelmingly is its soft power, namely, ¡®culture¡¯.

    Ters Kingdom boasts an immense cultural diversity, epassing music, literature, education, science, technology, magic, and even the cultures of other races. It is so vast that it would not be an exaggeration to say that all cultures in the world are included in the Ters Kingdom.

    However, the Minerva Empire has not just stood idly by and has oppressed the Ters Kingdom and its culture. One striking example is the Halo Academy, which is known as the world¡¯s top academy.

    At the time when the Minerva Empire established the academy, they recruited all the professors and rted craftsmen who belonged to the Ters Kingdom. From the perspective of the Ters Kingdom, it was an act of aggression, and they strongly protested against it. After that, they began to strictly prohibit it byw.

    Anyway, while the Minerva Empire had a strong external power such as military and economic power, the Ters Kingdom was considered to have a strong internal power. It was known as the country of culture, even recognized by the elves.

    However, it was not without side effects. The cultural organization was so strong that even major incidents like the ¡®Jayros Revolution¡¯ urred. But they used it as a stepping stone to grow even more, so it wasn¡¯t all bad from the perspective of the Ters Kingdom.

    ¡°So, it means that even though we caught the tail, it¡¯s difficult to trace it all the way up.¡±

    Inside an office with an old-fashioned yet sophisticated atmosphere.

    The middle-aged person with hair tied tightly together, resembling the blue sky, spoke to the man standing opposite to him. Despite having a gentle-looking face, his sharp sky-blue eyes gave off a sense of alertness, and his tone of voice was also unsettling.

    The man in a ck suit standing opposite him deeply bowed his waist, expressing his heartfelt apology.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Highness. It¡¯s all due to myck of ability.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. Just catching the tail is enough. How much information can you get from the tail?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m embarrassed to say this, but there¡¯s practically very little information we can get. It was just an errand boys who receive money for the job, and his clients are also difficult to track.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    Friedrich Duke von Kurchers, the king of the Kingdom of Ters, pondered with his fist against his chin.

    He had stumbled upon an opportunity to catch the tail by chance, but unfortunately, it turned out to be nothing more than a lizard¡¯s tail. A tail that will be cut off on its own the moment it is caught.

    He had hoped that catching the tail would lead to a clue in finding the mysterious author of the Xenon¡¯s Biography. However, it turned out to be a useless errand boy. The disappointment was inevitable, as his expectations were high.

    With a sigh of regret, Friedrich turned to the man in front of him and asked.

    ¡°What are the trends in other countries? I¡¯m sure they know we¡¯ve caught the tail.¡±

    ¡°They probably won¡¯t make a move right away. They know that catching the tail isn¡¯t the end, so we¡¯ll be fine for now.¡±

    ¡°I see. Regardless, we must be the first to find out who it is.¡±

    People from all over the world are searching for the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography, Isaac, but the most passionate among them are undoubtedly the Kingdom of Ters.

    The situation is such that even high-ranking nobles, including the imperial family of the Minerva Empire are mobilizing their resources to search for Isaac, but not to the extent of the Ters Kingdom.

    That being said, while the Minerva Empire is taking a passive approach, knowing that provoking the author may lead to trouble if they run away, Ters Kingdom is gathering clues recklessly without such concerns.

    If you¡¯re wondering why the Ters Kingdom is looking for Isaac like this, it¡¯s simple.

    ¡°I want to find them quickly and give Minerva a big blow.¡±

    ¡°I agree. I¡¯m angry that they have stolen so many things until now.¡±

    As shown by the example of the Halo Academy, so much cultural property has been taken away by the Minerva Empire. Although it has now been legally blocked, there have been many times in the past when they stole their culture bit by bit, causing them great damage.

    In the end, ¡®money¡¯ is the most important thing for developing culture, but the Minerva Empire took numerous artisans and artists with huge sums of money as bait. For the Ters Kingdom, it¡¯s not surprising that a recession has urred.

    ¡°Moreover, there has never been a case where someone changed the world simply by writing a novel, like the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography did, in history. It should be considered unprecedented.¡±

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s surprising enough that the demons princess enrolled in the Halo Academy, and soon they will send an envoy to our country¡­ It¡¯s really an unbelievable reality.¡±

    ¡°If that writer were to write something critical of our country, it would be terrifying to even imagine. It¡¯s unlikely to happen, though.¡±

    Above all, the value of Isaac alone is terrifying. Just with Xenon¡¯s Biography, hepletely changed the perception of demons, but if he was to write a critical article about a specific country? It would be unbelievable.

    On Earth, the inte was widespread among the general public to the extent that it could be taken for granted, but it¡¯s not the same in this world. Quite literally, there is ample potential for it to be abused as a ¡®weapon¡¯ for brainwashing.

    And from the perspective of leaders who govern the country, they fear the copse from within more than foreign invasion. If the pir copses, there is nothing they can do.

    Especially the Ters Kingdom, which had suffered greatly from a devastating Jayros Revolution, knows this fact better than anyone else.

    ¡°I understand for now. We will provide all the support needed, so be sure to find the author. However, even if you find them, make sure to treat them with respect. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°I will keep that in mind. I will try to bring good news as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°I see. Any other news?¡±

    ¡°The news about Princess Adele¡­¡±

    Friedrich frowned when the aide mentioned a specific person. He didn¡¯t even want to hear her name.

    ¡°Nevermind. She¡¯s already been cast aside. Is there a reason why I need to know about her?¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, Princess Adele¡­¡±

    The advisor was interrupted before they could finish their sentence. Friedrich held out his hand as if to say no more.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough. If she were my own child, I would have enrolled her in the Ters Academy, not the Halo Academy. I only have four children. Remember that.¡±

    ¡°¡­I understand.¡±

    The advisor could no longer say anything in the face of Friedrich¡¯s resolute words.

    However, perhaps he had some sense of conscience. Friedrich rubbed his chin thoughtfully and then gave an order to his advisor.

    ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯d better let her know the news. I think you¡¯ll soon find the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography, which she liked.¡±

    ¡°¡­Why do you feel the need to tell her this?¡±

    ¡°So that he won¡¯t easily end her life. We have to give her hope.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    That¡¯s sadistic. The advisor barely held back from frowning.

    Trantors note:

    Damn his mom is amazingly wholesome.

    Also the foreshadowing can¡¯t be THIS obvious right? ¡®Adele¡¯¡­

    I¡¯m too invested and caffeinated right now so more chaptersing.

    Today¡¯s chapter 3/2

 Chapter 44: Crisis (3)

    Even if I sessfully overcame the great trial of a group project, it doesn¡¯t mean the semester is over. The fact that you need to obtain a certain score to prevent a failing grade means there is something you need to do to achieve that score.

    It could be an exam, or it could be an assignment, or it could be through a presentation.

    In short, it means disgustingly busy days. Even after crossing the big mountain called a group project, there were so many hills that I had no choice but to sweat profusely.

    Fortunately, there weren¡¯t many courses with exams, but instead, there were crazy amounts of assignments. I had to pour in time just to do the assignments, let alone writing.

    ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhh¡­ help meee¡­¡±

    Marie groaned and buried her face on the desk, groaning. Her white hair, as white as snow, fell like a curtain.

    It looks like she haspletely exhausted all her energy after thest ss has ended.

    ¡°Seriously¡­ why are there so many assignments¡­ It¡¯s not just one, but several, it¡¯s driving me crazy.¡±

    ¡°Well, still assignments are good for getting grades, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just you. I¡¯d rather take an exam. I can¡¯t even rest properly over the weekend because of all these assignments, it¡¯s driving me crazy.¡±

    Although in my past life, the university had no more than 8 sses, Halo Academy requires at least 10 sses to be attended in order to avoid repeating. It¡¯s already overwhelming just to handle one assignment, but now I have to spend so much time on them.

    I stared nkly at the grumbling Marie and suddenly remembered something, so I asked her.

    ¡°Come to think of it, is your history okay? I can¡¯t say I teach it well, but I¡¯ve at least covered the basics.¡±

    As you all know, I am teaching Marie history. Of course, not only Marie, but also Cecily.

    The time is after dinner on Wednesday after all sses are over. Due to various busy schedules, this was the only time I could squeeze out.

    Another thing I discovered while teaching them history is that Cecily has an expert-level knowledge of history, without any need for my guidance. Having lived for over a century, she has gained a vast amount of knowledge, and is living proof of human history.

    Above all, her memory is exceptionally good, and she never forgets what she has learned. Even I was amazed by this, to the point where I ended up asking her questions about the parts that I didn¡¯t know.

    ¡°Haa¡­¡±

    After letting out a deep sigh, Marie slowly lifted her head and then put her chin on her hand. In a somewhat embarrassed tone, she answered my question.

    ¡°I memorized everything you taught me. You even wrote it down in a way that was easy for me to understand. But I still don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to get a good grade on the exam.¡±

    I looked at Marie¡¯s face, which seemed to have given up halfway, and smiled bitterly.

    She was¡­ to put it nicely, average, and to put it not so nicely, she had a lot of gaps in her knowledge here and there. If I told her about a specific event, she might have heard the name but wouldn¡¯t know the details.

    Anyway, I tried hard to teach Marie history. It was a bit difficult for me too, since I couldn¡¯t say that I was good at teaching others like that.

    The fortunate thing was that Marie was passionate and had a good memory, which made my job easier. Thanks to her, we were able to proceed smoothly without any obstacles.

    ¡°Cheer up. Honestly, other majors are too hard to just dig into history.¡±

    ¡°I agree. But do you have any ns now?¡±

    As I tried to get up from my seat, Marie looked at me with anticipation and asked. Judging by her sparkling eyes, it seemed like she was hoping for a positive answer.

    After hearing Marie¡¯s expectant question, I pondered for a moment and looked around.

    The ss that just ended was alchemy. It¡¯s a field of study unique to this world that reces chemistry.

    Among the students taking alchemy together, Marie was the only close friend I had. Cecily and Rina seemed uninterested in alchemy and didn¡¯t attend the ss, and although I worked on a group project with Leona and Benjamin, I was hesitant to say that we were close.

    I watched as the students began to leave, and then I opened my mouth in a blunt voice. I was sorry to Marie, but I had a prior engagement

    ¡°I¡¯m going to eat. I made a promise to eat with my sister today.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ Really? You¡¯re eating with your sister?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Your older sister, right?¡±

    Why would you ask that? When I looked at her with bewildered eyes, Marie slowly turned her eyes away and sighed.

    She must have been embarrassed even though she said it.

    Afterwards, she nced at me, then extended her index finger and spoke in a pleading tone. I noticed a slight flush of embarrassment.

    ¡°That¡­ don¡¯t get me wrong. I was a little confused when you called Cecily your sister.¡±

    ¡°¡­I see.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re eating with only your older sister?¡±

    When I reluctantly affirmed it, Marie thought it was time and brought up another question.

    First, I told the truth, although I tilted my head at her behavior, which seemed more enthusiastic nowadays.

    ¡°Maybe¡­ I¡¯m going to eat with my sister¡¯s friend. Originally, we were supposed to eat together on the weekend, but she said she was busy because of the freshmen. I heard that the amount of training has increased because next week is a practice.¡±

    ¡°You said your older sister was a teaching assistant, right? My older brother said that your sister is really scary.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    When I heard the story she brought up, I looked up and thought deeply. Nicole, who is overflowing with love for the youngest, was a sample of a kind sister to me.

    Sometimes, even if I did something wrong, she only gave me stern advice, and she has never raised her voice or used physical violence.

    However, when she goes to the training center every weekend, she shows her instincts of a ¡®lion¡¯. If a freshman breaks the rules or intentionally provokes her during sparring, she thoroughly crushes them, and afterwards, she strictly disciplines them as a punishment.

    ¡°Well¡­ she might look scary to others. However, I can say that she is a good person.¡±

    ¡°You and your siblings are really unique. My brother and I are always busy fighting. Is it because there¡¯s a big age difference?¡±

    ¡°I guess it¡¯s different for each person. Doesn¡¯t your brother have a good personality, too?¡±

    ¡°Eh. My brother?¡±

    Marie put on an expression that she had heard something weird. Seeing her make such an expression, it was clear that they were indeed siblings.

    However, it is undeniable that her brother has a good personality. I remembered my first meeting with her and told her.

    ¡°You know, that bookstore where we met for the first time. Back then, when you were making a fuss about how Xenon¡¯s Biography wasn¡¯t avable¡­¡±

    ¡°Aaaa~ I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know~¡±

    Right as I was about to mention it myself, Marie covered her ears and shook her head from side to side, as if she didn¡¯t want to hear it.

    I looked at her, who was whining like a child, with a bewildered expression before finally giving a small chuckle. Even so, I had to say what I had to say.

    ¡°No matter what you think, I¡¯m sure your brother cares for you. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have brought you to the bookstore himself.¡±

    ¡°¡­I guess so. That¡¯s why it feels even weirder.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, there¡¯s nothing more to say, right? Our appointment is until 6 o¡¯clock, but it might be better if I leave soon.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    When I asked Marie while tucking my notebook under my arm, she showed a hesitant expression. I waited next to her while she sorted out her thoughts.

    Then she shifted her blue eyes towards me and spoke cautiously.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, can I meet your sister? I¡¯m not asking to eat together, I¡¯m just going to say hello.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind that much.¡±

    ¡°Really? All right. Then let¡¯s go quickly.¡±

    As soon as I gave permission, Marie jumped out of her seat. Her slightly smug tone and the lifted corners of her mouth conveyed her excitement.

    I walked toward the ssroom door, silently looking at her, who quickly organized her things. After that, Marie stood next to me side by side and started walking together.

    ¡°Isaac, do you think your older sister is pretty based on your standards?¡±

    ¡°Even objectively, she¡¯s pretty. You can think of it as my face bing a woman¡¯s face. The only difference is that her hair is blue.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean you admit that your face is pretty?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t deny it. I resemble my mother rather than my father.

    We chatted about various things on our way to the meeting ce. Most of our conversations were trivial, but it was enough to make the journey enjoyable.

    More than anything, I felt mostfortable talking to Marie rather than anyone else. Rina was hard to deal with, and Cecily was always mischievous, so it was hard to keep the conversation going.

    Since enrolling in the academy, it can be confidently said that Marie is the person I am closest to right now. At least in my narrow circle of rtionships, there hasn¡¯t been anyone asfortable to talk to as her.

    ¡°Isaac, do you have any ns for after graduation?¡±

    Then suddenly, Marie asked about the future after graduation. I was briefly puzzled by her question, but I thought about it carefully.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t just live while writing books¡­¡¯</i>

    Although Xenon¡¯s Biography was an unintended big hit, it is impossible to hold on to just one book. Even more so, I was reincarnated in a fantasy world, so it would be too disappointing to just write.

    Shouldn¡¯t I at least visit various countries and enjoy the culture as much as I want? I want to enjoy a small daily life rather than a dangerous adventure story like any other novel.

    ¡°Maybe¡­ Traveling around the world? I want to travel around the world at least once. I want to get out of the empire and experience various cultures.¡±

    ¡°Traveling around the world¡­ That wouldn¡¯t be too bad.¡±

    ¡°And you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to tell you.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I was able to realize it when I saw Marie with a refreshing smile. I got hit.

    I looked at Marie with a big smile on her face and shook my head as if I couldn¡¯t stop her. She also giggled when she saw my reaction, and then muttered at a barely audible volume.

    ¡°¡­if possible¡­ I¡¯d like to.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°If you didn¡¯t hear it, that¡¯s fine. Isn¡¯t that your sister over there?¡±

    When Marie changed the subject, I put down the question and looked in the direction she pointed.

    The direction she was pointing to was a fountain in the middle of the square, where Nicole was really standing in front of.

    Her tall height that stands out even from a distance, and judging from the navy blue hair tied in a ponytail, it was certain that it¡¯s Nicole.

    ¡°Wow, your sister is so cool.¡±

    Marie also spoke out her heartfelt admiration as saw Nicole. As she said, Nicole¡¯s current appearance was so cool that most models couldn¡¯t evene close.

    ck leather pants and a ck shirt on top of them fully reveal her angr beauty. The simplebination of these two clothes was exuding style and beauty.

    She would havee as soon as the ss was over, but seeing that she was wearing her own clothes, it seemed possible because she was an assistant.

    ¡°Hmm? Ah! Isaac!¡±

    Nicole, who was hanging around in front of the fountain, raised her arm and called my name. I replied by raising my arm in response.

    When I raised my arm, Nicole walked vigorously as if to indicate that she woulde over to me first. However, as she got closer, she noticed Mari standing next to me and looked at her with a puzzled expression.

    ¡°Who is this?¡±

    ¡°Ah! Hello! I¡¯m Marie Hausen Requilis from the Duke of Requilis!¡±

    As soon as Nicole asked, Marie introduced herself with a strong voice. I had a feeling that she was somewhat nervous.

    Meanwhile, when Marie revealed her name and family, Nicole¡¯s golden eyes widened and she looked at me, as if to ask why someone like this was next to me.

    In response, I reassured her as if it was nothing important to resolve her doubts.

    ¡°She¡¯s my friend. We became close by chance.¡±

    ¡°¡­Hello, Lady Requilis. I¡¯m Isaac¡¯s older sister, Nicole Ducker Michelle. It¡¯s an honor to meet you.¡±

    After hearing my response, Nicole politely revealed her own name. Even during the greeting, a hint of suspicion remained in her eyes.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m also honored to meet the daughter of the Red Lion. And please speakfortably, because I feel ufortable. You know of the Requilis family, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­I know it well. Then I¡¯ll drop the honorifics right away.¡±

    Nicole didn¡¯t hesitate to speak informally to a member of the Requili family. Then she alternately looked at me and Marie and questioned Marie.

    ¡°By the way, you said you¡¯re friends with our Isaac?¡±

    Her voice contained some suspicion and a hint of wariness. As someone who knew I was the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography, it was understandable for Nicole to be wary of her.

    Perhaps Marie also quickly picked up on the faint hint of wariness in Nicole¡¯s words, and she responded right away. Her voice trembled slightly, indicating that she was nervous.

    ¡°Yes. We are friends.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ I see. It¡¯s a little surprising.¡±

    This time, Nicole looked at me as she spoke. It seemed like she was surprised to hear that I had be friends with a high-ranking noble¡¯s daughter.

    I also shrugged my shoulders, as I didn¡¯t expect to be friends with Marie. It led to many dangerous situations, but so far, everything has been okay.

    Moreover, if I were to mention that I had be friends not only with Mari but also with Rina and Cecily, I wondered how Nicole would react. But I felt no need to bring it up, so I remained silent.

    However, Marie, who waspletely unaware of this fact, heard Nicole¡¯s unexpected answer and asked her a question.

    ¡°Unexpected? What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Ah, I wasn¡¯t talking about that. I was a bit worried that our Isaac might be too aloof and only focused on his own work to make friends. But it turns out he made friends, and I never would have guessed that one of them was a duke¡¯s daughter.¡±

    I nodded my head because I felt the same way. I couldn¡¯t even imagine that I would be friends with Marie.

    But I feel like she¡¯s gossiping about me, right? Hopefully not.

    ¡°Whoa¡­¡±

    In the meantime, Marie may have felt relieved, but she put her hand on her chest and let out a sigh. Then she said with a brighter expression than before.

    ¡°Then you don¡¯t mind if Isaac and I are friends, do you?¡±

    ¡°Huh? What¡­ That¡¯s right. I don¡¯t mind¡­?¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Marie¡¯s face brightened infinitely at Nicole¡¯s affirmation. Why on earth are you so happy?

    However, in contrast to the delighted Marie, Nicole seems to have be uneasy. As she knew all too well how dangerous it was for me to be close to Marie.

    Although Marie being a daughter of a duke¡¯s family yed a role, the biggest reason was probably because I was the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography. The closer I got to her, the higher the likelihood that my secret would eventually be revealed.

    Moreover, if I became friends with Marie, my academy life would be morefortable, but that¡¯s only if I didn¡¯t reveal my secret. From Nicole¡¯s perspective, Marie was like a double-edged sword.

    In response, she nced at Marie and me alternately, then spoke in a cautious voice.

    ¡°¡­it¡¯s not?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    Then Marie¡¯s face quickly became sullen.

    Trantors note:

    Nicole trolling her so hard Kek

 Chapter 45: Crisis (4)

    ¡°Isaac. Did she catch you by any chance?¡±

    As soon as the appointed time of 6 o¡¯clock arrived, Marie went back to the dorm, leaving just the two of us, and Nicole asked me a question as we were left alone. When I shifted my gaze to her, I could see a worried and anxious expression on her face.

    It seems that she was worried that the secret might have been discovered after seeing the friendly rtionship between me and Marie. However, contrary to her worries, except for a few mistakes, I haven¡¯t been caught.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I haven¡¯t been caught. So far we¡¯re just friends, friends.¡±

    ¡°¡­Really?¡±

    As Nicole expressed her doubts, she gave me a suspicious look. Seeing that, I felt a little bewildered.

    Who does she think is a loner with no real friends? I also knew that my social rtionships weren¡¯t that great, but seeing Nicole giving me that kind of look made me feel a little hurt.

    ¡°What is that look? You don¡¯t seem to trust me.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ forget about it. Anyway, she doesn¡¯t know anything about your secret, right?¡±

    It didn¡¯t seem like an illusion at all when she abruptly changed the subject. I put aside the suspicions that were rising in my mind and replied to her question.

    ¡°I¡¯ve made mistakes, but I¡¯ll be fine with just that.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s about the mistake¡­ you mean when you showed her the picturest time? Was that her?¡±

    I nodded silently as she widened her eyes and asked for confirmation.

    Nicole also knew that I had identally shown the picture to someone else, but she had no idea that the person was Marie. I decided not to tell her, as I thought it would only cause unnecessary worry.

    However, I said it would be fine, because I thought it would be okay even if it was revealed to Marie, now that I have gotten to know her.

    ¡°Haa¡­¡±

    Nicole¡¯s reaction was somewhat unexpected. After staring at my face for a moment, she let out a deep sigh. I couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit nervous about her response.

    After a brief moment of contemtion, she spoke to me in a quiet voice.

    ¡°¡­Isaac. Did you get a letter from father too?¡±

    ¡°That the tail was stepped on?¡±

    In response to my question, Nicole nodded her head in affirmation. It seemed like she had also received a letter from our parents, just like me.

    However, unlike me, she seemed to take the current situation quite seriously, and upon examining her expression closely, it was stiff and hardened.

    Perhaps another letter was sent to Nicole, so could it be that? I shook my head and, feeling a growing sense of unease, opened my mouth with a cautious voice.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t mother say you don¡¯t have to worry about that?

    My mother¡¯s letter to me reassured me not to worry and that it was just a minor issue, literally ¡°stepping on the tail,¡± so there wouldn¡¯t be any big problem. Frankly, except for that, there was nothing different from the usual greeting letters she sent me.

    Of course, I wasn¡¯t just acting as usual and was being somewhat cautious. Thanks to Marie¡¯s sudden and unexpected question earlier, it was almost a big disaster, but I managed to get through it safely for now.

    Nicole looked even more embarrassed as she saw my reaction. Her expression resembled that of parents who had just put their child out by the river.

    ¡°¡­Isaac. Do you know what it means to have your tail stepped on?¡±

    Nicole asked me a question with a weaker voice than before. I sensed something was off instinctively as I listened to her question, so I nodded silently without saying anything.

    Nicole stared at me for a while, then shook her head from side to side after a while. Her mind seemed to be a bitplicated.

    ¡°¡­No. I¡¯ll talk about thatter. Let¡¯s have a meal for now.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yeah. By the way, what about Adelia?¡±

    ¡°She suddenly had somethinge up today and couldn¡¯t make it. When I asked her the reason, she said it was the day a letter sent from her home was supposed to arrive. She said it¡¯s been almost a year since she received a letter.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    I was a little disappointed, but I could understand her feelings. She hadn¡¯t heard about her family¡¯s situation for almost a year, so as far as she was concerned, the letter from home must have been something she had longed for.

    Since my home was located quite close to the Halo Academy, it would take at most a week to get there, but it was not the case for other people. Usually, it takes a week as a minimum, and if the home was far away, it could take over a month to get there.

    Especially formoners, it¡¯s even more difficult because there¡¯s aw in the Empire that prioritizes the mail from nobles. The reason for this is that nobles often hold important government positions, so each piece of mail they receive could be crucial.

    However, since mail cannot be sent using magic, the only option is to use a carriage. As a result, it could take a very long time for the letter to be sent and for the recipient to receive it.

    ¡°Where does Adelia live to receive the letter in a year?¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure. I asked about it before, and they said it¡¯s a bit far away. One thing for sure is that it¡¯s not in the Minerva Empire.¡±

    ¡°Hmm. Is she a noble who hid her identity or something like that?¡±

    ¡°She does look like a noble. I thought she was one at first too. But it turns out she¡¯s not. She¡¯s definitely amoner.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t ask anything more since Nicole was so certain. I pushed Adelia¡¯s beauty, which I couldn¡¯t believe was that of amoner, out of my mind.

    Right now, eating with Nicole is more important than Adelia. It was a meal with no one else but Nicole, so I could have dinner in peace¡­

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    ¡°¡­Lord Leort?¡±

    There was a time when I thought that¡­ Until I ran into Leort in front of the front door of the restaurant I was thinking of having dinner in.

    ¡°Hello? What a coincidence.¡±

    ¡°¡­I know, right.¡±

    To make matters worse, Rina was with Leort. When I greeted them, feeling uneasy, Rina smiled warmly and waved her hand.

    I don¡¯t know how this happened, but it seems that Leort and Rina were also nning to have a meal together as siblings. Seeing that they were wearing school uniforms, not their own clothes, they seemed to have made an appointment in advance.

    However, who could have predicted that we would bump into each other at the same restaurant, at the same time, and as siblings? It was an extremely unlikely coincidence.

    I checked Nicole¡¯s face as I looked at the two of them, I knew intuitively that things had gone wrong. She also seemed embarrassed as if she had never imagined meeting the two.

    ¡°Did you alsoe here for dinner?¡±

    When the subtle atmosphere subsided, Leort asked us in a pleasant, low-pitched voice. Nicole answered urgently,ing to her senses.

    ¡°Oh, yes. Yes, I¡¯m here to eat with Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    After Nicole¡¯s reply, Leort looked at us siblings alternately and eventually raised the corners of his mouth. Seeing his smile, I couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy.

    I was silently hoping that my uneasiness wouldn¡¯te true, but unfortunately, ominous premonitions always seem toe true.

    Leort then held out his hand and proposed to us in a soft tone.

    ¡°Since it turned out this way, how about having a meal together? I will pay for everything. By the way, I have a lot to discuss with you.¡±

    ¡°¡­All right.¡±

    It was just a suggestion, but it was practically half forced. Who would refuse the proposal of a crown prince who is a leading contender for the next emperor?

    Nicole also seemed to reluctantly ept the proposal, well aware of this fact. Even if she refused, it wouldn¡¯t be a big deal since Leort wouldn¡¯t hold a grudge over something like this, but there would be nothing good if we made him feel ufortable.

    More than anything else, there is one part of Leort¡¯s proposal that worries me. He mentioned having a lot to discuss with us.

    Looking at the fact that such words are brought up, there is a possibility that it will be an important issue whether it is good or bad for us. Nicole had no justification to say no, and would have said yes even if only out of curiosity about what Leort would say.

    ¡°All right. What about you, Isaac?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind either.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Then let¡¯s go in. As I said before, I will pay all the money, so you can order anything without any hesitation.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    When I asked in a tone that implied ¡®Is it really okay for me to do that?¡¯, Nicole next to me nudged me with a stern voice. It was only then that I realized I had made a slip of the tongue and quickly shut my mouth.

    However, Leort responded with a faint smile as if he liked that.

    ¡°Hahaha. Of course. You can order anything you want. Be it steak or wine.¡±

    ¡°Isaac, you haven¡¯t forgotten who we are, have you?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    After Leort¡¯s answer, Rina smiled lightly and asked teasingly. After hearing Rina¡¯s teasing, I blinked at her, and then my face started to heat up from the shame.

    What kind of people are they? They are the royal family who rules the Minerva Empire. If it¡¯s about wealth, they are so rich that it overflows.

    So asking a question like that is foolish in itself. Nicole knew that too, which is why she called my name.

    Usually, I tend to think twice before speaking, but in the current situation, it just popped out of my mouth.

    ¡°Sigh¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Even when Nicole sighed in embarrassment, I couldn¡¯t say anything.

    Rina found our appearance amusing and covered her mouth with her hand, giggling. Thanks to her, I became even more embarrassed.

    ¡°Are there any four-person rooms with good soundproofing?¡± You don¡¯t have to worry about the money.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Please follow me for a moment.¡±

    After a slight incident, Leort asked the waiter to book a room for him. However, the feature he wanted for the room was a little peculiar.

    Unless it was an important matter, there was no reason to choose a soundproof room over a regr one.

    From that moment on, a sense of unease and worry started to stir deep inside me. I felt a strong, ominous feeling and looked at Nicole.

    Nicole seemed to have sensed that something was off about the situation, as she tightly shut her mouth and her expression stiffened slightly.

    ¡°If you need to call a staff member, just ring the bell here.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Have a good time then.¡±

    Before long, I entered the four-person room that Leort had requested from the waiter, which was also a soundproofed space.

    As the waiter closed the door, I looked around the room. It was quite spacious for a dining area.

    Overall, the design was no different from an ordinary restaurant. The only difference was a square table ced in the middle of the room.

    I had expected a secretive atmosphere due to the soundproofing, but it was quite different from what I had imagined.

    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s all sit down. Rina, sit next to me.¡±

    ¡°Alright. Isaac sit down too.¡±

    ¡°¡­yes.¡±

    I followed Rina¡¯s instructions and sat down on my chair. Naturally, Nicole sat next to me.

    By the way, Leort and Rina were seated before we were seated. Thus, I faced Rina and Nicole faced Leort.

    ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t have a chance to greet you earlier. I¡¯m Isaac¡¯s older sister and the eldest daughter of the Michelle family, Nicole Ducker Michelle. It¡¯s an honor to meet the Princess who will be the Empire¡¯s Sun.¡±

    Just before the awkwardness settled in, Nicole introduced herself, bringing a fresh air to the atmosphere. Come to think of it, Nicole had met Leort before, but it was the first time she had met Rina.

    In response, Rina faced Nicole, who introduced herself in a stiff tone. Then she smiled gently, ced her hand on her chest, and greeted Nicole ording to the etiquette of the Empire.

    ¡°Nice to meet you, Nicole. As you may know, I am Rina Urmi Christine, the first princess of the Minerva Empire. Please feel free to call me Rina, not the princess.¡±

    ¡°All right, but¡­¡±

    After Nicole finished greeting her, she looked back and forth between Rina and Leort. Their smiles were so simr, that it clearly showed they were siblings.

    However, there was a strong feeling that the smile was hiding something, even I felt it, so Nicole might feel the same way.

    At that, Nicole opened her mouth in a cautious yet wary voice.

    ¡°May I ask what the important matter you mentioned earlier is about?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s better to ce an order first before we discuss that matter. We can talk about it after the meal is finished.¡±

    ¡°¡­All right.¡±

    It seems that they n to discuss the matter after they finish their meal. Nicole epted Leort¡¯s request without any objection.

    ¡°By the way, Isaac liked wine, didn¡¯t he? He drank a lot at thest gathering.¡±

    ¡°¡­really?¡±

    Suddenly, Rina, who was sitting across from me, kindly brought up the dark history of our past gathering. I was momentarily flustered by the sudden topic, but the real problem was Nicole because she turned to look at me as soon as Rina mentioned it.

    She gave me a look as if asking for an exnation of why a princess like her was bringing up such a thing.

    Feeling intimidated by her fierce gaze, I hastily raised both hands and anxiously exined that I didn¡¯t do anything wrong, even though I didn¡¯t know what misunderstanding I had caused.

    ¡°I-I just drank wine! Nothing happened! It¡¯s true!¡±

    ¡°¡­really?¡±

    ¡°Haha. It¡¯s true. He drank too much wine and slept in a chair instead.¡±

    ¡°Isaac?¡±

    Why do you even bring up such a story? Even when I looked at her with a resentful gaze, Rina just smiled, as if she was having fun.

    Is she still resentful that I rejected her invitation back then? Unlike the others I¡¯m not really close with Rina, so I wasn¡¯t sure.

    ¡°Then we can order wine, too. You said you drank it at the gathering, so it¡¯s Alcyone, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­yes.¡±

    ¡°I see. What do you guys want to eat?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    Surprisingly, the meal itself went smoothly. Although since the family meal I expected was over, I had no choice but to promise thatter.

    Moreover, because Leort made the atmospherefortable, I was able to have afortable conversation. Rina also brought up interesting stories from time to time to make the atmospherefortable.

    In fact, having a meal with the royal family like this can be said to be unconventional from my point of view.

    Eating a meal with the crown prince, who is likely to be the next great emperor, means that I am acquainted with him, and furthermore, it is in line with the fact that I have solidified my political position from the beginning.

    If someone in my family gets into politics, it would make a great connection, but as you know, my family is far from politics. I would also hate to throw myself intoplicated politics.

    Thus, the meal was finished in less than an hour. Originally, it was a restaurant I frequented, but perhaps because it was an expensive steak, it tasted much better than the one I ate before.

    ¡°It looks like the meal is almost over, so let¡¯s bring out the story we want to tell you guys.¡±

    While I was satisfied with the feeling of fullness, Leort wiped his mouth with a napkin and said. I concentrated on his words, feeling thefortable atmosphere disappearing.

    Nicole, who was tidying up, also flinched as soon as Leort said it and looked at him.

    As all eyes of the siblings turned to Leort, he gently ced the napkin on the table and opened his mouth.

    His soft voice seemed to be piercing through my ears.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you in advance, even if we didn¡¯t meet today, I was going to call you guys separately in the future. It was just a coincidence that we met today.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you know who the author of Xenon¡¯s biography is?¡±

    This was a question that was already ominous. At the same time, the father¡¯s letter, ¡°The tail was stepped on,¡± came to my mind vividly.

    The atmosphere, the fact that they were going to call us separatelyter, and the fact that they asked that question.

    I expected it to some extent, but when Leort, not anyone else, brought out such words, the ripple effect was beyond imagination. My whole body¡¯s blood cooled and my heart began to beat violently.

    ¡°¡­I do not know.¡±

    Unlike me who had a hard time opening my mouth, Nicole reacted as calmly as possible. However, her voice trembled a little because she felt that her current situation was also tense.

    In the meantime, Leort smirked when he heard Nicole¡¯s answer and spoke in his unique low-pitched voice.

    ¡°But if you have a long tail, you¡¯ll be stepped on someday. Even if it is the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°The person who submitted the manuscript to the publishingpany was nothing but a mere errand boy. It was like trying to investigate a lizard¡¯s tail ¨C there was nothing to be found. So I just tossed it out there haphazardly, and someone took the bait. I don¡¯t know who it was, but they¡¯ll find out it was a fruitless endeavor soon enough. That was about ten days ago.¡±

    I received the letter exactly two days ago, today. It roughly matched the time it took for my father to send me the letter after hearing that his tail was stepped on.

    While I was thinking about that, Leort continued with his lips curled up. It was a smile full ofposure.

    ¡°In the end, I even pressured the publishingpany to show me the contract, but it was meaningless. If you sign a contract using a pseudonym, that¡¯s the end of it. So I tried to stop pressuring the publishingpany. Until I happened to check their tax returns.¡±

    ¡°Tax returns¡­ You mean taxes?¡±

    When Nicol asked with doubt, Leort nodded.

    ¡°Yeah. Taxes. As you know, taxes are moreplicated than you might think. The amount you have to pay in taxes varies widely depending on thew. And publishingpanies also pay taxes ording to the tax rate. In fact, there¡¯s no problem up to this point. The contract stiptes that the publishingpany pays the taxes in advance. But the problem is that they¡¯re also required to pay taxes once more here.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t understand what I mean, it¡¯s like this: When amoner earns ie, they only have to pay taxes to their lord ording to the tax rate. But a lord is different. They have to pay part of the taxes they receive from themoners to the empire, and they also have to pay taxes ording to a specific tax rate. It¡¯s to prevent them from easily umting wealth.¡±

    Regardless of East or West, ¡°wealth¡± is directly linked to power. With money, you can increase your military power or improve the welfare of your subjects to make their lives morefortable than before.

    Moreover, this world has a well-developed ¡°currency.¡± The fact that currency is well-developed means that the economy has greatly advanced, and as a result, the country¡¯s power has be stronger.

    However, unlike the economic power of the Minerva Empire, science was not keeping up. As Leort just mentioned, there are many problems because taxes have to be calcted manually, one by one.

    But who would have known that they would get their tails trampled on because of that problem?

    I gulped and looked at Leort quietly. My fists were clenched and I could feel the cold sweat running down my cheeks.

    ¡°Paying taxes twice means that you are not amoner, but a noble. I found this out because the tax rates are subtly different. Furthermore, because theybined the taxes into one instead of paying separately, it took a long time to notice. But since taxes have to be calcted manually, there were traces of it.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°In any case, the taxes were divided into two and went to different ces. One went to the lord of the territory where the publishing house is located. The other went directly to our empire without going through the lord. But it wasn¡¯ting straight away. There was a ce in the middle where it passed through. We traced it back to find out who it passed through.¡±

    Leort blurred his words and looked at me and Nicole. My heart was beating like it was going to explode at that, and my clenched fists were dripping with sweat.

    Nicole wasn¡¯t much different. Her golden eyes were shaking uncontrobly, and she was also clenching her fists like me.

    Eventually, Leort spoke the name that we siblings never wanted to hear from him.

    ¡°Hawk Ducker Michelle.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°He was themander of the Navy Knights and was a knight who boasted of his power as a Red Lion.¡±

    Honestly, I thought it was over the moment my father¡¯s name came out of Leort¡¯s mouth. So, I closed my eyes tightly.

    ¡°And he is suspected to be the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    Until Leort mistook my father for the author, that is.

    Trantors note:

    LMAO

    Also ¡®Adele¡¯ and ¡®Adelia¡¯¡­ author¡­

 Chapter 46: Crisis (5)

    Leort was doing well, but suddenly, he mistakenly nominated my father, Hawk, as the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography. He was so close to our destination, but Leort abruptly turned the wheel and we ended up at the wrong ce.

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    I slowly opened my tightly closed eyes and looked ahead. Leort was looking at us siblings with a confident smile on his face.

    Beside him, Rina was elegantly sipping her tea with a rxed expression.

    I was too tense a moment ago to speak, but doubts had started to creep into my mind. Why would Leort confidently nominate my father, Hawk, as the author of Xenon Biography and leave me behind? I couldn¡¯t think clearly in this situation, but it didn¡¯t seem like something he would do.

    After hearing Leort¡¯s confident words, Nicole remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking. Her voice was so quiet that it seemed like it could pierce through the floor.

    ¡°¡­If I say it¡¯s not him, will you believe me?¡±

    ¡°If you say it¡¯s not him, your family could be in danger. Paying taxes means there¡¯s ie, and it¡¯s the obligation of nobles to report where they obtained that ie and how they will use it to the higher-ups. By the way, this is not a threat, but rather thew. Only my father can enact thew.¡±

    Leort¡¯s mention of his father was clearly referring to the Emperor, who was the highest authority figure in the empire. It seemed like Leort had intentionally brought up the Emperor.

    Nicole seemed to be thinking the same thing as me because her already stern face became even stiffer. The fist on her thigh also seemed to have tightened up.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to make such an expression. Anyway, it seems certain that your father is the author of Xenon¡¯s biography.¡±

    ¡°Why are you so sure?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I could tell from Nicole¡¯s question that the flow of the story had taken a strange turn. It seemed that Leort had taken this as an opportunity to continue the topic, despite the fact that I, the real author, was sitting right next to them.

    But the more Leort continued, the more ufortable I felt. It was as if I was using my father as a shield.

    Squeeze-

    My father had devoted himself to me, and it was hard for me to ept him being used as a shield. So I was about to speak up, but nicole grabed my hand firmly to stop me.

    I was momentarily confused by the inexplicable pressure, but when I saw Nicole¡¯s expression, I had no choice but to give up on speaking. Her expression was serious enough to make me trust her, despite the fact that it felt like I was selling my father.

    ¡°There¡¯s a reason for everything.¡±

    Leort leaned back in his chair, his charisma quietly flowing out and drawing everyone¡¯s attention.

    ¡°As I said before, taxes are a veryplicated thing. Especially in our Minerva Empire, where tax-rted matters are extremely strict andplex. But theplexity also brings about clear effects. One reason why our Minerva Empire has far more capital than other countries is due to this.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°However, that in itself is not perfect. There may be peoplemitting tax evasion even at this moment. Especially, the method used by Baron Michelle had plenty of room to be abused for tax evasion. If he had the will, he could have perfectly hidden his identity without even paying taxes. Fortunately, it didn¡¯t happen thanks to the strong willpower that he has retained down from his time as a knight.¡±

    It seemed like Leort was convinced that our father is the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography. It was hard to determine whether I should like it or not.

    Meanwhile, Nicole and I were looking at Leort. Rina, who was drinking tea next to us, put down her teacup and spoke in her characteristic gentle voice.

    ¡°At first, it was hard to believe that Baron Michelle was the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography. But considering his achievements and experiences, there are too many parts that fit perfectly.¡±

    ¡°¡­Achievements?¡±

    Finally, I spoke. Until I entered the academy, I didn¡¯t know that my father was once a distinguished knight who held a high position.

    He was the head of the Navy Knights who were like wandering human monsters, and he umted achievements that I, as his son, could hardly imagine.

    The magnitude of his achievements was so great that he was supposed to be titled as a Count instead of a Baron. Even the fact that amoner received a noble status was surprising enough, let alone being a Count. I could roughly imagine how great my father¡¯s achievements were.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Rina listened to my question and let out a subtle sigh, then looked at me with a sharp gaze. After a moment of silence, she smiled kindly and spoke to me in a tone that only conveyed kindness.

    ¡°Isaac, do you know what achievements Xenon made in Xenon¡¯s Biography?¡±

    ¡°Of course¡­ I know.¡±

    Who wouldn¡¯t know? Xenon, the protagonist of Xenon¡¯s Biography, had achieved so much that it would leave one speechless.

    As the biggest example, although he had the help of his colleague, he aplished great feats such as subduing a fierce dragon, saved the country from a devil¡¯s threat, recovered the relics of a church thought to have been lost, and so on.

    Each achievement had such a significant impact on the world that the name ¡°Xenon¡± became widely known.

    Then, after hearing my answer, Rina nodded her head and began to tell me one by one the achievements my father had made.

    ¡°Baron Michelle did more than that. He certainly did not do less. About thirty years ago, there was an asion when a dragon that had ran rampant after losing its offspring, attacked the capital.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Is that¡­¡±

    I¡¯ve seen it in recently published history books. The exact name is the ¡°Ascanal Incident,¡± named after the dragon that attacked the Empire¡¯s capital.

    Since this world is a fantasy, there are dragons, but they are just simple monsters. They are not a ¡°species¡± that can polymorph, is proficient in magic, or hoards rare treasures.

    They are simply giant reptiles that fly in the sky.

    Anyway, the reason why the Ascanal incident urred was nothing but human greed. Humans who were smuggling discovered a hatchling and cruelly killed it, then dismantled it, only to be caught by its mother.

    Naturally, the mother was enraged and attacked the nearest human country, the Minerva Empire. However, the problem here is that the humans whomitted the illegal smuggling were not from the Minerva Empire but from another country.

    From the perspective of the Minerva Empire, it was a bolt from the blue and not just a mad dragon that attacked them; it must have been a real mess.

    ¡°I know that too. At that time, the army rushed to subdue it¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what the record says. But the army was in a hurry to evacuate the people, and it was your father, Baron Michelle, who actually defeated it. Coincidentally, I was in the capital for a while for a vacation.¡±

    ¡°¡­He subdued a dragon?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    As I listened to Rina¡¯s unbelievable story , I was stunned. In this world, there is an honorable title called ¡°Dragon yer,¡± which is naturally given to those who have defeated dragons.

    Such a title exists, because it takes an army to conquer a dragon. However, even if there is such a force, no one can estimate how much damage will be incurred.

    However, my father has conquered a dragon alone, despite the fact that he had the help of the military. It was just as impressive as Xenon¡¯s aplishments, which I had written about in Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    ¡°¡­That¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard of it, Rina.¡±

    It seemed that even Nicole had never heard of the story. Rina answered with a slightly sad expression mixed with suspicion in her question.

    ¡°I guess so. At the time of the Ascanel incident, there was a friend who helped Michelle¡¯s troops, but he was hit by the dragon¡¯s breath¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    When Rina expressed her sincere condolences, Nicole¡¯s expression softened slightly. As my older sister who knew my father better than me, she seemed to have sensed something.

    I can also understand why my father was reluctant to talk about the Ascanel incident. No matter how strong he was, he was still human, and whenever he thought about his achievement, he would remember his friend who was oxidized by the dragon¡¯s breath.

    As the tragic circumstances became known, silence fell among us. Fortunately, Rina quickly broke the silence by opening her mouth.

    ¡°It reminds me of Xenon¡¯s story, where he defeated a dragon with the help of his colleagues. Maybe that¡¯s why he¡¯s like that, wishing that hisrades wouldn¡¯t lose their lives. Although his story was tragic, at least he had not lostpanions.¡±

    ¡°¡­ What else?¡±

    ¡°Yes. He defeated a demon who had turned into a devil, and he drove away beastmen and elves who had invaded the borders several times. He started to be called the ¡®Red Lion¡¯ when he joined the Navy Knights of Marquis Matheus.¡±

    It felt like I was listening to a heroic tale of a famous person. It was a bit surprising but difficult to ept that it was my father.

    No wonder it¡¯s hard to believe that my father, who was nothing more than an ordinary head of the household to me, was famous for defeating dragons and being called the Red Lion.

    While I was feeling a bit confused, Rina stopped speaking and looked at Leort next to her. Leort picked up where she left off.

    ¡°Until Baron Michelle worked there, the border area was a ce where beastmen who were struggling to make ends meet fought against each other every day, and casualties were high. Moreover, even if they were not Navy Knight-level forces, it was difficult to block the beastmen. But the story changed after Baron Michelle arrived.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean it changed?¡±

    ¡°Baron Michelle killed most of the beastmen who lived in the border area. Even the beastmen who felt the crisis joined forces to attack, so it backfired on us. If it weren¡¯t for Baron Michelle, we could have lost not only the border but also some territory. That¡¯s how strong the beastmen were.¡±

    It was truly an achievement that was worthy of being called a ¡®hero¡¯. I sincerely admired it.

    The reason why beastmen frequently crossed the border was probably due to the environmental conditions beyond the border. It was not suitable for farming and it would be more convenient for the beastmen to takend away from us.

    Moreover, the beastmen¡¯s natural tendency to be enthusiastic aboutbat would have yed a part.

    ¡°Thanks to that, our empire was able to save a great deal of human and material resources. It was because the military profits on the border exceeded our imagination. It is not an exaggeration to say that Baron Michelle greatly boosted the empire¡¯s economic power . This is also why I am confident that Baron Michelle is the author of Xenon ¡®s Biography. As a culprit, He went through unimaginable battles, which could be depicted in Xenon ¡®s Biography.¡±

    ¡°¡­I see. I can understand why you said the Navy Knights were able to do it. But¡­¡±

    Nicole trailed off, staring nkly at Leort before turning her head to nce at Rina. Both Leort and Rina were smiling in a way that was impossible to read.

    Perhaps they had received education on how to keep a poker face at the imperial pce. It was impossible to know what they were thinking.

    Nicole seemed to give up on trying to read their minds and spoke in a low voice.

    ¡°What are you going to do about my father?¡±

    ¡°He won¡¯t be able to deny it anymore.¡±

    ¡°If he denies it, it will only make things worse now that everything has been exposed.¡±

    Did Leort like Nicole¡¯s clear-cut response? He nodded with a satisfied smile.

    Then, he slowly extended his upper body forward, sped his fingers, and supported his chin. Then, he gave an answer we had not expected.

    ¡°There is one thing you are mistaken about. Our imperial pce has no intention of touching you, along with Baron Michelle. It is only to confirm this truth.¡±

    ¡°Are you asking us to believe that?¡±

    In the end, Nicole couldn¡¯t stand it any longer and raised her voice. Although I didn¡¯t say anything, I red at Leort with a look that said, ¡°Are you kidding me?¡±.

    You push people like this, you have no intention of touching them? Anyone who believes that statement at face value is a fool. If they really had no intention of touching them, they wouldn¡¯t have called them to this ce in the first ce.

    Leort noticed our intense reaction and extended his hand. It was a gesture to calm down, so Nicole settled her expression calmly.

    ¡°You have every reason to react sensitively. But this statement is true. What if we pressure Baron Michelle and he stops publishing because of it? If we let the publisher know it¡¯s because of our pressure? Can you imagine what kind of reaction that would cause?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Of course, it would be serious in various ways. The influence of Xenon¡¯s Biography on the world is tremendous. No matter how greedy we are, we wouldn¡¯t do the foolish thing of killing the goose thatys the golden egg. Above all, even I and Rina are fans of Xenon¡¯s Biography. I just said it before, but the reason we are with you here is just to confirm it.¡±

    Should I believe it or not? If it were someone else, I would have understood, but Leort is a nobleman deeply involved in politics.

    I don¡¯t even know how many hidden agendas he has, so it¡¯s not easy to ept.

    As Nicole and I couldn¡¯t easily ept it, Rina, who had been watching from the side, took action. She looked directly at me, not Nicole, and put her hand on her chest, opening her mouth.

    ¡°Isaac, I swear by the name of the princess. There will be absolutely no harm to Baron Michelle, your family, or your house. Rather, I can prevent his identity from being revealed.¡±

    ¡°¡­Then what is the merit for you two?¡±

    ¡°The next volume of Xenon¡¯s Biography wille out sooner. That¡¯s all.¡±

    Is that really all? I looked at Rina¡¯s ambiguous answer with suspicion, and she smiled at me, knowing my doubts.

    I know that smile is fake because I¡¯ve seen it many times before. That¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t help but be more suspicious.

    It was then that I hesitated and faltered.

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    ¡°¡­Noona?¡±

    ¡°Please, I hope you keep that promise.¡±

    Nicole epted them in a solemn yet determined voice. It was apletely unexpected situation for me.

    As I looked at her bewildered face, Leort nodded in satisfaction at Nicole¡¯s response with a content smile.

    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll say it again, we have no intention of touching Baron Michelle. Before he became the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography, Baron Michelle was not someone our royal family could handle lightly.¡±

    ¡°You tter us.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s no ttery. Baron Michelle is an exceptional person.¡±

    I wonder what kind of achievement could make Prince Leort say that. Anyway, I¡¯m d we¡¯ve put this issue to rest.

    Although I felt ufortable using my father as a shield, it seemed best to console myself that he would understand. Of course, as soon as we returned to our lodging, I nned to write a letter.

    <i>¡®What should I write? First of all¡­¡¯</i>

    As I sighed inwardly, trying to figure out what to write in the letter, I felt someone¡¯s gaze on me.

    I lifted my head and saw Rina looking at me with a strange expression, resting her chin on one hand.

    For a moment, I almost lost my mind admiring her beauty, which seemed to have been crafted by a skilled artisan, but I managed to snap out of it.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    She nced at my face and then lowered her gaze. I wasn¡¯t sure what she was looking at, but I could roughly tell that her gaze was directed towards my right hand.

    Afterwards, Lina lifted her gaze back up and met my face. It was around the time when I started to question her strange behavior.

    As soon as our gazes met, Lina drew a smile with the corners of her mouth and said.

    [Nice to meet you.]

    She silently mouthed a meaningful message.

    Trantors note:

    I typed ¡®Baron Michelle¡¯ so many times this chapter I think I will have nightmares about it now¡­

    Also! Finally busted!

 Chapter 47: Crisis (6)

    It was after my conversation with the Michelle siblings had ended. Isaac and Nicole had left earlier, but the royal siblings were still sitting there.

    However, the seating arrangement had changed a bit. Rina, who had originally been sitting next to Leort, was now sitting across from him in Nicole¡¯s seat.

    Rina watched Leort drinking his tea calmly across from her with a model soft smile on her lips.

    ¡°Oppa.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    Leort put down his teacup and looked at her, raising one eyebrow.

    Rina threw away her poker face and looked like she didn¡¯t feelfortable and grumbled like a child.

    ¡°Why did you tell them the truth? Honestly, you could have just kept it a secret.¡±

    There was no need to tell the siblings this information. In fact, not telling them and keeping it a secret could have been a win-win for both parties.

    However, Leort did not do that. He had set up the meeting to confirm things, but it only made everyone more suspicious. Even Rina, who was watching from the side, couldn¡¯t figure out what Leort was thinking.

    ¡°How do you think they will see us? They will think we are people who use authority to oppress others. What if Baron Michelle gets angry and stops the serialization?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that? Don¡¯t worry about it. Although Isaac and Nicole don¡¯t know, Baron Michelle knows our royal family very well.¡±

    Contrary to Rina¡¯s worries, Leort responded as if it was not a big deal. This made Rina even more doubtful.

    Shetoo had heard many stories about Hawk, who was known as the Red Lion, and therefore had a vague idea of who he was, but she didn¡¯t know the details.

    However, Leort said with a nuance that he knows Hawk better than herself. She wondered if he knew even more facts because he was the next emperor.

    While Rina had such a question in mind, Leort opened his mouth with his typical rxed smile.

    ¡°Do you know why Baron Michelle retired early?¡±

    ¡°Roughly. I heard he retired early because of PTSD. At least, that¡¯s what I know.¡±

    PTSD, a post-traumatic stress disorder often experienced by soldiers who frequently go to the front lines and ovee death. Hawk is also known to have retired early due to the worsening of PTSD, at least ¡®externally¡¯.

    No matter how many dragons he defeated, or how he drove out the invading beastmen forces from the borders, he was ultimately only human. It¡¯s normal to suffer from pain when he saw too many colleagues die during his knight life, and his hands were also stained with blood.

    Moreover, he received numerous political pressures due to his fame. Especially since he was amoner, some rude nobles pressured Hawk and treated him as if he was not allowed to live.

    Even in the royal family and the military, they desperately tried to prevent his retirement, but Hawk refused stubbornly. In fact, he visited the temple once a day until his symptoms improved, which shows how serious his condition was.

    ¡°You probably know that. But the reality is different. One big incident happened.¡±

    ¡°An incident?¡±

    ¡°Yes. We thought Baron Michelle had driven out all the beastmen beings living in the border area, but half of it was right and half was wrong. Some of the escaped beastmen infiltrated the empire.¡±

    ¡°No way¡­ does that mean¡­¡±

    Rina¡¯s expression stiffened as she realized what Leort was trying to say. She hoped it wouldn¡¯t be the worst-case scenario she was thinking of.

    Then, Leort gently ced his hand on Rina¡¯s to soothe her anxiety.

    ¡°Fortunately, nothing like what you feared happened. It stopped at an attempted kidnapping. The perpetrator ended up being attacked instead, by the very person he had intended to harm ¨C Baron Michelle¡¯s wife. The Imperial side ced bodyguards around her at Baron Michelle¡¯s request.¡±

    ¡°So, he retired because of that? Because he was worried about his family being in danger like before?¡±

    ¡°Yes. When he retired, Baron Michelle said something like this: ¡®What¡¯s the point of having superior martial prowess if you can¡¯t protect the people who are dear to you?¡¯ It¡¯s just my conjecture, but I think he started feeling uneasy since losing his close friend in the Ascanal incident.¡±

    Leort nodded in response to Rina¡¯s question, surprising her with the revtion.

    She had thought that he refrained from boasting about his aplishments simply because of lingering trauma, but it turned out that there was more to it than that. It was why the siblings didn¡¯t know much about Hawk¡¯s achievements.

    He must have worried that if he became too famous, there would be people who would target his vulnerable family members in retaliation. He had actually experienced such an incident before, so he would have refrained from publicizing his achievements as a preventative measure.

    It was likely that the royal family had taken measures to keep Hawk¡¯s name out of the Ascanal incident as well. As a hero among the nobles and military leaders, Hawk had been willing to ept requests from those in higher positions.

    Furthermore, it would have been a win-win situation for both sides, as the royal family would have been able to reduce Hawk¡¯s growing influence to a manageable level.

    ¡°¡­Wait a minute.¡±

    Rina, initially fascinated by the story, soon found herself frowning.

    If Hawk had retired and forsaken all his honor and reputation for those reasons, shouldn¡¯t they have left him alone?

    Leort¡¯s actions towards his brother could only have stirred up unpleasant memories and made him resentful.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, you shouldn¡¯t have done it. Especially to someone who already has trauma.¡±

    ¡°As I mentioned earlier, Baron Michelle is one of the people who knows our royal family well. Would he really bother to do something just for the sake of it? Maybe he would invite us to the mansion to talk about it.¡±

    It may seem unreasonable for a mere baron to invite royalty, but it¡¯s different when ites to Hawk.

    It¡¯s rare formoners to receive noble status, let alone a baron almost bing a count. It can be asserted that his rank may be lower, but his status is by no means inferior to that of high-ranking nobles.

    While Rina was thinking about this, Leort seemed to have something bothering him and he said while rubbing his chin.

    ¡°But there¡¯s still something suspicious.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it suspicious that Nicole epted it without hesitation? It feels like Baron Michelle is being used as a shield. If it were her, she would never say such a thing.¡±

    ¡°They probably wanted to leave as soon as possible. They¡¯ll be suspicious of whatever we say.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s heartbreaking that we can¡¯t deny it.¡±

    Leort let out a bitterugh. He had only invited Isaac and Nicole to confirm the situation.

    However, given their positions, it would only seem like a threat to the two siblings. To be honest, if someone of royal birth invited anyone separately, they would have been suspicious of what they were up to.

    Leort expressed his feelings somewhat regretfully.

    ¡°If I knew this would happen, I would have approached it more carefully. It hurts that I couldn¡¯t control my excitement. It¡¯s not just any story, it¡¯s Xenon¡¯s Biography.¡±

    ¡°But¡­ Do you really think Baron Michelle is the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography?¡±

    When Leort expressed his regret, Rina cautiously asked him for his opinion. Leort raised one eyebrow and rather questioned her doubtful question.

    ¡°Of course. If it¡¯s not him, then who else could it be?¡±

    ¡°¡­never mind.¡±

    At Leort¡¯s confident words, Rina shook her head. However, she couldn¡¯t help the corners of her mouth from lifting into a smile.

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    Leort looked at her with a puzzled expression, seeing her meaningful smile.

    ******

    After finishing the conversation with the siblings of the royal family and exiting with Nicole. The two of us went into a suitable cafe to have dessert and reserved a room, sitting facing each other.

    It was natural to choose a room with soundproofing, just in case. Even though it was a bit expensive, it was perfect for the two of us to have a peaceful conversation.

    ¡°Should we just reveal it?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    At my words, Nicole looked surprised and turned to look at me. Her golden eyes widened quite a bit, and she seemed quite startled.

    However, her expression quickly changed to one of difort, as if she was feeling sorry for me. Meanwhile, I had been ying with my coffee with a teaspoon, feeling frustrated, and spoke in a voice that conveyed my annoyance.

    ¡°Do we really need to use father as a shield? Can¡¯t we just befortable and open about it? There¡¯s no need to hide in the already exposed anyway.¡±

    ¡°Isaac, you don¡¯t have to me yourself so much. It¡¯s not your fault that Leort couldn¡¯t be honest with you. Besides, even in the royal family, they wouldn¡¯t necessarily touch on that subject.¡±

    I raised my head slightly at Nicole¡¯s words, which seemed to be defending Leort. She was still looking at me with a sad expression.

    I asked her why, wondering why she was defending Leort.

    ¡°Do you know Leort well, Noona?¡±

    ¡°To some extent. He hardly ever reveals his true feelings. I¡¯ve only seen it once too.¡±

    ¡°When was that?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­that¡¯s not important right now, is it?¡±

    Nicole evaded my surprised question, and I felt a bit suspicious of her reaction. But since she said it wasn¡¯t important now, I let it go lightly.

    ¡°Anyway, Leort is very likely to have set up a meeting for confirmation. As much as he¡¯s not honest, he tends to show it through his actions. More than anything, didn¡¯t Leort say this himself? That if they pressure you and stop serialization, they will be the ones who receive criticism? In fact, we both have weapons against each other.¡±

    ¡°If the poprity of Xenon¡¯s Biography drops, won¡¯t it be worse for us?¡±

    ¡°That will never happen, but even if it did, it wouldn¡¯t be bad for us. If you can¡¯t believe me, send a letter to our father. He¡¯ll be happy to help you.¡±

    I felt so surprised that she was speaking confidently, but one thing was clear to me. Nicole was trying tofort me because she was afraid that I would be depressed.

    Thanks to her, I was able to regain some energy, but my heart was still in turmoil. Is it really right for my family to suffer just so I can live well? This is the situation where such thoughtse to mind.

    ¡°And the nobles really hate being at a loss. Especially if it¡¯s a fatal loss for a high-ranking noble. So there won¡¯t be anyone in the pce that will directly touch you. This much is true.¡±

    ¡°¡­Really?¡±

    ¡°Sure. They could help make it difficult for the imperial family to track you, as if you had a reliable backup.¡±

    As Nicole spoke, it seemed like it could help in that regard. However, it was still necessary to send a letter to our father and exin the situation.

    I let out another heavy sigh. Regardless, I felt drained of energy today. It seemed like I would have to skip today¡¯s writing.

    ¡°¡­Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s too difficult, you don¡¯t have to keep publishing it out of obligation. You write because you enjoy it. You may not realize it, but when your hobby bes an obligation, your passion fades away. I¡¯m worried that your passion might die out.¡±

    As Nicole spoke with sincerity, I slowly lifted my head and met her golden eyes, mixed with concern and worry.

    Following that, she slowly reached out her hand and gently grabbed my right hand. I could vividly feel the roughness of her skin, which had be hardened from holding a sword for many years.

    ¡°Do you remember when you first showed me your writing? You gave me your manuscript with eyes full of expectation, saying ¡®Look at this, it¡¯s something I wrote.¡¯ Do you remember how you looked when I told you that it was really good? You had a look as if you had the whole world. That was the first time I saw your bright smile.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°But now, I can see that smile fading away. As the world loves your writing more and more, the burden on your shoulders must be getting heavier. Not only me, but our family also wants to help ease that burden.¡±

    Before heading to the academy, my father had touched my middle finger, where I had a pen hook, and said to me, ¡°I am proud of you. This is the honor that you have earned for yourself, and you should take pride in it.¡±

    Nicole¡¯s sincerefort was enough to make me feel the same emotions I felt at that time.

    ¡°So you don¡¯t need to me yourself. If you really feel like you can¡¯t do it, take a break as you said. Novels are a happy hobby for you, not a painful obligation. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°¡­I understand.¡±

    I felt a little relieved inside. Maybe it¡¯s because she¡¯s family, but she understood exactly how I was feeling.

    Thanks to her, I could realize once again that family is the most reliable support for me.

    As Nicole said, I didn¡¯t need to write novels as an obligation. But ironically, because of that, I wanted to write even more.

    I didn¡¯t write for fame or reputation; it was just a hobby. The burden of serialization only arose when its poprity suddenly skyrocketed.

    I looked at Nicole with a gentle smile. Nicole¡¯s expression seemed to rx after seeing my face, too.

    ¡°Then I will just write up to the 10th book quickly¡­¡±

    As my free time disappeared, I felt like something was chasing me. But hearing Nicole¡¯sfort, I could make a firm decision.

    ¡°I think I need to take a break until I finish the third grade.¡±

    I also needed to start taking things a little easier. It was a good time to calm my mind and relieve myself of the burden.

    When Nicole heard my decision, she seemed a little taken aback at first, but then she awkwardly smiled.

    ¡°Well, okay then. If that¡¯s what you want¡­¡±

    Contrary to the answer, her voice was full of regret.

    Trantors note:

    This chapter was quite difficult to make sense of in some moments, so I apologize if it¡¯s a bit scuffed.

 Chapter 48: Seven Deadly Sins (1)

    After the storm, the sky is always clear. As if nothing happened after a storm that seemed to sweep away everything, only a peaceful atmosphere remains at the scene.

    However, the storm is powerful enough to sweep away everything in its ce. The trunk of a giant tree deeply rooted in the ground was weakly broken in half, and the civilization that people have built was relentlessly destroyed by the power of nature.

    So people endure the storm to see the endlessly clear blue sky. Whether the storm is a literal storm or another kind of storm.

    I too almost copsed like a tree trunk in the storm, but I was barely able to withstand it thanks to Nicole¡¯s sincerefort. After that, only a clear sky without a single cloud shone on me, giving me a refreshing feeling.

    Currently, Xenon¡¯s Biography is in the process of writing its 9th volume, and if writing continues up to the 10th volume, it will take about a year toplete. And since I decided to take a break until my 3rd year of high school, my period of rest is guaranteed for at least a year.

    For some reason, perhaps because of that thought, I was able to write my manuscript smoothly. Although I have a terrifying concentration that once I grab something, and I see it through to the end, there is another reason why I have be more resilient.

    [Ah Isaac, I heard news from your sister. The prince and princess are looking for you. Fortunately, they mistook me for you as the author, so that¡¯s a relief. However, I also heard that you¡¯re feeling down. I would love to visit the academy, but I don¡¯t have the time. (Omitted). Our family supports youpletely. Even if your writing isn¡¯t going well, we don¡¯t mind. All we want is for you to not forget to smile. Don¡¯t be too upset by using me as a shield. I¡¯ll dly be your shield. A father is someone who his children can rely on.]

    It was a letter that arrived from home a few dayster, a letter that contained my father¡¯s sincere words.

    He usually writes simple letters that are easy to understand, but this time my father sent me a long letter that was almost as long as my mothers¡¯s, and I couldn¡¯t help but shed a tear as I read it.

    I am both happy and sorry to know that I have such reliable people in my life. I wonder what these simple words mean to them. ¡°Xenon¡¯s Biography¡±, a new work, or my studies. I am my parents¡¯ proud son.

    Thanks to this determination, I achieved the feat of writing the ninth volume in just one month, which was originally expected to take two months. I checked carefully for any mistakes due to writing too quickly and sent it home.

    As an extra precaution, I included an exnation for the coffee stains on the manuscript, so that my parents, who love their children so much, would not misunderstand.

    But as a month passed, things had also changed. Just like how a daunting task of assignments and exams awaited college students during that one month, it was the same for academy students.

    ¡°How was the exam?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ it was a bit difficult. I guess there are limits to just memorizing things. The topics were something I couldn¡¯t even imagine.¡±

    It was the day of the history exam that everyone had been so nervous about.

    Cecily and I were discussing the exam outside the ssroom after we had both finished.

    Cecily had a slightly disappointed expression, indicating that the exam had been more difficult than she had anticipated. As she said, the history exam was not just about memorizing historical facts.

    Professor Elena hadid a foundation of historical knowledge during her lectures and exined what could be learned from history and what should be learned. It was like a lecture that focused on the subject of history itself rather than just historical knowledge.

    And the topic of this history exam was as follows:

    [Describe your own interpretation of history.]

    It may seem simple on the surface, but it is a cruelly difficult essay question that requires careful consideration of whether to write in a simple and concise manner or to provide a detailed exnation.

    Cecily, who had grumbled for a moment, turned to me and asked with a curious voice.

    ¡°Isaac, wasn¡¯t it difficult? You wrote it down quickly and handed in the test paper.¡±

    ¡°You saw that?¡±

    ¡°Of course I did, you were the first one to finish. What did you write?¡±

    There is a famous saying rted to history that is mentioned without fail in every lifetime. Although it is not clear who said it first, it is a phrase that is firmly engraved in people¡¯s minds.

    Upon hearing her question, I replied in my characteristic blunt voice, ¡°History always repeats itself. That¡¯s all I wrote down and came out. What about Cecily?¡±

    ¡°Of course¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to tell me, are you? I already know.¡±

    Before Cecily could y her prank, I spoke up first. She was momentarily taken aback, then looked at me with a puzzled expression.

    From my observations of Cecily so far, she had a habit of raising the corners of her mouth before ying a prank on me. Seeing that, I had a hunch that she was going to y a prank, so I preempted her.

    ¡°How did you know?¡±

    Cecily asked me, clearly surprised and half-confused.

    As expected, people often fail to recognize their own habits, I thought to myself.

    I stared at Cecily¡¯s rare look of confusion for a moment before quietly opening my mouth.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to teach you, okay?¡±

    ¡°¡­Fine.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t be the only one getting pranked.¡±

    ¡°Hmph.¡±

    Cecily stuck out her tongue and turned her head with a huff. She was expressing her annoyance with me, but I didn¡¯t need to pay much attention to it.

    It was only a matter of time before she yed another prank on me. Despite being mischievous, Cecily¡¯s behavior was bing increasingly tiresome.

    ¡°Noona.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Is it just me that you y pranks on, or do you y them on other people too?¡±

    So, I asked. While Cecily was usually talkative and cheerful when with Rina, she tended to y pranks a lot when alone with me.

    However, I was starting to get tired of it because it seemed like the pranks needed to be reciprocated to be considered as such, and I had been feeling a bit ufortable with them for some time.

    I was starting to get confused as to whether she was treating me like a toy or as a person.

    After hearing my question, Cecily blinked her red eyes and then answered with a tilted head.

    ¡°What? I y pranks on other people besides Rina too. I never y pranks on people who are not close to me.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ really?¡±

    ¡°¡­Why do you ask? Are you feeling upset?¡±

    As Cecily noticed my hesitant reaction, she seemed to realize that the atmosphere had be awkward and spoke cautiously.

    I stared at Cecily, who looked anxious, and remembered her age. She was a demon who had lived for over 100 years.

    Having lived through those years and having seen and experienced many things, it was difficult to determine whether her unfamiliarity with certain aspects was due to her first stepping into human society or due to her upbringing.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that I feel bad, but I wish you could tone it down a bit. Instead of ying pranks like earlier, I¡¯d like to share interesting stories with each other.¡±

    ¡°¡­I see. Sorry. I must have gone too far.¡±

    Cecily apologized with a remorseful expression at my request. As I saw a sign that the mood was getting dark, I quickly changed the subject.

    ¡°I have a question, though. Did you never have someone y pranks on you when you lived in the kingdom?¡±

    Cecily is a princess of Helium. In terms of status, she is simr to Rina.

    So, she would have met various people to build up herwork, and some of those connections may have developed into friendships.

    However, contrary to my expectations, Cecily gave a slightly bitter smile and shook her head. She meant no.

    ¡°There were hardly any besides my father. There were no siblings or anyone who could be called a friend, and everyone who approached me only did so because of my power. I suppose it¡¯s because I¡¯m scheduled to be the next Demon King.¡±

    ¡°What about the maids? As a princess, wouldn¡¯t you have maids?¡±

    ¡°That was the case in the past. But there were some¡­unpleasant incidents. At least in Helium, it¡¯s safe to say that there is no one who would dare to y pranks on me, except for my father.¡±

    It seems that she has some unpleasant memories. Moreover, Cecily has an excellent memory, so she probably vividly remembers what happened back then.

    As I looked at Cecily, who was awkwardly smiling, I quickly apologized. I had asked to change the mood, but it only made the situation more awkward.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It seems like I touched upon some unpleasant memories.¡±

    ¡°No, no. Thanks to that, I realized how precious this moment is. Anyway, I¡¯ll try to refrain from ying too many pranks from now on. Got it?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°By the way, who is Isaac waiting for?¡±

    Just like I did earlier, Cecily changed the subject to dispel the awkwardness.

    I responded to her question.

    ¡°Marie. I¡¯m curious if she did well on her test.¡±

    ¡°Is that all?¡±

    Cecily looked at me with a subtle gaze. It seemed like she thought there was something going on between me and Mary, but unfortunately, that was not the case at all.

    I am notpletely clueless, and I do know that Marie has more than friendly feelings towards me. However, due to my busy schedule, I don¡¯t have the capacity to receive her affections.

    <em>¡®I¡¯ll have to gradually reveal my secret¡­¡¯</em>

    If, and it¡¯s highly unlikely, but if Mary and I were to officially start dating, it would probably be after I disclose that I am the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    Before, even if someone was my close friend, I had a mindset of keeping secrets, excluding my family. However, my thoughts have changed after receiving my family¡¯s sincerefort.

    I still keep secrets, but I leave clues for people I trust in secret. So that even if people learn that I am the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography, I expect nothing more than just a simple ¡°Oh, really?¡± response.

    Marie is one of the people who meet those conditions. I¡¯m not sure about her family background, but I¡¯m confident that Marie is not someone who would take advantage of me. It would be a surprise to reveal my secret, but that¡¯s okay.

    Of course, I have already left several clues, but let¡¯s overlook that. That was entirely my mistake.

    ¡°That¡¯s really it. There¡¯s nothing else.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, okay.¡±

    Cecily looked at me with a skeptical expression. Seeing her lips twitch, it seemed like she wanted to y a joke.

    I chuckled and then looked towards the ssroom door. Although a few students hade out, I couldn¡¯t see familiar white hair.

    Maybe it¡¯s taking longer than expected because she hated history so much. Or maybe Cecily and I came out too early.

    ¡°Come to think of it, it seems like it¡¯s about time for the 9th volume of Xenon¡¯s Biography toe out¡­¡±

    Just as I wondered if waiting would be boring. Suddenly, Cecily brought up the topic of the 9th volume of Xenon¡¯s Biography, and gave me a sly smile.

    As for me, it was a somewhat surprising topic, but since it was Cecily and no one else, it was alright. If Rina had brought it up, she would have been so shocked that my face would have turned red.

    Taking a deep breath, I spoke in the mostposed voice I could muster. I had sent the manuscript home a few days ago, so the 9th volume would be out soon.

    ¡°It shoulde out, right? Only the author knows when it wille out though.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Since they released one volume per month, maybe it will bepleted around the end of the first year?¡±

    Why are you asking me that while looking at me? I couldn¡¯t help feeling uneasy as I gazed at Cecily, whose face was full of expectation.

    Since the gathering, Cecily has been looking at me every time she mentions Xenon¡¯s Biography, which makes me extremely ufortable.

    ¡®¡­Did I make any mistakes back then?¡¯

    This even led me to question myself. Otherwise, there would be no reason for Cecily to act like that. She is suspicious of me as the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    I gazed nkly at Cecily, who was smiling brightly, then turned my head slightly towards the ssroom door. If she really doubts me, I need to be careful with every word I say.

    There may already be spilled water, but I can prevent any further damage from now on.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s up to the author¡¯s discretion.¡±

    ¡°I hope ites out soon too. I thought one month was a short time, but it turned out to be surprisingly long.¡±

    It had a subtle nuance of subtly urging. I tried to endure wanting to give a bitter smile as much as possible.

    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, but I n to submit only up to the 10th volume and take a hiatus for more than a year.¡¯

    In fact, submitting the ninth volume in just a month is a remarkable feat for me who currently has no time.

    However, I was able to submit the ninth volume in just a month thanks to the support of my family, and it will take at least two months to submit the 10th volume, followed by a hiatus of more than a year.

    If Cecily doubts me as the author, I expect there may be some changes after the hiatus notice. Perhaps she may even ask me directly if I¡¯m the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    I will be ready for that. For now¡­

    <em>¡®I should take a break until the end of the exams¡­¡¯</em>

    I¡¯m nning to loosen up my body, which is umting fatigue from consecutive assignments and test bombs. I pressed my nose and temples tightly due to the overwhelming exhaustion.

    It¡¯s like feeling overheated from running the engine too hard. I have been exercising steadily every weekend, but it¡¯s still physically challenging to juggle writing and studying.

    Moreover, didn¡¯t I even spill coffee on my manuscriptst time? I tend to spill my coffee easily when tired, so it¡¯s better to be careful in many ways.

    ¡°You look very tired. Are you okay?¡±

    Cecily seemed to have noticed that I was tired and asked me with a worried voice. I nodded and replied.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m just a little tired. You don¡¯t have to worry.¡±

    ¡°¡­Still, don¡¯t push yourself too hard. No matter how important your grades are, your health is the most important thing.¡±

    ¡°I know already. But don¡¯t you still have to do what you have to do?¡±

    Even though I tried to smile, Cecily couldn¡¯t hide her worried expression. For Cecily, I was one of her few friends, so this was a natural reaction.

    But really, I was just a little tired, nothing more. So I extended my hand as if to say, ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay? It¡¯s no problem if you just take a good nap.¡±

    ¡°¡­Alright. I guess I should just rest instead of doing something else for no reason?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Until then, I thought that my ordinary life would continue as usual.

    [Xenon¡¯s Biography, which divides human sins into seven categories. How will the religiousmunity react?]

    [The Luminous Order. The seven deadly sins are enough to reaffirm the foundation of theology. Numerous schrs are already studying andparing each subject, and it¡¯s surprisingly consistent.]

    [Each race is responsible for a particr sin¡­especially the elves, who are in charge of ¡®pride,¡¯ it¡¯s really shocking¡­]

    [What is the strongest sin among the seven deadly sins? We will find out as the story progresses, but most readers expect it to be ¡®pride¡¯¡­]

    Until the seven deadly sins, which were useful in the previous life, had unexpected consequences.

    In response to the reaction that was on apletely different level than the previous eight volumes, I couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy.

    ¡°¡­I hope this doesn¡¯t end up being sphemy and get me arrested?¡±

    Trantors note:

    Our boi gon did it again¡­

 Chapter 49: Seven Deadly Sins (2)

    ¡®God¡¯ is a spiritual existence that is more dependable to believers than anyone else. Even if they don¡¯t appear directly, they firmly believe that they exist and spread the teachings of the gods widely to make the world a better ce.

    However, this is only a story of the ¡°earth,¡± and in this world, one can never deny the existence of the gods. The moment one directly denies the gods, divine punishment falls, and through the special power called ¡°sacred power,¡± they reveal their existence.

    In this way, denying the gods in this world is an impossible thing and has be a catalyst for the significant development of ¡°theology.¡± Theology is an essential study for people in this world regardless of their race, and it is one of the things that priests must learn.

    However, even though theology has developed, there are many shorings in various ways. It deals with how to interpret the divine trust and what teachings the gods gave to their believers in history.

    It can be called chaotic and can also be said to have no ¡°framework.¡± Historically, many schrs and philosophers have made numerous efforts to create this ¡°framework,¡± but almost all of them have given up.

    The history of gods has been with humans longer than anyone can imagine, and it was challenging to establish the teachings they received during that history because there were so many of them.

    As a result, theology can also be seen as a kind of history, but many clergy firmly believe that there wille a chance to reestablish the discipline someday. It is not just about the history of God being with people, but true ¡®theology.¡¯

    And the fruit of that waiting is just beginning to bear now.

    ¡°Is it really a sin to simply have these sins? I do not think so. In fact, even Lumineus had once been jealous of Mora. But he did notmit the sin directly.¡±

    ¡°Does the sin be established only if youmit an action with that sin?¡±

    ¡°Yes. However, if you continue to hold onto that sin, even if it¡¯s temporary, it will also be a sin.

    Overall, people dressed in white clothes on a white background were discussing fervently with a round table in between them. Most of them were elderly with white hair and deep wrinkles, and their clothes bore the symbol of the denomination embroidered in golden thread.

    The followers of the Luminous faith, who possess the greatest power in this world, were not simple devotees, but rather influential bishops and professors who taught theology within the church.

    It wasn¡¯t particrly unusual for them to gather in one ce to discuss, but there was a difference from before: they were passionately exchanging their opinions. Usually, the bishops would gather periodically and go through formal procedures, but there was almost no real gain from it.

    However, now it waspletely different. Various opinions were exchanged like a dam burst open, and counterarguments poured out without end.

    ¡°Especially, we must pay attention to the sin of pride. As you all know, from ancient times, those who were prideful inevitably fell. You only need to look at the elves nearby. This author also put an elf as the demon of pride because they know this.¡±

    ¡°Pride¡­ we need to investigate other sins to be sure, but we cannot deny the sin of pride. Even the Luminous instructed us not to be proud and to always remain humble.¡±

    ¡°Regarding pride, that may be so, but how should we exin the other sins?¡±

    The reason why the archbishops gathered in one ce to discuss was none other than the contents of Xenon¡¯s Biography mentioned this time. In the recently published Xenon¡¯s Biography, demon executives appeared, and Isaac incorporated the concept of the ¡®¡±Seven Deadly Sins¡¯.

    If it had been Earth, it would have been amon concept that anyone would have overlooked without much thought, but it was quite different here. The concept of the Seven Deadly Sins was enough to shock the clergy.

    The fact that sins were strictly divided into seven categories was surprising enough, but the problem was that these sins were not limited to humans but applied to all races.

    The concept of the Seven Deadly Sins was like a framework or paradigm presented to the clergy living in this world. Many theologians have presented various theories so far, but there has been no concept that everyone can agree on like the Seven Deadly Sins.

    Especially since Xenon¡¯s Biography has a huge impact on the world, it is inevitable that it attracts attention, unlike just any other novel.

    ¡°However, I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s really okay to borrow the story from the novel¡­ we don¡¯t know how knowledgeable the author is in theology.¡±

    Of course, there were not only positive opinions but also negative opinions. The consensus was whether it is right to apply the concepts that appeared in the novel to academia.

    Their opinions were reasonable, but¡­

    ¡°Well, then, can Archbishop Hans present a concept as clear as the Seven Deadly Sins?¡±

    ¡°¡­No, I cannot.¡±

    ¡°We know what Archbishop Hans is worried about. The author may not even be a clergyman. However, he surely conducted in-depth research. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have presented the Seven Deadly Sins.¡±

    Almost all of their arguments were refuted.

    The influence of Xenon¡¯s Biography was strong, but they had mistaken it because the concept itself was so novel. The author of Xenon¡¯s Biography is knowledgeable in theology as much as he is experienced.

    In addition, people specte that the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography is an old philosopher. Not a young blue blooded boy like Isaac.

    From Isaac¡¯s perspective, the settings that were useful in his past life were simply adopted without any paradigm shift, but for others, it was nothing short of shaking the foundations of theology with a seemingly obvious setting.

    ¡°And the concept of the Seven Deadly Sins is not limited to our Luminous Order. It should be applied to the concept of theology itself.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean we have to coborate with other denominations?¡±

    One of the archbishops frowned and expressed his dissatisfaction. The Luminous Order has a wide range of beliefs, so it is not umon for them to dislike other denominations.

    Of course, on the surface, they have a good rtionship with other denominations. It¡¯s just that the Luminous Order has the greatest power, not that other denominations are weak.

    When the elderly bishop expressed his dissatisfaction, he shook his head.

    ¡°No. It would be best to conduct research within our denomination for now. We don¡¯t know how Mora and Hirt will react.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ I understand. Then, what do you n to do about finding this author?¡±

    The archbishop asked if they were going to find Isaac, the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography. The bishop looked down and pondered.

    Isaac, who presented the framework that was so difficult to propose, even if it was just a misconception. He wanted to ask him right away what the concept of the Seven Deadly Sins was exactly.

    But at least for now, they couldn¡¯t do that. It was because of his health condition, as mentioned in the newspaper.

    ¡°It¡¯s not possible right now. I heard his health is not good, so it might be burdensome if we visit him for no reason.¡±

    ¡°Ah, you the manuscript this time? They simply said it was a nosebleed.¡±

    The seven deadly sins mentioned this time have caused a great impact, but people were more concerned about Isaac¡¯s health, which was revealed by the publisher.

    Although the blood on the submitted manuscript was just a nosebleed, people were worried about the author¡¯s health, especially considering that he is the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    ¡°Some may argue that artists often neglect their health and overwork themselves. There are countless examples of artists who have copsed due to exhaustion after spending three days and nights drawing or writing novels.¡±

    Is that so? I¡¯m not an artist, so I¡¯m not sure.¡±

    In reality, many artists harm their health by being too absorbed in their work. They often stay up all night, neglect exercise, and as a result, their stamina decreases.

    Isaac wrote as a ¡°hobby,¡± so he had a rtively free stance, but recently he has tended to overwork himself due to the pressure. Fortunately, he is now on the mend thanks to his family¡¯sfort.

    ¡°Anyway, until more stories about the seven deadly sinse out, it would be good to reestablish the discipline. Unless we meet the author in person, we won¡¯t be able to hear a more urate theory.¡±

    ¡°I see. But do you know how the elves reacted? Since the sin of pride wasmitted by the elves, there should be some reaction.¡±

    The old man who was leading the discussion snorted at the bishop¡¯s question and opened his mouth.

    ¡°They¡¯ll probably try to find out who the author is. They already caused a great war during the racial war because of their pride, so they¡¯ll be targeted for that.¡±

    *****

    The 9th volume made its appearance in the world, and people were excitedly discussing the Seven Deadly Sins and the new paradigm it presented, iming that it had advanced theological research like never before seen in such detail.

    For me, it was apletely unexpected reaction. I simply brought over the Seven Deadly Sins that had been frequently used in my past life, so it¡¯s quite absurd.

    However, what¡¯s even more ridiculous is that the publisher posted an article expressing concerns about my health after seeing the coffee stains on my manuscript. Furthermore, since artists tend to harm themselves in order toplete their works, people started gossiping about me. Various hypotheses were circting, but the most overwhelming one was that my life was nearing its end.

    As I mentioned before, readers spected that I am an old sage, but in conjunction with that, they also assume that my life span is not much longer.

    I was amazed by their misconception of my life expectancy as a terminally ill patient at such a promising age of 17, but there was something more important than that now.

    ¡°Isaac, are you really okay?¡±

    ¡°Why do you ask? I¡¯m perfectly fine.¡±

    I replied, swallowing the food in my mouth. I looked at Cecily, who was sitting across from me. Her pretty face was full of worry and anxiety.

    After the incident that happened, Cecily¡¯s frequency of worrying about me has increased significantly. When we were with others, she used to give me anxious nces, but now that we were alone, she asked me openly.

    Currently, the two of us were having lunch at the cafeteria. Rina left earlier, iming to be busy, and Marie didn¡¯t attend the ss with us.

    <em>¡®She really has her doubts.¡¯</em>

    Last time, it was just a guess, but I could be sure now after seeing Cecily¡¯s reaction. She suspects that I am the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    As soon as an article expressing concerns about my health came out, she asked me that kind of question, so I couldn¡¯t help but be certain. I looked at her, who couldn¡¯t hide her worries, and spoke in my usual blunt tone.

    ¡°What makes you think I¡¯m sick? I¡¯m perfectly fine.¡±

    ¡°Just in case. Have you had any nosebleeds recently?¡±

    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t.¡±

    She asked me outright like that. I barely managed to suppress a wry smile.

    Still, it wasn¡¯t so bad to have a beautiful woman like Cecily worry about me personally. In fact, it made me feel more at ease knowing that she cared about my health.

    But I didn¡¯t think it would be good to continue on this topic. So, I put down my fork and asked her a question.

    ¡°By the way, did you read the 9th book that just came out, Cecily noona? They printed a lot this time, so it¡¯s somewhat better.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I read it. Remember that I bought thest copy at the bookstore? How about Isaac?¡±

    ¡°I read the one noona bought.¡±

    Xenon¡¯s Biography always sells out within a day when a new volume is released. Especiallyst time, it set a record by selling out in less than half a day.

    And the publisher knows it very well, so this time they printed a lot from the beginning. I heard they introduced new technology, but I don¡¯t really know what that means.

    Anyway, thanks to that, the 9th volume of Xenon¡¯s Biography was easy to obtain. Even if all copies were sold out on the day of release, new books would be avable in two days, so as long as you were patient enough, you could buy them.

    ¡°Then you must know about the Seven Sins too, right?¡±

    Cecily erased the dark expression on her face and spoke brightly. As expected, a bright expression suited her well.

    ¡°Of course, I know.¡±

    ¡°Do you know about the demon in charge of lust, too?¡±

    Cecily asked me with a glint in her red eyes. I nodded in agreement.

    Then, she raised the corners of her mouth slightly and rested her chin on her hand. With just that gesture, a subtle sensuality flowed out, and the atmosphere changed in an instant.

    Afterward, Cecily looked at me intently with her charming gaze and spoke quietly. It was her own seductive voice, unlike thest time when she had worried about my health.

    ¡°Her name was Lilith, right? A descendant of a subus and a demon who became a devil.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°She had ck hair that fell all the way down to her waist and red eyes. The description also mentioned that her voice was full of sensuality. Her figure was also sensual. But¡­¡±

    Cecily blurred her words for a moment before saying abruptly in a subtle voice.

    ¡°It could be my imagination, but every time I read that description, I somehowe to mind?¡±

    Trantors note:

    It seems I got used to this as my speed drastically increased today, and my schedule ended up moved forward by 3 days lol.

    is thest one for today and has an important announcement.

 Chapter 50: Seven Deadly Sins (3)

    I looked at Cecily without saying anything. She was looking at me with a seductive smile, chin propped up.

    When a mature beauty like Cecily speaks with that kind of pose and voice, it¡¯s hard to describe how devastating it is. She already had a sexy appearance, but thebination of her pose, expression, and voice made me feel like I was falling into a trance.

    If it were another man, he would have fallen for her without regaining his senses. Fortunately, I had built up some immunity from spending time with her. Of course, I couldn¡¯t help my face from turning red and my heart from pounding.

    ¡°Ahem¡­ hem¡­¡±

    I cleared my throat to maintain myposure as my face heated up. It was partly due to the sudden ambush question, but also because Cecily¡¯s atmosphere was so seductive that it was hard to stay focused.

    Still, I managed to calm down somehow. I opened one eye slightly and met Cecily¡¯s gaze.

    Cecily remained in the same pose as before, as if she would stay that way until I answered. Just looking at her made my heart race even more.

    <em>¡®¡­Is she really a subus descendant?¡¯</em>

    Anyway, I thought it would be best to answer the question. I calmed my pounding heart and spoke calmly.

    ¡°¡­I want to say you¡¯re excessively self-conscious, but I can¡¯t.¡±

    In reality, the appearance of the executive in charge of lust, Lilith, is remarkably simr to Cecily¡¯s. Lilith¡¯s setting is that exudes a sensual figure due to her revealing clothing and ck hair, her clothing may not be as revealing as Cecily¡¯s.

    Of course, it¡¯s not exactly the same as Cecily. There may be a tear mole that adds to her charm, different hairstyles, a pair of devil wings on her shoulders, and,st but not least, Cecily¡¯s clothing isn¡¯t as revealing as Liliths.

    I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s not the same dress I saw at thest gathering.

    Anyway, it¡¯s true that I used Cecily as a reference, but there are some significant differences. If I had to make an excuse, it was like Lilith in my head was in front of me right now, not Cecily.

    <em>¡®By the way, why is she saying that? Is she teasing me?¡¯</em>

    I opened one eye to confirm Cecily¡¯s face. I noticed herughing with delight, finding something amusing.

    As I mentioned before, Cecily is halfway convinced that I am the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography. However, since she is not entirely sure, maybe she is trying to gauge my reaction by bringing up such a question.

    While I pondered this question, Cecily responded with a brighter smile than before and spoke with her seductive voice that could stir any man¡¯s heart.

    ¡°Is that so? Too simr, huh?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    With a smile on her face, Cecily looked at me intently despite my blunt response. I averted my gaze from her overwhelming gaze, which was truly burdensome.

    For some reason, the more I met Cecily¡¯s red eyes, the more my mind became hazy. Although I thought I had be ustomed to it by now, her beauty was still at a level that could be considered unfair.

    ¡°Okay, I see. I feel good about something.¡±

    Cecily grinned and then opened her mouth with an expression that seemed relieved. Did I just get caught judging by her reaction? I wondered to myself, but it didn¡¯t seem like it.

    Anyway, the attractive atmosphere that she was emitting gradually diminished. My burning face subsided, and my heart, which had been beating recklessly, gradually became calm.

    I heaved a sigh of relief inwardly and asked her with a slightly tired voice.

    ¡°¡­Why would you ask that?¡±

    ¡°I just asked. I wondered if I was the only one who thought that way.¡±

    ¡°I said it before, but if it was someone else who said that, I would have called them out for an overblown ego.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    Cecily let out a faint hum and narrowed her eyes halfway. Her red pupils shone brightly between her narrowed eyes.

    Just when I felt a slight unease in my heart, Cecily leaned forward slightly and whispered to me.

    ¡°Isaac thinks of me as a subus with a charming appearance and body, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Trying to avoid revealing the secret somehow made me reveal my true thoughts. I couldn¡¯t help but let out a hollowugh when I saw Cecily¡¯s slightly pouting expression.

    Is this the experience of a demon princess who has lived for over 100 years? The more we talk, the more I feel like I¡¯m sinking into a swamp.

    As I was lost in such pointless thoughts and unable to even respond, Cecily nodded her head in affirmation of my awkwardughter and leaned forward.

    Then, she looked around and quietly informed me that there were hardly any people in the restaurant. Her smile remained on her face.

    ¡°Isaac, did you hear any rumors when you entered the school? About me being the descendant of a subus.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I did.¡±

    I was able to calmly answer, my tension easing as my true feelings came out. It was more embarrassing to reveal my true thoughts than to reveal a secret.

    Cecily looked around again after hearing my answer, as if to see if anyone was listening to our conversation.

    Then, she put a hand by her mouth to prevent any sound from leaking out and opened her mouth quietly.

    ¡°If that rumor were true, would you believe it?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡±

    I stared at Cecily¡¯s face intently.

    Her smirk seemed like a joke, but her tone was very serious. This made it more likely that it was true

    But whether Cecily really was a descendant of a subus or not, I was somewhat skeptical. There was a difference between hearing it as a rumor and hearing it from the person themselves.

    After a brief moment of surprise, I nodded my head.

    ¡°I probably would believe it. But even if you¡¯re a descendant of a subus, that doesn¡¯t really change anything, does it?¡±

    But nothing has changed. Even if she inherited the thick blood, Cecily is not a devil but a demon.

    In literature, subi are depicted as gaining power by absorbing men¡¯s vitality, simr to my past life. However, here, they don¡¯t suck the vitality until the victim dies like true devils.

    In other words, from a man¡¯s perspective, it is like being drained of his life force.

    Of course, it is forbidden to think of it as a good thing. In recorded history, there are instances of continuing the intercourse even if blood came out of the genitals, as well as reports of tearing off the testicles. It is truly dreadful.

    ¡°There are many different things, for example¡­¡±

    Cecily¡¯s speech trailed off, and she began to asionally nce at me, blushing on her cheeks. It seemed like an embarrassing topic for her to talk about.

    What kind of secret could it be that makes her hesitate, even though she usually doesn¡¯t hesitate to make suggestive jokes? I couldn¡¯t help but wonder.

    After a while, she hesitated before finally opening her mouth with an embarrassed tone, twisting her jet-ck hair.

    ¡°¡­like having an explosive sexual desire during menstruation?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I inherited the blood of a subus, but I have a particrly hard time resisting it. So¡­ I¡¯ll stop here.¡±

    Her face rapidly turned red, as if she was embarrassed to even say it. I also stared at her nkly, my eyes wide open.

    Since she had lived for over 100 years, maybe during that time¡­

    ¡°Oh, just in case there¡¯s any misunderstanding, I have never had such an experience. If I meditate all day, I can control my desires.¡±

    Just before I was about to think in that direction, Cecily hastily cleared up the misunderstanding. It seemed like she had read my thoughts by looking at my expression, which was even more surprising since a century is an unimaginably long time. Evenpared to my agebined with my past life is less than 40 years, yet Cecily had lived for over a hundred years. It was difficult to believe that she had never been in a rtionship considering all the things that must have happened during that time.

    I stared at Cecily, who was rarely flustered, and cautiously asked her in a careful tone, ¡°You¡¯ve never had any experience with men in over a hundred years? Is that even possible?¡±

    ¡°As I¡¯ve mentioned before, besides my father, there were hardly any people who would treat my pranks lightly. Plus, I¡¯m a princess of Helium, so any scandal involving me would be politically inconvenient.¡±

    ¡°Well, I guess that makes sense.¡±

    If you were the child of a ruler like Cecily or Rina, you would have to be even more careful with your behavior. In my past life, if a negative rumor arose about a politician¡¯s child, the parents were often caught up in the scandal as well.

    Furthermore, Cecily is the next demon king of Helium, which makes her position even more delicate. Even a small rumor about her could put her in an embarrassing situation in many ways.

    ¡°Is it okay for me to be with you, then?¡±

    Suddenly, that thought crossed my mind, and I couldn¡¯t help but tilt my head in confusion. During ourst meeting, Cecily said that linking arms was a form of reward, but something didn¡¯t quite add up.

    It could be due to cultural differences, or maybe something else entirely. As the question arose in my mind, I asked Cecily about my curiosity.

    ¡°Is it okay to link arms like we did during ourst meeting?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Oh, that? I don¡¯t mind it since I consider it a reward. However, anything beyond that is not allowed. For example, touching my horns or holding hands.¡±

    Cecily exined while fanning herself to calm down the heat on her face. It was even more surprising for me as a human to hear that linking arms was eptable, but she brushed it off as a cultural difference.

    At the moment when our conversation seemed to be cut off with no more exchanges, Cecily carefully looked around before opening her mouth in a quiet voice. There was a faint redness engraved on her face, indicating that her mind was not yet calm.

    ¡°¡­Isaac, do you have any secrets like this?¡±

    ¡°Secrets?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Secrets that are hard to tell others. The reason I have no experience in love is because I am a subus descendant. As you know, subi have to absorb a man¡¯s vitality until they die. Because of that rumor, Helium¡¯s men tend to avoid me, thinking that I am like a poisonous flower.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±

    It was an interesting story. I eximed with my lips round in admiration.

    As for me, I didn¡¯t care whether Cecily was a subus or a descendant of one, but it seemed that demons were sensitive to such matters, probably because they were themselves descendants of the devil.

    Even I, as a human, could easily understand it. But that¡¯s not important now.

    ¡°A secret¡­¡±

    I lowered my gaze and muttered softly while holding my chin with one hand. Cecily¡¯s face across from me was tense.

    Does her telling me a secret mean that she trusts me? Cecily isn¡¯t prying until I speak, unlike Rina.

    However, she¡¯s already convinced that I¡¯m the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have created this situation. Secrets are meant to be revealed by one¡¯s own mouth to have any authenticity.

    <em>¡®Can I really trust her?¡¯</em>

    It¡¯s been two months since I met Cecily, but there are still many things I don¡¯t know about her. Even if she reveals a secret herself, it doesn¡¯t mean that I can trust her.

    But what if I¡¯m hesitant to speak when she¡¯s already halfway convinced? She might be disappointed that I don¡¯t trust her enough to reveal the secret she already believes in.

    I pondered for a while before lifting my gaze up. Cecily was waiting for my answer with a tense expression.

    ¡°¡­Noona.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Isaac?¡±

    ¡°Do you tend to keep secrets to yourself?¡±

    Cecily nodded in response to my serious question. Her expression was very grave, and there was no sign of joking.

    I took a deep breath and looked around. There were hardly any people, but I felt like we should speak in a quiet ce at least.

    With a slight smile, I whispered to Cecily.

    ¡°Should we go somewhere quiet for a moment?¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡±

    Cecily¡¯s face lit up with a smile at my suggestion.

    Trantors note:

    IMPORTANT

    It seems I hit 50th chapter a bit faster than I expected but, oh well.

    Starting tomorrow I will change the realese rate to 7 chapter per week, 1 every day.

    HOWEVER

    You guys can do some stuff to get , meaning:<ol><li>Every 20 rating on NU(Currently 184 votes)</li><li>Every 5 reviews on NU(Currently 18)</li><li>Every 2 donations or 6 bucks on Ko-fi, if you already did the above and can¡¯t wait.</li></ol>

    I will also pick up another series next week so you can look forward to it.

 Chapter 51: Secret (1)

    ¡°Heheheung~ Heung~¡±

    Marie, a white-haired girl, was walking down the street humming happily. Her gait was far from the dignified appearance of a noble that always had to be maintained.

    She was also carefully holding a book in her arms, which was the newly published ninth volume of Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    <i>¡®I was really lucky.¡¯</i>

    Whenever a new work of Xenon¡¯s Biography was released, it boasted such an incredible poprity that it caused it to sell out within an hour. There were rumors that as soon as news spread that Xenon¡¯s Biography wasing out from the publisher, it was like the start of a war.

    There were various difficult situations that arose, such as hiring people to wait in front of the bookstore all day long, as well as incidents of hoarding and even fraud. Fortunately, each country recognized the seriousness of the situation and took strict measures to prevent such incidents from urring, but the people who waited in front of the bookstore remained unchanged. Since this was not even illegal, there was no way to stop it.

    Of course, it was strictly prohibited for one person to purchase more than two copies. Magical technology was even invented for identity verification purposes to prevent this. If Isaac were to hear about this, he would be dumbfounded, but he currently did not even care.

    Nevertheless, Xenon¡¯s Biography continued to sell out quickly. Unless Marie asked someone from her family to purchase it, it was almost impossible for her, even as the daughter of the Requilis family, to directly buy Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    <i>¡®I won¡¯t have to ask Dad for a favor this time.¡¯</i>

    But this time, the situation was different. It was because the publisher had made up their mind to capitalize on the enormous sales of Xenon¡¯s Biography, which had exceeded their imagination.

    Originally, they had already reced all the printing presses with the ones solely for Xenon¡¯s Biography, but even that had its limits. So they established a newrge-scale printing factory and even introduced new technology.

    Thanks to this, evenmoners could easily obtain Xenon¡¯s Biography, which even nobles found hard to purchase. And even if it was sold out on the first day of release, it would be restocked within three days.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t believe I managed to buy thest copy. I¡¯ll never be this lucky again.¡¯</i>

    Marie held Xenon¡¯s Biography tightly and smiled happily. She couldn¡¯t buy it on the first day of release due to a mistake, but when she visited the bookstore three dayster, there was onest copy left.

    At that time, she was so nervous that she almost got it snatched away by someone else, but she managed to buy it just in time. Although herpetitors gave her angry looks, Marie didn¡¯t care.

    Since then, she was walking back to her dorm with a light step. Although her assignments and tests were piling up like mountains, she nned to read Xenon¡¯s Biography first to clear her head.

    <i>¡®I wonder if Isaac bought it too.¡¯</i>

    Marie was walking down the street with a happy heart when she suddenly thought of Isaac. Lately, his face has been frequently popping up in her mind.

    Moreover, she has been staring at his profile more often during ss. And if Isaac noticed her gaze and turned his head, she reflexively looked away.

    Originally, she only thought of it as a simple crush, but as time passed, the meaning of her feelings became clearer. Marie hugged Xenon¡¯s Biography more tightly and smiled warmly.

    We talked about this at thest gathering, but Isaac is honest when ites to dealing with others, even if he hides a secret. That alone was enough to win Marie¡¯s favor, and she gradually became more and more attached to him.

    At first, it was just as friends, but the moment she realized that talking to Isaac was the mostfortable thing, the situation changed. Whenever she was stressed for any reason and talked to Isaac, it was like the stress melted away. He would catch her expression and ask what was wrong before she even said anything.

    <i>¡®By the way, hasn¡¯t Rina¡¯s behavior been weirdtely?¡¯</i>

    But that happy thought didn¡¯tst long, because Rina¡¯s recent behavior towards Isaac was worrisome. To Rina, Isaac was just an interesting subject. That¡¯s why there haven¡¯t been many asions where she would y pranks on him or treat him kindly, like she does with her or Cecily.

    However, in recent months, she has been approaching Isaac more frequently. And Marie, can¡¯t help but pay attention to it.

    <i>¡®¡­Because her mask is starting toe off.¡¯</i>

    The fact that she had started taking off her mask and treating Isaac differently was a big problem. Originally, Rina only took off her mask when talking to Cecily, buttely, she had been taking it off more and more when talking to Isaac.

    Marie couldn¡¯t understand why she suddenly started behaving like this, as she had been wearing a mask since she was a child. But for Marie, it was definitely not a pleasant situation. Fortunately, Isaac was still wary of Rina, but people are unpredictable.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t understand why she suddenly changed her attitude. Does she know something I don¡¯t?¡¯</i>

    Mary felt uneasy as she headed back to her dorm. Suddenly, she caught sight of some very familiar colored hair. Even though it was a time when all the sses had finished and there were many peopleing and going, the bright red color stood out to her. Marie blinked her eyes a few times when she saw the color and then smiled to herself.

    There was only one person at Halo Academy with red hair.

    ¡°Oh, Isa¡­!¡±

    Just as she was about to call out the person¡¯s name, she realized that there was someone else next to the student with the red hair and quickly shut her mouth.

    ck hair was not umon in this world, but jet ck hair was rare. Moreover, ck hair was not the only distinctive feature. As if to prove that she was a demon, there were horns protruding from the sides of her head.

    The girl next to Isaac was Helium¡¯s princess, Cecily.

    Marie blinked as she watched Isaac and Cecily walking side by side. She had felt the same way at thest gathering, but it made her feel very ufortable to see Isaac getting along so well with Cecily. Above all, Cecily was the kind of person who often yed pranks on Isaac, so Marie couldn¡¯t help but look at her with disdain.

    <i>¡®Where are they both going?¡¯</i>

    For a moment, Marie felt difort rising in her chest, but she quickly figured out where they were headed. Although she wanted to impulsively barge in, she decided to follow them for now.

    Her white hair was quite noticeable, just like Isaac¡¯s red hair, so she had to be careful as she followed them.

    It feels like stalking for some reason, but it is actually tailing. Marie was being careful, just in case they caught her.

    Eventually, the ce they went into was none other than a cafe¡­

    <i>¡®¡­A cafe?¡¯</i>

    Marie looked nkly at the cafe where Isaac and Cecily had gone in.

    She never visited this cafe except when she exchanged information about her family¡¯s situation with her older brother.

    It was also known for being a cafe where couples usually visit, although it was a bit expensive.

    <i>¡®¡­It couldn¡¯t be, right?¡¯</i>

    Mari¡¯s blue eyes began to tremble violently with anxiety.

    *****

    As soon as I entered the cafe with Cecily, we were given a room first. There was a slight mishap when the cafe employee saw Cecily, but it was resolved smoothly.

    After a while, we entered a soundproof room, which was perfect for having a secret conversation, despite being neither spacious nor narrow.

    ¡°I heard that this cafe is known for being for couples.¡±

    Cecily, who had sat across from me, said with a subtle voice. I showed her my surprised expression as I had never heard of it before.

    ¡°Really? That¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard of it.¡±

    I really didn¡¯t know. The only reason I knew this cafe was because Nicole took me here once.

    Cecily looked at my expression, giggled, and then gave me a gentle smile.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t know? Well, you came here without knowing. But don¡¯t worry, there won¡¯t be any strange rumors about us. It¡¯s just a ce where couples often visit, not a ce where they do anything weird.¡±

    ¡°Is there that kind of a ce, then?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ there is such a ce. But you don¡¯t need to know if you¡¯re a kid.¡±

    At my question, Cecily gave a mischievous smile and pointed her index finger. Thanks to that, I had to bite my tongue, as I had a rough idea of what couples did at this cafe.

    Although we came here to have a secret conversation, it felt like we came here unnecessarily. I felt uneasy and my neck stiffened.

    ¡°¡­Or should we switch seats?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. Isaac isn¡¯t going to do anything weird to me. It¡¯s just a simple secret talk, right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m worried that it might be the other way around, and that you might do something weird to me.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re such a joker.¡±

    Cecily shook her hand, trying to ease the tension. I also tried tough it off as a joke.

    ¡°Did I get caught?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes?¡±

    Until she murmured in a small whisper. Her voice was barely audible, so it was hard to tell if she was serious or joking.

    As I asked with a look of surprise, Cecily shook her head from side to side with her characteristic yful smile.

    ¡°Pretend you didn¡¯t hear it. I wouldn¡¯t do anything weird to you, right?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­Yes. That¡¯s¡­right.¡±

    I felt a sense of unease for some reason, but I dismissed it as an illusion. Although Cecily is definitely much stronger than me, she wouldn¡¯t do such a thing because of her personality.

    The situation almost went awry for a moment, but fortunately, it was resolved when the staff came to take our order. Cecily ordered an americano and I ordered a cappino.

    After the staff left, we were left alone again. Cecily propped her chin up with both hands and began to stare at me intently.

    I didn¡¯t back down from her gaze. Since I came here to reveal my secret anyway, there was no reason for me to back down.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yes, noona?¡±

    ¡°Do you like writing?¡±

    Cecily indirectly asked me instead of directly. I nodded without hesitation in response to her question.

    ¡°Yes, I like it.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s right¡­¡±

    Cecily lowered her gaze slightly as she listened to my answer, seeming to be organizing her thoughts for a moment.

    Since I had intended to reveal all my secrets anyway, I was hardly nervous.

    ¡°¡­Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Do you remember the story you told me two months ago? You exined what a demon was.¡±

    I remembered it clearly. I also remembered having to revise my manuscript after that conversation.

    When I nodded my head in agreement, Cecily smiled gently and began to recount what had happened.

    ¡°At that time, you described our demons as creatures who cannot be human, but who long to be human more than anyone else, and who are more human than anyone else.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t forget that story for the rest of my life. But a simr story also appeared in Xenon¡¯s Biography. When Sakran died and Jin was struggling, Xenon said something to him. Do you know what it was?¡±

    I nodded my head again. I had tried to write down what I had told Cecily in the Xenon¡¯s Biography, but I had immediately deleted it.

    However, since I had to convey the meaning somehow, there was no avoiding the simrity. Cecily may have noticed it when she saw that part.

    ¡°As soon as I saw that part, I thought of what you told me. It could be just a coincidence, but there were many suspicious circumstances.¡±

    ¡°For example?¡±

    ¡°First, the pen hook on your index finger.¡±

    Cecily pointed to the callus with her finger.

    ¡°You said you have to hold a pen for a long time to get that callus, but that alone isn¡¯t enough evidence, since Isaac has a habit of writing things down in his notebook.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Second, your indifferent attitude in regard to Xenon¡¯s Biography. I overheard the conversation you had with Jackson at thest meeting. For someone with such an indifferent attitude, you seemed to know the story almost inside out. Usually, that kind of knowledgees from passion, but you seemed oddly indifferent every time Xenon¡¯s Biography was brought up.¡±

    Did she hear the conversation between Jackson and me at the gathering? As far as I know, Cecily was far away at the time, so I couldn¡¯t understand how she heard it.

    Maybe she used magic to enhance her hearing. At the academy, magic was prohibited, but there was no problem with enhancing one¡¯s senses.

    While I was thinking about that, Cecily presented the final piece of evidence.

    ¡°Finally, your opinion about the identity of the demons you told me about. How many people in this world would think of our demons, who are treated as demons, that way? Even though there are countless people in this world, it¡¯s unlikely that many would have that opinion. It¡¯s almost impossible to have such a thought even if you read the entire Xenon¡¯s Biography. Especially considering the discrimination our demons have faced in the past.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Even with these three pieces of evidence alone, there is enough reason to be suspicious. And you just said you like to write, right? Taking all these clues together leads to one conclusion.¡±

    Cecily, who had been speaking without rest, looked straight into my eyes. I also met her gaze with a calm expression without avoiding it.

    It seemed like it would be best for me to speak first here. After taking a deep breath, I slightly leaned forward and asked her in a quiet voice.

    ¡°Noona, can I ask you something that I¡¯m curious about?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    ¡°If you were to find the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography, what would you do?

    This was a crossroads. If Cecily answered my question honestly, I would dly reveal my identity as well. If not, I would postpone it untilter.

    Of course, even if I postponed it, the secret wouldn¡¯t be hidden for long, but if there was something that needed to be confirmed, then it had to be done.

    We didn¡¯t have to look far for an example, given what happened with Rina.

    After hearing my question, Cecily smiled deeply and lowered the hand that was holding her chin, meeting my gaze. Her cheeks turned red, as if she was embarrassed.

    As I felt that her reaction was out of ordinary, Cecily answered in a modest voice, like an innocent youngdy.

    ¡°As you know, Xenon¡¯s Biography author fulfilled our demon tribe¡¯s long-cherished desire. It¡¯s thanks to that person that I¡¯m able to enjoy a happy life here.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°If I had to find that person¡­ I would dly sacrifice everything for them. It doesn¡¯t matter if they¡¯re a man or a woman, handsome or ugly, old or young. It¡¯s still insufficientpared to the grace that person has shown me.¡±

    It wasn¡¯tcking at all. I had no choice but to be greatly embarrassed by Cecily¡¯s answer.

    I thought all she would do is invite me to protect me in Helium, but sacrificing everything¡­ It¡¯s beyond my expectations, let alone imagination.

    Who is Cecily? Isn¡¯t she the princess of Helium and the next candidate for the Demon King? If such a person is willing to sacrifice everything, the ramifications will exceed anyone¡¯s imagination.

    ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    My mind was jumbled and I couldn¡¯t even think when Cecily gave her unexpected response. She smiled and took my hand, leading me somewhere slowly.

    And where she led me was¡­

    Squeeze-

    It was her chest, the part of her body that exuded an overwhelming presence. The soft, plump feeling that I felt in my hands instantly woke me up.

    I was momentarily confused as to why she was behaving like this when I haven¡¯t even revealed my secret. But Cecily, with a voice full of charm, asked me.

    ¡°How is it?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you want to touch it more?¡±

    Thump- Thump- Thump-

    Cecily¡¯s heart beating through her chest and my heart were both pounding at the same time. I stared at Cecily, forgetting what I was going to say.

    She also seemed embarrassed by her own behavior as her face turned red as if it was about to burst. Butpared to me, it was probably nothing. I felt like I was going to faint right away.

    Cecily leaned forward and stretched her face towards mine, and then spoke with a soft voice that tickled my ear.

    ¡°If you reveal the secret yourself and show me the evidence, I could do more. I am always ready.¡±

    ¡°That¡­¡±

    ¡°Is our Isaac not a genius?¡±

    No way. My male ego was gaining strength from the voice that stimted a man¡¯s instincts.

    I am trying hard to hold back as I feel that something disastrous could happen if I give in even a little bit. I¡¯m not even sure what I might do if my reason breaks.

    At that moment, when I was barely able to regain myposure and withdraw my hand, Cecily grabbed my arm even harder and pulled it towards her face.

    And¡­

    ¡°Yum¡­¡±

    She put my middle finger in her mouth, and then put it all the way in her mouth to where my callus was located. It was a very bold move.

    Slurp-

    I could vividly feel the sensation of Cecily¡¯s tongue gently brushing against my cuticle. The soft feeling of her tongue spread through my hand and pierced through my brain.

    As a result, even the remaining bit of my reason waspletely gone. I took a deep breath.

    <i>¡®Ah. Fuck.¡¯</i>

    If I retreat here, I can¡¯t call myself a man. It seems like I have to reveal my secret and be true to my instincts right now.

    As I closed my eyes and was about to stand up from my seat.

    Knock- Knock- Knock-

    There was a sudden knocking sound that shattered the tense atmosphere. Instead of standing up, I looked towards the door in a dazed state.

    Cecily was the same. As soon as she heard the knocking sound, she looked at the door with a nk expression, then her face twisted in annoyance.

    ¡°Of all times¡­!¡±

    Cecily muttered as if chewing on her words. Thanks to that, my broken sense of reason was restored, and I quickly withdrew my arm. Cecily looked with regret as I withdrew my arm.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t know if I should be relieved or not¡­¡¯</i>

    In the awkward atmosphere, I smiled awkwardly at Cecily and walked towards the door. I thought it might be a server bringing coffee.

    If things had gone as nned, I probably wouldn¡¯t have had an ident. My instincts were disappointed, but my sense of reason was relieved.

    Finally, after opening the door to greet the server with coffee, I saw a very familiar face.

    White hair like snow, blue eyes, and beautiful features.

    ¡°¡­Marie?¡±

    Marie was standing in front of me with a look of anxiety and anger mixed together.

    Trantors note:

    Holy, Cecily is down bad. Tho she got blueballed by marie lol

    Did I ever mention how much I appreciate all thements? The dopamine shots I get whenever I see one are the shit. Thanks for all the support, love y¡¯all.

    We got 20 ratings so 1 more chaptering.

 Chapter 52: Secret (2)

    I looked at Marie intently in a situation that I simply couldn¡¯tprehend. She had an expression that was a mixture of anxiety, restlessness, and anger.

    In addition, she was tightly holding onto a book, which seemed to be the newly released ninth volume of Xenon¡¯s Biography. I alternated my gaze between Mari¡¯s face and the book, feeling greatly confused.

    Not only was Marei¡¯s timing suspicious, but I also wondered how she found us here in the first ce. Did she happen to stumble upon this caf¨¦ and discover us, or did she follow us?

    While I was in the midst of confusion, Marie¡¯s gaze suddenly shifted behind me. It was precisely towards where Cecily was seated.

    After staring at Cecily for a while, Marie looked back at me. Her blue eyes were filled with strong suspicion.

    ¡°¡­Isaac.¡±

    Marie called my name in a whispering voice. I faced her with a puzzled expression.

    Then she looked at me once again, pursed her lips, and said.

    ¡°Your face is red.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I couldn¡¯t easily answer Mari¡¯s question, or rather, I was in no position to do so.

    Because just a moment ago, I almost got into an ident with Cecily. If Marie hadn¡¯t interrupted, it probably would have continued. It¡¯s strange that someone could say anything confidently.

    However, that¡¯s not important. What¡¯s important now is to think about how to answer Marie¡¯s question.

    ¡°Um¡­¡±

    ¡°Did Cecily y another prank?¡±

    As I hesitated to answer, Marie suddenly chimed in. As I mentioned before, even though she was smiling, her eyes weren¡¯t, and it made me feel somewhat uneasy.

    It was like the feeling of getting caught by a lover while trying to hide something.

    Marie¡¯s tone of inquiry and the atmosphere made me feel that way.

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Marie was now looking behind me, checking with Cecily. At the same time, her voice trembled weakly and her blue eyes began to shake like an earthquake.

    If I avoided answering any further, it seemed like things would only get worse, so I slowly nodded my head. It wasn¡¯t a lie, and Marie¡¯s expression seemed like she would cry any moment.

    As I nodded, Marie seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and straightened the corners of her mouth. She then shifted her gaze back to me, fixing me with a cold tone.

    ¡°¡­ Can I talk to Cecily alone for a moment?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I listened to Marie¡¯s question and looked at Cecily behind me. I didn¡¯t care, but I was doubtful if she would allow it.

    As soon as Cecily faced me, she released her frozen expression and gave a small smile, nodding her head. It meant she agreed.

    What was she thinking when she gave her permission? While I was having that thought, Cecily spoke in a calm voice.

    ¡°Unfortunately, we have to end it here today. I¡¯ll go first while you talk to Marie.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Okay.¡±

    There¡¯s nothing I can do here. Even if I interfere, it would only end up being a futile attempt and it wouldn¡¯t be good for anyone involved.

    Besides, there¡¯s the issue of the ¡°misunderstanding¡± that Marie currently has, which is a major problem. In fact, Marie wouldn¡¯t believe me no matter what I said.

    As I looked at Cecily with a disappointed face, I shifted my gaze to Marie. As soon as our eyes met, she lifted the corners of her mouth and gave a small smile, which was odd since she had a fearsome expression just a moment ago.

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to say anything strange, right?¡±

    ¡°Well?¡±

    Feeling uneasy, I asked her. Marie tilted her head as if she didn¡¯t understand and asked back. From what she said, I could tell that she was really angry.

    Of course, it¡¯s not that I couldn¡¯t understand since she currently has emotions towards me that are less than lovers but more than friends. However, that doesn¡¯t mean the situation will improve.

    I hesitated for a moment and walked out the door, passing by Marie. Marie was focused on Cecily and didn¡¯t even look at me as I walked by.

    ¡°Oh? A customer? What do you want to order?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll pay and leave. Please give it to the other people inside.¡±

    As I was about to leave, I met the staff and paid the bill. The staff gave me a strange look for a moment, but I ignored it.

    Finally, I got out of the suffocating atmosphere and looked back. I couldn¡¯t see Marie inside.

    <i>¡®She¡¯s not gonna say anything strange, right?¡¯</i>

    I¡¯ve never experienced this kind of situation in my past life, so I don¡¯t know what to do. But this is the best option. If I interfere in that situation, it will only make things worse and may even ruin the rtionship that we¡¯ve built so far.

    However, I have a strong feeling that I will have to make a choice soon. Since Cecily noticed my secret, her attitude towards me haspletely changed.

    If Cecily¡¯s words about being willing to give everything for me were sincere¡­ And if we had an ident¡­ What would have happened?

    ¡°Whew¡­¡±

    I sighed in frustration and rubbed the back of my neck. It would be best to go back to the dorm and study for the exam.

    I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to write anything because the words Cecily said to me today will continue to haunt me.

    <i>¡®I hope nothing happens¡­¡¯</i>

    For now, I had no choice but to pray.

    *****

    ¡°Your cappino and americano that you ordered are ready.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Isaac left, and a heavy silence filled the narrow room.

    Even though their coffee was ced on the table, the two women just looked at each other and their lips remained shut. The server hastily left the tense atmosphere as if his breath was being stifled.

    Even after the server left and only a deste silence remained, there was no conversation between the two women. If there was a difference between them, it was that Mari had a face that was frozen in stiffness, while Cecily seemed to have a sense ofposure.

    Cecily nced at Mari, who was staring at her fiercely from across the table, and then lowered her gaze. She noticed the steaming americano with rising steam.

    If it were Isaac instead of Marie, he would have enjoyed this coffee more. When she thought of that, her mood became slightly sour, but she didn¡¯t show it.

    ng-

    Cecily lifted the coffee cup to her mouth. Her every move exuded elegance and drew attention.

    However, Mari felt a sense of disdain towards Cecily¡¯s behavior. It wasn¡¯t just because of Isaac¡¯s blushing face a moment ago.

    <i>¡®Surely his pants¡­¡¯</i>

    I don¡¯t know what Cecily did to Isaac, but his pants were noticeably bulging in the middle and his posture was awkward. Marie, who received thorough sexual education from her family, knew what that meant.

    Men are usually responsive to their instincts, especially when tempted by a beautiful and charming woman like Cecily.

    The body is always honest, and no matter how hard a man tries to suppress his instincts, he cannot ovee them. This is why men are said to be sad animals.

    Grit-

    So there is only one reason why Isaac¡¯s instincts woulde out¡­ as soon as that thought came to her, Marie grit her teeth.

    At the time of the gathering, even though Cecily was linked arm in arm with him, Isaac only blushed, and didn¡¯t show any further reaction.

    Isaac is good at controlling his instincts and is a modest person for his age, not as passionate as he should be, or he could be a wet nket.

    However, this time waspletely different. The fact that a man¡¯s instincts came out means that Cecily went too far.

    Moreover, the space they are in has excellent soundproofing. Whatever happens inside wouldn¡¯t be known from outside.

    However, Marie could guess what happened inside, so she was even more angry.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Meanwhile, Cecily observed Marie¡¯s expression while sipping on her Americano. Marie was not just angry, but furious.

    Of course, Cecily was not threatened at all. It was like a cute cat raising its fur and growling. Frankly, it was a bit cute.

    ng-

    She put down her coffee cup and gave a soft smile. She had a feeling at the gathering, but now she was sure.

    The girl in front of her, Marie, had a crush on Isaac. It was a youthful and affectionate feeling that suited her age.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you say something? Didn¡¯t you send Isaac away because you had something to say?¡±

    Cecily¡¯s attractive voice broke the silence that filled the room. She asked Marie, resting her chin on both hands.

    Her red eyes were filled with calmness and her lips drew a smile that emphasized her superiority.

    Marie also knew what Silly¡¯s actions meant since she had been going to social gatherings since she was young. She blinked her eyes and said coldly.

    ¡°¡­Cecily.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Be honest. What did you do with Isaac here?¡±

    If she asked Isaac the same question, he would be confused, so Marie had no choice but to ask Cecily, especially since they were alone now.

    Cecily had been listening to Marie¡¯s question and smiled even more brightly. It was her characteristic yful smile.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. If a man and a woman are in a small, soundproof room, what do you think would happen?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m not joking around.¡±

    Surprisingly, Marie responded calmly. There was a hint that she already knew what was going on.

    Cecily raised one eyebrow, looking slightly surprised before smirking. Some people be more rational when they get angry, and Marie seemed to be one of them.

    Then she straightened her posture, neatly folding her hands and cing them on the desk. It was a dignified gesture, not a yful smile, befitting that of a princess from a certain country.

    ¡°Marie.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°How much do you know about Isaac?¡±

    Marie furrowed her eyebrows upon hearing the question. She didn¡¯t quite understand why Cecily would ask such a question.

    While trying to figure out Cecily¡¯s intentions, Marie decided to answer the question first. She was confident that she knew more about Isaac than Cecily did.

    ¡°At least I know more than you. I can assure you of that.¡±

    ¡°Then what about Isaac¡¯s secret?¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    Marie¡¯s voice trembled slightly. She had a vague suspicion that Isaac was hiding something. So she hoped that if their rtionship became closer someday, he would reveal that secret.

    But when Cecily brought up that topic, Marie was not just surprised but confused. She felt her heart sink and her blood run cold.

    Was Cecily really someone who knew Isaac¡¯s secret? If so, was Isaac closer to her than to Marie? She desperately hoped that wasn¡¯t the case.

    Cecily smiled when she noticed Marie¡¯s face turning pale.

    ¡°I know Isaac¡¯s secret. He even told me without me having to figure it out. And what about you? You don¡¯t, do you?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I also know that you have a crush on Isaac. It would be weird if no one noticed, since you¡¯re showing it so obviously.¡±

    Marie couldn¡¯t even refute Cecily¡¯s words. It was all true.

    But what was more shocking was the fact that Isaac was closer to Cecily than to Marie. There is nothing more despairing than knowing the man you love is closer to someone else.

    When Cecily didn¡¯t get any response from Marie, she felt that she might have gone too far and looked at Marie¡¯s expression. Her eyes were trembling and her body was stiff.

    Cecily felt a little sorry towards Marie, who looked so pitiful. So she tried to lighten the mood, but Marie asked first.

    ¡°Is that all?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°I just asked if that was all.¡±

    Marie, who had regained herposure, asked Cecily with a trembling voice. As Cecily, it was a question that naturally raised doubts.

    But soon, Marie¡¯s exnation followed, and Cecily¡¯s face couldn¡¯t help but to crack.

    ¡°Sharing secrets with your own mouth means trusting the other person¡­ Yes, that¡¯s right. It means you trust them that much.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°But I don¡¯t care if Isaac doesn¡¯t tell me that little secret. If sharing secrets is what creates trust, then forget it. That¡¯s a deal, not sincerity.¡±

    This time, it was Cecily¡¯s turn to stiffen her expression. Marie didn¡¯t even know that Isaac was the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography. She didn¡¯t even have a clue.

    But despite that, Marie was fond of Isaac himself, not as the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography. Can I be as ¡°sincere¡± as that? No, it can be concluded that I could not.

    Cecily herself might have had a liking for Isaac, but it wasn¡¯t more than that. If Isaac wasn¡¯t the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography, she wouldn¡¯t have tempted him so openly like just now.

    Marie became convinced when she saw Cecily¡¯s stiff expression. There was something special about Isaac¡¯s secret.

    If Cecily, who had only yed mean pranks, could force Isaac¡¯s instincts out like that¡­

    <em>¡®¡­Could it be?¡¯</em>

    The illustration of the ¡°Steam Lotive,¡± Isaac¡¯s hobby of writing, and even Cecily, a ¡°demon,¡± tempting Isaac¡­

    It felt like the pieces of the puzzle were clicking perfectly in my mind. But these things alone cannot be decisive evidence. Above all else¡­

    ¡°What does that have to do with anything?¡±

    It doesn¡¯t matter if Isaac¡¯s secret is really like that. I never cared about that kind of thing in the first ce.

    I just appreciate his honest and sincere attitude in everything he does, and I feel affection for his considerate kindness. For Marie, Isaac is the only person she needs, casting aside everything else.

    ¡°If liking someone because of their secrets is what it takes, I¡¯ll definitely oppose it. That¡¯s just liking their secret, not the person themselves.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°If you have nothing else to say, then I¡¯ll go now. There are plenty of things I want to say, but I¡¯m also a busy person. Well then-¡°

    Marie left the room, taking Xenon Biography Volume 9 with her. She didn¡¯t forget to take a sip of her cappino before leaving.

    Left alone in the room, Cecily stared nkly for a while before lowering her gaze. Her face was reflected like a mirror in the Americano in her coffee cup.

    Every word that Marie had said felt like a dagger piercing her chest. It was as if she had been hit hard on the head with a hammer.

    It would have been a big shock for anyone else, but¡­

    ¡°¡­Thank you.¡±

    Instead, Cecily¡¯s smile grew even stronger.

    ¡°Thanks to you, I understand well now.¡±

    She didn¡¯t know it herself, but her smile was so frightening that it felt really dangerous.

    Looking at her own reflection in the coffee, she mumbled to herself while maintaining that smile.

    ¡°I almost caused a big mess.¡±

    Trantors note:

    Bonus chapter. Damn it was tense. Also didn¡¯t expect marie toe on out top here.

    Made the font a bit smaller cause it was too big on mobile.

 Chapter 53: Secret (3)

    I experienced confusion due to unexpected situations that urred one after another, but I was able toe back to my dorm and recover. As Iy on the bed and stared nkly at the ceiling, the fact that my head had cooled down slowly from being hot was helpful.

    However, my mind was still tangled up. Today¡¯s behavior from Cecily and Marie following us, in particr, made for aplicated day. I blinked my eyes and let out a deep sigh while looking at the ceiling.

    <i>¡®Did I be toocent¡­¡¯</i>

    Unlike the royal siblings who created an atmosphere that was more like an interrogation, Cecily encouraged me to reveal the secret myself. It was an attitude that respected my position, not a threat.

    Furthermore, Cecily revealed that she was ready to dedicate everything to me, the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography. It was not a joke, but rather a determination and sincerity that contained her own will.

    However, forcibly leading my hand to touch her chest, and even further, putting my finger in her mouth could be interpreted in various ways. I would have to hear directly from Cecily to fully understand, but to others (especially Marie), it could be seen as her tempting me with her body.

    At that time, my emotions were so overwhelming that it was difficult for me to fully understand the situation, but now as I reflect on it, I realize that there were parts where I was toocent.

    Of course, I cannot determine if Cecily intended to seduce me. I n to confirm this when we meet separately the next day.

    <i>¡®Indeed, I have lived my life with my mind often empty¡¯</i>

    I can be said tock a sense of reality and social skills. In my past life, I isted myself after my parents passed away in an ident while I was in college. And in this life, up until entering the academy, I have been living at home.

    As a result, I tend to let life pass me by like water flowing down a river. Which means that I am unable to cope with uncertain situations.

    However, I havee to realize clearly with Leort, Rina, and even Cecily that my worth is much greater than what I think.

    Although I do not know to what extent, it is clear that I exceed beyond the exceptional level, to the point where even the princess of Helium would offer herself.

    <i>¡®Fortunately, the royal family and Cecily are one thing, but if this goes on, a real crisis will ariseter. Even my father won¡¯t be able to stop it.¡¯</i>

    There is a reliable backup in the form of my father, but even that will crumble helplessly before the power of the ¡°nation¡±. Therefore, it is right to grow my own ability to ovee the situation rather than relying on my father¡¯s abilities.

    My family, along with my father, said they would always help me, but I can¡¯t rely on them for everything. If this isn¡¯t pampering, what the hell is it?

    Therefore, it is best to deal with situations appropriately with my own abilities and, if it seems impossible, to seek the help of my family. My family will respect my opinion.

    As I went through these thoughts, I felt like I had been foolish all this time. Rather than living thoughtlessly, it seems like having some calcting aspects will make the future easier.

    <i>¡®And Marie¡­¡¯</i>

    I can now be sure as of today. Marie has feelings for me beyond just a crush.

    From following me and Cecil, to even intervening directly, anyone with even a little sense can figure that out.

    And my reaction to that was¡­

    <i>¡®¡­Should we start by holding hands?¡¯</i>

    My face started turning red at a rapid pace. I also have feelings for Marie as a person, and as a potential love interest.

    I can¡¯t say that our first meeting was great, but as we spent more time together, I naturally developed those feelings. While her beautiful face was a factor, I appreciated her personality that was far from being snobbish.

    Above all, Marie didn¡¯t even expect that I was the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography. Unlike Cecily, she likes me as a person.

    However, the biggest obstacle is her background. Marie¡¯s family is not just an ordinary noble family like me, but the Requilis Duchy, which holds power second only to the royal family.

    The rtionship between the emperor and the duke is not necessarily bad, but it¡¯s not necessarily good either. They fiercelypete and keep each other in check to maintain the bnce of the Minerva Empire. If something goes wrong, the empire could be thrown into chaos.

    <i>¡®Marie probably doesn¡¯t care, but¡­¡¯</i>

    Even if Marie knew that I was the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography, she would only be surprised and not react beyond that. This is for sure since I¡¯ve spent a lot of time with her.

    However, it¡¯s uncertain whether her family will leave me alone even if she does. So even if I have a rtionship with Marie, I should avoid speaking about it until she notices.

    <i>¡®I need to assess my worth first.¡¯</i>

    Newspapers have been talking about changing the paradigm of novels, fulfilling the wishes of demons, reestablishing theology, and so on.

    Although there have been various evaluations, it is still insufficient. As someone who can¡¯t read the situation, I need to have a better understanding of my worth to prevent a disaster.

    <i>¡®Who would have thought that a single piece of writing could lead to this¡­¡¯</i>

    I let out a frustrated sigh and got up from the bed. As I mentioned before, I¡¯m not very good at sensing reality, but after experiencing various incidents, I felt the need to change my mindset.

    While thinking about this, I sat at my desk and opened the second drawer.

    As soon as I opened it, I saw a pile of thick manuscript paper. But it¡¯s not an ordinary manuscript paper. It¡¯s the first edition of Xenon¡¯s Biography that I wrote with great care.

    Originally, I had entrusted the first edition to the publishingpany, but when Xenon¡¯s Biography became a huge hit beyond their expectations, they returned it to me.

    From the publisher¡¯s perspective, if they continued to hold onto it, they would be in big trouble. So, for safety reasons, they had no choice but to send it back.

    <i>¡®I wonder how much value this really has¡­¡¯</i>

    At first nce, it looks like an unremarkable manuscript paper. But I wondered how it would be perceived by those in high positions.

    My body itself may have its own value, but the value of the first edition would be even more considerable. Especially for the Ters Kingdom, which is called a cultural powerhouse, it could be a priceless treasure.

    However, as I mentioned earlier, it¡¯s essential to know how much value I have. And the person who is suitable to ask this question is¡­

    <i>¡®Leort and Rina, and Marie¡­ something like that?¡¯</i>

    Cecily represents the demon¡¯s position, so let¡¯s pass on that, and the mostplicated rtionship is undoubtedly with humans. Since the protagonist of Xenon¡¯s Biography is a human, the most enthusiastic race about it were humans, and the race that is striving to find me the most are also humans.

    So, the dignitaries on the human side would know the value of the first edition better than anyone else. While thinking about the three people in my head, I squinted my eyes slightly.

    <i>¡®Marie is the most trustworthy among them, as expected.¡¯</i>

    Unlike other people, approaching Marie with a specific purpose is somewhat daunting. As always, I want tough, chat, and enjoy a normal life with her. It¡¯s like a kind of sanctuary.

    Since the situation has be like this due to mycency, it would be better to exin the situation to her at least.

    Of course, Marie would receive me with a happy heart, no matter who I am. However, I need to be even more careful since she would receive me with an open heart. Now that I have learned what kind of feelings she has for me, I don¡¯t want to cause her any harm.

    <i>¡®For now¡­¡¯</i>

    It would be better to write a letter to my father. Only after exining my mindset to my father, would it be best to take action.

    I put the first edition back in the drawer and started writing a letter to my father. If I suddenly decide to take action on my own, he would be surprised, so I need to exin the situation to him.

    <i>¡®I shouldn¡¯t think that there won¡¯t be any more incidents.¡¯</i>

    Various incidents have already urred, and time cannot be reversed. And by definition, secrets should only be known by oneself.

    <i>¡®Instead of just trying to avoid them, let¡¯s prepare for them.¡¯</i>

    I started writing a letter to my father with a serious heart, detailing everything that had happened and how we should be prepared for what mighte next.

    *****

    A room where not even a single ray of light entered.

    Cecily, a demon with red eyes,y on a soft bed and stared nkly at the ceiling.

    Her ck hair was flowing on the bed and her red eyes shining vividly in the darkness, creating a picturesque scene.

    She slowly reached out her hand towards the ceiling. Her hand, which had been trained for decades, was full of calluses.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Cecily blinked her eyes a couple of times while looking at her hand. At the same time, she recalled the events of the day.

    It was an ordinary day like any other, but today was a bit special. This was because she met the author of the legendary Xenon¡¯s Biography, whom she had been longing to meet for so long, and who was also a benefactor of demons.

    Of course, evidence must be presented to prove that he was the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography, but Cecily could sense it intuitively.

    Isaac, the red-haired boy, was surely the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography, whom she had been eagerly hoping to meet, and was the one she had finally met today.

    Up until she gently coaxed it out of him, Cecily couldn¡¯t help but be surprised when Isaac confirmed that he was really the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography. Most people had spected that the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography was an elderly sage.

    Isaac was a bright and youthful guy who wasn¡¯t even 20 years old¡­ Cecily couldn¡¯t believe it. She thought he was an adult, not a child.

    <i>¡®Isaac¡­¡¯</i>

    Cecily remembered the persecution that the demons had suffered over the years. A hundred years is a long time even for demons.

    During that time, the demons did not receive good looks from other races. No, they were even subject to hateful and contemptuous looks.

    Fortunately, she was a princess of Helium, so she did not directly receive such looks. But other demons did. Demons who went out into society received nothing but tragedy.

    As a result, Helium could not take even a single step diplomatically and had no choice but to adopt a coercive and closed position. Even the fact that Helium had recently started diplomatic rtions with the Ters Kingdom was an incredible achievement.

    <i>¡®All of this is because of Isaac¡­¡¯</i>

    Thanks to the boy with the red hair, Isaac. Cecily put her hand on her chest as his face came to mind.

    Thump-thump-thump-

    Her heart pounded roughly like it was broken. She seemed to be excited without even realizing it.

    She tried to calm down her throbbing heart, but it was not easy. In fact, her heart pounded even more when she became aware of it.

    Is this emotion truly love, or is it admiration? As someone who was unfamiliar with this type of feeling since birth, Cecily found it difficult to grasp.

    But one thing was certain.

    <i>¡®My benefactor¡­¡¯</i>

    This emotion was directed towards Isaac, the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    ¡°Sigh¡­¡±

    Cecily let out a deep breath and closed her eyes. She then remembered what Marie had said to her earlier today.

    Mari had stated that her reason for liking Isaac was not because of a secret, but simply because she liked Isaac as a person. Unlike Cecily, she didn¡¯t care about petty secrets.

    This statement was enough to shock Cecily, as it made her realize her own mistake earlier.

    <i>¡®I almost made a huge mistake.¡¯</i>

    She was about tomit a grave offense towards her benefactor. Her actions could have been interpreted as giving everything to him, when in reality, there was room for a different interpretation.

    Was it right to act that way towards the benefactor? Absolutely not.

    These thoughts made Cecily see Isaac in a different light. He wasn¡¯t just a cute little brother, but had be the person who fulfilled the demon¡¯s greatest wish.

    Cute younger sibling and the benefactor of a demon. At that time, she made a mistake because these two things werebined. But not anymore.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    What should I call this feeling of true gratitude and love?

    Respect? Yeah. Maybe it can be called respect.

    When that thought came to mind, Cecily tightly held hands and shook her body. She wanted to run to him right away and express her sincere gratitude, and tell him that she was always ready, so to just ask her for anything.

    But since she had already made a mistake once, she needed to approach him carefully now.

    There was a girl with white hair sitting next to him, so she would act as usual on the surface, but reveal her true feelings when they were alone.

    ¡°Just wait a little longer¡­ Benefactor¡­ Ah! This is not the right time.¡±

    As she twisted her body and mumbled, she suddenly got up from the bed. Then, she sat on a chair at the desk and took out a piece of paper.

    ¡°First, let¡¯s write a letter¡­ But how can I send it to the boys¡¯ dormitory? Would it look strange?¡±

    Cecily began to write happily while pondering this question.

    Trantors note:

    A chapter full of character development, or at least a promise of it.

 Chapter 54: Confession (1)

    The resolution was made, and the next day dawned. There was no major exam to take today, only assignments to submit, so there was plenty of time to talk with friends.

    Originally, I had wished for nothing to happen, but after experiencing various incidents, I changed my mindset. Instead of wishing for nothing to happen, I decided to improve my ability to cope with any situation that may arise.

    I decided to rely on my own abilities rather than my family. With this mindset, I couldn¡¯t help but feel tense.

    Anyway, asking Cecily about what happened yesterday is a priority. What was her intention in tempting me like that, without me providing any proper evidence? Her behavior was so surprising that it left me not only confused but also baffled.

    <i>¡®And¡­¡¯</i>

    After a long period of consideration, I could also change my decision regarding how to treat Marie. If I truly care for her, I should ensure that she doesn¡¯t suffer from the revtion of my secretter on.

    At the very least, I should prevent any harming to the girl who likes me because of my indecisiveness. Although Marie is unaware that I am the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography, unlike others, if I make a mistake, she may feel betrayed.

    She might think that I find someone else is more trustworthy than her. ¡®Why couldn¡¯t I have told her the secret?¡¯, like that.

    This is a rtionship that was built with great effort due to an idental encounter, and I am worried that it will crumble at once due to my careless judgment. Moreover, Marie is quite perceptive, so she might have already sensed something.

    Most of all, I hurt her once yesterday. Even I would feel heartbroken if I saw a girl I liked alone with another guy.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s just focus on the ss for now.¡¯</i>

    I made up my mind again and walked to the ssroom. The first ss is Philosophy, and Marie, Cecily, and Rina are all taking the ss together.

    Although Rina might not know, Marie and Cecily definitely had a conversation yesterday, just the two of them, so there must have been some big changes. I was unsure if I could handle the situation wisely, but now I have to trust myself.

    Otherwise, there is a high possibility that such situations will repeat themselves, and the situation will be moreplicated, making it difficult not only for me but also for others.

    As I made this determination inwardly, I almost arrived at the ssroom.

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Coincidentally, I met Cecily in front of the ssroom door. Cecily also seemed surprised, her eyes widening as if she didn¡¯t expect to meet me.

    As I was struggling to speak in this unexpected situation, Cecily smiled softly and greeted me in a gentle tone.

    ¡°Hello. Good morning.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ Yes. Good morning.¡±

    ¡°Hehe.¡±

    Cecily giggled as I awkwardly greeted her. Suddenly, I remembered yesterday¡¯s incident and felt embarrassed for no reason when I saw her smile.

    As I blushed slightly and touched the back of my neck, Cecily looked at me intently and then quietly spoke.

    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry about what happened yesterday.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have done that to you¡­ It was my fault. I apologize again.

    I couldn¡¯t hide my surprise at the sudden apology and formalnguage. What kind of change in attitude could have caused Cecily to act like this?

    But the problem didn¡¯t end there.

    Cecily expressed her feelings while giving her characteristic mischievous smile and nodding her head politely. It was a clear sign of respect and a greeting.

    I couldn¡¯t help but question her behavior, which waspletely iprehensible to me.

    ¡°Why are you suddenly acting like this?¡±

    ¡°From now on, when it¡¯s just the two of us, I will address you in this way. You are a benefactor of demons, so I should treat you ordingly.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Then shall we go inside?¡±

    I was still confused about what was happening. Iughed and watched Cecily¡¯s back as she entered the ssroom.

    As she said, there are only the two of us in front of the ssroom door now¡­ but the honorifics were a bit too much.

    Something felt off, though. The gap between us seemed to have widened subtly. Perhaps it was because Cecily was always ying pranks on me that I felt a sense of dissonance.

    <i>¡®Benefactor¡­¡¯</i>

    But then I remembered that Cecily had told me yesterday that the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography was a benefactor of the demons who fulfilled their long-cherished wish.

    Furthermore, she had expressed her willingness to offer herself if she ever met this benefactor. It was possible that her attitude towards me had changed because of this.

    If it had been as usual, I would have told her not to y around like that and just speak in informalnguage like usual, but¡­

    <i>¡®¡­What¡¯s this?¡¯</i>

    There was a strange tickle in my chest. A demon princess who knew my true identity, and yet she treated me so brazenly. How could I exin this to anyone?

    If she hadn¡¯t apologized for yesterday¡¯s incident, I could have thought she was shameless, but she did apologize for that part as well, even bowing her head.

    I stood in front of the ssroom door for a while, as if frozen, before quickly regaining myposure. There were more pressing matters than Cecily right now.

    <i>¡®Still, something feels¡­¡¯</i>

    It¡¯s a subtle feeling, like feeling good and bad at the same time. With such feelings in mind, I stepped into the ssroom. And as soon as I entered, I caught sight of a familiar face sitting in the front row.

    It was Marie, who was making a pouty face, with one hand on her chin, as if she had aint. It was clear at a nce that her mood was bad.

    Maybe that¡¯s why. The tickling feeling inside me disappeared, reced by tension. Marie was probably upset because of what happened yesterday.

    <i>¡®Act natural¡­ Act natural¡­¡¯</i>

    Suppressing my pounding heart, I approached Marie without any hesitation. Today, I was a littlete, but Marie hade early, so the seat next to her was empty.

    As I slowly approached Marie, she seemed to have sensed something and her gaze, fixed on the desk, turned to me. But I expected her to respond coldly because of what happened yesterday.

    ¡°¡­Isaac!¡±

    Until she greeted me with a warm smile, with her blue eyes wide open. She even shook my hand vigorously, all the way up to my arm.

    At first, I was taken aback when Marie, who I had assumed would be upset, greeted me so energetically, but soon I couldn¡¯t help but smile. I thought she was really herself.

    But I still had to apologize for my mistake, unable to figure out her feelings. Nevertheless, my heavy heart felt a little lighter.

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Hi.¡±

    When I greeted her in my usual blunt manner, Marie greeted me with a bright smile. I thought her smiling face was really cute.

    It was then that I sat down and took out my notebook.

    ¡°Did you get home safely yesterday?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but hesitate when I heard Marie¡¯s question. Her voice was cheerful, but I couldn¡¯t help feeling chilly.

    When I looked at her, she was smiling as if nothing was wrong. If someone who didn¡¯t know her saw her, they would think she had a beautiful smile, but not me.

    Marie probably didn¡¯t realize it, but her mouth was trembling slightly. It meant that the smile she put on was forced to hide her anxious heart.

    She was pretending to be fine on the surface, but she definitely had something on her mind. After thinking about how to respond for a moment or two, I opened my mouth.

    ¡°I did. How about you?¡±

    ¡°Who do you think I am¡­¡±

    She mumbled and nced back. Marie¡¯s gaze was directed towards Cecily, who was currently chatting with Rina.

    ¡°It went well. Nothing special happened.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    It was a lie. When she looked at Cecily, her eyes momentarily lowered.

    It seemed like she was showing this behavior because she didn¡¯t want our rtionship to be awkward. The more she did so, the more guilty I felt towards Marie.

    I was so grateful that I had made a decision. I wouldn¡¯t hurt her anymore.

    ¡°Oh, by the way, Isaac, have you read thetest volume of Xenon¡¯s Biography that came out this time?¡±

    Marie asked to change the mood when she noticed my bitterness. As I had anticipated the question, I nodded my head without any surprise.

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ve read it. The publisher has been introducing new technology since thetest issue, so the volumes keeping out. Have you read it?¡±

    ¡°I read it yesterday. I was so surprised when I saw the concept of the ¡®Seven Deadly Sins¡¯. I wonder what¡¯s inside this person¡¯s head as I read more and more of Xenon¡¯s Biography? And¡­¡±

    That person is right in front of you. I looked at Marie, who was talking cheerfully while swallowing my inner thoughts

    Watching her from the side made me feel like I was listening to a cute little bird chirping, which made me feel at ease mentally. I had caused so much trouble for this girl by hurting her in many ways.

    I quietly opened my mouth as I watched Marie excitedly chatting away by herself.

    ¡°¡­Marie.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°How much do you think the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography is worth?¡±

    Marie heard my question and blinked her big eyes a couple of times before looking down, as if trying to gather her thoughts.

    In the meantime, I waited patiently, stroking my chin until she spoke. If the opportunity arose, I also nned to ask Rina and Leort to see what they thought, but for now, Marie was the most convenient person to talk to.

    It might seem sudden from her perspective, but that didn¡¯t matter. After lunch or after all the sses were over, I nned to meet Marie alone.

    Soon enough, Marie tapped her cheek with her index finger and began to express her thoughts.

    ¡°First of all, speaking as a member of the ¡®Requilis Family¡¯, our family, let alone the empire, cannot touch the author lightly. The influence the author has on the world is tremendous.¡±

    ¡°Is it really that powerful?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Especially since our empire and the Ters Kingdom are both anxious to find the author. They are fighting a cultural war to possess him. Nothing is as effective as culture in controlling a country¡¯s diplomacy.¡±

    ¡°Culture¡­¡±

    It¡¯s easy to understand when you say culture. In my past life, there was China as an example.

    China was once praised as a cultural powerhouse in the past, but they ruined their own culture through tremendous historical mistakes. As a result, even though China grew topete with the United States, its culture held them back.

    Of course, the biggest problem hindering cultural development was the Chinese government¡¯s censorship and coercion. However, if the event that ruined their culture had not happened, China would have be an unstoppable superpower.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s a little scary.¡¯</i>

    The mere existence of a culture can greatly advance a nation. This is an incredibly powerful force. Moreover, the world is currently in the midst of the Middle Ages, so culture will be even more important.

    I was thinking about this when Marie stared at my face and offered a different opinion.

    ¡°And any book that the author wrote could be a weapon. Just like how it overturned the perception of demons, it could also change the perception of other species. Of course, the author probably doesn¡¯t intend to do that, but it could be very dangerous.¡±

    ¡°Dangerous?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It could spread bad ideas far and wide. That¡¯s why the country has to pay close attention to it.¡±

    Here, there wasn¡¯t even inte ess, let alone smartphones. As a result, there are limited ways to convey information, and newspapers are one of the most prominent methods.

    As someone with limited connections, I have no choice but to rely on newspapers to learn about the outside world. Whether it¡¯s true or fake, I have no idea.

    So, listening to Marie¡¯s story, it means that the book I wrote could be used to spread ideas. Naturally, my eyebrows furrowed.

    <i>¡®I just wanted to write an interesting book¡­¡¯</i>

    Even though I¡¯m not someone who is usually deeply involved in politics, I was really far removed from it. In my past life, I was a young adult who only went to college, and even that was extremely short-lived. Entering theplicated world of politics made me feel uneasy.

    But as I said before, avoiding it every time is not the right answer since it happened like this. At least I need to prepare countermeasures to write the book I want to write.

    To do that, I need to develop my own abilities.

    ¡°But why are you asking me this?¡±

    While I was making up my mind, Marie tilted her head curiously. I cautiously opened my mouth while gazing at her face.

    ¡°Marie.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Do you have time today, by any chance?¡±

    After hesitating a bit, I gathered my courage and asked her.

    ¡°I have something I want to talk to you about.¡±

    It was a somewhat ambiguous statement that could be easily misunderstood.

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    Marie¡¯s pure white face rapidly turned red.

    Trantors note:

    The next few chapters are a sugar overload. You¡¯ve been warned.

 Chapter 55: Confession (2)

    Princess of the Minerva Empire, Rina¡¯s academy life was surprisingly normal. She had expected to encounter only tiresome tasks before her enrollment.

    By ¡°tiresome things¡±, she meant the ¡°flies¡± swarming to her, just like her brother, crown prince Leort, has been always experiencing. This could be seen from the moment when Sophia, a youngdy, clung to her even before the start of her first lecture, and when Jackson recklessly approached her.

    However, contrary to her expectations, such situations rarely urred. That was due to Helium¡¯s princess and her newly made friend, Cecily, she had made on the first day of enrollment.

    She disyed exceptional behavior from the entrance ceremony and attracted the attention of many. Moreover, she exuded elegance with her beautiful appearance and seductive atmosphere.

    Cecily¡¯s reputation had already spread throughout the Halo Academy. Because of this, there were no small number of people who came to see her face, but even that ended up being fruitless.

    Just as Cecily was by Rina¡¯s side, Rina was always next to Cecily. Unless one had a significant amount of courage, there was no one who dared to approach the two.

    Thanks to that, she was able to enjoy a rtively calm academy life. She had new friends, and there were things to enjoy that she couldn¡¯t do in the pce, so every day was enjoyable for her.

    Above all, there was an unexpected harvest. While having a conversation with Cecily about the correct answer, Rina asked her a question that had been on her mind for a while.

    ¡°Cecily, may I ask you a question?¡±

    ¡°Sure, ask me anything. I always wee Rina¡¯s questions.¡±

    At Cecily¡¯s agreement to Rina¡¯s request, Rina asked the question she had been wanting to ask without any hesitation, shedding her mask.

    ¡°Are you also looking for the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography?¡±

    ¡°Xenon¡¯s Biography?¡±

    Upon hearing Rina¡¯s question, Cecily widened her eyes and replied. In response, Rina nodded her head and asked the question she wanted to ask.

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re looking for him in Helium, too.¡±

    The reason for asking this question was simple. Although she couldn¡¯t say it directly, Rina hoped that it would be at least a little helpful to Cecily.

    As Rina got closer to Cecily, she realized one thing. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was just Cecily, but the demons considered the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography to be not just a benefactor, but a savior.

    As creatures who were forcibly cut off from the world and had to live in hiding in darkness, it was only natural to treat him as a savior. So the demons would also be eager to find the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography, and they would be very restless about it.

    And Rina, she knew exactly who the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography was. Strictly speaking, he could be considered a ¡°co-author¡±.

    ¡®It must have been written by Isaac based on the story the Red Lion told him. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have such a callus on his middle finger.¡¯

    The crown prince, Leort, confirmed Hawk, known as the Red Lion, as the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography. But I thought differently.

    Could a knight who had only trained in martial arts all his life have enough talent to write such a work? For Rina it seemed like too much of a stretch.

    So she expected that the Red Lion gave Isaac a rough outline, and he would then ghostwrite it before publishing it.

    While Rina was making such a conjecture in her mind, Cecily, who heard her question, blinked her eyes and soon smiled.

    ¡°We are naturally looking for him. But still, I try not to worry about it.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Why?¡±

    Rina showed a puzzled reaction to Cecily¡¯s response. If it were her, she would do anything to find it, but Cecily replied that she wasn¡¯t like that.

    Cecily then made a subdued but wistful expression and said quietly.

    ¡°I also tried to find that person at first. But then I thought it might be rude.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    ¡°Right now, I want to focus on my studies. You heard the speech I gave at the entrance ceremony, right? I said that we demons will live like humans. That person probably wants the same. So instead of looking for them, I need to achieve what I truly want. it won¡¯t be toote to find themter when they reveal their identity themselves.¡±

    Rina made a slightly stunned expression at Cecily¡¯s exnation, realizing that Cecily¡¯s decision was much more mature than hers and Leort¡¯s, who had used the power of the royal family to find that person.

    Of course, Cecily could say those words because she had already found ¡°that person,¡± but Rina, who had excellent observational skills, immediately sensed that Cecily¡¯s words were sincere. So she became a little uneasy.

    ¡°¡­Is that so? Okay, I understand.¡±

    So Rina gave up on giving Cecily a hint. As friends who exchanged their thoughts, and as fans who loved Xenon¡¯s Biography, wasn¡¯t it okay for them to talk about this much? That¡¯s what Rina thought, but she backed off after hearing Cecily¡¯s determination.

    Cecily got up from her seat, gave a faint smile, and then suggested to Rina.

    ¡°Do you want to go to the bathroom?¡±

    ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s do that.¡±

    Rina lightly epted her proposal and got up from her seat, walking together. Just before they were about to exit the ssroom, Rina caught sight of someone.

    It was Marie, who was hiding her face by lying down on the desk. She looked different from her usual self.

    Most of all¡­

    <i>¡®¡­Why are her ears so red?¡¯</i>

    The ears that were peeking through her white hair, which had a faint bluish tint, were visibly red.

    It was a somewhat curious reaction for Rina, who had known Marie for a long time. If it were anyone else, they would have approached her out of curiosity, but Rina couldn¡¯t. It was because Marie had developed deep hostility towards her due to a mistake she had made when she was very young.

    So, even if she was curious now, she had no choice but to endure it.

    <i>¡®I wonder if she¡¯s sick? I¡¯m a little worried.¡¯</i>

    Lastly, Rina was ¡®slightly¡¯cking in her ability to read the situation. She looked at Marie with a worried gaze and then headed outside.

    Meanwhile, Marie, who was lying face down on the desk¡­

    <i>¡®He said he had something he wanted to talk to me about? I¡¯m sure he did. Well then¡­ No, but what should I wear? He said to juste in my school uniform¡­¡¯</i>

    Her mind was a mess.

    *****

    I arranged to meet with Marie at 6 pm. I thought it would be nice to take care of dinner while getting the necessary items from my dorm.

    Naturally, Marie questioned why we couldn¡¯t just go together from the beginning, but I told her that I had something to show her, and she quickly stopped questioning me. Her face turned red as she closed her mouth.

    It seems like she thinks that I am confessing something to her. Although it¡¯s true that I am confessing something, I¡¯m not sure whether I should clear up the misunderstanding or not.

    <i>¡®¡­I hope she won¡¯t be disappointed.¡¯</i>

    Now, I¡¯m waiting in front of the promised restaurant until Marie arrives. I¡¯m wearing my school uniform since it was ambiguous to wear casual clothing.

    The restaurant is the same ce where I had dinner with Leort and Rinast time. As far as I know, this is the only soundproof restaurant here.

    <i>¡®First of all, let¡¯s show this after all the story is over.¡¯</i>

    While waiting nervously, I checked the envelope in my hand again. The first edition of Xenon¡¯s Biography that I¡¯ve written was inside the envelope.

    After dinner with Marie, I n to give her this and exin everything. Whether she¡¯ll believe me or not is unknown, but I¡¯ll do my best.

    ¡°Isaac!¡±

    As I waited with a pounding heart, a familiar voice pierced my ears. As I turned my head, Marie, a white-haired girl with a hint of blue, was approaching me, waving her hand.

    Did she put on makeup, too? As I had requested, I wore her school uniform, but it felt different from before. I was slightly mesmerized by her even more vibrant appearance than what I had seen so far.

    She was definitely pretty, even if I asked someone else, but because of the reason I decided to meet her today, made me think that she looked even prettier than usual.

    ¡°I¡¯m not toote, am I?¡±

    Marie, who had suddenly approached me, smiled and asked. I stared nkly at her happy smile and replied in a dazed voice.

    ¡°¡­ No, I just arrived myself. It¡¯s not even six yet.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a relief. Let¡¯s go inside now.¡±

    Marie urged me to hurry up ande in, as if she wanted to be alone with me even for a moment longer. Hearing that, I couldn¡¯t help but think that she really liked me.

    I naturally had a gentle smile on my face. I always said that, but when I was with Marie, I felt at ease. I didn¡¯t need to worry about anything else and could focus solely on her.

    My decision to confess my secret to her was definitely not a wrong choice. I slid the first edition of the book under my left armpit and offered my hand with a bright smile.

    ¡°Shall we go, mydy?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    As soon as I spoke, Marie¡¯s face noticeably turned red. It was just a simple gesture, so I couldn¡¯t help but wonder why.

    <i>¡®What¡¯s wrong with her? Is she embarrassed?¡¯</i>

    As far as etiquette goes, this behavior is just a matter of manners that I learned at home. It was something I learned from my mother. However, Iter remembered something else my mother had told me.

    This behavior only serves as a matter of manners in formal events like church or parties, but its meaning changespletely in everyday life. If this behavior is disyed by a man to a woman in everyday life, it¡¯s equivalent to saying, ¡®I have romantic feelings for you.¡¯

    This alone is enough to make me flustered, but the problem didn¡¯t end there.

    ¡°¡­yes.¡±

    grip-

    Marie grabbed my hand gently while blushing. I could feel a slight tremble and a strong will to not let go of my hand.

    Thanks to that, it was my turn to blush. A man offering his hand, and a woman taking it? It was like an answer saying, ¡®I too have romantic feelings for you¡¯.

    If not, she would have justughed and politely declined. However, Marie gently took my hand that I offered. It was the same as epting my indirect confession.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    We stood there holding hands and gazing at each other without saying anything.

    I couldn¡¯t figure out what to do, but to break the awkward silence, I quietly opened my mouth.

    ¡°Should we go inside?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±

    Marie lowered her head and answered in a tiny voice.

    Trantors note:

    I forgot to change the font sizest chapter, fixed it.

 Chapter 56: Confession (3)

    We were eating in a soundproof and secure room. I never imagined that such a space existed until I had a meal with the royal siblings, but now it has be useful. However, the price was quite expensive, almost equivalent to two weeks¡¯ living expenses.

    Perhaps due to the structure of the room, it was priced this high, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel it was a bit expensive.

    I don¡¯t know if it was to prevent food theft or because of the price, but it was prepaid. I was prepared to pay the price with tears in my eyes.

    ¡°Let me pay for it.¡±

    Marie, who had been holding my hand since we entered the restaurant, stepped forward as if she intended to pay.

    I looked at her with my eyes wide open.

    ¡°Marie?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Have you forgotten what my family is? This is nothing.¡±

    The words that came out of her pride couldn¡¯t be any cooler. When I looked at her with a moved expression, Marie shrugged and gave more strength to the hand she held.

    Then Mari paid, and the staff led the way. We followed the staff, still holding hands.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s embarrassing¡­¡¯</i>

    One might think that I¡¯m an inexperienced person who has never even held a woman¡¯s hand, but I actually had a girlfriend in my past life.

    We broke up naturally when my parents passed away while we were dating. However, this is my second life and my second time having a girlfriend.

    In my second life, it was actually Cecily who held my hand first, but she did so half-forcedly, so the feeling was quite different. Moreover,pared to Cecily¡¯s rough and calloused hands that had been trained through hard work, Marie¡¯s hands were soft and gentle to the touch, almost to the point where I wanted to yfully tease her about it.

    ¡°When you go in here, please ring the bell if you want to order.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Have a good time then.¡±

    The employee politely greeted us and closed the door with good manners. As soon as the door closed, I looked around the room.

    Thest time we came, it was a very spacious four-person room, but the room we entered now was rtively small as it was a two-person room.

    Of course, I say ¡°rtively small¡± because it was still quiterge for a two-person room. There was a reason why the price was set so high.

    <i>¡®First of all¡­¡¯</i>

    I looked around the room and then stole a nce at Marie.

    She was blushing and lowering her head, looking nothing like the confident person who had cooly paid for the bill. Nheless, she still held onto my hand tightly, which was adorable.

    However, in order to eat, I had to let go of her hand. In my heart, I wanted to sit next to her and have a proper meal, but the conditions were not right for that.

    As I watched Marie quietly, I called out her name.

    ¡°Marie.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes?¡±

    ¡°Now let¡¯s let go of our hands and have a seat.¡±

    As soon as I spoke, Marie¡¯s head, which had been lowered, lifted up and she stared straight at me with her blue, flowing eyes filled with intense regret and a hint of desperation.

    Then she looked directly into my eyes, pursed her lips, and responded with difficulty.

    ¡°¡­can¡¯t we just stay like this?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    This is too dangerous. Marie¡¯s appearance was so different from her usual lively and carefree personality that my heart raced with anxiety.

    As she looked at me with moist eyes and spoke with a slightly trembling voice, I didn¡¯t know what to say. It was a sudden change in charm, but I couldn¡¯t quite put my finger on it. I quietly replied, looking up at Marie¡¯s cute face.

    ¡°¡­let¡¯s wait until our order arrives.¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡±

    Marie responded energetically with a bright smile. I couldn¡¯t help butugh at how good that felt.

    Before we sat down, we each chose our orders and rang the bell that was hanging on the door as instructed by the staff. It wasn¡¯t long before the staff knocked on the door and entered.

    ¡°What can I help you with?¡±

    ¡°I want to ce an order. I will¡­¡±

    After we finished cing our orders, we stood and waited for our meals without sitting down, holding hands and chatting with each other.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I felt a thousand different thoughts swirling in my head. I don¡¯t know if Marie feels the same way as I do, but she lowered her head and blushed, only showing her hair.

    Although my earlierment was a mistake, if I had brought up the subject without realizing the situation, the good atmosphere we had would have been ruined. Honestly, I wasn¡¯t feeling too bad either.

    Above all, Marie doesn¡¯t seem to dislike me at all. Until recently, Marie was just a simple female friend, but after realizing that she had some romantic feelings for me, I felt different about her.

    ¡®¡­Do I like Marie too?¡¯

    Honestly, I¡¯m not sure. But it¡¯s certain that my heart has been fluttering since I held her hand.

    I didn¡¯t know what to say in the subtle silence that had settled in the room, so I looked at Marie again. She happened to be looking at me at that moment.

    Our eyes met, and I smiled like a fool, looking at her eyes shining like sapphires.

    Then Marie also smiled happily, expressing her feelings indirectly.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Isaac. Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m here.¡±

    ¡°Hehehe.¡±

    Marie kept calling my name, and every time she did, I responded in a soft voice. She seemed to be happy just by calling my name, and her smile was so bright that her pearly white teeth showed. It seems like she really liked me.

    If such a beautiful girl shows that she likes me, what man would dislike it? While looking at Marie¡¯s innocent smile, I spoke up.

    ¡°Marie.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Marie.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    When I called her name this time, Marie answered with a yful tone, shaking her body a little to express her feelings. I held her hand tightly as she swayed, and I noticed that her face became a little redder.

    <i>¡®This is really embarrassing¡­¡¯</i>

    This meeting was not intended to be like this, but somehow the situation has changed. However, the bigger problem is my own feelings. Since holding hands with Marie, she has looked more and more beautiful and cute to me.

    However, when I think back to how she looked during the gathering, that¡¯s not it. Marie is undoubtedly a woman overflowing with charm in many ways.

    <i>¡®If Xenon¡¯s Biography really has such great value¡­¡¯</i>

    Would there be no problem with me dating Marie? Of course, from an external perspective, it would look like the daughter of a duke and the son of a baron are dating each other, which is inadequate.

    There will surely be negative rumors about us. But everything changes from the moment I reveal that I am the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    If the story that Marie brought up is true, then I am a person with an invaluable worth that cannot be recklessly measured. A writer with an immense reputation that the country itself would want to keep close.

    It¡¯s only been less than an hour, but who would have known that my feelings would change like this. While looking at Marie, who was smiling brightly, I remembered the first edition that was tucked under my armpit.

    It was nice to just hold hands like this, but we still have things to do, don¡¯t we? With that in mind, I cautiously opened my mouth to Marie.

    ¡°¡­Marie?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Isaac?¡±

    ¡°Should we sit down now? I have something to say.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you just say it like this? I think I know what you want to say.¡±

    No, that¡¯s not it. I barely managed to endure the urge tough at her cheerful tone.

    ¡°It¡¯s not what you think. It could be something bigger.¡±

    ¡°¡­Something bigger?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. By the way, it¡¯s not what you¡¯re thinking, so don¡¯t misunderstand.¡±

    ¡°Not like that¡­¡±

    Marie tilted her head in doubt at my words, but then widened her eyes and turned her headpletely in the opposite direction. It was a meaningless gesture due to her ear that was exposed through her hair, although she was trying to hide her embarrassment.

    As I slowly released my hand that Marie had grabbed, she also let go with a soft pull. However, she seemed disappointed as she tried to grab my hand again just before Ipletely let go.

    ¡°So, shall we sit?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±

    And so, we sat down after holding hands for almost 20 minutes.

    As soon as I sat down, I looked at Marie sitting across from me. She happened to be looking at me too.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­Hee.¡±

    Marie gave me an awkward smile as if she were embarrassed when I looked at her. I smirked and asked her a question.

    ¡°Marie.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Isaac?

    ¡°How¡¯s your academy life?¡±

    First, I asked a simple question, thinking about how to deal with this atmosphere. If we continued like this, it seemed like it wouldn¡¯t be good for either of us.

    After hearing my question, Marie blinked her blue eyes and opened her mouth.

    ¡°Why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°Just curious.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ at first, I thought it would be difficult¡­¡±

    As she mumbled with her index finger tapping her cheek, she looked at my face. Then, with a wide smile, she spoke with sincerity overflowing from her words.

    ¡°But then I became fond of you.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    She didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of hiding her feelings anymore. After all, I thought she might be thinking that they were already half in a romantic rtionship, having given such a clear indication.

    When my heart, which I had just managed to calm down, tried to race again, I suppressed it as much as possible. If I couldn¡¯t suppress it, my face would probably turn red like a burning me.

    ¡°Cough¡­ Ah, I see. That¡¯s good to hear. Is there anything ufortable about it?¡±

    ¡°As for anything ufortable¡­ there isn¡¯t anything right now. As you know, literature students have fewer sses than non-humanities students and they have to keep up with the lessons every day. Well, it might be different when we be third years. How about you, Isaac?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any difort either, except for when we did the group projectst time.¡±

    ¡°Ah, the group project. It was really hard at that time¡­¡±

    Fortunately, the conversation was able to continue smoothly without interruption even when the food came in between. There was no interruption in the conversation that flowed back and forth between us.

    When I had a meal with the royal siblings, it made me feel like my blood was drying up, but now I was morefortable than ever.

    I didn¡¯t even notice the time passing as Marie and Iughed and chatted happily during the meal. It wasn¡¯t proper etiquette, but we didn¡¯t care.

    And, of course.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    As soon as we finished our meal and cleaned up, we both fell silent, as if we had made an unspoken agreement.

    Marie probably sensed it too. That the real conversation was about to begin. I had nned for this moment, so I thought about what to say and how to build up to it rather than blurting it out all at once.

    ¡°¡­Marie.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yeah?¡±

    Marie answered quietly without looking at me, as if she didn¡¯t have the courage to meet my eyes. In the meantime, I had ced the first edition of Xenon¡¯s Biography on the table, which had been on my thigh.

    Marie looked at the first edition on the table with a puzzled expression, wondering what it was since it looked like just a piece of mail.

    She probably didn¡¯t even know that I was the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography unlike other people.

    ¡°Phew¡­¡±

    However, when I actually tried to speak, I couldn¡¯t control my trembling heart. Even though I exhaled a deep breath to rx, my heart was pounding as if cold sweat would break out.

    <i>¡®It¡¯ll be okay.¡¯</i>

    Well, whether or not it would be okay depended on Marie.

    To gather my thoughts, I closed my eyes tightly and muttered.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    As I was trying to calm my nerves, Marie quietly called my name. I opened my eyes at that moment.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    When I opened my eyes, I was met with a confusing situation.

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    Marie and I weren¡¯t very far apart from each other, but we weren¡¯t exactly close either. Yet, now Marie¡¯s face was right in front of my nose.

    I was perplexed and wondered what was going on when I btedly realized that she had gotten up from her seat and leaned forward.

    ¡°Earlier, you said it wasn¡¯t like that, right?¡±

    Marie spoke to me while I was unable to say anything. Her voice was moist and mellow, unlike Cecily¡¯s.

    ¡°I have a rough idea of what you¡¯re trying to say¡­ but it probably doesn¡¯t matter.¡±

    With those words, Marie slowly approached my face and¡­

    smack-

    She pressed her lips against mine, making a popping sound, and quickly pulled away.

    It wasn¡¯t a deep kiss between lovers, just a light peck.

    However, the feeling that was conveyed to my lips was anything but light. Though it was a light kiss, it was a kind of deration.

    Like nting a g, it was an action that left no doubt in the mind of the other person.

    Thanks to that, my thoughts came to a standstill. I never dreamed that Marie would be so bold, and it almost felt like we had skipped all the steps in between.

    Meanwhile, Marie blushed deeply, and with a warm voice, she opened her mouth and said.

    ¡°I just like you, that¡¯s all.¡±

    Trantors note:

    Ahh¡­ Aaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh¡­ WHY IS IT SO ADORABLE.

    Thank you, BaronNeckbeard, for you support on kofi. These 2 chapters have been brought to you by him.

 Chapter 57: Confession (4)

    ¡°I just like you, that¡¯s all.¡±

    Marie said, slowly leaning back and quietly taking a seat as she spoke. Then, she smiled as if nothing had happened. It was a smile so beautiful that words couldn¡¯t do it justice.

    Meanwhile, I blinked for about five seconds, still unsure of what was happening, and then found myself unconsciously touching my lips. If Marie¡¯s bold action earlier had been my imagination, then the sensation I felt on my lips now would be false.

    However, this feeling was not a figment of my imagination. The soft, fleeting sensation on my lips lingered vividly in my mind.

    <i>¡®So¡­ did Marie just¡­ kiss me?¡¯</i>

    Not a deep kiss, but a simple peck also known as a bird kiss?

    I couldn¡¯t say a word in the face of a reality that was hard to believe. Then, Marie looked at my face and opened her mouth with a slightly embarrassed tone.

    ¡°How was it?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Whatever you say, this is my answer.¡±

    Oh, seeing her say those words, it¡¯s not a delusion.

    We really had a light kiss.

    Marie really likes me.

    ¡­Oh my God.

    re-

    After three rational judgments, a soundless scream burst out. At the same time, my face started to burn in less than a second.

    I couldn¡¯t bring myself to meet Marie¡¯s eyes, so I hung my head low. Thanks to that¡­ well, my mind was so tangled up that I couldn¡¯t think straight.

    <i>¡®Really? For real? Is this a true story?¡¯</i>

    Only those thoughts were swirling in my head. I couldn¡¯t think of anything else.

    No matter how much I tried to deny it, the fact that Marie had given me a peck was undeniable. A kiss is an act that goes beyond just being friends of the opposite sex and is something that lovers would do.

    We haven¡¯t even officially started dating yet, so I was too embarrassed to handle her being so bold. I had a girlfriend in my past life, but I always took the lead, and there was never a case where the girl took the initiative.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m getting dizzy¡­¡¯</i>

    Is it because of the heat that¡¯s risen up to my head? Even though I haven¡¯t been drinking, my head feels slightly dizzy.

    I¡¯ve seen people feel dizzy because of high blood pressure, and this feels exactly like that. The difference is that they have a chronic illness, while mine is temporary.

    ¡°Whoa. Whoa. Whoa.¡±

    I tried to take deep breaths to calm down the fiery heat that had risen up like a me. Every time I exhaled, it felt like the heat that had risen to my face was leaving my body.

    For some reason, it was much more intense than when I touched Cecily¡¯s chest. Maybe it¡¯s because I have some rational affection for Marie. Moreover, the emotion I was feeling now was closer to a pure ¡°heart¡± rather than ascivious ¡°desire.¡±

    ¡°Phew¡­¡±

    By taking onest long breath, I was able to barely steady my pounding heart. Of course, the heat wasn¡¯tpletely gone, but my cognitive processes had returned to normal.

    I then slowly lifted my head and looked at Marie, who was sitting across from me. She seemed to be busy wriggling around, perhaps trying to figure out what she had done wrong.

    ¡°¡­Marie.¡±

    ¡°Uh. Uh-huh.¡±

    When I called her name, she responded with a voice full of cuteness. She took the ¡°flower cup¡± pose and looked straight at me.

    My heart was about to give out again, but I managed to hold it together. I took a deep breath and asked her in a slightly trembling voice.

    ¡°Do you know what your actions mean right now?¡±

    ¡°I know, so what?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you want me to do it again?¡±

    Marie didn¡¯t say anything and moved her body to stand up quietly. She seemed to want to do it again if given the chance.

    But I quickly reached out my hand to stop her. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust Marie, but I have a strong feeling that if we do it again here, it won¡¯t end ¡°lightly¡±.

    It¡¯s not that I¡¯m not interested in beautiful women like Marie, but I¡¯m just an ordinary man who likes pretty girls. I¡¯m not a pervert, to be clear.

    Marie, who was tossing and turning with her hair in one hand as if she was embarrassed, giggled. In my heart, I wanted to grab those cute cheeks and stretch them out.

    ¡°ha¡­¡±

    ¡°Hehehe.¡±

    The ¡°confession¡± I was going to make today was not a confession in this sense at all. I just wanted to let Marie know that I was the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography, and our rtionship would be something to think aboutter.

    However, now everything ispletely reversed. The hand I gave to Marie at the restaurant entrance, called a snowball, has turned into a huge snowball ande back to me.

    But does that make me feel bad? Absolutely not.

    Thanks to Marie¡¯s courageous actions, all hesitation disappeared from my mind.

    If I am really going to be by Marie¡¯s side, I will be a man who is suitable for her. And I can be that man.

    No, I already had the qualifications for it a long time ago.

    ¡°¡­Marie.¡±

    ¡°Why~¡±

    Marie replied with a cute voice while maintaining her flower cup pose.

    I looked at her spreading the happiness virus everywhere and lowered my head.

    ¡°Puheh¡­¡±

    I wonder if I¡¯ve been infected by the happiness virus she¡¯s emitting. I suddenly burst into a smallughter.

    It wasn¡¯t just an ordinaryugh. It was augh full of happiness and sincerity.

    If I were to choose a moment when Iughed so freely after being reborn, it was when I was with my family, but now that kind ofughter ising out. That¡¯s how much my feelings are soaring like crazy right now.

    ¡°I¡¯m really going crazy. Heheh¡­¡±

    ¡°Why do you say that you¡¯re going crazy?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t ask. Hahaha¡­¡±

    This is bad. I have to say something, but just looking at Marie¡¯s face makes me automatically burst into foolishughter.

    Even when I had my first girlfriend in my past life, I didn¡¯t act like this. I don¡¯t even know why I¡¯m acting like this.

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    Fortunately, I was able to stopughing soon after. At the same time, my restless heart and burning face calmed down mostly.

    Then, I lifted my head and faced Marie directly. Marie was staring at me without any change in her expression as she paced around the room.

    Now I really have to say it. But, unlike before, I¡¯m surprised that I¡¯m much less nervous.

    ¡°Marie. I told you that there¡¯s something I want to say to you, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Before I say that, could you take a look at this first?¡±

    I handed Marie an envelope with the manuscript inside. She already had an idea of what it was, as I had mentioned it before, and smiled as she took the envelope and pulled out the contents inside.

    Seeing that, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a little nervous. Revealing a secret to someone directly with my own mouth is even more nerve-wracking than just having the tension eased.

    Especially since the secret I¡¯m revealing will have a huge impact on Marie as well.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    As Marie read the manuscript, her previously upturned mouth gradually turned down. She looked at me with a sidelong nce, which I expected, but her reaction was still hard to believe.

    While Marie skimmed through the manuscript, my lips became dry and I nervously licked them. This was the first time that one minute and one second felt so long.

    ¡°Sigh¡­¡±

    How much time has passed like this? Marie quickly scanned through the manuscript and then let out a sigh as she lowered the manuscript slightly.

    It was a peculiar sigh, somehow relieved yet doubtful at the same time.

    For a while, she kept her gaze fixed on the manuscript before raising her head and facing me squarely. There was a hint of suspicion in her blue eyes.

    ¡°No wonder Cecily was so interested in you¡­ It¡¯s because of this, right?¡±

    ¡°Cecily noona?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. She told me when you leftst time that you and she shared a secret. Since then, I¡¯ve been suspicious, but I never thought it would be something like this.¡±

    Marie spoke vaguely and looked back at the manuscript, indicating that it was hard to believe.

    ¡°Do you really believe it?¡±

    ¡°To be honest, it¡¯s hard to believe. As you know, people in the world suspect that the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography is an old wise sage. Not someone like you who is not even 20 years old. Your father is a famous Red Lion, so others would probably think the same way, right?¡±

    Marie was right. When Leort sent someone to track me down, he deduced that my father was the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography, not me.

    But Marie is absolutely convinced that I am the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography. I was a little skeptical.

    Why did she decide that I was the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography?

    ¡°Do you really believe that I am the author?¡±

    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t shown this to me, I wouldn¡¯t have believed it. Your handwriting is exactly the same as this, and looking at the paper that¡¯s about to discolor, you can tell that it was written a long time ago.¡±

    ¡°Did you ever consider that I might have copied it onto discolored paper?¡±

    ¡°Well, if you were impersonating, you could have done that, but look at the ink. It¡¯s about to discolor just like the paper. If the ink and paper were different together, that would be one thing, but if the ink is the same, someone with a good eye would quickly recognize that it¡¯s not a fake.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±

    I was impressed with something I hadn¡¯t even known.

    Marie blushed a little at my admiration and cleared her throat. Then, she flicked through the manuscript and said in a scolding voice

    ¡°By the way, don¡¯t you manage it properly? Do you know how much value this holds?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t really know.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. That¡¯s why you¡¯re managing it like this. It¡¯s worth more than a national treasure. When it¡¯s put up for auction, there¡¯ll be a battle between countries, not just wealthy people fighting over it.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    I had thought that only the wealthy would be bidding for it, but to think that it would be a matter of national importance was beyond my imagination. It was only valuable because it was mine, but I didn¡¯t know the value of a first edition.

    Marie looked at me with an expression of ¡°What am I going to do with this guy?¡± It seemed like a helpless situation.

    Then, she let out another deep sigh and spoke in a slightly lowered voice.

    ¡°Did I tell you earlier today? You are the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography, which means we can proudly dere ourselves as a nation that has the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography! It¡¯s not just being a culture giant, but a being that transcends giants. Originally, culture is the unique characteristic of a country, but you became the characteristic itself. It may be dangerous depending on what you do.¡±

    ¡°¡­Is it that dangerous?¡±

    ¡°It can be dangerous depending on what you do.¡±

    Marie gave me serious advice. I couldn¡¯t help butugh bitterly and said.

    ¡°As expected.¡±

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°You heard my answer earlier, but I¡¯m not worried about you revealing secrets. But this is a slightly different issue. I¡¯m worried that you might write with impure intentions. Changing the perception of demons is an achievement that no one has ever aplished, but do you remember the scene in the early part of Volume 8 of Xenon¡¯s Biography, where the noble revealed his dark side?¡±

    The scene that had caused some controversy was mentioned by Marie. As she was also a noble, and a member of the Duke¡¯s family, she had to be concerned about it.

    I leaned forward, realizing what she wanted to say. I could confidently say that her worries were unnecessary.

    ¡°Marie.¡±

    ¡°Yes, tell me.¡±

    ¡°I have absolutely no intention of writing with that kind of intention. I just want my readers to enjoy my writing.¡±

    That¡¯s why I had been avoiding the situation until now. As I always said, I was just an ordinary web novel writer in my past life.

    It is a job far removed from politics, and I only wrote for people¡¯s enjoyment. And because people enjoy it, I n to keep writing consistently.

    As Marie said, I have no intention of writing with a specific purpose. Even I didn¡¯t expect the demons¡¯ perception to bepletely turned upside down, and as poprity increases, the weight on my shoulders increases.

    I just want to write, and people¡¯s positive reactions to my writing are good enough for me.

    ¡°If my writing causes harm to the world, I will never write again. And if someone forces me to write with ill intentions, I will cut off my hand.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you will believe me, but please believe that I am sincere. I am satisfied as long as people enjoy my writing.¡±

    It feels relieving toy all my worries in my heart out. I told my family about it, but it was because they were family and could understand. This is the first time I have talked to someone else about it.

    Although I didn¡¯t realize it, it also means that I trust Marie. Maybe the kiss we shared earlier could have been a catalyst for trust.

    ¡°¡­I see.¡±

    Marie slowly nodded her head as she listened to me. Then she made a strange expression and asked me.

    ¡°I guess you trust me since you¡¯re telling me this?¡±

    ¡°¡­ Maybe?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s with the ¡®maybe¡¯? It¡¯s either true or not. You¡¯re not very honest about these things.¡±

    ¡°Ha ha.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help butugh when Marie started grumbling. Marie, who had been giving me sharp looks, also chuckled at myughter, perhaps feeling better.

    ¡°At least I feel good. You¡¯re the person I trust most after my family. Does anyone else know this fact? I think Cecily knows, but what about Rina?¡±

    ¡°No, Rina thinks of my father as a writer, not me. Leort also thinks the same way.¡±

    ¡°What? What does that mean? Why do both of them know instead of just Rina?¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s because¡­¡±

    I exined to Marie what had happened at the time. I was worried that Marie, who already had negative feelings towards Rina, might get worse as I continued to exin.

    As my exnation continued and the details became more apparent, Marie¡¯s expression became increasingly hostile. It almost makes me feel scared.

    ¡°That woman¡­ How could she do that to someone who¡¯s just minding their own business¡­¡±

    ¡°Well, at least everything¡¯s been resolved, so don¡¯t worry too much. If what you¡¯re saying is true, those people won¡¯t bother me recklessly.¡±

    ¡°Maybe that¡¯s true. But you still need to be careful. Understand?¡±

    ¡°I got it.¡±

    ¡°Oh, and there¡¯s one thing I want to request from you¡­¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±

    As I looked puzzled at the word ¡°request,¡± Marie began to hesitate. She seemed embarrassed to speak, fidgeting with her white hair, tinged with a blue hue, and avoiding my gaze.

    Judging from her slightly reddened face, it seemed she was hesitant to say something she found embarrassing. The more she hesitated, the more my curiosity grew.

    Since Marie was not the type to make strange requests like others, I wondered why she was acting like this. As I was lost in thought, Marie cleared her throat and quietly opened her mouth.

    ¡°Um¡­ can I have your autograph¡­ since you¡¯re the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography¡­ I thought it would be okay to ask for one¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    I blinked in silence, and Marie foolishly grinned.

    ¡°Hehehe¡­¡±

    It was cute.

    Trantors note:

    Marie is officially the best girl.

    The second chapter from Baron Neckbeard.

 Chapter 58: Confession (5)

    After the various confessions, nothing special happened. We didn¡¯t forget to order a simple snack as a dessert to soothe our bored mouths.

    The atmosphere was originally light, but now it¡¯s even lighter than before. I had nothing left to hide from Marie, and Marie had also expressed her feelings.

    Someone once said that there is no rtionship as close as one between those who have revealed each other¡¯s secrets. Besides, Marie wasn¡¯t originally a burdensome person, so I was able to let my guard downpletely.

    ¡°Oh, by the way, I¡¯m curious, Isaac, where did you learn such good writing skills? Did someone teach you?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t learn it, I just picked it up myself. Honestly, I never dreamed that my Xenon¡¯s Biography, which I wrote as a hobby, would turn out this well.¡±

    ¡°Wow¡­ that¡¯s amazing. Is it really just a hobby for you? There are so many different stories woven into it for just a hobby.¡±

    Marie took this opportunity to ask me all the things she had been curious about. I could see the intense curiosity in her eyes.

    ¡°As you know, I read a lot of books. Reading autobiographies written by explorers or adventurers allowed me to indirectly experience the world. I could also ask my father for advice.¡±

    ¡°I see. What about the demons? You dealt with them quite deeply, including Sarkan¡¯s demise. The results changed people¡¯s perception.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ there¡¯s not much to exin about that. I just didn¡¯t like the discrimination against demons, and I never imagined that my influence would be so powerful. There¡¯s always a statement like this in the first chapter of each Xenon¡¯s Biography volume. All of these stories are fiction.¡±

    ¡°Even though it¡¯s fiction, it felt so vivid?¡±

    ¡°Again, I never imagined things would turn out this way. After all, it was just a hobby.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Although Xenon¡¯s Biography was just a hobby for me, Marie seemed skeptical and couldn¡¯t believe it so easily. Of course, she didn¡¯t know that I was a reincarnated person, which exined her reaction.

    I was a little embarrassed because no excuse came to mind about this. Fortunately, Marie shrugged her shoulders and seemed to believe me.

    ¡°Okay. The world is big and there are many geniuses. You can think of yourself as one of those geniuses. Don¡¯t you think so?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a little¡­ embarrassing.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay to be embarrassed. Anyway, I really can¡¯t believe it no matter how much I think about it. My boyfriend¡­ is the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography.¡±

    Marie hesitated a little, whether the word ¡®boyfriend¡¯ was too embarrassing to say or whether I didn¡¯t confirm it properly. She even nced at me.

    I think I should give a confirmation stamp or something on the way back.

    For now, I have to endure without stamping anything because it didn¡¯t fit the mood.

    It¡¯s best to try not to make the atmosphere awkward until then. I sipped my tea and let out a faintugh as I listened to her words.

    ¡°Haha. That¡¯s true. At first, even my family asked me if I really wrote it.¡±

    ¡°Of course¡­ I envy your family. They could have seen it before Xenon¡¯s Biography came out.¡±

    ¡°My siblings can¡¯t even see the manuscript. It¡¯s difficult to even send it because I¡¯m in the academy.¡±

    ¡°Your siblings have to buy it themselves?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that. My father receives books directly from the publisher and sends them by mail.¡±

    Until the introduction of new publishing technology, you could only purchase books through fiercepetition. Even Marie had a hard time getting her hands on it, which is not much different from what the other nobles experienced.

    However, my family is a bit different. My parents read Xenon¡¯s Biograph in advance through my manuscript, and Nicole and Dave get ess to it through the books sent by the publisher. So, disasters where even family members can¡¯t read it hardly ever happen.

    However, Dave is currently busy with his knight work, so I¡¯m not sure about him.

    After listening to my answer, Marie seemed to be thinking deeply and then smiled mischievously. It was a somewhat yful smile.

    ¡°So you¡¯re still writing it now?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Can you show me when you¡¯re done? Just a little bit.¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Aww.¡±

    She was trying to take advantage of me. When I firmly responded, Marie made a disappointed sound.

    Of course, she wasn¡¯t really serious, so I was also joking to some extent. If Marie really wanted to see it, I would be happy to show her. I have no reason to refuse as she is not someone who would do anything foolish with my manuscript.

    ¡°Just show me once~ I¡¯m curious about the next part~¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t finished writing it yet.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll show me when it¡¯s done, right?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Aww¡­¡±

    Then, Marie puffed up her cheeks like a character from a cartoon and showed her dissatisfaction. But to me, she only looked cute and mischievous.

    I smiled contentedly and took a sip of tea, realizing at the same time what time it was. Is it true that time flies by having fun? It was definitely 6 o¡¯clock when we started eating, but now it was already past 8.

    <i>¡®From tomorrow on, I won¡¯t have anything to do¡­¡¯</i>

    As long as I don¡¯t go back toote, it should be okay. I hoped that time would pass a little slower.

    ¡°Isaac, can you tell me how many volumes Xenon¡¯s Biography will have?¡±

    While I was looking at my watch and thinking, Marie asked me a question, resting her chin on her hand. I answered, setting down my tea cup.

    ¡°It will probably end with around 20 volumes. There are still a lot of stories that need to be told.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s still a long way to go. Do you have the entire story in your head?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s in my head, but I also have notes that I wrote down to keep track of the plot. I don¡¯t know if you remember, butst time I showed you a drawing by mistake.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that one? The one that looked like a lotive?¡±

    I nodded my head. Even though it was drawn like a drawing by an elementary school student, Marie noticed it.

    ¡°The plot is written in those notes. I only brought it by mistake that time, but I won¡¯t be bringing it to the ssroom again.¡±

    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s amazing. You have another world in your head, don¡¯t you? I¡¯m starting to doubt that we¡¯re the same age.¡±

    ¡°Even if you give me those awkwardpliments, they won¡¯t stick.¡±

    ¡°Pfft. Was that too obvious?¡±

    Although I spoke like that, I couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit uneasy. Sometimes, Marie would unconsciously say things that seemed to pierce through my essence.

    Last time, she jokingly asked me if I would write a book, and now she said something like that even though she has no idea that I am a reincarnator. They were all questions that stung.

    ¡°Well, I really mean it when I say it¡¯s impressive. Can you tell me when the next volume will be out?¡±

    ¡°It will probablye out in about a month, and with the tenth volume out, I n to take a break until I be a third grader.¡±

    ¡°What?! Why¡­oh, is it because of the academy?¡±

    Marie seemed momentarily flustered, but then spoke as if she understood. She was feeling quite busy herself until she became a third grader, so she probably understood.

    ¡°Yes. Once I be a third grader, I¡¯ll have more time, so I¡¯ll write it then. Although it might be a bit noisy, I have no choice but to prioritize my studies.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­so your hobby turned out to be a real hit? Can¡¯t you just live as a writer?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll think about that after I graduate from the academy. For now, I¡¯m pursuing a career in history.¡±

    Before the sess of Xenon¡¯s Biography, my dream was to be a historian. So even if Xenon¡¯s Biography didn¡¯t do well, it¡¯s highly likely that I wouldn¡¯t have cared.

    Marie looked at me with a strange expression, then smiled slightly and spoke in an impressed tone.

    ¡°Isaac, you have everything nned out, don¡¯t you? I envy you. I haven¡¯t even figured out my career path yet.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m kind of weird. Don¡¯t you think other people are simr to you? What do you like the most during lectures?¡±

    ¡°I like ying around the most.¡±

    What are you, Pororo? I looked at Marie with a puzzled expression.

    (tl note: pororo is a korean mascot from a tv show)

    Marie looked at my expression and giggled like an innocent little girl.

    ¡°It¡¯s a joke. Originally, alchemy was the most interesting. The professor exined it well, you know?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°But now¡­¡±

    She trailed off for a moment, then looked at me with a mischievous smile.

    ¡°I think history is the best now.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Back in my family, I hated being forced to learn it, but not anymore. Thanks to someone.¡±

    ¡°Ahem. hem¡­¡±

    I coughed, trying to hide my flushed face, and picked up my teacup.

    *****

    The time that was sweet enough to rot your teeth passed quickly. I wished that time could flow a little slower, but no matter how omnipotent a god may be, time cannot be stopped.

    We had to move our feet to the dorms with regret over the time that passed too quickly for us as well. However, that didn¡¯t mean our sweet time hade to aplete end.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    The street where only weakmps were shining after the dark settled. Most restaurants were closed and there were hardly any pedestrians passing by, so the quiet atmosphere had settled.

    And we were holding hands, walking slowly, very slowly, down that street. Hoping that this sweet time would go slower, even if it was just a little bit.

    Hoping to dy the time to arrive at the dorms, even if it was just a little bit.

    Marie and I were walking with our hands together, without saying a word.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I looked at Marie, who was walking with her gaze fixed on the ground like me, with my head down.

    Her face, when she was startled by me holding her hand first aftering out of the restaurant, was vividlying to my mind.

    It was such a cute reaction, unlike when she kissed me boldly.

    <i>¡®I wish this time couldst forever.¡¯</i>

    Can there be a happier time than being with the person you love? I lifted my head and looked up at the night sky.

    The stars were densely packed in the darkness, forming a gxy. It was such a beautiful and mysterious sight that I almost lost my mind.

    Come to think of it, when was thest time I looked up at the sky like this? I used to do it frequently when I had nothing to do at home, but sinceing to the academy and being busy every day, I haven¡¯t had the luxury of staring at the night sky.

    stare-

    Just as I was gazing absentmindedly at the Milky Way, Marie suddenly stopped in her tracks and I followed suit.

    When I checked why she had stopped, we had arrived at a crossroads that led to our respective dorms.

    I wanted to walk Marie to the women¡¯s dormitory, but unfortunately, I knew it was against the academy rules and I didn¡¯t want to risk getting a strict warning.

    In any case, it was a sign that it was almost time for us to say goodbye. I turned my gaze towards Marie at the crossroads.

    Coincidentally, Marie had just turned her head to look at me.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    We looked at each other without saying a word, and held hands tightly.

    What should I say at a moment like this? Should I say I don¡¯t want to let go, or bid her a farewell?

    As I struggled to find the right words, Marie looked at me with moist eyes and spoke softly.

    ¡°¡­Isaac.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes?¡±

    ¡°That¡­ you know. Us¡­¡±

    ¡°Are we dating?¡±

    As Marie hesitated, I made the first move. Marie¡¯s body jerked at first, but she slowly nodded her head.

    Although I spoke for her, she turned her gaze away, still feeling embarrassed. I gave her a gentle smile.

    ¡°To be honest, the only thing I wanted to talk to you about today was Xenon¡¯s Biography. Your actions were unexpected.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Of course, that doesn¡¯t mean I didn¡¯t have feelings for you. You were my first friend when I entered the academy, and there was no one else as easy to talk to as you. I did have some romantic feelings for you.¡±

    As I spoke, Marie slowly lifted her face to meet my gaze. Her eyes were shaking slightly, perhaps due to nervousness.

    Then, instead of holding hands, I reached out and touched her face with my other hand. The sensation was warm and soft, transmitting through my hand.

    Marie was surprised by my touch and her eyes widened. Her face was noticeably redder than before.

    I trembled like an earthquake as I looked into her eyes, then slowly leaned in and¡­

    Kiss-

    Like what Marie did to me at the restaurant, our lips touched each other¡¯s. If it were just a bird kiss, we should have pulled away right here, but I didn¡¯t stop.

    ¡°Umm¡­!¡±

    It wasn¡¯t just a simple peck, but a deep kiss that lovers would share. Marie¡¯s lips were tightly closed, so there was no room for my tongue to enter, but it didn¡¯t matter. This was just an action to confirm my feelings.

    Moreover, Marie was probably so nervous that she had tightly closed her lips that she might not have even realized what was happening. I wanted to use my tongue to knock on her lips, but I barely held back. We could slow down forter.

    For now, just confirming each other¡¯s feelings with our lips touching each other deeply would suffice. Marie would have wanted this too.

    ¡°Huah!¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    After a long but short time, I pulled my lips away, and Marie let out a gasp that she had been holding in. Her face was red as if it would burst right now, and she was breathing heavily.

    I, too, wanted to fan my hot face with my hand. In my own way, I had been brave, but it was still embarrassing.

    As I looked at Marie, who seemed unsure of what to do next, I opened my mouth quietly. I couldn¡¯t hide the trembling in my voice.

    ¡°And now, my heart has changed.¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­ Uh¡­¡±

    It didn¡¯t matter that Marie couldn¡¯t think straight due to her shyness. I approached her and hugged her tightly.

    As I did so, I could vividly feel her body stiffening up.

    Finally, I leaned in and gave her a decisive blow, my chin resting on the shoulder.

    ¡°I like you, Marie.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Is that okay?¡±

    Then Marie¡¯s stiff body rxed. Soon after, she raised both arms and hugged me carefully.

    ¡°Uh-huh.¡±

    We exchanged warmth with each other for a while, with her timid response.

    *****

    It was when the two lovers, a man and a woman, were sharing their warmth and confirming their feelings under the night sky with the Milky Way spread out above them.

    It was sote at night that there were hardly any passersby around, but that didn¡¯t mean there were none at all.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    And a pair of red eyes were staring intensely at the lovers who were showing affection for each other.

    Although their appearance was difficult to discern in the darkness, their red eyes shone brightly and gave off an ominous feeling.

    The person who was watching the sweet atmosphere of the lovers with aplicated gaze narrowed their eyes halfway through.

    Their feelings of difort were clearly visible, and their demeanor seemed like they could step forward at any moment.

    ¡°¡­No.¡±

    But soon, they closed their eyespletely and restrained their impulses. The owner of the red eyes murmured in a meaningful voice.

    ¡°At least not now. For now¡­¡±

    Trantors note:

    Heh, I love fangirling with the boys.

    Also Cecily slowly getting her yandere engine going¡­

 Chapter 59: Love (1)

    Time, which seemed eternal, eventuallyes to an end. This is a truth that even the gods cannot change, an immutablew.

    Our warm and affectionate moments together, Marie and I, were also destined toe to an end.

    Though our hearts wanted nothing more than to embrace each other for hours on end, we parted ways with the hope of seeing each other again tomorrow.

    Even as we said our goodbyes, we didn¡¯t forget to exchange a light kiss, filled with a mutual sense of regret. It was surprising that Marie was the one to initiate the kiss, not me. I simply responded in kind.

    Thus, our tooth-achingly sweet time together came to an end, but the lingering taste remained on my tongue the next day.

    ¡°Hehehe.¡±

    ¡°What if someone sees us like this?¡±

    ¡°Let them see. We don¡¯t need to hide anyway.¡±

    It was like secretly holding hands during a lecture, with no one else in the room knowing.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go over there today! The tiramisu there is so delicious!¡±

    ¡°What else is there?¡±

    ¡°There are many other things. For starters, there is¡­¡±

    After ss, we would stick together and wander around the academy.

    ¡°Ouch.¡±

    ¡°Ah! Why did you bite me?¡±

    ¡°Just because I wanted to. Sometimes I think I understand why some people nibble on their partner¡¯s face.¡±

    She would suddenly bite my cheek and so on.

    The progress of our rtionship was surprisingly fast, to the point where I couldn¡¯t have imagined it in the early stages of dating. We had already gone beyond holding hands to kissing from the very beginning, so I expected this much.

    Of course, I would prefer to avoid being bitten on the cheek like that. It might seem like a joke, but it really hurt from the receiving end.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll bite your neck. Ahh!¡±

    ¡°Eek!¡±

    However, every day was enjoyable. Even when I was writing my manuscript in the dormitory, I would think of Marie¡¯s bright smile, and I would think of her even while walking on the street or eating a meal.

    Although I had been in love in my past life, this feeling gave me vitality. Perhaps because of that, my writing speed became amazingly fast.

    Even though we were sometimes stared at by people around us, I didn¡¯t really care.

    Marie¡¯s stance was that it didn¡¯t matter if anyone found out about our rtionship, and I was also able to maintain a confident attitude because I had nothing to be ashamed of.

    From the outside, it may seem unlikely for the daughter of a duke and the son of a baron to be in a rtionship, but if you delve into the details, it¡¯s aplete 180. If anyone were to look at us with that kind of gaze, we would both inwardly sneer.

    ¡°¡­Hello?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, hello?¡±

    I hastily regained my senses at someone¡¯s call. I had briefly lost myself in thought about Marie.

    As I looked ahead, an elf named Cindy with dark circles under her eyes and a pair of sunken eyes was staring at me, her voice quavering in its characteristic way.

    ¡°You seem to be spacing out again¡­ what are you thinking about?¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ I just have a lot on my mind right now.¡±

    ¡°Is it something weird?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but evade Cindy¡¯s question and speak vaguely. I couldn¡¯t bring myself to mention the memory of kissing Marie just a moment ago.

    Today, Marie had gone ahead because she had something to do with her brother. I had taken this opportunity toe to Professor Elena¡¯sb, where I had been teaching Cindy about writing. But Marie kept popping up in my head. I guess it¡¯s a serious problem.

    I quickly erased the thought that it was rude to have different thoughts in front of other people.

    ¡°It¡¯s not strange. It¡¯s really true.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Cindy looked at me with lifeless eyes for a moment, then turned her head. On the side she turned her head, there was a note.

    ¡°So, how do I do this?¡±

    ¡°I always say that the most important thing in writing is what you convey. Especially for the paper that Cindy is trying to write, this part is more advanced¡­¡±

    Although it had been almost three months since Professor Elena had proposed the idea, I had visited theboratory significantly less often. Various incidents had urred since the proposal.

    So I felt like I was being too presumptuous, and when I had some free time, I visited theb today. Also, there was information I needed to ask Cindy for the development of Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    ¡°First of all, Cindy is okay with basic things like spelling and spacing. It¡¯s just that the grammar is a mess.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize. As the grammar gets moreplicated the more you dig into it so it¡¯s as simple as possible. To put it simply, it¡¯s easier to think of everyday conversation. There are no academic institutions like academies in Cindy¡¯s hometown, right?¡±

    ¡°We have it¡­ Because the academy is the education institution that our elves established first.¡±

    It¡¯s possible that humans imitated the civilization achieved by elves, so they may have followed suit with educational institutions. Still, it was like new knowledge to me, so it was a bit surprising.

    Sometimes, listening to the stories that Cindy tells, I wondered why the elves left humans alone. Could it be because humans had so much confidence that they couldn¡¯t do anything to them, no matter how hard they tried?

    In reality, even if a human knight were to charge at an elf warrior with all their might, it would be extremely difficult to defeat just one. From basic specifications alone, there is an enormous difference, so the elves may not have even bothered paying attention.

    <i>¡®There is no record of them being pushed back during the racial war either.¡¯</i>

    The decisive reason the racial war ended was not because one side was defeated, but because the elves self-destructed. Specifically, the leadership repeated their mistakes and blunders without rest.

    No matter where you go, the problem is always with the old people, especially those in higher positions. After that, a generational change took ce, but their influence is still tremendous.

    <i>¡®Well, humans will certainly experience faster changes with the frequent generational shifts.¡¯</i>

    Anyway, to putting it aside-

    ¡°No. You¡¯re doing it again. It¡¯s not that difficult to exin, is it? Just write exactly what Cindy wants to say. Think about when Cindy talks with me.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ Okay¡­¡±

    Cindy¡¯s learning was truly catastrophic. It took repeating the same exnation several times just for her to barely understand it.

    It¡¯s like having to chew the exnation into tiny bits and forcefully swallow it just to understand it. Other species apparently learn slower than humans, and ording to Professor Elena, Cindy is even less intelligent than other elves, so it was frustrating.

    ¡°Sorry for getting angry. I should havee more often¡­¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay¡­ You don¡¯t know, but I¡¯m an elf, so you came here quickly¡­¡±

    As I was sighing while scratching my face, Cindy was fidgeting with a look of genuine apology. Seeing her like that helped to calm the anger that was boiling inside me.

    I knew that it wasn¡¯t entirely her fault and that she wasn¡¯t the sharpest tool in the shed, so getting angry would only make things worse. I could potentially crush her spirit if I lost my temper.

    <i>¡®We still have plenty of time. Once I¡¯m in my third year, I can visit theb regrly. She just needs to be patient until then.¡¯</i>

    Elves have a very different sense of timepared to humans. To them, a year is equivalent to only about a month for humans.

    As Cindy scribbled in her notebook with a pen, I watched her silently and then spoke up. As I had mentioned before, teaching Cindy how to write essays could be done slowly.

    ¡°Cindy.¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    ¡°Did you read the book I rmendedst time?¡±

    ¡°Xenon¡¯s Biography? Yeah, I read it¡­ it was really interesting and helped me a lot¡­¡±

    If this is the level of help that she got from reading it¡­ I felt a wry smileing on despite feeling d that she enjoyed reading it.

    Anyway, the reason why I brought up Xenon¡¯s Biography is because it concerns an elf who will y an important role in it. Also, the devils executive who is in charge of ¡°pride¡± in The Seven Deadly Sins is an elf. I wanted to confirm Cindy¡¯s reaction since I didn¡¯t have time to ask Professor Elena directly.

    Of course, I need to make sure that she has read up to the ninth book first. I nodded my head and asked Cindy the next question.

    ¡°How far have you read?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve read all of it¡­ When I told the professor, she willingly lent it to me¡­¡±

    ¡°What do you think about the fact that among the Seven Deadly Sins, the elves are in charge of pride?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Cindy stopped scribbling on her notebook with her pen and pursed her lips as if she was contemting my question. It seemed like she was giving it some serious thought.

    Interestingly, Cindy was the type to faithfully answer my questions without any suspicion. She may not know it, but she has a natural inclination for exining things to others. She¡¯s even good at it.

    Although it¡¯s extremely difficult to transcribe her exnations into writing. If it was perfect, Professor Elena wouldn¡¯t have been so troubled.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure since it¡¯s been a long time since I left my hometown¡­ Maybe they¡¯re seriously considering it? Our elf race crumbled from within due to arrogance, not external pressure even during the racial war¡­ So they might reluctantly admit it¡­¡±

    ¡°Then what about theirck of reaction?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s definitely not ack of reaction¡­ Even if there was a generational change, there are still internal conflicts¡­ Fortunately, the Queen is reasonable, so there shouldn¡¯t be any problems for now¡­¡±

    On the other hand, it means that there are people on the elf side who are working to find me. The Queen¡¯s mild personality is preventing them from doing so, but if the problem gets worse, it will surelye to light.

    I listened to her exnation and recalled the future development. If the 9th volume was about the Seven Deadly Sins¡¯ appearance, I nned to deal with the story of the elves in the 10th volume.

    More specifically, it¡¯s the story of the ¡°master¡± who taught the elf queen and Xenon. Originally, I would have written it without any hesitation, but considering the influence of demons and the Seven Deadly Sins, it was difficult to write casually.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ Cindy.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°What do you think about elves having deep rtionships with humans, Cindy?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Cindy blinked her eyes a couple of times and an expression of confusion appeared on her face as she heard my question and looked at me.

    The reason why I was asking this question was because of the rtionship between the Elf Queen and her ¡®mentor.¡¯ It was a love story between a long-lived elf and a short-lived human. How poignant of a story it was.

    However, strangely enough, I couldn¡¯t find such a story anywhere in this world. Even in other romance novels, there was no love story between elves and humans.

    I don¡¯t know if there is a taboo for elves to share love with other races or if there is a separate reason, but it is a very important issue for me. That¡¯s because it could prevent incidents that could happen in the future.

    After dropping the demons, steam lotive, and the seven deadly sins in a row, I had no choice but to be cautious. If this also has serious consequences, I n to exclude it boldly.

    ¡°Why are you suddenly asking about that? Do you have any interest in me?¡±

    Cindy suddenly asked me such a question while staring at me quietly. It was a shocking remark that could make me freeze, so I immediately shook my hand and denied it.

    ¡°No, no. It¡¯s not that. It¡¯s just something I¡¯ve been curious about, and besides, I already have a girlfriend.¡±

    ¡°Oh, really? Hm¡­¡±

    Cindy looked at him suspiciously and began to think deeply. After a while of pondering, she shook her head and replied.

    ¡°The idea of us forming a bond with humans¡­it¡¯s almost impossible. Compared to the elves, humans have an extremely short lifespan¡­¡±

    ¡°Then what about other species instead of humans?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­as you know, we elves tend to look down on other species¡­although that attitude has decreased as generations pass, it still exists. If it¡¯s not someone we acknowledge, we won¡¯t treat them the same way¡­¡±

    They certainly seemed like a proud race. However, considering where that pridees from, it¡¯s not hard to understand.

    As I was lost in thought, Cindy paused for a moment before adding.

    ¡°Even if we were to form a bond, it¡¯s likely that the elves would reject it¡­ Is there anything sadder than living with the memory of someone you loved all your life buried in your heart? It¡¯s better to refuse than to live with regret for the rest of your life.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­the lifespan is certainly the biggest problem.¡±

    ¡°Why is that? Don¡¯t tell me your girlfriend is an elf?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that, but¡­¡±

    I answered Cindy¡¯s question with a sincere smile of happiness.

    ¡°Well, elves are pretty, aren¡¯t they?¡±

    ¡°Eugh.¡±

    Cindy made a face as if she had heard something absurd.

    Trantors note:

    It just keeps getting better.

    Another 20 ratings at NU, so 1 more chapter today.

 Chapter 60: Love (2)

    I often hear people say that I am cold-hearted. I agree with that to some extent. Recently, with all the incidents happening around me, or perhaps due to the influence of my past life, I have developed quite an indifferent personality.

    However,tely, I have been filled with so much happiness that I find myself smiling more often. My mouth curls up slightly, and sometimes I burst intoughter like a crazy person.

    Especially when I¡¯m with Marie, I can¡¯t keep the smile off my face. Just looking at her made my lips twitch uncontrobly.

    ¡°Hehehe.¡±

    ¡°Why are youughing?¡±

    ¡°Isaac, why are youughing?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, it¡¯s justing out.¡±

    Marie also didn¡¯t try to hide her feelings, and we both giggled together. On the first day of our rtionship, I was cautious and didn¡¯t express my affection much, but as time passed, all those inhibitions disappeared.

    Whether it was theints from those around us, the suspicious nces from Cecily and Rina, or the curious looks from others, we were too consumed with the sweetness of our first love to care about anything else.

    We even got scolded by a professor once for not paying attention in ss, but it was just a simple hup that we easily overlooked.

    Anyway, Marie and I confessed our feelings to each other and some time had passed. All the exams and assignments were over, and we had rtively more free time, so we hung out together more often.

    Perhaps because of this, people¡¯s gaze towards us changed from suspicion to certainty. Even if you were not observant, others would predict, ¡°Ah, those two are in a rtionship,¡± just by looking at us.

    And the result of this was revealed in none other than the dance hall we visited on the weekend. We had agreed to have our own personal time over the weekend.

    ¡°Hey, are you dating someone these days?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    Adelia asked me directly as she returned as a spectator after taking a break.

    I looked at her with a surprised expression. Adelia had seemed frustrated for a while, and she had even taken off her blouse.

    Although she was wearing a tank top, I was almost caught off guard when my gaze turned to a risque ce.

    ¡°Phew, it¡¯s hot. So when will you answer?¡±

    Adelia said to me in her husky voice, fluttering her tank top. I noticed her beauty, drenched in sweat.

    In response, I hastily regained myposure and spoke up. I tried to suppress any strange thoughts by imagining Marie¡¯s face as much as possible.

    ¡°How did you know?¡±

    ¡°I happened to see you hugging a white-haired girl. As if saying, ¡®We¡¯re in a rtionship,¡¯ openly.¡±

    She giggled mischievously and poked my cheek with her index finger. Then, I gently grabbed Adelia¡¯s finger and ced it on my palm.

    ¡°So? Is that all?¡±

    ¡°Is that all? Who wouldn¡¯t be curious when their close friend¡¯s little brother is dating someone? Who confessed first? Wait, what¡¯s her name? I think I might know who she is from her white hair.¡±

    Adelia asked a series of questions with her bright blue eyes sparkling. If it were someone else, I wouldn¡¯t have bothered, but Adelia was different. She had a mischievous and curious side, but her nature was good.

    If her nature wasn¡¯t good, Nicole wouldn¡¯t have taken care of her. Moreover, Adelia¡¯s pranks had a strong feeling of seeking attention, so I couldn¡¯t hate her.

    ¡°Well¡­ Maybe noona knows who she is. Her name is Marie, and she¡¯s from the Requilis Duke¡¯s family.¡±

    ¡°Wow~, our cute little Isaac has quite good skills? And it¡¯s the Requilis Duke¡¯s family. Who confessed first?¡±

    ¡°Although Marie said something simr to confessing, we started dating because they both had feelings for each other.¡±

    ¡°Wow~¡±

    After that, Adelia asked various questions with excitement. I didn¡¯t know why she was so interested in other people¡¯s love stories, but I couldn¡¯t help but answer her as her eyes shone brightly.

    ¡°Youth, it¡¯s all about youth. There¡¯s nothing that can match the freshness of being in your teens. Are you thinking about marriage by any chance?¡±

    ¡°¡­That seems a bit extreme.¡±

    In this world, once you turn 17, you are considered an adult and can get married. However, due to academic reasons, most people get married around the age of 22.

    But because of the influence of my past life, even that time felt too soon for me. However, I couldn¡¯t apply my past life¡¯smon sense to this life, so I could only give a vague answer.

    Adelia also seemed a bit uneasy despite what she said and scratched her head.

    ¡°¡­Yeah, I guess you¡¯re right. Sorry. I¡¯ve just seen a lot of people get into idents while dating.¡±

    ¡°Getting into an ident means having a child, not just entering a rtionship.¡±

    ¡°I know that well.¡±

    ¡°What happens if an ident does ur?¡±

    There¡¯s no such thing as nothing happening between a man and a woman. That¡¯s the same for me and Marie. Of course, both Marie and I will be careful, but the future is unpredictable for anyone.

    There may be a chance where coincidence after coincidence leads to just the two of us being left together. If that situation were to arise, I wonder if I would be able to resist.

    I have no chance of resisting since I couldn¡¯t even resist Cecily¡¯s temptation. Or Marie might be the one to make the first move.

    ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Adelia looked at me intently after hearing the question, then grinned with a smile full of coquettishness.

    ¡°I wonder how it will turn out~. I¡¯m not from the Minerva Empire, so I don¡¯t really know.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask my sister.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not fun. If it¡¯s between nobles, there¡¯s no problem. Even if there¡¯s a rank difference, they¡¯ll at least marry each other. The problem is between nobles andmoners. If the man is a noble, he can bring the woman in as a concubine or chase her away, but it¡¯s different if it¡¯s the other way around. Being expelled from the family is one thing, but what happens after is the real problem.¡±

    ¡°The aftermath is the problem?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Do you think you can live well as amoner after living as a noble for so long like you? Like delicate flowers grown in a greenhouse?¡±

    After listening to the exnation, I could only nod my head involuntarily. I¡¯ve always said that there¡¯s an enormous gap between nobles andmoners, whether it¡¯s in power or wealth.

    It may seem a little cynical, but it¡¯s the reality.

    ¡°Of course, there are exceptions. It¡¯s the kind of story you see in novels, where the man tries his best to get approval from his parents by shedding blood. In that case, he goes with the woman to ask for permission from their parents. Well, the reality may not be so easy.¡±

    ¡°You know a lot more than I thought.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t help but know. I¡¯ve seen many cases like that myself. So, if you really want to make your girlfriend happy, be careful.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious?¡±

    In the unlikely event that an ident happens, I am confident that I can take responsibility for Marie. Of course, her parents may not look at me with kind eyes, but things will change once I reveal my identity.

    It¡¯s embarrassing to say it myself, but I have a status that goes far beyond being a mere cultural bomb. Marie may not be concerned about that, but her parents will be different.

    ¡°By the way, does Adelia have a boyfriend?¡±

    As we talked about rtionships, the topic naturally shifted in that direction. Adelia was focused on my love life, not mentioning anything rted to herself.

    And when she heard my question, she went from surprised to bewildered. It was an unexpected reaction for me.

    ¡°Oh¡­ do I seem like I¡¯ve had any experience with dating?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Adelia is objectively pretty, and she¡¯s also talented in martial arts.¡±

    Although Adelia¡¯s personality is somewhat unique, her charm is outstanding. It¡¯s not easy to say this as someone with a girlfriend, but it¡¯s the truth.

    With a sharp nose and bright sky-blue eyes that remind you of a clear sky, long eyshes, and finally, short brown hair. Overall, Adelia¡¯s image is closer to being handsome, but her red lips also exude feminine charm.

    To be honest, Adelia¡¯s beauty is considerable to the point that it¡¯s hard to believe she¡¯s amoner and not an illegitimate child.

    While I was lost in thought, Adelia lightly grabbed the back of her neck. She snickered and murmured with a bitter smile.

    ¡°Why are you talking about me¡­ Isn¡¯t it better to ask your sister? You may not know, but Nicole was quite popr¡­¡±

    ¡°What are you two talking about?¡±

    As I was about to turn the topic to Nicole¡¯s love life, a familiar voice suddenly caught my ear. When I turned my head, I saw Nicole approaching with a face drenched in sweat and wiping it with a towel.

    Just as I thought the confrontation had ended, Adelia was startled by Nicole¡¯s return and quickly got up from her seat, grabbing the top that she had taken off earlier.

    ¡°U-Uh, then I¡¯ll be going now! Work hard!¡±

    Is this the proverb that means the thief¡¯s feet are numb? Adelia ran away to the training ground before Nicole could even ask a question.

    As I stared nkly at her, Nicole approached me and asked with a suspicious voice.

    ¡°Why are you acting like that? Did she say something?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ no? She didn¡¯t say anything.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ really?¡±

    His eyes were so incredulous. It¡¯s a natural reaction considering how many sins Adelia hasmitted.

    ¡°Phew. It¡¯s hot.¡±

    Then, just like Adelia did earlier, Nicole took off her top to dry off her sweat. Although she was wearing a sleeveless top on the inside, as Nicole¡¯s well-defined muscles caught my attention, I couldn¡¯t help but think that maybe the saying that women have a hard time building muscles due to their nature was wrong.

    ¡°Oh, right. Isaac. Didn¡¯t you say you were dating that girl? The white-haired one I sawst time. Was her name Marie?¡±

    Nicole asked me as she fluttered her cor to cool off the sweat. She was the one I had told everything tost week.

    So Nicole knew that Marie knew my secret, and there was no need to hide it. But I couldn¡¯t help feeling anxious.

    Marie might be a good person, but in Nicole¡¯s eyes, everyone was the same.

    ¡°Yeah. Why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°Just wondering if everything¡¯s going well. Anything happening?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m doing well.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s good. Hmm.¡±

    Nicole left it at that and plopped down next to me.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you regret telling her?¡±

    ¡°What regret? Oh, I do regret it. Why didn¡¯t I tell her earlier?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re really something else. Yeah, you¡¯re at that age.¡±

    Nicole smirked at my response, unable to contain her amusement. Then, as if she had thought of something, she spoke up in a slightly hopeful tone.

    ¡°By the way, how¡¯s the writing going?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m doing well. I¡¯ll probably be done in two weeks.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fast. Well, since the exams are over, there should be plenty of free time. You said the 10th book includes the story of the Elf Queen and Xenon¡¯s master?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Oh~ I¡¯m looking forward to that. A love story between an elf and a human, it¡¯ll be another hit, won¡¯t it? The elves will surely talk about it too.¡±

    Nicole giggled and joked around. I couldn¡¯t help but smile inwardly as I watched her.

    Yes. It could look like a touching love story between elves and humans on the surface. But as the story continues, people will feel that something is wrong.

    Because the Elf Queen and Xenon¡¯s master will not be able to continue their rtionship. It won¡¯t be a cheesy plot where one of them looks at someone else.

    Both of them are confident in each other, but the Elf Queen seems unable to pursue it due to a lifespan issue.

    <i>¡®It¡¯ll have to end in tragedy to make an impression.¡¯</i>

    Xenon¡¯s master will dieter. Even worse, it¡¯ll be by the hand of ¡°Envy¡±, who used to be their student.

    And the Elf Queen will sob and burst into tears at the fact that her master has died. Originally, this scene was a device to awaken Xenon, but upon closer consideration, I n to write it in detail because it seems interesting.

    I nced at Nicole, who had an expectant expression, and then looked ahead and spoke again.

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s going to be really interesting.¡±

    Only to me.

    Trantors note:

    Adelia is us lmao

 Chapter 61: Love (3)

    It has been about two weeks since Marie and I started our sweet romance. A lot has changed in these two weeks, and one of the most notable changes is the way students look at us when we¡¯re together.

    Before, people seemed unsure about our rtionship, but now they look at us with confident eyes, sure that Marie and I are together. It¡¯s no longer a secret, but officially recognized.

    Many people envy us, but there are also some who look at us ufortably, especially those who focus their gaze on Marie rather than me. Perhaps it¡¯s because Marie is the daughter of a wealthy Duke, while I am just the son of a Baron.

    However, I don¡¯t really care about what they think. Marie and I love each other, and there¡¯s nothing they can do about it. In fact, Marie is proud that I¡¯m the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    But there are some side effects. Sometimes, female students approach Marie and ask about me, and it can be frustrating. One time, Marie wasining while eating.

    ¡°I¡¯m so annoyed! Why do people keep asking me what¡¯s so great about you? They think we¡¯re just dating because you¡¯re handsome and cute!¡±

    ¡°Wait, what? Marie?¡±

    I looked at her with a puzzled expression, putting down my utensils. Her words didn¡¯t make sense to me.

    Marie, who had beenining, suddenly realized what she had said and burst outughing. Her smile wasn¡¯t like that of an innocent girl, but rather that of a mischievous one.

    ¡°Oops, sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to say that out loud. Hehe.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Gulp. Why are you making that face? It¡¯s not a lie, you know?¡±

    Marie said, swallowing the food in her mouth, as I looked at her in confusion. I couldn¡¯t think of a suitable response to her sincere expression, and a forcedugh escaped me.

    If there were other people around, it would have been a remark that could embarrass oneself and others, but fortunately, it wasforting to know that only the two of us were peacefully dining together. By the way, it was the same restaurant where I confided my secret to Mariest time.

    As it turned out, the space we were assigned by the staff was a course for couples. I don¡¯t know how embarrassed I was to hear that. In other words, it meant that they had also mistaken us for loversst time and ssified us into this room.

    At that time, I knew nothing, so it was okay, but if it had been otherwise, it would have been awkward from the beginning. Of course, now that we officially became lovers, we could confidently walk in.

    ¡°Isaac, did nothing frustrating happen to you like it did to me? I am a daughter of a duke, so it¡¯s fine for me, but you might have it worse than me. Especially with that guy, Jackson or something, who seems to dislike you?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡±

    I thought of the recent events as I listened to Marie¡¯s question. There wasn¡¯t much to do after bing Marie¡¯s lover.

    Only our closest friends, Rina and Cecily, haven¡¯t asked directly about our rtionship, and they seem to be convinced of our status. That¡¯s probably why Marie is guarding me closely, and they can¡¯t make a bold approach.

    Especially Cecily, who used to be with us quite often, has reduced her presence significantly. Whenever an opportunity arises, Marie suddenly appears and takes me away.

    Yesterday was the same. Thest lecture of the day wasn¡¯t one that Marie was supposed to attend, but as soon as the ss was over, I met Marie waiting for me outside the door. She grabbed my arm and dragged me to have a meal together, instead of letting me go.

    Cecily called out to us, seeing what was happening, but we couldn¡¯t stop. And the look in her eyes as she watched Marie¡­ Yes, it was definitely the gaze of a woman engulfed in jealousy.

    Other than that¡­

    ¡°Nothing much going on?¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Jackson, whom you mentioned, didn¡¯t say anything either. Instead, he seemed to be quite indifferent.¡±

    ¡°What? Indifferent?¡±

    As Marie widened her eyes and asked back, I nodded to confirm that it was true. I don¡¯t know what kind of delusion he¡¯s having, but Jackson¡¯s gaze towards me has been different since the group project.

    ¡°Yep. However, his gaze has definitely changed since the group project. What exactly happened during the project?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ it was a little¡­ pitiful, wasn¡¯t it? Rina made him do this and that.¡±

    ¡°What about you?¡±

    ¡°I helped him out because I felt sorry for him¡­ You know, until I told her to stop, he kept pestering me. I helped him, but only to a certain extent.¡±

    My girlfriend, who is from a noble family, refers to the son of a prestigious count as ¡°that guy.¡±

    I suddenly realized that she came from a duke family with the highest authority next to the emperor.

    ¡°Oh, pretend you didn¡¯t hear what I just said. I suddenly remembered something that made me annoyed.¡±

    Then Marie pleaded with me in a humble tone, holding out her hand. Her behavior waspletely different from her lighthearted demeanor just a moment ago.

    I couldn¡¯t help but smirk, knowing she was putting on an act.

    ¡°Are you being coy?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it suits me?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s cute, but it doesn¡¯t suit you.¡±

    ¡°You jerk. But since you said it¡¯s cute, I¡¯ll let it slide.¡±

    Marie burst outughing. I smiled back at her.

    When it was just the two of us, even the most mundane conversations felt enjoyable. In fact, it wasn¡¯t the story that mattered to us, but the time we spent together.

    ¡°Oh, speaking of which, how far did you get with your writing? Didn¡¯t you say you almost finishedst time?¡±

    ¡°I just need to submit the manuscript. I was able to write it much faster than I expected, probably because the exams are over.¡±

    ¡°You said it¡¯s about the Xenons master and the queen of the elves, right?¡±

    I had told Marie a little bit about the story of Xenon series, but I didn¡¯t reveal the tragic story of the master and the elf queen.

    For the record, that story won¡¯t appear until the 11th book at the earliest, or aste as the 13th book.

    I want to depict the rtionship between the master and the Elf Queen indirectly, up until a decisive moment when the teacher suddenly drops a dead g.

    For example, he might say something like ¡®If Ie back¡­¡¯ or ¡®Once I return, there¡¯s something I want to say to you,¡¯ etc. Through these words, I want to evoke a sense of unease in the readers¡¯ minds, which willter prove to be effective.

    It just so happens that the Elf Queen, who has agonized for a long time, has also finally gathered her courage, so her emotions of fondness and despair will be doubled.

    Of course, not only sad things will happen. Xenon, who witnesses the queen¡¯s sadness, will grow even more and his rtionship with Mary will progress.

    As predicted by Edie in the previous meeting, Mary is an Elf and has feelings for Xenon, who is human. However, due to being an Elf, she is unable to express her feelings.

    <i>¡®Looks like it¡¯s going to be a romance part. Well, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡¯</i>

    If it¡¯s a romance part, female readers will probably like it quite a bit. Plus, since it¡¯s a love story between an Elf and a human that people haven¡¯t seen before, it¡¯ll be even more provocative.

    It¡¯s okay if the Elf side talks about it too. Even though we added the setting that one of the Seven Deadly Sins, the devils executive in charge of pride, is an Elf, they didn¡¯t say anything about it. Cindy said they might be having internal meetings, but I didn¡¯t really care.

    ¡°A love story between an Elf and a human. Frankly, I don¡¯t think it makes sense, but it¡¯s Xenon¡¯s Biography, so it should be fine. Will there be any reaction from the Elf side this time?¡±

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know. And people don¡¯t really know this, but you can look at Jin and Lily¡¯s example. It¡¯s a case where they overcame the difference in lifespan.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Now that you mention it, that¡¯s true. I didn¡¯t realize Jin was a demon until now.¡±

    In reality, people are not focused on the fact that the Jin is a species that lives longer than humans, but rather on the fact that he is a demon. Although Jin asionally mentions his lifespan, readers unconsciously skip over it.

    On the other hand, people firmly believe that Elves are a long-living species, and in contrast, humans are believed to have short lifespans, along with beastmen.

    ¡°Moreover, Elves are known to be noble and arrogant, and they live longer than demons. ording to Cindy, there is a custom among the Elves to look down on other species.¡±

    ¡°Cindy? Who is she?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Is she a woman?¡±

    I smiled bitterly when Marie red at me. It seemed like it bothered her that another woman¡¯s name came out of my mouth.

    ¡°Professor Elena asked me toe to herb and introduced me to an Elf. That¡¯s all there is to it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think your opinion of her would change if you saw Cindy? You may not know, but despite her natural beauty, she has dark circles under her eyes and never seems to take care of herself. She even seems younger than me, even though she is older.¡±

    Although I received a great deal of knowledge from her, there is no emotional attraction to her, just a professional rtionship. She is just a colleague.

    However, Marie still had an incredulous look on her face. It seemed that she was a little uneasy because Cindy was an elf, but at least in my eyes, Marie was much prettier than Cindy.

    ¡°And you¡¯re much prettier too.¡±

    ¡°Eugh¡­¡±

    So I blurted out that thoughtpletely. And then Marie¡¯s face turned red like a sunset in an instant.

    But it wouldn¡¯t be fun to stop here. As soon as I seized the opportunity to counterattack, I said teasingly.

    ¡°Come to think of it, I¡¯m curious about your parents¡¯ faces too. How can they pass down faces even prettier than elves¡­¡±

    ¡°St-stop! Don¡¯t say it! Don¡¯t say anymore! I¡¯m so embarrassed, really!¡±

    As I acted smugly, Marie let out a squeak and screamed. I automatically chuckled at her strong reaction.

    ¡°Why do you hate it so much? Isn¡¯t saying that you¡¯re prettier than an elf apliment?¡±

    ¡°B-but¡­ it¡¯s still embarrassing¡­¡±

    ¡°But being pretty is a good thing, right?¡±

    ¡°Ughhh¡­ just stop it¡­¡±

    Marie couldn¡¯t bear the consecutive attacks and melted away. I shrugged my shoulders and said.

    ¡°So what should I call you then? Princess?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°My princess, what are you doing sitting there? Are you not going to eat?¡±

    I might have been teasing her too much.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    ¡°Ah! Sorry! Sorry! I won¡¯t do it again! Sorry!¡±

    Marie suddenly stood up and bit my neck tightly, despite my apologies. She didn¡¯t let go for a while, maybe holding a grudge even though I was saying sorry.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that on your neck? Did a wild animal bite you?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    The next day, Cecily, who was sitting next to me, asked me the same question. Unfortunately, the area was not covered by my school uniform shirt, so it was exposed.

    I smiled awkwardly and rubbed my neck, relieved that Marie wasn¡¯t there. If she were, she might have bitten Cecily.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a wild animal, just a dog.¡±

    ¡°For a dog bite, the teeth marks are clear. Did Marie do it?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­e to think of it, I¡¯ve heard of this before. Humans eating their lover¡¯s flesh. Do humans sometimes eat each other¡¯s flesh?¡±

    ¡°No, absolutely not.¡±

    If that were the case, I would have already torn off and eaten Marie¡¯s face. Cecily looked at me with a strange look in response to my violent denial before letting it go with leniency.

    ¡°Alright. I was worried that Isaac might get eaten.¡±

    ¡°Hahaha¡­ Marie does bite often.¡±

    ¡°Are you happy?¡±

    Cecily asked me suddenly, as if there was a chill in the air. I nced at her profile discreetly, but her usual mischievous smile made it difficult to guess her true intentions.

    ¡°¡­Yes. I¡¯m happy.¡±

    ¡°I see. Well, it¡¯s a bit silly to ask such a question, but I envy Marie a little.¡±

    Then Cecily muttered softly as if she wasn¡¯t sure if I could hear her.

    ¡°I have more to give you¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    ¡°Oh, right. Isaac. I have something to give you today.¡±

    Cecily handed me an envelope that was stuck between the pages of her notebook. Judging from its narrow width and long length, it seemed to be a letter.

    As I took the envelope, Cecily smiled brightly. Her red eyes emitted a seductive aura.

    ¡°Be sure to read it alone in your room. Got it?¡±

    ¡°What is this?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Just¡­¡±

    Cecily¡¯s words trailed off as she gave me a sincere smile and leaned in close to my face. As I was taken aback, she whispered in my ear and gently brushed her lips against it.

    ¡°It¡¯s my true feelings towards you, I suppose?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    My body trembled as my ear tickled intensely.

    Trantors note:

    Reminder that the heroine inside xenons biography is named Mary. So he doesn¡¯t mean Marie there.

    Brought to you by Thatoneguy. Thank you for your support.

 Chapter 62: Fan Letter (1)

    After all the lectures ended, I immediately returned to my dorm, ignoring everything else. I didn¡¯t have any ns with Marie today, so I was able to head straight to my lodging.

    After a while, I returned to my dorm and took out the letter that I had hidden between my notes. As everyone knows, it¡¯s the letter that Cecily handed to me during ss today.

    Cecily whispered to me that it contained her sincere feelings towards the benefactor. She tried to pass it off as nothing, but it¡¯s clear that the letter is meant for me.

    <i>¡®Is this something like a love letter? Or is it something else?¡¯</i>

    I scrutinized the letter envelope carefully.

    At first nce, it looked like an ordinary envelope. However, the contents inside were quite thick. It¡¯s safe to say that the letter contains at least three pages.

    Since she said that it contains her sincere feelings towards the benefactor, I can consider it as something simr to a love letter. I¡¯ve never received a love letter myself because of my hidden identity, so my feelings were even moreplex.

    What did Cecily write in this letter? I checked the envelope back and forth and then sat up straight. It¡¯s more appropriate to read it slowly while sitting at the desk instead of lying in bed. Cecily must have written it with all her heart, so I should also read it with sincerity.

    And after I finish reading it, I n to write back right away. After all, I have plenty of free time now that I have finished writing all of the tenth volume of the manuscript.

    Sigh-

    I carefully tore open the top of the letter envelope, which was on the desk with all the preparations done. As I looked inside, the letter was neatly folded, just as I expected.

    With a mixture of anticipation and worry, I slowly unfolded the contents. The paper consisted of a total of three pages, and as soon as I opened the pages, I could see the graceful handwriting.

    [Hello. This is Princess Cecily Drat Eisilia Bin of Helium. You probably already know, but I¡¯m honored to be able to convey my heart to the benefactor of demons, Isaac the Author.]

    From the first line, I could feel an unusual energy. The title ¡°author¡± aside, the words ¡°benefactor of demons¡± caught my attention.

    ¡°Benefactor¡± is not amon phrase, either in my past life or in this world, but because I have read many books, I know what it means.

    -To deeply admire and respect, or to devote one¡¯s heart in admiration.

    So Cecily¡¯s message implies that she has a rational fondness for me, in other words, she has developed feelings of affection for me. It feels a bit out of the blue and surprising.

    After Cecily first spoke to me, she treated me warmly and even yed some mischievous pranks, but it was more like behavior towards a close sibling. I could understand it since I had also gone along to her and helped alleviate some of her worries.

    I carefully read the first sentence once or twice to confirm whether the words were what I knew them to be. Although we use amonnguage in this world, there are words that have different meanings among different races scattered throughout.

    However, I couldn¡¯t find anything by focusing on the first sentence. It would be better to set aside any doubts and read the following contents slowly.

    [First of all, before expressing my feelings, I would like to apologize for the incident I caused a few days ago. I made a mistake because I got too excited during the meeting with the person I have always admired, Benefactor. Regardless of what kind of emotions the Benefactor felt at that time, the fact remains that I was rude. I will apologize again.]

    As I read, I realized something. Cecily wasing across as quite humble, as seen in the letter.

    Who is she? Isn¡¯t she the princess of Helium and the next demon king scheduled to be appointed?

    Although my influence in the world is powerful, Cecily doesn¡¯t need to bow her head. Moreover, Helium is currently establishing diplomatic rtions with other countries, so her position is boundless.

    I could ask if it¡¯s okay to treat me as a friend, but it would make me too ufortable.

    The Cecily I know is mischievous and has pain buried inside. I couldn¡¯t help but wish to y pranks or gossip with her like usual, like with a friend.

    <i>¡®However¡­¡¯</i>

    What could this murky emotion crawling up in my chest be? I felt the same way when Cecily spoke to me formally thest time. It was a feeling close to euphoria, but one that should not be consumed.

    I had never realized it before, but once you taste it, it¡¯s like a dark mood you can¡¯t escape from. I shook off those emotions, running my hands through my hair.

    It wasn¡¯t in my nature to be disrespectful to Cecily, even if she put herself down like this.

    Most importantly, Marie would be deeply disappointed. I didn¡¯t want to see her disappointed in me, at any cost.

    ¡°Phew.¡±

    I exhaled, collected myself, and turned my gaze to the letter. Cecily¡¯s beautiful handwriting and graceful script made my eyes happy.

    [As you may know, before Xenon¡¯s Biography, our demon race was treated as evil. We were forcibly isted from society and had to unite amongst ourselves. Some brave demons went out and appealed that we were not devils, but it was all in vain. There were even demons who became tragic and turned into devils after not being able to withstand the criticism ormitting suicide. And¡­]

    [Even I, the princess couldn¡¯t fulfill the wishes of her own people, but you have done it for us. Thank you very much. Even if it was unintentional, you have given a ray of light to the demons who had nothing but darkness. That light was an unparalleled hope for us demons, and it showed us the way forward. The sky of Helium, which was always covered in clouds, started to show the sun. The faces of Helium¡¯s people were blossoming with smiles, and they realized a new emotion called ¡®pride.¡¯ I can guarantee that this one ray of light will illuminate the future of our demon race.]

    The letter described in detail how the demons were treated and how they changed after Xenon¡¯s Biography came out.

    The more I read the contents of the letter, the warmer my heart became.

    When she whispered ¡°sincerely¡± in my ear, I felt a bit anxious, but now all those feelings have disappeared.

    Cecily wrote the letter with true sincerity, and that sincerity is being conveyed to me without any filter. Even if it wasn¡¯t intentional, anyone would be proud if the result was positive.

    <i>¡®It¡¯spletely different from when I saw it in the newspaper.¡¯</i>

    It¡¯s even more meaningfuling from Cecily, a demon.

    When I heard rumors or saw them in the newspaper, I just shrugged them off. Even when I talked to Cecily directly, I didn¡¯t feel this way because she was focusing on the fact that I was the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography, not expressing her own true feelings. Words like this, full of sincerity, are rare.

    However, after reading this letter, I realized how difficult her life has been and how grateful she is to me. I never imagined that an action of mine could be someone¡¯s hope. It¡¯s a feeling of emotion that I never felt in my previous life.

    <i>¡®It must have been really hard.¡¯</i>

    Although 100 years might not seem like much to other species, it is absurdly long for humans. During those 100 years, Cecily has been working tirelessly to fulfill her people¡¯s aspirations.

    Of course, I had no idea about this. I had a vague idea from our conversations, butpared to the contents of the letter, it was nothing.

    Her wish was fulfilled by my hand, not hers, but the joy that came with it would be indescribable. In a past life, one could say that it was like the liberation of ck people who had suffered terrible discrimination just because their skin was ck.

    I turned the page with a warm feeling in my chest. The content was so long that I expected it would take me a long time to read, maybe even as much as three pages.

    [But the wounds our demon race has suffered are countless and the discriminatory gaze towards us has not beenpletely erased. Even as you read this letter, someone out there may still be discriminating against demons, and wounded demons may be turning into devils themselves and causing harm. Unfortunately, even though the way people view demons has changed somewhat thanks to Xenon¡¯s Biography, the world has notpletely changed.]

    [But that doesn¡¯t matter. As the princess of Helium, I will represent all demons and let the world know that we demons can live our lives just like any other race, and that we are not demons at all. That way, you won¡¯t be disappointed. Through the grace you have given us, we will strive to find a brighter future for our demon race.]

    The second page describes Cecily¡¯s aspirations, which made me think of her speech during the entrance ceremony. How many people can confidently express their aspirations in front of so many people? It¡¯s something I could never do.

    Cecily¡¯s courageous actions were enough to make her not only a hero to the demons but also to many others. I even forgot the parts where she yed pranks on me.

    <i>¡®This is probably what they mean when they say someone is extraordinary, right?¡¯</i>

    I turned the page and began reading thest chapter. Perhaps because it was thest page, it was only about two-thirds full.

    [The grace given to me by the benefactor is beyond expression. Once again, it was you who fulfilled the desire of the demon that could not be achieved for centuries. I would like to offer my body and soul to repay the grace, but if you do not wish for it, I will not do so. It must be even more so since someone else is by your side now.]

    [However, I wanted to express my sincerity in this letter, even if it is small. If you understand that this letter contains my true feelings, I will be more than happy and grateful.]

    [I¡¯m not sure how to end this, but I hope that you, Benefactor, will be healthy and filled with happiness. Your happiness is also my happiness.]

    [I will stop here as a demon who loves Xenon¡¯s Biography, not as a Heliums princess.]

    Thest page contained Cecily¡¯s heart fully written for me.

    If I want, she is willing to offer her body and soul without hesitation. However, I have Marie by my side now, so she will not do so if I don¡¯t want it.

    As a woman was willing to give me her everything, I was confused but rather embarrassed. I had thought before that she had said such things just to tempt me.

    But in the letter, her sincerity was clearly evident. Cecily seems to be ready to offer herself if I want it.

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    Marie would be furious if she saw this, wouldn¡¯t she? It seems like I need to keep the fact that Cecily sent a fan letter hidden.

    Of course, I¡¯m not very good at hiding things, so I¡¯m not sure if I can keep it a secret. It might be better to live with the mindset that it will eventually be found out.

    Anyway, since Cecily wrote a heartfelt letter to me, it¡¯s only polite that I respond in kind. After rereading her fan letter, which brought a smile to my face, I opened my desk drawer.

    Until now, I had thought that I had no one to write letters to besides my parents, but that thought changed today.

    <i>¡®Well, for starters, greetings¡­yes, I think this should suffice.¡¯</i>

    Unlike before, I began writing a reply to Cecily with a cheerful heart.

    <i>¡®Come to think of it, a fan letter¡­¡¯</i>

    I suddenly thought, wouldn¡¯t other people like Cecily also write fan letters?

    It seemed a bit strange that there weren¡¯t any fan letters even though Xenon¡¯s Biography had be a worldwide hit. Perhaps my father had deliberately kept them from me to avoid giving away any clues.

    So, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to ask someone in the publishingpany. I n to check if there are any fan letters first before making a request. Even if my father has a hard time covering the tracks, it doesn¡¯t matter. There was someone else I could ask besides my father.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m a little hesitant, but the results will surely be worthwhile. Surely, I won¡¯t demand too much with just this.¡¯</i>

    After reading the fan letter, I realized that the feeling was very simr to readingments from a past life. I can confidently say that there¡¯s nothing quite likements that make an author feel joy and sorrow.

    As I wished for there to be fan letters, I smoothly moved my magic pen.

    <i>¡®I wonder if Marie wrote one too?¡¯ </i>

    Somehow, I¡¯m filled with anticipation.

    *****

    Meanwhile, at a girls-only dormitory at the same time.

    ¡°Achoo! Ugh¡­¡±

    Marie, who was leisurely eating bread on her bed, was startled by a sudden sneeze that came out of nowhere. Thanks to it, the bed became dirty with bread crumbs.

    ¡°Ugh¡­ Why did I suddenly sneeze? How annoying.¡±

    Grumbling, her unique sharp tongue was triggered as a bonus.

    Trantors note:

    I think this chapter made it understandable where Cecily ising from. The demons really had it rough and he effectively saved them.

    Also, judging by the chapter names it seems shit is about to go down soon¡­

 Chapter 63: Before the Storm (1)

    As Xenon¡¯s Biography came to light, who benefited the most? Most people would probably choose demons.

    Simply, a single book has turned the fate of an entire race upside down, and as demons began to act in earnest, even the world¡¯s situation began to fluctuate. The demons have been taking a somewhat coercive and closed stance, but now that they have started to move, it is inevitable that other countries will be affected.

    Demons have strong individual power and outstanding magical abilitiesparable to those of elves. However, their magic is powered by a sinister energy called ¡°ck mana,¡± which elves despise and makes them very reluctant to get involved with demons.

    Anyway, it is true that demons have benefited greatly from Xenon¡¯s Biography. To the extent that if you ask any passerby, they will give you the same answer, it is bingmon sense.

    However, if we delve deeper, we can see that there is a true winner.

    It is true that the perception of demons has changed through Xenon¡¯s Biography, but fundamentally, such a thing could never have happened if it had not be popr worldwide.

    In other words, as Xenon¡¯s Biography became popr worldwide, the profits were staggering.

    However, since Xenon¡¯s Biography is still spreading and bing popr worldwide, a proper ounting has not been done. But most people are not paying much attention to the profits of Xenon¡¯s Biography, focusing more on the book itself.

    And those profits are sure to have a significant impact on the publisher that signed the rights to Xenon¡¯s Biography. In fact, the first publisher to publish Xenon¡¯s Biography grew in size like a flood through the enormous profits.

    ¡°Hmm~ Hm-hmm~¡±

    In a room simr to an office, filled with various luxury items, a middle-aged man sat at his desk, humming and writing something in his notebook. His mouth was turned up, indicating that he was in a very good mood.

    <i>¡®I made the right decision to introduce the technology at an expensive cost. I¡¯ve already paid it all back.¡¯</i>

    The identity of the notebook he was writing with his pen was a ledger. Not just any ordinary ledger, but a ledger that the man manages and is closely rted to hispany and his social circle.

    If it were an ordinary ledger, another employee would be managing it, but because a man seemingly of high rank manages it, the purpose of the ledger had to be special.

    It is a ledger that manages funds given by nobles, or money that could be called bribes. If it were an ordinarypany, it would be different, but as much as the man is receiving bribes from the nobles, thepany he manages is very unique.

    Because thepany he manages is a publishingpany, and it was the publisher that first published Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    The reason he receives bribes from the nobles is that when a new volume is published, they ask him to give it to them first, or they ask him to let them know who the author is.

    <i>¡®You can¡¯t split the belly of a goose thatys the golden egg.¡¯</i>

    Surprisingly, the man knows the true identity of Xenon¡¯s Biography. More precisely, he has mistaken him for Hawk, not Isaac. It¡¯s understandable because he personally brought the manuscript of the first volume to the publisher. However, when Xenon¡¯s Biography became a big hit, he began to hide his identity and started hiring messengers.

    After that, people from all walks of life came to the publisher and asked for the author, and some even threatened him. It was very difficult for the publisher, but he gathered the courage to ovee it.

    Because the profit generated by Xenon¡¯s Biography was more tempting than the bribes or threats from the nobles. As long as he is under contract with Xenon¡¯s Biography, it¡¯s safe to say that the money is duplicating.

    <i>¡®The imperial family was a little scary¡­¡¯</i>

    Of course, even if the publisher was the one who went to the imperial pce, he was very nervous. Fortunately, they only investigated whether he had evaded taxes, and nothing was found.

    Moreover, since the books were meticulously managed, there has never been a case of tax evasion. To be honest, even if they did evade taxes due to therge profits generated by Xenon¡¯s Biography, no one would know.

    At the end of this situation, the publisher¡¯s mood began to soar. Recently, he has been paying for expensive investments and introducing new technologies.

    <i>¡®The principal has been paid back, and now we only need to take care of the maintenance expenses. As time goes by, the maintenance expenses will slowly decrease anyway.¡¯</i>

    Due to the introduction of new technology, the profit margin doubled. Although the publishingpany originally only had contracts for books, the CEO ended up acquiring a printingpany.

    As a result, even the nobility was able to amass a tremendous amount of wealth. With that kind of funding, thepany grew significantly as well. As the CEO, every day was busy, but he was equally happy.

    Knock- Knock- Knock-

    The sound of knocking on the office door reached his ears just as he was finishing up the books. The CEO deftly put the books away in a desk drawer before speaking up.

    ¡°Who is it?¡±

    ¡°Sir, it¡¯s me, Mathew.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Mathew! Come in.¡±

    The CEO was quick to invite Mathew in upon hearing that it was him knocking on the door. While other employees might not have been as trusted, Mathew was his beloved secretary who always had good news to share, such as updates on Xenon¡¯s Biography, which the CEO was editing himself.

    As he received the CEO¡¯smand, Mathew gently opened the door, revealing his brown curly hair, hazy and cloudy eyes, and sses.

    The face looked as if it perfectly captured the image of a weary office worker who was exhausted day after day.

    ¡°So, what news do you have today? It¡¯s about time for the manuscript of Xenon¡¯s Biography toe in.¡±

    Upon seeing Mathew¡¯s face, the boss opened his mouth with a smile, and even grabbed his hands in anticipation.

    Mathew raised his fallen sses upon hearing the boss¡¯s question. In his armsy a postal envelope.

    ¡°First, there are three pieces of news. Good news, normal news, and bad news. Which one would you like to hear first?¡±

    Mathew replied with a tired voice to the boss¡¯s question. He always gave reports in that manner.

    The boss raised a skeptical expression when he heard that there was bad news among the three news items, but he decided to hear the report first.

    ¡°Let¡¯s hear the normal news first.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a story that the runner passed along to me. He asked if we could deliver fan letters from the publisher.¡±

    ¡°Fan letters?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The letters that pile up on ourpany¡¯s publishing day.¡±

    Xenon¡¯s Biography is so popr worldwide that there are a lot of fans who are crazy about it. Not only were the fans diverse, ranging from themon people to high-ranking nobles.

    But also, there were letters even from demons, dwarves, and asionally elves and beast people. It is a fact that they have a wide reach regardless of nation or race, although we do not know what is in those letters.

    However, due to circumstances, they cannot be directly sent to the author and are being sent to the publishingpany. Even the publishingpany has difficultymunicating with the author and has been umting them endlessly, but fortunately, it worked out this time.

    ¡°Of course we can. But how should we deliver them?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve asked a messenger to send them. They said they would pay a reasonable fee, but please take care of security.¡±

    ¡°I see. I was just wondering how to dispose of those.¡±

    As the boss pointed his thumb to the back, Matthew¡¯s gaze naturally followed. There was a square box that was not small in size, and it was filled with fan letters.

    Considering the fact that the box was full of fan letters, one could guess how much was in there.

    ¡°Can you tell me some good news then?¡±

    ¡°The manuscript for Xenon¡¯s Biography, Volume 10, has just arrived.¡±

    It was really good news. The boss barely suppressed the urge to dance.

    Xenon¡¯s Biography was at the level where money poured in when a new book came out, so there was nothing but joy.

    However, He should not let his guard down. There was still bad news at the end.

    The boss raised the corners of his mouth and asked Mathew.

    ¡°What¡¯s thest bad news?¡±

    ¡°Could you take a look at this? It¡¯s a manuscript that came in the mail, and I hope you can read thest page for me.¡±

    When Mathew handed over the manuscript, the boss received it without any suspicion, although he had some doubts. Then, he took out the manuscript from the already opened mail and turned to thest page as Mathew had instructed.

    Thest page contained the ¡°Author¡¯s Note,¡± which the author had never written before. The boss was briefly surprised, thinking that the author wanted tomunicate with the world, but he could not hide his astonishment after reading the Author¡¯s Note.

    ¡°¡­ I-Is this really¡­?¡±

    Feeling his happy mood drop to the ground, the boss alternated between looking at Mathew and the manuscript, overwhelmed by a trembling voice and a look of fear.

    ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s just as you see.¡±

    In response, Mathew let out a deep sigh with a lifeless face and spoke in a voice that sounded embarrassed and unbelievable.

    ¡°He¡¯s taking a break for a year and a half to two years.¡±

    It was truly earth-shattering news.

    For a while, the boss sat there as if his soul had left his body, then quickly shook his head andbed his hair hastily. It was not the first time he had faced a crisis while running hispany.

    Furthermore, the person who needed to regain hisposure the most at this moment was none other than the boss himself. He then tried to figure out if he had missed anything in the Author¡¯s Note.

    [Hello, dear readers. I am ¡®Xenon,¡¯ the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography. ¡®Xenon¡¯ is my temporary pen name, so you don¡¯t have to bother looking for me. Anyway, what I want to say to you all is¡­]

    It is a seemingly ordinary greeting. After the greetings, ¡°I was surprised that so many people loved Zenon¡¯s biography¡±, ¡°thank you so much¡±, etc. There were only words to express their feelings.

    But the problem arose in the middle.

    [Although Xenon¡¯s Biography is a book that many people love, a burden has been ced on my shoulders in proportion to that love. It was simply a hobby for me to write, but it¡¯s been taking a toll on my body and mind. I want to write with a peaceful mind, so I¡¯ve decided to take a break.]

    It¡¯s a very polite statement, but the story is different whenpared to the author¡¯s situation. People are currently tracking down the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography from various ces.

    Whether it¡¯s nobles, royals, or other races, they are all scrambling to find the author.

    And in this situation, these words came out? In the eyes of readers, it will look like this.

    [You guys are annoying me, so I¡¯m going to take a break for a while. If you keep looking for me after I take a break, I won¡¯t publish any more books.]

    From the reader¡¯s perspective, it will be like lightning striking the dry sky and causing a natural disaster. And it¡¯s obvious where the arrows of criticism will be directed. Of course, the world will be somewhat unsettled for a while.

    Of course, from Isaac¡¯s perspective, he simply wants to concentrate on his studies, but unfortunately, most people are guessing that the author is a sage. Some even reported on the news that they spilled blood on a manuscript and are worried about their health.

    As a result, readers may be anxious that the author is in danger. This may even mean that they won¡¯t be able to read Xenon¡¯s Biography forever.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    The boss read the author¡¯s words again with a stern expression. Then, he let out a deep sigh and covered his face with one hand, murmuring to himself.

    ¡°Quickly call everyone together.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°We need to hold an emergency meeting! Gather all the employees right away!¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes! I understand!¡±

    As Matthew replied, the boss exploded with a rage that had never been seen before. When Mathew left the room, the boss only remained for a moment, before covering his face with both hands.

    ¡°These damn aristocrats¡­ they only know how to help with money¡­¡±

    While the CEO and the publishingpany were busy, what was our Isaac doing?

    ¡°Hehehe.¡±

    ¡°Is it nice?¡±

    ¡°Yeah! Yeah!¡±

    ¡°Even though we¡¯re just hugging?¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡±

    He was enjoying a happy date with Marie,pletely unaware of what the world had in store for him.

    Trantors note:

    Since diablo 4 open beta starts tomorrow I might be a bitte with chapter uploads this weekend but most likely not cause I¡¯m gonna be stuck in a queue Kek

    Also the new series ising on monday.

    I still have no idea how to coherently trante it¡¯s title lol

 Chapter 64: Before the Storm (2)

    It was about ten days after sending mail containing my manuscript and letter to my home when I received it.

    Normally, it takes about a week for a reply toe back after sending a letter, but for some reason, it was a little dyed this time. Furthermore, the mail was thick.

    <i>¡®What could be inside?¡¯</i>

    Unlike before, I looked at the thick package curiously, and then opened the top. After opening it, I could see that there were quite a few letters inside.

    They were neatly organized like a book, not messy or scattered like my mother usually sends it.

    <i>¡®Are all of these fan letters?¡¯</i>

    There was a high probability that they were. I looked at the letters carefully and picked out the most noticeable one.

    Judging by the fact that only this letter caught my eye, it was likely my parents¡¯ letter.

    And when I checked the sender, I was certain that it was a letter from my parents. Without hesitation, I tore open the tightly sealed entrance and took out the contents.

    [I picked out some of the fan letters you asked me to send. The publishingpany says they can¡¯t send them all at once because there are too many. I¡¯ll send them graduallyter.]

    At first, it was a letter from my father. As expected, he only focused on the essentials and conveyed what he wanted to say to me.

    [By the way, the publishingpany didn¡¯t mention anything about your leave. Maybe they gave upmunicating with us because it was difficult. Instead, there will be quite a bit of bacsh. Be prepared.]

    It had been a long time since my family had known about my break. Moreover, since I had included the author¡¯s note on thest page of the manuscript this time, the publishingpany must have noticed as well.

    I¡¯m a bit worried about the advice to ¡°be prepared¡±, but it¡¯s not like people gather in front of the publisher asking for the book,right?. Now I¡¯ll just focus on my studies and even if Rina or Leort asks me to publish a book, I¡¯ll refuse it all. I¡¯ve been working hard until now, so I need a break to look around me and rest.

    <i>¡®Oh, here¡¯s the letter from my mother.¡¯</i>

    As usual, my mother sent a long letter. Mostly asking about how my exams went, how my academy life is, and so on. Most of it was just asking about my well-being.

    Still, it feels healing to know that my mother is worried about me. She takes the time to send these long letters every month, even though it must be a hassle for her.

    That makes me want to be more filial. I repeated reading my mother¡¯s letter a couple of times and then looked inside the package.

    I saw that it was packed with fan letters.

    <i>¡®This is only a part of it?¡¯</i>

    I heard that this was just a selection, so I wonder how many more letters there are. It would probably take me a few days just to read them all.

    I took the fan letters out and put them on my desk in a bunch. There were envelopes of all kinds of colors and patterns.

    I hesitated about which one to choose, but I randomly picked one that caught my eye. It was a pink envelope with a gold-embossed flower pattern.

    [Cherry Blossom Roseberry]

    It seems like a noble name, with a strong scent of cherry blossoms. I recalled who the Roseberry family was while opening the envelope.

    The envelope was also pink, and it seemed like the color was the exclusive color of the family.

    [Hello! Writer! My name is Cherry Blossom Roseberry, the eldest daughter of the Roseberry Marquess!]

    I felt a strong impression of liveliness from her first greeting. It was a different kind of energy than Marie¡¯s.

    I carefully read the fan letter that filled the pages. Most of it was about how much she enjoyed Xenon¡¯s Biography and how she wanted to write a novel like that herself.

    [In two years, I¡¯ll be admitted to the Halo Academy! If I have as much knowledge as you, Writer, maybe someday I can write a story like Xenon¡¯s Biography? If I get the chance, I want to meet you in person and learn how to write. But I know you don¡¯t like to show yourself in public, so I¡¯ll have to endure it. I¡¯ll work hard!]

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    I quickly checked the date of the letter upon hearing that she was going to be admitted to the Halo Academy. Surprisingly, the letter was sent a month ago. So if I be a third-year student, it means I might be able to meet this nobledy. Of course, even if we meet, I won¡¯t be able to reveal that I¡¯m the writer.

    <i>¡®Still, it feels good.¡¯</i>

    There¡¯s nothing more satisfying than hearing someone else say they want to write like you. Someone who admires me.

    I smiled with pride that I couldn¡¯t hide and read through the letter to the end. Other than the fact that she was going to be admitted to the academy and that she wanted to write like me, there was nothing else that bothered me.

    <i>¡®I should keep this.¡¯</i>

    I think it¡¯s a good idea to keep fan letters like this that praise or support my work. If I look at these fan letters whenever I feel down, it will give me energy.

    I was thinking about how to store fan letters and decided to put them in envelopes. I¡¯ll sort them out separatelyter, so I¡¯ve put them on my desk for now.

    <i>¡®Next¡­¡¯</i>

    While checking the fan letters, I found one thing. If it was sent by amoner, it was in, but if it was sent by a noble, it had unique patterns in addition to colors.

    Furthermore, there were overwhelmingly more fan letters frommoners than from nobles. Originally, the novel was more popr among nobles thanmoners, but Xenon¡¯s Biography is a novel that is easy to read regardless of social status.

    Moreover, the number of nobles ounts for only about 1% of the total poption. This is why there are likely more fan letters frommoners.

    [Hello, my name is Guild Tes Hillert Jazak, and I was deeply impressed after reading your book. So I have a suggestion. Visit our family and¡­]

    Especially among the nobles, there were many who tried to appeal their status and draw in their family. I just skimmed over those letters.

    Still, I won¡¯t throw it away because they wrote a letter while bending their pride. Even if no one sees them, it¡¯s just basic courtesy.

    Anyway, it¡¯s best to read the fan letters frommonerster. I definitely won¡¯t be able to read them all today because there are just too many.

    [Marie Hausen Requilis]

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    As I was reading through the fan letters, I was able to find the one that Marie had sent me. I blinked my eyes and looked at the white envelope before finally curling up my lips.

    What kind of content did Marie include in the letter? I was excited to find out.

    Finally, I unfolded the letter and started reading Marie¡¯s handwritten fan letter.

    [Hello? Respected writer, my name is Marie from the Requilis family, and I am really enjoying reading your work.]

    It was unexpectedly simple in style, and the content only praised my work.

    Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. I had a different goal in mind.

    ¡°What if I just take this and recite it as is?¡±

    What would happen?

    ¡°Don¡¯t read it! Didn¡¯t I tell you not to read it?!¡±

    ¡°Ah! Don¡¯t hit me! Okay! I won¡¯t read it!¡±

    I got hit in the back.

    *****

    As I mentioned before, some nobles are giving bribes to publishers who have made contracts with Xenon¡¯s Biography. Most of the requests are to reveal who the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography is or to secretly provide the new book.

    Of course, the publishers only provide thetest publication and never reveal the author¡¯s identity. From the publisher¡¯s point of view, it is better to give the golden eggs after getting the goose thatys them.

    Even the high-ranking nobles did notin about this because if the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography disappears due to unnecessary fuss, they will suffer a great loss.

    Therefore, finding the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography was put on hold, and they received thetest publication in advance. Thanks to this, they were able to read Xenon¡¯s Biography without having topete fiercely, even before the news of its release was officially announced.

    ¡°Hmm~ HmmHmmmm~¡±

    The princess of the Minerva Empire, Rina, was humming a song in her room while carefully opening a certain mail.

    As you can tell by her singing, she was very happy. Unlike when she wore a mask, her smile was sincere.

    The reason was in the mail that she was opening.

    ¡°Tada~¡±

    Rina pulled out a book from the mail and held it up towards the ceiling with a shy move. There was no one in her room, but it was a grand gesture.

    It was evidence that she was in a good mood, and there was a good reason for that.

    It was because the book she was holding up was the 10th volume of Xenon¡¯s Biography, which has not been officially announced by the publishers yet.

    The Imperial Family lobbied the publishers to receive it faster than anyone else.

    <i>¡®That¡¯s the power of authority. Hehe.¡¯</i>

    Even if someone were to criticize her for wasting her power in such a useless ce, Rina wouldn¡¯t care. To her, using power has been ingrained asmon sense since she entered the political world as a child.

    She looked at the 10 th volume of the series of Xenon¡¯s Biography with loving eyes and slowly ced it on the desk.

    <i>¡®Isaac is truly a genius.¡¯</i>

    Looking at Xenon¡¯s Biography, she naturally thought of Isaac. She still had the misunderstanding that Hawk was telling him the story while Isaac was writing it, but that didn¡¯t change the fact that Isaac¡¯s writing skills were exceptional.

    Rina couldn¡¯t even imagine how she could acquire such writing skills. It was an ability that didn¡¯t suit his age at all, no matter how you looked at it.

    <i>¡®I must capture him for the empire. But first¡­¡¯</i>

    She smiled happily and opened the book.

    She was very excited about what kind of story would unfold and what would make her happy this time.

    <i>¡®Wow. A love story between humans and elves? This won¡¯t be easy.¡¯</i>

    This was also a topic that would cause a global sensation, especially among the elves.

    Moreover, even without pictures, the amazing readability and descriptions that could be imagined in her mind were always surprising. The conflict and struggles between Xenon¡¯s mentor and the elf queen were so vividly portrayed that it felt real.

    And that was not all. The story was so vast that she couldn¡¯t even imagine it. She couldn¡¯t help but be amazed as each hint was resolved one by one.

    <i>¡®Ah, I already finished reading it. It¡¯s too bad¡­¡¯</i>

    Without realizing how time had flown by, she had read through to the end. Unfortunately, since Xenon¡¯s master had infiltrated the area managed on the devils side, it was all the more regretful.

    <i>¡®I wonder what the rtionship between the teacher and the elven queen will be like? It¡¯s sure to turn out well, right?¡¯</i>

    Although Xenon¡¯s master had left some uneasy remarks here and there, it would be better if they were connected for the sake of their dreams and hopes. There could be no tragedy worse than something happening to one of them.

    Moreover, Xenon¡¯s master was a pure-hearted man who only had eyes for the elven queen. When he taught Xenon, he was just an entric person, but after today, her perception had changed.

    Furthermore, the story about him wanting to be stronger to prolong his life was a tear-jerking one that could not be ignored. His effort to transcend the limits of his race and obtain love would be an inspiration to many people.

    <i>¡®It will turn out well. Um, it has to turn out well.¡¯</i>

    But what was this anxiety lurking in her heart? She had a premonition that something bad would happen to Xenon¡¯s master.

    Suppressing her feelings, Rina turned to the next page. It had be a habit of hers to check if there was anything left, even though the story had already ended.

    ¡°Hmm? The author¡¯s note?¡±

    As she turned the final page, a new section titled ¡°Author¡¯s Note¡± unfolded. With wide eyes, Rina expressed her confusion and began to read the words written by the author.

    At first, it was just a simple introduction. However, the fact that Isaac had started using the pen name Xenon was unexpected to Rina. The author revealing his pen name meant that he had a desire tomunicate with the world.

    But¡­

    <i>¡®¡­Huh?¡¯</i>

    It didn¡¯t take long for Rina to have a certain thought pop into her head.

    <i>¡®At least year-long.. break notice? Emotionally burdened?¡¯</i>

    This was not good news.

    <i>¡®Up to two years at that¡­?¡¯</i>

    Arge storm was about to hit.

    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±

    With a crestfallen expression, Rina stared nkly at the author¡¯s note.

    Trantors note:

    Shits about to hit the fun

    Bonus chapter for getting 5 reviews.

 Chapter 65: Before the Storm (3)

    [Xenon¡¯s Biography Volume 10. Only one day left until release.]

    News that the release date for Xenon¡¯s Biography has been set by the publisher was reported in the newspaper. Other than that, there wasn¡¯t much news to report.

    It seems like the publisher wants to let everyone know that I will be taking a break on the day that Xenon¡¯s Biography is released. But that¡¯s not really my concern.

    When you finish everything, you tend to feel more rxed. After finishing exams, I happily attended lectures and then enjoyed a peaceful date with Marie.

    Of course, that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m just fooling around. There¡¯s still about a month left until summer vacation, and final exams are still ahead.

    Fortunately, there isn¡¯t much group work to do, and it¡¯s not that important anyway. I¡¯m not really interested in getting a schrship, and as long as I avoid failing, I¡¯m good.

    Above all, the Halo Academy can be considered to truly begin from the third grade. Even if you barely pass your sses, if you receive a rmendation from a specific professor, you can still move up.

    ¡°As soon as your first year is over,e see me. I¡¯ll write you a rmendation letter.¡±

    Like Professor Elena, who likes me.

    As always, while I was teaching writing to Cindy in theb, Elena spoke up during a brief break.

    To this, I blinked in disbelief as I swirled the tea that Cindy had made for me.

    ¡°A rmendation letter?¡±

    ¡°Yep. A rmendation letter.¡±

    The value of a rmendation letter written by a professor¡¯s own hand at the Halo Academy is truly great.

    Slightly exaggerating, even if your grades are a mess until your second year, you can still advance to the third year.

    However, there is one condition here: the professor who writes the rmendation letter must be in charge of your major, and your grades in that major must be good.

    However, because the rmendation letter is something that the professor has to take ¡®responsibility¡¯ for, it cannot be abused. In other words, the professor must choose the best of the best from among the talented individuals.

    Elena is also likely to have said such words to me for the above reasons. It¡¯s a slightly bewildering story for me.

    ¡°I¡¯m still a freshman who hasn¡¯t even had a vacation yet. Aren¡¯t you in a hurry?¡±

    ¡°To others, it may seem so. Buttely, there are few students like you who are passionate about history. By the way, I¡¯m not talking about human standards, but my standards.¡±

    Since it was Elena, an elf, who said that, the weight of her words waspletely different. How rare it is for someone to be interested in history.

    Anyway, it¡¯s true that Professor Elena has a great interest in me. As someone who loves history, it¡¯s a happy thing for me. It was like dying, having to study another major when I had already established a clear path, but now I can lighten the load a bit.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s good. It¡¯s not like it¡¯s a different major, it¡¯s history.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fortunate. By the way, the rmendation letter I wrote for you will be quite different. I can even take you to Alvenheim under my guidance.¡±

    ¡°Alvenheim?¡±

    I widened my eyes at the story Professor Elena brought up.

    As I mentioned before, Alvenheim is the elven kingdom and the ce where the first civilization was established. The capital, ¡°Yggdrasil,¡± contains the world tree, which is a holy site, and as the ce where the first civilization was established, it is a ce where living history breathes.

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s the Alvenheim you know. If you want, you can visit during the vacation period.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it really difficult to go through the immigration process for Alvenheim?¡±

    After the racial war, Alvenheim opened up its borders, but it still boasts a strict entry process. To the extent that even civilians have to be directly certified at the national level to visit once.

    From the perspective of the elves, it is natural not to like humans who try to imitate everything from one to ten despitecking civilization. Moreover, they fought bloodshed with humans even during the racial war.

    Professor Elena nodded her head to my question and opened her mouth while taking a sip of the tea that Cindy had brought, just like me.

    ¡°Right. As you said, it¡¯s a hassle for humans to enter Alvenheim. But it¡¯s a different story if you¡¯re with me. Elves are merciful only to those we acknowledge. We grant them qualifications as a sign of nobility, as much as we recognize them ourselves.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a really elf-like mindset. Even after suffering a lot in the racial war, it¡¯s still the same.¡±

    Professor Elena, who was an elf herself, fiercely criticized the elves. With nothing much to say, I responded with a wry smile.

    ¡°Anyway, if you get my rmendation, you can visit Alvenheim. I n to take you thereter.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not that outstanding of a student, though¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah. You may not be as outstanding as I think you are. But your love for history is sincere, right? And you think deeply and speak well. You said history repeats itself, right?¡±

    Professor Elena pulled out my answer sheet from the history exam and read it out loud. I met her shining emerald eyes over her sses.

    Although I felt guilty for just copying and pasting famous quotes from my past life, there wouldn¡¯t be much meaning in saying this now. Silence is the only answer at this moment.

    Professor Elena seemed to have taken my silence as a different meaning and let out a subtleugh.

    ¡°Seeing that made me think a lot. There have been countless times when history has repeated itself as you wrote on your answer sheet. Then why does history repeat itself? What do you think?¡±

    ¡°Well, honestly, I¡¯m not sure either. When you look at history, there always seems to be a simr pattern. For example, if you examine the process that leads to war, it¡¯s surprisingly simr. Countries engage in conflicts with each other, and if they can¡¯t resolve them, it often ends in war.¡±

    In fact, if you look at wars between countries throughout history, there are often simr reasons behind them. If you delve into the details, there may be various factors, but ultimately, war is an extension of politics.

    Someone cane up with an unreasonable excuse due to their greed, or a major incident that angers the whole nation can trigger a war. War is not an easy decision, but ironically, it is often the simplest way to resolveplex issues. Even in a highly civilized society, wars used to break out easily in the past.

    ¡°And just because it¡¯s a war doesn¡¯t mean that only military force is used. The cultural conflict that erupted between the Minerva Empire and the Ters Kingdom can also be considered a type of war. When it intensifies, it degenerates into violence.¡±

    ¡°Well, there is certainly some logic to that. The racial war was also a war that arose from cultural differences.¡±

    Professor Elena nodded her head as if she understood my exnation. While there were several major incidents that led to the outbreak of the racial war, it fundamentally arose due to cultural differences.

    Elves didn¡¯t have much power, but they didn¡¯t like humans who were greedy, and humans didn¡¯t like the elves who looked down on them while pretending to be noble. These ideological differences gradually became magnified, leading to the outbreak of the racial war.

    Since then, numerous casualties have urred on both sides, and although the war ended, the after-effects still remain.

    ¡°Then what do you think is the most likely war to break out at present?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    I looked up at Professor Elena¡¯s question and thought carefully. Currently, there are various countries in this world, each with their own unique culture and characteristics.

    This has led to conflicts in many ways, but it is rtively peaceful. There are no real problems to speak of, nor are there any areas of contention to hold onto.

    If there were any, it would be the Minerva Empire and the Ters Kingdom. These two countries have been arguing with each other over their respective cultures until recently.

    Of course, this wouldn¡¯t lead to war. If they were going to invade each other¡¯s cultures seriously, they would have toe up with some ridiculous excuses in the first ce.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. What do you think, Professor Elena?¡±

    ¡°Well, there is one thing. It could be called a war, but at its core is Xenon¡¯s Biography.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Why would Xenon¡¯s Biography be mentioned out of the blue while discussing war?

    As I wondered silently, Professor Elena took a sip of her tea. She seemed sincere from her serious expression.

    ¡°As you know, Xenon¡¯s Biography is rampant not only among humans but also among races all over the world. The problem here is that it¡¯s not just popr in a particr country, but it¡¯s a problem that doesn¡¯t discriminate against any nation.¡±

    ¡°Just because of a single book, there¡¯s a war?¡±

    I know how great my value is, as people around me have told me so. It¡¯s strange if I don¡¯t know that.

    ¡°But I feel like the war is too serious of a word.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not talking about the book, I¡¯m talking about the author who wrote it. The publisher that made a contract for Xenon¡¯s Biography is based in the Minerva Empire, but they¡¯re notpletely dependent on them. Even if Xenon¡¯s Biography is distributed outside of the Minerva Empire, they can¡¯t impose tariffs. Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡±

    ¡°Ah, so if an author is dependent on a particr country, in some cases that country can impose tariffs on Xenon¡¯s Biography?¡±

    Even in war, trade wars can have a devastating economic impact without resorting to violence. It may seem funny to impose tariffs on something like books, but if a country takes action, the situation changes.

    Imposing tariffs on specific goods can sometimespletely block their distribution. If that happens, it¡¯s easy to imagine what the results will be.

    ¡°Right. The moment a country imposes tariffs, it will experience significant economic growth. There¡¯s no need to mention the diplomatic benefits.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    ¡°Think about imposing tariffs on items that cost less than three silver coins each. Tariffs are a bitplicated.¡±

    To be honest, I don¡¯t fully understand it.

    As Marie also said, my value is so formidable that even the empire can¡¯t easily touch it. In fact, I heard that the Minerva Empire and the Ters Kingdom are engaged in an underground struggle.

    ¡°It¡¯s just my thoughts, so you don¡¯t have to take them too seriously. It¡¯s true that Xenon¡¯s Biography earns a tremendous amount of profitmercially, but it¡¯s only a small part of its export products. Besides, if the author keeps hiding his identity like now, there won¡¯t be any problems.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°As you know, wars break out for all sorts of strange reasons. If the opposing forces are evenly matched, the situation will only be worse.¡±

    There have been times when wars broke out over a ser game in past lives, and conversely, there have been times when wars stopped because of a ser game.

    When Cote d¡¯Ivoire qualified for the World Cup, Drogba knelt in front of the camera and appealed for the war to stop. Surprisingly, the civil war that had been guing the country stopped. Even a ser yer can wield that much influence, so it¡¯s not impossible for a country to do so.

    If a war really breaks out, I¡¯ll be too anxious to write anything. Of course, if it¡¯s just a trade war, I¡¯ll watch and only appeal when there¡¯s a direct military sh. Alternatively, I could publish a war-rted novel to raise awareness of the disaster of war. With my global poprity, I could help ease minor conflicts between countries.

    <i>¡®Anyway, I need a break.¡¯</i>

    I need to take a break too. I¡¯ll travel here and there while I¡¯m at it.

    About a day passed by in peace.

    [Finally, the 10th volume of Xenon¡¯s Biography is released. But¡­]

    [Shock! Xenon¡¯s Biography goes on hiatus for at least a year and a half! Fans are stunned.]

    [Crowds of people are starting to flock to the current publisher¡­ urgently demanding an exnation.]

    [Meaningful phrase written in the words of the writer. What happened to the writer ¡®Xenon¡¯? Could it be the work of a noble?]

    In less than two days, a fierce storm hit the world.

    ¡°Wow.¡±

    This is a bit unexpected.

    Trantors note:

    He really should start expetcing this stuff.

 Chapter 66: Storm (1)

    What makes the Xenon¡¯s Biography a true masterpiece of this era, revered by people regardless of nationality, is due to various reasons.

    However, it¡¯s mostly because Xenon¡¯s Biography is a novel that can be easily essed by anyone, regardless of their social status or gender.

    It is not filled with difficult and obscure words nor does it speak in circles. Rather, it sinctly and clearly tells a story that stimtes the imagination. Through this imagination, it unfolds a whole new world in the reader¡¯s mind.

    With this one feature alone, Xenon¡¯s Biography meets the requirements for global poprity. In addition, with its exciting story, it is no surprise that its poprity continues to soar.

    Furthermore, even people who were illiterate would learn how to read, so that they can read Xenon¡¯s Biography, highlighting its significance.

    In fact, many readers whoe across unfamiliar words or phrases in Xenon¡¯s Biography often look them up in the dictionary or figure out the meaning on their own.

    However, when poprity rises to the point of reaching the sky, there are naturally side effects.

    Other than Xenon¡¯s Biography, hardly any other books are selling, and there have been numerous cases of people who have read the book and be obsessed with bing the protagonist, resulting in unfortunate consequences.

    In a way, this may seem like a natural phenomenon, but unfortunately, no one in this world has ever experienced such a thing, where a ¡°culture¡± that became popr, regardless of gender, age, ss, or race, did not exist.

    So far, there have been no side effects to enjoying that culture, but after the release of the tenth volume of Xenon¡¯s Biography, hidden problems have surfaced.

    ¡°Open the door quickly! You¡¯re a publishingpany! You must know who Xenon is!¡±

    ¡°Please at least tell us the situation! You saidst time that there were concerns about his health!¡±

    ¡°Why are you suddenly taking a break?! What does it mean that you¡¯re suffering mentally? Come out and exin yourself right now!¡±

    The entrance of the publishingpany famous for signing the rights to Xenon¡¯s Biography was crowded with numerous people shouting and making noise.

    From ordinary citizens to adventurers with thick bones, as well as people from various professions, they all gather together to raise their voices.

    It is extremely rare for such a diverse group of people with nomon ground toe together and protest. Moreover, there are hardly any instigators inciting them to do so.

    Oh, of course, there is one thing they all have inmon: they are all fans of Xenon¡¯s Biography, who havee together after reading the tenth volume.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know either! We only receive the manuscript and print the book!¡±

    ¡°Yes! Even if you scream like this, nothing wille out!¡±

    The employees who were struggling to hold back the protesters were really on edge. They felt somewhat unfair, as they themselves didn¡¯t know the reason why the author dered a long hiatus.

    Just two days after the release of Xenon¡¯s Biography volume 10, the crowd rushed in like a tsunami, making it urgent to stop them. Fortunately, the protesters didn¡¯t be violent, so they could stop them for the time being.

    However, if they were provoked any further, the publishingpany could really be upied. They had to find a way to calm things down before it was toote, but there wasn¡¯t even a hint of a solution.

    <i>¡®Do something about this!¡¯</i>

    The employee holding back the protesters screamed in a silent shout while looking at theirpany with resentful eyes.

    So, how was the situation within the publishingpany progressing?

    ¡°How could it not work? You¡¯re obviously the publisher, so you must have a connection to Xenon.¡±

    ¡°Please send this letter at least. If he¡¯s suffering mentally, I can take responsibility.¡±

    He was struggling with the nobles who had gathered from all over the country. The CEO looked at the powerless nobles who were begging him with a disappointed expression.

    He expected it, but it was dizzying to face it directly. This scenery was something he had never experienced before.

    He was just a wealthy man who made an enormous amount of money since signing a contract with Xenon¡¯s Biography. He didn¡¯t have any power like the nobles in front of him or the ability to easily dismiss them.

    However, not just one person, but a crowd rushed in and upied the CEO¡¯s office, going crazy and making amotion.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t know either. You bastards.¡¯</i>

    The CEO inwardly chuckled in disappointment as he watched the nobles protesting in front of him.

    The nobles were not much different from the protesters who had upied the entrance of the publishingpany, except in the way they expressed themselves. However, they all shared the same concern for the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    Unlike the selfish nobles who were searching for the author for their own gain, these were true fans who loved Xenon¡¯s Biography itself.

    As if to prove this, most of the nobles in the CEO¡¯s office were barons or lower. The viscounts and above were too busy with official duties toe to a publishingpany like this, and even if they had the time, they would note to such a ce for a meeting, but hold a meeting among themselves.

    ¡°Um¡­ Excuse me, everyone? I¡¯m sorry, but even if you ask me again, I really don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know why the author went on hiatus¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re asking you! Please tell us why the author is having a hard time, and why he¡¯s going on hiatus for almost two years!¡±

    The CEO tried to calm down the situation, sweating profusely, but it fell apart as one of the noblewomen retorted in a loud voice.

    The CEO flinched at the noblewoman¡¯s sharp voice and responded meekly.

    ¡°Um¡­ If you keep going like this, it will make the author ufortable too.¡±

    ¡°Do you think that will work for us right now? What we want is a detailed exnation of the author¡¯s situation, not your baseless spection. We won¡¯t step back even an inch until you give us a reason that will convince us.¡±

    ¡°Please send a letter at least. It doesn¡¯t matter if I don¡¯t know who the author is. I¡¯m doing this because I¡¯m really worried with a pure heart. You said he¡¯s been having health problems recently.¡±

    The medication isn¡¯t working. The boss¡¯s head throbbed with pain, next to the distressing request of the nobleman.

    <i>¡®Do you think it takes a day or two for letters toe and go?¡¯</i>

    It¡¯s been a long time since he sent the letter. Although he couldn¡¯t send it together with thest fan letter because of the meeting, it would have arrived at the mansion by now.

    So if he could endure patiently for about three days, he thought the reply woulde back. Of course, the standard of three days is based on his assumption under the premise of Hawk being Xenon.

    The boss has no idea how long it will take for the reply toe back in reality.

    ¡°I can¡¯t do this. Now that it¡¯se to this, I¡¯ll do it myself¡­!¡±

    ¡°If you do that, how are you any different from the people who harassed Xenon? Haven¡¯t you heard the voices of the protesters outside now?¡±

    ¡°We didn¡¯t do it! I can¡¯t understand why we have to suffer!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going to give them mana stones at a time when they¡¯re about to catch fire? They¡¯ll burn up nicely. If you want to see a situation like the Jayros Revolution happening all over the world, go ahead and do it.¡±

    Good fight, good fight.

    The boss eventually looked dismayed as the nobles began to quarrel among themselves.

    This phenomenon will appear as a more disturbing sign to those higher up than these people. It¡¯s even more radical than the signs that existed during the Jayros Revolution.

    If someone here incites or spreads false rumors?

    It¡¯s a matter of time before the second revolution urs. So something has to be done to de-escte, but there¡¯s nothing he can do.

    It¡¯s not just watching the fire across the river. How can we watch when thepany we¡¯ve grown with sweat and tears is burning?

    ¡®Oh, Luminous¡­¡¯

    The boss silently prayed to God.

    *****

    Protests did not just take ce in front of the publisher who signed a contract with Xenon¡¯s Biography. As Xenon¡¯s Biography had a worldwide influence, protests urred in various ces.

    Not only did protest groups hold banners and shout loudly in the square, but unprecedented demonstrations also took ce in front of major national facilities.

    All of them demanded a proper exnation of the situation from the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography and protested, just as they had seen in the newspapers, questioning whether some nobles had caused such a disaster by being troublesome.

    Although there was no direct armed conflict like the Jayros Revolution, it was a situation where an explosion could ur at any moment, a truly explosive situation.

    In such a situation, the leaders of each country racked their brains about how to respond, but they eventually came up with one solution.

    [There is no author of Xenon¡¯s Biography in our country, in other words, Xenon does not live in our country to begin with. Moreover, the publishingpany is in the Minerva Empire.]

    [I¡¯m really sorry for the protesters who raise their voices, but nothing wille out when we try to argue. We are also shocked and sorry about the news of Xenon¡¯s long-term hiatus.]

    [If Xenon was suffering mentally, there must have been pressure from the state level. There are only two countries that would die without culture: the Minerva Empire and the Ters Kingdom.]

    In fact, both countries are famous for rushing in when ites to culture, and they almost went to war over it.

    In addition, the Minerva Empire is infamous for plundering the culture of the Ters Kingdom. This is why the Ters Kingdom has established strict regtions, which is a fact known worldwide.

    The publisher is in the Minerva Empire, and the Minerva Empire is so greedy that it steals other people¡¯s cultures. The two hypotheses above fit perfectly, and the arrows of criticism began to pour out towards the Minerva Empire.

    It was just a simple instigation, but as soon as a drop of oil fell, the situation became too bad as it turned into a fierce me. Moreover, the Ters Kingdom has a precedent of unprecedented events such as the Jayros Revolution.

    People think it¡¯s crazy to pressure the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography when they have experienced such events.

    ¡°What if an event like the Jayros Revolution happens in our empire? Will it be okay?¡±

    ¡°If you go outside now, it¡¯s chaos. Citizens are starting to protest in front of the pce.¡±

    ¡°What should we do¡­¡±

    The sense of unease had also started to spread to the Halo Academy in the capital. Before the lecture even began, I looked around the ssroom and sensed a subtle atmosphere.

    Only three days had passed since the release of the tenth volume of Xenon¡¯s Biography, yet the aftermath was truly dreadful. News reports stated that protests had erupted throughout the country, and the security forces, unable to contain the situation, had even mobilized the military.

    To be honest, I was quite taken aback. I had only posted a notice of leave to focus on my studies, and yet the situation had spiraled out of control.

    While it was true that I was psychologically struggling, it was distorted into being pressured by someone else. The problem was that even this wasn¡¯t entirely untrue.

    I had sent a letter to the publisher, but I wondered if it would really make a difference.

    As I was pondering this strange turn of events, Marie, who was sitting next to me, spoke up, fidgeting in her seat.

    ¡°So, how do you feel?¡±

    ¡°What about?¡±

    ¡°You know, feeling firsthand the global impact beyond the empire.¡±

    I scratched my head, at a loss for words to respond to Marie¡¯s question. As they say, experiencing something once is more effective than hearing about it a hundred times, and seeing the turmoil within the ssroom made me realize it was real.

    Even the students at the academy could sense the unease, so the situation outside must have been chaotic. I exhaled deeply through my nose and nced at Marie.

    She was smiling her characteristic serene smile as if she had no worries at all. Unlike others, Marie came from the powerful Requilis family, second only to the emperor in terms of influence.

    So undoubtedly, Marie¡¯s family must have been affected as well. There was no way not to worry.

    ¡°Do you not worry at all?¡±

    ¡°A little? But it¡¯ll be calm soon. I can assure you of that.¡±

    Doubt crept into my mind at her confident answer. As I blinked and tilted my head, Marie snickered.

    Then she looked behind us and gestured towards me. As if asking me to lend her an ear, she slowly brought her face closer to mine.

    ¡°Whoo~¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡±

    Startled by the sound of wind rushing into my ear, I flinched. Like a live fish, I leaped up and Marie burst outughing mischievously.

    ¡°Hehe. Was that fun?¡±

    ¡°Ah, really¡­ Don¡¯t y pranks like that.¡±

    ¡°Sorry. Sorry. And can you look to your side for a moment?¡±

    ¡°What now¡­¡±

    I thought she was ying another prank, but as I turned my head to the side as she asked, I couldn¡¯t help but blink at the sight of a person who had just entered my view.

    A beautiful woman with golden hair cascading like waves, jewel-like blue eyes, and a pure demeanor stood next to me.

    It was Rina, the princess of the Minerva Empire.

    For a moment, I was puzzled as to why Rina was standing next to me, but she looked at me with a dark expression. It was not her usual calm face but a face immersed in deep thought.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ Yes?¡±

    The girl who called my name nced at Marie once. Marie shrugged her shoulders in response.

    Having received permission from Marie, Rina looked at me with a determined expression and spoke in a low voice.

    ¡°Can you spare a moment?¡±

    I was taken aback by her request. Marie, who was standing next to me, spoke in a sarcastic tone.

    ¡°That¡¯s not how you ask for a favor, is it?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°You should ask politely. Po. Lite. Ly.¡±

    Marie¡¯s manner of speaking, with each word enunciated precisely, seemed to irritate Rina. Rina shot Marie a slightly venomous look.

    Marie snorted and rxed a bit.

    But Rina seemed to realize that there was no benefit to having this kind of confrontation, and she clenched her fists. Then she looked at me again and made her request.

    ¡°I need to ask you for a favor.¡±

    Her voice sounded like it had lost some of its strength.

    Trantors note:

    Diablo 4 is actually really good. Didn¡¯t expect that honestly¡­

    Bonus chapter for another 20 ratings.

 Chapter 67: Storm (2)

    It is easy to guess why Rina is asking for some time. She must be trying to calm the storm that started raging while on a break from Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    However, what needs to be considered here is that Rina came to find me directly without using a spokesperson. Last time we met by chance, but this time she could have sent someone to call me separately.

    In other words, the situation is serious enough for Rina toe and find me quickly. I heard from the news and from what people are saying around me that protests are happening all over the empire.

    As an empire, they cannot easily overlook such a major incident as the Jayros Revolution that urred in the neighboring and rival country of Ters. For these reasons, it may be natural for Princess Rina to take a humble posture.

    ¡°But do you have to be there?¡±

    ¡°Who knows what you will do to Isaac?¡±

    By the way, it¡¯s not just me and Rina, but Marie is also here. Marie followed us because she was worried that Rina might say something strange to me, as mentioned above.

    It¡¯s no big deal for me, but it is for Rina, who needs to keep her secrets hidden. Marie¡¯s stubbornness could be somewhat annoying for Rina.

    Of course, this is based on the assumption that Marie does not know my secret. Rina looked at Marie as if she was aware of this, and her usual poker facepletely broke down, and she gave a chilly look with furrowed brows. In response, Marie nonchntly retorted by snickering and lifting one side of her mouth.

    ¡°And I know Isaac¡¯s secret too? I bet you didn¡¯t think only you knew, did you?¡±

    ¡°What? What does that mean¡­¡±

    Upon hearing Marie¡¯s response, Rina looked at me momentarily before alternating her gaze between Marie and me, then finally sealing her lips shut.

    It was a response indicating her understanding. She looked ahead and murmured in a low voice.

    ¡°¡­Yes. Since that¡¯s the case, maybe I can tell you the secret.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. I didn¡¯t pressure you into revealing the secret like someone might have done.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t pressure him¡­!¡±

    Rina almost yelled in response to Marie¡¯s petnt behavior, but she managed to hold herself back. While doing so, she nced at me briefly.

    It seemed like she was touched by Marie¡¯s behavior, as she must have experienced the same thing before. The gap caused by the difference in rank was enormous, and if it was a royalty, it increased exponentially.

    Furthermore, Rina must have known this fact since she entered politics at an early age. In fact, she used this gap to pressure me and Nicole, and during the group project, she treated Jackson like a ve.

    Unless Rina was empty-headed or really stupid, she would have known that she could make her opponent feel pressured just by her presence alone.

    And Rina must have thought that I took a break because I couldn¡¯t bear that pressure. The real reason was that I needed time to recharge my energy for my studies as well.

    However, the pressure was not an unfounded reason. If Rina and Leort had not pressured me, I might have continued writing like this.

    ¡°First, let¡¯s go to the cafe. I want to resolve it as quickly as possible.¡±

    Rina urged us with a tired voice. Marie decided not to tease her anymore and didn¡¯t say anything.

    Feeling like the situation was already a mess, I looked at Rina, but when our eyes met, Marie smirked and linked arms with me. She slyly pulled me towards her chest, and even though I could feel the softness through her uniform, I just smiled.

    We had disyed this kind of affection many times before, so I didn¡¯t feel embarrassed, even though my face turned slightly red. Rina looked at us with a subtle gaze that showed she knew what was going on between us.

    ¡°¡­You look good.¡±

    Rina looked at the two of us, who were showing affection even in her presence, with a subtle gaze. I let out a slightly embarrassingugh at that, but Marie opened her mouth as she crossed her arms tighter as if to say this.

    ¡°Are you jealous? Are you jealous? Even if you are, Isaac will never be yours.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a hobby of stealing someone else¡¯s boyfriend.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you, saying that kind of thing.¡±

    Marie said, still not trusting Rina. Rina just gave a bitter smile and didn¡¯t respond.

    Whenever I see them like this, I always wonder what happened between them to create this kind of rtionship.

    If Marie, who has a good personality, is this suspicious, then it¡¯s clear that Rina must have made a big mistake.

    Of course, there could be misunderstandings between them, so it would be best to hear both sides of the story before taking a stance.

    ¡°By the way, is Lord Leort here too? He was there when you called for Isaac and his sister.¡±

    ¡°¡­My older brother is currently back at the imperial pce for an emergency meeting. He must be in a lot of trouble by now.¡±

    ¡°With His Majesty the Emperor?¡±

    Rina replied silently. I couldn¡¯t help but be surprised to hear this.

    If the Emperor was calling in the Crown Prince to reprimand him, then the situation must be serious. Perhaps Leort wouldter apologize to me and Nicole.

    <i>¡®Wait a minute. Come to think of it, didn¡¯t they call Nicole?¡¯</i>

    To apologize, she should also call Nicole, but I was the only one called. It was a little strange.

    I followed Rina¡¯s back as she walked ahead. Rina must have felt my gaze, so she turned around and met my eyes.

    ¡°Do you have something to say? I can feel your gaze on me.¡±

    ¡°I was wondering why my sister wasn¡¯t called.¡±

    ¡°Nicole will meet with my father.¡±

    Perhaps this was because Leort had returned to the pce. I couldn¡¯t fully understand, but at least there would be an apology.

    Soon, Rina took me to a cafe and we got a soundproof and secure room. The cafe is the same ce she had been to thest time I and Cecily had a private meeting.

    I felt a strange feeling as it was the ce where I almost had a serious ident with Cecily. The difference from back then was that Marie was sitting next to me, and on the other side was Rina.

    As I was looking around and thinking about that, an employee opened the door. They had prepared drinks even though we hadn¡¯t ordered yet.

    ¡°As I said before, don¡¯te unless I call you. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I understand.¡±

    It seemed like she had made a reservation in advance. Rina probably expected me not to refuse. Of course, even if I did, the chances are that she wouldn¡¯t care much. After all, she was a princess, and a small cafe like this couldn¡¯t possibly raise any objections to her.

    I looked at the coffee with smoke rising from it and then at Rina¡¯s face. Rina reached out her hand and opened her mouth as if to say that it was okay to drink.

    ¡°You can drink it. Don¡¯t misunderstand because it¡¯s not strange or anything.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you give me any?¡±

    Marie, who was sitting next to me, grumbled. In fact, there was nothing in front of Marie. Maybe Rina had only nned to call Isaac, and Marie¡¯s was not reserved in advance.

    ¡°Oh, so you did that? But I¡¯m d anyway. I was able to stop you from doing something stupid.¡±

    ¡°Marie, I¡¯m not as noble as you think. At that time, it was really inevitable.¡±

    ¡°Even if it was an unavoidable situation, you shouldn¡¯t have done that. At that time¡­¡±

    I felt Marie¡¯s emotions gradually intensifying, perhaps triggered by trauma. As I saw the signs of her voice getting louder, I wordlessly took her hand.

    When I held her hand, Marie¡¯s body shook and she looked at me. After facing me, her anger seemed to subside, and she quietly said while exhaling a long breath through her nose.

    Yeah. That¡¯s not important right now. I understand.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for understanding. And¡­Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Miss Rina.¡±

    I answered in my usual blunt tone when Rina called my name. She faced me with a stiff expression due to tension and then eventually let out a deep sigh. Although her distraught appearance was pitiful, I didn¡¯t feel any remorse because they were the ones who were truly at fault.

    Then Rina faced me and firmly set her expression. Seeing that, I nked out waiting for something big to happen.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll tell you this first. My brother is assuming that your father, Lord Hawk, is the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography. But I¡¯m different. Lord Hawk simply tells you his own experience, and I think that you are the real author, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°As I thought¡­I see.¡±

    Since I didn¡¯t have any intention to deny it, I could answer calmly. Rina nodded in response to my answer and then spoke again.

    ¡°Then¡­is it also because of us that you took a break from Xenon¡¯s Biography?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t make an excuse that it wasn¡¯t intentional. I know very well that my mere existence can be a great pressure on others. In that situation, it must have been a huge pressure for you too.¡±

    I didn¡¯t say anything. I decided to keep my mouth shut until Rina got to the point.

    ¡°So, the thing is¡­¡±

    She hesitated for a moment, then lost her confidence and brought up the topic in a hesitant voice.

    ¡°Did you¡­ decide to take a break because of us?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I just wanted to ask if we caused you any emotional pain.¡±

    Unfortunately, her question sounded pitiful, and I thought about it carefully. As I mentioned before, the reason for the break was for studying and recharging.

    But if Rina and Leort hadn¡¯t put pressure on me, I wouldn¡¯t have even had such thoughts. It¡¯s undeniable that the root cause lies with the two of them.

    I looked at Rina¡¯s uneasy expression, feeling anxious, and quietly spoke up.

    ¡°I can¡¯t say no.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Rina couldn¡¯t control her emotions with my vague answer and bit her lip. It seemed that she had begun to lose control of her own emotions.

    I thought it was unexpected to see Rina biting her lip, and I felt a knot in my stomach. It seemed like I needed to express my true feelings now.

    ¡°The reason I decided to take a break is for my academy life and to recharge, in other words, to establish my settings. But the fundamental reason is that I felt pressure from those around me. If you hadn¡¯t confronted me, I wouldn¡¯t have taken a break.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Let me make it clear, I have no intention of reversing my decision to take a break. Once I make a decision, I¡¯m not the type to retract it.¡±

    As soon as I finished speaking, Rina looked even more puzzled. Even though I can¡¯t see it now, I wonder if her hands, which she hid under the table, are trembling with anxiety.

    ¡°Okay, I understand.¡±

    After thinking for a while, Rina looked at me with a determined expression. Marie, who was sitting next to me, didn¡¯t seem to care.

    And¡­

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Rina slowly lowered her head and apologized to me. Her golden hair, which seemed to be spun out of gold, gradually fell down and gently rested on the table.

    I widened my eyes at her apology, and slowly raised my chin. I expected it, but the princess, who was the daughter of the emperor, bowed her head and apologized to me.

    Just like when Cecily sent me a letter, I felt a strange emotion creeping up inside me again.

    ¡°If the author was mentally distressed because of us, we apologize once again.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t ask you to reverse your decision. However, as you know, if you look at the current situation, protests are taking ce all over the ce, and they are spreading to the point where suppression is difficult. So please¡­ could you help me resolve this situation?¡±

    I realized one thing after listening to Rina¡¯s request even as she bowed her head.

    <i>¡®¡­It¡¯s so scary to be famous.¡¯</i>

    Indeed, the level of influence I have on the world is far above the level of just great.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t even take a break.¡¯</i>

    It means that I will not be able to take a break in the future.

    Trantors note:

    I think the author is doing a great job making readers dislike the heroines then redeeming them. It adds depth to a character and makes them more likeable.

 Chapter 68: Storm (3)

    Even in the moment when I realized my status once again, Rina didn¡¯t raise her head. Looking straight ahead, I saw her golden hair pouring down like a waterfall.

    It seems like she has no intention of raising her head until I speak. Although I cannot see her face and do not know what expression she is making, she must be nervous.

    First, I will ept Rina¡¯s apology. If I don¡¯t ept the apology while the imperial princess bows her head, it will be a problem in itself.

    And at the moment when I don¡¯t ept the apology, the emotion that has been crawling up inside me will be expressed. I haven¡¯t been able to urately understand the nature of this emotion until now, but Rina¡¯s apology allowed me to realize it.

    Power

    As I was reborn into this world, the thing I despised the most was the unjust power structure, yet ironically, the emotion bubbling up in my heart right now is the desire for power.

    In my past life, I was just a writer who enjoyed writing, but now I have be someone who can dominate the world. Moreover, the demon princess and the imperial princess are favoring me while adopting a humble attitude.

    Who wouldn¡¯t be swayed by this ambition? I can say with certainty that no one can resist the irresistible force of power, even someone who originally disliked it.

    Therefore, if I take one more step forward here, I will be swallowed up by power. However, power always leads people to ruin.

    <i>¡®I want something other than power¡­¡¯</i>

    I said to Rina, who was waiting for my answer with her head down.

    ¡°Please raise your head, Rina.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­ ¡°

    As I spoke calmly, Rina slowly raised her head to face me, but her expression was very dark, and her once-beautiful features had lost their luster, as if she had gone through all sorts of trials and tribtions.

    I didn¡¯t know what to say, so I hesitated for a moment before speaking quietly.

    ¡°Since Rina is aware of her own mistakes, there¡¯s nothing to say about that, but¡­ it¡¯s a bit toote, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­ ¡°

    ¡°If you wanted to apologize, it should have been when you called me and my sister, not now. If you had apologized then, Miss Rina, then I would have felt even a little bit of sincerity in your apology. Otherwise, you should have apologized as soon as volume 10 of Xenon¡¯s Biography was released, or at least before the situation blew up. If you apologize now, I cannot see it in a positive light, no matter what.¡±

    As I spoke slowly and thoughtfully, Rin¡¯s expression grew darker and she seemed uneasy, as if she didn¡¯t think I would ept her apology.

    I paused for a moment, sped my hands together, and took some time to think. I needed to organize my thoughts in my head.

    After about a minute had passed, I nced at my reflection in the coffee cup before opening my mouth.

    ¡°To be honest, I never imagined the situation would be so serious. I simply dered a hiatus for my studies. And as you can see from what the author¡¯s note said, I was writing Xenon¡¯s Biography just as a hobby, without any purpose or ideology.¡±

    I had already told this to Marie. ncing at her, I could see that she was looking at me with a face full of trust.

    I almost reached out to her face, but I restrained myself since it would be inappropriate given the situation. Even in this awkward situation, I could feel the gravity of the moment.

    ¡°Of course, the fundamental reason for my hiatus was the pressure from Miss Rina and Lord Leort. I really love my family. If my sister had not convinced me at that time, I might have quit writing altogether.¡±

    ¡°Ahh¡­¡±

    Rina¡¯s response to my sincere story was quite notable. Her already pale face turned blue due to herck of blood.

    That¡¯s the only fortunate thing about this unfortunate situation. It¡¯s because of my own mistakes and greed that things didn¡¯t turn out worse than they did.

    As I watched her lips tremble, I couldn¡¯t help but smile inwardly. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t understand Rina¡¯s perspective. She was born into a much higher position than most people and has lived that way all her life.

    She¡¯s probably naturally inclined to the concept of being a superior being. She sees herself as the emperor¡¯s daughter, someone who can act with much greater freedom than others. So, she thought it¡¯s okay to pressure the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    I was able to live a life disconnected from authority because of my memories from a past life, but Rina doesn¡¯t have that luxury. Given her education from an early age, it¡¯s understandable that there are certain limitations she has to deal with.

    ¡°Um¡­this is getting a bit long, but I¡¯ll ept your apology for now. The fact that Rina personally apologized means that the situation is serious, and it¡¯s not good for me either. Especially given the public opinion, there¡¯s a lot of criticism towards the Minerva Empire, isn¡¯t there?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. And¡­¡±

    ¡°Before that, there¡¯s something I want to say. Maybe it¡¯s a request.¡±

    Before Rina could finish her sentence, I cut her off abruptly. It might be rude to the point of being iprehensible, but I still hold the upper hand.

    Rina also knows this, so she couldn¡¯t say anything and just kept her mouth shut. I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s thinking, but from her dark expression, she¡¯s probably just bearing with it for now.

    ¡°I told Marie this as well, but I¡¯m just writing Xenon¡¯s Biography as a hobby. I listen to my father¡¯s stories and use them as a basis for the stories I want to write. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re aware, but when a hobby bes a job, it¡¯s really not fun anymore. So please¡­¡±

    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t interfere as much as before. Like when you called people and pressured them as you pleased.¡±

    ¡°¡­I apologize again for that part.¡±

    As Rina spoke with a gloomy voice and lowered her head, I quickly stopped her. There was no need for a princess or someone like her to lower her head twice. It made me ufortable too.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize twice. Once is enough.¡±

    ¡°¡­Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Just speak freely. And the suggestion I want to make is¡­¡±

    As I spoke vaguely and nced around, Rina¡¯s expression tensed up. Sitting next to her, Marie looked at me with an expectant face, wondering what I was going to say.

    I could not help but hesitate whether I should really make this suggestion. In this world, there are sses with firm authority based on them.

    Therefore, the suggestion I was going to make might damage Rina¡¯s authority. But my desire whispered softly in my heart.

    If taking a step forward was too difficult, why not take only half a step? Or why not take a step and immediately withdraw?

    So I suggested to Rina.

    ¡°Please let me speak freely.¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    As Rina made an expression of not understanding, I exined again.

    ¡°Please let me call you Rina when I address you, instead of calling you Miss Rina.¡±

    Equality, not power.

    I may have a slightly peculiar personality, but I find it morefortable to treat others on an equal footing rather than belittling them. Conversely, I strongly dislike it when someone tantly uses their power to oppress me.

    Unlike Aira, who was part of our group project and used her power to overtly oppress me, causing the situation to suddenly take a turn for the worse.

    When the issue arose, she misunderstood the situation and took a submissive stance, acknowledging my superiority.

    However, I dislike ufortable rtionships. I find it much better to have afortable rtionship with each other, like Marie.

    Some people may wonder why I make such suggestions, but in fact, my suggestion itself is quite dangerous. It could damage Rina¡¯s authority and make her feel bad.

    Although the situation has now changed, it could be even more dangerous if Rina holds a grudge against me in the future. That¡¯s why Ipromised and made the proposal.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Perhaps it was an unexpected proposal. Rina listened to my suggestion and had a bewildered expression. At the same time, she looked at Marie, who was sitting next to me.

    I also naturally turned to Marie, but she had a sulky face. I¡¯m not sure why, but she seemed full ofints.

    Did my suggestion not appeal to her? Still, it was clear that she respected my decision by notining.

    ¡°¡­ Is that all?¡±

    After a brief moment of silence, Rina cautiously asked me in a hesitant voice. It seemed like she couldn¡¯t easily ept it.

    I answered by nodding my head without saying a word. Oh, of course, I didn¡¯t forget to say one more thing.

    ¡°And Rina, please don¡¯t use honorifics with me and speak casually. It¡¯s ufortable.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ okay. Is that the only thing?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Why? What do you gain from speaking informally with me?¡±

    She sure talks a lot. I looked at Rina, who spoke with a tone that seemed to imply she couldn¡¯t understand, with a subtle gaze.

    It was a face demanding an answer with a crumbling poker face. So I opened my mouth with a smirk.

    ¡°There are many benefits. It makes me feel at ease.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll say it again, but I¡¯m not writing about Xenon¡¯s Biography for any specific purpose. It¡¯s just a hobby. So I don¡¯t really want anything, and as long as the readers enjoy it, that¡¯s enough.¡±

    Did she realize that I was sincere?

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    Rina murmured softly with a disoriented face.

    I asked her again as if it didn¡¯t matter.

    ¡°So will you ept it and talk to me informally?¡±

    That day, I became equal with the princess¡­

    ¡°Hmph.¡±

    My cute girlfriend seemed to be dissatisfied.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 69: Storm (4)

    Power is a simple yetplex intangible force that humans cannot detach from in their rtionships. Power is essentially ¡°strength,¡± so it is natural that those who have power have always had strength throughout history, while those with weaker strength tend to bow their heads or look for opportunities to gain power.

    So, what are the ways to obtain power? A very simple way is to have more strength than the other party. If one has more strength, it is meaningless for the other party to attack, and it is more likely that they will end up being attacked instead. That¡¯s why people tend to follow and obey the strong.

    Princess Rina of the Minerva Empire is such a case. She belonged to a powerful family from birth rather than earning it herself. Who would dare to touch the princess of the strongest nation? Unless someone wants tomit suicide, it can be asserted that no one would try.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    After everything was done, Rina returned to her dorm andy on the bed nkly. Even though it was a dark bedroom with no light, her golden hair shimmered brightly.

    If it were any other day, Rina would have studied or read a book, but today she had a lot on her mind. Looking up at the ceiling, she recalled the incidents that had urred over the past three days.

    After the announcement of a hiatus in volume 10 of Xenon¡¯s Biography, the Minerva Empire fell into great confusion. Protests demanding rification erupted throughout the country, and those in power quickly moved to contain the situation.

    In fact, the protests were not limited to just the Minerva Empire, but were happening all over the world. However, they were more severe in the Empire, which had a notorious reputation for cultural appropriation.

    Rina had taken it upon herself to try and calm the situation. If Isaac had taken a hiatus because of her and Leort, then an apology was necessary to resolve the situation.

    During the process, Rina was willing to ept any proposal that Isaac made. Even if it was a strange proposal that she could not understand, she was willing to ept it as long as it would help resolve the situation.

    However, Isaac proposed something that Rina could notprehend. If he had suggested even something as extreme as prostrating, Rina could have understood it.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t understand.¡¯</i>

    Rina was born with the power and authority befitting a princess. She entered politics at a young age, in her early teens, and was more knowledgeable about politics than her peers.

    Here, she realized one thing: while there are people who have never tasted the vor of power, there are no people who have tasted it only once. Furthermore, those who have tasted power once are driven to seek greater power.

    I have seen many people like that even when I lived in the pce. There were countless people who would do anything to get their hands on what they believed they deserved and would try to undermine the power of others in subtle ways.

    Rina dealt with these people herself, using the education she received from her mother and her own exceptional observational skills to detect them in advance.

    Due to this environment, she was forced to wear a ¡°mask¡± and had a big conflict with Mari. At the time, Rina mistook Marie for someone who was also trying to seek power like others, but in reality, Marie was trying to be friends with her out of pure heart. However, Rina did not realize this and betrayed Marie¡¯s expectations.

    <i>¡®Issac, he¡¯s an interesting guy.¡¯</i>

    Rina thought of a boy with red hair named Issac, who had a unique feature of being the son of Hawk, who was famous as Red Lion, and being the author of the Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    At first nce, his expression may seem blunt or taciturn, but that is not necessarily the case. Rina, who has exceptional observational skills, knows that he can make various expressions.

    Moreover, Issac is so averse to power that it is almost strange. He did not announce his position when he could have done so at thest meeting.

    Instead, he firmly expressed his desire to enjoy the meeting without getting involved in that (politics) part. He genuinely wanted to enjoy the meeting without feeling burdened.

    <i>¡®Does he really dislike power?¡¯</i>

    The reason why Isaac and Nicole were calledst time was also for coexistence or cooperation. It was wrong to pressure them while mentioning tax evasion, but Isaac also held a weapon in that he had authority in the cultural section that could not be easily approached, and he himself had overwhelming authority in terms of status. If these two things were in harmony, they could do anything.

    However, Isaac didn¡¯t do that. Even though he had authority, he didn¡¯t want to exercise power as much as he had nned and instead took a break as he nned. Thanks to that, Rina could realize itte.

    Ah, Isaac is not someone who can be dealt with. If she rushes at him for no reason, she herself will be in big trouble.

    Just by announcing the break notice in the author¡¯s words, the world went wild. Rina was first surprised by a major incident that she couldn¡¯t handle with authority alone, and then she was secondly surprised by Isaac¡¯s true intention.

    <i>¡®He writes with a pure heart without any purpose¡­¡¯</i>

    Isaac said he wrote Xenon¡¯s Biography as a hobby. That was certainly not a lie, but the truth.

    That¡¯s why it was even more iprehensible. Someone who had such power and authority just wrote Xenon¡¯s Biography as a hobby¡­

    <i>¡®¡­No. That¡¯s probably why he could have earned that kind of authority.¡¯</i>

    Rina snorted. It is difficult to understand Isaac even now, no matter how much she thought about this or that.

    In the first ce, even Marie, who was far from a sense of authority, could not understand it. Is there anything different about Isaac? There was a reason why the two loved each other to death.

    However, precisely because of that, she wanted to understand even more. Why did Isaac not covet power? And why did he propose to stop speaking formally and speak freely with her?

    A person who controlled the world without boasting about it. Rina¡¯s curiosity about Isaac continued to grow.

    At first, she approached him out of simple curiosity, but now she had made up her mind. She wanted to learn about the person himself, not just Isaac¡¯s abilities and background.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s the first time I¡¯m approaching someone just to get to know them¡­ Can I really do it?¡¯</i>

    Up until now, every time Rina had approached someone, it was to see their abilities or potential. Even her initial approach to Isaac after his presentation was for this reason.

    But she had never approached someone just to get to know them. Could she really do it?

    <i>¡®I can do it.¡¯</i>

    Even though Marie was standing by his side, Rina knew that she had to muster up the courage to approach Isaac to satisfy her curiosity.

    Perhaps she would be closer to Marie by doing this and be forgiven for her past mistakes. Rina momentarily remembered her past mistakes and felt a sad expression form on her face, but then quickly made a resolution.

    <i>¡®When I approach Isaac, I need to put my own power aside.¡¯</i>

    Since he disliked power, she thought that she should put it aside herself. Moreover, since he had already let down his guard and spoken freely, they might be able to break down the barriers between them.

    <i>¡®For now¡­¡¯</i>

    The protests happening around the world must firste to an end. There was nothing Rina could do right now.

    Isaac said that it would be problematic to send a spokesperson from the pce, so he would send a letter to the publisher himself. As he wanted to remain neutral, it would take time, but it was a surefire way to handle the situation.

    <i>¡®Will it end well?¡¯</i>

    Rina slowly closed her eyes, hoping that Isaac would handle everything smoothly.

    For some reason, Isaac¡¯s image popped up in her head.

    <i>¡®¡­I should give him a giftter as an apology.¡¯</i>

    *****

    It had been about two weeks since the 10th volume of Xenon¡¯s Biography had been released. The protests that were happening all over the world were not showing any signs of slowing down, but were rather bing more and more radical as the days went by.

    Not only were crowds gathering in front of the publishing house, but nobles were also frequent visitors, pleading for help. This was not limited to just the publishing house, but also public squares in big cities and busy streets where protesters could be seen holding signs and demanding exnations.

    Leaders were struggling with how to deal with these protesters, as they feared that another situation like the Jayros Revolution could arise.

    Although they held power, they knew that one wrong move could cause everything to crumble. Therefore, they had to be cautious in their actions.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    The publisher sat leaning on his chair, staring nkly at the ceiling. His eyes had lost focus and his expression was as if his soul had left his body. Even his cheeks, which were once plump and full, had be thin and worn out from the long struggle.

    [Until when are we going to endure this? Speak up already!]

    [Can¡¯t you at least send a letter?! You¡¯re hiding the author, aren¡¯t you?!]

    The harsh voices of the protesters outside the publishing house entrance crept into the publisher¡¯s ears.

    The protest had been going on for two weeks now, and the demonstrators showed no sign of giving up. As the publisher, he was at his wit¡¯s end, but he had no strength left to resist them anymore.

    Just moments ago, he had faced not just protesters, but also the influential and powerful nobles. Fortunately, they too had other affairs to attend to and had left for the time being, but the publisher knew he would have to face them again tomorrow.

    As the thought crossed his mind, he trembled with fear and let out a sigh. Then, he looked down at the newspaper lying on his desk.

    [The voice of the citizens. Will it reach the author?]

    [The publishers and leaders remain silent. Silence is not always the right path.]

    [I am worried that something strange might have happened to Xenon¡­ I went to see him, but was met with violence¡­]

    [We must prevent a situation like the Jayros revolution¡­ Even the Minerva Empire begs for our help, iming ignorance.]

    While it may be difficult for individuals to resist those in power, if they unite and rally together, even an empire would have to submit. The publisher felt the weight of how Xenon¡¯s Biography had changed the world.

    Fortunately, there hasn¡¯t been a situation like the Jayros revolution yet, but it¡¯s only a matter of time. I heard that¡¯s why there are many cases of military deployment in various ces.

    And if a revolution really happens¡­ The publishingpany is finished. Even if they hire mercenaries, the protesters outside will stille pouring in, so it wouldn¡¯t make sense.

    ¡°Ah¡­ seriously¡­¡±

    The CEO groaned, wrapping his head in agony. It had been days since he sent the letter, but there was still no reply.

    He was afraid that the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography was hiding. He wanted to pack up and escape at night, but it was too difficult to give up thepany he had built up until now.

    <i>¡®Hold on. If we just hold on a bit longer, good fortune wille.¡¯</i>

    The CEO prayed desperately to Luminous. Please let this situation be resolved quickly. That way, he could survive.

    And did that desperate prayer really reach Luminous?

    Swish!

    ¡°CEO! We received a letter from the author!¡±

    ¡°What, what?!¡±

    The secretary and trusted employee, Mathew, opened the door hastily without knocking and delivered the good news.

    Normally, the CEO would have scolded him for not knocking, but given the circumstances, the news he delivered was like rain in a drought.

    The CEO quickly stood up from his seat and shouted at Mathew.

    ¡°Re, really? Is it really Xenon?¡±

    ¡°Yes! The messenger confirmed it, so it must be true!¡±

    ¡°Hurry and give it to me!¡±

    When the boss urged him on, Mathew promptly handed him the letter. The boss quickly checked the envelope before hastily taking out the contents. Then he checked the contents of the letter. Judging by the handwriting, it was really written by the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    [Hello, dear readers. I¡¯m Xenon, the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography. The world is very noisy these days. Frankly, I was a little surprised.]

    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡±

    That¡¯s all that¡¯s needed. One sentence alone is enough to calm the situation.

    But there is one problem. Will the citizens believe this letter? Given the situation, there is a very high possibility that it will be dismissed as a lie.

    If there was a rough draft that could bepared, the story might be different, but¡­

    ¡°Oh! And just in case people don¡¯t believe it, the author sent a rough draft! It¡¯s a rough draft of volume 1!¡±

    ¡°¡­Hahaha!¡±

    The boss was sincerely moved.

    Trantors note:

    For this fine number I you bring a new novel! Check it out!

    I Became The Academy¡¯s Narrow-Eyes

 Chapter 70: Aftermath (1)

    The protest, which seemed like it could explode at any moment, gradually began to calm down as Isaac sent a letter to the publishingpany. The letter was so long that it filled up a whole page, but roughly summarized, it went something like this.

    [I¡¯m really uneasy because it¡¯s too noisy. What if I get hurt? Don¡¯t worry, I haven¡¯t received any pressure or threats. I¡¯m very healthy and I write as a hobby, and I just need a little break because I have a lot to do. So don¡¯t misunderstand and wait a little longer. Love you, my readers.]

    The protesters initially objected, saying not to lie, questioning if Isaac really wrote the letter and if it was just a fake letter written to alleviate the situation as the situation seemed like a volcano was about to explode.

    However, the publishingpany showed through action instead of words. It was the original copy of the first volume of the masterpiece, Xenon¡¯s Biography, which began to leave a great mark on the cultural world and is now loved by many.

    Furthermore, it was written directly by Isaac, not a draft received from the publishingpany. Naturally, the public was shocked and amazed.

    ¡°It¡¯s a lie! How can we believe it?¡±

    ¡°Provide evidence that it¡¯s not a copy, but the real original!¡±

    ¡°Prove that it¡¯s really authentic!¡±

    Of course, they didn¡¯t believe it straightforwardly. However, from the protesters¡¯ point of view, they couldn¡¯t easily believe that the letter and the manuscript announced as a draft by the publishingpany were real.

    The people who participated in the protest were of all ages and genders, and among them were also those who had a lot of worldly experience. In other words, they knew well how dirty and cruel the upper world could be.

    Because of this, even though the publisher pitifully imed that it was only a draft, they were not trusted. However, the situation soon turned around.

    ¡°Is this really a draft? It seems like the original, not a copy.¡±

    ¡°Is that true?¡±

    ¡°Why would you say that? Could it be because the manuscript paper is old?¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not the reason. The manuscript paper being old doesn¡¯t mean anything. It could have been written on old manuscript paper. But the ink is not. If the ink has changed color, it means it was written quite a while ago. And look at all these dots that are stamped here. These are traces of the writer¡¯s contemtion. Writers often go through a lot of contemtion in the introduction part.¡±

    By verifying the draft through a collector and expert who hade upon hearing the news, it was proven to be authentic.

    If it were an ordinary collector, the credibility wouldn¡¯t have risen as much, but since it was one of the collectors recognized even within the Minerva Empire, the credibility increased dramatically.

    ¡°Is there any evidence of magic being used? You never know.¡±

    ¡°Well, magic is an infinite power, but it can¡¯t do anything about time. However, the traces of time are clearly captured on this manuscript paper. So, you can only believe that this is a genuine article.¡±

    ¡°I, really¡­!¡±

    As concrete evidence was presented, the spokesperson for the publishingpany wanted to dance with joy right away. However, since the situation had not beenpletely resolved yet, they barely suppressed those emotions.

    The spokesperson quickly intercepted the original from the collector and shouted to the crowd focused on him. The size of his voice was like thunder, as if he had picked someone with a loud voice from the publishingpany.

    ¡°I believe the evidence is now sufficient! The handwriting on this original and the letter are a perfect match! So, the story that Xenon wants to tell you is what is contained in this letter! Do you still want to protest? What if this protest intensifies and harms the author who is hiding? What will you do then?¡±

    ¡°What else do we have to say?¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s what the author wants, we have to go.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go back. Two years is a long time, but we can¡¯t do anything about it. We¡¯re just powerless to let the author rest.¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­ I guess I¡¯ll have to work for two years straight.¡±

    Thus, the long protest gradually disbanded. Even as they disbanded, there were some who looked back at the publishingpany with regretful eyes, but they soon turned their steps. However, there were some who persisted until the end, mostly focusing on the manuscript.

    ¡°The rough draft of Xenon¡¯s Biography, Volume 1¡­¡±

    ¡°How much would that cost?¡±

    ¡°If only I had that¡­¡±

    The value of the item in front of them was so high that it could be designated as a national treasure, and it was natural for them to be greedy. The employees also felt something was off and hurriedly went into thepany building.

    As soon as I entered thepany, I saw the sight of the CEO pacing back and forth in the hallway, looking restless. When an employee returned with a manuscript, the CEO quickly asked him in a hurry.

    ¡°So, what happened? The protesters? Did they all retreat?¡±

    ¡°Of course. The remaining people will leave soon.¡±

    ¡°Phew¡­I can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Well done. You did a great job.¡±

    The CEO responded with a sigh of relief, patting the employee¡¯s shoulder.

    The employee outwardly smiled, but inside, he was quietly expecting something. The publishingpany CEO was known to pay huge bonuses when performance was good.

    The reason he could endure and persevere through the difficult work environment was due to the CEO¡¯s kind heart.

    ¡°You really went through a lot. I¡¯ll pay you handsomely as a reward, so go ahead and head home now.¡±

    ¡°Thank you!¡±

    ¡°Thanks are unnecessary. I should be thanking you. Hahaha.¡±

    The CEO chuckled, and the employee smiled in response. In most cases, work environments areplicated because of superiors, but not here.

    The biggest reason why a small publishingpany could grow sorge was due to the sess of Xenon¡¯s Biography, but the reason why employees could handle the overwhelming amount of work was thanks to the CEO.

    The problem was that he was still a superior, but the employee was still thrilled to be receiving a hefty bonus and be able to go home.

    ¡°Oh, and can you give me the manuscript quickly? I need to process it as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°I understand. What do you think we should do with this?¡±

    ¡°I have some ideas. Hand it over quickly.¡±

    Without any suspicion, the employee handed the draft to the boss at his urging. The boss checked several times to make sure it was the correct draft for Xenon¡¯s Biography before sighing heavily.

    The storm seems to be calming down from today onwards. From the boss¡¯s point of view, it means that there will be no more need to deal with visiting nobles whoe every day.

    Recently, he had been losing his thick hair due to stress, but fortunately, it was all gone. After telling the employee to go, the boss returned to his office.

    ¡°Have youe?¡±

    When he returned to his office, his trusted secretary, Mathew, was waiting for him. He was here to wait first because he was told to.

    The boss faced him for a moment before sitting on his desk chair. The soft leather feeling was conveyed through his back.

    ¡°Phew¡­¡±

    ¡°Is everything finished smoothly?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. There will be no more screaming protesters or noble bratsing.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡±

    ¡°Whether it¡¯s a relief or not, our preciouspany almost burned down.¡±

    It could have just burned down. Mathew half-heartedly regretted it.

    One of the dreams of a corporate employee is for thepany they work for to burn down. Especially since Mathew is in the position of the boss¡¯s ve, he feels that way even more strongly.

    Of course, He have only kept that thought in his mind and has never said it out loud. The reason he continued to endure this damn job is simply because they pay him a lot.

    ¡°Oh, speaking of which, who was the one on duty today?¡±

    ¡°It was Alice.¡±

    ¡°Then you¡¯ll be on duty too.¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    Mathew blinked his eyes. He didn¡¯t understand the sudden order from the boss.

    The boss showed the manuscript to Mattew and began to exin properly.

    ¡°As you know, we have to keep this manuscript until the messenger arrives. They said they¡¯ll be here within three days, so we have to keep it safe until then. If this is lost, ourpany is done for.¡±

    Matthew thought he wouldn¡¯t mind if it did end. Besides, it was Thursday, so it should be okay. He nodded his head while grumbling inwardly.

    Unaware of his thoughts, the boss looked at the manuscript with a serious face. This manuscript was none other than the original copy of the first volume of Xenon¡¯s Biography, which could be designated as a national treasure and was worth an unimaginable amount of money that publishers could not afford.

    Perhaps tomorrow, a high-ranking noble who hears the news coulde and offer an exorbitant amount of money to get their hands on the manuscript.

    However, as mentioned before, they would not do the foolish act of killing the goose thatys the golden eggs. Above all, the author presented the manuscript as evidence, which meant they did notpletely transfer ownership.

    In other words, the moment you write whatever you want in the draft, your life is over. The CEO carefully put away the draft and looked up.

    <i>¡®This should be put in the safe.¡¯</i>

    Only the CEO knows the password to the safe in his office. Since Mathew, who is on duty today, is the only one who will be guarding the safe located in the CEO¡¯s office, he doesn¡¯t even think about the possibility of theft. Mathew is not capable of such things, and he doesn¡¯t even know the password.

    Feeling somewhat relieved, the CEO let out a long breath and spoke quietly.

    ¡°I¡¯m begging you to keep the safe secure. You should know that if it disappears, not only I, but our publishingpany¡¯s headquarters will go down.¡±

    ¡°I know. But why put it in thepany safe instead of managing it yourself, sir?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nowhere else to put it in our house. And there¡¯s nothing as safe as thepany¡¯s safe. Look at it.¡±

    The CEO pointed to one side, and Mathew¡¯s gaze followed. The entrance of the safe, which was integrated with the wall, caught his eye.

    Originally, it was a ce where the CEO managed the ledger. It was also a ce where he stored cash obtained through tax evasion and bribery.

    So at least the security could be trusted. The password was a password, but it was very rare for someone topletely dismantle it like that.

    As soon as Matthew saw the safe, he nodded his head. He could definitely trust that one.

    ¡°I understand. But can we do it with just the two of us? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to hire an adventurer just in case?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. There won¡¯t be anyone stealing it today anyway. At least it¡¯ll take at least three days for the news to spread. That would be the time to hand over the draft to the errand boy.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s better to hire an adventurer from tomorrow, as you said. And be sure to emphasize to Alice not to doze off today.¡±

    No problem. Mathew readily epted the boss¡¯s orders.

    The boss leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes and sighed with relief as if the situation had been resolved. He had been living at thepany without sleeping for the past few days, and now he just wanted to go home and restfortably.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s over now¡­¡¯</i>

    Yes. He thought today was really the end.

    ¡°Boss! Something big has happened!¡±

    ¡°What? Why suddenly again? Has a noblemane?¡±

    ¡°No! When I came to work today, Mathew and Alice were unconscious, and above all¡­¡±

    -The safe has been stolen!

    Until an event that should never have happened urred.

    The boss¡¯s expression showed that he did not understand the situation for about five seconds after the employee¡¯s shout.

    But as soon as he fully understood the situation, his face turned blue and he ran to the office in a hurry. While running to the office in a hurry, he could see Mathew and another employee being escorted out by a security officer.

    In his heart, he wanted to check on their condition, but the situation was urgent, so he had to ignore it. As the CEO ran to his office, he quickly thought to himself

    <i>¡®The safe was stolen? And they didn¡¯t crack the password? How is this possible?¡¯</i>

    The safe, which had been reinforced with steel, was so heavy that it was impossible to carry, and it was an integrated part of the wall.

    Moreover, it was an expensive safe that had been magically treated, making it difficult to destroy. Even if it were destroyed, the noise would be so loud that it would be impossible not to notice.

    But then again¡­

    ¡°¡­sigh.¡±

    Thump-

    The CEO had no choice but to kneel before the safe, which seemed to have torn the entire wall apart.

    ¡®¡­I¡¯m finished.¡¯

    Another storm began to brew.

    Trantors note:

    That poor publisher ceo¡­ getting hit with a storm after a storm huh

 Chapter 71: Aftermath (2)

    The original manuscript of Volume 1 of Xenon¡¯s Biography was stolen. The news alone was enough to turn the world upside down. If it was a publisher¡¯s copy or a first edition, one could overlook it, but it was a rough draft ¨C manuscript paper that Isaac had written himself and sent to the publisher.

    It was not only a work that left a significant mark in the cultural industry but also an important historical document, so the theft was undoubtedly a very serious matter.

    [Shocking! Theft of Volume 1 of Xenon¡¯s Biography! Whose doing could it be?]

    [They didn¡¯t just crack the safe, they tore apart the entrance to the safe¡­This is definitely not the work of an ordinary organization.]

    [The CEO is currently in shock and unconscious. He can be held responsible for carelessly managing the manuscript, but there is room for consideration.]

    [Who would have thought they would steal the whole safe? And for what purpose?]

    The news spread like wildfire in just three days. It was such a shocking incident that newspapers printed extra editions like factories.

    As a result, people gathered again to demand an exnation from the publisher, but it was quickly disbanded. High-ranking officials who sensed the severity of the situation, including an investigation team dispatched from the royal pce, began to investigate the safe themselves.

    Although people harbored suspicions that it might cause a problem, they went back to their respective tasks. However, they all shared amon concern deep in their hearts: whether Isaac would be so angry that he would put an indefinite halt to the work.

    At this point, we had no choice but to investigate from the top.

    [There is no trace of dark mana. Therefore, it is definitely not the work of demons.]

    [Parts were easily cut with mana, and then forcibly torn off. Based on this, the culprit must be skilled in handling mana. It is estimated that the job took less than 30 minutes.]

    [The investigation results suggest that it was not done by a human. Only a very small number of humans could use mana to steal from magically-protected vaults. Therefore, it is likely that the culprit is either a humanoid with exceptional physical abilities or an elf.]

    [It was not done by a dwarf either. They would have figured out the vault¡¯s password without resorting to this kind of method.]

    As a result of the investigation, the culprit was narrowed down to a humanoid or an elf.

    It is unlikely to have been done by a human due to the short amount of time it took and its efficiency, and dwarves, due to their exceptional craftsmanship, wouldn¡¯t remove the door like this.

    The information that no dark mana, which is typical of demons, was used excluded them from the list of suspects.

    Therefore, the remaining suspects were humanoid and elves, who possess unparalleled physical abilities. Furthermore, no other race can match elves in terms of magic, making them even more suspicious.

    However, there was one major problem.

    What was the purpose of stealing Xenon¡¯s Biography manuscript? What gain could be obtained from taking it?

    Experts were stumped on this issue, and as a result, no progress was made. For now, they could only look for the whereabouts of the manuscript.

    The value of the manuscript is so great that it could be designated as a national treasure. Therefore, there is a high possibility that it will be sold on the ck market or flow into an auction through a dark route. The pce knows this and has begun to investigate thoroughly.

    [The biggest concern is Xenon¡¯s state of mind. If the manuscript disappears, he will definitely feel ufortable.]

    [What if he deres it necessary to stop instead of just taking a break? Everyone will not only be sad but also angry again.]

    The biggest concern here is Isaac. People were anxious because it was his manuscript that he wrote with his own hands that disappeared.

    For these reasons, the investigation was intensified, but unfortunately, they left almost no evidence, making it difficult to even find a clue.

    [Alvenheim¡¯s fierce opposition. We don¡¯t do such lowly things.]

    [Animers also opposes it¡­ Why would we read a novel where humans are the main characters? It¡¯s just not appropriate.]

    Not only that, but the elven kingdom, Alvenheim, and the beastman kingdom, Animers, also opposed it. Moreover, it was not an individual but a national opposition.

    Both countries had usible reasons for opposition, and the case fell into further chaos. Naturally, the fans of Xenon¡¯s Biography became more and more anxious.

    They wonder what Isaac, one of the biggest victims of the current situation, is feeling. Is he angry, sad, or just passing it off lightly until he takes an official position?

    His letter arrived at the publisher about a week after the incident.

    As always, it¡¯s a long letter, but to sum it up, it¡¯s like this.

    [Please, just search for it. It is my treasure.]

    Another big bomb fell.

    ******

    The news that my manuscript was stolen from the publisher¡¯s office just one day after I entrusted it to them came as a huge shock to me. I knew that there would be chaos, but I never even dreamed that it would be stolen in just one day.

    What¡¯s more, I saw in the news that the method of breaking into the safe was incredibly crude. They didn¡¯t even bother with the safe¡¯s password, they just tore off the door. Rather than angry, I was more dumbfounded by the situation.

    I don¡¯t know what their purpose was for stealing my manuscript, but one thing is for sure.

    ¡°¡­ It¡¯s so frustrating.¡±

    I was at the point where my frustration was boiling over. As someone who is usually described as unemotional, I tend to keep my emotions to myself.

    But to express my feelings like this means that I am really angry. Frankly, anyone in a simr situation to me would be angry.

    Xenon¡¯s Biography is not a web novel stored on aputer, but a novel that I wrote with my own hands. Naturally, I have an attachment to it.

    Furthermore, if you entrust something precious to someone else and it gets stolen, anyone would be angry. However, it¡¯s difficult to hold the publisher responsible for this, as they couldn¡¯t have imagined that someone would tear off the door of the safe.

    So I¡¯m even more angry. It¡¯s as if some crazy person broke into the safe and stole my manuscript. The value of the manuscript is ridiculously high, so maybe they n to sell it somewhere.

    But the possibility of that is significantly low. Just based on the investigation alone, the culprit who stole the manuscript is not just an ordinary thief.

    Perhaps they are part of some powerful force that even the higher-ups would have trouble dealing with.

    <i>¡®Why on earth?¡¯</i>

    I sighed deeply, unable to understand the culprit¡¯s intentions. If they get caught, not only will they receive condemnation from the nation, but they¡¯ll also suffer various consequences.

    I felt increasingly depressed about the unknown intentions of the culprit, as this was the manuscript I wrote for the first time after my reincarnation and it disappeared so futilely.

    ¡°Uh¡­Isaac? Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    When I sighed in frustration, Marie, who was sitting next to me, asked me with a worried voice. As soon as I heard her voice, I turned my head. When I turned my head, I saw Marie¡¯s face with sincere eyes, looking at me with concern.

    ¡°Marie.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Isaac?¡±

    ¡°Come over here for a moment.¡±

    Although it was a ssroom, there weren¡¯t many people yet. Besides, there was no one who didn¡¯t know about me and Marie.

    When I called Marie in a low voice, she looked briefly puzzled but then followed my words with enthusiasm. As I stretched out my arms, Marie also caught on and spread her arms with a smile.

    Hug-

    Hugging was said to be the most certain and simple way to relieve depression. As soon as I hugged her, I felt all the gloom in my heart wash away.

    As expected, when I hugged Marie, it was healing. I hugged her and rubbed my face against hers like a child.

    I wish we could stay like this forever, but there were too many eyes around, so I had to reluctantly step back.

    ¡°Are you feeling better now?¡±

    After hugging, Marie asked with an expression that couldn¡¯t contain her curiosity. Her cheeks were slightly red, perhaps a little embarrassed by the unexpected affectionate gesture.

    I smiled softly and nodded my head. Honestly, I wanted to kiss her, but we were in a ssroom, so I restrained myself.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry too much. The pce is investigating the case firsthand, so we¡¯ll soon be able to catch the culprit. I want to help too, but it¡¯s difficult for me to do anything while I¡¯m not in the pce.¡±

    ¡°Just stay by my side.¡±

    ¡°Wow¡­ hug me again.¡±

    Marie must have been moved because she asked me to hug her again with her arms wide open. I readily agreed and hugged her once again.

    So the two of us shared our warm hearts with each other only in the ssroom for the second time. We didn¡¯t care about the murmurs around us. It was a bit embarrassing, but still felt good.

    ¡°Now you¡¯re openly advertising yourselves as lovers, huh?¡±

    Just as we were getting a little shaky, a familiar voice pierced our ears from behind. When we turned our gaze, Cecily was looking at us with a seductive look, chin in her hand.

    At first nce, it seemed like she was having a good time, but as someone who exchanged letters with her, her gaze felt strange.

    ¡°Jealous? Jealous? Even if you¡¯re jealous, our Isaac will never give up on me.¡±

    After Marie grabbed me tightly and teased Cecily while hugging me tightly, she seemed to think that Cecily had asked such a question because she was envious.

    Cecily shrugged her shoulders and silently stepped back. However, her pupils, which were still tinged with red, remained fixed on me.

    <i>¡®By the way, where¡¯s Rina?¡¯</i>

    Even though the ss time was almost over, Rina¡¯s figure was nowhere to be seen. She might have taken a self-scheduled break due to the recent theft incident.

    Since such a major incident urred shortly after the end of the protest, she must be busy with many things. She won¡¯t be able to focus on her studies even if she wants to.

    <i>¡®She¡¯ll do well, won¡¯t she?¡¯</i>

    No, she has to do well.

    If they don¡¯t want to prove their ipetence even in the pce, they must find the culprit. Moreover, from Rina¡¯s perspective, she would have to work day and night to improve her rtionship with me, which was on the verge of copse.

    For now, all I can do is ask Rina about the situation every few days. This case is something even my father cannot solve, so we¡¯ll have to wait patiently.

    <i>¡®But who the hell took the manuscript?¡¯</i>

    If I ever find the culprit, I want to see their face at least once. They would have to pay for touching other people¡¯s belongings so recklessly.

    *****

    ¡°Did you hear the news? The manuscript for Xenon¡¯s Biography was stolen.¡±

    ¡°What? What are you talking about? Wasn¡¯t it announced yesterday?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it was. But apparently it was stolen in just one day. I don¡¯t know who did it, but theypletely tore open the entrance to the safe.¡±

    ¡°Gosh, what a crazy person. This is getting out of hand.¡±

    ¡°I heard that the pce even dispatched an investigation team. The situation is getting more serious.¡±

    The tavern always came alive in the evening. Many people would gather to talk about the day¡¯s events or get drunk to the point of being unable to speak properly. Amidst this lively atmosphere, there was a person sitting alone in silence.

    They wore their robe pulled over, making it difficult to see their face clearly, but their elegant physique and slightly visible features showed that they were refined.

    As such, one could vaguely guess that she was a woman, and her skin was a unique purplish-grey color. Sitting alone at a table, unlike the others, she quickly scanned her surroundings while sipping on her beer.

    <i>¡®Luckily, there are no pursuers.¡¯</i>

    What kind of crime did shemit? She breathed a sigh of relief inwardly and patted her right chest.

    The ¡°treasure¡± that she had obtained today, even though it might have been created by a dwarf and had magical properties and was made of tough material, it didn¡¯t hold much meaning for herself.

    Although, she had to rip off the door like a brute because it was difficult to work with mana at the end. Still, the results were good, so it was okay, right?

    <i>¡®The queen will like it, won¡¯t she?¡¯</i>

    She absentmindedly yed with her long, pointy ears, imagining the smile of the queen she served.

    Interestingly, unlike a normal elf, her ears were cut halfway.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 72: Aftermath (3)

    If we were to name the most perfect race in this world, anyone would name the ¡°Elf¡±.

    It starts with their looks that are insufficiently described as beautiful, their innate superiority in physique, and even the magical abilities that they can use as naturally as breathing thanks to the blessings of the gods.

    Through a lifespan that far surpasses that of other races, each member possesses remarkable intellectual abilities. As they highly regard ¡°tradition¡± and ¡°history¡± more than other races, they inevitably possess a wealth of knowledge in their heads.

    However, no matter how close to perfection an elf may be, they carry great ws in many ways. Valuing tradition and history means disliking change, in other words.

    Moreover, each individual elf who has lived for over 500 years tends to have stronger stubbornness than others. The reason is simple.

    There were no problems living like this so far. Being an elf and not interacting with any other species naturally results in a fixed way of thinking.

    [The most fitting race for Pride. However, paradoxically, they possess the ability that best fits Pride.]

    [They boast about themselves as the descendants of gods, but they are ultimately mere mortals.]

    [Someday that arrogance will be a sword and pierce their own necks.]

    For these reasons, elves do not receive good evaluations from other species. Especially among them, humans are the ones who give the harshest evaluations to elves, and even the species they are on the worst terms with are humans.

    Many people may think that dwarves hate elves the most, but surprisingly, that is not the case.

    Dwarves treat elves as talkative old farts, and elves think of dwarves as a noisy species, at least ¡°equal¡± to themselves.

    But humans are not the same. Other species also view humans as a species without any outstanding strengths. However, elves have a strong tendency to look down on them.

    If even ogres hate humans, then elves treat humans like monkeys. As near-perfect elves, they do not feel the need to consider humans, who have almost no remarkable qualities, as equals.

    However, as the world evaluates them, their arrogance will imprison them. After the ¡°racial war¡± broke out, the elves realized toote that they were wrong.

    [Human beings can never understand elves, and elves will never be able to understand humans. This is because the two races arepletely opposed to each other.]

    [Humans desire progress because they have nothing, while elves, who had everything from the beginning, are content with their reality. How can these two races, running parallel to each other, coexist in the same world?]

    During the racial war, the elves faced a serious internal division when a major crisis struck, while humans, on the contrary, united their strength internally and achieved a dazzling growth.

    Of course, there were various political rumors and speeches among humans, but at least they did not go so far as to self-destruct like the elves did.

    In fact, every mistake the elves made resulted in significant losses. They were toocent to believe that they didn¡¯t need to fight with full force and as a result, they allowed strategic key points to be easily upied.

    They also suffered significant losses when they rushed into traps, thinking they could ovee anything with their own power, or when they fought against humans for no reason.

    Furthermore, during the war, the elves evenmitted atrocities such as imprisoning warriors who had umted brilliant achievements, simply because they vited ws.¡¯ As expected, humans took advantage of the absence of these warriors andunched fierce attacks.

    Thanks to this, humans were in a favorable position even during the ceasefire, but the elves werepletely the opposite. The news of their defeat to humans, whom they had always ignored, was enough to confuse them greatly.

    Fortunately, they realized their mistakes on their own. And if they recognize their mistakes, then change is naturally something that must happen.

    -Oldws are no longer necessary. The world has changed.

    -We must make our ownws, notws that God has decreed.

    After the Race War, the first thing the elves did was topletely overhaul their upper echelons through a generational shift.

    In Alvenheim, each race was ruled by elders elected to a political institution called the Council of Elders.

    However, after the generational shift, the system changed: the highest authority figure, the king, was established above the council.

    However, many restrictions were put in ce to prevent the king from acting recklessly in times of crisis like the Council of Elders had done in the past. Thews were also revised so that the king would not have absolute power over them.

    But did this mean that the Council of Elders, which had ruled Alvenheim for so long, disappearedpletely? Not at all. Although they had almost led the country to defeat during the Race War, it was a fact that Alvenheim could not have existed without them.

    There was significant opposition from the established generation, many of whom were still part of the council.

    This caused such intense division that it almost led to a major crisis, but fortunately it was resolved before it could escte. From then on, the n was to create a king while keeping the Council of Elders intact.

    As a result, Alvenheim began to be ruled by both the council and the king, with each serving as a check on the other. The problem was that while the king was open-minded, the council still clung to outdatedws.

    Therefore, even though Alvenheim now embodies the epitome of generational change, it is not an exaggeration to say that it is currently in a state of flux.

    Compared to humans who have short lifespans and frequently undergo generational shifts, the elves¡¯ long lifespans are a clear advantage.

    However, it is also a significant disadvantage, as they carry the risk of bing like stagnant water, ultimately turning into fossils.

    Fortunately, the Elder Council realized their mistake and, up until now, only minor incidents have urred without causing any significant problems. Even when Alvenheim began to engage in active exchanges with other countries after the Race War, they did not refuse, although they may not have been entirely pleased.

    Thus, about 500 years have passed since the Race War. Both humans and elves had been healing from the scars of the war, as time passed.

    [Xenon¡¯s Biography, which had always caused a great stir whenever it appeared. This time, a love story between the Elf Queen and a human?]

    [It¡¯s a story that is certainly impossible, but since it¡¯s a novel, it¡¯s intriguing. However, there¡¯s a notice of a hiatus¡­]

    [Breaking News! The manuscript for Xenon¡¯s Biography has been stolen! The investigation revealed that either an elf and a beastmen are the suspects¡­]

    Until another work that begins to create another rift within Alvenheim appears.

    ******

    Yggdrasil.

    The city where the first ¡°civilization¡± was established and the capital of Alvenheim, where all knowledge of this world exists.

    It is a city that every schr must visit before they die, as it contains valuable resources both historically and culturally. In particr, the divine tree, ¡°World Tree,¡± which was directly managed by the gods, can be considered the embodiment of history.

    Although the World Tree and Yggdrasil have the same meaning, they are spoken of differently to distinguish between the two.

    Anyway, ording to mythology, the World Tree was the driving force that allowed the first civilization to begin, and it is said that the gods directly educated the elves. Following this mythology, the elves have also established higher education institutions within Yggdrasil to foster talented individuals.

    Additionally, the World Tree is also used as a temple. ording to the records in mythology, it is an obvious phenomenon.

    Then where are the political institutions located? They are located right in front of the world tree, as gods cannot directly involve themselves in politics within the world tree that they have raised themselves.

    The name of the institution established to rule over Alvenheim is ¡®Erodia.¡¯ If the world tree is the most beautiful ce politically in Alvenheim, Erodia is the most politically messy ce.

    ¡°Your Majesty, please reconsider. We cannot endure such humiliation any longer.¡±

    One elf pleaded earnestly to someone, bowing respectfully. From the elderly elf¡¯s wrinkled and weathered voice, it was clear that he was considerably aged, even for an elf, who tends to age slower than other races.

    Beside the elf stood two others, a male and a female, of simr age but younger than the elderly elf. They appeared to be in their middle age, with their inherent beauty still intact.

    The one thing they all had inmon was the expression of dissatisfaction on their faces, directed at one person.

    ¡°I have already said that I am fine. I do not understand why you are saying these things to me.¡±

    A voice that was both pure and full ofpassion echoed throughout the space. The elderly elf slowly raised his head, which he had bowed before.

    One elf sitting on a high throne looked down haughtily. She had an appearance that was both kind and stern, with her silver-gray hair and eyes that were the same color, which exuded a sense of mystery.

    Additionally, her appearance, with his skin as white as ivory, made him appear girlish.

    Her name is Arwen Elydia, who stands out with her beauty more than any other elf. She has been the queen of the Elves who ruled over Rivendell for a hundred years and is currently in conflict with the ¡°Council of Elders.¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, this is not only an insult to you, but also a mockery of our Elves. Why should our Elves endure such humiliation?¡±

    An elderly elf, presumably the leader, protested fiercely. The elves standing on either side of him nodded in agreement, exchanging a word or two.

    ¡°We feel the same way. The fact that they designated the highest-ranking demon¡¯s subordinate as an Elf was not enough. They also insulted us by calling us ¡®arrogant.¡¯ ¡°

    ¡°Even if it¡¯s just a novel, we can¡¯t sit idly by as this book spreads around the world. Above all, they even touched on the queen. I can¡¯t understand the love between humans and our queen.¡±

    The topic of their protest to Arwen is about the widely-spread novel, Xenon¡¯s Biography. As it became popr worldwide, the Elves couldn¡¯t avoid encountering it naturally.

    At first, they read it with pleasure, simply finding it entertaining. However, after the appearance of the ¡°Seven Deadly Sins,¡± the atmosphere began to change, and it became more talkative in thetest volume.

    Strictly speaking, the established generation, including the Council of Elders, showed a strong reaction, but others did not pay much attention to it. Instead, the younger generation who had thoroughly studied history watched it with interest from various perspectives.

    The elves were bitter about the title of ¡°pride¡±, and the story of love between the elf queen and a human was filled with anticipation and anxiety.

    But the Council of Elders was different. They expressed their anger at a level of rage, saying that they were insulting the elf race itself.

    ¡°Haa¡­¡±

    As Arwen let out a deep sigh, the council of elders who had been strongly objecting fell silent. As those who had watched over Arwen for hundreds of years, they had no choice but to quiet down.

    Because everyone knew that if Arwen had sighed in front of them, it meant that she was angry. In fact, her beautiful features were slightly wrinkled in displeasure, revealing her frustration.

    Then, Arwen looked at the council of elders with her silver-grey eyes, one by one. They still had faces full ofints.

    ¡°¡­Is it really worth getting so upset over a single book?¡±

    Arwen retorted to the council with a voice filled with bitterness. There was no trace of her kindness, only her coldness remained.

    ¡°And what have you learned from history? Haven¡¯t you experienced shame in the racial war because of your arrogance? It¡¯s really amusing that you try to deny history.¡±

    As she threw out the solid fact, the expression of the council of elders was mercilessly crumpled. For them, the racial war was even more shameful than anything else.

    In other words, Arwen did not just curse at them in front of their faces, but she had said something that was even more severe than that. The council of elders were angry, but they had nothing to say.

    However, the council of elders were not to be underestimated either. They knew very well that if they got angry here, they would only provide an excuse.

    ¡°¡­That¡¯s right. Your Majesty. Please consider the worldwide influence of Xenon¡¯s Biography. Just changing the perception of the demons is a significant achievement. If we continue like this, the way people view us elves may change as well.¡±

    ¡°I agree. No one knows what will happen if the author makes a negative portrayal of us.¡±

    So, maintaining herposure, she expressed her thoughts in a calm and steady manner. Though her words were measured, her message was clear.

    She requested that the search for the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography be officially authorized. If given permission, they would handle it themselves.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Arwen narrowed her eyes slightly as she looked at the Council. She was so frustrated with their obvious motives that she couldn¡¯t believe it.

    Anyone could imagine what would happen if they were to search for the author. They would either threaten or go so far as to deny any negative portrayal of the elves.

    The Elves boasted of being a chosen race of the gods, but the Council was extreme in their views. Essentially, they were filled with superiority.

    Normally, the Council¡¯s control was enough to keep anyone from bing ill-tempered, but Arwen was different. She had one reason why she could hold the queen¡¯s throne for over a hundred years.

    ¡°Oh. Are you afraid of a mere book or something? That¡¯s really interesting. You im to be a race chosen by the gods, yet you¡¯re afraid of a book written by a mere human. How ridiculous.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s really that scary, why don¡¯t you write a book yourself? I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re objecting to me when you can write a more interesting book than Xenon¡¯s Biography.¡±

    It was because of her exceptional ability to refute the other¡¯s words. Until now, the Kings of Alvenheim had not been able to withstand the Council¡¯s constraints, but Arwen¡¯s story was different.

    She possessed the political talent to easily brush off the attacks of the Council, and even counterattack if necessary. She also had the mental strength to withstand countless pressures.

    From the perspective of the Elder Council, it was natural for Arwen to be seen as a thorn in their side. They tried to find a weakness, but couldn¡¯t find an opportunity to exploit.

    ¡°I understand your thoughts well. But for now, it¡¯s not a good time. The author is currently on a break, and if we approach them unnecessarily, it will only make things worse for us.¡±

    ¡°When do we need to worry about what others think of us? We are Elves chosen by the gods.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Although we made a big mistake during the racial war, it was our mistake, not because humans were superior.¡±

    The Elder Council showed no sign of backing down. Arwen could only frown in response to their appeal.

    They believed that they made mistakes during the racial war, and refused to admit that humans were superior. Of course, it was true that humans could gain an advantage because the Elves had destroyed themselves. But that didn¡¯t mean that humans should be underestimated.

    Arwen forcefully suppressed the urge to sigh at the behavior of the Elder Council, which demonstrated the characteristics of being a stickler. Engaging in such a futile debate was not good for herself.

    ¡°Enough! Are you nning to waste your precious time with those books forever? You also have a lot of work to do, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°But, Lady Arwen¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough. Please leave now. I also have a lot to think about.¡±

    When the queen¡¯s anger exploded, even the councilors had no choice but to back down. If they pushed any further, it could have resulted in a bacsh.

    An elderly elf who was the representative figure politely bowed his head and greeted her.

    ¡°I understand. Please listen to our words.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. I wasn¡¯t ignoring you either.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Then we will take our leave now.¡±

    After the long and arduous fight was over, the councilors moved outside the hall. Until the very moment they left, they did not forget to send Arwen a fierce look.

    ¡°Whew¡­¡±

    Arwen let out a sigh she had been holding in as soon as the councilors left. She then checked with magic that no one was around and muttered quietly to herself.

    ¡°Those damn old geezers.¡±

    It was not the kind ofnguage that woulde out of the queen¡¯s mouth. Rather, it was a crude insult that would be more fitting for a hoodlum.

    Moreover, her rtively youthful appearance added to the surreal feeling. If the councilors saw her like this, wouldn¡¯t they be shocked?

    Anyway, Arwen pouted andined like a child.

    ¡°Why are they acting like that? I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    Snap!

    As Arwen absentmindedly flicked her finger, a book materialized out of thin air. It was a teleportation spell that could only be performed at the level of a human wizard.

    As an elf who could use magic as easily as breathing, Arwen could perform the spell without any incantation.

    She then carefully grasped the book that had materialized in mid-air with both hands. The title, Xenon¡¯s Biography was prominently disyed on the cover.

    ¡°It¡¯s just fun.¡±

    Trantors note:

    I gotta study for a goddamn math test so no chapters for the next 3 days.

    But in return I¡¯m gonna post 2 chapters on monday, so do look forward to it. They¡¯re hrious.

 Chapter 73: Aftermath (4)

    ¡°It¡¯s just fun.¡±

    Queen Arwen of Alvenheim looked at the tenth volume of Xenon¡¯s Biography that she held tightly with both hands. Her lips protruded like a pouting little girl, clearly expressing her frustration.

    If the Council had seen her in this state, they would have tried to restrain her as a queen should maintain her dignity, but now no one was around. There is no risk of eavesdropping as it is an audience room.

    ¡°The elves should be noble, they say. They don¡¯t like it when the books make elves responsible for pride. Theyin that the romance between elves and humans is ridiculous. What kind of nonsense is this, even for children?¡±

    Arwen had just sharply criticized the council that had been pressuring her until now, knowing that no one was around to see her.

    This moment, when no one was at work, was like a drought-breaking rain for Arwen. It was suitable for her to speak up about what had been bottled up inside her.

    Externally, Arwen was praised as a kind and affectionate queen, but she had a very girlish heart like this. She only concealed this aspect of herself because the council told her to maintain her dignity as a queen, but she was only 150 years old.

    If it were human, it would be considered quite old, but that¡¯s only based on human standards. Even by elven standards, it is sufficient to be a member of society, but she still belongs to the younger side. And Arwen ascended to the throne at the young age of 50 and has ruled over Alvenheim ever since.

    For the Elves, in their 50s, all education ispleted and it serves as a stepping stone to enter society, but being a queen is not an easy position. However, seeing how she has ruled over Alvenheim without sumbing to the pressure of the Council of Elders for over 100 years, we can see how exceptional her political skills are.

    <i>¡®Xenon probably went on a break because of people like the Council of Elders. Humans say there are ces worse than the Council, it must be really tough.¡¯</i>

    Arwen looked at Xenon¡¯s Biography, which she held in her hands, with sympathetic eyes and murmured to herself. She too is one of the many fans of Xenon¡¯s Biography. She knows very well how much influence Xenon¡¯s Biography has on the world and is aware that it can be easily used politically.

    Perhaps even she herself, the queen of Alvenheim, may exercise less influence. Even an Elf chosen by the gods can be helpless against the enormous power of ¡®culture¡¯. That¡¯s why it was even more regrettable.

    Even though he had hidden her status, he was still mentally struggling, so the author must be under a lot of pressure.

    <i>¡®Still, we should just write down what will happen to the teacher and the queen. This bad author.¡¯</i>

    But that¡¯s that and this is this. Arwen was curious about what would happen to the rtionship between the teacher and the Elf queen in the story.

    Even though the Elf queen in the story is a fictional character far removed from herself, she somehow became deeply immersed. Especially, the Elf queen in the story is struggling on a level that is not less than hers, if not more.

    The Elder Council is facing severe pressure, and there are asional descriptions of the looming danger in Alvenheim as devils appear throughout the world. Due to these reasons, it was almost eptable to have no privacy.

    In such a situation, the only person who could provide emotionalfort to the Elf Queen was her teacher, so their rtionship could only be more poignant.

    ¡®Xenon is truly amazing. How is he able to prate the details of Elf mythology so deeply? Elf-rted myths and history are not well known to humans. Was he a schr educated in Alvenheim?¡¯

    Xenon¡¯s Biography did not receive much attention from the Elves until the appearance of the Seven Deadly Sins. The protagonist was a human who had brought great shame during the racial war, and until the appearance of the Seven Deadly Sins, he only worked in human society.

    Schrs had read it thoroughly for research purposes, but among the Elves, it was just a book that only a few people read. However, it was hardly ever said to be uninteresting.

    Interestingly, Arwen had been a consistent reader of the series from volume one. Since she had always loved books, she naturally came across Xenon¡¯s Biography, which had hit the world, and was fascinated by his excellent writing and absorbing story.

    However, the situation turned around after the appearance of the Seven Deadly Sins and the protagonist and his group entered Alvenheim.

    It was enough to create various rumors that one of the devils executives was one of the Elves, and moreover, the ¡®pride¡¯. The Elder Council was also pressuring the Elf Queen over Xenon¡¯s work, but when Alvenheim actually appeared, they couldn¡¯t help but be afraid.

    If the author really understood the situation and culture of Alvenheim, they could also suffer great damage. In reality, the Council, or the ¡®Assembly,¡¯ a political organization in the work, is pressuring the Elf Queen for no apparent reason. If it was a historical fact, it was satisfying and bittersweet for Arwen.

    <i>¡®By the way, will ¡®Dark Elves¡¯ be appearing next?¡¯</i>

    As Elves have a lifespan several times longer than other races, their recorded history is very extensive. Human history dates back to when they established their civilization 5,000 years ago, but Elves go back almost twice as long, 10,000 years ago.

    Over those millennia, many incidents and idents urred. There were times when they tried to dominate the world using their innate abilities, and times when they fought wars among their own kind.

    And about 5,000 years ago, a serious civil war broke out. The reason for the civil war was simple.

    Religion.

    Elves worship three gods ¨C Luminous, Mora, and Harte ¨C together, but in the past, theypeted and fought against each other.

    Naturally, the gods intervened and tried to stop the conflict, but the Elves did not listen. Ironically, the Elves had longer ears than other races to hear the gods¡¯ voices more clearly, but they did not listen when it was needed most.

    The religious sect that suffered the most was Mora. Mora wanted topromise more than conflict, but unfortunately, that was a time when might was more important than words.

    Furthermore, from the perspective of Luminous, who serves the light, Mora would have been seen as a thorn in the side.

    So, Luminous and Harte joined forces to expel them, and of course, they had to suppress them by force in the process. The Dark Elves, who were mostly expelled, have grey skin and are almost non-existent in Alvenheim.

    Most of the Dark Elves served Mora, and since they were all expelled, it is no wonder that there are almost none left.

    As a result, the Dark Elves developed a hatred towards their own identity as elves and cut their pointed ears in half. This tradition continues to this day, and when you see a Dark Elf, you can confirm that their ears are indeed cut in half.

    <i>¡®Still, to human eyes, they probably all look the same. But knowing their history, I wonder when they¡¯lle out and how they¡¯ll appear. It¡¯s really intriguing.¡¯</i>

    Two thousand yearster, during the Demon War, the elves were in crisis and sought help from the Dark Elves they had previously banished. However, the resentment that had built up over 2000 years was not easily resolved.

    Fortunately, they helped their fellow elves to defeat the demons, but they did not set foot in Alvenheim.

    This was due to the mutual distrust that had umted over 2000 years, especially among the elder council who tended towards racial superiority and would find it ufortable to ept the Dark Elves who had discarded their racial name. The Dark Elves also dislike the stubborn elder council.

    <i>¡®In any case, the problem is the old fogies. They don¡¯t even know how strong they are.¡¯</i>

    Arwen criticized the elder council, who seemed to interfere everywhere. Since her coronation, she has been working to re-ept the Dark Elves.

    After all, they were also from the same roots, and they believed that the Elven race could only bepleted with them. Moreover, only the elder council, who prioritizes tradition andw, dislikes the Dark Elves, while the young ones feel sorry for them.

    After all, it was because of their ancestors¡¯ misdeeds that they had not set foot in their homnd until now. Arwen felt the same way.

    <i>¡®Oh, what¡¯s the use of worrying like this? The next volume won¡¯t be out for two years!¡¯</i>

    Arwen hugged the book tightly and whined like a child. Although two years may be a short time for the elves, it somehow felt like a long time.

    Perhaps the two-year wait for Xenon¡¯s Biography is the longest two years in the world. She wished that the time of two years would pass quickly.

    Shaaa-

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    As she leaned against the throne, Arwen suddenly sensed a change in the flow of mana. As someone innately sensitive to mana, she knows what this means.

    Someone has used magic, but except for the king, magic is prohibited in the pce. Arwen quickly straightened up and checked who had invaded. The council would not use magic in the pce, but there was always a possibility.

    Then she activated her detection magic and could be relieved. It¡¯s a very familiar feeling to her.

    ¡°¡­Enough with the jokes.¡±

    When Arwen weakly opened her mouth, someone slowly revealed themselves in front of the throne. Even though she didn¡¯t know what magic was used, it blended perfectly with the surrounding environment and waspletely invisible.

    Eventually, the appearance of the opponent who broke the magic was fully revealed, but it was difficult to confirm their face because they had flipped their robe. However, Arwen knows well who this unknown intruder is.

    ¡°¡­Rain.¡±

    ¡°Hello, Your Majesty!¡±

    As Arwen called his name, the intruder named Rain brightly greeted her. Despite her lively voice, her low tone was attractive.

    Swift-

    After greeting, the woman of unknown identity swept her robe behind her. She had a faint reddish tint in her dark hair contrasting with her ashy skin. However, the most noticeable feature was her ears.

    Although they appeared long like other elves, they were cut in the middle. From this, one could assume that the woman before Arwen was a ¡°Dark Elf.¡±

    ¡°Did the groundlings bother you again today? Judging by your posture on the throne.¡±

    Rain asked with a grin, looking at Arwen. Arwen cleared her throat upon hearing her question, which openly criticized the Council of Elders.

    Although it was fine to criticize the Council, Arwen was more concerned about maintaining the dignity of the queen. No matter how close they were privately, there were certain things that needed to be upheld.

    ¡°Well, there were a few problems. But what brings you here today?¡±

    ¡°I have a gift for the Queen!¡±

    ¡°A gift?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Rain was always good at giving gifts to Arwen. Arwen was implementing policies to ept Dark Elves, and Rain was one of them.

    Not only Rain but also all Dark Elves were favorably disposed towards Arwen. Therefore, the Dark Elves sent Rain to form a bond of intimacy.

    Although there may have been political motives behind sending Rain, Arwen liked her. There was no reason to dislike an innocent girl like Rain, and besides, she always brought news of thetest developments in Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    You could think of her as a messenger, but there was no problem since Rain was moving voluntarily. In fact, it became a catalyst for Arwen to like her even more.

    ¡°I¡¯m curious about the gift you¡¯re giving. What kind of gift is it?¡±

    ¡°I think the queen will love it. It¡¯s closely rted to Xenon¡¯s Biography.¡±

    ¡°Xenon¡¯s Biography? Is that true?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    As Rain said that the gift was rted to Xenon¡¯s Biography, Arwen¡¯s gray eyes were filled with doubt. Rain had already given her 10 volumes of Xenon¡¯s Biography as a gift.

    Moreover, Xenon¡¯s Biography had dered a two-year hiatus. It was difficult to grasp what kind of gift it could be.

    ¡°Ta-da!¡±

    While Arwen was curious, Rain pulled out something that she had kept deep in her embrace and showed it to her. Arwen focused her gaze on the gift that hade out of Rain¡¯s embrace.

    At first nce, it looked like an old, crumpled stack of paper. So the question was amplified even more.

    ¡°Here it is!¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    When Rain handed over the crumpled paper stack, Arwen expressed her gratitude and confirmed the identity of the gift. It was not a simple ball of paper, but a manuscript paper with quite fluent handwriting.

    ¡°Who wrote this? And¡­¡±

    As she read the first sentence, Arwen couldn¡¯t help but blink. Because the first sentence was very familiar to her as someone with a good memory.

    I¡¯ve said it before, but Arwen is one of the avid readers who has read Xenon¡¯s Biography from the first volume. And as a devoted reader, she often goes back to reread from the first volume to thetest.

    She started reading the manuscript quickly while wondering. Each familiar sentence struck Arwen¡¯s brain.

    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±

    Why is this here? Didn¡¯t they say it was stolen? The author is even begging for it to be returned because of this one thing?

    Arwen¡¯s mind momentarily stopped working. But without knowing her inner thoughts, Rain, who delivered the gift, proudly exined with her hands on her waist.

    ¡°It¡¯s the draft of the first volume of Xenon¡¯s Biography! I happened to visit the publisher and they were unveiling the draft, so I secretly took it with me that night.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    One thought floated in Arwen¡¯s head after hearing that exnation.

    ¡°Since Your Majesty likes Xenon¡¯s Biography, I thought you would like it. This can be a big help to you, right?¡±

    This is fucked up.

    She thought about it again, but she couldn¡¯t believe the reality.

    ¡°If you tell the author about the draft, they¡¯ll have toe find it. They¡¯lle looking for it.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°I did well, didn¡¯t I? Hehe.¡±

    Arwen could only think that this was really fucked up.

    Trantors note:

    Back and praying I passed.

    Anyway this shit is hrious lmao.

 Chapter 74: Aftermath (5)

    The three species, demons, humans, and beastmen, all reach physical maturity in their early to mid-20s, but elves do not finish physical growth until their much longer 30s.

    The fact that physical growth ends in the 30s means that adolescence is very long for elves, and regardless of species, they learn faster than other age groups during adolescence.

    Furthermore, long-lived species like elves and demons share themon trait of having exceptional memory. When these two advantages arebined, when an elf bes an adult, they possess a vast amount of knowledge, like a walking library.

    However, although an elf¡¯s 30s are the age at which they are recognized as adults physically, the age at which they are recognized as adults socially is around 50 years old on average. During this time, they must find the path they want to take and delve into it intensively to master specific skills and be recognized as a respectable adult.

    Elves are inherently advantaged in acquiring broad knowledge, butpared to humans¡¯ learning ability, they mayck some luster. However, unlike humans, they never forget their knowledge, so they have the same advantage.

    ¡°I did well, right? Hehe.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Arwen, the elf queen who ruled Alvenheim for 100 years from a very young age, was not even able to smile when Rain smiled brightly. She couldn¡¯t easily ept what was going on.

    She had experienced numerous incidents and idents during the long period of 100 years.

    To stand up against the senior council members who looked down on her for being young, she poured in a considerable amount of effort, and even when there were asional disputes with neighboring countries, she was able to cleverly resolve them using her talents.

    Recently, due to the Xenon incident, the council had caused trouble, but now she had grown enough to easily brush it off. Compared to when she started as a novice queen, she had reached an unprecedented level.

    <i>¡®¡­ This is fucked up.¡¯</i>

    However, Arwen felt the biggest crisis in her over 100 years of life. If it was only a national disaster of some sort, she could prepare for it somehow, but it was far beyond that.

    The reason was the dark elf girl, Rain, right in front of her. Yet she didn¡¯t even realize what she had done.

    <i>¡®Oh my goodness. You¡­¡¯</i>

    She tried her best to maintain herposure, but her head was pounding. She felt like grabbing Rain¡¯s shoulder andmenting. Currently, Rain was just over 10 years old, a very young age, and every action Arwen took as a caregiver was important.

    She could identally cause an unheble wound to the girl. Of course, the biggest reason was the strong premonition that if she got angry here, it would explode uncontrobly. For now, it was better to tire her out and scold herter.

    Arwen barely shook off her almost whitening mind and calmed down. It would be better to exin the situation to Rain right now.

    ¡°¡­Rain? Do you know what you¡¯ve done?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°I asked if you knew what you had done.¡±

    Arwen asked with a soft tone, but deep frustration was hidden within. However, the young and innocent Rain didn¡¯t notice it.

    She just blinked her eyes to figure out what Arwen¡¯s intentions were.

    ¡°Sigh¡­¡±

    In the end, Arwen couldn¡¯t help but let out a sigh she had been holding in. Seeing that face, which had no malice, made her feel more frustrated.

    She had brought this draft purely to make herself happy. It was praiseworthy in intention, but the result was the worst.

    ¡°¡­your Majesty?¡±

    Rain also noticed Arwen¡¯s reaction and asked with a cautious voice, realizing that she had made a mistake. Her worried and concerned gaze was reflected in her deep blue eyes.

    Arwen bit her lip and then forced a smile.

    ¡°Rain, even if you wanted to make me happy, this is a wrong action. Stealing someone else¡¯s belongings is never the right thing to do. How would you feel if someone stole something precious from you?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ I would do the same thing. Or I would just take their everything. That¡¯s what I learned from my teachers.¡±

    It was a typical way of thinking for a Dark Elf.

    If someone else did something wrong to them, they would seek revenge that was even worse. Conversely, if they received a favor, they would do everything they could to repay it.

    The fortunate thing is that at least she seems to know that stealing is bad. Because she recognizes that you have to have been wronged to take revenge.

    However, the fact that she knew it was wrong and stillmitted the act weighed heavily on Arwen, who was serving in her parents¡¯ stead.

    As someone fulfilling her parents¡¯ role, it was only natural for her to feel hurt.

    ¡°¡­ Just out of curiosity, do you know how valuable this paper is?¡±

    ¡°Anything that¡¯s the first of its kind is usually highly valuable. That¡¯s why I brought it. It could be helpful to the queen.¡±

    It was not helpful at all. It was a ticking time bomb. Arwen barely held back a sigh and continued speaking.

    ¡°¡­ How important is this paper to humans?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I know. If we use this well, we¡¯ll be unbeatable, even if the humans make a fuss. We¡¯re stronger than them.¡±

    Knowing one thing but being ignorant of many others, and above all, arrogance was a distinct trait of their race, whether they were elves or dark elves.

    Thebination of youthful ignorance and their race¡¯s inherent arrogance had led to this result.

    <i>¡®¡­ I must be going crazy.¡¯</i>

    Arwen silently whispered to herself, desperately wanting to cry.

    If possible, it would be best to return it to its original ce, but it was toote now. Even if she were to return it, it could be questioned whether the manuscript was genuine or fake, and it would take time for Rain to return to the publisher.

    Above all, the publishingpany is currently in a situation where they have dispatched an investigative team from the Minerva Empire¡¯s royal family. No matter how skilled Rain¡¯s hiding techniques are, if they are caught, it would be the end politically or personally.

    As the one who rules Alvenheim, it is better for Arwen to choose the lesser of two evils in order to avoid the worst oue. Therefore, it is advantageous to leave the manuscript alone for the time being.

    ¡°Okay, I will take it for now. However, I have some things to think about, so take a break for a moment.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°And get ready to face the consequencester. I need to inform the elders about this along with disciplinary measures.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ what?¡±

    Didn¡¯t everything go smoothly as expected? Rain widened her eyes in surprise at Arwen¡¯s cold words.

    Arwen red at Rain with a slight frown. Even if Rain was like her family member, she still had to discipline her.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it natural to be punished if you did something wrong? Although I am your guardian, I am also acting as a substitute for your parents. If you did something wrong, you must be punished firmly. And the actions you have taken now can bring great danger to Alvenheim.¡±

    ¡°Really? Why?¡±

    ¡°Because humans are much stronger than you think. There are many things that they areckingpared to us, but we must not ignore them. And not only humans but also demons will cause chaos.¡±

    ¡°D-Demons too? Even so, we¡­¡±

    As Rain tried to argue, Arwen could onlyugh bitterly.

    Rain is probably thinking something like this by now.

    Why should we, the chosen race by God, bow our heads? We may have made mistakes during the racial wars, but things are different now.

    However, moderation is the key. Rain currently holds not pride, but ¡®arrogance.¡¯ Given that she is already going through an emotionally unstable adolescence, her arrogance will only grow stronger.

    [Human beings are lower than themselves, so there is no need to treat them as equals. Therefore, it will not be a big problem if you do wrong to them.]

    It is highly likely that this is the reason why she stole the manuscript, even though she knew it was wrong.

    Arwen has also had such moments, but she has learned a few things over the course of more than a hundred years.

    No matter how chosen a race is by God, they are still mortal beings who experience joy and sorrow. The moment they be arrogant, they be blind.

    There was a time when she foolishly and boldly made a move and suffered a significant diplomatic blow from the human nation. From that point on, she saw humans as a species that should not be underestimated and could change her mind.

    Therefore, how can we fix that arrogance? Arwen quietly opened her mouth, promising to properly educate Rain one day.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. We were chosen by God as you think. But that doesn¡¯t change the fact that we can make mistakes. Unforgivable deeds cannot be forgiven.¡±

    ¡°But still¡­¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®still¡¯? I¡¯m trying to hold back my temper, even though I want to throw a tantrum. My head hurts now, so how could you say ¡®still¡¯ here?¡±

    Did Rain feel that Arwen¡¯s words were sincere? Her expression darkened in an instant.

    Although Arwen never scolded her for his bad deeds, today seemed to be different.

    ¡°¡­I understand. I hope Mora will grant you rest.¡±

    Rain left with a customary greeting in a subdued voice, seamlessly blending in with his surroundings using the perfect concealment spell.

    As soon as Rain disappeared without a trace, Arwen immediately cast a detection spell. There was no sign of Rain, nor anyone else in the vicinity.

    ¡°Phew¡­¡±

    Thud!

    Then, she let out a deep sigh and flicked her fingers, unleashing another spell just in case. A round shield-like barrier appeared around her.

    The identity of this spell was none other than¡­

    ¡°Kiiiaaaaa!!¡±

    It was a soundproofing spell. She screamed, sounding like a wyvern, while roughly ruffling her gray hair.

    Normally, it would have been a scream loud enough to be heard outside the audience room, but there was no sound leaking out due to the soundproofing spell.

    ¡°Oh, Luminous One! Why do you give me such trials! Aaah!¡±

    The stress that had been building up reached its limit and burst out uncontrobly. Arwen forcefully suppressed the urge to run away.

    The current situation could be said to be the worst. Even if she wasn¡¯t caught, it would still be the worst.

    Furthermore, it must have been devastating for her to receive such a blow from someone she trusted, not to mention that it wasn¡¯t even from a member of the council. In her heart, she felt like copsing on the ground and crying her eyes out.

    ¡°Whew¡­ Whew¡­ Whew¡­¡±

    After a while of hysterically crying, she was finally able to calm down. She felt a little better after letting out all the emotions she had been holding inside.

    However, her disheveled hair and cold, gray eyes filled with venom showed that her stress levels had reached an extreme.

    It was already a situation where stress had been piling up, and now that she had encountered an unexpected crisis, she couldn¡¯t help but explode.

    <i>¡®But I can¡¯t just sit here and do nothing. I have to find the author somehow.¡¯</i>

    She had to meet him on a strictly ¡°personal¡± level without involving the country. How was she going to meet him?

    <i>¡®Well, let¡¯s start by hitting him where it hurts. I have no choice if I want to survive.¡¯</i>

    She thought about hitting her where it hurts, even if it meant starting from her head. She had to find a way to adjust to the author¡¯s whims if she wanted to prevent Alvenheim from falling apart.

    Considering the influence of Xenon¡¯s Biography, this manuscript was no less lethal than a mass destruction spell, if not more so. It was an object that should be designated as a national treasure, and even if she received a deration of war, there was nothing she could do about it.

    Moreover, Alvenheim had already issued a statement regarding the theft of the manuscript. There was a high possibility that she would receive an immense amount of criticism for carrying out the secret plot andmitting such a brazen act.

    <i>¡®But what if he¡¯s on a break while I¡¯m looking for him? This could cause the book to be released eventer. What if protests break out? What should I do?¡¯</i>

    Arwen nervously bit her thumb nail due to her anxiety.

    To return the draft without any trouble, I have to meet the author personally. However, the author is hiding his identity for some reason and is extremely reluctant to reveal himself.

    Until now, I haven¡¯t searched for the author due to various reasons, including problems with the Council of Elders, but today the situation has changed. I have to find the author and somehow apologize and hand over the draft so that both myself and Alvenheim can survive the aftermath.

    ¡°Uhhhhhhh¡­¡±

    There is no other dilemma like this. To avoid the worst-case scenario, I have to meet the author, but as soon as I find him, there is a risk of inevitable danger.

    Arwen thought and thought about how to smartly resolve this situation.

    Should I deceive the Council of Elders for a moment? But if they retaliate, I¡¯m done for. They are cunning snakes, and they have enough ability to use me in reverse.

    <i>¡®I have to meet the Dark Elf Elder first, even if there is a risk involved. I have no choice but to find the author.¡¯</i>

    Certainly, the second-best option is much better than the worst-case scenario. Arwen made a firm resolution and hesitated for a moment about the draft.

    The draft has more influence in the cultural sector than a mass killing spell in her hands.

    <i>¡®Wait a minute. If I use this in reverse¡­?¡¯</i>

    If, after some time, the draft happens to end up in her hands, would people really believe it? Many people would doubt it, but since the item was already stolen, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem if she acted brazenly.

    There is no concrete evidence, and furthermore, Alvenheim is one of the strongest nations. In diplomacy, it is often the case that national power speaks louder than words, so even the Minerva Empire wouldn¡¯t say anything. However, such thoughts were soon discarded.

    <i>¡®No way. The council will probably talk nonsense again.¡¯</i>

    No matter where she went, the council was the problem. Arwen let out a bitterugh andmented her situation, pressing her silver circlet on her forehead. The blue gem at the center shone brilliantly, symbolizing the king.

    Arwen then removed the circlet from her forehead and looked down at it with a wry smile. She had been wearing this circlet for 100 years, but it had never felt as heavy as it did today.

    ¡°Really, what a useless thing.¡±

    The storm hadpletely subsided, but its aftermath was brutal.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 75: Vacation (1)

    After the high-profile theft incident urred, one month quickly passed. During that time, I tried to focus on my studies as much as possible, but it was inevitable that I would be concerned.

    The manuscript for Volume 1 of Xenon¡¯s Biography is my first written work since I was born into this world, and I have a deep affection for it. Since I wrote it by hand, I feel proud every time I look at the manuscript.

    However, when the absurd incident urred, I was more bewildered than angry. To be honest, I couldn¡¯t have imagined that the manuscript would be stolen within a day of its delivery, and I certainly didn¡¯t expect that the entrance to the safe would be torn off entirely.

    Of course, the responsibility lies not only with the careless publisher who did not hire adventurers but also with me, who handed over the manuscript too easily. Nevertheless, it is unfair.

    After a month has passed since then, I devoted myself to my studies while thinking once a day about whose hands the manuscript had really fallen into. I hope it didn¡¯t get burned or lost, if it did fall into someone¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Sorry. We investigated thoroughly, but¡­nothing turned up.¡±

    ¡°Nothing at all?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Just that the thief is skilled at handling mana and has strong physical abilities. Other than that, we don¡¯t know who stole it. That¡¯s the result of the investigation led by the empire¡¯s top mages.¡±

    The secret room of the caf¨¦ was suitable for sharing confidential stories.

    Seated across from me, Rina apologized in a sincere voice. I drank the coffee I had ordered in advance and looked at her face.

    Her expression had sunk deeply, indicating she had suffered over the past month. Her beauty had also declined due to poor condition management. Although Rina had not returned to the royal family like Leort, she had suffered quite a bit.

    <i>¡®Even from the royal family¡¯s perspective, it would be quite a bother.¡¯</i>

    I had already handed in my response. It was my treasure, so I begged them to find it.

    It had been stolen within a day of the end of the protest, so the royal family must have been suspicious. Especially for the royal siblings who had caused a big fuss, there would have been an inescapable pressure to find it.

    Therefore, even Rina, who only attended lectures and did not lead the investigation, must have felt a significant pressure.

    ¡°¡­We can definitely find it. So don¡¯t worry too much.¡±

    Without saying anything, I just shut my mouth and remained quiet. It seems that she thought I was not saying anything because I was angry.

    Given our history, it was understandable that she would think that way. However, contrary to her thoughts, I am not really thinking about anything.

    It is a little disappointing that we were unable to find the culprit, but what can we do? I will just feel disappointed and leave it at that.

    There is no point in pressuring Rina any further. It¡¯s not like the culprit will turn themselves in, and it¡¯s better for my mental health to let go of the problem. When the manuscript was stolen, I was angry, but as time passed, I became moreposed.

    ¡°Alright, but what about the publishingpany? Will they be punished?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not enough to punish them for that alone. Although they only hired employees instead of adventurers, the safe¡¯s performance was excellent. Besides, no one expected it to be robbed in just one day, so we let them off. Instead, they were caught for tax evasion.¡±

    ¡°Tax evasion? Besides the manuscript, were there confidential ledgers in the safe as well? Maybe the boss was in shock and didn¡¯t think to take them out?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. As for what happens next, well, it¡¯s tough because Xenon¡¯s Biography is contracted with that publishingpany. Instead, they will be fined arge amount.¡±

    ¡°How much is the fine?¡±

    ¡°Tax evasion is usually subject to a 200% to 300% penalty depending on the amount, so it¡¯s going to be a lot. The minimum amount is probably one million gold.¡±

    ¡°Wow.¡±

    One million gold is a minimum of 100 billion won. The profits earned from Xenon¡¯s Biography are so high that even the tax evasion would be enormous. If I hadn¡¯t taken a break, they would have paid the fine with tears of blood, but unfortunately, I¡¯m on break now. It wouldn¡¯t be strange if the publisher went bankrupt the moment the fine was paid.

    Rina seemed to have a simr thought and spoke about the future of the publisher.

    ¡°But there¡¯s no chance of bankruptcy. Xenon¡¯s Biography is still selling steadily. And when you start serializing again in two years, you¡¯ll make a huge profit again.¡±

    ¡°You made a lot of money, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°To be honest, considering the poprity of Xenon¡¯s Biography, this is a small amount. If we investigated it now, it would be big enough to bribe uster.¡±

    Come to think of it, my parents said something to me beforeing to the academy. They said Xenon¡¯s Biography sold so well that they made a lot of money.

    At the time, I wasn¡¯t very interested in money and just passed it off, but now I am.

    <i>¡®Should I buy better manuscript paper in the future? Ask my parents to send me more living expenses.¡¯</i>

    A small and cute greed emerged.

    I nned to serialize in about two years, but during that time, I had to find things that would help me write, not just manuscript paper.

    Of course, I will continue to use the magic pen that my father gave me as a gift. Since it was a gift from my father that he bought using arge sum of money, it is the most precious treasure to me after my manuscript.

    I thought carefully and nced at Rina, who was still drinking her coffee with a dark expression.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ll have to ask Marie about thister.¡¯</i>

    What I want is a kind of ¡°eraser.¡± Every time I make a mistake in my manuscript, I have to rewrite it, which feels like a waste. So, I came up with an idea.

    If there are magic items like the magic pen, there might be items that can erase ink like an eraser. Even if there aren¡¯t, something simr to white-out would suffice.

    It seemed like a good idea to ask my parents or someone else during the vacation to see if an eraser existed.

    <i>¡®Come to think of it, the vacation is almost here.¡¯</i>

    It¡¯s already been more than four months since I entered the academy. Soon, all the assignments and exams will be over, and in reality, it¡¯s only a matter of enduring for about two more weeks until the vacation.

    Even though it¡¯s only one month of vacation, it will be like a sweet rest to me. I¡¯m looking forward to seeing my parents¡¯ faces after such a long time.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m also going to visit Marie¡¯s mansion¡­¡¯</i>

    The most anticipated and worrying thing among them is the visit to Marie¡¯s mansion. From her parents¡¯ perspective, their daughter who was raised like a precious gem brought in a man from outside the family. They might look at me with cold eyes.

    Although the Duke of Requilis is detached from authoritarianism, it¡¯s different for parents who raise their daughter. I can only hope they will look at me favorably.

    I looked at Rina while piecing together my summer vacation ns in my head. I didn¡¯t know what she was worrying about, but she didn¡¯t even open her mouth, lost in thought.

    ¡°Rina.¡±

    ¡°Uh, yeah?¡±

    Rina jumped in surprise at my call. As expected, even talking to me would make her feel burdened.

    I was a bit perplexed by the situation, but first, I decided to put Rina at ease. There was no need for the Imperial Princess to be so nervous, and most of all, it made me ufortable.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry so much. It¡¯s something we can¡¯t help.¡±

    ¡°That may be so¡­ but ugh¡­¡±

    Rina sighed with frustration and then revealed her inner thoughts to me.

    ¡°It hurts my pride. Our Imperial family even set up an investigation team, but we haven¡¯t found any clues¡­ It¡¯s definitely a deliberate theft. There¡¯s no way there wouldn¡¯t be any clues if it wasn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ if you think so, then it probably is. So what do you n to do if we find the culprit?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll get on my knees in front of you and apologize. Then I¡¯ll find the ringleader. If the target is the nation, then we¡¯ll handle it diplomatically¡­¡±

    As Rina was speaking, she paused and looked at me. When I raised my head and looked at her quizzically, she shook her head.

    ¡°¡­Never mind. Xenon¡¯s Biography is not yet under the empire¡¯s control, so it doesn¡¯t matter. Sorry. I¡¯ve been preupiedtely, so I guess I got carried away.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­what if I be subject to the empire?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    When I asked, Rina stared at me with wide eyes, looking extremely surprised.

    I let out a smallugh before answering. Just to rify, I don¡¯t have any intention of bing subject to the empire. It¡¯s just a hypothetical scenario as a writer.

    ¡°I mean it literally. I¡¯m curious about what would happen if I became subject to the empire. Not as myself, but as a writer.¡±

    ¡°Well, then of course we are wee! We can even give you a title if you want! We can!¡±

    Rina must have been really tired for the past month. If it were any other day, she would have noticed that I was just ying around. But today, she was so excited that she even shouted.

    Thankfully, the room we were in had good soundproofing, or else her voice would have echoed outside. It meant that my value was immense.

    looked at Rina¡¯s excited face with anticipation and smiled subtly.

    ¡°I told youst time that I¡¯m not interested in titles. It just makes me more tired for no reason.¡±

    ¡°So, what do you want then? Even if I have to ask Father, I¡¯ll give it to you as a gift.¡±

    ¡°No, there¡¯s no need for that.¡±

    I immediately declined.

    Even though I could speak with the princess without any hesitation, the emperor was an insurmountable wall. Even as the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography, I had to bow down before the emperor¡¯s words.

    Moreover, when Rina makes a request, there is a high possibility that even the emperor will be suspicious. I don¡¯t want to be called to the pce for no reason.

    I reached out to Rina as if telling her to calm down. She also seemed to calm down at my gesture, letting out a sigh and sitting back in her chair.

    ¡°¡­Sorry. I got excited again. Were you ufortable?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. If you were also ufortable, I¡¯ll apologize.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to apologize. I¡¯ve done wrong to you and your family, so I should overlook this much.¡±

    It¡¯s definitely morefortable to speak clearly once the words are out. I shrugged my shoulders and picked up my coffee cup.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    As Rina lifted her cup, she stared at my hand. She seemed to be looking at the pen hook on my index finger, judging from her focus on my hand.

    ¡°¡­Alright. Then that should work.¡±

    I wonder what kind of scheme she¡¯s cooking up again. Even though she spoke quietly, her tired voice rang clearly in my ears.

    As I listened to her murmuring, I narrowed one eye slightly. I debated whether to show that I had heard everything or pretend that I hadn¡¯t, but in the end, I decided to let it pass.

    But still, I haven¡¯t forgotten to firmly resolve myself.

    <i>¡®Just try doing something strange.¡¯</i>

    Now that I know how powerful my weapon is, I can pull it out whenever those at the top do something weird.

    Anyway, the theft case seemed to be over like this.

    ¡°Thank you all for your hard work. Although it¡¯s only a short month, I hope you have a pleasant break.¡±

    ¡°Wow!!¡±

    A sweet rest came after the storm.

    Trantors note:

    It looks like Rina is slowly redeeming herself.

 Chapter 76: Vacation (2)

    Vacation is the most valuable time for students. It¡¯s a suitable time to soothe the exhausted body and mind, or to n for the future, as they have been focusing only on the future for so long.

    Even if it is a very short period of one month, it is enough if well managed. One month may seem short at first nce, but if you adjust well, you can spend it meaningfully.

    During the vacation, I n to go to Marie¡¯s mansion and rx. Academy life was too busy, and there were some events that made me feel a little tired.

    Now my mind has somewhat recovered, and I could live a rtivelyfortable life. However, until I clearly realized my value, I spent my days in anxiety.

    ¡°Are you noting home, sister?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m nning toe back in the middle of the vacation and stay for about a week. I have to deal with father.¡±

    ¡°Why just a week? Just stay longer. I will be bored.¡±

    ¡°Well, this ce isn¡¯t bad. And if that¡¯s the case, then you could stay at your girlfriend¡¯s ce all the time, couldn¡¯t you? Plus, there¡¯s a lot to do at the academy. I¡¯m about to graduate and I have to look for a job too.¡±

    During the vacation period, it¡¯s not a big deal to stay at the academy dormitory instead of at home. Halo Academy is like a small city where you can even work part-time to make a living.

    Especially for those who have to travel a long way back and forth, most people tend to stay at the academy during the vacation period. Until the second year, there¡¯s not much choice since the vacation period is only a month.

    ¡°What about Adelia? Is Adelia also at the academy?¡±

    ¡°Probably. Adelia has a lot of money, and she probably doesn¡¯t need to go home. Come to think of it, I don¡¯t think she¡¯s ever gone home during the vacation period. Anyway, have a good vacation and don¡¯t cause any trouble at your girlfriend¡¯s ce, got it?¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    I finished talking with Nicole before starting my summer vacation. Before meeting her, I talked to my acquaintances, and it seemed like they had a lot to do during the vacation.

    First, Rina said she nned to pursue the culprit of the high-profile theft incident, while Cecily didn¡¯t say anything specific. She just smiled and said it was a secret.

    As she said it was a secret, I didn¡¯t ask any further, but her gaze seemed a little strange. Maybe I should exin that she¡¯s looking for opportunities little by little. It could be purely my imagination, but it seemed to have a deep connection with me.

    <i>¡®Well, it¡¯s not my concern anyway.¡¯</i>

    For your reference, I asked Leona as well what she would do during the vacation. And she confirmed that there was no one around and responded in her usual cynical voice.

    ¡°Nothing special. I¡¯ll be staying at the Academy. It¡¯s too much trouble to go back home, and living here is not bad either.¡±

    ¡°Oh really? What about money?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have to work part-time or something. It seems like a decent experience.¡±

    Seeing Leona working part-time, it was somewhat fitting and not fitting at the same time. When I looked at her with that expression, Leona rolled her eyes and opened her mouth in a blunt voice.

    ¡°Why? Does it look strange to you that I¡¯m doing part-time work?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m just curious about what kind of work you¡¯ll be doing.¡±

    ¡°You want toe and find out for yourself?¡±

    ¡°If possible.¡±

    It wouldn¡¯t be a bad experience to go to a ce where my acquaintance is working and have fun. Leona smirked at my answer and told me to do as I pleased, then waved her hand.

    ¡°Okay, enough talking. Aren¡¯t you supposed to meet your female right now?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Female? That sounds a bit strange, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Oh, sorry. I¡¯m not used to it yet.¡±

    It seems like it was really just a mistake as she touched her mouth while looking at me. Additionally, she even checked to see if I had caught on.

    I nced at Leona¡¯s face and shrugged my shoulders. It was understandable to make such a mistake in speech when our races were different. Leona herself was also apologizing.

    ¡°Anyway, have a good vacation. Don¡¯t get caught in a strange way like me.¡±

    ¡°Hey. It was really a mistake back then. If I hadn¡¯t let my guard down, I wouldn¡¯t have been caught by you.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Then I¡¯ll go. Goodbye.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Take care. Red penguin.¡±

    She still calls me a penguin.

    Leona waved her hand with a chuckle, whether I was staring at her or not. It was rare to see herughing like that while hiding her identity, especially when no one was around.

    <i>¡®That¡¯s it for the greetings¡­¡¯</i>

    Now it was time for me to enjoy my vacation. I headed to the meeting ce with a light step.

    Although it was just the entrance of the academy, my lovely girlfriend, Marie, would be waiting there.

    There was no behavior less attractive than making your lover wait, so my steps naturally quickened.

    And¡­

    ¡°Isaac!¡±

    As I approached the entrance of the academy, I heard a familiar voice in my ear.

    Turning my head towards the sound, I caught sight of Marie running towards me, her white hair fluttering. She was still wearing her school uniform, not casual clothes.

    Still, Marie couldn¡¯t hide her youthful charm. Unlike others, her charm seemed to increase as she wore her school uniform.

    I smiled brightly as Marie approached me and opened my arms wide. As I opened my arms, Marie naturally hugged me.

    ¡°U¡­why are you sote?¡±

    While feeling each other¡¯s warmth, Marie lifted her head and asked me. Her jewel-like blue eyes were full of affection for me.

    As I gently touched her cheek with my hand, I opened my mouth. There was no sign of my smile disappearing.

    ¡°Sorry. I waste because I was saying hello to other people. How long have you been waiting?¡±

    ¡°To be honest, I just got here too. I was talking to my brother, so I waste.¡±

    ¡°But why did you ask why I waste?¡±

    ¡°Every minute felt like an hour.¡±

    Although we started dating casually at first, it¡¯s not like that now. Just seeing her face is enough to make me happy, and there¡¯s no reason why I shouldn¡¯t like her.

    Above all, Marie is beautiful. Very beautiful.

    Even when I get angry, the anger in my heart melts away like snow when I see Marie¡¯s pretty face. It can be seen as a kind of healing.

    Marie¡¯s presence has been growingrger andrger for me. To the point where I don¡¯t care if people passing by stare or grumble.

    ¡°Shall we start heading out now?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Yes!¡±

    And so, my first vacation began with my cute girlfriend.

    *****

    Isaac and Marie had a happy time and officially started their vacation.

    However, Princess Cecily of Helium returned to Helium even though it had been less than an hour since the vacation began.

    Cecily is a demon who is unmatched in magic except for elves when ites to magic and is said to be the next demon king.

    Therefore, using teleportation, which ignores all constraints of space, was not a problem, and since she also remembered the exact coordinates of the royal city, she could arrive there faster than anyone else.

    However, since she cannot use magic inside the academy, she activated it from a slightly distant ce.

    ¡°I¡¯m here, Father.¡±

    ¡°Wee back.¡±

    As soon as Cecily returned to the royal city of Helium, she met the king of Helium, Descal. Descal, who had already heard the news that Cecily had returned, greeted her with a soft smile in response to her greeting.

    As a princess of a country, Cecily could have people brought with her, but she did not care about that aspect. She dislikes seeing people suffer because of her alone.

    Descal also knew Cecily¡¯s personality well, so he was not surprised by her sudden return. He had already expected it since Cecily had sent a letter saying she would be back soon.

    ¡°Well, did you enjoy your time at the academy? Were there any people bothering you?¡±

    But a father¡¯s heart is the same no matter where you go. Descal said to Cecily with a worried voice that betrayed his concern. Though now his gaze had softened, he used to be a demon persecuted and tormented just a few years ago. Therefore, as a father before being a king, he could not help but worry.

    Cecily smiled wryly and eased Descal¡¯s worries.

    ¡°I was really satisfied. I made a lot of good friends, and thanks to Xenon¡¯s Biography, there are only people who treat me as a human, not a demon.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fortunate.¡±

    ¡°Oh, of course, there were people who judged me based on my appearance and body.¡±

    ¡°Who were they?¡±

    Descal¡¯s expression turned grim, momentarily relieved but soon bing concerned again. As a father with only one daughter, this was a story that he could not possibly overlook.

    Moreover, if his daughter was considered more than just beautiful in other people¡¯s eyes, it was only natural that their gazes would turn toward her. In his heart, he wanted to find that person and tear him apart.

    Cecily chuckled and waved her hand. Even as time passed, her father was still the same.

    ¡°It¡¯s just a joke. A joke. Besides, there were not many people who looked at me that way since there were plenty of pretty people around.¡±

    Of course, there was only one person. Jackson, the son of a count, who always looked toward his chest every time they talked. But after the group project, Jackson started avoiding her. It was because she had the chance to beat him up multiple times during the group project.

    Moreover, there were hardly any people who approached her except for Jackson. Even if it is a beautiful flower, if it has thorns, people hesitate to pick it.

    ¡°¡­I understand. Still, don¡¯t y around like that. It¡¯s a story that I can¡¯t possibly ignore as a father.¡±

    ¡°Yes. I understand. I¡¯m sorry if I startled you.¡±

    ¡°Well, it seems like you¡¯re doing well in the Academy, so I¡¯m relieved. Nothing unusual is happening, right?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡±

    Something unusual was indeed happening. An event that couldn¡¯t be dismissed as nothing.

    Cecily thought of a boy with striking red hair and smiled. Just thinking about him made her smile and her heart race.

    Even though there was someone upying his side, it wasn¡¯t a problem. If she couldn¡¯t attack from the outside, she could slowly conquer from the inside.

    Exchanging letters was part of that conquest. There is no more effective way to open someone¡¯s heart than to show sincerity.

    Even if it takes a long time, Cecily doesn¡¯t mind. She is a demon, one of the long-lived races, and her patience is very strong because she was raised with ¡°restraint¡± from an early age.

    <i>¡®Someday, my chance wille.¡¯</i>

    Nothing in this world is eternal. This applies to rtionships between men and women as well, and it is natural for something that was burning brightly to gradually fade away like a zing firewood.

    Cecily opened her mouth, hoping for that moment toe someday. The image of the boy with red hair was still ying in her mind.

    ¡°There wasn¡¯t anything special. Honestly, the Academy life itself isn¡¯t anything special to me, you know?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, I see.¡±

    ¡°By the way, Dad. Is the investigation going well?¡±

    Cecily quickly changed the subject. If Descal seemed even slightly suspicious, he might start to suspect Isaac.

    If he started to suspect Isaac, then naturally his gaze would turn to him, and who knows what he might do. Cecily wanted to prevent that from happening at all costs.

    Fortunately, Descal didn¡¯t seem to catch on to her concern. After hearing Cecily¡¯s question, he rubbed his chin and answered quietly.

    ¡°If it¡¯s about the stolen manuscript, then it¡¯s progressing well. The Minerva Empire sent a letter, so we should receive a response soon.¡±

    ¡°I see. Who do you think stole the manuscript, Dad?¡±

    ¡°ording to the Empire¡¯s investigation, no clues havee up and they¡¯re in distress. However, I think this is a clue. If the Empire couldn¡¯t find any clues, there¡¯s only one exnation left.¡±

    Then, in a serious voice, Descal guessed the suspect.

    ¡°An elf. And a dark elf highly specialized in hiding in the darkness.¡±

    ¡°Why do you think so?¡±

    ¡°As I said earlier, there are no clues. If the culprit had thought even a little deeper, he would have left a few clues. I think the fact that there are no clues actually points to the dark elf side.¡±

    Descal took theck of any clues despite the empire¡¯s investigation as a clue. Cecily nodded her head in agreement after hearing his words.

    There had been little contact between the demons and the dark elves so far. However, contact had been made today.

    The high-profile theft case was enough to provoke not only human anger but also that of the demons. Xenon¡¯s Biography was a treasure that fulfilled the desires of the demons, in other words, it was no different from a ¡®relic¡¯.

    From the demons¡¯ perspective, they had no choice but to find the draft and return it to their master, as it was a kind of ¡®mission¡¯. In fact, the Helium-based assassination group, the ¡®Reapers,¡¯ had begun to move.

    <i>¡®We will definitely return it. Don¡¯t worry, benefactor.¡¯</i>

    Cecily imagined Isaac, who had received the draft back, sincerely happy and grateful to her, a cute and lovely boy.

    Even though it was just an imagination, she was so happy that she felt like she was going to float.

    ¡°Haah¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    Descal, who had no idea about Cecily¡¯s inner thoughts, couldn¡¯t help but feel curious.

    Trantors note:

    Why does red penguin suit him so much ahahaha

 Chapter 77: Requilis (1)

    The rank of a duke holds power second only to the emperor or king, with a vast territoryparable to the capital, immense wealth, and a powerful military force.

    Moreover, dukes are typically closely rted to the royal family by blood. As a result, if the king were to die early, the duke might serve as a regent until the next sessor is mature enough to assume the throne, or even sit directly on the throne.

    However, both situations can lead to turmoil in the country. In thetter case, it implies a coup d¡¯¨¦tat, while in the former case, a young sessor may be ced under the duke¡¯s influence and used as a puppet.

    Therefore, many media portray people holding the rank of duke as the king¡¯s cronies. However, this is only partially true. If a king hasmon sense, would he let the duke umte arge army and immense wealth unchecked?

    Even if the duke manages to amass power somehow, he would undoubtedly face constraints from the surrounding forces.

    This was the case for the founding duke of the Minerva Empire, the Requilis Duke. The Requilis family possessed vast territory, immense wealth, and a strong military force at the time of the empire¡¯s establishment.

    However, as time passed, the pressure from the surrounding forces grew stronger, and the Requilis family relinquished some of their territory and military power to the emperor.

    At the time, it was a surprising decision, but it turned out to be the right one. The forces that were constraining the duke lost their power and eventually disintegrated. Moreover, the imperial family gained a considerable advantage as the powerful Requilis family became their ally.

    To put it simply, the Requilis Duke was appointed as the prime minister who assists the emperor. When the emperor gave a specificmand, the Requilis Duke was responsible for managing all the practical matters. It was a win-win strategy where both parties benefited. The emperor could strengthen his power, and the Requilis family could maintain their authority, even if theycked military strength.

    ¡°So our mansion is in the capital. And I have to visit the pce frequently because of work.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Inside the carriage heading towards the Requilis family mansion.

    I was listening to the history of the Requilis family from Marie, who was sitting across from me. As someone well-versed in history, I already knew the facts, but I listened quietly.

    It¡¯s inevitable that one would feel proud and boast about their own family when their girlfriend is exining about her family.

    Anyway, as exined above, the Requilis family owns only arge mansion in the capital and has no territory. Most of the marquises are usually in charge of fieldmanders and stationed in border areas. Due to this strange structure, most of the powerful nobles in the center are counts.

    Of course, it doesn¡¯t mean that the Requilis family is powerless. They have a symbiotic rtionship with the imperial family, so the stronger the emperor¡¯s power, the stronger the duke¡¯s power bes naturally.

    Moreover, the Requilis duke has an overwhelmingly good reputation among the empire¡¯s citizens. If the Requilis family is threatened and endangered, there is a high possibility that the empire¡¯s citizens will step forward first.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s amazing that the two can conspire together andmit despotism without any hesitation.¡¯</i>

    Although old-timers tend to rot away, there haven¡¯t been any signs of such a thing happening yet.

    From this, one can roughly predict that both ces prioritize character education.

    Especially, the Requilis family is more inclined to value character, and as I mentioned before, they mercilessly exile any scoundrels whoe out.

    And even though Leort and Rina, the siblings, might have pressured me, I have to say they treated me in a gentlemanly (?) manner. If they had been hot-headed, they would have dismissed my opinion lightly and forced me to kneel down.

    Thanks to that, the Minerva Empire had not seen a single rebellion in over 500 years. This is in contrast to the Ters Kingdom, which is both an eternal rival and a cultural powerhouse, where not just a rebellion, but a revolution urred.

    Of course, it should be noted that if the nobility of the Minerva Empire was mild, the nobility of the Ters Kingdom before the revolution was beyond spicy. Again, the Ters Kingdom did not experience a rebellion, but a ¡°revolution.¡±

    Fortunately, after the revolution, a simr governance system to the constitutional monarchy was adopted, but there are still some discordant notes.

    ¡°Oh, Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Do you happen to have any ns to stay overnight at our mansion?¡±

    Marie¡¯s question entered my ears while I was thinking about the history of the Minerva Empire in my head. I snapped out of my reverie and faced her.

    Her blue eyes, filled with anticipation, were staring straight at me. Given her smile, she seems to want me to stay overnight at the mansion.

    But today, I only nned to visit by car. Staying at Marie¡¯s mansion was not part of my n.

    ¡°No, I just nned to visit today. I¡¯ve already told my family.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­I see. That¡¯s too bad.¡±

    Marie¡¯s expression showed that she was genuinely regretful. However, based on her immediate reaction of giving up, it seemed like she knew I would decline her proposal.

    In response, I chuckled softly as if unable to contain myself. Staying overnight at a woman¡¯s home is only allowed between engaged couples or spouses.

    Although I am Marie¡¯s boyfriend, staying overnight without being officially engaged would undoubtedly draw attention and her parents would think of me as rude.

    <i>¡®Speaking of engagement¡­¡¯</i>

    The average marriageable age in this world is typically in the early 20s. Although it may seem like the Middle Ages and one may think of teenage marriages, the nobles tend to bete as they are obligated to graduate from an academy beforehand.

    Of course, there are cases of engagement before that time. Especially for nobles like Marie, all sorts of marriage proposals must have been exchanged since their early teens.

    I asked Marie a question that might be considered improper if it were someone else, but since it was her, I could ask.

    ¡°Marie, I¡¯m just curious, but have there ever been any discussions of marriage for you in the past?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°Just curious.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ there were quite a few. Since Ie from a duke¡¯s family, I¡¯ve met a few people. One of them was Lord Leort.¡±

    ¡°¡­Really?¡±

    I had anticipated it, but there was nothing I could do about the bitter taste in my mouth. Considering Marie¡¯s background, it was a natural phenomenon.

    Seeing my bitter expression, Marie added an exnation in a slightly anxious voice.

    ¡°Of course, I declined all of them. There were hardly any people contacting me now, and Lord Leort only made connections and then ended it.¡±

    ¡°You declined all of them? Why?¡±

    ¡°Should I say that appearances can be deceiving? There were many people who saw me as a political tool. You may not know, but I can instinctively understand a person¡¯s psyche.¡±

    Was it a kind of shrewdness? In my past life, there were people who were particrly good at reading people¡¯s psyche, and Marie seemed to be a member of the same group.

    While I was thinking about that, Marie smiled slyly and said to me, with a cute affectation thrown in as a bonus.

    ¡°This is also why I like you. You¡¯re not good at pretending or lying, are you? I really like that honesty in you.¡±

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m not good at lying either?¡±

    ¡°Even if you try, it¡¯s all written on your face. Anyway, speaking of which, what about Isaac¡­¡±

    ¡°Miss, we have arrived at our destination.¡±

    Before Marie could finish her question, the driver announced that we had arrived at the mansion.

    Marie turned to look at the driver and then back at me.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask youter. Let¡¯s get off for now.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Kkiik-

    I opened the door first and Marie, who was inside, reached out her hand as if it were natural. I smiled and took her hand, leading her down gently.

    As soon as Marie got off, she pulled my hand with force. She grabbed my hand firmly as if to say there was no way I could let go.

    ¡°Where are you trying to sneak away to? If you¡¯re going to be an escort, you have to see it through to the end.¡±

    ¡°Haha.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help butugh at her cute joke. Iughed uncontrobly and looked at the mansion, our destination.

    ¡°Wow¡­¡±

    As soon as I saw the grandeur emanating from the mansion, I couldn¡¯t help but exim in admiration.

    The gate that soared high into the sky was so tall that I had to tilt my head all the way back to see the end, and thendscape that unfolded behind it was no less impressive.

    The beautiful gardens that spread out on both sides of the road that led from the gate to the mansion. At the end of the road, there stood a grand mansion that seemed to have been designed with great care by architects.

    Should I say it exuded a grandeur and majesty that was ahead of its time? Our family¡¯s mansion was also quiterge, but Marie¡¯s mansion boasted a vast size that ignored perspective.

    ¡°How about it? It¡¯s really impressive, isn¡¯t it? Our family may not have territory, but our mansion is reputed to be beautiful. We had a dwarf craftsman design it.¡±

    Marie bragged excitedly next to me. As I looked at the mansion located behind the gate, a question came to mind, so I asked her.

    ¡°How many people live here?¡±

    ¡°About 100 people, I think. There are five gardeners alone.¡±

    I was impressed once again. The size of the garden visible from behind the gate was enormous, and it looked evenrger inside.

    ¡°Well, have a good time.¡±

    ¡°Goodbye~¡±

    As the butler politely said farewell and left, Marie saw him off with a cheerful voice. I waited until the carriage disappeared while looking back at her.

    When the carriage was getting farther away, Marie looked at me and opened her mouth. There was a fresh smile on her face.

    ¡°Shall we go in now?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Of course, our hands were still affectionately held together. The point was that we held each other¡¯s hands tightly as if we would never let go.

    I moved my feet with a strong grip on her hand. Even a stranger would know at a nce that we were lovers.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    As we almost reached the gate, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder when I saw the two people standing in front of it.

    They were not wearing uniforms but heavy armor, and swords were hanging from their waists. Just by looking at their visible armaments, they were clearly more than just ordinary guards.

    As I mentioned before, the Requilis family returned all their territories and soldiers to the royal family. However, now there is a soldier heavily armed and standing in front of the gate with a solemn expression.

    ¡°Halt! Identify yourself¡­!¡±

    As the soldiers guarding the entrance noticed us, they shouted. The soldier, upon seeing Marie, widened his eyes in surprise and asked a question.

    ¡°Huh¡­? What? Lady Marie?¡±

    ¡°Oh, Mr. Lux. Long time no see.¡±

    Marie seemed to recognize the guard. They appeared to be acquaintances. The soldier that Marie called Lux suddenly realized something.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. I was told it¡¯s vacation time from today. The Duke asked you toe.¡±

    ¡°Yes. It seems that the Golden Eagle Knights are on duty this month?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. But who is this person next to you¡­?¡±

    The guard who was conversing politely with Marie shifted his gaze to me, and I was about to open my mouth in surprise when Marie, who was holding my hand, boldly replied.

    ¡°He¡¯s my boyfriend!¡±

    Marie not only held my hand but also linked arms with me and answered cheerfully. Although I was taken aback, Lux was also momentarily surprised but soon burst intoughter.

    ¡°Hehehe. Are you her boyfriend? Oh, I see. I didn¡¯t notice.¡±

    ¡°No. It could be hard to notice.¡±

    ¡°Okay then. Zeke, you can open the door now.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    When Lux gave the order to the soldier working with him, the soldier walked to the center of the gate and pressed something with his finger, as if he was pressing a button.

    Kiiing-

    Then the giant gate began to slowly open. Except for when the gate was opened, no sound was heard, indicating that it had been kept well-maintained.

    Finally, the gate was fully opened, and Lux weed us with a bow.

    ¡°Wee to the Requilis family. I hope you both have a pleasant time.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Please take care, Lux.¡±

    ¡°Th-thank you for your hard work.¡±

    While Marie greeted him warmly, I greeted him with a slightly awkward tone. Lux smiled at the two of us.

    ¡°You must be young.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    As we passed through the gate, Lux¡¯s words caught my attention. I felt a bit embarrassed for some reason, but didn¡¯t show it.

    The door, which had beenpletely open, closed as the soldiers on duty in front of it looked on. I looked up from them and took in the mansion, which had boasted an immense grandeur even from outside but was on a whole other level inside.

    It was not just a simple mansion but had a beauty and awe-inspiring quality nearly on par with a pce.

    Indeed, a duke is a duke. The exterior is so impressive that one cannot help but be struck dumb with admiration.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go inside. I¡¯ll show you around our mansionter.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Okay. But what about those people earlier? Didn¡¯t you say that dukes don¡¯t have soldiers?¡±

    ¡°There are no soldiers, so the pce sent a dispatch. It¡¯s a measure to maintain authority.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    With Marie¡¯s arm still linked with mine, we proceeded towards the mansion. The mansion was at the end of the road, so it was expected to take a long time to reach it.

    Step by step¡­

    During that time, we didn¡¯t exchange any words between us. The conversation was cut off, and a strange atmosphere gradually filled the air.

    Is it because of this? Marie leaned her head on my shoulder, and I, who had been looking around at first, didn¡¯t pause.

    Thump-

    However, as soon as Marie tightened her grip on my arm, I was drawn back to her. Although I didn¡¯t realize it earlier, the sensation of her soft, plump breasts pressed against my school uniform was transmitted through my arm.

    Even though I had experienced love in my past life, I was almostpletely defenseless in situations like this. To be more precise, my immunity had dropped to almost zero.

    Anyway, this situation was too stimting for me. Cecily was the same, and women¡¯s breasts were too effective at making men¡¯s hearts race.

    Moreover, at some point, our steps slowed down, and a strange atmosphere filled the air. If it were at night instead of during the day, this atmosphere would have been even more intense.

    Smoosh-

    I didn¡¯t know what to say, so I first pressed my cheek against Marie¡¯s head. I¡¯m on the shorter side, but I can do this much.

    ¡°Un¡­¡±

    Marie also made a happy sound as I gently pressed my face against hers. We rested our heads against each other for a while, as if sharing our thoughts.

    ¡°¡­Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s something I wanted to ask you earlier¡­ Can I ask?¡±

    ¡°Go ahead and ask.¡±

    When I gave my blunt permission, Marie lifted her head from my shoulder and looked straight at me. I also rxed my posture and faced her.

    Her cheeks, which were as white as snow, turned red like the sunset, and her clear blue eyes were filled with affection. They still linked arms, so their faces were even closer and they could see each other more clearly.

    When a smile naturally bloomed on Marie¡¯s beautiful and youthful face, she whispered a question to me.

    ¡°Isaac, did you ever have a marriage arranged for you in the past?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ as far as I know, no.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t a lie, it was true. Isaac¡¯s father had risen from amoner to noble, so his connections were somewhat limited, and his mother was someone his father had met during his knight days.

    Moreover, the concept of engagement arrangements was essentially close to arranged marriages. Even if his father had gained fame as the Red Lion in the past, it was during his knight days and his political power was unproven.

    Furthermore, our parents wanted a love marriage rather than an arranged one. Even if a marriage arrangement hade, it might have been resolved behind the scenes without Isaac knowing.

    ¡°Really? That¡¯s a relief.¡±

    Marie seemed to understand with her intuition that my answer was true, and her expression rxed.

    When I was still wondering, Marie suddenly jumped in.

    ¡°Then maybe I could be your first arranged engagement?¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    For a moment, I was stunned. It was difficult to recover from the sudden question.

    Perhaps knowing my mind, Marie giggled mischievously.

    A person usually feels embarrassment and their face turning red in real-time, which also makes them feel more ashamed.

    ¡°Why are you so flustered? It¡¯s not strange for us to have an engagement at our age, is it?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    Is this the medieval period?

    It was inevitable for me to feel very flustered since my past life memories were deeply ingrained. In a way, it¡¯s like talking about marriage with a high school student, so it¡¯s hard for me to ept it easily.

    The truth is, although I am dating a high school student, marriage is too fast. It was a discrepancy caused by the difference in time periods.

    ¡°Are you worried that our parents will reject it? Don¡¯t worry too much. My parents are not that stubborn. If my older brother, who will inherit the family, marries well, that¡¯s the end of it. They won¡¯t care.¡±

    Marie thought I was too embarrassed to speak for another reason andforted me gently. I wondered how to exin it and answered softly, taking a deep breath.

    ¡°¡­Still, it¡¯s embarrassing. Why did you suddenly bring up that topic?¡±

    ¡°Just because I like you and I think it might help you write a bookter on.¡±

    ¡°Book? Xenon¡¯s Biography?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. There are limits to imagination, you know? And experiencing something once is much more effective than hearing about it a hundred times. So¡­¡±

    Then, she linked her arms and leaned in close to my face, whispering in my ear.

    ¡°I can help you a little.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    A voice that was not inferior to Cecily¡¯s, with a tantalizing and mischievous tone, was enough to make a man¡¯s heart skip a beat.

    After hearing that voice, I could not help but cover my face with one hand. My face was so hot that my hand felt hot.

    Having personally experienced the spicy version of Marie¡¯s sweet and spicy taste, I felt like I was going crazy right away.

    <i>¡®¡­Fortunately, Xenon¡¯s Biography is rated for general audiences.¡¯</i>

    If I had written an erotic novel, I couldn¡¯t even imagine what kind of inquiries I would have received.

    ¡°Look at this. It¡¯s all over your face.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Stop it.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Is our Isaac angry? Should I give you a kiss?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Isaac began to get more and more irritated.

    Trantors note:

    The next few chapters are as hrious as you expect.

 Chapter 78: Requilis (2)

    At first, my head went numb from the spiciness I had never experienced before in Marie¡¯s version, but my steps towards the mansion did not stop.

    However, since Marie still had her arm around mine, the heat on my face didn¡¯t seem to subside. Even though I tried to act as casual as possible, Marie could see it all over my face, making it pointless to try and hide it.

    ¡°Poke, poke.¡±

    ¡°Stop it.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to. I¡¯m going to keep doing it.¡±

    Marie continued to yfully poke my face with her finger, even though I told her to stop. She justughed it off and ignored me.

    When I asked her why she was doing it, she said she was curious if red liquid woulde out. It was so absurd that I couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    In the end, I had to give up halfway. It wasn¡¯t really bothering me, and it was just Marie¡¯s way of showing affection, so I decided to just let it go.

    It didn¡¯t matter if someone happened to pass by and see us. If it was Marie, she would proudly announce to them that we were a couple.

    As her boyfriend, I was a little embarrassed, but I loved her confidence. Sometimes, I even felt like she was more masculine than me.

    And so, Marie was still ying around with me as we almost arrived at the mansion.

    ¡°Wee back to the family, Miss Marie. We sincerely wee your return.¡±

    Said an old man who had been waiting in front of the mansion and greeted us with proper manners. The old man who was wearing traditional butler¡¯s clothes, politely bowed his head .

    He had neatly pushed back his scruffy hair and tidied up mustache without a hint of disarray. Additionally, his solid build, which couldn¡¯t be hidden even under the butler¡¯s uniform, made his well-trained swordsmanship apparent. The traces of his training were clearly evident, making it impossible to approach him carelessly.

    ¡°Hello, Sebastian, it¡¯s been a while. Have you been well?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m always the same. But who is this gentleman with red hair next to you? I feel like I¡¯ve seen him somewhere before¡­¡±

    Sebastian straightened his previously hunched back and looked at me. I hadn¡¯t realized it when he was bowing, but he was quite tall when he straightened up.

    My father was 190cm tall, and the butler in front of us was simr in height. Despite his age, he stood up straight, indicating that he was undoubtedly skilled.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve heard that butlers in fantasy worlds are strong¡­¡¯</i>

    Without flinching from Sebastian¡¯s sharp gaze, I replied.

    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Isaac Ducker Michelle of the Michelle family.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, as expected of the Michelle family. No wonder the red hair looked familiar.¡±

    Sebastian said, indicating that he was aware of my father¡¯s reputation. Of course, I had no intention of mentioning it.

    ¡°Anyway, wee to the Requilis family mansion. There seems to be no need to ask about your rtionship.¡±

    Sebastian spoke gently but firmly. After all, if they were still holding hands like that, it would be weird not to notice.

    I chuckled bitterly and leaned my shoulder against Marie, whoughed even harder, as if showing off our rtionship. Sebastian smiled contentedly as he watched our sweet rtionship.

    ¡°Sebastian, is anyone inside now?¡±

    ¡°Both of them are inside. I heard that the master finished everything in a day, especially after hearing the news that the youngdy wasing back.¡±

    I could already smell the scent of a doting father. Honestly, it¡¯s normal for anyone to be a doting parent if they have a daughter like Marie. Of course, as her boyfriend, it¡¯s like a huge barrier has been erected, which won¡¯t be easy to cross.

    But Marie seemed unaware of my feelings and justughed.

    ¡°Dad is so hopeless. He can¡¯t keep his mouth shut.¡±

    ¡°For now, let¡¯s bring both of you inside. Young master will have to stay in the guest room for a while. Is that okay with you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine with it.¡±

    ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll take good care of you for the short time you¡¯re here.¡±

    When Sebastian reached out his hand towards the mansion, we followed him and began to walk. As we walked, Sebastian led the way and began to guide us.

    Finally, we reached the front of the mansion, and the main gate was no joke. The wooden gate was carved with an eagle, symbolizing the Requilis family, and exuded an imposing presence as if it could soar into the sky at any moment.

    It was evident that the dwarves had put a lot of effort into the design, as Marie had said.

    Squeak-

    While I was admiring the front gate, Sebastian opened the door for me and gestured with his hand to go inside. Just before entering, Marie finally let go of my arm, which she had held onto tightly, as if she would never let go. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder about it.

    ¡°At least we should show some courtesy at home. Don¡¯t you think so too?¡±

    Sebastian asked me with a doubtful look, and Marie replied with a pouty face. Although it was a valid point, it was a bit disappointing.

    I must have shown my disappointment on my face because Marie pinched my cheek slightly, asking me to be patient.

    ¡°Well then, let me take you to the guest room. Please follow me.¡±

    Sebastian said, taking advantage of the moment. I followed him, watching his sturdy back.

    The inside of the mansion was not as luxurious as the exterior, but it was still grand. The harmonious colors matched well with each other, and the interior structure was arranged only with what was necessary, making it easy on the eyes.

    Especially impressive was the ceiling, which Marie had previously told me was important to the Requilis family¡¯s history. The ceiling depicted a picture from the ¡°War of the Races¡± 500 years ago.

    It showed a picture of elves and beastmen in an alliance against humans, while dwarves were depicted as a supporting force for humans, holding weapons from afar.

    Even those who were not well-versed in history could understand the meaning of the painting at a nce, as it was depicted so well.

    <i>¡®Since the War of the Races ended and the Minerva Empire was born, it was only appropriate to paint it on the ceiling.¡¯</i>

    Anyway, I take it back that there¡¯s no splendor. Painting such a picture on the ceiling, which is simr to the ¡®sky,¡¯ means that it is considered important.

    ¡°The Minerva Empire was nothing more than an ordinary kingdom during the racial war. However, it was rebuilt into an empire based on the outstanding ability of the first emperor and the political power of Requilis. We safely went through the Cold War period after the racial war and now we can see the result.¡±

    When I was staring at the ceiling absentmindedly, Sebastian¡¯s gentle voice prated my ears. When I lowered my head, Sebastian was waiting with a gentle smile.

    I blinked my eyes and asked him, pointing to the ceiling.

    ¡°That¡¯s depicting the racial war, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a little disappointing that there are no demons. The demons also fought in two factions.¡±

    At the time of the racial war, the demons were divided into two categories and participated in each alliance.

    Those who hated humans and those who did not.

    However, even the appearance of the demons was not visible in the picture on the ceiling now. Although the demons could not contribute much due to discrimination at that time, they yed a significant role in some ways.

    Sebastian also opened his mouth with a slightly ufortable voice when I pointed out that part, which he seems to know well.

    ¡°¡­ I¡¯m sorry about that too. I heard that the artist who drew that picture suffered from the demons at some point. It is estimated that they did not include the demons because of that.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    ¡°However, since they are working on it again now, there is no need to worry.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    I was a bit puzzled since the Requilis family values history, but since they are working on it I just let it go. Marie and I followed Sebastian as he began to guide us again.

    As we walked down the long hallway towards the guest room, we noticed portraits hanging on the wall. Under each portrait was a brief description along with the year it was made.

    <i>¡®These must be the portraits of Rekyriss¡¯ previous heads, arranged chronologically.¡¯</i>

    asionally, we saw portraits of people with white hair like Marie¡¯s, so I was sure they were. Sebastian, who was guiding us, walked at a leisurely pace, matching my footsteps as I slowly observed each portrait.

    Marie, who was beside me, patiently waited until I was finished admiring each one. I thought she would have grown tired of looking at the portraits, but she was considerate and didn¡¯tin.

    ¡°¡­Hmm?¡±

    As I was walking and examining each portrait, I suddenly noticed a peculiar one. Thebel next to it, which was usually white, was ck.

    I became curious and looked at the description. Soon, I understood.

    [The worst viin in the history of the Requilis family.]

    [Assassinated his brothers to inherit the duchy.]

    [Recruited soldiers for the revival of the Minerva Empire and formed alliances with neighboring nobles.]

    [Also known for his promiscuous lifestyle and mistreatment of his employees.]

    [All illegitimate children born as a result of this were expelled.]

    It is not always the case that a tiger gives birth to a tiger, even if it is a family like the Requilis, which produces outstanding talents with excellent character. There are always viins in the world.

    Judging by the fact that they made it so noticeable, it is spected that they want him to be a teacher who teaches the opposite. After all, people often gain greater enlightenment from the most unpleasant experiences in their lives.

    ¡°Hazel Hausen Requilis. He had excellent abilities but used them in a bad way and had a bad character. Fortunately, his son became the opposite and the Requilis family was not in danger.¡±

    Sebastian exined as I closely observed the portrait.

    I rubbed my chin and looked at the portrait before asking him a question.

    ¡°If he made a pact with the surrounding nobles, wouldn¡¯t it have been a sign of rebellion? The Requilis family must have been close to the royal family¡­¡±

    ¡°Fortunately, the next duke stopped him before the royal family noticed. Of course, Hazel Duke was dethroned, and his son seeded him. That person is Indis Hausen Requilis and is the great-grandfather of the current Duke.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    As expected, it was interesting. Nothing interests me more than history.

    I wanted to explore more, but it wouldn¡¯t be polite to dy any longer. I stepped away. I can learn about history gradually at ater time.

    ¡°You seem to enjoy history, Young master.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s interesting.¡±

    ¡°Hehehe. You suit the Requilis family very well.¡±

    Sebastian spoke these words while ncing at Marie. Marie seemed to have caught the meaning in his gaze, as she blushed and lowered her head slightly, unlike her usual confident self. Her shy behavior was incredibly cute, and I almost identally reached out to hold her hand.

    ¡°This is the guest room. We will soon bring some light refreshments. May I ask if you n on staying for the night?¡±

    ¡°No, no. I just came for a visit. I¡¯ll be leaving soon.¡±

    ¡°I understand. Please wait here for a moment. Oh, there are some books over there, feel free to read them if you¡¯re bored.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Please enjoy your time here.¡±

    Kiik-

    As Sebastian personally opened the door for me, I gave him a slight bow and walked inside. Before entering, I didn¡¯t forget to meet Marie¡¯s gaze.

    It seemed like she didn¡¯t want to be separated from me, even if it was only for a short time, and her face showed a pouty expression. I gave her a faint smile and whispered with my lips.

    ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you.¡±

    As soon as she understood what I meant, Marie smiled brightly. Then I waved my hand, and she waved hers in return.

    Thunk-

    When Sebastian closed the door, the stillness settled in the guest room. Even though I was alone, the atmosphere became quiet in an instant, and my mood became strange.

    Sebastian had said that he would bring a simple snackter, so it would be best to sit and wait. I turned my back and looked at the scenery of the guest room.

    ¡°¡­ Huh.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t even muster up admiration anymore. Despite being called a guest room, it was almost the size of a small house.

    Is this what the interior of a true chaebol house looks like? There was a long table for receiving guests in the center, and there was even a terrace outside.

    Above all, the most noticeable thing was the bookshelves located in the most remote corner. They were arranged neatly as if it were a study, despite being a guest room.

    I put everything else aside and walked towards the bookshelf. I wondered what kind of books were on the shelf, and hoped there were books I haven¡¯t read yet.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ I¡¯ve read this, and this, and this too.¡±

    What? I¡¯ve read them all.

    Although there were many historical books rted to the Requilis family, it was filled with books that I had already read at home, whether they were history books or not.

    It seemed that they had selected popr books for guests. I tried to turn my foot away from the bookshelf with regret.

    [Xenon¡¯s Biography]

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    In an empty bookshelf, as if it had just been installed, only my books were lying there, neatly arranged from volume one to thetest volume ten. Xenon¡¯s Biography was even in the guest room of a duke. I felt like I was back in high school, browsing through the fantasy novels at the school library.

    <i>¡®But didn¡¯t they say that you can only buy one volume of Xenon¡¯s Biography per person?¡¯</i>

    I wondered to myself as I took the first volume of Xenon¡¯s Biography from the bookshelf. It was well maintained with no dust on it, and the book cover was clean. I couldn¡¯t even feel the book¡¯s usual dampness or stickiness. It must have been recently purchased or thoroughly managed, even the humidity.

    Shuffling through the pages, I turned over the book cover and found that the paper had slightly discolored, but considering the release date of the first volume, it was actually well maintained.

    <i>¡®I should put this back and look for other books.¡¯</i>

    As it was my own book, I wasn¡¯t particrly interested. I ced Xenon¡¯s Biography back on the bookshelf and checked to see if there were any other books.

    ¡°Oh? I haven¡¯t seen this one before.¡±

    There was one book under the bookshelf that I hadn¡¯t noticed before. I eagerly took the book out, and it turned out to be a book rted to history, and to my luck, it was an investigative book about theplex ¡°war of races.¡±

    I happily walked towards the table and sat on the guest sofa. It seemed like a good idea to spend my time delving into this book until Marie returned.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s gone wrong.¡¯</i>

    I flipped through the pages with an excited heart. Even though it was a book that was stuck at the bottom, I could see traces of careful management here and there.

    Then I focused my attention and started to get absorbed in the knowledge that the book was conveying. Since it was a new book, I was able to enjoy it even more.

    <i>¡®This person is looking at the fundamental cause of the racial war from a different perspective. This is also interesting.¡¯</i>

    A book is originally a source of human knowledge, but of course, since people have different thoughts, the knowledge conveyed in books could be different as well.

    Many people think that the reason for the racial war was due to ideological differences between elves and humans, but this book is different. It argues that humans caused a maniptive incident in order to challenge the elves.

    In reality, for arge-scale war like a racial war to ur, a ¡°cause¡± is absolutely necessary. Without a justifiable cause, the country that deres war on neighboring countries would inevitably face condemnation, and in the worst case, it could be like Nazi Germany during World War II.

    Of course, the citizens could also oppose the war, but the Nazis brainwashed their own citizens and made them turn a blind eye. At that time, the Inte was not widely avable, so it would have been even easier to brainwash them.

    <i>¡®Come to think of it, what were humans thinking when they fought during the racial war? I¡¯m curious.¡¯</i>

    When I slowly look back at history, I be curious about the thoughts of people from that time. Even if I can understand the person, I can never empathize with them unless I see and experience it myself.

    I continued to focus on the story in the book without minding the asional movement of someone passing by in front of me.

    Once I immerse myself, therees a moment when my extreme concentration takes over, a unique characteristic of mine.

    ¡°¡­Hmm.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Ahem!¡±

    Suddenly, the sound of someone clearing their throat interrupted my focus. At the same time, my strong concentration shattered, and I was pulled out of the sea of knowledge.

    It wasn¡¯t just the annoyance of losing my concentration that hit me, but also the realization that I wasn¡¯t in my own house, but in the Requilis Mansion. I quickly lifted my head and looked at the person who had cleared their throat.

    The first thing that caught my eye was his white hair, which had a hint of blue. It was not like Sebastian¡¯s graying hair, but naturally pure white. His face was also a unique impression, where severity and softness coexisted. The blue eyes, with a touch of gentleness, made me feel a sense of mercy.

    He was dressed in a simple but dignified white suit. I blinked my eyes, staring at the man who appeared before me without warning.

    As our eyes met, the man opened his mouth with a gentle yet firm voice.

    ¡°Young friend, are you interested in history?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    As soon as he spoke, I frantically looked around him, hoping for an escape. But as fate would have it, Sebastian and Marie were standing next to him.

    I did not notice the time passing and focused on the book,pletely unaware that they had returned.

    ¡®¡­I¡¯m in trouble.¡¯

    I¡¯m going to be marked as a man who¡¯s ignored my girlfriend¡¯s father.

    Trantors note:

    Pure. Gold.

 Chapter 79: Requilis (3)

    It is a fact that everyone knows, but once I focus, it¡¯s hard for me to get out of it on my own. My parents used to say that I was so good at concentrating that I could stay focused even if there was an explosion next to me.

    However, it¡¯s not always an advantage, and depending on the situation, it can also be a disadvantage. For example, there have been times when I was so immersed in something that I didn¡¯t even realize it was time to eat, and I ended up skipping meals. If someone saw me doing that, they might think I was being rude.

    So, unless I¡¯m alone, I rarely get the chance to fully concentrate. Even when I read in the guest room, I expected Sebastian to call meter.

    ¡°Young friend, you seem to be interested in history?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I usually read Xenon¡¯s Biography, so it¡¯s amazing.¡±

    And now, my excellent concentration has be a disadvantage. In the worst possible situation.

    I exchanged nces with a middle-aged man who smiled at me with a knowing look. He had a gentle yet sharp impression and even his white hair had a blue tint.

    If you had to depict the image of a ¡°gentleman,¡± he would probably not hesitate to use the man in front of him as an example. His suit fit him perfectly, and his appearance was very clean-cut.

    <i>¡®¡­Huh?¡¯</i>

    For a moment, I took my gaze away from the man who might have been praising or indirectly criticizing me and looked to my left and right. I saw Sebastian standing upright with a neat posture, and Marie making a somewhat pathetic expression. Only then did I realize the situation btedly, and I couldn¡¯t help but be flustered.

    The owner of the household and Marie¡¯s father, the Duke of Requilis, came to find me personally while resting in the guest room.

    <i>¡®What, what is it? Why leave the drawing room ande here yourself?¡¯</i>

    Sebastian brought me not to the drawing room but to the guest room. It was a space prepared by the homeowner for the guests to restfortably, a kind of lounge with various amusements.

    If the owner of the mansion wanted to see a guest, they should invite them to the reception room through a servant. I knew that and was able to concentrate on my book without worry.

    But the Duke of Requilis did not do that. For some reason, he did not invite me to the reception room but came himself. Of course, it wasn¡¯t impolite for the owner toe to the guest room himself. If they couldn¡¯t uphold the formality due to circumstances, it wasn¡¯t umon for them toe directly like this.

    However, it was my mistake not to have known that the Duke of Requilis was going to do that. It was a situation where my unique concentration turned into a weakness.

    ¡°If I disturbed you while you were concentrating on reading, then I apologize.¡±

    While I was sorting through my thoughts one by one like tangled threads, the Duke of Requilis opened his mouth with a monotonous voice.

    While he might have spoken casually and idly, the resonance of his voice was quite substantial, perhaps due to the reverberating acoustics of the room. Thanks to that, the tangled mess of thoughts that had been twisted and knotted in my head, like a ball of yarn, became clear and orderly. With my thoughts cleared up, I was able to perceive the current situation more urately.

    ¡°¡­Ah!¡±

    I thawed my frozen body and quickly stood up from my seat. I couldn¡¯t afford to make the same mistake twice, especially after already being rude once.

    As I stood up, I realized that his height was simr to that of Sebastian. I had wondered where Marie got her height from, but it seemed to be gic. Putting aside such pointless thoughts, I stuttered an apology to him.

    ¡°Oh, no. It¡¯s my fault for not noticing even though the Duke has arrived.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll take that as an apology. It¡¯s quite impressive that a young friend like you has such concentration.¡±

    It might have sounded like apliment to others, but it sounded like an insult to my ears. He called me an arrogant brat who only focuses on his own affairs even though the head of the family has arrived. It was truly a dizzying moment.

    First impressions oftenst, but I had already messed up my first impression. I chastised myself inwardly and apologized once again.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It was my fault.¡±

    ¡°Hahaha. You don¡¯t have to be so apologetic. I wasn¡¯t teasing you, it was apliment.¡±

    The Duke of Requilisughed heartily and then offered his hand to me, which was covered with white gloves. Just as my eyes were drawn to his gloved hand, the Duke of Requilis finally spoke again, his tone softer than before.

    ¡°Nice to meet you. You probably already know, but I am Dimitry Hausen Requilis, the Duke of Requilis and the owner of this estate. I am also Marie¡¯s father. Wee to our mansion.¡±

    ¡°Nice to meet you too. My name is Isaac Ducker Michelle, the second son of the Michelle family.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, the Michelle family¡­¡±

    As I politely shook hands and introduced myself, the Duke of Requilis, Dimitry, looked at me closely. With my rare red hair, he may have been reminded of my father, Hawk.

    ¡°Is your father¡¯s name Hawk by any chance?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡±

    ¡°How interesting.¡±

    I wasn¡¯t sure what was so interesting, but Dimitry chuckled while giving my hand a firm grip, possibly trying to exert subtle pressure.

    As I suppressed a smile inwardly, Dimitry released his grip and we let go of each other¡¯s hands. As I shook my hand and repeatedly clenched it, I realized that my basic grip strength was nothing to scoff at, despite being a liberal arts major like him. Although adults are generally stronger, it still hurt a little.

    ¡°You may wonder why I came to the guest room in person. Actually, my wife is using the reception room right now, and the other room is under renovation, so it is not avable for use.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see.¡±

    ¡°For now, please take a seat. It seems like you haven¡¯t touched any snacks while engrossed in reading.¡±

    Indeed, there were various snacks ced on the table in front of me, ranging from square-shaped biscuits to tea that still had steam rising from it.

    It seemed like a maid had brieflye in while I was focused on reading. I let out another awkwardugh and tensed up inwardly.

    Every word that Dimitry spoke felt like a dagger piercing my heart. It was already nerve-wracking enough to meet my girlfriend¡¯s father, let alone this.

    ¡°Sebastian, please wait outside until I call you. And Marie, sit next to me.¡±

    ¡°Understood. Please call me if you need anything.¡±

    Following Dimitry¡¯s orders, Sebastian bowed and left the room, while Marie silently moved to sit next to me.

    ncing at her, I noticed that she had a sour expression on her face, probably because of my earlier behavior.

    I started to feel guilty and just kept ncing at her discreetly.

    ¡°Let me ask you something first. What is your rtionship with my daughter?¡±

    ¡­A difficult question came out of nowhere, catching me off guard. I tightly clenched my fist on my knee.

    I had already anticipated this much from Dimitry, who had always been a doting father to his daughter. However, when faced with the question, I couldn¡¯t easily open my mouth.

    ¡°Dad, I told you not to ask such questions. You already heard everything from the butler.¡±

    When I couldn¡¯t speak, Marie next to me threw a fit. As I looked at her, she had one cheek puffed up and her arms crossed.

    Dimitri chuckled at his daughter¡¯s scolding, which was full ofints, and held out his hand first to apologize.

    ¡°Hahaha. I¡¯m sorry about that. I never meant to hurt you. As my daughter said, I¡¯ve already talked to the butler about it.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­then¡­¡±

    ¡°As I said before, there¡¯s no need to be too nervous about me being a duke. As you know, Requilis dukes are quite different from authoritarian ones. So, you can date my daughter¡­¡±

    Dimitri spoke softly and continued his story, then he stopped talking and narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°¡­It won¡¯t work. I¡¯ve thought about it, but I can¡¯t ept it.¡±

    ¡°Dad!¡±

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s a joke, Marie.¡±

    It didn¡¯t sound like a joke at all. I just stood there with my waist straight, unable to say anything in the argument between father and daughter.

    <i>¡®It seems like he¡¯s trying to make the atmospherefortable in his own way¡­¡¯</i>

    If he were another noble, especially above the rank of a viscount, there would be a high probability of a huge reaction from the moment he found out that his daughter was dating a baron¡¯s son like me. But Dimitri didn¡¯t react that way.

    Instead, he was trying to lighten the mood by throwing jokes from time to time. Marie instinctively knew that he was joking, so she was reacting so fiercely.

    While it¡¯s nice to be considerate, it can be awkward to be in the position of receiving consideration. Even though he drew a clear line, I didn¡¯t know how to act. For now, it seems wise to only answer the questions asked by the duke. I felt sweat in my clenched fists as I waited for the next question.

    ¡°Do you n to stay overnight at our mansion?¡±

    ¡°No, we came here only to visit today.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, I see. But as far as I know, Michelle Territory takes over 10 hours by carriage from the capital. Are you sure it¡¯s okay? It¡¯s okay to stay overnight if necessary.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your kindness, but it¡¯s okay. We nned to leave before lunch.¡±

    ¡°I see. That¡¯s a shame.¡±

    A shame? Shouldn¡¯t we be grateful instead?

    I didn¡¯t quite understand why the duke, who had been giving off a vibe that he wouldn¡¯t tolerate anyone touching his daughter just a moment ago, had changed his attitude. Dimitri seemed to have read my expression and smiled wryly.

    ¡°There¡¯s no particr reason. It¡¯s just that my daughter hasn¡¯t invited many people to the mansiontely, especially not men.¡±

    ¡°Dad.¡±

    Now Marie¡¯s voice was faint. There was a subtle anger in her tone that made me flinch.

    Regardless, Dimitri shrugged nonchntly and quickly apologized.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, daughter. Was I too harsh? If you¡¯re angry, please forgive me.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say things like that in the future. How nervous do you think she was? Oh my. Look at this sweat.¡±

    Marie gently grabbed my hand that I had ced on her knee whileforting me, even though my hand was sweaty. As soon as she held it, I could see a slight twitch under Dimitry¡¯s eyes.

    I wondered if this was what they call jealousy. Awkwardly, I smiled while holding Marie¡¯s soft hand. It was practically a deration of our rtionship as lovers, which made everything difficult in many ways.

    ¡°Well, no one else can choose, but myself, so there shouldn¡¯t be any big problems. My dad will respect our choice.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°However, there¡¯s a condition.¡±

    The warm atmosphere dissipated in an instant as Dimitry¡¯s words implied that there was a condition. As soon as I heard his words while trying to rx, I tensed up again.

    Dimitry continued to look at our still-sped hands, then fixed his gaze on my face. His blue eyes, which seemed to be observing something interesting, were staring at me.

    While even Marie couldn¡¯t say anything in the rapidly changing atmosphere, Dimitry smiled mischievously and spoke quietly.

    However, even his quiet voice resonated loudly due to the echo.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen the letter that Marie sent me before. It turns out that you¡¯re the one who taught her history, which she used to hate. Am I correct?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a modest skill, but yes.¡±

    ¡°No need to be humble. In fact, I like it. The Requilis family values history more than anything else. History is a means of conversing with the past and peering into the future.¡±

    Honestly, I couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. The words that Dimitry spoke were exactly the same as a famous saying from my past life.

    This meant that the Requilis family prioritized history throughout generations. For the Requilis family, history was both a belief and a source of honor.

    ¡°Teaching others means you possess extensive knowledge. So, I won¡¯t ask who, when, where, or what happened. It¡¯s because this is the basics of basics. Instead, I¡¯ll ask you a different question.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°It seems like you¡¯ve been holding a pen for a long time, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    While saying this, Dimitry pointed to my hand with his chin. He seemed to have noticed the pen mark on my middle finger.

    As I habitually rubbed the pen mark on my middle finger, Dimitry spoke to me.

    ¡°Then, as someone who holds a pen, let me ask you a question. Historically, people who held pens put those who held swords under theirmand.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct. Conversely, if the sword bes stronger, it causes a coup d¡¯etat and leads to social chaos.¡±

    ¡°You know it exactly. Then, I¡¯ll ask you a question here.¡±

    Dimitry paused for a moment and looked at me with a sharp gaze as if he was scrutinizing me thoroughly. I stood tall and confident without flinching, even in the predator¡¯s gaze that wouldn¡¯t miss anything.

    If I back down here, I have a feeling that I won¡¯t be able to speak properly due to the overwhelming momentum. So, I couldn¡¯t retreat at all.

    Following the silence that was as still as a dead mouse, Dimitry, who had been watching me intently for a while, spoke quietly.

    ¡°If the person holding that pen can change not only the country but also the world, what would you do?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Would you just watch and do nothing, or would you stand up to stop it?¡±

    Without any hesitation, I answered his question.

    ¡°Neither of them would matter.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    There was one thing Dimitry didn¡¯t know.

    ¡°It¡¯s because it¡¯s a natural phenomenon.¡±

    I was a reincarnated person who was born and raised in a socially advanced civilization rather than in this world.

    ¡°History proves it.¡±

    Now it¡¯s time to get down to business.

    Trantors note:

    I wasn¡¯t at home for Easter so there were no chapters, sorry about that. I¡¯m back now.

 Chapter 80: Requilis (4)

    ¡°The pen is mightier than the sword¡± is a well-known proverb that epasses various meanings.

    Simrly, what Dimitry told me about ¡°the person who holds the pen¡± is also simr. It is a metaphorical expression that could mean a literary writer who writes works with a pen or a journalist who writes news articles with a pen.

    However, we need to think about Dimitry¡¯s position again. Dimitry is a duke who holds the second-highest position in the Minerva Empire, second only to the emperor, and is naturally rted to ¡°politics.¡±

    In other words, the person who holds the pen that Dimitry mentioned is likely to be a ¡°politician.¡± However, since a metaphorical expression was used, it could apply to anyone.

    Above all, I could roughly guess what Dimitry¡¯s intentions were when he asked the question. He was probably referring to Xenon¡¯s Biography, which gradually began to assimte into everyday life, having a huge impact on the cultural industry.

    The book, which caused a sensation and was discussed all over the world, is undoubtedly a target that must be wary of as a person who holds a pen.

    <i>¡®I guess I have no choice but to be careful.¡¯</i>

    If you want to feel the power of the pen, you don¡¯t have to go far. There is Hitler, a name that no human being on Earth can fail to know, who was the main viin of World War II.

    Hitler maximized the power of the pen, brainwashed all of Germany, and used it as he pleased, triggering World War II. One war engulfed all of Europe, and it helped awaken two giants, the United States and the Soviet Union,ter on.

    If such a tragedy could ur simply by one country alone, what if the influence extended to the entire world? Naturally, we must be cautious.

    Above all, this world is a fantasy world. Mana, magic, monsters, and even non-human races exist, and the social civilization is no more advanced than the Middle Ages.

    Even Earth, which is a few steps ahead in terms of society, has been marked by terrible history due to a single instigation, but here, the situation is likely to be worse. Moreover, Xenon¡¯s Biography has already put a sharp sword called ¡°demons¡± in its own possession.

    If I wanted to, as the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography, I could wreak havoc with a seasoned sword called ¡°demons.¡± Of course, I would never do such a thing, but that¡¯s only from my perspective.

    To others, like Dimitri, the story is different. Xenon¡¯s Biography is a time bomb that could go off at any moment, a potential threat that could lead to annihtion if mishandled.

    Furthermore, Dimitri belongs to the Requilis family, who boast a wide range of knowledge, especially when ites to history, as he ims to have conversed with the past and glimpsed into the future. He is aware of the power wielded by those who hold a pen and is cognizant of all these factors when he asked me the following question.

    ¡°It is a natural phenomenon? And is it something that history can prove?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡±

    ¡°Do you understand why I asked that question?¡±

    Rather than chastisement, Dimitri¡¯s inquiry brims with interest and anticipation, and I nodded my head silently in response.

    Even if one person has a global impact, in the grand scheme of things, they are merely a part of the flow of time, rather than a cause for rm. Hitler in a previous life had a massive influence on the world, and even after fifty years, his impact still lingered.

    There are simr histories in this world, such as the ¡°Race War¡± on the table in front of us, which is a war greater than the Second World War in my past life, and its influence is still present even five hundred yearster.

    ¡°The person who holds the pen, which the Duke mentioned, could be referring to various meanings. Literally, it could be a novelist, or it could be a politician. Both have something inmon, which is the ability to express their intentions strongly without resorting to direct or indirect violence.¡±

    ¡°I see that you know well.¡±

    ¡°And the pen that is currently changing the world¡­ With my limited knowledge, I can only think of Xenon¡¯s Biography. It¡¯s not at the level of leaving a mark in the cultural industry, but it is a novel that is recreating culture as we know it.¡±

    It¡¯s an evaluation that I¡¯m too embarrassed to say in my own words, but it¡¯s what the critics of the newspaper said. I¡¯m only borrowing their words.

    Even after listening to my exnation, Dimitri was still looking at me with a nk expression. I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s thinking because his face is almost emotionless, but it¡¯s probably best to continue my exnation.

    ¡°The influence of Xenon¡¯s Biography on the world is so powerful that those who hold a pen can never ignore it. It not only changed the perception of demons but also introduced a new concept of the Seven Deadly Sins, which redefined theology. Depending on the stories thate out in the future, Xenon¡¯s Biography will continue to change its target.¡±

    Last time, I wrote a story criticizing the nobility. Fortunately, since I wrote about not only their dark side but also their bright side, there was no big impact.

    ¡°Yes. Like this, Xenon¡¯s Biography is slowly changing the world. As the perception of demons changed, many countries weed them, and naturally, diplomatic benefits follow through exchanges.¡±

    ¡°And recently, the Princess of Helium has enrolled in the Halo Academy. Things that we couldn¡¯t even dream of just five years ago are bing a reality one by one.¡±

    Then, Dimitri slowly leaned forward and spoke in a solemn voice.

    ¡°I am also one of the readers who love Xenon¡¯s Biography, but I can boast that I know history better than anyone else. So, I can never ignore it.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you not know what kind of catastrophe would ur if the world were to change in an instant?¡±

    Dimitry pointed to the book about the racial war on the table and asked me. His words were in line with the fact that a sudden change in the world is chaos itself.

    It doesn¡¯t have to be arge-scale war like World War II. The greatest example is the ¡®Industrial Revolution,¡¯ which literally changed the world abruptly.

    ¡®Machines¡¯ appeared in earnest, ¡®time¡¯ increased, and at the same time, the world¡¯s poption exploded. However, on the contrary, ¡®imperialism¡¯ emerged and many countries were plundered and suffered significant losses.

    If the world changes rapidly like this, many people will shed blood, and the pen and sword will easily break without making a sound. Change is such a painful process.

    Duke Requilis predicts that the ongoing Xenon¡¯s Biography will also be simr.

    As a person who loves and understands history more than anyone else, he regards Xenon¡¯s Biography as a powerful weapon rather than just a culture.

    ¡°Changing the world doesn¡¯t just mean pursuing progress. It¡¯s likely to have a significant impact on society, whether good or bad. In the past, there was no concept of a king, a noble, and amoner. At first, we imitated the elves and had only councilors and vassals, and finally, only the people who rooted us remained.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°However, as time passed, the racial war broke out and it began to take its current form. We have kings, nobles, andmoners as three sses of people. But even this has many problems. The conflict between nobles andmoners is deepening, and even the Jayros Revolution urred in the Ters Kingdom. Furthermore, recently, when the Xenon Chronicles went on hiatus, a protest group was even formed. Do you really think all of this is a natural urrence and has no significant meaning?¡±

    Without any hesitation, I replied.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡±

    ¡°Well then, if the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography makes a mistake in the book and a terrible tragedy urs, will you still attribute it as a natural event? I think it¡¯s too optimistic, but what about you?¡±

    I felt as if Dimitry was warning me directly for some reason. IfI make a mistake in the book, he¡¯ll take care of me himself.

    However, despite his concerns and worries, I am writing Xenon¡¯s Biography purely as a hobby. I can guarantee that I will never change the world or anything like that.

    However, as Xenon¡¯s Biography is already changing the world, there is no denying that I must take ¡®responsibility.¡¯ Dimitry reminded me of that once again.

    <i>¡®Does he vaguely realize that I am the author?¡¯ </i>

    I decided it would be best not to think about it and gave my answer while looking at Dimitry¡¯s serious face.

    ¡°It¡¯s not just optimism, it¡¯s something that has happened historically several times before. When society changes, ¡®people¡¯ naturally change as well. Of course, there will be a lot of noise at first. We must fully ept knowledge that we could not ept asmon sense, and it is no different from exploring the unknown. People fear change, but ironically, they must face it to evolve as intellectual beings.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you, as a Duke who loves history, know very well how humans fought against the elves during the racial war and how the Minerva Empire was established through what process. At that time, it may have been a revolutionary change for people of the era, but it is strictly a thing of the ¡®past¡¯ for us who live in the ¡®present,¡¯ and we naturally ept it.¡±

    The reason I became interested in history is simple. It¡¯s because I was born in South Korea.

    To be more precise, as everyone knows, just 50 years ago, South Korea experienced a tragedy called the Korean War. Shortly after celebrating independence, everything copsed like a sandcastle due to the greed of one person, causing terrible human casualties.

    But now? South Korea has developed into a strong country to the point where it¡¯s hard to even imagine such a war happened. Although traces of the war remain here and there, if you look at Seoul, you wouldn¡¯t think such a thing happened.

    So, I became very interested in history, wanting to know how people of the time felt about the ¡®past¡¯ that we naturally ept now.

    I finished my story, looking straight at Dimitri who was listening to me.

    ¡°Future generations will just think of this moment as something that happened in the past. It¡¯s just a history that they will naturally ept.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°From our perspective of living in the present, it may be very confusing, but ultimately, we are just part of the flow of ancient history. To future generations, it will be a history that they will just ept naturally.¡±

    ¡°So, your point is that every urrence within a massive change is a natural event from a historical perspective. Therefore, whether you stand idly by or resist, it¡¯s all meaningless. Change is a natural process.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct. However, this is strictly a historical perspective, and it¡¯s better to prepare for it realistically to receive better evaluations in the future.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    After finishing all of my stories, Dimitry started to stroke his chin thoughtfully. I lifted my teacup to my lips to hide my dry mouth. I felt like I had squeezed out the story with ack of sugar coating it. The tea had a sweet fragrance when I drank it.

    ¡°I understand your thoughts. You told me an interesting story.¡±

    Dimitry, lost in thought as he stroked his chin, spoke to me with a gentle smile. I put down my teacuppletely and replied.

    ¡°Thank you for listening with interest, with my limited knowledge.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not. I feel like I¡¯ve solved one problem thanks to you. Now I¡¯ll ask you another question. Actually, this is the main and most important part.¡±

    He mentioned it was the most important part, so I waited more nervously until his lips moved again.

    ¡°What do you like about my daughter and date her?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I wish you would answer honestly. You¡¯re the man my daughter chose, but it¡¯s not an easy problem to overlook.¡±

    As a duke, he lost all his dignity and became nothing more than a doting father. I barely managed to suppress a bitterugh.

    Just in case, I nced at Marie sitting next to me, and she hung her head as if she was ashamed of herself. She buried her face in her hands, looking quite embarrassed.

    Unable to hold back myughter, I answered honestly.

    ¡°Because she¡¯s beautiful.¡±

    ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t answer that!¡±

    Marie screamed beside me. It would have been enough to make her feel ashamed, but Dimitry went a step further.

    ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s an honest answer. My daughter is pretty, like her mother.¡±

    ¡°Dad! Please stop!¡±

    Marie was almost screaming.

    Trantors note:

    I actually frogot to press publish yesterday and went to sleep, lol. My bad.

 Chapter 81: Requilis (5)

    From then on, I had various conversations with Dimitri, and the field that we delved into the most deeply was undoubtedly history. Dimitri boasted a wide range of knowledge as a Duke of Requilis, and I also had a considerable amount of knowledge that was not inferior to a professor despite not being at a professorial level.

    Thanks to this, there was never a lull in the flow of our conversation, and it went on for so long that Marie even expressed her boredom.

    In particr, Dimitri had a deep knowledge of the culture of other countries. He exined in detail why that culture came about, and what form it has taken up to the present day.

    I took out my magic pen and notebook that I always carried with me, as if I couldn¡¯t miss this unexpected opportunity, and recorded diligently.

    Even though I had read a lot of bookspared to my peers, there were many ways in which I wascking in urately grasping the culture of other countries.

    ¡°Do you always carry a pen and notebook with you?¡±

    Dimitri nced at my magic pen as I was taking notes, and raised one eyebrow.

    He seemed interested in my habit of recording in a notebook rather than just looking at the pen.

    I stopped recording for a moment and answered in a blunt voice.

    ¡°Yes. I have a habit of recording important information so that I don¡¯t forget it.¡±

    ¡°You have really developed a great habit. My daughter should learn that too.¡±

    ¡°Hmph. I don¡¯t forget what I¡¯ve heard at least once, you know?¡±

    Upon hearing Dimitri¡¯sint, Marie quickly turned her head and expressed her dissatisfaction. She had no choice but toin because he treated her like a sack of barley while only talking about boring history.

    ¡°Did that kid ask you to borrow the notebook?¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡±

    Marie immediately yelled, interrupting his unnecessary question.

    Iughed a little at Marie¡¯s reaction, who couldn¡¯t hide her shame and was huffing with her facepletely red.

    Dimitri also burst into a rare heartyughter. Only Marie couldn¡¯tugh within the cheerful atmosphere.

    Knock-knock-

    ¡°Master, it¡¯s almost lunchtime now.¡±

    Sebastian¡¯s voice came from outside the door, interrupting the good atmosphere. Both Dimitri and I checked the clock in the guest room.

    Was it right to say that they didn¡¯t even realize time was passing? Upon checking the time, it was already approaching lunchtime.

    Sebastian must have known that I would not eat lunch and just go home. However, it seemed like he wanted to confirm that lunchtime was approaching.

    Dimitri pursed his lips as lunchtime was approaching and looked at me.

    ¡°Is it really that time already? Are you really leaving without having lunch?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I want to see my family as soon as possible. I n to get takeout and leave.¡±

    ¡°Just take the food our chef made and don¡¯t spend money. I¡¯ll tell him to prepare separately.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, thank you.¡±

    ¡°Sebastian.¡±

    Upon my approval, Dimitry called Sebastian, who was waiting outside the door, into the room. Sebastian came in and approached Dimitry¡¯s side.

    Dimitrymanded Sebastian in a low voice, sitting up straight next to him.

    ¡°This friend won¡¯t have lunch and will return home, so there¡¯s no need to prepare anything separately. Instead, tell the chef to prepare something simple to take out. He¡¯ll eat it on the carriage.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    ¡°And stop by my office for a moment and bring the ¡®remover.¡¯ There should be a new remover in the drawer.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Sebastian received Dimitry¡¯s instructions and walked outside the door.

    As I watched Sebastian¡¯s back walking away with steady steps, I became curious and asked Dimitry a question.

    ¡°Your Grace, may I ask what a remover is?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s something you¡¯ll like.¡±

    ¡°Something I¡¯ll like?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ you¡¯ll definitely like it.¡±

    As I looked at the object with a puzzled expression, Marie sitting next to me nudged me. This made it even harder to figure out what the object was.

    After a little while, Sebastian returned with a long, white object in his hand. I fixated my gaze on the familiar-looking object. Meanwhile, Dmitry had received the object from Sebastian and showed it to me.

    ¡°This is called a Remover. It¡¯s a device that contains magical forms like your magic pen.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s it used for?¡±

    ¡°You have the notebook you wrote in earlier, right? Try pressing the button here and touch it to the notebook.¡±

    Dimitry seemed to have judged that it would be better to try directly than to exin, so he handed me the object. I received it with skepticism.

    It looks like a baton overall. Should I describe it as being as thick as a very thick pencil?

    To solve my growing doubts, I held the object like a pen and touched it to the notebook. The notebook contained the knowledge Dimitry had just shared, and as soon as I pressed the button in the middle, a surprising phenomenon unfolded.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    It disappeared. The ck writing that had been written with a magic pen.

    The writing disappeared cleanly, leaving no trace where I had touched the end of the object. It was as if it had been erased with an eraser or whiteout, leaving the paper clean.

    ¡°It¡¯s a magical item called a ¡®remover.¡¯ It may only be a short time of five minutes, but it can erase any record written with a pen.¡±

    Exined Dimitri, as I stared at the notebook with vanished writing in despair. As I lifted my head, I noticed Dimitri¡¯s smiling face.

    While facing him, I hurriedly confirmed whether the other writings had been erased. Although the writings from a while ago were not erased, the records written just a moment ago were all removed without a trace.

    This alone was like a treasure among treasures for me. I put on a bright expression before quickly reverting to my original expression.

    Even a magic pen is known for its exorbitant price, and this ¡®remover¡¯ item must have a price tag to match. Although he is a duke, I don¡¯t think he would gift this to anyone.

    ¡°May I ask why you gave this to me?¡±

    I asked carefully, holding the ¡®remover¡¯ in my hand.

    I indirectly revealed my desire to own the ¡®remover¡¯ and would dly ept it if he proposed a fair deal.

    Dimitri seemed to have caught onto my desire for it and smiled slightly. I tensed up, hoping that he would not make any strange offers.

    ¡°It¡¯s just a gift. There¡¯s no particr reason.¡±

    He replied nonchntly, however, I remained cautious and did not immediately ept his gift.

    ¡°Even as a gift, this item is too expensive for me. While the magic pen can substitute mana for ink, it seems like the remover would be moreplicated¡­ isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right. If the magic pen is worth 1, then the remover is worth 10.¡±

    As I expected, this item called the remover was priced so high that I couldn¡¯t afford it.

    Of course, if I were to consider the profits I earned from Xenon¡¯s Biography, I would dly pay for it, but it¡¯s a gift. The price is outrageously expensive for just a gift.

    Just as I was about to politely decline and put down the remover, Dimitri stopped me with a loud voice.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to feel burdened. It¡¯s a gift from me because I like you. You wouldn¡¯t refuse, would you?¡±

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s too expensive for me.¡±

    ¡°Still, it¡¯s no different from loose change for a Duke Requilis. Just take it as a kind word. You gave Marie history lessons, so you should get something in return that matches that.¡±

    ¡°¡­Thank you.¡±

    It can¡¯t be helped if it came from none other than the Duke of Requilis, but I couldn¡¯t hide my joy, and my mouth kept twitching with happiness.

    Just knowing that such magical items exist is a great fortune, and to receive it as a gift on top of that is even more amazing. As someone who would have had to discard the manuscript itself if I had made a single mistake, I couldn¡¯t help but be happy.

    ¡°Do you like it that much?¡±

    Seeing my mouth twitching, Marie asked. I replied with happiness, tightly holding the remover in both hands.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen you happy like a child. You must really have a personality that enjoys what you like.¡±

    Like Mari¡¯s analysis, I am the type of person who really enjoys what I like.

    When I received a magic pen as a gift from my father, I didn¡¯t show my joy and my emotions mixed together, but my feelings were not much different from what they are now.

    ¡°If you like it that much, I¡¯m happy. If you want, I can give you something else.¡±

    ¡°No, thank you. This gift is more than enough for me.¡±

    When I shook my head and said no, Dimitri let out a subtle smile and muttered quietly.

    ¡°¡®More than enough¡¯¡­ that¡¯s an interesting phrase.¡±

    *****

    As Isaac had stated that his visit was only for the purpose of visiting, he left the Requilis mansion before lunchtime. Before leaving, Marie asked if he could stay for just one night, expressing her regret, but Isaac tly refused.

    He wanted to reunite with his parents as soon as possible, and above all, he judged that it would be a breach of etiquette to stay longer.

    ¡°Then give me a kiss.¡±

    ¡°Willingly.¡±

    In the end, they reced their regret by stealing a kiss during the moment when Dimitri briefly left to call the carriage. The long yet short kiss time passed, and Isaac rode the carriage that Dimitri had separately called back to his home.

    Afterward, Marie stood quietly at the front gate of the mansion until the carriage Isaac boarded disappeared from sight. Even though it was only a short month, her heart felt heavy at the thought of not seeing Isaac.

    ¡°Miss, it¡¯s time to go back now.¡±

    ¡°¡­I understand.¡±

    As the carriage passed through the Duke¡¯s gate and disappearedpletely, Marie followed Sebastian¡¯s lead and walked inside. Still feeling regretful, she turned around before entering the mansion.

    The carriage Isaac rode in was nowhere to be seen outside the firmly closed gate. He really had gone back home.

    ¡°Sigh¡­¡±

    Marie let out a deep sigh, already feeling the overwhelming longing. If she had known this would happen, she would have squeezed his soft cheeks after the kiss, but there was no time.

    As she walked into the mansion with a mncholy expression, a familiar voice spoke in her ear.

    ¡°You look disappointed.¡±

    It was Dimitri. He had been waiting with Marie and Sebastian in front of the gate, pretending not to directly escort Isaac as it would not befit his status as a Duke.

    Marie smiled wryly and replied.

    ¡°Did it show too much?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense for a father to not know how his daughter feels.¡±

    When Dimitry answered confidently, Marie chuckled. To the outside world, Dimitry was a duke who received the respect of the Empire¡¯s citizens, but in Marie¡¯s eyes, he was just a father who loved his daughter.

    Marie looked around and gestured for Sebastian to leave. Sebastian politely nodded and walked away to another area, leaving Marie and Dimitri as the only ones in front of the main gate.

    Marie checked once again to make sure no one was listening, then asked Dimitry in a quiet voice.

    ¡°Dad, do you roughly know who Isaac is?¡±

    Marie had a natural talent to see through people¡¯s psychology, so she felt a sense of difort during the conversation between Isaac and Dimitry, and was convinced when Dimitry gave him the Remover as a gift.

    Dimitry had a vague idea of Isaac¡¯s identity. Fortunately, Isaac was unaware of this fact because Dimitry did not reveal any signs.

    Dimitry shrugged his shoulders and replied nonchntly.

    ¡°Marie, as you know, I am the Requilis Duke who serves His Majesty the Emperor. I am informed of everything that happens in the Empire, even if it is something the Crown Prince did personally. I have been investigating separately for some time.¡±

    ¡°When did you find out?¡±

    ¡°I only became certain recently. Thanks to that, we need to revise thews to prevent tax evasion. There is ample room for abuse.¡±

    ¡°What are you going to do now?¡±

    Marie asked in a slightly lowered voice, ¡®Even though he is my naive father, he is still the Duke of Requilis.¡¯

    Like the question she had asked Isaac, she couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy about the person sitting confidently in the highest position among the ¡®people holding the pen.¡¯

    Even if he personally liked Isaac, she had no idea what he might do. If he did something unnecessary, she would try to stop him somehow, but she was far too weak to do so on her own.

    While Marie was worrying about that, Dimitry spoke in a calm voice.

    ¡°At first, I thought we should take action. Even though people might not know, as the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography, he is very dangerous. But after a few conversations, it seems like it wouldn¡¯t be a big deal if we just let it go.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Like that kid said, the world changing is a natural phenomenon. Even if we try to stop it by force, we will suffer the most. It¡¯s like trying to block a flowing river. Eventually, the dam will break. But it¡¯s always best to be prepared.¡±

    After saying that, Dimitry nced at Marie and then smiled mischievously.

    ¡°Above all, you are that kid¡¯s girlfriend now, right? As a duke and as a father, I approve of him, but if that kid does anything weird, tell me. I¡¯ll take care of him.¡±

    ¡°Father¡­¡±

    For a moment, Marie felt uneasy about Dimitry¡¯s low-quality joke and gave him a pathetic look. By the way, all the vulgar words that didn¡¯t suit the dignity of the Duke were things she had heard from her own mother. Whether she said anything or not, Dimitry never stopped teasing Marie.

    ¡°So, when do you want to get married? If you want to¡­¡±

    ¡°Right now.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I want to get married right now, so send a marriage proposal to Isaac¡¯s mansion.¡±

    Did he realize that she was serious?

    ¡°¡­I need to think about it again.¡±

    Dimitry muttered to himself, unable to even respond.

    ¡°No. Let¡¯s just send a letter. With my father¡¯s influence, we can make it arrive in a day, can¡¯t we?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    That¡¯s how Marie¡¯s vacation began.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 82: Relax (1)

    The journey back home was very smooth and quiet, without any disturbance. The carriage that Dimitry had called for, at an expensive price, had functions that were incrediblyfortable. The food that was handed to him on the way was also delicious.

    The dish, prepared by the chef at the Requilis mansion, was a kind of kebab with vegetables, but the texture of the meat was so exquisite that he didn¡¯t get tired of eating it. Thanks to the three or so packages of food that were given to him for the trip, he wasn¡¯t hungry.

    Kebabs are usually not suitable for eating in a shaking carriage, but the interior of the carriage had shock-absorbing magic, so there was no big problem with having a meal. It was actuallyfortable enough to stretch his legs and even sleep.

    After thoroughly enjoying the kebab that Dimitry had given me to satisfy my hungry stomach, I fought off impending drowsiness and read a book.

    By the way, the book was a history book about the racial war that I had been focusing on reading before meeting Dimitry.

    I couldn¡¯t finish reading it, so he generously gave it to me as a gift. I was a bit hesitant to ept the gift, especially since he had already given me a remover, but Dmitry insisted that it was okay and that I didn¡¯t have to give him anything in return.

    I¡¯m not sure if he gave it to me because I¡¯m Marie¡¯s boyfriend or if he had some other intentions. Maybe he just liked me after having a conversation with me.

    Nevertheless, it was clear that Dimitry was fond of me, and he didn¡¯t show any signs of being overly possessive or obsessive. Dimitry was just an ordinary father figure that you could see anywhere.

    <i>¡®Maybe he knows that I¡¯m the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography.¡¯</i>

    I guessed while savoring thest bit of my kebab. It was just my spection, but Dimitry¡¯s excessive kindness towards me was enough to make me suspicious.

    Of course, he didn¡¯t pressure me like Rina or Leort did, and he didn¡¯t directly ask me about it, so I couldn¡¯t be sure. Again, it was just my spection.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s just think about getting home now.¡¯</i>

    After finishing the kebab and throwing away the remaining trash in the bin, I looked out the window to check the time. The view outside the ss window was a gradually reddening sky. We had left during lunchtime, and it had been about six hours since then.

    It usually takes around 10 hours by carriage from my house to the capital, but this carriage cost a lot more, so it was probably faster than that. I might arrive sooner if I read a bit more.

    As soon as I arrive, I will greet my parents and finish dinner, and the day will pass by quickly. On the carriage ride home, I thought hard about what I would do during the vacation.

    <i>¡®I think I¡¯ll gradually write Xenon¡¯s Biography¡­¡¯</i>

    Even though the notice had already been posted that I would be on break, my hands were already itching. Without smartphones orputers, there was nothing to do during the vacation except to read.

    I nned to exercise with my father from time to time, but even that was not enough. A month may seem short at first nce, but it¡¯s actually quite long when it¡¯s all said and done.

    While I was thinking about how I could spend my vacation productively, a clever n shed through my mind.

    <i>¡®Should I write a spin-off?¡¯</i>

    The notice only said that Xenon¡¯s Biography would be on break, but it didn¡¯t say anything about not releasing other books.

    Furthermore, there is a past story that many people are curious about. That is the story of the teacher and the elf queen.

    How were they able to love beyond their race, and why did the teachere to only look at the elf queen until he grew old? These are the questions that people are curious about.

    Although Xenon¡¯s Biography main story briefly described the past history, it was not nearly enough. Therefore, countless readers are guessing, but unless they peer into my mind, they will never know.

    <i>¡®Moreover, the teacher is close to aedy character, so it was difficult for people to ept it.¡¯</i>

    When the teacher taught Xenon, he looked like a weirdo. In addition, he used a flippant tone that didn¡¯t suit his age, so many readers were shocked when his rtionship with the elf queen was revealed.

    But eventually, they found it more attractive, saying that people of that kind usually devote themselves more to their own people and evaluated the teacher highly. Since then, the poprity of the teacher has skyrocketed, and many people have been looking forward to the future development.

    Of course, they were enraged by the sudden hiatus without warning, but it was a small matter.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s okay. Since it¡¯s a side story, it doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s short.¡¯</i>

    Once I roughly got an idea, I took out my notebook and started writing down one plot after another. It was a side story that showed the rtionship between the teacher and the elf queen, so there would be almost no directbat and it would be somewhat close to a romance.

    There may be some impulsive aspects, but Xenon¡¯s Biography was just a hobby after all, so there shouldn¡¯t be any big problems even if I write it.

    Moreover, if the side story more intensively reveals the rtionship between the two, the teacher¡¯s death could be even more impactful. Besides, since I had already decided on theirst words, I could insert a simr story in their first meeting.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s see¡­ the teacher was once a mercenary who had made a name for himself, and the elf queen had just ascended the throne at that time¡­¡¯</i>

    On the carriage ride home, I worked hard on the plot.

    ¡°Isaac, look at this. All these letters are for you.¡±

    ¡°¡­All of these?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Our son is really popr.¡±

    When I got home and saw the pile of fan letters stacked in a box, I couldn¡¯t hide my surprise.

    The letters my parents sent to the academy were just the tip of the iceberg. Judging by the amount of letters piled up, it would take me several days to read them all.

    ¡°Oh, and could you look at this first before the others? It¡¯s something your mother picked out and wants you to see.¡±

    As I stared nkly at the mountain of fan letters, I was handed a few letters by my mother. I snapped out of my daze and checked the letters my mother had given me. Some had fancy designs, while one was in.

    What could be so special about this letter that my mother picked it out? With that thought in mind, I checked one of the letters.

    ¡®The Lirus Orchestra?¡¯

    It was the first time I had heard of this group. I nced at my mother while looking at the name of the organization that had sent the letter. She smiled brightly, as if she knew something good.

    I turned my attention back to the letter and opened the envelope, which was in despite its shy exterior. The contents of the letter were nothing out of the ordinary, and it began with the following words.

    [Hello, writer. My name is Lirus, the leader of the Lirus Orchestra, which operates in the Ters Kingdom. I¡¯m also an avid fan of your work, Xenon¡¯s Biography. I¡¯m not sure if this letter will reach you, but I¡¯m sending it to you with a small request.]

    I expected it to be some strange proposal when Lirus mentioned a small request, but as I read the letter, my expression could only be described as one of increasing surprise.

    [¡­Although it may be insufficient, we would like to express Sakran¡¯s life through music. Every time we see his final moments, the scene ys faintly in our minds, apanied by the flow of music. If you allow us, we would like topose music for it, even if our skills arecking. You can decide the profits from this endeavor however you please. If you give us this precious opportunity, we will definitely repay you with a wonderful song. This is Lirus, signing off.]

    Wanting to express a scene from a novel through music. As for me, it¡¯s a surprising proposal. Considering the background of this era, it can be seen as a kind of ¡®fan art.¡¯ The term itself means artistic fan art.

    I stared nkly at the letter sent by the Lirus Orchestra, then quickly checked another letter. It must have been sent from a simr ce, as my mother had picked them out for me.

    As expected, the request was simr,ing from various fields in the arts such as bands or theater groups, painters, sculptors, and finally, craftsmen. They all worked in the field of art and wanted to depict a scene from Xenon¡¯s Biography. They didn¡¯t care about the profits.

    As I looked at simr letters, I raised my head and faced my mother. She was still waiting for my reaction with a bright smile.

    ¡°Mother?¡±

    ¡°Speak up.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know much about this, but everyone who sent these letters¡­¡±

    Even though I trailed off, my mother nodded her head and answered with pride.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. They are artists who can boast of being the best in their field.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°This mother is really proud of you. I¡¯ll have to ask the publisher to send at least some letters home from now on. Maybe I¡¯ll ask for a favor somewhere.¡±

    So, my vacation began with receiving letters from the masters of the cultural world.

    *****

    ¡°Sigh¡­¡±

    It has been two months since the hiatus of Xenon¡¯s Biography was announced, and the publisher¡¯s CEO let out a deep sigh as his worries deepened day by day.

    The events of the past month have been a series of ups and downs in his life. Suddenly, Xenon¡¯s Biography announced its hiatus, which then led to arge-scale protest. Then, just a day after the appearance of the draft, it was stolen.

    After that, they were hit with a massive tax investigation that resulted in an enormous fine. Fortunately, they were able to talk their way out of the tax evasion charges, but the fine itself was still a painful blow to the CEO.

    <i>¡®How long can I keep this up?¡¯</i>

    Despite the suspension, the poprity of Xenon¡¯s Biography is still strong, and the printing presses are still in full swing. However, with at least a year-long suspension, sales will inevitably plummet as time goes on. Although there are no debts, the CEO, who has already tasted money, is desperate.

    They must find a way to survive until the release of the next volume of Xenon¡¯s Biography, but it is doubtful how long they can endure. The maintenance cost of just the printing press alone is no small amount, and it is difficult to survive on just the profits from Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    <i>¡®Damn it. Who the hell emptied the entire safe? This is driving me crazy¡­¡¯</i>

    The culprit who stole the draft has not yet been identified. Even the investigative team dispatched by the empire has no clues, and they returned empty-handed.

    It was already a nightmare for the CEO just to have the draft stolen, but not being able to find any leads made each day a living hell. It was at a level where even if someone threw a stone at him while passing by, he couldn¡¯t say anything.

    Fortunately, the normal operations were still going on, but mentally it was still agonizing. The CEO wiped his dry face with both hands and sighed deeply.

    ¡°Ugh¡­ should I cut the employees¡¯ sries¡­ no, then I¡¯ll have to hire more people¡­ I have to save as much as I can.¡±

    They say that a person¡¯s true abilities are disyed during moments of crisis. In the biggest crisis of his life, the CEO thought as hard as he could about how to ovee this situation wisely.

    He wanted to visit a writer and plead with them to write a book, even if it was a short one, but it was impossible since he didn¡¯t even know who the writer was.

    ¡°If this goes on, sales will drop sharply within a month. I have to earn money somehow¡­¡±

    The CEO was agonizing over his problem.

    Then¡­

    ¡°Sir! I have something to report!¡±

    Mathew, an employee who the CEO valued, burst into the room without even knocking. He was the one who was affected by the draft theft but he had recovered and could move around now.

    And the CEO was momentarily taken aback by Mathew¡¯s surprise visit, but he quickly regained hisposure and gave Mathew a cold stare, even though he may have sold his manners for it, for not even knocking before entering.

    ¡°¡­Are you going crazy too? No matter how busy you are, you should at least knock¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that, please take a look at this! It¡¯s a manuscript Xenon sent!¡±

    ¡°What?!¡±

    Upon hearing the news from Mathew, who showed him the mail, the CEO suddenly stood up from his seat. If Mathew¡¯s words were true, what was inside that mail was nothing short of a lifeline or salvation.

    The CEO then walked up to Mathew without saying a word and snatched the mail from his hand. Although it looked like ordinary mail from the outside, the CEO asked Mathew in a trembling voice.

    ¡°Is it really from Xenon? Did he really send this?¡±

    ¡°Yes! He sent it through his usual courier. It¡¯s definitely authentic!¡±

    ¡°But he clearly said he was taking a break¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but it¡¯s better to take a look once. I haven¡¯t even opened it yet because I was in such a hurry.¡±

    As Mathew had said, the mail had a clean and undamaged exterior. The CEO realized that Mathew was telling the truth and hastily opened the mail.

    Inside the mail, there was a manuscript, and the CEO pulled it out with shaking hands, like a bamboo tree in the wind. As he pulled out the manuscript, a letter that had been stuck between the pages fell to the ground.

    The CEO handed over the manuscript to Mathew and checked the letter first. He didn¡¯t know why he had a change of heart, the letter will tell why.

    Finally, the CEO eagerly unfolded the neatly folded letter with a pounding heart. The familiar handwriting caught his eye.

    [Hello, CEO. This is Xenon. You must find it strange that I sent you the manuscript despite dering a hiatus. But I didn¡¯t say I wouldn¡¯t publish a side story.]

    ¡°Side story!¡±

    The CEO¡¯s face broke out into a broad smile at the contents of the letter. It was like a shower of rain that broke the drought.

    The CEO couldn¡¯t hide his joy as he quickly read the next part.

    [The side story is called ¡®Kair¡¯s Side Story,¡¯ which is the name of Xenon¡¯s master. It contains the story of how Kair came to be connected to the Elf Queen and how he fell in love. I don¡¯t know if the readers will enjoy it, but I¡¯m sending it because I thought they might find it interesting.]

    Up to this point, it was like a salvation for the CEO. But that wasn¡¯t the end of the letter.

    [Also, many artists have asked me for a favor. They want to express their work in their most confident field. I hope you can ry this to them on my behalf, whether they generate revenue or not. However, I ask that you send me visual artwork separately. And just in case, I¡¯ll attach my own autograph. This is Xenon signing off.]

    Thud!

    After reading all the letters, the CEO unknowingly kneeled down. Startled, Mathew, who was reading the manuscript, hurriedly called out to him.

    ¡°Are you okay, CEO? What¡¯s in the letter¡­?¡±

    ¡°Oh, Luminous! Thank you so much! You haven¡¯t given up on me yet!¡±

    Regardless of Mathew¡¯s concerns, the CEO found himself looking for a god while kissing the letter.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 83: Relax (2)

    Although Xenon¡¯s Biography dered a hiatus, causing disappointment to many, a new book called ¡°Kair¡¯s Side Story¡± was released as if to mock the situation.

    As the name suggests, ¡°Kair¡¯s Side Story¡± depicts the life of a character named Kair, and many readers purchased the book with high expectations and curiosity.

    If it were someone else¡¯s book, readers might have lost interest quickly, but it was the work of Xenon¡¯s Biography author. Therefore, even as a side story, there was great anticipation for it.

    Although it was not the main story, if it could alleviate the emptiness during the long hiatus period, it was enough as a side story.

    [The identity of Kair is revealed in thest scene. Do not spoil the ending under any circumstances.]

    [Although it is a side story, the book has a deep connection with the main story of Xenon¡¯s Biography. If you are a fan, you must read it.]

    [It is not a simple side story as it seems.]

    Furthermore, the reactions of readers who read the side story were intense. As the review above states, it was not just a simple side story, but it transformed into a book that readers must purchase to understand the main story.

    Because Kair was actually Xenon¡¯s master, and the prequel contained a story about the master¡¯s past. It delved into the background of the master¡¯s birth and growth, the hardships and adversities he overcame, and the rtionships he encountered along the way.

    It also revealed how he met the woman who wouldter be the Elven Queen, and why, ultimately, he fell in love with her. The novel managed to weave a sweet love story between humans and elves, which many thought was impossible, and Kair¡¯s silent monologue was enough to touch readers¡¯ hearts.

    -How nice it would be if I could see her sunshine-like smile just one more time.

    As mentioned before, regardless of race, if one can handle mana at an advanced level or higher, the aging process is slower. This is why elves and demons live long lives, while humans and beastmen have shorter ones.

    Knowing this, Kair trained himself like a cksmith hammering a piece of iron in a me, in order to extend his short lifespan and see the smile of his beloved woman, Elisha, who would one day be the queen of the elves.

    During this process, he met the person who wouldter be in charge of ¡®envy¡¯ and taught him, and finally, he met Xenon to finish the side story neatly.

    [A story that is more sympathetic because it is realistic. Could his efforts have been meaningless?]

    [Elisha knows Kair¡¯s sincerity better than anyone else. But that¡¯s why it was hard to ept.]

    So far, quite a few readers have criticized the love story between an elf and a human being as too absurd, but when Kair¡¯s sincerity was revealed in the side story, the evaluation turned around 180 degrees.

    From a realistically impossible story to a story that could happen in reality.

    Despite the difference in lifespan, he sharpens himself to see the smile of the person he loves. It was an almost impossible story, and thus, it could only be felt more painfully.

    When the rtionship between Kair and Elisha was revealed in the main story, it seemed somewhat abrupt, but it was clearly resolved in the side story.

    [I wonder what will happen to their story. Will it end in happiness or tragedy?]

    [The signs of an unhappy ending had already been shown, but the readers still wanted a happy ending.]

    [If Kair dies, Elisha will suffer too.]

    However, when the side story was released, the readers became even more anxious. They feared that the poignant story of Kair and Elisha would end tragically.

    Before Kyer left in the main story, he had already given Elisha words that were enough to make the readers feel uneasy. Moreover, the appearance of ¡°Envy¡± and the confrontation at the end of the main story added to the readers¡¯ anxiety.

    The next main story should resolve this anxiety, but unfortunately, it will not be released for at least a year. The readers knew that even if they protested, there was nothing they could do but wait.

    Until the publisher delivered a surprising message.

    [The Publishingpany conveys on behalf of the author, Xenon, that it is okay to express scenes in the author¡¯s work in various ways. Whether it is expressed through music, painting, or sculpture, it does not matter. It is also okay to generate revenue. So, artists can express themselves freely.]

    Expressing the epic masterpiece, Xenon¡¯s Biography, in another art form. This news was enough to excite the readers who had been immersed in the art world.

    In particr, the reaction of the Ters Kingdom was very intense, which is natural because art takes up arge part of Ters Kingdom¡¯s culture as a cultural powerhouse.

    Although the Minerva Empire used various means to strip away much of the culture, there are still many famous artists gathered in the Ters Kingdom.

    Additionally, after the Jayros Revolution, art became a culture that everyone could enjoy, not just for the nobility. For these reasons, the Ters Kingdom could not afford to miss this golden opportunity.

    [For artists who want to express Xenon¡¯s Biography, we will provide full support at the national level without distinguishing between rookies and veterans. We want a culture that everyone can enjoy.]

    While the nobility of the Ters Kingdom may not be as wealthy as the nobility of the Minerva Empire, they were quite open-minded when it came to culture.

    On the other hand, the Minerva Empire perceived art as the exclusive property of the nobility, so the majority of artists had no choice but to turn their attention to the Ters Kingdom.

    Even though the Empire provided arge amount of funding, it was meaningless to the artists because the world was a medieval era where there were many people who died for ¡°honor¡±.

    Especially for artists, honor is so important that it can be exchanged for their lives. Most people who work in the art world do so with the goal of honor rather than money, which is why there is a perception that artists are hungry professionals.

    So rather than bing the exclusive property of the nobility, they want to be an artist that everyone can recognize just by their name.

    This ¡°event¡± has be a really important turning point for artists because their evaluation will be sharply divided depending on how well they express the scenes in Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    [Leader of the Lirus Orchestra, Lirus. He said he wouldpose Sakran¡¯s life with his insufficient skills¡­ He will strive not to tarnish the fame of the work.]

    [Painter Imar also regards Sakran¡¯s demise as¡­ the most meaningful experience in his life.]

    Among them, the most popr famous scene was undoubtedly Sakran¡¯s demise. It yed a decisive role in changing the tragic perception of demons and was so famous that anyone who knew about Xenon¡¯s Biography would not be unfamiliar with it.

    As it was the most famous scene, many people had high expectations, and Helium¡¯s attention was inevitably drawn in that direction. Princess Cecily of Helium also mentioned that she was looking forward to it and would visit the exhibition when the timees.

    Of course, there are various famous scenes that people remember besides Sakran¡¯s demise. Readers waited patiently until the results were announced, and artists expressed themselves in their unique ways.

    However, there was one thing that was not entirely problem-free during this process, and that was ¡®profit generation.¡¯

    Isaac said that he was free to generate revenue through secondary creation. It¡¯s true that being an artist is a passion driven job, but that¡¯s only when you¡¯re a neer. The story changes when you have a certain level of fame.

    It¡¯s true that artists prioritize ¡®honor¡¯ over ¡®money.¡¯ However, ironically, it¡¯s money, in other words, personal value, that shows one¡¯s value more clearly.

    Because of this, people thought they had to pay a high price to see the works of the masters, but an unexpected situation unfolded here.

    [We will receive profits in the form of donations. It will be a work that everyone can easily enjoy.]

    [Xenon¡¯s Biography is a work that anyone, regardless of gender, age, or social ss, can enjoy. I am no exception.]

    [Exhibiting artwork for a high price damages the reputation of the work. It¡¯s uneptable.]

    Even well-known artists, not just neers, have dered that they will not generate profits but receive donations instead. The reason is simple. Xenon¡¯s Biography is not just a simple novel but a ¡®culture¡¯ that anyone can enjoy, regardless of social status or gender, so they believed.

    The decisive reason why Xenon¡¯s Biography gained worldwide fame was precisely because of the above reason. They judged that generating huge profits would harm the reputation of the work.

    If it were Earth, everyone would have made profits from the moment the author allowed it. However, here, honor is more important than life, so things have gone differently.

    [The donation will also be used to develop the culture industry, as there are many talented people who wither away without being able to bloom their talents.]

    [Through this incident, we will make efforts to foster children¡¯s dreams. ]

    [Coboration between the Lirus Orchestra and the painter Imar. In addition, many artists say that they will coborate¡­]

    The butterfly effect of secondary creation permission has be uncontroble.

    Even though the masters all have strong pride, they are ultimately nothing more than fans of Xenon¡¯s Biography. They decided to coborate, saying that fighting among themselves would only displease Isaac.

    Isaac was only willing to allow secondary creation with the concept of receiving ¡®fan art¡¯, but the ripple effect far exceeded expectations.

    A culture that can be enjoyed by anyone, rather than a culture enjoyed only by a certain ss, has begun to emerge and has be a driving force that elerates development.

    Of course, if there are people who enjoy it, there are people who don¡¯t.

    ¡°No. I¡¯m a writer, but I can¡¯t even enjoy it.¡±

    That person was Isaac, the original author of Xenon¡¯s Biography and who caused another stir.

    *****

    I couldn¡¯t help but feel astonished as I read the news delivered through the newspaper. All I had allowed was the concept of secondary creation in the form of fan art, but the scale had grown to that of an exhibition.

    Furthermore, the Minerva Empire and the Ters Kingdom are currently in a heated dispute over where to hold the exhibition.

    The Minerva Empire insisted that it be held near their publishingpany since it was located in their country, while the Ters Kingdom bravely stood their ground, saying it would be held in their own capital city.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s a shame that I can¡¯t even see visual artwork.¡¯</i>

    When I wrote a letter to the publishingpany, I requested that they send me any visual artwork separately. However, the publishingpany replied that it would be difficult.

    While drafts can be sent by mail without concern of tracking, the situation is different for artwork.

    Most of the items that cannot be sent by mail are toorge, and as a result, the likelihood of being traced has increased significantly.

    My father also said that it is regrettable, but it is better to give up because the publisher¡¯s point makes sense.

    ¡°I also want to see it¡­¡±

    It¡¯s such a ridiculous situation that the artist cannot see fan art. I held my chin and looked at the newspaper where they were having a lively conversation among themselves.

    I would have liked to run to the ce where it was held and see it for myself, but unfortunately, I don¡¯t have time.

    They are currently fighting over where to hold it, but the vacation is less than two weeks away, so I have to aim for the next opportunity, but even that is difficult until I be a third grader.

    ¡°Sigh¡­ I have to wait forter.¡±

    It¡¯s such a ridiculous situation that the artist cannot see fan art.

    I put down the newspaper with regret. Now there is something more important than the exhibition, and that is the fan letters that are piled up on my desk.

    The most eye-catching among them was a pink letter.

    [Cherry Blossom Roseberry]

    When I picked up the letter, I saw a familiar name. It was the name of a reader who had sent me fan letters continuously for over a year.

    Despite not having received a single reply, I couldn¡¯t help but smile at the consistent appearance. Could this person be a true fan?

    <i>¡®Come to think of it, she¡¯ll be entering the Academy soon.¡¯</i>

    She said she would enter the Academy in two years in the letter sent a year ago, so she will probably enter next year. If I¡¯m lucky, I might be able to meet her.

    I maintained a warm smile and started reading Cherry¡¯s fan letter.

    [Hello, author! This is Cherry from the Roseberry family. The weather has been getting hotter recently. How about you, author?¡­]

    I always feel it, but her handwriting is beautiful and the writing itself is not ordinary.

    If my writing is in, Cherry¡¯s writing is like a lightly fried and plump taste with a hint of spiciness. Above all, she didn¡¯t use difficult words like other nobles, so the writing was easy on the eyes.

    <i>¡®This person should write a novel.¡¯</i>

    I finished reading Cherry¡¯s fan letter with a light heart.

    Thus, my vacation seemed short and uneventful.

    [Ters Kingdom. Giving up on the exhibition. What could be the reason?]

    [The Minerva Empire does not miss the opportunity. They want to hold it in the highly developing Michelle Territory in the near future¡­]

    Until our empire¡¯s dignitaries did some trolling in less than two days.

    ¡°What is this again?¡±

    Could it be the project of Rina and Leort siblings? Of course, from my perspective, it¡¯s trolling, but the current citizens of the empire were praising it.

    ¡°Isaac! Have you heard the news? The Academy has extended the vacation period!¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to listen to Lirus¡¯ music¡­ This mom is really happy.¡±

    It seems that my vacation will just pass by eventfully after all.

    Trantors note:

    Isaac really is building up that masters death. I can¡¯t wait for the fallout already, it¡¯s going to be glorious.

 Chapter 84: Relax (3)

    Literature, art,nguage, technology, theater, religion, customs, way of life, architecture, and so on.

    There are various types of culture, and the power that culture holds is so enormous that it cannot be fully expressed.

    If you have a good culture, it has the effect of making people follow it ¡°voluntarily¡±. Like a drop of ink in clean water, the power of culture slowly influences from within, rather than superficially.

    It is not a shallow idea that is imnted through brainwashing or education, but rather, the effect is bound to be excellent when you naturally follow it as you encounter that culture.

    Moreover, in this world that is close to the medieval era, the most influential culture is undoubtedly ¡°art.¡±

    As previously mentioned, art includes music, painting, sculpture, crafts, and so on, and the masters who are hailed as the best in each field possess a tremendous status in the world.

    In addition, the world of art is also mixed with Elves, whoid the foundation of civilization, and Dwarves, who are called the craftsmen¡¯s race.

    The Beastmen are a warrior race and have little interest in the arts, while the Demons, instead of the arts, focus on humanity, so they have no particr pride in the arts.

    The country of culture, the Ters Kingdom, recognized the power of culture early on and concentrated on cultural strength, resulting in its growth into a powerful nation that even the Minerva Empire cannot easily confront.

    The reason the Minerva Empire cannot pressurize the Ters Kingdom, despite its formidable military and economic power, is because the culture of the Ters Kingdom has already permeated into the roots of the Empire.

    The Empire has therefore changed its course to maintain a bnce by plundering the culture of the Ters Kingdom, rather than trying to wage a conquest war with force.

    If the cultural strength of the Minerva Empire bes simr to that of the Ters Kingdom, the title of cultural powerhouse will be meaningless, which is why the Empire is seeking opportunities.

    The Ters Kingdom is also mindful of this and is currently waging a cultural war against the Empire, even though it is not spilling blood.

    ¡°I understand that, but why are we holding an exhibition in our territory, not the capital? And why dy the reopening of Halo Academy for this?¡±

    I retorted to the woman sitting across from me with some dissatisfaction and bewilderment. Honestly, it was difficult to grasp what was going on.

    The woman with golden hair, Rina, who was sitting opposite me, smiled sardonically with a more troubled expression than before. She seemed to have nothing to say either.

    However, one has to know what is going on to at least understand it. Rina knew that, so she quietly opened her mouth.

    ¡°¡­At first, we didn¡¯t n on holding an exhibition in the Empire either. But since you¡¯re not yet subject to the Empire, and all the renowned artists are in the Ters Kingdom, we just wanted to show that our Empire is making efforts. That¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°By the way, the Ters Kingdom suddenly passed on the exhibition to the Empire, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I don¡¯t know why, though.¡±

    Rina sighed deeply, feeling frustrated with the current situation, and gave her answer. Although her response left me feeling somewhat helpless, I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself down.

    We were currently in the reception room of the Michelles¡¯ mansion, where Rina hade to find me as soon as the decision to hold the exhibition in our territory was made.

    Not only Rina but also Leort hade to find us, but he had gone to see my father first. They were probably discussing the matter in a different reception room by now, rather than the one where Rina and I were.

    <i>¡®ording to what my mother told me, it¡¯s not just a simple exhibition¡­¡¯</i>

    As I took a sip of the tea brought to me by a maid, I recalled the information my mother had given me. Until I heard it from her, I had thought it was simply a concept simr to fan art, but as I listened to the story, it far surpassed the level of fan art.

    If we were topare it to a past life, groups like the Lirus Orchestra would be like Beethovenposing and ying, and the painter Imar would be exhibiting his own works. Furthermore, theater groups could be considered Hollywood-ss.

    It was all thanks to my work, Xenon¡¯s Biography, that stars from all over the world had gathered and formed the exhibition.

    ¡®A culture that anyone can easily enjoy¡­¡¯

    As this phenomenon appeared, new cultures were also emerging to the surface. Although art in this world originally had some profound aspects, reminiscent of the medieval era, with the appearance of Xenon¡¯s Biography, the paradigm began to shift.

    It¡¯s not a culture that requires a certain level of education to understand and appreciate, but a culture that anyone can enjoy casually.

    It could be called ¡°snack culture¡± borrowing terminology from a past life, but there are many different aspects to it in various ces. Literary snack culture is a culture that emerged with the proliferation of the inte and smartphones, and no one knows how it will change in the future, as it was a work that became a global hit.

    As I pondered the influence of Xenon¡¯s Biography, I carefully put down my teacup. With the noise of the ttering street, Rina¡¯s blue eyes fixed on me.

    ¡°Let¡¯s put Ters Kingdom aside for now, but why does it have to be our territory? Are they deliberately letting everyone know that the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography lives here?¡±

    Startled by my sharp question, Rina quickly raised both her hands, a different reaction from when she usually treated me with a mask. It means that she regards me as an equal and is reflecting on her past mistakes. As I thought so, Rina hastily exined.

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it at all. It was purely a coincidence that the venue was decided on the Michelle territory. I¡¯m sorry to say this to you, but Michelle territory is a newly allocated territory with almost no characteristics. However, it¡¯s a territory given to a hero who defended the borders, so the potential for development is very high.¡±

    ¡°Come to think of it, I heard that development of the territory will begin in three years.¡±

    I slowly recalled at Rina¡¯s exnation. It was a story I heard from the carriage driver heading to the Academy. Anyway, it was a story I had heard somewhere.

    ¡°Right. The potential for development is high, and the distance from the capital isn¡¯t too far. It¡¯s natural for Michelle¡¯s territory to be chosen. Moreover, Lord Hawk isn¡¯t interested in politics, so it wouldn¡¯t matter if we gave him our support.¡±

    ¡°Father seems to be getting more white hair though. Have you bothe to an agreement?¡±

    ¡°My brother is trying to persuade him now. Of course, Lord Hawk will prioritize your opinion, but¡­¡±

    Rina trailed off, looking at me. If it was before, she might have pressured me with a smirk, but now she was politely asking for my approval.

    In this strange, reversed rtionship, I thought hard. To be honest, I wanted to say yes right away.

    However, considering the size of the exhibition, it was ambiguous whether it would be easy to ept.

    As Rina said, our territory only has potential and no unique features like other territories¡¯ specialty products or diverse food options, or even the discovery of precious minerals. We don¡¯t have any of these distinguishing features.

    But that doesn¡¯t mean my father¡¯s abilities as a lord are insignificant. He was granted the title of Baron only five years ago and officially received the territory two years ago. The mansion itself existed since before I was born, but my father didn¡¯t be a proper lord until after he retired.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    I thought and thought in my head. Should I focus on reality, or should I focus on the masters¡¯ works? Even if I were to approve, if my father didn¡¯t agree, it wouldn¡¯t work. On the other hand, if my father agreed, but I didn¡¯t like it, it wouldn¡¯t work either.

    In the end, we came to the conclusion that I needed to discuss it with my father. While looking at Rina waiting for my answer, I expressed my thoughts.

    ¡°I¡¯ll talk to my father first. Even if I¡¯m okay with it, there are many difficult practical aspects to consider.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. We still have two weeks until the exhibition. During that time, we can get support from the capital and the pce. Luckily, Michelle territory is close to the capital, so we can resolve everything in three days.¡±

    Rina, who was rarely enthusiastic, had a strong determination in her blue eyes. She would never give up easily.

    Looking at it from a previous life perspective, this event was like an Olympic event. If we give up, we will be throwing away our money and reputation. And that opportunity will naturally pass on to the Ters Kingdom. They may even be targeting this opportunity in the Ters Kingdom.

    Externally, it¡¯s just an exhibition for fans of Xenon¡¯s Biography, but politically, it¡¯s aplicated festival. It may seem like an international celebration to ordinary people, but for politicians, it¡¯splicated.

    <i>¡®I need to be prepared for the worst.¡¯</i>

    If I get exposed, the situation will beplicated.

    Of course, it will be rtively safe for me because I have a rare fraudulent skill, ¡®stop serialization¡¯ or ¡®stop writing¡¯.

    However, the world is wide and there are many crazy people. As we could see in the high-level theft incident, some crazy person might be targeting me.

    Until now, I had been worried about revealing that part of me, but I became convinced after the draft theft incident. As I was thinking to myself, a curious thought came to mind, so I asked Rina a question.

    ¡°But what if it doesn¡¯t work out? What will we do?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to hold it in the capital city regardless. The capital is currently overcrowded, so it¡¯ll be difficult to hold a normal event, but it¡¯s possible if we push it.¡±

    ¡°So, the reason we¡¯re holding it in our territory is because of that? It¡¯ll be easy to do since it¡¯s empty.¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    ¡°So, do you know who¡¯sing?¡±

    Forrge-scale events like this, important guests are sure to attend. Considering the rtionship between the Minerva Empire and the Ters Kingdom, each country¡¯s rulers will probably send representatives rather thaning themselves.

    Sure enough, the names that came out of Rina¡¯s mouth were very familiar to me.

    ¡°First of all, as you expected, you and your father will participate, and Duke Requilis will also be there. Cecily mighte to Helium. In the Ters Kingdom, Viktor, the Cultural Ambassador, will visit.¡±

    It might sound funny to call him the Cultural Ambassador, but considering the characteristics of the Ters Kingdom, he would probably be of very high rank.

    Perhaps he would be on par with Duke Requilis. As someone who has to greet guests, it¡¯s a nerve-wracking lineup. However, if I¡¯m well-prepared, I¡¯m confident that I can win the battle.

    ¡°Other countries aside from that?¡±

    ¡°From The Church of Savior, a bishop mighte to visit. I don¡¯t know much about the Kingdom of Brus, but they¡¯reing because they want to, not for political purposes.¡±

    As the outline of my n started to take shape in my head, I decided that it would be best to have someone responsible for the face-to-face interactions, even though everything would be taken care of by the royal family.

    My father is not without his reputation, and he even has the title of the Red Lion, so there¡¯s no need to worry about being ignored. If all else fails, we can just watch and leave.

    <i>¡®We need to pay more attention to security.¡¯</i>

    Our territory hasn¡¯t even started development, so crime is rare, but we never know.

    Above all, there is something that concerns me the most. It¡¯s not the capital or our territory, but the fact that we will be holding an exhibition, and there will undoubtedly be people who are suspicious of it.

    The rough drafts from volume two to volume ten are all in my personal desk drawer. I sealed it tightly with a lock, but it¡¯s wise to be prepared in case of a draft theft.

    ¡°Rina, I have a favor to ask of you¡­¡±

    ¡°You want me to focus on security? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll send a group of knights from the pce.¡±

    How do the people around me read my mind so well? It¡¯s amazing.

    Still, I should be grateful that they¡¯re sending knights from the pce. I bowed my head and expressed my gratitude.

    ¡°Thank you. Honestly, I wanted to see the exhibition too. If the exhibition goes smoothly, I¡¯ll definitely repay you.¡±

    ¡°No, there¡¯s no need to repay us. We just need to work harder to uphold the Empire¡¯s name. You can just enjoy the artwork presented by the artists.¡±

    ¡°You must be under a lot of pressure with the time constraint. Can you really finish everything within two weeks?¡±

    It¡¯s not as big as the Olympics, and it¡¯s an event that is primarily driven by fan enthusiasm, but for leaders like Rina, it¡¯s really important.

    Above all, she feels even more pressure psychologically because the original creator is right in front of her. When I expressed my concern, Rina smiled and replied in a low voice.

    ¡°Even if it¡¯s not perfect, we have to do it. It¡¯s money overflowing into our empire, so we can¡¯t not do it even if it¡¯s hastily made.¡±

    Then she looked at me and muttered quietly.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    It seemed like there were manyplex reasons why our territory was chosen. I looked at Rina with a solemn expression and gave her some words of encouragement.

    ¡°Stay strong.¡±

    As for me, I just need to prepare and open a bag of popcorn.

    *****

    It was around the time when news came out one after another that major figures from various countries around the world would attend the exhibition.

    There were growing concerns that the exhibition would not be like an exhibition, and as too many nobles gathered, even themon people began to look around cautiously.

    As the eyes of the exhibition¡¯s participants began to increase too much, the artisans gradually felt burdened. They had organized the exhibition out of respect and fandom(?) for Xenon¡¯s Biography, but there was a riot outside.

    If things continued like this, there was a high possibility that the original meaning of ¡°culture that anyone can enjoy¡± would be lost.

    Until Isaac¡¯s words, which were left behind a week before the exhibition was held, were revealed.

    [Everyone, please put down your pens for a moment and enjoy. So that it can be a happy memory for everyone.]

    As soon as those words came out, something amazing happened. News of who would attend from which country disappeared, and only the words that the exhibition was being prepared were mentioned.

    Thanks to that, the politicallyplicated exhibition could return to its festival meaning.

    Artists could now focus on their work without feeling burdened.

    When everyone who loved Xenon¡¯s Biography smiled with happiness in the festive atmosphere, there was someone who couldn¡¯tugh¡­

    ¡°Ah, fuck. Those Elders. I missed the timing.¡±

    It was Arwen, the queen of Alvenheim, who missed the attendance timing due to bickering with the Elders.

    She frowned as she looked at the newspaper that Rain had delivered.

    If she officially dered that she would attend, it would be like striking a match in this festive atmosphere.

    Originally, she nned to attend the exhibition to fulfill her personal ambition and to find information on the author. However, the Elders strongly opposed it.

    Do they really need to go to such a ce? On the contrary, they said they shoulde to Alvenheim from their side.

    Arwen stared at the newspaper intensely and muttered quietly.

    ¡°¡­That won¡¯t do. It¡¯ll be okay for just a day.¡±

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 85: Relax (4)

    ¡®Festival¡¯ is one of the concepts that can never be excluded from the history of humanity.

    Even now, for ancient people, ¡®farming¡¯ was an especially important means, so they were sensitive to the changing seasons of nature. Even if the environment was not conducive to farming, the seasons still changed.

    Due to the changing environment with each season, people believed that ¡®gods¡¯ must have intervened and offered them sacrifices. The customs that arose from offering these sacrifices became festivals.

    As time passed and civilization developed, festivals began to take on various forms. Festivals that involved offering sacrifices to gods were still held, but as history umted, people began to assign special meanings to special days.

    Among the famous types of festivals, there are of course the ¡®National Foundation Day¡¯ and the New Year¡¯s festival.

    National Foundation Day includes the meaning that the country has ovee various difficulties and hardships, so it is appropriate to hold thergest-scale festival even if it is held.

    However, even such a National Foundation Day is inferiorpared to the New Year¡¯s festival. The New Year¡¯s festival naturally has thergest scale because it contains various meanings for all people regardless of race.

    Thus, as mentioned earlier, ¡®festivals¡¯ are an indispensable part of the history of humanity, and are still ongoing today. Then, what is the most important thing in opening a festival recently? Holy offerings to offer to the gods? Capital to open a grand festival? Various sights to see?

    Not really. Essentially, a festival only truly bes meaningful when ¡®people¡¯ gather together to enjoy it.

    No matter how much money is spent, or how systematically nned it is, or how many attractions there are, it¡¯s all useless if there are no people in the end.

    And I fully understand thatmon sense, not in a negative sense, but in a positive sense.

    ¡°Wow¡­¡±

    I eximed in amazement, gaping at the unbelievable sight outside the window. While usually the atmosphere of our territory came from its tranquility, now people were bustling and lively.

    As I mentioned before, our territory has no particr characteristics and is just a rural area. The reason why there is high potential for development is because many young people reside in our viges and it¡¯s close to the capital city.

    Nevertheless, it¡¯s always been rtively quiet, being a rural town. The reason why young people remain here is because of my father.

    They probably don¡¯t know that my father has made a name for themselves as a Navy knight, but the fact that my father has be a noble from amoner is enough to pique the curiosity of the young people. That¡¯s why the sound of music is heard in the mansion yard every day.

    But now it¡¯s different. Buildings and stalls are being constructed one by one on the almost deserted streets, and a performance venue that can be considered the centerpiece of the festival is being built on the vast in.

    In addition, even the vigers who rarely show their faces are contributing to the festival preparations. Since it¡¯s not a festival nned by the vige itself but supported by the empire, they have no choice but to work hard.

    Of course, there was no dissatisfaction on their faces. Rather, the vige was prospering, and they were probably unaware of any difficulties due to their happiness.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a few years since I received this territory, but it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen it so lively.¡±

    As I watched buildings being generated in real-time like in a game, my father, who was standing next to me, spoke up. I turned my head to listen to his words, which were imbued with his characteristic solidity.

    As always, his stern face exuded manliness, but today he seemed a bit tired. Perhaps it was because he hadn¡¯t slept for several days and his fatigue had piled up on his face.

    In fact, when the exhibition was decided to be held in Michelles territory, my father became much busier. He handled payment documents that piled up like mountains, and met various people.

    He met with those who visited the territory out of curiosity and signed contracts, consulted with construction managers, and meticulously nned the exhibition with Leort.

    Due to the sudden surge in workload, he had no choice but to work overtime, and it was inevitable that he would be tired.

    ¡°You look very tired, father.¡±

    ¡°Even when I¡¯m tired, looking at the outside makes me feel like all my fatigue is gone. And I¡¯ve done much more than this when I was on active duty. It¡¯s just been a long time, that¡¯s all.¡±

    Come to think of it, he wasn¡¯t just a simple knight, but a knightmander. He wasn¡¯t just a member of an ordinary knight order, but amander, so he probably also handled administrative tasks.

    Moreover, the Navy Knight Order was responsible for the border and had to spend the allotted budget frugally. Of course, they would receive more money than other ces, but no matter how much money they poured in, the military was alwayscking.

    The Navy¡¯s Knights are simr to special forces, so training one knight alone requires astronomical budgets. As the person in charge, my father would have to allocate that budget efficiently, so naturally his abilities would have increased.

    <i>¡®But it must still be hard.¡¯</i>

    I heard that my mother also helps my father with his work. By now, she must be struggling with the piles of paperwork that have umted.

    Feeling sorry for him, I chuckled bitterly and my father smiled, cing his hand on my shoulder. I could feel the texture and weight of his thick palm.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to feel too sorry for me. This festival is actually all about you. I¡¯ve told you before, but I¡¯m proud of you. You¡¯re aplishing everything, one by one, even things that I can¡¯t do.¡±

    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t helped me, it would have been difficult.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything for you¡­ but it¡¯s nice to hear you say that.¡±

    His words conveyed his love and affection for me. A child can¡¯t do anything without their parents¡¯ love and care, but here were my parents, saying that they hadn¡¯t done anything for me.

    As I looked at him with sad eyes, my father ruffled my hair without saying a word. I wanted to act like an innocent child in front of my parents.

    I giggled and pointed to the work site, asking my father.

    ¡°So, will everything bepleted before the exhibition starts?¡±

    ¡°It will probably bepleted just in time. Our n is to use the entire territory instead of building a separate building for the exhibition. I heard the scale of the y is also big, so it¡¯s suitable for our empty territory.¡±

    The exhibition, as exined by my father, will be held using our entire territory. So, it is more like a festival than an event held in aplex building like a museum.

    Of course, the performances will proceed as nned, with the bands and drama groupsing. During the lively daytime, we will be able to enjoy the artworks, while in the quiet evening, we will focus on the drama and theater performances.

    As I thought carefully about the drama that would take ce in the evening, I asked my father.

    ¡°Father, have you ever seen a y before?¡±

    ¡°I saw one a few times with your mother a long time ago. It was quite entertaining.¡±

    ¡°Did that y also use the entire open field like this?¡±

    ys are usually performed on stage, but for some reason, this y was nned to be performed in a wide open field.

    The venue where the performance was going to be held was also set up on the in, and the viewing seats were quite spacious. They even installed a semi-transparent curtain that resembled what I had seen at the Academy¡¯s arena.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    My father looked in the direction I pointed with my finger and then stroked his chin. He replied as if he found it fascinating.

    ¡°The y I saw with your mother was performed on a stage. However, the theater grouping this time is famous in many ways.¡±

    ¡°In what ways? I only know that their name is Matrics Troupe.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a highly realistic y known for its extreme realism. For example, if it¡¯s a scene with snow, they actually make it snow, and if it¡¯s raining, they make it rain. Moreover, I heard that they even create explosions, making it much more dynamic than any other ys.¡±

    It¡¯s almost like a movie-level production in terms of the production techniques, simr to the famous director Christopher Nn from my previous life. However, he is a movie director, and with the current level of technology, such productions are almost impossible.

    When I looked at my father with a bewildered expression, he chuckled.

    ¡°I don¡¯t really know the details about this. It would be better to ask your mother about it. However, most people believe that they use magic for their productions.¡±

    ¡°Just using magic for a theater performance seems a bit¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s even more famous. There¡¯s a high chance that elves or demons are involved among the staff. Above all, people say that it¡¯s fascinating to see how well they create the effects.¡±

    I¡¯m really looking forward to seeing a y with special effects, it feels like I¡¯m watching a movie.

    Even if it¡¯s only for a short time, it should be enough to enjoy. I looked out the window with increasing excitement towards the exhibition. In the blink of an eye, a few buildings had been constructed in the gap between the buildings.

    It normally takes several months just to build one building, so I was worried that they may have done a shoddy job.

    ¡®I should visit hereter.¡¯

    A shoddy construction could lead to a disaster, so it¡¯s best to be especially careful. In my previous life, there were many cases where buildings copsed due to poor construction.

    Of course, it is unlikely that such a situation would arise, given the support we receive from the royal family, but the world does not always go ording to our ns.

    ¡°Isaac, did you send the letter stating that you would be attending the exhibition?¡±

    My father asked me as I gazed outside the window. I turned away from the window and looked at my father, expressing my curiosity.

    ¡°What letter?¡±

    ¡°Well, we know that this festival is for you as an author, but to others, it¡¯s a festival for the creator of Xenon¡¯s Biography. If the main character doesn¡¯t show up, I wonder if this festival would have any meaning.¡±

    Again, let me reiterate that this exhibition is a festival where masters from all over the world have read Xenon¡¯s Biography and created their own works. So, without the original author, not only will the enjoyment be diminished, but the attending artists may also be greatly disappointed.

    After listening to my father¡¯s words, I thought carefully about various concerns and asked a cautious question in a careful voice.

    ¡°What if a problem arises?¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t happen, so don¡¯t worry too much. After all, there will be many people participating in the festival, and all you have to do is say that you will attend. When the festival is over, send a letter mentioning some of the artists and how much you enjoyed it.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ I understand.¡±

    My father¡¯s words were asforting as a luby. He smiled contentedly as I epted his proposal.

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll take a break for a moment. It¡¯ll be better to rest now because more documents will pile up in a few hours.¡±

    ¡°Take it easy. What will you do if you pass out from exhaustion?¡±

    ¡°Compared to when I was on active duty, this is nothing.¡±

    ¡°Shall I help you with something?¡±

    ¡°No. You just sit still and enjoy the festival. As I said before, this festival is for you.¡±

    Father left with those words and went back to his room. I looked towards the door he left through and then turned my head back towards the window.

    This festival was solely for fans of Xenon¡¯s Biography. The once quiet territory was filled with energy and liveliness, and smiles bloomed on people¡¯s faces.

    As I silently watched this scene, I became absorbed in the experience. My written work had be a new culture that breathed life into the territory. It waspletely different from just hearing about it in the newspaper.

    <i>¡®Come to think of it, there was a simr ce in Korea.¡¯</i>

    They created a culture street in Kim Kwang-seok Street, the birthce of Kim Kwang-seok, and it transformed into a unique area.

    <i>¡®If our territory bes like that¡­¡¯</i>

    My desires began to rise as I witnessed the rapidly changing appearance of the territory. If the ce where I was born and raised bes andmark where countless touristse, and if we hold festivals at regr intervals like now, how proud would I feel? Although I have no greed for money and power, there is a strange allure in knowing that my novel has be a part of the culture.

    Should we call this honor? I thought I somewhat understood why so many people die and live for honor.

    <i>¡®Even artists must find it difficult, wandering around here and there¡­¡¯</i>

    Maybe it was my greed, but rationalization began to take ce inside me little by little. I was aware of it, but it was difficult to endure.

    I looked at the streets that were gradually changing into a territory and muttered quietly.

    ¡°A festival for me¡­¡±

    I wonder what form this territory will have in the distant future. Will it grow into a cultural ce like Kim Kwang-seok Street, or will it just remain as an ordinary territory?

    <i>¡®Should I just reveal that I was born in Michelle Territory?¡¯</i>

    I¡¯ve always said it, but people are assuming that the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography is an old sage, so they¡¯ll probably only do some research after finding out that I was born in Michelle Territory.

    They won¡¯t know where I live now, because I was only born in Michelle Territory.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t decide this alone. I need to ask my father and Rina.¡¯</i>

    After that, I continued to stare out the window for a long time.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 86: Preparation (1)

    While admiring the view outside the window, I discussed with my father and mother the idea of designating the Michelle territory as a cultural city, just like the Kim Kwang-seok Street which was beautified based on the fact that famous people were born there.

    I expressed my opinion that if we decorate the territory with just one piece of evidence of a famous person¡¯s birthce, it would definitely lead to the development of the territory.

    Of course, I was worried about the aftermath of such a decision, but I suggested that I could keep my birthce as it is and just not disclose our actual residence.

    I thought that even if someone were to investigate, there would be no disturbance as long as I deny my actual residence and y it off smoothly.

    Since I had witnessed the development of the previously quiet territory with my own eyes, I couldn¡¯t help but be a little greedy. However, I judged that there would be no problem since my suggestion was convincing.

    As for my parents¡¯ reaction to my story, my father seemed to be deep in thought, but my mother¡¯s response was ambiguous. Even though my father was someone who thought deeply, it was surprising that my mother didn¡¯t seem to agree.

    When I asked if there were any political problems with my idea, my mother looked at my father without saying anything. After pondering for a while with his hand on his chin, my father looked at me with a solemn expression.

    Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Father.¡±

    ¡°What you suggested is definitely a good thing for you, for our territory, and for its development. It will allow us to increase our potential for growth even faster and maximize the effects of tourism. Who knows, this ce may be the fixed location for exhibitions.¡±

    In reality, thetter part was the biggest goal of the idea. I wanted to show exhibitions in our territory every cycle without the need to wander around here and there.

    Force them to do it only in our territory! It¡¯s not like that. You can disy your artwork as you please until the exhibition. The exhibition is only significant in that artists from around the world gather to showcase their work. Of course, the condition for that is that the poprity of my work must continue steadily, but given the current situation, that is simple.

    Father looked at me with a questioning expression, then chuckled quietly before speaking in a low voice.

    ¡°But that¡¯s short-sighted thinking. There are many concerning factors if you look at the bigger picture.¡±

    ¡°Concerning factors?¡±

    ¡°Yes. First of all, I have realized a few things while working as a knight in this country. The Minerva Empire has too much greed, it is even well-known that we are aiming for the Ters Kingdom.¡±

    Father opened his mouth with a solemn voice, extending his index finger. I could only tilt my head at his words.

    I knew well of the cultural ambitions of the Minerva Empire. They were absorbing other cultures to swallow up the Ters Kingdom and firmly establish their dominance in the world.

    The military and economic powers were already raised as high as possible, and through centuries of history, they had also established a solid foundation. It was only natural to turn their eyes to neighboring countries.

    However, the Holy Kingdom Xavier could not be touched due to religious issues, and themercial country of the Belua Kingdom was far away, and It was challenging to handle other ces where different species were established.

    So, the priority is on the Ters Kingdom, whom we share the same human race with, and with whom we have been enemies since the war of the races. But I couldn¡¯t understand how that rtes to turning the Michelle Territory into a cultural city.

    ¡°I know that too. If I ask them not to use us politically, wouldn¡¯t the Empire stop too?¡±

    ¡°Maybe for now, but do you think they will do that even after 100 years?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I asked if our empire will just sit still even after you die.¡±

    I struggled to understand what my father was saying.

    My father must have read my expression and continued to exin seriously.

    ¡°Isaac, the true power of culture lies in its steady continuation not only in the short term but also for future generations. Even after you die, including Xenon¡¯s Biography, your works will take their ce in culture. And if your true identity is revealed, our territory could also be what you said it could be.¡±

    ¡°So, it¡¯s not the right time now?¡±

    ¡°That too, but it¡¯s also because you were born in the wrong era. Sadly, that¡¯s the truth.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°If you die, your works will naturally increase in value. And the Empire won¡¯t miss that. They can create a pretext for invasion by deliberately taking your manuscripts away from the Ters Kingdom or, in the worst case, they can burn them all and frame them for it.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Even now, if they were to find the culprit of the high-level theft case, they would be quick to eliminate three generations. But what if all the manuscripts disappear? A war wouldn¡¯t be surprising. It just proves how immense the cultural value you possess is.¡±

    Here, I realized once again that this world is in the medieval era. Common sense from my past life hardly applies, and it¡¯s a society that¡¯s socially backward.

    For example, let¡¯s say that in a past life, a country burned all the high-level documents because they insulted J.K. Rowling¡¯s masterpiece, the Harry Potter series. Many people around the world, including the British, would be outraged, but there is a high chance that each country¡¯s government would only issue a statement of condemnation and let it end there.

    If you still don¡¯t understand, a great example (?) would be China. Even if China is acting ridiculously, the countries that suffer damage can only issue critical statements and cannot dere direct war.

    Of course, this is also because of China¡¯s overwhelming power, but it¡¯s worth remembering that even the United States could not use force recklessly. In the same way, China cannot use force without a valid reason.

    In a highly developed society and civilization like this, even drawing a knife is difficult.

    <i>¡®¡­ It¡¯s really medieval times¡¯</i>

    However, this is a fantasy world set in the medieval era. This is a ce where they unreservedlymit tomon sense that humans on Earth would consider barbaric, where honor is more precious than life itself. It¡¯s not surprising to start a war over a trivial reason.

    If my manuscripts were all burned by some country, they would inevitably receive a deration of war, and after that, it¡¯s natural that they would be destroyed.

    As my father exined, as long as I live my life steadfastly, a war may not break out, but the problem is after I die. As human greed knows no bounds, it wouldn¡¯t be strange for them to do crazy things with my works.

    It¡¯s been 17 years since I was reborn into this world, butmon sense still seemed difficult to ept.

    ¡°¡­I understand. Listening to what my father said, there seem to be many problems.¡±

    ¡°Isaac, don¡¯t be too disappointed. Your father¡¯s words are just predictions and not necessarily certain. There maye a time when you get what you want.¡±

    As I became dejected, my motherforted me. Her kindness made me feel a little better, but I still felt regretful.

    It was a rare n that I had nned with enthusiasm, but the idea of the butterfly effect scared me. My father didn¡¯t say that I was born in the wrong era for nothing.

    My father, who had been silently watching me, opened his mouth in a calm tone.

    ¡°It¡¯s natural for someone like you to have ambitions when visible results appear. It¡¯s a normal reaction. But I sense a bit of impatience in you.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±

    ¡°However, I¡¯m not saying not to do it at all. I¡¯ve only given you advice, I¡¯m not forcing your choice. If you¡¯re willing to take responsibility, I¡¯ll dly support you.¡±

    My father only speaks words of agreement. He was a soldier who had served on the front lines, so he knows more than me.

    Above all, my father was born and raised in this world. As someone whosemon sense is deeply rooted in my past life, my thoughts could differ in various ways from his.

    <i>¡®Immediate progress in this era is unlikely to happen¡­¡¯</i>

    How can I prevent my work from being politically exploited? There may be no problem as long as I am alive, but the problem lies in the future. Like everyone else, no parent wants to give their child a terrible future. I will eventually get married and have children, but I cannot pass on such a future. Especially if the cause of that future is directly rted to me, it is horrific to even imagine.

    <i>¡®I still have time. It¡¯s better to think slowly.¡¯</i>

    I almost lost my mind in greed. I overlooked even the most basic part by trying to fitmon sense from my past life into this world. I looked at my parents and decided that I should postpone developing our territory into a cultural city.

    Both of them were waiting for me to finish thinking.

    ¡°¡­But it¡¯s hard to give up on ambition.¡±

    Father seemed to agree with my embarrassedugh.

    ¡°If you were born as a man, you should have that kind of ambition. Honor is a precious thing that cannot be measured by money. Of course, you may discover something more valuable than that honor.¡±

    ¡°Right, dear.¡±

    Father subtly touched Mother¡¯s hand and smiled. Mother was embarrassed, but she still leaned her head against Father¡¯s solid shoulder.

    Regardless, my n, full of ambition, was put on hold, but the preparations for the exhibition continued without any interruption. Thanks to the support from the pce, the territories were changing in real-time almost every day.

    However, that didn¡¯t mean our family¡¯s life had changed. I sent a letter to the publishingpany, and my parents were sweating over the iing payment documents.

    Of course, there were some changes.

    ¡°Hi! Our cutie pie!¡±

    ¡°Oh? Adelia? Are you going to the exhibition too?¡±

    ¡°Of course! How can I miss such an event?¡±

    Nicole, who was expected to be at the academy during the break, came to the mansion with Adelia.

    While Nicole was family, I never thought Adelia would be invited to the mansion.

    ¡°To be honest, I also came to see our cutie pie¡­¡±

    ¡°Stop talking nonsense and I¡¯ll show you the room where you¡¯ll be staying.¡±

    ¡°Ah~ why~ I wanted to talk more with our Isaac.¡±

    ¡°What kind of trick are you trying to pull on a guy who has a girlfriend? Stop talking nonsense and follow me.¡±

    Adelia was dragged by Nicole. Seeing her waving goodbye with a bright smile, I couldn¡¯t help but think that she was still the same.

    ¡°She¡¯s definitely close with Adelia.¡±

    Nicole had never invited anyone to the house before. It might be because she was busy working as a martial arts assistant, but it could also be that our territory was not worth showing off.

    However, now that the exhibition is being held, it seems Adelia hase out of curiosity. And she probably asked Nicole for an invitation. Although I haven¡¯t seen it with my own eyes, I can imagine it since it¡¯s Adelia.

    ¡°I wonder who wille as guests?¡±

    There were originally rumors of people attending from various countries around the world, but as soon as I said something, they all disappeared. So I don¡¯t know exactly who is attending.

    ¡°Well, I think I know a few of them.¡±

    And as expected.

    ¡°Isaac~¡±

    The day before the exhibition started, Marie visited our mansion. Since she sent a letter instead of making a surprise visit, we could wee her visit.

    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Sara Hausen Requilis, the hostess of Duke Requilis. Nice to meet you.¡±

    ¡°My name is Kay Hausen Requilis, the eldest son of the Duke of Requilis. Nice to meet you.¡±

    Marie¡¯s mother and older brother also visited with her. I had seen her brother once before, but this was my first time meeting Sara.

    Sara was a beauty with brown hair and brown eyes, and she looked so much like Marie that you could tell instantly where Marie¡¯s appearance came from. She exuded an elegant yet gentle atmosphere like our mother, giving off a sense of dignity.

    ¡®¡­But isn¡¯t the exhibition opening tomorrow?¡¯

    I couldn¡¯t help but have that doubt as I greeted them. Unless they had mistaken the time¡­

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Isaac. I ¡®misremembered¡¯ the date and came a day early.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Can I impose on you just for today?¡±

    Looking at Marie, who was smiling cheerfully, she nced back. Her mother, Sarah, was also smiling like Marie and Kei was shaking his head.

    ¡®She¡¯s bing more demanding.¡¯

    So what was there to do? I smiled reluctantly as if epting it.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    The exhibition was just around the corner.

    *****

    Meanwhile, in Alvenheim at a simr time¡­

    ¡°You understand, Rain? You must not get into an ident this time.¡±

    ¡°I understand, Your Majesty. I won¡¯t cause any idents.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Let¡¯s hurry before we get caught by the Council.¡±

    Two elves hid their tracks by teleporting somewhere.

    ¡°What should I wear? I showed this onest time, so I should wear something else¡­ Should I wear this?¡±

    ¡°I think this one is better than that¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything else besides this?¡±

    At Helium, Cecily was busy choosing a dress.

    ¡®What should I wear to get his attention?¡¯

    Thinking of Isaac in her heart.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 87: Preparation (2)

    As I¡¯ve mentioned before, a festival bes a true festival only when there are people present. As if to prove that point, our territory has be increasingly bustling with people as time goes on.

    Just a fortnight ago, our territory was quiet and still, but now it¡¯s teeming with so many people that it could rival some cities. And yet, I couldn¡¯t help but feel worried. While it¡¯s great to have tourists flocking to our territory right now, the future is uncertain.

    As I¡¯ve said before, our territory doesn¡¯t have many unique features. Right now, the pce is providing various forms of support to host the exhibition, but it¡¯s only temporary. Even if the exhibition is sessful, there are concerns about the upkeep and whether the tourists wille back again.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s fortunate that so many people areing, but¡­ still¡­¡¯</i>

    Tomorrow, the exhibition will begin, and more people are flooding in than ever before. Not only humans, but various species can be seen here and there, and many security guards have been deployed to maintain order.

    Furthermore, the appearance of the territory has changed drasticallypared to before.

    ording to Rina, they said it was done in a rush, but it was hard to tell if it was actually nned like this from the beginning or if it was just good directing by the supervisor, because there were almost no signs of rushing.

    They had originally nned to develop the territory in three years, so perhaps they just moved that n up.

    <i>¡®There shouldn¡¯t be any big problems.¡¯</i>

    To prevent idents from happening, the pce had inspected the buildings not just once or twice, but many times. They were particrly meticulous in managing the inns where nobles and artists stayed.

    In addition, many shops, including a variety of stores, were established. Before, our territory only had basic shops selling goods, clothing stores, and a cksmith, but after contracting with the upper management, various new locations began to appear one after another.

    Of course, as more people came and went, various problems arose, the most notable being illegal street vendors. When they heard the news that an exhibition was being held in our territory, they quickly rushed to set up shop and make a profit.

    Of course, there were more cases where they had contracted with my father and set up a proper store, but there were always those rebellious people lurking around.

    My father, being a former knight, promptly banished them from the territory as soon as he received reports of illegal street vending. Thanks to this, there were no obstacles blocking the streets.

    <i>¡®But illegal street vending in the medieval era¡­¡¯</i>

    I always feel this way, but this world is a strange ce. I alternated between watching the illegal street vendors being removed and the vendors causing chaos, before quickly turning my gaze away.

    There were more important things piling up like a mountain. If my parents were busy dealing with documents that were flooding in like a tidal wave, I was busy receiving guests.

    The start was easy because it was Marie¡¯s family, but after that, I met people I didn¡¯t know at all. Not only nobles living in the Empire but also dignitaries from other countries were weed, so the tension was no joke. If I made a mistake here, it would not only reflect on me but also on my parents¡¯ reputation.

    Fortunately, the people who came to visit all loved Xenon¡¯s Biography and came together, so there were no major problems. Moreover, the guests who came a day early like this mostly rested at the inn all day as they hade from distant areas.

    However, not only nobles but also artists came a day early for rehearsals.

    ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m the conductor of the Lirus Orchestra, Lirus Hughesman.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Isaac Ducker Michelle. It¡¯s an honor to wee the renowned Lirus Orchestra.¡±

    It was Mr. Pringles.

    This was my first impression after meeting Lirus, the conductor of the Lirus Orchestra.

    He had no hair on his head, reflecting even the sunlight, but his unique mustache was somewhat charming and showed a professional aspect.

    Anyway, even if it was just for the first impression, it could be said that he scored a perfect score. Most renowned artists tend to be picky or arrogant, but Lirus was quite different.

    As I saw in the letter, Lirus was quite polite and humble, but even that couldn¡¯t hide his charisma that oozed out. He looked like a perfect fit for the job of ¡®conductor,¡¯ and his neat dress gave off a sense of politeness.

    ¡°Red hair is truly unique. And your shining eyes are like those of a wild beast.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Lirus, your mustache is also impressive. It must be difficult to maintain.¡±

    ¡°Your tone is as blunt as your expression. Still, thank you. There aren¡¯t many who appreciate the true value of this mustache, but you do.¡±

    Lirus gently tugged on his distinctive mustache and smiled proudly. It seemed like he thought of it as a kind of identity.

    I thought to myself that his personality was as unique as his appearance, but I didn¡¯t say it out loud since it was just stating the obvious. It was indeed very difficult to maintain a mustache like that without a considerable amount of effort and care.

    I was sitting across from Lirus, the Pringles guy¡­no, Lirus, and quietly spoke up.

    ¡°Did you like the stage? As you know, we made it in a rush, so there are many shorings.¡±

    ¡°Not at all. There was no sign of a hastily-made stage. Of course, it¡¯s not as great as the stages in the Ters Kingdom. If the Minerva Empire had had more time, we could have made an even better stage than this.¡±

    Lirus said that if the empire had had more time, they could have built a much better stage. It was a problem that they had to pass on the exhibition as a message to try harder to the Ters Kingdom.

    Still, it was fortunate that both he and I were satisfied with it. However, there was still an element of unease.

    ¡°What do you think about holding the exhibition like a festival?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not a big problem either. Not only me, but those who love Xenon¡¯s Biography will gather together and enjoy it. If this isn¡¯t a festival, then what is it? And looking at the schedule, we will show paintings and sculptures during the day and perform at night. It seems like the n was well-coordinated.¡±

    The Pringles uncle¡­ No, it¡¯s Lirus, who kept saying strange things. Thanks to him, I was able to rx a bit.

    But it¡¯s probably just the Lirus gang that¡¯s like this, other artists might have different thoughts.

    Especially the Matrics troupe, I heard they have a high pride as they boast of their splendid stage performances. Not only the Matrics troupe, but other artists in general tend to have a high self-esteem.

    ¡°I¡¯m relieved that you liked it. If there¡¯s anything ufortable, please let us know immediately.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ It¡¯s not really ufortable, but there¡¯s one thing that bothers me.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    With a hint of disappointment, Lirus opened his mouth as I asked him with a slight tension.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if Xenon¡¯s writer really wille to see our performance.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Although the publisher said he would attend, it¡¯s not certain, and there might be unexpected circumstances.¡±

    As I was in front of the Pringles old man, I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at his story.

    But the following words from Lirus made my chuckle turn into a doubt.

    ¡°More than anything, there¡¯s a y that I want to show Xenon, even the Matrics troupe cooperated.¡±

    ¡°Do you want him to see the y that we¡¯ve prepared?¡±

    ¡°Yes, absolutely. It will be the perfect paly for fans of Xenon¡¯s Biography.¡±

    What kind of perverts¡­ no, what kind of people would make such a self-assured y?

    I couldn¡¯t help but wonder, as even artists throughout history have had their share of perverse tendencies.

    I looked at Lirrus with a glint in my eye and slyly asked.

    ¡°Can you at least give me a hint?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not possible. It wouldn¡¯t be fun if you knew ahead of time. Instead, I can tell you that we¡¯ve rehearsed with the Matrics troupe several times before starting, all for the sake of a perfect y.¡±

    It seemed like some kind of coboration. With two world-famous mastersbining their talents, I had high expectations.

    ¡°Alright then. I hope you can restfortably after your long journey.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your hospitality. If I ever have the opportunity, I¡¯d like to turn thisnd into a cultural city. It would save me the trouble of wandering around all over the ce.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll definitely consider it. To be honest, I also have my own ambitions.¡±

    ¡°Hehehe. It¡¯s for Xenon¡¯s sake¡­ as a fellow artist, I feel jealous, but as a fan, I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡±

    Afterwards, Lirus left, wishing us a pleasant viewing of his stage. It was natural that I was left with a favorable impression of him, especially given his humble attitude before leaving.

    <i>¡®By the way, a coboration¡­¡¯</i>

    What kind of y will the artists show? It¡¯s not just any y, but a coboration with Matrics Troupe, which is known as the best in performance.

    Comparing it to the movies of a past life may be a bit unrealistic, but I¡¯m excited because they¡¯re so confident.

    I escorted Lirus to the nobles and artist-exclusive inn, and then made my way back to the mansion.

    Not only Lirus, but there are still people I have to meet. The Matrics Troupe will be arriving soon, so I nned to prepare ahead of time.

    <i>¡®The real VIPs will be visiting tomorrow¡­¡¯</i>

    VIPs greater than nobles that have already arrived at the capital¡¯s pce. They will use carriages to reach our territory when the timees.

    By now, Leort and Rina are probably facing them. Maybe Cecily is with them too.

    It was just before I entered the mansion.

    ¡°Isaac!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    A familiar man¡¯s voice entered my ears. It was a very wee voice to me.

    As I turned my head, I saw a man slowly walking towards me from the gate I had just passed through.

    He was a handsome man with red hair and golden eyes like my father, and he looked pleasant overall.

    He was my older brother Bryce, who I had heard joined the navy knights a few months ago and was in training.

    ¡°Bryce hyung? Is it really you?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. How long has it been? You seem to have grown taller since Ist saw you.¡±

    As I was taken aback, Bryce smiled brightly and patted my head. I looked at his face in disbelief.

    His appearance hadn¡¯t changed much, but as a knight, his skin had tanned a lot from training under the sun.

    In addition, there were small scars on his arms, which were visible because he was wearing a short-sleeved t-shirt, and he seemed to have gained some weight.

    ¡°Did youe out for vacation? Didn¡¯t you say you were in training?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true, but for some reason, the deputymander sent me here. I think it¡¯s because there¡¯s an exhibition in our territory. I heard that there was an order from the royal pce, but I¡¯m not sure.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I had a feeling I knew whose influence was behind this. Still, I was happy to see Bryce.

    I was secretly disappointed that Bryce didn¡¯te to see the exhibition, but it was a timely gift. I should thank Rina soon.

    ¡°Is training bearable?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t even mention it. Thanks to that, I realized how great my father is. Have you ever fought for a month without sleeping or eating?¡±

    ¡°How can humans do such a thing? Even elves would find it extremely difficult.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying. But if you endure it with grit and determination, you can do it. Is father inside?¡±

    ¡°He seems buried in paperwork.¡±

    ¡°Our father seems to be struggling too. Oh, right. Isaac. Do you happen to have any connections with the Princess of Helium?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    I opened my eyes wide at Bryce¡¯s question. Had he met Cecily beforeing to the mansion? If not, there was no reason for Bryce to ask such a question.

    Bryce exined what had just happened when someone had called my name while looking at him beforeing to the mansion.

    ¡°I saw her at the entrance to the territory. But it¡¯s notmon to see red-haired people like us, right? And when I looked at her face, she was the Princess of Helium.¡±

    ¡°Where did you meet her?¡±

    ¡°I saw her at the entrance to the territory. But it looks like she didn¡¯t take the carriage and came on foot with her bodyguard.¡±

    ¡°Huh? How?¡±

    ¡°She must have used magic. The direction I first heard her voice from was towards the sky.¡±

    Well, she¡¯s a demon who can use magic as easily as breathing, so there¡¯s no need to use a carriage. Still, it was unexpected that she came directly to our territory instead of the capital.

    ¡°I have to go see her soon.¡±

    She¡¯s probably staying at a noble¡¯s exclusive inn by now. While I was thinking about that silently.

    ¡°Anyway, what¡¯s your rtionship with the Princess of Helium? The voice calling you didn¡¯t seem ordinary.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just that we¡¯re close friends.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ You said it¡¯s just a friendship, but she seemed really d to see me¡­¡±

    Bryce murmured softly as he looked at me. There was a deep suspicion in his shining golden eyes, which shone as brilliantly as mine.

    I don¡¯t know what kind of reaction Cecily showed, but judging from the way Bryce reacted, she probably didn¡¯t react lightly. From the perspective of an outsider who knows nothing, it¡¯s understandable to be suspicious.

    <i>¡®I hope I¡¯m not beingbeled as a yboy because of this.¡¯</i>

    I tried to avoid his gaze and changed the subject. Bryce will probably know that I have a girlfriend as soon as he enters the mansion.

    ¡°By the way, do the senior knights all like you? I heard that ces like the Navy Knights have a lot of mean people.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that. They make fun of me every chance they get just because I¡¯m an apprentice. They even asked me if I left my sword behind and told me to go make one at the forge¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    It¡¯s a repertoire that I¡¯ve heard a lot somewhere.

    When I was drafted in my previous life, such absurdity was almost nonexistent, but I remember seeing it a lot on the inte. Since it¡¯s a military without even a television, let alone aputer, there will probably be even more absurdities than in my previous life.

    Well, ces like the Navy Knights fight battles day in and day out, so they probably won¡¯t have time to create absurdities.

    ¡°I take care of my body so that I don¡¯t die at a time when I make absurd mistakes. And recently, there has been a rumor that the youngdy of Matheus¡¯ family made inappropriate remarks. Because of this, the atmosphere has been a bit tense.¡±

    ¡°Inappropriate remarks?¡±

    ¡°Yes. She said that soldiers are like meat shields who protect their homes. Luckily, she wasn¡¯t exiled from the family, but she must be suffering a lot right now. They put her in a knight training camp, which is not just an ordinary training camp, but one that¡¯s known for its intense training.¡±

    It¡¯s not a ce where they train ordinary soldiers, but a knight training camp. The training period is much longer, and the intensity of the training is famously abnormal.

    Normally, they select talented individuals from regr training camps and put them into the knight training camp, but it seems like Aira¡¯s family forced her into it.

    Furthermore, they probably ordered them to fix her mentality, so her future looks bleak without even having to see it.

    ¡°That¡¯s really unfortunate. Were there any casualties?¡±

    ¡°We were too busy guarding the border and didn¡¯t have time to be injured or die. Luckily, there¡¯s almost no activity from the elf scouts or monsters, so we¡¯re rxed.¡±

    ¡°When does your vacation end?¡±

    ¡°Three nights and four days. ording to the seniors, it¡¯s a three-point-four second vacation, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that short. Tomorrow is the exhibition, so time will fly by quickly, but I¡¯ll be able to enjoy it to the fullest.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ Do you have a Xenon¡¯s Biography in the Knights?¡±

    ¡°Of course, we all live in the same ce.¡±

    I chatted with Bryce and unloaded all the stories that I couldn¡¯t tell before, and returned to the mansion.

    Thanks to that, I had a feeling that I could enjoy the exhibition even more.

    *****

    ¡°Here is his mansion.¡±

    It was just after Isaac and Bryce had entered the mansion. There was someone watching them from the blue sky, and it was Princess Cecily of Helium.

    If a human saw her, they would have been astonished to see Cecily standing confidently in the sky, but she was a demon. She belonged to a race that had received the blessing of magic along with elves.

    Using magic to fly through the sky was basic, and teleporting between spaces was also easy for her.

    <i>¡®The brothers look simr but subtly different.¡¯</i>

    Even though she was looking down at the mansion from high up in the sky, everything seemed clear as day to Cecily. Being a demon, her vision was naturally superior, and it was even easier with magic.

    <i>¡®I should have just gone to the mansion with them at the time¡­¡¯</i>

    Cecily regretted watching the brothers enter the mansion. At first, she thought it was Isaac with the red hair at the entrance of the estate, but sheter realized it was Bryce and was too embarrassed toe back down and join them.

    However, looking back now, it was a missed opportunity for her to enter the mansion with Bryce. As someone who was always on the lookout for opportunities, she couldn¡¯t help but feel regretful.

    The only relief is that I wore my outdoor clothes when I met Bryce. If I had been wearing a dress for the exhibition, my regret would have been even deeper. I hope Isaac sees me in the dress I wear for the exhibition first. Just imagining him blushing and feeling embarrassed like he did during the freshman event makes my heart flutter.

    ¡°Your Highness?¡±

    As Cecily was thinking of Isaac, a man next to her called her quietly. He was also a demon, and if Cecily had horns protruding from her head, he had a shape resembling a goat¡¯s horn. He had jet-ck hair and red eyes like a typical demon, but he was wearing a ck mask that made it difficult to see his face. However, based solely on his outward appearance, he was handsome enough.

    His name was Gartz Vk, a member of the ¡°Reaper,¡± who was appointed as Cecily¡¯s bodyguard. Like Cecily, Gartz was a demon, so he was proficient in magic and was able to stand in the sky.

    ¡°Wait a minute, please. Vk hyung, there¡¯s something I need to confirm.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­ ¡°

    Gartz didn¡¯t say anything in response to Cecily¡¯s request and just waited silently. However, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder inwardly. She had mistaken the red-haired man for someone else and had greeted him happily, and now she was watching him from above.

    Although it was a basic principle for the members of the Reaper to exclude personal affairs of the royal family, Cecily¡¯s actions today were enough to raise suspicions. Cecily was usually not interested in men, but she showed a deep curiosity and interest in the red-haired man. Even as a member of the Reaper, he couldn¡¯t help but be curious.

    <i>¡®The mansion that doesn¡¯t look like much from the outside, but¡­¡¯</i>

    The basic security magic was set up in the mansion, but it was meaningless to Gartz. After all, it was just something set up by humans, so he had the confidence to easily break through it.

    However, the energy felt inside the mansion was quite different. Even though he had summarized it, there was one powerful force that confidently guarded the mansion.

    As Gartz looked at the mansion with a dry but curious gaze, Cecily looked through the mansion with her irvoyance magic.

    Although her gaze was fixed on Isaac, she couldn¡¯t help but nce at his feet.

    <i>¡®There¡¯s already someone here.¡¯</i>

    Marie had already arrived at the mansion, although Cecily didn¡¯t know when. Since it wasn¡¯t a noble-exclusive inn but Isaacs mansion, it seemed like she was trying to make it a fact.

    Upon realizing this, Cecily clenched her fist. She was the one who was most interested in Isaac and the one who first noticed his identity.

    But she made a mistake without realizing her feelings. If she hadn¡¯t been so excited and had approached slowly¡­ the future might have been different.

    Even if Isaac felt burdened by her, it didn¡¯t matter. Even if he said he wanted her to look at himself, not the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography, it didn¡¯t matter.

    Isaac is the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography, and he is himself, so what¡¯s the problem? They are all meaningless words.

    <i>¡®If I could turn back time¡­¡¯</i>

    While watching Isaac and Marie embrace secretly, Cecily bit her lip. She felt an ominous desire welling up inside her, perhaps due to the ¡®evil cycle¡¯ approaching.

    <i>¡®Just a little more¡­ Just a little more restraint. And for now¡­¡¯</i>

    She suppressed her desire and meticulously searched the inside of the mansion with her irvoyance magic. It was impossible to see it like a cross-section, but she could confirm the structure of the room.

    Eventually, she was able to find a room that seemed to be Isaac¡¯s. She was confident because there were far more bookshelves than any other room. She already knew that Isaac was a bookworm and loved history.

    <i>¡®And there¡­¡¯</i>

    Except for the first volume, the drafts of Xenon¡¯s Biography were sleeping there.

    These drafts were priceless relics that far surpassed any treasure to a demon. However, the level of the security magicid on the mansion was too low. While humans could be stopped, it would be easy for other races like elves or demons to invade.

    Moreover, the exhibition would begin in Michelle¡¯s territory, and there would undoubtedly be some criminals who would try tomit crimes with suspicion. Of course, the empire would take preventive measures beforehand, but Cecily was still uneasy.

    If all the drafts were stolen here, Isaac might not just be discouraged, but he might even fall into despair and lose his passion for Xenon¡¯s Biography. That was something that had to be prevented. Cecily firmly resolved and called Gartz, who was waiting silently by her side.

    ¡°Vk, please.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness. Please just give me yourmand.¡±

    ¡°Use the irvoyance magic to look at the room on the right side of the second floor. It will be easy to distinguish it from other rooms because it has many bookshelves. If you have confirmed it, nod your head.¡±

    ¡°I have confirmed it.¡±

    ¡°We will enter the mansion in a little while. And as soon as you enter that room, install detection magic so that we can immediately detect anyone who intrudes.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    Gartz internally wanted to ask why they had to do that, but he held back. He was nothing more than a sword who only had to follow the orders of the royalty.

    Cecily smiled satisfactorily at Gartz¡¯s loyal response. He was indeed a reaper with patience several times stronger than that of an ordinary demon.

    ¡°Oh, and did you bring that with you?¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s a book containing the history of our demon race, then yes, I brought it.¡±

    ¡°Good. Then¡­¡±

    Cecily smirked and pointed to the front entrance of the mansion.

    ¡°Now let¡¯s start preparing to visit officially.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    Guests began to gather little by little.

    Trantors note:

    The chapters arete cause I got sick, but now that I¡¯m feeling better I will catch up. 2 chapters today and 3 tomorrow to set it even.

 Chapter 88: Preparation (3)

    Isaac was greeting guests in his territory, while in the pce, they were also receiving guests with hospitality. Those who visited the Michelle¡¯s territory directly, without passing through the capital, were mostlymoners, artists, and nobles below the rank of a Marquis.

    Those of higher ranks mostly held important government positions and were officially invited by the country they were visiting. Of course, they could also visit unofficially, but it was avoided because any mishap could have a significant diplomatic impact. In particr, the Minerva Empire and the Ters Kingdom had a rtionship as fragile as that between enemies and thus even minor visits requiredplicated procedures.

    Previously, the Ters Kingdom had nned to hold an exhibition in their capital, but they suddenly transferred the authority to the Minerva Empire. The Minerva Empire only expressed their appeal but ended up being busy receiving the authority.

    They had to work hard every day to sessfully hold the exhibition just over a monthter. Even the nobles of high rank had to work overtime, and the same went for the pce.

    Some people may think that the royal family, such as the Crown Prince and Princess, do not work, but it was quite the opposite.

    The empire, aware that the country would copse the moment the emperor¡¯s attention was turned elsewhere, even if it was not regarding affairs of state, entrusted specific fields to the emperor¡¯s children to take care of them.

    This was the reason why, even with 500 years of history, the empire never had a scandal that could bring the country to ruin, despite the emperor¡¯s various mistakes. Furthermore, Duke Requilis was always by their side, watching closely, so they had no choice but to work.

    Thanks to the recent increase in workload, Prince Leort and Princess Rina couldn¡¯t even get proper sleep and had to receive guests.

    ¡°You look very tired. Haven¡¯t you been sleeping welltely?¡±

    A handsome man with sky-blue hair, blue eyes, and a sharp nose opened his mouth with a cheerful tone.

    Maybe it was his good looks and constant giggling that annoyed them. Leort, who was facing him, also smiled and replied.

    ¡°Thanks to whom? On the contrary, you look good.¡±

    ¡°We are here to enjoy, not to host, so we came with high expectations.¡±

    Leort¡¯s eyelids fluttered as he didn¡¯t like the blue-haired man¡¯s answer. Due to the overwhelming workload that had piled up like a tidal wave, dark circles were deeply etched under his eyes. Even his usually sharp blue eyes had lost their light due to exhaustion.

    On the other hand, the blue-haired handsome man and Ters Kingdom¡¯s Crown Prince, Laos Dukeard von Kurchers, was fine. He was full of energy and even had a carefree demeanor.

    The reason for Laos¡¯s visit to the Empire was only for the exhibition. However, there wereplex politics involved internally, as it was merely an external reason.

    For the Ters Kingdom, even if the exhibition was sessful it would be good, but if it failed, it would be a grievous matter for Minerva Empire, so Laos coulde with any worry.

    Honestly, he wished the exhibition would fail grandly, but the likelihood of that happening was significantly low. As the Empire knows the intentions of the Ters Kingdom better than anyone else, they must have been well-prepared despite the urgent situation.

    So Laos simply came to the Empire to enjoy the festival.

    ¡°But did the Empire have a reason to hold the exhibition this quickly, even if it meant putting a strain on themselves? I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    A cute girl sitting to the left of Laos spoke up in a clear voice. Like Laos, she had blue hair and eyes, and her long hair and neatly trimmed bangs were her distinguishing features. Her doll-like appearance and slender build also triggered protective instincts.

    This girl¡¯s name is Lara Dukeard von Kurchers, the third princess of the Ters Kingdom and the youngest among the four sisters.

    The eldest sister, the first princess, had already married and headed to the Michelle Territory without issuing an official statement of attendance, and the second princess¡­

    ¡°Lara. That¡¯s impolite to ask such a question, didn¡¯t I tell you to refrain from doing so?¡±

    She was sitting on the right of Laos in the center. Her low-pitched voice was a characteristic unusual for a woman. Her appearance also gave a stern impression, but her innate beauty couldn¡¯t be hidden, and her ponytailed hair emphasized her mature charm. And the most unique thing about her was her attire. While normally one would wear a dress to such a formal asion, she was the only one dressed in a military uniform that only knights could wear.

    Her name is Hiliya Dukeard von Cutchers.

    Even without her background, she was known for her outstanding abilities as a knight in the Ters Kingdom.

    ¡°Was it a question that I shouldn¡¯t have asked?¡±

    ¡°Yes. We came here just to enjoy the exhibition, as we¡¯ve said many times, right?¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll apologize. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    After hearing Hiliya¡¯s rebuke, Lara bowed her head towards the front.

    Leort, of course, and even Rina, who was sitting next to him with a sullen expression, chuckled.

    Lara was only 12 years old at the time, and at that age, she had to ask everything she was curious about in order to feel satisfied.

    But as the breach of etiquette remained unchanged as Hiliya said, Laos also apologized solemnly¡­

    ¡°No, Lara doesn¡¯t need to apologize. I was curious about the same thing.¡±

    ¡­which was the opposite of what they expected. Hiliya red at Laos, who was trying to escte the problem, and closed her eyes silently with her arms crossed.

    Thisplicated and dirty political world was disgusting to her, but since she had a position to uphold, she had attended forcibly. She wanted to stay in the kingdom and devote herself to the training.

    Meanwhile, Laos, with a grinning face, asked his siblings, perhaps with the intention of pressing them properly at this opportunity.

    ¡°Hosting an exhibition is something that can take a long time. But is there a need to prepare in a hurry like this?¡±

    ¡°There are circumstances. You don¡¯t need to know. Anyway, isn¡¯t it enough to just enjoy it?¡±

    ¡°Well, is it something big rted to the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography?¡±

    Even the sharp-witted Laort intellectual, as well as Rina, who was pretending to be fine while drinking coffee, couldn¡¯t help but be taken aback by Laos¡¯s words.

    Fortunately, the reaction was so minimal that Laos didn¡¯t notice.

    Leort continued to speak without changing his expression.

    ¡°You¡¯re quick to catch on. You¡¯re right. I¡¯ve moved up the schedule of the exhibition because I want to show it to Xenon as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re good at lying.¡±

    Sometimes, the truth sounded like a lie, and Leort¡¯s truth sounded like a lie to Laos.

    Laos believed it was impossible for the empire to find the person they were looking for just like the Ters Kingdom was. Moreover, as they were on their tail, they would soon know who they were.

    Thanks to his confidence, Laos judged that Leort was lying. For Leort, it was a fortunate circumstance, but he couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy.

    In fact, it was like gambling. Everything he had said so far was the truth, not a lie. He moved up the exhibition date to show it to Isaac no matter what. It was an effort to get forgiveness for the mistakes Leort and Rina had made to him.

    <i>¡®I was too hasty¡­¡¯</i>

    He could hold the exhibition in about a year, but if he did, there was a high chance that the Ters Kingdom would steal the opportunity. If that happened, Isaac would certainly be more likely to visit the Ters Kingdom, and even indulge in their culture.

    ording to Lina in particr, Isaac is someone who loves history, so he might go to the Ters Kingdom to conduct cultural research. There is a high chance that he will be taken away in the way that a talent responsible for the future of the Empire would be snatched away.

    Strictly speaking, he is a historian who is dependent on the Empire, but that¡¯s not important to Leort. Laos, who had no idea about Leort¡¯s feelings, shrugged his shoulders and remained rxed as if it didn¡¯t matter.

    ¡°Anyway, I understand. We can rx and watch what your empire is preparing. Xenon is also attending, so if you¡¯re lucky, you might find him.¡±

    ¡°What if we do find Xenon?¡±

    Rina asked in a cautious tone, not Leort. Unlike Leort, she is well aware that Isaac is Xenon, so she had to react more sensitively. Laos briefly showed his doubts and then opened his mouth with a tone that it was no big deal.

    ¡°Of course, we¡¯ll politely take him to our kingdom. And by the way, it¡¯s not a metaphor, we¡¯ll really take him politely. Before he gets caught in your empire, that is.¡±

    ¡°Xenon expressed his desire to live an ordinary life. What if he decides to stop publishing again?¡±

    ¡°Has our kingdom ever pressured artists? Did we ask the Lirus Band topose our national anthem or the Matrics Theater Company to make a propaganda y? We even stayed quiet when Jayros Revolution was recreated as a y.¡±

    I may have said it before, but there was a n to use Isaac¡¯s reputation until the protest. It wouldn¡¯t matter how powerful the Empire¡¯s might was if it copsed from within.

    The Ters Kingdom had to use all means necessary, especially since the Empire had already taken away countless talents. One of them was using Xenon¡¯s reputation for propaganda.

    However, after the so-called hiatus incident urred, they had to abandon that npletely. They had to prevent another event like the Jayros Revolution from happening again.

    Instead, they changed their course of action. They allowed the book to be freely distributed but had make sure to tie Xenon to the kingdom somehow.

    Just that alone would keep the Minerva Empire at bay. The Ters Kingdom could strengthen its foundation, which was already shaky due to the Jayros Revolution. It was a win-win situation.

    <i>¡®And the most effective way to keep such a giant-sized artist in check is¡­¡¯</i>

    Laos looked at Hiliya, who was sitting with her arms crossed, and Lara, who was snacking like a hamster. Both women boasted of their own unique beauty and held high positions as princesses of their respective countries.

    They were the most suitable women for Xenon, who could influence the world. If he were just an ordinary artist, it would be an unthinkable story, but it was possible because he was Xenon.

    However, Hiliya had already chosen the path of a knight, and Lara was too young. Even if it was a strategic marriage, she had to be at least an adult to be eligible.

    Above all, Xenon is currently estimated to be an old philosopher, and it is questionable whether he has any interest in women. However, if they showed this much sincerity, Xenon would have no choice but to ept.

    Moreover, it didn¡¯t have to be Hiliya or Lara. Even if it was a child who had been abandoned, as long as there was someone with ¡°royal blood.¡±

    Laos opened his mouth, reminiscing about the bloodline he was forced to leave behind at the Halo Academy.

    ¡°Come to think of it, how is life at the academy?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s quitefortable thanks to the talented individuals from various countries who have dedicated themselves to our empire. The culture and welfare here are beyondparison.¡±

    ¡°Hahaha. I suppose that¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°But why do you ask¡­ Ah, is it because of Adelia?¡±

    (TL note: In earlier chapters I thought Adelia used a different name in academy, and her real name was Adele but it turns out it wasn¡¯t and they actually call her princess Adelia. Sorry about that.)

    Leort asked questioningly. Rina, who had also heard about it from him, remained expressionless.

    Laos nodded, confirming Leort¡¯s thoughts. However, there was a faint hint of displeasure on his face.

    ¡°You¡¯re right about the person you¡¯re thinking of. But I hope you won¡¯t mention that name.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ did she really have to be discarded? Even if she became a knight like Hiliya, it wouldn¡¯t have mattered. She¡¯s currently serving as a martial arts assistant instructor at the academy.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Hiliya didn¡¯t even bat an eye or respond to Leort¡¯s mention of her name. She seemed to have no desire to answer. Despite her rude reaction, Leort didn¡¯t care. He had seen her indifferent attitude many times before and knew how to overlook it.

    ¡°If she had abandoned her title and lived a normal life, then maybe that would¡¯ve been the case. But it doesn¡¯t look good to be striving for recognition as an illegitimate child. My father also said it was the biggest mistake of her life.¡±

    ¡°She has the surname ¡®Cross¡¯ at the academy though.¡±

    ¡°Since we threatened her not to use the surname of the royal family before sending her to the academy, then Cross might be the surname of her mother, a surname of a lowly prostitute.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    It was a response that still retained the prejudice from pre-Jayros revolution. Leort thought of the personal life of Friedrich, the king of the Ters Kingdom.

    To the people of the Ters Kingdom, Friedrich was known as a romanticist who loved only one woman without being a harsh king. In fact, Friedrich himself poured out his love only to one queen without having any concubines.

    However, the problem arose when Friedrich had a rtionship with a prostitute to relieve himself before meeting the queen. Unfortunately, the contraception failed at that time and a child was born.

    If the prostitute had kept quiet, it might have been different. However, she became greedy due to her poor life and went to Friedrich openly.

    It was inevitable that the pce would be in chaos due to that incident. Friedrich strongly denied it, but the blue eyes of the child, like the sky, confirmed that she was his daughter.

    Fortunately, thanks to the thorough concealment of the incident, it did not leak out, but the mother disappeared without a trace.

    <i>¡®Maybe the reason she ys pranks on Nicole often is because she was the first friend Adelia has made since she was born.¡¯</i>

    In her always lively face, there was a deep loneliness. Of course, Leort wasn¡¯t very interested, so he just passed it off.

    ¡°Anyway, why do you ask that? Do you want to know if Adelia is attending the exhibition?¡±

    ¡°As expected, you know my heart well.¡±

    ¡°Stop joking around before we start swearing.¡±

    Such mischievousness is undoubtedly gic. Adelia, as well as Laos, loved to y pranks whenever the opportunity arose. Laos, who was pleasantly tapping his fingers and ying around, shrugged his shoulders at Leort¡¯s words and returned to the point.

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re right to some extent. I¡¯m curious if she¡¯s living well and if she still wants to be recognized.¡±

    ¡°What if she abandons her surname?¡±

    ¡°You guys can handle that. Whether you use it for propaganda or not, it¡¯s not a problem for our kingdom. That woman is just a ¡°mistake¡± of my father.¡±

    It was an attitude that considered one person¡¯s birth and life as simply a ¡°mistake.¡± If Isaac were listening, it would have been an attitude that would make him frown, but to these people, it wasmon sense. If a ruler makes a political mistake, the people will express their dissatisfaction, but they don¡¯t really care about his personal life.

    They just brush it off and say, ¡®Oh well, that¡¯s how it is,¡¯ and say that a ruler¡¯s personal life isn¡¯t that important.

    Leort nodded his head as if he understood and opened his mouth.

    ¡°Got it. It¡¯s just my prediction, but she¡¯ll attend the exhibition.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Should we start preparing now, then? It¡¯s better to rest now if we want to enjoy tomorrow.¡±

    And so, the night before the exhibition approached little by little.

    ¡°I¡¯ll introduce myself properly. I¡¯m Princess Cecily Drat Eisilia Bin of Helium. Thank you so much for weing me despite the sudden visit.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. Rather, it¡¯s an honor for us to have a Princess with us. By the way, you are really beautiful.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. I was curious where Isaac got his looks from, but it seems he inherited them from the Baroness.¡±

    ¡°Oh my, are you saying our Isaac is pretty?¡±

    Isaac was feeling embarrassed by Cecily¡¯s sudden visit. At first, everyone was taken aback by her visit, but they were able to melt away naturally through Cecily¡¯s brilliant eloquence. She even seemed to be able tomunicate well with Isaac¡¯s mother.

    ¡°Oh, and Isaac. Here¡¯s the book you wanted.¡±

    ¡°Huh? What book is it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a book about the history of demons. A Helium schr selected it, so it should be a great help to you.¡±

    ¡°Wow¡­! Thank you so much, Noona.¡±

    ¡°Thanks are unnecessary. I should be the one thanking you.¡±

    Above all, even Isaac was briefly captivated by Cecily, who gave him a history book as a gift. However, there was one person who had the biggestint here, and that was Marie.

    She was filled with thoughts of spending time with Isaac, but everything was ruined by Cecily¡¯s visit. However, she couldn¡¯t express it directly, so she felt frustrated.

    In the end, she secretly called Isaac to a secluded ce, and scolded him harshly.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°¡­yes.¡±

    ¡°As your girlfriend, let me tell you now. You must stick with me throughout the exhibition. If you stray away or look at other girls, I won¡¯t even let you hold my hand.¡±

    ¡°Can I at least kiss you then?¡±

    ¡°¡­You¡¯re such a pervert.¡±

    Feeling her face flush at Marie¡¯s Isaac¡¯s advance, she lowered her head. Isaac then asked in a teasing tone.

    ¡°So, can I get an answer? Can I kiss you?¡±

    ¡°¡­Not now,ter. Cecily might see us. She might think we¡¯re doing something if she catches us¡­¡±

    ¡°Are you shy?¡±

    ¡°Forget it! You¡¯re such a red pervert! We can do it tomorrow without any restrictions!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s a ¡®red pervert¡¯?¡±

    She had a feeling that the exhibition would be a tumultuous one in many ways.

    Trantors note:

    Red pervert lol

 Chapter 89: Exhibition (1)

    The morning of the exhibition, which was both eagerly anticipated and feared for a long time, has dawned.

    Although the exhibition was hastily arranged like crossing a wobbly bridge, thanks to the numerous resources and personnel invested by the empire, it has been prepared to some extent. Furthermore, the exhibition itself is not in the form of viewing works in a quiet building, but rather in the form of a festival.

    In an emptynd, a separate space was designated for exhibiting artworks, and apart from that, residents could simply enjoy themselves. In addition, there were nned music and theater performances that could be considered highlights in the evening, so during the day, visitors could enjoy the disyed artwork while strolling around thend.

    ¡°How does it look? Does it fit well?¡±

    This was before the festival started, after all the preparations had been made, inside the mansion. I couldn¡¯t help but admire Marie, who was dressed up for the asion. She looked beautiful in her white dress.

    Her shoulders werepletely exposed, while her chest was slightly revealed, and the white dress emphasized her milky skin even more. The overall appearance was simple with very few shy patterns, and the hemline barely reached her knees. As a result, her slender and graceful legs werepletely exposed, stealing everyone¡¯s attention.

    If the dress she wore at the previous event made Marie look more mature, the dress she was wearing now made her girlishness increase twofold. They say that women¡¯s transformations are innocent, but with such a transformation, any man would have to dere her innocent.

    <i>¡®Wow, is this really my girlfriend?¡¯</i>

    It was to the point where one would doubt reality that such a pretty woman could really be their girlfriend. This meant that Marie was exceptionally beautiful.

    Moreover, not only was she beautiful, but her personality was also outstanding. From her white hair with a hint of blue, to her milky skin and her jewel-like blue eyes, she was beautiful and lovable to the extent that no one else could rece her.

    I watched Marie in silence for a while, waiting for a response, before blurting out my honest impression.

    ¡°You¡¯re pretty.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±

    ¡°When describing a woman who looks like a pure, white snow falling from the sky, I think I can use you as a reference.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean? That sounds like something a novelist would say.¡±

    Marie blushed at mypliment, looking a little shy but not displeased. I took a good, long look at her, trying tomit her image to memory even though I couldn¡¯t capture it in a picture or painting.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it embarrassing to stare like that?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re just too pretty, I can¡¯t help it. Sorry.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s go outside now.¡±

    Marie blushed again at my frank confession and headed towards me. I gave up my admiration and followed her. Marie would be wearing that dress all day, so it wouldn¡¯t be hard to remember her appearance. It might be a little irritating to see other men giving her attention like hyenas, but Marie was a noblewoman and wouldn¡¯t let them approach her easily.

    And since the imperial pce personally dispatched guards to take care of public order, the probability of a crime urring is extremely low.

    ¡°Oh, are the two of you leaving now?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    As Marie and I were about to leave the mansion together, I heard Cecily¡¯s charming voice in my ear.

    Turning my head to look at Cecily, who called us, I couldn¡¯t help but catch my breath. Cecily, dressed in a ck dress, was so beautiful that it seemed to pierce the sky.

    With her arms and back exposed in a halter-neck dress that fixed the straps behind her neck, her prideful chest was even more prominent thanks to the dress.

    If it were any other woman, one would simply say she looked sexy, but with Cecily¡¯s chest being sorge, it felt even obscene. Moreover, the material was subtly clingy, highlighting her figure entirely and stealing our gaze.

    <i>¡®But the ne¡­¡¯</i>

    A slightly strange thing here is the ne that Cecily is wearing. The dress seemed to boast an expensive value even at a nce, but the ne had a worn-out appearance.

    Even though it was an ordinary silver ne with not even one jewel, it couldn¡¯t help but stand out morepared to Cecily¡¯s appearance.

    ¡°Wow¡­ that¡¯s not fair¡­¡±

    Marie muttered quietly next to me while I was focusing on the ne. I nodded in agreement.

    Even Marie, who was looking down on Cecily, a woman just like herself, couldn¡¯t help but express admiration. You can imagine how beautiful Cecily must be right now.

    If Cecily¡¯s dress at thest event was striking, she is now fully showing off her strengths. With just her attire, she exudes a seductive aura and her captivating appearance steals my gaze.

    grip-

    Did I instinctively feel that I shouldn¡¯t sumb to temptation? Unconsciously, I grabbed Marie¡¯s hand.

    Marie flinched for a moment when I grabbed her hand, but soon I felt her grip tightening.

    Cecily, who briefly showed a subtle expression when we held hands, smiled softly and spoke.

    ¡°If I disturbed your date, I¡¯m sorry. Actually, since this is my first time in this territory, I also need a guide.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ yes.¡±

    ¡°If you refuse, I¡¯ll just step back.¡±

    I turned my gaze to Marie at Cecily¡¯s request, and coincidentally, Marie was also looking at me. After she smirked, she turned her head back to Cecily.

    ¡°Okay. Just for today.¡±

    ¡°Really? You¡¯re really allowing it?¡±

    Cecily reacted with a strong reaction, as if she never thought Marie would permit it.

    Her red pupils widened slightly, revealing joy as she strode towards us. Even Marie and I were somewhat shaken by her approach. In fact, I missed the timing to speak, distracted by Cecily¡¯s chest, which was shaking slightly as she walked towards us.

    Fortunately, I realized that Marie was next to me and quickly checked her reaction. While I regained myposure, her gaze was still focused on Cecily¡¯s chest. Her blue pupils trembled slightly, as if overwhelmed by an overwhelming presence.

    Even when she walked towards us, shaking slightly, it was impossible for anyone, regardless of gender, not to be drawn to her gaze. Marie then swallowed her saliva and spoke in a trembling voice, looking away.

    ¡°Uh¡­ okay. But you have to stay by my side instead. Don¡¯t evere near Isaac.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. After all, the exhibition is the main purpose, right? Do you really permit it?¡±

    ¡°Yes, so you don¡¯t have to keep asking. There¡¯s something I want to talk to you about, too.¡±

    Her pupils kept trying to go down, but Marie seemed to prevent it by shaking her head slightly.

    Marie, who is also a woman, is like that, but I¡¯m a man. In the end, I couldn¡¯t hold out, so I persevered by closing my eyes tightly.

    There is a saying that says covering up just a little bit of skin is more provocative than exposing it all, and Cecily is advertising to the world that she is a subus descendant.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s no wonder that I was tempted back then¡­¡¯</i>

    When I revealed my secret, I remembered what she had done to me. Just thinking about it makes me dizzy and my face turned red as if it¡¯s about to burst.

    I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself down. My girlfriend is right next to me, so how could I even have these thoughts? As a boyfriend, I¡¯m disqualified¡­

    <i>¡®¡­What¡¯s with that? Men are just sad animals.¡¯</i>

    I wonder if Marie will understand, but it might be better to get scoldedter. I slowly opened my tightly closed eyes and looked ahead. I caught sight of Cecily¡¯s smiling face. I couldn¡¯t bring myself to meet her gaze, so I coughed nervously and tried to avoid her.

    ¡°What about Isaac? Marie gave permission, too.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind, but where is your escort?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they¡¯re watching over us even if we can¡¯t see them.¡±

    ¡°Okay, then¡­¡±

    I heard that he was also a skilled knight in Helium. His abilities are outstanding even by demon standards, so I can rx.

    <i>¡®By the way, wasn¡¯t Cecily supposed to be the next Demon King?¡¯</i>

    At the academy and elsewhere, I wonder if there¡¯s any need for escorts. Of course, it could be just for show, so I can¡¯t say anything. Anyway, Cecily joined us, so I finished all my preparations and stepped outside the mansion. Marie stood next to me, and Cecily stood next to Marie, and we moved together. As soon as we came out of the mansion, the sunny weather greeted us and made us feel good.

    <i>¡®Thank goodness it¡¯s not raining.¡¯</i>

    Our territory, like South Korea in my previous life, has four distinct seasons. So by now, it¡¯s normal for rain toe frequently, but there are no signs of it yet. In addition, the sky was spotless, which made me even more proud.

    Then I looked up at the sky and turned my head forward. The security guards at the mansion gate spotted us and opened the gate. Unlike Marie¡¯s mansion, it was a simple and ordinary gate, but I had noints. On the contrary, I was grateful to the security guards who worked hard even though they were having this festival.

    ¡°You¡¯re working hard. When will your work be done?¡±

    ¡°Soon, the knight unit dispatched from the pce will be here.¡±

    ¡°Then you might be able to enjoy the festival soon.¡±

    ¡°Haha. That¡¯s right. I hope you enjoy the festival too, my lord.¡±

    After exchanging pleasantries with the security guards, we stepped out of the gate. The distance between the vige where the festival was taking ce and the mansion was a bit far apart, but we would arrive soon if we walked a little.

    Until then, anything they did was just small talk. As luck would have it, Mari started the conversation by approaching Cecily first.

    ¡°By the way, Cecily. This might be a little awkward to ask, but can I ask you something?¡±

    ¡°Huh? What is it?¡±

    ¡°How can your chest be so big?¡±

    Until then, anything they did was just small talk. As luck would have it, Marie started the conversation by approaching Cecily first.

    ¡°By the way, Cecily. This might be a little awkward to ask, but can I ask you something?¡±

    ¡°Huh? What is it?¡±

    ¡°How can your chest be so big?¡±

    The straightforward question hit Cecily like a curveball. Not only Cecily but even I, who was listening quietly, was taken aback. If there were other people around us, we would have pretended not to have heard it. Maybe we could have acted like we were strangers.

    In any case, Marie¡¯s blue eyes contained a deep curiosity and a slight desire(?). Cecily noticed it too and nced at her own chest before shifting her gaze back to Marie. Then she blushed slightly and opened her mouth with an embarrassed smile.

    ¡°Why are you asking that?¡±

    ¡°Isaac keeps staring at you.¡±

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    ¡°Why are you trying to deny it? Did you think I wouldn¡¯t know?¡±

    Marie responded clearly when I looked at her in disbelief. I had nothing to say because everything she said was true.

    Is this what it feels like when you want to say something but can¡¯t? I shook my head, feeling helpless against Marie¡¯s expression that seemed to urge me to say something.

    As I already said, a man is a sad creature. Upon hearing this, Marie became more confident and said to Cecily again.

    ¡°I think Isaac won¡¯t look at anyone else if I grow up like you. Every time you wear a dress like this, Isaac only looks at you.¡±

    ¡°Marie, you¡¯re definitely not on the small side. It¡¯s actually the opposite.¡±

    Cecily spoke to Marie in a soothing tone, as if she were calming a sulking child. In fact, Cecily¡¯s words implied that Marie was bigger than average.

    As a noble, Marie naturally had better food and sleeping conditions thanmoners, and she had received body management, so it was natural.

    ¡°And there are many inconveniences thate with being this big. You know that, right?¡±

    ¡°I do. But I think Isaac will like it.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you talk about this when I¡¯m not around?¡±

    The listener was embarrassed beyond belief. When I pleaded with her to stop, Marie teased me with a yful smile.

    ¡°Why? Are you embarrassed?¡±

    ¡°Of course I am. You¡¯re not supposed to talk about those things in public¡­¡±

    ¡°Can you lend me your ear for a moment?¡±

    Before I could finish my sentence, Marie gestured for me to lend her my ear. I hesitated, wondering what else she would ask of me, but ended up lending her my ear.

    Then, after giving Cecily a mischievous grin, Marie cupped her hands around my ear to keep her voice from escaping.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to be embarrassed. Why?¡±

    -You¡¯ll see it allter anyway.

    My two legs, which were walking fine until that one word, stopped abruptly. I stared at Marie without being able to close my gaping mouth. Marie¡¯s face turned red on her snow-white cheeks, even though she had said it herself. But looking at her beaming expression, it seemed as though she had already built up anticipation for this moment.

    Honestly, I couldn¡¯t help but admire her. The more a woman falls in love, the more devilish she bes, it seems.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s stop ying around now. Let¡¯s go enjoy the festival.¡±

    As I stood there stunned for a while, Marie took my hand and led me to the vige. I was pulled along by her touch, still in a daze.

    Even when the two of us got ahead, Cecily still stayed where she was. As if the world had been split in two, Marie pulled my hand whether Cecily was standing still or not.

    ¡°¡­This is fun.¡±

    With Cecily¡¯s ominous grumble, the exhibition began.

    And then¡­

    ¡°This is crazy. What is this?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a statue.¡±

    ¡°I know it¡¯s a statue, but¡­ why is it so big?¡±

    As soon as we entered the vige, I was reminded once again that there are many perverts in the world.

    Trantors note:

    3 chapters to fill the quota.

    Also holy shit Marie is down bad.

 Chapter 90: Exhibition (2)

    As mentioned before, being an artist is a costly job. To create one¡¯s own work, tools are necessary, and even the cost of those tools is not insignificant. Furthermore, artists often have strong convictions or philosophies of their own, which can lead them to discardpleted works. As a result, money goes out while the quality of the artwork may suffer in a vicious cycle.

    Due to this structure, art hase to be perceived as a culture enjoyed by nobility or the affluent, as long as they do not indulge excessively in gambling or luxury. Therefore, most famous artists are known to be from the upper ss or the wealthy. As a result, art was once a luxury of the nobility and even theatrical and dramatic performances were simr.

    However, after the Jayros Revolution in the Kingdom of Ters, culture spread to the entire nation and there was an increase in people from themon or lower ss who pursued a career in the arts. Of course, unless they possessed exceptional talent, it was almost impossible to seed, and most ended up abandoning art and moving on to other means to earn a living.

    In order to sustain art, one needs money, but one also needs those who recognize their work in order to earn money, facing such an ironic situation. Nevertheless, there are artists who consistently create their own works in the midst of such circumstances.

    In the first ce, many artists have chosen honor over money. This is why artists frommon or lower ss backgrounds tend to have strong determination and unwavering convictions or philosophies of their own. In addition, they possess inexhaustible patience and stamina.

    These artists fall into one of two categories. They either endure and eventually give up, or they seed and make a name for themselves among the public.

    People in this world may praise thetter case as the spirit of an artisan or something, but for someone like me with memories from a past life, it can be summed up in just one word.

    <i>¡®pervert¡¯</i>

    ¡°¡­What is this?¡±

    And as soon as I entered the vige, I could clearly experience what kind of results these perverts can achieve with time, money, and inspiration.

    As I stood at the entrance of the vige, staring nkly at something that confidently upied the space, Cecily, who was standing next to me, spoke up.

    ¡°It¡¯s a statue.¡±

    ¡°I know it¡¯s a statue. But why is it so¡­ big?¡±

    Marie responded on behalf of me to Cecily¡¯sment. But she too was mesmerized by the imposing statue, just like me, unable to take her eyes off it.

    I stood there for a while, seemingly transfixed, observing the statue carefully.

    To describe the appearance of the statue I am looking at now, it depicts a young man who seems to be hitting a middle-aged man with a club.

    The young man seems to be trying to block the attack with a dodgy posture, as if telling the middle-aged man not to hit him, and the middle-aged man is swinging the club with an expression of excitement.

    The most remarkable thing here is not just the well-detailed muscles, but the expression. Whether I should say it is overflowing with liveliness or it was sculpted based on a real person¡¯s expression.

    Above all, the quality is so astonishing that I doubt if it¡¯s appropriate to call this a ¡°statue¡±.

    ¡°There¡¯s a que here too. It says¡­ ¡®Xenon, who is training under the master¡¯?¡±

    Cecily, who found a que while admiring the statue, exined to us.

    Although I had already guessed it just by looking at the statue, I never thought that it would vividly depict a scene from the beginning of Book 1.

    I scratched my head uneasily and muttered in a perplexed voice.

    ¡°Out of all the scenes, why this one¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s written here too. It was sculpted because it¡¯s not everyday that you see someone learning by getting hit by their master.¡±

    Thank you for the kind exnation, Cecily-noona.

    However, I still couldn¡¯t easily get away from the awkwardness of the situation.

    The expression on the statue was truly one-of-a-kind, making it difficult to take my eyes off of it.

    ¡°So, how does it feel as the original author? Bringing the content from the beginning of the story as it is.¡±

    ¡°Heeuk!¡±

    While I was unable to take my eyes off the artwork, Cecily whispered into my ear with a husky voice. Her sultry voice pierced into my inner ear.

    Her voice was already irresistibly sexy, and now she was whispering right into my ear, making me jump in surprise. My ears tickled so much that my body trembled.

    ¡°G-Goodness, you scared me. You surprised me.¡±

    ¡°Hehe. So, what¡¯s your answer?¡±

    Cecily, whether I was surprised or not, smiled and asked me. I wrapped my ears in my hands and turned my head back toward the work.

    As I mentioned before, I have a bit of a knack for drawing, so I tend to add illustrations.

    Thanks to the detailed descriptions in the story, readers can roughly imagine what the characters look like.

    Not only in the illustrations but also in the story, the physical descriptions are carefully crafted. Perhaps that¡¯s why the appearances of Xenon and the master, as depicted in the statue, match what I had in mind.

    <i>¡®I wonder how long it took to sculpt just this one¡­¡¯ </i>

    I feel like apuding the sculptor. It¡¯s not just a matter of being a fan, but a level of admiration. Even though I¡¯m not a sculptor, I can tell how much effort and dedication must have been poured into achieving this level of result.

    Moreover, especially for a sculptor, growth is almost impossible without the guidance of a master, and even the innate talent affects the oue.

    ¡°I feel so proud and respectful of the sculptor. I only had to write, but this person has made a sculpture.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you belittling yourself too much? You changed the world with your writing.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just a matter of perspective. Let¡¯s look at other things too. Marie, let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Oh, okay. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Calling Marie, who had been quiet while admiring the statue, they moved on to find other works. Soon after, they were able to find another statue, which seems to be disying sculptures throughout this street.

    ¡°Is this Jin and Lily?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s for sure, considering the horns.¡±

    ¡°Beautiful.¡±

    I was initially annoyed by the noise from the passersby and tourists on the street, but it didn¡¯t bother me when I was enjoying the sculptures. asionally, there were people who nced at Cecily and Marie, but they were also focused on appreciating the artwork.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that woman a demon?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I heard there was a demon attending. But it looks like these are nobles, let¡¯s not mess with them for no reason.¡±

    But it was still the medieval era, and sometimes I could hear people whispering about Cecily and Marie. Even if I didn¡¯t want to eavesdrop, I still could hear it, and my eyebrows furrowed in annoyance.

    Of course, both women had their own unique beauty, and they were wearing dresses that showed off their figures, naturally drawing attention. At times like this, I wished my ears weren¡¯t so sensitive. I would rather not hear anything¡­

    Snap!

    As I was frowning and looking around, Cecily snapped her fingers without saying a word.

    And something surprising happened.

    The noise from the bustling town suddenly disappeared, and the surroundings became quiet. It was as if we were the only ones in this space, a surreal feeling of tranquility.

    I blinked and looked at Cecily, who was smiling brightly as she opened her mouth.

    ¡°It¡¯s a silence spell. I took care of the noise because I noticed you were ufortable, Isaac.¡±

    ¡°¡­Did it show on my face again this time?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I don¡¯t care because I hear that a lot, but I feel bad because you¡¯re ufortable. And this is much better, right?¡±

    I smiled at Cecily¡¯s consideration. I had caused trouble by using magic for myself, but it was nothingpared to what the demons who used magic like breathing did. Still, I felt sorry about it.

    <i>¡®But I also feel bad¡­¡¯</i>

    Did she really need to add thatst part? I paused for a moment, looking at Cecily¡¯s kind face, before deciding that the important thing now was the exhibition, not her feelings.

    Besides, it was rude to have such thoughts in front of my girlfriend, who was right next to me.

    So I turned my head away from Cecily and towards Marie. Marie seemed to bepletely absorbed in admiring the sculptures at the exhibition.

    ¡°Is Marie okay too?¡±

    ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ it¡¯s nothing.¡±

    Her reaction was so cute that I pinched her cheek. Marie looked at me quizzically.

    ¡°Why did you pinch my cheek? Do you want a kiss or something?¡±

    ¡°Not yet. Should we look at other ces first?¡±

    ¡°Sure. By the way, why did the surroundings suddenly be quiet?¡±

    ¡°It was a bit noisy, so Cecily used a spell.¡±

    Afterwards, we went deep into the vige and started to enjoy the festival in earnest through the exhibition. Thanks to the diverse support from the pce, there was plenty of food to eat and plenty to see.

    Especially noteworthy was that not only humans but also various races were passing by among the pedestrians. Of course, humans were the most abundant, but elves, dwarves, beastmen, and even demons were all attending the exhibition.

    The demons had jet-ck hair like charcoal, red eyes, and horns, which were the symbols of a demon, making them even more noticeable.

    ¡°¡­There are demonic beings too.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ I wasn¡¯t the only one attending. It feels like a dream¡­¡±

    Cecily momentarily shocked at the sight of other demonic beings enjoying the exhibition, spoke about her feelings with a slightly hoarse voice.

    Until the appearance of Xenon¡¯s Biography, demonic beings were treated like ticking time bombs and it was impossible for them to openly roam the streets, but now they were enjoying the festival.

    As someone who always worked hard to fulfill the wishes of the demons, Cecily couldn¡¯t help but be moved.

    I too was surprised like her, but soon I looked at the people who were enjoying the exhibition with a satisfied smile.

    All races were gathered together to enjoy the festival with just one exhibition. If it had been before Xenon¡¯s Biography, it would have been unimaginable, proving how much the world had changed.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m getting greedier.¡¯</i>

    My father said that this exhibition itself had the potential to be politically abused, but once I watched the exhibition with my own two eyes, it was impossible not to feel greedy.

    How wonderful it would be if there were festivals like the current exhibition where all races could enjoy themselves happily. Of course, there will still be conflicts between races, but we can gradually narrow them down.

    While watching the demons mingling in the crowd and enjoying the exhibition, I turned my head to the side.

    Cecily seemed unable to distinguish whether the sight she was seeing was a dream or reality, holding both hands tightly and closing her eyes.

    ¡°Thank you, Mora¡­for bestowing this blessing upon me and our demons¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Seeing the demons praying to their patron god, Mora, my heart became overwhelmed with emotion.

    She entered the academy, and because she was a princess, she must have been more moved as a demon.

    Feeling embarrassed, I rubbed the back of my neck and then turned to the side, meeting eyes with Marie. Marie chuckled and whispered to me.

    ¡°Our cute writer. Now you know how amazing you are, right?¡±

    yfully, I just pinched her cheek without saying anything. Every time I pinch her white and soft cheeks like snow, it¡¯s addictive.

    I really wanted to keep doing it, but it¡¯s a shame I couldn¡¯t because there were too many people watching. I waited quietly until Cecily finished her prayer, then suggested to her.

    ¡°Noona, how about going to see that person once?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    When I rmended it, Cecily turned to me with a skeptical expression. For some reason, her red eyes seemed even darker.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m curious too. How did those people get here? It seems like there¡¯s an interesting story behind them, since they¡¯re mixing with humans and enjoying the artwork. Why don¡¯t we ask them once?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Cecily listened to my exnation and looked towards the demons who were mixed in with the human crowd to enjoy the artwork. If they were noble visitors from Helium, they would be wearing formal attire, but the demons who were currently mixed in with humans were wearing unique equipment.

    Therefore, it is highly likely that they are wanderers or adventurers who havee out of Helium, and since Xenon¡¯s Biography wasunched just a year ago, it is natural to be curious about what they have been doing so far.

    Eventually, Cecily watched a demon who was conversing properly with a human woman and nodded her head in agreement.

    ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go check it out.¡±

    ¡°Sure. Marie?¡±

    ¡°Hmph. I¡¯ll let it slide this time.¡±

    What does it mean to let it slide? I was briefly puzzled by Marie¡¯s indifferent response.

    Cecily also seemed to be excited, with a brighter expression than before, as she approached the demon who was enjoying the artwork.

    ¡°Hold on. Be patient¡­ Don¡¯t do it here¡­¡±

    While approaching, Cecily lightly tapped her chest and muttered softly.

    Trantors note:

    This arc is gonna be loooong.

 Chapter 91: Exhibition (3)

    ¡°Excuse me for a moment.¡±

    ¡°huh?¡±

    Mypanions and I approached the demon man who was having a friendly conversation with a human woman and called out to them for a moment.

    The demon stopped talking to the human woman who appeared to be his lover and turned his gaze towards me. If Gartz¡¯s horns were like those of a sheep, then this man¡¯s horns stretched up long and twisted. He had the characteristic ck hair of his demon race and, unlike Cecily¡¯s escort knight, Gartz, he had a sturdy build and a mboyant and passionate appearance.

    The human woman, who was assumed to be his lover, was not as beautiful as Marie and Cecily, but she revealed a graceful and adorable charm. However, as the man was a little bigger than her, she was holding onto his arm, almost hanging on him.

    ¡°¡­What can I do for you?¡±

    The demon asked with a lot of suspicion at first, but as soon as he saw Cecily, his expression softened considerably. It seemed he had concluded that at least I hadn¡¯t approached them with any malicious intent since he had another demon beside him.

    However, the woman who was assumed to be his lover still didn¡¯t let her guard down. Instead, as soon as the demon became slightly less guarded, she clung to his arm even more tightly.

    I looked at the woman who was attached to the demon¡¯s arm like a cicada and turned my head to face the demon. Eventually, I asked a question out of curiosity, facing his reddish eyes, like Cecily¡¯s.

    ¡°There are a few things I¡¯d like to ask.¡±

    ¡°Things you¡¯d like to ask?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t know what the nobles are curious about, but I¡¯ll answer with sincerity.¡±

    The man seemed to have seen through our nobility just by looking at our appearance and clothes. However, he didn¡¯t seem to know that Cecily was the princess of Helium. Since there were also social sses in Helium like in human society, if this man was amoner, he might not even know who Cecily was.

    ¡°Rai¡­¡±

    Meanwhile, the woman who was still holding onto his arm called out to the demon with a worried voice. Her face became even more anxious as she realized that we were nobles. The demon named Rai gave her a gentle smile and patted her head. She seemed a little relieved by her sturdy boyfriend¡¯sfort.

    ¡°We¡¯re not bad people. We approached because we were really curious, so you don¡¯t have to be too wary.¡±

    ¡°¡­I see.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Did you say your name is Rai?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Rai Estor.¡±

    ¡°My name is Isaac Ducker Michelle. I was just curious about how you came to our territory.¡±

    Rai looked at me sharply before ncing at Cecily and then spoke calmly.

    ¡°Seems like it¡¯s because I¡¯m a demon.¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Rai scratched his chin with a hand that wasn¡¯t holding onto the woman. I waited patiently until he opened his mouth.

    If Cecily wasn¡¯t here, he might have had some doubts after my question, but there was no sign of that. Perhaps Rai didn¡¯t realize how close this was to an interview.

    However, as a demon, he must have experienced many ups and downs.

    ¡°The reason we visited your territory is the same as everyone else¡¯s. We¡¯re both fans of Xenon¡¯s Biography, that¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°Of course. Then, if I may ask a personal question?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡±

    ¡°As you know, demons couldn¡¯t reveal their true appearance until the release of Xenon¡¯s Biography. They were often treated harshly if they were discovered.¡±

    The more I continued my exnation, the more doubtful the expression on the woman¡¯s face, while Rai¡¯s expression was calm.

    It seemed that she trusted Rai absolutely, and it was ufortable for her to treat him as a devil.

    I nced at the woman and then got to the point.

    ¡°However, Xenon¡¯s Biography changed everything. The perception of demons haspletely changed, and they are no longer treated as devils. So my question is this. When did youe out of Helium, what kind of life did he lead, and when did he meet his partner next to him?¡±

    ¡°Was that what you were asking? I¡¯m embarrassed that I doubted you. Hahaha.¡±

    Raiughed heartily, as ifpletely dispelling any doubts he had. Thanks to him, the woman seemed to be less suspicious as well.

    Then, Rai seemed to organize his thoughts and began to recall his life story with a bright smile.

    ¡°As you said, I¡¯m from Helium. I came out to human society about five years ago. There was magic to hide my identity, so there were no problems as long as I was careful. During those years, I met various people and made many connections. Of course, there were dangers. Many times, I found myself in difficult situations, but I always managed to ovee them.¡±

    ¡°Why did youe out of Helium?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing special. Being only in helium, my body ached and I couldn¡¯t stay still. That¡¯s why I took the risk and came out.¡±

    Rai seemed to have a natural adventurer temperament.

    I¡¯m not sure if I should call them brave or reckless for embarking on an adventure despite knowing the discrimination that demons face.

    ¡°Have demons who ventured outside of Helium not experienced enough tragedies to warrant such risk?¡±

    Cecily, who had been listening quietly, asked Rai with a somewhat puzzled tone. Unlike me, who used politenguage, Cecily spoke informally to Rai, as he was one of her own people, there was no need to use honorifics.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s because¡­¡±

    Rai looked at Cecilie¡¯s face as she asked the question, but instinctively his gaze dropped downward. She barely managed to stop herself from snickering at his very male response.

    ¡°Ahem. We venture out not because there is something worthwhile, but to find something worthwhile. Demons have lived longer than other species in Helium, so we can¡¯t just live there. Although we have experienced both good and bad things, we are experiencing good things now.¡±

    ¡°Are you talking about your significant other next to you?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Even though she knows I¡¯m a demon, she¡¯s the only person who stayed by my side. That was even before Xenon¡¯s Biography came out.¡±

    The story of Lily and Jin in Xenon¡¯s Biography was not just a fiction.

    I had expected such beings to exist in a world as vast as this and with so many people, but now that I had met them in person, I felt a strange feeling.

    Watching the man and woman who exuded a lovely atmosphere, I smiled gently and spoke.

    ¡°It¡¯s a very romantic story. I didn¡¯t expect to see a story I¡¯ve only seen in Xenon¡¯s Biography.¡±

    ¡°Hahaha. I¡¯ve already heard that countless times.¡±

    ¡°Then, when were you able to confidently reveal your identity like you do now?¡±

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s been since the fifth volume of Xenon¡¯s Biography. Before that, I had no choice but to hide my identity.¡±

    The moment when demons¡¯ perception drastically changed was during the climax of the fifth volume, a memorable scene that is still talked about today, Sakran¡¯s sacrifice.

    It¡¯s been spected that since that scene, the perception towards demons did aplete 180, and they were able to confidently reveal their true form.

    ¡°Is it still okay though? Even though Xenon¡¯s Biography changed the way demons are viewed, the conflicts that have urred until now will still be difficult to resolve.¡±

    This is a question from Cecily. She is the princess of Helium, so she was somewhat free from discriminatory looks, but she doesn¡¯t know much about themoners¡¯ situation.

    This worry is natural, as the persecution of demons by other racessted for over 1000 years. This means that instead of fading away, their emotions have been maintained over this long time period.

    Furthermore, there is a history of the demons beingbeled as devils by the Savior and massacred, so the divide between the two sides may be deeper than the valley.

    Therefore, the demons may still look down on or disdain others, and other races may still view them as devils.

    ¡°Yes. Thanks to Xenon¡¯s Biography, life has be morefortable, but there are still discriminatory attitudes in various ways. Just a month ago, there were cases where we couldn¡¯t stay at an inn or receive a request because I was a demon.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Listening to Rai¡¯s story, memories of racial discrimination that were prevalent in my past life naturally came to mind.

    Although racial discrimination is strictly prohibited except in certain countries, unfortunately, news oftenes out about crimesmitted due to racial discrimination.

    In this world, there may be even more severe discrimination based on ethnicity than on race, so if we continue to do so, we will definitely not be doing less.

    ¡°¡­ We still have a long way to go.¡±

    Cecily smiled sadly after listening to Rai¡¯s story. Although things have definitely improved since before, prejudices against demons still existed.

    Rai spoke in a reassuring tone after seeing Cecily¡¯s mncholic smile.

    ¡°But you don¡¯t have to worry too much. Although there are still unfavorable views towards us, our demon race will no longer be covering. As the princess knows, Xenon¡¯s Biography has given us a sense of pride.¡±

    ¡°¡­You recognized me?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Only royalty can wear that ne. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t realize it sooner.¡±

    I listened to Rai¡¯s words and confirmed the ne that Cecily wore today. It only looked like an old silver ne at first nce, but it seemed to have a special meaning to the demons.

    <i>¡®Come to think of it, did she wear that ne at the gathering?¡¯</i>

    My memory is not that good, so I¡¯m not sure if she wore this ne back then. All I remember is Cecily¡¯s dress being so striking that it¡¯s the only thing thates to mind.

    ¡°No. It seems you were enjoying the exhibition with your lover, but we rudely interrupted you.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. It was actually a pleasant conversation.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask you onest thing. Which direction do you think our demon race should go in?¡±

    ¡°As I mentioned earlier, if we follow the phrase in Xenon¡¯s Biography, it¡¯s enough. We were born as demons, but we are more human than anyone else, moving towards the light. Isn¡¯t that enough?¡±

    Rai answered faithfully with a proud smile on his face. It was an answer that only someone with a strong belief could make, and there was no doubt in it.

    What I wrote in the book shows the direction that certain people should follow. It was indeed a proud result.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. That¡¯s the identity of our demon race. Anyway, thank you for your answer.¡±

    ¡°I hope the princess will also find her light.¡±

    Rai gave Cecily apliment and gently hugged the woman attached to his arm. It seems that he found the light through his rtionship with her.

    Although they may eventually part ways due to the difference in their lifespans, they will not regret it.

    At least for this moment, it will be a beautiful memory for them.

    ¡°The light¡­¡±

    As Cecily muttered something under her breath, she slowly turned her head towards me. I also met her gaze.

    After staring at my face intently for a while, she smiled and then shifted her attention to Rai.

    ¡°Thank you. Thanks to you, I feel like I¡¯ve rediscovered what light is.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m honored to have been able to help.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to. Anyway, let¡¯s go. Oh, by the way, what¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°¡­My name is Veronica Echens.¡±

    ¡°Veronica, you should stick close to Rai as well. As creatures of darkness like us, we tend to wander when the light leaves us.¡±

    ¡°¡­Okay.¡±

    Veronica¡¯s response was as timid as her appearance. Cecily giggled at Veronica¡¯s response and then spoke to me.

    ¡°We should go now.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Marie?¡±

    ¡°¡­Sure.¡±

    Even though I called out to her, Marie only fixed her gaze on Cecily without looking at me. It was hard to describe, but it seemed like she was on guard. Furthermore, she clung even closer to my body, interlocking her arm with me.

    Feeling a bit awkward due to her action, I looked at Marie¡¯s expression and couldn¡¯t help but be wary. Her blue eyes were filled with deep suspicion.

    It seemed like Marie felt something from the conversation between Cecily and Rai earlier. While I was thinking that, Marie called out to Cecily in a quiet voice.

    ¡°¡­Cecily.¡±

    ¡°Yeah? What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not thinking anything strange, are you?¡±

    Cecily blinked her eyes at Marie¡¯s uneasy question, then suddenly smiled.

    And then, half-closing her eyes, her red eyes glistened and she replied in a low voice.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re asking.¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ Marie? How about we have a private conversation just between us?¡±

    After saying that, Cecily looked at me and finished speaking.

    ¡°It could be something important to you.¡±

    It could be my imagination, but the red light on her horns seemed to have deepened.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 92: Exhibition (4)

    I gazed at the backs of Cecily and Marie as they left, saying they were going to have a private conversation. When I asked how long it would take, they said it would take a little while and urged me to view the exhibited works until then, as they walked away.

    I could guess roughly what they were going to talk about based on the situation just now, but there was no room for me to intervene, so I had no choice but to stay put.

    They would return eventually, as I enjoy the exhibited works, but I couldn¡¯t help but be curious.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    What would it feel like to be left alone after starting with three people? I stared nkly at the spot where Cecily and Marie disappeared, then looked around.

    Although I was left alone by chance, there were still many passersby going around the vige. They all seemed to be busy enjoying the exhibition and festival without a break. This meant that there were few people who cared about me being alone.

    <i>¡®Well, let¡¯s go for a walk first.¡¯</i>

    Since Cecily said it would take a while, it would be better to look around than to just stand there. I started to enjoy the artworks one by one, which I hadn¡¯t seen yet, as I moved my steps.

    If sculptures were lined up on both sides of the street like buildings, the art pieces were exhibited all over the vige, providing a variety of sights. Artworks were not the only things exhibited at the exhibition.

    ¡°A nobleman is above themon people, and a king is above the nobleman, and a kingdom can exist because there are both. However, what supports that nation is strictly themon people. That means that in front of themon people, whether it is a king or a nobleman, they are nothing. But Lord Crost, you are mocking the foundation of that nation just because you are bothered by them. It is truly the behavior of a true nobleman. Isn¡¯t it so?¡±

    ¡°Shut your mouth! How dare you mock me?!¡±

    ¡°Mock? I just stated the facts. I heard that if you poke at the truth, people get angry. But it seems like that statement is true.¡±

    There was also a theaterpany performing on the central stage set up in the middle of the vige.

    Just to let you know, the Matrics Theater wasn¡¯t the only that joined the exhibition, and there were asional actors who pursued theater as a hobby, even if they were not part of a theater group.

    The fact that the performance space was set up in the vige square might make some people think that the voices would not be audible due to the people passing by more than in other ces. However, thanks to the special work done, the actors¡¯ voices came across vividly in my ears.

    Moreover, although not on the same scale as the Matrics Theater, the actors¡¯ performance skills were outstanding, making it immersive.

    For these reasons, there were quite a few people who came to watch the y. Judging from their clothing, most of the people sitting in the chairs ced in front were nobles, while those standing and watching from behind weremoners.

    <i>¡®I wonder what are the nobles thinking while watching this?¡¯</i>

    The y currently being performed by the theater group is from the early part of the eighth volume, representing the lives of both the nobles and themoners.

    In the scene, they target Xenon, who poses a threat to their privileges, and make him fall into a trap, but instead, they end up being yed by him. One might think that most of the people watching the y aremoners, but surprisingly, a considerable number of aristocrats were also watching it. They were not showing any signs of difort and were entirely focused on the y itself.

    Honestly, I was worried that it might be ufortable as the original writer, but luckily it seems that everything turned out well. In fact, even the aristocrats said that they had many thoughts after watching the early part of the eighth volume, so perhaps it was part of it.

    <i>¡®Even if they cause amotion, the security guards will stop them, so there shouldn¡¯t be any problems.¡¯</i>

    I thought as I stood far away, watching the y and then decided to move my footsteps to look around as there were too many exhibits to focus only on the y.

    Before long, I came across a piece of artwork that caught my eye.

    ¡°Someone actually drew this.¡±

    In South Korea, there is a very famous meme called the ¡°Hectopascal Kick.¡± It depicts a scene where a girl delivers a dropkick to a boy who is going crazy, and the phrase ¡°Hectopascal¡± itself is so random that it has be a meme.

    I described that scene in detail in Xenon¡¯s Biography. The protagonist and heroine Mary appears confidently, kicking bad guys with a dropkick. In a world where most of the descriptions were in, it was an exceptional first appearance that left asting impression on countless readers.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s really well drawn.¡¯</i>

    Although the art style may be different because it is set in medieval times, except for that, it was 100% identical to the Hectopascal Kick I knew. From Mary¡¯s purple hair fluttering as she delivered the dropkick to the expression on the gangster¡¯s face as he was hit by it, theposition, characters, and expressions were all perfect, exactly like the Hectopascal Kick itself.

    <i>¡®Are there other reincarnators besides me?¡¯</i>

    I had thoughts that didn¡¯t even make sense. To find out who the owner of this piece of art was, I lowered my gaze to the bottom, where a sign with an exnation was hanging.

    First of all, the artist¡¯s name is Karl Zvazsa. He is from the Minerva Empire, not the Ters Kingdom. The reason why he chose to draw this scene among many others is that it reveals Mary¡¯s personality and identity at once.

    Furthermore, it is said that he draws his works in aical manner to make peopleugh, unlike other artists.

    ¡°Karl Zvazsa¡­ I should remember this person.¡±

    I took out my notebook and pen, storing in my mind the work of Karl that matched my mental image of Hectopascal Kick. It was in case I forgot the name. As I might have to mention the names of some artists after the exhibition is over, it was essential.

    ¡°Phew~¡±

    ¡°Huek?!¡±

    While I was writing down the name in my notebook, someone blew into my ear. I couldn¡¯t help but let out a strange scream, feeling ticklish and shivering. I turned my head to check who did this to me. As soon as I confirmed the face of the culprit, I couldn¡¯t hide my surprise.

    ¡°¡­Adelia noona?¡±

    ¡°Haha. Nice to see you here.¡±

    It was Adelia, who had left the mansion earlier than me to go to the exhibition. When she greeted me with a cheerful smile, I was surprised. Adelia usually dressed simply even on weekends, but today, she seemed to have put extra effort into her outfit for the festival.

    Her short brown hair, grown to the neck, and her beauty without any makeup remained the same, but her outfit was like wings, with a brown vest worn over a white shirt and leather pants that revealed her elegance, perfectly expressing her unique style.

    Her cheerful and energetic charm, which was not diminished at all, was still the same as when I saw her at the academy, even though her clothes were different.

    ¡°Where are the others? Why are you wandering around alone?¡±

    Adelia asked me with her characteristic husky voice, putting her hand on her waist.

    I rubbed my fingers on my ear, which was still tickling, and answered curtly.

    ¡°They have something to do. Why are you here, Adelia noona? Weren¡¯t you with my sister?¡±

    ¡°Well, I was originally. But Nicole disappeared in the blink of an eye.¡±

    ¡°¡­Did you get lost?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that. I¡¯m not lost, I lost Nicole.¡±

    I chuckled at Adelia¡¯s audacity and impudence as she imed to have lost Nicole when we were in a narrow territory and there was an exhibition going on. I couldn¡¯t even imagine how it would have been at the academy.

    Adelia seemed to be embarrassed by myughter and nervously scratched her cheek while chuckling. It seemed like she thought it was unreasonable even though she had just said it herself.

    ¡°Anyway, will you apany me for a while until we meet Nicole? I¡¯m really bad with directions, so I can¡¯t even go back to the mansion.¡±

    ¡°Walking together is fine. But is it so severe that you can¡¯t even return to the mansion?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve wandered around all day while trying to find the dorms at the academy. Impressive, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not something to be proud of. Anyway, are you enjoying the exhibition?¡±

    ¡°I am enjoying it, but¡­¡±

    Adelia hesitated at my question, then smiled brightly. I felt an indescribable sense of difort from her smile. It seemed forced, and I became even more suspicious after seeing her genuine smile just a moment ago.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m enjoying it without any problems. You don¡¯t have to worry too much.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­I see.¡±

    ¡°How about you, cutie? The exhibition is being held in your territory. Aren¡¯t you happy?¡±

    She quickly changed the subject, and though I had a vague idea of the situation, I decided to pretend I didn¡¯t know.

    But I was still curious, so I continued the topic to get a few more details.

    ¡°Of course I¡¯m happy. It¡¯s the first time our territory has been so lively in our history. Especially seeing everyone, regardless of their race, enjoying the festival is the proudest moment for me.¡±

    ¡°Oh, now that you mention it, I saw some demons as well as werewolves. I was really surprised. Demons usually try to hide their identities and act cautiously.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s all thanks to Xenon¡¯s Biography. How did you used to think about demons before Xenon¡¯s Biography came out, sister?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t really have any thoughts about it. Whether it¡¯s demons or nonsense, I was too busy trying to survive on my own to care about others.¡±

    She spoke as if it was nothing, but I couldn¡¯t just let it go. It gave me a glimpse into Adelia¡¯s past, even if it was only a fragment.

    It seemed like her past was moreplicated than I thought. I heard that people whough a lot often have many hidden wounds within themselves. Perhaps Adelia was the same. I watched her smile brightly, and then quietly asked her a question.

    ¡°By the way, where is your hometown? My sister told me youe from a faraway ce.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­there is such a ce. It¡¯s a vige without a name, so it¡¯s hard to describe. It was also lucky for me to get into the academy in the first ce.¡±

    Adelia replied, putting her hair behind her ear. Her gaze shifted to the right, and I could tell she was lying. Her beauty alone was enough to prove that she wasn¡¯t an ordinary person, and it was clear that she had some connection to nobility.

    I nced at her as she lied and spoke in a calm voice.

    ¡°That¡¯s too bad.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a shame that you can¡¯t enjoy festivals with your family because of the distance.¡±

    ¡°Family¡­¡±

    Adelia murmured meaningfully and chuckled, then softly answered with a hint of nostalgia in her husky voice. The huskiness of her voice added to the poignancy of the moment.

    ¡°Right. As you said, this kind of festival should be enjoyed with family.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°It would be so much fun. Chatting with your siblings, enjoying delicious food with your parents¡­¡±

    Adelia¡¯s voice was different from her usual firm tone, and even her usually husky voice sounded softer, conveying a subtlety that could even sense the sadness that had been suppressed in her heart.

    Could it be that she had lost her family in the past? Otherwise, it would be impossible to make such a facial expression.

    As someone who had also lost their family in a past life, I knew what kind of expression that person would make. Just like Adelia, looking up at the sky and reminiscing about the past.

    It was a time when it was just an everyday urrence, but looking back, it was a happier time than any other. The family who were stronger allies than anyone else.

    While Adelia was lost in her memories, I waited for her to wake up while pretending not to notice. I didn¡¯t want to force her to recall memories.

    ¡°Um¡­¡±

    But why is she suddenly looking at me? Adelia, who was looking up at the sky with a nostalgic gaze, seemed to havee out of her reverie and shifted her gaze to me.

    As Adelia, who stared at me with her sky-blue eyes, pierced me with her gaze, I wondered about her intentions when she grinned and finally spoke in a low voice.

    ¡°It would be so nice to have a little brother like you. I think I would find you cute every day.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re starting to talk like my older sister¡­¡±

    ¡°Ay, don¡¯t be so defensive. Didn¡¯t I say I would treat my younger sibling well? And if I had a cute younger sibling like you, I would just want to spoil them? I think I know why Nicole cherishes you so much.¡±

    ¡°Oh please, stop it. I have a girlfriend, you know.¡±

    ¡°But not right now, just let me touch you a little. Hm?¡±

    ¡°No, you can¡¯t.¡±

    I firmly rejected Adelia, who was clinging to me like a pervert. Adelia, however, seemed a bit disappointed at my resolute rejection, probably because she was sincere about wanting a younger sibling like me.

    ¡°Ugh, are you really doing this between us? That¡¯s too much.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®between us¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Between a friend¡¯s younger sibling and their friend?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what other people say.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s too shameless?¡±

    ¡°I guess that¡¯s not something you should say, considering you threw the first punch when we first met.¡±

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m really sorry about that.¡±

    Adelia and I chatted while looking around the exhibition, asionally buying street food. Of course, I paid for everything.

    Adelia had originally intended to pay for it instead of me, but as a nobleman¡¯s son, I wanted to refuse at least that.

    Due to this, Adelia tried to subtly touch my cheeks and express her gratitude, but when I became unresponsive, she withdrew with disappointment.

    ¡°By the way, when will your girlfriend and the demon princesse back?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. They said it would take some time¡­ Huh?

    It happened while I was walking around, casually eating chicken skewers. I noticed a crowd of people gathered in one particr area, arousing my curiosity. Adelia seemed to have a simr reaction and gazed in the same direction, muttering with a puzzled voice.

    ¡°Is there any spectacle?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s highly likely. Shall we go and see?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s do that. I was getting bored anyway. Haam.¡±

    Adelia quickly finished the remaining meat on her skewer and tossed it backwards without looking, perfectlynding it in a nearby trash can.

    I briefly made a strange expression at her skilled technique of throwing the skewer without looking, but then shifted my footsteps towards the crowd. As I got closer, I could hear their conversations clearly.

    ¡°The royals from the Ters Kingdom havee?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Two of them, the Crown Prince and Princess.¡±

    ¡°Wow. It¡¯s quite an event for our empire to have Ters Kingdom¡¯s royals visiting.¡±

    From what I could deduce from their conversation, it seemed that the royal family from the Ters Kingdom hade to visit.

    I was curious about what they looked like, so I craned my neck to get a better look at their faces, but there were too many people around to make it difficult to see. Eventually, I gave up, thinking that I would have to see them if the opportunity arose.

    However, I realized btedly that Adelia¡¯s reaction was not normal.

    ¡°Those guys¡­ came here¡­?¡±

    ¡°Adelia noona?¡±

    Did she experience some kind of shock? Adelia¡¯splexion rapidly turned pale, and her sky-blue pupils began to shake aimlessly. Even when I called her name and shook her arm, Adelia remained rooted to the spot.

    ¡°Noona.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Noona, snap out of it.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Oh, yeah.¡±

    Eventually, I forcibly brought her back to reality by pulling her cheek. Adelia was startled by the pinch and blinked her sky-blue eyes a few times. Then, with a vacant expression on her face, she looked at me before exhaling deeply and smiling widely. It was a forced smile that felt very awkward and fake.

    ¡°Uh, sorry. I spaced out for a second.¡±

    ¡°Is everything okay?¡±

    ¡°Not at all. I¡¯m suddenly feeling dead tired.¡±

    It is clear that there was a problem as they spoke nonsense. I thought of the Ters royal family, who were probably beyond the crowd gathered around. Perhaps Adelia is rted to them. It is highly likely because she showed a reaction like she lost her soul as soon as she heard that royalty from Ters Kingdom came to visit.

    <i>¡®There seems to be moreplex circumstances than I thought.¡¯</i>

    Escaping from here quickly would be good for me and especially for Adelia. I held Adelia¡¯s hand, who was still confused. I felt Adelia flinch as I held her hand.

    ¡°¡­ Cutie?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go somewhere else. It would be difficult to squeeze in here with so many people.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ Can I stay here for a while?¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°I want to check something out. It¡¯s my personal matter, so you go alone.¡±

    Adelia asked me with a trembling voice. And she still had a paleplexion, trembling pupils, and started to sweat on her cheeks.

    Adelia is already showing symptoms of anxiety attack. If this goes on, we don¡¯t know what might happen to her. People cannot remain sane when they are in extreme anxiety.

    For her sake, and because I could get tangled up in unnecessaryplications, I firmly refused.

    ¡°No, we can¡¯t. Do you know how noona is doing right now? Whatever is going on with them, it¡¯s better for you to stay calm.¡±

    ¡°No, absolutely not. It¡¯s a very personal matter, so keep your hands off. It will be just for a moment, just to check okay?¡±

    Adelia grew anxious and started to hit my hand, but I didn¡¯t budge and pulled her closer. Perhaps because her anxiety was getting worse, she couldn¡¯t put up much of a fight. I couldn¡¯t just ignore her because she was Nicole¡¯s precious friend, even if I would have ignored her if she were a stranger.

    ¡°Take a deep breath and try to calm down first. I can feel your heart rate fluctuating just from holding your hand.¡±

    ¡°Is it that bad?¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you try cing your hand on your chest and thinking for a moment?¡±

    Adelia followed my suggestion and put her hand on her chest. Then, a little btedly, she realized her own condition and took a deep breath before exhaling slowly. At that moment, I tried to let go of Adelia¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Adelia Unni?¡±

    A lively and somewhat husky voice entered my ears. Both Adelia and I turned our heads in the direction of the voice. The first thing that caught my eye was her sky-blue eyes, unlike the deep blue of Marie and Rina, but a light shade of aquamarine.

    Next to the girl were a man and a woman. They all had unique characteristics with sky-blue hair and eyes that emitted charm. As their hair was a contrasting red color to mine, they seemed even more mysterious.

    ¡°Adelia Unni!¡±

    A doll-like cute girl with twinkling eyes shouted Adelia¡¯s name loudly, causing a momentary pause in the situation. Adelia trembled and stepped back in surprise.

    Just as the girl was about to approach Adelia, someone grabbed her shoulder and stopped her. The owner of the hand was a woman who stood beside them, dressed in a uniform that could be worn by a knight rather than a dress. She had tied her hair in a ponytail, and her mature charm was subtly spread.

    ¡°You can¡¯t do that.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Hiliya Unni?¡±

    The girl looked at her questioningly as the woman in uniform spoke in a concise and gruff tone.

    Although the girl was puzzled, the gaze of the woman named Hiliya was fixed solely in one ce, and it was definitely not a friendly look. It was, in fact, at the level of contempt.

    I slowly turned my head towards the direction of her gaze.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Adelia¡¯s sky-blue eyes, just like those of the people in front of her, shook aimlessly.

    thump ¨C thump ¨C thump

    Even though I was holding her hand, I could clearly feel her heart beating wildly.

    Trantors note:

    I just tranted the first NSFW chapter for this novel and I must say hoLY FUCK WHAT THE FUCK DID I JUST READ WHY WAS IT ACTUALLY GOOD WHY DID CHAT GPT TRANSLATE IT BETTER THAN ANYTHING EVER BEFORE AND WHY WAS IT JUST SO WELL FUCKING WRITTEN?!?!?

    But yeah it was pretty good. You will propably see it in like 3 weeks. But it will be on kofi for subscribers this week.

    So yeah, a shameless plug. If you want to read ahead, up to 15 chapters, go to my kofi.

 Chapter 93: Two Girls (1)

    When Isaac and Adelia were having a subtle encounter with the Ters royalty, Marie and Cecily left the event and arrived at a deste ce on the outskirts of the vige.

    Despite receiving extensive support from the royal family, there were still ces in Michelle territory where human hands had not touched. This phenomenon was particrly noticeable as they went further out towards the outskirts of the vige.

    The vige and the outskirts seemed to be separated as if by a distinct line, which created many suitable ces for walking around unnoticed.

    Marie and Cecily were standing face to face in the outskirts of the vige. The towering trees, which had been nurtured by the earth for decades, provided shade from the zing sun.

    ¡°So, why did you call me out here to talk?¡±

    Marie stood with her arms crossed, giving Cecily a sullen look. Her mood was currently very ufortable, to say the least.

    Originally, she had nned to enjoy the exhibition with Isaac alone, but her ns were ruined by the woman in front of her. To make matters worse, they were nowpletely alone.

    As someone who had been looking forward to a romantic date, Marie was not surprised that her annoyance had turned into frustration. Even though she wanted to ignore Cecily¡¯s words and feelings, she couldn¡¯t do so because of the atmosphere.

    She knew that she would have to call her out separately soon, if not now. As a woman, and with Marie¡¯s characteristically sharp intuition, she knew it was the right thing to do.

    I decided that it would be better to solve the annoying problem as quickly as possible, so I obediently followed behind Cecily. And when we arrived, we were under this tree.

    ¡°Sorry. It¡¯s something I absolutely have to talk to you about.¡±

    Cecily looked at Marie, who was ufortable, and then answered with a bright smile that was beautiful and refreshing enough to naturally relieve her guard.

    But Marie didn¡¯t react that way. On the contrary, she narrowed her eyes, making her wariness even stronger.

    Then she quickly scanned Cecily up and down, exhaled a long breath through her nose, and ced her hand on her chest.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you in advance, I have absolutely no intention of giving you Isaac. I confessed to Isaac first, and he likes me too. Got it?¡±

    Marie¡¯s firm and decisive statement drew a clear line, stating that she would not give in to her.

    If it were an ordinary person, they might have flinched at Marie¡¯s momentum, but there was no such indication from Cecily. On the contrary, she seemed to have fully anticipated it, nodding her head with a slight smile.

    ¡°I know. I¡¯ve watched from the sidelines how much you like Isaac. It was a little surprising that you talked to me about chest size. I felt like I had received a punch after a long time.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I get it.¡±

    ¡°But Mari, do you happen to know about polygamy?¡±

    ¡°¡­ What?¡±

    As soon as polygamy was mentioned from Cecily¡¯s mouth, Marie opened her eyes and wondered if she had misheard it.

    Cecily maintained a small smile, as if acknowledging that what Marie had heard was correct, and spoke in a calm and gentle tone.

    ¡°What you heard is correct. It is a custom for one man to have multiple wives. This is amon practice not only in human society but also in Helium and even in Animers.¡±

    ¡°Hey. You¡­¡±

    Marie repeatedly opened and closed her mouth like a fish.

    As a princess of a nation, and furthermore, Cecily who was expected to be the next demon lord, this was never a suitable topic for her to speak about. With Cecily¡¯s position, it was normal to practice monogamy instead of polygamy.

    Helium has not yet engaged in diplomacy, but in terms of national power alone, it was strong enough to rival Alvenheim.

    Above all, in most cases, polygamy is linked to political reasons rather than romantic love. It¡¯s like a weak country sending its princess to marry into a powerful country to form a strong alliance.

    Marie could not tolerate Cecily using Isaac as a political tool, regardless of anything else. Polygamy and nonsense like that should never be allowed.

    With a dryugh, she muttered to Cecily as if she could not stand it.

    ¡°Ha. I thought you were different from Rina¡­ I must have misjudged you. I never thought you would hide such a vulgar intention.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you really think Isaac would ept that? Someone who hates politics so much?¡±

    Marie can boast that she knows about Isaac better than anyone else, except for his family, of course. Anyway, Isaac is an ordinary young man who is simple, considerate of others, and enjoys writing.

    He wrote Xenon¡¯s Biography purely as a hobby, and he simply brought life to another world that was in his mind and captured it in a book. Therefore, it took him a long time to realize his poprity.

    Well, sometimes he got fixated on strange parts, but it didn¡¯t matter to Marie. In fact, she liked it better because she could see Isaac¡¯s blunt reaction.

    She approached Isaac not with a political intention but with pure kindness, and their rtionship grew into love. At least she could im that her love for Isaac was more pure than anyone else¡¯s.

    ¡°Um¡­ I don¡¯t know what kind of misunderstanding you have, but that¡¯s definitely not true. Politics is just an additional factor. My feelings for Isaac are genuine.¡±

    Despite Marie¡¯s continuous ramblings, Cecily maintained a calm attitude.

    In addition, she smiled and blushed slightly, as if she were a shy woman being confessed to. This made Marie more confused than ever.

    As mentioned before, she was born with the ability to instinctively distinguish whether a person¡¯s words were true or false. And now, her heart was screaming that every word Cecil spoke in his gentle voice was true. There was no political intention, just a very pure heart of a maiden in love.

    Marie could vividly feel it.

    ¡°¡­Since when?¡±

    ¡°Do you believe me? Really?¡±

    When Marie believed without any suspicion, Cecily asked with a bright expression while holding her hands, moved by her reaction.

    Marie, on the other hand, responded with silence without nodding her head. Whether Cecily¡¯s heart was sincere or fake, it didn¡¯t matter because there were various types of sincerity.

    If her heart was very impure, Marie would have refused instantaneously, and even if it was pure, she would have done the same.

    Marie had no intention of sharing her Isaac with anyone, without even a speck of pretense.

    She wanted to see him every day, hug him all day long, and share various types of love with him. However, the moment she shared him with someone else, even that time would be cut in half.

    As someone who had been betrayed by someone she trusted in the past, she could never give up Isaac.

    ¡°I¡¯m grateful that you believe me. As for when it started¡­ it¡¯s a bit ambiguous. I had a liking for Isaac at the beginning of the semester, and it turned into love after the release of Xenon¡¯s Biography volume 9. To be exact, it was when we talked alone. Do you remember?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Marie remembered. After that, she became a little impatient, talked to Isaac and confessed her feelings, and started dating after she kissed him first. Although the process was unusual, like crossing a moat, there was no problem because the result was good.

    ¡°You said this to me back then. That love formed by sharing secrets is worthless, because it means that you like the person¡¯s secret, not the person themselves.¡±

    ¡°I remember it clearly.¡±

    ¡°Thanks to you, I realized that I truly like Isaac.¡±

    What is this nonsense again? Marie blinked her eyes at Cecily¡¯s exnation that she couldn¡¯t understand.

    Cecily looked at Marie¡¯s expression and smiled gently, cing a hand on her chest.

    Was it because she thought of Isaac¡¯s face? Her heart throbbed harder than usual.

    It was pounding so hard that even the demon¡¯s typical patience couldn¡¯t hold it back, and she felt a strong desire rising, perhaps because the evil cycle was approaching.

    <i>¡® It¡¯sing earlier than nned¡­¡¯</i>

    Originally, the evil cycle came at certain intervals, but there were cases where it came earlier in special situations. That¡¯s when the ¡®desire¡¯ that was like drugs to the demons came into the equation.

    The stronger the desire, the stronger the red glow of the horn bes, and if it cannot be endured, the evil cyclees. And if you can¡¯t stand that either, you be a devil.

    Cecily was in a simr situation. If it was before, she would have just passed it off as nothing, but since she realized her feelings for Isaac, the desire started creeping up.

    Even she didn¡¯t know how this desire would manifest itself. Until now, it hade like a physiological phenomenon, but now it had suddenly appeared as if she had taken drugs.

    Fortunately, she could be sure that she would never be a devil, but like a human woman bing violent during her period, she might experience a simr phenomenon herself.

    Cecily closed her eyes tightly and calmed down her heart that was pounding as if it were about to burst, then slowly opened her eyes and looked at Marie.

    ¡°At first, I was confused too. Is this feeling directed towards Isaac himself, or towards our savior of the demon race? But the conclusion was surprisingly easy toe to.¡±

    ¡°¡­And what is the conclusion?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s both.¡±

    It was a very clear but at the same time difficult to understand conclusion. However, Marie quickly understood the meaning through Cecily¡¯s exnation that followed.

    ¡°Isaac is the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography, and the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography is Isaac. Who do I love? It doesn¡¯t matter. Isn¡¯t it strange to value one over the other when it¡¯s the same person? The author who wrote Xenon¡¯s Biography, that is, Isaac, is the one who saved our demon race. The feeling towards Isaac is true because of this.¡±

    As the absurd logic flowed out of Cecily¡¯s mouth, Marie became dumbfounded. In fact, everything she said was true. No matter how much they tried to separate themselves, the fact that Isaac is the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography cannot be changed and is like the truth.

    So it¡¯s not strange for Cecily to have feelings for Isaac. Xenon¡¯s Biography was a salvation given to demons like Cecily by heaven. It is an invaluable treasure that haspletely solved the harsh persecution and discrimination thatsted for a thousand years.

    Cecily smiled and put her hand on her chest as Marie listened to her words attentively.

    ¡°So I want to repay Isaac, who saved our demon race. Honestly, I don¡¯t think my feminine charm falls behind at all. Don¡¯t you agree?¡±

    ¡°¡­I do.¡±

    She had to admit it. Marie carefully scrutinized Cecily¡¯s appearance. With silky jet-ck hair and mysterious red eyes exuding an overall mature image, she had a beautiful appearance. Her plum-like lips also emitted a subtle hue. Above all, the most noticeable thing is undoubtedly her figure. Her chest, disying overwhelming presence, goes without saying, and her waist and hip line, which smoothly connect, are emitting an irresistible charm.

    As much as it hurts her pride, Cecily is superior to Marie in terms of feminine appeal. Marie trembled at the fact that she couldn¡¯t deny objectively and hurriedly opened her mouth.

    ¡°Still, I never thought of sharing Isaac with anyone else. I have no intention of losing him to you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but your opinion doesn¡¯t matter. Isaac¡¯s opinion is important.¡±

    ¡°Are you picking a fight with me right now?¡±

    With a voice full of anger, Marie pushed her back against Cecily¡¯s provocative statement. Cecily smiled differently than before, looking somewhere ominous and very sinister. She then looked at Marie, who seemed to be snarling like a cat with fur bristling.

    ¡°Why are you talking as if he was already yours? You¡¯re still in the dating stage, and aren¡¯t officially engaged or married, right?¡±

    ¡°You¡­!¡±

    ¡°And I can also provide great help to Isaac politically. Although it¡¯s still in its early stages, our Helium has begun to establish exchanges with other countries, and demons have strong power from birth, so we can benefit diplomatically.¡±

    Although Helium has taken a semipulsory and closed stance, Cecily is a princess of a whole country.

    Marie is the daughter of the Duke of Requilis, who has the power second only to the emperor, but she can¡¯t help feeling inadequatepared to Cecily.

    As a woman and as a noble. Her position was far behind Cecily, making her uneasy.

    ¡®¡­ Absolutely not.¡¯

    This is a deration of war. Cecily¡¯s deration that she will somehow take Isaac.

    And Marie will have to fight a siege to protect Isaac¡­

    ¡®¡­ Huh? Wait a minute.¡¯

    A question popped up in Marie¡¯s mind. It is true that Cecily is charming, but she is a demon and Isaac is a human.

    Inherently, there is a lifespan difference of more than three times, and there is no way Cecily does not know this. Moreover, demons turn into devils when they feel unbearable anger or sadness.

    One cannot expect a poignant story like the master and the elven queen in Xenon¡¯s Biography. Isaac is not an extreme powerhouse like the master in handling mana, but just an ordinary human.

    Even if a human¡¯s lifespan is a hundred years, for demons, a hundred years is roughly equivalent to twenty years. Furthermore, Isaac is currently seventeen years old, which means he has a lifespan of only ny years even if he lives a long life.

    After Isaac dies due to his lifespan, can Cecily really endure being alone? Marie couldn¡¯t help but wonder about that.

    ¡°¡­Cecily.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Marie?¡±

    ¡°Do you really think the time you spend with Isaac is more valuable than the time after Isaac dies?¡±

    ¡°¡­You finally noticed, huh?¡±

    When Cecily was asked a piercing question by Marie, she smiled somewhat relieved. Then, she lifted her head.

    Although the sky was hidden behind the trees, it looked dull through the branches. Even the warm sunshine was being blocked out.

    After looking up at the sky for a while, she lowered her head to look at Marie again. Marie was waiting for Cecily¡¯s answer.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m a demon and Isaac is a human. There¡¯s nothing eternal in this world, and someday Isaac and I will have to part ways.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll be painful.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯ll definitely be painful. That¡¯s why Isaac¡¯s opinion is more important than yours. The issue of lifespan between different species is something even the gods can¡¯t solve.¡±

    Living things naturally run towards death. That¡¯s the way of nature.

    Humans, more than other beings, are making an effort to leave a legacy because they know it well. That legacy permeates as knowledge, driving human progress even further. This is why humans have a faster rate of progresspared to long-lived beings such as elves and demons, who tend to have a more leisurely mindset due to their extended lifespans.

    Cecily shifted her gaze from Marie towards the direction of the vige. She could sense the bustling energy even without using her mana.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking since I saw that demon earlier. How can I remember him? What can I do?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Even if Isaac doesn¡¯t reciprocate my feelings, I will support his territory to remember him. No matter how much he tries to hide his secret, someday Isaac will be known as the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography. And his territory will naturally develop into a cultural city.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re going to help him politically¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes. I will protect his territory to prevent greedy people from exploiting it, and not only for me, but for other demons as well.¡±

    In that case, the Michelle territory would be safe for at least 200 years.

    If the Minerva Empire establishes diplomatic rtions, there would be no problem with Helium¡¯s knights being stationed in Michelle territory. This would create a mutual benefit between the Empire and Helium, forming a solid alliance.

    Even though Marie was amazed at Cecily¡¯s far-sighted n, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit sad. Cecily had so much sincerity, but the barrier of a veryrge lifespan was blocking her path.

    Of course, even if she were to ovee that wall, Isaac will never give in to her. Marie sighed deeply as if her heart had been pierced, then regained herposure and said to her,

    ¡°I understand your feelings well. But you can¡¯t get Isaac, so just ept it.¡±

    ¡°Hmm~¡±

    Cecily made a dissatisfied sound at Marie¡¯s deration and then narrowed her eyes halfway. Just when Marie felt a sense of unease from her, Cecily began to walk slowly.

    ¡°Well, I wonder if that will happen?¡±

    ¡°W-what do you mean? Earlier, you said¡­¡±

    ¡°Even if I can¡¯t get his heart, O can still get his body, right? So¡­¡±

    As Cecily passed by Marie, she whispered in her ear with a suggestive tone.

    ¡°What if I take him first?¡±

    ¡°¡­!!¡±

    Cecily¡¯s suggestive words prated Marie¡¯s ears and shook her mind. Her body trembled violently, and her blue eyes red up like a torch. Her mouth also opened wide, as if shocked by Cecily¡¯s words.

    Her fair skin gradually turned red, and her ears blushed like a sunset. She clearly understood what Cecily meant by her words. Since it was Cecily who said it, she couldn¡¯t just ignore it. If she had the desire, she could really do it.

    ¡°Well, then, I¡¯ll go now.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Cecily, whether she was joking or not, tapped Mari on the shoulder and passed her by. Despite Cecily¡¯s passing, Marie remained rooted to the spot. When Cecily was far away, Marie suddenly snapped her head around. Cecily was already about to enter the vige.

    ¡°¡­Alright. Let¡¯s do it, then?¡±

    Marie grinned seeing this, then she muttered meaningfully.

    ¡°Do you think I will let him be taken away?¡±

    Strange desire red up in her blue eyes.

    Trantors note:

    Cecily really earning back those points huh

    Also there were 2 adult chapters¡­didn¡¯t know that¡­

    Fun fact! ChatGPT didn¡¯t want to trante explicit content of those chapters, so I wrote that it¡¯s for my thesis and it actually did it LOL it even had a better quality than ever before Kek

 Chapter 94: Adelia (1)

    If someone were to ask me what the closest yet mostplicated rtionship in the world is, I would answer without hesitation that it is blood ties.

    As the word suggests, blood ties are rtionships that are inseparable, but ironically, they can also be rtionships that are worse than those of others. It is also a rule that there are virtues and responsibilities that must be observed even among family members, like the word ¡°paelyun¡± (immorality) suggests. The moment one vites this, they be ¡°immoral¡± andmit a great sin as a human being.

    Unfortunately, there are countless people in this world who abandon their responsibilities to their families. Furthermore, in the medieval period where the characteristics of a ss society and the concept of human rights were rare, this point is even more pronounced. It ismon to discard a child who is not of one¡¯s own blood and to engage in family infighting in order to inherit a title.

    From ancient times, people have tried to avoid fighting among blood rtives as much as possible, but when blinded by greed, blood ties mean nothing.

    Like this, family ties can be a target of hatred, even worse than others, and unfortunately, there are often cases where lingering attachment remains in such situations.

    <i>¡®I had a rough idea, but¡­¡¯</i>

    I looked at Adelia¡¯s face, who was beyond nervous. Her sky-blue eyes and even her lips were trembling uncontrobly.

    From the cold sweat pouring down her face, anyone could tell that she was experiencing a serious anxiety attack. Considering Adelia¡¯s normally carefree personality, it was so different from her usual self that it seemed like apletely different person.

    And the reason why she was shaking so much was because of the three men and women facing us. They were probably the royal family members of the Ters Kingdom who attended the exhibition.

    Their eyes, as well as their hair, were sky-blue, reminiscent of the blue sky, and their noble demeanor naturally flowed out.

    ¡°Red hair¡­ Are you from the Michelle family?¡±

    The man murmured first when the subtle confrontation continued, and I couldn¡¯t even speak. But thanks to him murmuring loud enough for me to hear, I was able to get an opportunity to speak. So I let go of Adelia¡¯s hand gently.

    Of course, I didn¡¯t forget to check her condition even as I let go of her hand. I wanted to say something, but I couldn¡¯t get any words out, so I kept opening and closing my mouth repeatedly.

    From this, it was clear that there wereplicated circumstances between her and the Ters royal family members.

    ¡°Pardon me. I am Isaac Ducker Michelle, the second son of the Michelle family, who organized this exhibition. It is an honor to meet the sky of Ters Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°Hmm. I am Laos Dukeard von Kurchers, the rightful heir to the Ters Kingdom.¡±

    Following etiquette, I greeted the man politely and he introduced himself in a confident and assertive voice. Even as he introduced himself, his gaze was fixed on Adelia.

    Next to Laos, the woman also introduced herself in a deep and monotonous voice. ¡°Hiliya Dukeard von Kurchers. Lara,e on.¡±

    At the same time, Hiliya, who had been holding onto the girl¡¯s shoulder, called out her name. The girl, with her doll-like appearance, opened her eyes wide at Hiliya¡¯s call and quickly took action.

    ¡°Oh, yes! Nice to meet you. I am Lara Dukeard von Kurchers, the 3rd princess of the Ters Kingdom.¡±

    She politely greeted us while lifting the edges of her dress slightly.

    Her melodious voice and adorable appearancebined to make my heart race, but what really caught my attention was her proper etiquette. Even though she was a noble from another country, Lara was of royal blood and therefore didn¡¯t need to be overly polite in her greetings like Laos and Hiliya. It seemed that Hiliya knew this, as he rolled his eyes but then quickly closed them. It seemed like this wasn¡¯t the first time Lara had made a mistake.

    ¡°Issac, right? The exhibition was very well-organized considering it was put together in a hurry.¡±

    Laos approached me and spoke in a friendly manner after all the introductions were done. He still kept ncing over at Adelia.

    I was momentarily surprised and nervous when he approached me with such confidence, but using informalnguage didn¡¯t bother me too much since Laos was of royal blood. It was only in official situations that royalty used formalnguage when speaking to foreign nobility.

    This exhibition is more of a festival rather than an official asion, so there is no diplomatic loss even if we speak freely.

    ¡°Thank you. Actually, our family didn¡¯t contribute much, since we received support from the pce.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nice to be honest. You¡¯re like half a tourist, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not half, it¡¯s just a tourist.¡±

    ¡°You have a wit, unlike your blunt tone.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s apliment, I¡¯ll take it warmly.¡±

    ¡°Hahaha, good. Good. But¡­¡±

    Laos smiled warmly, but then subtly shifted his gaze to Adelia.

    Now, it seemed difficult for them to meet each other¡¯s eyes as Adelia lowered her head and didn¡¯t say anything.

    Her facial expressions were fully visible due to her short haircut, and it wasn¡¯t much different from before.

    Hesitation, fear, concern, tension, and so on.

    All sorts ofplex emotions were mixed together, making it impossible to define them lightly, and she was sweating profusely like rain.

    Just by looking at her, it was clear that her condition was not just bad, but serious.

    And Laos looked at Adelia surreptitiously, and then asked me with a mischievous smile, as if he had thought of something amusing.

    As if to prove their family ties, it was identical to Adelia¡¯s smile.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the first impression, but what¡¯s your rtionship with this woman? You were holding hands just now and seemed close¡­ maybe?¡±

    ¡°No, she¡¯s just a close older sister to me.¡±

    ¡°Even if that¡¯s the case, you were holding hands affectionately.¡±

    ¡°Our rtionship is not like that.¡±

    Since it really wasn¡¯t like that, I was able to draw the line sharply. The reason I held Adelia¡¯s hand was simply because her condition was not good.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ I see.¡±

    Laos looked at me with a nk expression after hearing my firm response. I don¡¯t know whether he believed me or just let it go, but it seemed like there wouldn¡¯t be any harming to me.

    ¡°Got it. So you¡¯re saying there¡¯s no rtionship at all?¡±

    ¡°Yes. By the way, would it be okay for me to ask what kind of rtionship you have with Adelia noona?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    When I asked the question, Adelia raised her head abruptly as if she was surprised. Then she started looking back and forth between me and Laos with trembling eyes.

    It was too pitiful to see her opening and closing her lips repeatedly as if she wanted to say something but her throat was blocked. What on earth could have happened between them to make Adelia react like this?

    ¡°What kind of rtionship is it?¡±

    It didn¡¯t seem like a good question for not only Adelia but also Laos. As soon as I asked, Laos put on a friendly smile and then frowned.

    It was a very unpleasant expression, as if even being involved with her was displeasing. His expression was so bad that it seemed like I had stepped on a mine. Sensing that something was wrong inwardly, Laos turned his head and looked at Adelia with the same displeased expression. Just then, Adelia also turned her head towards us and our gazes met.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Facing Laos head-on, Adelia froze stiffly like a mouse standing in front of a cat. She was sweating cold and her mouth, which had been quivering, was tightly shut.

    I was worried that she might faint. It was at that moment when I was thinking about such things inwardly.

    ¡°¡­ It¡¯s not like we have any rtionship, do we?¡±

    Laos replied, looking at me after turning his gaze away from Adelia. The unpleasant expression waspletely gone and only a mischievous smile remained.

    However, unlike Laos, Adelia¡¯s expression¡­ It was not enough to say that her world had copsed. Her heart dropped and herplexion turned pale, and her eyes began to lose focus.

    This alone would have been enough, but Laos¡¯ cruel words did not end there, even though Adelia was right next to him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking, but neither I nor we know this woman. Didn¡¯t we just meet her today? She seems like amoner, so why don¡¯t you y around with her a bit? Even though you are a nobleman of the Empire, there is something about you that I like.¡±

    ¡°¡­I see.¡±

    Would there be anyone who could express their refusal in front of royalty? Laos nodded satisfactorily when I gave a positive answer and looked at Adelia. Although Adelia¡¯s focus had alreadypletely disappeared, Laos continued to pour out his tirade to her.

    ¡°You know what I¡¯m talking about, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Thanks to that, Adelia regained herposure and her focus returned. But before long, something astonishing unfolded before my eyes.

    ¡°Sob¡­ Ugh¡­¡±

    As if a rush of emotions that had been held back in her chest were released all at once, tears welled up in her sky-blue eyes.

    Even her tightly pursed lips suggested that she was trying to hold back, but she had already crossed the limit and couldn¡¯t control her emotions.

    There is nothing as shocking as being denied by your own family. Adelia, who was denied by her family, especially in front of me, must have been shocked beyond measure.

    So I slowly reached out my hand to Adelia, who was about to explode. It was a gesture born out of a desire to calm her down no matter what¡­

    Thud!

    ¡°Huh? Adelia noona!¡±

    Before my hand could reach her, Adelia ran away. She was quick, and despite my urgent calls, she didn¡¯t stop. She made her way through the crowd without a hitch, disappearing from my sight in the blink of an eye.

    ¡°This is whymoners¡­ they don¡¯t know anything about manners.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°If I ruined the atmosphere, I¡¯ll apologize. There are many cases wheremoners are climbing up these days. Although the Jayros Revolution has happened, we still have to maintain order, don¡¯t we?¡±

    I didn¡¯t respond. I just gazed at the direction Adelia had gone with aplicated expression.

    Laos tapped my shoulder, giving me advice that wasn¡¯t really advice.

    ¡°Try not to get involved with that girl. Let¡¯s forget about what happened today. That¡¯s all for now.¡±

    As Laos passed by me as if nothing had happened, Hiliya and Lara followed him, looking at me from behind. Hiliya passed me nonchntly, while Lara stared at me intently as she walked past.

    Eventually, when they hadpletely passed by, Lara¡¯s melodious voice reached my ears from behind.

    ¡°Unni, that oppa is really pretty, isn¡¯t he? He¡¯s prettier than you.¡±

    ¡°Be quiet.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t we y with that oppater?¡±

    ¡°Lara.¡±

    ¡°Heeing.¡±

    Watching Lara¡¯s behavior, which seemed tockmon sense, I could tell that she was the youngest in her family and must have been raised with plenty of love. She¡¯spletely different from Adelia, who just left a moment ago.

    As I watched the backs of the two of them beginning to tour the exhibition, I took a step towards the ce where Adelia had just run away to. I¡¯m not sure where she could have gone by now, but I might be able to find her by asking around.

    ¡°A woman with brown hair and sky blue eyes? I don¡¯t really know.¡±

    ¡°She ran away crying? Ah, I saw her go over there a while ago¡­¡±

    ¡°She went between those buildings over there.¡±

    Thanks to Adelia¡¯s striking appearance, it wasn¡¯t difficult to ask around. I arrived near a vige alleyway where it was estimated that she had gone.

    As it was an alleyway, there were few people around, and despite it being daytime, it felt dark and eerie. There weren¡¯t even alleyways in our territory before, but it seems that they were created due to the many buildings that were erected.

    And then¡­

    -Sob¡­Ugh¡­

    Someone¡¯s sobbing prated my ears. Thanks to the quiet nature of the alleyway, the sound was even louder.

    I roughly calcted the direction of the sound and walked towards it. As I got closer, the sobbing sound grew louder and louder.

    As I reached deep into the alleyway where it seemed like nobody would evere, I could spot a woman sitting on the ground, crying her eyes out.

    ¡°Sob¡­ sniff¡­ waaaah¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s too much¡­ You could at least say hello¡­ Sniff¡­¡±

    Adelia, who was always confident and passionate, was bursting into tears. As if the dam that held back her emotions had beenpletely destroyed, she was releasing all of her sadness.

    I quietly watched Adelia, who was sobbing so much it almost seemed like she would faint, before slowly approaching her from behind. She didn¡¯t seem to notice that I hade and kept shedding tears.

    ¡°Just¡­ just once¡­ Sniff! Ugh¡­ Sob¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Waaaah¡­¡±

    Adelia was crying so miserably that I thought she might faint from exhaustion. She kept wiping her eyes as tears continued to fall.

    I decided that I needed to calm her down a bit, so I took out a handkerchief from my pocket. Carrying a handkerchief is a basic etiquette for nobles.

    Although the handkerchief was in without any special patterns, it would be enough to help Adelia right now.

    ¡°Noona.¡±

    ¡°Waaah¡­ Sob¡­¡±

    ¡°Adelia noona.¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­ what?¡±

    Adelia turned her head upon hearing my voice, as if she had released some of the emotions she had been holding back. If she had cried any more, her eyes would have been swollen and her nose would have been running.

    Without saying a word, I handed Adelia a handkerchief, unable to hide my sympathy. Adelia called my name in a hoarse voice, not understanding the situation.

    ¡°Isaac? Did you follow me?¡±

    Adelia was too busy asking me questions to take the handkerchief I offered. I nodded my head in response.

    She looked at me with a slightly confused expression, then hesitated before reaching out her hand to take the handkerchief. She seemed different from her usual confident self, perhaps due to the shock of being denied her existence by her family just moments ago.

    ¡°Just take it.¡±

    ¡°Uh, yeah¡­¡±

    Adelia was startled by my words, then took the handkerchief and gently wiped away the tears and snot on her face.

    ¡°Sigh¡­¡±

    ¡­

    Still, it seemed that her personality hadn¡¯t gone anywhere as she blew her nose into her handkerchief. I chuckled at the sight.

    It seemed like it would be best to leave that handkerchief behind and not take it with us. After all, there were plenty of handkerchiefs at home.

    As I was thinking this, Adelia sniffled a bit, perhaps calming down slightly. Her face was clean now, but her eyes were puffy and her nose was red as if she had been drinking.

    ¡°Thanks. Sorry you had to see me like that.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. But Adelia, about those Ters people from earlier¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah. They¡¯re my family. Half-blooded, too.¡±

    Half-blooded meant that Adelia was a bastard.

    It wasn¡¯t particrly strange for there to be bastards in a world with social sses, but it was a little surprising that she was the bastard child of a king.

    But it was also strange that she received such harsh treatment, and I didn¡¯t understand why Adelia still held onto feelings for them.

    When I saw Laos treat Adelia like she was invisible earlier, I knew there must have been some unpleasant history. If she were an ordinary person, she would have cut off her ties with them, but Adelia was a little different.

    ¡°My mother was a prostitute. And our father¡­ he had a rtionship with her during his prime. And I was the result.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re the king of Ters¡¯¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s the one who¡¯s always known for being a romantic or something.¡±

    You may already know about the King of the Ters Kingdom, Friedrich, who is famous for only having eyes for one queen despite having many potential consorts. Despite ying favorites, he managed to have four children with the queen. ording to rumors, he even tried to have more children, but the queen found it too difficult and couldn¡¯t bear any more.

    However, it¡¯s an astonishing fact that the king, who was known for having only one queen, had a love child, and that child is none other than Adelia.

    ¡°You might not know this, but the lives ofmoners are very miserable. If I had grown up under my mother, I would have had to sell my body to survive. I would have had a pretty face and been sold at a high price.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°My mother knew that, so she brought me to my father to avoid that life. But as you can see¡­¡±

    Adelia didn¡¯t exin any further. Frankly speaking, there was no need for an exnation. With Laos treating her as non-existent, and Hiliya blocking Lara¡¯s approach, we can infer how Adelia was treated.

    Although she managed to avoid the life of a prostitute, she may have endured a life of disdain and contempt from her family. Perhaps she even suffered from abuse. It¡¯s truly a heartbreaking thought.

    Meanwhile, Adelia spoke with a trembling voice, her head hanging low.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I enrolled in the Halo Academy when I became of age, like running away. They say they will recognize me as part of the family if I graduate with good grades, but¡­¡±

    ¡°I have a feeling that won¡¯t be possible.¡±

    ¡°Right. But if they see me making an effort¡­ they¡¯ll recognize me¡­ admit it¡­ turn around¡­¡±

    While speaking, Adelia¡¯s emotions seemed to overwhelm her as she closed her lips and began to shed tears. Tears flowed down from her clear, sky-like eyes in droplets.

    ¡°I just wanted to¡­ be a normal family¡­ sniff. To y and have fun like everyone else¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Is it even that hard for them to call me ¡®noona¡¯ or ¡®unnie¡¯? Those bastards¡­¡±

    Tap, tap..

    Tears flowed down from her eyes onto the cold ground, without any intention of wiping them away with a handkerchief. Seeing her clenching her fists in anger, her wretched life seemed to be agonizing.

    I was worried that she mightmit suicide someday if this continues. I bent down on my knees to meet her at eye level and spoke quietly.

    ¡°Noona.¡±

    ¡°Sniff¡­ why¡­¡±

    ¡°Is the reason you still care about those people because of your mother?¡±

    Adelia nodded her head to my question and then told me her story while sobbing.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ my mother said¡­ sniff! That it would be much better than living like this¡­ and even now, I don¡¯t know what happened to her¡­ If I became a princess, I wanted to find her¡­ sniff. With dignity¡­¡±

    How miserable this life is. Adelia¡¯s life is so different from mine, who was born a noble and grew up with nothingcking.

    Perhaps the reason she yed mean pranks on Nicole was because she was Adelia¡¯s first friend. Before entering school, Adelia must have suffered physical and emotional abuse from her family, so Nicole is probably a very precious presence to her.

    If even Nicole loses interest in her, it will be difficult for Adelia to withstand the overwhelming loneliness. I nced down while watching Adelia sobbing.

    It seems that her words that she has been trying hard are not in vain, her hands were filled with calluses and wounds.

    ¡°What should I do now¡­?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I feel so lost. When I graduate from the Academy, I have to go back to the kingdom. And then¡­¡±

    Just the thought of the severe abuse Adelia suffered made her tremble. The fear and anxiety engraved in her mind were slowly eating away at her.

    I carefully held her hand, judging that it couldn¡¯t go on like this. The sensation of my hand was so stiff and cold that it traveled through my hand.

    As warmth was conveyed through my hand while holding her hand, Adelia stopped trembling and lifted her head brightly. Her face, which had be a mess, was filled with doubts.

    ¡°¡­Isaac?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Don¡¯t cry, Adelia.¡±

    I can understand Adelia, but I can¡¯t sympathize with her. So any constion I give her now will be of no use to her.

    But doing something is much better than doing nothing at all. In situations like this, just having someone there for you can bring greatfort.

    I know this from personal experience of losing my entire family in a previous life. When I was nkly staring off into space at the funeral home, friends who came to me became the driving force that kept me clinging to life.

    If those friends had not been there, I would havemitted suicide long ago. People are infinitely weak when they are alone, but even a single support can make them incredibly persistent.

    I brought up a handkerchief for Adelia and gently wiped her eyes. Adelia didn¡¯t resist and epted my touch.

    ¡°I understand that you haveplicated circumstances, and there¡¯s not much I can do to help. Right now, all I can do isfort you.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Most of all, Adelia, your smiling face is so beautiful. So don¡¯t cry. Even though I can¡¯t do much to help, I will stay by your side.¡±

    Finally, after wiping away the tears that had gathered in the corners of her eyes, I gave her a soft smile and concluded.

    ¡°Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°So, let¡¯s cry out all the tears from today, and starting tomorrow, I hope you can go back to being the Adelia you know, and call me your cute younger brother, as always.¡±

    Adelia looked at me with a dazed expression, her sky-blue eyes filled with deep confusion.

    After a moment, she pulled her lips tightly and forced herself to control her emotions. Her smile was weird, I couldn¡¯t tell if she was crying orughing.

    ¡°Like this?¡±

    ¡°¡­I think it¡¯s better if you just cry for now.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±

    Adelia quickly became sullen. I chuckled at her various expressions and tried to put the handkerchief in my back pocket. I nned to throw it awayter.

    ¡°Just a moment.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°That handkerchief¡­ I¡¯ll wash it and give it back to you.¡±

    Adelia grabbed my wrist desperately before I could put the handkerchief in my pocket, and spoke in a hurry. I opened my mouth in confusion.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you have to do that. There are plenty of handkerchiefs in the mansion.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s dirty because of me. At least I should take responsibility for it, right?¡±

    ¡°Well, if you insist¡­¡±

    I nodded and handed her the handkerchief. Adelia¡¯s expression brightened noticeably, and she held it tightly with both hands.

    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll make sure to give it back to youter.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°And¡­ Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    Adelia called out my name and gave me her characteristic energetic smile. Her eyes were swollen and her nose was red, but her smile, which I knew so well, was clear.

    As I was gazing at her face, she expressed her gratitude to me.

    ¡°Thank you so much. I feel better thanks to you.¡±

    ¡°No need to thank me. It¡¯s nothing.¡±

    ¡°Thanks to your thoughtfulness, I get why that child is dating you.¡±

    She must be talking about Marie. I shrugged my shoulders and said nonchntly,

    ¡°If Noona says so, then it must be true.¡±

    With my words, Adelia spoke with conviction,

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    She still held the handkerchief dear in both hands.

    Trantors note:

    Woah. Wtf. Now I¡¯m mad.

 Chapter 95: Strange Relationship (1)

    As time passed, Adelia was able to calm down to some extent and regain herposure. However, perhaps due to the extent of her crying, she asionally huped and sobbed.

    It seemed that she was shocked to the core, as she hurriedly drank water from a nearby fountain, but there was no sign of improvement. Furthermore, her eyes were severely swollen and her nose was as red as a strawberry.

    Not only was she unable to enjoy the exhibition, but if she were to encounter the Tersian royalty again, it could be even more serious.

    ¡°It¡¯s better to rest at the mansion until evening.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s okay? There are still many works of art that we haven¡¯t seen yet.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a little disappointing, but the highlights don¡¯t start until evening anyway. We¡¯ll just have to rest and calm our minds until then. If we continue like this, we don¡¯t know what will happen.¡±

    In the end, Adelia returned to the mansion. Even though I offered to stay by her side, she refused.

    She didn¡¯t want to cause any trouble for me and thought she might interfere with my enjoyment of the exhibition. Although it was regrettable, her exnation was convincing, so I had no choice but to take her back to the mansion.

    On the way back, I couldn¡¯t help but worry that we might run into the Tersian royalty again. Adelia seemed to share my concerns and was constantly looking around.

    <i>¡®Should I just write it in a book?¡¯</i>

    My fondness for the Tersian royal family was on the verge of copse. Even if they were bastards, treating someone with such contempt was never right.

    Even if they didn¡¯t recognize her as their own child, they should never subject her to emotional abuse. Honestly, it was a miracle that Adelia had grown up so well.

    I wanted to include a story about a bastard child in Xenon¡¯s Biography, but the storycks usibility and there is a high risk of it being discovered by the Tersian royalty. As the rtionship between Adelia and the Tersian royalty is kept secret, the list of suspects is narrowed down significantly.

    Therefore, it would be wise to patiently wait for an opportunity, even though it is disappointing. If I take the initiative too quickly due to my impatience, it could lead to danger. So, we hurried towards the mansion with a sense of unease in our hearts. Thankfully, we did not encounter the Tersian royalty on the way.

    ¡°Adelia!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    We soon arrived at the mansion and found Nicole standing in front of the gate. Adelia¡¯s expression changed slightly when she saw Nicole.

    Come to think of it, didn¡¯t she get lost while traveling with Nicole? While I was thinking about that, Nicole came closer and began scolding Adelia.

    ¡°Where were you?! I looked for you for so long¡­ What? Why are your eyes like that?¡±

    ¡°There was a situation.¡±

    Nicole checked Adelia¡¯s swollen eyes and expressed her doubts when Adelia, who had aplex situation she could not speak of, mumbled.

    When Nicole realized that Adelia was hesitant to speak, she turned her gaze towards me as if to ask if I could exin instead. However, I couldn¡¯t say anything either, so I just shrugged my shoulders. Nicole also had no choice but to move on when I stumbled over my words.

    ¡°Well, there must be a situation. But do you know how long I¡¯ve been searching for you?¡­ Apologize if you know you should. Isaac happened toe back with me to the mansion just in case. Let¡¯s go now.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ If it¡¯s okay, can we rest at the mansion for a bit? I¡¯m a little tired¡­¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Adelia¡¯s cautious request left a puzzled expression on Nicole¡¯s golden eyes. Given that Adelia¡¯s attitude was so different from her usual demeanor, it was natural for Nicole to have doubts.

    Then Nicole looked at Adelia¡¯s swollen eyes and her somewhat uneasy appearance. Nicole was also quick-witted, so she had a vague idea of what might have happened to Adelia.

    Sure enough, Nicole nodded slowly, deciding to listen to Adelia¡¯s words without asking for the details. It seemed like her way of showing consideration by not prying too much into the situation.

    ¡°Okay. Then let¡¯s go in together.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. I¡¯ll just rest, and you can go to the exhibition.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m worried. I¡¯m worried. What if you wander around and get lost again?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll just stay at the mansion. How could I get lost?¡±

    ¡°Enough talking. Let¡¯s go inside. What about Isaac?¡±

    Nicole asked me while looking at me. Soon, Cecily and Marie were expected to return, so I nned to stay and watch the exhibition.

    ¡°I¡¯ll continue to watch the exhibition. I still have somepany.¡±

    ¡°Oh, right. Then Adelia and I will be at the mansion, and we¡¯lle back when it¡¯s time for dinner.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°But, Adelia, are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    And so, Nicole and Adelia returned to the mansion. I stood in ce and watched quietly until the two passed through the front gate. As Adelia turned around and looked at me, she gave a gentle smile as if to thank me and nodded her head.

    <i>¡®I thought she always had an easy-going smile.¡¯</i>

    Anyway, Adelia must have gone back, so I turned to go back to the exhibition. It was about time for Marie and Cecily toe back, so I nned to go to the vige square. I wasn¡¯t sure what to do until then, but our territory is surprisinglyrge, so I thought it would be okay to wander around.

    <i>¡®Oh, right. Should I buy some books?¡¯</i>

    Since my father had made various contracts with merchants, there would be a variety of goods imported, including books. Our territory originally had one bookstore, so books would have been imported there. I felt happy at the thought of new books and quickened my pace. As I passed by the statues and stalls I had seen earlier, I entered the shopping district.

    There used to be only a cksmith, simple clothing stores, and stores to buy goods, but now there were more than that. And as I looked around, I saw the bookstore that I used to visit frequently before entering the academy.

    I had enough money, so I didn¡¯t hesitate and walked into the bookstore. As soon as I stepped inside, the familiar smell of paper tickled my nose.

    ¡°Wee¡­ Oh my, it¡¯s the young lord. It¡¯s been a while.¡±

    Said the bookstore owner ajumma with delight as I walked into the bookstore. She was now in her early middle age but had a face that seemed to have once possessed some beauty and was characterized by a kind smile.

    The middle-aged woman¡¯s name was Luna, and we were somewhat familiar with each other as she used to make book faces before I entered the academy. I bowed my head politely in response to her greeting.

    ¡°Hello, Luna. Are you very busy today?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. The books areing in like crazy. You might like some of them too.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Where can I find the new releases?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re over in that corner.¡±

    I thanked her again for her kindness and turned to explore the shelves and disy stands that were packed with books. Luna was right, there were so many new books that hade in, and it seemed like more were arriving constantly.

    <i>¡®Wow, there¡¯s a new book by this adventurer? And there¡¯s a new history book too.¡¯ </i>

    I thought as I looked through the books. Since there was no advanced packaging technology at the time, books could be viewed immediately. Of course, if caught, I would be kicked out, but I was the son of a lord, so I figured Luna would overlook me if I read while standing.

    However, I still felt guilty, so I nned to skim through only the beginning and pick out books based on my interest in exploration journals and history books.

    <i>¡®¡­ There are too many to choose from.¡¯</i>

    The history books alone were so vast that there were at least ten volumes. Moreover, even though I didn¡¯t know where they got them, there were history books not only for humans but also for other species. Even if humans didn¡¯t know, it would be very difficult to obtain the history books of these other species, and I couldn¡¯t even guess where they obtained them from. I pulled out a book on elf-rted history out of my growing curiosity and read the title.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s see¡­ ¡®The Culture and History of Elves¡¯¡­¡¯</i>

    Although I had been reading books rted to elves in Professor Elena¡¯s researchb, the ones that came out in bookstores might be a little different. Frankly, the books in theb were closer to research materials, making it difficult to understand. Whether this book would be easier to understand than the researchb¡¯s books, or just a flickering me, I would find out once I read it. I was browsing around for a recent publication and was about to turn the page.

    ¡°Ehem-ehem.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Just before turning the page, until I heard someone coughing next to me.

    As if they wanted me to hear, I turned my head in the direction of the sound of the cough. And I could see someone standing lower than my eye level.

    I don¡¯t know when they came, but it was difficult to recognize their face because they were wearing a pure white hood. That¡¯s when I looked at her with a curious expression.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but it would be better if you don¡¯t read that book.¡±

    If Cecily¡¯s voice felt like it was tickling my ear, this girl¡¯s voice was as clear and innocent as a rolling jade.

    For a moment, I was captivated by her voice, but then I looked up and met the gaze of the girl who was staring at me. Her eyes were a unique blend of silver and gray, and her hair was the same color. She exuded an otherworldly aura, like a fairy descended from the heavens.

    ¡°Uh?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a book full of empty words that sound good but don¡¯t actually help at all.¡±

    She said, speaking in the refinednguage typical of nobility. I immediately realized that the hooded girl was a member of the aristocracy.

    She might have been looking down on me for not knowing that I was a noble, but she might also have had a rank simr to that of the Ters royal family. Otherwise, there was no reason for her to be condescending from the very beginning.

    As I gazed at the girl, I showed her the book in my hand.

    ¡°Have you ever read this book?¡±

    Since the girl was wearing a hood, she seemed to be hiding her identity, so I didn¡¯t need to use honorifguage. I could use this as an excuse to be informal, and there wouldn¡¯t be any problem. If anything, it would be a problem for the girl.

    The girl replied in her characteristic pure voice.

    ¡°Of course I have. But it made me frown as I read it. It¡¯s a book written by someone who knows nothing about us and wants to vilify the elves.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­I see. But who do you mean by ¡®us¡¯?¡±

    ¡°¡­oh.¡±

    The girl flinched and covered her mouth with both hands as if she had been caught off guard when I pointed it out. I asked her in a hesitant voice.

    ¡°Hey, are you an elf by any chance?¡±

    ¡°No, no way! Absolutely not! And I¡¯m not a kid either!¡±

    She eximed, iling her arms like a bird. Her appearance, behavior, and attempt to act like an adult all made her seem like a child.

    Eventually, the girl seemed to realize that denying it any further only made her seem more suspicious, so she let out a deep sigh and spoke quietly.

    ¡°Whatever¡­ but that¡¯s not important right now. Just put that book down and look for another one.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    The girl was taken aback when I refused without hesitation. It seemed like she had expected me toply with her request.

    However, I had no intention of putting the book down. What I wanted was not someone¡¯s ¡°subjective opinion¡± but rather ¡°diverse histories.¡±

    Historical records are subjective to a certain extent. As the saying goes, history is written by the victors, and unless it¡¯s written by a god, history cannot bepletely objective.

    Therefore, the only way for history to be truly meaningful is to read many books and findmonalities among them. Moreover, since the girl in front of me was suspected to be an elf, she could not be viewed objectively in any case.

    ¡°That¡¯s just the way it is with perspectives. If you were really an elf, you might dislike this book. Nevertheless, it could be a very useful reference for us humans. After all, there aren¡¯t many history books rted to different species.¡±

    ¡°Human beings say that elves are walking libraries. At least we can boast of having more knowledge than you do.¡±

    ¡°That may be true. However, ultimately, that knowledge was written from an elf¡¯s perspective, right? There¡¯s bound to be conflict between what¡¯s in this book and what you already know. And since elves live much longer than humans, they tend to get stuck in their ways. It means that they don¡¯t change very easily.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not like that.¡±

    The elf girl timidly retorted, as if something had pricked her. I smiled faintly as I listened to her answer, murmuring softly.

    <i>¡®Is she the daughter of a family that secretly left Alvenheim?¡¯</i>

    As far as I knew, Alvenheim was ruled by the Council and the Queen, who kept each other in check. ording to Cindy, they were in a bitter power struggle to maintain their own privileges.

    If we were topare the Council to humans, it would be like a powerful faction of aristocrats who had relinquished all their titles and joined forces. Of course, not only powerful families were in the Council, but also ces that helped the Queen.

    Could this girl have secretly left such a family? Judging from her speech, I couldn¡¯t imagine her being a normal elf.

    ¡°By the way, are you also participating in the exhibition? To see Xenon¡¯s Biography?¡±

    ¡°Of course. How could I miss an exhibition dedicated to Xenon¡¯s Biography?¡±

    The girl responded with a slightly excited tone, seeming to be a fan of Xenon¡¯s Biography. I felt a sense of satisfaction and my liking for her increased as I bent my knees slightly to match her eye level. When I did, the girl flinched slightly but soon met my gaze with her gray eyes shining. I quietly asked her while looking into her mysterious eyes.

    ¡°My name is Isaac Ducker Michelle. I am the son of the Michelle family who organized this exhibition. What¡¯s your name, littledy?¡±

    The elf girl hesitated at my introduction, but then replied in her characteristic innocent tone.

    ¡°Arwen. Call me Arwen.¡±

    Arwen is a very ordinary name for an elf, so ordinary that it could even be used as a pseudonym without any problem. As I was thinking that to myself, the girl introduced herself and muttered to me.

    ¡°And I¡¯m not a kid. Despite appearances, I¡¯ve lived almost ten times longer than you.¡±

    ¡°Okay, grandma.¡±

    ¡°Ugh!!!¡±

    The way she yells is also really childlike.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Suddenly, I felt a chill down my neck and turned my head around. However, there was no one behind me, only shelves filled with books. Feeling a bit uneasy, I rubbed the back of my neck and muttered softly,

    ¡°What was that¡­?¡±

    Trantors note:

    Star Rail is addictive. Himeko is alive ;_;

 Chapter 96: Strange Relationship (2)

    I briefly felt a chill at the back of my neck, but there was never a moment when I lost touch with Arwen during our conversation. Although I tried to act like an adult, I found Arwen¡¯s asional childishints endearing, and Arwen seemed to have a favorable opinion of me in her own way.

    Later, I found out that Arwen was also a bookworm who loved books very much. As an ancient elf, she knew much more than I did about a variety of subjects. They say that adult elves are like walking libraries, and I realized that this was no exaggeration. She not only answered all of my questions in detail, but also provided additional exnations that left me amazed.

    However, that wasn¡¯t the end of it. Arwen showed me how wide the gap between elves and humans really was.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ I didn¡¯t know this book would be here. It¡¯s been 80 years since it was published.¡±

    ¡°80¡­ 80 years? Has it been that long?¡±

    ¡°It was a famous book among our elves. I believe it¡¯s also kept in our sanctuary.¡±

    Arwen had read books that had been out of print for years, and even remembered them in great detail. She had lived almost ten times longer than me, and her knowledge and experience were far beyond myprehension. Even finding a book that had been published more than 20 years ago was a difficult task, as they were rarely published or circted. Even in a library, it was hard to find them in obscure corners.

    As a result, unless it¡¯s a book that has be a worldwide hit like Xenon¡¯s Biography, it requires aplicated process to purchase even a single copy.

    However, Arwen not only read the book thoroughly when it was first published but also remembers everything about it. Thanks to her, I looked at Arwen with new respect. I had been using informalnguage with her because of her childish behavior, but now I thought I should start using politenguage with her.

    ¡°Well, there¡¯s no need to change your speech for me. Wouldn¡¯t it be morefortable for you to do that?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes, it would be. But it¡¯s still amazing,¡±

    ¡°From a human perspective, that may be true. But for us elves, it¡¯s just natural. Whether it¡¯s our sanctuary or our powerful army. It¡¯s not a big deal to remember some stories in a book.¡±

    Indeed, the peculiar traits of the elves never go away. Arwen expressed her pride, tilting her nose up, as I genuinely admired her.

    However, this pride and self-confidence were not arrogance, as these two qualities only arise as true meanings when they harm others or oneself. In Arwen¡¯s case, it was closer to pure pride.

    Of course, she looked like a cute girl, so it seemed like a child was joking around. She was undoubtedly much older than me, but her childish behavior made her look like an immature child.

    As if telling me to envy her, I poked a fact while watching Arwen, who was still fluttering about.

    ¡°Those elves suffered a great humiliation in the racial war 500 years ago, didn¡¯t they?¡±

    Arwen remained silent in response.

    As I hit her with a fact based on historical truth, Arwen¡¯s smile shattered like ss. Elves have a tradition of valuing history, and to them, the racial war was the ultimate disgrace. However, history is something they must learn.

    ¡°¡­ Our ancestors were foolish.¡±

    Arwen turned her head slightly and muttered timidly, but it seemed that the concept was firmly nted in her mind as she didn¡¯t deny it. I chuckled at her reaction, and then brought up a positive topic to lighten the mood. If I only spoke ill of the elves, Arwen mighte to dislike me.

    ¡°Still, the elves have made great progress by taking it as a lesson. Although there have been some turbulent incidents in between, they are now actively exchanging with neighboring countries. I heard that the current Elven Queen hasunched a full-scale open-door policy, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    This was a fact I learned from Cindy. In the past, the elves believed themselves to be a chosen race of the gods and kept their distance from other races. To be precise, they did not interfere with the affairs of other races. They couldn¡¯t do anything about it even if they tried, and they didn¡¯t feel the need to do so. In fact, it was a valid point.

    However, the situation changed as the civilizations of other races developed to a levelparable to that of the elves, and the racial war broke out. Elves became aware that they were mere mortals living in this world and began to actively engage with their surroundings.

    ¡°Y-yes. Alvenheim used to operate as if it waspletely disconnected from its surroundings until just 100 years ago. But itpletely changed after the queen ascended to the throne.¡±

    When mentioning the achievements of the Elf Queen, Arwen felt proud for some reason. It is estimated that she admires the Elf Queen like Cindere. I smiled softly at Arwen who was ecstatic once again.

    As she was much older than me, it was natural for her to act like an adult, but because of her appearance, she seemed like a child pretending to be an adult.

    ¡°Arwen seems to have a favorable view of the Elf Queen. The Elf I know feels the same way.¡±

    ¡°That Elf is undoubtedly young and has a proper perspective. Well, the new Queen has ruled well overall.¡±

    ¡°That being said, about 80 years ago, I heard that they suffered a significant diplomatic defeat. They imposed tariffs incorrectly and suffered significant economic losses.¡±

    It is true that the newly crowned Elf Queen ruled well overall, as Arwen mentioned.

    However, there were many shorings due to her being a very young queen for an Elf, and one of them was the tariff issue I mentioned earlier.

    The Minerva Empire used the tariff issue to cunningly take money from Alvenheim in a way that was close to fraud in diplomacy. If the queen had been more experienced or a little more careful, she would have noticed that it was almost a scam, but the Elf Queen couldn¡¯t.

    The force that should have intervened at this point was the Council of Elders, and I suspect that they deliberately let it slide. So far, Elf kings have failed to ovee pressure from the Council of Elders and have stepped down from their positions.

    ¡°Well, there was nothing we could do about that! But since then, no problems have arisen, right?¡±

    Arwen eximed in surprise at first, then her voice gradually lowered. Judging from her gloomy expression under her robe, it seemed that it was time to stop joking.

    Still, I wanted to see her reaction. I showed her a positive aspect to soothe her sad mood.

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re right. The Elf Queen has never suffered such a big diplomatic loss since that incident. She even embarrassed us. Originally, Elves tend to neglect development in the present, but this Elf Queen was different.¡±

    ¡°What do you think is different?¡±

    As I tried toe up with good words, Arwen looked at me with her shimmering gray eyes as if asking when she had never made a sulky expression.

    Is this pure child really over 100 years old without any ability to hide her emotions? Humans realize that they age and their personality changes, but Elves may have a slower process.

    I faced Arwen¡¯s excited face and shrugged my shoulders before expressing my opinion.

    ¡°We connect with other countries to constantly seek development. Some of the professors working at the Academy are Elves. As far as I know, Elves have to go through a very difficult process to be a professor. From the perspective of humans, they are certainly talented people that we should seek out.¡±

    ¡°Hmm. And?¡±

    Arwen coughed as if to ask me to say more. But unfortunately, my knowledge is limited here.

    ¡°I want to say more, but this is as far as my knowledge can go. But even with this alone, it¡¯s a big aplishment.¡±

    Elves believe that they are superior to other races and do not try to go outside. asionally, a few outliers go out and experience the world, but it is very rare.

    But things are different now. Many elf schrs are traveling around the world, acquiring various knowledge, and gradually developing Alvenheim based on that.

    However, due to the ¡®leisurely¡¯ characteristic that can be considered one of the traits of the longevity race, the speed of development is slower. Nevertheless, it can be considered a remarkable achievementpared to the past.

    ¡°Are you viewing the current elf queen favorably?¡±

    ¡°As a human, I¡¯m not sure, but as a noble, I see her in a positive light. There may be many objections to the policies she has implemented, but it is a socially natural urrence when you consider the history of humanity. If you look at the policies of the people recorded as heroes, they were often considered unreasonable at the time.¡±

    Often policies that were met with strong opposition at the time, referred to as ¡°foresight¡± or ¡°visionary policies,¡± often shine in the future. This was a phenomenon that Arwen had seen frequently in her past life as well.

    However, humans can never be perfect. Even if they enact policies that are close to foresight, there are bound to be side effects. It is likely that the people who object to the policy are worried about these side effects and raise their voices.

    ¡°On the other hand, a wise king should understand the cause of the opposition and determine whether it is just an attempt to bring him down politically or a genuine concern for the country. If it¡¯s thetter, then he should consider it carefully to avoid future side effects. If it¡¯s the former¡­ well, I don¡¯t know much about politics, so I¡¯m not sure. There are also many cases where the two are mixed.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Even after my exnation had ended, Arwen continued to stare at me with her bright gray eyes, filled with interest in me.

    ¡°¡­You¡¯re amazing. It doesn¡¯t even seem like a contract, yet you have such thoughts.¡±

    ¡°Anyone can learn it if they study hard enough.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s knowledge, not the same perspective as yours. Having knowledge and applying it are vastly different.¡±

    ¡°Oh really? I¡¯m not quite sure.¡±

    I shrugged off Arwen¡¯spliment.

    Thanks to my past life, I probably had a different perspectivepared to others. What seemed natural to me was considered groundbreaking in this world.

    Even my ordinary writing style from my past life was praised here as a new paradigm.

    ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s stop here. Why did youe to the bookstore? What book are you nning to buy?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any particr book in mind. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that every book in the world is stored in the Sanctuary. I just wanted to visit the bookstore where the exhibition is being held.¡±

    ¡°So, how is it? To be honest, it¡¯s not greatpared to the fame of Xenon¡¯s Biography, right?¡±

    ¡°If I were to give an objective evaluation, that¡¯s correct. Of course, my standards may have been raised because of the Sanctuary. But storing books is equivalent to storing knowledge. Even though the scale might be small, its significance cannot be underestimated.¡±

    Arwen spoke elegantly, revealing her own unique beliefs and racial pride in her answer.

    I watched her browsing the books on the shelf and moved on to my next question.

    ¡°What about Xenon¡¯s Biography?¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    ¡°What do you think about Xenon¡¯s Biography, in your opinion as an elf?¡±

    Did she not expect I would ask this question? Arwen seemed slightly surprised when I asked about Xenon¡¯s Biography, as if she was pricked by something. Then she turned her gaze away from me and gave a small shrug.

    Wondering why she avoided my gaze for a moment, I turned my head in the direction her eyes moved. As expected, there was nothing but empty space. She really did avoid my gaze. When Arwen and I met eyes again, she quietly opened her mouth.

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s interesting.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I said it¡¯s really interesting.¡±

    A positive response came out of her mouth. However, she seemed a little embarrassed, judging by the slight blush on her face. Even so, it was a pleasant thing for the original author. I smiled and bent my knees slightly to match Arwen¡¯s eye level. When Arwen was surprised that her eye level was the same as mine, I quietly asked while looking straight into her gray eyes.

    ¡°What part did you find interesting? It doesn¡¯t seem like it would be very interesting for an elf.¡±

    ¡°W-what are you talking about! Although the protagonist is a human, it is simr to the creation of another world. And we elves were also moved by the poignant story of Kair and Elisha.¡±

    Arwen, who was fervently devoted to Xenon¡¯s Biography, mentioned Kair and Elisha. Love stories are indeed something that everyone, regardless of gender or race, can rte to. I smiled at her childish appearance and asked subtly.

    ¡°Then, would you like the two of them to be together?¡±

    ¡°What kind of question is that? Of course, they should be together. Wouldn¡¯t that make the rtionship between us and humans a little closer?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ is that so?¡±

    Unfortunately, that was the case.

    ¡°I hope so.¡±

    Kair is dead.

    Trantors note:

    I¡¯m starting to like Arwen.

 Chapter 97: Strange Relationship (3)

    Afterward, I left the bookstore with several books that I had purchased. There were so many newly released books that it took me a long time to decide which ones to buy, but with Arwen¡¯s help, I was able to shorten the time a bit. However, she only provided information on whether the book had depth and was suitable for someone knowledgeable like me, without giving her own subjective evaluation.

    ¡°By the way, all the books seem to be rted to history. Do you like history?¡±

    Arwen asked me as we walked down the street after leaving the bookstore. She seemed a bit puzzled that I had only chosen history books.

    In response, I raised the paper bag that I held in my right hand, which contained the books I had purchased.

    ¡°It¡¯s interesting. It¡¯s fascinating that such events happened in the past.¡±

    ¡°Well, as you say, the past can be intriguing. Even I wonder if such events really happened. Moreover, the fact that the past influences the present and the future is of great interest.¡±

    ¡°Do you like history, Arwen? I mean, not just the history of elves, but that of other races as well?¡±

    Elves tend to ce great importance on their own history and traditions, but it¡¯s a story that was only until the outbreak of the race wars. Until then, elves had almost no interest in other races.

    However, there was one exception, and that was the demons. As descendants of angels, elves had to be cautious of the descendants of demons, and there were hidden conflicts between them, as recorded in the books.

    But since the power of the two sides was simr, there was no direct military conflict. If there had been, one of the races would have been at risk of being wiped out, and as an elf, Arwen had no choice but to remain a spectator.

    ¡°Of course. Especially with humans like you, I have a deep curiosity. Despite their short lifespan, humans have achieved remarkable growth. Even magic was something that only the chosen ones could use during the race wars, but now it is widely avable to the upper ss. And in time, magic will be a power that evenmoners can use easily.¡±

    ¡°That will take a long time.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    After hearing my curt response, Arwen stared at me intently. After pondering for a while, she turned her head forward and spoke her mind.

    ¡°It will indeed take a long time for your words toe true. However, humans possess infinite potential, and even we elves cannot deny that. Perhaps in the not-too-distant future, magic may spread to the general public. Xenon¡¯s Biography appeared in the world suddenly too. Do you know how the perception of the demons has changed?¡±

    ¡°Well, this world is full of unpredictable things.¡±

    I listened to Arwen¡¯s exnation and smirked. Even as the author of the Xenon¡¯s Biography, I never thought it would turn out like this. What a cruel world.

    One might think that magic is a privilege allowed only for the upper ss, but upon closer examination, it is a naturally ingrained phenomenon.

    Unlike the nobility who receive advanced education from a young age,moners can only acquire power through their own efforts, and even essing magic differs.

    asionally,moners may disy the potential to be a wizard, but it is a truly rare urrence. Moreover, because it is such an exceptional talent, the country focuses on caring for them.

    In other words, if the essibility issue is resolved, magic means that evenmoners can use it easily.

    Elves and demons may have a natural advantage in magic, but it may be due to the overwhelming essibility.

    ¡°By the way, it¡¯s true that the elves look down on humans, right? You and the elves I¡¯ve met so far don¡¯t seem to have that tendency.¡±

    Thinking deeply about magic, I suddenly had a question for Arwen.

    Whether it was Cindy or Elena, the elves I met didn¡¯t seem to regard humans as inferior. On the contrary, Elena is evaluating me as a rmended student, and the same goes for Cindy.

    ¡°That¡¯s just prejudice. Just like how humans see elves differently, we also look at humans with various perspectives. However, most of the elves who experienced the race war still look down on humans.¡±

    ¡°Why? If they went through such humiliation, their thoughts should have changed.¡±

    ¡°The reason is simple. The reason why we lost the race war was because of our own mistakes, not because humans were superior. It¡¯s truly a ridiculous situation.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I feel like my tongue is tied due to the elf-like thinking. I¡¯ve heard that there is a serious conflict between generations among the elves, and I think I know why.

    Still, it¡¯s a relief that the younger elves have a positive view of humans.

    ¡°That¡¯s why we ended up making ake instead of digging a well with all our futile efforts¡­¡±

    The problem is the same everywhere. Arwen seems to dislike them so much that he cringes, his face contorted.

    To ease Arwen¡¯s difort and relieve my boredom, I wandered around the streets. As expected of a festival, there were various vendors, and there was even food to be found.

    As the son of a lord, I can¡¯t lose face by not being able to buy food for the chance encounter I had.

    ¡°Arwen, is there anything you want to eat? I¡¯ll buy it for you.¡±

    ¡°That, there¡¯s no need. I already ate before I came here.¡±

    ¡°Eating and satisfying your bored mouth are different things. You didn¡¯t fill your stomach with candy, did you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m really okay¡­¡±

    Arwen responded to me with a slight irritation.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it ufortable for me to inconvenience you? Sometimes I did look at some stalls, but I didn¡¯t really care about it.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re meeting like this because it¡¯s fate, so I should at least buy some food. And as a nobleman¡¯s son, this is the least I can do.¡±

    ¡°Well then, I won¡¯t refuse. But there¡¯s one condition¡­¡±

    ¡°What condition?¡±

    Arwen kept looking at someone next to me and hesitated. I looked where her gray eyes were pointing, but I couldn¡¯t see or feel anything in the empty space. I was starting to wonder when she suddenly said.

    ¡°Buy two.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re buying, buy two each. I want to eat one right away, and savor the other one slowly.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to eat both right away?¡±

    ¡°Well, I might want itter. It¡¯s for the future.¡±

    Arwen was surprised by her own unique idea when I asked her about it. People have different thoughts, but it was strange even considering that.

    I looked at her hesitatingly and eventually agreed. Arwen¡¯s face showed some relief as a result.

    <i>¡®Does she have anotherpanion with her?¡¯</i>

    If it¡¯s not that, there¡¯s no need to buy two. I think they¡¯re probably nning to meet upter.

    Next, I bought three strawberry candies from a nearby street vendor. The original name is Tanghulu, a snack that skewers fruits and coats them with sugar, malt syrup, and other syrups before letting them freeze. It has a very sweet taste and the natural taste of the fruit is also mixed in. Surprisingly, it has a long history and is one of the foods thate to mind when you think of festivals.

    ¡°Here you go, sir. Enjoy.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°It looks delicious.¡±

    When I received three strawberry candies, Arwen¡¯s eyes shone like a child¡¯s. I paid the vendor and handed Arwen two of the candies.

    Arwen held one candy in each hand and looked at them with a look that made her want to eat them. She looked like a child who couldn¡¯t wait to eat.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t had fruit candy before?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. It¡¯s one of my favorite foods.¡±

    ¡°Well, don¡¯t bite it too hard. You¡¯ll break your teeth.¡±

    ¡°¡­ You keep treating me like a child. As I said before, I¡¯m over ten times older than you.¡±

    Arwen pouted with inted cheeks, as if she didn¡¯t like being treated like a child. But that only made her seem more like a child.

    I wanted to pat her head as if tofort her, but I barely managed to restrain myself. Instead, I just smiled at her as if she were cute. Arwen looked at me with her chubby face for a moment before turning her head with a huff. Then, suddenly, she threw the strawberry candy that she had been holding in her left hand into the air, as if to show off.

    Just as I was taken aback by her behavior, something happened that made me doubt my own eyes.

    -Pop!

    The strawberry candy that Arwen had thrown into the air disappeared in the blink of an eye. There was no sign of it ever being there in the first ce.

    Seeing my surprise at what had just happened, Arwen exined it in a nonchnt tone.

    ¡°It¡¯s storage magic. I put it in a space I made using teleportation.¡±

    ¡°Storage magic?¡±

    ¡°Humans call it a subspace.¡±

    Arwen mentioned the embodiment of storage magic that always appears in fantasy magic, subspace. Although Arwen spoke of it as if it were not that difficult, it was possible for her because she was an elf. It was one of the most difficult magics for humans.

    If subspace was a tool prepared for elves to make pockets by sewing, humans had to start from scratch. As a result, subspace was highly practical, but very difficult.

    Since it was my first time seeing magic in action, I looked at her with curiosity. Even though it looked difficult, elves still looked like elves.

    ¡°Can you take it out again?¡±

    ¡°Uh, yes?¡±

    ¡°You stored it, so you can take it out again, right?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s just that¡­¡±

    Arwen was greatly taken aback by my question. No, she was beyond taken aback; she looked bewildered.

    When she saw my puzzled expression, she hesitated for a moment before answering urgently.

    ¡°I, I need some time!¡±

    ¡°You need time?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Just because an elf has a talent for magic doesn¡¯t mean they can use it recklessly. Especially with spatial magic.¡±

    Is it like a cooldown? I don¡¯t know anything about magic, so I just shrugged it off.

    Besides, since she seemed to have a reason, pretending not to know anything might be a good way to go.

    ¡°Okay. Still, it¡¯s amazing. It¡¯s my first time seeing magic with my own eyes.¡±

    ¡°If you want, I can show you a simple spell.¡±

    ¡°Like what?¡±

    Swoosh-

    Instead of answering, Arwen demonstrated with action. She neatly gathered both her hands together, and then blue water droplets floated up above them.

    I couldn¡¯t help but be amazed as the clear, beautiful droplets floated up from her delicate hands. I had only heard about magic before, so it was even more impressive to see it with my own eyes.

    Arwen smiled contentedly as she opened her mouth wide and focused, moving her index finger gracefully. The water droplets moved smoothly towards where her finger was pointing.

    ¡°You treated me like a child earlier, and now you seem like an even younger child.¡±

    Arwen teased, popping the water droplets like bubbles. It seemed like revenge for being treated like a child until now.

    But I didn¡¯t deny it and just nodded my head. It felt like the first time I saw a big soap bubble when I was a child.

    There¡¯s something charming about magic that makes men feel young at heart. Even if it¡¯s just a low level of skill, magic is still magic.

    ¡°Can you show me more than this?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Then¡­¡±

    ¡°Isaac?¡±

    A seductive voice cut through Arwen¡¯s preparation for the next spell. It was a very familiar voice to me.

    I turned my head back to see none other than Cecily, who seemed to have just finished a private conversation. I couldn¡¯t see where Marie had gone.

    ¡°Oh, Cecily Noona, you¡¯re here? What about Marie?¡±

    ¡°Marie will be here soon. But¡­¡±

    As soon as Cecily and I met eyes for the first time, she looked at Arwen next to me. For a moment, her pupils dted in her red eyes.

    Then Cecily smiled brightly and asked kindly.

    ¡°Who are these people?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    At the same time as her question, an inexplicable chill ran through my body.

    Trantors note:

    Ugh, I forgot to change the font colorst chapter. fixed now

    Also I got Bronya and Seele, I¡¯m happy now.

 Chapter 98: Strange Relationship (4)

    As Cecily asked with a bright smile, a shiver rose from my right arm and spread throughout my body like a chill. The blood flowing in my body cooled down, giving me the sensation of being frozen stiff. I almost couldn¡¯t even move my mouth, but I forced myself to shake off the feeling and turned my head towards where I suspected the source of the chill to being from

    Where Arwen was.

    However, Arwen looked greatly taken aback as soon as she met Cecily. From her expression and reaction alone, it was clear that she couldn¡¯t have been the one responsible for this chill. Neither could Cecily, who was still smiling.

    <i>¡®Who could it be¡­?¡¯</i>

    Could this feeling be just a figment of my imagination? As I hugged myself, feeling goosebumps rise on my skin, I suddenly remembered something odd.

    Cecily had referred to the person she met as ¡°these people,¡± not ¡°this person,¡± when speaking to Arwen. But there was no one else but Arwen beside her.

    Could there be a bodyguard like Gartz, who hid his body and followed Cecily around, protecting her from unseen threats? As Cecily was expected to be the next demon king, she must have had the ability to see things that others couldn¡¯t.

    Alternating her gaze between Arwen and Cecily, I fixed my gaze on Cecily¡¯s smiling face and slowly spoke, pretending not to know anything.

    ¡°¡­What are you talking about, sis? Arwen is alone, isn¡¯t she?¡±

    ¡°Huh. Is that so?¡±

    Pretending not to know, Cecily let out a sly chuckle and shifted her gaze to Arwen, crossed her arms to show her interest. With the dress already entuating her chest, the gesture made it even more prominent. I struggled to lift my gaze away from her constant downward nces.

    In the meantime, Cecily nced at Arwen with a smirk before shing a dangerously beautiful smile.

    ¡°Sorry, I must have seen something wrong. You don¡¯t have to pay attention to what I said earlier.¡±

    ¡°¡­Okay.¡±

    ¡°So, who is this person? Judging by the pure aura, she seems to be an elf.¡±

    Cecily turned back to me and asked about Arwen¡¯s identity. I nced at Arwen.

    Her face was difficult to read as her robe was pressed deeply against her skin, but her lips were slightly pursed.

    Arwen had just met Cecily for the first time today, yet she had already noticed that she was an elf. There was nothing in particr for me to answer.

    ¡°She¡¯s just someone I coincidentally met at the bookstore. She helped me while I was choosing a book.¡±

    ¡°Is that all?¡±

    ¡°I also bought some delicious things and watched the exhibition. You see the strawberry candy here?¡±

    As I mentioned the strawberry candy, Cecily looked towards Arwen¡¯s hand. In it, Arwen held a half-eaten strawberry candy.

    Continuing on, Cecily expressed her dissatisfaction to me in a slightly disappointed voice.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t buy it for me, but for someone you met for the first time today.¡±

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry. Can I buy it for you now?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay.¡±

    Cecily replied briefly and approached us slowly. As she got closer, I could feel a cold energy emanating from my right side more and more strongly.

    I turned my head to check on Arwen, but she had a calm expression on her face. I wasn¡¯t sure if I was being too sensitive or if it was just my imagination.

    Thud-

    Finally, Cecily confidently arrived in front of Arwen and us. More urately, in front of Arwen.

    Arwen was shorter than me, and Cecily boasted a long, slender figure, taller than me like Nicole. Due to the difference in height, Cecily looked down at Arwen, and they had a confrontational stance.

    As they looked at each other, Cecily smiled softly and introduced herself to Arwen.

    ¡°Nice to meet you. My name is Cecily.¡±

    Perhaps she didn¡¯t feel the need to reveal herself as the princess of Helium, as Cecily simply provided her name. However, one could sense from her grace and charisma that her status was not insignificant.

    Arwen nced quickly up and down at Cecily¡¯s beautiful appearance before speaking in a quiet voice.

    ¡°¡­Call me Arwen.¡±

    Her voice was small, but it wasn¡¯t weak at all. Rather, one might say a sense of caution emanated from it. Unlike Cecily, who spoke formally, Arwen¡¯s casual tone might seem strange, but given the rtionship between elves and demons, it wasn¡¯t that strange.

    In the past, if elves viewed humans as inferior races, demons saw them as harmful beings. Elves were the descendants of angels, and demons were the descendants of devils. Just by looking at this, one could guess how their rtionship was.

    Since the energies they each possessed were pr opposites, there was a saying that they could feel ufortable just being close to each other. Fortunately, after the appearance of Xenon¡¯s Biography, the elf¡¯s gaze toward demons softened like any other races, but it would be difficult to hide the inherent difort.

    ¡°Arwen¡­ a in but good name. It¡¯s the name of an elf hero who fought in the demon war, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°You know it. And your name is also on the good side. It means ¡®holy¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for thepliment.¡±

    At first nce, they seemed to be getting along well. Cecily didn¡¯t seem to pay much attention to Arwen¡¯s condescending attitude. But one must not let their guard down. Although humans were the race that persecuted demons the most, elves were pr opposites by nature, so one couldn¡¯t be sure what they were thinking.

    ¡°Shall we not stay here and go see some artwork instead?¡±

    While I was maintaining myposure, Cecily suggested to Arwen in a gentle voice.

    ¡°It¡¯s strange to just stand here like this. Don¡¯t you agree?¡±

    Arwen nodded her head, indicating her eptance. She still had a strawberry candy in her hand. It seemed difficult to eat.

    ¡°Ahem.¡±

    Without hesitation, Arwen took a bite of the strawberry candy. She found it difficult to resist keeping her gaze fixed on Cecily as she did so.

    For a moment, Cecily¡¯s eyes widened in surprise when Arwen suddenly took a bite of the candy. However, she quickly regained herposure and smiled gracefully like ady.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I couldn¡¯t resist the sweet smell.¡±

    Meanwhile, Arwen, who had been eating the candy, swallowed her food with a gulp and replied.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Isaac, what about you?¡±

    I nodded my head in agreement with Cecily¡¯s question. Arwen¡¯s personality had never been bad, and I had no reason to be against her.

    Therefore, even if Cecily were a demon, there would be little chance of any problems arising.

    ¡°No. Even though you guys might be fine, I feel ufortable. It seems like the two of you know each other, and it¡¯s not appropriate for an outsider to interfere.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°But I won¡¯t forget the kindness you showed me. I¡¯m really grateful.¡±

    Arwen ced her right hand on the center of her chest and bowed her head slowly with an elegant and gracious greeting.

    I epted her greeting and brieflymented the missed opportunity, then also politely greeted her ording to etiquette. Since I had already guessed that she was a noble, I thought I should do this much out of courtesy.

    ¡°Well, I should be going now. Oh, and by the way, the strawberry candy is really delicious, so you should try it too. Yum.¡±

    Arwen joked with me and took another bite of the strawberry candy. I couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    Her actions, telling me not to treat her like a child, were consistent to the end.

    ¡°If we meet again someday, should I buy you another strawberry candy?¡±

    ¡°You treat me like a child until the end. But there¡¯s no need for that. I should be the one to show you kindness then. I don¡¯t even know when, but I have a feeling that we¡¯ll meet again soon. People with a passion for history like you are rare, so we might even see each other at the Sanctuary.¡±

    ¡°The Sanctuary¡­¡±

    Come to think of it, Professor Elena had mentioned it before. She said that if I entered the history department as a rmended student, she would take me to the sacred ce of Albenheim.

    Perhaps I could meet Arwen again at that time.

    ¡°I might be able to visit Alvenheim within the next 2-3 years. If fate allows, we could meet then.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great news. Isaac Ducker Michelle¡­If I ever hear news of your visit to the sanctuary, I will make sure to go find you. Goodbye.¡±

    Arwen left with only those words, taking a step back and then another before turning her back and walking away. I watched her retreating figure until she disappearedpletely into the crowd.

    As an elf who loved books and had an open mind, it was easy to converse with Arwen, so I felt quite disappointed to part ways like this.

    ¡°Are you feeling disappointed?¡±

    When I turned my gaze to the direction where Arwen had disappeared, Cecily asked me from beside me. I blinked my eyes and turned my head to look at her.

    Cecily had a gentle smile on her face. I stared at that beautiful smile for a moment and answered quietly.

    ¡°¡­A little bit?¡±

    ¡°It seems like you liked her.¡±

    ¡°We had simr hobbies, and for an elf, she was open-minded. She even showed me some magic¡­¡±

    Wait a minute. I suddenly remembered something and looked back at Cecily.

    She tilted her head, as if she had something to say.

    ¡°Noona, can you show me some magic too?¡±

    ¡°Magic?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Earlier, Arwen made water droplets and moved them around. Can¡¯t you do it too, Noona?¡±

    Cecily is a demon, and she¡¯s even scheduled to be the next Demon King. So she must have an immense ability when ites to magic.

    As I looked at Cecily with sparkling eyes and anticipation, she looked at me with a disapproving gaze. Then, she smiled and spoke in a soothing voice.

    ¡°What kind of magic do you want, Isaac?¡±

    ¡°For now, something that won¡¯t cause any harm and is at the level of parlor tricks.¡±

    ¡°At the level of parlor tricks, huh?¡±

    Suddenly, Cecily blurred her words and gently grabbed my hand. I felt her calloused skin that had hardened through rigorous training, rather than being soft and well-maintained.

    As I looked at Cecily with doubt, she maintained her smile and opened her mouth.

    ¡°Like this, for example?¡±

    ¡°What the¡­ Ugh!¡±

    Shwoosh!

    My body was suddenly thrown upwards, and I couldn¡¯t help but scream in surprise.

    Because¡­

    ¡°W-What is this¡­! Please bring me down quickly!!¡±

    ¡°Why? It¡¯s just a parlor trick for me?¡±

    ¡°My heart feels like it¡¯s going to stop, so please bring me down quickly!!¡±

    Because Cecily sent me flying into the sky with her magic. She too was swimming through the sky through her magic.

    Cecily let out augh as if seeing me pping her arms and legs in the blue sky made herugh.

    ¡°Ahahahaha! Isaac. Do you know what you look like now?¡±

    ¡°Please stop and let me down!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be such a killjoy. Let¡¯s stay like this for a little while because it¡¯s cute.¡±

    ¡°Noona!¡±

    And so, we ended up flying in the sky for 30 minutes.

    *****

    After parting ways with Isaac, Arwen went around visiting various art exhibits. In her hand, she held the strawberry candy that Isaac had bought for her.

    She had already eaten two, leaving only three remaining, but it was enough for Arwen. She savored the candy¡¯s sweetness and sourness at the same time in her mouth.

    The syrupy sweetness and the tartness of the strawberry spread in her mouth, bringing Arwen a feeling of happiness.

    ¡°Your Majesty, are you really going to leave it as it is?¡±

    Someone with a dissatisfied voice asked her beside her while Arwen was savoring the strawberry candy.

    No one could see who it was, as they were currently in hiding, but it was Rain, the dark elf who had followed Arwen this time.

    A little while ago, as soon as Cecily realized her existence, she exuded a terrifying energy that made Isaac cold.

    ¡°Is there anything we can do? We came here to watch, not to fight.¡±

    ¡°But¡­ the Queen knows too. The energy from that demon is very dangerous right now.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Arwen didn¡¯t say anything in response to Rain¡¯s exnation. She was just thinking about Cecily in her head.

    The energy she felt from Cecily was very dangerous. Normally, demons are no different from humans, but in certain situations, things can change. The biggest example is when they are about to turn into devils. If they can¡¯t suppress emotions like anger or sadness after experiencing a terrible event, the concentration of ck mana in them will increase.

    However, this is something that can be felt regardless of race, and elves, who are opposite to demons, can feel it even more sensitively. And the concentration of ck mana emanating from Cecily at the moment is slightly more dangerous than that of a demon. It is necessary to be cautious.

    ¡°I know that too. It¡¯s probably the evil cycle. But if she has a strong patience, we don¡¯t have to worry.¡±

    ¡°If the Queen says so¡­ What about that red-haired guy?¡±

    ¡°Isaac is¡­¡±

    Arwen thought of Isaac¡¯s face. He was a human child who loved books and showed her kindness.

    Rare red hair and golden eyes that are extremely rare in this world made her face intriguing. It was a fresh experience for her, who had never had anyone to talk to.

    ¡°But to think such a person had a connection with the demon princess¡­¡±

    Arwen noticed that C¨¦cile was Helium¡¯s princess. And it seemed that C¨¦cile also had a rough idea of who she was.

    It was because of Isaac. There was no need toplicate things unnecessarily by revealing her identity.

    Arwen hesitated about the rtionship between the two men and thought about Rain. Rain was still waiting for her answer.

    ¡°¡­Isaac seems like just an ordinary human. You felt it too, right? He can manipte mana, but that¡¯s all. He¡¯s just an ordinary human.¡±

    ¡°But seeing him with the demon, he doesn¡¯t seem ordinary at all, does he?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t need to know the details. The exhibition is what¡¯s important now. Besides, he¡¯s the one who bought you strawberry candy.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I understand.¡±

    As soon as Rain heard Arwen¡¯s criticism, he pouted and showed his dissatisfaction indirectly. Arwen couldn¡¯t help but worry inwardly.

    <i>¡®I hope nothing happens¡­ It¡¯s a relief that we have insurance.¡¯</i>

    Their strange encounter ended here.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 99: Highlight (1)

    To begin with the conclusion¡­ I threw up because I got motion sickness. It was so bad that all the food in my stomach came out.

    Because the gravity suddenly disappeared, and Cecily yed around with me like a toy, which made me feel dizzy and my body swayed uncontrobly in all directions.

    Cecily was familiar with flight magic, but it was my first time experiencing it, so I couldn¡¯t help but feel overwhelmed.

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Are you okay?¡±

    Cecily was worried about me as I gagged with a pale face. It wasforting to have a beautiful woman worry about me, but my condition did not improve.

    My head was spinning, and my stomach was turned upside down. If I rested for a while in the mansion, I might feel better, but I had to give up the exhibition until the highlight.

    ¡°I think I should rest at the mansion.¡±

    ¡°I apologize again. I would like to cast a recovery spell because I feel bad, but I am a demon¡­¡±

    ¡°Demons can¡¯t use recovery spells?¡±

    ¡°We can use them, but only for demons. As you know, ck mana is the ability of demons. If I use it on other races, there will be significant side effects.¡±

    As she exined, ck mana was exclusive to demons andpletely opposed to the divine power used by priests.

    If divine power has a beneficial effect on all races except for demons, then even touching ck mana can have a negative impact. The recovery magic wasn¡¯t much different from other magic, but I wondered how the flying magic I just witnessed worked.

    ¡°So, what about that magic from earlier?¡±

    ¡°Levitation doesn¡¯t work by sending mana through the body like recovery magic does.¡±

    Indeed, magic is a mysterious and fascinating ability. I couldn¡¯t exin it in detail even in Xenon¡¯s Biography because of my ignorance, but I¡¯ll be able to do so soon. To do that, I¡¯ll need the help of someone like Cecily who has deep knowledge of magic. However, since Cecily is a demon, she¡¯ll probably exin it more like ¡°it¡¯s something like this~¡± than with official terminology.

    ¡°For now, let¡¯s just go back to the mansion¡­¡±

    I rinsed my mouth with water, but I still felt uneasy, especially the ufortable grinding of my teeth when I bit down. I whimpered and slowly lifted my head. When I did, I saw Cecily¡¯s face staring at me with concern.

    She must be feeling guilty since she yed a prank and things turned out like this. I forced a smile to show her that I¡¯m okay.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll go back to the mansion first. What about you, Noona?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go together. At least we have to take responsibility¡­¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s taking responsibility?¡±

    As Cecily was speaking, a beautiful voice reached my ears. Without knowing who it was, we both turned our heads in the direction of the voice.

    As we turned our heads, my lovely girlfriend, Marie, was staring at us with her arms crossed. She nced between us before her expression changed to concern upon seeing my pale face. Her sharp cat-like gaze softened and widened.

    ¡°Why do you look like that? Are you feeling sick?¡±

    Ignoring Cecily, Marie quickly supported me while looking at me with worry. I nced at Cecily while being supported by Marie, but it was hard to read her thoughts as she maintained a poker face.

    However, when our eyes met, she quickly made an apologetic expression and apologized to Marie.

    ¡°Sorry, I was just ying around and didn¡¯t consider the difference in our races.¡±

    ¡°What kind of joke did you make?¡±

    Cecily exined in detail in response to Marie¡¯s question, but she didn¡¯t mention meeting Arwen.

    ¡°¡­That¡¯s ridiculous.¡±

    Marie muttered as she listened to the whole story. Then, she gently stroked my cheek with her soft hand.

    Thanks to her kind and warm touch, I felt better, but the dizziness still remained, albeit slightly.

    After that, Marie pretended to worry about me by patting my cheek for a while, then she spoke to Cecily.

    ¡°Was taking responsibility earlier about going back to the mansion with Isaac?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go back together. We¡¯ve seen everything roughly anyway, so it should be okay. Besides, the highlight starts in the evening.¡±

    ording to Marie, the true start of the festival is when the sun goes down. It¡¯s already noisy now, but the atmosphere will be even more intense when it gets dark.

    It¡¯s also okay to view the exhibited works in the evening, since the works will remain on disy, except for the highlight.

    ¡°Okay, I got it. We can also take care of dinner at the same time. Can you stand up?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine now, I think.¡±

    Even if I feel a little dizzy, I¡¯ll recover after taking a rest at the mansion. During that time, I can also read the new book I purchased.

    I gritted my teeth and took a step forward while suppressing my trembling insides. Marie supported me by my side in case I might fall.

    However, I don¡¯t know if she doesn¡¯t realize it or if she¡¯s doing it on purpose, but she grabbed my arm and pulled it toward her chest. Thanks to that, the sensation of being soft like sticky rice cake was vividly conveyed.

    Am I embarrassed?

    There¡¯s no way. It¡¯s actually the opposite.

    After being subjected to this kind of behavior for so long, I¡¯ve reached the point where I can enjoy it instead of just letting it pass.

    Of course, if it were Cecily, my conscience would have pricked and I would have stiffened up, but Marie is my girlfriend. I can overlook this much.

    But I should still say something out of politeness. Feeling my arm that is almost buried in her chest, I quietly called Marie.

    ¡°Marie?¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°It feels like a lot.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t men like this kind of thing?¡±

    It¡¯s both sad and happy that I can¡¯t deny it. While I was experiencing this ironic feeling, Marie spoke with her characteristic yful smile.

    ¡°And you¡¯re a pervert, so you like this kind of thing even more, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Why am I a pervert?¡±

    ¡°Your eyes are glistening.¡±

    ¡°¡­Anyway, try not to talk about this kind of thing when Cecily noona is right next to us.¡±

    ¡°Then stick close to me. Like this!¡±

    Marie grabbed my arm and pulled me towards her strongly. Naturally, my body leaned towards Marie, and our cheeks stuck together.

    For a moment, I was surprised by her bold action, but I looked at Cecily to see if she might be ufortable¡­

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    Contrary to my expectations, Cecily shook her head full of ck hair and raised the corners of her mouth. Her mischievous expression made me uneasy in various ways.

    Marie must have felt simr because she hugged my arm even tighter, burying itpletely between her breasts.

    Eventually, Cecily alternated her gaze between us before gently grabbing my arm, which was still somewhat free. Then she opened her mouth in a slightly coquettish voice.

    ¡°Is this how you do it?¡±

    Squirm-

    Like Marie had done before, Cecily buried my arm between her own breasts. My two arms started shouting (out of happiness) to be saved while being squeezed between the two beauties who felt simr yet different.

    I closed my eyes tightly and prayed to God in my heart to prevent my male instinct from taking over. But I couldn¡¯t help but reveal a sly grin that matched the corners of my mouth. Eventually, I lowered my head to hide my expression.

    ¡°Hey! Can¡¯t you let go of that hand?¡±

    ¡°Why? I¡¯m just messing around like you are.¡±

    ¡°This is something lovers can do. You said it was a test of patience at thest event!¡±

    ¡°That was then, and now we¡¯re just fooling around. I can¡¯t stand it when you keep doing that next to me.¡±

    ¡°Hey¡­!¡±

    Is the sparking between Marie and Cecily just an illusion, or is it real? The problem is that I¡¯m in between them. Like a doll with a broken string, I was being pulled towards them, and I nced up to catch Cecily¡¯s eye. As I did, I noticed the overwhelming presence of her chest, as well as my arm, which was trapped and on the verge of suffocating.

    When I raised my gaze even higher, I saw Cecily¡¯s attractive face, which seems to be growing redder by the moment, along with her two increasingly flushed horns.

    <i>¡®It looks like she¡¯s reaching her limit.¡¯</i>

    Cecily is acting particrly mischievous today, as if she¡¯s up to something. I turn my gaze away from her and look across to the other side, where I see Marie¡¯s pretty face, with her fur standing on end like a cat¡¯s and her eyes narrowed sharply as she red at Cecily. Seeing Marie so jealous makes her even cuter.

    Still, I have a feeling I¡¯ll hear about thister. I dropped my head again and took slow steps away.

    <i>¡®You¡¯re really enjoying yourself¡­¡¯ </i>

    I thought to myself. Finally, I arrived at the mansion and my arms were freed.

    ¡°Isaac,e here.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Juste here. I want to bite you. Grrr!¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    Marie bit me like she was marking her territory.

    *****

    Marie bit my cheek and then kissed me before I was able to break away from her embrace.

    ¡­Honestly, I think we hugged for at least 30 minutes. There really is no better remedy than the sweet and powerful effects of an embrace between lovers.

    Anyway, I returned to my bedroom for some rest. On the way back, I ran into Adelia and Nicole, which was a nice bonus. Although my dizziness improved as we returned to the mansion, my upset stomach required some stability.

    ¡°Phew.¡±

    To calm my stomach, I drank some cold water andy down on my bed. The experience of flying around in the sky was new to me and just the thought of it made me feel dizzy.

    It felt like my bnce system had malfunctioned. It was a spectacr experience for me, albeit a bit overwhelming.

    <i>¡®If only we hadn¡¯t yed around.¡¯</i>

    There¡¯s no better view than looking down on the vige from the sky. I thought about asking for it againter, but given Cecily¡¯s personality, there¡¯s a good chance she¡¯ll y a prank on me.

    More than anything, I felt hesitant to ask her for anythingtely because Cecily¡¯s behavior has been a bit strange. Her horns had more red than ck, which meant that her evil cycle was approaching. Perhaps she had be more faithful to her desires as the cycle approached. I knew she would pass through the evil cycle safely, which happens once every 100 years, but I couldn¡¯t help but worry.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±

    What¡¯s the use of worrying like this? I got up from my bed and walked over to my desk. It was my personal break time until dinner, so I could spend my leisure time reading a book then.

    Luckily, I had a book that I had bought at the bookstore, so I could read it. Marie said she would fix her makeup and spend some time with her family in the guest room, so I could also enjoy my break.

    Knock, knock, knock.

    ¡°It¡¯s Cecily. Can Ie in?¡±

    I was just about to sit down and read my book. With the knock, Cecily¡¯s voice came through the door into the room. Come to think of it, Cecily had asked me before we came to the mansion if she could visit my bedroom for a moment. I didn¡¯t mind, so I dly allowed her in.

    I put the book on the desk and gave her permission to enter.

    ¡°Pleasee in.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your permission.¡±

    As soon as the permission to enter was granted, Cecily opened the door and came in slowly. Gartz, the escort knight, was gone somewhere, and Cecily was alone. I got up from my seat when Cecily entered the room. Marie hade to my bedroom once, but it was the first time for Cecily. So it was better for me, the owner of the room, to apany her rather than just standing there.

    ¡°Oh, no need to stand up. I can go to you,¡±

    When I just got up from my seat, Cecily extended her hand and stopped me, using honorifguage unlike before when she used informalnguage. I blinked while still in a daze. Come to think of it, she had said something like this at the Academy, that she would use formalnguage as a sign of respect when there were only two people present. I hadpletely forgotten since I hadn¡¯t been alone with her recently.

    ¡°This must be the room where the benefactor lives.¡±

    Cecily said, surveying the bedroom. To the eyes of the princess of Helium, it would be nothing more than an ordinary room. I felt uneasy and nervously smoothed my back when Cecily¡¯s gaze became fixed on my desk. On top of the desk were a book and unused manuscript paper.

    ¡°And before you entered the Academy, you wrote Xenon¡¯s Biography here, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°I see. This ce¡­¡±

    Cecily¡¯s eyes twinkled as she slowly walked towards the desk. I bowed my waist as I remembered what I had to show her. When I did so, I could see a locked drawer, so I used the key I always carry to easily unlock it. As I opened the drawer, old, discolored manuscripts were revealed. These were drafts of Xenon¡¯s Biography except for the first volume. I thought Cecily would like it and wanted to show her.

    ¡°Would you like to take a look at this, Noona?¡±

    ¡°This¡­¡±

    ¡°These are drafts of Xenon¡¯s Biography. I think Noona will like it.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­!¡±

    I expected that she would just like it, but Cecily¡¯s reaction was unusual. It was like she had received a treasure. She looked back and forth between the manuscripts in my hand and me, then nervously took them from me. She then checked the condition of the manuscripts by flipping through each page one by one.

    ¡°It¡¯s really¡­ a perfect match with what I read.¡±

    ¡°Now, do you believe that I¡¯m the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography?¡±

    Of course, Cecily had known that I was the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography all along. This was just a confirmation. I had originally nned to show her the manuscripts at the Academy, but I didn¡¯t get the chance, so I showed them to her now.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Cecily blushed slightly and nodded her head when I grinned and spoke. After looking back and forth between the manuscripts and me again, she asked cautiously.

    ¡°Um¡­ can I ask you one thing?¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Can I store these manuscripts in Helium¡­?¡±

    ¡°No, you can¡¯t.¡±

    What can¡¯t be done, can¡¯t be done. Maybe because I remember the time when the first draft was stolen, I want to manage the other drafts just as carefully. If the situation really bes impossible, I will hand it over to the country, but not now. It¡¯s nonsense to entrust it to someone when I don¡¯t know what might happen even with just one draft. Even if it¡¯s Cecily. I don¡¯t think she would use the draft for political purposes, but it¡¯s too risky even if it¡¯s just a timing issue.

    ¡°¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I was too hasty.¡±

    When I firmly refused, Cecily apologized with a sulky expression that waspletely different from her usual self, and my heart fluttered slightly as I thought of my girlfriend, Marie.

    ¡°It¡¯s unavoidable now, given the circumstances. I¡¯m not sure exactly what value this draft has for the demons, but there are many things that could go wrong. Noona also knows roughly, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. But we demons will never use this draft. Xenon¡¯s Biography is like the salvation that God has given us, and this draft is nothing less than a sacred object given to us by God.¡±

    ¡°Ahem¡­¡±

    Is this what they mean to put gold on one¡¯s face?

    I coughed again for no reason and felt embarrassed. Meanwhile, Cecily looked at the draft with regretful eyes and returned it to me. I put the returned draft in a drawer and sealed it tightly with a lock.

    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s okay to keep it there? Shouldn¡¯t you at least put it in a safe?¡±

    ¡°In the first ce, except for a few people, no one knows that I am the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography. If they were stored in a safe, it would attract even more attention.¡±

    Furthermore, even though the manuscript was stored in a high-performance safe at the publishingpany, it was still easily stolen. With that level of ability, any ordinary safe would be meaningless.

    ¡°Really, truly, if my true identity were to be revealed to the world, I¡¯ll think about it then. Helium has less pressurepared to other countries.¡±

    ¡°Why do you think that?¡±

    ¡°Even just looking at Noona, the answer is clear, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Rina and Leort have a criminal record, making it ufortable to entrust them. As for the Ters Kingdom¡­ I don¡¯t know much about politics, but I don¡¯t like their character.

    Even if I entrusted it to Marie¡¯s family, the Requilis, there is a high probability of unrest since there is a royalty above them. The Requilis family is also concerned about this, so they will probably entrust the manuscript to another ce.

    Therefore, Helium is the only option left. If Cecily treats this manuscript as a relic, no other country can easily touch it.

    Above all, demons have a much longer lifespan than humans. This means that Cecily can keep it even after I die.

    <i>¡®As I think about it, Helium is in a neutral position.¡¯</i>

    I was thinking that when Cecily heard my response, she made a subtle expression and then smiled softly. It was a charming smile that could shake any man¡¯s heart.

    ¡°Benefactor¡­ I always feel this way, but it¡¯s amazing. Even when you wrote this manuscript, you must have had a favorable impression of demons¡­ Didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I just thought of you as a human. Even if demons were to turn into devils, there are more humans in this world who are worse than devils.¡±

    There is a representative example of ¡®humans¡¯. There was a famous meme from a past life where a demon shouted at God like this.

    Why did you create humans when you made us demons?

    It¡¯s a symbolic meme that sometimes portrays human wickedness as worse than that of demons. In fact, there is a folk belief that angels and demons represent the inner world of humans.

    Lastly, I have witnessed countless people on the inte who are worse than demons. Sometimes it was so bad that I wondered if they were really capable of such things.

    ¡°You thought of us as humans¡­ Sometimes I feel like you¡¯ve lived longer than me, Benefactor.¡±

    ¡°Haha. That¡¯s an amusing joke.¡±

    I was a little embarrassed, but Iughed it off. I n to keep the fact that I¡¯m a reincarnated person a secret until I die.

    ¡°It would have been nice if you had lived longer¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Nevermind. Benefactor, can I ask you one thing? I thought of something after reading your recently published Kair side story.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    I crossed my arms. She hesitated for a moment, then looked straight into my eyes and spoke.

    It felt like a tense yet hopeful voice.

    ¡°Does the Benefactor really think¡­ you can connect elves and humans?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m curious if you think they can be connected despite the severe difference in lifespan. Even if they love each other, fate decided by the gods is inevitable.¡±

    Cecily mentioned the essential issue of love between races, the ¡°lifespan.¡± I listened to her question and sank into thought.

    I always mentioned it, but lifespan is no different from fate determined by the gods. Humans barely live for 100 years, while elves boast a lifespan of over 300 years on average.

    So even if these two love each other, separation is inevitable. Humans may not know, but elves will have to carry that pain for their entire lives.

    <i>¡®Even Elisha¡­¡¯</i>

    After the death of Kair, Xenon¡¯s master, the Elven Queen Elisha fell into great despair. They both confirmed each other¡¯s feelings, but regretted not expressing them.

    Not only that, I have seen many poignant love stories in past lives due to the difference in lifespan. Most of them regretted not continuing, and in serious cases, they took their own lives.

    And there¡¯s always a saying that¡¯s mentioned here. If you can¡¯t decide anything, it¡¯s better to make a choice and regret it than to not make any choice at all.

    I looked at Cecily, who was waiting for an answer in a daze. Her red pupils were filled with tension and worry.

    So, facing her for a while, I quietly opened my mouth and spoke my thoughts.

    ¡°As Noona said, lifespan is determined by God. Even if we love each other, sometimes we have to part ways. Humans may not understand it, but elves fear that parting. In a way, you could say that humans are selfish. Then, should we give up?¡±

    After my response, Cecily looked sad. She must have felt sorry that Kair and Elisha couldn¡¯t be together.

    I hesitated for a moment, wondering if I should say this or not. This scene was directly linked to the moment when the heroine, Mary, awakened after seeing Elisha fall into despair following Kair¡¯s death. As predicted by Eddie at the school event, Mary is an elf. She is currently developing feelings of affection for Xenon, who has experienced the ups and downs of life with her.

    Although she worries while watching the tragedy of Kair and Elisha with her own eyes, she eventually gathers her courage and approaches Xenon. While mourning Kair, who was like a father to him, Xenon listens to Mary¡¯s confession.

    ¡°No, there¡¯s no need to give up.¡±

    ¡°Then what should we do?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s simple. Just miss them.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it better to remember someone and miss them than to live your whole life buried in regret?¡±

    Originally, making memories is the happiest and most beautiful time, but when those memories remain as memories, it bes the saddest thing. If Elisha had received Kair¡¯s heart, those memories would have been left with longing, not regret. And you can either hold onto that longing for a lifetime, or bury it somewhere else and make new memories.

    ¡°Separation is inevitable, but it¡¯s up to you whether you fill that short time with happy longing or sad regret. Still, if it were me, I would choose longing.¡±

    ¡°¡­That¡¯s a very wise answer.¡±

    Cecily gave me a gentle smile as she faced me. Then, she reached out and lightly grabbed my hand.

    ¡°Thank you so much for listening to my worries.¡±

    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I¡­uh, yeah?¡±

    What is she saying? I sensed something strange after hearing Cecily¡¯s words of gratitude. While I was still surprised, she let go of my hand and took a step back, carefully retreating one step at a time. As she nced over at the bed beside her, she spoke softly while looking at me.

    ¡°Come to think of it, the bed is quite wide. It wouldn¡¯t be a problem if two peopley down on it.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll see you at mealtime in a little while.¡±

    kiik-

    Cecily reached the door before I knew it and opened it. But her gaze was still fixed on me.

    While I was making a dumbfounded expression at this, Cecily said herst words while maintaining a bright smile on her face.

    ¡°My lovely benefactor.¡±

    Thud!

    The door was firmly closed.

    Trantors note:

    My tl quality fell recently. Seems I got quite rxed with checking but will improve it back up. Sorry about that.

    Completed world 6 in simted and now I¡¯m stuck at lvl 33¡­

 Chapter 100: Highlight (2)

    Usually, festivals start during the day and end in the evening when the sun goes down, but on special asions, they can continue until dawn. Festivals that have special meaning, such as the founding festival, tend to be muchrger in scale than other festivals.

    One of the main differences between festivals that continue until night and other festivals is that the festivities be more lively as the night grows deeper. During the day, it is difficult to focus on one ce because the surroundings are bright, but at night, it is the opposite. As the surroundings be darker, it is easier to focus on where the lights are shining.

    The reason why the festivities be more lively is somewhat of a misconception. Many people sleep at night to finish a hard day¡¯s work. To do so, afortable resting ce and tranquility are necessary. Therefore, the idea that ¡°night is quiet¡± is deeply ingrained in people¡¯s minds.

    But what if the festival continues even in the middle of the night? What if it¡¯s not quiet but noisy? And what if there are even more intense and fun performances than during the day?

    People are so busy enjoying the festival that they don¡¯t even sleep, making it feel even more lively and bustling. Darkness is easily illuminated by lights, so there¡¯s no problem focusing on the festival.

    The true essence of arge-scale festival is revealed at night, and the highlight performances also start from the evening.

    ¡°It feels like there¡¯s even more hustle and bustle than during the day. We could easily get lost if we¡¯re not careful.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. We were surprised during the day, but we¡¯ve never seen our territory so lively like this before.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    At the entrance of the vige where the festival has officially started, Bryce and Nicole talk to each other as they weave through the crowded vige.

    ¡°Dad, how do you feel?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ it just feels like the workload has increased.¡±

    ¡°I see. Well, if you¡¯re happy, I¡¯m happy.¡±

    Even our parents, who had been working all this time and had juste out, had different reactions to the liveliness of the territory. Our father had a slightly stunned expression, while our mother had a truly happy smile.

    I was also surprised to see the vige filled with tourists, but I had no time to linger on it now. This was because of Cecily¡¯s shocking statement when she briefly entered my bedroom before dinner.

    Cecily asked if love between a human and an elf can truly be realized, and I replied that it could lead to both regret and longing depending on one¡¯s choice. But until then, I didn¡¯t notice. She was actually asking about the love between the long-lived and the short-lived, not between the elf and the human.

    After that, she left me confused with her profound words in various ways. Even a person who is unaware could guess that herments about the bed being spacious and such are far from innocent.

    ¡®¡­ Is it really true?¡¯

    I organized my tangled thoughts one by one. Cecily, who is usually good at ying pranks, gave me a strong feeling that this time it wasn¡¯t a joke. As the evil cycle approaches, the frequency of expressing one¡¯s own desires directly increases. So, what she said to me is close to the truth, but for me, it¡¯s an extremely embarrassing situation.

    Even though she must have seen with her own eyes what kind of rtionship Marie and I have, I can¡¯t understand why she made such ament. I¡¯m a little afraid that she might ignore it and do something reckless.

    Even if that happens, I will firmly refuse. It is unthinkable to be with Cecily when I haven¡¯t even made that kind of progress with Marie. Unless Cecily attacks me or I cannot suppress my own lust and lust after Cecily, I can confidently say that such a thing will never happen.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Isaac?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes?¡±

    ¡°What are you thinking about that your expression is frozen?¡±

    While I was lost in thought, my mother called out to me. I listened to her words and snapped out of my reverie, turning my head towards her. She was looking at me with a worried expression, and concern for her child was evident in her purple eyes.

    I looked at her eyes for a moment before letting out a bitter smile. How pathetic I am to be lost in my own thoughts when I have a whole family around me.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was a little surprised because it seems like there¡¯s more than I saw this morning.¡±

    ¡°Oh really? Well, even I was surprised. How couldn¡¯t you be you? So, how do you feel?¡±

    ¡°How do I feel?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. After all, all of this is thanks to you.¡±

    I turned my head to look at the scenery of the vige, which my mother¡¯s kind words had prompted me to do. I felt like I had heard a simr question during the day, but it felt different now that it was evening.

    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ weird. I guess I¡¯ll have to work hard on my writing from now on.¡±

    ¡°Hehe. So, do you have any ns to change your mind?¡±

    ¡°Umm¡­¡±

    As I thought about it while looking through the busy vige, I realized that since I had been rmended as a student by Professor Elena, I would only have to focus on history from my second year on.

    So, it means that since the end of the second semester, I would have plenty of free time, so it wouldn¡¯t be a big problem to resume serialization from that point on. The reason I stopped serialization was not only to focus on my studies, but also because I didn¡¯t have enough time. Above all, seeing the festival for my Xenon¡¯s Biography looming before my very eyes, I couldn¡¯t help but feel greedy. Especially since a great character is scheduled to appear on the elf side, my desire to write was soaring.

    <i>¡®If I resume serialization after saying that I was moved by the festival, what kind of reaction will I get?¡¯</i>

    Everyone here would cheer, wouldn¡¯t they? Just imagining it makes me thrilled and excited.

    Since I was experiencing the poprity that I had never enjoyed in my previous life, my heart was slightly swaying.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll think about it.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°For real?¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    When I answered like that, not only my mother but also my other family members were surprised and asked me. I was slightly taken aback and looked through their expressions one by one.

    They were all staring straight at me with their eyes wide open. Expectation and desire were reflected in their different pupils.

    Even my father didn¡¯t express himself, but he had a slightly expectant expression.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s just that I¡¯m thinking about it. I haven¡¯t made a decision yet.¡±

    ¡°So, you might be able to make up your mind after seeing the performance?¡±

    Why are you thinking like that, Mother? Mother eagerly sped her hands and brightened her eyes. She seemed to really want to see Xenon¡¯s Biography. I just rolled my eyes without giving a clear answer. I don¡¯t know how great the performance is right now, but I wonder if it can live up to my expectations of experiencing the magnificent culture of my past life.

    <i>¡®But they¡¯re the best troupe and theater group, so we can expect something great.¡¯</i>

    I heard that both groups have a bit of a twisted side, especially the Matrics troupe, which is rumored to be unrivaled in directing. I looked at my family, who were all filled with anticipation, and then shrugged my shoulders and opened my mouth calmly.

    ¡°Let¡¯s watch it once and think about it. How much time is left until the performance?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s about an hour left. We can view the exhibits until then.¡±

    In the morning, Cecily, Marie, and I went to see the exhibition, but we nned to enjoy the exhibition with our family in the evening. Marie also stepped aside briefly for the sake of family harmony, and I thought Cecily might enjoy the exhibition with Gartz.

    Finally, Adelia¡­ Nicolle tried to bring her along, saying she was okay, but Adelia refused, feeling burdened. She might be wandering around here and there enjoying the exhibition, but I still worried about her. She might have approached the Ters royal family because of that useless infatuation. As someone who had watched her tears by her side, I couldn¡¯t help but worry.

    ¡°Okay, enough talking. Let¡¯s enjoy the festival. Father, did you make a reservation for the performance?¡±

    ¡°What do you think of me as a father? Despite my appearance, I am the lord who manages this territory directly. You don¡¯t have to worry about that since you can see it for yourself at the forefront.¡±

    ¡°Nicole, let¡¯s go over there. It looks like they are selling cosmetics?¡±

    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m not interested in makeup¡­¡±

    ¡°Girls will eventually learn to dress up. Do you remember how pretty you looked thest time you wore a dress?¡±

    After that, our family started to travel around the vige and enjoy the festival. Sometimes we got scattered due to therge crowds, but my father always found us immediately somehow.

    Thanks to that, we could admire the artworks we couldn¡¯t see in the morning without any worries. Moreover, the artworks we missed in the morning were also exhibited, making our family¡¯s eyes happy.

    <i>¡®Our mansion is being guarded by the knights who were dispatched from the pce¡­¡¯</i>

    Currently, the mansion is being carefully guarded by the knights dispatched from the pce. Of course, no one will sneak into my room and steal something, but I¡¯m relieved that they are protecting us.

    My father said that the knights dispatched from the pce are highly skilled, so there is no need to worry too much.

    ¡°Isaac, do you want to try throwing water balloons over there? Let¡¯s y rock-paper-scissors to decide who goes first.¡±

    ¡°No, thanks. I always lose anyway. How can I catch up to my brother¡¯s reflexes?¡±

    ¡°Instead, I¡¯ll do it with my eyes closed. Nicole, do you want to try it too?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m good. And don¡¯t say things that are so shameless, brother. You can even predict what the other person will do with your eyes closed now.¡±

    ¡°Why are you talking about that? It¡¯s not funny.¡±

    ¡°Am I not funny at all?¡±

    With only a few days left of vacation, Bryce wandered around as if he was trying to fulfill all his suppressed desires. He wasn¡¯t particrly interested in the works of art, but rather focused on the festival itself.

    Fortunately, he didn¡¯t act like a rascal and restrained himself. Despite having suffered greatly in the military, he strangely didn¡¯t pay any attention to women, even though he could have shown interest.

    <i>¡®Did he take care of that separately in the capital?¡¯</i>

    Since the road wasn¡¯t yet developed, it was necessary to pass through the capital to get to our territory. Therefore, he might have taken care of his sexual desires with someone in the capital.

    I silently watched Bryce, who had started to enjoy himself with the sry he received from the military, before shifting my gaze to another direction.

    ¡°Oh?¡±

    Suddenly, a few people caught my eye. Despite being far away, their golden hair and shy appearance were particrly eye-catching in the dark of the night. Finally, their clean attire, tailored to suit their individuality.

    They were Leort and Rina, the royal siblings. They didn¡¯t show up in the morning, but it seems they participated in the festival in the evening.

    Their noble atmosphere, along with their appearance, exuded an elegant and distinct feeling, as if their space was set apart. In fact, they were apanied by bodyguards, so it was not just a figurative expression.

    <i>¡®But they look quite tired.¡¯</i>

    Last time I met Rina, she looked tired, but today she looks even worse. Even from a distance, her tired face is visible, despite trying to hide it with makeup. Her expression feels sad and unable to conceal itpletely.

    <i>¡®We¡¯ll meet at the performance.¡¯</i>

    Since they seem to be busy looking around the artwork, it¡¯s best not to interrupt them. I might be crazy to think of intervening first, but anyways, we¡¯ve been having fun, and the real highlight of the festival, the performance, is right around the corner.

    I was caught by our father, who was wandering around like a rogue. Eventually, many people, including our family, arrived at the performance venue, which was not a small performance venue located in the central square of the vige. It was an environmentally friendly stage made by temporarily using the entire open field as a stage.

    Building a building was too urgent, but those who performed on stage seemed to like it. Rather, I think I liked it because the stage was so wide.

    I remembered that Lirus, the conductor of the Lirus band, hinted to me that they would coborate with the Matrics troupe to present a fantastic stage.

    Can their performance satisfy my high expectations from my previous life? I¡¯m quietly excited.

    ¡°Isaac!¡±

    ¡°Marie?¡±

    When I was waiting in the center of the VIP seats, Marie suddenly came to find me. Since she was alone without her family, she must have been sitting in another seat and noticed me.

    As Marie approached, the family members sitting on either side of me also turned their attention towards her. Even though she was the center of their gaze, Marie did not seem flustered at all and greeted them politely with a beautiful smile.

    ¡°Hello, nice to see you again.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, did you enjoy the festival enough?¡±

    ¡°It was a really fun festival, just as much as the National Foundation Day Festival. There were plenty of things to see.¡±

    ¡°Good to hear. And what about your family?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re sitting over there.¡±

    Marie pointed towards the area below us as she answered. I turned my head to look, and sure enough, her family was seated side by side.

    The VIP seating, or the aristocratic viewing box, was designed to be two stories high so that the stage could be viewed more clearly. If they couldn¡¯t build a building, they decided they might as well build a viewing box.

    It was a rare stage surrounded by viewing boxes on a vast in. I wasn¡¯t sure how it would be handled after all the festivals were over, but it wasn¡¯t something I could do anything about, so I turned off my mind.

    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, but can I take Isaac with me? I want to watch it with him¡­¡±

    ¡°Of course, Isaac?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    At Marie¡¯s earnest request, my mother agreed to let her take Isaac with her instead. Since I also wanted to sit with Marie, I got up from my seat with a word.

    As I stood up, Marie¡¯s expression brightened noticeably. I blinked and looked at Marie¡¯s sparkling blue eyes.

    Hmm¡­ As expected, Marie looks cute even on a dark night. This is an undeniable fact. It¡¯s not just because she¡¯s my girlfriend, but Marie always looks pretty no matter when.

    ¡°I envy you. I want to sit with my girlfriend too.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about when you don¡¯t even have a girlfriend?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have a boyfriend either.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not making one, not because I can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything?¡±

    Let¡¯s leave the bickering of the reality siblings behind. As Marie led me with her touch, I nted my butt in the seat she had reserved in advance.

    The seat was much higher than where I had sat before, so I could see the stage much better. I can¡¯t believe I found a seat like this.

    ¡°Heheh.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    As soon as Marie sat down, she wrapped her arms around my arm and started rubbing her face. I gently stroked her head, as if grooming a cat, and she responded with a soft smile.

    As I continued to stroke her hair, she snuggled up closer, making a purring sound. I feel guilty for thinking about another woman when I have such an adorable and loving girlfriend.

    ¡°You two look good together.¡±

    ¡°?!¡±

    As we were disying our affection towards each other, a familiar voice prated our ears from behind. It was a gentle voice, but it seemed to carry a hint of discontent.

    Surprised, we turned around and looked behind us, deliberately sitting in an empty seat in the audience. We couldn¡¯t have imagined anyone being there.

    Then, when we turned around, Cecily was there, grinning and watching us. It felt like a situation we had experienced before.

    ¡°Cough.¡±

    While we were still confused, Cecily moved to the seat next to me. Her natural behavior left Marie and me speechless.

    Nevertheless, Cecily discreetly wrapped her arm around mine and whispered in a seductive voice.

    ¡°You know, after the performance¡­?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°You can look forward to it.¡±

    I wonder if I can concentrate on the performance.

    Trantors note:

    Chapter 100 WooHoo!

 Chapter 101: Highlight (3)

    Fortunately, Marie didn¡¯t hear Cecily¡¯s whisper, but that didn¡¯t make the situation any better. Cecily now wrapped her arms around mine, leaning her head on my shoulder as if she wouldn¡¯t hide it anymore.

    It may seem like a heartwarming and sweet scene, but the problem is that I have a girlfriend, who is sitting right next to me. No matter how much Cecily may like me, I must deal with this firmly. It is not only a matter of disappointing Marie, but also a matter of basic manners.

    ¡°Noona, I¡¯m sorry, but could you please let go?¡±

    ¡°What if I don¡¯t want to?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think you might make me dislike you?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Cecily btedly realized her mistake in the face of my firm remark and trembled. Then, she looked at Marie sitting next to me with a subtle expression.

    Marie clung to my arm tightly, growling like a cat as if she would fight anyone who tries to take me away. Of course, it is a figurative expression, but she was clearly showing her annoyance.

    To her, charming and attractive Cecily, who was trying to steal her boyfriend, would look like a demanding fox. Especially if she is more attractive and charming than herself, she would feel insecure.

    <i>¡®However, surprisingly, she doesn¡¯t say anything.¡¯</i>

    ¡°If I had been there, I would have shouted at Cecily immediately. ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± I would have yelled, my eyes ring. However, now she is just on high alert with her fur standing on end.

    Perhaps there has been a psychological change from the conversation they had earlier that day. As soon as I released the arm that Cecily was holding onto, I immediately began to stroke Marie¡¯s head gently.

    It was a sign that no matter how much Cecily tempted me, I was her boyfriend and I would never disappoint her.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll let it go this time.¡±

    When I started to pet Marie, she looked straight at my face, then quickly looked away and muttered quietly. Her lips puckered in jealousy, and even in the dark of night, I could see her cheeks had turned slightly red.

    How can jealousy be so adorable? I couldn¡¯t hide my upward-turned lips and softly chuckled so that only Marie could hear me.

    ¡°If you can¡¯t believe me, do you want me to kiss you?¡±

    ¡°¡­You¡¯re a pervert. You¡¯re really a red pervert.¡±

    I¡¯m not sure what a red pervert means, but it¡¯s probably because of my hair. I pinched Marie¡¯s cheek like a glutinous rice cake and checked Cecily¡¯s reaction.

    If it were an ordinary person, they would have scowled at me, but Cecily had a curious expression. As if she were observing the two of us, she had wide-open eyes and showed a deep interest.

    What the hell is she thinking? Without turning my gaze away, I asked Cecily.

    ¡°Noona?¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°What are you thinking?¡±

    Upon hearing my question, Cecily blinked a few times and turned her head towards Marie, who was still trying to calm down her flushed cheeks.

    After a moment, Cecily looked back at me and gave a sly smile before speaking.

    ¡°I was just curious if I could feel the same emotions that Marie is experiencing right now.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Judging by Marie¡¯s reaction, she must be feeling good¡­¡±

    ¡°Cough.¡±

    It was a typical response from her. I coughed to hide my embarrassment.

    Meanwhile, Marie had regained herposure and stood up straight while fanning herself with her hand. There was still a faint blush on her cheeks.

    ¡°So, how is the performance going to proceed?¡±

    Marie asked, changing the subject.

    I looked at her once and then turned my gaze towards the performance area (which was just a in field).

    ¡°First, the Lirus Orchestra will perform, and then the Matrics Troupe will stage a y.¡±

    ¡°What about the duration of the performance?¡±

    ¡°It will be about three hours in total. The Lirus Orchestra will y for about 30 to 40 minutes, and then the Matrics Troupe will perform their y for the remaining time.¡±

    ¡°Is it okay without rehearsal? As far as I know, I heard that rehearsals are essential for this kind of performance.¡±

    Cecily, who had been listening quietly, asked with a slight hint of concern. As she said, rehearsals are essential for suchrge-scale performances. You need to know how loud the sound is going to be beforehand so that you can adjust it properly, and in the case of a drama, lighting is also very important. You need to illuminate the characters brightly so that every gesture can be seen in detail, so it¡¯s a natural setting.

    However, the exhibition was decided almost overnight, and both the orchestra and the drama group arrived on the day before the performance. Even if they are the best groups in the world, if they cannot rehearse, the significance of the event can be greatly diminished.

    ¡°That¡¯s true. However, ording to what I heard from the Lirus Orchestra, they said they have rehearsed enough, so it should be okay.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a relief, but¡­¡±

    ¡°Have you ever listened to the Lirus Orchestra¡¯s performance, noona?¡±

    I was talking to Cecily, who seemed somewhat uneasy, when a question suddenly came to mind. She is a demon and has hardly ever left Helium until the publication of Xenon¡¯s Biography. I have not heard any news that the Lirus Orchestra or Matrics drama group have entered Helium. After all, Helium has been designated as a country that prohibits entry until now, so even if they want to enter, they cannot.

    So, it means that Cecily has no contact with the two groups, but she seemed to have a deep understanding of art from her words.

    ¡°That¡¯s not it. However, there are orchestras even within Helium, so I have somemon sense. I also know that the Lirus orchestra is the best orchestra in the world.¡±

    ¡°But why are you worried?¡±

    ¡°Just in case they can¡¯t perform to their full potential. The music Lirus orchestra will y from now on is Sakran¡¯s life. Sakran¡¯s life revealed the fragments of the life of our demon race.¡±

    It seems that Cecily is worried about something. The content of the music that the Lirus orchestra will perform is the life of Sakran. In Xenon¡¯s Biography, Sakran¡¯s tragic yet sublime fate as a demon was portrayed in a fragmented way, leaving asting impression on readers as he ultimately ended his life not as a demon, but as a human being.

    In other words, it represents the life of a demon. Cecily is worried that the Lirus orchestra may not properly express the content.

    ¡°I think I know what my sister is worried about. But don¡¯t worry too much. We¡¯re not trying to infer the meaning from the music. We already know the content and we¡¯ll listen to the music in that context.¡±

    ¡°What if they y cheerful music?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t think that will happen, but music feels different depending on its content, doesn¡¯t it? You¡¯ll see when you listen.¡±

    Like adding sad music to a funny situation to make it more interesting or putting lively music in contrast to a sad scene to emphasize the tragedy, music has a subtle charm.

    Of course, if the Lirus orchestra went crazy and yed a march like the Turkish March, the story would be different. But since they are renowned as the best in the world, there is no need to worry too much.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s time to get started now¡­¡±

    On the in stage, musical instruments that the Lirus orchestra will y are lined up side by side. It has a charming and picturesque feel as if it is harmonized with nature.

    Moreover, I don¡¯t know what kind of magic they used in the pce, but I couldn¡¯t hear any noise from outside. Even though the festival was in full swing in the vige.

    We prepared in a rush, almost squeezing out time, but thanks to Leort and Rina¡¯s hard work, it seems to be going smoothly. Especially, it was a great choice to designate the open field itself as a stage without building any structures, which shows their sense.

    ¡°Isaac, look over there.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    As people started to gather, Marie poked my arm and pointed in one direction. I turned my head to where she was pointing with her finger.

    I saw Rina, Leort, and the Ters royal family sitting side by side. They were not just VIPs but belonged to the VVIP ss, so they were in a better position than us to see the stage.

    As I quietly watched them emitting various charms, Rina seemed to notice my gaze and looked in our direction. She widened her eyes slightly as if she had spotted us.

    I waved my hand silently as soon as Rina saw us. Rina also greeted us by nodding her head slightly after grinning at Leort and the Ters royal family sitting next to her.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s not an easy position to be in.¡¯</i>

    At first nce, the princess may seem to have the power to wield at her will, but if you look closely, you can see that it is not the case. What¡¯s the point of having that power if you can¡¯t even use it properly? Above all, in such a position, you have to wear a mask and act cautiously.

    As I said before, I prefer someone who shows their true intentions from the beginning rather than someone who wears a mask to understand the other¡¯s intentions. That¡¯s why I became friends with Marie.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    I guess I was thinking about Marie. I stared at Marie, who was sitting next to me.

    She looked startled when I stared at her intently and asked me in a hesitant voice.

    ¡°Why, why are you looking at me like that?¡±

    ¡°Marie.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°I just wanted to call you.¡±

    ¡°¡­What, seriously.¡±

    Marie grumbled with a frustrated expression at my meaningless words. I smiled softly and held her hand without saying anything.

    Marie also held my hand gently, as if it had be a familiar feeling. The soft and fluffy touch of her hand warmed my heart.

    <i>¡®But what happened between Rina and Marie to cause this kind of distance?¡¯</i>

    I had been avoiding asking because I didn¡¯t want to trigger any unnecessary trauma, but if I looked into the future, building a rtionship with Rina would be good for me, and it wouldn¡¯t be a bad choice.

    If Xenon¡¯s Biography is serialized again, it will be muchrger than it is now, and there is a high possibility of pressure from various ces. Until then, I will hide my identity, but nothing is forever.

    So, there is no avoiding joining hands with authorities like Rina or Cecily. Even if Marie¡¯s family is the Duke of Requilis, they may not have enough influence to interfere in conflicts between countries.

    I quietly gazed at the side profile of Marie, who had her eyes fixed on the stage where preparations were in full swing, and spoke up.

    ¡°Marie.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Can you spare some time after the festival? I have something to talk to you about.¡±

    At my request, Marie blinked her blue eyes and asked me in turn.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, but where are we going? Are we going somewhere again¡­?¡±

    Marie muttered with a gloomy expression before punching my arm with her fist. I looked around nervously and caught Cecily¡¯s eye. Fortunately, Cecily was too busy watching the band prepare and didn¡¯t pay any attention to us. In fact, the orchestra was ying a simple tune to tune their instruments, so it was a good distraction.

    Feeling relieved, I leaned in close to Marie¡¯s ear and whispered softly.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that, there¡¯s something I want to talk to you about separately. It¡¯s important.¡±

    ¡°Really? Where are we going?¡±

    I thought about where to go in response to her question, but without thinking, I blurted out.

    ¡°Do you want toe to my bedroom? We can have a cup of coffee and talk for a bit.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s something that¡¯s deeply rted to you.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    As soon as I spoke, Marie¡¯s reaction was a bit strange. At first, she blinked her eyes as if she didn¡¯t fully understand the situation, but soon her face turned red from her neck up.

    Despite her nk expression, her skin turning red made it feel like something was broken somewhere. However, I was puzzled as to why she was reacting like this in the first ce.

    As I tilted my head in confusion, Marie let out a deep sigh and covered her face with both hands. Her ears, peeking shyly through her white hair, were as red as her face.

    ¡°Seriously¡­you¡¯re driving me crazy¡­¡±

    ¡°Marie?¡±

    ¡°The bedrooms in this mansion are soundproofed by default¡­why would you say something like that¡­and on top of that, bringing coffee in the middle of the night¡­you didn¡¯t seem to knowst time during the escort either¡­what am I going to do?¡±

    She was mumbling so much with her face covered by her hands that I couldn¡¯t understand a word she was saying. But it was clear that I had made a mistake.

    I thought it wouldn¡¯t matter if I called her to the bedroom anyway, since both of our parents were here. That was why Cecily hade to my bedroom.

    I grabbed Marie¡¯s shoulders and called her name repeatedly, but she shook me off and quickly went to wash her face.

    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen! Thank you for waiting so long. The performance of the Lirus Orchestra will begin shortly, so please take your seats!¡±

    As I called out to Marie, a booming voice from the stage stimted my ears. It was as if they were using a microphone with a booming, resonating sound.

    As I turned my head forward, a middle-aged man dressed neatly for the asion stood confidently at the center of the stage. It was Lirus, the leader of the Lirus Orchestra I had seen earlier that morning. I fixed my gaze towards the stage, anticipating the long-awaited performance to finally begin. Meanwhile, Marie was softly humming beside me.

    ¡°¡­Should we just pretend that we don¡¯t know and leave?¡±

    ¡°Marie.¡±

    ¡°Hmm. Alright. It can¡¯t be helped. Umm, I guess we have no choice.¡±

    It was a bted realization, but¡­

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll ept the ¡®invitation.¡¯ Got it?¡±

    What I had said was an exact match to the invitation of ¡°Do you want to eat ramenter?¡± However, I had never attended any social gatherings and had rtively little experience in human rtionships, so mymon sense wascking.

    Moreover, drinking coffee at midnight is equivalent to saying that one will not sleep. It is clear that when a man and a woman are alone in a bedroom, and especially if they¡¯re not sleeping¡­ one can understand without being told.

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    I absentmindedly nodded my head in response.

    Trantors note:

    Isaac really be like this huh. At least he actually does it instead of running away like a manga mc.

    Had a short break but I¡¯m back at it.

 Chapter 102: Highlight (4)

    Marie buried her face in her hands and muttered to herself, while the preparations for the Lirus Orchestra were almostplete. Members dressed in neat formal attire took turns stepping onto the stage to prepare, and the audience gradually filled up the seats, creating a bustling atmosphere.

    After a while, even the temporary seats built below the VIP seats reserved exclusively for nobles began to fill up with tourists. People of all ages and races came to watch the performance, including children who came with their parents, elderly couples, and adventurers.

    People of all walks of life gathered to watch the show. Were these people fans of Xenon¡¯s Biography, or did theye to see the performance of the Lirus Orchestra? Maybe both. It was a proud moment for me.

    Moreover, more people came than I expected, and the fact that we designated the ins as the stage was a good move. If it was a building, there might have been people who couldn¡¯t see the performance, but there was no such worry now.

    <i>¡®Is this really a fan art concept performance?¡¯</i>

    To listen to the Lirus Orchestra¡¯s performance, you had to pay a huge price, but as I mentioned before, they dered that they would receive support from sponsors, including themselves. Moreover, they showed a truly generous attitude by saying that all the support received at exhibitions would be donated to the development of the cultural industry, winning the favor of many people.

    <i>¡®Those people care more about honor than money.¡¯</i>

    I have seen it in my past life. When people be financiallyfortable, they naturally seek more honor. Anyway, I saw this performance as a fanart concept, so it would be a good choice to donate the funds to the cultural industry to give them greater honor.

    ¡°What should I do? Should I just wear this? I thought this might happen and brought another one¡­ No, he¡¯s a fool, so he probably didn¡¯t even think about it.¡±

    What is she saying?

    I nced briefly at the sulking cat. She was either trying to cool down her flushed face or covering it with her hands.

    Of course, I couldn¡¯t help but have doubts about what she was saying. Maybe there was another meaning in what I said earlier.

    But after learning the etiquette I learned at home, I never made a statement that could be misunderstood. I just wanted to chat over a cup of coffee in my bedroom.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ll find out after the festival is over.¡¯</i>

    For now, let¡¯s just focus on the performance. If we get distracted by other things, we might not be able to concentrate.

    During the brief moment I was lost in thought, it seemed that the preparation for the performance was almostplete, and all the musicians were seated. I examined the appearance of the Lirus Orchestra in detail, which was not at all inferior to the orchestra I saw in my past life, proving that they were indeed the world¡¯s best. It was not evenparable to the band that came to the freshman event.

    And even at the freshman event, I felt that where people live is simr, and the instruments were very simr to those I had seen frequently in my past life. For example, string instruments like the violin, wind instruments like the flute, and finally percussion instruments. There were many simritiespared to my past life.

    Suddenly, while I was looking around at the instruments, a performer behind the stage struck a drum strongly with a stick. Despite the fact that the stage had openings on all sides, the thunder-like vibration shook the entire stage. As the sound of thunder reverberated throughout the stage, the previously noisy audience suddenly became quiet, leaving only the lingering resonance of the drum.

    Even Marie, who was muttering to herself next to me, raised her head in surprise. I was fascinated, thinking that I could make the sound of thunder with just one drum as I looked forward.

    In an instant, the surroundings became quiet, and a man standing in the center of the stage turned his back to face the audience. He was the conductor, Lirus, who had just announced in a loud voice.

    ¡°Hello,dies and gentlemen! I¡¯m Lirus, theposer and conductor of the Lirus Orchestra. Nice to meet you!¡±

    Lirus spoke in a thunderous voice, amplifying his voice with magic so that it spread throughout the entire stage. In response to his polite greeting, not only me but all of the audience weed Lirus with thunderous apuse.

    As the sound of apuse gradually died down, Lirus opened his mouth with a bright expression.

    ¡°I feel honored to be able to share my performance with all of you. As you all know, the performance that I will show you today is inspired by Xenon¡¯s Biography, which Iposed myself. Some of you may havee just to see my performance, but I believe most of you are here because you love Xenon¡¯s Biography.¡±

    His exnation continued on and on. I wondered if he always did this before a performance, and dozed off while looking left and right. Before I knew it, Marie had settled down and was now fixed on the performance. Cecily seemed to be the same. As Marie knew more about the Lirus Orchestra than Cecily did as she is from Helium, I asked her about it.

    ¡°Marie.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    As I called her name, Marie looked surprised and stared at me. I asked her the question that I was curious about while looking at her face.

    ¡°Do you always exin like this before a performance? I¡¯ve never seen a performance before.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. Normally, they just start the performance right away.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Um, Isaac?¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Can you¡­ hold my hand?¡±

    She asked me in a shy voice. I looked at Marie, whose face had turned red like a persimmon due to her shyness, and held her hand.

    This is not a big deal, just holding hands. When I took Marie¡¯s hand, she smiled and squeezed my hand.

    I have a feeling that I¡¯ll be holding hands throughout the performance, but it¡¯s okay, I don¡¯t mind.

    ¡°The name of the song I¡¯m going to show you is ¡®Life.¡¯ I believe you¡¯ll know where I got my inspiration and how I came up with this name.¡±

    ¡°Life¡­¡±

    Cecily murmured quietly on my right. She seemed to bepletely absorbed in Lirus¡¯s exnation.

    Earlier, Lirus mentioned that he was inspired by seeing the end of Sakran. So the song he¡¯s going to show us will reveal the life of Sakran and the demons.

    I think overall it¡¯ll have a dark atmosphere. It might be a sorry statement for the demons, but they are a race that fits well with darkness.

    ¡°Finally, before we start the performance, there¡¯s something I want to tell you. Our Lirus Orchestra¡¯s performance is just an appetizer. The real performance will be with the Matrics Troupe after this.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    Just as they were expecting the start of the performance, Lirus made a statement that was enough to confuse the audience. This made the audience begin to stir.

    I was also just as surprised. The size of the band alone is impressive, but to think that this is just an appetizer. Then how amazing will the coboration with the Matrics Troupe be?

    With a soft smile as if he had expected the excitement in the audience, Lirus spoke up.

    ¡°Ah, of course, just because it¡¯s a preview doesn¡¯t mean the performance will be short or anything. I¡¯ll show you everything, haha.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Well then, let¡¯s start the performance now. I hope everyone enjoys it.¡±

    After a long exnation, the signs of the performance finally began to appear. I tightly held Marie¡¯s hand, focusing my eyes and ears.

    Unless there¡¯s magic, there¡¯s no recording function in this world, so this will be the only time I hear it¡­

    Snap!

    Suddenly, the sound of a finger flicking came from Cecily¡¯s direction. I looked at Cecily with a puzzled expression.

    Cecily smiled at me, knowing that I would be watching her. She then exined what she had done.

    ¡°It¡¯s the recording magic. I can listen to the music I want anytime, anywhere. However, it only records what I hear, so only I can listen to it.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Indeed, she was on another level like the elves. I chuckled and looked towards the stage.

    Lirus greeted the audience again with courtesy as the apuse sounded like the stage was about to die down. He turned his body around to face his band.

    As soon as they entered the theater mode, the sound of apuse gradually faded away and soon a quiet silence settled in. The lights that illuminated the audience seats through special devices also went out, and a pitch-ck darkness descended. Only the band on stage was illuminated by the lights. I gripped Marie¡¯s hand, my excitement swelling even more.

    And then¡­

    Ooh-

    Starting with the heavy and dark melody of the cello, the performance of ¡°Life¡± began. It was a piece that expressed the life of a demon, as the artist herself imed, with a dark and solemn atmosphere centered on the strings. The sound of the drums ringing intermittently resonated deeply, and even a sense of sadness could be felt.

    Even though the piece created a gloomy atmosphere for about ten minutes, suddenly the tense melody changed. If the beginning of the piece revealed the dark nature of demons, this tension might have been an expression of the inner struggle of fighting against devils throughout one¡¯s life.

    One bes the devil that they have been avoiding and fighting against, consumed by desire in a moment of carelessness. Even if you restrain yourself, you must fight the inner demon every day. The life of a demon is like a constant struggle with oneself, born with the fate of having to fight against oneself for a lifetime.

    <i>¡®I,I need to record this¡­¡¯</i>

    As I listened to the piece, the urge to record it grew stronger and stronger. Not only did the piece perfectly match my taste, but the fact that it wasposed with inspiration from Xenon¡¯s Biography was the biggest factor. I used to save BGMs and OSTs that I liked on my phone even in my past life, and I also wanted to record the performance of the Lirus Orchestra. However, it was truly regrettable that I could not do so.

    In the end, there were only two options. One was to remember not to forget, and the other was to continue calling the Lirus Orchestra to our territory. Due to the limitations of my memory, which tends to forget things that are not recorded, the former was almost impossible, and the only option left was thetter.

    <i>¡®I wish they would create more pieces of music¡­¡¯</i>

    As I was lost in trivial thoughts, the performance reached its climax. The tense music gradually faded away, returning to the mncholic atmosphere of the early part, which was not much different from the beginning. But I thought it was even more appropriate now.

    The demons are closest to darkness, yet paradoxically, they crave light and are more human than anyone else. However, their lives are filled with tragedies that are beyond measure. And like being born with a tragic destiny, most of them end up with unfortunate endings. It¡¯s a pity, but that¡¯s reality, and the overall mood of the entire piece is likely due to this.

    If it had been another species, especially human life, it would not have been expressed in music, and if it had not been the Lirus Orchestra, They would not have thought ofposing a piece about the demons¡¯ lives.

    <i>¡®What is Cecily feeling?¡¯</i>

    As a human, I simply enjoyed the music, but it would be a more impressive piece for Cecily, who is a demon. Turning my head to the side, I checked Cecily¡¯s expression.

    ¡°¡­Sniff.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Sniff¡­Huhk¡­¡±

    Moisture filled her reddened crimson eyes, and it ran down her cheeks, leaving traces behind. She kept wiping them with her hands, but the tears kept flowing steadily.

    I stared at her, dumbfounded, while Cecily wept.

    It was such a different sight from her usual yful demeanor, and it was the first time I had seen her like this.

    Fortunately, she didn¡¯t wear much makeup, so her swollen eyes weren¡¯t too noticeable, but it was still shocking to me.

    <i>¡®Wha¡­ what¡­¡¯</i>

    I turned my head to Marie, wondering if something was wrong with her too, but she wasn¡¯t shedding tears like Cecily. She was just listening to the music with trembling lips, while her eyes were moist and her nose was runny.

    It meant that I was the only one calmly enjoying the performance. It was either a medieval sentiment or myck of sensitivity that made me feel confused.

    <i>¡®The music is undoubtedly good¡­ but is this something to cry about?¡¯</i>

    I thought that the influence of my past life was probably the biggest factor. After pondering how I should react, I decided to just switch to appreciation mode.

    Forcing myself to cry here would probably be even more strange.

    And so, how much time had passed? The performance ended with the soaring notes of the violin.

    It felt like there was definitely something more toe, but they purposely ended it like that. The reason was not just the music, but the presence of the opera beside the orchestra.

    The opera singers sat still without even moving their lips from the beginning to the end of the performance. There must have been a reason for the Lirus Orchestra not to let them stand up for no reason.

    CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP!!

    But as if to announce that the show was over, the lights turned on, and thunderous apuse erupted. It was an enormous round of apuse.

    Marie wiped away tears from the corners of her eyes as she held my hand, and Cecily wiped away her own tears and eagerly gave the apuse.

    As I watched Cecily¡¯s side profile, where a mark had begun to form, I rummaged through my pocket and took out a handkerchief. It was a new handkerchief, not the one I had given to Adelia.

    ¡°Noona, here.¡±

    ¡°Hu¡­ Huh?¡±

    Cecily turned her head towards me when I called her. Her reddened eyes, made even more poignant by the tears, looked straight at me.

    Without a word, I handed her the handkerchief. Marie was also stealing tears, but Cecily seemed to need it more, as tears were streaming down her face.

    ¡°Oh¡­ T-Thank you¡­¡±

    Cecily blushed in embarrassment as she saw the handkerchief, then took it from my hand and began to wipe away her tears.

    There were still marks left from the tears she shed, but they seemed to disappear quickly.

    ¡°I guess it was quite moving.¡±

    ¡°I suppose it¡¯s because I¡¯m a demon¡­ The gloomy atmosphere and the sad music made me cry. Huh¡­¡±

    I couldn¡¯t have imagined that Cecily had this side to her, I looked at her with a surprised expression as she answered me in a trembling voice.

    Indeed, people are unpredictable. Both Adelia and Cecily, who seemed to be far from tears, were the ones shedding more tears than anyone.

    ¡°How about Isaac? How was it?¡±

    ¡°It was just¡­ a great song. I feel like I want to remember it forever.¡±

    Kuwong!!

    Before I could even finish my response, a strong vibration echoed from the front. It was a huge vibration that shook not only the audience but also the entire field.

    The apuse that had filled the stage was silenced in an instant, and everyone, including me, turned their gaze towards the source of the vibration.

    Finally, something ck was discovered in the center of the field behind the Lirus Orchestra, or the middle of the in. The lighting there was appropriately focused, so we could see it more clearly.

    And that was¡­ a person. A person writhing on the ground.

    An unidentified person had intruded onto the stage.

    ¡°Sto¡­ stop it¡­ aaahhh¡­¡±

    The person on the ground started screaming in agony. It was a situation that was hard to ept, and I could only blink my eyes in disbelief.

    Not only me but also the other people were in the same situation. The audience could not respond promptly to the unexpected situation.

    <i>¡®What, what is it?¡¯</i>

    Kuduk! Kwap!

    When everyone was bewildered and unable to move their bodies recklessly, a strange phenomenon urred in that person. Along with the sound of rustling, wings gradually sprouted out from his back. The wings were not like those of a normal bird, but more like those of a devil that one only reads about in literature, with no feathers, just membranes like a bat¡¯s wings.

    ¡°Ahhhh¡­!¡±

    ¡°What the f*** is that?¡±

    The monster screamed and exposed the devil¡¯s wings on his back, causing me to curse in return. Even if something was wrong, I felt it firmly with my entire body and tried to stand up hastily, but there was a restraining hand, which turned out to be Cecily wiping away tears with a handkerchief. She held onto my wrist and opened her mouth as if to tell me not to worry.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s nothing.¡±

    ¡°Nothing?! That¡¯s¡­!¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not a demon.¡±

    ¡°Wha¡­t?¡±

    At the same time Cecily spoke those words, something changed in the man who was turning into a devil. Suddenly, arge scythe appeared and pulled him by the neck. As if caught, the man¡¯s form as a devil disappeared into the darkness behind the light. There was no one standing in the illuminated circle except for the pitch-ck darkness that surrounded it.

    As I stared with a dazed mind, an old man¡¯s voice rang throughout the stage.

    -Morphae, please grant this poor soul eternal rest¡­

    Morphae is one of the gods that appears in Xenon¡¯s Biography. Based on the real-world deity, Mora, it is a god that the demons in Xenon¡¯s Biography worship.

    It was only then that I realized that the appearance of the man transforming into a devil and the appearance of the giant scythe that grabbed his neck were all just part of the performance. The giant scythe was the weapon of Xenon¡¯s greatest scene stealer, Sakran.

    <i>¡®¡­Was all of that just a show?¡¯</i>

    What an amazing trailer.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 103: Highlight (5)

    From my past life to my present, the ¡®theater¡¯ that I envisioned for the medieval period is a type of y like an opera or a musical, where actors appear on stage to showcase their acting skills and sing songs intermittently.

    However, the stage that I just saw in a teaser format was definitely not a y. It was a level of performance that even someone like me, who has memories from a past life, can give a perfect score of 10 out of 10, and no one can match its artistic output.

    A man who entered the center of a in shouted in a shriek, gradually transforming into the shape of a devil, and before long, when his wings were fully grown, a huge sickle suddenly popped out of the darkness and caught his neck.

    Finally, even a prayer hinting at the appearance of a specific character. Even though it¡¯s fantasy, the directing was not inferiorpared to my past life experience, but rather, it was even more outstanding.

    This wasn¡¯t a ¡®movie¡¯ that used CG, but a ¡®y¡¯ that took ce in real-time on the stage. Thanks to this, my expectations were inted, and I ended up waiting for the start of the actual performance.

    ¡°Oh, I will inform the people waiting in the seats. Our Matrics Theater¡¯s performance is scheduled to start in 20 minutes, so please take a break until then. Once again, we inform you that our¡­¡±

    When I didn¡¯t know when the performance would start, the announcement broadcasted loudly. It seems that the Matrics Theater group also has equipment like microphones. It¡¯s not so strange since there was a microphone on the stage at the Academy¡¯s admission ceremony.

    <i>¡®What kind of equipment are they using? Are they using magic?¡¯</i>

    The excellent performance of the Matrics Theater group is shrouded in secrecy. Moreover, the identity of the theater director is not properly known, and they tend to present a proxy instead.

    In fact, even the person who visited our mansion was a proxy, and not the leader, just like Lirus. When I asked where the responsible person was, the only answer that came back was that the director was afraid of meeting people.

    Many people were curious about who the director of the Matrics Theater group was because of this mysticism. Even I was wondering who the owner of the extraordinary creativity, far ahead of our time, was, so what about other people?

    It seems it¡¯s time for a break, I stood up from my seat to go to the restroom. As soon as I got up, the two women sitting next to me asked in turn.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    I hesitated for a moment, wondering who to look at while answering. But then, pretending to fix my clothes, I looked towards the stage and replied.

    ¡°Just to the restroom. I¡¯ll also get something to drink while I¡¯m at it.¡±

    ¡°Oh, can Ie with you?¡±

    ¡°Sure. What about you, Cecily?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll stay here. My mind isn¡¯t calm yet¡­¡±

    As I looked at Cecily, I noticed that tears were forming in the corners of her eyes. It seemed like the song ¡°Life¡± by the Lirus troupe had deeply moved her.

    I looked at the handkerchief that was still clenched in her hand. It was more damp than I had thought, perhaps indicating that she had shed more tears than I had realized.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be back soon since the restroom and the snack bar are nearby.¡±

    ¡°Take your time. I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡±

    ¡°Alright. Marie?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    When I reached out my hand, Marie naturally held it and stood up from her seat. I looked around as she got up from her seat. Perhaps because the performance was starting in less than 20 minutes, many people had briefly left their seats. Empty seats could be seen not only in the VIP section but also in the regr seats where ordinary people were seated.

    I decided that I should quickly return, as I might lose my seat. Marie and I headed outside together.

    After finally leaving the audience seats, I looked at Marie and asked her.

    ¡°So, Marie, are you going to the restroom too?¡±

    ¡°I just followed you.¡±

    How does she manage to choose only the prettiest words to say? I almost hugged her in front of everyone, but I managed to restrain myself. Anyone who sees my objectively beautiful girlfriend with her cute gestures and yful behavior would find it hard to resist, but I managed to control myself.

    After quickly going to the restroom and taking care of business, Marie and I began to choose drinks to have during the performance. I didn¡¯t forget to ask her about the Matrics Theater Group.

    ¡°Have you ever seen a performance by the Matrics Theater Group? Do they usually use that kind of staging?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve only seen it once. And the staging was exactly the same as it was then. Should I call it a teaser trailer? Anyway, that¡¯s how they start. A lot of people expect what kind of teaser trailer the Matrics Theater Group will show because of it.¡±

    It seemed that today was no different from any other day. I became even more curious about the identity of the director of the Matrics Theater Group.

    ¡°Do you know who the director of the Matrics Theater Group is?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. Maybe they¡¯re someone like you? Just as you hide your identity to write what you want, the Matrics director hides their identity to show the stage they want.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ that makes sense.¡±

    It¡¯s been over 10 years since the Matrics Theater Group became famous, but the director has never revealed their identity even once during that time.

    Of course, a select few may know who the director is, but I doubt anyone would dare to mess with them as they are a master among masters.

    ¡°Why? Do you want to meet them?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. When the devil¡¯s wings appeared behind the actor¡¯s back, I thought the devil had actually shown up. Weren¡¯t you surprised?¡±

    ¡°At first I was, but I realized it was a y when the audience¡¯s reaction was quiet. Oh, and I vividly heard you cursing. Were you really surprised?¡±

    ¡°I-I was. I was.¡±

    I cleared my throat in a flustered tone to hide my embarrassment from Marie¡¯s teasing. I was so shocked that cursing came out reflexively.

    But honestly, if that was the kind of production, who wouldn¡¯t be shocked? Moreover, it wasn¡¯t just anyone, but a demon turning into a devil, so it was natural to react strongly.

    ¡°¡­Anyway, let¡¯s go back quickly. What do you want to eat, Marie?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject. I want lemon juice.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll have grape juice.¡±

    As they were returning to the stage after each buying their preferred drink, I spotted someone in my view while taking a sip of grape juice. Though they were wearing a robe and I couldn¡¯t see their face clearly, their small stature and distinctive silver hair peeking out from under the robe were noticeable. From the height and hair color, I realized it was Arwen.

    She was currently sitting on a bench, her head down as if she was lost in thought. From a distance, she looked like she was sleeping.

    ¡°Isaac?¡±

    ¡°Just a moment.¡±

    I ignored Marie¡¯s call and approached Arwen. Although our rtionship was just fleeting, I couldn¡¯t simply pass by someone who had helped me choose a book.

    I didn¡¯t want to be rude and just ignore someone who had shown kindness to me.

    ¡°Arwen?¡±

    ¡°¡­yeah?¡±

    When I called her name just in case, the girl who had been bowing her head slowly lifted it. From her silver eyes and sharp features, I could tell it was definitely Arwen.

    Upon seeing me, Arwen blinked her silver eyes a couple of times and then quickly widened them in surprise.

    ¡°Isaac? What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°I happened to pass by and saw you here. It looks like you¡¯re deep in thought.¡±

    ¡°Thought?¡±

    As if asking what Arwen was saying in response to my question, she blinked her eyes once again. I could sense it inwardly that I was mistaken. For no reason, I scratched my head, feeling confused.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I thought you had some worries because you were looking down.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ no, that¡¯s not it. I just had something to think about. It¡¯s not a big problem that you should worry about.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a relief. By the way, did you enjoy the performance?¡±

    ¡°It was a really impressive performance. And, although it was just a performance, I liked the structure of the seats that were considerate of people like me who are short. I heard that it was temporarily constructed, but I could watch the performance with my own eyes.¡±

    Actually, Arwen is quite short. She¡¯s barely over 150cm in height. However, the structure of the seats wasn¡¯t t and was designed to go up gradually, so even short people like Arwen could watch the performance without any difficulty. At first, it was almost built t, but thanks to the designer¡¯s sense, disaster was prevented.

    ¡°Then there¡¯s no problem, right?¡±

    ¡°As I said before, there¡¯s no need to treat me like a child. Even though it may look like it, I can handle my share.¡±

    As Arwen grumbled in response, I smiled faintly. Anyway, it seems that there are no problems aside from what I was worried about.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m going to go. Have a good time at the performance.¡±

    ¡°I hope you had a good time too. Even I can¡¯t easily watch Matrics Theater¡¯s Groups performance.¡±

    If you hear the words ¡®even I,¡¯ you can roughly guess her unusual status. Nevertheless, I didn¡¯t show it and shook her hand before returning to Marie.

    When I finally returned to Marie, I met her full ofints about something. It seemed like she wasn¡¯t happy that I had talked to Arwen.

    She drank only lemon juice with a blunt expression, then looked at me suspiciously and asked with an annoyed tone.

    ¡°Who¡¯s that girl?¡±

    ¡°Just an elf I happened to meet at the bookstore.¡±

    ¡°Is that all?¡±

    ¡°What else do you think there is?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Marie continued to stare at Arwen, who was still sitting on the bench, and then muttered in an ambiguous tone, shaking her head.

    ¡°Judging from the fact that she wears a robe inside out, she is undoubtedly not of ordinary status¡­ But even so, it¡¯s strange toe out alone without a guard knight.¡±

    ¡°Is it necessary for a guard knight to always apany you?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Look at Cecily. She has the power to destroy a mountain alone, but she has Mr. Gartz with her. Arwen may be in a simr situation.¡±

    After listening to Marie¡¯s exnation, I pondered deeply before recalling what Cecily had said upon meeting Arwen.

    <i>¡®Who are these people?¡¯ </i>

    Cecily must have seen something that I hadn¡¯t. I quickly brushed off the thought, remembering what had happened earlier that morning. Arwen couldn¡¯t havee here with impure intentions, and even if she had, our mansion was being heavily guarded by the knights dispatched from the pce, so we could trust them. As they were a group of knights sent from the pce, we could rely on them.

    ¡°You might be right. But everyone has their own reasons, right? Besides, she might not even know that I¡¯m a Xenon.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true. But still, don¡¯t give her any attention. Got it?¡±

    Marie warned me sternly as she poked my cheek with her finger. I gently grabbed her finger and replied with a grin.

    ¡°Are you jealous or something?¡±

    ¡°If I am, what are you gonna do about it?¡±

    ¡°Should I give you a kiss?¡±

    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go over there for a bit.¡±

    To be honest, I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at Marie¡¯s reaction as she led me to a secluded area. What we did there¡­ didn¡¯t need to be exined. We just showed each other our affection in a way that words couldn¡¯t express.

    Afterward, we returned to the VIP section and dozed off until the performance started. As if to prove the coboration, the Lirus Orchestra was still on stage.

    One notable difference is that the location seems to have moved slightly lower and closer to the seating area. Additionally, during a brief intermission, a semi-transparent barrier was erected between the stage and the seating area, perhaps to prepare for the next act.

    For a moment, I wondered about the purpose of this barrier, but then a familiar feeling crept over me and I muttered to myself.

    <i>¡®Could it be simr to what I saw in thebat arena?¡¯</i>

    The true nature of the barrier is a protective shield specially designed for shock absorption, and the Matrics Theater Group strives to achieve the ultimate in realism in their performances.

    <i>¡®No way. They wouldn¡¯t¡­¡¯</i>

    But my expectations were shattered beautifully because as soon as the performance began, the actors¡¯ stunning battle scenes unfolded right before my eyes.

    Baang!

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Not only did the ground shake with each sword swing, but also when weapons shed, there were huge explosive shes of blue light and loud rumblings.

    Fortunately, thanks to the protective barrier, the seating area was not affected, but it was truly a pursuit of the extreme reality.

    <i>¡®Oh¡­ that¡¯s awesome¡­¡¯</i>

    I should have brought some popcorn or something.

    *****

    Meanwhile, at that time, she was sitting in an ordinary seat, not a VIP seat. Arwen, the queen of Alvenheim, sat quietly in the seat she had just taken, waiting for the performance to begin. Although it was just a performance, which she usually didn¡¯t like, she was exceptionally excited because it was based on Xenon¡¯s Biography. For this day, she had put aside all her duties as queen ande to this distantnd. Arwen felt her heart beating as she held both hands full of food.

    Of course, one hand was for Rain, the dark elf who hade with her. Even though she was ecstatic about the trip, she didn¡¯t eat as much as Arwen did.

    But then¡­

    [Your Highness, may I briefly check something? Can I go ande back?]

    Rain¡¯s voice echoed in her head. It was telepathy that could only be used by those who had mastered magic. Rain usually used telepathy tomunicate because she had to hide her body due to his racial characteristics. Since both of them were elves, it wasn¡¯t much of a problem.

    [You have something to check?]

    Arwen replied in a puzzled voice to Rain¡¯s request. What could be found in thisnd where there was nothing to see except the exhibition?

    For a moment, Arwen was curious, and Rain sent her telepathy with an excited tone.

    [Maybe it¡¯s something you¡¯ll like, Your Highness. I¡¯ll just check it ande back.]

    [¡­okay. But don¡¯t do anything dangerous.]

    [Your Highness, really? Do you not trust me?]

    I ask because I don¡¯t believe you. Although Arwen was doubtful inside, she agreed to Rain¡¯s request.

    <i>¡®Because I have insurance¡­¡¯</i>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 104: Highlight (6)

    The Matrics Theatre Group¡¯s performance was as dazzling and well-directed as shown in the trailer, providing a delightful feast for the eyes and ears.

    Firstly, the actors¡¯ performances were outstanding. As theater is an art form that relies heavily on the live experience of the audience, the quality of acting is crucial, and the actors in The Matrics Theatre Group were wless.

    Secondly, the production was well-prepared. As I mentioned before, I added a few illustrations to make it easier to understand Xenon¡¯s Biography. Although they were only illustrations of the appearance of the characters, the map, and the steam lotive, The Matrics Theatre Group made excellent use of them.

    The actors who yed Xenon, Mary, Jin, and Lily all perfectly matched the images I had illustrated. In Particr, Jin¡¯s eyes were a vivid shade of red, as if he had been fitted with lenses or something.

    Lastly, the performance had an undeniable quality that was at the core of The Matrics Theatre Group¡¯s identity: the energy of the performance itself. While acting and costume design can be aplished in other theater productions, the energy of the performance was unmatched.

    ng! Ching!

    ¡°Wow¡­¡±

    Just like the fight scenes I saw on the training grounds, the actors ying Xenon and Sakran battled fiercely behind the protective barriers.

    If Xenon¡¯s sword moved brilliantly to pressure Sakran, on the contrary, Sakran¡¯s giant scythe was simple but each strike was threatening. As the actual battle unfolded, I realized how much they had prepared. Surely, they must have practiced unimaginable exercises just to hit each other in perfect sync.

    If they were really fighting, that would be perverted in itself.

    ¡°Being human and having this level of skill, impressive. Who taught you?¡±

    ¡°There was a person who did. A master who left without even giving me his name.¡±

    After the short but seemingly long battle, a scene from Xenon¡¯s Biography followed. Xenon had a bright and pleasing voice like a beautiful singer, while Sakran had a rough, hoarse voice as if he had a cold.

    In the original work, Sakran was also set to have a somewhat eerie voice. This part shows the extreme effort put into fully projecting that setting.

    But that¡¯s not all. As if proving the coboration between the Lirus Orchestra and the Matrics Theatre Group, the Lirus Orchestra yed music for each key scene.

    Even during the intense battle just now, the Lirus Orchestra yed tense music, and it matched surprisingly well, making me more immersed. Seeing how two world-renowned geniuses perform together for one work is truly amazing, and they are showing it vividly right now.

    As the original creator, I am truly happy beyond words. I wonder if this is how the authors would have felt when The Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter was made into a movie.

    Soon, various scenes will unfold, and I wonder if they can also reproduce them.

    ¡°Where did Mr. Sakran go?¡±

    ¡°He went that way! He said he felt the presence of a fallen demon¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, my goodness! Let¡¯s go!¡±

    The performance was now rushing towards its highlight. Just before an incident in which the entire Demon¡¯s kingdom, Devildom, almost fell into darkness due to the scheme of the Devil¡¯s faction.

    Sakran, using the experience and insight he had umted until then, arrived first at the ce where darkness was emerging and fought against the demons pouring out like a pack. Xenon¡¯s party also assisted Sakran and demon hunters, but darkness grew uncontrobly, and eventually, Sakran had to make a big decision¡­

    ¡°¡­ Is that really magic?¡±

    ¡°It seems like it, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    I was looking forward to how they would describe the devils rushing in like a pack, and they were really implemented just like that. As if the entire in had been pierced with holes, a huge ck whirlwind arose, and the devils that were only seen in documents poured out of it.

    However, it was not as numerous as described in the novel, perhaps due to limitations. There was only one, but the whirlwind wasrge enough to engulf the entire stage.

    ¡°That¡¯s real magic, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    When Marie and I were amazed, Cecily, who was sitting next to us, seemed surprised in a different way. I raised my eyebrows, expressing my doubt, after hearing her words.

    ¡°Is that really magic?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s a kind of illusion magic. It creates an illusion that moves like a real object based on what the target wants. But since it¡¯s an illusion, it disappears with a certain amount of shock. Just like now.¡±

    As I listened to her exnation, I turned my head towards the stage. Whenever the actors on stage inserted their weapons into the swarming demons like a swarm of locusts, they turned into ck smoke and scattered into the air.

    It seemed like the illusion magic was implemented like CGI. But to find a magician who could create such high-quality illusions on stage, in a theater of all ces, he was surely a unique individual in many ways.

    ¡°By the way, when the illusion disappears, it transforms into ck smoke¡­¡±

    Cecily muttered quietly next to me, expressing her uneasiness. I nced at her expression and noticed that she had caught something, as she was tapping her finger on her cheek.

    Just as I was about to ask her if she had caught something, a rough, grating scream from an old man pierced my ears. I turned my head, wondering what was going on, and saw Sakran standing proudly in front of a huge vortex that seemed to have opened up like a hole in space.

    That scene was undoubtedly¡­yes. It was the scene where Sakran absorbed the huge vortex that had be immeasurablyrge. In the original work, he flew into the sky with magic and sucked up all the darkness.

    Thud! Thud! Thud!

    As Sakran began to absorb the vortex, a loud drumbeat rang out, adding to the tension. Even I, the creator, was nervous, so one can only imagine how the others felt. Sakran had dedicated his life to the demons, but in the end, he could not defeat the darkness and became a devil himself.

    Thud-

    ¡°Sakran!¡±

    ¡°Sakran! Are you okay?¡±

    Sakran, who had absorbed all the energy of the vortex, knelt down. The others who were fighting the devils rushed to him when he fell, but¡­

    ¡°Don¡¯te any closer!¡±

    Sakran shouted loudly, as if the world was shaking. His voice was not his usual raspy and hoarse voice, but had a distorted noise in it, as if it had been modified.

    It seemed that the actors of the Matrics Theatre Group could even change their voices in real-time. It was really impressive and perverted at the same time.

    However, the immersion was incredible, so I didn¡¯t say anything. Honestly, it was entertaining.

    ¡°Hunters¡­ I always told you to ept the darkness, but never let it dominate you. If you are dominated, always point your sword towards that darkness.¡±

    Sakran slowly stood up from his knees and spoke to the people behind him, as if he was giving a sermon. The dark energy began to slowly flow out of his body, apanied by his modified voice.

    And above all¡­ the devil¡¯s wings began to take shape from his back.

    In the end, Sakran, unable to ovee the darkness, began to transform into a devil.

    As the leader of demon hunters, Sakran possessed an incredibly powerful force. As everyone watched in awe, Sakran slowly turned into a devil, causing them all to hold their breath.

    Then, staring nkly into the sky, Sakran slowly turned around.

    The horns protruding from his head grew to an overwhelming size, and his red eyes shone like blood, exuding an overwhelming sense of intimidation. It was truly the appearance of a real devil.

    ¡°Why hesitate, hunters? There is darkness before you.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Quickly aim your weapons! This is my finalmand!¡±

    Upon hearing his finalmand, Xenon and the hunters tightly gripped their weapons with determination and sadness mixed with tension etched on their faces. They must kill the ones who were once their master, theirrades, and those who had devoted their lives to demons.

    ¡°Morphae¡­¡±

    Finally, with Sakran¡¯s prayer, another tragedy was born.

    After the prayer, Sakran slowly approached the group. Whether it was to dy the fight even for a moment, or because he was still struggling with the darkness within him, it was unclear. But one thing was certain: only anger and hatred remained on his face, which was radiating with fury.

    If they keep hesitating like this, not only will there be no salvation, but everyone will be annihted.

    ¡°Ahhhh!¡±

    ¡°No! Krot!¡±

    Did he want to deny that Sakran had be a demon? One of the hesitant hunters shouted with determination and charged blindly towards Sakran.

    Although his colleague called out his name from behind, the hunter had already thrust his sword towards Sakran¡¯s heart.

    No, he tried to.

    St!

    Before Sakran¡¯s arm could pierce through the hunter¡¯s body, as if it were wrapped around him, bright red blood scattered in all directions, and the hunter writhed in pain before copsing on the ground, lifeless. There was no need to check separately, as he was killed instantly.

    Swish! Thud!

    Sakran swung his arm as if he were throwing away garbage and tossed the hunter¡¯s body aside, which had been impaled on his arm. The hunters staggered back at the sight of one member turning into a cold corpse in an instant. Even though they hesitated, their overwhelming fear was due to the fact that they couldn¡¯t ovee Sakran¡¯s power.

    As those who witnessed Sakran¡¯s powerlessness from the sidelines, they knew better than anyone that they could never defeat him. It was Sakran who taught them how to use the power of the demons, and it was Saran who instilled in them a sense of duty.

    It was theplex emotions that entangled and conflicted with each other, preventing them from responding readily to Sakran¡¯s orders. However, our protagonist, Xenon, was different. He looked at Sakran with a stern expression and then took a step forward.

    ¡°Xenon¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Mary, the woman with violet hair, called his name quietly, but Xenon didn¡¯t pay any attention and continued walking with a thud-thud sound.

    He was doing it to bring peace to Sakran, who was more human than anyone else, and to stop the powerful demon in front of him. Our protagonist stepped forward.

    ¡°Morphae¡­¡±

    Starting with Xenon whispering while unsheathing his sword, the best scene in Xenon¡¯s Biography and the highlight of the fifth volume unfolded before our eyes.

    Woooong-

    At the same time, the music of the Lirus Orchestra yed. It was surprisingly the intro and thest part of ¡®Life,¡¯ which Lirus Orchestra had presented. The mournful sounds of the string instruments created a solemn yet poignant atmosphere that was mixed with the tragedy of the demon race. It emphasized the tragedy of the demon race even more and created a thrilling sensation.

    The best theater group and the best orchestrae together to create an indescribable emotional experience. Battles are usually urgent and chaotic, but the fight between Sakran and Xenon somehow seemed sad.

    In fact, it was not really a battle, because Xenon didn¡¯t want to kill Sakran and only wanted to give him peace. The reason why Sakran¡¯s weapon was a giant ¡®scythe¡¯ was also simr to Xenon¡¯s mindset. Sakran thought of the demons who had turned into devils as humans, so killing them was likemitting murder, and it was also like holding a funeral for them.

    <i>¡®¡­Haaa, it¡¯s a bit embarrassing to cry.¡¯</i>

    As the movie continued to deliver touching scenes one after another, I found myself getting lost in the story. The ¡®Life¡¯ of the Lirus orchestra, and the battle between Sakran and Xenon, made me feel emotional.

    Although I was absorbed in the performance, I could hear people crying here and there. I pressed my nose with my handkerchief and checked the reaction of Cecily. She was shedding tears while listening to the music.

    Therefore¡­

    ¡°Sob¡­ Sniffle¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s too¡­ too sad¡­ Sob¡­¡±

    She was crying so hard that she even bit down on the handkerchief that I gave her earlier.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s just leave her be.¡¯</i>

    I focused on the performance again.

    *****

    It was a time when everyone was either sobbing or shedding tears at Sakran¡¯sment. There was someone watching the y on the stage, not in the audience seats. His name was Gartz, Cecily¡¯s escort and a member of Reapers.

    He wanted to sit next to Cecily and watch the show, but as a Reapers member, he had to watch from an unknown location. Therefore, he was watching the performance floating in the sky through magic, not in the audience seats.

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s sad.¡±

    Even though he seemed emotionally dry, he was still a demon. Gartz stole tears from his eyes as Sakran¡¯s and Xenon¡¯s battle continued and the mournful music yed.

    As a member of Reapers, who could be considered a motif of demon hunters, he was even more immersed than others. If there was no one around, at least if someone knew his usual bluntness, they would have been surprised to see him shed tears.

    But not only demons but also most of the people watching the performance were sobbing or feeling sad. It attested to how terrifyingly powerful the performance was in its expression and delivery.

    It would have been nice if the performance had ended like this, but¡­

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    Gartz¡¯s expression froze as someone was detected by the security magic installed in the mansion. Detecting it wasn¡¯t a problem, but someone intruding was a problem.

    If it were Isaac¡¯s family, it could have been easily overlooked, but currently, all of his family members are watching the performance. So, it means that a stranger has entered without permission.

    Even the knights sent from the pce are strictly forbidden to enter a personal bedroom, so unless it¡¯s an intruder, it won¡¯t be detected by the security magic.

    ¡°¡­Son of a bitch.¡±

    Gartz cursed with sincerity and flew towards the mansion. He was curious about who the one who interrupted this moment just before the highlight was.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 105: Insurance (1)

    At the time when the performance had just started, at the Michelle Mansion. A team of knights dispatched from the pce was on high alert, boasting an irond security. With the exhibition taking ce in Michelle¡¯s territory, it is only natural to be suspicious and be prepared for any contingencies.

    The knights are deployed roughly as follows: two guards stationed in front of each family member¡¯s bedroom door, as well as the entrance to the office or basement where important documents or items are stored.

    Although only a few people are guarding the mansion, they are the knights personally appointed by Leort, the brother of Rina. They are so skilled that they are said to have even taken down a dragon, so there was no problem expected.

    ¡°Oh, I want to go to the festival too. I know I can have more fun than anyone else.¡±

    ¡°What can we do? We just have to suck it up.¡±

    However, as they were also human, they couldn¡¯t help but want to participate in the festival. Soldiers are supposed to prioritize their duties, but sometimes they want to refuse orders. Especially when there is a festival right in front of them, it was like a tempting feast.

    ¡°When will the shift change?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s only been 10 minutes since we started working.¡±

    ¡°Ah, darn it.¡±

    The recement guard sighed at the response from the senior guard. It felt like they had been guarding this door for 30 minutes already, but time just wouldn¡¯t pass quickly enough.

    ¡°But why do we have to be on guard for this mansion?¡±

    ¡°Well, there¡¯s an ongoing exhibition in this area, so there could be people who think there¡¯s something worth stealing. We¡¯re here to prevent that. The possibility is low, and I¡¯d rather want to see Baron Hawk once in a while.¡±

    ¡°Is Batod Hawk really that strong?¡±

    At the question from the recement guard, the senior guard thought hard with his arms crossed before speaking.

    ¡°You might not know since you¡¯re young. Have you ever seen someone defeat a dragon alone? You should have seen that person¡¯s figure yourself. Many people wanted to be knights after seeing that figure, just like me.¡±

    ¡°And then regretted it?¡±

    ¡°A little bit.¡±

    No matter where you go, people¡¯s lives are simr, so Isaac would have felt familiar with this scene. The senior and recement guards chatted with each other to make time pass quickly. Of course, it wasn¡¯tziness in their work. While they chatted, they were also searching their surroundings with mana. If a stranger enters within a certain range, they will be detected by their senses, so there won¡¯t be any big problems.

    However, this is only from the perspective of ¡°humans¡±, and it is different for other races, especially demons or elves. If they use magic, they can deceive their senses and even move through space and between spaces to pass through walls.

    ¡°This is not it¡­and this is not it either¡­¡±

    In the office where Michelle family¡¯s head, Hawk, handles his affairs, Rain was rummaging through the desk, with only moonlight shining in the room.

    Even though two knights were on guard duty at the entrance of the office, they didn¡¯t notice that there was an intruder inside.

    It¡¯s natural because the intruder was not a human, but a different race, a Dark Elf who are not well known externally. Elves are inherently specialized in magic, but Dark Elves¡¯ ability to hide is several times above that.

    If an ordinary thief hides his body, he would at least be detected by detection techniques or magic, but the Dark Elf¡¯s concealment is on a different level.

    It makes it feel like they¡¯ve disappeared altogether, blending into the space. To detect a skilled Dark Elf¡¯s concealment, at least the level of a knightmander is required from a human perspective.

    But even that is just ¡°detection¡±, and Dark Elves are almost never caught off guard because they are all seasoned warriors who have gone through hell and back.

    ¡°Is it not here either?¡±

    Dark Elf Rain, who came as Arwen¡¯s escort, expressed doubt while returning all the documents she had investigated to their original state.

    What she is currently looking for is surprisingly the draft of Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    As the performance was about to begin, the words spoken by the red-haired man who had approached Arwen came to mind.

    <i>¡®Xenon is the pen name of the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography. And that red-haired man imed he was Xenon himself.¡¯</i>

    When Isaac and Marie were talking to each other. Isaac whispered, but her keen senses as a skilled dark elf made it sound vividly clear.

    At first, Rain was wary, thinking that the man had approached Arwen with impure intentions, but she had gained unexpected information.

    <i>¡®He was certainly not an ordinary human.¡¯</i>

    He boasted a decent appearance and excellent knowledge for a human, but it was not something to be impressed by for Rain. However, the demon who was suspected to be close to Isaac was the most concerning.

    What could he possibly have to attract such a strong being, especially a demon who was discriminated against as a demon until the publication of Xenon¡¯s Biography?

    Although he seemed like an ordinary human on the surface, everything would change if he was the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography. If he was really Xenon, it would exin why the demon was fond of him.

    That means the demon woman must also know that Isaac is Xenon. This is also a spection, but it feels like the puzzle pieces were falling into ce, and she was getting more and more convinced.

    <i>¡®I need evidence. Evidence.¡¯</i>

    Therefore, Rain broke into this mansion to find evidence that Isaac is Xenon.

    If she finds a manuscript here, it will prove that Isaac is Xenon, and she can report it to Arwen afterwards.

    Last time, I unknowingly stole the draft and got scolded by Arwen, and even receivedints from the elder. I had only tried to make Arwen happy, but the result worked in an unfavorable direction.

    Therefore, I must find some evidence as a sign of reflection. If I find evidence, I could not only return the stolen draft secretly, but also have various options.

    Of course, I won¡¯t steal it but only confirm its existence. I have realized firsthand how much impact the draft of Xenon¡¯s Biography has, as I was scolded severely. I won¡¯t make foolish choices again.

    <i>¡®Fortunately, the security of the mansion is quitex.¡¯</i>

    Fortunately, the mansion¡¯s boundaries were rtivelyx from Rain¡¯s perspective. Although there was a security magic in ce, it was not difficult to ovee with the power of a Dark Elf.

    However, Rain was cautious when using magic to pass through the wall. An exceptionally perceptive human might be able to detect it.

    <i>¡®Everything here has been searched¡­ There are so many rooms, it¡¯s confusing.¡¯</i>

    Rain scratched her head in embarrassment.

    Thanks to Arwen¡¯s support, she was gaining experience, but this was her first time breaking into a human mansion, so she had no idea about the structure. Even after meticulously investigating each room, she was only met with disappointment, bing increasingly frustrated.

    <i>¡®What¡¯s next¡­¡¯</i>

    She looked at the wall instead of the door. There was no need to go outside since passing through the wall was enough.

    Eventually, Rain confirmed that there was no evidence rted to Xenon¡¯s Biography after examining the documents again. She walked slowly towards the wall.

    If an ordinary person were to encounter a wall, they would not be able to pass through it. But she was a dark elf, and a wall was no obstacle for her. With a simple spell, she could easily pass through it. Blink, a short-range teleportation magic, allowed her to move through short distances with an instant.

    With a snap of her fingers, she moved through the wall and took in the entire room. If it had been an office a moment ago, now it looked like a lounge where guests stayed.

    <i>¡®There doesn¡¯t seem to be anything here.¡¯</i>

    She thought as she scanned the room quickly. She then moved on to the next room, repeating the process until she finally arrived in someone¡¯s bedroom.

    It seemed like the room belonged to a single person, not a couple. The room was sparsely decorated, with a faint smell of musty books and a man¡¯s musk still lingering in the air.

    <i>¡®This must be the room of the red-haired guy.¡¯</i>

    Unlike a women¡¯s rooms, there was no pleasant aroma in this one.

    Rain had only met Isaac and had not yet met his brother, Bryce. However, she could sense the book¡¯s scent emanating from the room, which gave her the conviction that she was in the right ce. This scent was unmistakably like Arwen¡¯s.

    Excitedly, she looked around the room. The bed, dressing table, and desk were small, but there were countless bookshelves in the room. As expected, there were more books in this room than in other rooms. Rain approached the desk, realizing that Isaac loved books as much as Arwen did.

    <i>¡®This must be the room with the red-haired guy.¡¯</i>

    Rain discovered the book on the desk and became convinced once again. It was the book that Arwen had rmended at the bookstore. All that remained now was to search the desk for the manuscript.

    Without even realizing that she had been caught by magic, she began to search through the drawers of the desk. She first looked at the drawers that were exposed, but of course, nothing came out. In most cases, they werepletely empty, as if nothing had ever been ced inside.

    <i>¡®Then what¡¯s left¡­¡¯</i>

    Only the drawer that was tightly locked with a lock remained. Rain stared at the drawer with a suspicious look. She couldn¡¯t believe that the manuscript, which could be designated as a national treasure and even treated as a relic by demons, was sleeping inside this flimsy lock.

    It was too shoddy, even for its appearance. So, she began to suspect whether it really was there, but she couldn¡¯t ignore it.

    Besides, it was easy to unlock since it was sealed with a lock.

    Rain crouched down and grabbed the lock with her hand. She didn¡¯t need a key or any magic. It was a very simple lock that could be easily unlocked through mana.

    Click-

    The lock that had sealed the drawer for less than ten seconds was unlocked. After checking several times for other devices, Rain carefully removed the lock. The drawer was nowpletely exposed.

    She looked around before slowly opening the drawer. And when she discovered a pile of manuscripts, a smile spread across Rain¡¯s face. She couldn¡¯t believe it, but it was true. She had finally found the manuscript she had been looking for.

    <i>¡®Is this really it? Is it really the manuscript?¡¯</i>

    Rain excitedly pulled out the manuscript from the top with excitement. It perfectly matched the introduction of the recently published Kair Chronicles. This proved that Isaac was the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography, and there was no need to confirm it separately because the handwriting in the first manuscript was the same.

    <i>¡®Thank goodness. The Queen can be relieved now.¡¯</i>

    Although she knew that breaking into someone else¡¯s mansion was not the right thing to do, she hoped that she could alleviate the burden she had been carrying. As Rain breathed a sigh of relief and was about to put the manuscript back where it was, she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her back, as if someone had stabbed her with a knife.

    THUD!

    ¡°Kheuk!¡±

    Before she could react, she was thrown to the ground and pinned down.

    She struggled to free herself, but she couldn¡¯t move her body. Her neck was the connecting link between her brain and body, and someone had undoubtedly paralyzed it with mana.

    <i>¡®This can¡¯t be happening. Who could¡­?¡¯ </i>

    Only the most skilled warriors among the Dark Elves could possess such power. As someone with little experience in the world, Rain was stunned. Just as she was trying to turn her head to see who had subdued her, the person who had pinned her down whispered softly

    ¡°It¡¯s the one who was with that elf.¡±

    ¡°Ughhh¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you have a hobby of raiding other people¡¯s mansions?¡±

    It was Gartz, the guard knight of Princess Cecily. You couldn¡¯t see because he was wearing a mask, but he was currently in a very bad mood.

    First, he was angry that intruders had entered the ce designated by Cecily, and second, he was angry because he had missed the highlight because of Rain.

    Although he covered his mouth area with a mask, his tightly squeezed eyebrows showed how ufortable he was.

    [Your Highness, there is an intruder in the mansion, a Dark Elf. How should we handle it?]

    After easily suppressing Rain with a surprise attack, Gartz sent a message to Cecily through telepathy. Cecily had instructed him to handle any intruders that appeared as he pleased, but the situation was different with the Dark Elves.

    The rtionship between the demons and the Dark Elves could not be described as good or bad. However, the moment they mess with the Dark Elves, things be troublesome.

    The Dark Elf warriors were all as powerful as the Reapers, and from the perspective of Helium, who needed to cultivate both diplomacy and substance, it was a rather difficult position.

    Although they were exiles who had fallen out of Alvenheim, the fact that they were with an elf named Arwen was suspicious.

    [That¡¯s the child who was with the Elf Queen, right?]

    Cecily, who had been focused on the performance, replied to Gartz¡¯s report. She also noticed that Arwen was the queen of Alvenheim.

    In response, Gartz squeezed Rain¡¯s neck even harder, who was trying to find a way to escape and replied.

    [Yes, that¡¯s right.]

    [Figure out why they intruded into that mansion and what their purpose was, and Bk will take care of the rest. This is entirely their fault, so they won¡¯t be able toin.]

    [Understood.]

    [Oh, and don¡¯t handle it in the mansion. Deal with it outside so that blood won¡¯t stter and make Isaac suspicious for no reason.]

    Cecily fully trusted Gartz, so she gave him simple instructions and refocused on the performance. Unless it was urgent, she had no reason to go to the mansion since the highlight would be unfolding soon.

    Gartz looked down at Rain as soon as hismunication with Cecily was cut off. She was nowpletely exhausted and had stopped resisting, trembling with fear.

    The sight of a young child trembling in distress was enough to evoke sympathy, but it meant nothing to Gartz. Beings like dark elves, who were shunned by those around them along with demons, have always been prone tomitting acts of violence since childhood.

    Therefore, Rain should not be seen as a young child, but as a warrior. Unfortunately, due tock of experience, this situation had arisen.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask you once. Why did you intrude here?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Rain trembled at Gartz¡¯s dry question and couldn¡¯t say anything due to the fear of death she was experiencing for the first time in her life.

    But Gartz continued to press her even harder and threatened her with a cold voice.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t answer from now on, I¡¯ll cut off each of your fingers one by one.¡±

    ¡°Bea-because I¡¯m looking for something¡­¡±

    ¡°Looking for something?¡±

    ¡°A manuscript¡­¡±

    At the word ¡°manuscript,¡± Gartz shifted his gaze to the papers that had been clenched in her hand. Though it appeared to be an ordinary manuscript, the fact that she had broken into the mansion during the performance meant that it must be significant. With one hand still pressed against her throat, Gartz retrieved the manuscript.

    As he began to read through the pages, his eyes widened. Having recently read the Kair Chronicles, he recognized the type of manuscript that this was.

    <i>¡®¡­I understand now why the princess is fond of that person.¡¯</i>

    But what could he do? Although he was a fan of Xenon¡¯s Biography, he was currently on a mission. Nevertheless, the manuscript was still a valuable treasure to the demons, so he carefully ced it on the ground. He nned to retrieve it politely after dealing with the ck elf.

    ¡°What were you nning to do with this manuscript?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±

    Rain hesitated to answer, clearly reluctant to reveal her intentions. At the same time, Gartz¡¯s expression grew fierce as he drew the dagger from his hip.

    As the dagger reflected the moonlight, Rain was ovee with fear and began to plead for her life. Despite her rigorous training from childhood, she was powerless in the face of death.

    ¡°¡­so, you were the one who stole the manuscript.¡±

    Only the opposite effect urred. It was merely circumstantial evidence that the Dark Elf had stolen the manuscript, and there was no actual proof. However, with Rain¡¯s testimony, it became certain that the theft of the manuscript was significant, whether it was an unintended act or something that urred in Alvenheim.

    <i>¡®How can such an unreliable girl be a bodyguard¡­ It seems like she¡¯s close to the queen too¡­¡¯</i>

    Even if they hade secretly without making an official statement, they were unqualified in many ways. Be it the lord who had to be protected had acted unterally, and the bodyguard who acted on her own, everyone was disqualified.

    Gartz looked at Rain, who was trembling with fear, with a pitiful look, and then put a dagger on his waist. The n was to escape from the mansion first and then deal with it in a remote ce.

    It was at that moment when Gartz let his guard down to use magic.

    Shing-

    Suddenly, a silver dagger was aimed at Gartz¡¯s throat with no warning signs. The dark surface of the de reflected the moonlight, emitting a bright light.

    Who could it be to evade Gartz¡¯s security magic and senses? Gartz silently stared at the dagger that was close to his throat.

    ¡°Alright¡­¡±

    He slowly turned his head. Even as he turned his head, the dagger pointed at his throat did not move at all.

    Soon, Gartz faced a pair of golden eyes that shone even in the darkness. The owner wore a mask, just like himself, but he could be sure that she was a beautiful woman with unusual colors.

    And that¡¯s not all. With her noticeable pale skin and white hair even in the darkness, her pointed ears that were half-cut, and her mature body that showed her adulthood unlike Rain.

    This was the reason why Arwen could be relieved and ensured when she brought Rain. She wouldn¡¯t have brought only a crazy guy as a bodyguard.

    Gartz chuckled at the appearance of another Dark Elf.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 106: Insurance (2)

    Although it was a bedroom lit only by a single moonbeam, Gartz quickly scanned the appearance of the Dark Elf who appeared without any warning.

    As demons had the ability to see in the darkness from birth, such darkness was not a problem for him.

    Unlike the young Rain, she had a mature figure, entuated by her clothes, and her white hair and golden eyes contrasting with her dark skin caught his attention.

    Finally, her ears, which seemed to be cut halfway, had earrings hanging from them.

    ording to rumors, dark elves had a custom of wearing more earrings when they reached a certain age. While Rain had nothing in her ears, the woman in front of him had exactly three earrings.

    At least it meant that the probability of her being a trained warrior was high, unlike Rain. She wasn¡¯t an easy opponent, having approached unnoticed with both magic and senses.

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s better to let go of that hand.¡±

    As the tense standoff continued for a while, the woman stepped closer with her dagger and spoke coolly in a husky but low tone, indirectly revealing her maturity as an adult. Her glittering golden eyes were filled with deep malice. If Isaac¡¯s eyes shone brightly, then Siris¡¯ eyes glowed threateningly like a beast.

    However, Gartz remained unwavering, even as the dagger came closer to his neck. Instead, he smirked and spoke in a tone of disbelief.

    ¡°You dark elves all have some strange hobbies. One steals things and the other just watches quietly.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°This voice¡­ Siris? Siris Noona?¡±

    Rain, who was still being choked by Gartz, wriggled and asked urgently. It seemed that the new dark elf who had appeared was named Siris. Judging by Rain¡¯s recognition, she must have known her. Gartz predicted their rtionship but it wasn¡¯t important right now.

    What was important was how to deal with Rain and prepare for any contingencies. First and foremost, he nned to avoidbat as much as possible now that Sirius had appeared.

    <i>¡®The relic cannot be damaged at all.¡¯</i>

    Once he was certain that the manuscript was one of Xenon¡¯s Biographies, he knew that even the slightest damage would be uneptable. It was a national treasure for the demons, designated for protection over generations.

    To achieve that, he needed to understand Siris¡¯ motives and decide how to handle Rain. Therefore, Gartz tightened his grip on Rain¡¯s neck even further.

    ¡°Ouch¡­!¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t let go of that hand right now, there won¡¯t be a good oue.¡±

    It is estimated that Siris, a dark elf, is closely rted to Rain. As soon as Gartz pressured her more, Siris¡¯s will started to slowly diminish. Despite her terrifyingly powerful aura, Gartz remained calm andposed. Even if it appears that he is at a disadvantage, he still firmly holds the upper hand.

    Above all, if Rain¡¯s slender neck were to be crushed, it would snap easily without any resistance. Cecily has already heard the details of the situation, so he can trust her with the aftermath.

    Although there will be a great war between dark elves and demons, he is a Reaper who protects Helium. He is willing to sacrifice his life for the cause.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know who¡¯s holding the knife right now. If you remove the sword that¡¯s against my neck, I¡¯ll let you go.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°And don¡¯t you understand the situation? This is entirely the fault of this bastard, and I had to subdue her to prevent it. Can¡¯t you see it as self-defense?¡±

    As Gartz pointed out one fact after another, Siris narrowed her eyes. She couldn¡¯t deny the undeniable truth. This was an incident where Rain had intruded into someone else¡¯s mansion without permission. Although he bent the logic a bit, even Siris couldn¡¯t deny the facts.

    ¡°Above all, do you know what this kid was trying to steal? You wouldn¡¯t im you don¡¯t know, now would you.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take your silence as a yes. As you know, this is a gift from God to us demons. Stealing it is a sin punishable by death.¡±

    ¡°Ugh, I didn¡¯t intend to steal it! I just wanted to confirm¡­! Ack!¡±

    Rain appealed with her sense of injustice, but Gartz responded by pressing his hand around her neck. With a cold gaze, he opened his mouth and spoke in a chilling tone.

    ¡°You should at least make your nonsense somewhat usible. Even if that were the case, your actions are inexcusable. What you did is no different from dering war on our Helium. And on top of that, you previously stole the first draft, so you don¡¯t even have a good excuse.¡±

    ¡°I-I did it to please the queen¡­¡±

    ¡°You knew one thing and pretended not to know the other. I can clearly see how Dark Elves are educated.¡±

    Despite the barrage of facts, Siris did not even attempt to refute them. Or rather, she couldn¡¯t.

    Rain had stolen the first draft purely out of good intentions, and since then, she had been working to return it. Up until then, Siris had watched in silence, even though Rain¡¯s methods were wrong, the fact that she was willing to take responsibility wasmendable.

    And if Rain had tried to steal the draft, Siris would have immediately stopped her. Thest time had ended with a light punishment, but if she had made another mistake this time, she would have faced severe consequences.

    Fortunately, it seems that she had no intention of stealing the draft, but due to the situation going awry, they ended up in this predicament. It was suspicious enough that this room alone had a highly advanced security magic system installed, but it was toote to do anything about it.

    In that case, there was only one thing that Siris could do. She looked at Rain that was stuck in the floor with aplicated expression before slowly pulling back her dagger.

    ¡°¡­What do you want?¡±

    ¡°I guess we can finallymunicate.¡±

    The power dynamic hadpletely shifted now. Gartz, hiding his mouth behind the mask, slightly raised the corners of his lips.

    Then he slowly released the pressure on Rain¡¯s neck and turned to Siris.

    ¡°As much as I¡¯d like to take the life of this trembling little brat¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s absolutely not happening.¡±

    ¡°Fine. That¡¯s how it¡¯s going to be.¡±

    Gartz shrugged as if he had expected this much. The one who was getting more and more anxious was Siris.

    Rain was the link to the Elven Queen, Arwen. Arwen is trying to ept the Dark Elves who have been rejected so far, and the first step was to be Rain¡¯s patron.

    However, given the current situation, that step was already faltering. And it was all Rain¡¯s fault, not Arwen¡¯s.

    Although their homnd had abandoned them, the Dark Elves still had feelings for their homnd. If they could not return to Alvenheim during Arwen¡¯s reign, they might have to wait until the next generation.

    [How do we handle this, Your Highness?]

    [Hmm¡­]

    While Siris was feeling anxious inside, Gartz conveyed the current situation to Cecily telepathically. He was giving her updates as he talked with Siris.

    Even Cecily, who was focused on the performance, became serious as the situation became moreplicated. The highlight of the show wasing up soon, but the treatment of the Dark Elves was even more important.

    [Even if it¡¯s a child, wrong is wrong. If you don¡¯t want to take responsibility for the kid, then hand them over to an adult, right?]

    [But these people are Dark Elves. They could sharpen their knives in their hearts.]

    (Tl note: Sharpen a knife in your heart ¨C to n to get a revenge)

    [Our reaction will depend on who the knife is pointed at. If it¡¯s pointed at the Benefactor, everything will spread anyway, whether we hide or not.. Then¡­ you know what will happen, right?]

    Cecily didn¡¯t say anything else, but Gartz caught on to what she was trying to say.

    Xenon¡¯s Biography isn¡¯t even finished yet, but it¡¯s causing a huge sensation around the world. Just taking a break has caused continent wide protests, but if the culprit is exposed here?

    Not only would Alvenheim face a terrifying diplomatic pressure, but there¡¯s also a high chance of a war breaking out the moment today¡¯s incident is revealed. Of course, if Isaac asks for the war to stop, it will stop immediately, but it still means the situation is serious.

    Gartz realized Cecily¡¯s intentions and looked at Siris. She still had a cold expression, but a hint of unease was nted in her golden eyes.

    ¡°What we want is simple. If you don¡¯t want to sacrifice this girl¡¯s life, then give us an equivalent price. Surely you won¡¯t act shamelessly after making such a mistake?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Deliver this message to the queen. When all the performances are over and we return to Helium, tell her toe to Helium with this little one. I won¡¯t ept the queen¡¯s apology. Apologies should be made to our benefactor, not us. If you take responsibility, that¡¯ll be the end of it.¡±

    Even if Arwen kneels down and apologizes to Cecily, it won¡¯t mean much. Their main concern is protecting the manuscript, and the one who suffered the most was Isaac.

    Therefore, this is a kind of threatening deal. If Arwen and the Dark Elves punish Rain, everything will be fine. But if not, they will tell Isaac everything.

    If that happens¡­ the result is predictable. They¡¯ll go to the brink of war and Alvenheim will suffer diplomatically and, furthermore, rtionship will be damaged between the Elves and the Dark Elves. As a dark elf, she wanted to prevent that. But then another problem arises.

    <i>¡®If I do this, Rain will¡­¡¯</i>

    Just as there arews in Alvenheim, there are also ¡°rules¡± in the Dark Elf society. If it¡¯s a minor issue, they may be forced to fast or get punished for a few days, but this is a serious issue that could affect the fate of their entire race.

    And not only Rain, but Arwen will also suffer greatly. Arwen, who usually had a soft spot for Rain due to her mission to harmonize with the Dark Elves, was now in the worst possible situation.

    Within the Dark Elf society, she¡¯ll have to spend at least a few hundred years in prison, and for Arwen, she¡¯ll have to expel Rain to cleanse herself from responsibility.

    [ept the proposal.]

    ¡°?!¡±

    When Siris was biting her lips hard under the mask, struggling with her thoughts, Arwen, who had been silently observing the situation with magic, sent her a telepathic message.

    Siris was momentarily surprised by Arwen¡¯s sudden voice, but then she was surprised again when Arwen had given her permission, seeming exhausted.

    [Your Majesty? Since when¡­]

    [I detected it with magic when you and Rain didn¡¯t return for a long time¡­ I never imagined that there would be the author in this territory. It¡¯s my mistake.]

    It was a shock for Arwen. First, she was shocked by the fact that the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography was Isaac, and then she couldn¡¯t help but be shaken by the fact that Rain had infiltrated to confirm the author.

    She intervened to calm the situation down, but she knew that there would be a terrible storming soon. It was better to quickly sort out the situation and leave.

    [B-But¡­]

    [No. This is our mistake, Rain¡¯s and mine. We will prepare to return to Alvenheim immediately, so bring Rain back as soon as possible.]

    [¡­I understand.]

    It seemed that Arwen had made her decision. Siris put away her daggerpletely and looked at Gartz.

    ¡°¡­I ept your proposal.¡±

    ¡°A wise decision.¡±

    Click-

    When Siris stated Arwen¡¯s decision, Gartz released his grip on Rain¡¯s neck. Of course, he didn¡¯t forget to press his thumb on the back of her neck as he let go. It was the coordinates for Helium for future contact. Therefore, Arwen had to mobilize Rain as well to get to Helium.

    ¡°Oh, noona¡­¡±

    As Rain was freed, she ran to Siris, clinging to her arm and sobbing. Siris looked at her with a stern expression, her eyes shining with pity.

    Does she know the pain she will have to endure in the future? Even if she was a child, she had unleashed a weapon of mass destruction, and there were rules to atone for that sin waiting for Rain.

    Siris gently stroked Rain¡¯s dark hair and then turned to Gartz, speaking in her characteristic low and husky voice.

    ¡°We will keep the promise. When is the time?¡±

    ¡°Princess said exactly one week from now. Punish the brat by then and let us know.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    ¡°Now get out of here. You¡¯d better not set foot here again. I¡¯ll cut your life short.¡±

    Siris, with Rain in tow, slowly backed away from Gartz¡¯s intimidating presence. They melted into the darkness that not even the moonlight shone upon and disappearedpletely.

    A perfect stealth technique that couldn¡¯t be detected even by detection magic, unlike Rain¡¯s. Gartz couldn¡¯t help but be amazed at the terrifying ability of the dark elves.

    [Sigh¡­ It¡¯s finally over.]

    [Good job. Clean up ande back now.]

    Gartz reported to Cecily onest time. After hearing Cecily¡¯s encouragement, he thought deeply about something and suddenly became curious, asking her.

    [Um¡­ it¡¯s a trivial matter, but what happened to the performance now?]

    [Huh? It¡¯s already over, why?]

    [¡­ ¡­]

    [You should have seen it. It was too bad. At the end, the choir sang together and it gave me chills all over my body. I want to see it again.]

    He should have killed those half-eared bastards. Gartz swallowed his anger, grinding his teeth.

    But he restrained his anger through his honed self-control. Then he bent down to tidy up the manuscript lying on the floor.

    <i>¡®Fortunately, it¡¯s not wrinkled. But just in case, I should use restoration magic¡­¡¯</i>

    Gartz stopped tidying up the manuscript and hesitated. If this is really where Xenon¡¯s Biography is written, there might be unpublished manuscripts.

    Although Isaac had decided to take a break, there is a high possibility that he wrote another book like a side story.

    <i>¡®¡­ No, I can¡¯t. I have to endure it.¡¯</i>

    If it were an ordinary person, they would not have been able to bear it and would have searched for the manuscript by now, but Gartz was a member of the Reapers, a demon with exceptional patience that was second to none. He shook his head, suppressing his strong desire to find the manuscript.

    For now, the priority was to carefully store the rough draft that was about to be a mess into his desk drawer. After all, the new book would be released in a few years anyway, so he just had to wait patiently until then.

    <i>¡®But it¡¯s not really good to just keep it locked up with just a lock¡­ I should suggest it to the princess.¡¯</i>

    There was no guarantee that such a situation would not happen again. Above all, people who were beginning to grasp Isaac¡¯s identity were appearing one by one.

    As Gartz, who had faced the situation head-on, he couldn¡¯t help feeling a little uneasy. He returned the rough draft to its original position, firmly sealed it with a lock, and stood up from his seat.

    Thud!

    ¡°Ouch!¡±

    Perhaps because he got up in a hurry, Gartz let out a small sound as his head hit the corner of the desk.

    Even though he was a demon with excellent physical abilities, he couldn¡¯t avoid being hit by the corner of the desk.

    Luckily, he had already cast a soundproofing spell, so the knights outside didn¡¯t hear him. But he had to grit his teeth against the stinging pain for a while.

    ¡°Ugh¡­ how annoying¡­¡±

    It was an unlucky day for Gartz.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 107: After the Performance (1)

    The stage where a tense battle is taking ce is reaching its climax. Sakran was exerting all his power, now exhausted, to pressure Xenon, and Xenon is also giving his all to give Sakran eternal rest.

    At one point, when it seemed that Xenon was losing ground, a demon presumed to be Jin btedly joined in. Since Volume 5, Xenon and Jin have fought together as a duo, so it was the perfect timing.

    ¡°Huaaaaa!¡±

    Finally, Sakran started to release all the devil¡¯s power that he had been suppressing. The ck energy began to flow out of him, showing how much power he had been restraining.

    Along with this, Xenon and Jin also opened up all their power in preparation for the battle. Eventually, when Sakran finished his devilization and ran towards them, as the Lirus Orchestra performed another piece.

    The high-pitched sound of the violin concluded it just like before, but then a new song followed.

    -Ah, demons. Those who were born in darkness and crave for light.

    The solemn and mournful chorus of the choir that had been waiting silently until now. At the same time, the final battle continued, directly expressing what ¡°Life¡± is.

    I sincerely admired the coboration between the theater and the choir, and the preparedness of the Lirus Orchestra. I now understand why Lirus said that it was just a taste.

    How much effort did they put into showing this coboration? As someone who only writes, I dare not even imagine.

    -We will ovee the waves of tragedy and share our will.

    -Resist the darkness and move towards the light.

    -O God, grant us hope.

    -O God, grant us rest.

    -May we hope to die as humans.

    -Aaaaaaaah.

    The choir continued slowly, ending with a chorus that sounded like a scream. Despite this, the Lirus Orchestra responded by repeating the chorus once more.

    Usually, during a battle, one cannot take their eyes off the intense situation. However, this stage was so engrossing, as if it contained a person¡¯s entire life, that one could not take their eyes away even for a moment. The immersion was beyond terrifying, and it made one wonder how these two groups were a gathering of the most talented individuals in this era. With this level of skill, they could have easily dominated the cultural world even in my past life.

    Thunk!

    ¡°Kuhh! Kuuaaahhh¡­¡±

    The tragic battle that had made their palms sweaty was finallying to an end. Thanks to Jin¡¯s efforts, Xenon had discovered a gap and deeply sliced into Sakran¡¯s torso with his diagonal attack. Due to the umted damage, despite the demon¡¯s regenerative abilities, the wound on Sakran¡¯s body had not healed. Xenon did not miss this opportunity.

    After tightly gripping his sword with both hands, he urately stabbed the struggling Sakran¡¯s heart with it.

    Puuuuck!

    ¡°¡­Cough!¡±

    Sakran coughed up ck blood as the sword had been plunged into his heart. Trembling, he looked at the sword piercing his heart and then lifted his head up calmly.

    As Sakran raised his head, Xenon met his gaze and, maintaining a stern expression, forcefully removed the sword that had pierced his heart. With a sound, ck blood spurted out.

    Thump!

    ¡°Sakran!¡±

    ¡°Sir Sakran!¡±

    Sakran was a hero who had protected the demons, even if he had be a devil himself. The demons who had been watching the battle rushed towards Sakran when he fell to his knees.

    However, they too must have known that there was no hope for Sakran once the sword had pierced his heart. He would ultimately die as a devil.

    And no one knew this better than Sakran himself. Coughing up ck blood, he barely lifted his head and looked at theplex expressions of those around him before speaking in a whisper.

    ¡°Hunters¡­ remember this¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Do not be afraid to be a devil yourself to protect those who are precious to you.¡±

    Sakran was a person who had sacrificed himself to protect those who were precious to him, even if he had to be a devil. He was worried about his fellow demons until his veryst moments.

    How noble and sacred this destiny is. It¡¯s my own character, but there are not many people as dedicated as Sakran. As tears inexplicably welled up in my eyes, I wiped them away with the back of my hand, and Sarkran spoke in a strained voice.

    ¡°That is the true courage and sacrifice of a human¡­ I am dying as a human, not a devil.¡±

    Sakran¡¯s sacrifice has an enormous impact on the protagonist and hispanions, particrly Jin. In thetter half of the story, in order topletely obliterate the soul of the Great Devil, Jin willingly sacrifices himself.

    In essence, Sakran¡¯s tragedy indirectly expresses Jin¡¯s fate and can be considered a kind of foretelling. As the story progresses, Jin frequently thinks about Sakran.

    Anyway, that¡¯s the end of Sakran¡¯s sacrifice. Shortly after turning into bright particles and approaching the end of his life, Sakran asked Xenon.

    ¡°Young man¡­ I have one question.¡±

    As the original work did not have such a conversation and Sakran was only meant to disappear without a word, as the original author, I was slightly taken aback. I wonder how other people might feel about it.

    Meanwhile, half of Sakran¡¯s body turned into light and dispersed into the air. However, he exerted his will and asked Xenon the question he wanted to ask.

    ¡°Do I¡­ look like a devil?¡±

    ¡°¡­No.¡±

    Xenon, momentarily surprised by Sakran¡¯s question, shook his head vigorously without hesitation and delivered beautiful words to him in a firm voice while staring directly at Sakran, who was gradually disappearing.

    ¡°You are more human than anyone else. Sakran.¡±

    ¡°¡­Hahaha.¡±

    Sakran¡¯sughter sounded somewhat relieved. In the original work, Sakran neverughed.

    But when someone like himughed, it felt like he had let go of everything. It was an amazing character interpretation even for the original author.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a relief¡­¡±

    Finally, Sakran slowly raised his head to the sky and muttered¡­

    ¡°I¡¯m really¡­ d¡­¡±

    He smiled happier than anyone else and became a particle of light,pletely disappearing.

    Shaaaahhh-

    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±

    When I was staring nkly at the stage, even transcending the original work, something fell from the sky. I regained my senses and looked up.

    Light was falling like snowkes. It was not a metaphorical expression, but the light was really falling from the sky like snowkes.

    As if particles of light that urred when Sakran disappeared were falling, the sight of the light fluttering like flower petals from the audience seats was truly magnificent.

    ¡°ah¡­¡±

    ¡°wow¡­¡±

    Not only me but also the women sitting on both sides of me had a mesmerized expression on their faces, each showing a different reaction to the beautiful performance.

    Marie blinked her eyes and reached out her hand towards the light, while Cecily neatly sped her hands together to catch the light on her palms. I also tried to make the light descend onto my palm, but it turned into dust and scattered into the air. As the light disappeared, I lifted my head and faced the beautiful sight once again.

    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful¡­¡±

    What kind of director was he, to show such breathtaking beauty until the very end? How much preparation did he have to make to prepare for such an unrealistic performance in the scientificallycking medieval era? Even if he was just a visionary ahead of his time, there was no exnation of his brilliance.

    p ¨C p ¨C p ¨C

    When everyone was so mesmerized that they couldn¡¯t even react, someone started to apud. Then, one by one, others began to p as if they were possessed by the sound of the apuse.

    p p p p ¨C

    At first, the apuse sounded small, but it gradually grew louder.

    p p p p!

    ¡°Woo-hoo!¡±

    ¡°Awesome!¡±

    ¡°The best! The best!¡±

    After a moment, the sound of thunder grew to a size that could make it go far away. It wasn¡¯t a simple apuse, but a standing ovation from all the audience, which added cheers and created a fanatical atmosphere.

    I also stood up slowly and pped my hands, but with a soulless feeling. I couldn¡¯t distinguish if I was dreaming or if this world was Earth because the directing was so great. It was an indescribable emotion to see such performance not in a movie, but in a y.

    ¡°That¡¯s really amazing. How did they create such a stage?¡±

    ¡°Oh, it was really cool¡­¡±

    Marie and Cecily gave their evaluations while apuding. Marie was impressed, while Cecily wiped her tears with my handkerchief and was sobbing.

    <i>¡®Are they really a reincarnated person like me?¡¯</i>

    Of course, even if Christopher Nn or Steven Spielberg were reincarnated, it¡¯s doubtful they could direct such a performance. As Cecily mentioned, the scene where the devils poured out was done with magic.

    This means that there are members who are proficient in magic, but it was strange why a magician would participate in a y. Whether it was through persuasion or if the magician was the director, there was no doubt that their ability was remarkable.

    p, p, p, p¡­

    The apuse that felt like it would never stop gradually became less frequent as time went on. The light that was falling from the sky had also almost stopped.

    After the apuse had nearly died down, at a moment when Lirus, who had been conducting ¡®Life¡¯ until the end, turned around and spoke to the audience.

    ¡°Did everyone enjoy the show? I may be biased, but I can say with confidence that it was undoubtedly a moving performance. I myself was impressed after seeing a y by the Matrics theater group when I was coborating with them.¡±

    Lirus humbly conveyed all the credit to the Matrics theater group, but in reality, the performance by the Lirus orchestra was also outstanding and certainly not inferior.

    If wepare it to cooking, the Matrics theater group¡¯s performance was the main dish, and the Lirus orchestra¡¯s performance was the sugar, salt, and various spices used to add vor. If the ¡®Life¡¯ had continued without the orchestra¡¯s performance, there would have been a sense of dullness.

    ¡°It was truly an honor to be able to show you this performance. I am Lirus, the conductor of the Lirus orchestra, and I will continue to present wonderful performances.¡±

    After finishing his words to the audience, Lirus politely bowed with a slight bend at the waist. As expected, thunderous apuse erupted when he bowed.

    Now that Lirus had taken his bow, it was time for the Matrics theater group to appear. As soon as I had that thought, the actors began to appear one by one from behind the orchestra.

    Thump, thump, thump¡­

    ¡­except for one person who slowly walked to the center of the stage. I looked at the man with a curious expression, unable to recognize his face since he was wearing a robe that covered it. However, judging from his sturdy build, he seemed to be a man. But he exuded an indescribable sense of gloom and ambiance, and certainly did not look like an actor.

    I wasn¡¯t the only one who thought that way. The audience around me started murmuring with questions about who he was, and some even expected another y to unfold.

    I too had simr feelings, so I was slightly looking forward to what would unfold.

    ¡°¡­Ahem.¡±

    In the meantime, a man who arrived at the center of the stage refreshed the atmosphere with a cough. Naturally, the audience¡¯s roar also stopped.

    Then he looked around the left-center and, after coughing again, he slowly opened his mouth with a low-pitched voice.

    ¡°Hello, everyone. Nice to meet you. I am Scar, the director of the Matrics theater group.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°The director?¡±

    ¡°Is that for real?¡±

    The audience¡¯s roar grew much louder at this shocking deration. Not only the audience, but I was also equally bewildered.

    Until now, the director of the Matrics theater group had always been a mysterious figure, hiding his identity behind a veil. With such mystique and brilliant performances, they had be world-famous. And even when they made deals with other groups, they sent representatives. Just a few days ago, when the Matrics theater group came to our mansion, theymunicated through a representative, not the director.

    So it was unexpected for him to suddenly reveal himself today. It was undoubtedly a shocking event for everyone, and no one knew the intention behind it.

    ¡°You may all be confused. You must be wondering why the director, who has always hidden his identity, has appeared here. By the way, it is not an impersonation but the real director, so there is no need to doubt.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°The reason why I am showing you my appearance today is simple. I just wanted to ask if you really enjoyed the performance. So, how was it? Did you enjoy the show?¡±

    ¡°¡±¡±Yes!¡±¡±¡±

    The enthusiastic response burst out from the seats of ordinary people, not VIP seats. To maintain their dignity, the VIPs responded with apuse instead of words.

    The director nodded his head, seeming satisfied with the audience¡¯s reaction, and spoke slowly.

    ¡°I¡¯m really relieved to hear that you enjoyed the performance. To be honest, I was a little nervous because I made some modifications to the original work. But I think most of you here love Xenon¡¯s Biography, so you¡¯ll probably know where I made changes.¡±

    He was referring to Sakran¡¯sst will. In fact, the character interpretation was so excellent that it went beyond the original work.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if he¡¯s here, but if Xenon is here, I would like to express my gratitude and apology. He wrote such a wonderful novel, but I was only able to express it in this way. I even interpreted it in my own way.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Not at all. I would rather prostrate myself before him. Only the director could transform a novel that was merely written into such a splendid performance.

    ¡°Until now, my ys could only be seen by wealthy people or nobles. But looking at the audience today¡­ I wondered if this is what a culture that everyone can enjoy looks like. Working with the Lirus Orchestra was also a good experience for me.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ anyway, what I want to say is this.¡±

    Swish-

    After saying that, the director took off the robe that he had been hiding his face in. I was focused on him, so as soon as he took off his robe, I couldn¡¯t help but widen my eyes.

    Because¡­

    ¡°Horns? No way¡­¡±

    ¡°He was a demon?¡±

    ¡°No way¡­¡±

    ck hair, devil horns sticking out of his head, and eyes shining bright red like blood.

    Despite his low and gentle voice, the director, with his cute and innocent appearance, was nothing other than a demon.

    The audience went wild when they found out that the renowned director of the theater was actually a demon. As if he had expected it all, the director smiled wryly and spoke in his usual gentle tone.

    ¡°As you can all see, I am a demon. A demon who was persecuted before Xenon¡¯s Biography appeared in the world.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°But, my dear audience. What did you feel when you saw my performance? You may have been curious about who designed this stage, but you probably never thought it was a demon.¡±

    There was a subtle power in his unique gentle tone. The noisy audience quieted down as soon as the director began to speak, and listened to his story.

    I briefly paused in surprise at the part where the director said she was a demon, then nced at Cecily with a smirk. She didn¡¯t seem particrly surprised, perhaps she had guessed it from the part where she mentioned they used magic.

    ¡°¡­ Sniff.¡±

    She was just crying. I found myself looking at the soaked handkerchief in her hand before looking up again.

    ¡°What kind of race do you think of when you hear the word ¡®demon¡¯? Before the release of Xenon¡¯s Biography, demons were seen as nothing more than devils or ticking time bombs. That¡¯s actually true in some respects. We demons are a race that is born with the tragic fate of always having to struggle against our inner demons.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°But things have changedpletely since the appearance of Xenon¡¯s Biography. Xenon¡¯s Biography gave us demons hope, not despair. It also gave us the courage to move towards the light without fear of the darkness.¡±

    Wow, he¡¯s really eloquent. I feel so embarrassed that I want to curl up and die.

    While I was writhing in shame, the director looked around the audience once again before continuing his speech quietly.

    ¡°I, too, can say that I gained courage from it. And though I am a demon, I am nothing more than an ordinary artist who loves art. I hope that you won¡¯t see us demons as devils, but rather as ordinary people living in this world.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s all I have to say, and if Xenon is here, I would like to express my sincere gratitude. This is Scar, the director of the Matrics Theater Group. Thank you!¡±

    p p p p p!!!

    As Scar bowed deeply and politely greeted, the sound of apuse erupted once again, it felt as if my ears were ringing. Eventually, a few people approached Scar, who seemed to be actors from the theaterpany.

    Surprisingly, they were ordinary humans, not demons. The Matrics Theater Group had been famous long before the publication of Xenon¡¯s Biography, and seeing them together until now, they seemed to be people with keen minds.

    Thus, the memorable performance came to an end. However, people couldn¡¯t easily stand up from their seats. They were immersed in the afterglow, enjoying the lingering emotions.

    I was the same. The emotions I received from the performance didn¡¯t easily dissipate. On the contrary, it continued to linger in my head, making me imagine and envision it repeatedly.

    <i>¡®¡­I have to write about this, even if it¡¯s just out of gratitude.¡¯</i>

    Their performance aroused an urge to write. Frankly, with such quality, any break should be disregarded as repayment. Although it would probably take at least two months per book due to academic reasons, it¡¯s necessary to show such effort. I closed my eyes and imagined the future development.

    ¡°That was a really great stage. Wasn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°¡­yeah.¡±

    ¡°When will you leave?¡±

    Marie asked me a question from beside me. I weakly waved my arm and answered vaguely.

    ¡°You go back to the mansion first. I¡¯ll be here for a moment.¡±

    ¡°Pfft. How much do you have to like it to be sopletely drained of energy? You¡¯re so cute.¡±

    After hearing my answer, Marie smiled briefly and pinched my cheeks lightly. I didn¡¯t have the energy to react, so I just let her do as she wanted.

    ¡°Oh, and¡­ Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°When can I go to your bedroom?¡±

    Oh right, I forgot about that. I thought about it for a moment and gave her a suitable time.

    ¡°Maybe around 9 o¡¯clock.¡±

    ¡°9 o¡¯clock¡­ okay. Can I look forward to it?¡±

    Look forward to what? I looked at Marie with a puzzled expression.

    She was smiling, but her blushing cheeks showed she was a little embarrassed. This only made me more curious.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ it¡¯s nothing. I¡¯ll go now.¡±

    Marie quickly got up and ran away. I watched her go and murmured to myself.

    ¡°¡­What was that all about?¡±

    At that moment, Cecily, who had been crying the whole time, came up to me.

    ¡°Isaac¡­ Can I talk to you for a moment?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    ¡°Sniff¡­ I¡¯m sorry. Can I borrow your handkerchief?¡±

    I looked at Cecily with a bewildered expression. Despite crying the whole time, her beauty was still intact.

    ¡°Oh, of course.¡±

    <i>¡®¡­I hope she¡¯s not going to get dehydrated from all this crying.¡¯</i>

    I couldn¡¯t help but worry as I looked at her soaking wet handkerchief.

    I alternated between looking at Cecily, who was sobbing, and the handkerchief, and quietly replied.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°Sniff¡­ Thank you¡­¡±

    After Cecily said that, she gently took my hand and opened her mouth, her voice trembling.

    ¡°There¡¯s something¡­ I really want to say to you¡­ sniff.¡±

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 108: After the Performance (2)

    After the performance, which was a masterpiece that transcended time itself, ended, I followed Cecily at her request. Even though the stage performance had ended, the festival in the town still seemed to be never-ending and was still lively.

    The performance started at 6 o¡¯clock, and it is now exactly 8 o¡¯clock. It didn¡¯t even feel like an hour had passed, time just seemed to have melted away. That probably means that the performance was really entertaining.

    Anyway, I made a promise with Marie for 9 o¡¯clock, so I just need to chat with Cecily until then. Cecily probably heard my conversation with Marie, so she will know how to end the conversation appropriately.

    ¡°Sob¡­¡±

    ¡°Are you feeling a little better now?¡±

    It seems like it will take longer than expected. Cecily was still unable to pull herself together, shedding tears asionally.

    Even when listening to the performance of the Lirus Orchestra, she cried like a waterfall. And during the Matrics Theater Group¡¯s performance, she cried so much that it was almost like amentation, so she must be exhausted mentally and physically.

    In the end, it took about 10 minutes to console Cecily. Fortunately, she felt better than before thanks to myfort.

    We were sitting side by side under a big tree. Unlike the central part of the vige, this ce had less traffic, so there were no strange nces from people passing by.

    It¡¯s better to be careful at night during a festival, as there may be suspicious nces if we go to crowded ces. The knights sent from the pce are responsible for security, but there is always the possibility of something happening.

    Of course, this is just my thought. Cecily is scheduled to be the next Demon King, so her strength will be strong, and her escort knight, Gartz, will be protecting the surroundings.

    We just needed a ce where the two of us could talk, so we came to this secluded ce.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I showed you an unsightly side, Benefactor.¡±

    Cecily¡¯s tears, which seemed like they would never stop, finally stopped.

    After wiping her teary eyes with a damp handkerchief, she spoke with a mix of embarrassment and sobbing in a formal tone, as it was just the two of us.

    I was a little worried about her, as she had cried so much that her handkerchief was soaked. It was to the point where it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if she had dehydration symptoms.

    So I gave her a drink I bought at the store, but Cecily declined, extending her hand. I felt uneasy for no reason while drinking my own drink, and Cecily took a deep breath and stared nkly ahead after exhaling.

    ¡°¡­It was a really touching performance, wasn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°And it was surprising that the director was a demon.¡±

    ¡°I was also shocked.¡±

    I knew about the use of magic for the directing part through Cecily, but I couldn¡¯t even imagine that he was a demon.

    It could be a prejudice, but demons were far from art, and specialized inbat.

    There were instances where demons were persecuted in the past, but historically, there were few cases where they excelled in fields other thanbat.

    However, things are different now. The perspective towards demons haspletely changed, and they are being treated as people rather than devils.

    The director of the Matrics Theater Group, Scar, would have revealed his identity after hiding it because of the change in perception. Even if perception changes, prejudices don¡¯t necessarily change.

    Perhaps the message Scar wanted was to stop prejudice against demons. It is said that demons have great qualities not only inbat or magic, but also in culture such as art.

    ¡°Noona, how did you feel when he revealed that he was a demon?¡±

    ¡°I thought it was impressive and courageous. It must not have been an easy decision to make¡­ He must have had confidence that he could handle it. As he said, there is still discriminatory perception towards demons.¡±

    Many people still treat demons as if they were devils, just as she described.

    Currently, it is almost considered a form of racial discrimination, and most of the time, they are looked upon with unkind eyes. However, demons still get hurt the same way. Therefore, in the future, Scar will also receive various types of attention, including discrimination.

    ¡°But¡­ the reason why he was able to gain such courage was ultimately because of you. If it weren¡¯t for the book you wrote, that person would have hidden their identity for their entire life.¡±

    With a trembling voice, Cecily turned her head towards me. Her red eyes, moist and faintly shimmering, were truly beautiful. I looked at her face for a while, but then turned my head away out of embarrassment. But as I did, she quietly grabbed my hand.

    It wasn¡¯t soft or gentle like a fluffy marshmallow, but rather it felt rough and rugged, having been trained for years. It was the same type of hand as Nicole or Adelia¡¯s.

    ¡°What does Benefactor think? Were you moved after seeing the performance, or maybe not?¡±

    ¡°¡­ Of course, I was.¡±

    Although I answered, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to meet Cecily¡¯s gaze. If I did, I had a feeling I would be entranced and only able to look at her face.

    I have a vague idea of what emotions Cecily is harboring towards me through her actions thus far. If I didn¡¯t, I would just be a fool.

    However, I have no intention of epting it. While it is true that this world allows for polygamy and many powerful men have multiple women, I am not such a person. If I cannot handle responsibility, then I should not engage in activities that require it from the start.

    Above all, it is clear that it would cause great harm to Marie, and my way of thinking from my past life is still deeply rooted within me. As someone who is naturally inadequate, I couldn¡¯t help but feel resistant.

    At that moment, I was trying to slowly withdraw my hand from Cecily¡¯s grip. But Cecily, as if determined not to let go, tightened her grip so that I couldn¡¯t escape.

    ¡°¡­So this is why you called me.¡±

    ¡°Have you noticed now?¡±

    I asked with a wry smile, and Cecily responded with a faintugh. At that time, I was still in a daze, and Cecily was crying so my head was spinning.

    Is this what it feels like to be stuck in flypaper? I gave up trying to take my hand away and looked up at the sky.

    In my past life, it was difficult to even see a single star, but here, the air is so clear that the stars form a river, creating a Milky Way like sight. Even with the naked eye, this scenery made me realize that I had trulye to a different world.

    Afterward, I looked up at the sky, filled with stars, for a while and then lowered my head quietly and opened my mouth.

    ¡°¡­First, I want to start publishing again. I¡¯ve been shown this kind of stage, so if I don¡¯t start publishing again, it will be a disgrace.¡±

    ¡°Is that true?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but because of my academic schedule, the publishing cycle will be longer. It will be at least 2-3 months between each volume.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not a problem. Just resuming the series is enough.¡±

    Cecily spoke with a slightly excited tone, happy to hear that Xenon¡¯s Biography would be continued. Meanwhile, I felt embarrassed and nervously rubbed the back of my neck. Suddenly, she asked me a question.

    ¡°Will the story of Kair and Elisha also be included?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ yes.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it. I¡¯m curious about what would happen to them.¡±

    It will end tragically, but I couldn¡¯t say that, so I awkwardly smiled instead. I didn¡¯t want to risk giving myself away by overacting, so it was the best I could do.

    Squeeze!

    I felt Cecily¡¯s grip on my hand tighten. When I turned to look at her, I saw her eyes filled with a deep red desire.

    ¡°Haaa¡­¡±

    Cecily let out a shallow breath as she swayed slightly. ncing up, I saw that her horns were already fully colored in red.

    As I mentioned before, demons experience a physiological cycle simr to a menstrual cycle called the ¡°evil cycle,¡± during which their desire builds up. It¡¯s usually best to meditate during this time, but Cecily seemed to be having trouble controlling herself.

    But she doesn¡¯t even have time to meditate now, and her eyes are already dted. I was afraid I might be eaten up by her in various ways, so I called Cecily in a hurry.

    ¡°N-Noona? Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ I can still bear it for now.¡±

    Luckily, it seems she hasn¡¯t crossed the line¡­

    ¡°But I won¡¯t be able to hold on much longer.¡±

    It¡¯s not just bad¡­ she¡¯s at the limit. At the same time, a subtle scent began to flow from her, stimting a man¡¯s primal instinct, like some kind of pheromone. My heart raced as Cecily¡¯s horns became more and more colorful, and I quickly spoke up.

    If things continue like this, we may end up in an irreversible situation likest time. Marie managed to barge in and save us, but now there is no one here. There isn¡¯t even a single light, and even if someone were to pass by, they might not notice us. Getting here was only possible because Cecily illuminated the way with her magic.

    ¡°Pull yourself together. You¡¯re Helium¡¯s princess, right? You can endure it.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes. I have to endure it. I have to¡­¡±

    Cecily started sweating profusely. I was doing my best to exercise patience, but feeling her heart pounding through her hand, I had a feeling that she would explode soon.

    As I wondered what to do, Cecily lowered her head and whispered softly.

    ¡°He¡¯s so lovely and thankful¡­ How can I endure it¡­¡±

    ¡°Noona?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t. No more¡­ no¡­¡±

    Perk!

    With a resolute expression, Cecily lifted her head and pushed me forcefully. Naturally, my body fell weakly to the ground. Just as I was unable to ept the sudden change in the situation, a dark shadow fell over me. Even in the darkness, I could see Cecily¡¯s bright red eyes clearly.

    ¡°Noona?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m really sorry.¡±

    ¡°Noona!¡±

    ¡°Forgive me for giving in to desire.¡±

    This couldn¡¯t go on any longer. I struggled to get away. But it was all in vain. Due to Cecily holding my hands with one of hers, I couldn¡¯t escape. It was proof of how powerless I waspared to her.

    Last time, Marie was able to intervene and stop the ident, but not this time. If things continued like this, we might really end up doing something outdoors.

    Cecily, who had climbed on top of me, gently caressed my cheek. With eyes full of desire, she looked down at me and said in a husky voice,

    ¡°Ah¡­this soft cheek. These shining golden eyes. I want everything¡­I want to make you mine¡­every strand of hair¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I want to bring pleasure to this delicate body¡­and make you minepletely.¡±

    It seems like the ¡°subus¡¯ descendant¡± rumor is true, as she stimted me with seductive yet dangerous words. She exuded an irresistible desire, even emitting a sensual aura.

    As a result, my heart began to race, and my lower body started to tense up. However, I tried my best to resist by thinking of Marie as much as possible.

    ¡°Noona! Pleasee to your senses! This isn¡¯t good for either of us¡­¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯ll definitely like it. Why? Because I¡¯ll make it so.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I can¡¯t handle this woman. What should I do¡­!

    Just as I was about to resort to violence, she held my face with her hand that was touching my thigh. I couldn¡¯t even move my head because of her immense strength.

    With my eyes rolling, I tried toe up with a way to escape the situation. The knight Gartz, who was supposed to be her escort, was nowhere to be found.

    ¡°Well then¡­¡±

    Finally, Cecily muttered quietly as she licked her lips¡­

    ¡°I¡¯ll enjoy this ?¡±

    She slowly lowered her head and opened her mouth slightly.

    As I apologized to Marie in my mind and closed my eyes tightly

    sh!

    The brightness was so intense that it illuminated the surroundings filled with darkness for a moment, making it impossible to keep my eyes open. I closed my eyes tightly, as I had been blinded by the brightness.

    After a few seconds had passed, the light gradually faded and eventually disappearedpletely. As the light vanished, I slowly opened my eyes. Suddenly, a hazy object appeared in my field of vision due to the sudden burst of light, but I could still discern what it was.

    ¡°We almost got into big trouble.¡±

    The girl who had fallen from above murmured quietly while fidgeting with her ne. Her face was a mixture of relief and embarrassment. I stared at her dumbfoundedly, unable to grasp the situation.

    She then looked at me and exined the ability of the ne with a wry smile.

    ¡°This ne is one of the treasures passed down from our Helium generation. It has the ability to calm the mind when the evil cyclees, or when desire cannot be restrained.¡±

    ¡°Then just now¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes. I almost did something terrible to you. I¡¯m really sorry.¡±

    Cecily bowed her head to apologize to me. I nced at her briefly to check the state of the horn.

    It had been filled with red just a moment ago, but now the tip had turned ck. Although the desire had not beenpletely resolved, it seemed to have been temporarily resolved, which was fortunate.

    <i>¡®Wow¡­ So we almost got into real trouble?¡¯</i>

    I almost had my first experience outdoors, and with a princess from another country, no less.

    For a while, Cecily hesitated while looking at me, and then she called me in a very cautious voice. Her face was still red from the incident a moment ago.

    ¡°Um¡­ Benefactor.¡±

    ¡°Yes, please go ahead.¡±

    ¡°I apologize once again. I did the same thingst time, but I couldn¡¯t ovee my desires and I have caused a great inconvenience to you again¡­¡±

    Cecily apologized with her head bowed, clearly aware of her mistake. I smoothed out my rumpled clothes and calmed my pounding heart.

    It was as if Cecily¡¯s energy had infiltrated my body, and my body was burning up. It was an ambiguous feeling, as if it had been interrupted in the middle.

    I answered while fanning my face to cool off, but I couldn¡¯t stop the heat from rising.

    ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s okay. But earlier, you mentioned your desires while the evil cycle was happening¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m embarrassed, but that¡¯s how I really feel.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    Cecily couldn¡¯t ovee her embarrassment and answered in a small voice, bowing her head deeply. I was also embarrassed and expressed my admiration instead of words.

    That meant that she had a desire to overpower me, which was her usual desire, but it also meant that Cecily liked me that much.

    In the awkward atmosphere, I hesitated for a moment on what to say and quietly opened my mouth.

    ¡°I understand¡­ how you feel, Noona. Does Noona also¡­ like me?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s embarrassing, but I love the Benefactor.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Cecily didn¡¯t beat around the bush like before and gave a straightforward answer. Seeing her confess with her head down in embarrassment was really cute and lovely.

    However, I needed to maintain as much rationality as possible right now. Even though it¡¯s a society where polygamy is allowed to some extent, there are still practical problems to consider.

    The lifespan issue was not a problem, as he had already presented her with an alternative. The problem lies with Marie.

    ¡°Nona, to be honest, I also have a liking for you as a person. But I don¡¯t have the confidence to take responsibility. There are already many things I need to pay attention to with Marie, so having two¡­ would create a lot of problems.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°Depending on the situation, I may not be able to love you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay for me.¡±

    ¡°Am I really worth that much?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t understand why Princess Cecily, who could meet much better men than me, wanted me so badly. Although I was the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography, I wondered why she had to choose me.

    As I pondered this, Cecily slowly lifted her head and looked straight at me.

    The expression on their face showed both a determined will and a sense of pity.

    ¡°Yes. I love you. You are the grace of God who saved our demon race, and you are so considerate.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Even if you reject me, I will protect your legacy. Thend where you were born and your future offspring. It¡¯s my way of repaying you as the princess of Helium and as much as I can do.¡±

    Even if they didn¡¯t ept it, she was going to keep her feelings until the end. After hearing Cecily¡¯s resolute determination, my heart shook greatly.

    She loves me so much, can¡¯t I just ept her a little bit? While my emotions told me to ept it, my reason said that Marie¡¯s opinion was more important. I vacited between reason and emotion and sighed as I made my decision.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s best to consult with Marie, as we did earlier.¡±

    ¡°T-Thank you! Really¡­¡±

    ¡°But if you try to force yourself on me again, I will cut you off like a knife. At least the first experience should be with Marie.¡±

    I couldn¡¯tpromise on this. Marie was a woman who loved Isaac himself, not Xenon. It was the best I could do.

    But then Cecily made a remark that left me feeling embarrassed, although I didn¡¯t know what she thought of it.

    ¡°If you have sex with Marie, then next will it be me?¡±

    ¡°¡­what?¡±

    ¡°Then I should help the benefactor have sex with Marie as soon as possible. Then I¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    I didn¡¯t know what to say.

    Trantors note:

    Remember kids, consent is important.

    Also 2nd girl got.

 Chapter 109: After the Performance (3)

    I felt dizzy hearing Cecily¡¯s way of thinking, which waspletely different from mine, and grabbed my head. Even if I thought about it carefully, what I heard didn¡¯t change. I couldn¡¯t tell if it was because she was a demon, or if it was unique to Cecily, or if it was a cultural thing in this world. The thought that it would be her turn after Marie made my mind go nk.

    ¡°Um¡­ Noona?¡±

    ¡°Yes? What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°Am I stupid or something? What do you mean by saying that It¡¯s your turn after Marie?¡±

    I asked her a question just in case there was something I was misunderstanding.

    Cecily shook her head, as if wondering what was wrong, and showed a naive expression, revealing her own doubts.

    ¡°I mean exactly what I said. Marie is the woman who became Benefactor¡¯s lover first, so I should at least be able topromise on this, right?¡±

    ¡°No. No. That¡¯s not what I meant¡­ Ugh, what should I even say about this¡­¡±

    I was so taken aback that my head wasn¡¯t working properly. I looked at Cecily, while tousling my hair roughly. She seems to take it for granted that we¡¯ll mix our bodies together.

    Of course, I¡¯m not entirely opposed to the idea of epting her, but it¡¯s a bit sudden. It¡¯s like skipping the middle process and going straight to the ending.

    As I tried to rotate my non-functioning head as much as possible, Cecily, who had been watching me quietly, spoke up in a worried tone.

    ¡°Um¡­ do you not like mixing your body with me, Benefactor?¡±

    It seems like she interpreted my reaction differently. I looked at her as it was something that would make others jump in surprise. Cecily is currently looking at me with a pitiful expression.

    I¡¯ll skip exining her face because it¡¯s only going to make her embarrassed, and her figure¡­ let¡¯s move on from that too. You could say that she has all the heavenly beauty. I¡¯m sorry to Marie, but Cecily¡¯s feminine charm is far superior.

    But what¡¯s important now is not her appearance or figure. It¡¯s just that I couldn¡¯t understand Cecily, who was trying to skip all the steps and sleep together.

    Even the thought of it onlysted a moment, and first of all, I shook my head vigorously in a low voice to alleviate her anxiety.

    ¡°No. No way. That wouldn¡¯t happen. It¡¯s just too sudden. Don¡¯t even Noona think that mixing our bodies together out of nowhere is a bit¡­ Isn¡¯t it better to have a lovey-dovey rtionship like Marie¡¯s?¡±

    ¡°If you ept me, Benefactor, then it doesn¡¯t matter to me. I might even be happier about it.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes. If I think about all the things we¡¯ve shown each other with Marie¡­ sigh¡­¡±

    As Cecily recalled Marie and my love life, she let out a soft sigh. Her expression was ecstatic, and it sent chills down my spine as if she had flipped a switch.

    Fortunately, her horns did not turn red, but her cheeks did. I didn¡¯t want to ask what she was imagining.

    ¡°Anyway, I understand what you¡¯re thinking, Noona. You won¡¯t regret it, will you?¡±

    ¡°Do you remember the first letter I sent to the Benefactor?¡±

    ¡°The letter¡­¡±

    I heard her question and tried to recall it. Back when we were at the Academy, Cecily had sent me a fan letter as an apology, and it was filled with her sincere desire to repay me for my kindness.

    ¡°Oh, that letter had my sincere intentions to repay you with my body and heart.¡±

    ¡°¡­Ah.¡±

    Come to think of it, the letter did contain those words. It was filled with her willingness to offer me her body and heart. Cecily was now making an effort to fulfill that promise. It might seem like blind devotion, but considering the impact Xenon¡¯s Biography had on the demons, it wasn¡¯t entirely strange.

    After all, I had liberated them from persecution that hadsted for hundreds of years. It would be odd if they didn¡¯t be my followers. Although Cecily was a Helium¡¯s Princess with an immense status, she was still a follower.

    ¡°As a demon, I will repay the kindness that the Benefactor showed to all of our kind. It¡¯s embarrassing to say it myself, but as a woman, I have exceptional charmpared to others. And not just my body, but my heart also loves the Benefactor. So¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, I understand. That¡¯s enough now.¡±

    Feeling like my mind was gradually bing fuzzy, I quickly withdrew my hand and stopped her. If I left it alone, I didn¡¯t know what kind of words might pop out.

    Anyway, I was able to confirm her sincerity. Cecily was in a state of being nothing less than a follower who only looked at me. A follower who willingly would sacrifice themselves when ordered to do so.

    I couldn¡¯t help but feel a little uneasy as if she had be a ve. I looked at Cecily with an embarrassed expression and opened my mouth.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a need to go that far. I prefer a horizontal rtionship rather than a vertical one. There¡¯s no need for you to sacrifice everything for me¡­¡±

    ¡°Well, in any case, the Benefactor will return to nature after 100 years, so shouldn¡¯t I do at least this much?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I had nothing to say to that. I was frozen with my mouth open in response to Cecily¡¯s rebuttal, which made me feel different from the way I thought. Even before, I felt like her way of thinking was drastically different.

    Whether I spoke or not, Cecily smiled brightly and waited patiently until I finished thinking. I barely managed to hold onto my departing soul.

    ¡°¡­If you insist on saying that, there¡¯s nothing left to say. Do as you wish.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°But there¡¯s a condition.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m ready to ept any condition.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    As soon as she ced her hand on her chest and answered, a dark emotion that had been buried in my heart suddenly surged up. It was the same feeling I had when I started speaking informally with Rina earlier.

    I even imagined what might have happened if I had caused a major ident with Cecily just moments ago, so strong was the emotion.

    <i>¡®¡­It¡¯s because of the pheromones from earlier, isn¡¯t it?¡¯</i>

    Normally, I wouldn¡¯t even have such thoughts. However, the pheromones that Cecily emitted earlier had stimted my senses and aroused my desires, specifically my sexual desires.

    One of the desires that had been difficult for me to satisfy since I was reborn was sexual desire, and triggering it like a switch made the situation take a strange turn. I pressed my nose bridge tightly to maintainposure.

    Luckily, I had better endurance than most people due to regr physical training, so I was able to control myself.

    ¡°¡­All I want is simple. Instead of only me speaking informally to Noona, please do so too. Whether there are other people around or just the two of us, it doesn¡¯t matter. That should be eptable, right?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­I got it. I just need to speak informally, right?¡±

    Once she did so, Cecily returned to her usual self instead of being like a follower. It was not just a way to express affection but also had the effect of breaking down the walls between them. As soon as Cecily spoke casually, I felt relieved. I felt burdened before as she was treated as a benefactor, but all of that burden disappeared.

    ¡°Alright. Should I also speak casually to Noona?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. But do you have to keep calling me Noona?¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, I won¡¯t use it.¡±

    ¡°No, do as you like. You can call me Cecily instead of noona. Will that work?¡±

    ¡°Okay, are there other conditions?¡±

    ¡°For example¡­¡±

    Cecily trailed off and blushed slightly before speaking in a shy voice.

    ¡°Can you touch my chest?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve mentioned it before, but my body and mind belong to you. You can handle me however you want.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll pass.¡±

    Cecily was really testing my patience. If it weren¡¯t for meeting Marie, I would have probably given in to her advances a long time ago.

    As much as Cecily was an irresistibly charming woman to me as a man, she was too much for me. But if she likes it, I¡¯ll let it go.

    However, even if I epted it, there was onest hurdle. I pressed my nose bridge again and brought up the concern that was worrying me.

    ¡°But can we get Marie¡¯s permission, noona? I¡¯m fine with it, but I¡¯m not sure if Marie will ept¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. This noona has many ways. And as your value increases, you¡¯ll need someone to protect you politically. Even if Marie¡¯s family is a duke with the power next to the emperor in this empire, the country won¡¯t necessarily protect them.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s fortunate for me, but¡­¡±

    Even though we live in a world where polygamy is allowed in some cultures, it still feels like cheating to me, probably because of my past life¡¯s influence. Polygamy was a custom that only existed in the Imic culture in my past life. Of course, in the Western world, there are asional cases where someone has an extra lover even though they have a spouse, but even then, it¡¯s only possible with the spouse¡¯s permission.

    Moreover, it¡¯s even more burdensome because it¡¯s Princess Cecily of Helium. Is it even imaginable to have the daughter of a duke as a girlfriend and to have the Princess of Helium as another lover? My value and situation are both incrediblyplex.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to make that face. You just have to ept it. My body and heart are solely for you. Even if you and I have a rtionship and you throw me away like an old rag, I¡¯ll ept everything.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to live like that kind of garbage.¡±

    At the thought of Adelia, who was rejected by her loved ones, the feeling of being torn apart and ufortable overwhelmed me, as if I could imagine Cecily crying like she did.

    Cecily nodded her head gently, as if pleased with my firm and decisive answer despite myplexion.

    ¡°I understand. Even though it may feel short-lived to me, that happiness willst forever. I hope you understand that. Instead of living with regrets in this moment, live with longingter.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll try my best so that my noona won¡¯t have any regrets. Just tell me what you want. I¡¯m not good at just receiving things.¡±

    ¡°Can you hug me, then?¡±

    Cecily spread her arms wide and asked for a favor. By spreading her arms, herrge breasts stood out even more and caught my eye.

    The moment we hug, our rtionship bes irrevocable. I need to take full responsibility.

    But I¡¯ve already made up my mind. Shouldn¡¯t I repay Cecily¡¯s infinite dedication and love for me?

    I hesitated for a moment, but I also spread my arms wide and approached Cecily. Before I even got close, Cecily jumped into my arms and hugged me tightly.

    ¡°Mmm¡­ This is the body of the Benefactor, no, Isaac¡­ It feels warm and nice¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Cecily couldn¡¯t even say a proper word, she just made cute noises in my arms. When we hugged, the feeling of her chest, which boasted a terrible presence, was conveyed perfectly.

    It¡¯s a feeling of being crushed to the point of suffocation, touching on a man¡¯s primal instinct, and even grabbing it by the hair and pulling it out. It¡¯s apletely different dimension from when I hugged Marie.

    If Marie¡¯s love lightly suppresses sexual desire, Cecily¡¯s sexual desire tramples love forcibly. The scent also adds fuel to the already burning fire and can drive a person crazy.

    <i>¡®Hold on. Endure¡­ You¡¯ve endured so far¡­¡¯</i>

    It¡¯s my sexual desire that I¡¯ve been enduring so far. I can¡¯t just let it explode here. I have to endure somehow.

    How much time has passed? Cecily hummed while she held me, and then released her grip on me.

    ¡°Ah¡­ it was so good. It feels like my desire inside was relieved even a little bit. I should have done this earlier.¡±

    She let out a breathy sigh and faced me directly, scratching her cheek after avoiding my gaze.

    Some people can relieve their desires, while others have a lot of them. How unfair this structure is. Maybe her desire was transmitted to me.

    ¡°Well¡­ I feel a little embarrassed.¡±

    ¡°How is itpared to Marie? Did you feel the solidity?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Isaac¡¯s face is red again.¡±

    Even though Cecily was speaking right in front of me, I couldn¡¯t even open my mouth. I need to calm my lower body, which has been boiling since we hugged, somehow.

    Even though my lower body was pushed back and my upper body leaned forward in an awkward position, Cecily might have noticed it even though she pretended not to. It¡¯s like walking around with obscene material. I was afraid that I would get excited just by looking at her faceter.

    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go back to the mansion now. You know that I made a promise with Marie, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I got it. Oh, by the way, Isaac. There¡¯s something I want to tell you.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    As I was trying to calm down my burning face, Cecily asked me with a slightly serious expression, not a smiling face.

    ¡°Do you happen to know about Dark Elves?¡±.

    ¡°Dark Elves?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. They¡¯re a tribe that was expelled from their own people due to a civil war. They mainly worship the god of darkness, Mora, just like us demons.¡±

    ¡°I know a little bit about them.¡±

    I had seen some books in Professor Elena¡¯sb about Dark Elves. Dark Elves are not well-known to the public because they hardly reveal themselves and move secretly. Also, I only knew that they have dark-colored skin and are generally excellent at concealing themselves. Moreover, there were many interesting historical aspects that attracted my curiosity.

    ¡°Then, you also know that Dark Elves are excellent at hiding, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. But why are you asking about Dark Elves?¡±

    ¡°The thief who stole your manuscript was a Dark Elf.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    What kind of nonsense is this? I could only widen my eyes in shock at the shocking truth that Cecily had just revealed to me. Even if Dark Elves stole my manuscript, I couldn¡¯t understand why they did it. Even if my manuscript was immensely valuable, I had doubts about how they would use it.

    At least, as far as I know, dark elves have little interest in human society and have been focused on interacting with their own kind.

    ¡°We found out about it through our own investigation after the theft incident. Maybe the news has already been delivered to the Minerva Empire leadership by now.¡±

    ¡°Why would a dark elf steal my manuscript?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know for sure. But it¡¯s likely they did it for their own greed.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    I felt a little bewildered. At the same time, I remembered the statement that Alvenheim had shown in the newspaper.

    They imed they wouldn¡¯t stoop to such low acts. Of course, since the dark elf who was expelled from Alvenheim was not considered one of their own kind, there is a high possibility that they did not treat them as such.

    ¡°And we were able to identify the culprit through an opportunity. They¡¯ll be visiting Helium in a week. I hope you cane with me then.¡±

    ¡°Okay. I¡¯m curious about what the culprit looks like.¡±

    ¡°Would you forgive them if they were a young child?¡±

    Cecily asked with some concern. Judging by her question, it seems that the culprit is likely a young person.

    But without any hesitation, I replied as if her worry was unnecessary.

    ¡°No. Why should I? If they used their own power to steal my manuscript, that¡¯s even worse.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re surprisingly firm.¡±

    ¡°Young children tend to be more wicked when they be aware of their own power.¡±

    I witnessed countless incidents where children were iming to have supernatural powers or special abilities in their past lives. Especially, younger children tend to take advantage of their young age to deceive others.

    ¡°Well, if they apologize and beg for forgiveness, after I give them a bump on their head, I might change my mind. It won¡¯t change the fact that I will scold them, though.¡±

    ¡°What if they tried to steal your manuscript again?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ in that case¡­¡±

    I pondered while looking up and scratched my head before speaking quietly.

    ¡°Maybe their parents would have asked if they were different?¡±

    ¡°Ha ha!¡±

    Cecily burst intoughter at my sarcastic remark. Even I felt relieved by her infectiousughter.

    ¡°Hahaha. What a witty response. How did youe up with that?¡±

    ¡°I just thought of it.¡±

    ¡°Hoo hoo hoo¡­ Ah, really. Isaac is so adorable.¡±

    ¡°Ahem.¡±

    Now it¡¯s my turn to feel embarrassed. I coughed and avoided her gaze as Cecily looked at me with a gentle smile.

    ¡°Anyway, we¡¯ll go to Helium in a week, right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll send a carriage to your mansion at that time. You just have to prepare.¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    ¡°Oh, by the way, you¡¯re not going to write anything bad about them in Xenon¡¯s Biography because of this, are you?¡±

    I listened to Cecily¡¯s question and thought deeply. Just like how saving the demons had a positive impact, writing negative stories about dark elves would undoubtedly have a great negative influence on them as well.

    However, I have to distinguish between what is public and private, or else the story might be convoluted. It¡¯s true that the elves are arrogant, but the elves I will use in Xenon¡¯s Biography are a race that realizes their arrogance and truly unites.

    The same goes for the dark elves. They were banished by their own kind, but they unite with them to defeat the devils, which seems like an ordinary story, but¡­

    ¡°I won¡¯t write anything bad, but there might be a little problem. Not just for the dark elves, but for all elves.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    I said, grinning.

    ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t say it because it¡¯s a spoiler.¡±

    In the novel¡¯s Alvenheim, the arrogance of the elves crumbles against the devils.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 110: Night at the Mansion (1)

    Afterwards, we returned to the mansion. Even on the way back, the vige was still filled with the excitement of the festival, and there was no sign of it slowing down.

    Although there was tempting food along the way that I wanted to buy, we had to return to the mansion promptly due to the time constraints. It was a bonus to walk back to the mansion arm in arm with Cecily.

    The feeling of her arm against my chest was transmitted directly, and I had to exercise patience as my sexual desire built up, wondering if I could handle the situation.

    Once we arrived at the mansion, I was somewhat uneasy about telling Marie the truth. Although this was a world where polyamory was allowed, everyone had their own thoughts and feelings. Especially since Marie had confessed to me first, she might feel betrayed once I confessed it to her. I hoped everything would work out smoothly.

    ¡°Are you nervous about telling Marie the truth?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Noona knows how good my rtionship with Marie is.¡±

    ¡°Hmm. Well, she did seem to like you enough to make other people jealous. But don¡¯t worry. The situation you¡¯re worried about won¡¯t happen.¡±

    Cecily seemed confident that she could persuade Marie. I was skeptical, but I nned to trust her for now. Even though Marie might be hurt, I couldfort and console her until the wound healed. And since I had already talked to Cecily separately, convincing Marie should be easier.

    So we returned to the mansion, where Cecily went to find Marie before anyone else in our family. I also wanted to go with her to see Marie, but Cecily stopped me.

    ¡°You should take a bath first. I¡¯ll talk to Marie for you.¡±

    ¡°Talk to her for me?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Anyway, you¡¯ll be talking to her alone in the bedroom at 9 pm, right?¡±

    Cecily emphasized the bedroom in particr. With half-closed eyes and a seductive voice, she said something that was hard to understand and made my imagination run wild.

    The reason I call Marie to my bedroom is simply to be alone together, not to do anything like that. Marie probably doesn¡¯t think that way either. Of course, I don¡¯t know what will happen because of this sexual desire that Cecily has built up in me, but the situation won¡¯t go as Cecily thinks.

    ¡°Okay. Then you will say goodbye to my parents and go back, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. After greeting them, I have to return to Helium. Oh, and tell your parents too. I¡¯ll invite them to visit Helium in a week. Then I¡¯ll go.¡±

    ¡°Goodbye.¡±

    ¡°Oh, before that¡­¡±

    Cecily leaned forward and lightly kissed my cheek before leaving. I was surprised by her attack(?) and touched my cheek with my hand. From the moist and warm feeling, it was definitely a kiss. Cecily was smiling mischievously, but her face was slightly blushed.

    ¡°This is a thank you. I¡¯ll kiss you after getting Marie¡¯s permission.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never had a happier day in over a hundred years. I¡¯ll never forget it for the rest of my life. Well then-¡°

    Cecily ced her hand on the center of her chest and bowed elegantly before saying goodbye. Then she gave me a smile and slowly walked away.

    I couldn¡¯t easily regain myposure even as she turned her back and left. I just stood there dazed until her back disappeared from sight. But eventually, I couldn¡¯t help but smile. Her yful nature was enough to remind me that it was typical of her.

    <i>¡®A happier day than today¡­¡¯ </i>

    It brought various thoughts to mind. Perhaps it meant that Cecily regarded me as someone truly special.

    I rubbed the cheek where she had kissed me before changing my footsteps. For now, I needed to follow Cecily¡¯s advice and take a shower before anything else.

    <i>¡®Oh,e to think of it, I didn¡¯t get back the handkerchief.¡¯</i>

    I would retrieve it once I arrived at Helium. Before I went to wash, I asked a passing maid to prepare some coffee and snacks. The maid replied politely and I headed to the bathroom to wash.

    After that, I read a book in my bedroom and waited for Marie to arrive. Suddenly, a knock came from the door.

    Knock- Knock- Knock-

    ¡°Isaac, are you in there?¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh?¡±

    Along with the knock, I heard my mother¡¯s voice from behind the door. It wasn¡¯t time for Marie to arrive yet, and I thought it was just a maid, but upon hearing my mother¡¯s voice, I couldn¡¯t help but look up. Although I was puzzled by why my mother came to visit, I set the book down and let her enter.

    ¡°Come in.¡±

    ¡°Well then, excuse me.¡±

    kiik-

    My mother opened the door and walked into the bedroom. She was wearing a nightdress that swayed as she moved, but what caught my eye was not her dress but the item she was holding in her hand.

    She had brought the snack set that she had instructed the maid to bring. I was so surprised that I couldn¡¯t even express my doubts and immediately stood up from my seat.

    Regardless, my mother maintained a content expression and asked me.

    ¡°Should I put the snacks here?¡±

    ¡°Well, yes, but why did you¡­?¡±

    When I asked her that, my mother gave an inexplicable answer while cing the snack set on the table.

    ¡°Our Isaac has grown up now. I thought you were still a child.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Just in case, make sure to take this medicine. You never know what might happen.¡±

    While I was bewildered, my mother ced a pill on the table. It was round and looked like a small white ball.

    I stared at the pill for a moment, then looked at my mother¡¯s face, as if to ask what it was. And my mother shook her finger with a cheerful expression.

    ¡°Does he have no sense because he is his son? I guess this is also gic. Poor Marie will suffer too.¡±

    ¡°Mother?¡±

    ¡°The effect will appear after 30 minutes, so take it now. Quickly.¡±

    When my mother urged me to take the medicine, I picked it up with a restless mind. It was round and small, and I didn¡¯t seem to need to drink water with it.

    I looked around the round pill and then looked back at my mother. She seemed to be waiting for me to take the medicine.

    ¡°¡­ Is this something strange?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t give anything strange to our son.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±

    Gulp-

    I was a little suspicious, but since it was given by my mother, I took the medicine, feeling relieved. My mother smiled even more after I took the medicine and opened her mouth.

    ¡°Our Isaac is very talented. Where did you meet such a child(Marie)?¡±

    ¡°I just happened to meet him. Do you like Marie too, Mother?¡±

    ¡°Of course. She¡¯s not only a noblewoman, but also very excellent. She¡¯s a perfect match for our family¡¯s prestige.¡±

    It seemed that my mother was fond of Marie, judging by her words. It was no wonder, since Marie had no ws and was far from having a sense of authority, just like our family.

    There was no problem with our status as we both were nobles. It was as if the roles were reversed from the moment I revealed that I was the writer Xenon.

    Of course, they will ept me as a member of the Requilis family, even without me explicitly stating my identity. From the beginning, staying at our mansion with their family instead of an inn for nobles is as good as having already stamped the seal.

    <i>¡®Marriage¡­¡¯</i>

    I imagined the marriage that my mother mentioned, in my head. Getting married to Marie with everyone¡¯s blessings and spending a sweet honeymoon together, and then a hot night¡­

    <i>¡®¡­crazy.¡¯</i>

    I don¡¯t know why my thoughts keep going in that direction since earlier. It¡¯s probably because my sexual desire was ignited due to Cecily¡¯s provocative behavior.

    I tried to cough out to hide my inner thoughts. It was even difficult to endure because it stimted my desire, which I had managed to suppress until now. I think I have to relieve myself separately after I finish talking with Marie.

    Perhaps my mother took it in a different sense and made fun of me.

    ¡°Oh, are you embarrassed? You don¡¯t have to be so embarrassed. Engagement at your age is natural.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve only been dating for just a month.¡±

    ¡°Starting a rtionship is important in itself. Why would there be arranged marriages? In the first ce, dating among nobles is not amon thing. Usually, engagements are made through agreements between families.¡±

    It¡¯s not going well. My mother seems to have already marked Marie as the bride. No matter what I say, she doesn¡¯t seem to listen.

    I waited for my mother toe out of her imaginary world. I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll listen to anything I say now.

    Knock- knock- knock-

    ¡°Isaac, it¡¯s me. Can Ie in?¡±

    It seemed that it was already 9 o¡¯clock. I heard Marie knocking on the door and asking for permission toe in.

    My mother regained herposure, turned her head towards the door, and then turned back to me to offer words of encouragement.

    ¡°Anyway, stay strong. Everything is hard in the beginning. Don¡¯t feel pressured. Got it?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±

    In response to my answer, my mother gently stroked my head and walked towards the door. She opened it and faced Marie, who was waiting behind it.

    ¡°Oh, hello. You were inside.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I was. Are you ready¡­to go?¡±

    ¡°Of course. I also got permission from my mother.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t tell what they were talking about from where I was standing. Marie¡¯s figure was also obscured by my mother.

    ¡°What about Isaac? Does he still not know?¡±

    ¡°Probably not. He inherited his father¡¯s obliviousness¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Well then, I¡¯ll go in now.¡±

    ¡°Have a good night.¡±

    Soon after my mother went out of the door, Marie politely greeted her. I looked at Marie¡¯s figure beyond the door and was impressed.

    If the dress she wore during the festival highlighted her figure, she is now wearing a white evening dress that also stimtes men¡¯s instincts. As an evening dress, it exposed her shoulders, arms, and chest, especially the chest part, which was very revealing. It was so revealing that her corbone was clearly visible.

    I didn¡¯t think of Marie as sexy, but after seeing her like this, I had topletely withdraw that thought. If Cecily emphasized her sexiness openly, Marie offered apletely different, so-called reverse charm, which was different from her usual self.

    <i>¡®Wow¡­really¡­¡¯</i>

    She might not just be pretty, but too pretty. Even though Marie approached me, I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off her.

    If it were in the past, I would have turned my eyes away out of embarrassment, but now I didn¡¯t even think about looking away. I wanted to engrave her beauty, which I couldn¡¯t even begin to describe, in my eyes.

    In the meantime, Marie approached me and, with a characteristic confident smile, opened her mouth, leaving behind what she had been saying.

    ¡°I¡¯m here. But¡­¡±

    After a moment of hesitation, she looked up and down at me¡­

    ¡°Why did you prepare coffee to talk to me about something?¡±

    She said in a subtle voice while leaning forward slightly. Thanks to that, I could see her deep corbone more clearly.

    At a time when my desire had been umting, especially because of Cecily, this stimtion was as spicy as it made me lose my mind a bit.

    <i>¡®¡­I¡¯m screwed up.¡¯</i>

    I felt the blood rushing towards my lower body.

    Men are truly sad creatures, but no matter who the man is, he won¡¯t be able to resist seeing his girlfriend in such a sexy appearance.

    I alternated between looking at Marie¡¯s face and chest for a while before covering my face with my hand and opening my mouth with difficulty.

    ¡°¡­Marie.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°¡­Never mind.¡±

    Even if someone is oblivious, they will probably know by now. And the identity of the medicine my mother gave me.

    It¡¯s usually medicine that women have taken in my past life¡­

    ¡°Should we sit down for now?¡±

    It seems, in this world, there are also contraceptive pills for men.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 111: Night at the Mansion (2)

    It took a long time to catch on, but once I did, the conversation with Marie became awkward. If my suspicions were incorrect, my mother wouldn¡¯t have given me any medicine, and Marie wouldn¡¯t have shown up in these clothes.

    Until now, I never thought such a situation would arise, and I thought I could handle it if it did. But the problem is my desires that Cecily raised through her ¡°work¡±.

    I don¡¯t know if Cecily did it on purpose or identally spread the pheromones, but it¡¯s getting harder to resist. It was a difficult thing to deal with even after my reincarnation, and now I¡¯m reaching my limit.

    <i>¡®Fortunately, I can endure it for now.¡¯</i>

    I slowly lifted my head and looked at Marie. She was sitting in front of me, wearing an evening dress that exposed almost all of her chest.

    Moreover, I couldn¡¯t see it from afar earlier, but it was even more shocking up close because the dress seemed to be made of see-through material, revealing the white fabric underneath.

    They say that men feel stronger desires for women who show their secret parts in such a subtle way than those who arepletely naked. And I¡¯m experiencing that in real-time.

    My mind is foggy because Marie, not just any other woman, appeared in front of me dressed like this, appealing to my desire to mix our bodies through her dress alone.

    ¡°Isaac. Can you tell me why you called me? And do you have anything else to talk about besides this?¡±

    As I was trying my best to exercise patience and barely holding back my desires, Marie spoke to me. Her unique, refreshing voice remained the same, but due to the atmosphere, even her voice sounded seductive.

    I removed my hands from my face and faced Marie directly. She seemed to be embarrassed like me, as her face was subtly reddened and her lips were trembling.

    Luckily, I wasn¡¯t the only one feeling tense, which gave me the confidence to finally speak up.

    ¡°¡­ Yeah. I called you because you had something to say. But about that clothing¡­¡±

    ¡°What about the clothing?¡±

    ¡°¡­ Never mind. Let¡¯s talk about itter. It¡¯s not the time, and the night is still young.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I didn¡¯t say the time we had was long, I said ¡®night¡¯ was long. Although it seemed like a minor difference at first nce, it had apletely different meaning in this situation.

    In fact, it was nothing short of my indirect permission to indulge Marie¡¯s desires. Marie seemed to have noticed the meaning and her snow-white cheeks became even redder, and her wavering face began to crack.

    As the awkward situation subsided and only silence remained, I decided to get straight to the point. The reason why I had called Marie to the bedroom was all because of my rtionship with Rina.

    Although Rina and Leort had indeed wronged me, they were still royalty of the Minerva Empire. Making them enemies wouldn¡¯t help at all, and I needed to make them a reliable ally like in this exhibition.

    Sesilli dered to protect me, but the standing of the demons is currently uncertain. So, I have to make sure that Rina is on my side to make my future easier. It¡¯s amazing how life can be, even though I used to hate politics, I¡¯m trying to persuade Marie to make Rina our ally.

    Still, it¡¯s beneficial to prepare ahead instead of being dragged around. When I resume serialization, my value will increase, and I will inevitably have to deal with politics, whether I like it or not.

    ¡°Marie.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°This conversation might be sensitive to you. It¡¯s rted to Rina.¡±

    Marie flinched at the mention of Rina, who is her target of contempt beyondparison. Her body trembled for a moment, and her uplifted mouth quickly turned down. The atmosphere, which had been on the verge of boiling over, suddenly plummeted in a split second. I thought I shouldn¡¯t have said anything, but this is one of the problems that must be resolved someday.

    I don¡¯t want to keep putting it off like the proverb that it¡¯s better to be beaten by dust than to wait and try to solve the problem when the deviles.(TL: I too have no idea what it means¡­ just not to procrastinate I guess)

    ¡°Why Rina?¡±

    Marie asked me with a hint of dissatisfaction, narrowing her beautiful eyebrows.

    I tried to fix my gaze on her face as much as possible, as my eyes kept drifting downward. From here on, I needed to speak well in order to make Marie feel better and restore the atmosphere that had previously sunk.

    Staring intently at Marie¡¯s beautiful face, I spoke the words that I wanted to say.

    ¡°I¡¯ve always been thinking about it, and I n to get closer to Rina and Leort from now on. As you know, Xenon¡¯s Biography¡¯s poprity grows exponentially with each new release. By the time it¡¯s finished, it may be too much for even the country to handle.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re trying to make Rina an ally? To protect yourself, your family, and your house if something goes wrong in the future.¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    As expected of the daughter of the Duke of Requilis, Marie urately grasped what I wanted to say. However, her face still showed some dissatisfaction.

    For her, it was probably a story that could hurt her pride. Why should she, a member of the Requilis family, befriend royalty?

    But when my true identity was revealed, many eyes would be on me, and dark hands would reach out to me. To prevent this from happening, I needed to have as many allies as possible.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t Cecily enough? She said she¡¯d help you with everything.¡±

    It was a question I had expected. I nodded my head apologetically and answered in a tone that showed there was no other choice.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that she¡¯scking. But it¡¯s not enough either. Just like thest manuscript theft incident, this world is full of uncertainties. In the worst case scenario, I could be kidnapped.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°And the scariest thing is¡­ that you and my family could get hurt because of me.¡±

    I don¡¯t care what happens to me, as long as I¡¯m the only one suffering the consequences.

    But they¡¯re not me. When I think of the love and dedication my family has shown me until now, they are like treasures in this world. It would be terrible to imagine them getting hurt because of me.

    As someone who lost my family in a split second in my past life, I want to do everything I can to prevent that from happening again.

    ¡°Especially for you, I want to protect you no matter what I have to do. You liked me even before you knew I was Xenon, and you even confessed your feelings to me. You¡¯re an irreceable treasure and the most precious woman to me. Just the thought of you getting hurt is enough to make me suffer for the rest of my life. You¡¯ll protect you even until I reveal that I¡¯m Xenon, and after that, it will be my turn to keep you safe.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I hope you understand how I feel. Even if it¡¯s selfish, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll do anything to protect you.¡±

    ¡°¡­ You really are Xenon.¡±

    Marie chuckled and spoke her mind, which she had kept hidden. As she lifted her head, I realized she had been staring at me with an unyielding expression. Her blue eyes were filled with strong emotions and were glistening with moisture.

    Then, she closed her eyes slowly, as if she was collecting her thoughts, before opening them again to meet my gaze directly.

    ¡°Are you ying with people¡¯s hearts with those words? Can you really take responsibility for them? You said you¡¯ll protect me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll protect you no matter what, even if I have to cut off both my hands.¡±

    ¡°If you say it like that, I can¡¯t refuse. Alright, I¡¯ll ept it.¡±

    It seems like I was able to persuade her. For a moment, I even hummed a tune to myself, but I grabbed onto the strings of tension tightly and brought up the question that I wanted to ask.

    Even if I made Rina my ally, progress would surely be slow as long as she maintained her awkward rtionship with Marie. I had to find a way to resolve the situation between the two of them to make the future easier.

    ¡°It¡¯s not enough to just consider each other allies. I¡¯m curious about what happened between you and Rina.¡±

    ¡°Why? Wasn¡¯t it enough to just consider each other allies?¡±

    She showed her clear dislike, furrowing her eyebrows, as if I had touched on a trauma. It was apletely different reaction from before, as though her past was a different matter.

    However, I continued with what I had to say without any hesitation. Although I may seem impertinent, it is not right for allies to engage in a psychological warfare with each other. That¡¯s why I¡¯m taking the lead.

    ¡°Even if we consider each other allies, bottled-up emotions between people can paralyze logic. Above all, it seems like Rina has a feeling of guilt towards you. I said this before, but I want to prepare for the worst-case scenario.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t distrust you. Even if you don¡¯t realize it now, going against the royal family will eventuallye back like a boomerang. If Rina were to harbor ill intentions towards us, she would be the worst enemy we could face.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    After my persuasion, Marie seemed to have cooled down her head and closed her eyes, exhaling a deep sigh. Fortunately, it seemed to have gone down well.

    Then, Marie rested her chin on her hands, looked away, and flicked her cheek with her fingers. After a moment, she quietly opened her mouth, having organized her thoughts.

    ¡°¡­As you said, it¡¯s a problem that we¡¯ll have to solve someday. Maybe I was a bit narrow-minded too.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Just¡­ as you know, Rina and I were friends when we were young. Since the Requilis family was one of the emperor¡¯s close aides, we naturally became close. We were about the same age, and my father sent me to the pce. I received all education, including etiquette education, at the pce. It was fine until then¡­ The problem was the debutante ball. It happened when I was 12 years old.¡±

    ¡°The debutante ball¡­¡±

    I heard that high-ranking families debut in society from a young age. From then on, they gradually expand their connections and n their future.

    Marie and Rina, in particr, I¡¯m convinced that they received enormous attention. They were a princess and a duke¡¯s daughter, respectively. You can¡¯t help but be interested in them.

    ¡°As you know, I can instinctively see through people¡¯s sincerity. I¡¯m fine now, but back then, I was so young that I couldn¡¯t manage my expression at all. On the other hand, Rina waspletely different. She had perfect facial expression management and mesmerized people with her brilliant eloquence.¡±

    ¡°Were you jealous?¡±

    ¡°Come on, what do you take me for? I just thought she was amazing.¡±

    Marie shook her head and denied it. If it had been someone else, they might have felt jealous, but she was too innocent to feel any jealousy.

    ¡°But the problem¡­ it appeared somewhere else, not just from me or Rina. Rina, the princess, and me, the daughter of the Duke. It would have been perfect if we just left it at that¡­ but there are always people who feel jealous, like you said.¡±

    ¡°Someone spread rumors or tried to drive a wedge between you?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Since I was 15, a daughter of the Viscount, started subtly dividing us. Of course, Rina didn¡¯t even know.¡±

    It was the start of serious political maneuvering. I listened with a stiff expression, expecting to hear something serious.

    Marie hesitated when she saw me like that, but then she smiled wryly and continued in a quiet voice. However, I could see it. Her hands began to shake intermittently, as if the trauma had been deeply embedded in her heart.

    ¡°You know that among the nobles, some who are not dukes or marquesses are still considered high-ranking, right? That youngdy¡¯s family was one of the high-ranking families. But they were greedy. They wanted to climb higher.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°That girl started isting mepletely. Whenever I tried to get close to Rina, she would find a way to separate us, and she would say bad things about me to Rina. Of course, Rina didn¡¯t believe her at first, but as it piled up¡­ Rina also started to¡­¡±

    ¡°Stop. That¡¯s enough.¡±

    I think I can stop talking about it now. I quickly grabbed Marie¡¯s hand and firmly cut off her words. Marie, who had been speaking while trembling with both hands and voice, slowly raised her head when I held her hand. She wasn¡¯t aware of it herself, but tears were already welling up in her eyes.

    I looked at Marie with a sympathetic expression. Her usual confident and lively demeanor hadpletely disappeared, leaving only a person who had been betrayed by a friend.

    There are few memories as terrible and painful as being betrayed by a friend you trusted. Especially at a young age, the wounds are deeply engraved.

    Fortunately, the misunderstanding was resolved and the matter seemed to have been handled well, but it left an unforgettable scar for Marie. I could vaguely guess why she had hated and despised Rina so much.

    ¡°I guess I asked for no reason. I¡¯m really sorry. I didn¡¯t know if anything like that had happened¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. We¡¯ve resolved the misunderstanding since then, and that Viscount¡¯s daughter was banished from the family. Actually, Rina also apologized to me, bowing down to me all the way to her waist and apologizing. I just didn¡¯t ept the apology.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that you didn¡¯t ept it, but that you couldn¡¯t, right?¡±

    Once trust between people is broken, it is extremely difficult to repair. Even if you try your best to mend it for a lifetime, it is often too difficult.

    Like the hole left when you remove a nail from a wall, the hole that has been pierced in a person¡¯s heart can never be fixed.

    ¡°¡­But you won¡¯t be like that, right?¡±

    Marie quickly wiped away her tears with the back of her hand and asked me in a moist voice. Without saying a word, I firmly held her hand and said with determination.

    ¡°Never. No matter what happens, I will always tell you the truth.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you go cheating with Cecily?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I had nothing to say to that. I closed my mouth and Marie, as if it were a joke, burst outughing and pinching my cheeks and acting all natural.

    ¡°To think you would make another woman while having such a pretty girlfriend like me. And she¡¯s even prettier? I can¡¯t stand it. I¡¯ll torment you all night long.¡±

    ¡°Did you talk to Cecily?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Cecily will be allowed if I specially permit it.¡±

    Although I didn¡¯t know what they talked about, there was no indication of difort. It was rather a feeling of relief.

    Moreover, the nuance suggested that Marie held the decision-making power over Cecily.

    I sighed with relief and for a moment, I gently grabbed Marie¡¯s wrist as she pinched my cheek.

    Then, slowly, very slowly, I lifted her hand onto the desk. Marie didn¡¯t resist my touch and moved her arm as I guided her.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    That¡¯s how we looked at each other, holding hands without saying a word. Just by looking at each other, the atmosphere became more rxed.

    Starting from Marie¡¯s face, I slowly lowered my gaze downward.

    Starting from the slender neck, the chest that proudly shows its presence with most of its area exposed, and even the glimpse of the lingerie faintly shining through the evening dress. I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off of her picturesque figure, and at the same time, it stimted my desires like a needle poking at me.

    As if there were no more reservations, I openly stared at Marie with a lustful gaze.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    She called my name with a bashful expression. I slowly lifted my head and met her gaze. When she looked at me, she avoided eye contact and flicked her hair behind her ear. And then she spoke with a voice like an ant crawling.

    ¡°You¡­during the performance, you said let¡¯s have a chat while drinking coffee in the bedroom.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Do you know what that means?¡±

    I don¡¯t know the exact meaning, but it¡¯s simr to the famous line ¡®Do you want toe in for coffee?¡¯ Isn¡¯t it?

    I couldn¡¯t even take a sip of coffee because we were too busy chatting, but the meaning was more than enough. I was already determined.

    Blushing heavily, I held Marie¡¯s hand tighter and opened my mouth.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know back then, but now I think I do.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­?¡±

    ¡°¡­Are you going to have a drink?¡±

    Indirectly, I asked Marie¡­

    ¡°¡­yeah.¡±

    With her direct answer, she gave permission. Hearing her answer, I slowly lowered my chin and took a deep breath before cautiously asking her.

    ¡°Do you have any regrets?¡±

    ¡°No, because it¡¯s you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m stillcking in many ways, and sometimes I can be frustrating.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m stubborn and talkative.¡±

    Marie received each of my worried questions clearly. The more she did, the more courage she gained, and eventually we exchanged nces face to face. Staring at Marie¡¯s eyes, which were a mixture of determination, tension, anticipation, and affection, I got up from my seat without saying a word.

    Marie also stood up, holding my hand as if I was escorting her.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Mari.¡±

    ¡°I love you.¡±

    Marie confessed her love to me with a smile on her face, blushing heavily. Her appearance was so beautiful, cute, and sexy that I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. Slowly approaching her face, I stopped in front of her nose. Even when my face was so close to her nose, Marie never turned her head away.

    ¡°¡­me too.¡±

    Swoosh-

    I slowly let go of the hand that was sped in hers, and went up smoothly and softly, towards her back. My other empty hand passed lightly over her thin waist and moved to her back.

    Every time my hands moved slowly like a snake, Marie¡¯s slender body flinched. In the meantime, I was finally able to embrace Marie.

    Until now, I didn¡¯t realize that her back was exposed and open, as I had only seen her from the front. The feeling of her back was transmitted to my hands.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    As we hugged, Marie let out a hot breath. Then, she cautiously and strongly embraced me while patting my body.

    Unlike the previous hugs, I could fully feel her skin and heartbeat. Herrge chest pressed against me beyond the evening dress.

    Marie¡¯s chest was soft and malleable like marshmallows, and her shape changed freely with even slight pressure. What would it feel like if I touched it with my hands?

    But it¡¯s not time yet. Marie is a woman who gave me her sweet first night, so I have to handle her like a precious ss craft.

    ¡°¡­Isaac, there¡¯s something below¡­¡±

    ¡°You made it like this.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Marie seemed to have already felt my manhood burning. As it swelled up, she kept teasing me below.

    As if asking where she was looking, I swept my hands down from her back, where I had ced them. Not too fast or slow, so that she could feel it well.

    ¡°Hm!¡±

    The sudden stimulus made Marie shiver and make a strange sound. Surprised, she applied more pressure to the arms that were wrapped around me. But I didn¡¯t stop here.

    The fact that her back was revealed meant that my hand could invade it below. I gently stroked her back and then moved down to her waist.

    It wasn¡¯t quite secretive, but I started to excite her by stroking her buttocks and wide hips like a potter.

    ¡°Ah¡­ hah¡­¡±

    As fresh stimtion continued, Marie shivered and moaned. She couldn¡¯t look at me and lowered her head, so I grabbed her chin with one hand and forced her to look up.

    ¡°Hm¡­? Uhp!¡±

    Then came the unexpected kiss. At first, she stiffened at the sudden contact, but gradually rxed and epted it.

    With one hand holding the back of her head and the other holding her back, I explored her as much as I wanted.

    Suckling and nibbling on each other¡¯s lips, we shared a passionate, deep kiss. As I firmly held her head, she hugged my neck and responded eagerly.

    We licked each other¡¯s lips, teased with our tongues, and explored each other¡¯s mouths.

    Finally, their tongues tangled and exchanged saliva, longing for each other¡¯s love.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    How long had it been since their act of devouring each other began? We separated our lips as if we had agreed beforehand. A thin silver thread connected our lips before it snapped off.

    For a moment, I savored the sweet taste in my mouth, then looked at Marie¡¯s face. She extended her tongue out, her eyes unfocused, expressing the ecstasy she felt. Her expression was more vulgar than elegant.

    Just moments before, our intense kiss caused one of the straps of her dress to fall, exposing one of her breastspletely.

    ¡°Marie.¡±

    ¡°Haa¡­ haa¡­¡±

    Marie, unable to properly answer as she panted for breath, was already excited enough. I slowly approached her face and whispered in her ear.

    ¡°I love you.¡±

    ¡°Me too¡­¡±

    As soon as she replied in a trembling voice, she immediately took action. I gently caressed her face, then leaned down to her slender and long neck and kissed her lips. I licked her skin with my tongue, savoring her scent to my heart¡¯s content. The scent of the soap she had used earlier aroused my senses.

    ¡°Uhh¡­¡±

    Marie also let out a satisfied moan and trembled with pleasure. I slowly led her towards the bed and grabbed one of her breasts that was already exposed.

    Thus began a night of passion in the depths of the mansion.

    Trantors note:

    WARNING CHAPTERS 112 and 113 ARE NSFW

    Also I will be realisng both of them tomorrow

 Chapter 112: Deep Night at the Mansion (1)

    ¡°Haa!¡±

    When Isaac grabbed her chest with a sudden jerk, Marie let out a scream. With this action alone, her lower body shuddered and he had no choice but to contort her body.

    Meanwhile, Isaac also inwardly admired the feel of a woman¡¯s bare chest, which he had never touched before. It was soft and plump enough to fit into one hand.

    Moreover, when he squeezed it firmly, white flesh spilled out from between his fingers, making it all the more erotic. She was so excited that her pink nipples stood erect.

    He realized that he truly desired this woman. Isaac buried his face in Marie¡¯s neck and began to lick her white skin. At the same time, he teased her nipple with his fingers.

    ¡°Huh¡­!¡±

    Marie struggled to suppress her moans, but it was all in vain. Her body had already surrendered to pleasure, as she had learned about sex from her family and had a strong interest in it. She sometimes took care of her desires herself.

    But to be touched by someone else, especially a man whom she loves, was a different story altogether.

    Each touch of his hands sent a jolt of electricity through her body, and lightning seemed to sh across her mind. Whether her body was this sensitive or Isaac was just skilled at kissing, Marie was experiencing pleasure like she never had before.

    As Isaac slowly pulled away from her neck and chest, Marie looked at him with a questioning expression as the pleasure she had grown ustomed to suddenly disappeared.

    Isaac also gazed down at Marie, her white hair scattered like snowkes and her exposed breast slightly drooping under gravity. But above all, it was her expression that excited him even more as Marie looked at him with half-opened eyes.

    Feeling the hardness of himself, he quietly asked Marie.

    ¡°Marie¡­ Can I take it off?¡±

    Marie, who was breathing heavily, turned her head slightly at Isaac¡¯s question. After hesitating for a moment, she replied in a voice as small as a passing ant.

    ¡°You can take it off.¡±

    It was a very brief response, but it rang clearly in Isaac¡¯s ears. With that, Isaac swallowed his saliva and slowly reached out his hand.

    It wasn¡¯t the dress strap that had already slipped down, but the one still hanging on Marie¡¯s shoulder. After grabbing the strap, he slowly pulled it down, revealing her bare shoulder.

    ¡°Umm¡­¡±

    When Marie¡¯s dress was removed and her chest waspletely exposed, she seemed embarrassed and covered it with both hands. But when the dress waspletely removed, she carefully covered her modesty with one arm over her chest and the other over her private area.

    Finally, Isaac removed Marie¡¯s evening dress and admired her body, which had not a single blemish.

    Smooth and snow-white skin. A voluptuous chest that even though it was covered by one arm, some flesh still overflowed. A seductive curve of the hips under the slender waist.

    Marie¡¯s naked body was so beautiful and sexy that she could be called a snow white goddess.

    ¡°¡­ You weren¡¯t wearing any underwear either.¡±

    Usually, even when wearing an evening dress, people wear underwear. But Marie waspletely naked inside her evening dress.

    Isaac took a deep breath at Marie¡¯s seduction and, for a moment, looked at her shyly before opening his mouth with a trembling voice.

    ¡°¡­ Beautiful.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Really beautiful. Marie. The most beautiful in the world. So¡­¡±

    Isaac swallowed his words, but Marie could intuitively sense what he wanted. It must have been a request to move the arm that covered his chest and lower body.

    If she moved her arms aside, she would show Isaac everything without hiding. From then on, she would give everything to the man she loved as a woman.

    Marie hesitated slightly at the thought, but eventually started to move her arms that covered her chest and lower body. She was too embarrassed to even make eye contact, and her heart was pounding as if it would burst at any moment.

    Finally¡­ Her pink nipples stood out sharply along with her exposed breasts, and her secret space was revealed. Like white hair, Marie¡¯s pubic hair was surrounded by a white thicket.

    Isaac swallowed his saliva and slowly lowered his upper body. Then he gently grabbed Marie¡¯s cheek and made her face him.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    Kiss-

    Once again, a long and passionate deep kiss followed. Marie allowed Isaac to explore not only her tongue but also her lips, teeth, and even inside her mouth while lying down.

    Isaac greedily explored every inch of her mouth. Every time he teased her tongue or invaded her mouth, Marie¡¯s legs twitched.

    ¡°Uhm¡­ Mmm!¡±

    Marie, who was receiving Isaac¡¯s kiss with closed eyes, let out a shallow moan as his hand began to explore her body. One hand slowly stopped on her chest, carefully grabbing it, while the other hand caressed her thigh beyond her waistline and hips.

    Whenever he touched her buttocks, she felt a subtle sense of arousal.

    ¡°Huh! Uhm! Haaah! Haa¡­! cold¡­!¡±

    At the pleasure of him using two hands instead of one, Marie escaped from Isaac¡¯s mouth and let out a hot moan. But as Isaac covered her mouth right after and teased her tongue, she had no choice but to move her tongue.

    Thus, Isaac continued to make Marie¡¯s body hotter, but deliberately refrained from touching her intimate parts. Instead, he gently stroked every part of her body except for that area, quietly fueling the mes of desire.

    The reason why Isaac was able to be skillful in making love even though it was his first experience was that Marie was his first woman. It was a kind of consideration and service for her to be able to feel pleasure and climax first.

    ¡°Puha! Umm!!¡±

    Mari also reached her limit and hugged Isaac tightly with both hands, pressing her face against his.

    Previously, when Isaac teased her with his tongue, she only responded to him. But now, she actively put her tongue into Isaac¡¯s mouth and tasted it as much as she wanted.

    It means that pleasure has soaked her and her reason is almost paralyzed. Isaac silently received her tongue y, and then gradually moved his hand, which had been caressing her thighs and lower abdomen, down.

    He reaches deeper and his hand passes through her white bush, reaching towards her pubic area. With his other hand, he twisted her nipples around, making her unable to concentrate on anything else.

    And then, at the moment his finger intruded into her vagina, piercing through it, entering deeply inside.

    ¡°Huuuaah?!¡±

    Marie¡¯s eyes widened and her body trembled greatly as his finger prated deep inside. Her thighs tightened around Isaac¡¯s arm, and both her arms wrapped around him tightly.

    Like adding oil to a small me, Isaac moved more vigorously.

    Squish! Squish! Squish!!

    However, as if it was just the beginning, even when her thighs were squeezing his arms, Isaac continued to ravish her vagina with all his might.

    ¡°Hoo-ahh! Haa-ahh! Oh, Isaac! Ahh! Aaahhh!!¡±

    Even as Marie screamed and thrashed like a wild animal, Isaac didn¡¯t stop his thrusting motion with his fingers inside her vagina, somehow managing to keep her still with his free hand.

    To prevent her from stopping her orgasm and to let her go wild with pleasure.

    He continued to use his index and middle fingers to stimte Marie¡¯s vagina, adding more dry firewood to the pleasure to make it burn even stronger.

    Squish! Squish! Squish!

    ¡°Huh! Haa-ahh! Haaak. Aeu-ahhh!!¡±

    For a while, Marie thrashed about in waves of pleasure, unable to extricate herself. Her mind wentpletely nk, and she couldn¡¯t even think. asionally, her vision would sh before her eyes.

    It was not a self-soothingfort, but the first climax delivered by the man she loved. The climax was like a drug that Marie could never escape from.

    ¡°Ah¡­!¡±

    Plop-

    Marie¡¯s body copsed weakly onto the bed. The tension in her trembling thighs and Isaac¡¯s arm, which she had been using to support herself, rxed.

    ¡°Whew¡­¡±

    Isaac gazed at Marie, who had reached her climax, as he exhaled deeply. Her pupils had dted, and the whites of her eyes were more prominent. Her body trembled intermittently.

    But that wasn¡¯t all.

    Isaac noticed that Marie¡¯s fluids were flowing out of her like a flood, soaking the sheets beneath her. Even his hand that had been exploring her was drenched in her fluids.

    The indecent sight of Marie climaxing before they even entered the main course. Isaac looked at his hand covered in her fluids, then tentatively put it in his mouth.

    It had a slightly sour taste, but also had a soapy scent that stimted a man¡¯s desire.

    ¡°Hah¡­hah¡­¡±

    Meanwhile, Marie couldn¡¯t even catch her breath properly and couldn¡¯t regain herposure. The intense pleasure was overwhelming, causing her vision to blur and then sharpen repeatedly, as if her brain was melting.

    It was such an intense, exhrating pleasure that she wondered if she was going to die like this. Her mother said that it was hard at first, but once you tasted the pleasure, you would never be able to get out of it.

    But if this was only the beginning, what woulde next? Would it be even more intense? She wondered if she might actually die from the overwhelming pleasure.

    Marie half-opened her eyes and struggled to focus on what was in front of her.

    Thump-thump-

    As if preparing to enter the main course, Isaac slowly stripped off his pajamas. Marie tried to regte her breathing as she watched Isaac¡¯s body.

    Isaac¡¯s body surprisingly had well-defined muscles that were enough to capture the hearts of many women. In the past, Hawk had trained Isaac to be a knight, so it was only natural that he had been exercising regrly.

    However, what was important to Marie at that moment was not Isaac¡¯s upper body, but rather what was beneath it.

    In order for a man and a woman to be one, there is a special part of the male body that is only allowed to be touched by the woman.

    <i>¡®Surely¡­ it¡¯s about the size of a small dagger¡­¡¯</i>

    When she received sex education from her family, she was taught that if a man¡¯s penis is fully erect, it can be about the length of a small dagger. She was worried if that alone would be enough to fit inside her cramped space.

    As Marie was thinking about the length of a small dagger in her mind, Isaac was already removing his tight pants and underwear. At the same time, Marie¡¯s eyes widened as she saw Isaac¡¯s member reflected in her hazy eyes like a mirror.

    ¡°¡­ah?¡±

    It¡¯s big. Really big.

    It wasn¡¯t just the size of a small dagger; Isaac¡¯s member was sorge that it wasparable to a ymore sword that strong knights carry around. Even in Marie¡¯s eyes, who had seen many things, it was exceptionallyrge.

    It wasn¡¯t just about the size either. As if representing Isaac¡¯s heightened state of excitement, his member stood erect and proud, with bulging veins all over it.

    Despite Isaac¡¯s handsome appearance, which was more beautiful than most women, his masculinity was so intimidating that it seemed to have taken over himpletely.

    ¡°Oh, Isaac. That¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡±

    Marie called out to Isaac with a fearful expression, and he responded with a soft smile as he gently touched her private area.

    stab-

    ¡°Huh?!¡±

    Isaac inserted his finger into Marie once again, just like before. Even though it was enough to bring Marie to the brink of orgasm, Isaac¡¯s finger prated even deeper into her.

    Feeling the strange sensation inside, Marie looked at Isaac with anxiety. However, Isaac just smirked and started moving his finger up and down slowly. Marie couldn¡¯t hold it in any longer and let out a moan.

    Squish! Squish!

    ¡°Hng! Wait a second¡­!¡±

    ¡°Are you not curious, Marie? My fingers can only reach this far, but it can go beyond that.¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh! Ouch!¡±

    After hearing Isaac¡¯s words, Marie became even more excited. Even just rubbing the inside of her vagina with his fingers was already providing tremendous pleasure, but his object could go even deeper.

    If it happened, what would it feel like? Would it be much better than before, or would she only feel pain?

    Her head becameplicated for a moment, but soon she came to a conclusion.

    ept Isaac¡¯s object. And in order to easily receive that big object¡­

    Squelch-

    ¡°Ah, Isaac¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Hurry up and¡­ put it in¡­¡±

    She would have to help him so that it could easily enter inside. Marie urged him with trembling hands, spreading open her vagina.

    To Marie, it might have seemed like she was just trying to make it easier for Isaac, but to him, it was an obscenely lewd action.

    It was a vulgar act to spread open her vagina with both hands in order to receive a man¡¯s penis. And now, Marie was doing it right in front of him.

    At this, Isaac withdrew his fingers that were rubbing Marie¡¯s vagina and instead grabbed his own object. It was sorge that it was iparable to anything she had experienced before, and the stiffness was terrifying.

    Then he ced the object on Marie¡¯s lower abdomen as she spread her vagina open.

    ¡°Heeek¡­!¡±

    Was she surprised by the length of the object, which almost reached her navel?

    Marie widened her eyes in shock, but her face also showed a slight sense of anticipation. How much pleasure would she gain once it entered inside?

    Normally, one should focus on losing their virginity, but Marie had just experienced the peak of pleasure that only a man could provide.

    Marie was currently craving pleasure through sex with Isaac, and her primitive instincts were driving her further.

    Squelch-

    The penis that had been on her lower abdomen descended downwards. Thanks to Marie¡¯s spread legs, the entrance to her vagina was easily essible.

    Isaac teased her by gliding the tip of his penis up and down her slit instead of entering her right away.

    He coated himself with Marie¡¯s juices as if lubricating himself to make it easier to prate.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    When hisrge rod slid up, Marie shuddered. She wished Isaac would hurry up and put it in, but he was being cruel.

    Using the ns, he gently stimted the clitoris to pleasure her, and every time, the vaginal secretions flowed out and soaked the bed.

    Just before Marie¡¯s mind turned white, Isaac inserted his penis into her tight vagina.

    Squelch-

    ¡°Ahh¡­!¡±

    Marie bit down hard on her fist at the sensation that was beyondparison to a mere finger. Although her vagina was soaked with secretions, its size made it inevitable that she would experience some pain.

    Isaac was also at a loss. He had only inserted his shaft and yet Marie seemed to be in tremendous pain.

    Here, a choice had to be made. Whether to wait patiently until Marie got used to the pain of slowly inserting himself, or to deeply prate her right from the beginning to finish it at once.

    However, considering that he had already gone through the preliminary steps and that her fluids were flowing out, it seemed that thetter option would be the better approach. With that in mind, Isaac exerted force on his waist and pushed himself inside.

    Thud! St-

    ¡°!!!¡±

    Isaac rapidly prated her vagina, and the sound of the tip of his penis colliding with something was distinctly audible. Marie¡¯s eyes opened wide at the feeling of her insides being filled up, and she bit her lips tightly.

    ¡°Ahhhh!!¡±

    She was on the verge of climaxing again, but barely managed to hold on due to the mix of pleasure and pain. She repeatedly opened and closed her mouth, and then looked down with trembling eyes.

    And she could clearly see that Isaac¡¯s member was inserted and connected to her vagina. They had truly be one.

    ¡°Uuuu¡­¡±

    Isaac¡¯s member was hot and hard, just as it had looked frighteningly on the outside. It was no exaggeration to say that it felt like a fire poker had been inserted inside her vagina.

    Isaac also felt the pressure of Marie¡¯s vaginal walls tightly wrapped around his member, and he could feel her wetness as well. Despite the size of his rod, Marie¡¯s virginity made her tight, and the pressure was intense. Above all, her vagina waspletely covered with their mixed fluids, and it seemed like it could overflow at any moment.

    ¡°Marie.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­? Uhm! Mmm¡­¡±

    Isaac was considering whether to move or not, but he decided to give her a kiss first, and wait until she gets used to it. So, they continued kissing for about a minute, and he could feel that the tension in her body had slightly eased up.

    When he felt her body rx, he knew that she was bing morefortable. Then, he pulled his face away from her lips.

    Marie was shedding tears in pain and pleasure.

    ¡°Move.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    With permission granted, Isaac slowly moved back his waist. Then the object that had filled Marie¡¯s insides gently retreated, scraping against the wall.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    Marie let out a weak moan as his penis scraped against her walls. Perhaps because it wasrge, it took a long time for it to retreat.

    Afterwards, when the pir had almostpletely exited and only the head was still in, Isaac pushed the object back in without warning.

    Squelch!

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    Marie¡¯s moans were soaked in pleasure. Isaac¡¯s emotions intensified even more with her response, and he began to move his waist back and forth.

    Thump! Thump! Squelch!

    ¡°Ah! Ha! Ahh! Wait, stop! Ahhh!!¡±

    No matter how patient Isaac was, he was still just a man. He roughly shook his waist regardless of what Marie said.

    Every time his penis inside her moved back and forth, there was a sshing sound and her fluids flowed out as if a dam had burst. Marie gripped the bedsheet with her hands.

    She couldn¡¯te to her senses due to the pleasure that shook her brain every time Isaac¡¯s member invaded her.

    Marie was already half out of her mind, so she couldn¡¯t tell if she was screaming or crying.

    Squish! Squish! Squish!

    ¡°Ah! Isaac! Isa¡­ Mmhh!¡±

    Even when Isaac was ravishing her at his own pace, Marie enthusiastically responded when he kissed her. With both the top and bottom being stimted at the same time, she felt like she could reach orgasm at any moment.

    ¡°Oh god! Uh¡­ ah!¡±

    Was she already starting to reach climax? Marie bit her lips hard as she felt something building up in her head.

    A little more, just a little more, and something big seems to being. Like blowing air into a balloon until it reaches its limit and bursts, Marie wanted Isaac toe out stronger.

    Isaac could sense her desire. Marie¡¯s legs wrapped around his waist, as if she wanted him to thrust harder.

    Truly, she was an obscenely vulgar andscivious woman beyond what he had imagined a virgin would be like. Isaac lowered his upper body and pulled her close. Then, he intensified his movements.

    Squelch! Squelch! Squelch!

    ¡°Hah! Hng! Hah!¡±

    As Isaac¡¯s speed in desecrating Marie¡¯s private part increased, moans of pleasure flowed continuously from her mouth.

    He prated deeper than before, and his pace became even faster. Despite being caught up in the moment, Marie instinctively understood what was happening.

    He was trying to sow his seed inside her. Marie tightened her arms and legs around Isaac, as her pleasure continued to build.

    Thrust- thrust- thrust-

    ¡°Huaah! Aaah! Hyah!¡±

    ¡°Huk!¡±

    Isaac, who had been thrusting into Marie¡¯s vagina, also let out a soft moan as he held her tightly. Then, just like when he first prated her, he pressed his hips against hers, hitting her cervix with the tip of his penis.

    St!

    ¡°Aaaahhhh!!!¡±

    Feeling the tip of Isaac¡¯s penis collide with her cervix, Marie screamed out in pain and pleasure. Her legs, which had been wrapped around Isaac¡¯s waist, straightened out in a line and trembled uncontrobly, while her toes repeatedly curled and unfurled.

    Her arms also iled in the air before scratching Isaac¡¯s back with her nails. Bright shes of light seemed to flicker before her eyes, and her head felt as if it were being jolted with electricity.

    Wet sounds echoed with each thrust.

    Thrust- thrust- thrust-

    Meanwhile, Isaac, still holding Marie close to him, emptied himself of all the pent-up semen he had been harboring for so long. He kept ejacting several times, his hot seed flooding into her womb.

    Although she could feel the heat from his seed spreading through her belly, Marie was too busy writhing in ecstasy to focus on the sensation. Her eyes became mostly white, with only a small part showing the iris, and tears streamed down her cheeks like a broken faucet.

    Fwoosh! Fwoosh!

    Not only that, but also from the joined vagina, ejaction squirted out like a spray. Isaac felt his stomach get wet up with Marie¡¯s ejaction and looked down at her.

    Even though she had reached her climax, she looked like she had properly passed away. Her eyes were unfocused, and her tongue was sticking out, making it seem as if she had died. Furthermore, seeing her body convulsing intermittently, he could vaguely sense the intensity of the pleasure she had experienced.

    Plop-

    ¡°¡­ahh¡±

    When Isaac removed the object from her vagina, Marie let out a soft moan. All the strength had drained from her body, and she couldn¡¯t even move a finger.

    Isaac examined the penis he had taken out of her vagina. It was coated in semen and vaginal fluids, but it seemed like it wasn¡¯t enough yet. The object stood tall and proud, as if showing off its magnificence.

    Isaac then leaned in close to Marie¡¯s face and slowly brought the object to her mouth, or more precisely, close to her lips. He was hoping that since Marie had already reached the point of ecstasy, she might suck on it. He knew that Marie had a naturally lewd body, as he had discovered during their sexual encounter.

    And it turned out his intuition was right.

    ¡°¡­Slurp.¡±

    Despite the chaos around them, Marie stuck out her tongue and began to lick the pole when the strong smell of Isaac¡¯s penis stimted her olfactory senses. Isaac shuddered with pleasure and brought his penis even closer to her mouth.

    ¡°Mmm¡­ slurp. slurp. sluurp¡­¡±

    ¡°Haah¡­¡±

    Marie began to carefully clean the dirty penis with her tongue and mouth, coated with a mixture of semen and vaginal fluids. Isaac breathed hot breaths in response to her tongue y before pressing his penis closer to her face.

    ¡°Ooh. Um¡­¡±

    Even when the penis invaded her slightly parted lips, Marie didn¡¯t resist and simply continued to suck like a candy. Instinctively, she rolled her tongue around to give Isaac pleasure.

    Isaac moved his penis around to make it easier for her to clean. Marie used her tongue and mouth to clean the entire pole thoroughly.

    ¡°Is it that good?¡±

    ¡°Uun. Slurp. slurp. slu-. Hua¡­ Slurp¡­¡±

    Despite Isaac¡¯s question, Marei responded by continuing to suck him. Isaac felt a surge of desire for the woman he was watching. He had been hiding his attraction all this time.

    As Marie¡¯s body waspletely before his eyes, Isaac moved to a different spot, feeling the heat emanating from his penis. Marie¡¯s tongue lingered in the air as she felt a pang of regret.

    But she had no time to feel sad, as Isaac spun her body around and positioned her so that her hips were raised. In a moment of awakening, Isaac caressed Marie¡¯s tempting hips and inserted the rod into her once again.

    Squelch!

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    Though her moans were quiet, due to the extreme pleasure she had just experienced, Marie¡¯s body couldn¡¯t help but tremble. The change in position made Isaac¡¯s penis feel different, but even though he was essentially using her own body as a tool for masturbation, Marie was satisfied. All she had to do was wait for Isaac to give her the ultimate gift.

    Squelch! Squelch! Squeak!

    ¡°Ah! Ahh. Ah. Ah.¡±

    And so the night deep in the mansion stretched on as Marie indulged in pleasure, with her hips raised high.

    Trantors note:

    One more chaptering.

 Chapter 113: Deep Night at the Mansion (2)

    Although time was limited, the night of pleasure seemed tost long. The sexual encounter between the two men and women that begante at night continued steadily even after dawn had passed.

    Isaac explored Marie¡¯s body as if he wanted to release all the pent-up desire he had been holding back, and Marie squirmed with pleasure like a tidal wave every time Isaac¡¯s member prated her.

    Although their encounter started with love, after a certain amount of pleasure umted, both of them moved their bodies ording to their primal desires. Although Isaac was cautious not to hurt Marie with his rod, Marie moved her waist without caring about such things.

    Of course, even if Marie tried to swallow all of Isaac¡¯s penis, it was so much bigger than average that it was impossible for her to take it all, and a little bit remained. However, Marie writhed in pleasure as if she was going to die at any moment.

    ¡°I love you, Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Me too.¡±

    Even as they explored each other¡¯s bodies, they did not forget to kiss. Marie, who was on top of Isaac, asked for a kiss while flipping her hair that had fallen forward over her ear. Isaac eagerly weed her request.

    Squish- squelch-

    Even as they kissed with their tongues and saliva mingling, they remained connected to each other. Marie was exhausted after countless climaxes, but she expressed all her inherent lewdness without any pretense.

    Isaac also had no physical problems even though their encountersted from night until dawn. He had been consistently exercising since before, but Marie had not.

    She was currently in a state ofplete exhaustion, and it seemed that she would soon pass out as she had been using her mental energy instead of physical energy.

    Thud! Thwack! Smack!

    Isaac swiftly lifted his waist when Marie¡¯s tongue was exploring his mouth. In an instant, his shaft went fully into Marie¡¯s body.

    Despite the sudden shock, Marie was only surprised and did not release her grip from Isaac¡¯s mouth. Instead, she firmly held onto his face with both hands to maintain her position.

    Isaac closed his eyes and slowly grabbed her thin waist while epting her tongue. Then, he slowly rocked back and forth. His erect penis filled her vagina, slowly but surely building up an effect.

    ¡°Ah¡­ah¡­mm¡­mhh¡­ahh¡±

    Marie moaned as Isaac¡¯s fiery pir moved back and forth inside her. She was already at the brink of climax and this small stimulus was enough to make her head spin.

    Isaac knew this and released his grip on her waist, instead grabbing onto her buttocks which were just right to touch with enough flesh.

    Finally, he began to move his hips faster and faster, teasing her slowly at first but then with increasing speed.

    ¡°Ah! Huh! Ahh! Ahh!¡±

    Thud! Thud! Thud! Smack!

    As Isaac¡¯s rod traveled back and forth inside Marie¡¯s vagina, the sound of sshing water flowed out. Her insides were already covered in semen and vaginal fluids, making it easy for things to move in and out, and Isaac adjusted his rhythm to match Marie¡¯s as she began to shake her hips. Whenever she lifted her hips up, he pulled out his penis slightly, and as she lowered herself, he inserted it deeply.

    Marie, who had already swallowed up even thest remaining bit of modesty in her lewd body, screamed again in pleasure.

    ¡°Kyah~! Ahh! Haaah!¡±

    Her ample breasts shook up and down with each movement, creating a truly magnificent sight. Her stiff, pink nipples were also as tempting as ripe fruit, making them look delicious.

    ¡°Do you like it?¡±

    Isaac asked Marie quietly as she rode on top of him and moved her body obscenely. As someone with much greater stamina than Marie, his voice was full of ease.

    On the other hand, Marie, who was on the verge of exhaustion, was not in a state to answer. She stopped her movements of lifting and lowering her hips for a moment and answered with difficulty.

    ¡°I like it¡­¡±

    ¡°How much do you like it?¡±

    ¡°Just like¡­uhh¡­¡±

    She continued moving her hips while answering with half-closed eyes and slurred speech. Even though this was her first experience, she was such a lewd woman.

    Isaac smiled contentedly as he looked at Marie, who was on the verge of fainting, sticking out his tongue. As a man, it was undoubtedly a great source of pride to rise to such heights, and to bring his beloved woman to the pinnacle of pleasure was a very satisfying aplishment.

    However, he was starting to get tired, and if he continued to focus on sex like this, he might not be able to get out of bed all day tomorrow. With that, Isaac slowly lifted his body while embracing Marie tightly.

    Then he buried his face in her full breasts and gently rolled his tongue over her erect nipples that stood out. Then he moved his tongue up and kissed her lips at the base of her neck.

    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±

    ¡°Marie.¡±

    ¡°Hah-¡°

    Then he smiled and faced Marie directly. Marie smiled back at Isaac with a look that waspletely ruined when he smiled.

    Her eyes were drooping and tears were streaming down her cheeks like a faucet, and her forced smile injected an irresistible desire into the man.

    Isaac quietly spoke as he felt the penis he had dug into Marie¡¯s insides pulsing.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to finish now.¡±

    ¡°Inside¡­ just a little more¡­ Hng?!¡±

    Swoosh!

    Marie whimpered as the member that had filled her began to slowly withdraw, but it was only for a moment. Isaac quickly thrust it back in just as it was about toe out.

    In a moment that was less than a second, Marie stretched her slender legs forward and shuddered her body in ecstasy. In the pleasure that stirred her brain, her head involuntarily fell backward, and her tongue slipped out of her widely opened mouth.

    Thump! Thump! Smack!

    Marie and Isaac faced each other in a sitting position, engaging in face-to-face intercourse. Isaac held onto Marie¡¯s hips and thrust into her fiercely, causing Marie¡¯s mind to be hazy from the relentless pleasure that engulfed her body.

    ¡°Hah! Hak! Uhh! Haa!¡±

    Finally, Marielost her mindpletely and screamed uncontrobly. Her pupils rolled up, revealing more of the whites of her eyes, and her expression was a frighteningly cheerful one.

    However, Isaac was not concerned about her state and focused solely on his own pleasure. Seeing Marie¡¯s vaginal walls contract and rx repeatedly, he realized that she had exhausted all her strength.

    So he lifted his waist as high as he could and prated her deeply. Although he couldn¡¯t go all the way to the base, it was satisfying enough for his already worn-out body.

    Squelch!

    ¡°HuaaaAAH!!¡±

    As her uterus collided with Isaac¡¯s ejacting penis, Marie screamed like a wild animal, shaking her body vigorously. Isaac also ejacted into Marie¡¯s vagina for thest time.

    Squelch- squelch- squelch-

    Although it came out less than at first, I could feel that a considerable amount hade out. Isaac took a deep breath and checked on Marie¡¯s condition.

    ¡°Hehe¡­ Hahaha¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Although her body was trembling intermittently, she was already on the verge of copsing like a doll, having lost all her strength. Isaac carefullyid Marie down on the bed and slowly removed his penis he had inserted deep inside her.

    Plop!

    As the member was removed, a sound like uncorking a cork was heard. At the same time, the semen that had been stored inside it flowed out in a steady stream as Isaac¡¯s rod came out of the cramped space.

    I don¡¯t know how much was umted, but seeing Marie¡¯s belly slightly swollen, I can assume that it was discharged outside the body. If he hadn¡¯t taken birth control pills beforehand, pregnancy would have been all but confirmed.

    Pushhhh-

    Perhaps because her body had no strength left, at that moment, a white liquid burst out of Marie¡¯s vagina like a fountain and soaked the bed.

    Is it urine or ejaction? To Isaac, it was nothing less than a mysterious phenomenon. He had only seen it in porn videos in his past life, but now he was seeing it with his own eyes.

    But he couldn¡¯t just stand and watch. Isaac approached Marie, who was lying on the bed with her legs spread like a frog, as no more fluid came out of her genitals.

    ¡°Marie?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Her body was trembling intermittently, and with her half-closed eyes, it seemed that she had fainted. Considering that she had used not only all her physical strength but also mental strength, it was only natural.

    Isaac felt proud of having had sex with Marie until she fainted, but for the time being, he focused on taking care of her. Since he couldn¡¯t call for a maid now, he nned to warm her body with the wet bedding. Or he could ovep their bodies to transfer heat. This was not a bad option either.

    Fortunately, only the bedsheet got wet, so theforter was rtively clean since he had put it away. Isaac covered Marie with theforter, who had fallen asleep soundly.

    Just in case her neck hurt when she woke up, Isaac didn¡¯t forget to put a soft pillow under her head, even though there was only one pillow. He was willing to put up with it for the woman he loved.

    After finishing everything to prepare for sleep, Isaac ovepped his body with hers.

    ¡°Marie, are you asleep?¡±

    ¡°Mm¡­¡±

    ¡°You are sleeping.¡±

    Before turning off themp that lit up the dark bedroom, Isaac stared at Marie¡¯s face intently. Although her face was messy with traces of tears, her beauty was still undeniable.

    On the contrary, it gave off a different charm, which made Isaac¡¯s heart throb. With a gentle smile, he leaned over Marie¡¯s ear and whispered softly,

    ¡°I love you, Marie.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    With Isaac¡¯s love confession.

    ¡°Then sleep well.¡±

    The deep night in the long mansion hade to an end.

    *****

    The deep night filled with pleasure passed, and it became the next morning.

    Although the sun was already high in the sky, Isaac and Marie did not get up from bed. More urately, they couldn¡¯t get up. Marie had exhausted all her physical and mental strength in their sexual encounter.

    Moreover, the pleasure she had experienced for the first time in her life had eaten away at her mind and forced her to fall asleep involuntarily.

    ¡°Huaah¡­¡±

    Isaac, who was slightly better off than the unconscious Marie, was able to wake up a little earlier. He got out of bed, yawned, and stared nkly for a while. Then he scratched his shoulder and looked over to the side, sensing something.

    Next to him, Marie was sleeping soundly with her pillow bent,pletely naked.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    It was only then that Isaac was able to recall everything that had happenedst night and this morning.

    He had had sex with Marie yesterday and had vited her like a beast. At first, he had intended to be considerate, but as time passed, pleasure and desire took over his mind, and he could no longer think of being considerate.

    Fortunately, Marie was not in her right mind due to her climax, but if she had been conscious, he wouldn¡¯t have had the courage to face her today.

    Isaac looked at Marie, who was sleeping without a care in the world, with an affectionate gaze and gently brushed her cheek with his hand.

    ¡°Mm¡­¡±

    As if feeling the warmth of the person she loves spreading through her cheek, Marie let out a murmuring sound and slowly began to open her eyes. Her long eyshes and jewel-like blue eyes glistened.

    ¡°Are you awake?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Marie, who had just managed to open her eyes, turned her head slightly as she heard a familiar voice. It was none other than Isaac, who was now gently stroking her head.

    As expected. Marie met Isaac¡¯s golden eyes, which were filled with love and affection, with a look full of love and affection. She blinked her eyes a few times to restore her blurred vision and then smiled brightly.

    ¡°Isaac¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Marie?¡±

    ¡°Hehehe.¡±

    Marie moved her body sluggishly and pressed herself close to Isaac. Isaac felt his body tensing up as Marie pressed against him naked.

    He thought he had taken care of everything earlier this morning, but it seems that being a man is an inevitable thing. Moreover, it is a natural physiological phenomenon for blood to flow more in the morning.

    He quickly lifted his face, in case Marie happened to see him.

    Smack-

    It was a light, yet deep kiss. They intertwined their tongues, sharing warmth in the passionate kiss. Isaac felt his lower body heat up from the kiss, but didn¡¯t show it.

    Marie wouldn¡¯t be able to get up fromst night¡¯s affair. However, that was the story when Isaac didn¡¯t notice Marie¡¯s lewdness. She shifted her gaze elsewhere in the midst of their passionate kiss.

    He had been trying to cover it up with the nket, but the tent that had risen up couldn¡¯t be hidden. Marie looked at Isaac¡¯s risen shaft with a quizzical expression and asked him.

    ¡°Is it standing up again?¡±

    Normally, she would feel embarrassed afterst night, but now that she had tasted sex, she focused on Isaac¡¯s erect penis without any embarrassment. Also, unlike yesterday, the situation was more focused on curiosity than shame. Above all, her lower abdomen was twitching, and she didn¡¯t have any immediate ns for sex.

    ¡°Oh, this is¡­ I mean, it¡¯s like a men thing¡­¡±

    Isaac was taken aback. He still had things to do, but if he indulged in Marie¡¯s body again, it would be toote. However, Marie, with a curious look in her eyes, grabbed his pole and began to move her hand.

    ¡°Ugh!¡±

    Isaac groaned as Marie suddenly grabbed his erect penis. The soft yet cold touch brought him a unique sensation.

    ¡°Wow¡­¡±

    Meanwhile, Marie let out a moan of surprise.

    The thickness that couldn¡¯t be grasped with one hand and it was surprisingly hard as steel. In addition, the length was terrifyingly long, visible even beyond the nket that conveyed the heat to her hand.

    <i>¡®It really came in and out of me.¡¯</i>

    Marie thought to herself as she threw off the nket covering Isaac¡¯s manhood with her other hand. Now, his imposing figure was fully exposed.

    Yesterday, she couldn¡¯t see it clearly with just onemp. But now, looking at it with both eyes, it was truly wicked and disgusting.

    Marie touched Isaac¡¯s penis and looked at him. Since Marie grabbed the pole with her hand, Isaac had been panting hot breaths.

    ¡°Haah¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Marie looked at Isaac¡¯s reddened face and moved her hand up and down. Every time she did, Isaac let out a moan.

    Indeed, men like it when you touch them here. Marie intensified her slow stroking.

    Swish- swish- swish-

    ¡°Haah. Haah. Marie¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you feel good?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±

    Isaacy sprawled on the bed, as Marie started giving him a morning handjob. He knew that if he didn¡¯t allow it, she would nag him incessantly until he gave in.

    Meanwhile, Marie fondled Isaac¡¯s tip with one hand and the pir with the other. Although she had both hands wrapped around it, she could easily move up and down its length.

    ¡°Haam.¡±

    ¡°Ugh!¡±

    As if this weren¡¯t enough, Marie used her mouth as well as her hands to tease Isaac¡¯s penis to her heart¡¯s content. Just as Isaac had tormented her the night before, Marie now yed with his rod as if it were a toy.

    ¡°Slurp. Sluuurp. Slurp. Uum.¡±

    Tap-tap-tap-tap.

    She inserted the member wherever it would fit in her mouth, sometimes licking the pir with her tongue or focusing on the tip of the shaft. With one hand, she quickly searched the pir, while the other fondled the balls beneath it.

    Isaac knew that a man¡¯s balls were extremely sensitive and painful even with the slightest touch. However, Marie had learned this from her family¡¯s basic sexual education, and she was able to apply it to her current situation, even if it was a bit strange.

    Despite this, Isaac didn¡¯t care and just enjoyed the experience.

    ¡°Mmm. Slurp! Slu-! Haa!¡±

    When Marie felt a little stiff, she used saliva to moisten Isaac¡¯s whole penis and continued to caress him, even though no one taught her this extremely skillful technique. As a result, Isaac could feel the rising sensation of ejaction in real-time.

    How much time had passed since Marie had teased Isaac¡¯s pir?

    ¡°M-Marie!¡±

    Splurt! St!

    As Isaac called out Marie¡¯s name, semen was ejacted. Even though he had done it just yesterday, it was an enormous amount.

    ¡°Slurp?! Mmh!¡±

    Marie quickly removed her mouth from Isaac¡¯s genitals when she felt it expand even more. At the same time, semen sttered all over her beautiful face.

    Then, she roughly wiped off the semen on her face with her hand. Isaac¡¯s semen was¡­ very sticky. And it had a subtly pleasant fragrance.

    ¡°Haaam.¡±

    Marie put the semen-covered hand in her mouth and tasted it. It was bitter, but the taste had a strong addictive quality.

    ¡°Are you okay? It¡¯s dirty¡­¡±

    Meanwhile, Isaac, who had been cooling down since morning due to Marie¡¯s touch,y down and asked her. Since he had an orgasm in the morning, his body felt deted like a balloon.

    Marie answered while wiping off the semen on her face with the nket. It was a bit ufortable, but she didn¡¯t care because she was going to wash anyway.

    ¡°Why is it dirty? You¡¯re the one who ejacted.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Finally, Marie blushed and made her request.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be counting on you from now on, too.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°If it feels this good, we should have done it sooner.¡±

    Isaac snickered.

    Trantors note:

    If the quality is worse than usual in these chapter, it¡¯s because I was tranting them at 3 am and notpletely sane lmao

 Chapter 114: After That Day (1)

    The pleasure that started from night and continued untilte dawn came to an end, and as soon as I woke up in the morning, I almost fell into pleasure again because Marie was doing something naughty. However, I was able to discharge some of the pent-up desires, so I didn¡¯t give in. Marie only touched my lower part out of curiosity, and I was too exhausted to do anything else.

    Afterwards, I got up from the bed to take care of the remaining tasks and picked up my fallen pajamas from the floor. While getting dressed, I checked the traces left by me and Marie¡¯s affair from the night before.

    There were plenty of wet and dry traces that needed to be discarded, including hardened white solids. Above all, there was blood on the sheets from Marie, so they had to be thrown away.

    The bed, which was covered in all kinds of fluids, could be taken care of by the maid upon request, so there was no problem, but there was a bigger problem.

    ¡°Huam¡­¡±

    ¡°Get up, Marie. The maid needs to clean up.¡±

    ¡°I want to sleep a little more¡­¡±

    Marie briefly woke up at my touch, but her body was too tired to even think about getting out of bed. Every time I called her, she would respond with a drowsy voice.

    Sometimes, when her stomach hurt or when sheined that she couldn¡¯t rest after yesterday, I was at a loss. The bed was too messy to leave it like that.

    Furthermore, Marie¡¯s body was already dirty and so was her bedding. Keeping her body clean by washing her was a top priority.

    Fortunately, there was a personal bathroom in the bedroom, so I thought Marie could wash up after I did.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go wash up first. When I¡¯m done, you can¡­¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°My legs won¡¯t move.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I want Isaac to help me wash.¡±

    Who would refuse when she smiled and asked like that? I smiled back as if I couldn¡¯t help it and hugged Marie lying on the bed.

    I wasn¡¯t lifting her up, but hugging her, so I could feel the softness of her skin. As a result, not only did my lower body be hot again, but Marie could feel it too.

    Marie hung onto me like a cicada and muttered to me with an unpleasant expression.

    ¡°Isaac is really a pervert. I even did it for you earlier.¡±

    ¡°¡­Because you were too wild.¡±

    ¡°Should we do it while we shower?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, but I already called a maid. And the bathroom isn¡¯t soundproof.¡±

    ¡°Sigh¡­I see.¡±

    Marie clicked her tongue in disappointment. It seemed that she wasn¡¯t teasing me, but genuinely disappointed. Her sexual desire was terrifying, as she had already exhausted her physical and mental stamina but still wanted more.

    Of course, I had nothing to say about it since I had pushed her so hard from the first night that it was only natural for her to be addicted.

    ¡°But Isaac, are you really doing this for the first time? Where did you learn it from?¡±

    ¡°I just did it like I saw in the book.¡±

    ¡°Watching something in a book is different from actually doing it. Have you done it with someone else besides me?¡±

    ¡°Like who?¡±

    ¡°Cecily?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Marie¡¯s answer left me speechless. If it weren¡¯t for her, it was highly likely that I would have had sex with Cecily first.

    Of course, that¡¯s something that can no longer happen now, but Marie was the woman who gave me my first experience throughout my past and present lives. This is an undeniable truth.

    I looked at Marie with a bewildered expression and let out a hollowugh.

    ¡°No way. You¡¯re really my first.¡±

    ¡°Hehe.¡±

    Marie hugged me tighter, perhaps feeling happy at the thought of being my first. As she did, she subtly rubbed her body against mine, showing off her hidden lewdness.

    Looking at the bloodstained bed, it was clear that she was a virgin, so how could she be so erotic? I filled the bathtub with warm water located in the bathroom and put Marie down on the ground.

    Marie couldn¡¯t even walk, so she sat down on the floor and wobbled around. In the meantime, I checked to see if there were any remaining robes.

    <i>¡®They might be a bit big for Marie, but it should be okay.¡¯</i>

    Since it was impossible to wear an evening dress from morning till night, it would be better to rece it with a robe for now. Before entering the bathtub, I washed every inch of Marie¡¯s body.

    Marie didn¡¯t object and epted my touch without a word. However, since she asionally let out erotic moans, it was almost dangerous, but I managed to control my urges.

    ¡°Wash here too.¡±

    ¡°¡­Can¡¯t you do it yourself?¡±

    ¡°Ugh. Hurry up.¡±

    She even asked me to wash her private parts for her, which made me ufortable. I was going to refuse, but she started to pout and make a scene, so I reluctantly agreed.

    And then¡­ in the end, because I couldn¡¯t bear to see her pout, I had to wash her. I just hoped there won¡¯t be any maids outside.

    Swoosh-

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    ¡°Is the water temperature just right?¡±

    ¡°Mm-hmm¡­¡±

    After soaking in the bathtub for a while and relieving our fatigue, the two of us put on bathrobes and came out of the bathroom. Of course, Marie couldn¡¯t stand up, so I carried her.

    When we got out of the bathroom, the bed had been tidied up, probably by the maids during the short time we were in there. I silently praised them as I gentlyid Marie on the bed.

    ¡°I¡¯m hungry¡­¡±

    ¡°Your meal will be here soon. Can you move your hands?¡±

    ¡°Maybe.¡±

    It¡¯s better for me to feed her. Moving around is exhausting for her right now, so it¡¯s preferable for me to be her servant today.

    Normally, I could just order the maids, but I didn¡¯t feelfortable doing that. Yesterday she epted me as her man, so I think basic manners are in order.

    ¡°I¡¯ve always thought this about Isaac, but you¡¯re really considerate. Normally, I would just order the maids to do everything.¡±

    Of course, from this world¡¯s perspective, this was still excessive consideration. I smiled awkwardly as Marie looked at me with an impressed expression.

    Sometimes, I forget that I¡¯m a reincarnated person, but these small details remind me once again.

    ¡°Once you be a man, you should do at least this much, right?¡±

    ¡°There aren¡¯t many men like you. Even in a rtionship, they would hardly ever try to amodate their partners.¡±

    ¡°Really? Those are some bad guys.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re weird. But I still like you.¡±

    How lovely and cute this girl is. Yesterday, she showed off hersciviousness, but now she shows the innocent charm of a young girl in love.

    I greeted Marie¡¯s confession of love with a warm smile. Marie also smiled brightly and blushed slightly at my smile.

    Knock, knock, knock.

    ¡°Isaac, can Ie in?¡±

    As we were blooming our love facing each other, my mother¡¯s voice came from outside the door with a knock.

    Surprised, I shifted Marie, who was lying on the bed, to the backrest of the bed and sat her down before giving permission. It would be rude to receive her while lying down.

    I sat Marie down and covered her with the nket. Then, I lightly kissed her before shouting towards the door.

    ¡°Yes! Come in!¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯lle in.¡±

    Kiik-

    The door opened, and a tray of food was brought in first. Surprisingly, it wasn¡¯t a maid but my mother who was carrying the tray.

    Momentarily taken aback, I hastily took a step forward, but my mother waved her hand dismissively, saying that it was unnecessary. Then, she turned her gaze to Marie, who was sitting leaning against the bedpost, and softened her eyes.

    ¡°Did you have a good night?¡±

    My mother spoke informally to Marie, not in the polite speech form, as if she had already confirmed her as her future daughter-inw.

    Marie had been blushing and quietly answering my mother¡¯s questions all this time. Her shy and embarrassed demeanor was really cute.

    ¡°¡­ Yes.¡±

    ¡°Were you not in pain?¡±

    ¡°Rather than being in pain¡­ It was really good.¡±

    ¡°Oh my. Is that true? I¡¯m d to hear that.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡±

    When Marie cautiously called my mother over as she brought a tray herself, my mother looked at her as if she had something to say.

    Then Marie nced at me briefly before finally managing to speak in a tone that seemed to suppress embarrassment.

    ¡°Um¡­ Are all men as big as Isaac? When I learned it from my family, I only learned that it¡¯s about the size of a small dagger¡­¡±

    ¡°Marie?¡±

    ¡°How big was it?¡±

    I was greatly embarrassed to hear such vulgar questions while standing boldly next to them. Although Marie was Marie, my mother was exceptional in calmly asking further questions without being flustered.

    ¡°Maybe it was about this long? Wait a minute.¡±

    Marie vaguely expressed the length with both hands, whether I was embarrassed or not, and then reached under the nket as if it was ambiguous. After mumbling softly, she showed her hands, which were now further apart than before, to my mother, as if to confirm the size.

    Her expression was so honest and straightforward that I felt ashamed and had to cover my face with both hands.

    ¡°It was about this long. Are all men like this?¡±

    ¡°No. It¡¯s muchrger than average. Isaac resembles me a lot, but it seems he inherited his father¡¯s physique . Hohoho.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Please stop. Please.

    Whether I screamed silently or not, the two women were busy talking to each other.

    ¡°By the way, it must have hurt a lot. Are you okay? If it¡¯s really difficult, I can bring some medicine or something.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s a bit ufortable down there, but I can bear it.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a relief. So how did you feel?¡±

    ¡°It was like¡­ flying in the sky? The feeling of shing and melting away in front of my eyes.¡±

    ¡°Was it that intense for your first time?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Please discuss that matter when I¡¯m not around. Are all the girls here like this?

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m relieved to hear that it was good. I was worried that Isaac might have treated you harshly without any consideration.¡±

    ¡°You were quite skilled for your first time, weren¡¯t you Isaac? Mother, I am Isaac¡¯s first woman, right?¡±

    ¡°The only women that our Isaac had met before entering the Academy were me and his sister. I can¡¯t tell you how surprised I was when I heard that you two started dating.¡±

    ¡°¡­Mother.¡±

    ¡°Hoho, was I too mean?¡±

    As if to tell me she will stop, Mother elegantlyughed and put her hand over her mouth. She then looked at me and Marie alternately before leaving a quiet word of encouragement.

    ¡°Well then, please take good care of our Isaac from now on. Isaac, please take good care of Marie too. Although a woman¡¯s body may be surprisingly strong, her heart is fragile like ss.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Since you must be very hungry, leave the meal here and go. Oh, Isaac?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    Before leaving, Mother called me and, as I looked at her, she opened her mouth with a slight smile.

    ¡°Always carry that medicine with you even when you go to the Academy. You never know when or where you¡¯ll need it.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Above all, cleanliness is the most important thing. If you catch a sexually transmitted disease, it will be dangerous for both of you. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°¡­ Yes.¡±

    ¡°Oh, and¡­¡±

    Finally, my mother left me with a meaningful message.

    ¡°I hope your experiences will be included in Xenon¡¯s Biography.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°This mother would like to see Jin and Lily get on, rather than Xenon and Mary.¡±

    Since Jin is the final boss, mother. Of course, there will be a description of Jin and Lily getting on before the final battle, but it will be so intense that it will leave a scar.

    My mother, who didn¡¯t know anything about my thoughts, said goodbye to us and left the bedroom. I was overwhelmed by a storm-like feeling and let out a deep sigh.

    ¡°Phew¡­¡±

    ¡°Uh, Isaac?¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Are you really going to use it for Xenon¡¯s Biography?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Feeling absurd, I let out a forcedugh and asked Marie.

    ¡°Why? Do you want me to?¡±

    To that question, Marie answered shyly and cautiously.

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Is that not okay?¡±

    ¡°¡­ Let¡¯s think about it after we eat.¡±

    And so, a day that was the same yet different began.

    Trantors note:

    As the semester¡¯s end ising closer I started to get more busy so¡­

    From now on 5 chapters per week.

    May sometimes upload extra if I have time¡­

 Chapter 115: Ripple (1)

    The exhibition, which was splendid and also dynamic in various ways, has ended sessfully. The artworks at the exhibition were enough to attract numerous interests from tourists, and especially the joint performance of the Lirus Orchestra and Matrics Theater Group was excellent enough to leave a mark in history.

    In addition, the director of the Matrics Theater Group, who had been shrouded in mystery until now, attracted the world¡¯s attention when it was revealed that he was a demon. However, as the director himself said, he was merely an artist, and there was hardly any discrimination against him as a demon.

    Instead, since all the doubts about how such a splendid production was possible were cleared up, the interest in the Matrics Theater Group became even stronger. Also, the masterpiece ¡°Life,¡± presented by the Lirus Orchestra, proved why they are world-ss masters with their outstanding skills.

    After all the attractions that left asting impression have ended, people praised the Minerva Empire and the Michelle Territory. Despite the tight preparation period, they demonstrated how technically superior they were.

    Especially for the Minerva Empire, they made a profit almost to the level of a surplus, not just breaking even. Although they were behind the Ters Kingdom culturally, they presented another type of culture through this festival.

    A culture that is not enjoyed only by a specific ss, but one that everyone can enjoy.

    Just this alone made the Minerva Empire extremely happy. Of course, the Ters Kingdom cannot sit idly by. The Ters Kingdom has dered that the next exhibition must be held in their capital, and although the Minerva Empire may be disappointed, they have handed over the baton.

    As a result, when the festive atmosphere began to die down, the following happened.

    ¡°Phew¡­¡±

    Inside the office of the publisher who had signed a contract with Xenon¡¯s Biography. The boss sighed heavily as he looked at the documents showing the sales figures for the month, feeling overwhelmed. The documents contained records before and after the exhibition.

    Not only did sales plummet when Xenon¡¯s Biography hiatus began, but they almost hit rock bottom when the manuscript was stolen. Although thepany¡¯s scale wasrge enough that even hitting rock bottom did not cause much damage, taking into ount the maintenance costs, it was still a serious loss.

    Furthermore, as the investigation into the theft incident revealed tax evasion, a huge fine was imposed. Fortunately, thanks to the fact that they had signed a contract with Xenon¡¯s Biography, they were able to avoid severe penalties, but it was still a painful loss.

    If you only look at it this way, it is no surprise that the publishingpany is struggling. However, for some reason, after the exhibition was held, sales increased again.

    Most of the tourists who attended the exhibition were fans of Xenon¡¯s Biography, but there were also those who were not. In addition, there were many people who were deeply moved by the performance and bought the original work to read it.

    Above all, thanks to Isaac releasing the Kair Side Story, sales were steadily increasing. As a boss, he felt an uneasy reality of ups and downs.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ll have to somehow manage to keep the downward trend steady during the hiatus period¡­¡¯</i>

    When ites to rowing a boat when wateres in, that¡¯s important, but what¡¯s more important is when the dark timese. It¡¯s not now, but it¡¯s the darkness that¡¯s yet toe.

    And the CEO is in the midst of bracing for those dark times. In addition to the massive fines imposed for tax evasion, they have to consider the sries of employees and the operating expenses of the printing press. If even one of these falters, thepany may crumble irreparably.

    Fortunately, thanks to Xenon¡¯s Biography and the exclusive contract, the government may provide support, but even that is uncertain.

    <i>¡®Why the hell did that thief steal the manuscript¡­ ugh, this is driving me crazy.¡¯</i>

    After the manuscript theft incident, thepany bought a new safe, but it¡¯s like fixing the stable after the horse has already run away. Moreover, since the culprit tore the safe off the wall, the publishingpany will never be able to handle another original manuscript, and Isaac will never take the risk to send the manuscript unless it¡¯s for a new publication.

    <i>¡®Only two years to go. We just have to hold on for two years until Xenon¡¯s Biographyes back, even if we have to shut down the printing press¡­¡¯</i>

    The CEO was nning for the future in his head.

    Thump! Thump! Thump! nk!

    ¡°CEO, breaking news!¡±

    Someone rushed in and opened the door so violently that it almost broke. Startled by the sudden intrusion, the CEO could only be dumbfounded.

    The person who opened the door was Matthew, who had been working steadily since thest manuscript theft incident. The owner was worried that Matthew might retire after experiencing such an event, but Matthew quietly showed up for work as usual.

    Of course, that was one thing, and this was another. The owner calmed his startled heart and shouted at Matthew without knocking.

    ¡°What kind of rudeness is this? Even though it¡¯s you¡­!¡±

    ¡°Forget about that and read this first! It¡¯s a letter from Xenon!¡±

    ¡°What is this¡­?¡±

    The owner¡¯s eyes widened rather than pounding, and then he turned his gaze to Matthew¡¯s waving hand. In his hand was an ordinary letter. It was slightly crumpled due to his haste, but the owner didn¡¯t care.

    A letter from Xenon. With just this one piece, the owner ordered Matthew with a raised voice.

    ¡°Give it to me right now! Is it really from Xenon?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Here, please see the handwritten signature! These unreadable characters are Xenon¡¯s handwritten signature!¡±

    Trembling, the owner received the letter from Matthew. He quickly rolled his eyes and checked the handwritten signature. A handwritten signature is the way Isaac writes his name in ¡°Hangul,¡± not his name from a past life, but the name he received after being reborn into this world.

    The owner, who had a hunch that it was indeed Xenon¡¯s unique signature, quickly tore open the envelope. There wasn¡¯t a trace of Matthew having read the letter and gone straight to the owner¡¯s office.

    Finally, the contents of the letter were revealed, and the CEO began to read the letter slowly with trembling eyes, without any excuse. Depending on the contents of the letter, the publisher¡¯s fate could be affected.

    [Hello, dear readers. I am Xenon, the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography. Recently, I was surprised to hear that an exhibition for Xenon¡¯s Biography is being held in my hometown where I was born. I only told the artists that they could use my works as they pleased, but I had no idea that there would be an exhibition.]

    At first, the letter expressed surprise at the exhibition being held. However, the noteworthy point here is the ¡°hometown¡± mentioned. Although it was only spection until now, through the contents of the letter, one thing became clear: Xenon may be from the Minerva Empire, and perhaps even born in the Michelle Territory.

    The CEO was briefly excited to learn this surprising fact, but then maintained his focus and continued reading.

    [So, I visited the Michelle Territory out of curiosity about how the exhibition would be held, and to visit my hometown after a long time. It was a ce that had no name decades ago, but now it was called the Michelle Territory, which was new to me.]

    The CEO¡¯s prediction was correct. Xenon (Isaac) is from the Minerva Empire, specifically from the Michelle Territory. Although the Minerva Empire exined that they held the exhibition in the Michelle Territory because the capital was overcrowded, there will inevitably be suspicions now that Xenon is from there.

    However, it is forbidden to jump to conclusions as it could be a mere coincidence. The CEO pondered on the Michelle Territory where the exhibition was held and asked Matthew.

    ¡°Matthew, when did the Michelle territory started being managed directly by the lord?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Um¡­ It hasn¡¯t been that long, probably not more than ten years¡­¡±

    ¡°Ten years, huh¡­¡±

    In this letter, it is mentioned that the author left their hometown some time ago. And people estimate Xenon as an elderly sage, so these words carry a lot of weight.

    However, people have no idea that Isaac¡¯s im is fake. Isaac simply threw out a bait knowing that people were estimating him as a sage.

    Isaac had already made up his mind to turn the Michelle territory into a cultural hub, and had obtained his parents¡¯ approval to mention his ce of origin. Since he could potentially increase the prosperity of the territory through his hiatus cancetion, there should be no problem as long as he doesn¡¯t get caught too quickly.

    <i>¡®The Minerva Empire sure is lucky.¡¯</i>

    Of course, the boss was not fooled. When he brought the manuscript for the first volume, Hawk came to the publisher and had a personal conversation with the boss. They were already each other¡¯s business partners, so there was no need to be surprised.

    The boss simply wondered why he was given this bait, but quickly passed it off as unimportant. Whether Xenon threw the bait or not, it had no bearing on the CEO.

    What was most important to him had not yet been said.

    [When I arrived in the Michelle territory, I was able to see many works of art. Not only paintings, but also sculptures, ys, and music¡­ Among the paintings, Hectopascal Kick by Karl Zvazsa was my favorite. The scene was just as I had imagined it in my head. Most of the artworks I had seen so far dealt with profound themes, but Mr. Karl¡¯s work was a fun and impactful piece that was also absurd. The reason I am writing Xenon¡¯s Biography is to give readers ¡®fun,¡¯ and I really liked it.]

    In addition, the letter praised the artists one by one, revealing evidence that the author attended their exhibitions, and even mentioned how listening to the performance of the Lirus Orchestra and watching the Matrics Theater Group¡¯s y had purified their soul and was the best performance of their life. The CEO felt increasingly uplifted as they read the letter and focused their eyes on it.

    This alone was sufficient to make the author¡¯s publishingpany a spokesperson for Xenon. They had already be a spokesperson by conveying what Xenon wanted, but people were still wary after the incident of the stolen manuscript.

    However, with just this letter, they could resolve all of those issues. And the value of theirpany would skyrocket.

    As the CEO envisioned a rosy future in their mind, the letter mentioned pouring water into a nearly dried-up river.

    [I have realized again through this exhibition how much you all love my work and how much my work is loved. I originally nned to take a hiatus for resting, but this exhibition has red all the emotions that were buried in my heart. Thanks to this, I have made a decision. I will reverse my decision to take a two-year break.]

    ¡°I will reverse my decision to take a two-year break.¡± This one sentence felt like a lifeline from heaven to the CEO.

    Moreover, not only for the CEO but also for all the readers in the world, it was the most wanted announcement ¨C that the serialization of Xenon¡¯s Biography would resume.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    The CEO gazed at the letter with a moved expression. Although there was an exnation that, due to personal circumstances, the release of the new book would be dyed and it would onlye out once every three months at most for the next year, it didn¡¯t matter to the CEO.

    Just reversing his hiatus and resuming his serialization was more than enough to make him overwhelmed with emotion. With trembling hands, he stared at the crumpled letter and read thest paragraph.

    [Everyone, culture is undoubtedly beautiful, but if you don¡¯t know about it, it¡¯s just a well-made product. I hope that Xenon¡¯s Biography will remain as a culture that everyone, regardless of gender, age, or social status, can enjoy. Even those who attended the exhibition were too busy enjoying the festival to notice anything else. Although I cannot tell you where I live, what I do, or who I am due to personal circumstances, I hope to visit that ce every time the exhibition is held. I will now step back, wishing all my beloved readers divine blessings. Thank you.]

    The long, drawn-out letter had finallye to an end. However, the CEO stood stiffly without any reaction, making Matthew, who was standing next to him, worried. He called out to him in a cautious voice.

    ¡°Um¡­ CEO?¡±

    ¡°¡­Matthew.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Call the reporters from the newspaper immediately.¡±

    The CEO¡¯s expression, which had turned away from the letter, was as gentle as that of a saint.

    ¡°And let¡¯s give everyone a bonus in this month¡¯s sry.¡±

    *****

    Xenon¡¯s Biography resumes its serialization instead of taking a hiatus. Just the news of its return was enough to cause a frenzy among all Xenon¡¯s Biography fans in the world.

    Although many of them learned that Xenon hailed from the Minerva Empire, specifically the Michelle Territory, their attention was focused more on the resumption of the series rather than this fact.

    This aspect of the news attracted more interest from the country¡¯s leadership than the fans.

    The Minerva Empire issued a statement expressing its pleasure at the news and mentioning Xenon¡¯s ce of origin, while the Ters Kingdom retorted that the Minerva Empire was just making a fuss over nothing.

    However, the situation worked in favor of the Minerva Empire when Xenon (Isaac)¡¯s signature was revealed. Already, they began to work towards turning the Michelle Territory into a cultural center and taking a leap forward to develop their cultural influence.

    Thus, with just one letter sent by Xenon, or rather Isaac, the world was abuzz once again, and someone unexpectedly reaped the benefits.

    ¡°Are you the painter mentioned by Xenon? I was curious to see your work, so I came to find you.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s me¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you have any other works? If Xenon finds it interesting, we¡¯d like to see it too.¡±

    ¡°Just a moment.¡±

    With a red beret typical of an artist and an apron to prevent paint from sttering, a unique droopy mustache andrge blue eyes, the person that, ording to Isaac, resembled Mario.

    The painter who drew the Hectopascal Kick, a small artist, was Karl Zvabasa. Not only was Karl¡¯s work mentioned in Isaac¡¯s letter, but it was also expressed as interesting, which naturally drew attention.

    Karl had been an ordinary, unknown artist until now, but with just one mention by Xenon, he became a famous person in no time. Thanks to this, he was greatly surprised by the sudden appearance of people who came to his house.

    He had thrown himself into the art world with the ambition of bringing joy andughter to people, but he had never made any ie from it. Moreover, he was amoner who was neither noble nor rich, so he starved day by day and devoted himself to painting.

    However, his love for the Xenon story was sincere. He focused mostly on scenes that asionally exploded with humor than expressing Sakran¡¯s demise, which resulted in the Hectopascal Kick. Although it may seem ridiculous, it was satisfying for Karl, so he exhibited it at an art exhibition. Of course, since he was anonymous, he did not attract much attention.

    ¡°Um¡­excuse me, everyone? Could youe back in a moment? I¡¯m not ready to receive guests yet¡­¡±

    ¡°Hmm. This is rude. If you¡¯re interested,e visit Gheto the artist. We have our family invitation here.¡±

    ¡°Pleasee to our mansion too. It¡¯s not far from here, so it¡¯s easy to find.¡±

    ¡°We would also like to¡­¡±

    Karl was confused by the flood of visit requests, but he epted each invitation one by one. This kind of treatment was extremely awkward for someone who was unknown and poor.

    Finally, with piles of visit requests, Karl stood there stunned for a while even after entering his house. He couldn¡¯t tell if this was a dream or reality.

    But when he entered the house, Karl could sense the distinct smell of paint that stimted his sense of smell, and then realized it was reality. It was just a scene from Xenon¡¯s Biography that he had drawn, but suddenly he had be famous in a short period of time for the artwork that gave everyone fun andughter, not just for a specific ss of people. All thanks to Xenon, who happened to like it.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Karl looked at the canvas that he had just stopped drawing. He was drawing another scene because he was so happy that his name was mentioned in Xenon¡¯s letter. He had just drawn it as fan art, but an unexpected situation had arisen. Karl blinked and muttered quietly to himself.

    ¡°W-what¡¯s going on here¡­¡±

    Meanwhile, Isaac, who didn¡¯t even know that he had created another genius in the art world with just one letter of his own, asked Marie.

    ¡°Marie.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°How long are you going to stay at our mansion?¡±

    ¡°I want to stay here for the rest of my life, don¡¯t you?¡±

    They were enjoying their not quite yet married life with each other.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 116: Punishment (1)

    As everyone knows, I have made a promise with Cecily to punish the Dark Elf who stole my manuscript and to visit Helium. Cecily said she would instruct Gartz to bring me to her a week after the performance ended, but there was a slight problem here.

    It was none other than Marie.

    Ever since the first night we spent together, she had demanded a rtionship every day. On the first day, she was lying in bed all day because she was exhausted, but from then on, she stuck to me without any intention to let go. Even when I was writing, she would stare at me from the bed, or subtly wriggle her body during meals, or stare intently out the window while I was exercising.

    Not only did she never take her eyes off me for a moment, but she demanded a rtionship day and night.

    I, too, was at an age when my lust was boiling, so I could easily oblige her. However, eternity doesn¡¯t exist in this world. We didn¡¯t even officially get engaged, and Marie¡¯s continued stay in our mansion was clearly inappropriate.

    ¡°Can¡¯t we stay a little longer?¡±

    ¡°No, you need to start preparing for the Academy¡¯s reopening soon.¡±

    ¡°Just one more day¡­¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Aw.¡±

    At first, Marie asked my mother, who would be her mother-inw, but it was impossible. It had already been a few days since she had been staying at our mansion at her mother-inw¡¯s request.

    Marie was greatly disappointed and had to go to sleep, even though her sexual desire had taken over her mind. I was also disappointed, but since we weren¡¯t breaking up forever, I looked forward to meeting her at the Academy.

    So, as Marie was about to leave, she hesitated for a moment and then asked my mother once again.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you spare me some time?¡±

    ¡°How long?¡±

    ¡°I will need to take a shower, so about 2 hours¡­?¡±

    ¡°I knew you would say that and reserved the carriageter.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Mother!¡±

    My mother was no pushover. As soon as Marie got permission from her, she quickly grabbed my hand and led me to the bedroom.

    And then¡­ you can guess what happened without me saying anything. Anyway, Marie went back to the mansion the day before I left for Helium.

    ¡°See you at the Academy. Will you die if you don¡¯t cheat on me until then?¡±

    ¡°Why do I have to cheat?¡±

    ¡°Because there¡¯s Cecily.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Just kidding. Give me a kiss.¡±

    Honestly, I felt a pang in my chest, so I quickly kissed her to distract her. After lightly touching lips with me, Marie smiled and waved goodbye. At the same time, the carriage she boarded began to move forward slowly.

    I also waved my hand towards the slowly moving carriage as I slowly moved back. There were exactly five days left until the start of the academy, so I thought I would be able to see her again soon.

    I wonder if Marie can hold out until then. I¡¯m very worried that she¡¯ll rush at me like a horny beast as soon as we get to the academy.

    It wasn¡¯t just empty words, as if determined not to leave me alone for even a moment while I stayed at the mansion, she would pounce on me every time I was resting. She was truly like a lioness.

    ¡°You must be feeling really disappointed. Your girlfriend left, after all.¡±

    My mother said kindly as we saw her off, while I was thinking something else in my head. My father hadn¡¯te to see her off, and by now he would probably be sparring with one of the three, Bryce, Nicole, or Adelia.

    I looked at my mother¡¯s face as she spoke, which looked like her skin was glowing, as if she had been doing yoga or some other exercise for the past few days. She was exuding a beauty that was not inferior to that of a woman in her twenties.

    On the other hand, my father, despite his iron constitution, looked tired. It seemed that my parents had been the same as Marie and I, spending many fiery nights together.

    Of course, my parents always showed an excessive amount of affection, to the point of spilling over, so for me it was just an ordinary daily routine.

    ¡°Even though it¡¯s regrettable, we¡¯ll be able to see each other soon, so we just have to bear it until then.¡±

    ¡°Still, for that child, each day will feel like a year. You know how lonely I was every time your father went out of town for work, right?¡±

    ¡°So how did you manage to get through it?¡±

    ¡°I pretended to go visit him¡­ haha. But that¡¯s all I¡¯m going to say. It was an exciting experience for me, so I still remember it.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I chuckled at my mother¡¯s story. It seemed that in the past, they had an almost wildfire-level of passionate love, which still burned brightly even now.

    To be clear, I am confident that there are no couples like our parents in this world. The fact that I have three siblings is evidence enough.

    ¡°It¡¯s really amazing that you haven¡¯t had more children yet.¡±

    ¡°Maybe one wille soon. The medicine I gave you was just temporary.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    If a youngest child were born now, they would almost be a grandchild. My older brother and sister are knights, so it¡¯s only because of that that my parents haven¡¯t pressured me to get married and have children already.

    I watched my mother, who had started to happily wonder what name she would give a youngest child if one were born, and shook my head. I expect she probably would have had at least five children if she hadn¡¯t been taking birth control pills regrly.

    ¡°Oh, by the way. Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯re going to Helium tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°Yes. They said they¡¯re sending someone over from there. They¡¯re going to use teleportation, so I¡¯ll be back within two days at thetest.¡±

    ¡°Helium¡­ Even I¡¯ve only heard the name, so I don¡¯t really know what kind of ce it is.¡±

    Since Helium has taken argely closed and restrictive stance until now, the majority of people don¡¯t know what kind of ce it is.

    Fortunately, there are vast areas of arablend and abundant resources, so self-sufficiency was possible, but apart from that, very little is known about the ce.

    Rumors circted about things like the sky being red and ominous, or demons attacking and buying and selling parts of people¡¯s bodies. However, these are just all sorts of strange rumors, and there is little that has been properly confirmed.

    However, I know well that demons are not much different from ordinary people, so I¡¯m not particrly worried. Besides, Cecily and Gartz will be there to protect me, so there won¡¯t be any problems.

    ¡°Even though every ce where people live is the same, do you think there could be something strange? I can¡¯t believe rumors that easily.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true. Anyway, are you getting ready?¡±

    ¡°Even if you call it preparation, it¡¯s just a matter of dressing well.¡±

    As my mother and I were talking, we entered the mansion. I was also nning to go inside to write, so I followed her. It felt empty without Marie by my side, but I could endure until we met at the academy. It was when I was walking towards my bedroom.

    ¡°Meow!¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    As soon as I passed the corner, someone suddenly popped out and scared me. I was so startled that my heart almost stopped beating. I grabbed my pounding chest and looked to see who it was. It was Adelia, whom I thought would be practicing with father.

    She smiled at my reaction and spoke in her husky voice, which still sounded charming.

    ¡°My cutie. Did I scare you? Your surprised face is cute too.¡±

    ¡°¡­Adelia noona.¡±

    ¡°Hahaha.¡±

    Even though I called her in a low voice, Adelia shamelesslyughed. I sighed and spoke quietly.

    ¡°Anyway, what happened here? Weren¡¯t you practicing with father?¡±

    ¡°We already finished and came back after showering. Also, I have to return to the academy soon, so I need to prepare.¡±

    Come to think of it, Adelia¡¯s brown hair was still damp. Her face looked smooth as if she just finished washing it.

    She was wearing a shirt, which highlighted her figure, and it seems like she hastily wiped herself down before putting it on, as her body was almost fully exposed. Thanks to the exhibition, I didn¡¯t realize before, but I now noticed that her chest is also quiterge, not unlike Marie¡¯s.

    Even if she was abandoned by her family and treated harshly, she must have eaten and slept well, so it¡¯s natural that she has good physical development.

    <i>¡®¡­This is not the time.¡¯</i>

    I quickly shook my head left and right. I shouldn¡¯t be thinking about these things now, just after Marie left the mansion.

    As I was thinking about Marie, It felt like I was burning up inside.

    ¡°When are you returning to the academy?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll return within three days at thetest. Since Nicole and I are teaching assistants, we also have to do some individual maintenance work. By the way, where did your girlfriend go?¡±

    ¡°She just returned to her mansion.¡±

    ¡°Oh, really? That¡¯s a shame.¡±

    Adelia didn¡¯t lose her smiling expression, whether she was serious or just trying to make a joke. While staring at her, I suddenly remembered my handkerchief and asked.

    ¡°By the way, Adelia noona. When will you return my handkerchief?¡±

    ¡°Huh, what? You-your handkerchief?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    As soon as I mentioned the handkerchief, Adelia¡¯s smiling expression disappeared in an instant, and she looked greatly bewildered. I could roughly guess what was going on ¨C either Adelia had lost her handkerchief, or she had used it to wipe off sweat.

    ording to Nicole, Adelia was the type of person who didn¡¯t care about her own or other people¡¯s belongings and just used them carelessly.

    And my guess was right. Adelia hesitated to answer while mumbling, but when she saw my expression, she opened her mouth in a voice that seemed to crawl away.

    ¡°Um¡­ Can I give it to youter? I identally used it to wipe off sweat earlier¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You can keep using the handkerchief, just don¡¯t lose it.¡±

    ¡°Really? Can I keep using it?¡±

    As I spoke as if I didn¡¯t care, Adelia surprisingly became excited and brought her face closer to me. It was not easy to handle her beautiful face, which seemed handsome and pretty at the same time,ing so close to my nose.

    I looked at her sky-blue eyes, twinkling with anticipation, and slowly nodded my head. Anyway, there were plenty of handkerchiefs, so it wouldn¡¯t matter if I gave her one as a gift.

    ¡°Yes, you can keep using the handkerchief.¡±

    ¡°Thank you! I will keep it forever!¡±

    ¡°Keep it forever, huh¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s so cute and lovely! If only you didn¡¯t have a girlfriend, I would date you first!¡±

    Was she really that happy? Adelia hugged me unexpectedly and shook her body with joy. Maybe it was because she had juste out of the shower, but the scent of soap was stimting my sense of smell.

    Not only that, but the unique soft texture beyond the shirt transmitted its sensationpletely, arousing my desire. However, I didn¡¯t feel flustered at all and gently pushed Adelia away.

    Since it was Adelia and not someone else, I could just let it go. I felt sorry for being rough with her before I learned about her tragic past. Adelia may seem fiery and domineering on the surface, but she has deep emotional scars. Therefore, I was careful with every word and action.

    The incident where she threw a ball at me to catch Nicole¡¯s attention, and even asionally ying pranks or having skinship, were all a kind of emotional deficiency.

    ¡°Adelia, can you back off a bit? You shouldn¡¯t do this to a guy who has a girlfriend.¡±

    ¡°Since I¡¯m going to be a concubine, can¡¯t I just stay close? If I can¡¯t be a concubine, I¡¯ll be a bodyguard knight.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re saying something you don¡¯t mean.¡±

    Fortunately, there was no one around, but if Marie had seen us, she would have mistaken us for having an affair. Adelia hugged me tightly as if I wasn¡¯t doing anything wrong when I spoke to her.

    Her expression, as she stepped back, was so innocent and pure. Adelia was truly fitting for this bright smile.

    ¡°Anyway, you can return the handkerchief to meter. I¡¯m going now.¡±

    ¡°Alright. Oh, and¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    As I was about to take a step forward, Adelia briefly stopped me and looked at me with a look as if she had something to say.

    However, Adelia only hesitated and couldn¡¯t speak properly as before. I waited for her to speak up.

    ¡°¡­No. About me¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Sorry. I forgot what I wanted to say.¡±

    It didn¡¯t seem like that at all. I became doubtful when Adelia forced a smile and spoke.

    What did she want to say that made her hesitate? Seeing her forced smile, I worried that it might be a sad story for some reason.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be going now. Will youe to the training ground every weekend from now on?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°If you need help at the academy, ask me. Nicole might find it difficult, but I¡¯ll listen. Okay?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯ll need help at the academy, but I got it for now.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Well¡­ Bye! I¡¯m off!¡±

    Adelia stumbled backward and then ran away as if she were running away. Her brown hair fluttered wildly in the wind.

    I was a little surprised and reached out my hand towards her disappearing back, but before I could reach it, Adelia disappeared.

    ¡°¡­What was that?¡±

    There was a small incident, but nothing changed in my work. I was a little worried about Adelia, but I could solve it little by little.

    And so another uneventful day passed.

    ¡°Nice to see you again. I am Gartz, the escort knight of Princess Cecily.¡±

    ¡°Hello, Mr. Gartz. Nice to see you again.¡±

    With Gartz¡¯s official visit to our mansion, we were all ready to go to Helium.

    That alone would not have been a problem, but¡­

    ¡°By the way, what¡¯s this?¡±

    ¡°This is a magic safe I made myself. You can use it to securely store your valuable belongings. You know, things like the manuscript of Xenon¡¯s Biography.¡±

    ¡°¡­Did you know about that, Mr. Gartz?¡±

    ¡°There were reasons.¡±

    Gartz came with a silver safe that looked expensive, iming it was a gift. His expression was so blunt that it was a little bewildering.

    ¡°If you ce the palm of the owner on this safe, magic will automatically scan it. The owner¡¯s hand is like a password and key.¡±

    ¡°¡­You made this in Helium? It wasn¡¯t made by a dwarf?¡±

    ¡°The safe was made by a cksmith, and I put the magic in it. It wasn¡¯t that difficult.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Demons really were a cheat like race.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 117: Punishment (2)

    Alvenheim, thend of elves, Makina, thend of dwarves, Animers, thend of beastmen, and so on. Just as there are various races in this world, there are many countries that represent each race.

    As humans are the most populous, there are various countries such as the Minerva Empire, the Ters Kingdom, the Belua Republic, the Holy Kingdom Xavier, and so on, but most other races have only one country. This is because, like humans, people tend to group together with those of the same race.

    However, Helium is somewhat different. As everyone knows, demons are a race that did not exist from the beginning, unlike other races, and only emerged after the Devil War.

    They were heavily influenced by the Great Devil and suffered severe discrimination, and even a tragic history of being ughtered by humans. As a result, until the founding of Helium, they were fugitives and had not even properlyid their foundations.

    But patience always brings opportunities. When other races were keeping each other in check, the demons found suitablend and founded Helium. They transformed even the barrennd into a fertile region through magic and achieved dazzling growth in no time.

    As a result, the Kingdom ¡°Helium¡± was founded in thend where the demons fled. In fact, the first king of Helium established the country for the sake of their safety, and had a willingness to give up thend if other races epted them.

    Of course, the hatred towards demons was not a joke, although over time, they became a major power. Even during the race wars, others made no secret of their contempt, so they were ignored by saying that the demons were trying to deceive them with sweet words.

    As a result, Helium¡¯s founding ideology was somewhat unusualpared to other races. It was created not for further development, but rather as a cradle for fugitives.

    However, everything changed after the publication of Xenon¡¯s Biography. Helium was now preparing to be a true nation.

    ¡°Our Helium is ready to move forward as a single species, not as a haven for refugees. That¡¯s why we started ¡®diplomacy¡¯ in the manners of this world. A few days ago, Helium¡¯s envoy visited the Ters Kingdom and presented them with a specialty product.¡±

    ¡°What is the specialty product?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s silk woven with magic. As we have honed our magic skills to survive as refugees, we can proudly say that we are better than anyone else in creating magic-rted items.¡±

    ¡°Better than the Dwarves?¡±

    ¡°If Dwarves specialize in production, we specialize in magic items. For example, while Dwarves make even basic swords into masterpieces, we make enchanted swords using our limited production skills and magic. We can imbue enchantments on the sword to increase its cutting power or durability.¡±

    It might seem like a cheat like race just by listening, but I looked at Gartz, who exined with sincere admiration.

    ¡°Then it¡¯s much better than what Dwarves make, right?¡±

    ¡°Not necessarily. If a sword made by the Dwarves has excellent cutting power or durability on its own, we have to infuse mana to activate the same effect. Moreover, there is no race in this world that can keep up with the Dwarves in weapon production.¡±

    ¡°Still, it¡¯s equally remarkable. Did others not know this fact because you haven¡¯t been engaged in diplomacy?¡±

    ¡°Yes. They will soon realize it as the envoy and the gift have been sent. Moreover, now that it has been revealed that the director of the Matrics Theater Group is a demon, you can also see how skilled we are in art.¡±

    Even as I listened to Gartz¡¯s exnation, I didn¡¯t forget to look around me. After Gartz¡¯s visit to our mansion, a day had passed, and I was now wandering the streets of Helium. Just as humans imitated the civilization of elves, demons also imitated human lifestyles, so the streets I saw here were very simr to what I saw in the capital of the Minerva Empire.

    The roads were filled with passing carriages and various colorful buildings were erected along the way, with building styles simr to those seen in the capital of the Minerva Empire.

    The only difference was the people wandering the streets. They all had ck hair and red eyes, and their horns were also slightly different, not the same as each other.

    However, since it was a ce where ¡°humans¡± lived, the streets were lively, and the sight of childrenughing and ying gave me enough sense of stability.

    <i>¡®There¡¯s really nothing different. What kind of ¡®devils¡¯ are they supposed to be?¡¯</i>

    The reason I was able to arrive in Helium so quickly was, of course, thanks to Gartz¡¯s magic. After all the preparations were made, I said goodbye to my parents and arrived at the border of Helium through teleportation. And of course, he went through the basic entry procedures to get inside.

    When going through the entry procedures, the soldiers were surprised to find out I was human, but since Gartz said I was a tourist, I was able to pass through easily. However, he didn¡¯t forget to give me a few warnings.

    Firstly, if any discriminatory behavior towards demons was ¡®intentionally¡¯ exposed in Helium, even foreigners would be punished. Actually, it wasn¡¯t a big deal since I didn¡¯t like racial discrimination myself.

    Secondly, it was rmended not to wander around at night or dawn, as there were quite a few demons who couldn¡¯t withstand the evil cycle and wandered around after dark.

    If they are discovered by others of the same demon race, they could provide assistance, but foreigners could be at risk of harm. As soon as I heard that story, I remembered Cecily, who had pushed me down with tremendous strength.

    Finally, don¡¯t approach the vicinity of Helium¡¯s pce without special permission. There is a strong barrier active, so it is dangerous for humans who are not demons to approach.

    You may wonder why immigration procedures are necessary in a ce where teleportation can be used, but the outer wall of Helium is formed by arge barrier that makes teleportation impossible by default. It is almost impossible to prate through warping or teleportation unless the exact coordinates are entered.

    When I asked Gartz about the principle behind it, he said it was to twist the flow of mana irregrly and increase the probability of failure. Of course, even for demons, it is aplicated magic that I would never understand.

    ¡°Mom! Mom! Look at that! Isn¡¯t that a red-haired human man?¡±

    ¡°Shh! Come here. You can¡¯t say that!¡±

    Then, an innocent shout that dug into my ear came. I noticed a young woman, who was assumed to be a mother, hurriedly reprimanding her small child.

    Perhaps it was because I walked confidently without even wearing a robe. asionally, some people nced at me, and curious children openly shouted.

    Since I am human and have umon red hair in this world, I would attract more attention. Moreover, since demons all have ck hair, being different also adds to the conspicuousness.

    <i>¡®Indeed, he¡¯s young for a demon.¡¯</i>

    The woman who was scolding the child looked young enough to be mistaken for an older sister. As expected of a race that lives long like the elves, their aging process must be slower.

    Suddenly, I became curious about how demons distinguish their age. As the elves are a chosen race by the gods, they instinctively know the age of their counterpart. However, I wondered how it would be for demons.

    ¡°Mr. Gartz, can demons instinctively distinguish each other¡¯s age like elves?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s difficult to instinctively distinguish, but they can usually guess by looking at the color of their horns. Young demons mostly have ck horns, but elderly demons have lighter gray horns. As they get older, the period for the onset of evil cycles bes longer, and their desires also be less.¡±

    ¡°Still, it seems difficult to distinguish.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why many demons mark their age with tattoos or marks on their horns. Being old means that you have fought and won against your inner evil for a long time, so many demons admire the elderly.¡±

    Well, demons are more likely to die as devils than to die a natural death. So it¡¯s natural that the elderly demons are respected. It must be amon culture for them.

    After that, I started to hear more stories about demons from Gartz. Maybe it was because I arrived in Helium, but my curiosity about demons has been growing.

    When I was with Cecily, I was too busy thinking about other things, but now I can focus solely on demons and ask Gartz various questions.

    ¡°Is there anything difficult about using ck mana? Does your inner evil go berserk if you use too much?¡±

    ¡°In the distant past, that was the case for first-generation demons, but it¡¯s okay now. However, just in case, we are still prepared for such a situation.¡±

    ¡°There are hardly any first-generation demons left, right?¡±

    ¡°As of now, there are practically none left. Unless devils from other dimensions like the devil war cross over and take root, the birth of a first-generation demon is unlikely. But, Benefactor, can I ask you one question?¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    As Gartz, who had been answering earnestly, asked for a question, I looked straight at him and nodded my head. His red pupils were so indifferent that it was difficult to read his thoughts.

    Then Gartz opened and closed his mouth repeatedly before asking me in a cautious tone.

    ¡°What kind of ce is Helium in the eyes of outsiders?¡±

    ¡°Helium?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    I looked around at his question. Helium, where demons lived, was nothing more than a refuge for fugitives in the early days, but it had evolved into an invincible great power that no one could ignore over the centuries.

    Of course, diplomatically, it was no different from a frog in a well, but there was a high probability that it would soon gain a dominant position. So Helium would move forward as a country with boundless potential for development and strong influence.

    But that was only when you looked at the strength of Helium. Inside, there was¡­ no difference from any human country. The sky was just as blue and people were busy going about their own business.

    Some people say that the sky is always red in Helium, that demons live there, and that murders happen frequently. All kinds of strange rumors have circted, but once you set foot there, you start to wonder if they are true. Helium is a ce that smells more of human life than anywhere else.

    ¡°I¡¯m not thinking much?¡±

    ¡°To say that you¡¯re not thinking much¡­¡±

    ¡°What I¡¯ve seen so far is just like any other ce. A nation is established, the king and nobles rule indifferently, and the people enjoy their lives ording to the rules of the government. That¡¯s it.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of answer you¡¯re looking for, but this is what I think. It¡¯s a ce where people live.¡±

    ¡°¡­Haha.¡±

    My response elicited a somewhat disappointed chuckle from Gartz. I had always thought of him as blunt and emotionless, but hisughter caught me off guard.

    Gartz had been smiling contentedly all this time, but he suddenly spoke quietly.

    ¡°I apologize. It was such an obvious answer for a princess Cecily¡¯s guest.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Yes. ¡®A ce where people live¡¯¡­ It¡¯s a phrase that resonates deeply within me.¡±

    It was just a casual remark, but it seemed to touch Gartz deeply. I watched him as he seemed lost in thought.

    After all, he was a soldier, and a knight of the Reapers at that. He must havepleted many missions that posed a threat to Helium, given how strong he was.

    It was enough reason to believe that he is protecting people and just demons.

    ¡°I think I know why the princess showed deep interest in the benefactor. Regardless of whether you are a writer or not, you deserve respect as a human being.¡±

    ¡°You are ttering me. As I said earlier, I have no special thoughts.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the most important thing. It means that he has seen our demons as human beings without even realizing it.¡±

    Is that so? As I looked at him skeptically, Gartz reached out into the air. Then a book appeared in his hand. While I was looking at it with an expression of wonder, Gartz carefully asked me as he held out the book to me.

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to resist after hearing those words. I¡¯ll ask you one more time.¡±

    ¡°What is this?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Volume 5 of Xenon¡¯s Biography. It¡¯s a book that describes the downfall of Sakran and the one that caused a major shift in our demon¡¯s awareness.¡±

    ¡°Why this¡­¡±

    As I looked at him with a skeptical expression, Gartz opened his mouth with his usual stoic and indifferent expression.

    ¡°I¡¯m asking for a signature.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I originally nned to give it to the princess, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to receive it if it¡¯s not now.¡±

    He seemed so sincere that I just gave it to him.

    Anyway, after saying goodbye to Gartz, I moved to the vi where I had made an appointment with Cecily. As I couldn¡¯t just enter the pce, we had made an appointment at Cecily¡¯s private vi.

    Her vi was located inside Helium, and surprisingly, there was a dense forest inside the city. When I asked Gartz, he exined that it was the Forest of Rest, a kind of sanctuary that only the Helium nobility could enter, and that there was a separate vi inside.

    It could be used in various ways, such as practicing magic or calming the mind through meditation, and it was protected by a defensive barrier, so there was no danger of idents.

    Although I was worried if I could freely enter such a sanctuary, Gartz replied that it was okay as long as Cecily allowed it. Thanks to that, we could enter the forest without any worries.

    ¡°Isaac!¡±

    Cecily was waiting at the entrance to the forest. She was wearing a ck dress that exposed her shoulders and corbones, not a red dress like at the festival.

    I was momentarily surprised when she ran towards me, holding the hem of her dress, but since I had already made up my mind, I opened my arms and weed her. Cecily also smiled brightly like a blooming flower and hugged me when I weed her.

    ¡°Um¡­ Are you really epting me now?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be afraid of if Marie allowed it.¡±

    ¡°I like it. Really¡­¡±

    Although the feeling in my chest was fully transmitted when I hugged Cecily, I endured until the end. If there had been only the two of us, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to bear it, but now Gartz was by my side.

    Even if he had a liking towards me, it couldn¡¯tpare to Cecily, who is a person he has to guard. There¡¯s no way I could destroy the favor I¡¯ve worked so hard to build up.

    After embracing Cecily tightly, I slowly stepped back and looked at her face. Her reddish eyes were filled with affection and love.

    Although I think this way myself, I couldn¡¯t help but feel blessed. I have both Marie and Cecily, who are both exceptionally charming women.

    But I can¡¯t keep getting caught up in the emotions of a reunion forever. I came to Helium for a separate reason.

    ¡°Noona, where is the thief? If possible, let¡¯s handle it quickly so we can go around Helium.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ve already arrived. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    It seems like Cecily also wanted to make a decision quickly. She linked arms with me and started walking slowly. Gartz followed us from behind.

    For a moment, I admired the natural scenery of the forest that exuded a natural feeling. Then, Cecily opened her mouth.

    ¡°Oh, right. They¡¯ve already decided what punishment to give internally. Isaac, you just need to make the final decision.¡±

    ¡°Really? What¡¯s the punishment?¡±

    Honestly, I expected them to go easy on them, but it was a problem between an elf and a human, not an elf against an elf.

    Do we really need to make such a big deal out of a minor theft? It means that there is a high probability that they have to.

    However, the intensity of the punishment that Cecily mentioned caught me off guard.

    ¡°500 years.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Imprisonment for 500 years. Since it¡¯s a matter of serious concern, it seems that the Dark Elves have also issued a heavy punishment.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    They are a truly fiery race. I shook my head and let out a hollowugh. Honestly, as long as it wasn¡¯t me, it didn¡¯t matter, but I intended to determine the punishment based on their attitude of repentance.

    So we arrived at the meeting ce¡­

    ¡°Arwen?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    I was greeted by an unexpected guest. Arwen, a young elf maiden, let out a bitter smile when she saw me and spoke in a tired voice.

    ¡°¡­we meet again.¡±

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 118: Punishment (3)

    I looked at Arwen, who spoke weakly with a bitter smile on her face. She was wearing a robe likest time, but this time she hadpletely removed her hood, revealing her appearance.

    Her sparkling silver-gray hair and eyes were like the Milky Way, and her appearance seemed somewhat young. I was sure that she was the Arwen that I knew.

    Then why was she here? I couldn¡¯t help but wonder in my mind and immediately looked at her.

    ¡®These people¡­¡¯

    Two women stood beside Arwen, one with red-tinted ck hair and blue eyes, and the other with white hair and golden eyes.

    Both women were wearing masks, but their morous beauty couldn¡¯t be hidden, and their ears were significantly shorter than Arwen¡¯s. It was clear that they had been artificially trimmed, not naturally short.

    Especially the woman who exuded a mature charm caught my eye. Arwen and the girl were both wearing robes, but the woman alone was wearing armor that seemed to reduce her defense.

    With her firm thighs, adorable belly button, and clearly defined abs in the shape of an ¡°11,¡± she boldly showed off her feminine charm. In fact, the armor was so revealing that it was embarrassing to call it armor, and it was almost as if she was only wearing underwear. Because of this, I couldn¡¯t help but have doubts instead of resentment.

    ¡®Isn¡¯t it cold like that?¡¯

    I took my eyes off the woman and looked around at the three people in front of me. When I looked closely, the differences became even more noticeable.

    Considering all of these characteristics, these people were undoubtedly dark elves, whom I had only heard about in stories. They had many simrities to elves, but there were also significant differences.

    Well, just as humans have great differences between ethnic groups, there would be differences between elves. After seeing two dark elves alternately, I roughly realized what the situation was and nodded my head.

    Well, just as humans differ from one another ording to their ethnicity, there¡¯s no doubt that there are differences among elves. After taking turns watching two dark elves, I realized what was going on and nodded my head in agreement. The dark elf with golden eyes like mine, who was staring at me, didn¡¯t matter, but the girl in the center lowered her head like a criminal. Judging by her position and the atmosphere, it was clear that she was the culprit who stole my manuscript.

    Like Cecily had hinted before, she was a young girl, like someone who had just entered middle school in my past life.

    ¡°Is that her?¡±

    I pointed to the girl in the center with my finger and asked Cecily next to me. Cecily, who was watching the situation with interest while curling up the corners of her mouth, immediately gave an affirmative answer.

    ¡°Yeah. That one in the center is the culprit who stole your manuscript. She¡¯s a good-for-nothing kid from such a young age.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    I fixed my gaze on the girl in the center after hearing Cecily¡¯s answer. Even though she was a young child around adolescence, I couldn¡¯t understand why she had stolen my manuscript.

    The value of the manuscript is beyond doubt, reaching almost to the level of a national treasure in the cultural field. Especially for demons, it¡¯s almost treated like a sacred relic.

    Nevertheless, the reason why that dark elf girl had stolen my manuscript wasn¡¯t exined. There must be a clear purpose behind it.

    As I silently stared at the dark elf girl with her head lowered like a criminal, I shifted my gaze to Arwen. Arwen was looking at me with aplex and subtle expression on her face.

    <i>¡®Surely Arwen must be involved in this in some way or another.¡¯</i>

    If it¡¯s not the case, there¡¯s no reason for Arwen to be here. I¡¯m curious how they managed to be friendly with the Dark Elves, who were banished from Alvenheim long ago.

    It seems to be aplicated situation, so I called Arwen¡¯s name first.

    ¡°Arwen.¡±

    ¡°Speak.¡±

    Arwen spoke with an elegant yet dignified tone. Perhaps due to her appearance, there was a subtle gap that could be felt.

    I alternated my gaze between the tired-looking Arwen and the Dark Elf girl next to her, then spoke in a blunt voice.

    ¡°The situation seemsplicated. Could you exin? What¡¯s the rtionship between you and this Dark Elf, and why did she steal the manuscript?¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    Arwen red at the Dark Elf girl in response to my question, then took a long breath. She then ced her hand in the center of her chest and gave a formal greeting.

    ¡°Let me introduce myself formally. My name is Arwen Elydia. I am the queen of Alvenheim, a country blessed by the gods.¡±

    ¡°Queen?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but widen my eyes after hearing her formal greeting. I had predicted that she was a dignified person from her dignified tone, but I never imagined she was the queen.

    ¡°Excuse me. I never imagined that you would be the Queen of Alvenheim.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. And you can speak casually. You have the qualifications for it. It doesn¡¯t matter much in this situation anyway.¡±

    Arwen nodded her head when I apologized politely and used formalnguage. Considering the situation during the festival, she seems to not particrly adhere to formality. Perhaps this is why her tone of speaking seems somewhat awkward and condescending. Of course, depending on the situation, if Arwen were to order me to speak in a formally, she could.

    ¡°Okay, then. Let¡¯s skip the greetings for now. As I asked earlier, I still don¡¯t understand the situation. Can you exin it to me in detail?¡±

    ¡°Sure, Rain.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Arwen mentioned the name of a dark elf girl, which I presumed to be the culprit. Then the body of the dark elf girl trembled slightly, and she nced at Arwen. Soon after, the girl slowly raised her head and looked straight ahead. She seemed to be trembling with fear, and her lips were tightly pressed together.

    It is a natural response, considering that she is a dark elf girl with a sentence of 500 years, which is a tremendous amount even for elves. Even if it were me, if I were sentenced to 50 years in prison, I would probably lose my mind. For that girl, it would be more severe than that, so she could not be less affected.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s a bit pitiful.¡¯</i>

    At that moment, as if she saw my expression weakening, Cecily whispered to me in a low voice.

    [Isaac. I¡¯m telling you in advance, but that kid invaded your mansion while you were watching the performance, and tried to steal the manuscript again.]

    I looked at Cecily with a skeptical expression in response to her whisper. It might be forgivable once, but not twice.

    Cecily smiled at Isaac¡¯s expression and gestured for him to lend her an ear. Although still doubtful, he lent her his ear.

    [The kid said she just invaded to confirm if you were Xenon, but who would believe that? Fortunately, Gartz intervened and prevented it from happening again. Of course, it could be true, but just the act of invasion is a problem. Please deal with it wisely.]

    That¡¯s when Isaac learned that the dark elf girl had stolen his manuscript. He looked at her as he heard Cecily¡¯s whisper.

    It¡¯s not just once but twice, which is a big problem. They didn¡¯t impose a 500-year sentence for nothing.

    In the meantime, the dark elf girl swallowed her saliva and bowed deeply, then spoke quietly with a trembling voice.

    ¡°Ah, hello. My, my name is R-Rain. I¡¯m currently taken care of by the queen as my guardian.¡±

    ¡°A guardian¡­¡±

    A guardian is someone who looks after someone whocks or is deficient in independent capability. However, this is a story from my previous life, and in this world, it¡¯s simr to a teacher or parent.

    As mentioned before, the rtionship between elves and dark elves is not very good. However, it can be inferred from the fact that dark elf Rain has Arwen as her guardian.

    There is a high probability that the dark elves who have been living as wanderers will want to return to Alvenheim, and the cornerstone for this is the rtionship between Arwen and Rain. I looked at Rain, who was staring quietly with a tense expression, and asked in a low voice with a firm tone.

    ¡°Yeah, I think I know what kind of rtionship you and Arwen have. Let¡¯s cut to the chase and start with the main topic. Why did you steal my manuscript?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­ ¡°

    ¡°Do dark elves learn to steal other people¡¯s things and even invade mansions recklessly?¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡±

    As I rebuked Rain sharply, he answered, hanging his head in shame. It seemed that she knew her mistake, but that made it even more awkward.

    If you know that it¡¯s wrong, you shouldn¡¯t do it. That¡¯smon sense. Although this world is a fantasy world that portrays the Middle Ages, not stealing other people¡¯s things is a basic human conscience. What could have led her to steal my manuscript to the extent of selling her conscience?

    ¡°Then why did you steal it? And why did you sneak into the mansion and want to know that I am Xenon?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because¡­¡±

    ¡°Rain stole your manuscript to make me happy.¡±

    Before Rain could speak, Arwen, who had been silently watching the situation, stepped forward to defend Rain¡­

    ¡°Arwen, I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t think now is the right time for you to intervene. That kid has to speak up for themselves.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I closed my mouth at my own retort that left Arwen speechless. However, her desire to protect Rain was evident on her face.

    I¡¯m sure Arwen also kept quiet and waited until Rain spoke up. With a slightly rxed tone than before, Rain replied.

    ¡°As the queen said¡­ I stole it to make her happy¡­¡±

    ¡°To make Arwen happy?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Since the queen also likes your book¡­¡±

    After hearing Rain¡¯s words, I turned my head to Arwen again. Come to think of it, Arwen had abandoned her duties as a queen and participated in the exhibition.

    Normally, she would have made an official statement that she would attend, but she must have been talked out of it and had fun while keeping her identity hidden.

    <i>¡®Childish thinking.¡¯</i>

    Perhaps Rain, with the short-sighted thinking of a child, stole my manuscript to make Arwen happy, but the oue was the worst. It¡¯s unclear whether I should me Arwen¡¯sck of education or Rain¡¯s morality.

    However, Rain had alreadymitted a crime and even broke into the mansion. That alone is a big problem.

    I sighed deeply, feeling overwhelmed by theplicated situation, and spoke in a low voice.

    ¡°Arwen.¡±

    ¡°¡­You can tell me.¡±

    ¡°You knew you were in the wrong too, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°¡­I knew.¡±

    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you just return the manuscript right away? It would have been fine to just return it to the publisher.¡±

    Honestly, as long as Arwen could handle the situation well even if Rain made a mistake, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem. It might sound like an empty talk, but it would have been okay to just return the manuscript to the publisher.

    However, Arwen didn¡¯t do that, even though I didn¡¯t know what her circumstances were. As a result, this mess happened.

    Arwen hesitated for a moment after hearing my question, then apologized sincerely.

    ¡°¡­I misjudged that part. I thought humans were so suspicious that they wouldn¡¯t believe it even if we returned it right away.¡±

    ¡°Sigh¡­¡±

    There was nothing left to say. It was a trap that her unique perspective and deeper thoughts as a race had set for herself. And that made the mistake even worse.

    But her education style was very wrong. If a child with ack of moral sense hadmitted a crime, you should scold them sharply, not coddle them like a baby. That¡¯s why this happened.

    Otherwise, Rain wouldn¡¯t have invaded our mansion like this. I¡¯m sorry to Arwen, but she was verycking as a guardian.

    ¡°Arwen, humans are not as suspicious as you think. Rather, it¡¯s your Elven race that is more suspicious than others. As thick as your convictions are, you tend to reject everything.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Anyway, Arwen, you also understand that you have some responsibility. Then, secondly, you tried to steal the manuscript by invading our mansion¡­¡±

    ¡°Tha-that¡¯s absolutely not true! I just wanted to confirm it!¡±

    Rain interrupted me hastily. Judging from her unjust expression, it seemed like she really did not try to steal the manuscript and only wanted to confirm my identity.

    However, invading the mansion also caused many problems. At that time, knights dispatched from the pce were on guard duty at the mansion, so it meant that she had prated the stern guard and entered my bedroom.

    In other words, it meant that my family and I could have been threatened. Fortunately, nothing happened as we were watching the performance, but if it had been an ordinary day, no one knows what would have happened.

    ¡°Even if you really did that, invading the mansion itself is unforgivable. You could have had bad intentions and used our family as a pretext for ckmail. You could threaten our family anytime, anywhere, so asking for forgiveness for stealing the manuscript is uneptable.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. I¡­¡±

    ¡°Rain.¡±

    At the moment when Rain was about to protest, the dark elf woman who had been standing silently next to her put her hand on her shoulder. Rain met the shining eyes of the golden woman and closed her mouth.

    It seemed like she realized that she would only be more disadvantaged by making excuses. I became curious about who the dark elf woman was and asked Arwen.

    ¡°Who is that person?¡±

    ¡°Siris Lunatic. She¡¯s someone that the dark elves assigned as my escort.¡±

    ¡°Siris Lunatic, you say.¡±

    It was a husky yet attractive low-toned voice. Simr to Adelia¡¯s, but the voice of a woman named Siris was much lower and deeper.

    As I was looking at the dark elf introduced as Siris, I turned my gaze back to Rain. She was waiting for me to deliver the punishment.

    The dark elf has already punished her themself, but the final authority lies with me. Depending on the decision I make, the intensity of the punishment could be stronger or weaker than what has already been done.

    But first, I need to hear their position. I looked at Arwen instead of Rain and asked a question.

    ¡°Arwen. Are you trying to protect Rain because of your cooperation with the dark elves? You said she is under your patronage.¡±

    ¡°You are right. I am trying to bring the dark elves who have been separated from their homnd for a long time back into Alvenheim. However, the resentment between us has not yet been resolved, and I am trying to see if I can integrate well as Rain¡¯s guardian.¡±

    ¡°And if I order the execution of her here?¡±

    Honestly, it doesn¡¯t matter to me what happens between the elves and the dark elves. I¡¯m just asking out of curiosity.

    At this, Arwen trembled and looked down with a gloomy expression.

    ¡°¡­It is likely to fall through. Rain is also at fault, but there are many shorings on my part as her guardian, so it will be difficult for the dark elves to trust me.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay for you to execute her here. But there¡¯s one thing I want to tell you.¡±

    Tap- Tap-

    Arwen slowly raised her gaze, which had been lowered, and we exchanged nces. Then, she slowly lifted her foot and walked towards me.

    As she walked towards me, Cecily, who was standing next to her, took a step forward, but I raised my arm to stop her. I didn¡¯t think Arwen would harm me, and I had a rough idea of what she might do.

    Tap-

    Eventually, Arwen came right up to me, almost touching my nose. We stood there, about 5 centimeters apart, silently staring at each other. Her silver-gray eyes shone like the Milky Way in the night sky as she gazed straight at me, and I looked back at her.

    Then, with a slightly tense expression, she took a deep breath and exhaled, moving her hands. The ce her hands moved was none other than the front of her robe.

    As if unbuttoning the robe, Arwen began to slowly remove it, fidgeting with the front. As the robe that had covered her body was removed, a silver-gray dress was revealed.

    In fact, it was more like a tight-fitting one-piece than a dress, highlighting her figure. Unlike her childlike appearance, her beautiful body was on full disy.

    Especially, the hip line that extended downward from her slender waist captivated my gaze. Since it was such a tight dress, the line was prominent.

    When my gaze was briefly drawn to her beautiful hip line, Arwen ced the robe on the ground with a thud. By putting down the robe, I could barely see her face.

    She made a resolute expression and slowly, and carefully, began to bend her knees. Rain called out to Arwen frantically from behind, but Siris immediately stopped her.

    Arwen, who finally knelt down on both knees, even lowered her upper body¡­

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°As Arwen¡¯s guardian, I was inadequate and Rain made a mistake, and I couldn¡¯t resolve the situation. I can only apologize for this matter.¡±

    She apologized to me while lying face down on the ground.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 119: Punishment (4)

    I couldn¡¯t help but be surprised as I watched Arwen kneel and bow her head, begging for forgiveness. As a queen, it was a very humiliating position, not to mention as an individual.

    Honestly, just by bowing her head, her sincerity would have been enough to convey to me. However, seeing her apologize to such an extent made me realize how significant Rain was to her.

    ¡°I will not ask for forgiveness. But I want to say that not all Elves and Dark Elves are like this.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Arwen had been quietly speaking while lying t on the ground. Her beautiful silver hair was scattered on the ground, and her lowered head made it impossible to see her expression.

    It was clear that she was repenting for her wrongdoing, whether through her atmosphere or her voice. The problem was that Arwen didn¡¯t need to bow her head.

    Arwen was responsible for her actions, but fundamentally, Rain was the one whomitted the crime. So it meant that Rain should be the one to bow down, not Arwen.

    With that in mind, I shifted my gaze away from Arwen¡¯s back of the head to look at Rain. She was looking at Arwen with trembling eyes, probably experiencing emotions simr to when a young child¡¯s parents apologize on their behalf.

    For a young child to realize their wrongdoing, it is crucial that no one but their parents y the role. Therefore, Rain, who receives Arwen¡¯s guardianship, would also take a significant impact.

    I quietly waited to see what kind of reaction Rain would show next.

    ¡°Y-Your Majesty¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Sob¡­ Sniff¡­¡±

    Tears began to well up in Rain¡¯s eyes as she looked at Arwen with a mournful gaze. Siris, who was beside her, couldn¡¯t bear to watch this scene and closed her eyes.

    What kind of reaction will Rain show next? Will he roar at me, or will he beg for forgiveness like Arwen?

    Whatever she chooses, Rain will not escape punishment. She may have already tasted the bitter consequences, but with a clear punishment added here, its effect will be doubled.

    As I was contemting what kind of punishment to give Rain in my mind, she closed her eyes tightly and quickly approached Arwen. And in less than a second, she fell to the ground, just like Arwen, lying t on the ground.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m really sorry!¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I was wrong! I was wrong, so please¡­¡±

    As I watched the two elves lying on the ground, I nced at Siris. It was a strange situation, and I was trying to be aware of what was happening, but she seemed to have taken it differently.

    When she briefly opened her eyes and met my gaze, she nodded and slowly walked towards me. Finally, she stood next to Arwen and slowlyy down with a soft and graceful movement.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°For not stopping Rain when I could have. I¡¯m really sorry.¡±

    No. What do I do if you apologize too? But why is this person lying down again? What did this person do wrong? It¡¯s embarrassing to see all this happening, especially with the strange picture-like situation.

    All three of them were beautiful elves, and Arwen was even the queen of a country. It made my heart itch like thest time, but I tried to endure it.

    ¡°Phew¡­¡±

    I sighed as I looked at the three people lying down and not nning to get up. It seemed better to stand them up than leave them like this.

    ¡°First of all, all three of you should get up. I can understand Rain, but the other two don¡¯t need to act like this. It¡¯s a bit surprising.¡±

    ¡°I wanted to convey my true feelings to you.¡±

    Arwen replied as she stood up with a gloomy expression. I noticed her knees were dirty from lying on the ground, and her dress, which was close to white, had more noticeable stains.

    As she got up, Rain and Siris also stood up one after the other. Rain was crying and sobbing, while Cyrus was expressionless but had a somewhat sad look in her eyes.

    I looked at the three people waiting for my answer while rubbing the back of my neck and nced at the adjacent Cecily. She had a watchful expression, trying to stick to the perspective of a third party.

    It seemed that she wanted to leave the final decision to me. Then it would be better to resolve it as quickly as possible.

    So I brought up the fact that I knew to the three people in front of me.

    ¡°I heard from Cecily earlier. The Dark Elves themselves decided on Rain¡¯s sentence. She will be in prison for 500 years.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°500 years¡­ that¡¯s certainly not a short period of time for an elf, right? After all, that¡¯s half a lifetime spent in prison.¡±

    Even mountains change in 10 years, and the world changes so much in 500 years that even words fall short to describe it. The reason why people who have been imprisoned for a long time cannot adapt to society even after their release is because of the vastly changed world and society.

    Therefore, even if Rain is released from prison after 500 years, there is a high possibility that she will not be able to adapt at all. It¡¯s too cruel of a fate for a young child who is just forming her personality.

    However, stealing the manuscript was clearly wrong, and she even invaded my mansion. No matter how immature the child may be, these are unforgivable acts.

    <i>¡®But putting her in prison for the rest of her life is also a problem¡­¡¯</i>

    It should be okay for the next 500 years. If I enjoy a long life and die, I can leave the future to Cecily.

    However, this alone cannot be a fundamental solution. It is a gamble what kind of monster will be born when shees out of prison 500 yearster.

    In the worst case, she might even harm my descendants while avoiding Cecily¡¯s eyes. While in prison, she will harbor all sorts of negative emotions, so it is not an impossible story.

    So, we need toe up with a punishment for Rain that is not excessive but reasonable enough for everyone to understand.

    Oh, of course, the same goes for Arwen and Siris. They are in a position where they need to take responsibility rather than face direct punishment, so it is embarrassing to call it punishment.

    After organizing my thoughts as much as possible, I suddenly had a good idea and looked at Cecily, and she tilted her head.

    ¡°Noona.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, what is it?¡±

    ¡°You said you could do anything for me, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. But why do you ask? Is it rted to these people?¡±

    As expected, she caught on quickly. Instead of answering, I gave her an ambiguous smile.

    Cecily looked at my smile and couldn¡¯t hold back, speaking quietly.

    ¡°Okay, I understand. So what are you nning to do?¡±

    ¡°Suspended sentence.¡±

    ¡°Suspended sentence?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Cecily looked doubtful, as did the three people in front of us. In this world, there isn¡¯t even a word for probation, let alone suspended sentence. There is only the saying that if someonemits a crime, they will be sentenced to a few years in prison, but even thew is not systematically organized.

    I thought deeply about how the suspension of sentence is structured and began to exin it step by step.

    ¡°As everyone knows, I¡¯m human. Compared to demons or elves, humans have a short lifespan. It¡¯s natural that we can¡¯t even live 100 years, let alone 500 years.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°So, the management of Rain will be entirely up to Cecily. However, considering Rain¡¯s sincere reflection and young age, I will give her some reduction. Maybe about 300 years, not 500?¡±

    ¡°Th, thank you! Thank you so much!!¡±

    Rain was so moved that she fell back onto the ground. I never thought I would hear the word ¡®suspended sentence¡¯e out of my mouth. Arwen, too, looked as though she had just narrowly escaped death, her mouth hanging open in disbelief.

    However, my statement was not finished, contrary to what they may have thought. The real condition of the suspended sentence was about to be revealed.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t finished exining yet. There¡¯s a condition attached.¡±

    ¡°When you say ¡®condition¡¯¡­¡±

    ¡°The Dark Elves have already confirmed a 500-year sentence, and I¡¯m not going to change that. The 300-year sentence is a suspended sentence, which means it¡¯s a kind of probation, isn¡¯t it? If Rainmits a crime during those 300 years without any extenuating circumstances, she will serve the full 500-year sentence in prison. Additionally, depending on the severity of the crime, the 500-year sentence could be extended. Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡±

    I briefly considered making Rain a servant or maid in our household for the next 500 years, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to do it. Cecily had already dered that she would protect our household, so there was no need to involve Rain.

    Therefore, I would give Rain another chance, but if shemitted a simr crime again, she would be mercilessly imprisoned for 500 years.

    At first nce, one might think that a suspended sentence is a good thing, but since it means being closely monitored for 300 years, there would inevitably be restrictions on her behavior.

    ¡°¡­So, if Rain lives quietly for 300 years withoutmitting any special crimes, she will be acquitted?¡±

    Siris, who had been listening silently, asked me in her unique low and husky voice. Not only she but also the other two elves seemed to be having trouble understanding.

    To be put on probation is a novel punishment in this world, so it¡¯s a natural reaction to find it unfamiliar.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be mistaken. Rain has already received an appropriate punishment, and this will be an indelible stigma. I am granting clemency and giving her another chance, but that doesn¡¯t mean she¡¯s innocent. Do you want to be under surveince for 300 years like her? Even worse, if shemits another crime during that time, she won¡¯t even be able to make excuses and will rot in jail for 500 years.¡±

    ¡°¡­So, it¡¯s notplete freedom, just being tied up in the spirit.¡±

    ¡°Right. It¡¯s a difficult concept to understand because it¡¯s so unfamiliar.¡±

    Remember, Rain is guilty, not innocent. That¡¯s why I entrusted him to Cecily, of all people.

    ¡°From now on, you can act as usual, but Rain will be under Cecily¡¯s surveince. Arwen probably won¡¯t, but it¡¯s a good idea to write a contract or treaty, just in case. Can magic be used for that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s possible. It¡¯s called a ¡®pact,¡¯ and it¡¯s a magic that is almost impossible to break by force. It¡¯s usually used in a master-servant rtionship, but¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    When Cecily looked at Arwen with a confused expression, Arwen smiled bitterly. A pact between the devil¡¯s descendant, the demon, and the chosen elf of the gods. It¡¯s a strange situation that can feel odd from the perspective of the elves.

    ¡°Let¡¯s ept it willingly. It¡¯s practically a formal punishment that grants us clemency.¡±

    ¡°Arwen, remember this. This is a verdict of guilt, not innocence. If Rain does anything like this again, there won¡¯t be any clemency. It¡¯ll be a 500-year sentence no matter what.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll remember it. Rain should know this too.¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯ll never do it again! I really won¡¯t!¡±

    Rain nodded vigorously as if to show that she would remember, and spoke in a trembling voice. For her, it was a natural reaction, as she had barely escaped from the gates of hell.

    Well, even if we do this, Arwen¡¯s position as a guardian will inevitably be revoked. But that¡¯s their situation, so I can¡¯t do anything about it.

    Above all, we have only decided on Rain¡¯s situation for now, and Arwen and Siris were still left. I turned my head away from Rain and looked at Arwen.

    ¡°And Arwen, you¡¯ll have to take responsibility too. Siris, you too.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Perhaps because it was their turn to face the consequences, both elves hardened their expressions. I had been thinking hard about it all this time.

    They weren¡¯t aplices, but bystanders, so the punishment wouldn¡¯t be too severe. In fact, it¡¯s embarrassing to call it a punishment.

    <i>¡®Hmm¡­ this is what we¡¯ll do.¡¯</i>

    I came up with a good n, which would satisfy my desires and also allow me to gain various knowledge. First of all, I spoke to Siris.

    ¡°Siris, please act as a messenger between Arwen and me. If I have anything to say or need anything from Arwen, I¡¯ll be able to contact her through you.¡±

    ¡°A messenger¡­ I understand. Do I need to stay by your side all the time?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ do you have a way for me to contact you whenever I need you? Or do I need to summon you?¡±

    In a world where science has not advanced and there are no telephones or means ofmunication other than letters, I wondered if it was possible to use magic to bridge the gap. Luckily, Cecily taught me a good method.

    ¡°There¡¯s something called a summoning scroll. If you tear it with the target¡¯s hair or blood, you can summon them anytime, anywhere. However, the target must respond within a certain amount of time.¡±

    ¡°So, it means she can ignore calls too?¡±

    ¡°That will never happen. If it¡¯s possible to pay back the debt, I¡¯ll respond to the demand anytime, anywhere.¡±

    Siris spoke firmly, with a strong sense of responsibility. Her fierce gaze had given the impression that she had been ring at me since earlier, but that was just her usual expression.

    Anyway, Siris¡¯s decision was made, and finally, I looked at Arwen. When our eyes met, she had a tense expression. As Rain¡¯s guardian, she also had a great responsibility, but it would be difficult to punish her severely since she was already deeply involved.

    I thought about whether this was okay, and finally decided to speak up. If it¡¯s too difficult, I have a n to force it, but if it¡¯s impossible, I¡¯ll back down.

    ¡°Arwen. As a queen, you can freelye and go to the ¡®Sanctuary¡¯, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Then can you bring back some books from there?¡±

    The Sanctuary of Alvenheim is not only the first constructed library, but it is history itself. It contains various knowledge to the extent that it can be said to hold all the history of this world. Even books critical of elves exist there and are kept intact, as the elves were stubborn in some strange aspects.

    ¡°W-will that be enough? If it¡¯s that much, I can convey it to you through spatial teleportation without sending Siris.¡±

    Arwen, after listening to my request, opened her eyes wide and asked with a slightly surprised voice. It seems like an easy request for her, as she is a queen.

    ¡°Then please do that. It doesn¡¯t matter to me. If possible, I would like to ask for history books.¡±

    ¡°Okay. But are you sure that¡¯s enough? It¡¯s a very easy task for me, as a queen.¡±

    Arwen asked again, still unable to believe it. She is a queen, so it may be easy for her, but not for me as a human. As Professor Elena exined, in order to enter the Sanctuary, strict andplicated procedures must be followed. Even entering Alvenheim itself requires a rigorous screening, but there is no need to mention the Sanctuary.

    I shrugged my shoulders and pretended to write with a pen, then replied.

    ¡°Have you forgotten my job? What kind of thoughts do you think I will have after reading those books?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°As I said before, I¡¯m asking for the books I want, not the books that you find interesting to read. Since it¡¯s the sanctuary, there must be books I want. If you lie and say they don¡¯t exist¡­you know, right?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I understand. I¡¯ll be careful.¡±

    Arwen¡¯splexion paled slightly, perhaps out of fear that I might write something unfavorable about the elves in Xenon¡¯s Biography. While the perception of demons had been transformed from devils to humans, bringing the elves down was as easy as pie.

    Of course, it was purely her misconception, as the story had already been set in stone. The copse of Alvenheim in the book was a foregone conclusion, and the story of the elves and dark elves merging and restoring was still intact.

    I didn¡¯t care about what they would think after seeing it. After all, even the demons didn¡¯t care, so what was the point of attaching meaning now?

    ¡°All right. The punishment is over now¡­ Rain.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    Rain quickly assumed a rigid posture and replied in a fast-paced manner. Perhaps she thought I held the power of life and death over her.

    In reality, I held the power, so if she slipped up, she would be confined for 500 years. Thanks to that, she seemed to have grown a bit more mature, but I did need to remind her of it again.

    ¡°I hate to say this, but you are guilty, not innocent. You will live under Cecily¡¯s supervision for 300 years, and if youmit a crime during that time, you may receive a more severe punishment of 500 years. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I will keep that in mind! I will carry it in my heart even after you die!¡±

    ¡°Your phrasing is a bit strange¡­ Anyway, I understand.¡±

    ¡°¡­May I ask a question?¡±

    As the situation wasing to a close, Siris asked me a question in a low voice, drawing everyone¡¯s attention to her.

    Siris maintained her sharp expression even as the attention was focused on her. Curious about what she wanted to ask, I cleared my throat.

    ¡°Please speak.¡±

    ¡°When is the period of the messenger?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I haven¡¯t been thinking about that. Should we do it until I die? It¡¯ll be a short period for you anyway, since I¡¯m human.¡±

    It was a joke meant to lighten the mood. But then again, she was an elf.

    ¡°Then, about 80 years¡­ Alright, I¡¯ll ept it.¡±

    ¡°¡­Will you really ept it?¡±

    ¡°I think that¡¯s an appropriate amount of time.¡±

    Siris epted it straightforwardly without any objection. Seeing her face, I could tell that she had already epted it, which made me all the more surprised.

    It felt like I had just gained a ve for life. I scratched my head in confusion and looked at Arwen.

    ¡°I, I also request that you do me a favor until you return to the embrace of the gods. Anyway, since I haven¡¯t even read all the books in the sanctuary, 80 years will feel very short.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Let¡¯s just move on. It¡¯s a gain, not a loss. Even though it¡¯s burdensome, they epted it without any problem, so I¡¯ll ept it too.

    Anyway, everything was resolved after I received the manuscript back from Rain, and I checked to see if it was genuine and if there were any damaged parts. Fortunately, I had kept it well-preserved, and there was no damage anywhere. As I was scanning through the clean manuscript, I suddenly thought of something and looked at the three people in front of me before asking a question.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ Oh, by the way, I have a question. How did you invade the mansion? There were knights dispatched from the pce on guard duty, and it seemed a little odd. Are Dark Elves that strong?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that they¡¯re strong, but their abilities are exotic. It¡¯s very difficult to detect them unless there is a wizard present.¡±

    Answered Arwen, I turned to her and spoke.

    ¡°My father said that the knights dispatched from the pce were incredibly strong, but there¡¯s no way they could be weak, right?¡±

    ¡°They might be able to see their silhouette, but it¡¯s difficult to detect covert operations. That¡¯s why reinforcement detection magic is installed in estates above the rank of a viscount by human standards. Below that, only detection magic that catches petty thieves is installed.¡±

    So no matter how much a knight runs and crawls, they can¡¯t beat a single dark elf. An observer(mage) must be a must. Listening to the exnation, the dark eves seemed to be a race specialized in ¡®invisibility,¡¯ as seen in various media of their past lives. They would be very suited for the profession of a rogue.

    ¡®If even dark elves participated in the race war¡­

    They would have been cutting the necks of human leaders in ces unseen, and we would have had a 100% chance of losing. Elves always preferred open battles to backstabbing (assassination).

    However, when the situation turned unfavorable, one elf warrior orchestrated a scheme to turn the tide and ended up tarnishing the honor of the elves, resulting in his arrest. Even though the warrior was the first to realize the decisive way to win the war.

    If the elves had realized this fact a little earlier, wouldn¡¯t the elf warrior have been revered as a hero? As I thought about that elf warrior, I happened to see Arwen in front of me and decided to ask about what happened to him.

    The book only records that he was imprisoned, but there was nothing written about what happened to him after the war.

    ¡°Arwen, can I ask you one more thing? It¡¯s about the elf warrior who was imprisoned for breaking thew during the racial war.¡±

    ¡°That warrior has been released and is currently residing in his mansion, probably because he was betrayed by Alvenheim and suffered greatly.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Alvenheim has lost a patriot and a great warrior, so it is a great loss. I even requested his return, but it was easily dismissed.¡±

    Certainly, the pain of a soldier betrayed by his own country is indescribable. And if he hade to realize that his choice was the right one, the resentment would have been even deeper.

    In fact, in Xenon¡¯s Biography, the elf in charge of ¡°pride¡± is also experiencing a simr pain. He was enraged by the vile reality of Alvenheim and turned himself into a devil.

    <i>¡®Still, thanks to this, I can weave a good story.¡¯</i>

    It is a foregone conclusion that Alvenheim will be destroyed by the hands of devils, but it is natural for a hero to emerge in the process that follows.

    For a moment, I loosely constructed a story in my head and then looked around at the three of them, who were still waiting with tense expressions for my next words.

    Smiling wryly, I spoke nonchntly.

    ¡°It¡¯s over now, so there¡¯s no need to look so serious. I don¡¯t have anything else to say, really.¡±

    ¡°Is it really over?¡±

    Rain asked in a trembling voice, full of anxiety. Without thinking, I nodded my head.

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±

    Thud!

    Maybe the release of tension caused it. As soon as Rain saw me nod, the strength seemed to leave her legs, and she fell to the ground.

    With Siris¡¯s urgent support, she managed to stand up, but her legs were trembling like a newborn fawn¡¯s.

    For a moment, I looked at the two dark elves, then met eyes with Arwen. There was a subtle mixture of emotions in her silver-gray irises.

    It was definitely a friendly feeling, but I wasn¡¯t sure if I should be grateful or merciful. Nevertheless, I was more concerned about her dirty knees. I was already ufortable with her apologizing while lying down, and now her dirty knees were making me even more ufortable.

    ¡°Excuse me for a moment.¡±

    ¡°Y-You? What are you doing now?¡±

    Tap-tap-

    I slightly bent over and brushed off her dirty knees with my hand, whether Arwen was embarrassed or not. It was a white or silver-grey dress that was almost pure white, so it needed to be washed, but for now, brushing off dirt and dust would do.

    Fortunately, it seemed like it was treated with magic or made of good material because it became much cleaner just by brushing it with my hands than before. Although there were stains, it seemed like it would be enough to wash them off with water.

    ¡°Even so, it was a bit much for the Queen of Albenheim to kneel down. You may not think so, but I felt a little ufortable.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Although the situation has be a bit awkward, let¡¯s try to get along as we did during the festival. Alright?¡±

    After brushing off Arwen¡¯s knees, I straightened up my previously bent waist. Arwen blushed slightly at my words, then lowered her head and answered softly.

    ¡°¡­I understand.¡±

    ¡°Now that everything is over¡­¡±

    The result of the long and arduous theft case was that we were letting Rain off on probation.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go now.¡±

    Trantors note:

    Rain got a p on a wrist, but I guess from a modern persons perspective(Isaac¡¯s) he wouldn¡¯t really want to punish a 10 year old. If itforts you, Rain rarely appearster.

 Chapter 120: Book 11 (1)

    It seems that everything has been settled, and everything that followed proceeded smoothly. First, starting with the pact between Cecily and Arwen, they even received hair from Siris for summoning. Although it was white hair like Marie¡¯s, Siris¡¯s hair had a faint red hue.

    The pact between Cecily and Arwen was also made through magic, but as someone who is not familiar with magic, I don¡¯t know what they were doing together. Cecily summoned a piece of paper into the air after moving her fingers gracefully, and Arwen signed it.

    Anyway, the pact must have been concluded. Before Arwen and her party left, I reassured her, as if to say not to worry too much.

    ¡°I know it¡¯s easy for me to say this, but don¡¯t worry too much. I¡¯m not the kind of person who leaves things unfinished.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your consideration. I will never forget your kindness.¡±

    ¡°Never? Well, I can¡¯t even live for 100 years as a human. For me, it would be better to forget and live on.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Arwen looked at me with aplex and subtle expression in response to what I said. I met her gray eyes in silence.

    Then she smirked and let out a bitterugh before quietly opening her mouth.

    ¡°It feels strange to hear such words from someone who wrote a love story between a human and an elf.¡±

    ¡°The lifespan of each species is a problem that not even the gods can change. Well, the fact that a story in a novel can¡¯te true in reality is never absolute.¡±

    As I said that, I turned my head to Cecily. When Cecily faced me and smiled, nodding her head in agreement, I could tell that she understood the meaning behind my words. The slight flush on her snow-white cheeks indicated that she had caught on. She had promised to live longing for me, rather than living in regret, as I had suggested.

    Of course, this may not be the correct answer, but it would still be better than living a life filled with regrets.

    ¡°¡­The more I see you, the more I realize how amazing you are. Knowledge gained through books may have its limitations, but you have the ability to create another world. It even seems like you¡¯re not bound by any restrictions.¡±

    ¡®That¡¯s because I¡¯m a reincarnated being from another¡¯, I wanted to reply, but shrugged my shoulders instead. On Earth, there were so many cultures and things to see that could destroy all of Arwen¡¯smon sense.

    I was just a reincarnated being who knows Earth¡¯s culture, and on Earth, I was just an ordinary web novel writer, although I might be a best-selling author here.

    As a result, Xenon¡¯s Biography could be enjoyed purely as a hobby without any specific purpose.

    ¡°Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°The conversation has be quite lengthy. Let¡¯s go now.¡±

    Siris said, and Arwen respectfully bowed her head and we bid farewell to the departing elf party, along with Cecily, who also followed proper etiquette.

    After a momentary shimmer of light, it seemed like magic had been activated, and all three of them disappeared without a trace. I was in awe of how easily they used such high-level magic, teleportation.

    When will humans be able to use such magic freely? Humans had been able to use magic since the era of the racial war, so perhaps it would take about a hundred years.

    As I stared silently at the ce where Arwen and the others had disappeared, I turned my head to the side. Cecily was staring at me with a bright smile on her face.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Noona?¡±

    Before I could even open my mouth, Cecily called out to me first. I responded nonchntly. However, the words that came out of Cecily¡¯s mouth were enough to startle me.

    ¡°Did you sleep with Marie by any chance?¡±

    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±

    ¡°Before I left the mansion, I asked Marie if you two did it. Last time, I threatened her, saying that if she didn¡¯t do it with you soon, I¡¯d do it with you first.¡±

    So, that¡¯s what Cecily said to Marie at the mansion. It was impressive how she made Marie feel a sense of crisis and pushed her to get things done. Did Cecily want to do it with me that badly? I thought of the deep night in the mansion when my heart was beating fast.

    Because of this, my face turned slightly red, and Cecily nodded her head as if understanding my reaction.

    ¡°You did it?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±

    ¡°Mm-hmm.¡±

    As I answered in a voice filled with embarrassment and shame, Cecily¡¯s eyes curved like a crescent moon. She even let out a tantalizing hum, causing my heart to race, and the tension to grip me even tighter.

    Did she want to im me now that I had slept with Marie, as she mentioned before? But with Gartz still around, if she said something like that¡­

    ¡®¡­Where is this person again?¡¯

    I turned around to look back, avoiding Cecily, and was taken aback. Just a moment ago, Gartz was behind me, but now he couldn¡¯t be seen anywhere. I suppose I should say his perceptiveness was unnecessarily sharp. His quick actions in secretly vacating his seat left me slightly bewildered.

    As I was lost in thought, Cecily seemed to be thinking deeply about something, then slowly leaned in towards me, with a slight smile on her lips. As a result, the distance between Cecily and me became so close that I could hear her breathing, and her beauty filled my entire field of vision.

    I took a step back and swallowed my saliva. My heart pounded heavily as apletely different beauty from Marie¡¯s leaned in close.

    Moreover, I had already made up my mind to ept Cecily, so I epted herpletely without denying my feelings.

    ¡°Was it good?¡±

    As we exchanged nces for a long time, Cecily asked me in a soft voice. Just as I was about to answer while swallowing my saliva, I could tell that her cheeks had turned red.

    It was a subtle and somewhat awkward gesture for her to ask a question and then feel embarrassed about it.

    Feeling a strange sense of confidence, I carefully pushed Cecily¡¯s shoulder. She didn¡¯t resist and slowly withdrew as I wanted her to. Finally, the distance between us slightly increased, and when I looked at her like this, I could see that her face was as red as the setting sun.

    <i>¡®¡­She said she had no experience with men, right?¡¯</i>

    Cecily, despite her usual yful behavior, had no experience with men. Even though she has lived for over 100 years, her position has made it difficult for men to approach her recklessly. In addition, she once said that there are practically no men who can take her jokes as jokes due to her mischievous personality. That means the action I just took was somewhat courageous.

    I cautiously grabbed her shoulder and replied.

    ¡°It was great.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see¡­¡±

    Cecily avoided my gaze and muttered with embarrassment, then asked another question in a quiet voice.

    ¡°What about Marie? What did Marie say?¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to ask the person involved directly?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s probably better. Got it.¡±

    From her use of ¡°probably,¡± it seemed like she was also considering asking Marie herself. She held my hand, which was still on her shoulder, with both hands and slowly lowered it. Then, she awkwardlyughed and wiggled my long, slender fingers.

    ¡°Um¡­ Can I talk to Marie after I hear what she has to say? I¡¯m feeling a bit embarrassed about doing it now¡­ Plus, it would be better for you to be with Marie for a while¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind. Whatever isfortable for you, Noona.¡±

    ¡°Really? Do you really want to do this with me?¡±

    ¡°What man could refuse a beautiful woman like Noona making a request like this?¡±

    I thought I was being a bit cheeky, as I normally would have politely refused, but I willingly epted because I wanted to make sure the confirmation was done properly.

    ¡°Isaac¡­!¡±

    However, Cecily¡¯s face showed a look of emotion, then she ran straight into my arms, overjoyed.

    For a moment, I was a little surprised, but I gently stroked her hair as she hung onto me, extremely happy.

    Cecily¡¯s ck hair felt as soft as silk.

    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re happy! I¡¯ll work hard with Marie until then. You understand, right? I¡¯ll do my best to make Marie happy too.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you would do it whenever I wanted?¡±

    ¡°That was true, but I heard from my mother that whether it¡¯s a man or a woman, the more experience they have, the more pleasure they can give to their partner. I¡¯ll wait until you¡¯re fully ripe like a fruit, and then I¡¯ll pick you.¡±

    It feels weird to be ¡°picked,¡± but it¡¯s actually a pretty good n.

    They say practice makes perfect, and even though this isn¡¯t something you normally say in this situation, it should work.

    Marie was shocked when she saw my pir on the first night. Fortunately, Marie was receptive, or else I wouldn¡¯t have even tried.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it me who¡¯s going to do the picking, not my Noona? By the way, Marie fainted halfway through.¡±

    ¡°R-really? My mother said it wouldn¡¯t be that bad on the first night¡­¡±

    Seeing Cecily looking embarrassed made the wickedness inside me wriggle.

    I almost blurted out, ¡°You can check here,¡± but I managed to hold back when I remembered that Gartz was watching from somewhere. I looked at Cecily, who didn¡¯t know what to do, with a loving gaze and slowly embraced her. Cecily flinched for a moment, but soon wrapped her arms around my back while stroking me.

    The feeling of her ample chest and the faint fragrance stimted my senses. It was such a beautiful scent that it made me want to indulge in the moment and forget about everything else.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Can we¡­kiss now?¡±

    I gently released Cecily from my arms at her question. Soon, her face filled with anticipation and tension caught my eye. I looked at her with a helpless expression, then smiled.

    ¡°As you wish, Princess.¡±

    Cecily, who seemed to be swept away by her desire, held my face with both hands and brought her lips to mine.

    As Cecily attempted to kiss me, I slowly closed my eyes. It was true that she had no experience with a man, and even the act of kissing was awkward for her. However, since she was descended from a subus, her tongue naturally started moving to explore the inside of her mouth without anyone teaching me.

    As our tongues met, Cecily¡¯s body trembled slightly.

    The tips of our tongues didn¡¯t mix, and only the ends collided with each other for a few minutes. Cecily carefully pulled her lips away, and the silver thread connecting our lips didn¡¯t continue since it wasn¡¯t a greedy, exploratory kiss.

    ¡°Haa¡­¡±

    Cecily exhaled a sweet breath and looked at me with hazy red eyes and a noticeable blush.

    Unlike usual, she was so cute in her confusion from our first kiss that I gently grabbed her cheek. When Cecily felt my hand on her cheek, she held my hand with both of hers. It wasn¡¯t because she wanted to pull away, but simply because she wanted to hold onto it.

    I chuckled and asked Cecily in a low voice.

    ¡°How was it? The feeling of your first kiss.¡±

    ¡°It feels like I¡¯m going crazy.¡±

    Cecily replied in a small voice with the same dazed expression. I could tell from her asional hot breaths that she was very excited from the kiss.

    It would be better to stop now to avoid going too far, as there was a risk of going too fast. When I let go of her cheek, she also released my hand.

    ¡°Let¡¯s wait for what¡¯s left for another day, okay?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I can wait.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­¡±

    While looking at the shy Cecily, I smiled and made a request.

    ¡°Can you show me around Helium?¡±

    With Cecily¡¯s help, I spent the whole day exploring Helium and returned to the mansion. Hurriedly preparing for the reopening of the Academy two dayster, I closed my eyes and waited for the reunion with my loved ones.

    After that, the dyed reopening of the Academy due to an exhibition took ce ¡­

    ¡°Isaac! Let¡¯s go there quickly! I heard it¡¯s clean and nice there!¡±

    ¡°Right away?¡±

    ¡°Do you know how long I¡¯ve been waiting? Be nervous because I learned some techniques from my mom! I¡¯ll win today!¡±

    ¡°Hahaha¡­¡±

    As soon as the Academy reopened, I spent all my time sharing love with Marie, who had be the incarnation of sexual desire. It seemed that it would take a little longer for it to be Cecily¡¯s turn.

    <i>¡®I hope there¡¯s still time to write.¡¯</i>

    I was being dragged by Marie towards a building that looked like a motel. I was worried that we might be mixing our bodies every time the ss ended. Oh, by the way, Marie, who confidently dered that she would win, ended up losing badly. No matter how advanced the software (skills) is, it means nothing in front of the hardware (body and physical fitness).

    ¡°¡­Should I exercise too?¡±

    ¡°Do you want to do it together on the weekend?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like exercising¡­¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s at least do some stretching. You need to develop flexibility.¡±

    Happy days continued.

    *****

    Xenon¡¯s Biography resumed after a hiatus of about two months. Although many readers had waited for a long time, they patiently endured the wait. Isaac had previously announced that the series would be dyed due to personal reasons, and since Xenon¡¯s Biography had almost been on hiatus for over a year, readers were understandably anxious.

    During that time, they passed the time by enjoying various pastimes such as visiting the Michelle region where an exhibition was held, or creating various fan art, which were rare hobbies in this world.

    How much time had passed during this time of patience?

    [Breaking news! The manuscript for Volume 11 of Xenon¡¯s Biography has arrived at the publisher!]

    When this news was published in the newspaper, cheers erupted. They eximed that the end of the wait had finallye, and they were once again immersed in Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    The publisher resumed the printing of Xenon¡¯s Biography Volume 11 by restarting the printing press that had been idle for some time. Thanks to the integration of new technologies, Xenon¡¯s Biography Volume 11 was generated as if it were being produced in a factory.

    Many people bought The Xenon Chronicles Volume 11 to their hearts¡¯ content, and bookstores had to deal with an overwhelming influx of customers. However, this was only temporary.

    [Shock! The death of Xenon¡¯s mentor, Kair. He sacrificed himself to his former student ¡®Envy¡¯ from his past¡­]

    [The reason for the Kair prequel was here. A cornerstone to provide greater sadness and tragedy.]

    [Elven Queen Elisha, who indirectly felt Kair¡¯s death through the description of a falling star. What will her reaction be?]

    Something that readers had never imagined could happen actually did, and it gave them a tremendous shock. Kair, who had been releasing ominous hints (gs) all along, had made them feel uneasy, and their unease turned out to be justified.

    Moreover, Kair and Elisha¡¯s touching love story had moved many readers, making the shock all the more unbearable. In the final moment, Kair¡¯s dying words were enough to bring tears to the readers¡¯ eyes.

    -Just once¡­ if only I could see her smile once more¡­

    With this dying soliloquy, readers could understand what kind of life he had lived. He had strived to be with the person he loved all his life, but it ended in tragedy. If it had been human with a human, it would have happened much earlier, but unfortunately, he had his heart set on the Elven Queen, and he missed his chance.

    [Many readers are mourning Kair¡¯s death, with some even experiencing symptoms of shock and fainting¡­]

    [Is it really impossible for a love that transcends one¡¯s lifespan to be realized? News of Elisha and Xenon¡¯s actions in response to this question is being closely watched.]

    [It¡¯s inevitable that Xenon will conquer the ¡®Envy¡¯, but how will he triumph over it if even his master could not defeat it?]

    As seen in Sakran¡¯s sacrifice, Kair¡¯s death was not any less impactful. The vast majority of readers mourned and grieved Kair¡¯s death with sincere sadness. This phenomenon began to manifest not only in newspapers but also in reality.

    ¡°Mathew.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir?¡±

    ¡°What am I looking at right now?¡±

    ¡°A memorial procession, sir. Readers have been leaving flowers in front of our publishing house in tribute to Kair¡¯s death.¡±

    ¡°No, this isn¡¯t Michelle territory. Why our publishing house?¡±

    ¡°The procession is also ongoing in Michelle territory. I heard that there are even more flowers in front of the artworks rted to Kair than are there now.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    People presented flowers as a sign of mourning not only in front of the publishing house but also in front of the artworks disyed in Michelle territory. Even though Kair is a character in imagination, the impact was so strong, and the character was so appealing that people have taken action themselves.

    One might wonder if this kind of thing happened during Sakran¡¯s sacrifice. However, there was no exhibition at that time, and the demons couldn¡¯t move freely. But now, Xenon¡¯s Biography has been elevated to a cultural phenomenon. The death of a character means that they will no longer be seen in the Xenon¡¯s Biography, so the shock is inevitable.

    Moreover, Kair steadily gained poprity as Xenon¡¯s mentor, and his poprity skyrocketed through a prequel. He died just as people began to show interest in ¡°otaku¡± culture. Anyway, Kair¡¯s death was unexpected from Isaac, but it brought about another culture. Michelle territory could only be taken aback by the unexpected influx of tourists. And¡­

    ¡°¡­what is this again?¡±

    Isaac, who had been registered as a rmended student to Professor Elena and had some free time, blinked as he read the newspaper.

    ¡°If this continues, there will be a riot when the truthes out¡­?¡±

    He had a sense of impending doom.

 Chapter 121: Book 11 (2)

    Marie Hausen Requilis, daughter of Duke Requilis, was recently enjoying happy days. Thanks to her diligent studies, she received good grades at the academy and had hardly any stress to deal with.

    Despite experiencing various incidents and idents this year, she was able to ovee them wisely, and most importantly, her rtionship with Rina, which could be considered a bad fate, had progressed much more than before.

    Following Isaac¡¯s advice, the two had a conversation, and Rina apologized sincerely, bowing her head, and their rtionship became a little closer. Of course, Marie did not forget to apologize to Rina, acknowledging her own mistakes.

    Now that her twisted fate with Rina had been resolved, there was only one thing left: her rtionship with her boyfriend, Isaac.

    Isaac was the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography, a series of books that had many people on edge, eager to know his true identity. Of course, those around them knew who Isaac was, but the fact that he was Marie¡¯s boyfriend was even more important. And not just an ordinary rtionship, but one that included nights spent together.

    Since their first night together, they had been engaging in a full-blown sexual rtionship, making the most of their time together, especially since Isaac had recently been appointed as a rmended student by Professor Elena, giving him more free time.

    Marie had no reason to be unhappy when she was stressed with schoolwork because Isaac took care of her physically and emotionally. They were so happy that sometimes it felt like a dream.

    Above all, Marie was pleased with the recent changes in Isaac. Walking down the street, she called out to him as they stood side by side.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    At Marie¡¯s call, Isaac turned his head to look at her. During the past three months, Marie had slowly peeled away Isaac¡¯s changed appearance, which had changed too much despite his initial cute and innocent penguin-like looks that stirred protective instincts. Now his eyes were sharper, his cheeks less full, and he had slimmed down noticeably.

    But that wasn¡¯t all. Like a proof of the old saying that boys growter than girls, he had grown several inches taller in just thest few months. From barely clearing 170cm, he was now easily surpassing 180cm, and his father¡¯s genes had started to manifest, widening his shoulders.

    Marie had heard that he had to change his school uniform every two weeks because of how suddenly he had grown.

    But there was something even more important to Marie.

    ¡°You called?¡±

    ¡°Mmm.¡±

    As soon as Isaac opened his mouth, Marie¡¯s expression showed she was entranced by his sweet, almost whispering voice. While his body had grown noticeably, what Marie liked most about him was his voice.

    Before, he had a boyish, thin voice, but now it had deepened to a sweet tone that seemed to drip like honey. A beautiful voice that would make her swoon if he whispered in her ear.

    A man¡¯s attractive voice is already enough to win a woman¡¯s favor, but Isaac had a unique appearance to match.

    He¡¯s a top star who dominates the world with his wless appearance and perfect voice. Marie didn¡¯t believe such a man could exist, but it didn¡¯t take long for her to realize that he was her boyfriend.

    She grabbed Isaac¡¯s arm tightly, feeling a thrilling excitement. Before growing up, it felt like she was sticking to him, but now it was like hanging due to the height difference.

    ¡°Isaac. Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Marie.¡±

    ¡°Hehe.¡±

    What kind of good deeds did she have to do in her previous life to meet such a perfect man? She smiled bashfully and snuggled her face against Isaac¡¯s arm.

    Isaac blinked his golden eyes at her cuteness and gently stroked her hair. Marie made a purring sound like a cat, as if asking for more.

    ¡°Hmm~ Do you like me that much?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°I like you too.¡±

    Isaac¡¯s honey-like voice, both masculine and gentle, tickled Marie¡¯s ears. She held onto his arm tightly, as if she would never let go, while also not forgetting to slide her slightlyrger chest between them. Thanks to her own growth in various ways, she had started to exude a mature charm.

    And Isaac couldn¡¯t help butugh at the soft feeling on his arm, as if he couldn¡¯t resist it. He didn¡¯t feel embarrassed or ashamed like before, as he had seen much worse.

    It was just a bit of cuteness. Of course, since Marie had yed a prank on him, he nned to y one back. He slowly leaned his face closer to Marie¡¯s ear and whispered.

    ¡°Are you trying to seduce me now? Just say the word anytime.¡±

    ¡°Hehehe¡­¡±

    And Marie melted away.

    *****

    I smiled as I watched Marie¡¯s expression melt away like ice cream, but I didn¡¯t release my hold on her arm. Since the exhibition a few months ago, Marie had changed rapidly, just like I had.

    First, she had grown a little taller, and her appearance had changed from that of a girl to that of a refined adult. Most of all, her alreadyrge breasts had gotten even bigger, as I could feel on my arm.

    Of course, they weren¡¯t as overwhelming as Cecily¡¯s, but they had definitely grown since our first night together.

    ording to rumors floating around, breasts growrger when someone touches them, so that might have had some influence. I couldn¡¯t help butugh at the memory of Marieining that she needed new underwear.

    It was sometimes hard to believe that such a beautiful and well-proportioned woman was my girlfriend, but that only made me love her even more.

    ¡°¡­Not today. I have a test tomorrow, so I have to study.¡±

    While lost in my thoughts, I was awakened by Marie¡¯s answer, barely audible through her flushed face. If I were to press her cheek with my finger, I felt like red liquid would trickle down.

    For a moment, Imented not being able to continue my thoughts, but upon hearing that it was exam period, I opened my mouth to ask.

    ¡°What exam is it this time?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a math exam. I envy Isaac. He only has to take history.¡±

    As evident from Marie¡¯s envious expression, I had been appointed as a rmended student by Professor Elena, allowing me to skip other sses and focus solely on history.

    Starting from my second year, I would also serve as her assistant. However, I had a desire to acquire knowledge in various fields and sometimes attended other lectures. Instead of taking exams, I merely observed, and the professors did not mind much.

    ¡°I should still do well on the history exam. If I waste your time and end up losing my rmended status, I¡¯ll regret it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m still envious. You must love history as much as Professor Elena does for her to rmend you.¡±

    ¡°I just got lucky.¡±

    I continued organizing my notes while Professor Elena had merely stumbled upon me. Afterward, I started visiting her researchb and reading books and papers in exchange for her teaching Cindy writing techniques. Marie, still holding onto my arm, pouted andined while sending me envious nces.

    ¡°Ah~ I¡¯m so envious. I want to quickly be a third-year student too. From the third year, you can just focus on one subject, right?¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s you, wouldn¡¯t it be possible? Or ask Professor Elena for help. You¡¯re going to study history too, right?¡±

    ¡°I used to think that way, but I¡¯ve changed my mind. I¡¯m going to study political science if it will help you. It would also be better for me to reconcile with Rina, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you use to say you wanted to be with me?¡±

    ¡°That was before, but my feelings have changed. Learning politics would be more helpful to you. And we could reconcile with Rina too, wouldn¡¯t that be better?¡±

    Why does she always choose such smart and cute words to say? She¡¯s so lovable that it¡¯s unbearable.

    I wanted to take her to a secluded ce and make a mess, but since tomorrow is the exam day, I barely restrained myself. We have plenty of time, so I can wait forter.

    ¡°By the way, are you okay?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Things are crazy because of the 11th volume. People are evening to offer condolences at your territory, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I let out a wry smile at Marie¡¯s question. Currently, the 11th volume has been released and it¡¯s been about a week.

    And many people were shocked that Kair¡¯s love with Elisha ended tragically. Even though no one actually died, there was a mourning procession for Kair.

    To be honest, I was expecting a strong reaction. Coincidentally, Kair¡¯s side story was also released, so his evaluation was rising.

    However, it was purely my misconception to think that I would only receive some criticism and it would be over. As people who imed to havee to offer condolences began to appear one by one, the situation began to take an odd turn.

    ording to my mother¡¯s letter, they all solemnly ce white chrysanthemums in front of the art pieces rted to Kair, and by the way, the art pieces disyed during the exhibition remain intact.

    <i>¡®If I had known this would happen, I would have released up to the 12th volume together¡­¡¯</i>

    In the 11th volume, Kair¡¯s death is highlighted, and in the 12th volume, the rtionship between Xenon and Mary is focused on. This is because Mary confesses to Xenon as she reveals herself to be an elf.

    And my line that I gave to Cecily at that time appears. I say that it¡¯s better to live with longing than to regret like anyone else, so I will love you.

    Thanks to that, Xenon also ovees his shock and bes one step closer to growth, repeatedly training to seek revenge against jealousy.

    Of course, all of these scenes will appear in the 12th volume, and currently the 11th volume is more important. I was at a loss for what to say, so I absentmindedly rubbed my neck as usual.

    ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t expect it to be this serious either. When I first heard the news, I thought it was an exaggeration.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, who would create such a poignant story and kill off characters recklessly? This is just destroying readers¡¯ fantasies.¡±

    ¡°Keep your voice down. Someone might overhear us.¡±

    Fortunately, there were no passersby around us at the moment, but Marie¡¯s remark was quite risky. Marie also realized that fact btedly and quickly covered her mouth with a ¡°Hup!¡±

    Continuing, she looked around and sighed in relief after confirming that no one was around.

    ¡°Anyway, it seems a bit risky to kill off characters. Just in case, do you think Kair won¡¯te back to life or something?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ He won¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean he won¡¯t? Are you hesitating?¡±

    ¡°Even if he appears, he¡¯ll only appear at the end. It¡¯s not even decided.¡±

    Originally, Kair wasn¡¯t supposed to reappear at all, but due to strong demands from readers, even the Isaac¡¯s mind gradually changed. However, to avoidplicating the story, even if he does appear, it will only be in the epilogue.

    As for how he appears, it¡¯s like his soul reincarnating into someone who looks just like him in this world. It¡¯s a timeless love story where everything from his past lifees back to him the moment he meets Elisha.

    <i>¡®But what about Jin? I¡¯m probably going to be screwed¡­¡¯</i>

    Jin¡¯s death would be just as severe if not worse than Kair¡¯s. This makes it difficult for me to decide whether to change the story or not.

    If the story is changed, it may be a botched job as the breadcrumbs and subplots that have beenid out so far cannot be retrieved, and if it continues as is, I will receive a lot of criticism from readers.

    Moreover, even my mother is one of the readers who wants Jin and Lily to end up together, so it could be a disaster. It¡¯s an extremely embarrassing situation for the author.

    ¡°Well, you probably have something else in mind. Anyway, if Xenon and Mary end up together, that¡¯s fine with me. I wonder if those two will¡­¡±

    ¡°Regardless, the protagonist and the heroine should end up together no matter what.¡±

    ¡°You have a good point. Hmm. Even though he¡¯s the protagonist, he needs to have children. Jin and Lily will probably be the same, right? By the way, our mother is looking forward to it.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I hope they¡¯re not going to end up with a break up.

    Trantors note:

    Sorry for the dy, was a bit busy this week so you get the rest of the chapters today.

    There are 3 chapter today! 3/5

    Next week uploads will go normally.

 Chapter 122: Book 11 (3)

    When I was appointed as a rmended student to Professor Elena, my personal time became very rxed. I didn¡¯t need to obsess over my grades and could just take the sses I wanted, so I could invest a lot of time in writing. Of course, if Elena called me, I had to run to theb right away. Since she appointed me as a rmended student, I was practically her assistant. But as a fresh-faced neer, I didn¡¯t act like Cindy and make a fuss about it.

    So when I wanted to take a break from writing, I would visit Elena¡¯sb. Marie and Cecily usually met me after her sses were over, so it was okay until then. Teaching Cindy writing skills in theb was an everyday urrence, so I didn¡¯t pay much attention to it. Elena would ask me for my opinion or we would discuss things together.

    Finally, despite what I thought of myself, I showed signs of having exceptional knowledge and a unique perspective. Elena even gave me various papers and books to read, as if she wanted to cultivate me as a graduate student.

    Originally, it was just a discussion, so it was impossible topare with Elena, who had umted knowledge for hundreds of years. She mainly focused on my unique perspective.

    ¡°But I¡¯m a rmended student, so I¡¯m okay. But what exactly do other students do when they be third-year students? The number of students seems too small.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s simple. They be assistants like you and receive knowledge from professors. Professors can concentrate on each student rather than dealing with many students, so it¡¯s also efficient.¡±

    ¡°So are they taking lectures from professors in the main building?¡±

    ¡°Yes. If you want, I can ask them to teach you. These professors are all my disciples and they will be happy to help.¡±

    ¡°¡­Okay.¡±

    I had nothing to say in response to Elena¡¯s answer that all the professors there were her disciples. It was understandable, as Elena was one of the long-lived elves.

    Afterwards, while examining books to acquire better knowledge, I suddenly had a question that came to mind. It was a natural curiosity that arose as Elena was also an elf.

    ¡°Excuse me, Professor. May I ask how old you are?¡±

    ¡°Hmm? I haven¡¯t even reached 300 years old yet. Why do you ask?¡±

    Elena looked at me instead of reading her book, her green eyes sparkling with curiosity behind her round sses.

    As I thought about the time when the racial war broke out, I asked the question that had been on my mind.

    ¡°I heard from Cindy that there is a lot of conflict between the generations of elves who fought in the racial war and those who did not. Is that true?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡±

    She leaned back in her chair and began to organize her thoughts, gazing at the ceiling for a while. After a while, Elena slowly began to answer my question.

    ¡°Half of it is right and half of it is wrong. The race war was a turning point for the Elves to break away from racial supremacy. But as you know, it¡¯s very difficult to change entrenched ways of thinking. Especially for the Elves, who live for many years, this tendency is particrly pronounced. In addition, the race war was not so much a result of the human alliance¡¯s sess as it was the Elves¡¯ self-destruction.¡±

    ¡°So, are there still racial supremacists among the new generation?¡±

    ¡°Well, there are, but they are generally treated as uneducated among the younger generation. On the other hand, among the older generation, they hate the appeasers. In other words, it¡¯s an ideological fight.¡±

    ¡°Social phenomena are just asplex for humans.¡±

    Just like the saying, ¡®Kids these days have no manners,¡¯ right?

    It¡¯s a very famous phrase from not only the 21st century, but even from ancient times. Ironically, those unruly kids are the ones who end up changing the world.

    ¡°But why do you ask that? Intergenerational conflict ismon among humans as well.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true, but the Elves have a particrly strong tendency to conform to rules and regtions, unlike humans. Professor, you know about the case where Ikehr, the formermander, was arrested during the war, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I do. Ikehr was one of the few Elves who understood humanbat tactics, but he was arrested by the council for viting thew. Even as an Elf, I couldn¡¯t understand it.¡±

    ¡°Although I¡¯ve mentioned it several times before, the Elves had such ack of conformity during the race war that it was hard to understand.¡±

    On the surface, it may seem like the elves were fighting with one heart and one mind, but that¡¯s only a superficial story, as seen in the case of the arrest of Ikehr, the former warrior leader. Furthermore, Arwen told me that the Dark Elves tried to send support, but the council tly rejected it, citing their status as outcasts. Despite being outmatched by the human alliance, the Dark Elves were refused their help because of their status as exiles.

    On the other hand, humans did not hesitate to use any means necessary to gain victory. Sending assassins was standard practice, and they even blocked supply routes, regardless of the sacrifices that had to be made.

    However, due to theplexity of politics, the aftermath of the race war was horrific. One of the most prominent conflicts that still persists is the ongoing tension between the Minerva Empire and the Ters Kingdom.

    I listened carefully to Elena¡¯s exnation and thought deeply before cautiously offering my opinion.

    ¡°Do you really think it¡¯s impossible for the elves to unify as one? Although in arge-scale war like the race war, it may be difficult to followws and regtions.¡±

    ¡°The queen probably won¡¯t, but the council might bring it up. Even if a tiger loses its teeth, it¡¯s still a tiger. Like what you wrote on the examst time, history tends to repeat itself.¡±

    ¡°It sounds like it¡¯s very difficult.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Above all, there¡¯s not much difference between the new and old generations. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s a racial trait, but elves tend to firmly believe that they are right. That¡¯s why figures like Ikehr, the former warrior leader, stood out even more.¡±

    It seemed that this was something that should be written as fiction. As Elena, who had an objective perspective, said, the elven race seemed to have a disturbingck of flexibility.

    Arwen, as a new generation elf, is implementing various radical policies in various ways, befitting her status. However, asionally, she shows inflexibility, as with my current errand runner, Siris. I remember summoning her once before, and she appeared while taking a bath. I was so surprised that I sent her back right away.

    ¡°Does this mean that it¡¯s even more impossible for the reconciliation between elves and dark elves?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t give a definite answer to that. I hardly know what kind of people dark elves are and what their purpose is. I know about their history, but I haven¡¯t had a single friendly rtionship with any of them for over 200 years. It¡¯s one of the major items on my current research list.¡±

    In reality, dark elves are one of the unknown races with little known information. asionally, they reveal themselves to the world, attracting the attention of many, but nobody knows what their purpose is.

    Of course, I am different from others because I have Siris, a very useful errand runner. They live a harsh life in the deep forests and mountains, undergoing rigorous training from a young age and growing up to be respectable warriors.

    asionally, they reveal themselves to the world to gather information and purchase necessary items with the money they earn. I heard that each dark elf warrior exceeds the level of one hundred soldiers, so they only need to work as mercenaries for a short time.

    ording to Siris, the reason they continue their ufortable lifestyle is that they are waiting for eptance from Alvenheim.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s inevitable for them to have strong feelings for their homnd.¡¯</i>

    Dark elves are more flexible and individualistic than other elves, but they are still the same elves at heart. The sense of being chosen by the gods is ingrained in them and is just as strong.

    And Alvenheim, which follows the will of the gods, is the first civilization established by the elves and and flowing with milk and honey. It¡¯s natural for one to have a strong attachment to it, as almost everything that can be called ¡°the first¡± is found in Alvenheim.

    <i>¡®But what kind of reaction would we see if I destroyed Alvenheim?¡¯</i>

    As I looked up at the ceiling, I thought about the development of the 12th volume. The main content of the 12th volume is Mary¡¯s confession to Xenon, but towards the end, the demons plot to attack Alvenheim, leading to a cliffhanger.

    The full-scale invasion of Alvenheim takes ce in the 13th volume, and at that time, Queen Elf Elisha¡¯s mental state had already deteriorated after the Kair¡¯s death, making it difficult for her to prepare properly.

    Not only that, but Xenon¡¯s party also went on reconnaissance with the Elf Warriors due to the continued threat of the demons, and that¡¯s when the trolling of the Council begins.

    <i>¡®I wonder what Arwen¡¯s reaction will be.¡¯</i>

    Even when the 11th volume was released, Arwen sent a letter through Siris containing her own feelings. It was a ridiculous but cute content wondering if the reason Kair and Elisha were separated was because of herself.

    Of course, I did not forget to exin it well enough to clear up her misunderstanding, as the story was already decided. Nevertheless, Arwen seemed to be very anxious and asked Siris to tell her if there was anything I needed.

    Knock, knock, knock¡­

    While I was brainstorming the story in my head, someone knocked on the door of myboratory. As I lifted my head towards the door, I heard a very familiar voice from behind it.

    ¡°It¡¯s me¡­I¡¯ming in¡­¡±

    The voice belonged to Cindy, an elf woman whose tired and hesitant tone left an impression. As the door opened, I could see her face with both eyes. Her heavily shadowed dark circles, half-closed eyes, and roughly tied hair were all characteristic of an elf, but her beauty was exceptional. Unlike the elves I knew, she emitted a subtle charm that felt rather decadent.

    Today, she seemed happier than usual. Though her eyes were tired, her lips were slightly upturned.

    ¡°Come to think of it, you went to Yggdrasil to submit your thesis, right?¡±

    I remembered that Cindy had headed to Yggdrasil, one of the sacred ces of Alvenheim, to submit her thesis. Thanks to my coaching, which I had been forcing down her throat, her writing skills had improved considerably.

    When Elena had reviewed it first, she had deemed it good enough and had urged Cindy to hurry to Yggdrasil. So I thought it should be fine.

    As I was thinking about it, Elena looked at Cindy with an expectant expression and asked.

    ¡°How was it? Did it go well?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ I passed without a hitch¡­ I can finally rest easy¡­ Hehehe¡­¡±

    Cindy¡¯s face was filled with a contented smile. As I had mentioned before, to be a professor, an elf had to go through a difficult process, given that they were known as walking libraries. They needed to possess knowledge that was almost equivalent to that of an expert in all things and the thesis they had to submit to Yggdrasil was so difficult that it was almost nonsensical, especially for their major.

    In fact, it is natural for elves to be able to concentrate on a particr field as much as they live long, and the number of papers umted over time is so numerous that it cannot be counted. Even if they select a topic, there are so many simr ones that it is extremely difficult to pass. Therefore, the fact that Cindy¡¯s paper has been approved is a cause for celebration.

    ¡°Congrattions. Does this mean Cindy has earned a doctor¡¯s degree now?¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh¡­¡±

    Cindy replied with a sobbing tone and slowly walked towards me. After a while, she approached me and gently held my hand.

    Although I was slightly surprised, I stayed still and looked at Cindy¡¯s sincerely happy smile. She then expressed her gratitude to me in a sobbing yet sincere voice.

    ¡°It¡¯s thanks to you¡­ I¡¯m really grateful.¡±

    ¡°What did I do? I just taught you how to write. It was all Cindy¡¯s research.¡±

    It¡¯s true. I only taught Cindy writing techniques, and she independently led her research.

    But it seems that Cindy doesn¡¯t think so. She shook her head vigorously and smiled brightly.

    ¡°It¡¯s true that you helped me¡­ Isaac, if it weren¡¯t for you, it would have taken decades¡­¡±

    ¡°If Cindy thinks so¡­ Anyway, what are you going to do now? Since you have earned a doctor¡¯s degree, you don¡¯t need to work as Professor Elena¡¯s assistant anymore.¡±

    Now Cindy can be a professor or schr if she wants to. There is no need for her to work as Professor Elena¡¯s assistant.

    Cindy also seemed to know that, released my hand, and thought deeply. However, she seemed to have no specific ideas and tilted her head.

    ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯ll probably be here for a while¡­ I still have a lot of unread papers and books¡­¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ So,e visit me often¡­ If you have any questions, you can ask me¡­ I¡¯ll help you as much as I can¡­¡±

    ¡°Okay then¡­¡±

    I paused for a moment, thinking about what question to ask, and decided to ask the same question I had asked Elena earlier. It was worth noting that Cindy was still holding onto my hand.

    ¡°Do you think that the elves, including the dark elves, can really be united as one? I mean, in reality.¡±

    ¡°¡­I think that¡¯s something that only happens in novels¡­ And I don¡¯t know what dark elves are like¡­¡±

    Hmm. As expected, it seems like it¡¯s treated as something that only happens in novels. I nodded my head after hearing Cindy¡¯s answer.

    ¡°Oh, by the way¡­ I heard some interesting news in Yggdrasil today¡­¡±

    ¡°What kind of news?¡±

    ¡°You know Xenon¡¯s Biography that came out recently¡­ Kair and Elisha broke up in it¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh. That. Why did they break up?¡±

    Cindy didn¡¯t seem to realize it and answered while still tightly holding onto my hand.

    ¡°There was a lot of talk about it¡­ The schrs were arguing about it¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­Why would they argue about something like that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s too realistic¡­ Because of this, many humans either turn their hearts away or die first, so the elves did not readily ept it¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s even a nationwide survey going on right now¡­ It¡¯s not even a joke¡­ I wonder if a paper wille out soon¡­?¡±

    I¡¯m looking forward to seeing the reactions to the 12th book.

    Trantors note:

    4/5

 Chapter 123: Advisory (1)

    I¡¯m not sure if I mentioned it before, but Xenon¡¯s Biography is merely a novel based on facts, and none of the events actually happened. I was aware that demons face discrimination from humans, but at the time of writing, I had no knowledge of their beliefs. The romance between Kair and Elisha was also just a story I had heard in my past life, and I never personally witnessed or experienced any of it.

    However, readers mistakenly believe that I have experienced all of the above. For example, the sacrifice of Sakran was based on a time when I received kindness from demons, and rumors even suggested that Kair and Elisha were based on real experiences.

    If the story had been frivolous, I could have let it slide, but Xenon¡¯s Biography isposed of stories that could truly happen. Therefore, readers couldn¡¯t help but immerse themselves in it. Moreover, it possessed a writing style and readability that had not been seen before, leading people to naturally believe that I was a sage who had experienced the world alone for decades and a schr who had visited Alvenheim¡¯s Sanctuary.

    If I had written a novel based on facts from my past life, I would have focused on the importance of historical uracy, but this is a fantasy world where anything can happen. Here, it¡¯s perfectly normal for impossible battles and magic to run rampant, andmon sense is turned upside down to the point where even a Steam Lotive is considered scientifically urate.

    In fact, there was an attempt in the dwarf nation of Makina to invent steam engines, but I heard that, except for a few isted cases, they all failed because they were tooplicated.

    Anyway, as far as I¡¯m concerned, I didn¡¯t need to scrutinize historical uracy in detail, but I was still anxious because it meant that the moment my identity was exposed was getting closer and closer as the underlying current was revealed.

    Moreover, the story features not only humans but also various other races, including demons, elves, dwarves, and beastmen.

    So I need someone to consult with, but for demons I have Cecily, so that¡¯s okay, and for elves I have Arwen and Siris. Also I have a lot of knowledge about dwarves from books, and their role is not that significant.

    The only problem left is the beastem, who don¡¯t have a good rtionship with humans to this day. Furthermore, because the beastmen country of Animers was established not long ago, no one knows what kind of structure it has.

    <i>¡®Well, there¡¯s Leona¡­ but she¡¯s a bit difficult to deal with.¡¯</i>

    Although Leona is the only beastmen I have a friendly rtionship with, I can¡¯t say whether my rtionship with her is good or bad. We just asionally cross paths and exchange a few words.

    Even though we coincidentally formed a connection, it didn¡¯t significantly change my daily life. Moreover, recently I¡¯ve been focused on attending history lectures, so I rarelye across her.

    <i>¡®First, let¡¯s focus on the story between the Elves and Dark Elves. It will take time for the Beastmen to make a proper appearance.¡¯</i>

    I pushed aside my concerns about how to describe the Beastmen and devoted myself to writing. In Xenon¡¯s Biography, the country of the Beastmen appearste due to their istionist policies.

    Above all, at the moment, the Elves take precedence over the Beastmen. The invasion of Alvenheim alone is nned to take up a substantial portion spanning two volumes.

    Therefore, it is a priority to first organize the structure of Alvenheim rather than the Beastmen. Fortunately, I received advice from Arwen, so it wasn¡¯t a problem.

    <i>¡®First, the Council is the highest authority, followed by the Warrior¡¯s Commander, and¡­¡¯</i>

    The Elven army operates as a small elite force, unlike humans with arge poption. The reason why each Elven warrior is worth a hundred men also stems from this.

    Not only that, even civilians possess formidable power. From a young age, they receive basic martial arts and magic training from their parents, and they also undergo training at the ¡°Lecheron,¡± which is known as the first academy.

    Furthermore, when you think of a warrior, you might envision someone wielding a sword and shield, but Elves also include spellcasters. However, warriors specialized in magic are often referred to as ¡°Magi.¡±

    In any case, the position of ¡°Warrior¡¯s Commander¡± is themander who leads all the aforementioned groups. As amander, their personal strength is devastating, and they rarely participate directly.

    Because of this, during the racial war, many questioned why the Warrior¡¯s Commander had to personally engage with humans. In fact, it is quitemon for them to refrain from participating. Considering the rank of amander, it is only natural, but such an arrogant mindset was ingrained in the elfs by default.

    Except for one person, Ikehr, who understood the true nature of humans.

    He employed extraordinary strategic tactics, leading the Human Alliance to press forward forcefully. Despite sensing the imminent danger, he personally took part in the battle. Unfortunately, as you may already know, he was apprehended by the Council of Elders, and judged as a war criminal.

    <i>¡®In Alvenheim, there are four Warriors. They say that Elven Warriors dedicate themselves to the army until death, so there won¡¯t be anyone like a reclusive master.¡¯</i>

    Elves, with their stubborn nature, tend to devote their entire lives to the profession they have chosen due to their unique personalities. Retirement after reaching a certain age, does not exist for them. Even if they suffer injuries, they often remain as mentors.

    Therefore, even if Alvenheim is invaded, they will steadfastly endure. However, as they engage in battles against the devils forces, their strength will gradually diminish.

    <i>¡®But why don¡¯t the elves utilize wizards like an air force?¡¯</i>

    As you could see when Cecily levitated me during the exhibition, it is evident that with a little effort, elves can freely soar through the sky. It is puzzling whether elves or demons can actually utilize wizards as an air force. If they were employed like scouts or bombers, humans wouldn¡¯t stand a chance.

    Of course, narrow-minded and traditionalist elves may stubbornly insist on direct confrontation, disregarding even such cunning tactics. But it would be beneficial to introduce another Warrior to Xenon¡¯s Biography, incorporating such a concept.

    <i>¡®If this changes their perspective, then¡­¡¯</i>

    Since the concept of an ¡°air force¡± doesn¡¯t exist in this world, one could simplyugh it off and move on. It could be dismissed as an amusing notion, akin to a steam lotive.

    As I continued writing the story, I found myself hesitating and pausing. While I have ample knowledge about elves, I know very little about theirbat methods.

    I know to some extent that they insist on a frontal confrontation, but I didn¡¯t know what weapons they use, whether they fight while using magic, and finally, how their organization is structured, etc. It¡¯s not exactly ssified information, but Icked knowledge about the most fundamental aspects.

    As I pondered on what to do, and with no apparent solution in mind, I decided to summon Siris.

    <i>¡®While I¡¯m at it, I should ask about the detailed lifestyle of Dark Elves.¡¯</i>

    Alvenheim was invaded by devils, and eventually even the World Tree was set aze, causing the Elves to leave their homnd. One of the havens they sought refuge in was a forest where Dark Elves concealed themselves.

    In reality, the Dark Elves lead a secluded life in deep forests, but it wasn¡¯t a primitive lifestyle. It¡¯s practically like a city. Siris once mentioned that Dark Elves are quite skillful due to their harsh living conditions, simrly to demons.

    <i>¡®Nevertheless, it would be much better to ask.¡¯</i>

    I momentarily set down my pen and opened the desk drawer, revealing tightly rolled parchment. It had a capacity of not just one sheet but almost dozens of them, making it quite thick. It was a magicalmunication tool for summoning Siris.

    If I tear this paper, the message will reach Siris, and she can choose to respond or refuse my summoning.

    <i>¡®This time, she won¡¯te in the middle of bathing.¡¯ </i>

    Last time, I called her and she arrived in the nude. When I asked in a bewildered state, she exined that she was in the middle of taking a bath¡­

    In the end, when she responded to the summon, I at least told her to put on some clothes before sending her back. After that, I never had a reason to summon her again, but I was worried if it would be the same this time.

    Dark elves are said to be more adaptable than ordinary elves, but Siris is quite strict. Fortunately, she only gets summoned to the amodation, so I don¡¯t have to worry about getting caught, but I still feel tense for some reason.

    Swoosh-

    As I pulled out a sheet from a well-rolled scroll, I saw a magic circle filled with unknown characters. I know that it takes a strand of Siris¡¯ hair to create this one magic circle.

    I stood up and walked to a slightly wider area. Without hesitation, I tore the paper apart.

    Rip!

    As soon as the paper was torn precisely into two pieces, it turned into blue particles and dispersed into the air. Now that the message has been sent to Siris, all I have to do is wait.

    Although I feel a little sorry for bothering her with such trivial matters, she always follows along withoutints. In fact, she¡¯s practically like a half ve, even though I only call her a messenger. Of course, I don¡¯t actually treat her like a ve.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s a bitte today.¡¯</i>

    Until thest summon, when I tore the paper, Siris immediately responded and was summoned. However, today¡¯s summon is slightly dyed for some reason.

    If there are circumstances that make it impossible for her to refuse, I told her that she doesn¡¯t have to respond to the summon.

    Perhaps that¡¯s why. Siris is also serving as Arwen¡¯s escort, so she must be busy in various ways.

    Just as I was about to put my disappointment aside and return to the desk, the light shed.

    ¡°You called?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    A husky yet low and dignified voice of a woman. There is only one owner of such a unique voice.

    Upon this, I turned my half-turned body back to its original position and nced at the appearance of Siris, feeling surprised.

    Unlikest time, she didn¡¯te in a naked state while taking a bath, but only in underwear. However, even though it was ck underwear that matched her pale skin, my gaze naturally drifted to more provocative areas.

    Her well-defined 11 abs and underwear that barely covered her ample chest seductively caught my attention. Even in her usual attire, she exposed a lot of skin, but now, with just underwear on, she stimted my manly instincts.

    I nced at Siris in bewilderment, quickly scanning her from top to bottom, and hastily spoke up.

    ¡°Why, why are you dressed like that? Did you forget to put on your clothes?¡±

    ¡°I came during my sleep.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Upon hearing her words, I checked the time. It was currently 1:30 PM.

    I¡¯m not sure if dark elves are nocturnal or if Siris just took a nap and came like this, but there is a high probability that sleeping in underwear is her habit.

    Seemingly aware of my confusion, Siris opened her mouth with her characteristic husky voice, as if recalling the incident of being naked thest time.

    ¡°Even though I¡¯m in underwear, I¡¯m not naked, so I judged that it would be fine to respond to the summoning.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not okay with it.¡±

    I had a headache due to Siris¡¯ actions, whichcked any flexibility. While she might be suitable as an escort, she seemedpletely clueless about everyday life. The problem is that Siris herself doesn¡¯t seem to know what the issue is, as she tilted her head, looking bewildered. Thanks to her, I couldn¡¯t help but seriously doubt the cultural norms of the Dark Elves.

    Even though she¡¯s only a half-ve messenger, I can¡¯t quite figure out if she has any dignity. It¡¯s unclear whether she has manners, given that she came while bathing or arrived in her underwear.

    I nced at Siris while I was covering my face. With her dark skin and the distinctive solid figure of a warrior, her destructive power was truly formidable.

    ¡°Um¡­ Do Dark Elves have any dignity or something like that? I heard from Arwen that Elves consider showing their naked bodies to someone other than their partner as defiling their dignity¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s an Elven custom. Since we live in a harsh environment, we tend to be more lenient when ites to sexuality. Even if a partner dies due to an ident or illness, if our hearts align, we can take another partner. However, adultery or rape deviate greatly from our norms and are subject to strict punishment.¡±

    ¡°What kind of punishment?¡±

    ¡°For males, their genitals are cut off, and for females, their inner parts are scorched with fire, rendering them infertile.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    Thanks to that, I learned about the terrifying customs of the Dark Elves. Anyway, setting that aside¡­

    ¡°¡­I apologize for waking you up. If you want, you can go back and sleep.¡±

    ¡°Then may I take a short nap here? I don¡¯t even have enough mana to cast teleportation because I was training until just now.¡±

    Siris seemed really tired. Despite her stern tone, her golden eyes were gradually closing. She was forcing herself to keep her eyes open, but her blinking indicated that she had reached her limit.

    Dark elves are said to undergo rigorous training that keeps them awake throughout the night for several days. If she appeared so exhausted, I wondered just how tired she must be. I looked at her with a sympathetic gaze and gave her permission.

    Originally, the amodation prohibited intrusions from others, but on the contrary, if someone entered secretly, no one would know. It meant that there would be no problem for Siris to sleep here.

    ¡°¡­Do as you please. There¡¯s a nket, so sleep warmly.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Then, excuse me for a moment.¡±

    And so, as soon as Siris was summoned, she slipped into the bed where I was sleeping and began to fall asleep. Like her fatigued face, she peacefully slept on the soft bed¡­

    ¡°There¡¯s a nice fragrance from the bed.¡±

    ¡°¡­Just go to sleep.¡±

    It seemed that I would have to seek advice from Siris after she woke up.

    Trantors note:

    5/5

 Chapter 124: Advisory (2)

    Although she said she was taking a nap, Siris slept soundly without moving for about an hour. I even wondered if she might be dead, but when I put my finger under her nose, she didn¡¯t even react.

    Fortunately, after confirming her steady breathing, I was able to rx. However, considering an elf¡¯s physical abilities, I could roughly guess how tired she must have been.

    Unlike humans who would experience physical problems after not sleeping for two or more days, elves knew that they could go for a week without any problem. Even Cindy, who was closer to an ordinary person, would only groan after staying up for a few nights and would have no trouble with daily life. Dark circles were inevitable, but when reminded of the importance of sleep, it was still manageable.

    <i>¡®But Siris didn¡¯t even sense my presence¡­¡¯</i>

    A bodyguard knight should have a sensitive enough sense to detect even the slightest movement. Especially if that person is an elf, let alone a dark elf ustomed to darkness.

    However, Siris was still sound asleep even after I approached and checked her breathing. It wasn¡¯t exaggerated to say that she might not even notice if I picked her up.

    Seeing her resting instead of escorting Arwen, it seemed like she was on vacation or had a day off, and I felt sorry for calling her for nothing.

    <i>¡®For now, let¡¯s wait until she wakes up.¡¯</i>

    As my dates with Marie and Cecily had been postponed due to the test period, there was plenty of time. Since the exams will be over this Friday, why not meet some acquaintances then? And I¡¯ll spend a fiery Friday with Marie.

    I thought about Marie¡¯s matured beauty, whose sex drive seemed to have decreased slightly recently, but still remained steady, adding firewood to the fire. Moreover, she always took me to an inn to relieve any stress she had, so she¡¯s probably working hard to relieve the stress that has piled up due to the exams. I briefly recalled Marie¡¯s beauty, which made her seem more mature, but quickly shook my head and looked at Siris.

    Siris was sleeping deeply with the nket up to her neck. Since no one woulde anyway, and it would be rude to wake her up forcibly, it would be better to write something instead.

    I sat at the desk and took hold of my magic pen. The remover I had received from Marie¡¯s father, Dimitri, was lying beside the manuscript paper.

    Scribble- Scribble- Squeak-

    The sound of writing with a magic pen and erasing with a remover filled the room where I stayed. I focused as much as possible and wrote Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    Despite the environment, thanks to the presence of the remover, the efficiency of my writing doubled. Sometimes, I would realize typos btedly and had to make extensive revisions, but now I no longer had to worry about that.

    However, my habit of tearing up and rewriting everything that I didn¡¯t like still remained. The trash can still contained shredded manuscripts, and I nned to burn them allter.

    <i>¡®Now, I¡¯m debating whether to make the devil obstructing Xenon¡¯s party¡­ Satan (wrath) or Lilith (lust).¡¯</i>

    There is a devil executive who obstructs Xenon¡¯s party, preventing them from returning while Alvenheim is under attack.

    Xenon, having awakened after Kair¡¯s death and Mary¡¯s confession, was much stronger than before, and the demons grew to be skilled individuals whom the devils couldn¡¯t disregard.

    Furthermore, the party consisted of Mary, an elven wizard, Jin, a first-generation demon, and Lily, who was designated as the next saint. Considering the party¡¯s overall strength, they were very powerful.

    <i>¡®The beastmen are ambiguous because I don¡¯t know theirbat style, so let¡¯s pass on that. In the end, the only option left is Lilith.¡¯</i>

    The power of the Seven Sins is formidable, as they have been bestowed with power by the Archdevil, Diablo. Each individual¡¯s strength is formidable, except for the strategically valuable ¡°Sloth.¡± The rest of the sins will face the army individually.

    And the demon who governs desire, Lillis, possesses a fatally captivating beauty that can enchant both men and women. Born as a demon, she also wields magic. However, during their first encounter, the purpose was to buy time, so she dealt with it roughly and left. Nevertheless, even in that brief battle, she thoroughly imprinted the strength of the Seven Deadly Sins on Xenon and his party.

    <i>¡®Lillis¡¯ fighting style is indeed¡­¡¯</i>

    I should consult Cecily. As she is destined to be the next Demon Lord, I know her martial prowess is incredibly strong.

    It might be a half-joking remark, but she once said that if she were to lightly swipe a mountain peak with her finger, it would split in half. She has even learned swordsmanship, iming that she will never fall behind in closebat.

    <i>¡®But I haven¡¯t seen it in person. I should ask herter.¡¯</i>

    I n to ask her when the exams are over and the weekendes. We can meet then, have a conversation, and I can casually inquire about it.

    I briefly covered the notes outlining the development and picked up my magic pen, cing it on the manuscript paper. It hasn¡¯t been long since the 11th volume was released, but I have already written about half of the next volume.

    With more time avable and the presence of the remover and advice from acquaintances, I could swiftly progress like a ship with its sails catching a favorable wind. Perhaps I can even release two volumes consecutively this month.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ Hm?¡±

    How focused was I on my writing? I stretched and yawned to rx my stiff body, then suddenly felt a gaze from behind and turned my head.

    As I turned my head, I noticed that Siris, who knows when she woke up, was staring at me with half-covered nkets. I also quietly looked back at Siris.

    Having just woken up, the sharpness of her eyes had softened slightly, and her slightly exposed shoulders and chest emitted a captivating atmosphere. Notpletely covered by the nket but notpletely bare either, she wore it halfway, creating a sense of secrecy.

    ¡°When did you wake up?¡±

    ¡°I woke up exactly 5 minutes ago.¡±

    I listened to her response and checked the clock. It was around 5 o¡¯clock. Since Siris was summoned around 1 o¡¯clock, it meant that she had slept for about 4 hours.

    I ran my hand through my hair and nced at Soris. She was still in a daze, cutely yawning. When she was a guard knight for Arwen, she was like a sharp de, but now she seemed quite rxed.

    Well, most guard knights are like that. They have to be vignt for their master anytime, anywhere, so they can¡¯t help but be on edge. It¡¯s only during rest that they can let their guard down and rx for a while.

    So it¡¯s not strange for Siris to show such a rxed appearance. Especially since she secretly guards the Elven Queen, Arwen, her job must be extremely difficult.

    ¡°If you¡¯re tired, you can sleep more.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m fully awake.¡±

    Looking at her sparkling golden eyes and the glimmer of anticipation in her gaze, it didn¡¯t seem like a lie. So instead of saying anything, I decided to seek advice and got up from my seat, approaching her.

    Siris didn¡¯t react or make any moves even as I approached closer. Well, the moment I do something strange, she¡¯ll probably grab my wrist.

    After a while, I arrived in front of her, and I pulled up the fallen corner of the nket to hide the slightly exposed bluish skin. Thanks to that, nothing was visible except for her face¡­

    Flutter-

    As soon as I lifted the nket up to her neck, Siris swung her arms and made it fall back down even lower than before, revealing her underwear.

    For a moment, my face burned with anger and confusion, and I asked Siris in a bewildered voice,.

    ¡°Why are you taking it off?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s hot.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you bear it?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    She answered with a stern tone, leaving me speechless. Since she was a messenger and not aplete servant, I couldn¡¯t dictate to her as I pleased.

    In the end, she threw the nketpletely off and found myself facing Siris in underwear. She may be a dark elf and lenient in general, but she causes a lot of problems for a man like me.

    Is seeking advice such a difficult task? Even though I barely covered her with the nket, it was frustrating to see her throw it off so easily.

    ¡°Are Dark Elves more sensitive to heat, or is it just Siris? They seem to wear clothing with a lot of exposure.¡±

    ¡°The attire is closely rted to the uniquebat style of Dark Elves. Dark Elves are more sensitive to mana floating in the air than regr Elves, and furthermore, they possess the ability to blend in with their surroundings. The more exposed areas there are, the higher the blending ratio bes. asionally, if the shimmering effect urs in the spot where a hidden Dark Elf was, it¡¯s all due to their attire.¡±

    ¡°So, does that mean they feel hot?¡±

    ¡°Dark Elves circte mana during normal times to be able to conceal their bodies in darkness anytime, anywhere. As a result, their body temperature is high.¡±

    ¡°But doesn¡¯t that consume a lot of mana? Even for Dark Elves, it must be quite intense.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. Dark Elves have a kind of heritage that allows them to absorb mana from the air through their skin. It¡¯s an ability that only we possess.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±

    Yeah, that¡¯s what consultation is about.

    I quickly jotted down the important information in my notebook, my eyes sparkling. Although the beginning was strange, it was intriguing as valuable information kept flowing.

    Thanks to that, I was able to focus solely on the advice without being distracted by Siris¡¯ seductive figure. Siris herself didn¡¯t seem to mind, so there was no problem.

    ¡°What is the structure of the Dark Elf vige like? Like how Alvenheim has a queen, council, and a Warrior¡¯s Commander, what is the structure for Dark Elves?¡±

    ¡°First of all, each Dark Elf belongs to a specific tribe. There are a total of three tribes: Latna, Kumir, and Dron. Each tribe is governed by its own elders.¡±

    ¡°Which tribe does Sirise from?¡±

    ¡°I am from the Latna tribe. It is known for producing warriors. Kumir specializes in magic users, and Dron is famous for producing technicians.¡±

    ¡°It seems to be more than just a simple vige, more like a city-level structure?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. In terms of lifestyle, it is no different from any other city. It¡¯s just that we live in a sparsely popted forest.¡±

    It¡¯s fascinating. The more I hear stories about Dark Elves, the more they exude mystery. Following Siris¡¯s guidance, I diligently wrote down notes and envisioned the future story in my mind.

    I¡¯m determined to draw inspiration properly, at least as thoroughly as the research, so today I intend to get a proper hit.

    ¡°What ranks does Siris have? Like how there are warriors for the Elves and knights for humans, I don¡¯t know much about the ranking system of Dark Elves.¡±

    ¡°Well, except for the Elders, we don¡¯t really have ranks. When a significant event urs, we call upon renowned warriors and grant them positions.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by positions?¡±

    ¡°Scout leader or assault leader, for example. I suppose we don¡¯t appear to have a military on the surface since we preferbat methods that don¡¯t involve direct confrontation.¡±

    It¡¯s amazing how different their approach is, even though they likely originated from the same roots.

    Unlike the Elves who insist on directbat, Dark Elves specialize in assassination and infiltration. Perhaps due to these ideological differences, they must have fought each other in the distant past.

    Dark Elves, with their notably distinct personalities, were appropriate to be shunned even among other Elves.

    ¡°What do the Dark Elves think of the Elves from Alvenheim? Oh, by the way, I¡¯m asking about the general opinion of Dark Elves, not Siris¡¯s view. Although Arwen has pursued a policy of integration, the deep-rooted animosity wouldn¡¯t have dissipated.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ the generations that experienced the racial war view them favorably, but the subsequent generations don¡¯t. The newer generation is currently protesting, questioning why they should even join Alvenheim, which refused to offer any help due to their meager pride. On the other hand, the older generation, having experienced the bitterness of the racial war, believes it has now be harmless.¡±

    ¡°Wow¡­¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but be amazed sincerely. I never expected such an urate contradiction.

    Then, a sudden thought crossed my mind. How old would Siris be, presumed to be from the new generation?

    At first nce, she appears to be in her early to mid-twenties, but she looks favorably upon elves. She doesn¡¯t evenin about running errands, despite being a messenger.

    With that in mind, I paused for a moment, pen pressed against the notebook, and looked at Siris. She was still blinking her golden eyes, dressed only in underwear.

    ¡°Um¡­ excuse me, may I ask you something?¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m curious about Siris¡¯s age¡­¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ can you see this?¡±

    Upon hearing my question, Siris lightly tapped her partially severed ear with her finger. As my gaze shifted in that direction, I could see that she had a golden earring hanging there.

    The left ear had nothing, but there were about two earrings on the right ear. As soon as I began to wonder, Sirius opened her mouth.

    ¡°We have a tradition of adding one earring for every hundred years that pass. You can see that I have two, which means I am exactly 241 years old.¡±

    ¡°¡­Indeed, it¡¯s an age that seems unfathomable to humans.¡±

    ¡°For humans, even a hundred years is difficult toprehend, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Siris responded, maintaining her characteristic expressionless face. Whenever I heard about Cecily or Arwen living for over a hundred years, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a strange sense of unease.

    I continued to ask several more questions and obtained the information I needed one by one. Siris faithfully answered each of my questions without any hesitation.

    After about an hour of questioning, I finally decided to close my notebook. It was time for me to grab a bite to eat, and I could always call Siris again if I needed further assistance.

    ¡°Thank you. You¡¯ve been a great help.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re wee. By the way, are you nning to write about us in your book?¡±

    Siris looked at the notebook with a curious gaze. I tossed the notebook onto the desk and replied.

    ¡°Yes. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t include any negative stories.¡±

    ¡°May I ask you one thing then?¡±

    ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    ¡°Are all the people portrayed in the book based on real individuals?¡±

    Upon hearing Siris¡¯ question, I turned my head toward the manuscript lying on the desk. Although the story was based on reality, most of the characters emerged from my imagination.

    However, I did n to draw inspiration from real people for some future characters. Lily will be based on Cecily, and the elven hero will resemble the legendary warrior, Ikehr.

    Nevertheless, since the question was about using real people as inspiration, I responded positively.

    ¡°It¡¯s possible that some characters are based on real people. Just as I asked questions to Siris, Ick knowledge about different species, so I have no choice but to seek advice.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°But why is that? Should I include Siris as well?¡±

    In my previous life when I was active as a web novel writer, there was a joke that my friends asionally made. They would say, ¡°Put me in your novel too.¡± Of course, it was just a joke, but I unknowingly ended up including them in my story. Since those guys never even read my novel, it didn¡¯t really matter.

    Honestly, there aren¡¯t many distinctive characters in real life like my friends. By slightly modifying my friends¡¯ personalities and including them in my book, they turned into remarkably unique characters. So, I casually asked Siris as a joke, fully expecting her to brush it off.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    But to my surprise, Siris¡¯s eyes sparkled.

    ¡°If you¡¯re offering, I¡¯d be honored to be included.¡±

    She perked up, even raising her short, rabbit-like ears, expressing her excitement.

    Later on, I learned that Dark Elves have a tendency not to take jokes lightly.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I chuckled at her look filled with anticipation.

    Trantors note:

    Chapter 1/5 this week

 Chapter 125: Advisory (3)

    The advice received from Siris was very useful. Not only did I learn about the overall lifestyle of the Dark Elves, but also about their abilities, history, and beliefs, among other things.

    While Dark Elves, like regr Elves, value tradition and history, they are more open-mindedpared to the secluded Elves of Alvenheim, unless a major issue arises. However, there was still conflict between generations, worrying about the loss of their own traditions and culture if they assimted with Alvenheim.

    Interestingly, this atmosphere was prevalent among the younger generation of Dark Elves rather than the older ones. Furthermore, due to a distant past where Alvenheim turned against the Dark Elves, the wounds of conflict between them have not yet healed.

    Currently, Arwen was making gradual preparations for reconciliation, but even that was ruined by Rain¡¯s trolling. As a result, the Elves and Dark Elves are now close yet distant. They originated from the same roots, but their rtionship was inevitably strained and separated by discord.

    <i>¡®Moreover, at present, it can¡¯t be said that the rtionship between them is good¡­¡¯</i>

    There is a document stating that the Elves¡¯ long ears have lengthened in order to better hear the voice of the gods. In ordance with that document, the Elves also take great care of their ears, valuing them dearly and making every effort to restore them if they are damaged.

    On the other hand, the Dark Elves have a custom of cutting their ears in half, as a symbol of their contempt for Alvenheim, who massacred and even banished them. Not only that, they wear earrings as a way to check their age.

    If the elves of Alvenheim had properly inherited the historical truth, perhaps they would have known the abhorrent truth. However, the Elder Council, who did not want to reveal such a gruesome truth, tightly concealed the past and even treated the Dark Elves as ¡°heretics.¡±

    Not only the Elder Council but also the elves of Alvenheim have been educated from ancient times to view the Dark Elves with a hateful gaze, understanding what significance their pointed ears hold.

    In reality, the gaze towards the Dark Elves is unfavorable, regardless of the generation, whether it be the older or the newer.

    The reason I came to know this fact is through Arwen. She discovered historical texts that had been carefully hidden even in the Sanctuary, which led me to uncover the abhorrent historical truth.

    Unlike other elves, Arwen possesses an unusually sharp intellect precisely because she knows the truth.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s truly fascinating material for me.¡¯</i>

    In Xenon¡¯s Biography, conflicts arise between the hero leading the elves and the hero leading the Dark Elves.

    Fortunately, the elven hero who discovers the historical truth epts the Dark Elves smoothly and bes determined to reim the invaded Alvenheim.

    It remains doubtful whether this will resolve the tension between the elves and the Dark Elves, but it will likely have a significant impact. Even the perception of demons haspletely changed, let alone the elves.

    Anyway, I received excellent advice from Siris and sent her back as she was. Before sending her back, she awkwardly asked if she would really appear in Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    In fact, characters like Siris will make a few appearances in the story, but it won¡¯t disrupt the overall plot. She may not be a hero herself, but perhaps she will be the sessor to that hero or something simr.

    In this way, I continued writing Xenon¡¯s Biography and prepared for the next volume, and as time passed, Friday, the day of the exam, was approaching.

    ¡°Ah~ it¡¯s really frustrating. Why does the professor make the questions so difficult?¡±

    ¡°Because it¡¯s an exam, I guess. So, do you think you did well?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure either. But at least I attended diligently, so I should get an average score.¡±

    The exam seemed harder than expected, and the person sitting next to me, Marie,ined. Meanwhile, she couldn¡¯t help but cut the steak into small pieces and put them in her mouth because she was hungry.

    Seeing her like that, I smiled briefly and then spoke quietly.

    ¡°Marie, you¡¯re smart, so you¡¯ll get a good score. I¡¯m confident.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think Isaac should say that, though.¡±

    A familiar voice came from the opposite side, not Marie. I turned my head in that direction.

    As always, Cecily was sitting there, her beauty captivating like a ck rose. If it were just her, it wouldn¡¯t matter, but surprisingly, there was someone else next to Cecily.

    ¡°Yeah, it sounds a bit deceptive when you say that.¡±

    It was Princess Rina of the Minerva Empire. Months had passed since the sessful conclusion of the exhibition, and her beauty had grown even more enchanting.

    Her adorable facial features, like a puppy, remained the same, and her unusuallyrge eyes sparkled like sapphires. Adding to that, her chest, which couldn¡¯t be hidden even under the school uniform.

    Although they started with a strained rtionship, they had be kinder to each other after the sessful exhibition. The most significant factor was the restoration of her rtionship with Marie.

    If I had been a normal noble, I probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to attend this gathering. But now that she has grown closer to Marie, I treat her like an ordinary friend. It feels rewarding to have personally brought them back together.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what they¡¯re thinking, but I¡¯m not that smart. Just think of it as a difference in perspective.¡±

    ¡°That alone is impressive. After all, Isaac isn¡¯t a high noble like us who received a higher education.¡±

    Rina smiled brightly and spoke. She wasn¡¯t being sarcastic, but rather, apart from me, they are women of high nobility.

    Therefore, the quality of education they received from their families was inevitably different, and it wasn¡¯t unreasonable for Rina to think that way. This is only possible because I am a reincarnated person.

    I shrugged at Rina¡¯s words and spoke in a nonchnt tone.

    ¡°It¡¯s an honor for my family that Her Highness views me favorably.¡±

    ¡°¡­Please don¡¯t. It¡¯s starting to feel awkward.¡±

    When I joked, Rina made a face that showed she was ufortable. After a few months of setting aside all of her power and authority to be friendly with me, she tends to get nervous when I¡¯m formal.

    Rina was also deeply reflecting on her mistakes towards me, and I also liked Rina, who had a solid sense of right and wrong for a princess. So, I sometimes y these jokes.

    Just think about how the Tersian royalty treated Adelia. Rina doesn¡¯t treat others with the same hostility as they did.

    <i>¡®Although this is because she is an illegitimate child.¡¯</i>

    There are only two publicly known royal descendants in Minerva: Leort and Rina. However, just like in the Ters Kingdom, the possibility of hidden children, like in Adelia, is there.

    Moreover, in line with the medieval era, extramarital affairs by husbands are permitted, while adultery by wives is strictly prohibited byw. This leads to many men having separate lovers. I¡¯ve heard that this tendency is even stronger among the higher ranks.

    <i>¡®Not that I¡¯m implying anything, but¡­¡¯</i>

    I alternated my gaze between Marie, who was earnestly eating steak to fill her stomach, and Cecily, who was sitting across from me. Both of them are my lovers and lifelongpanions.

    Thankfully, we have reached a peaceful agreement; otherwise, it would have been a chaotic situation with everyone grabbing each other¡¯s hair.

    ¡°By the way, Isaac, when will Book 12 be released?¡±

    Out of the blue, Marie, who was slicing her steak, asked me the question. At the same time, the gazes of Rina and Cecily also turned towards me. It¡¯s fine to ask such a question since we have a separate room, and whatever we say doesn¡¯t matter.

    Anyway, I listened to her question and pondered in my mind. It has only been ten days since Book 11 was released, but Book 12 is nearlypleted.

    I have already solidified the structure and development, and I even received advice from Siris, so I had no obstacles in my writing. Moreover, there were hardly any distractions, allowing me to focus solely on the writing.

    Most importantly, Book 12 is a transitional chapter, and the main story will begin from Book 13.

    ¡°It¡¯ll probably be out soon. It¡¯s a transitional chapter, so it¡¯s rtively easier.¡±

    ¡°Really? It¡¯sing out so quickly. When did Book 11e out?¡±

    ¡°It was exactly two weeks ago. By the way, it¡¯s fascinating, isn¡¯t it? Being able to write so quickly. It¡¯s not easy to turn the images in your mind into words.¡±

    Rina¡¯s eyes widened when she heard the news that Volume 12 would be released soon. She turned to me and asked, and I pondered on how to answer her question.

    To be honest, from my perspective, it¡¯s not that difficult. In my past life, I read various books and cultivated my skills, honing my writing through transcription.

    So, as long as there is a decent subject matter, I have no trouble writing. If I were to mention a challenge, it would probably be the first paragraph. Depending on the first paragraph, the subsequent content can vary significantly, so I can¡¯t help but ponder and contemte over it.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s hard to say. Writing isn¡¯t difficult as long as you have good spelling and choose the right words.¡±

    ¡°¡­Somehow, that sounds unlucky.¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    ¡°Geniuses are all like that, right?¡±

    The three of them spoke in unison, saying I was unlucky. I was slightly taken aback, but I shook my head with a wry smile.

    Since I couldn¡¯t reveal that I was reincarnated, it seemed like I had to live as an unlucky person. Although it¡¯s questionable if the day wille when I can tell them this fact.

    As I was about to finely chop the remaining steak and put it in my mouth, I suddenly remembered something. I swallowed the steak in my mouth and spoke to the person across from me, Cecily.

    ¡°Oh, right. Cecily Noona.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    As I called out, Cecily blinked her red eyes and looked at me. She looked so cute with a fork in her mouth.

    ¡°I have something I need help with this time. Can you help me?¡±

    ¡°What kind of help?¡±

    ¡°As you know, Lilith is a character based on you, Noona. I want to reference not only your appearance but also yourbat style and such.¡±

    ¡°Combat style? Wait, hold on. So what you saidst time was real? That Lilith was created based on me?¡±

    It seems like they¡¯re talking about when the Seven Deadly Sins first appeared. At the time, she just asked out of curiosity, so I didn¡¯t think much of it.

    I nodded my head with anticipation, looking at Cecily¡¯s inted face. I have no intention of denying that Lilith was created as a character based on Cecily.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Wow¡­!¡±

    Cecily¡¯s expression brightened like the sun when I nodded my head in agreement. Her eyes, which were tinged with red, sparkled endlessly with a look of being moved.

    Although her reaction was much stronger than expected, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder. But then I noticed Rina looking at us enviously from the side. Meanwhile, Cecily hastily opened her mouth with a slightly excited voice.

    ¡°Well, then it¡¯s my honor! The original character of Xenon¡¯s Biography is me¡­ It¡¯s an unparalleled wish for our demons.¡±

    ¡°Is it okay to be the viin?¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s an antagonist created by you, wouldn¡¯t it be even more charming? I¡¯ll definitely help. What kind of help do you need?¡±

    Did she feel so delighted by the fact that she appeared in a book? Cecily showed rare enthusiasm and her eyes sparkled brightly. I couldn¡¯t help but be slightly flustered, but I voiced what I had been thinking from the beginning.

    ¡°As I mentioned earlier, I want to learn from your fighting style, Noona. Lilith is a demonic subus, after all. So, using magic to like you would be fitting.¡±

    ¡°Fighting style¡­ By any chance, does Lilith also use swordsmanship?¡±

    ¡°Yes. But it¡¯s not particrly shy, it¡¯s just a means to use magic and techniques.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s how I learned swordsmanship too. Humans refine their skills topensate for theirck of power, but we demons refine our skills to use our power efficiently. Hmm¡­¡±

    After a moment of contemtion, Cecily tapped her cheek with her finger and then spoke up.

    ¡°Since I can¡¯t use magic at the academy, you¡¯ll have toe to Helium during the vacation. I¡¯ll show you how I fight then.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. But will we have a sparring session?¡±

    ¡°Yes. We can call for Lord Bk, that should do.¡±

    Indeed, Gartz is formidable. However, Gartz is also aware of my true identity, so I doubt there will be an appropriate number of participants.

    (Tl note: In case you forgot, Gartz Bk is a full name of Cecily¡¯s escort knight)

    ¡°I envy you. You don¡¯t even put your girlfriend in the story. Is this fair?¡±

    Was it the fact that Cecily appeared in Xenon¡¯s Biography that bothered Marie? She grumbled, making a pouty face and puffing up one cheek like a pufferfish. It was really adorable. In order tofort our girlfriend, I slowly leaned my face closer.

    Then, I whispered softly in her ear.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to be jealous. You know that, right? I¡¯m going to write about our story. Whether it¡¯s day or¡­ night.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­ ¡°

    ¡°You can look forward to it.¡±

    Instantly, Mary¡¯s face turned red. I smiled and slowly moved my face back.

    In the past, I would have stayed quiet and not said a word¡­

    Stumble- stumble-

    Like a predator searching for its prey, she gently groped my thigh, gradually moving towards the center.

    Fortunately, there were people ahead, so she didn¡¯t do anything mischievous. But it was inevitable that I was getting excited.

    Finally, when Marie¡¯s soft hand settled on it, I carefully grabbed her wrist. It was a sign to hold back for now.

    ¡°¡­ Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°After we finish eating¡­ you know?¡±

    I will do my best to manage my expression and spoke to the people in front of me, knowing what Marie wanted.

    ¡°Can I quickly go to the lodging for a moment? There¡¯s something urgent.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Suddenly? What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    Certainly, it was quite sudden, and Rina widened her eyes in confusion. On the other hand, Cecily, who already knew about my rtionship with Marie, had a faintly perceptive expression.

    Looking at Rina, who was perplexed, I smiled and quietly replied.

    ¡°I need some medicine for a moment. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±

    ¡°Medicine?¡±

    Rina seemed to not catch on and tilted her head, then asked in a voice that showed even more confusion than before.

    ¡°Are you feeling sick? If you¡¯re in pain¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m in pain, it¡¯s just a preventive medicine, you can think of it that way.¡±

    ¡°A preventive medicine?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    It seemed like Rina was unaware of these kinds of things.

    Trantors note:

    Chapter 2/5 this week

 Chapter 126: Three Women (1)

    It was when Isaac briefly went to the dorm to get some medicine. As soon as Isaac left, Rina called Marie, who was sitting across from her.

    ¡°Marie.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    Upon hearing Rina¡¯s call, Marie looked up, pausing her slow steak-cutting. Her fair skin, reminiscent of snow, had faintly reddened due to Isaac¡¯s words just moments ago. Her hair, white as snow, made the blush even more noticeable, but it was not important to Rina. What mattered to her was the identity of the ¡°medicine¡± Isaac mentioned.

    ¡°Do you know what kind of medicine Isaac is taking?¡±

    ¡°Why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°I thought you might know. I¡¯ve never seen Isaac taking any medicine until now.¡±

    Rina had spent less time with Isaacpared to Marie and Cecily. She was busy with exhibition preparations and devoted herself to studying to achieve good grades at the academy. Now that the exams were over, she had some free time, but she had just learned that Isaac was taking medicine. So she nned to support him and help rectify her past mistakes.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a chronic illness or anything, is it?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not. Just¡­ yeah, it¡¯s really a preventive medicine.¡±

    ¡°A preventive medicine?¡±

    What could it be preventing? And why was Marie¡¯s face getting even redder than before?

    Rina had received sexual education with Marie in the pce, but it was purely theoretical. She knew nothing about the secretive atmosphere between men and women or the innuendos. That¡¯s why Rina was bewildered, and it was also the reason why Marie couldn¡¯t readily exin it. Who could openly say that someone went to get contraceptive pills to have sex?

    ¡°Is it expensive? If it¡¯s expensive, then I¡­¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that expensive. It¡¯s something you can also find in stores, so there¡¯s no need for you to help.¡±

    ¡°Is it something like a dietary supplement?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    While Marie was contemting how to make Rina understand, Cecily, who had been quietly observing, smiled and spoke up.

    ¡°So, from now on, Marie will be scolded by Isaac with a bat?¡±

    ¡°A stick?¡±

    What¡¯s this strange talk again? Rina looked at Cecily with a puzzled expression, as if asking for an exnation.

    However, Cecily only maintained her mischievous expression and kept her gaze fixed on Marie. It was the moment her yfulness kicked in.

    ¡°Being scolded with a bat, what kind of talk is that? Could it be that Isaac hits you?¡±

    ¡°No, he absolutely doesn¡¯t hit me. It¡¯s just¡­a game. It¡¯s a game between me and Isaac.¡±

    ¡°A game that requires medicine, and you¡¯re scolded by Isaac¡¯s bat? I just can¡¯t understand any of this¡­¡±

    Rina stopped mid-sentence. It was because Marie¡¯s face, reddened like a crimson sunset, reminded her of something.

    As mentioned before, while Marie had an ability to instinctively assess whether the other person was sincere or lying, Rina had exceptional powers of observation. Having keen powers of observation also meant having the ability to deduce ordingly.

    Cecily¡¯s mischievous remark, Marie¡¯s embarrassment and ¡®Isaac punishing her with a bat¡¯. The game that required ¡®preventive medicine¡¯. In the end, it all led to one conclusion.

    With everythingbined, a single thought floated in Rina¡¯s mind, as she was in a daze.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    As the conclusion came to mind, Rina¡¯s face instantly turned red. Interestingly, her face stiffened while gradually bing flushed.

    In a normal situation, she would quickly regain herposure. However, due to the nature of the conversation, even Rina couldn¡¯t help but stammer.

    Even as an imperial princess, she was still inexperienced when it came to the experiences of men. In the past, she had met a few men for political marriages, but that was the extent of it for her.

    As the situation settled, Rina swallowed her saliva and asked Marie with a trembling voice. Marie, with a heavily blushing face, was clutching her chin.

    ¡°¡­ Marie?¡±

    ¡°¡­ Yes?¡±

    ¡°Did¡­ did you¡­ with Isaac?¡±

    ¡°I did. The thing you¡¯re thinking about.¡±

    ¡°Since when?¡±

    Countless times, Rina had witnessed them going on dates that were as sweet as dripping honey. However, she couldn¡¯t have guessed that they had gone so far.

    At that moment, Marie took a sip of tea, her throat seemingly dry, and briefly nced at Cecily instead of Rina. She had uttered unnecessary words, creating an awkward atmosphere.

    Whether she said it or not, Cecily was observing the current situation with interest. Her characteristic mischievous expression added to the amusement.

    Marie quietly opened her mouth, suppressing the desire to scratch that entertained face.

    ¡°¡­after the exhibition ended.¡±

    ¡°Then from then until now¡­¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve been doing it almost every day. We couldn¡¯t do it during exam periods because we were busy. Now we¡¯re going to do it.¡±

    ¡°Oh my¡­¡±

    Rina, now at a loss, covered her mouth and didn¡¯t know what to do. Rina¡¯s reaction, with the ¡®mask¡¯ suddenly being removed, waspletely new and surprising.

    Marie also gave a surprised look, but for now, it was important to break the tension in the air. Besides, it seemed that even after Isaac arrived, this atmosphere would continue. So, she started reprimanding Cecily instead.

    ¡°Cecily, did you really have to say that? And what¡¯s with the ¡®bat¡¯?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a ¡®bat¡¯, isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s about the size of a bat, so what else could it be?¡±

    Cecily replied with her hands spread apart at a certain distance. It was a very straightforward expression, typical of her.

    And Rina, looking at the length of the ¡®bat¡¯ Cecily expressed, could only be astonished beyond surprise. It was much longer than what she had learned in the pce.

    But Marie took it a step further.

    ¡°Now it¡¯s even bigger than that.¡±

    ¡°What? Is that true?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. It seems to have grown along with his height.¡±

    As he grew, the evidence of its lengthening became more apparent, and this time it was Cecily¡¯s turn to be amazed. Since bing Isaac¡¯s woman, she had been receiving asional ¡°advice¡± from Marie.

    As a result, she had learned what Isaac liked and what actions he enjoyed, but she was still unable to enter the main stage. The reasons were twofold: Marie still monopolized Isaac, and, above all, the ¡°evil cycle¡± was gradually approaching.

    To alleviate the cycle of evil, as mentioned before, one must restrain orpletely eliminate desires through meditation. Thanks to recent inventions of medicine, the suffering of demons during the cycle of evil has decreased, but Cecily was still waiting for the cycle toe.

    Once the cycle of evil arrived, pleasure would precede pain. Marie had been enjoying herself since the first night, thanks to Isaac, but it was true thatpatibility varied from person to person.

    ¡°Um¡­ Cecily?¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Are you also¡­ by any chance, Cecily?¡±

    Rina asked Cecily cautiously, her face nowpletely flushed, as if trying to cool it down even slightly, with both hands wrapped around it.

    Thebination of her puppy-like adorable appearance and embarrassment from erotic stories exuded the charm of a blushing maiden, and her dignity and charisma as a princess seemed to havepletely vanished.

    Was Rina¡¯s reaction, unlike her usual self, surprising? Cecily stared at her intently, then smiled mischievously and replied in a teasing tone.

    ¡°Well~ did I do it? Or did I not? What does our Rina think?¡±

    ¡°You, are you going to do it too? Ah, with Isaac?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I think I¡¯ll do it soon.¡±

    ¡°But, there¡¯s Marie here. Can we just say those things?¡±

    Rina pointed her finger at Marie and asked. She seemed quite flustered, stuttering her words in an uncharacteristic manner.

    On the other hand, Cecily remainedposed. As if she had just remembered something, she eximed, surprising Rina with a piece of news.

    ¡°Oh, I forgot to mention. I¡¯m also dating Isaac.¡±

    ¡°W-What? Th-Then¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re thinking right. Polyamory. As you can see, I¡¯m a demon, and since Isaac is Xenon. I think that exins it all.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    It was hard to argue with those words. Moreover, Cecily being the princess of Helium would be a significant political advantage for Isaac.

    However, Rina¡¯s mind was in turmoil due to the explicit words. She hesitated, opening her mouth like a fish, and slowly turned her head toward Marie.

    Finally, meeting Marie¡¯s stern gaze, Rina cautiously spoke.

    ¡°¡­ Is that true?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. By the way, I¡¯m the main wife, and Cecily has acknowledged that. Right?¡±

    ¡°Actually, since you¡¯re not yet married, I think the position of the main wife is still vacant.¡±

    ¡°Come on¡­ It won¡¯t work. You can always leave. Break up with Isaac.¡±

    ¡°But I don¡¯t want to~¡±

    Marie and Cecily yed innocent pranks on each other, but Rina still couldn¡¯t calm her heart. No matter how hard she tried to calm down, all sorts of thoughts and imaginings swirled in her head.

    <i>¡®Marie and Cecily doing things with Isaac and all¡­ No, Cecily probably hasn¡¯t done anything yet¡­ Ugh¡­¡¯</i>

    She felt her head overheating in real time. And she remembered the width of the gap that Cecily had shown just moments ago, spreading it with both hands.

    While Marie and Cecily were whispering to each other, Rina discreetly nced down. She would never date Isaac, but she was also at an age when she was interested in romance.

    She discreetlypared the two after watching their expressions. What she wasparing, you can probably guess. And¡­

    <i>¡®It goes beyond the navel? Is that really possible?¡¯</i>

    Once again, she couldn¡¯t help but be astonished. Marie, who had epted everything, was truly remarkable, and Rina once again felt the mystery of the human body.

    Rina swallowed her saliva and looked up at Marie. She had a confident expression, as if she had won in the battle of the wits with Cecily.

    ¡°Um¡­ Marie?¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Does it really¡­ go in all the way? Doesn¡¯t it hurt?¡±

    Marie blinked her eyes and faced Rina, who asked a question. Her face turned red as if it was burning, and her blue eyes were filled with curiosity.

    The image of the Rina she knew hadpletely disappeared, and there was only a girl who showed interest in the romance. Not a princess, but a cute and lovely girl who suited Marie¡¯s age.

    How adorable she looked. Marie discreetly nced at her and curled up the corners of her mouth.

    It made her feel good as if she had found Rina¡¯s weakness, and she felt like she could use it to her advantage in the future.

    ¡°Rina.¡±

    ¡°Uh, yes?¡±

    ¡°Should I exin everything that happened on the first night, or should I only answer the questions you asked? It¡¯s your choice.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    When Marie asked in a teasing voice, Rina¡¯s face turned so hot that steam seemed to rise. But she still seemed to want an answer, as her gaze remained focused on Marie.

    It seemed like both options were possible, so Marie remembered the first night she spent with Isaac after the exhibition. Her heart fluttered and she felt tense just thinking about it, but it was a memory that had passed.

    Currently, she was just a woman who had opened her eyes to sex, not much different from a maiden. They would take turns taking the lead and indulging in each other until they reached their limits.

    ¡°Well, then let me exin how Isaac and I ended up having a night affair. It started with Isaac¡¯s slip of the tongue.¡±

    ¡°A slip of the tongue?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Isaac invited me to his bedroom, saying he had something to talk about briefly. He even prepared coffee.¡±

    ¡°T-That¡­¡±

    ¡°Exactly. It was probably because he really wanted to talk to me, but I wasn¡¯t interested. And on top of that, Cecily said some unnecessary things to me, so I was in a hurry.¡±

    ¡°Unnecessary things?¡±

    When Cecily was mentioned, Rina¡¯s gaze shifted to the side. Cecily shrugged her shoulders and casually replied as the attention turned towards her.

    ¡°I simply said that if you don¡¯t do it first, I¡¯ll take the lead. Who would have known she would end up working on it the same day?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    Perhaps Rina was weak when it came to such discussions. She made a distressed sound.

    Reason was urging her to stop, but temptation was enticing her to delve deeper.

    Despite the differences from the sexual education she received in the pce, her friend¡¯s real-life experiences provided Rina with a new stimtion.

    ¡°Isaac caressed my entire body, as if handling delicate artwork. You know how big and beautiful Isaac¡¯s hands are, right? Just imagine those hands running over my bare skin.¡±

    ¡°And, and then?¡±

    ¡°And then¡­¡±

    As the story of Marie¡¯s first night continued, Rina became even more excited. By asionally hearing her heavy breathing, it was clear that she waspletely absorbed in the story.

    When they reached a moment that could be considered a highlight¡­

    ¡°¡­gulp.¡±

    Even while swallowing her saliva, she didn¡¯t lose her concentration. Marie, in a way that didn¡¯t match her noble upbringing, continued with explicit expressions.

    Unlike Cecily, who had already heard it several times, Rina listened quietly because it was a story deeply connected to Isaac.

    ¡°Until dawn? Wasn¡¯t it tough?¡±

    ¡°When I woke up the next day, the sun was already high up in the sky. I don¡¯t even know how I managed it back then. Now, even 30 minutes makes me tired.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Isaac surprisingly has strong stamina¡­¡±

    ¡°I heard that he even received knight training when he was young. He couldn¡¯t help but be strong.¡±

    ¡°Gulp. And then? Was there nothing eventful in the morning?¡±

    ¡°There was something. It was a certain situation¡­¡±

    It was a series of surprises. In Rina¡¯s mind, the image of a weak and delicate Isaac suddenly transformed into that of a ¡®man¡¯.

    Recently, Marie¡¯s face had brightened, and there was a strange sense of beauty. Could it all be because of her intimate moments with Isaac? Until the end, Rina felt a peculiar emotion from their splendid first night together.

    ¡°Our first night ends here. After that, we¡¯ve been doing it whenever we have time, so there¡¯s nothing more to say.¡±

    ¡°Then, would you like to give your impression?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Impresion or whatever, Rina was in a situation where she went over her capacity. The more she imagined in her head, the more ufortable she felt.

    Even just listening to it is this intense, so I can¡¯t even fathom what it would be like to actually do it. Although she wasn¡¯t dating Isaac, he had already be a mon standard¡¯ in her heart.

    The man she recently met was only Isaac, and in the past, Jackson had clung to her, but they naturally drifted apart after a group project. Leort was there, but he¡¯s her brother, so she dismissed him immediately.

    Knock-knock-knock-

    ¡°I¡¯m here. Can Ie in?¡±

    While Lina hesitated, Isaac, who went to get the medicine, came back. Upon hearing him, Rina perked up, raising her head.

    Eventually, as Isaac opened the door, her gaze turned to a stern ce. The part that Marie had emphasized just a moment ago.

    However, Isaac opened his mouth with a calm face,pletely unaware of that fact.

    ¡°Finished eating? Should I pay?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s do that. Shall we go right away?¡±

    ¡°Do you want to do that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been building up for a few days. I can¡¯t relieve it on my own.¡±

    If she hadn¡¯t heard Marie¡¯s story, Rina wouldn¡¯t have been able to understand their conversation. But now, she can.

    Rina could anticipate what they would do as soon as she heard their conversation. While the academy had an inn for guests, it wasn¡¯t exclusively for them. There were also soundproof rooms for the nobles. So what Isaac and Marie would do there¡­

    ¡°Gulp.¡±

    Rina swallowed the saliva that had been stuck in her mouth once again. Even though it was just an imagination, her heart raced, and she felt tense. She knew it wasn¡¯t right, but after hearing the story, she had an urge to secretly witness it.

    Perhaps it would be helpful for her own wedding night in the distant future. After all, she was a princess of the Minerva Empire, and marrying a man was a natural course of events.

    Of course, that was her rationality speaking, but her instinct was merely driven by sexual curiosity. She was only seventeen, just at the age when she was beginning to awaken to her desires.

    Should she uphold her dignity as a princess, or should she act ording to her personal desires? It was a moment when Rina found herself immersed in the most significant dilemma of her life, unrted to public affairs.

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    And Cecily, who had been watching her from the side, let out a strange chuckle.

    Trantors note:

    Chapter 3/5

 Chapter 127: Hidden Sincerity (1)

    I have decided to seek advice from Cecily, but my investigation did not stop. Over the weekend, I consistently observed Nicole and Adelia¡¯s sparring at the public training ground. After the sparring sessions, we nned to have a meal together.

    Thebat scenes were urately portrayed ording to my imagination, and my father even praised the authenticity. However, it is still better to make them more explicit. It¡¯s good to know how they fight.

    Especially for humans, unlike other races, thebat abilities vary greatly from individual to individual. Some people, like my father, have records of subduing dragons, while others, like me, are mere civilians.

    Furthermore, most humans are civilians, and even the knights affiliated with the military have a wide range of disparities in their abilities. Therefore, in the Xenon Chronicles, bncing is not just a choice but a necessity, and it must have a certain degree of usibility.

    Above all, the most noticeable aspect among humans is what can be referred to as ¡°talent.¡± Having talent is not necessarily required to reach a certain level of skill, but it is essential to achieve a higher realm.

    Elves, demons, and beastmen have many innate advantages, but humans do not. Perhaps that¡¯s why humans differentiate themselves based on their skills, unlike other races.

    There was some discussion about Xenon¡¯s talent, but it was just a passing remark. Currently, the most significant concerns are how powerful Xenon is and how formidable the Seven Sins are.

    <i>¡®I wonder if the sky would split apart when they sh their weapons like in that pirate manga.¡¯</i>

    While reading books rted to the racial war, I immersed myself in my thoughts. The racial war was a massive conflict that erupted between the Elven Union and the Human Alliance, so there are numerous records documenting it.

    For example, if a human mage unleashed mass destruction magic towards the elven stronghold, there are descriptions of the earth shaking, and mes raining down from the sky, while the elves were struck by thunder and lightning like pouring rain.

    Anyway, the existence of a mage can be seen as an asymmetric power simr to a missile when considering my past life. Honestly, magic is something that I can describe in any way and move on without any problem.

    The biggest issue is meleebat. In other words a fight with cold weapons between skilled individuals. In most historical records, it is recorded who fought against whom, but there is almost no information about the battle itself. As my father said, when powerful individuals sh, it takes days as a minimum, and the surrounding environment bes chaotic.

    Because of this, most of the time is spent waiting until one side overpowers the other, and there are no detailed records. Only the winner knows how the battle unfolded.

    As the story progresses, I agonized over the bnce issues that became more apparent. Xenon eventually defeats Jin, who absorbs the soul of a great devil, in a one-on-one battle, but the journey until then is far from easy.

    How can I establish a bnce that will be convincing to the readers? Since it¡¯s a growth story, it was extremely difficult.

    <i>¡®First of all, among the Seven Deadly Sins¡­ APride and Gluttony should naturally be the strongest.¡¯</i>

    A fallen elf is Pride, while Gluttony is Jin¡¯s father, who is also a demon. These two pose the greatest threat to Xenon and hispanions. Until then, they will defeat the Seven Deadly Sins one by one.

    By the way, the first of the Seven Deadly Sins to die is none other than Wrath.I have already devised all the situations which lead to Wrath¡¯s exit, but as I mentioned before, I need advice from a specialist.

    There is no better specialist to consult other than Leona at the moment, but it is doubtful whether she will help. There may be unnecessary suspicions involved instead.

    How can I receive help from her? If I ask for advice, would she give it? While reading a book, I pondered deeply.

    ¡°Cutie. What are you reading?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    As I sat quietly, reading a book, someone called me in a friendly voice. It was a woman¡¯s voice, husky yet lively, just as I had anticipated.

    As expected, it was Adelia, who had just finished her sparring practice. She looked at me with her sky-blue eyes sparkling, carrying a training wooden sword on her shoulder.

    Slightly taken aback by the strong scent emanating from her sweat, I closed the book and replied quietly.

    ¡°I was just reading. Are you finished with the sparring?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m done. It¡¯s only Nicole left now. Phew.¡±

    Adelia exhaled heavily and plopped her bottom next to me. We sat so close that our arms were pressed together, but neither of us minded.

    Besides her confident personality, Adelia gave off a feeling of being like a caring older sister, just like Nicole. If Nicole possessed calmness and strictness, Adelia could be described as a mischievous and innocent older sister.

    Anyway, considering the way she visited our mansion during the exhibition without any hesitation, and judging by her rtionship with Nicole, she was almost like family. A pitiful person seeking affection due to being abandoned by her real family.

    Thinking that her energetic personality might be a mask to cover her own wounds made me feel even more sympathetic.

    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? Is it because I¡¯m pretty?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I take back what I just said. I shook my head yfully, my clothes fluttering as I acted like a mischievous child, making Adelia chuckle and nod in amusement.

    ¡°You¡¯re beautiful, but saying things like that ruins it for me.¡±

    ¡°Really? Am I pretty?¡±

    ¡°If you have a conscience, look in the mirror and say those words.¡±

    ¡°Why do you always choose such pretty words?¡±

    Adelia pinched my cheek lightly and spoke with delight. If she hadn¡¯t been sweating, she would have probably hugged me tightly or rubbed her face against mine.

    Her unique and intense affectionate gestures had lost their charm for me. It wasn¡¯t just me, she treated Nicole the same way, so I didn¡¯t consider it anything special.

    ¡°Okay. Today, I¡¯ll give you the privilege of going on a date with me. How about that? Isn¡¯t it amazing?¡±

    ¡°You know I have a girlfriend, too.¡±

    ¡°Oh,e on, just once. I¡¯ll treat you well.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mess around with me.¡±

    Sometimes she would jokingly ask me out on a date, which would leave me in an awkward situation. She knew that I was dating Marie, so she usually suggested it yfully.

    Adelia had a mischievous nature and acted younger than her age, so sometimes it was difficult to tell if she was being sincere or not. However, judging by her tone and expression, it seemed like a joke, so I could respond with a wry smile.

    ¡°Is it because of your girlfriend? Don¡¯t worry. If she finds out, I¡¯ll confidently say that I¡¯m going to be a mistress.¡±

    ¡°Why are you suddenly talking about that? I haven¡¯t even gotten married yet.¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t like me being a mistress, can I be your bodyguard instead?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it after you graduate.¡±

    Actually, graduation is already a given for Adelia. Her skills are exceptional enough to be scouted by the Knights, to the extent that she could be an assistant instructor at the Martial Arts Department.

    However, considering her status, it can be somewhat ambiguous for her to join the Knights. Whether she will return to the Ters Kingdom or continue as she is, remains uncertain.

    It was such a sensitive question that I couldn¡¯t ask it recklessly.

    ¡°Graduation¡­ I wish it could be dyed if possible.¡±

    Instead, Adelia also seemed to have thought of that point, as she murmured with a bitter smile. However, her hand was still pinching my cheek.

    Recalling her unhappy family history, I cautiously spoke up.

    ¡°¡­Is it because of your family?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s one of the reasons, but¡­¡±

    Adelia lifted her gaze from the ground and stared at me, subtly. I, too, looked at her face with its striking high nose bridge.

    Then suddenly, she smirked and pulled me into a tight embrace. Startled by the unexpected gesture, all I could do was be taken aback.

    ¡°Of course, the biggest thing is that I can¡¯t see our little cutie! It¡¯s been only a few months, and I can see how much more you have grown!¡±

    ¡°Ah, well¡­¡±

    Sweat is sweat, but the embarrassment of burying my face in someone else¡¯s chest surpasses it. Although born as an illegitimate child, thanks to the good lifestyle in the pce, Adelia also boasted a remarkable presence.

    Furthermore, her scent emanated like a fragrant flower. Even when Marie sweats, a pleasant fragrance wafts, making me wonder if all women are like this.

    ¡°Back off! Please! I can¡¯t breathe!¡±

    ¡°Just stay like this for a little longer. It¡¯s your Noona¡¯s wish.¡±

    ¡°What wish¡­!¡±

    Anyway, Adelia tightly embraced me for a while and fulfilled her own wish. As an ordinary person, I had no choice but to do as she wished, as I couldn¡¯t resist her overwhelming strength.

    Oh, of course.

    ¡°Do you have any thoughts or not?! I told youst time! Marie is no longer just a girlfriend, practically speaking, she¡¯s my fianc¨¦e! And we even spent the night together!¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry¡­ Isaac is just so cute¡­¡±

    ¡°I agree that he¡¯s cute, but some things are not allowed. If you keep doing this, I¡¯ll have to prohibit you from approaching Isaac, so understand that. Got it?¡±

    ¡°N-No, I can¡¯t be prohibited from approaching him! He¡¯s the only healing in my life!¡±

    She got caught red-handed by Nicole. I knelt down, alternately looking at Adelia, who wasmenting, and Nicole, who was ring fiercely.

    Perhaps because Adelia held me so tightly, her scent was all over the ce. After the meal, I had to go on a date with Marie, but I was worried that I might get yelled at.

    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you stop ying such pranks on Isaac? What if it leads to a rumor? What would you do then?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ shouldn¡¯t I take responsibility? Should I be Isaac¡¯s wife and leave Marie as the mistress?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s nonsense¡­ and the responsibility should fall on Isaac, not you. Why should you take it? Don¡¯t ce the me in the wrong direction.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Nicole meticulously picked apart Adelia¡¯s excuses. Adelia herself seemed to think they didn¡¯t make sense, awkwardly smiling as she spoke.

    ¡°R-right? It doesn¡¯t make sense¡­ right? Haha¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but feel a hint of difort as I watched Adelia¡¯sughter. It was close to a forced, artificial smile.

    Even the corners of her mouth were trembling, as if trying to hide her emotions.

    ¡°¡­Come to think of it, you were really happy when he said you didn¡¯t have to return the handkerchief, weren¡¯t you?¡±

    Was it a sincere remark, or just a probing question? Given her usually lively personality, it was extremely rare to see her wearing such an expression.

    ¡°Yeah. And you came here to be a knight, right? You should start looking into the knight corps you¡¯ll be working with after graduation. Got it?¡±

    ¡°¡­Nicole.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°By any chance¡­¡±

    Adelia knelt down and smirked at me, tightly biting her lips. Then, she forced a smile again and spoke to Nicole.

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s nothing. Keep talking.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Did Nicole sense something too? She shifted her gaze to me, hardened her expression, and said to Adelia.

    ¡°Follow me for a moment.¡±

    After that, they left me behind in the training ground and moved to another ce. I watched their receding figures in silence, scratching my head.

    ¡®This feels strange¡­¡¯

    I had a premonition that the situation was about to beplicated.

    Trantors note:

    4/5

 Chapter 128: Hidden Sincerity (2)

    Adelia has been a friend to Nicole since their freshman year. Friends can be so close that they are considered a new family, and that was true for Nicole and Adelia. They first met at a freshman wee party, which was also the event which Isaac had experienced a few months prior.

    At that time, Nicole wholeheartedly believed in Bryce¡¯s words and dressed up in a morous dress, which naturally attracted all sorts of attention.

    With her dark blue hair reminiscent of an evening sky and rare golden eyes, Nicole possessed a striking appearance. She was considerably tall for a girl and had a well-maintained figure, likely the result of rigorous training from her family.

    Nicole, exuding a mysterious aura and resembling a strong warrior, captivated many from the freshman event onwards. Even Nicole herself was taken aback by the unexpected attention, and there were even instances where some guys made advances.

    However, the person who caught Nicole¡¯s attention the most was Adelia, who stood alone in a secluded corner.

    Adelia, being amoner, couldn¡¯t afford a dress and was wearing the school uniform alone. There was no obligation for her to attend, but if she was going to wear the uniform, it would have been better for her not toe at all. Moreover, Adelia¡¯s noticeable beauty as amoner attracted Nicole¡¯s interest.

    From that moment on, Nicole and Adelia¡¯s bond began. While their other ssmates were all graduating, Adelia and Nicole remained as Martial Arts instructors assistants, teaching their juniors and waiting for an opportunity to be scouted by the knights¡¯ order.

    In this regard, Nicole had the chance to closely observe Adelia¡¯s personality and true intentions. Knowing that sometimes Adelia yed mean pranks just to grab attention, Nicole usually overlooked them. But this time, it couldn¡¯t be ignored. It was not only deeply connected to Nicole¡¯s own sibling but could also potentially affect their family.

    Up until now, Nicole had let Adelia do as she pleased, flowing with the current regardless of her adventures. However, this matter turned out to be more serious than anticipated.

    ¡°Sigh¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Leaving Isaac behind and moving to a secluded corner of the training ground, Nicole and Adelia stood facing each other. Nicole crossed her arms, her expressionplex and subtle, while Adelia lowered her head as if burdened with guilt. Her hands fidgeted nervously, showing signs of anxiety.

    Her face was obscured by the curtain-like bangs, making it difficult to discern her expression. This deeply troubled Nicole as she gazed at Adelia, who only looked down at the ground without a word.

    If Adelia truly had romantic feelings for Isaac, rather than seeing him as a little brother¡­ the situation would beplicated. And not just a little.

    Isaac is currently in a formal rtionship with Marie, the only daughter of the Duke of Minerva Empire. Moreover, their engagement has already been finalized, having taken ce on their mansion night.

    <i>¡®Recently, even the Demon Princess seemed unusual¡­¡¯</i>

    Not only that, but his rtionship with the Princess of Helium, Cecily, also appeared suspicious. From the visit to the mansion during the exhibition to the fact that she always seemed to be close to Isaac, it was impossible to dispel the doubts.

    Nicole didn¡¯t know that Isaac had epted Cecily as his lover, but being perceptive, she could make some educated guesses. And if Cecily truly saw through Isaac¡¯s true identity, it would be a story that made perfect sense and could be easily overlooked.

    However, the same couldn¡¯t be said for Adelia. Although she possessed exceptional beauty, shecked somethingpared to the other two, and above all, the difference in social status was clear.

    In this world, the gap betweenmoners and nobles couldn¡¯t be bridged. Even if some nobles yed withmoners like toys, without leaving any evidence most cases ended up being swept under the rug.

    Nicole had lived with Hawk even before he officially became a noble, so Adelia could smoothly fit into their family life, but she was not like the other nobles. The story ofmoners loving nobles and nobles lovingmoners and living happily together mostly existed in novels.

    As the ss difference was evident, nobles could only regardmoners as their ¡°toys,¡± and there was no need to exin how they would be treated. Unless they had an exceptional rtionship, like a mistress and a master, the story would be different, but the chances of that were extremely slim.

    <i>¡®Marie, that girl doesn¡¯t seem to have any sense of authority¡­¡¯</i>

    Nicole noticed that Marie, despite not appearing aristocratic,cked a sense of authority but asionally showed a firm side. No matter how good her personality was, Nicole couldn¡¯t predict what would happen once Adelia¡¯s feelings toward Isaac became known.

    There were many reasons why Nicole¡¯s mind becameplicated, but amidst all that, there was one part that she couldn¡¯t understand.

    Nicole nced at Adelia while rubbing her face with one hand.

    <i>¡®After rejecting so many confessions, why now? And why Isaac of all people?¡¯</i>

    Adelia had received numerous confessions from countless male students. Many were captivated by her confident and bold personality, and it wasn¡¯t limited to just students from high-ranking noble families. Even female students were involved, highlighting how amazing her poprity was. However, Adelia firmly rejected all these confessions.

    At first, it was simply because she didn¡¯t like them, but Nicole, who had been with Adelia for several years, could sense that there was something blocking her decisions.

    Adelia never revealed what it was, not even to her close friend Nicole. However, it seemed to be deeply intertwined with her personal life, so Nicole tried her best to ignore it.

    ¡°¡­Adelia.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡±

    Adelia responded softly with a subdued voice when Nicole called her. Not knowing how to proceed, Nicole decided to get straight to the point.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m asking just in case, but do you happen to like our Isaac? Not as a person, but romantically.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I hope you can answer. If not, at least nod your head.¡±

    Adelia looked up at Nicole, who was full of consideration. Finally, their gazes met the golden eyes filled withplex emotions, and Adelia slowly nodded, showing a sign of approval.

    Thanks to that, Nicole¡¯s feelings became even moreplicated. If Adelia were a noble and Isaac had not been engaged, she would have enthusiastically supported them. However, the situation waspletely the opposite.

    Isaac had a formally engaged lover, and furthermore, Adelia was amoner. She was a character reminiscent of a tragic heroine from a novel.

    This was the first time Nicole had encountered such a situation, so she was perplexed about what to do. She gently touched her forehead and cautiously spoke up.

    ¡°Since when?¡±

    ¡°¡­During the exhibition.¡±

    ¡°What happened then?¡±

    This time it was Adelia¡¯s turn to ponder. Nicole was a friend and a precious connection that should never be absent in Adelia¡¯s life. She made Adelia feel the warm affection she had once felt from her mother and formed a rtionship closer than her other blood rtives.

    Even if she yed a mischievous prank, Nicole would only get annoyed but still ept everything and help her avoid crossing the line. Moreover, whenever they worked together as a team during their practical training, they never lost a single time.

    The reason Adelia became a martial arts assistant with Nicole was because there were hardly any people who could defeat them in practical training.

    However, now I have to address her not as a ¡®friend¡¯ but as ¡®Isaac¡¯s sister.¡¯ Since my affection for Isaac has been revealed to Nicole, there¡¯s nowhere to run anymore.

    <i>¡®Should I¡­ say it?¡¯</i>

    Adelia agonized over whether she should reveal her painful past, which she wanted to hide so desperately. At the same time, she recalled Isaac¡¯s words that he had spoken for her.

    His words about her beautiful smile. His consideration of being there for her, even though he couldn¡¯t do anything.

    His delicate touch, wiping away her tears with a handkerchief, without caring about getting dirty.

    There is nothing as impressive as thefort one receives when she¡¯s most sorrowful, and if it is genuine, it deeply resonates in her heart.

    For Adelia, Isaac is like a ray of light. Despite being openly abandoned by her own family and revealing her humble origins in front of Isaac, he treats her as usual, unlike anyone else.

    His caring nature, treating everyone equally regardless of their status, was as sweet as rain pouring on a drought-strickennd.

    <i>¡®But will Nicole¡­ really be like that?¡¯</i>

    Adelia stared intently at Nicole, waiting for her own answer. She is a noble, but she mingles withmoners andcks any sense of authority.

    However, Adelia was not an ordinary abandoned child. She¡¯s a discarded bastard, and being a noble-born is enough to carry unfavorable rumors, not only among the nobility but also among themoners.

    In this world, bastards are mostly abandoned even by their own families and tend to cause various incidents in unfortunate environments. Therefore, there is a kind of prejudice that if one gets close to a bastard, idents will ur.

    As a result, Adelia couldn¡¯t help but worry repeatedly. Her affection towards Isaac was certain, but she doubted whether she could tell her closest friend the reason behind it.

    <i>¡®¡­There¡¯s nothing I can do about it.¡¯</i>

    Eventually, the truth would have to be revealed someday. Adelia wasn¡¯t sure if she could be by Isaac¡¯s side, but at the very least, she had to tell Nicole the truth without hiding anything. Even if it meant being rejected as an illegitimate child, it didn¡¯t matter. She had already made up my mind.

    With a determined gaze, Adelia opened her mouth, her voice trembling slightly.

    ¡°¡­I met my family back then.¡±

    ¡°Family?¡±

    Nicole was confused upon hearing the answer. As far as she knew, Adelia¡¯s family lived in a remote area far from the capital city, in the countryside.

    The reason Adelia was admitted to Halo Academy was because a knight happened to patrol that area and recognized Adelia¡¯s talent, rmending her by writing a letter of rmendation. However, Nicole couldn¡¯t quiteprehend why Adelia¡¯s family had traveled such a long distance just to attend an exhibition.

    ¡°They came all the way from that distant ce?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±

    ¡°So what? You¡¯ve always been happy whenever you talked about your family in the past.¡±

    Adelia had always been thrilled whenever she received news from her family, as she was living far away from them. She eagerly awaited even a single letter.

    But this time, something felt off. It was difficult to determine if it was a sense of unease or if her aversion was visibly showing.

    As Nicole pondered over such doubts, Adelia quietly contemted how to exin and then responded. She thought it would be better to make it easily understandable in a straightforward manner rather than rambling on with exnations.

    ¡°¡­Actually, I¡¯m a noble.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Initially, Nicole was surprised by Adelia¡¯s confession of being of noble descent.

    ¡°¡­Only half, though.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    At the mention of being half, in other words, the implication of being a bastard child from amoner, Nicole sealed her lips shut.

    Adelia didn¡¯t reveal which noble family or from which ce she came, but Nicole had a vague understanding of how society treated children ofmoner parentage. Thanks to that, she could infer a little about the life Adelia had lived.

    <i>¡®She¡¯s such a bright person¡­¡¯</i>

    Crossing her arms, Nicole pinched her nose and looked directly into Adelia¡¯s face. It¡¯s said that people with deep inner wounds try to hide those wounds by having a bright personality.

    Nicole had no idea if that theory was true. During their time at the academy, she couldn¡¯t find any signs of sadness in Adelia.

    On the other hand, it was highly likely that Adelia would swallow her sadness in ces where others couldn¡¯t see it. While being lively with Nicole, she would probably be overwhelmed by mncholy when alone in her dormitory.

    Nicole saw a resemnce between the current Adelia and the Adelia she saw wandering alone in her school uniform during the freshman event.

    ¡°My existence waspletely ignored at that time. I was treated as aplete stranger¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°And I ran away. I ran away and cried alone¡­ Isaacforted me. He even gave me a handkerchief.¡±

    Adelia poured out everything that happened back then, and Nicole clearly understood why she fell for Isaac.

    Honestly, it was a situation that anyone could fall for. When she was alone, grieving from being abandoned by her family, a handsome man approached her and not only handed her a handkerchief but alsoforted her.

    Moreover, if that man happened to be the younger brother of a friend she already had feelings for, there was no need to say more.

    While Nicole understood the whole situation, on the other hand, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit bitter.

    <i>¡®Of all people¡­¡¯</i>

    Why did it have to be Isaac, her own brother? If it had been someone else, she would have wholeheartedly cheered them on, but because it was Isaac, it became a problem.

    He was officially engaged, and furthermore, the princess of Helium showed great interest in Isaac, her cute and lovely younger brother. And although Adelia had no idea, Isaac was also the author of the popr Xenon¡¯s Biography, which could sway the world.

    As Nicole tried to sort out her increasinglyplicated thoughts, Adelia became slightly uneasy when she saw Nicole¡¯s unresponsive expression and asked in a quiet voice.

    ¡°Um¡­ Are you okay with it?¡±

    ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I mean¡­ about me being a half-blood bastard. You know it too. How half-bloods are treated¡­¡±

    Nicole blinked in response to Adelia¡¯s question. On the other hand, Adelia lowered her gaze with a subdued expression on her face.

    As an awkward atmosphere lingered for a moment, Nicole made a bewildered expression and smirked. Adelia slowly raised her head in response.

    ¡°What does it matter? I¡¯ve been friends with you, amoner, from the beginning. Do you think being a bastard makes any difference?¡±

    ¡°Well, still¡­¡±

    ¡°What do you mean ¡®still¡¯? It¡¯s been years since I¡¯ve been with you. I¡¯ve even epted your strange personality. It¡¯s long past the time to care about your background. Besides, my father told me that knighthood is a meritocracy that distinguishes based on skill alone. So, whether you¡¯re a bastard or a noble, I don¡¯t care. Got it?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Upon hearing those words, Adelia¡¯s expression becameplex. It was a remark that washed away her anxiety and worries, as if all her concerns were baseless.

    Compassionate nobles are rare. They are inherently prone to arrogance, deeply rooted in their belief of being the chosen one¡¯s. You can tell by how they treatmoners.

    However, Nicole and Isaac were different. They were genuinely considerate, to the extent that one couldn¡¯t even think of them as nobles. They treated everyone fairly, whether they weremoners or bastards.

    ¡®If I were to be a part of this family¡­¡¯

    Wouldn¡¯t I be happy even if I became a mistress? Even if I became an escort knight, I would be happy, wouldn¡¯t I?

    As Adelia, who had suffered severe emotional abuse in the Ters Kingdom, being part of a happy family was nothing short of a lifelong wish. Even if it meant watching from a distance.

    With her characteristic bright smile instead of a sad expression, Adelia looked at Nicole. Nicole, upon seeing her radiant smile, felt somewhat uneasy.

    ¡°I¡¯ve made up my mind.¡±

    ¡°W-What, what is it?¡±

    ¡°I will stay by Cutie¡¯s side.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. Adelia? Listen to me. This isn¡¯t as easy as you think. As you know, Isaac is already¡­¡±

    ¡°I know too.¡±

    Adelia cut off Nicole¡¯s words. She then hesitated for a moment before slowly approaching Nicole.

    ¡°I don¡¯t necessarily have to be a mistress. What if I be an escort knight? I could learn from your father as well.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ Our family doesn¡¯t have separate escort knights¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go and beg your father. Since you and your brother are knights, you don¡¯t need an escort knight, and Isaac does, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    It¡¯s not going well, she seemed determined already.

    Adelia, who usually listened to Nicole¡¯s words, held an unyielding determination this time that couldn¡¯t be swayed.

    After a while, when Adelia stood right in front of Nicole, she let go of her reserve. She slowly extended her arms and embraced Nicole.

    Tightly.

    A heartfelt hug given by her precious friend. Nicole was taken aback when Adelia suddenly hugged her, but without realizing it, she embraced her back.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°¡­Adelia?¡±

    ¡°Really¡­ thank you¡­¡±

    Perhaps to hide her crying face, Adelia spoke with a trembling voice as she held onto Nicole.

    Her trembling body indicated that she couldn¡¯t control the rising emotions.

    ¡°If I be a part of your family¡­ I think I¡¯ll be truly happy.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°So, I¡¯m asking you. Just once¡­ can you help me just once?¡±

    Could she bear to refuse her friend¡¯s request? Nicole wiped away her surprised expression and smiled wryly.

    While using one hand to stroke Adelia¡¯s head and the other to gently pat her back, sheforted her.

    We don¡¯t know what lies ahead, but it wouldn¡¯t be right to refuse when a friend asks for help like this. At least we should give it a try, don¡¯t you think?

    ¡°Alright. Just this one time, okay?¡±

    ¡°Sob. Mm-hmm¡­ thank you¡­¡±

    ¡°Phew. How old are you that you¡¯re acting all teary-eyed? Did you lie about your age too?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no¡­ I¡¯m 22, really¡­¡±

    ¡°Then stop crying. Stop. You¡¯ll ruin your pretty face.¡±

    As Nicoleforted the now even more sobbing Adelia, she thought to herself.

    ¡®How many girls does Isaac actually flirt with?¡¯

    As an older sister, she was concerned about the possibility of a major incident happening because of Isaac¡¯s rtionships with women.

    ******

    The 12th volume of Xenon¡¯s Biography was released earlier than Isaac had anticipated. The content of the 12th volume included Mary confessing her feelings to Xenon, along with their training and, finally, the invasion of Alvenheim.

    When Mary confessed to Xenon, her words naturally caused a tremendous impact. However, what caught Isaac¡¯s attention the most was the news that appeared.

    [If a story about the invasion of Alvenheimes out, we will immediately halt sales.]

    It was an ¡°official¡± statement released by Alvenheim. To issue such a statement, it was not necessary to obtain the Queen¡¯s consent, but it was customary to seek her opinion at least, as Arwen had informed Isaac. Therefore, this act was something that the Council of Elders had carried out independently. Upon reading this statement, Isaac had only one thought.

    ¡°What kind of nonsense is this,munist propaganda?¡±

    He wished he could confiscate a century¡¯s worth of dentures.

    >

 Chapter 129: Mixed Race (1)

    Due to its rapid release, various spections circted among readers, but they embraced the fact that good things sometimese sooner and eagerly anticipated what story awaited them this time.

    And so, Xenon¡¯s Biography Volume 12 unfolded as a wholesome and touching story that consoled the hearts of readers who were deeply shocked by Kair¡¯s death.

    Initially, the story depicted the current state of Alisha, the Elven Queen, who was worn out and devastated after Kair¡¯s passing. Despite several months having passed since Kair¡¯s death, Alisha¡¯s condition did not seem to improve in any way.

    Not only was she unable to fulfill her duties properly, but she also asionally shed tears andmented. Her mental state revealed her grieving self, causing great distress in the hearts of the readers.

    Perhaps this tragedy between Kair and Alisha would be reenacted in the lives of Xenon and Mary, raising concerns among readers. However, as if to mock such expectations, the scene where Mary confesses her feelings to Xenon happened, washing away all those worries.

    But that wasn¡¯t all.

    A wise saying emerged, seemingly supporting those who struggled with the inherent limitations of inter-species love, resolving all their worries. It was as if the author was cheering on those who carried such burdens.

    [I don¡¯t want to live a life full of regrets. Maybe it will be a fleeting moment for me, but I want to live a life of longing rather than regret. To be able to reminisce about that time without suffering from painful memories. I want to fill a part of my life with you, Xenon, with your existence.]

    The embarrassing confession that Mary, the female lead of Xenon¡¯s Biography and an elven sorceress, had brought Xenon from a dark ce. A sincere confession that had been deeply hidden in her heart.

    Until now, they had indirectly expressed their feelings for each other but had not directly revealed them. Like many men and women, it was because theycked courage.

    However, witnessing the tragic saga of Kair and Alicia with their own eyes gave Mary the strength to solidify her feelings. To prevent such a tragedy from being repeated in her own life.

    Instead of living with regrets in the distant future, she mustered up a great amount of courage to live while longing for the person she loved.

    [How many people can muster up such courage? And what kind of life do those who have actually experienced such things live?]

    [A small encouragement from Xenon to those who hesitate. This encouragement will have a significant impact on the hesitant men and women.]

    [A beautiful yet mncholic, and highly realistic story. Made possible by being a part of Xenon¡¯s Biography, it is a warm confession.]

    In the case of another couple of different races, Jin and Lily, there were no issues as they had confirmed their feelings for each other before meeting Xenon.

    Thanks to Lily, Jin was able to escape from a miserable life, and he could focus solely on her.

    The love between Jin and Lily, which was so natural, was rediscovered, leading to a surge in poprity for demons and paving the way for what ismonly referred to as a ¡°rise to fame.¡±

    Lily epted Jin, who could be a devil at any time, and Jin, for her sake, suppressed his inner darkness and dedicated himself to her. It¡¯s a romance that can¡¯t help but catch your attention.

    Certainly, readers were unaware that even this was a setting made by Isaac without thinking much, but the character interpretation was so well done that even Isaac nodded in approval.

    As a result of this incident, the perception of demons, which was already improving, improved even further. Especially the keyword ¡®sincerity¡¯ fit perfectly with demons, creating tremendous synergy.

    For demons, confessing with courage means a pure sincerity, without even a trace of ulterior intentions. Recently, there have been more and more cases of demons entering into rtionships, which fueled this phenomenon.

    [Since the release of Volume 12, the number of humans confessing to elves has increased rapidly. Most cases end in failure, but news of sessful confessions are frequently heard.]

    [Furthermore, there have been frequent cases of elves confessing to humans. In these cases, the majority of them are sessful, unlike the previous scenario.]

    And this applies not only to demons but also to elves. Love between elves and humans may seem like a story that can only exist in novels, but not everyone is like that.

    Although they are chosen by the gods, elves are ultimately little more than humans, mortal beings who experience joy and sorrow.

    While there is amon perception that elves are arrogant, they are as sincere as demons, especially when ites to ¡®love.¡¯

    [Elves are known for devoting themselves to a single partner for a lifetime. However, what kind of feelings arise when they choose a human as theirpanion?]

    [Is filling the remaining years with longing truly happiness for the sake of a hundred years of happiness?]

    However, as critics pointed out, love between elves and humans is not easy, as it came with a harsh reality. There is clearly a difference in lifespan, and nothing is eternal in this world.

    However, just as love can transcend borders, love that transcends races always emerges. As numerous news stories poured out like rushing water, shocking confessions began to appear one after another.

    [There are already children born between elves and humans¡­ They live perfectly fine in Alvenheim.]

    [There is nothing different about hybrids in terms of appearancepared to elves. If anything, their ears are slightly shorter.]

    [Elves living in human society instead of Alvenheim hide their ears through magic, just like Mary in the tale of Zenon, to prevent social upheaval.]

    It was the appearance of the half-bloods, a being born between elves and humans, which was incredibly rare.

    asionally, there were hybrids born between humans and beastmen or humans and dwarves, but there had never been a hybrid born between humans and elves throughout their long and extensive history.

    It had been a staggering 3,000 years since humans built civilization, and even further, 300 years ago, they became acutely aware of each other¡¯s existence through the war of races.

    However, it was somewhat strange that there were no hybrids in this long span of time, and the reason was revealed through these confessions.

    [Due human blood mixed in, they face various insults within Alvenheim. That¡¯s why most of them choose to hide.]

    [My mother strictly forbade me from revealing that my father is human. I have no regrets about loving my human father, but I am afraid of the opinions of those around me¡­]

    [The lives of hybrids are mostly simr. When their human parents pass away, they return to Alvenheim for education. Alvenheim allows education for pure-blooded elves, but strictly prohibits it for hybrids because they are not pure-blooded.]

    [My father and mother were happy. Even now, they do not regret their choice back then, and they promised not to forget each other even if they remarry.]

    The reason for this was due to the rigid customs unique to Alvenheim. Alvenheim is famous for its strict attitude towards outsiders, and it treated even half-bloods as foreigners.

    Elves who were well aware of this tradition chose to live in human society until their humanpanions pass away, and afterwards, they return to Alvenheim with their children. Until the era of the racial war, elves practically treated humans like monkeys. Therefore, it was impossible to disregard the treatment of half-bloods as mere empty words.

    It was equally challenging to adapt to human society. Their inherent beauty posed various risks, and hiding their true identity was also a task. However, when Volume 12 of Xenon¡¯s Biography was released and stories of love between different races gained prominence, even the half-bloods could raise their voices.

    Their stories were diverse, but one thing remained the same. The love between humans and elves, while notmon, was equally passionate and intense.

    Interestingly, children born between humans and elves often numbered at least three or more. Moreover, they tended to be of simr ages. While elves viewed sexual rtionships as a kind of ritual, humans were a race with insatiable sexual desires. Now, what if the object of their love was an elf known for their beauty?

    Naturally, there would be frequent nights and arge number of children. It may be embarrassing from the elves¡¯ perspective, but they generally epted such sacrifices made for theirpanions.

    In this case, all the children inherited the characteristics of elves. They also inherited humans¡¯ adaptability, making it easy for them to live in Alvenheim.

    [So, do elves inherit humans¡¯ astonishing learning ability as well? There is an increasing interest in hybrids¡­]

    [One of the chiefs of Alvenheim is rumored to be a hybrid¡­]

    [How will Alvenheim treat hybrids in the future?]

    Is the butterfly effect applicable in this situation? Isaac had simply written a story about love between races, but the situation was flowing in a strange direction.

    The story of love between races naturally transcended into reality, nting the seed of doubt, and that seed sprouts another question in reality.

    And the fruit, or rather the flower, of that question was the appearance of hybrids, in other words, half-elves. People who were inevitably forced to hide due to Alvenheim¡¯s old customs.

    It was an implicit tradition that had been happening among hybrids long before the race war, and even Arwen herself was unaware of their existence. Only the elder elves, belonging to the old generation, knew about it.

    Even if such customs have faded, it is highly likely that they would have faced strong opposition in the council filled with supremacists.

    The half-elves were cautious and did not act rashly, noting the inflexible and upromising nature of the elves.

    Instead, most half-elves grew up in human society and transitioned to Alvenheim, so they have significantly different ways of thinking. Whether it¡¯s good or bad.

    In any case, in the midst of this confusing situation, Isaac, who witnessed the appearance of half-elves, said¡­

    ¡°What¡¯s this? Is it like a fantasying-out?¡±

    He was bewildered as he read the newspaper.

    *****

    I have been observing various reactions with my own eyes since the release of Xenon¡¯s Biography. At first, I was taken aback by the intense response, but now I can pass by it with indifference.

    However, the appearance of the half-elves waspletely unexpected, like a kind of butterfly effect. In Xenon¡¯s Biography, the romance between elves and humans unfolded, and as a result, the number of elves who mustered up the courage to confess their feelings increased.

    Naturally, a question arised regarding the existence of half-elves. While other hybrid beings, excluding demons, were rtivelymon, it was peculiar that only hybrids born between elves and humans were nonexistent.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s interesting how it doesn¡¯t feel forced at all.¡¯</i>

    Even in my past life, one wrong word from someone could cause significant incidents. That alone led to the arrest of a president in the past.

    If someone provides the spark, and fuel is added to that, things tend to blow up. Xenon¡¯s Biography was precisely that spark.

    <i>¡®By the way, children always inherit the characteristics of elves, huh¡­¡¯</i>

    ording to testimonies, half-elves live long like pure-blooded elves and possess beautiful appearances. Especially if they inherit specific abilities from their human parent, elves can easily acquire corresponding skills. If the human parent was a knight, they excel in swordsmanship and various martial arts. If they were a mage, they excel in magic, and if they were a priest, they show prowess in divine powers. This is inparison to pure-blooded elves.

    <i>¡®Mendel would burst into tears if he heard this.¡¯</i>

    Mendel¡¯s Law and the like are the gics of inter-breeding races, constantly discussed and chewed upon. I¡¯m not sure if only elves do this or if there are individual variations among humans, but I can guarantee that it cannot be understood through the gics of my past life.

    However, that¡¯s not the important issue. Currently, Alvenheim is in an uproar over the treatment of half-elves. As I mentioned before, half-elves have quietly integrated into Alvenheim and many individuals with a talent from gics, among other things, have risen to high positions. Even the rumors of a half-elf being the Warrior¡¯s Commander became rampant, causing social turmoil.

    You might ask, ¡°So what?¡± But in this era, ¡°pure blood¡± holds great significance. You don¡¯t have to look far, just look at how Adelia¡¯s family treats her.

    Of course, half-elves are a slightly different case. However, there are still those in Alvenheim who hold supremacist views like the Elder Council, and there are differences between the new generation and the old generation.

    But what if this division extends to pure-blood and mixed-blood factions? As Alvenheim, it would be more than just a headache¡ªit would be like it being split in two.

    In a way, it could be seen as a very natural social phenomenon, but it appeared too suddenly.

    <i>¡®Isn¡¯t a ban on sales going a bit too far?¡¯</i>

    To make matters worse, in the climax of the twelfth volume, Alvenheim was said to be invaded. Alvenheim, the homnd and sanctuary of the elves, was under attack by devils.

    In the end, if the story unfolds like this,, the situation will reach the point where Alvenheim will issue a deration banning sales. It has caused social chaos, so there is ample justification.

    However, as can be seen from its long and extensive history, this is also a natural urrence and one of the hardships that must be faced someday. Soon, I will also write about the Dark Elves, and I wonder if they will be in a hurry to hide that too.

    <i>¡®It feels somewhat like China.¡¯</i>

    Because of this, I was reminded of China, which was notorious for its cultural censorship. However, the difference is that China involved its citizens in the censorship, while Alvenheim did not.

    Perhaps even now, there may be strong opposition within Alvenheim. I felt a little sorry for fueling the conflict between the older and younger generations.

    <i>¡®What if I write in Xenon¡¯s Biography about the issue of half-blood children? Will that lead to a MeToo movement?¡¯</i>

    Considering that events like the Jairos Revolution have taken ce, it is not an entirely impossible story. I can ignite the spark, and the instigators can add fuel to the fire.

    However, this issue needs to be handled carefully as it could engulf the entire country in mes. Although the Ters royal family, who have torn Adelia¡¯s heart apart, are despicable, I should not act solely based on emotions.

    <i>¡®The issue of illegitimate children¡­ should be included in the sequel.¡¯</i>

    I am referring to the sequel of Xenon¡¯s Biography, not the one about World War II. By expanding the universe and diligently reconciling the settings to avoid conflicts, it can be achieved.

    As I nced at the newspapers pouring out breaking news due to Volume 12, I suddenly looked away.

    <i>¡®Come to think of it, is Arwen doing okay?¡¯</i>

    ******

    Just what could be okay.

    ¡°Your Majesty! Are you just going to stay still even after seeing the current situation?! Please take a look at the state affairs!¡±

    ¡°Alvenheim is being attacked, even if it¡¯s just a fictional story, it¡¯s something that should never happen. How can you calmly observe the activities of the half-breeds in Alvenheim?¡±

    ¡°We must quickly drive out those filthy mongrels. Otherwise, the existence of our chosen Elven race, blessed by the gods, may be in jeopardy!¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    As if the Council of Elders wasn¡¯t already enough to drive her mad, Arwen looked at the begging elders in front of her with indifference. Previously, she had only thought of them as old-fashioned bastards, but today, things had changed.

    <i>¡®Disgusting old bastards.¡¯</i>

    Disgust had been added. And one more thing.

    <i>¡®I am a half-blood too, you bastards.¡¯</i>

    She clearly realized that all the rotten ones from Alvenheim were present in the Council of Elders.

    Trantors note:

    The big reveal from Arwen!

    1/5

    To the person who wrote ¡°I Became The Academy¡¯s Narrow-Eyes¡±, I chuckled.

 Chapter 130: Mixed Race (2)

    I have been mentioning this consistently, but I was appointed as a rmended student, so if I only take history sses, I will not only receive credits but also be treated as a third-year student right away.

    I don¡¯t know how disappointed the professors, including Professor Birus, whom I had built some rapport with, were when I told them about this fact. Especially Professor Birus seemed the most regretful, and he even suggested that I consider taking a double major in turn.

    However, I politely declined because I wanted to focus solely on history rather than literature. Professor Birus¡¯s expression at that time was truly heartbreaking.

    Of course, I don¡¯t only take history sses. asionally, I also take the sses I want. Nevertheless, most of them are closely rted to history, so I take them for the purpose of acquiring knowledge.

    Moreover, I can freelye and go to Professor Elena¡¯s researchb and even receive texts from the Sanctuary through Siris. It means that I neverck knowledge.

    Anyway, I can say that history is the only subject I concentrate on. I probably ask the most questions and give presentations diligently.

    Since I will have much more time to meet Professor Elena during my time at the academy, it seems like a good idea to earn points, so I am working hard.

    ¡°Poke. Poke.¡±

    However, it seems that my girlfriend, who doesn¡¯t like history, was bored. While I was taking notes, Marie pressed my cheeks with her fingers.

    I felt a pleasant sensation as if a cat was kneading my cheek. While I was taking notes, I nced at her and asked quietly.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Just because you¡¯re handsome.¡±

    She answered like that and lightly pinched my cheek. In the past, I would have been embarrassed by such affectionate behavior, but now I could pass it off casually.

    During the lecture given by Professor Elena, Marie expressed her desire for this time to pass quickly by pressing my cheek with her fingers or fidgeting with my fingers.

    Holding hands was the mostmon urrence for us, and other students were aware that we were in a romantic rtionship, so they just overlooked it.

    Initially, there were whispers about Marie ying around or me ckmailing her, but as I grew rapidly, such talk ceased. Moreover, when rumors spread that I was appointed as a rmended student, everyone epted it.

    Swift-

    Marie¡¯s hand, which used to hold mine and fidget with the ring finger, moved under the desk. Eventually, she ced her hand gently on my thigh and caressed it.

    I could only respond with a bitter smile as I felt it. This act of Marie cing her hand on my thigh and caressing it was a kind of signal.

    Although everyone knows what that signal means, there are many asions when she does it without any warning, causing many awkward situations.

    Marie¡¯s sexual desire doesn¡¯t seem to diminish. It was as if she even tried to distract herself from school by further fueling it. Despite diligently taking birth control pills, it wasn¡¯t an issue yet. If it weren¡¯t for that, we might have had a child by now.

    Grab

    Before Marie¡¯s hand could reach the center, I grabbed her wrist. If I had let it go it would have meant it¡¯s fine, but my response meant not today.

    Marie looked at me with a mixture of disappointment and curiosity. I¡¯m sorry for her, but there¡¯s someone I need to meet after ss.

    ¡°I think today will be a bit tough. I have things to do.¡±

    ¡°But we couldn¡¯t do it yesterday either?¡±

    ¡°We did it the day before yesterday. Can¡¯t you endure that much?¡±

    ¡°Ugh. I don¡¯t think I can endure it.¡±

    My girlfriend pouted, puffing up her cheeks. Even her expression full ofints was adorable, with her angelic beauty.

    However, what can¡¯t be done can¡¯t be done. I pressed her inted cheeks firmly with my fingers. Then, with a sound of detion, they returned to their original state.

    After briefly checking Elena¡¯s reaction, I gently stroked her hair. The silky softness of her hair awakened my sense of touch.

    When I started stroking Marie¡¯s hair, she burst into her characteristic giggle and moved her hips discreetly, getting closer to me. We openly indulged in affectionate behavior, but no one paid any attention.

    Because this wasn¡¯t the first or second time this had happened. Even Jackson didn¡¯t pay attention and focused on his lecture.

    ¡°Can¡¯t we stay together at the inn tonight?¡±

    ¡°Do we really have to?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who made it like this. So take responsibility.¡±

    ¡°Sigh¡­ Fine, I got it.¡±

    How did she end up bing such a provocative woman? I shook my head, unable to refuse.

    Once I gave my permission, Marie smiled brightly and started writing the appointment time and location in her notebook. I nced at the contents briefly.

    The appointment was set for 9 o¡¯clock in front of the fountain at Academy Square. With that, it seemed like meeting Leona wouldn¡¯t be a problem.

    ¡°When we officially be a married couple, there won¡¯t be a need for this¡­ I just have to endure until the wedding. I want to call him my husband soon. Hehehe.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Was Marie having some strange delusions,ughing like a pervert? It seems she was imagining what it would be like after our wedding ceremony.

    I wonder how much she desires to devour me to openly reveal such an expression. It goes without saying that Rina, who was sitting in front of us, was horrified by Marie¡¯s expression, so there was no need for an exnation.

    Aside from building connections, Marie was always straightforward and far from pretentious. If it were Cecily, though, I would have felt a sense of dissonance.

    ¡°The wedding ceremony¡­¡±

    Cecily, who was sitting in front, murmured softly as if she had overheard our conversation. She paused abruptly while elegantly taking notes and looked at Rina sitting beside her.

    Continuing, she spoke with her characteristic smirk, as if urging us to look and listen.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t having a child more important than the wedding ceremony?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Um?¡±

    ¡°Does Rina think the same way?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    Rina couldn¡¯t easilye up with an answer. Marie also sensed Cecily¡¯s intention and narrowed her eyes. Cecily had been teasing Rina like this for a while.

    Coincidentally, Elena was busy answering another student¡¯s question, so she didn¡¯t notice.

    ¡°¡­Cecily.¡±

    ¡°You called me?¡±

    ¡°So, what did you say?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Marie didn¡¯t get excited and first snorted. No matter how much Marie scratched at Cecily¡¯s inner thoughts, she could only keep her mouth shut with a single word.

    As soon as those words came out, Cecily¡¯s previously raised corner of her mouth drooped slightly. In response, Marie put on a confident expression andnded a series of blows.

    ¡°Don¡¯t bring up things like being a child if you haven¡¯t even done it. Got it?¡±

    ¡°¡­There¡¯s always a chance.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll be the first.¡±

    ¡°Tsk. We¡¯ll see.¡±

    In the end, Cecily reluctantly withdrew. While doing so, she nced at me, and her crimson eyes were filled with an irresistible desire not to give up.

    I don¡¯t know if all women in love were like this, but all I could manage was a bitter smile. While she willingly yielded, Cecily desired an even higher position (?).

    <i>¡®So, this is the so-called fight for dominance that I¡¯ve only heard about.¡¯</i>

    I¡¯ve heard that fights for dominance, or so-called power struggles, aremon among nobles who have more than one wife. But now that I¡¯m experiencing it firsthand, it feels unfamiliar.

    As I sensed a strange tension between Marie and Cecily, I looked at Rina, who was the third party. Even Princess Rina, who was watching discreetly, seemed ufortable with this power struggle.

    Then, by chance, our eyes met directly. She momentarily widened her eyes before quickly turning her face away. I couldn¡¯t see her face clearly as only her back was visible, but for some reason, her ears were turning red.

    To make matters worse, she fidgeted and interlocked her hands between her thighs. Recently, Lina¡¯s behavior had been full of inexplicable actions that I couldn¡¯t understand.

    ¡°That¡¯s it for today¡¯s lecture. Thank you all for your hard work.¡±

    After a while, Elena finished the lecture. Although there was some chatter in the middle, I heard everything important.

    Even after the lecture ended, I remained seated in my ce, waiting for Leona, who was sitting in the front row.

    While others got up, Leona quietly stayed in her seat, organizing her notes.

    ¡°Well, then, I¡¯ll go. We have to keep our appointment, right?¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ Marie? What appointment do you have with Isaac?¡±

    Marie got up from her seat and mentioned the appointment, and Rina quietly interjected. In response, Marie coolly replied as if it was nothing.

    ¡°We made an appointment to meet at 9 o¡¯clock. It¡¯s not for dinner.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ Okay, got it. Where will you meet?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll meet in front of the fountain in the square? Why?¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing¡­¡±

    As Rina spoke, she nced at me briefly and then walked out of the ssroom. Her face seemed strangely flushed, but I didn¡¯t pay much attention to it.

    Just before Cecily left, she leaned closer to my ear and whispered in a hushed voice.

    ¡°Is it okay if I¡¯m greedy? After all, you touched my horns.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I love you.¡±

    This was a bit heart-wrenching. When a woman with a seductive voice like Cecily whispers love into your ear, your heart will throb intensely.

    Without trying to hide my burning face, I looked at Cecily. She smiled as if nothing had happened and left the ssroom.

    It seems that Cecily was better at ying with people¡¯s hearts than Marie. I wonder if she will eventually transform into an incarnation of desire like Marie.

    ¡®That¡¯s¡­ a bit scary.¡¯

    Until then, I¡¯ll have to exercise rigorously. As the people in the lecture room gradually disappeared, I quietly got up from my seat. Leona, sitting in the front row, was still taking notes even though almost everyone had left. At first nce, she appeared to be an exemry student devoted to her studies, and she actually was.

    I cautiously approached, fearing that I might disturb her. There was nothing more unpleasant than having your concentration broken, so I nned to wait until she finished taking notes, even if it meant dozing off in the process.

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    However, I had overlooked the fact that Leona was a beastwoman. A race with senses far superior to humans. She would easily detect someone approaching her. As I drew closer, she slowly raised her head, momentarily ceasing her note-taking. When she finallyid eyes on me, she blinked and expressed curiosity.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°Ahem.¡±

    I was currently hesitating because I knew her true form. That¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t help but feel a slight tension. I pondered and pondered on how I could seek advice from her, but in the end, the only option left was a direct approach.

    Clearing my throat and adjusting my cor, I quietly opened my mouth while keeping an eye on Leona¡¯s reaction.

    ¡°Do you happen to have any free time?¡±

    ¡°If you mean free time¡­ Do you mean this evening?¡±

    ¡°Whether it¡¯s an evening or just a quick cup of coffee. I only need about an hour.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Leona gazed at me with a dry yet curious look. Since bing lovers with Marie, we¡¯ve had very little interaction until now, so it¡¯s understandable for her to send such a nce.

    However, to learn more about the beastmen, I definitely need her help. While books have provided sufficient knowledge about the history and various aspects of the beastmen¡¯s lifestyle, there¡¯s nothing as certain as hearing it from the source.

    Leona has been staring at me intensely for a while, and I nervously wait for her to speak. How long have I been waiting?

    ¡°Objective.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your objective?¡±

    Leona¡¯s question about my objective. I felt relieved when I heard that question.

    In truth, it¡¯s rather embarrassing to call it an objective. It¡¯s practically an interview, if we¡¯re being honest. Leona was still unaware that I¡¯ve been appointed as a rmended student in history. It seems better to start with that.

    ¡°To start with, I¡¯ve been appointed as Professor Elena¡¯s rmended student. Starting next semester, I¡¯ll be treated as a third-year student.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°So right now, I¡¯m¡­ working on something simr to a thesis. I need your help with it.¡±

    If I say this much, she should roughly understand that I¡¯m writing about the beastmen.

    Leona narrowed her eyes slightly, trying to discern my intentions, and then stared at me intently for a while before responding in her unique, low voice.

    ¡°I understand. However¡­¡±

    ¡°However?¡±

    She paused briefly, then followed with a threatening tone. Sharp anticipation emanated from her blue eyes, catching my attention.

    ¡°If you write something that deviates from the truth¡­¡±

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think I will. I actually think they are remarkable individuals, more than one might expect.¡±

    I reassured Leona, gesturing with my hands. It wasn¡¯t just empty words, in the books, despite being portrayed as hostile and savage, the Beastmen had many admirable qualities.

    Historically, they were a race that sacrificed themselves alongside humans, and they had a unique culture. If it weren¡¯t for the massacre perpetrated by humans during the Race War, they might have shared the power and dominance over the continent.

    After listening to my story, Leona made a subtle expression and asked quietly,

    ¡°Do you truly believe that?¡±

    ¡°Yes, and there is also a high possibility of them bing formidable opponents to humans in a few hundred years.¡±

    ¡°Why do you think that way?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll exin it gradually. So, are you willing to go and talk?¡±

    In response to my question, Leona¡¯s expression became even more curious than before as she replied,

    ¡°I would be d to ept.¡±

    ******

    Meanwhile, at a simr time¡­

    ¡°¡­Marie.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°You said we¡¯re meeting at 9 o¡¯clock¡­ Am I correct?¡± ¡°

    Yeah, you¡¯re right.¡±

    ¡°Got it¡­ In front of the fountain at Academy Square¡­¡±

    Rina was once again devising a sinister n in her mind. Seeing her like that, Cecily couldn¡¯t help but burst into a bewilderedughter.

    ¡°¡­Rina?¡±

    ¡°Uh, yeah? What¡¯s wrong? I didn¡¯t do anything.¡±

    ¡°¡­Never mind.¡±

    Cecily became concerned that she might get caught. While she understood different preferences, ethically it was wrong.

    ¡®Do I really need to help her¡­¡¯

    She genuinely had thoughts to that extent.

    Trantors note:

    Guess who has no self-controll and prioritization skills. That¡¯s right, it¡¯s ya boi, me.

    FIRST

    I will be picking up ¡®How To Ruin A Love Comedy¡¯ as my second main series next month(Unless someone else picks it up until then). I don¡¯t know what the release schedule will be but I will aim for 4 chapters per week.

    SECOND

    I will be picking up some other new series. Yes, a plural. I will treat them as a ¡®secondary series¡¯ and upload new chapter whenever I feel motivated and have some free time. On the other hand if I don¡¯t like the series I might drop it for someone else to pick it up if they like it.

    I have already tl¡¯ed a new series called ¡®A wild man has entered the academy¡® and uploaded 10 chapters so please check it out!

    Link to the chapter 1

 Chapter 131: Mixed Race (3)

    The twelfth volume of Xenon¡¯s Biography resulted in the creation of numerous interracial couples, but interestingly, it also brought to light the emergence of mixed-blood offspring between elves and humans, which had been hidden until now. It became a social phenomenon with questions that no one had ever thought of, gradually surfacing and gaining attention.

    While other races may not have been surprised by this phenomenon, the appearance of mixed-blood between elves and humans was a significant shock on a global scale, particrly causing intense reactions in Alvenheim. However, I personally didn¡¯t find anything wrong with it and simply moved on. Furthermore, aside from excluding potential, half-elves inherit almost all the characteristics of elves.

    They possess angelic beauty, an extended lifespan, magic, and even powerful physical abilities. In fact, half-elves have greater potential than regr elves and possess adaptability due to their experiences in human society.

    I anticipate that the older generation, especially the Council of Elders, will make a fuss about this. I heard from Cindy that the Council of Elders is full of racial supremacists and will vehemently reject the existence of mixed-blood. Moreover, since Arwen is implementing an open policy, it will be an excellent opportunity for the Council of Elders to rein her in.

    If they fail to mediate the chaos within Alvenheim, they will exert even more control over Arwen. Even if that¡¯s not the case, asionally poking at the issue of mixed-blood should suffice.

    Politics, after all, is a game where one must be cunning and ruthless to achieve victory.

    I feel slightly sorry for the unexpected situation, but it is ultimately Arwen¡¯s personal problem, and I have no intention of interfering.

    I have no intention of taking any action unless she makes the first move then we can talk about it. Just give and receive news, that¡¯s all.

    ¡°Isaac, both Cindy and I will be absent for a few days, just so you know.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    Professor Elena¡¯s researchb, where I visited to read books and papers.

    As I leisurely read a book while sipping the tea Cindy had prepared, I widened my eyes upon hearing Elena¡¯s words. It was not just Elena who would be absent, but Cindy as well. This was unprecedented.

    Thest time Cindy went back to Alvenheim was to submit a paper, but it was the first time Elena would be absent. Holding my teacup, I asked her.

    ¡°All of a sudden? Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°Alvenheim. The Queen is giving a speech to the nation. She expressed her desire for all citizens to gather if possible.¡±

    ¡°A speech to the nation?¡±

    I raised my eyebrows upon Elena¡¯s response. A speech to the nation out of the blue? Considering the current situation in Alvenheim, I doubted if it was a wise decision.

    Elena must have read my thoughts as she pushed up her sses slightly and spoke in her characteristic formal tone.

    ¡°As you know, Alvenheim is currently facing turmoil due to the half-blood issue. I suppose Her Majesty wants to resolve that problem as soon as possible. I can sense her impatience, but staying silent and doing nothing is also a problem.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ Is it going to be alright?¡±

    ¡°Well, I haven¡¯t witnessed the Queen giving a speech either. This is her first nationwide address, after all.¡±

    If it¡¯s her first national address, does that mean the Queen didn¡¯t do it when she was enthroned? When I raised that question in my mind and looked across, Cindy, who was sitting opposite me, exined instead.

    ¡°The Ruler of Alvenheim isn¡¯t elected by the people but chosen through a voting process by each lineage, which means the nobles vote to elect. Anyone can attend, but it tends to be a tradition for the monarch to be chosen from among prestigious families¡­ Although I¡¯m not sure about the details, the ruler is usually selected from a prominent lineage before their ascension¡­¡±

    Cindy¡¯s exnation, despite her peculiarly mncholic tone, resonated with me. I turned my head towards Cindy, who was tapping her fingers on the table, and asked another question.

    ¡°Was the current Queen also chosen from a lineage?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ The current Queen used to be a familiar face in society until her ascension¡­ Besides, she was too young to be a queen¡­ I don¡¯t know the specifics of how she came to upy the queen¡¯s seat¡­ There¡¯s a rumor that she manipted the prominent families with her political skills¡­¡±

    Well, considering that Cindy was just an ordinary student or Elena¡¯s assistant back then, it¡¯s understandable that she wouldn¡¯t know. If the opportunity arises, it would be best to ask Arwen separately.

    ¡°So, when do you n to return? Are you only there to listen to the speech?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m visiting home after a long time¡­ I forgot to drop by when I submitted myst paper¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m nning to discuss things with other schrs. I¡¯m curious about their views on half-bloods.¡±

    After Cindy, Elena responded bluntly. As I alternated my gaze between the two elves, a curious thought came to mind, and I spoke up.

    ¡°Come to think of it, Professor and Cindy are purebloods, right? Half-bloods may have slightly shorter ears than elves, but they¡¯re not much different from regr elves.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that either. Our parents never confirmed whether they are pureblood or half-blood. Maybe there¡¯s a human ancestor somewhere in our distant lineage. I should ask them about it sometime.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, me too¡­¡±

    Even the gics of Mendel¡¯sw seem to be a light topic for the elves to casually discuss, as they themselves are unaware of whether they are purebloods or half-bloods. It¡¯s truly an intriguing situation.

    As I looked at the two elves, who seemed to be indifferent to their existence as hybrids, I quietly asked,

    ¡°What do you both think about being half-bloods?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t really think about it. In fact, schrs like me consider the existence of half-bloods to be natural. It¡¯s been hundreds of years since elves and humans made contact, so it¡¯s impossible for there not to be any half-bloods. Perhaps there are even hybrids between demons and elves?¡±

    A child born between a demon¡¯s descendant, the demon race, and an elf descended from angels¡­

    <i>¡®Nephalem, perhaps?¡¯</i>

    For a moment, I thought of the famous race from games in my past life, but soon another thought came to mind.

    <i>¡®But aren¡¯t there any hybrids born between demons and humans?¡¯</i>

    Although the focus is currently on half-elves, it is possible for someone to be born between humans and demons. However, unlike elves, demons were not widely epted until Xenon¡¯s Biography, so the likelihood of such hybrids being present is low.

    I should ask Cecily about thister, once the sses are over. While I was contemting these thoughts, Cindy spoke up, following Elena.

    ¡°I too¡­ If it¡¯s for Alvenheim¡¯s sake, I must ept it¡­ If we tie the knot incorrectly like this, a major rift may form within Alvenheim¡­ The current generation and the new generation are already in conflict, and now the issue of mixed-blood has emerged¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s getting really serious.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ The Queen needs to give a good speech¡­¡±

    Cindy spoke with a gloomy expression, as if she was worried about the emerging conflicts. Not only her expression but also the drooping elongated ears showed her genuine concern for Alvenheim.

    No matter how close to perfection the elves may be as a race, ultimately they are still just people. Conflict can arise at any time due to ideological differences, and it is extremely difficult to truly be one.

    Moreover, most elves have deep-rooted convictions that are hard to change. They can be stubborn and unyielding.

    If Arwen can change such minds through a nationwide speech, it would demonstrate her exceptional talent and ability. Throughout my past lives, I witnessed numerous cases where history was changed by a single speech.

    <i>¡®But from the perspective of other countries, they might see it as an opportunity.¡¯</i>

    A crumbling nation due to external pressure has a chance for reconstruction, but if it crumbles from within, there is no solution. The future of Alvenheim, as depicted in my uing book, Volume 13 of Xenon¡¯s Biography, will copse in a simr manner, as history has proven.

    What will be of Alvenheim¡¯s future? Will this incident be a catalyst for growth, or the opposite?

    A person¡¯s true ability always emerges in times of crisis, regardless of their background or circumstances.

    ¡°I hope everything goes well.¡±

    ¡°It would be nice if things go well¡­ My child could also be born as a mixed-blood¡­¡±

    ¡°You want to marry a human?¡±

    ¡°Not necessarily¡­ I don¡¯t know much about human affairs¡­ There could be humans who are handsome like you and have a good personality¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m considered attractive by elven standards?¡±

    It was a clumsy joke. Cindy blinked her eyes, wearing a bewildered expression in response to my joke.

    ¡°Eh¡­?¡±

    She even made a silly yet cute sound. It seemed like she realized what she had said btedly, as her pale skin, which rarely saw the light, turned faintly red.

    While Cindy¡¯s thought process seemed to havee to a halt, I closed my book and stood up from my seat. There was still some time left until my acquaintances¡¯ sses would end, but I nned to return to my dormitory and perhaps write something.

    ¡°It was just a joke. You don¡¯t have to think too deeply about it.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tease me¡­¡±

    ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t be easy to tease like you?¡±

    Even though Cindy grumbled, Elena quietly intervened. Naturally, Cindy pouted with her characteristic gloomy expression.

    Chuckling at that sight, I bid farewell to the two.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go back to the dormitory for now. I¡¯ll take this book with me too.¡±

    ¡°Do as you wish.¡±

    ¡°Goodbyeee¡­¡±

    After saying goodbye to the two elves, I came out of the researchb. It¡¯s currently around 3 o¡¯clock. There¡¯s about an hour and thirty minutes left until all the sses are over. Until then, I can either wander around the dormitory or work on Volume 13. I¡¯ve already sorted out the plot, so I expect Volume 13 to be released quickly, just like Volume 12.

    ¡°Um¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    As I was walking a long way back to the dormitory, someone called out to me timidly from behind. I turned my head, but I didn¡¯t see anyone. Thinking that I might have misheard, I tilted my head in confusion, and then I heard the voiceing from below.

    ¡°Here, over here.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    It was a really familiar voice. I lowered my head, and there I saw the head of a small girl wearing a white robe flipped inside out, just like I had seen at the exhibition. Her silver-gray hair flowing from under the hood caught my attention.

    Finally, the person who called me slowly lifted their head and revealed their face. Their silver-gray eyes shone brightly like a gxy, and they had a cute and adorable appearance like that of a young girl.

    Despite wearing a hood, she couldn¡¯t hide her dazzling beauty. Looking at her with a slightly tense gaze, I asked.

    ¡°¡­Is it Arwen?¡±

    It was Arwen, the queen of Alvenheim and the elf who would deliver a national speech in five days. Just as I was surprised by her sudden appearance, Arwen spoke with a slightly trembling voice.

    ¡°You, it¡¯s really you. By any chance, your name is¡­¡±

    ¡°Isaac, right.¡±

    ¡°Well, you¡¯ve grown a lot. It hasn¡¯t even been six months since then¡­ Your voice has changed too.¡±

    Well, my height has certainly increased. People alwaysment on it, so it¡¯s not really a big deal to me anymore.

    By the way, looking at Arwen like this, she¡¯s quite small. When we stood side by side at the exhibition, she barely reached my shoulder, but now she reaches my chest.

    Elves are naturally gifted with physical abilities, but it doesn¡¯t necessarily manifest in their physique. I know that even being that small, she possesses the strength to crush rocks with her bare hands.

    ¡°So, why did youe here? I heard you¡¯ll be giving a speech soon.¡±

    ¡°Wh-who did you hear that from?¡±

    ¡°From another elf. Someone who has a connection with Alvenheim.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­ Well, the reason I came is rted to that.¡±

    ¡°Rted to it?¡±

    As I showed my curiosity, Arwen looked at me with a slightly nervous expression and cautiously opened her mouth.

    ¡°I hope you could help me with writing the speech¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t think of anyone else who writes well besides you.¡±

    Somehow, the image of a president facing impeachment came to my mind.

    *****

    Honestly, it was a bit strange, but I brought Arwen to the amodation. As I mentioned before, the amodation prohibits outsiders, but if I bring her in secretly, there shouldn¡¯t be a problem.

    Moreover, Arwen can conceal her body with magic, so there was no worry about being caught. As long as we don¡¯t use mana-intensive magic like teleportation within the academy, where magic usage is prohibited, it should be fine.

    ¡°So, you want me to help with your speech?¡±

    ¡°Though it¡¯s embarrassing¡­ yes.¡±

    Arwen, sitting on the bed, quietly answered my question. She took off her hood, revealing her beautiful appearance, but her expression was apologetic.

    It¡¯s understandable because she has a history of causing trouble for me. Of course, it was a problem caused by Rain¡¯s hardcore trolling, but it¡¯s a fact that she also bears responsibility.

    Siris is currently fulfilling the role of a messenger without saying a word, and Arwen is delivering books from the sanctuary to me, so she shouldn¡¯t be in a position to ask for favors. However, her taking direct action like this indicates that the situation is urgent.

    I sat at a desk seat and looked at Arwen, who seemed to be lost in thought, and suddenly there was something I couldn¡¯t understand, so I spoke up.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t give a speech even when you ascended to the throne, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±

    ¡°How is a ruler chosen in Alvenheim if they never give a speech? I heard from a friend that prestigious families vote and elect someone.¡±

    ¡°This is the first time I am giving a speech in front of the people. Before ascending to the throne as queen, I expressed my aspirations in front of the Council of Elders and prominent families of Alvenheim. However, that was not considered a speech per se, it was simply an expression of my aspirations.¡±

    ¡°So, you essentially took the queen¡¯s position on your own?¡±

    ¡°That is not entirely urate. As you may or may not know, the owner of the throne has changed several times over the past few decades. When I came forward, there was hardly any candidate, and even within prestigious families, there was hesitancy.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    It seems that the political situation in Alvenheim isplicated. Considering the existence of the Council of Elders, it is likely that Arwen sumbed to their pressure rather than voluntarily stepping up.

    Moreover, she reached the queen¡¯s position without the support of her family and relied on her own capabilities, which demonstrates Arwen¡¯s remarkable political prowess. Through that ability, she has been able to confront the Council of Elders up to this point.

    The recent issue of the stolen manuscript is a result of judgment errors and Rain¡¯s trolling, not a reflection of Arwen¡¯s ipetence. Although individuals may have their ws, Arwen is being evaluated by the public as an excellent leader.

    ¡°Naturally, the content of the speech will be rted to the matter of mixed heritage, right?¡±

    ¡°You are correct. We have to find a way to resolve the current situation¡­ Honestly, it¡¯s incredibly challenging. Throughout history, it has been difficult to find speeches that truly move people¡¯s hearts¡­¡±

    Actually, you can understand the importance of speeches without going far, just by looking at Lincoln and Martin Luther King. Of course, this is a story of when they yed a positive role, but there are negative examples like Hitler and Goebbels as well.

    The ability to move people¡¯s hearts with a speech requires personal effort, but talent is also crucial. Speaking with a powerful voice that appeals to others, rather than rigidly reading like anguage textbook, makes a clear difference between the two approaches.

    However, the most important aspect is the content of the speech. Even as time passes, we can see why Lincoln¡¯s and Martin Luther King¡¯s speeches are still widely discussed, as well as how Hitler managed to sway Germany. The fact that they are subjects of research demonstrates this well enough.

    I nced at Arwen, who looked gloomy, and opened my mouth.

    ¡°Wait a moment.¡±

    Suddenly, an amusing joke came to mind, and I began writing it down on a note. Arwen initially expressed doubt, but when she saw me sitting at the desk and starting to write something, she quietly waited.

    About five minutester, I handed Arwen a temporary speech that filled about half a page. Arwen looked at me with a bewildered expression as I presented her with the speech.

    ¡°It¡¯s a speech I wrote out of boredom. Read it once and judge for yourself.¡±

    ¡°Well then¡­¡±

    Since it was a temporary speech, she epted it without any hesitation. Her gray eyes then turned towards the notebook page. After about a minute, Arwen widened her eyes and sincerely eximed.

    ¡°It¡¯s truly an impressive speech! It¡¯s the sentence craftsmanship befitting a Xenon¡¯s Biography writer. However¡­¡±

    However, the admiration was short-lived as she tilted her head and mumbled as if something was strange.

    ¡°Why does it feel like it¡¯s inciting something¡­?¡±

    ¡°Hehehe¡­¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help butugh. The true identity of the speech I gave to Arwen was none other than¡­

    ¡°Isaac? This is definitely strange¡­ Even just reading it, there¡¯s a strong ent¡­¡±

    ¡°Hahaha!¡±

    It was a famous speech that Hitler delivered, which helped him seize power.

    Trantors note:

    3/5

    3 chapters today.

 Chapter 132: Mixed Race (4)

    The content I conveyed to Arwen is part of a speech that yed a decisive role in Hitler¡¯s tight grip on power. Through that speech, Hitler instilled a sense of superiority and pride in the Germans who were feeling inferior due to their defeat in World War I, solidifying his own position.

    Subsequently, the Nazi Party was established, and Hitler suppressed all his opponents while collectively indoctrinating the eyes and ears of the citizens. He then invaded Pnd, sparking World War II.

    In fact, an English spy was on the verge of betraying his country after hearing Hitler¡¯s speech, indicating the remarkable prowess of his oratory skills. The speech itself was tailored to uplift the spirits of the disillusioned citizens.

    ¡°Come on, don¡¯t be joking! How can I give such a speech!¡±

    ¡°Hehehehe!¡±

    As Arwen¡¯s face turned red, I pounded the desk with my hand and burst intoughter. It seems she also btedly realized that there was something strange about the content of the speech.

    Whether it be said or not, in my current thoughts, I imagined Arwen shouting at the people of Alvenheim with a strong ent and exaggerated gestures. No matter how much I think about it, it just doesn¡¯t fit at all.

    ¡°Ah,e on. You can rarely see meugh so loudly.¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­ Don¡¯t tease me. I¡¯m being serious¡­¡±

    As I wiped away my tears and spoke, Arwen grumbled with a deadpan expression. However, her face remained flushed, and her ears were still standing tall toward the sky.

    I¡¯ve heard that an elf¡¯s ears change ording to their emotions. So, it means that she is feeling embarrassed right now.

    Moreover, she seemed quite sulky, protruding her lips and making a pouty expression like a child. Who would think of this cute and beautiful elf as the Queen of Alvenheim?

    Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯ve only seen her in her usual state and never as a queen. Until now, I couldn¡¯t possibly imagine her as Arwen the queen.

    However, it seemed better to stop teasing her. I immediately apologized to the sulking Arwen.

    ¡°Okay, I got it. I won¡¯t tease you anymore. But still, the impromptu speech was quite good, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°Objectively speaking, it¡¯s an excellent speech. But, how should I put it¡­ I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s a speech that instills pride or one meant for incitement. It¡¯spletely different from the speech I wanted.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±

    In fact, Hitler himself uplifted the confidence of defeated Germans with his speeches, so it¡¯s not entirely wrong. It can be said that incitement also began from that time.

    ¡°However, does it have to be a task specifically assigned to me? Normally, someone else writes the speech, and you review it yourself.¡±

    ¡°There is hardly anyone I know who possesses such exceptional writing skills as you do. Especially when ites to writing moving words, it¡¯s only you.¡±

    ¡°It would be nice if you could moderate the excessive praise.¡±

    ¡°Being too humble doesn¡¯t look good either. Your writing is already influencing the world, so why say such things?¡±

    When you speak so firmly, it makes me embarrassed. I awkwardly smiled and, avoiding eye contact, got straight to the point.

    ¡°Alright. So, Arwen, you want me to write a speech for you? To address the issue of half-bloods in Alvenheim?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Alvenheim is currently in much greater turmoil than you imagine. We don¡¯t know when half-bloods started infiltrating Alvenheim or whether our ancestors had any mixed blood.¡±

    In Alvenheim, mixed blood has be an irreversible social phenomenon. Elves, unlike humans who have frequent generational changes due to their shorter lifespans, can easily identify mixed-blood individuals.

    However, the problem lies in the fact that the characteristics of mixed blood are not easily visible. In reality, Alvenheim can only integrate and coexist with half-bloods.

    While contemting the situation in Alvenheim for a moment, a curious question came to my mind, and I asked Arwen.

    ¡°Are there symbols of pure blood among the elves? Isn¡¯t that a form of racial superiority?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct. However, as you know, there is a sort of chosen people ideology deeply embedded in the hearts of the elves. It¡¯s about the blood of those chosen by the gods and the blood of those who were not chosen. That¡¯s the only exnation needed.¡±

    ¡°The more you observe the elves, the more they be an enigmatic race, don¡¯t they?¡±

    Sometimes, elves are a race that follows honor and pride, but asionally they are a race that devours themselves due to their arrogance, just like this. Pride turns into arrogance, and the belief in superiority or chosenness bes conceit, so elves can be considered extreme in this aspect.

    Furthermore, they possess enough ¡°power¡± to fall into arrogance. The danger of bing engulfed in arrogance is high. Ultimately, the issue of mixed-blood stems partially from the inherent arrogance of elves.

    ¡°Are the pure-bloods and mixed-bloods fighting with each other right now?¡±

    ¡°Not to that extent yet. Most of the people who identify themselves as mixed-bloods are in high positions. However, I¡¯m starting to suspect that even people around me might be mixed-bloods.¡±

    ¡°If we leave it like this, it will only get worse.¡±

    The only fortunate thing is that seeds of unrest have only sprouted, and the flowers have not bloomed yet. When the flowers bloom, it will be uncontrobly chaotic, so Arwen has the obligation to calm the situation through her speech.

    The problem is whether the elves, who discriminate even against mixed-bloods, will listen to Arwen¡¯s speech and calm down. The situation is not easy at all.

    In the worst case, someone incites the elves and drives out all the mixed-bloods. If this happens, the dark elves, who have experienced the same treatment, willpletely turn their backs on Alvenheim, iming that it hasn¡¯t changed, and naturally, the national power will also decline significantly.

    It is still calm before the storm, and if we fail to handle it properly from here, nobody can predict what future awaits Alvenheim.

    <i>¡®It feels burdensome.¡¯</i>

    I stared intently at Arwen, who was worried about the future of Alvenheim. How difficult must it be for such tiny shoulders to bear the fate of a nation? Moreover, there are many stubborn elves, and Council¡¯s elders , possess both wisdom and cunning. It¡¯s overwhelming for young Arwen to deal with such a burden.

    I wondered why she specifically asked me to write the speech, of all people. Perhaps it¡¯s because she can¡¯t trust the people within Alvenheim. I couldn¡¯t help but be curious about the political structure of Alvenheim, but it¡¯s probably best not to interfere to that extent.

    In a way, this could be seen as a test imposed on Arwen. I¡¯ll only assist her a little.

    ¡°Anyway, I understand. I¡¯ll help you write the speech.¡±

    ¡°R-Really?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but there should be some form of repayment, right?¡±

    ¡°Repayment¡­¡±

    As soon as the word ¡°repayment¡± was mentioned, Arwen¡¯s bright expression froze in an instant. She must be aware of what it means to ask me for a speech. It¡¯s embarrassing for me to say this, but I am the author of the ongoing Xenon¡¯s Biography, which is currently changing the world. At least it means that I¡¯m recognized for my writing skills, and asking someone like me for a favor is no easy thing.

    Moreover, Arwen personally stepped forward to make the request, while hiding her true identity. If she doesn¡¯t provide some form of repayment, it would be like selling out my conscience.

    <i>¡®But I can¡¯t think of a suitable repayment.¡¯</i>

    The high-level theft incident ended with receiving the manuscript, and Siris became a messenger while Rain received a suspended sentence.

    But this is purely a personal transaction with Arwen.

    However, it¡¯s bothersome that I have nothing to receive from Arwen.

    Money? I have enough money umted already, and I¡¯m not particrly interested in it. Besides, I have two girlfriends who have a lot of money, so what would I need it for?

    Honor? I am the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography. No words are necessary.

    Status? If I need something, I can ask Rina.

    Knowledge? I¡¯m in the middle of receiving and diligently reading books from the Sanctuary.

    Women? There¡¯s Marie and Cecily. I¡¯ve been consistently sleeping with Marie untilte at night, and I might also do it with Cecily soon.

    <i>¡®Wow¡­e to think of it, I really have everything, don¡¯t I?¡¯</i>

    At not even twenty years old, I realized that I had everything a man could want. Personally, I have a modest personality and no greed for power, so I don¡¯t want anything more.

    However, it would be strange to say that I don¡¯t want anything. From Arwen¡¯s perspective, it would be her owing me a favor again, and she might be the only one ufortable with it.

    I pondered over what kind of repayment I should receive that would satisfy Arwen. I went through countless considerations. Even a sinister thought crossed my mind for a brief moment, but I quickly dismissed it.

    <i>¡®¡­Ah, yes. This should work.¡¯</i>

    Fortunately, there is one thing left. It¡¯s something that can be referenced in Xenon¡¯s Biography, so it should be fine.

    ¡°Could you tell me in detail about magic?¡±

    ¡°Magic? But you¡¯re not a mage, are you?¡±

    Arwen tilted her head and responded with a puzzled expression to my request. As she said, I am neither a mage and just a physically fit civilian.

    However, what I desire is not to inherit magic but rather knowledge about the types of magic and their effects. Not teleportation or flying in the sky kind of magic, but the magic that only elves can use.

    I could ask Cecily, who is also a practitioner of the same magic, but elves are descendants of angels and demons are descendants of devils. Perhaps due to this reason, demonic magic tends to focus on ¡°destruction.¡±

    On the other hand, you can think of elves as a hexagon filled to the brim. They can provide support, attack, defend, and so on. However, their output is slightly weakerpared to demons.

    ¡°Well, I can still refer to it. And it¡¯s not that I¡¯m asking you to teach me magic, but rather to let me know its name and its abilities. If possible, write it down and send it to me.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have a demonic princess?¡±

    ¡°Cecily is a demon. I heard that the magic used by elves and demons follows different paths.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, I see. Alright then.¡±

    Arwen nodded and, after assessing my expression, cautiously spoke.

    ¡°¡­Is that really enough for you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m satisfied.¡±

    ¡°Isaac, I am the Queen of Alvenheim. Even if it¡¯s something difficult to ask for, I will dly help. I don¡¯t want to be indebted forever.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡±

    Arwen gently made a suggestion, cing her hand on her chest, and I looked at her face while crossing my arms. Then, I nced down discreetly.

    Although she¡¯s currently dressed in a robe, beneath it is a tight dress like the one she worest time. The silver-gray dress, matching the color of her hair, boldly entuated Arwen¡¯s figure. Despite appearing young, I remember her hips being remarkable. Even when she knelt and bowed her head, all eyes were drawn to her, so further exnation is unnecessary.

    <i>¡®Oh, no. The lewd devil again¡­¡¯</i>

    I quickly defeated the lewd devil and looked at Arwen. She had an expression that seemed genuinely apologetic or perhaps at a loss for words.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright. It¡¯s just a speech, after all. Or would you like me to help you with the speech too? But I have one request.¡±

    ¡°W-What is it? I¡¯ll dly listen if you tell me now.¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t be fun if I tell you now. How about practicing it here first?¡±

    ¡°But the speech¡­¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go with that.¡±

    Arwen looked somewhat ufortable about delivering the speech I had written on my own. However, the content itself was sufficient to inspire the citizens.

    Soon after, Arwen got up from the bed, stretched her neck, and then nced at me. As I faced her, a question arose in my mind.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you need to memorize it?¡±

    ¡°I already have it all memorized.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Elves mayck adaptability, but once we see something, we never forget it.¡±

    As expected, elves are cheat species along with the demons. It¡¯s rather sad that I¡¯m an ordinary human. While I was having such thoughts, and a jealous gaze in my eyes, Arwen nced at me, perhaps with a hint of tension, took a deep breath, and thumped her chest.

    I wished she would go beyond that and strip off her robe, revealing her beautiful figure. However, I suppressed the desire as it felt like crossing a line.

    Finally, with a determined look in her eyes, Arwen clenched her fist.

    ¡°People of Albeneim! Chosen by the gods, we established the first civilization and furthermore, magic¡­!¡±

    ¡°Pfft¡­¡±

    Laughter burst out from the very first sentence. Her exaggerated gestures perfectly reflected her image, without a doubt. However, Arwen continued her speech steadfastly, making it even more amusing due to its seriousness.

    ¡°Although we suffered defeat in the race war, we learned from our mistakes and progressed even further! So, my fellow elves, rise once again¡­ Oh, screw it.¡±

    Eventually, even she seemed to think it wasn¡¯t right and unexpectedly spewed out a rare curse. Then, she plopped onto the bed and groaned in frustration.

    ¡°You¡¯re really hopeless! This is an instigation, not a speech!¡±

    ¡°Hahaha!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯tugh! I told you I¡¯m serious! You damn red human!¡±

    ¡°Oh, dear, I can¡¯t help it! Hahaha!¡±

    While Arwen groaned and nagged, I fell to the floor, unable to control myughter. It was as if an elementary school student was delivering an eloquent speech, providing irresistible cuteness.

    ¡°Stopughing!¡±

    ¡°Hahaha!¡±

    Trantors note:

    4/5

 Chapter 133: Mixed Race (5)

    It was a great relief for me that the amodation was equipped with basic soundproofing. If it hadn¡¯t been, not only would myughter have been heard, but also Arwen¡¯s shouts.

    However, Arwen¡¯s speech and that person¡¯s speech ovepped in a subtle way, making it impossible for me to hold back myughter. Moreover, the arrogance of the elves and the ruthless nature of the nazis strangely matched.

    Arwen standing dressed in uniform, extending her arm forward and shouting a specific slogan. Furthermore, her radical speech inciting the citizens and pushing them into the mes of war.

    The more I imagined each moment, the more it provided amusement to the point where my belly hurt.

    <i>¡®I should write about itter, right?¡¯</i>

    When I finish Xenon¡¯s Biography, I n to write a novel about World War II, whether to include only humans or other races as well. But watching Arwen¡¯s speech, my heart was gradually drawn.

    Of course, if I were to do that, the settings could be entangled in various ways, so it might be better to leave it for now. This setting could also be suitable for a sequel to Xenon¡¯s Biography in the future.

    While Xenon was alive, all races came together as one to defeat the demons, but after a long time passed, they once again became divided and fought among themselves.

    The demons, who had been patiently waiting for an opportunity, began their invasion from within rather than from the outside. After that, the world expands its worldview.

    (Tl note: Isaac is talking about possible plot of a sequel)

    ¡°Hehehehe¡­¡±

    I looked at Arwen while sniffling and stopping my tears fromughing. She was puffing up her cheeks like a frog, wearing a full expression of dissatisfaction.

    Moreover, her embarrassed and pale skin was also tinged with a blush. Seeing her gray eyes slightly filled with moisture, I felt like I should justugh.

    ¡°¡­Did youugh at me?¡±

    Arwen asked me with a gruff voice. It was a low voice, but her expression was so cute that it didn¡¯t pose any threat at all.

    Really, who would think that this adorable girl was the Queen of Alvenheim? I couldn¡¯t help but have such thoughts, knowing only that Queen Arwen, in her role as queen, had a strong sense of responsibility.

    Still, an apology is necessary if I did something wrong. I wiped away the dew clinging to the corner of my eye and opened my mouth.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. If I upset you, I apologize.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ It¡¯s okay. What¡¯s disappointing is not you, but my age. You don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡±

    Arwen replied, turning her head shyly. Right after that, she nced at me and asked in a timid voice.

    ¡°¡­Is it really not suitable?¡±

    ¡°The speech earlier?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m curious if it really¡­ doesn¡¯t suit me at all.¡±

    ¡°If it did, I wouldn¡¯t haveughed.¡±

    It was a serious evaluation that wiped away all the mischief. I said it subtly suited her, but it was only to a certain extent, simr to an elementary school student giving a speech.

    ¡°Phew¡­¡±

    Arwen sighed deeply in frustration at my harsh evaluation, as if the ground would swallow her up. At the same time, a sense of concern appeared on her face.

    I looked at her silently for a moment and then asked about the point that I didn¡¯t understand.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have someone performing a role like an advisor? Can¡¯t you ask them for help?¡±

    ¡°¡­That advisor is the Council of Elders. In Alvenheim, the king is at the top superficially, and the Council of Elders assists him.¡±

    ¡°This structure could easily turn into a puppet show.¡±

    Arwen nodded her head in agreement with my sharp observation. If that was the case, the king of Alvenheim would be politically isted.

    You could question why they even established a monarchy, but it seems that it is inevitable, even if it is to keep the Council of Elders in check.

    The ruler of Alvenheim is elected through voting by each prestigious family, so it appears there areplex secrets involved here. Perhaps the prestigious families choose the ruler to keep the Council of Elders in check.

    <i>¡®No wonder the ruler changes frequently. This must be the reason.¡¯</i>

    I should include this in Xenon¡¯s Biography. I apologize to Arwen, but I have no knowledge of the political structure of Alvenheim.

    I am merely an advisor, not a servant of Arwen. I intend to help with the speech and then leave the rest to her.

    ¡°In any case, don¡¯t give a speech in that manner. Try a different approach that suits you.¡±

    ¡°What speech style do you think suits me, in your opinion?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    I stood with my arms crossed, gazing intensely at Arwen, lost in thought. Speeches often vary in style depending on the situation, and they also have a significant impact on people¡¯s mood.

    A bold and passionate style, much like Hitler¡¯s, ignites a fire in the hearts, while Martin Luther King¡¯s ¡°I Have a Dream¡± speech touches the audience with its genuine voice.

    Currently, in the realm of Alvenheim, there is a growing rift among the elves due to the issue of mixed heritage. It is imperative to somehow mend this division and unite them as a single race called ¡°elves.¡±

    <i>¡®For now¡­¡¯</i>

    I examined her closely, not as Arwen in her usual state, but from the perspective of a third party. Despite her youthful appearance, she exuded the elegance and nobility characteristic of elves. With just a smile, she emanatedpassion. Even her subtle aura exuded the charisma of a leader.

    Rather than delivering an impassioned speech in such an atmosphere, it would be more effective to speak in a calm yet powerful voice, amplifying the impact.

    ¡°Have you evermunicated with the people of Alvenheim besides giving national speeches?¡±

    ¡°A few times, I have urged them to enjoy themselves and be cautious during festivals.¡±

    ¡°Other than that?¡±

    ¡°I have rendered judgments in difficult trials, and on several asions, I have gathered the people for audiences. Since I can¡¯t trust the Council of Elders, I decided it would be better to directly listen to the stories of the people. By the way, why do you ask?¡±

    Arwen asked with an adorable yet curious gaze. I shrugged my shoulders and replied as if it were someone else¡¯s story.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing special, just an Elven acquaintance of mine spoke favorably of you. They described you as apassionate and elegant queen. I was curious if others see you in the same light.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯ve heard that despite my youthful appearance, I have a mature demeanor.¡±

    ¡°Where did you hear that?¡±

    ¡°At the festival.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯re openly discussing it right in front of me?¡±

    As kind as Arwen may be, it was indeed an act of insulting the queen. Well, back then at the exhibition, we didn¡¯t know each other¡¯s identities, and now we¡¯re in a position where we can exploit each other¡¯s weaknesses, so we can maintain a friendship.

    Arwen averted her gaze upon hearing my question and hesitantly opened her mouth.

    ¡°¡­I was hiding my face just like during the exhibition. At that time, I bought some food or casually asked a few people I happened to encounter.¡±

    ¡°It seems like you enjoy having fun, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Well, don¡¯t I need to relieve some stress too? After all, I am ultimately just an ordinary person!¡±

    (Tl note: I was a bit confused here, but basically Arwen admits she sneaked out to have fun at elven festival and asked people about herself, a different one than the exhibition)

    As I called the facts, Arwen eximed in surprise. Her cheeks, once pale, turned as red as a ripe persimmon.

    Well, I can understand that stress umtes in a situation where she is politically isted. In fact, the reason she has been able to endure so far is probably due to asional escapades.

    ¡°Regardless, it would be a matter of adjusting your style based on how people perceive you. It might be good to maintain your usual merciful and dignified demeanor but deliver the speech with a powerful voice, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°¡­It sounds difficult.¡±

    ¡°Everything is difficult at first. Now, try practicing as I told you.¡±

    ¡°Are you telling me to do it again?¡±

    Arwen expressed her dissatisfaction with a slightly furrowed brow, seemingly not pleased with the provocative temporary speech. It appears that she considers it more of an incitement than a speech.

    However, that¡¯s because it¡¯s too radical in action. If it¡¯s done in a style that suits Arwen, the atmosphere will changepletely. The content itself is specialized in stimting the hearts of the people who are filled with a sense of defeat.

    I gently teased Arwen, who revealed her reluctance with her lips pouting.

    ¡°Just give it a try once. I won¡¯tugh this time. I¡¯m serious.¡±

    ¡°Sigh¡­ Just this once, then.¡±

    ¡°Alright. You can modify the sentences to ones that you feelfortable with.¡±

    ¡°In that case¡­¡±

    Arwen stood up from the bed and then closed her eyes momentarily. It seemed like she was slowly recalling the content as I had mentioned, and soon she began delivering the speech in a gentle tone.

    The voice that flowed out of her mouth was closer to a true ¡°queen¡± rather than a girl who behaved like a tomboy.

    ¡°Our Alvenheim, chosen by the gods, established the first civilization on thisnd. And further, pioneered magic¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I quietly observed the distinct atmosphere and style, which were clearly different from before. If the previous speech ignited a spark of provocation within my heart, now it exuded a gentle sensation of soothing and healing the old scars.

    Even though it was the same content of the speech, merely changing the style had drastically different effects. Indeed, a person should wear clothes that suit them.

    ¡°Alvenheim is no longer a loser. Rise once again, elves of Alvenheim. Let us show the world our power once more so that our voices can reach the distant homnd of the gods.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Ahem. Well¡­¡±

    The speech hase to an end. Arwen, perhaps feeling tense, immediately cleared her throat and nced at me subtly.

    Then, either feeling embarrassed or curious, she toyed with her gray hair with her fingers and asked for my evaluation.

    ¡°I-Is it all over? Did I do okay this time?¡±

    ¡°You were truly magnificent. If you continue like this, it will be perfect.¡±

    ¡°Hehe¡­¡±

    Upon receiving my sincere praise, Arwen chuckled happily. The dignity of a queen hadpletely disappeared, leaving behind only a girl who enjoyed receivingpliments.

    I had a second thought about whether it was okay after seeing it, but since she found her own style, I judged that there wouldn¡¯t be any problem. After all, the remaining portion depended on her.

    ¡°It would be good if you not only speak but also use gestures and actions. I¡¯ve heard that people who are good at speeches often look at themselves in the mirror to check their facial expressions and gestures. Take it as a reference.¡±

    ¡°Can you tell me who those people are? I¡¯d like to look them up in books if possible.¡±

    ¡°I read about them a long time ago, and I forgot who they were. I¡¯m just a human unlike you, after all.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ that¡¯s disappointing.¡±

    Arwen expressed a hint of disappointment. He felt a bit sorry for telling a lie because he couldn¡¯t reveal his past life.

    ¡°And when ites to giving speeches, the most important thing is a confident tone and attitude. You can probably guess what will happen if you hesitate.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m worried if I can do well.¡±

    ¡°As I mentioned earlier, beginnings are always difficult, regardless of what it is. Moreover, speeches are one of the most important qualities for leaders. Think of it as doing something you¡¯ll have to do eventually.¡±

    Even though I tried to encourage her, Arwen still had an anxious expression. Herck of confidence was evident.

    At this point, I made up my mind to give her some sharp advice. If she gets discouraged here, I can¡¯t guarantee the results in the future.

    ¡°Arwen, even if I help you now, what will you doter if you continue like this? You know, I¡¯m a human, and you¡¯re an elf. Even if I can help you with writing or reviewing speeches while I¡¯m alive, you¡¯ll have to do it yourself afterward. I¡¯m saying you have to fasten the first button properly.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Even if you¡¯re in conflict with the Council now, remember that the people of Alvenheim should be your top priority. That powerful Council means nothingpared to the people of Alvenheim.¡±

    In a nation, public sentiment is crucial. When public sentiment declines, naturally, people lose trust in the government, and it can escte to a point where control bes impossible. On the other hand, when public sentiment is high, leaders take action even without specific orders. There are numerous historical examples of small countries uniting and developing into major powers through public sentiment.

    However, it is important to strictly distinguish between public sentiment and incitement. Once incitement takes hold, it reaches an uncontroble realm when the brainwashing is released. Public sentiment, on the other hand, often stays united until the end.

    ¡°You have to captivate their hearts through this speech. It¡¯s practically a stage that tests your crisis management abilities. It¡¯s up to you whether you will remain as a great queen who unified purebloods and half-bloods in history or be an ipetent queen who fails to resolve rifts and causes divisions. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°¡­Thank you. I feel energized because of your advice.¡±

    Upon hearing my advice and counsel, Arwen smiled softly. It was a smile that seemed relieved.

    At that moment, as I was about to speak, there was a sudden knock on the.

    Knock- knock- knock-

    Arwen and I instinctively turned our gaze towards the door.

    ¡°Isaac. Are you inside? It¡¯s me, Marie.¡±

    Surprisingly, the person who knocked on the door turned out to be my girlfriend, Marie.

    While the amodation was off-limits to anyone but me, knocking on the door wasn¡¯t a problem. However, if the issue was that Arwen was in the amodation with me, then it was indeed a problem. I looked at Arwen, feeling a shiver run down my spine.

    Arwen blinked her silver-gray eyes, still not fully grasping the situation. Well, considering that she was unaware of the rules of the Academy, it was understandable for her to react like that.

    ¡°Hey, hey! Hide quickly!¡±

    ¡°Huh? Why should I hide?¡±

    ¡°Just do it! Use magic or concealment, whatever you can! It¡¯s said that only the owner can ess the amodation, no one else!¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    Per my urgent request, Arwen looked puzzled but managed to hide her body using magic. I wasn¡¯t sure if she used teleportation or concealed herself like a dark elf, but she vanished without a trace.

    Seeing that, I inwardly breathed a sigh of relief and called out to Marie, who was beyond the door.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go now! Just wait a moment!¡±

    After confirming if there were any traces of Arwen, I walked towards the door. Along the way, I didn¡¯t forget to check the time. There was still some time left for all the sses to end. I wondered if the professor had finished early or if there was another reason for the early visit.

    Squeak

    As I opened the door, I came face to face with Marie, who had her characteristic mischievous smile. Thinking there was no one around, I looked around and asked her.

    ¡°Why did youe so early? What about the lecture?¡±

    ¡°I finished early because the professor had an urgent matter. Since I couldn¡¯t find you in Professor Elena¡¯sb, I came to the dormitory.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see. Then¡­¡±

    Before I could finish my sentence, Marie forcefully pushed her hand against my chest. Her strength was far from weak, and I couldn¡¯t help but be pushed back slightly.

    Fortunately, she didn¡¯t let go of the door handle, but she didn¡¯t stop there. Taking advantage of my retreat, she pressed her body firmly against mine and continued pushing.

    Naturally, I stumbled back from the door, and Marie had somehow managed to step all the way to the entrance. The door closed firmly with a thud.

    ¡°Uh, uh? Marie?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to go all the way to the inn, right? I heard from Rina that the dormitory is soundproofed thoroughly. It¡¯s as if you can¡¯t hear anything that¡¯s happening inside.¡±

    Marie looked at me with a mischievous look in her sparkling eyes. Desire was bubbling inside them like boilingva. It seemed like it had diminished recently, but it looks like another log has been added to the fire.

    <i>¡®This is messed up¡­!¡¯</i>

    If there were only Marie and Isaac, it wouldn¡¯t matter, but Arwen is hiding here now. The moment we do it here, Arwen will see everything.

    So, realizing that I had to stop it somehow, I hurriedly spoke to Marie. It would be beneficial to move somewhere other than the amodation.

    ¡°Well¡­ Mari? Even if it¡¯s in the room¡­¡±

    ¡°So what? We can have a quick one here, then go on a date and do it again at the inn, right? Think of it as warming up.¡±

    ¡°What kind of warm-up is that? Get your hands off me!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to?¡±

    Overwhelmed by Marie that had transformed into the embodiment of desire, I stumbled back and somehow ended up on the bed. I fell backward onto the bed, and Marie took the position to straddle me.

    Why do I feel like there¡¯s a heart-shaped glimmer in Marie¡¯s blue eyes, even though shadows loom over? The desires of women are utterly elusive.

    But that¡¯s one thing, and as long as Arwen is watching, I absolutely cannot engage in anything here. I urgently pleaded with Marie.

    ¡°M-Marie? Can¡¯t you endure it a little longer?¡±

    ¡°No. Way. Today¡¯s sses were so difficult, and I¡¯m under a lot of stress. I need to relieve it through Isaac¡¯s body. For now¡­ huh?¡±

    Marie, speaking in a sultry voice, blinked her eyes a couple of times without continuing her words. Then, she suddenly raised her head and began sniffing.

    ¡°Sniff. Sniff.¡±

    ¡°¡­Marie?¡±

    ¡°Sniff. What is this smell?¡±

    Did she really smell the scenting from Arwen? I didn¡¯t notice it at all, but women are indeed different.

    While I was thinking such thoughts, Marie, who had been sniffing and smelling, began to smell my neck. Then, she squeezed her face slightly and mumbled softly.

    ¡°I can smell this scent even on the bed¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    As she looked at me with suspicious eyes, I tensed up, feeling like something else was implied.

    Did she really notice Arwen¡¯s presence? I hope not, in a different sense.

    And so, as the heavy silence settled in the room, Marie smiled mischievously, and with that, the tension eased as she spoke.

    ¡°Did you spray perfume on the bed or something?¡±

    ¡°Uh, yeah?¡±

    ¡°At first, I thought another woman had been in the room. But the scent onlyes from the bed, not from your body.¡±

    ¡°Haha¡­¡±

    It was at that moment when I let out an awkwardugh. Marie, with the same teasing expression on her face, slowly lowered her head towards my neck and brought her lips closer.

    ¡°Mm¡­¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­ Marie?¡±

    ¡°I will make sure my scent permeates Isaac¡¯s body.¡±

    Although we had ovee one crisis, another one remained. I urgently tried to separate Marie, but she remained indifferent,pletely sticking to me without any intention of letting go.

    In the end, it seemed like I had to deal with it like this.

    [¡­I¡¯ll be away for a moment.]

    Arwen¡¯s voice suddenly echoed in my head. Although there was a sense of embarrassment, it was undoubtedly Arwen¡¯s voice.

    It seemed like she had conveyed her thoughts through telepathy, as if she had been watching over everything from the sidelines.

    <i>¡®Oh dear¡­¡¯</i>

    For a moment, I covered my face with one hand and gave Marie a wry smile. She didn¡¯t even consider distancing herself.

    Feeling frustrated and slightly angry, I spoke in a voice that reflected my annoyance.

    ¡°Marie.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re dying today.¡±

    ¡°What, what? Ahhh!¡±

    I quickly recovered and went straight to the act, without any forey or anything.

    Trantors note:

    5/5

 Chapter 134: To Alvenheim (1)

    There was a brief event, but we managed to smoothly get through it one way or another. I was worried that even if Arwen made room for me, she might secretly watch, but as soon as I left the bedroom, she was gone.

    Now, the first priority was properly scolding this naughty cat. During the process, the cat apologized, but it was useless to me who was already doing as I pleased.

    Eventually, we skipped dinner and it becamete at night before the cat could return to its own ce. Because I had been so intense, my legs gave way, and I had no choice but to support myself.

    Finally, when we arrived at the front of the female dormitory, before sending off the cat, I gently stroked her head and said half-jokingly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t y such pranks anymore. Got it?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    Marie blushed and mumbled, but didn¡¯t say anything else. She had confidently jumped at me and ended up being teased, so she had nothing to say, even if she had ten mouths.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll be working hard on my exercise, so just watch me.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll do great. Anything special happening tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing special, but Rina said she has something to talk about tomorrow. We can talk about it then.¡±

    There really wasn¡¯t anything special. Having a meal with Rina had be a familiar urrence, so it would just be a casual conversation.

    I¡¯m not sure if I should say that Rina has been acting a bit strangetely or if I should say there¡¯s something suspicious about her. Whenever I¡¯m alone with her, she subtly avoids eye contact and nces at odd ces.

    First of all, I can assert with certainty that there is absolutely no romantic interest from her as a rational being. Not only did she not show any special favor towards me, but she also yed pranks, so there¡¯s no possibility of developing any affection.

    Furthermore, since Rina stopped acting on her authority, she only considers me as afortable friend, nothing more.

    In the first ce, we rarely meet unlike Marie and Cecily, only two or three times a week. And even then, it¡¯s only during meal times.

    There has almost never been a moment where the two of us were alone before, and there has been hardly any contact since I started dating Marie.

    ¡°Alright, go and rest well. If you can¡¯t wake up tomorrow, I¡¯ll feel sorry for you.¡±

    ¡°Hehe, thanks to someone, my stamina is in top shape, so I can handle this much.¡±

    ¡°Really? How about going to the inn now¡­¡±

    ¡°But tomorrow¡¯s lecture is more important, so I¡¯ll go. Goodbye!¡±

    As soon as I quietly suggested while grabbing her waist, Marie quickly escaped. She stumbled for a moment due to weak legs but steadfastly headed towards her dorm.

    Of course, she didn¡¯t just walk ahead coldly but turned around, showing a yful smile, and she even blew me a teasing kiss.

    I smiled at the increasingly charming Marie and waved my hand. I always think this, but I¡¯m really happy that Marie is my girlfriend.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s go back to the lodging for now.¡¯</i>

    I left the dorm around 8 o¡¯clock, so I still have time to write a speech for Arwen. I can temporarily pause Xenon¡¯s writing and focus on the speech for a week without any issues. Moreover, there is something that fits perfectly with the situation in Alvenheim just before the division. It is the speech by President Abraham Lincoln, who unified the United States, which was deteriorating due to the Civil War.

    A great president who truly united the United States alongside the abolition of very. Although his speech was considered a failure at the time, it became a renowned speech recorded in history inter generations.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t remember everything, but¡­¡¯</i>

    I remember Hitler¡¯s speeches because I¡¯m interested in World War II, but I barely know anything about Lincoln¡¯s Gettysburg Address, except for some parts. However, even with just those parts, it should be sufficient for the desired effect. The key now is to make those famous quotese out naturally.

    <i>¡®It feels like I¡¯m a ck curtain.¡¯</i>

    (Tl note: ck curtain is a mastermind working from the shadows)

    The worst incident that shook South Korea in my past life came to mind. Democracy almost fell apart, but the people themselves came forward and ousted the president. I was concerned that it might not be a good idea that I wrote the speech for Arwen instead, but she is a genius who can memorize everything she sees once, so there should be no problem. Maybe she will quickly skim through the speech as soon as I deliver it and burn it afterward.

    I just silently prayed in my heart for Arwen to deliver the speech well. In fact, even helping with the speech is a tremendous political intervention.

    Perhaps this indifference stems from the fact that Arwen is more like a friend to me than a queen. I also appreciate her sense of responsibility, in which she would scold me even for a small mistake.

    <i>¡®I wonder if I can ask Siris to show me her speech.¡¯</i>

    Alvenheim¡¯s entry procedures are notoriouslyplicated, but once you¡¯re inside, they don¡¯t really conduct any inspections or such. I¡¯ve heard that because of this, there are many people attempting illegal entry.

    Even teleportation is limited from overseas destinations, except for a few select individuals. Gartz mentioned that there¡¯s some kind of magical barrier typically in ce, and only those granted direct permission from the king would know how to bypass it.

    <i>¡®Anyway, I¡¯lle to hear the speech.¡¯</i>

    Anticipating the following week, I made my way to the amodation.

    *****

    The next day arrived. As Marie mentioned yesterday, I ended up having a meal with Rina, and there really wasn¡¯t much to talk about. Naturally, Cecily sat beside Rina.

    Sitting here with the four of us had be somewhat routine, so I didn¡¯t have much to say, but the other three seemed to be engaged in lively conversation. The saying that when three women gather, dishes are broken wasn¡¯t just an idle rumor.

    However, when we finished the meal and were enjoying dessert, Rina suddenly made an intriguing proposal to us.

    ¡°Have any of you thought about visiting Alvenheim?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    It was a suggestion to go to Alvenheim, thend of the elves. It was such an unexpected proposal that both I and Marie, sitting beside me, widened our eyes in surprise.

    Rina is not someone who makes such silly jokes. And seeing her unique expressionless face, it really means she¡¯s making a proposition to us.

    ¡°Suddenly, why Alvenheim?¡±

    It was Marie, not me, who asked with a voice full of doubt. I felt that Rina¡¯s offer was missing the before and after.

    Not only is the semester still ongoing, but it also takes a long time to get to Alvenheim. Assuming we take a carriage, it would take at least a few days.

    Of course, Rina, the royal family, and the Duchess youngdy Marie can use teleportation. But not me.

    Meanwhile, Rina looked at us and quietly put down her teacup. The sound of the cup gently touching the table spread faintly.

    ¡°You might have heard the news, but the Queen of Alvenheim is scheduled to deliver a national speech in a few days from now. It¡¯s in Alvenheim, where a lot of attention is focused. Moreover, this will be the Queen¡¯s first speech, so there is even more interest.¡±

    ¡°I know that too. What does it have to do with us?¡±

    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t hurt to see it once. Isn¡¯t it a bit awkward for the Emperor or the King to make a procession to such a ce? So, it should be people like you and me who go. Perhaps ministers and envoys from other countries will alsoe.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, you and Leort should go.¡±

    I agreed with Marie¡¯s question. Usually, in such situations, it is Leort and Rina who should go, not Marie and Me.

    Rina, after reading our expressions, gave us a slightly puzzling smile and began exining the current situation one by one.

    ¡°My brother is currently busy with an engagement issue. He¡¯s in the process of pursuing marriage with someone from the Ters Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°From the Ters Kingdom? Why all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not all of a sudden. It¡¯s been happening since after the exhibition. Thanks to Xenon, or rather Isaac, revealing his homnd, our empire saw an opportunity. You guys know, right? The significance of the birthce of a world-renowned genius.¡±

    ¡°Everyone probably knows, but my hometown, the Mishelle Territory, is gradually evolving into a cultural city. Even after the exhibition ended, tourists continued to visit to see the exhibited works, and even the upper ss kepting to visit.¡±

    ¡°Moreover, the Mishelle Territory was an area that the royal family had been paying attention to. It was just that development was dyed in other areas. But after the exhibition, it¡¯s being rapidly developed.¡±

    ¡°Most importantly, by confessing that my hometown is the Michelle Territory, it gained significant cultural benefits. The Ters Kingdom has no choice but to follow suit.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why there¡¯s talk of sending the two princesses to our academy. You guys don¡¯t have to worry about it. The two princesses are the same age as our older brother, and they¡¯re both martial arts experts.¡±

    ¡°What are their names?¡±

    ¡°Hiliya Dukeard von Kurchers. She¡¯s a girl with sky-blue hair and sky-colored eyes.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Was she the quiet girl I saw at the exhibition? She stood out particrly because she was wearing a uniform.

    However, it can never be said that she was someone who was particrly likable among them. She was one of the main culprits who made tears flow from Adelia¡¯s eyes. She even instructed her own sister not to approach Adelia.

    <i>¡®But Adele-noona will have a hard time¡­¡¯</i>

    I would rather have Leort transfer to the Academy of the Ters Kingdom, but the Minerva Empire firmly holds the reins of power. The Ters Kingdom is well aware of that, so they must be sending Hiliya.

    A bitter taste filled my mouth. Does Rina really know? That Adelia is the illegitimate child of the Ters Kingdom¡¯s king. And that she suffered severe trauma from being abandoned by her family.

    ¡°Anyway, my brother is busy with personal matters, so he can¡¯t go. And it¡¯s a bit difficult for me to go alone, right? That¡¯s why I¡¯m offering to go with all of you.¡±

    ¡°But why Isaac? Only we know Isaac¡¯s true identity.¡±

    Marie¡¯s words were correct. If I were to go as the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography, it might be fine, but on the surface, I¡¯m just a son of a Baron. I¡¯m far behind the princess and the Duke¡¯s heiress in terms of status.

    At the very least, it would be much better if a Marquis or higher-ranking person went, or if only Rina and Marie went.

    In response to the question filled with such intentions, Rina smiled faintly and gently teased Marie with her words.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s true, but if you¡¯re engaged, there shouldn¡¯t be a problem. Although it¡¯s not officially announced, you¡¯re still nning to do it, right?¡±

    As expected of a princess. I could only respond with a mixture of admiration and astonishment at the answer that turned Marie¡¯s question into a mere ¡®whatever¡¯.

    If you¡¯re engaged in this world, it¡¯s practically the same as being married. Marie and I haven¡¯t officially gotten engaged, but it¡¯s almost certain since we¡¯re already being pushed by our respective families.

    So, as the future Duchess of Requilis, and I as her fianc¨¦, it¡¯s not a problem to go to Alvenheim together.

    However, there are still some issues remaining.

    ¡°Then are we going to use teleportation? Taking a carriage would take too long.¡±

    ¡°Of course, we¡¯ll use teleportation. And we¡¯ll leave two days before the speech. The immigration procedures in Alvenheim are strict for non-elves. If we make a mistake, it could take the whole day, so it¡¯s better to go ahead of time.¡±

    In human society, teleportation is a magic that only nobles above the Count rank can use. Teleportation facilities are usually installed in mansions, and in the case of emperors or kings, they are developed to the extent of being able to travel across countries.

    Of course, this is the current situation. Teleportation facilities are showing signs of gradually evolving intomon transportation means, as Alvenheim, which is implementing an open policy under Arwen¡¯s guidance, as well as the demons, are reaching out to the world more and more.

    Dwarves are a race that does anything as long as they receive a fair price, so it doesn¡¯t matter. The remaining question is whether magic will be passed down to the masses or not.

    <i>¡®Seeing as there¡¯s no such thing like a magic tower, it¡¯s still a long way off.¡¯</i>

    Just as I was thinking that, Marie, who listened to the persuasion from Rina, started asking in detail if there were any other things to be cautious about in Alvenheim.

    ¡°Are there any precautions in Alvenheim? It¡¯s my first time going there too.¡±

    ¡°First, you need to distinguish your conversation partner well. There are elves who dislike humans because of the racial war. Moreover, it¡¯s difficult to determine someone¡¯s age just by appearance, so it¡¯s best to be cautious about engaging in conversations if possible.¡±

    ¡°I see. Then, where will we sit during the speech? Do we have separate VIP seats?¡±

    ¡°No, of course not. VIP seats are reserved for the nobles of Alvenheim, the prestigious families. We will sit right behind them to watch.¡±

    If that¡¯s the case, will Cecilye? I shifted my gaze and looked at Cecily, who was sitting next to Rina.

    Even during our conversation, she remained silent, sitting still.

    Suddenly, she noticed my gaze, and our eyes met. As soon as our eyes met, I immediately spoke up.

    ¡°Will Cecily-noona alsoe?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to, but I¡¯m not sure if Alvenheim will ept the demons. Unless the Queen personally grants permission.¡±

    Was she asking me to go ask instead? Cecily smiled mischievously as she replied, and I couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    Even if the elves adopted an open policy, they are still elves. It will undoubtedly take a long time for them to ept the f demons, the descendants of devils.

    Someone might question why the descendants of devils would want toe to the sacrednd of Alvenheim. They are currently preupied with the issue of mixed-blood, so how would they feel about the demons?

    ¡°Oh, by the way, Cecily.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m curious, are there any half-bloods between demons and humans?¡±

    Marie asked the question. Not only she, but also I and Rina, we all simultaneously showed our curiosity. Amidst such interests, Cecily seemed slightly taken aback. She blinked her bright red eyes a couple of times and then tapped her cheek with her finger. It was her characteristic habit whenever she had something to think about.

    After pondering for a while, Cecily responded with a somewhat ambiguous voice.

    ¡°Well¡­ Unlike elves, I haven¡¯t heard any stories about the birth of hybrids because demons haven¡¯t received good treatment so far. If there were any, we would have directly intervened to protect them in our Helium.¡±

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°No, there¡¯s no need to apologize.¡±

    When Marie apologized, Cecily waved her hand and reassured her, saying it was okay. Then she shifted her gaze to me and, with a sly smile, opened her mouth in a subdued voice.

    ¡°You might hear news about the birth of hybrids soon. Don¡¯t you think so?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Why are you looking at me and saying that? Of course, it¡¯s possible to hear news about the birth of hybrids, considering that demons are gaining poprity day by day.

    I pretended to beposed and raised my teacup.

    <i>¡®Come to think of it, the horns¡­¡¯</i>

    Cecily¡¯s horns began to gradually turn reddish, just like in the previous exhibition.

    *****

    The time Isaac left for the bathroom.

    When Isaac left his seat, Rina cautiously called Marie, who was sitting across from her.

    ¡°¡­Marie?¡±

    ¡°Yeah? What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ you said you would stay at Alvenheim for about a day.¡±

    ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°Do you happen to need a ce with soundproofing?¡±

    Rina asked hesitantly, but Marie urately understood what she meant. With a shy expression and a blush on her cheeks, Marie responded.

    ¡°C-Can I ask you for a favor? It might get a bit noisy¡­ Since it¡¯s Alvenheim, it should be okay, right?¡±

    ¡°Uh, yeah. Of course.¡±

    Rina said with a reddened face.

    ¡°¡­Maybe.¡±

    Marie couldn¡¯t even hear the rest of the conversation because it was so quiet.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    And Cecily, who was sitting next to them, could hear everything. She looked at Rina with a subtle gaze.

    Rina¡¯s face turned bright red, as if she was already imagining something, and she couldn¡¯t even lift her head.

    She even fidgeted between her legs as if something was tickling her. It was like the appearance of a maiden seeing something provocative for the first time.

    <i>¡®How cute.¡¯</i>

    Cecily inwardly chuckled at Rina¡¯s uneasiness.

    Trantors note:

    1/5

 Chapter 135: To Alvenheim (2)

    The next day, after it was confirmed that I was heading to Alvenheim, Arwen came directly to my amodation. Since she used magic to conceal her presence, she managed to sneak into my room without anyone noticing. At first, I was startled when I heard a voiceing from thin air, but soon I realized it was Arwen and felt relieved.

    From then on, Arwen would visit my room, and before we started our conversation, I informed her of the news. I immediately told her that I was going to Alvenheim, and her reaction was quite interesting.

    ¡°What, what? What did you just say?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to Alvenheim soon. My friend suggested that we go together, and I thought it would be a good idea, so I agreed.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll get to see you deliver a speech with my own eyes.¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    Arwen, apparently not expecting me toe to Alvenheim at all, held both of her ears and groaned. It was quite fascinating to see her elongated ears being held like handles. It seemed to be a habit that came out whenever she was flustered.

    Meanwhile, Arwen, in a slightly anxious voice, asked if I had to be bothered toe. Her hands were still firmly gripping her ears.

    ¡°Mm, can you note?¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s, um, it¡¯s embarrassing.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯ve already seen everything, so what¡¯s there to be embarrassed about?¡±

    Arwen¡¯s cheeks turned as red as the sunset, feeling embarrassed at the strange part. As someone who had witnessed my situation with Marie with both eyes, I couldn¡¯t help but smirk.

    However, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t sympathize at all. Already burdened with the pressure to do well in front of a lot of people, if I were to be watched by a person that coached me, the burden would be immense.

    ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s decided that I¡¯ll watch your speech. Besides, I already made the teleportation reservation, and I don¡¯t have any grounds to refuse.¡±

    ¡°Well, wouldn¡¯t it be better if you instead focus on writing your book?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Wouldn¡¯t you think the opposite? There¡¯s such a great material, so why would I not go?¡±

    ¡°Mm¡­¡±

    Was it confirmed that I would be watching the speech? Arwen held onto her ears and closed her eyes tightly.

    After a deep sigh, she let go of her ears, which she had been gripping like a handle, and murmured quietly.

    ¡°I guess there¡¯s no choice¡­ But don¡¯t get your hopes up. Even if the speech you conveyed is great, it will vary depending on the person delivering it.¡±

    ¡°If you have confidence, there shouldn¡¯t be any problems if you do it like you didst time.¡±

    ¡°Well, I hope so¡­¡±

    It seems that Arwen is feeling quite burdened. After all, this is her first nationwide address, so it¡¯s natural for her to feel nervous. Delivering a speech in front of people is already a nerve-wracking experience, let alone a nationwide address. As the day approaches, Arwen¡¯s emotions will likely fluctuate rapidly, and the possibility of not being able to sleep properly is high.

    If she were aplete stranger, I might have ignored it, but because she is Arwen, I felt inclined to help. I was partially responsible if she messes up and in a way, she is one of the people I can call a ¡°friend.¡±

    Considering my limited and narrow human rtionships, I want to help my friends as much as possible. Although it may seem like an intervention in state affairs, I was simply helping a friend, so it didn¡¯t seem significant.

    ¡°What should I do? Should I cheer you on? Or should I pat your head?¡±

    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t treat me like a child. Even though I may look like this, I¡¯ve lived many times longer than you.¡±

    ¡°For a grandma, you seem to enjoy teasing me a lot.¡±

    ¡°You¡­ sigh.¡±

    Instead of getting annoyed at being called ¡°grandma,¡± Arwen patted her chest as ifforting herself. After being teased so much about being a grandmother, she seemed to have grown ustomed to it.

    In fact, it¡¯s only possible to call her ¡°grandma¡± because she¡¯s Arwen. I tried it once jokingly with Cecily, and she almost tore my ear off, so I would never do it again.

    On the other hand, Arwen¡¯s reactions are quite amusing. Even if she acts like a child most of the time, when teased like this, she tries hard to act like an adult.

    When she gets upset, she pouts like a rabbit that had its food taken away, and it was difficult to stop her from sulking.

    ¡°¡­The only human who can converse with me without any pretenses is you.¡±

    ¡°Is that a way of saying I¡¯m special?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    I said it as a joke, but Arwen stared at me intensely. Because of that, I ended up feeling embarrassed.

    Meanwhile, she nodded her head and calmly opened her mouth, speaking with aposed voice.

    ¡°In a way, it could be possible. I¡¯ve never made human friends while living in human society, you see.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Weren¡¯t you from Alvenheim?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a half-blood with human blood mixed in. It seems I forgot to mention that.¡±

    Arwen being a half-blood was quite surprising news. It was due to the prejudice that the Queen of Alvenheim would naturally be a pureblood.

    However, as Cindy mentionedst time, Arwen didn¡¯t receive any sponsorship from the prestigious families and rose to the position of queen through her own abilities. If she were an ordinary elf, it might have been suspicious, but being a half-blood changes the story.

    ¡°I had no idea. So, did you live in the human world until one of your parents passed away naturally?¡±

    ¡°My mother gave birth to me and shortly after, she left this world.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    It feels like I asked for no reason. I¡¯m worried that I may have touched a wound.

    Fortunately, Arwen seemed indifferent and reassured me, shaking her head. Then, with a nostalgic gaze, she began to recall past memories, one by one.

    ¡°After my mother passed away, my father took me and we traveled all around the world. He taught me to see the bright and dark sides of humans, and to make their strengths my own. It served me well in Alvenheim, and I could even be a queen.¡±

    ¡°Did you manipte the prestigious families?¡±

    ¡°You could say something simr. I asked them to lend me their power to restrain the Council. As the power of the noble families in the Council grew, they deemed it necessary to have a means of control, so they aided me.¡±

    ¡°What about the Academy? Didn¡¯t you attend?¡±

    ording to Cindy, I heard that the elves of Alvenheim receive education at a ce called the First Academy until the age of 50. They say one bes a walking library, but that¡¯s only because they focus solely on education until they turn 50. Of course, it¡¯s not like education is forced upon them like in some countries, so there are noints as they immerse themselves in what they enjoy.

    And elves are considered respectable members of society only if they graduate from the Academy. However, I¡¯m not sure what happens to half-elves.

    ¡°You can attend the Academy. From what I¡¯ve heard from other half-elves, most of them have human parents with whom they enjoyed traveling the world and then entered Alvenheim. For elves, the doors of the Academy are always open, so there¡¯s no problem in receiving an education.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you usually receive education until the age of 50?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a general story, but it varies from person to person. If you only want to graduate, you can do it in 10 years.¡±

    ¡°It seems quite lenient for elves.¡±

    ¡°It might be a story made possible due to their long lifespan. You can¡¯t estimate someone¡¯s age just by appearances. Even among elves, age is often inferred through speech or demeanor.¡±

    In a way, she shows apassionate side, particrly towards the elves. However, seeing the current turmoil caused by mixed blood issues, it is clear that there is still a long way to go.

    If this situation does not settle down, won¡¯t they intensify mixed blood tests? I am concerned that if oppression urs, it might truly give rise to a fascist state. In that case, Arwen could also be expelled. I looked at her quietly and asked in a calm voice.

    ¡°Will you reveal your own mixed blood during the speech?¡±

    ¡°Hmm? Isn¡¯t that obvious? If not, the sense of urgency won¡¯t be conveyed.¡±

    ¡°Regardless of the situation, you have a strong sense of responsibility.¡±

    ¡°Hmph. I¡¯m not pleased with your praise at all.¡±

    Arwen coughed dryly, but I could see it. A faint blush appeared on her snow-white cheeks. Above all, it was the elongated ears twitching up and down. No matter how much she tried to hide her emotions, her ears were an undeniable giveaway.

    ¡°What does it matter if you¡¯re not pleased? How will you deal with the Council of Elders with those ears?¡±

    ¡°As I said before, there is no one else but you who I can engage in a conversation without prejudice. In fact, there are not many individuals I would call friends.¡±

    Why does it feel so pitiful? Perhaps the reason she cared for Rain so desperately was also because of loneliness.

    From the moment of birth, living as a wanderer and then entering Alvenheim and taking the Queen¡¯s seat. It¡¯s safe to say there was hardly any time to maintain personal rtionships.

    Although appearingposed on the surface, there are few people with whom she can speak so frankly. In fact, even if jokingly asked if I am special, the answer would be affirmative.

    ¡°As a friend¡­ well, in life, you can make friends. You still have more days to live than I do.¡±

    ¡°I hope so, but¡­ it¡¯s a problem that I can¡¯t easily trust people because of the Elders¡¯ Council. I have no idea where their eyes and ears are, so I can¡¯t help but be cautious in everything.¡±

    ¡°The perfect situation to catch a case of paranoia.¡±

    Arwen nodded silently. High-ranking politicians like her know very well how ¡®trust¡¯ is futile.

    Originally, politics are deeply intertwined with power, and as power increases, morality and distance fade away. Naturally, the meaning of trust also inevitably loses its significance.

    Moreover, the moment power weakens, hyenase rushing in. Historically, despots are often born when they be obsessed with power, but most of them suffer from paranoia and be violent.

    <i>¡®If Arwen were to be like that¡­¡¯</i>

    Will there really be a fascist elf? It could be recorded as the worst in the history of Alvenheim, where all the members of the Council of Elders are pushed aside by force and only she remains.

    Of course, given Arwen¡¯s kind nature, the probability of that happening is slim, but you never know what can happen in the world. There have been numerous cases of noble leaders falling into the path of evil due to various incidents.

    I looked at Arwen with an using gaze. Arwen seemed to have read my gaze and spoke with a bitter smile.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to look at me like that. This is the path I have chosen, and there¡¯s no point inining. I am not as weak as you think.¡±

    ¡°Why did you choose to be a queen? You could have lived an ordinary life.¡±

    To achieve a specific goal, one must rise to a position of high authority. So what is Arwen¡¯s goal?

    After contemting whether she could answer my question, Arwen looked me in the eyes. My face was reflected in her gxy-like shimmering gray eyes.

    Then Arwen smirked and opened her mouth in a cautious tone.

    ¡°This is a story I haven¡¯t told anyone, so consider yourself special. I will tell you personally.¡±

    ¡°In that case, I don¡¯t have to listen.¡±

    ¡°Y-You must listen to what people say!¡±

    Indeed, teasing Arwen brings joy. As she saw me chuckling, her face turned red, and she stood tall.

    It¡¯s irresistible, as if teasing an innocent child. Still, it seems like a serious story, so let¡¯s listen.

    Arwen also corrected her posture and cleared her throat before ncing at me. Then, in a quiet yet gentle voice, she spoke.

    ¡°As I mentioned earlier, I have traveled the human world with my father. I observed their bright and dark sides and learned a lot. One of the things I realized is that humans experience so many failures. In other words, they constantly strive and challenge themselves.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    ¡°On the other hand, what about us, the Elves? We simply walk the pathsid by others. The problem is, even with just that one path, we can surpass other races. It may be fine for now, but surely significant troubles will arise in the future.¡±

    ¡°Because of humans?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not so much about them, but rather ourcency. Even with the lingering shadow of the Race Wars, concealed in the light, the Council of Elders fails to regain their senses. Moreover, their power, though not as great as before, is gradually growing stronger. Just look at how many times the throne has changed hands throughout history.¡±

    Indeed, inparison to their lifespans, the kings of Alvenheim have not been without frequent recements. Listening to Arwen¡¯s story, it seemed that the severe constraints imposed by the Council of Elders were likely the cause.

    ¡°I wanted to stop that. Moreover, I am in the midst of constantly challenging it. Even if conflicts arise along the way, if we can resolve those conflicts, it means some ¡®change¡¯ has urred. If such changes happen frequently, undoubtedly our Elves will undergo progress.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re aware, but there are many humans who dislike change.¡±

    ¡°But it doesn¡¯t mean there aren¡¯t people who embrace challenges. I simply want to encourage our people to take on challenges. Even if someone calls it an unnecessary policy, it doesn¡¯t matter. Because even if it¡¯s not understood now, evaluations may change in the distant future.¡±

    The policies that Arwen mentioned were harshly criticized during her time, but they could receive praise as achievements in the distant future. She is more concerned about the future than the present.

    However, there are still worrisome aspects. With a concerned voice, I asked her.

    ¡°What about you? Are you okay? You could be expelled if you make a mistake.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s the people rather than the Council who drive me away, I would willingly ept it. That, too, would be a change.¡±

    ¡°Just by saying that, you don¡¯t seem like a true elf.¡±

    ¡°Not seem like an elf¡­¡±

    Upon hearing my words, Arwen shrugged her shoulders and nonchntly replied.

    ¡°In a way, that could be true. Being a half-blood with human thinking ingrained in me. Still, I have pride as an elf.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a response befitting an elf.¡±

    ¡°Then what do you think an elf is? Do you believe they are an arrogant and stubborn race like other humans might think?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s just¡­¡±

    I shifted my gaze elsewhere and pondered deeply. Elves, like humans, are a race that cannot be easily defined.

    As Arwen mentioned, elves possess an arrogant and knowledgeable aspect, but conversely, it is because of this that they can be seen as a proud and courageous race. If humans have clear distinctions between light and shadow, could it be said that elves have such a strong light that their hidden shadows are also significant?

    Still, this one thing feels certain to me. I faced Arwen directly and opened my mouth.

    ¡°A race that only regains their senses after being hit.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Arwen blinked in response to my answer. It was apletely unexpected reaction.

    With a slight smile, I continued speaking.

    ¡°Elves are a race that only regains their senses after being hit. It applies to the Race War and the conflict between the elves and the dark elves that you told me about. They¡¯re all simr, right? They don¡¯t move until someone hits them.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°So, it means that someone has to hit them for them to progress. Do you understand what I mean?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Arwen blinked with a bewildered expression, as if she couldn¡¯t believe it or was dumbfounded. Her innocent face was so adorable that I almost instinctively wanted to pat her on the head.

    Finally gathering her thoughts, Arwen smirked and shook her head.

    ¡°Really¡­ That¡¯s an outrageous answer. But I can¡¯t refute it because it¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°If you know, you should hit harder during your speech too. You¡¯ll give you the speech, though.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. And¡­ Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    Arwen called me but hesitated to speak. With a puzzled expression, she made a small request of me.

    ¡°If I take the wrong path¡­ could you hit me once?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the only person I consider a friend, and you¡¯re the only one who can hit me.¡±

    So, she wants me to snap her out of it every time she goes off track? The choice of words is odd, but Arwen is asking me to y the role of a brake for her.

    It seems that her words about considering me a special person were not false but true. I was a little taken aback, but eventually agreed.

    ¡°Alright. That should be easy.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Arwen gave a gentle smile and softly opened her mouth.

    ¡°I¡¯m really fortunate to have met you.¡±

    A few dayster.

    ¡°Will Cecilye too?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. She¡¯s nning toe with Bk.¡±

    ¡°Why is Gartzing again?¡±

    ¡°Just taking him along? He¡¯ll probably want to meet you too, so it¡¯s a good opportunity.¡±

    I set off for Alvenheim.

    Trantors note:

    2/5

    9 more days and my tests end so finally there will be no more dys in releases. And as always, I apologize for the dy.

 Chapter 136: In Alvenheim (1)

    The day has arrived for them to enter Alvenheim, the country that is both the homnd of the elves and the first country created, chosen by the gods. Alvenheim boasts strict immigration procedures, as mentioned before, so we set off early in the morning.

    Following that, together with Marie, Rina, and the other two, they traveled by carriage to the pce, which can be considered the symbol of the empire. Since Cecily mentioned that she would depart from Helium instead of the Minerva Empire, she wasn¡¯t present.

    And if you ask why we are going to the pce, it¡¯s because the teleportation facility for moving between countries, rather than just regions, is located there. The teleportation device at the Requilis Mansion can only transport to locations within the Minerva Empire.

    ¡°Are we going to enter Alvenheim directly from here?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that. We¡¯ll arrive in Alvenheim, but we still have to provide detailed identification and state our purpose for entry there. Think of this ce as an intermediate point.¡±

    After a while, we arrived at the teleportation facility. It was installed on the outskirts because it was deemed unsafe to have it inside the pce. The security measures, including guards and the stern appearance of the building, were strict, possibly to prepare for any unforeseen idents.

    When I visited Helium, I didn¡¯t have a chance to enjoy it as I used Cecily¡¯s personal teleportation device. But now that I was facing it directly, it seemed fascinating.

    The size of the building wasn¡¯t asrge as expected, and at first nce, it resembled a prison.

    While observing the unfamiliar teleportation device, I discreetly nced at Rina standing beside me. She was currently giving instructions to the escort knights who had apanied us.

    It seemed like they were discussing the immigration procedures.

    ¡°Isaac, this is your first time traveling to another country, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Marie, who was standing beside me, asked as she looked at Rina. When I turned my head, I saw Marie¡¯s face beaming with a smile.

    <i>¡®Come to think of it, Marie doesn¡¯t know.¡¯</i>

    Due to the high-profile theft incident, I had briefly visited Helium in the past. However, that visit was kept secret between me, Cecily, and Arwen. Marie was unaware of such an event taking ce.

    So, she would naturally assume that this is my first time going to another country. I awkwardly smiled and scratched my head.

    ¡°Yeah, and I¡¯m a bit nervous about Alvenheim. Marie, have you ever been there?¡±

    ¡°Well, actually, it¡¯s my first time in Alvenheim too. I¡¯ve been to ces like the Ters Kingdom or the Belua Republic, but this is my first experience with a country mainly popted by a different species.¡±

    ¡°So, you have no idea about it at all?¡±

    ¡°Well, I heard that the immigration process is ridiculously strict. And my dad mentioned that there¡¯s some racial discrimination.¡±

    ¡°Racial discrimination, huh¡­¡±

    As I listened to her story, I pondered over it. In my previous life, there was racial discrimination based on skin color, but it seemed to be called racial discrimination here because the species here are different.

    I also heard from Cindy that the older generation, in particr, frequently engages in discriminatory behavior. It¡¯s not just them, even some improperly educated younger generations do it asionally.

    The more I think about it, the more I feel like they are the perfect embodiment of ¡°arrogance.¡± They may not surpass humans in terms of extremes of light and shadow, but they can definitely bepared.

    ¡°What about Cecily? Cecily is a demon, right? It seems like it would be even worse for her than us.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m worried about that too. She managed to get the entry permit, but I¡¯m not sure what will happen after that. Apparently, demons have never set foot in Alvenheim before.¡±

    Marie expressed her concerns with a voice full of worry. In reality, regardless of which country it was, ¡°official¡± entry for demons was nearly impossible. Most of them resorted to illegal entry, and Helium had enforced a semi-closed-door policy.

    The situation improved significantly after Xenon¡¯s Biography, but there were still tensions with Alvenheim. Even if they allowed entry on the surface, nobody knew what was happening internally.

    Because of this, I worried that Cecily might face discriminatory treatment in Alvenheim. However, if that were to happen, it would escte into a serious diplomatic issue. Obtaining permission to enter was equivalent to officially stating the intention to visit.

    Not only Alvenheim but also the Minerva Empire had long spread rumors. They knew that both Rina and Marie, including myself, were going to visit Alvenheim to witness Arwen¡¯s speech to the nation.

    By the way, Rina and Marie were introduced as a princess and the next duchess respectively, while I was introduced as Marie¡¯s fianc¨¦. It was only natural for Marie to smile with joy upon hearing that.

    ¡°Still, don¡¯t worry too much. If that happens, it will only tarnish Alvenheim¡¯s reputation. Besides, we are nning to stay at a nearby inn.¡±

    ¡°Are we going to stay at the inn all the time? Don¡¯t you want to go out and explore?¡±

    ¡°If you want to, it¡¯s fine. But I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s possible. After all, you and I will be sharing the same room.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    As soon as I mentioned sharing the same room, Marie¡¯s face turned red in an instant. Yet, she tightly held my hand, representing her desire implicitly.

    I smiled and gave her a reassuring squeeze, as if I could understand her inner thoughts without saying a word. Marie let out her characteristic ticklingughter and looked delighted.

    Although it was a joking remark, considering the infamous entry procedures of Alvenheim and our exhausted bodies, it seemed like we would need to rest at an inn for a day. Just in case, I had brought along books and notebooks.

    ¡°Now, let¡¯s go. They said everything has already been arranged inside. We just need to stand on the magic circle.¡±

    ¡°When we move, we start the entry procedures there, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It won¡¯t be as strict as its reputation suggests, so don¡¯t worry. We are nobles, after all. Our identities are already guaranteed.¡±

    ¡°Got it. But, Rina, have you been to Alvenheim before?¡±

    ¡°I went once with my brother. I even met the queen back then.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Visiting Alvenheim was one thing, but hearing about her meeting Arwen was new information. How did Rina end up meeting Arwen?

    Seeing the questions on my face, Rina smiled and casually replied.

    ¡°I had the opportunity to visit the Alvenheim¡¯s Academy just once. It was inside a gigantic tree called the World Tree. It was truly fascinating. I met the queen during that time.¡±

    ¡°How was itpared to Halo Academy?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s much better there. I guess it¡¯s because the academy was built by the elves themselves. Even a simple spell costs a lot in our budget.¡±

    When will humans be able to use magic freely, like elves or demons, maybe not just as effortlessly as breathing, but essible to anyone with enough effort?

    If not, it wouldn¡¯t be bad to harness the power of science. Honestly, seeing the existence of air conditioners and refrigerators, it seems like machines are more than likely to be created.

    With such futile thoughts in my mind, I stepped into the teleportation facility. Passing by the security guards guarding the entrance, I entered the building, and I felt the air grow heavy.

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±

    Immediately upon surveying the interior, I let out a sigh filled with various meanings. There were intricate magic circles on the floor, and around them were mages wearing robes. Rather than teleportation, it felt more like summoning demons.

    Moreover, the murmurs of the mages in a foreignnguage echoed subtly, creating an eerie atmosphere.

    ¡°All preparations areplete, Your Highness. You may stand on the magic circle.¡±

    A hoarse voice interjected while I observed the preparation process. It seemed to be the person in charge of managing the teleportation facility. I nodded in response and walked towards the magic circle. As I moved, Marie moved with me, still holding my hand. Soon, as everyone heading to Alvenheim climbed onto the magic circle, the former person in charge opened his mouth.

    ¡°Teleportation will be activated in 10 seconds. 10¡­ 9¡­ 8¡­ 7¡­ 6¡­ 1.¡±

    Wait a moment. Why did it suddenly jump from 6 seconds to 1? Before I could react or say anything, the person in charge activated the magic circle with his distinctive hoarse voice.

    ¡°Departing to Alvenheim.¡±

    Paaat!

    At that moment, a bright light, blinding enough to make my eyes ache, burst out from the magic circle. I tightly closed my eyes and waited silently until the light disappeared.

    As a precaution, I squeezed Marie¡¯s hand with a firm grip, and I could feel her silently reassuring me by gently exerting strength.

    Thanks to that brief moment of relief, the light emanating from the magic circle gradually diminished. Feeling that it was safe to open my eyes, I quietly opened them.

    Could it be that the bright light erupted in an instant? In my field of vision, ck spots swirled and obstructed my sight. Nevertheless, it wasn¡¯t to the point where I couldn¡¯t see anything at all, so I could still distinguish things.

    The wizards who had surrounded the magic circle just moments ago had disappeared without a trace, and in front of me a man stood confidently. When I looked closely at his face, he had a beautiful appearance and, along with it, ears much longer than those of a human.

    The man was none other than an elf. As I stared at him with a dumbfounded expression, he shed an elegant smile and spoke kindly.

    ¡°Wee to Alvenheim, everyone. You can proceed with the immigration process over there.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ Hello?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Hello. Red-haired gentleman.¡±

    In a moment of surprise, I greeted him, and the elf man responded smoothly with a gentle demeanor. Feeling foolish for doing it for no reason, my face flushed with embarrassment.

    Meanwhile, Rina, following proper etiquette, greeted the elf and spoke up.

    ¡°Hello. I am Rina Urmi Christine, the First Princess of the Minerva Empire. Have you heard about our arrival?¡±

    ¡°Of course. You can follow that path for the detailed immigration procedures.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Let¡¯s go, everyone.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    I looked around as I followed behind Rina. Unlike the teleportation facility I saw earlier, this ce was filled with dense trees. The unique scent of the forest tantalized my senses, and everything around me was green. Moreover, I only saw one elf guarding this ce.

    As I passed the elf man who seemed to be in charge, our eyes met. I couldn¡¯t tell what he was thinking, but he gave us an elegant smile while looking at us.

    <i>¡®Are they just letting us go this easily?¡¯</i>

    The immigration process in Alvenheim is known to be notoriously strict. So, I had mentally prepared myself for something tougher, and it felt somewhat anticlimactic to be sent off so easily.

    Or maybe if we continue down this path, some kind of checkpoint simr to a customs office will appear. I had a creeping suspicion and asked Rina. There were escort knights beside us, but we didn¡¯t need to pay much attention to them, so I used informalnguage.

    ¡°Are we going straight into Alvenheim now?¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. If we walk a little further ahead, there should be an institution set up for the immigration process. We¡¯ll go through the actual immigration process there.¡±

    ¡°What about the person we just saw?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a wizard who manages the teleportation facility. Unlike humans, elves can use teleportation with just one wizard.¡±

    ¡°Can he manage it alone?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s probably an expert in that area since he has to transport multiple people. And he¡¯ll be on guard in unseen ces. The forest is like a sanctuary for elves.¡±

    It seems like they were serving as border patrol in an unseen location. I became fascinated as I learned new facts one after another. Upon seeing my expression, Rina smirked and told me about the ns ahead. Specifically, she exined how to smoothly pass through the immigration process.

    ¡°If you use the teleportation facility, you¡¯re usually considered VIP and the immigration process bes much smoother. So, as long as you don¡¯t give strange answers, you should be able to pass without any issues.¡±

    ¡°For example?¡±

    ¡°When they ask about the purpose of your visit, you shouldn¡¯t simply say it¡¯s for travel. You need to provide detailed information about where you¡¯re traveling, which inn you n to stay at, and when you¡¯ll be departing. We¡¯re considered VIPs, so it¡¯s easier for us. As you know, elves are particrly strict when ites to other races.¡±

    ¡°Why are elves so strict?¡±

    It wasn¡¯t my question but Marie¡¯s. She was filled with curiosity in her blue eyes.

    However, Rina either didn¡¯t know much about that aspect or purposely avoided the topic and passed it on to me.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not quite sure either. Maybe Isaac knows?¡±

    ¡°Do you know, Isaac?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s just a guess¡­ It¡¯s probably because of the racial war.¡±

    ¡°The racial war?¡±

    Marie had an expression that seemed to ask for a detailed exnation. The same was true for Rina, who was beside her. It seemed like they both genuinely didn¡¯t know.

    As I looked at the curious gazes of the two women, I slowly organized my thoughts and began exining one by one. It was easy for me to talk about the story, since I had heard about it from Cindy.

    ¡°As you both know, humans and elves fought a racial war 300 years ago. It was a war that caused significant damage not only to humans but also to elves. However, for elves, 300 years is like 30 years for humans. On the other hand, for humans, it¡¯s been more than three centuries. Humans have recorded the war in their history, but elves still remember it. That¡¯s why the immigration process might be strict. The aftermath of the war is still ongoing for elves.¡±

    ¡°Is it to prevent possible terrorism, perhaps?¡±

    ¡°In a way, yes. However, keep in mind that elves have only recently started adopting an open policy. Naturally, they have to be cautious. A single drop of water can cloud the whole pond, as they say.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡±

    After listening to my exnation, Marie eximed in agreement. It wasn¡¯t just her, but Rina had a simr expression on her face as well.

    Shortly after, Marie let out a mischievousugh and clung tightly to my arm. Then, she repeatedly kissed my face and murmured in a voice filled with happiness.

    ¡°To think that such a smart and handsome person is my boyfriend¡­ I feel like the luckiest woman.¡±

    ¡°Marie, isn¡¯t Rina watching?¡±

    ¡°Then let her look. How is it? Jealous?¡±

    Marie joked and crossed her arms, teasing Rina. It was a scene that could never have happened if they hadn¡¯t recently reconciled, or rather, it wouldn¡¯t have happened at all.

    Rina smirked at Marie¡¯s innocence and couldn¡¯t hold back her words, as if she couldn¡¯t help herself.

    ¡°I envy you. I wish I had a guy like Isaac. Handsome, smart, and¡­¡±

    Rina paused for a moment, gradually lowering her gaze. Eventually, her eyes stopped in the middle and she tightly sealed her lips. At the same time, a faint blush appeared on her face.

    Not knowing what she was thinking, I tilted my head curiously. Just as I was doing so, Rina subtly shifted her gaze and coughed lightly.

    ¡°Ehem, it¡¯s nothing. Just jealous.¡±

    ¡°Are you thinking about it again?¡±

    Just as Rina was about to respond, Marie abruptly interrupted. The question seemed to hit the mark as Rina became visibly flustered and started stumbling over her words.

    ¡°Oh, no! Absolutely not! I¡¯m not a pervert¡­!¡±

    ¡°For someone who¡¯s not, your face is awfully red. Are you, by any chance¡­¡±

    ¡°Sh, shut up! Isaac will misunderstand!¡±

    Why is my name suddenly being mentioned? As I wondered, Rina emerged with a face that had turned as red as Marie¡¯s.

    For a brief moment, eyes of a simr shade to Marie¡¯s were fixed on my face, repeatedly shifting up and down.

    And¡­

    Gulp

    Rina swallowed nervously, unsure whether it was due to the pressure or her own tension. Considering her usuallyposed personality, it was an unexpected reaction.

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    Meanwhile, Marie, perhaps thinking she had caught something interesting, uncrossed her arms and approached Rina stealthily. Her subtle nasal sound and expression indicated that her mischievousness was at y.

    Following that, Marie approached Rina and whispered softly into her ear.

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    Though I couldn¡¯t understand what Marie said, with a brief remark, Rina¡¯s body jolted visibly. Her snow-white skin turnedpletely red, and her trembling lips caught my attention.

    What could Marie have said? While I was curious, Marie chuckled softly, uncrossing her arms and clinging to me.

    ¡°What did you say?¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. Just ying a little prank.¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    Considering it was just a prank, the reaction was quite intense. Rina had buried her face in both hands and couldn¡¯t even lift her head.

    ¡°Hehe.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Regardless of whether Rina responded or not, Marie stuck close to me, giggling. Afterwards, we were able to set foot on the distant checkpoint.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not allowed. Even if you have permission, unless it¡¯s directly approved by the Queen or the Council, demons are not allowed to step foot in Alvenheim.¡±

    ¡°How many times do I have to say it? I received direct permission from the Queen, and I have the documents right here. Do you seriously not believe an official decree issued by the Queen?¡±

    ¡°Why would our Queen permit demon entry for any reason? Show me proper evidence.¡±

    ¡°Sigh¡­!¡±

    Amidst the heated argument over entry procedures, we came face to face with Cecily.

    Trantors note:

    3/5 Two more chaptersingter today

 Chapter 137: In Alvenheim (2)

    The rtionship between elves and demons is subtlyplex, but it can be said that elves unterally dislike demons. Demons have made countless efforts to be recognized as human beings and have not discriminated against elves or any other race.

    As a result, even though elves are wary of and disdain demons, demons themselves do not pay much attention to it. However, during the race war, demons did keep an eye on humans, so there was some contact between them.

    If demons had not helped the human alliance, the elves¡¯ self-destruction would have caused great damage to humans as well. There are research results suggesting that the reason humans were able to use magic easily was also due to the demons¡¯ interference.

    Thus, the rtionship between elves and demons is subtle. Elves despise demons, who are descendants of devils, but demons simply overlook it. If Xenon¡¯s Biography had not appeared and the perception of demons remained the same, and if Alvenheim had not pursued an open policy, the conflicts between the two would have been minimal. The reason they did not confront each other, despite being wary of each other¡¯s existence, is due to the risk of mutual annihtion and theck of justification.

    However, as time passed and the world changed, the opportunity arose for the demons to move towards the light, and the elves reached out their hands, shedding their arrogance.

    Although they have never shed before, the conflict between these two pr opposites is a situation that could potentially ur someday.

    ¡°Noona, what¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°Hmm? Oh.¡±

    I approached Cecily, who was engaged in a confrontation with an elf, and called out to her. Cecily, who had been catching her breath, widened her red eyes at my appearance.

    Gartz, who had been standing beside her all this time, politely nodded his head in greeting. I also returned the gesture by nodding my head in silence and refocused on Cecily.

    Cecily, dressed in a pitch-ck dress thatplemented her hair color, exuded an aura befitting a princess. The material and delicate appearance of the dress gave the impression of being suitable for going out, but even ordinary clothing was elevated to an air of luxury when paired with her.

    While I observed her attire, Cecily nced at Marie and Rina next to me and then expressed her fatigue.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing major. I just have a slight headache due to the immigration procedures.¡±

    ¡°Immigration procedures¡­¡±

    Upon hearing the mention of immigration procedures, I turned my head to look at the elf with whom she had been shing. He had a handsome appearance befitting an elf, but there was a firm and sharp impression about him.

    He was dressed inly, but there was a symbol on his chest that seemed to indicate his rank. It seemed that he was one of the personnel assigned for the immigration procedures.

    ¡°Let me reiterate, please provide more concrete evidence. Even if you have a document, how will you prove its authenticity? Being a demon, you could easily forge such a trivial magical document.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you see the stamp of the queen¡¯s approval? This seal is an enchanted insignia that cannot be replicated even with magic. It¡¯s something I wouldn¡¯t be able to aplish no matter what.¡±

    ¡°Therefore, I request more solid proof. The queen¡¯s seal alone is far from sufficient.¡±

    I could gather a rough idea of the situation. It seems that the immigration officer is refusing entry by finding faults due to the suspicion that Cecily is a demon.

    This alone would be a significant diplomatic offense, but considering the situation in Helium, it can be seen as an external pressure. As you know, Helium had to quietly endure harsh treatment from neighboring countries until the events rted to Xenon¡¯s Biography unfolded.

    But that¡¯s not the case anymore. Helium has started actively engaging with neighboring countries for several months, unveiling their hidden strengths all at once to firmly establish their presence.

    The problem here is that it¡¯s still in the early stages. Helium has had little diplomatic experience with other countries for centuries, and their perception is only gradually improving. It cannot be guaranteed what might happen if something goes wrong.

    Therefore, if Cecily handles the situation even slightly incorrectly, she could face severe consequences. I¡¯m not sure if the immigration officer has thought that far, but the situation remains difficult.

    <i>¡®Can a princess, not even an ordinary noble, be treated like this?¡¯</i>

    Perhaps because they may not know how powerful the demons, especially Helium, are, they act that way. Even during the racial war, the demons supported the human alliance from behind and did not engage in direct armed conflict with the elves.

    The typical arrogance of the elves towards humans has been diluted through the racial war, but their perspective towards demons remains unchanged.

    I alternated between observing the immigration officer and Cecily, then asked Cecily.

    ¡°Noona, can you show me that official document?¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Just curious.¡±

    It¡¯s unlikely, but Arwen might have approved it strangely. There might be a possibility.

    Cecily handed me the official document without any suspicion at my request. The official document was rolled up like a scroll, and the texture of the paper was noticeably different from ordinary ones.

    After carefully unrolling the rolled-up paper, I found a neatly written official document. At the bottom, there was a stamp proving it was from Queen Arwen.

    [I, Queen Arwen Elidia of Alvenheim, hereby approve the entry of Princess Cecily Drat Eisilia Vin of Helium and her escort knight, Gartz Bk.]

    Although it was a brief content, the letters written with a special pen sparkled like stars. It seems to be deeply rted to magic.

    The date written on the stamp, as well as the context that seemed to be written with magic, clearly indicated Arwen¡¯s approval. With this alone, there is no way Cecily would be denied entry.

    With a puzzled expression, I asked the immigration officer, as I couldn¡¯t understand it at all.

    ¡°Umm¡­ No, it¡¯s an official document directly issued by the Queen. Why can¡¯t you believe it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t believe it, but I need something more certain than this.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this one thing enough?¡±

    ¡°No. The entry of a demon is unprecedented in the history of Alvenheim, so it¡¯s an inevitable procedure.¡±

    Have you ever seen someone so stubborn? I can somewhat understand how Middle Eastern people feel when they try to enter the United States.

    Other races might be simr, but demons, who have the risk of transforming into devils, are always a cause for concern. However, it¡¯s particrly severe in the case of elves.

    Moreover, elves pride themselves on being chosen by the gods, while demons are descendants of the devil, so it¡¯s natural to dislike them. It¡¯s somewhatparable to white people discriminating against ck people based on race.

    Anyway, such discrimination is unjustifiable. I questioned the examiner with a voice that expressed mypleteck of understanding.

    ¡°If this document is genuinely approved by the Queen, what are you going to do about it? Are you willing to take responsibility?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve already requested confirmation from the higher-ups. If you just wait, there won¡¯t be any issues with the entry. The Queen will personally verify it.¡±

    ¡°How long will it take?¡±

    ¡°That, I don¡¯t know. Since it¡¯s the first time for a demon¡¯s entry, it might take a while. It will at least take two days.¡±

    Wow¡­ I¡¯m amazed. He is refusing entry because he didn¡¯t receive instructions from higher-ups. It seems excessively inflexible.

    Elves are known for their strong stubbornness due to their distinctive pride, but I didn¡¯t expect it to be this intense. No wonder they imprisoned Iker during the racial war.

    Cecily gave the officer an exasperated look, as if it wasn¡¯t frustrating enough.

    ¡°Can you take responsibility for this situation? It¡¯s a serious breach diplomatically. Can¡¯t you even imagine what will happen if this news reaches the Queen¡¯s ears?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I have witnessed 400 springs, and I have realized that a 1% chance is not a negligible figure. It is my duty to seal even the slightest gap.¡±

    They say ignorant people be scary when they have beliefs, and this immigration officer clearly exemplified that. A typical stereotypical elf, showing it vividly.

    Moreover, having lived for over 400 years, he must belong to a generation that experienced the racial war. It¡¯s no wonder his gaze towards demons is far from favorable.

    However, this is clearly a misguided measure. I asked the officer calmly, with a tone questioning their sincerity.

    ¡°Excuse me. You mentioned sealing even the slightest gap, but originally, if you seal even the slightest gap, you lose flexibility. If you keep doing that, someday it will explode when it can¡¯t withstand the internal pressure.¡±

    ¡°This is not your concern. Go to another officer and go through the immigration procedure.¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s something I should be concerned about. Just because of your misguided judgment, it will cause significant damage to the entire Alvenheim. Are you really okay with that?¡±

    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? I simply¡­¡±

    ¡°Whether it¡¯s certain or not, whether it¡¯s approved or not, are you ignoring it? Are you disrespecting the Queen, or what? Are you a higher authority than the Queen? It¡¯s an abuse of power, an abuse of power.¡±

    As I disyed the document and meticulously examined each section, the expression on the officer¡¯s face turned cold and rigid. The atmosphere also felt heavy and oppressive, but I refused to back down.

    How can any man remain silent when my woman is subjected to such discrimination? If I can endure it, then I would be the lesser person.

    ¡°What if Princess¡­ No, Her Highness decides to return and officially lodge aint? It would undoubtedly serve as a catalyst for Alvenheim and the entire Elven race to be humiliated. Even though Helium has only recently started diplomatic rtions, this would be a disgrace to your nation. And you would be an elf who contributed decisively to the nation¡¯s disgrace. Elves hold honor and dignity as dearly as their own lives, and you have undermined it all as an immigration officer.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°You mentioned wanting to seal the gap, right? That belief is admirable. It¡¯s always good to be prepared for contingencies. However, the official letter shown to you by Princess Cecily is a kind of conviction that blocks even such contingencies. And yet you refuse entry? You simply dislike demons, there seems to be no other reason.¡±

    Whether it was the blunt strike or not, it seemed to have an effect as the officer¡¯s face turned reddish-purple. When someone else brings out the ugliness buried deep in their heart, it¡¯s only natural for that person to get angry.

    It doesn¡¯t matter if I¡¯m denied entry like this. I can ask Siris or Arwen to secretly smuggle me in. Smuggling is a big risk if caught, but as long as I safely reach the country, the chances of being caught are slim.

    ¡°¡­ You¡¯re saying something interesting. Do I appear to be refusing entry due to personal emotions?¡±

    ¡°Given the circumstances, it¡¯s hard not to see it that way.¡±

    ¡°Ha! Well, as a human, I suppose you can say such things. Humans have always been a race of greed and foolishness. Unlike us, who are wless, they cause many problems.¡±

    The officer finally brought up discriminatory remarks after losing their temper. Although I have never experienced racial discrimination in my past life, I ended up facing it here.

    However, it doesn¡¯t bother me much. Perhaps it¡¯s because the influence of my past life runs deep, making me more sensitive to ethnic discrimination rather than racial discrimination. I could just brush it off, thinking that since he¡¯s an elf, it¡¯s to be expected.

    ¡°¡­You should reconsider what you just said.¡±

    The officer¡¯s discriminatory remark didn¡¯t sit well with me, and Cecily spoke in a low voice. Not only her, but Gartz¡¯s expression hardened, and Marie and Rina didn¡¯t seem any different. I have no idea what criteria were used to select an elf as n immigration officer, but he has clearly crossed the line. I haven¡¯t done anything other than point out the facts, yet he dug their own grave.

    I had a feeling that I would have to wait for a while to enter the country. I stared directly at the officer, who returned my gaze with a cold look. Perhaps due to my height, our eye levels were almost equal.

    ¡°Well¡­ that might be true. Humans oftenmit numerous wrongs due to greed, selfishness, and foolishness.¡±

    ¡°Then why, knowing that¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why humans have greater potential for progress than any other race. Humans maymit wrongs, but at least they recognize and try to correct them. People progress when they acknowledge and rectify their mistakes. But to be wless¡­¡±

    I smirked and delivered a sharp remark to the arrogant elf before my eyes.

    ¡°That¡¯s a species with absolutely no potential for development, truly a race without dreams or hope. It¡¯s just as someone said.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°If you truly want to be wless, start by recognizing where you went wrong and work on fixing it. The moment you be consumed by arrogance and think you¡¯re always right, all that remains is self-destruction. I believe you understand what I mean, having experienced the racial war.¡±

    If even after saying all this, you still refuse to humble yourself, then I truly have to give you credit. Stubbornness truly can be strong.

    I heard from Cyndi that Elves, as strong-willed as they are, often reluctantly concede when their pride is touched.

    ¡°Is that all you have to say?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Then just leave now. None of you are allowed to enter.¡±

    But here, there was an elf who overcame stubbornness with pride. Although I didn¡¯t know about anything else, the rigid person in front of me seemed truly hopeless.

    Just as I was about to retreat, an unfamiliar voice came from another direction.

    ¡°Hahaha. I came just in case, and here you are, doing this.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    It wasn¡¯t the elegant and noble tone unique to Elves, but rather a casual tone filled with levity. I turned my head towards the direction where the voice came from.

    When I turned my head, there was an elf man approaching me with a bright, cheerful smile on his face. His graceful and light footsteps were somewhat unique. His hair was a bright emerald green color, reminiscent of grass, and he boasted an enchanting beauty befitting an elf. On the surface, he seemed like a person exuding positive energy, but¡­

    ¡°K-Keir, Keir-nim¡­!¡±

    Judging by the officer¡¯s reaction, something seemed off. As soon as the elf called Keir appeared, the officer¡¯s expression filled with fear.

    (TL note: His name trantes the same as Kair from xenon¡¯s saga, so I will be changing it to Keir for rity unless it¡¯s stated otherwise.)

    Passing by me, Keir approached the officer and grabbed his shoulder. As he grabbed the shoulder, the officer¡¯splexion turned pale blue. Still wearing his cheerful smile, Keir spoke, his voice as soft as his footsteps.

    ¡°I requested it several times. The Princess of Helium will be visiting soon. So, I said that both she and her escort should be allowed entry.¡±

    ¡°H-However, the demons¡­¡±

    ¡°The descendants of devils? Time bombs that could explode at any moment? Is that really important right now? They¡¯re honored guests who havee to witness our Queen¡¯s speech. Guests. Understand?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I apologize.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize, exin yourself. The princess has the approval letter, and I even requested their entry. So why did you deny them entry? Just tell me once.¡±

    Although his demeanor was gentle, it only made the atmosphere more terrifying. Even I, watching from the side, felt that way, so how must the officer feel?

    The atmosphere continued as if something was about to happen, and the officer, whoseplexion turned pale, swallowed hard before quietly speaking up.

    ¡°¡­I couldn¡¯t help it.¡±

    ¡°Can you say that again?¡±

    ¡°It was an unavoidable situation, in order to prepare for the worst-case scenario.¡±

    An immigration officer who upheld their beliefs until the end. I couldn¡¯t decide whether to admire their determination orment their stubbornness beyond imagination.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t help it¡­¡±

    And upon hearing that response, Keir sighed and patted the officer¡¯s shoulder. Then, with a faint smile, he spoke softly.

    ¡°Well, I guess I can¡¯t help it either.¡±

    After saying those words, Keir carefully removed the emblem attached to the officer¡¯s chest.

    Thud!

    He kicked the officer¡¯s abdomen forcefully. The impact was so powerful that he was sent flying and crashed into the wall, unable to even utter a cry of pain.

    If being mmed into the wall like that, I wonder just how strong the kick was. I can guarantee that if I were hit with that kick, I would either be instantly killed or seriously injured.

    Even though the officer is an elf with a naturally sturdy body, he would still need to recuperate for a few days.

    When everyone was left dumbfounded by the sudden turn of events, Keir, wearing a calm expression, pinned the officer¡¯s badge to his own chest and looked at me.

    Finally, he smiled kindly and asked me.

    ¡°Since the immigration officer is absent, I¡¯ll take care of the process on their behalf. How far did we discuss?¡±

    ¡°We haven¡¯t talked about anything yet.¡±

    ¡°Hahaha. Let¡¯s leave that behind for now. I would like to see some proof of identity or an approval document. The princess there as well.¡±

    Indeed, even among elves, there had to be entric individuals.

    Trantors note:

    4/5

 Chapter 138: In Alvenheim (3)

    Despite a storm passing by, Cecily managed to go through the immigration process somehow. Due to the official¡¯s stubborn refusal, Me, Marie, and Rina had to start from the very beginning. However, Keir followed the proper procedures and even had an approval letter directly from Arwen. Even if the official behaved like an idiot and caused trouble, with just this document, it was as good as having a fast pass.

    ¡°I won¡¯t publicize this matter, but I will file aint to the queen. Since there will be a national speech and we handled the situation well, I¡¯ll endure it a bit.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s our fault, so we have to ept it sternly. I guess it¡¯s also a good opportunity to get rid of that guy.¡±.

    ¡°What will happen if you fire him?¡±

    Cecily pointed to the back where Keir was writing several documents and asked the question. In the direction she pointed, the unconscious official was being carried away by other elves.

    Although it was just a kick, it was strong enough to m him against the wall, so it seems even the toughest elf couldn¡¯t avoid fainting.

    Keir looked at Cecily¡¯s indicated direction and replied in a calm voice.

    ¡°Princess, I¡¯m not sure if you are aware of our customs, but elves typically dedicate their entire lives to their professions. Unless their thoughts change or there are unavoidable circumstances, they do not step down from their positions. However, if theymit a grave mistake and are driven out, it bes a significant issue in various ways. Not only are they unable to work in rted upations, but in the worst case, they may even receive the punishment of ear-cutting.¡±

    ¡°Ear-cutting punishment¡­ It must be the most severe penalty for an elf. What about that person, then?¡±

    ¡°Since he insulted a princess from another country, at the very least, one of his ears will be cut off.¡±

    As mentioned before, an elf¡¯s ears are a body part that should never be damaged. Therefore, ear-cutting punishment is one of the dreadful penalties for an elf. An elf with severed ears will not be treated as an equal among other elves, but will likely face a lifetime of contempt and disdain. While the dark elves might not care much since they willingly cut their own ears, for the regr elves, it¡¯s like advertising themselves as criminals.

    The officer would no longer be able to proudly dere themselves as an elf for the rest of their lives. It was a price befitting their arrogance.

    ¡°I like that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m d you find it satisfactory.¡±

    Cecily wore a satisfied expression because she also knew that, thanks to Keir¡¯s tactful handling, only Arwen would suffer, and it wouldn¡¯t bring disgrace upon the entire Alvenheim.

    There was a brief disturbance, but she began listening to Keir¡¯s instructions on what to be mindful of, one by one. What was even more surprising was that he showed ¡®consideration¡¯ for Cecily.

    No matter if Cecily is the princess of Helium, it seems she is concerned about the difficult situations she may face as a demon.

    ¡°So, are you nning to stay for a few days after the speech?¡±

    ¡°After listening to the speech, I n to return immediately. I guess I have no choice because of the Academy.¡±

    ¡°Oh, by the way, you mentioned that you enrolled in the Halo Academy, right?¡±

    ¡°You know it well.¡±

    ¡°With so many changes happening in the world, I feel left behind if I don¡¯t read the newspaper. Anyway, since you said you will return after the speech, I will issue your permit. As a simr situation could ur again, please keep the Queen¡¯s approval with you and here is my approval letter¡­¡±

    Is he really the same elf as the overly strict immigration officer? Although the officer was excessive, it is generallymon for elves to look down on demons.

    Cecily nced at Keir with a strange look, as if she had simr thoughts to mine.

    ¡°You are different from that officer, aren¡¯t you? Your name is Keir, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Keir Windhooper. Just an ordinary warrior from Alvenheim. And it¡¯s a mistake to think that all elves are the same as that guy over there.¡±

    ¡°Have you also experienced the racial war?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Though it was a brief exchange, it made Keir even more special. The officer over there, who also experienced the racial war, had apletely different mindset.

    ¡°First of all, sincerely wee to Alvenheim, Princess Cecily. It may bete, but I hope you can witness the beauty of Alvenheim with your own eyes now.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for the warm wee. And hey, guys? Bk and I will be waiting over there, so you cane slowly.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°And Keir¡­ What¡¯s your position?¡±

    ¡°I was originally a supervisor, but I became an officer five minutes ago.¡±

    ¡°Pft.¡±

    Unable to hold back, I finally burst intoughter at his witty response. As I looked away, still chuckling, Cecily stared at Keir with a strange look in her eyes.

    After a moment, she smiled faintly and spoke quietly.

    ¡°Alright, officer. Please make sure this kind of thing doesn¡¯t happen again. Understood?¡±

    ¡°Well, as an elf, it might be difficult to avoid that, so I think I¡¯ll need to do it at least four times.¡±

    ¡°An amusing response. Bk, let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡°May your journey be short but enjoyable.¡±

    Keir stood up from his seat, bending his waist in a respectful farewell. Despite the favorable first impression, each of his movements exuded the elegance unique to elves.

    Sometimes light-hearted yet asionally firm, and not overly rigid¡ªa distinct personality. Such a character is umon even among non-elves, but being an elf makes it even more noticeable.

    ¡°Will the Young Lady also return home after the speech?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Oh, by any chance, are there any specialty products that I must buy if I visit Alvenheim?¡±

    ¡°Honestly, anything you buy will likely be a specialty product. I think Young Lady would look good in a dress woven with white silk. Since there¡¯s only one day left until the speech, let me rmend some ces¡­¡±

    As it was Rina¡¯s second visit, they smoothly moved on, and Marie kindly exined even the smallest details. Marie, who was setting foot in Alvenheim for the first time, listened attentively to his stories, feeling slightly excited.

    Although I felt a little ufortable seeing my girlfriend interacting with another man, especially an elf, I could rx after hearing what Keir said that followed.

    ¡°My wife and daughters also have white hair like Lady. It will definitely suit her well.¡±

    ¡°Are you married? Ah, you mentioned that you experienced the Racial War. Excuse me, but may I ask how old you are?¡±

    ¡°I have witnessed 532 springs until now.¡±

    He was an elf who had lived for over 500 years and was a married man. That elf named Keir was undoubtedly a rare species.

    ¡°Thank you. Thanks to you, I can save some time.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. You even showed concern earlier, so I should do at least this much. Anyway, I sincerely wee you to Alvenheim. You can board the teleporter over there to reach Yggdrasil.¡±

    Marie received a wee greeting from him and stood up from her seat. Then she moved to the area where Cecily and Rina had headed earlier.

    Finally, I was left alone and started moving forward without Keir specifically calling me. Keir opened his mouth with his characteristic leisurely voice as I sat opposite him.

    ¡°You probably saw it earlier, but we¡¯ll do a simple background check. What is your name?¡±

    ¡°My name is Isaac Ducker Michelle.¡±

    ¡°Isaac Ducker Michelle¡­ the child of the Red Lion.¡±

    ¡°Do you know my father?¡±

    I was surprised when Keir seemed to know about my father, who was no ordinary person. It seems he instantly recognized thebination of red hair and golden eyes.

    ¡°It¡¯s not easy to find such a strong human. After the racial war, there was technological development, but there are few humans who can fight on par with Warrior Commanders, like Red Lion.¡±

    ¡°Has my father fought against a Warrior Commander?¡±

    ¡°Not exactly, but I heard news that he defeated a martial artist who could match a Warrior Commander inbat. There are no absolutes in battles, but it should be close. He is actually strong.¡±

    Now that I think about it, I¡¯ve heard that my father had a record of subduing martial artists who were scattered in the border areas during his active duty. Perhaps one of those martial artists had the skill to rival a Warrior Commander.

    Although he had the assistance of the military, I¡¯m not surprised anymore since he also had a record of subduing dragons. Combat and the military are distant stories for an ordinary person like me.

    ¡°Are you also a knight by any chance?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m a student aspiring to be an ordinary schr.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s unexpected. Anyway, I sincerely wee you to Alvenheim. Here¡¯s your entry permit.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. By the way, Keir, are you a soldier as well? I heard that you participated in the racial war.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°It may be an abrupt question, but how do you feel about humans, Keir?¡±

    I suddenly became curious upon hearing stories about my father and Keir¡¯s participation in the racial war. While Keir sees even demons as ordinary people, I wonder how he truly perceives humans.

    The racial war resulted in a humiliating defeat for the elves, but it also instilled a sense of vignce towards the human race. Just like the officer I encountered earlier, some elves are still unable to regain their senses, while others, like Keir, have broadened their perspectives.

    When Keir heard my question, he blinked and smiled mischievously before turning the question back to me.

    ¡°Do you want a sugar-coated answer, or should I be honest¡±

    ¡°I would appreciate it if you could be honest.¡±

    ¡°I consider humans to be a fearsome race.¡±

    ¡°A fearsome race¡­¡±

    It was an answer that felt unfamiliar,ing from an elf who is inherently more skilled than humans. However, I had to take into consideration that Keir had participated in the racial war. Instead of standing up from my seat, I firmly sat back.

    Keir also seemed to be intrigued by me, as he maintained a gleeful expression and continued to smile.

    ¡°Why do you think that way? No matter how much humans progress, they can never catch up with the inherent abilities of elves.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s even scarier. Earlier, you mentioned something. Humansmit numerous wrongdoings due to greed, selfishness, and foolishness. But paradoxically, their potential for development is superior to any other race. In fact, after observing more than 500 springs, humans have shown an incredible capacity for progress. On the other hand, we have experienced only one significant change during that time.¡±

    ¡°Are you referring to the racial war?¡±

    ¡°Yes. And currently, there is a rapid change happening due to the issue of mixed-bloods. Depending on the speech the queen delivers, the situation will change. I hope she does well¡­¡±

    Judging by his words and the clouded expression, it was genuine. Keir genuinely cared about Alvenheim.

    Such a person made me doubt if he truly fit the arrogant elf image. Perhaps he was a mixed-blood like Arwen.

    Seemingly having read my inner thoughts, Keir immediately spoke up.

    ¡°Oh, by the way, I¡¯m not a mixed-blood. Even though I may seem like it, I¡¯m 100% pureblood. You could say I¡¯m a native.¡±

    ¡°¡­The term ¡®native¡¯ sounds strange.¡±

    ¡°Does it? As long as you understand, it doesn¡¯t matter. Hahaha.¡±

    ¡°You often hear that you¡¯re not very elf-like, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s actually what my wife found attractive about me and confessed first.¡±

    His lightheartedness was refreshing, almost to the point of being cheerful. Even if humans didn¡¯t know, it was certain that he would receive cold gazes from other elves.

    Moreover, Keir is a warrior, specifically a soldier. Given the strict characteristics of the military, such a personality can only bring disadvantages in various ways.

    ¡°Well, during the racial war, this kind of personality was frustrating in many ways. I felt disillusioned when my superior, who treated me well, was held by the Council for absurd reasons.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    The superior who was held, could it be General Ikher? It¡¯s almost certain considering being held by the Council for absurd reasons.

    As if reminiscing about the past, Keir nced at the desk with a faint gaze and smirked. It was a reaction that implied a sense of indifference, as if it didn¡¯t matter anymore.

    ¡°What good does it do to say it like this? It¡¯s already in the past. I apologize for saying unnecessary things.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s rather me who should apologize for touching a sore spot. It would be disrespectful to speak to a war veteran like this in the first ce.¡±

    ¡°It was nice to think about the old times after a long time. Is there any information you need?¡±

    ¡°Not particrly. I think I should be going now.¡±

    ¡°I wish you a pleasant journey. Oh, and please don¡¯t misunderstand about making a pass at your fianc¨¦e. I definitely didn¡¯t do that.¡±

    ¡°Uh, uh.¡±

    Could it be that he saw my expression back then? I felt embarrassed for no reason and cleared my throat unnecessarily. However, I couldn¡¯t help but blush in embarrassment.

    Eventually, just like he did with others, Keir politely handed over the entry permit and bid farewell. I also gave a courteous farewell and walked in the direction our group was heading.

    In human society, carriages aremonly used, but this is Alvenheim. Teleportation facilities were avable to travel to different regions. Naturally, there are teleporters that lead to the capital and to Yggdrasil.

    ¡°A bitte, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Just had a little chat.¡±

    ¡°He was a really peculiar person, wasn¡¯t he?¡±

    I nodded in response to Marie¡¯s question. Such a personality was extremely rare, even among non-elves. But because he was an elf, it stuck in my mind even more.

    ¡°Will you include that personter on? People would find an elf with such a personality interesting, wouldn¡¯t they?¡±

    ¡°I already have Mary, though. But I should consider it. The material hase my way unexpectedly.¡±

    ¡°Would that person also read Xenon¡¯s Biography? He would say, ¡®Could it be me?¡¯ when they see it, right?¡±

    Cecily also seemed impressed by Keir and asked me various questions, most of which were about whether I would include him in Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    I didn¡¯tpletely dismiss the idea, so I gave a vague answer. This conversation wouldn¡¯t leak outside since there was no one around, and Cecily had already installed soundproofing measures.

    And so, while contemting whether to include the character Keir in the Xenon¡¯s Biography¡­

    ¡°Ahem.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    Gartz, who had been listening quietly, cleared his throat.

    Trantors note:

    5/5

 Chapter 139: In Alvenheim (4)

    If we were to choose the most beautiful city in the world, regardless of what anyone says, it would be ¡°Yggdrasil,¡± the capital of Alvenheim and the pride of the elves.

    With various descriptions such as and flowing with milk and honey, the cradle of the first civilization, the city of gods, and the benchmark of the world, Yggdrasil is a source of pride and dignity for the elves.

    Three thousand years ago, during the war with the devils, the gods personally handed over the seed of the ¡°World Tree,¡± which has been nurtured and protected until now, growing into a gigantic tree and bing a symbol.

    As it is a tree that grew from a seed bestowed directly by the gods, it possesses various abilities. First and foremost is its power to purify evil mana. Despite the chaos that engulfed the world during the devil war, Alvenheim remained unharmed thanks to this purifying ability.

    Merelying into contact with the mana caused the devils¡¯ bones and flesh to wither away, and even the elves were able to borrow this mana and sessfully eliminate them.

    The second ability is healing. If the World Tree¡¯s magic power represents a kind of divine power, the dew of the World Tree possesses tremendous healing properties. It is one of the important ingredients of the ¡°Elixir,¡± which is said to even revive someone on the verge of death, and its rarity makes it invaluable, with only the administrators knowing when and where it will fall.

    Lastly, it lies within the World Tree itself. The World Tree is considered the most sacred gift by the elves and is also used as a temple. However, it is not an ordinary temple, in human terms, one must be at the level of a Pope or a Cardinal to enter.

    Even the queen cannot enter freely, which demonstrates the reverence itmands. Although humans also have the Holy Kingdom Xavier, they are making great efforts to set foot in the World Tree.

    Like this, the World Tree is not only a symbol of the elves but also their pride and a precious treasure to the humans. Moreover, it serves as theirst line of defense as elves can draw strength from it in times of crisis.

    ¡°That¡¯s a real tree, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Are you ignoring the perspective?¡±

    After going through the immigration inspection, we arrived at Yggdrasil. I couldn¡¯t help but be amazed, like Marie, who was standing beside me with her mouth wide open. The view before us was beyond words, even the expression ¡°breathtaking¡± falls short of describing its beauty.

    Various buildings lined the wide road, which was pretty, butpared to the colossal tree standing at the end of the narrowing path, it was far from sufficient. The city and nature were separated yet harmonized, creating a scene that resembled a painting.

    No, even a painting couldn¡¯t capture this spectacle. The World Tree seamlessly blended with the city, showcasing the beauty of nature without a hint of awkwardness.

    The sight of civilization and the vastness of nature merging into one surpassed freshness for me.

    ¡°You must have noticed, but the tree over there is the World Tree. It grew from the seed the elves received from the gods 3,000 years ago. The fact that the elves were chosen by the gods is not without reason.¡±

    While I was admiring the scenic view of the city, Rina exined the history of the World Tree to me. I already had knowledge of it due to my familiarity with history, but hearing the exnation while seeing it firsthand made it feel new.

    I was amazed by the majesty of the World Tree, which had steadfastly stood in its ce for 3,000 years. It made me realize once again the existence of this world¡¯s gods. Unless it was a god, it would be impossible to create a seed like the World Tree¡¯s.

    For a while, I admired the World Tree and then lowered my gaze. Beneath the towering branches, a beautiful city unfolded,parable to the splendor of the World Tree.

    If the World Tree is a gift from the gods, Yggdrasil is the first civilization built upon thend. It lives up to its reputation.

    If the capital of the Halo Academy resembles medieval Europe, the streets of Alvenheim exude an ancient Greek atmosphere. It strangely fits, considering that ancient Greece had a significant influence on European civilization.

    The most noteworthy aspect here is the citizens of the city. It¡¯s natural that there are many elves in the elven nation, but it¡¯s still fascinating. It feels like seeing white or ck people, which are rarely seen on the streets in Korea, when you go to Europe. Moreover, they disyed vibrant and varied colors, regardless of gender, as expected of elves, making the eyes joyful.

    While observing the citizens, I turned my gaze aside. Amidst the constant bustling around the streets, my eyes caught a glimpse of Marie.

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    When Marie noticed me staring intently, she turned her head and met my gaze. Her eyes were filled with curiosity, blinking.

    Unable to resist her cuteness, I smiled warmly and gently petted her head. Marie, with her hair as lovely and adorable as any elf, was not inferior in any way.

    ¡°If Marie had long ears, I¡¯d believe she¡¯s an elf.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Hehe.¡±

    Marie hugged me tightly in response to my heartfeltpliment, burying her face against my chest. The elven onlookers observed our affectionate disy with strange nces, but we soon had to continue on our way.

    However, not all of the elves were like that. Most of them showed not only signs of discontent but also puzzling reactions, aside from walking and muttering. It wasn¡¯t because of me and Marie, but rather because of the presence of Cecily and Gartz standing beside us. As expected, the reason was that they were demons.

    Unlike the elves who generally wore bright-colored garments, Cecily and Garth stood out even more with their attire consisting entirely of ck shades. Adding to that, an air of nobility and dignity emanated subtly from them. Some elves even showed displeasure openly without trying to conceal it. These elves were most likely from the older generation.

    Given their appearance, they disyed an aura of superiority that made others think twice before approaching them, like judges evaluating a case. It was evident that things would not have gone well if they were ordinary demons. Those elves would have easily predicted the oue.

    And Cecily, who was receiving countless cold nces¡­

    ¡°Achoo!¡±

    Contrary to her mature appearance, she let out an adorable, cute sneeze. She even sniffled her nose. Her face was slightly flushed as well.

    Ever since she arrived at Yggdrasil, her condition had been getting stranger, and she began to show symptoms. It was not just her, even the Gartz wes experiencing simr situations.

    He seemed to be enduring somehow with a stoic expression, but cold sweat was dripping profusely. He also frequently sneezed, and the two of them seem to be the only ones whose condition has worsened. Worried, I called out cautiously,

    ¡°Noona, are you okay? Gartz¡¯s condition seems the same, and you¡¯ve been sneezing since earlier¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I know. It¡¯s definitely not a cold¡­ Could it be because of the mana of the World Tree? Ugh.¡±

    Cecily sniffled and shifted her gaze towards the World Tree towering above the city. While others were fine, only the two of them, being demons, experienced such abnormalities. The World Tree actually emitted mana that purified evil in real-time, so it could have a considerable impact. The symptoms were simr to allergies.

    Perhaps the sacred energy emitted by the World Tree, which is the opposite of demons, is causing this phenomenon. Thankfully, the symptoms only manifested as allergies, and nothing more serious.

    However, if they continue to be exposed to it like pollen allergies, there is a high possibility of more problems arising. Cecily seemed to realize this and spoke with a slightly worried voice.

    ¡°I guess we should give up on exploring the streets and head straight to the inn.¡±

    ¡°That would be for the best. After all, we were nning to go to the inn anyway.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s depart quickly. I¡¯ll take the lead. Cecily, did you make a reservation at the inn I told you about?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I did¡­ Achoo! Ugh.¡±

    I thought the sneezing was cute earlier as well. Even though it distanced Cecily from her usual image, it made her even more charming.

    ¡°Pook!¡±

    ¡­Gartz was unique. Even though he covered his mouth with a mask, he sneezed while holding it back with his fist.

    Anyway, we moved to the reserved inn without looking around. While heading to the inn, numerous gazes were directed towards Cecily and Gartz, but we were in a hurry and didn¡¯t pay attention.

    Unlike during the immigration inspection, there were not only Gartz but also several imperial guards around us. Even if they were elves, they had the right to dispose of any threats immediately.

    It means they shouldn¡¯t provoke us without being someone who has lost their mind. Thanks to that, we were able to movefortably, unlike just a moment ago.

    ¡°Poochoo!¡±

    Cecily¡¯s image aside, thanks to the measures taken, the flush on her face seemed to have subsided, but it seemed unavoidable that her nose was itching.

    ¡°Are you managing?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m getting used to it now. I have the mana defense system activated. It¡¯s a bit bothersome¡­ Achoo! Can¡¯t help it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about it since earlier, but your sneezing is really cute.¡±

    ¡°Is that apliment?¡±

    It¡¯s a bit ambiguous to call it apliment. It¡¯s cute, but sneezing itself isn¡¯t.

    Cecily smirked when I kept my mouth shut and stayed still, then she quietly approached me. She crossed our arms and subtly leaned her head against mine.

    With her fragrance that stimted my sense of smell and the soft sensation transmitted through my arms, my mind was almost overwhelmed, but I managed to suppress it. It¡¯s not just the two of us, there are also the bodyguards that Rina brought, and I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s okay like this.

    ¡°¡­Noona?¡±

    ¡°Just stay still. It¡¯s because it¡¯s cold.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ Okay.¡±

    What can I do about it? I looked at Cecily, who leaned against me and closed her eyes, with a trembling expression.

    It would be nice if it passed like this, but my jealous girlfriends would never stay still. I took my gaze off Cecily and looked in the other direction. Lo and behold.

    Marie alternated her sharp nces between Cecily and me, and our eyes met directly. Then she puffed up one cheek and turned her head with a huff!

    I guess I¡¯ll have to gently appease her at the inn. Cecily¡¯s health isn¡¯t good right now, so let¡¯s pay a little attention to her.

    How much longer did it take?

    ¡°This is the inn we reserved. How is it? Isn¡¯t it beautiful?¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ It looks pretty.¡±

    ¡°Even among elves, they¡¯re different.¡±

    We arrived at the aristocratic-exclusive inn that Rina had reserved in advance. As Marie and Cecilymented, the exterior of the inn was not extravagant, but it exuded a beauty that emanated from simplicity.

    Overall, the wall was predominantly white, but there were scattered vines that gave it a natural feel. At first nce, it looked like a ruin, but also appeared to be a building touched by people¡¯s hands.

    Now, what about the interior? I followed Rina as she entered first. Cecily and Marie followed suit, both with their arms crossed with mine.

    ¡°Wee. Wee to the Sanctuary of Stars.¡±

    A pleasant female voice greeted us as soon as we stepped inside. I turned my head to see an elegantly dressed elven woman weing us.

    Her dress, like the colors of the building, was also white. Her wavy blonde hair and bright smile instantly warmed my heart. It seemed that she was an employee or the innkeeper of this ce.

    Rina nodded in response to the elf woman¡¯s hospitality and got straight to the point.

    ¡°I made a reservation under the name Rina Urmi Christine.¡±

    ¡°Ah! Guests from the Minerva Empire, I see. Understood. You reserved a single room and a double room, correct?¡±

    The single room was for Rina alone, and the double room was for me and Marie. After all, Marie and I were engaged.

    Marie seemed pleased with the fact that she would be sleeping and waking up in the same room as me, as she clung to my arm. By the way, Cecily uncrossed our arms as soon as we entered the inn.

    ¡°Yes. Where will the guards be staying?¡±

    ¡°We have arranged separate amodations for them. The guests can go up to the third floor, and the guards can go up to the second floor.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°And¡­¡±

    The gaze of the elven woman shifted and settled on Cecily. At the same time, an unknown current settled within the inn.

    Could it be that she would also make discriminatory remarks like the immigration officer? Of course, not only me but everyone¡¯s gaze was fixed on the elven woman and Cecily.

    After a momentary silence, the elven woman¡¯s heavily closed lips opened.

    ¡°Princess Helium, right? Cecily Drat Eisilia Vin.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡±

    ¡°Wee sincerely to the Sanctuary of the Stars and Yggdrasil. As a princess, you can go up to the third floor.¡±

    Surprisingly, the feared incident did not ur. Perhaps it was natural, considering that not all elves would send discriminatory nces towards demons, and it was just that the previous officer was an idiot.

    Moreover, from the elven perspective, if Cecily were to be rejected, then even a noble among nobles could put their existence in jeopardy. I¡¯m not sure what her true feelings are, but I can at least say she is wise.

    ¡°Thank yo¡­ Achoo!¡±

    ¡°Right. We will remove the purification magic from the room where the princess and her escort knight will stay. As a demon, you must be sensitive to the mana of the World Tree.¡±

    In addition to this, they even showed consideration. It seems they have an open-minded mindset like Keir.

    Afterward, we moved to our respective rooms to unpack, and Marie and I stayed in a double room. Well, it was a spacious room that was more than enough even if it was called a double room, it was so cozy!

    ¡°Wow~ It¡¯s really soft and fluffy! Isaac, try lying down.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it in a little while.¡±

    As soon as I arrived in the bedroom, unlike Marie, who immediately flopped down on the bed, I started unpacking slowly. In fact, there wasn¡¯t much luggage, just a few books, so it didn¡¯t take long.

    Next, I checked the time. It was exactly 5:20. It would soon be time for dinner. Since there was a speech tomorrow, it seemed best to stay at the inn instead of going out today.

    ¡°By the way, even the clock in this noble amodation is so fancy.¡±

    I was thinking that as I looked at the clock.

    Suddenly, Marie, who had been lying on the bed, had taken over my back. It was fine that she had taken over my back, but the subsequent action was the problem.

    Marie¡¯s hands that rested on my chest were slowly and sneakily moving down, like a snake.

    At first, I flinched and was taken aback, but soon I could only sigh. Even though it¡¯s like that, it hasn¡¯t been more than five minutes since we arrived.

    I firmly grabbed Marie¡¯s hand and scolded her.

    ¡°No. At least eat after dinner¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m hungry in a different sense.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    This horny white fox-like creature.

    *****

    ¡°Phew. It feels like I can finally rx.¡±

    The single room right next to the two-person room where Isaac and Marie are staying.

    Rina, a beautiful blondedy, took off her stuffy dress and changed into casual clothes. Though they were just ordinary clothes, morefortable than the dress, there was still a noticeable difference.

    She then sat on the plush bed and looked around the room. The scenery of Alvenheim¡¯s Inn, which can be considered the beginning of culture, caught her eye.

    It appeared modest yet strangely magnificent, with flower beds arranged here and there. Moreover, the air felt purifying, as if it cleansed one¡¯s mind.

    ording to the innkeeper, it was said that the mana of the World Tree purifies the dull energy, so it¡¯s natural to feel at ease. It might be the opposite for the demons Cecily and Gartz, but since it was resolved, there should be no problem.

    ¡°Isaac and Marie should be over there, right?¡±

    Rina shifted her gaze and looked at the wall. Isaac and Marie would be sleeping together on the other side of that wall.

    Perhaps tonight¡­

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    As Rina¡¯s vivid imagination surfaced, her face momentarily flushed, and she swallowed hard. Even though soundproofing was mentioned, it was only her own spection and not certain.

    Of course, being a noble-exclusive inn, they must have taken care of all the precautions. But just in case, she brought something with her.

    She took out an item that she had hidden carefully. It was a short cylindrical container with holes on both ends, like a straw.

    At first nce, it may seem like an ordinary item with nothing special, but surprisingly, it was an item imbued with magical abilities.

    <i>¡®I heard that if you ce it against a wall and listen closely, it can eavesdrop, and if you look through it, it allows you to see through things.¡¯</i>

    It was an item borrowed from Leort after much persuasion, so its effects were certain. The question was whether it would work in this inn, suspected to have thorough security measures.

    Nevertheless, it was better to try than not. Rina swallowed her saliva and turned her head towards the wall where the couple was staying.

    She knew it was a crime, but¡­ it was impossible to suppress Rina¡¯s curiosity, fueled by her growing sexual desire. Whenever she saw Isaac, that thought kept crossing her mind, and she felt like she was going crazy.

    So, to satisfy her curiosity and to verify if it was true or not, she brought this item with her, as an excuse to test it.

    <i>¡®I-I¡¯m just testing it. It¡¯s a test.¡¯</i>

    Rina was unaware, but her face was as red as a tomato. Her heart pounded as if it was about to burst, and her breathing became rapid.

    Afterward, Rina alternated between looking at the item and the wall, swallowing her saliva once again as she held the item up to her eyes. Her first intention was to test its ability to see through things.

    Anyway, she was too preupied with unpacking and settling in with Isaac and Marie, so there couldn¡¯t possibly be anything beyond the wall¡­

    ¡°¡­?!¡±

    What did I just see? Rina quickly removed the item from her eyes.

    Although it had a semi-transparent appearance, it was definitely visible. People she was familiar with were on the bed.

    And on that bed¡­

    Thump! Thump! Thump!

    Her heart pounded as her mouth went dry and her chest felt like it would burst. With trembling legs, she slowly walked towards the wall.

    Finally reaching the wall, she cautiously pressed her ear against it. As expected, the soundproofing was thorough, and she couldn¡¯t hear anything.

    What if she used an item? Rina ced an item against the wall and pressed her ear against it.

    ¡°¡­!!¡±

    She could hear it. Clearer than before.

    She focused even more and strained her ears. Then, the desired sounds started to flow into her ears and resounded in her mind.

    Yes, this sound is unmistakably¡­

    ¡°¡­haa.¡±

    Rina let out a breath she had been holding. At the same time, she pressed her ear tighter and moved her empty hand downward.

    How much time has passed since then?

    ¡°Huh? Where did Rina go?¡±

    ¡°She was just tired and took a rest. We¡¯re having dinner in the room, right?¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    Rina didn¡¯t show herself to the group that day.

    Trantors note:

    Ain¡¯t no way Rina just got a voyeurism fetish¡­

    1/5

 Chapter 140: Speech (1)

    The political organization of Alvenheim, Elodia, included more than just a royal pce. Various politicians, including the Council of Elders, reside there, making it the seat of power in Alvenheim, boasting strict security measures.

    The queen is no exception. The queen¡¯s residence is located on the highest floor of Elodia and has much stronger defenses than the ce where the Council of Elders stays.

    Unless Arwen is upied with official duties, she spends her evenings there. Numerous attendants manage the queen¡¯s residence and even employ magic to enhancefort.

    Above all, Elodia stands right in front of the World Tree, imparting a sense of tranquility to the heart. While political institutions often buzz with noisy debates and chaotic maneuvering, Elodia¡¯s exceptional serenity is due to this reason.

    The mana emitted by the World Tree is so sacred and profound that it purifies even the darkest aspects of one¡¯s being. Furthermore, the fact that the World Tree stands right in front signifies that the gods are always watching.

    Hence, Elodia possesses somewhat unique characteristicspared to other political institutions, to the extent that one can hardly utter harsh words within its boundaries.

    Although there have been disputes between the Council of Elders and the queen in Alvenheim, even that has improved.

    ¡°¡­I want to just hit everything.¡±

    However, even with the mana from the World Tree, there was one person who couldn¡¯t find inner peace: Queen Arwen. She sat on her expansive bed, her head buried in her hands, feeling defeated.

    Tomorrow is the day she promised¡ªthe national address. It is scheduled to be attended not only by the citizens of Alvenheim but also by dignitaries from around the world. When leaders from other countries give a national address, unless they have a special rtionship, they do not send dignitaries. Most often, only journalists seeking news headlines visit.

    However, tomorrow¡¯s speech to the nation by her was slightly different. It was her first speech since her coronation, and the situation in Alvenheim was chaotic.

    It is inevitable to wonder whether she will captivate public sentiment and govern the country stably through her speech, or if it will simply be an ordinary speech. If it¡¯s the former, neighboring countries will be cautious of Arwen, but if it¡¯s thetter, they will likely underestimate her.

    Due to these reasons, Arwen couldn¡¯t help but feel increasingly anxious as the days went by. Even the mana of the World Tree couldn¡¯t calm her mind, and she reached a point where she couldn¡¯t sleep properly.

    Fortunately, she was a resilient elf, otherwise, if she were human, she would have copsed from sleep deprivation immediately.

    <i>¡®Can I do well¡­¡¯</i>

    Arwen looked at the paper in her hand, her confidence diminishing as the days passed. It was the speech document Isaac had delivered less than three days ago.

    Normally, she should have read it once and discarded it, but due to her rapidly diminishing confidence, she held onto it tightly.

    Externally, she was known as apassionate and benevolent queen, sometimes strict and resolute, but ultimately, she was just one person. Moreover, she faced pressure even from the Council of Elders, and the stress piled up day by day.

    <i>¡®There¡¯s nothing wrong with the speech. It should be enough if I just deliver it as it is.¡¯</i>

    She checked the speech document once again with a troubled expression. The speech Isaac had delivered in just three days was more than enough to quell the current chaos in Alvenheim.

    Starting with the introduction that tells the birth myth of the elves, it describes the sacrifices their ancestors made to protect Alvenheim. In particr, thest part contains a profound maxim that Arwen believes is unparalleled.

    However, I was afraid whether I could deliver such a speech well. Even though people around me reassured me that it would be fine, I couldn¡¯t tell if their words were sincere or just ttery.

    As someone who had suffered because of the people nted by the Council of Elders in the past, it was difficult for her to trust anyone within Elodia, at least.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s burdensome¡­¡¯</i>

    She had never experienced such pressure when engaging in debates with the Council of Elders, but now, standing in front of the citizens, it felt like a heavy burden was weighing down on her shoulders. The fate of Alvenheim could be determined by her speech alone.

    She wished for everything to go well, but she couldn¡¯t control her trembling heart. In her heart, she wanted to abandon the throne and run away¡­

    <i>¡®But I can¡¯t. I am the Queen.¡¯</i>

    Due to the immense sense of responsibility as a queen, she couldn¡¯t do that. Arwen took a deep breath and shifted her gaze to the speech.

    ¡°Isaac¡­¡±

    As she read the speech, the image of Isaac, a handsome man with red hair and golden eyes, known for shaking the world as a writer, came to her mind. The value of this speech, received from such a remarkable author, was priceless.

    However, Isaac willingly epted her request and even provided guidance on speech style to help her deliver a better speech. She couldn¡¯t help but be touched by his warm generosity. But she was worried about how to repay him after the speech. If he asked something of her, it would be great, but if it was the opposite, it would be a different kind of dilemma.

    Money, honor, women, power, and so on. Isaac had them all at a young age. Arwen wanted to give him something in return, but she had nothing to offer.

    ¡°Sigh¡­¡±

    Eventually, a sigh escaped her lips. The speech was one problem, but the issue of what reward to give Isaac afterward was also a concern. Even if Isaac didn¡¯t demandpensation, she had to give him something without fail. It was a matter of principle and a virtue necessary to navigate the world.

    Human hearts are inherently cunning, so Isaac might feel disappointed. Moreover, she had made significant mistakes in the past, and she wanted to prevent them from happening again.

    ¡°Still, I¡¯m d to have Isaac.¡±

    Arwen smiled bitterly and neatly folded the speech. Then sheid down on the bed with a thud.

    Her silver-gray hair scattered on the bed shimmered even in the dimly lit room. Her silver-gray eyes were the same.

    <i>¡®If it weren¡¯t for Isaac¡­¡¯</i>

    Although their rtionship was forged through abination of chance and her own mistakes, Arwen considered herself fortunate. While she couldn¡¯t condone her mistakes, having a connection with Isaac was a mixed blessing for her.

    If Isaac hadn¡¯t been there, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to calm the chaos in Alvenheim, let alone write the speech. Of course, she wouldn¡¯t know the oue until tomorrow, but just getting this far, Isaac¡¯s help had been immense.

    And if she sessfully finished the speech¡­ her gratitude towards Isaac would only grow. Arwen ced both hands on her chest and slowly closed her eyes.

    <i>¡®Come to think of it, Isaac said he wasing to Yggdrasil today.¡¯</i>

    I have already received a report about the incident that urred at the immigration checkpoint. It caused amotion because the immigration officer denied entry to the distinguished visitor, namely Cecily, who hade from another country.

    Fortunately, Director Keir managed to handle the situation well and prevent it from escting further, but formalints from Helium are expected to arrive soon. It was a headache to think about, but considering the current situation, it¡¯s rtively good.

    Arwen momentarily stopped trying to imagine what Isaac might be doing right now and remembered the woman with white hair she had seen at the lodging. If Cecily was a secret lover, Marie was a woman Isaac was formally engaged to.

    They even had such a deep rtionship that they engaged in certain activities at the dorm. Unfortunately, because Arwen had good manners, she didn¡¯t witness the scene firsthand, but something gnawed at her heart.

    It was a strange and unfamiliar feeling for Arwen, who hadn¡¯t had anyone she could call a ¡°friend¡± for over a hundred years.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Arwen slowly opened her closed eyes. Her silver-gray eyes, shining like stars, revealed their brilliance.

    Rather than indulging in such spection, it would be much better for her to practice her speech to improve her oratory skills. With that thought, she was about to get up from the bed when she turned toward the full-length mirror.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    A faint mana ripple was detected. Someone had unlocked and entered the bedroom¡¯s barrier. Normally, an emergency sound would ring when passing through the barrier with a physical body, but there was no reaction at all. That meant¡­

    ¡°Siris?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±

    Siris was the only one who was directly informed of the barrier¡¯s password by Arwen. Arwen looked at Siris, who had revealed herself in the darkness, with a raised eyebrow.

    When Siris visited, it usually meant that something had happened within the Dark Elves or that Isaac had delivered a message, either of the two.

    Recently, the Dark Elves have been gloomy because of Rain, so there should be no news to deliver. That means Isaac is the only one left.

    ¡°Did Isaac send you?¡±

    ¡°Yes. He did. Isaac has something he wants to convey to Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Something he wants to convey?¡±

    ¡°Here is a letter.¡±

    Siris handed over a letter, or rather a note, that she had in her hand. It was a note folded in a unique way.

    Arwen momentarily widened her eyes at the unfamiliar way of folding the note but received it without any suspicion. She was curious about what Isaac would say.

    Finally, when she unfolded the notepletely, one word caught her eye.

    [If you¡¯re nervous about tomorrow¡¯s speech, look at the back.]

    ¡°Look at the back?¡±

    Arwen blinked her eyes and obediently turned to look at the back. And there, written on it was:

    [Queen, fighting!]

    It was a short message of encouragement.

    ¡°¡­Heh.¡±

    Arwen let out a smallugh. It might seem trivial, but the strength contained within was by no means insignificant. She gazed at the contents written on the note with warm eyes and neatly folded it, albeit clumsily since she didn¡¯t know how to fold it properly.

    Clutching the note preciously in her hand, she turned to Siris, who stood before her, and asked about Isaac¡¯s well-being.

    ¡°Do you know what Isaac is doing right now?¡±

    ¡°Currently, he is sharing a room with his fianc¨¦e.¡±

    ¡°¡­Is that so?¡±

    When the story of Isaac sharing a room with Marie came up, Arwen¡¯s expression stiffened slightly. There was no particr issue with him being with his fianc¨¦e, but somehow¡­

    ¡°¡­I understand.¡±

    It just made her ufortable.

    *****

    The day of the long-awaited national speech has arrived. Despite the fact that I had to wake up early tomorrow, I was embarrassed because my clingy cat, Marie, kept meowing. Fortunately, I was able to wake up on time as nned.

    But I was the only one. My lovely girlfriend, who was peacefully sleeping next to me without a care in the world, was not like that at all. Just likest night, she showed no signs of getting up, probably due to her intense workout.

    ¡°Wake up, Marie. It¡¯s morning.¡±

    ¡°Mmm¡­ Just five more minutes¡­¡±

    ¡°You need to wake up now, you know?¡±

    ¡°Give me a kiss¡­¡±

    She¡¯s not some sleeping beauty in the forest. Iughed as if I couldn¡¯t resist Marie¡¯s tantrums and gave in to her request. When I gently kissed her, she giggled and finally got out of bed. The edge of the nket was teasingly draped over her chest, but despite that, she exuded no less charm.

    I almost got carried away, but I managed to control myself. Afterward, the two of us quickly washed up, got dressed, and went downstairs.

    As expected, when we reached the first floor, Cecily and Rina, along with their bodyguards, were waiting. It seemed that we were a bitte because I had to help Marie wash up.

    ¡°Sorry, we¡¯re a bitte¡­ Rina?¡±

    ¡°Uh, yeah?¡±

    ¡°Why do you look like that? Are you feeling unwell?¡±

    However, there was something off about Rina¡¯s condition. Her face seemed tired, as if she had trouble sleeping or was worn out, although her natural beauty still remained unchanged.

    ¡°Oh, no. I¡¯m fine. Yeah¡­ I¡¯m okay.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like it.¡±.

    ¡°Well, anyway, let¡¯s hurry and have our meal. We only have about an hour left until the speech, so time is tight.¡±

    As I expressed concern, Rina quickly waved her hand and changed the subject. She alternated her gaze between me and Marie, and there was something strange about her face turning red.

    I wondered if maybe we were overheard due to poor soundproofing, but I had heard from the innkeeper that the inn was thoroughly fortified, including soundproofing measures. Thanks to that, we could even be a little noisy without anyints.

    So why was Rina reacting like that? I nced at her curiously, unable to meet her gaze, but quickly brushed it off.

    It could be an overreaction since it¡¯s not like she has that kind of preference anyway.

    ¡°Pleasee again next time~¡±

    After finishing our meal, we bid farewell to the innkeeper and headed towards the main square. The main square was where the speech would take ce, and I had heard that there was a tree, not as old as the World Tree but firmly rooted there for several centuries, at its center.

    As we made our way there, I looked around. It seemed that people were gradually gathering, perhaps to secure a better view than Arwen¡¯s.

    I wonder how long it took. We were able to arrive at the main square where the speech would begin. In the center of the square, there was a podium-like tform, and behind it stood arge tree, guarding its ce.

    Though not as tall as the Tree of the World, it was undoubtedly a massive tree. It had a thickness that could barely be encircled by dozens of adult men holding hands.

    ¡°Where should we sit?¡±

    ¡°You can sit over there. I heard that the distinguished figures, including the Elders, will be sitting in the front.¡±

    Tina skillfully showed us our seats. Being experienced in these matters, we followed silently without saying a word.

    The seats for the Elders and the nobles of Alvenheim, as well as the seats for dignitaries from other countries, were far away, so there was no inconvenience. Furthermore, noble visitors from other countries began to appear one after another.

    Seeing this, it meant that Arwen¡¯s speech was equally important. I was worried if she could shake off the pressure and deliver a good speech.

    Yesterday, I secretly called for Siris and passed her a note, but I wasn¡¯t sure if it would be encouraging.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that woman a demon?¡±

    ¡°Really? A demon attending the speech¡­¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    As time passed and more people gathered, Cecily¡¯s presence drew more attention. Especially the gaze of the figures sitting in the front row, the elves who were presumed to be from the Elders and Alvenheim, was very intense.

    Even I, who was by her side, wondered how she would handle this. I nced at Cecily with a worried heart.

    ¡°Achoo! Oops.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    It seems like she¡¯s suffering because of her allergic reaction, regardless of the attention or ridicule. She seemed to be better than yesterday, but the symptoms persisted.

    Furthermore, this time her nose turned into a strawberry nose, disying a cute sneezing sound and a fierce aspect. It was a moment when I once again confirmed Cecily¡¯s unique charm.

    ¡°I hope it gets better soon¡­¡±

    ¡°Achoo!¡±

    Cecily made a sound as if their nose waspletely blocked, and I couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter. When Cecily noticed that I wasughing, they narrowed their eyes and looked at me.

    ¡°Are youughing? Are youughing at me?¡±

    ¡°Hehehe¡­ Ack!¡±

    In the end, my thigh got pinched. I screamed in pain as my flesh was being torn away. While I held onto my thigh and shivered, Cecily turned their head with a sense of satisfaction. It seemed like I would have to apologizeter.

    Chatter- Chatter- Chatter-

    Just before the speech was about to begin, a huge crowd gathered. Elves were everywhere I looked, in front and behind, and even to the left and right, the surroundings were filled with elves.

    Only the people seated in the VIP section were of a different race, not elves. As I felt unfamiliar in the midst of it all, someone¡¯s words entered my ears.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the queen over there?¡±

    The utterance caught the attention of numerous onlookers, including myself.

    ¡°It¡¯s the queen.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the queen herself.¡±

    ¡°Hey! Keep quiet!¡±

    Queen Arwen of Alvenheim revealed herself. She was slowly walking towards the center of the stage, dressed in the tight silver gown I had seen her wear before.

    Though no one explicitly told them to be quiet, as soon as Arwen appeared, the noisy surroundings fell silent in an instant. Thanks to that, all that could be heard in the vast square was the sound of Arwen¡¯s footsteps.

    Tap-tap-tap-

    Arwen walked with a poised demeanor, step by step, towards the center. The cheerful atmosphere of the young girl waspletely gone, reced by an air of dignity befitting a leader of a nation.

    Because of this, I doubted if she was the Arwen I knew. However, when I saw her gray hair, I was certain it was her. Sensing that the speech would begin soon, I quietly closed my mouth and switched to spectator mode.

    Tap-

    Finally, Arwen stood at the center of the stage and slowly turned to face the crowd. As she was wearing the tight dress, her prominent hips became even more entuated.

    In fact, one of the reasons I came to see the speech was precisely because of this. I was curious about how Arwen would deliver her speech, but I couldn¡¯t forget her hip line from thest time I saw her.

    I think the reward was not enough. I focused my gaze on Arwen wearing the Moonlight Crown, her face, and the curve of her waist beneath it.

    It might seem a bit perverted, but since this is the first andst time I can openly (?) see it, I n to enjoy it to my heart¡¯s content.

    ¡°¡­Everyone has gathered.¡±

    While I was admiring Arwen¡¯s beautiful face and figure, her lips opened, signaling the start of her speech.

    Even without using a microphone, the entire square was filled with Arwen¡¯s voice, as if she had used voice amplification magic.

    ¡°Before I begin my speech, there is something I want to tell all of you.¡±

    She paused for a moment, then looked at the audience once again. And that¡¯s when our eyes met.

    Since red-haired people are not somon, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult for her to find me. As soon as I made eye contact with her, I raised my hand and clenched my fist without saying a word.

    It was a sign of encouragement.

    Fortunately, Arwen seemed to gain strength from that support, as she wiped away her stern expression and smiled gently. She then spoke to the audience.

    ¡°I, Arwen Elidia, Queen of Alvenheim¡­¡±

    The words she uttered were¡­

    ¡°I am a half-blood.¡±

    It was a confession.

    Trantors note:

    2/5

 Chapter 141: Speech (2)

    Arwen¡¯s shocking confession echoed through the square like a resounding echo. The already quiet square became even heavier with the weighty currents that settled.

    Considering the current situation in Alvenheim, Arwen¡¯s confession was more than just a shock, it was like a bomb. With the tensions rising between the purebloods and the mixed-bloods, her confession had the potential to cause even greater rifts.

    It was a confession that could either be fuel or sand, depending on the perspective. It was truly a gamble, fitting for the saying, ¡°The die is cast.¡±

    ¡°The Queen¡­¡±

    ¡°A mixed-blood¡­?¡±

    ¡°Then, what about us¡­?¡±

    The sound of shattered silence began to trickle out here and there. I silently nced around, observing the reactions of the council members and nobles seated in front of me, as well as the confused faces of the elves filling the square. It was understandable, considering they firmly believed their queen was a pureblood.

    Moreover, they must have known very well that revealing her half-blood status carried significant implications in these times. It also implied that their queen felt a heavy responsibility for this situation. The elves, more than anyone else, would be well aware of it.

    ¡°Everyone must be feeling confused. But look around you.¡±

    As the murmurs grew louder and the square became noisy, Arwen spoke up. Her words were closer tomands than a speech. And everyone in the square, including myself, looked around. Cecily sat on the left, and Marie sat on the right. It seemed like she was speaking not to foreign guests but to her own people. And my guess was correct.

    ¡°Did you all know that your neighbor is a pure-blood or a mixed-blood? Or perhaps you didn¡¯t know about it at all. They were not just pure-bloods or mixed-bloods, but beloved family, friends, and rtives.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    The increasing murmurs of the audience were as surprising to me as the content that was not included in the speech I delivered. Arwen, it seemed, had thought about it in her own way rather than just reciting the speech I gave her. Otherwise, such words would never havee out.

    I looked at Arwen on the podium with a serious expression, crossing my arms. She happened to shift her gaze to me as well. Then she smiled like apassionate queen, and once again looked at the crowd. As I felt before, every time our eyes met, Arwen seemed to gain confidence.

    ¡°Thousands of years ago, our ancestors served alongside the gods. They received wisdom, power, and eternal life from the gods. However, due to a great mistake, they lost their wings and descended to thisnd. The wrath of the gods was unimaginable, but they did not abandon us out of love. This is the blessednd of the gods, Alvenheim.¡±

    Finally, the opening of the speech I wrote flowed from Arwen¡¯s lips. She continued the speech with the gentle and affectionate motherly grace I led her to, exuding a childlike innocence and charm that captivated the audience¡¯s attention. It was especially undeniable that all eyes were drawn to her slender waist¡­

    <i>¡®¡­My gaze keeps wandering in that direction.¡¯</i>

    I chuckled wryly. With Arwen being someone with particrly well-developed hips and wearing a tight dress, it was impossible for the eyes not to be drawn to her.

    Perhaps, I even thought that the reason she wore such clothes was to capture the audience¡¯s attention.

    ¡°We, on this sacrednd, founded Alvenheim, the first civilization as people, taking our first steps. Since then, we have endured countless hardships, adversity, humiliations, and conflicts to reach this point. Through these experiences, we gained much but also lost much. Warriors stood against external invasions to protect thisnd in moments of crisis, and priests restrained their desires and sought repentance from the gods. 3000 years ago, we received a reward for those sacrifices. It was the symbol of Alvenheim itself, the seed of the World Tree, which became our pride.¡±

    The content of the speech is unexpectedly simple. It tells the ancient history of the elves, what obligations the gods bestowed upon them, and the sacrifices their ancestors made to bring them to this day.

    Lastly, how the price of arrogance hase back. Everything is written in the speech I conveyed to her.

    ¡°But was it because we have lived longer than others? Or was it merely an excuse? We have shamefully forgotten the true honor that our ancestors safeguarded even at the cost of their own sacrifices. Pride has turned into arrogance, confidence in abilities has degenerated into conceit, and honor has been corrupted. In the end, 300 years ago, we found ourselves being tossed in a massive storm that swept across the world.¡±

    The racial war was a history stained with shame and disgrace for the elves, yet no one spoke up. Even the council members who were busy restraining Arwen were now silent.

    It attested to Arwen¡¯s exceptional oratory skills. Even I, who knows that she possesses tomboyish sensibilities, am watching silently. How must others feel?

    ¡°That storm has made us realize that we have harbored not pride, but arrogance. The humans we underestimated have grown significantly after the Devil War, but fundamentally, their achievements have humiliated us. The price of pride distorted by arrogance has made us pitiful. Can we truly be called a race chosen by the gods, the elves? No, we are nothing more than a pathetic race consumed by self-importance. Honor and pride are not something taken from someone else, they must be deeply cherished within one¡¯s heart to truly manifest their power.¡±

    Words that evoke self-doubt. Elves know better than anyone that they have been chosen by the gods.

    However, they only know that fact, without understanding why they have been loved by the gods. The speech is a reminder of that.

    ¡°Yet, at this very moment, that honor and pride are once again at risk of being corrupted by arrogance. Pure-blood and mixed-blood, this is why we are fighting now. In my blood and someone else¡¯s, the blood of different races is mixed. But this is foolishness. What difference does it make if it¡¯s pure-blood? What difference does it make if it¡¯s mixed-blood? We are the descendants who carry the pride and honor preserved by our ancestors, a race loved by the gods, the elves!¡±

    The increasingly impassioned voice of Arwen. Her calm voice, which used to be serene, has disappeared without a trace and has begun to ignite mes in people¡¯s hearts.

    The obligation that ancestors sacrificed to uphold must be honored.

    That they are a race called elves, not divided by pureblood and mixed blood.

    If they have a strong sense of pride, it doesn¡¯t matter if the blood of other races flows in them too.

    Ultimately, they are a chosen race by the gods.

    Arwen was enlightening them about the elven identity.

    ¡°Imand you once again! Look around you!¡±

    Now, Arwen¡¯s voice haspletely heightened. If her previous words were a humble request, now her authoritarian side as a queen has revealed itself.

    It was notpassion but charisma, not kindness but firmness.

    It was emanating from her words.

    ¡°Are your family, friends, and rtives pureblood or mixed blood? We must never differentiate or separate ourselves! As elves, we must live on thisnd, holding the pride and honor that our ancestors have preserved! It is ourst chance bestowed by the gods, the only way for us to repent for our mistakes! Not you and me, but ¡®us¡¯! As one ¡®elf,¡¯ not defined by pureblood or mixed blood! We shall live in the blessednd of Alvenheim!¡±

    As Arwen¡¯s intonation grows more fervent, the atmosphere among the surrounding audience bes heated as well.

    Though they may not speak, judging from the reactions of the elves, it is evident that something significant was unfolding.

    They tightened their expressions, sped hands with those beside them, and so on.

    They were in the midst of transforming into a unifiedmunity called ¡°elves,¡± not divided by pure blood or mixed blood, through Arwen¡¯s speech.

    ¡°Furthermore, we, as elves, neither pure-blooded nor mixed-blooded, will carry honor and pride in our hearts. Alvenheim should be a ce where everyone is free and equal under the grace of the gods, where we ovee arrogance and be truly united to face the uing challenges¡­ Remember! Who we are and what our ancestors wanted to protect. That is our responsibility and duty as those who bear the name ¡®elves¡¯!¡±

    Now it was time for that famous quote. Arwen¡¯s speech, which would unify the divided Alvenheim and be a memorable quote for future generations. Arwen slowly scanned the audience and ced one hand in the center of her chest. Then, with a resolute voice, she shouted as if making an appeal.

    ¡°From this moment on, I, Arwen Elodia, the Queen of Alvenheim, dere! As an elf who is of mixed blood, I swear to the gods that this blessednd will not only guarantee freedom and equality but also be a country of the elves, by the elves, and for the elves! In such a beautiful country where no one is discriminated against, let us be one. I swear to all of you!¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but be slightly surprised. Lincoln¡¯s famous quote was naturally what I had written, but Arwen added her own touch to it. Whether she had nned it separately or did it spontaneously, one thing was certain, adding that personal touch to the speech was highly effective. It resonated with the hearts of the elves, who leaned more towards collectivism than individualism.

    p, p, p

    Thus, as Arwen¡¯s speech came to an end, the apuse that quietly resounded.

    p, p, p, p, p!

    The sound transformed into thunder and filled the square. I, too, started pping as if possessed, and the acquaintances seated beside me did the same.

    Some of the nobles from Alvenheim seated in front of me were so impressed by Arwen¡¯s speech that they stood up and even gave a standing ovation. Of course, those presumed to be members of the Council remained seated, pping slowly.

    WOOOOOOOW!

    Apuse continued, apanied by bursts of excitement throughout the area. Arwen, with a deeply excited expression, looked around the audience and sincerely expressed her encouragement.

    ¡°Thank you all for listening to this speech! I hope you all have happy days with your loved ones in thisnd!¡±

    Despite the noise that filled the square, Arwen¡¯s words reached my ears. Filled with pride, I pped fervently for her.

    Perhaps my feelings were conveyed. Arwen sped her hands together at the center of her chest and looked at me. I also smiled back at her, meeting her gray eyes.

    As I smiled, Arwen couldn¡¯t have been happier and responded with a smile full of warmth, politely nodding her head. To others, it probably seemed like she was greeting them.

    [Thank you, Isaac. I¡¯m really grateful.]

    At the same time, Arwen¡¯s voice resonated in my mind. It felt as if she had conveyed her thoughts through telepathy, just like before.

    Startled for a moment, I looked at her face. Arwen had a faint blush on her cheeks and was looking at me with eyes filled with warmth.

    [I will make sure to repay this favor. If there¡¯s anything you desire, please ask Siris.]

    What I wanted¡­ That was all achieved when Arwen appeared. Watching her deliver the speech, I waspletely captivated, so I couldn¡¯t think of anything to ask of her.

    <i>¡®Just having her deliver the speech was enough.¡¯</i>

    However, until then, I had no idea. I had no clue about the misunderstanding Arwen had fallen into because of those words.

    I had no idea about the misunderstanding the Council had formed due to the speech she had mistakenly left behind.

    ¡°It was a truly magnificent speech, wasn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    At least in that moment, I was unaware.

    Trantors note:

    So in the end Isaac went with Abraham Lincoln¡¯s speech huh

    3/5

 Chapter 142: Speech (3)

    Arwen¡¯s speech achieved great sess, leading to fervent support from the people. However, if we delve into its essence, we can see that it is not aplete sess.

    There is a risk of misinterpretation that could involve elements of racial superiority, namely fascism, although she actually cautions against bing arrogant. There are unavoidable aspects in trying to unite pure-blooded and mixed-blooded elves into one group called ¡°elf.¡±

    Therefore, the key is to observe whether pure-blooded and mixed-blooded elves can integrate well and be truly united. If Arwen¡¯s intentions are fulfilled, it may even be possible to ept Dark Elves.

    However, it is quite apparent that the Council of Elders, particrly certain individuals, is monitoring her closely and could hinder her achievements. We can only hope that Arwen handles the situation well.

    After the conclusion of all the speeches and as people dispersed in the square, we remained seated quietly. The reason was simple.

    ¡°It is an honor to meet you. I sincerely¡­¡±

    ¡°I am delighted to meet the sun of the Empire¡­¡±

    ¡°Perhaps an invitation to our country in the future¡­¡±

    ¡°What is Helium like?¡±

    Immediately after the speeches ended, there was a buzz of excitement around Rina and Cecily. In addition to the Minerva Empire, there were also distinguished guests from other countries, so it was somewhat expected.

    Personally, I felt ufortable in such situations, and instinctively tried to leave. In order to aspire for the future, I needed to be ustomed to such spontaneous encounters, but it was a habit I unintentionally developed.

    However, there was someone who prevented me from doing so.

    ¡°Where are you going? You should get used to these asions.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like it¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be stubborn. If you marry meter, you¡¯ll inevitably have to make your debut in society. You wouldn¡¯t think of avoiding society after marriage, right?¡±

    It was my girlfriend, Marie. She skillfully persuaded me to attend the spontaneous encounter.

    At first, I grumbled, but upon reflection, I realized there was nothing wrong with attending. Besides, since it was a spontaneous encounter, it would onlyst a short time, so there was no need to feel burdened.

    However, the fact that they were not nobles of the Minerva Empire but rather royal or noble figures from other countries did give me some pause. I wasn¡¯t familiar with their culture and etiquette.

    However, before long, I realized that even that anxiety was fleeting.

    ¡°Your name is Isaac, right? Red hair is quite rare in the world, it¡¯s really unique.¡±

    ¡°I hear that a lot. Lady has probably heard simr things about herself, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°My hair is also orange, so I hear thosements a lot. Does Lady Marie also receive suchments?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. White hair is not verymon either.¡±

    Perhaps it was because we had just met, or maybe it was because of Marie¡¯s high status, but everyone was kind. Especially when they looked at me, they always mentioned my hair and eyes.

    Furthermore, me being a Baron¡¯s son and Marie being a Duke¡¯s daughter, it was only natural for people to be curious. Sometimes, a few people even asked if I¡¯m engaged to Marie.

    It could be a slightly ufortable question, but considering our social status, it was an inevitable doubt.

    And every time such a question arose, my girlfriend pointed at my face and answered.

    ¡°You¡¯ll know when you see my fianc¨¦¡¯s face. Just imagine someone with this face smiling kindly.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ I see. It¡¯s convincing. Unique looks like that are notmon.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. And it seems like your physique is also secretly impressive¡­¡±

    ¡°I received knight training in the past. Although I quit due tock of talent, I still exercise regrly.¡±

    ¡°By the way, currently, he is highly regarded by professors at the Halo Academy. He is already registered as a rmended student and is assisting the professors.¡±

    Somehow, I ended up boasting, but I¡¯m trying to appeal that I¡¯m the right man for Marie. That way, she won¡¯t look down on me.

    As expected, after Marie¡¯s time to boast ended, both women and men nced at us with envy. They probably see us as a couple of exceptional individuals.

    Marie is a beautiful woman from a noble family, and I am a man with good abilities and a distinctive appearance, despite my lower social ss.

    Moreover, being a member of the powerful Minerva Empire, which can be considered the pinnacle of humanity, I have no trouble gaining connections. Thanks to that, I was able to build rtionships smoothly.

    As time passed, some people left due to busy schedules. Naturally, Rina and Cecily joined us.

    Most of the conversations were led by the women, and the men answered their questions. It¡¯s natural for women to take the lead in nonbative discussions since they excel in eloquence.

    I, too, just listened to the women¡¯s chatter. asionally, my eyes met those of other men, and when I awkwardly smiled, they smiled back in response.

    Even though wee from different nationalities, cultures, and social sses, it was too simplistic for men to participate in the women¡¯s discussions.

    ¡°By the way, what do you all think about the speech?¡±

    At that moment, a certain woman mentioned the speech. She had brown hair, blue eyes, and an elegant and refined beauty.

    If I recall correctly from the previous conversation, she mentioned being from the Belua Republic. The Belua Republic may be small, but it has umted tremendous wealth as a center of global trade.

    The ambitious Minerva Empire was also tempted to conquer it, but since it is a neutral country, I guess they are being left alone for now.

    ¡°That was an excellent speech. Especially the part about the elves, by the elves, for the elves. I really liked that. But, um¡­¡±

    ¡°You think it feels somewhat supremacist?¡±

    Cecily, who had been quietly listening, answered instead. The hesitant woman, who was reluctant to speak out of turn, nodded vigorously with a worried expression when Cecily replied.

    For some reason, Cecily gave me a mischievous smile and said,

    ¡°That part concerns me too, but the Queen mentioned it clearly. Not to be arrogant. Arrogance is usually when it harms others. As long as we have pride without causing harm to others, there shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡±

    ¡°I see. That makes sense. No wonder she mentioned the war between races.¡±

    ¡°Yes, and we¡¯ll have to see how things unfold from now on. The Queen had handled it well, but you know how things can be with people.¡±

    While the criticism of the speech continued, I nced discreetly at another ce. It was where the nobles of Alvenheim were gathered.

    There, people were also gathered, perhaps having impromptu encounters like us. Some of the people there might be listening to our conversation.

    It¡¯s not entirely impossible, considering that elves can use magic like the demons can breathe. Moreover, the people here are not ordinary nobles, but royal or high-ranking nobles.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s right to discuss this here.¡¯</i>

    Since it¡¯s an impromptu meeting, important words might note up, but you never know because people make verbal mistakes.

    Fortunately, Arwen was more challenging than expected, which was surprising. Still, she¡¯s an elf, so people assumed she would be older. Those kinds ofments were made, but nothing more than that.

    However, in case someone unintentionally brings up something strange without realizing it¡­

    ¡°Miss Kate, it seems a bit impolite to discuss that here. There are nobles from Alvenheim over there as well.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­! I-I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Rina, who could be considered the highest-ranking person here, immediately intervened. Indeed, ss has its influence.

    Anyway, the impromptu meeting ended within a short period, and as we had to return to the academy tomorrow, we also started moving our steps. In my heart, I wanted to explore various ces in Alvenheim, but time was limited.

    Above all¡­

    ¡°Achoo!¡±

    ¡°Are you still like this?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Sniff¡­ Yeah¡­¡±

    Cecily¡¯s allergic reaction was bing more severe. During the impromptu meeting just now, she barely spoke and only answered direct questions. In reality, she kept her mouth shut.

    Those who saw it might have found it somewhat strange, but as she continued sneezing and sniffing, they quickly realized that she wasn¡¯t feeling well.

    I could see something around her neck with a worried expression in my eyes. It wasn¡¯t just a slight goosebump, it was something protruding unevenly¡­

    ¡°Huh? Noona, what¡¯s on your neck?¡±

    ¡°What, what?¡±

    Upon hearing my words, Cecily was startled and touched her neck in a hurry. Then, she quickly wore a heavily flustered expression and checked her arms.

    On her pure white arms, there were also simr raised bumps. We were all taken aback, our eyes widening in surprise.

    The mana of the World Tree was more deadly to the demons than we had anticipated.

    ¡°¡­Bak!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    Cecily, who checked her own arms, called Gartz. In response, he silently revealed himself to us.

    I was slightly surprised by his ability to appear without any indication, but that wasn¡¯t the issue. Cecily urgently questioned him in a tense voice.

    ¡°Bak, do you have these bumps too?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t developed any bumps yet¡­ Ah-choo! I apologize. I haven¡¯t developed bumps like Your Highness.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Cecily narrowed her eyes and looked down at her arm as she listened to his response. The hives hadn¡¯t fully developed yet, but the symptoms were worsening, with her skin turning increasingly red.

    In cases like hives, they often improve over time, but this was different, and she wasn¡¯t sure what to make of it. It wasn¡¯t caused by pollen or food but by ¡°mana.¡±

    Cecily turned her head and nced behind her. Her gaze was fixed precisely on the World Tree.

    ¡°¡­It seems the devils couldn¡¯t invade Alvheim for a reason.¡±

    Then she murmured bitterly and clenched her arm, where the hives had formed, with her hand. Meanwhile, I watched Cecily with a worried look in my eyes.

    Perhaps Cecily sensed my gaze because she gave me her characteristic smile, easing my concerns.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. Seeing that Bk is unaffected, it¡¯s probably because I¡¯m too strong. The stronger the demon, the denser the concentration of ck mana.¡±

    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s just hurry back for now. It could get worse.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for worrying. But, as weak as you think I am¡­ Achoo!¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    As soon as Cecily sneezed, I gently closed my eyes. Since we were facing each other, I vividly felt the spittle hitting my face.

    If there had been a warning, I would have turned my head, but it happened suddenly without any premonition, leaving no time to avoid it.

    ¡°Ah¡­ I-I¡¯m sorry. Should I wipe it off?¡±

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s fine.¡±

    It seemed that preparing extensively would be necessary for the demons to reach Yggdrasil.

    *****

    It was when Isaac and his party were returning home. Arwen¡¯s speech was sufficient to eradicate the deep-rooted arrogance in the hearts of the Alvenheim citizens, but it didn¡¯t mean that there were no dissatisfied individuals. Among them, it was natural to consider the power restraining Arwen, the Council of Elders. They could not help but be bewildered by Arwen¡¯s unexpected and brilliant speech.

    Even though it had only been about a week since the nationwide speech, whether it was talent or a hidden ability, she disyed speech skills beyond expectations. Although it was just a speech, its content shocked the Council of Elders.

    ¡°Darn it! I can¡¯t believe she was hiding such ability¡­!¡±

    Feiren, the leader of the Council of Elders and a senator, expressed his frustration as he returned to Elydia. Arwen¡¯s nationwide speech surpassed his expectations and ended in great sess, and furthermore, it was erasing the boundaries between pure-blood and mixed-blood.

    Fieren, who had always restrained Arwen, couldn¡¯t understand it. He already knew that she liked books and had excellent eloquence, but speeches were a different matter.

    He couldn¡¯t fathom what had happened in just a week, but Arwen had moved the hearts of the Alvenheim citizens and captured public opinion.

    <i>¡®I thought she would fail¡­¡¯</i>

    Fieren pondered with his narrowed forehead, tapping his finger against his temple. The reason he hadn¡¯t bothered Arwen during the week of preparation was that he predicted she would be preparing an insignificant speech.

    Originally, the purpose was to fuel the conflict between purebloods and mixed-bloods and drive out all the mixed-bloods. When Arwen initially revealed that she herself was a mixed-blood, it was enough to make one inwardly chuckle.

    However, those predictions wentpletely awry, and the n itself became nothing more than shredded paper. Never did I expect Arwen to not differentiate between purebloods and mixed-bloods but rather form a collective called ¡®Elves.¡¯

    It was obvious that Arwen would be at an advantage politically. Perhaps even the prestigious families assisting the Council of Elders might support Arwen.

    ¡°Councilor Fieren!¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    Someone rushed over urgently while Fieren was lost in thought. Fieren snapped out of his reverie to confirm who it was.

    It was Jukiri, an elf who was both a fellow counselor and a conduit of information. She possessed a typical elven beauty but had a somewhat anxious expression.

    ¡°Why are you in such a hurry?¡±

    ¡°You need to see this. Look at this!¡±

    Jukiri hastily arrived, panting, and handed Fieren a piece of paper. Assuming it was a letter, Fieren epted it without any suspicion.

    However, the contents written on the paper were enough to widen Fieren¡¯s eyes in surprise.

    The contents on the paper matched Arwen¡¯s uing national speech.

    The problem was that the handwriting was not Arwen¡¯s but someone else¡¯s. Fieren already knew Arwen¡¯s handwriting well.

    ¡°This is¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s something the maid discovered while tidying up the queen¡¯s chamber. It seems the queen forgot to organize it. However¡­¡±

    ¡°The handwriting is different. This wasn¡¯t written by the queen.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct. What do you think?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Fieren pondered while stroking his snowy white beard. If used well, this could pressure Arwen, but it was not enough on its own.

    Who, when, where, delivered a speech to Arwen, and why.

    Four out of six principles are missing. Fieren¡¯s mind spun rapidly, and suddenly, one assumption came to mind.

    <i>¡®Come to think of it, the queen seemed particrly reluctant to find Xenon¡­¡¯</i>

    There are many people who write well. However, there are very few who can write moving words like this speech.

    Of course, this might be an overly advanced thought, but considering Arwen¡¯s attitude so far, it¡¯s not entirely strange. She rejected everything they said about finding Xenon and insisted it was just a book.

    But what if Xenon and Arwen have a close rtionship? Moreover, Arwen herself has stated that she is a hybrid and hybrids have the environment to grow within human society.

    And within the story of Xenon, there is also the tragic narrative of Kair and Elisha. It¡¯s a love story between an elven queen and a human with extraordinary abilities.

    Moreover, it is spected that even Xenon, who has experienced countless trials and tribtions, is considered to be a sage by the world. It is said that Xenon incorporated his own experiences into Xenon¡¯s Biography. Otherwise, it would have been impossible to create such a story.

    Fieren couldn¡¯t help but suspect that the puzzle pieces fit together too perfectly.

    Arwen and Xenon, it is said that they had a deep rtionship in the past, a bond that may have been severed due to their difference in lifespan.

    ¡°¡­Jukiri.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Grand Councilor.¡±

    ¡°Send someone to the publisher of Xenon¡¯s Biography immediately. And ask for just one letter containing Xenon¡¯s writing.¡±

    ¡°Why? What¡¯s the reason for that?¡±

    Fieren raised one corner of his mouth.

    ¡°I have a feeling that an interesting story is about to unfold.¡±

    Trantors note:

    4/5

 Chapter 143: Rewriting (1)

    Arwen¡¯s national address had a significant impact not only in Alvenheim but also worldwide. Although the elves seemed well united on regr asions, they exhibited signs of division during times of crisis.

    This division can be observed not only in the racial war but also within Alvenheim itself, revealing cracks in various ces. The cracks are so numerous that they went unnoticed even by the elves themselves, resembling time bombs ready to explode at any moment.

    Furthermore, the recent mixed-bloods incident showed signs of further division, but Arwen¡¯s speech sessfully concluded it and began the process of true unity among the elves.

    The content of the speech primarily focused on integrating pure-blooded and mixed-blooded elves, but upon closer examination, Arwen urged the elves to rid themselves of the ¡®arrogance¡¯ that they would miss. Arrogance is considered their true enemy, tarnishing the honor of their ancestors.

    Thanks to this, the elves of Alvenheim have been prompted to think deeply, ultimately resulting in significant changes throughout the country.

    Naturally, neighboring countries are keeping a close eye on whether Alvenheim will truly be united. Particrly, the human nations were observing, as if the elves achieve unity, it would create various difficulties for humans.

    During the racial war, the reason the human side could im victory was their unity. Despite appearing divided by various political maneuvers and power struggles, they managed to unite.

    Moreover, the same can be said for the Devil War 3000 years ago, and even to this day, ¡®tenacity¡¯ and ¡®unity¡¯ are indispensable identities for humans.

    Although humans possess innate abilities that are inferior to other races, their unyielding spirit and unity in the face of adversity are their greatest strengths.

    But if the elves were to possess this strength, who knows if it may be a source of concern in the future, although it may not be evident at present.

    [If the elves be united, it could be a significant threat in the distant future.]

    [When other races hear this, it feels almost provocative.]

    [Will the elves truly change?]

    I am currently paying attention to the changes in the elves, just like the evaluations mentioned above. Some are wary of the elves, fearing that they might dominate the world in the distant future. Others assert that the elves are just elves and that arrogance cannot be eliminated.

    Amidst these various evaluations, there is amon assessment, which is the content of the speech. Particrly, the phrase mentioned at the end, ¡°by the elves, for the elves,¡± has been reiterated several times. It encapsted the essence of the previous speeches and received praise for deeply engraving a simple sentence in people¡¯s minds.

    Of course, it was Isaac who wrote all of this, but people thought Arwen had done it.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who wrote that speech, right?¡±

    Except for a very small minority.

    *****

    Cecily¡¯s condition worsened, so she promptly returned to the Minerva Empire. Then Cecily went back to Helium with Gartz and anticipated tomorrow. The next day, when it arrived, Cecily and I enjoyed a date together. Marie had her hands full with sses, but thanks to her willingly giving way, we were able to enjoy ourselves.

    There were students who looked at us with strange nces, but we ignored them now. After all, even if we called it a date, all we did was have a meal together or wander around the academy.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°You wrote that speech, right?¡±

    Suddenly, Cecily asked me such a question. We were in a soundproofed room to have coffee, so there was no chance for the sound to leak outside.

    I was slightly taken aback by Cecily¡¯s question but quickly responded calmly.

    ¡°You knew?¡±

    ¡°I just guessed. I didn¡¯t really think about hiding it.¡±

    ¡°You know Arwen, Noona. Besides, you¡¯re observant, so I thought you would find out someday.¡±

    There was no falsehood in my sincere words. I had predicted that Cecily, at her level, would discover the fact that Arwen hade to find me.

    Moreover, there was also Siris, the messenger connecting me and Arwen, so it was definitely not a wild guess.

    ¡°Surely you didn¡¯t just help her, right? She has a strong sense of responsibility, but she caused you a great deal of harm.¡±

    ¡°I know. That¡¯s why I asked her to teach me some magic.¡±

    ¡°Magic?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Specifically, I asked her to write down the types of magic and their effects. The magic of elves and demons is quite different.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    Cecily¡¯s expression showed that she understood my answer. However, it was only for a moment, and she asked in a tone questioning if that would be okay.

    ¡°Is that enough? Arwen¡¯s speech to the nation was sessful, and it provided a significant opportunity for Alvenheim to progress. In my opinion, you deserve more rewards, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°What rewards? I already have everything I want.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡±

    Cecily rolled her reddened eyes and got lost in thought at my words. Meanwhile, I calmly waited while sipping my coffee.

    Eventually, she made a pensive expression and spoke with a disappointed tone.

    ¡°Well, I guess that¡¯s true. You really have everything. Still, I wish you were more ambitious.¡±

    ¡°Ambitious, you say¡­¡±

    I pondered while setting down my cup of coffee. Perhaps due to the influence of my previous life, I was not particrly ambitious, as Cecily mentioned.

    I¡¯ve already achieved everything there is to achieve. Could there be room for more ambition? If anything, I would like to delve deeper into history.

    However, even that is being conveyed through the series of books located in the Altenheim Sanctuary, thanks to Siris. This has increased my knowledge and served as a reference for Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    If I have any ambition at the moment, it would be for more people to read Xenon¡¯s Biography and develop the Michelle territory into a cultural hub. In reality, these are the only two ambitions I have.

    <i>¡®To do that, I¡¯ll need toplete the 13th volume, and even beyond that, finish the entire series.¡¯</i>

    I¡¯ve already written about half of the 13th volume. Like the previous 12 volumes, I¡¯ve already nned everything, and what remains is the invasion of Alvenheim, or as referred to in the book, Elvenheim.

    If Elvenheim were to be invaded, Alvenheim threatened to censor, but honestly, it doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s Alvenheim that will suffer, not me.

    Moreover, considering Arwen¡¯s disclosure, it seems more like an arbitrary decision by the Council of Elders. Politicians should grasp public sentiment, but they are undermining it themselves.

    <i>¡®If it¡¯s not possible, I should send a letter.¡¯</i>

    I know well through my past life in China how oppressive it is to censor culture. What¡¯s even more absurd is that despite cultural censorship, people continue to seek it until the end.

    I wonder if a simr phenomenon is urring in Alvenheim as well. Perhaps this will lead to the citizens of Alvenheim also harboring discontent towards the Council of Elders.

    I snapped out of my thoughts and stared intensely at Cecily. She was patiently waiting for me to speak.

    At the moment, I didn¡¯t have any great ambitions, but it seemed like something had changed since I looked at her. It was also something I had been curious about all along.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t have it before, but it seems like I have one now.¡±

    ¡°Really? What is it?¡±

    ¡°Horns.¡±

    ¡°Horns?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    I nodded and pointed at Cecily¡¯s horns with my finger.

    ¡°Can I touch the horns just once?¡±

    ¡°What, what?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m asking if I can touch the horns just once. I¡¯ve been curious about them for a while.¡±

    I heard from Cecily the meaning behind demons allowing others to touch their horns. It was like a confession, saying that even if you be a devil, I will love me forever. This is not only to satisfy my personal curiosity but also to show my feelings towards Cecily. It¡¯s been a while since ourst date, and I think I should do something like this.

    Cecily, at first, hesitated but then quietly spoke up.

    ¡°¡­Y-You can touch them.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I said a few months ago that I¡¯ll do anything you want. Whether it¡¯s my horns or my body, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±

    Cecily kindly responded, cing her hand on her chest. There was a slight blush on her cheeks, indicating her nervousness, and her voice trembled slightly.

    For demons, touching their horns is simr to emotionally connecting with someone. In fact, emotional connection holds more value than physical interaction. It is natural to value emotional connection, as it tends to affect them more on a mental level.

    As soon as Cecily gave her permission, I stood up from my seat and sat next to her. Cecily seemed startled when I sat right beside her, lowering her head and assuming a reserved posture.

    She subtly moved her head toward me, as if subtly indicating for me to touch it, which was incredibly cute, especially after the sneezing incident. It felt like she was urging me to pet her head.

    Is it that all women who fall in love are cute, or is it Cecily¡¯s and Marie¡¯s personality that makes them like this? While I was looking at her face, my gaze shifted to the horns near her temples. Slowly, as the evil cycle approached, the proportion of red upying the horns seemed to be greater than ck.

    swoosh

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    As I cautiously touched the horn, Cecily twisted her body and made a purring sound like a cat. It seemed like she could feel my touch even with her eyes closed.

    However, as I heard before, the horns have no sensation. She is simply findingfort in me touching her horns.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s hard.¡¯</i>

    The demon¡¯s horns, which I touched for the first time in my life, were indeed hard. It¡¯s natural for horns to be hard, but I expected a different feeling.

    For a while, I gently caressed Cecily¡¯s horns and then moved my other hand to hold her face. Slowly, I turned it and positioned it to face me.

    When I turned my face, Cecily opened her previously closed eyes and gazed at me. Her reddish eyes were strangely moist and filled with intense emotions.

    I always think this, but she is truly beautiful, to the point where words like that fall short.

    ¡°Noona, did you know?¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    ¡°You surprisingly have cute aspects. Like thest time when you sneezed, and even now. You¡¯re really adorable.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    As I spoke sincerely, Cecily¡¯s face rapidly turned red. Even her blood-red eyes were buried in her flushedplexion, evidence of her embarrassment.

    Yet, she didn¡¯t avoid eye contact, which was typical of her. If it were Marie, she would have turned her head, ashamed and embarrassed, and yelled out.

    In response, I gave a small smile and slowly brought my face closer. With one hand gently touching the horn and the other hand holding Cecily¡¯s face.

    As I brought my face closer, Cecily closed her eyes once again.

    Soon, something soft and tender could be felt on my lips. Feeling that sensation, I slightly opened my mouth.

    Cecily responded by cautiously parting her lips, allowing us to cover each other¡¯s lips.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    For a while, a deep kiss continued. I could feel Cecily¡¯s body tensing up in real-time, but I paid it no mind.

    Our tongues didn¡¯t intertwine forcefully. Mixing our tongues would be for another time, not in this narrow space.

    This kiss was merely a prelude. The summer vacation wasn¡¯t going tost much longer, so this was a preliminary step to give her something to look forward to.

    I gently touched Cecily¡¯s horn while continuing the kiss, and then cautiously pulled away our lips. The sweet aroma of coffee lingered in my mouth.

    ¡°Ha¡­ Ha¡­ Huh¡­¡±

    Was it because she held her breath while we kissed? Cecily let out a breathless sigh and wore a dazed expression.

    Unlike thest time when I didn¡¯t touch her horn, now, as I kissed her while caressing the horn, she seemed emotionally stirred. I smirked and noticed that I was still touching her horn.

    I had suspected it, but now there was a higher proportion of redpared to a moment ago. It seemed that along with the kiss, the desire intensified.

    ¡°Noona.¡±

    ¡°Huh¡­ Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Can you hold on until the vacation?¡±

    During the vacation, I had ns to officially visit Helium. I needed to observe Cecily¡¯s fighting style firsthand for Xenon¡¯s Biography, and explore various ces in Helium.

    And I had to do it ording to her wishes. To do so, it would be best to meet Cecily¡¯s parents and exin the situation in detail.

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s hard.¡±

    Cecily responded to my question by lightly hitting her chest with her fist and pouting. Still, it seemed that she didn¡¯t feel entirely unpleasant as she smiled.

    While letting out a shallowugh, I didn¡¯t stop touching her horn. It had a peculiar addictive quality, and since Cecily enjoyed it, it was difficult to stop.

    ¡°Noona.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Isaac.¡±

    With a happy smile on her face, Cecily responded to my call. I paused for a moment, admiring her beautiful appearance, before speaking.

    ¡°I told you that I named Lilith after you.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m nning to include illustrations of her in Volume 13. Can I use you as a reference?¡±

    ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Upon hearing that I would not only use her as a reference for a character but also as a model for illustrations, Cecily¡¯s eyes widened. Well, being a model for illustration is quite different from being a reference.

    Although I have some experience with drawing, there is a world of difference between drawing while looking at the actual person and drawing based on imagination.

    If possible, I wanted to draw all the Seven Sins as illustrations, but it would be difficult in many ways, so I at least wanted to include Cecily as an illustration.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, but is it okay for me to?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no one who suits the role of Lilith as much as you.¡±

    ¡°Well, then it¡¯s an honor for me. Will you be the one drawing the illustrations?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. It may not be perfect, but it¡¯ll be better if I draw while looking at you.¡±

    ¡°Sigh¡­¡±

    For some reason, Cecily exhaled a hot breath. I briefly nced at her face, filled with curiosity.

    Cecily¡¯s red eyes were even deeper in color than before. It was as if she had discovered prey, like a fierce predator about to explode with desire.

    Even the horn I am currently touching was the same. Except for the tip, it ispletely covered in red.

    ¡°While doing this¡­ how can I resist¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Isaac¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes, Noona.¡±

    She grabbed my face with both hands and uttered words that seemed to admit a defeat to her desires.

    ¡°Can¡¯t we just do it here?¡±

    And followed by a firm response.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Just once¡­¡±

    ¡°No. If you keep doing that, I won¡¯t touch your horn anymore.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Fortunately, Cecily obediently withdrew.

    ******

    When Arwen gave her national speech, the publishingpany that released Xenon¡¯s Biography was busy with a packed schedule. They had no time to rest amidst the overflowing workload, whether it was a national speech or any other matter. Even the printing press, which was developed with advanced technology, was printing books like crazy.

    Originally, Xenon¡¯s Biography was the most popr book among humans, but starting from the 11th volume, it spread widely regardless of race. The transcendent love story captivated the hearts of readers.

    Thanks to that, the CEO of the publishingpany once again sat on a fortune. However, they were currently facing a difficult situation.

    ¡°So, what you¡¯re saying is¡­ you want me to show you the letter sent by Xenon?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±

    Because of the elves right in front of them.

    Elves visiting a publishingpany was unheard of until now, and moreover, renowned individuals from prestigious Alvenheim families came to the publishingpany. They belonged to the upper echelons of the elven nobility, so the president couldn¡¯t help but be cautious. Furthermore, Alvenheim even issued a deration demanding modifications to the content of the 13th volume.

    The CEO, dressed in luxurious silk clothing, looked at the confident elf in front of them and replied with a professional smile.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t show it to you. It¡¯s already been burned.¡±

    ¡°It would be best not to lie, human.¡±

    ¡°Why would I lie? There are people who can trace it just by the handwriting, so it must be erased.¡±

    The CEO mentioned an actual incident. There are all sorts of people in the world, and among them are those who are skilled in tracking.

    Of course, it¡¯s practically impossible to track based on handwriting alone, but after the incident of the stolen draftst time, they had to be cautious in everything. Burning all the letters? It¡¯s a lie, just as the elf said. Each and every letter holds great value, so how could they casually burn them?

    However, they had no choice but to lie in order to prepare for the worst. You can¡¯t split the goose thatys the golden eggs.

    ¡°If it¡¯s money you want, I¡¯ll give it. If you want, I can even provide the dew of the World Tree willingly.¡±

    ¡°The dew of the World Tree¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s one of the main ingredients for elixirs.¡±

    That does sound tempting. The elixir is known as a panacea, capable of saving even a dying person.

    However, its price demands a heavy toll, to the point that even wealthy nobles have to endure great expenses to purchase it. If the elixir holds such value, what about its main ingredient?

    The CEO¡¯s mind raced quickly. However, they soon concluded that it would be a loss.

    The dew of the World Tree, appearing at an official auction? Such things usually appear on the ck market rather than in regr auctions, and there are countless cases where people don¡¯t receive their money properly.

    With a business smile, the CEO spoke kindly.

    ¡°I apologize. Even the dew of the World Tree is out of the question. It¡¯s impossible to give something that doesn¡¯t exist.¡±

    ¡°Do you not understand the great value of the dew of the World Tree?¡±

    ¡°I understand. That¡¯s why I¡¯m declining.¡±

    The CEO, who had gone through all sorts of trials and tribtions to grow thepany, perceived the actions of these elves as an attempt to curry favor.

    <i>¡®Can¡¯t they see how busy I am? And they are demanding a letter from me?¡¯</i>

    The CEO had a history of firmly rejecting the demands of personnel dispatched from the pce. Even proposals from esteemed figures of the empire were turned down, let alone personnel from other countries.

    Above all, the CEO disliked these elves. They were incredibly arrogant, with condescending gazes. Who would ept their proposals?

    ¡°Hmph. Don¡¯t you understand the seriousness of the situation? You will regret it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve already told you before, I cannot provide what doesn¡¯t exist. You mentioned that youe from a prestigious family in Alvenheim. Could you please tell me your name?¡±

    ¡°I am Ks Shadowsinger.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Who is that, anyway? The CEO maintained a friendly smile but was annoyed internally.

    ¡°Anyway, I will make sure to visit again soon. It would be nice if you brought a letter then.¡±

    ¡°I will send a message to Mr. Xenon.¡±

    ¡°Understood. I wille back exactly three dayster.¡±

    The elf who appeared to be the representative concealed his appearance as he spoke. The other elves did the same.

    The CEO¡¯s friendly smile vanished instantly as the concealed elves disappeared through teleportation. He then turned his gaze to the opposite side, his expression bing stern, and nced discreetly to his side.

    Standing beside him was his loyal secretary and trusted employee, Matthew. He seemed slightly nervous, with cold sweat running down his face.

    ¡°Matthew.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes!¡±

    ¡°Transcribe all the letters that Xenon wrote.¡±

    ¡°Understood¡­ me?¡±

    ¡°And transcribe all the uing letters as well. Return the rest of them, rejecting them all. It would be good to inform them about our situation in the process.¡±

    After giving those orders, the CEO licked his lips and muttered softly.

    ¡°Some things never change for these damn elves.¡±

    Trantors note:

    5/5

    All test done, even went to my country¡¯s capital to take jlpt.

    Anyway, now I can focus on tranting.

 Chapter 144: Rewriting (2)

    The viin should be charming. This applies not only to novels but also to other forms of media. If the viin is ordinary and unremarkable, defeating them will not bring much satisfaction to the protagonist, and it will be taken for granted in most cases. Typically, third rate viins fall into this category.

    On the other hand, a charismatic viin, even when defeated by the protagonist, leaves asting impression and is evaluated from various perspectives. Why did the viin end up resorting to such actions? Why did they cross a point of no return?

    Lastly, what beliefs did the viin hold, and so on. Especially when a viin emerges who perfectly opposes the protagonist, their poprity increases significantly.

    Among the countless viins in history, there are those who are recorded for their impact. Examples include Darth Vader from Star Wars, the Joker from The Dark Knight, notorious tyrant kings in the gaming world like Arthas.

    Viins must be as captivating and multidimensional as the protagonists, especially if they have a significant role like the Seven Deadly Sins.

    The mention of their past in the novel and the readers¡¯ eptance alone could be considered sufficient for sess.

    <i>¡®Organizing each and every detail is quite a task.¡¯</i>

    As the Seven Deadly Sins were being revealed in full, even establishing the setting was a task. Since I can gradually write the 13th volume, I¡¯m thinking of starting with the past of the Seven Deadly Sins.

    If we were to categorize the races within the Seven Deadly Sins, we have the arrogant Elves for Pride, demons for Gluttony, subi for Lust, humans for Envy, beastmen for Wrath, dwarves for Greed, andstly, Sloth as a kind of fragment.

    As amon point, excluding the artificial Sloth, is it safe to say that they all have miserable pasts? To unfold this, it should be mentioned in various parts, but it wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to write it as a separate story.

    <i>¡®First and foremost, who will be the first to be eliminated¡­¡¯</i>

    In order to prevent the protagonist and their group from returning to Elvenheim, Lust, Lilith appears. Modeled after Cecily, she is a subus who simultaneously wields swordsmanship and magic.

    With sensual and decadent beauty, she seduces indiscriminately through every movement, but, as befitting a demon, carries a tragic past.

    Once, she loved a human man, and that human also sincerely loved Lilith, but due to the low reputation of demons, she lost them right in front of her eyes.

    Since then, like many other demons, she couldn¡¯t control her anger and sadness, bing a devil herself.

    However, uniquely enough, she didn¡¯t lose her rationality and sought revenge with cold hatred, catching the attention of Diablo and taking the seat of Lust.

    The reason she didn¡¯t lose her rationality was because she was a first-generation hybrid of a demon and a human, just like Jin.

    <i>¡®It turns out she¡¯s also a pure-hearted girl.¡¯</i>

    I have already considered all the ways in which the Seven Deadly Sins will retire. Lilith will fall, calling out the name of the man she loves, even until the moment of her death. It is truly heartbreaking and saddening that even the reason she became a demon and lived in agony was to remember the man she loves for a little longer.

    <i>¡®I hope this doesn¡¯t lead to demons being recognized as the Sunflower race, right?¡¯</i>

    (TL: I have no idea what sunflower race is)

    Currently, the recognition of demons is skyrocketing. It is not an exaggeration to say that the number of people who have be involved with demons and entered into rtionships with them has been increasing day by day since Volume 12 was released.

    Demons are also moving away from the perception that they are just evil beings and are expanding their areas of activity. Furthermore, they are gaining diverse experiences. Of course, as seen in the incident at Alvenheim¡¯s immigration, minor discrimination still exists.

    However, this is also clearly being treated as tant racial discrimination.

    ¡°Phew~!¡±

    After establishing all the settings for the Seven Deadly Sins, I stretched and yawned. The sound of my bones cracking could be heard as I¡¯ve been sitting at my desk for a long time.

    Referring to Cecily¡¯s battle, I write abat scene for Lilith, but it is not the part of the story when she confronts her opponent in earnest. In Volume 13, she will engage moderately with magic before leaving.

    Xenon and his group would bepletely overwhelmed by Lilith, and the reason is simple. Lilith has wings, while Xenon and his group do not.

    The difference in merit between someone who fights in the air, using magic bombardment, and someone who fights on the ground, like a dog, is enormous. If you were to see how a tank gets mercilessly destroyed by a helicopter, you¡¯ll roughly understand.

    <i>¡®The aftermath of the invasion of Elvenheim is the biggest problem¡­¡¯</i>

    I leaned back on the chair¡¯s backrest and looked up at the ceiling. Elvenheim, as the name suggests, is the Alvenheim in Xenon¡¯s Biography, with just a letter changed so that anyone can recognize it.

    Furthermore, Elvenheim is not only under attack by demons but also the location of the World Tree. As evident from Cecily¡¯s allergic reaction, the mana emanating from the World Tree is deadly to demons, but Lucifer of Pride nullifies its effects.

    If you ask me how, I don¡¯t know either.

    However, it is mentioned that when the arrogant elves let their guard down, Lucifer temporarily contaminated the ¡°roots¡± of the World Tree. I don¡¯t even know if that¡¯s really possible, and the Council and the Queen, Arwen, probably wouldn¡¯t know either. Although it¡¯s a pity, novels are just novels, and they rarely have real-life implications.

    My novel is a bit of a peculiar case, though.

    <i>¡®Will it really be censored?¡¯</i>

    The Council is strongly determined to censor it, but honestly, it¡¯s a story that could be subjected to censorship. Even though it¡¯s a novel, Elvenheim being upied by demons and even the World Tree being transformed into nourishment for the resurrection of a great devil is uneptable for the elves who take pride in being chosen by the gods. There is nothing more ufortable than having the blessings and gifts from the gods ruthlessly snatched away by demons.

    But if you think about it, it also serves as a warning. The longsting peace can dull even the sharpest swords.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s ask Arwen about it gradually.¡¯</i>

    What¡¯s most important is what happens afterward. The conflict and cooperation between the elven hero and the dark elven hero, and furthermore, the emergence of beastmen as the story progresses and evolves.

    In reality and in the novel, the rtionship between humans and beastmen is more than just bad. There are significant conflicts, but as they subdue demons and gradually resolve them, they eventually be friends. That¡¯s the kind of story it is.

    However, it bothers me that I know very little about beastmen. I know the origins to some extent through various papers and history books at Elena¡¯sboratory, but that¡¯s about it. Beastmen established civilization, which is Animers, just 300 years ago, and there are still beastmen living in primitive conditions in various ces. Books and papers provide insufficient information.

    <i>¡®Do I really have to ask Leona?¡¯</i>

    Considering that she was admitted to the Academy, Leona must have had an exceptional status. It¡¯s almost certain, considering that she mentioned she¡¯s not a mere cat but a lion in a previous encounter.

    If you really think about it, lions are also part of the cat family, but let¡¯s not dwell on that. After all, to me, a human, they¡¯re all just animals.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    I bit the pen in my mouth and stared aimlessly at the ceiling. Beastmen don¡¯t appear until thetter half of Volume 14, and the real conflict starts from Volume 15.

    So, I still have a few months of spare time, but time flies quickly. Moreover, if I want more solid evidence, I¡¯ll have to consult not only Leona but also other people.

    <i>¡®Should I ask her once?¡¯</i>

    From Leona¡¯s perspective, she might be flustered, but if I exin it¡¯s for research purposes, she should stop being suspicious. Instead, she might have something she wants, so I¡¯m willing to listen if possible.

    Coincidentally, the next lecture is about history, so maybe I can ask her then. I turned my head slightly to check the time. There was about an hour left until the history lecture.

    During that time¡­

    Snap!

    I should call for Siris. I took out the summoning scroll from the desk drawer and tore it in half.

    The torn scroll turned into blue particles and dispersed into the air, and I waited quietly until Siris responded.

    I waited for about 10 seconds like that.

    ¡°Did you call?¡±

    Siris appeared out of thin air and spoke bluntly. Unlikest time, she was dressed neatly in armor, not in underwear.

    Of course, while it¡¯s not underwear, it still was the revealing armormonly referred to as bikini armor. As dark elves specialize in ambushes rather than direct confrontations, they need to be light and have more exposed skin for better stealth.

    I closed my eyes tightly at the dark elf¡¯s culture that I could never get used to and then slowly opened them. Although she covered the area around her mouth with a mask, it was still difficult to hide her dazzling beauty.

    ¡°Have you been well? Anything special happened?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Do you know what Arwen is up to these days?¡±

    ¡°Nothing special. However¡­¡±

    As I leaned my face closer, curious, Siris responded in his characteristic dry voice.

    ¡°Her Majesty asks multiple times if there really needs to be no repayment. Are you truly okay with that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It wasn¡¯t a particrly difficult task. Just let her know that even a simple speech would have been sufficient.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    ¡°And the reason I called for Siris is to confirm something.¡±

    ¡°Confirm¡­ what do you mean?¡±

    ¡°This.¡±

    I handed Siris a partially written manuscript. She blinked her golden eyes, simr to mine, and received the manuscript with a bewildered expression.

    She alternated his gaze between the manuscript and me, seemingly unable to grasp what I wanted.

    ¡°I asked for your advice on writing the dark elf battle scene, right? I¡¯m curious about your thoughts after reading it.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean I¡¯ll be the first one to read it?¡±

    ¡°Even though it¡¯s in the middle, you could say so, if you want to be picky.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    Siris¡¯s eyes sparkled at the idea of being the first to read. I thought this person would be as blunt and emotionless as Gartz, but surprisingly, she has a rich expression of emotions.

    Perhaps Siris rarely has the need to reveal her emotions, and she might not feel the necessity to do so, which might have made their personality stiff. I chuckled as I watched Siris, with eyes shining like a child who found a new toy.

    ¡°Um¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I dozed off while waiting for Siris to check the manuscript. I noticed her golden eyes rapidly moving from side to side in my field of vision.

    Honestly, I felt a bit nervous. It¡¯s abat scene involving a different race, and not just any race but the lesser-known dark elves. I wondered if she, who possesses exceptional skills even among dark elves, would find the scene satisfying.

    One could argue that it doesn¡¯t matter since it¡¯s not well-known among dark elves, but precisely because of that, I need even more solid evidence.

    If some strange frame were to be imposed, I would not only feel sorry for that race but also face criticism. So, I want to be thorough in preserving the authenticity.

    Flutter¡­

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ Siris, when will you finish reading?¡±

    The battle scenes of the dark elves aren¡¯t that frequent, but I heard the sound of turning pages more often. I suspect she was pretending to read the battle scenes without actually reading them all.

    When I mentioned this, Siris covered the manuscript and looked at me with her typical expressionless face. I don¡¯t know why, but it seemed like a disappointed expression.

    Just as I was slightly tense, Siris spoke in a disappointed tone of voice.

    ¡°The battle scenes themselves are notcking. Especially when they defeat the devil giant, starting with the Achilles Tendon Shot to disrupt the bnce and then targeting the vital points one by one, it¡¯s excellent. In fact, it¡¯s a technique we often use when facing giant monsters.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°But this is a human approach, not a Dark Elf¡¯s approach. If we were in stealth, we would eliminate everyone and attack the critical points, including the neck. Even if it¡¯s a giant over 5 meters tall, we can instantly move to the neck using spatial leap. Moreover, unless there¡¯s a lich on the devil¡¯s side, there¡¯s no way they can detect us.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±

    ¡°Keep in mind that we value simplicity over mboyance.¡±

    I eximed in awe, my lips forming a round shape. Indeed, it seemed like a wise decision to seek advice.

    At the same time, my thoughts started to lean towards seeking advice from Leona. With all these insightsing together, I could boast an even better level ofpleteness.

    ¡°And¡­¡±

    ¡°Is there something else?¡±

    She waited with a slight inclination of her upper body, as if she wanted to say something. Then, Siris asked, with a disappointed expression apparent on his face, as if probing.

    ¡°Why am I not included?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You clearly said that I would be included¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Will I appear next time?¡±

    Upon hearing those words, my eyes widened in surprise, and I checked Siris¡¯s ears. Despite being partially cut, they were still longer than those of a human.

    And those ears were drooping downwards. As she was a dark elf, it seemed like her ears were not as capable as an elf¡¯s.

    ¡°You will appear soon.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°I believe you.¡±

    As I said that, Siris¡¯s ears perked up slightly, and her expression brightened a little. I couldn¡¯t help but smile at that.

    Since the sessor of the Dark Elf¡¯s hero is scheduled to appear anyway, why not include her there? I saw Keir, the sessor of the Elf hero, during the immigration screening.

    <i>¡®Mr. Gartz seems to secretly want in too¡­¡¯</i>

    I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t include more demons because they already had a presence. Just be satisfied with a mention.

    ¡°Is this what you wanted?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ if possible, please ask Arwen to send me books rted to beastmen. They¡¯re expected to appear in the future.¡±

    ¡°Understood. Are you sure you don¡¯t need any separatepensation? The queen has mentioned it several times.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, so let it be.¡±

    I chuckled and extended my hand. Just by admiring Arwen¡¯s figure while delivering the speech, I had already received my reward without asking for it. However, I couldn¡¯t say it outright, so I vaguely circumvented the topic.

    ¡°I mentioned it before, but just the sight of her delivering the speech was enough. I was able to see a different side of Arwen.¡±

    ¡°A different side, you say¡­¡±

    ¡°¡®I already knew you were beautiful, but to think you could be even more beautiful?¡¯ Just convey it like that.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Siris looked at me with a strange gaze. Unlike before, I couldn¡¯t read her inner thoughts from her ears.

    She tilted his head curiously and expressed her doubt.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°No, never mind. Can you just deliver it as it is?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Siris nodded at my blunt response.

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Trantors note:

    1/5

    Longest chapter I tranted til now.

 Chapter 145: Rewriting (3)

    I have been mentioning this consistently, but I was appointed as a rmended student, so if I only take history sses, I will not only receive credits but also be treated as a third-year student right away.

    I don¡¯t know how disappointed the professors, including Professor Birus, whom I had built some rapport with, were when I told them about this fact. Especially Professor Birus seemed the most regretful, and he even suggested that I consider taking a double major in turn.

    However, I politely declined because I wanted to focus solely on history rather than literature. Professor Birus¡¯s expression at that time was truly heartbreaking.

    Of course, I don¡¯t only take history sses. asionally, I also take the sses I want. Nevertheless, most of them are closely rted to history, so I take them for the purpose of acquiring knowledge.

    Moreover, I can freelye and go to Professor Elena¡¯s researchb and even receive texts from the Sanctuary through Siris. It means that I neverck knowledge.

    Anyway, I can say that history is the only subject I concentrate on. I probably ask the most questions and give presentations diligently.

    Since I will have much more time to meet Professor Elena during my time at the academy, it seems like a good idea to earn points, so I am working hard.

    ¡°Poke. Poke.¡±

    However, it seems that my girlfriend, who doesn¡¯t like history, was bored. While I was taking notes, Marie pressed my cheeks with her fingers.

    I felt a pleasant sensation as if a cat was kneading my cheek. While I was taking notes, I nced at her and asked quietly.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Just because you¡¯re handsome.¡±

    She answered like that and lightly pinched my cheek. In the past, I would have been embarrassed by such affectionate behavior, but now I could pass it off casually.

    During the lecture given by Professor Elena, Marie expressed her desire for this time to pass quickly by pressing my cheek with her fingers or fidgeting with my fingers.

    Holding hands was the mostmon urrence for us, and other students were aware that we were in a romantic rtionship, so they just overlooked it.

    Initially, there were whispers about Marie ying around or me ckmailing her, but as I grew rapidly, such talk ceased. Moreover, when rumors spread that I was appointed as a rmended student, everyone epted it.

    Swift-

    Marie¡¯s hand, which used to hold mine and fidget with the ring finger, moved under the desk. Eventually, she ced her hand gently on my thigh and caressed it.

    I could only respond with a bitter smile as I felt it. This act of Marie cing her hand on my thigh and caressing it was a kind of signal.

    Although everyone knows what that signal means, there are many asions when she does it without any warning, causing many awkward situations.

    Marie¡¯s sexual desire doesn¡¯t seem to diminish. It was as if she even tried to distract herself from school by further fueling it. Despite diligently taking birth control pills, it wasn¡¯t an issue yet. If it weren¡¯t for that, we might have had a child by now.

    Grab

    Before Marie¡¯s hand could reach the center, I grabbed her wrist. If I had let it go it would have meant it¡¯s fine, but my response meant not today.

    Marie looked at me with a mixture of disappointment and curiosity. I¡¯m sorry for her, but there¡¯s someone I need to meet after ss.

    ¡°I think today will be a bit tough. I have things to do.¡±

    ¡°But we couldn¡¯t do it yesterday either?¡±

    ¡°We did it the day before yesterday. Can¡¯t you endure that much?¡±

    ¡°Ugh. I don¡¯t think I can endure it.¡±

    My girlfriend pouted, puffing up her cheeks. Even her expression full ofints was adorable, with her angelic beauty.

    However, what can¡¯t be done can¡¯t be done. I pressed her inted cheeks firmly with my fingers. Then, with a sound of detion, they returned to their original state.

    After briefly checking Elena¡¯s reaction, I gently stroked her hair. The silky softness of her hair awakened my sense of touch.

    When I started stroking Marie¡¯s hair, she burst into her characteristic giggle and moved her hips discreetly, getting closer to me. We openly indulged in affectionate behavior, but no one paid any attention.

    Because this wasn¡¯t the first or second time this had happened. Even Jackson didn¡¯t pay attention and focused on his lecture.

    ¡°Can¡¯t we stay together at the inn tonight?¡±

    ¡°Do we really have to?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who made it like this. So take responsibility.¡±

    ¡°Sigh¡­ Fine, I got it.¡±

    How did she end up bing such a provocative woman? I shook my head, unable to refuse.

    Once I gave my permission, Marie smiled brightly and started writing the appointment time and location in her notebook. I nced at the contents briefly.

    The appointment was set for 9 o¡¯clock in front of the fountain at Academy Square. With that, it seemed like meeting Leona wouldn¡¯t be a problem.

    ¡°When we officially be a married couple, there won¡¯t be a need for this¡­ I just have to endure until the wedding. I want to call him my husband soon. Hehehe.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Was Marie having some strange delusions,ughing like a pervert? It seems she was imagining what it would be like after our wedding ceremony.

    I wonder how much she desires to devour me to openly reveal such an expression. It goes without saying that Rina, who was sitting in front of us, was horrified by Marie¡¯s expression, so there was no need for an exnation.

    Aside from building connections, Marie was always straightforward and far from pretentious. If it were Cecily, though, I would have felt a sense of dissonance.

    ¡°The wedding ceremony¡­¡±

    Cecily, who was sitting in front, murmured softly as if she had overheard our conversation. She paused abruptly while elegantly taking notes and looked at Rina sitting beside her.

    Continuing, she spoke with her characteristic smirk, as if urging us to look and listen.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t having a child more important than the wedding ceremony?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Um?¡±

    ¡°Does Rina think the same way?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    Rina couldn¡¯t easilye up with an answer. Marie also sensed Cecily¡¯s intention and narrowed her eyes. Cecily had been teasing Rina like this for a while.

    Coincidentally, Elena was busy answering another student¡¯s question, so she didn¡¯t notice.

    ¡°¡­Cecily.¡±

    ¡°You called me?¡±

    ¡°So, what did you say?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Marie didn¡¯t get excited and first snorted. No matter how much Marie scratched at Cecily¡¯s inner thoughts, she could only keep her mouth shut with a single word.

    As soon as those words came out, Cecily¡¯s previously raised corner of her mouth drooped slightly. In response, Marie put on a confident expression andnded a series of blows.

    ¡°Don¡¯t bring up things like being a child if you haven¡¯t even done it. Got it?¡±

    ¡°¡­There¡¯s always a chance.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll be the first.¡±

    ¡°Tsk. We¡¯ll see.¡±

    In the end, Cecily reluctantly withdrew. While doing so, she nced at me, and her crimson eyes were filled with an irresistible desire not to give up.

    I don¡¯t know if all women in love were like this, but all I could manage was a bitter smile. While she willingly yielded, Cecily desired an even higher position (?).

    <i>¡®So, this is the so-called fight for dominance that I¡¯ve only heard about.¡¯</i>

    I¡¯ve heard that fights for dominance, or so-called power struggles, aremon among nobles who have more than one wife. But now that I¡¯m experiencing it firsthand, it feels unfamiliar.

    As I sensed a strange tension between Marie and Cecily, I looked at Rina, who was the third party. Even Princess Rina, who was watching discreetly, seemed ufortable with this power struggle.

    Then, by chance, our eyes met directly. She momentarily widened her eyes before quickly turning her face away. I couldn¡¯t see her face clearly as only her back was visible, but for some reason, her ears were turning red.

    To make matters worse, she fidgeted and interlocked her hands between her thighs. Recently, Lina¡¯s behavior had been full of inexplicable actions that I couldn¡¯t understand.

    ¡°That¡¯s it for today¡¯s lecture. Thank you all for your hard work.¡±

    After a while, Elena finished the lecture. Although there was some chatter in the middle, I heard everything important.

    Even after the lecture ended, I remained seated in my ce, waiting for Leona, who was sitting in the front row.

    While others got up, Leona quietly stayed in her seat, organizing her notes.

    ¡°Well, then, I¡¯ll go. We have to keep our appointment, right?¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ Marie? What appointment do you have with Isaac?¡±

    Marie got up from her seat and mentioned the appointment, and Rina quietly interjected. In response, Marie coolly replied as if it was nothing.

    ¡°We made an appointment to meet at 9 o¡¯clock. It¡¯s not for dinner.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ Okay, got it. Where will you meet?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll meet in front of the fountain in the square? Why?¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing¡­¡±

    As Rina spoke, she nced at me briefly and then walked out of the ssroom. Her face seemed strangely flushed, but I didn¡¯t pay much attention to it.

    Just before Cecily left, she leaned closer to my ear and whispered in a hushed voice.

    ¡°Is it okay if I¡¯m greedy? After all, you touched my horns.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I love you.¡±

    This was a bit heart-wrenching. When a woman with a seductive voice like Cecily whispers love into your ear, your heart will throb intensely.

    Without trying to hide my burning face, I looked at Cecily. She smiled as if nothing had happened and left the ssroom.

    It seems that Cecily was better at ying with people¡¯s hearts than Marie. I wonder if she will eventually transform into an incarnation of desire like Marie.

    ¡®That¡¯s¡­ a bit scary.¡¯

    Until then, I¡¯ll have to exercise rigorously. As the people in the lecture room gradually disappeared, I quietly got up from my seat. Leona, sitting in the front row, was still taking notes even though almost everyone had left. At first nce, she appeared to be an exemry student devoted to her studies, and she actually was.

    I cautiously approached, fearing that I might disturb her. There was nothing more unpleasant than having your concentration broken, so I nned to wait until she finished taking notes, even if it meant dozing off in the process.

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    However, I had overlooked the fact that Leona was a beastwoman. A race with senses far superior to humans. She would easily detect someone approaching her. As I drew closer, she slowly raised her head, momentarily ceasing her note-taking. When she finallyid eyes on me, she blinked and expressed curiosity.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°Ahem.¡±

    I was currently hesitating because I knew her true form. That¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t help but feel a slight tension. I pondered and pondered on how I could seek advice from her, but in the end, the only option left was a direct approach.

    Clearing my throat and adjusting my cor, I quietly opened my mouth while keeping an eye on Leona¡¯s reaction.

    ¡°Do you happen to have any free time?¡±

    ¡°If you mean free time¡­ Do you mean this evening?¡±

    ¡°Whether it¡¯s an evening or just a quick cup of coffee. I only need about an hour.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Leona gazed at me with a dry yet curious look. Since bing lovers with Marie, we¡¯ve had very little interaction until now, so it¡¯s understandable for her to send such a nce.

    However, to learn more about the beastmen, I definitely need her help. While books have provided sufficient knowledge about the history and various aspects of the beastmen¡¯s lifestyle, there¡¯s nothing as certain as hearing it from the source.

    Leona has been staring at me intensely for a while, and I nervously wait for her to speak. How long have I been waiting?

    ¡°Objective.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your objective?¡±

    Leona¡¯s question about my objective. I felt relieved when I heard that question.

    In truth, it¡¯s rather embarrassing to call it an objective. It¡¯s practically an interview, if we¡¯re being honest. Leona was still unaware that I¡¯ve been appointed as a rmended student in history. It seems better to start with that.

    ¡°To start with, I¡¯ve been appointed as Professor Elena¡¯s rmended student. Starting next semester, I¡¯ll be treated as a third-year student.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°So right now, I¡¯m¡­ working on something simr to a thesis. I need your help with it.¡±

    If I say this much, she should roughly understand that I¡¯m writing about the beastmen.

    Leona narrowed her eyes slightly, trying to discern my intentions, and then stared at me intently for a while before responding in her unique, low voice.

    ¡°I understand. However¡­¡±

    ¡°However?¡±

    She paused briefly, then followed with a threatening tone. Sharp anticipation emanated from her blue eyes, catching my attention.

    ¡°If you write something that deviates from the truth¡­¡±

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think I will. I actually think they are remarkable individuals, more than one might expect.¡±

    I reassured Leona, gesturing with my hands. It wasn¡¯t just empty words, in the books, despite being portrayed as hostile and savage, the Beastmen had many admirable qualities.

    Historically, they were a race that sacrificed themselves alongside humans, and they had a unique culture. If it weren¡¯t for the massacre perpetrated by humans during the Race War, they might have shared the power and dominance over the continent.

    After listening to my story, Leona made a subtle expression and asked quietly,

    ¡°Do you truly believe that?¡±

    ¡°Yes, and there is also a high possibility of them bing formidable opponents to humans in a few hundred years.¡±

    ¡°Why do you think that way?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll exin it gradually. So, are you willing to go and talk?¡±

    In response to my question, Leona¡¯s expression became even more curious than before as she replied,

    ¡°I would be d to ept.¡±

    ******

    Meanwhile, at a simr time¡­

    ¡°¡­Marie.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°You said we¡¯re meeting at 9 o¡¯clock¡­ Am I correct?¡± ¡°

    Yeah, you¡¯re right.¡±

    ¡°Got it¡­ In front of the fountain at Academy Square¡­¡±

    Rina was once again devising a sinister n in her mind. Seeing her like that, Cecily couldn¡¯t help but burst into a bewilderedughter.

    ¡°¡­Rina?¡±

    ¡°Uh, yeah? What¡¯s wrong? I didn¡¯t do anything.¡±

    ¡°¡­Never mind.¡±

    Cecily became concerned that she might get caught. While she understood different preferences, ethically it was wrong.

    <em>¡®Do I really need to help her¡­¡¯ </em>

    She genuinely had thoughts to that extent.

    Trantors note:

    2/5

 Chapter 146: Beastmen (1)

    Leona and I ended up in the usual restaurant just as you would expect¡ªa ce with thorough soundproofing. Originally, we nned to have coffee, but since the conversation seemed like it would be lengthy, we chose the restaurant instead.

    ¡°Uh, wow¡­¡±

    Upon arriving at the restaurant we often visit, she looked around the interior with a mix of surprise and curiosity. It seemed like she had never been to such a restaurant before.

    Meanwhile, I approached a server and asked for a room.

    ¡°Could you book a room for two? Here¡¯s 2 gold. The 50 silver is for the tip.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. I will serve you with utmost sincerity.¡±

    When I gave a 50 silver tip, the server¡¯s face noticeably brightened. With a tip like that, they might provide us withplimentary tea after we finish our meal. It¡¯s a win-win situation.

    Before heading to the room, I nced at Leona. She was still looking around restlessly.

    <i>¡®Well, she probably hasn¡¯t been to a ce like this before.¡¯</i>

    Leona tended to go out alone most of the time. As a beastmen, she foundfort in keeping her identity hidden.

    She couldn¡¯t easily make friends, and naturally, it would be challenging for her to dine together in a ce like this. Except for weekends, I know she fills her stomach with cafeteria food every day.

    I briefly thought that it was tough for her, but for now, I decided to focus on going to the room. If I left her like that, her ears might unintentionally perk up.

    ¡°Leona.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Leona.¡±

    ¡°Huh, huh? Me?¡±

    Only after calling her twice did Leona finally look at me. Pointing at herself with her finger she looked rather silly.

    ¡°Who else could it be if not you? Since we¡¯ve got the room, let¡¯s go quickly.¡±

    ¡°Uh, uh¡­ Alright¡­ Sure.¡±

    Even while trembling, she looked around as she walked towards me, and she did the same when following the staff to the room. She hesitated even when entering the room, hesitating before I finally extended my hand as if to assure her that it was okay to enter.

    ¡°Wow¡­¡±

    Finally, as we ended up in a room for two people, Leona eximed in admiration.

    While she was looking around the room with curious eyes, I took a seat. The sight of Leona, who was usually cynical and sharp, acting like this, resembled a country girl visiting the city for the first time.

    Seeing her innocent and curious expression, I began to doubt if she was the Leona I knew. But there was no choice but to go on. I picked up the menu and spoke to Leona.

    ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there, take a seat. Let¡¯s order from the menu.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Oh. Got it. Should I sit here?¡±

    Contrary to the polite speech just moments ago, she returned to her original cynical tone.

    Instead of answering, I nodded. Then Leona sat across from me and started to nce at the white tablecloth on the table. Perhaps even the tablecloth itself was fascinating from her perspective. I couldn¡¯t help but let out a hollowugh, feeling slightly bewildered.

    ¡°Is this your first time in a ce like this?¡±

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s my first time. How could Ie to a ce like this when I can barely make ends meet?¡±

    Leona observed the table carefully and responded clearly. Then I realized that during the vacation period, she didn¡¯t return to her hometown but worked part-time instead.

    I¡¯m not sure if she didn¡¯t receive support from home or if there¡¯s some other reason, but she seemed to live a lifestyle distant from the nobility.

    ¡°Hey. Isn¡¯t this ce quite expensive?¡±

    Pong!

    Leona slowly raised her head, questioning the expensive-looking appearance of the double room. At the same time, a pair of unique ears on top of her head made a distinctive sound as they perked up.

    I stared nkly at Leona¡¯s animal-like ears, which were making restless noises. It was difficult to take my eyes off them since it had been a while since Ist saw Leona¡¯s ears.

    ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s not that expensive. You don¡¯t have to worry. I¡¯ll pay for everything.¡±

    ¡°But, still¡­ Is it really okay?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Leona made a skeptical expression at my brief answer. Somehow, it seemed to hurt my pride, so I casually opened my mouth.

    ¡°Even though I may not look like it, I¡¯m a noble. I receive about 30 gold as my living allowance.¡±

    ¡°30 gold¡­! I worked part-time throughout the vacation and barely earned 20 gold¡­!¡±

    Leona eximed in shock, her mouth wide open. I smirked when I saw her reaction, but hearing that she earned 20 gold piqued my curiosity.

    What kind of part-time job did she do, and how much was her hourly wage that she earned an amountparable to 2 million won? From my perspective, that was even more surprising.

    ¡°I¡¯m more surprised that you earned 20 gold. What kind of work did you do?¡±

    ¡°I worked as a cafe waitress. When the owner saw me, they decided to raise my hourly wage. It was easy for about a week, but after that, the number of customers increased a lot.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Usually, cafes tend to hire employees who have good looks. There were many opinions that said the store¡¯s sales increased after hiring good-looking part-time workers, especially beautiful ones.

    And Leona¡¯s beauty could be considered quite impressive. She has brown hair and brown eyes, which may seem ordinary in itself, but her atmosphere covered it all.

    When she keeps her mouth shut, she bes a calm and intellectual beauty, but when she reveals her true self like now, she bes a strong and cooldy. She really exuded two very different charms.

    It was quite fascinating how her impression fluctuated with just one change, but judging solely based on her appearance, it can be asserted that Leona is a highly attractive woman.

    ¡°I think I understand now. Anyway, enough about that. What do you want to eat? There¡¯s a menu, so choose something.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡±

    p, p.

    Leona unfolded the menu, covering her face, but she couldn¡¯t hide her perked-up ears. In fact, her ears were pping, making it impossible for my gaze not to be drawn to them.

    After a while, Leona, who had been staring at the menu for a long time, raised her head slightly and met my eyes. Unlike before, she asked me in a voice thatcked confidence.

    ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t it too expensive?¡±

    As soon as the words were spoken, Leona¡¯s ears twitched. Though only her eyes were visible due to the menu, I could roughly sense her expression.

    Even the cheapest meal in this restaurant costs 80 silver, which is equivalent to 80,000 won. For an average student like Leona, it¡¯s an expensive price that couldn¡¯t help but be burdensome.

    However, as I mentioned earlier, I receive a generous allowance. Moreover, whenever I have a meal with acquaintances, including Marie, they usually pay instead of me.

    This much didn¡¯t bother me.

    ¡°You can order the most expensive thing if you want. Just choose without rushing.¡±

    ¡°Really? You don¡¯t mind?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Just pick something from the menu. But don¡¯t choose more than two items.¡±

    ¡°I can read the situation too. Well then¡­¡±

    Leona quickly lowered the menu, as if she already had a dish in mind. While I was looking at the menu, she pointed to a dish with her finger.

    ¡°Th-this one, is it okay?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a steak. How do you want it cooked? Well-done?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s well-done?¡±

    ¡°There are different levels. Well-done is when the steak is cooked until there¡¯s almost no redness on the surface, rare is lightly cooked on the surface while the inside remains mostly red. Medium is right in the middle.¡±

    ¡°Make it medium, please.¡±

    ¡°Alright. Now that we¡¯ve chosen the order, you can hide your ears.¡±

    As I rang the bell to summon the waiter, Leona immediately hid her ears. The sight of her ears, which had been raised just a moment ago, naturally disappearing, always fascinated me.

    Afterward, once the order was ced, I decided to have a question time until the food arrived. Since this was the original purpose, I didn¡¯t forget to bring my notebook and pen.

    When I took out my writing tools, Leona revealed her previously hidden ears once again. I unfolded my notebook and started pulling out the questions I had prepared in advance, one by one.

    ¡°Before we start with the questions, it¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t answer honestly. Just remember that I might write the thesis in a strange way as a result.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t write it too strangely.¡±

    ¡°Alright. Then the first question. In the beastmen world, there are various races, or should I say ethnicities? Anyway, there are many beastmen such as tigers, lions, cats, dogs, wolves, and so on. Aside from these, there are also deer, cows, rabbits, sheep, monkeys, and many other racespared to humans.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Well, what happens if a tiger beastman and a deer beastman have a child?¡±

    There is a perception that beastmen are savage and aggressive, but that applies mainly to carnivorous animals. Beastmens like deer, cows, and rabbits generally lead peaceful and gentle lives.

    Due to this, carnivorous beastmen used to reject and prey upon them, but since the establishment of Animers, they have united as one. It means they live together without distinguishing between carnivores and herbivores.

    Naturally, there have been cases of intermarriage between different races. I was curious about how children born from such unions would turn out.

    Would they inherit all the characteristics of the tiger beastmen or the deer beastmen, or would they be a mix of both, like elves and humans?

    It seems like an intriguing passage for Xenon¡¯s Biography. Although it was already mentioned in the story, the appearance of half-elves has piqued curiosity even more.

    ¡°Interesting question right from the start. The answer is quite simple. It¡¯s either a tiger or a deer. There¡¯s nobination of the two. In fact, even if a rabbit and a sheep were to mate, there¡¯s a low probability of a tiger or a lion being born due to their ancestors.¡±

    ¡°Is that really true?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why no one finds it strange. They just ept it as it is. However, you can confirm if my child is yours or not through ¡®divination¡¯.¡±

    It seems like gic inheritance was much more pronounced in the beastmenpared to humans. If Mendel were to hear about it, he would be enthralled by the race that sets his research on fire.

    ¡°That¡¯s fascinating. Now, the second question. There are various kinds of beastmen, but sometimes there are beastmen that appear to have the faces of animals. On the other hand, there are beastmen like you that are closer to humans. In what cases does this ur?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the result of interbreeding between humans and beastmen. The animal faces you mentioned are closer to purebred individuals, while I am a hybrid. In fact, it¡¯s simr to what I mentioned earlier. One could be born in a form closer to humans, or it could be the opposite. Long ago, the beastmen used to plunder humans. Elves were too powerful, and dwarves were better suited as skilled ves rather than sexual ones. Demons didn¡¯t even exist back then. That¡¯s why hybrids were treated as ves at that time, but now they¡¯re recognized as valued members.¡±

    ¡°What? Really? That¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard of it.¡±

    ¡°It was a custom that urred before it was recorded in books. Perhaps it remains in the form of pictorial murals rather than writing.¡±

    Wow, this is truly valuable information that cannot be overlooked.

    I found myself gazing at Leona with sparkling eyes and quickly scribbled down notes in my notebook.

    Why didn¡¯t the schrs notice this? Was it because they considered it too obvious? Or perhaps because the rtionship between the beastmen and humans wasn¡¯t good?

    ¡°The reason it¡¯s unknown is due to the racial war that happened 300 years ago. Many of our kind were ughtered during that time, and naturally, such historical records disappeared. Humans wanted to erase their shame.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Fortunately, there are a few murals left in Animers, but even those are just a few. Original history should continue being passed on, but it was cut off during the racial war.¡±

    It was all because of the wickedness and treachery of humans. Leona spoke calmly, as if it were no big deal, but I suddenly felt sorry.

    The beastmen have a history of being brutally ughtered by humans, just like the Jews during World War II. No matter how strong the beastmen were, it was impossible to ovee the united humans.

    Animers was established around the time the racial war ended. If the legendary hero and wealthy benefactor, ¡®Hick,¡¯ hadn¡¯t appeared back then, the beastmen would have lived as ves to humans.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you write it down? You said you¡¯ll write a thesis, right? It wouldn¡¯t hurt to include something like that.¡±

    ¡°¡­Are you absolutely sure there¡¯s not a single lie?¡±

    ¡°I may as well not have a conscience to tell such lies after enjoying such an expensive meal.¡±

    The strangely convincing words made sense. It was a story that couldn¡¯t be found even in books, so it somehow gained trust. Above all, the truth was always possessed by the victims.

    However, the book I¡¯m writing is Xenon¡¯s Biography. If I include unnecessary historical facts or other details, it could create significant confusion in the world, especially when ites to the conflicting rtionship between humans and the other races, particrly the beastmen.

    <i>¡®For now, I should search for more books at the Sanctuary¡¯</i>

    It seemed like a wise decision to ask Siris to find books rted to beastmen. With a sense of unease, I moved on to the next question.

    ¡°Next question. In Animers, carnivorous and herbivorous beastmen coexist. Wouldn¡¯t that cause conflicts?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just nonsense created by humans. The distinction between carnivorous and herbivorous beastmen is practically meaningless. Both races have their preferences, whether it¡¯s meat or vegetables. Conflicts arise from various other reasons, such as those who believe in the need for interaction with humans and those who can¡¯t trust humans due to their history of ughtering our kin. In essence, it¡¯s simr to humans.¡±

    ¡°I see. But there¡¯s no difference between carnivores and herbivores? Normally, there would be some distinctions, right?¡±

    ¡°No, not really. Unless you¡¯re talking about elite ones like the Tiger n, Lion n, or Bear n, who possess incredibly strong physical abilities, the differences are negligible. But you can¡¯t even let your guard down. I, too, once got kicked by a deer beastman, and all my ribs were crushed. I had to recuperate for a whole week.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ What? A week?¡±

    ¡°Yes, a week. What¡¯s wrong with that?¡±

    If it were a human, they would have suffered at least serious injuries, but she managed to recover in just a week. It¡¯s unbelievable how absurdly fast their recovery abilities are. Leona also realized this a bitte and changed the topic.

    ¡°Oh, right, you were a human. Beastmen have exceptionally remarkable recovery abilities, just as much as our physical capabilities. Even if we sustain injuries that would be considered serious for humans, they are mere scratches to us.¡±

    ¡°Then what counts as a serious injury for you?¡±

    ¡°Losing an arm or leg or having a hole in a vital spot? That would be a bit dangerous if left untreated.¡±

    A human would die even if just from shock, but a beastman would survive. No matter how different our civilizations may be, it was puzzling how we managed to massacre those monstrous creatures.

    ¡°A little¡­ no, it¡¯s quite astonishing. Beastman are incredibly strong.¡±

    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for that, we would have gone extinct 300 years ago. Don¡¯t you know how terrifying your kind is? You wouldn¡¯t hesitate to use any means necessary if you have a goal.¡±

    On the other hand, it seems that Leona perceived humans as a mighty race. It feels strange to have different thoughts emerging from different perspectives.

    Knock, knock.

    Someone knocked on the door. It seemed like a staff member bringing the meal. As soon as Leona heard the knocking sound, she quickly concealed her ears, and I got up from my seat when I saw her covering her ears.

    Since the room was soundproofed, I had to open the door myself.

    ¡°Enjoy your meal.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Wow¡­¡±

    Eventually, the meal arrived on the table as we had ordered. Leona admired the sight of the sauce enhancing the perfectly cooked and vored dish. It was so tempting that she could devour it instantly, and I noticed the fangs, which I couldn¡¯t see a while ago, distinctly shining.

    It seemed like she had sharp fangs, perhaps because she was a beastman. If she were to bite into it, wouldn¡¯t it create a hole in it?

    ¡°Before eating, first tie a napkin around your neck.¡±

    ¡°A napkin?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s something like the handkerchief in front of you. Just hang it around your neck and use it to wipe off any sauce or juice flowing down your mouth. Do you know how to cut a steak?¡±

    ¡°No. I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Eventually, after teaching her step by step, Leona was able to have her meal. At first, she watched with sparkling eyes, but as I instructed, she held the fork and knife in both hands¡­

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Throwing away the knife, she stabbed the steak with the fork and took a big bite. I wanted to criticize her barbaric way of eating, but seeing her so happy, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to scold her.

    During that time, Leona, with her mouth full of steak, spoke with a voice filled with happiness.

    ¡°Mmm. Mmm. This is delicious!¡±

    ¡°¡­Yeah. As long as it¡¯s delicious.¡±

    I also started to eat withughter. As I sliced the steak with a knife and chewed it, Leona widened her eyes and asked.

    ¡°Oh? So, it¡¯s used like that?¡±

    ¡°Did you think there was another way to use it?¡±

    ¡°I thought you were supposed to cut the bone into small pieces and eat it. There are bones here too.¡±

    ¡°¡­Did you eat the bones when you had school food?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    It¡¯s a miracle she never revealed her true identity.

    Trantors note:

    3/5

    Man¡­ Leona is so damn cute.

 Chapter 147: Beastmen (2)

    Munch! Crack! Crack!

    There¡¯s amon expression that goes, ¡°?? ????(giga maghindaneun)¡± in Korean. It¡¯s used universally to describe a situation that is absurd or beyondprehension, simr to being rendered speechless.

    (tl: I have no idea how to trante it or spell it in thetin alphabet so you get a literal trantion from google tl.)

    My current situation was quite simr to that. It¡¯s because of a beastman, a girl who was sitting in front of me, enjoying her steak so deliciously.

    The steak that the beastman ordered is a T-bone steak, a cut of meat attached to a T-shaped bone structure. Normally, the bone was left behind, and the remaining portion was eaten using a knife and fork.

    But look at this beastman behaving, not like a girl, but like a beast. She was creating her own unique way of eating. Without even cutting it with a knife, she picked it up with a fork and devoured it. This alone was strange enough, but what followed was mind-boggling.

    After finely mincing the bone structure that was meant to be left, she used the fork as if it were a spoon and put it into her mouth. Then she chewed it thoroughly.

    I wasn¡¯t using metaphors, she was literally chewing the bone whole. If she were an ordinary human, not only would her teeth be gone, but her jaw would bepletely destroyed. Yet she was happily eating it as if it were snacks.

    <i>¡®¡­Could she be a hyena, not a lion?¡¯</i>

    Hyenas, known for their role as scavengers, have incredibly strong jaws and can chew not only ostrich eggs bones but even bones.

    Of course, Leona has stated that she¡¯s a lioness, not a hyena, so she definitely isn¡¯t one. However, doubts still arised. Lions eat meat, not bones.

    Crunch! Crunch! Crunch!

    ¡°Hmm. Hmm. Bones taste delicious too. The sauce seeped into the marrow, giving it a subtle vor.¡±

    ¡°¡­Doesn¡¯t your jaw hurt?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a piece of cake. Easy peasy.¡±

    At first nce, she genuinely looked like she was enjoying the meal. I couldn¡¯t even use the expression ¡°sucking the marrow¡± in front of Leona. After all, she was not consuming the marrow but chewing the bones whole.

    I quietly watched Leona¡¯s meal until it was finished. When I looked down, there was still a considerable amount of steak left, perhaps because I stared at her too intently.

    Afraid it might be snatched away by Leona, I resumed my meal immediately. The sound of chewing, ¡°crunch!,¡± echoed from the front, causing a bit of noise, but we still managed to proceed smoothly.

    ¡°Ah. It¡¯s been so long since I had such a delicious meal¡­ I¡¯m really grateful.¡±

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m d you find it tasty. Your jaw doesn¡¯t hurt, right?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt.¡±

    Leona raised her hand to answer my question and shook her head lightly. At the same time, she wiped around her mouth with a napkin and chuckled softly.

    Although her expression seemed happy to anyone looking at her, there was still a sense of uneasiness. I cautiously took a bite of neatly cut steak and asked her.

    ¡°Leona, you said you¡¯re a lion beastman, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. So what?¡±

    ¡°Not a hyena?¡±

    ¡°Oh,e on¡­ Seriously.¡±

    Upon hearing my question, Leona took a deep breath instead of getting agitated. It seemed like she was trying to regain herposure.

    After a moment, she crossed her arms with a slightly sullen expression and opened her mouth with a dismissive tone.

    ¡°There are questions that can be asked and questions that shouldn¡¯t be asked. It¡¯s fortunate that it¡¯s me, but if you blurted out something like that in front of another lion beastman, you¡¯d immediately get challenged to a duel. Hyenas don¡¯t have a good image even among us. It¡¯s not a wise move.¡±

    ¡°A duel?¡±

    I¡¯ve heard about it not in this world but in my past life. It was one of the important cultural aspects of the Vikings, who are considered symbols of masculinity and ¡®barbarians.¡¯

    A duel wasn¡¯t just a simple fight; it could determine the life or death of the opponent. If you refuse the challenge or shamelessly beg for your life, you lose all your honor and won¡¯t even be treated as a person.

    <i>¡®Even Yggdrasil and Norse mythology asionallye up in various ces here.¡¯</i>

    The capital of Alvenheim, Yggdrasil, was also a world tree that appears in Norse mythology. Perhaps this world has a deep connection with Earth.

    Of course, this is a question that only the gods would know the answer to, so it¡¯s not something I was immediately concerned about. I am just an ordinary human living in this world.

    Right now, the content of Xenon¡¯s Biography was more important.

    ¡°Is what I know about it correct? A duel that can determine the life and death of the opponent.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s simr. And the winner can have everything the loser possesses. Not only their body but also their power, wealth, and finally, their life. It¡¯s a duel where everything, including honor and life, is at stake, so it is considered very sacred. However, it must not be used recklessly but rather with a clear justification and the permission of the chieftain.¡±

    ¡°Can you exin it in more detail?¡±

    Leona readily epted my request. First and foremost, there were conditions required when applying for the sacred duel.

    First, a witness is required.

    To prevent someone from arbitrarily applying for the sacred duel and taking what belongs to the other party, there should be a truthful witness.

    However, if there was no witness, it must be directly approved by the chieftain. The chieftain bes a sort of judge, and in this case, a rather rigorous procedure must be followed.

    Second, a clear justification and motivation are required.

    The sacred duel cannot be arranged simply because one dislikes the other party. A reason that the other party tarnished your honor, an overall umted dissatisfaction or resentment, etc. A justification that anyone can understand was necessary.

    This was a rule designed to prevent the strong from arbitrarily plundering the weak, and conversely, if the weak epted the challenge, the duel was then considered valid.

    Third, it must be observed by a minimum of a chief-level authority figure.

    The sacred duel was believed to be more than just a simple duel. It takes ce under the protection of the divine power of Harte, the god of nature. Therefore, the chief must unconditionally witness it to ensure the honor of the applicant and the opponent is preserved even after their deaths.

    Fourth, if someone gives up during the sacred duel, they are marked with a stigma on their forehead.

    They are not merely regarded as a simple loser but as a coward who has even forsaken the protection of the gods, and they are treated as a disgrace to their tribe. As a result, those who give up halfway through are not only expelled from the tribe but often meet their demise due to shame and humiliation.

    Moreover, they are denied a proper funeral. It signifies that even in death, they continue to receive contempt, unable to enter the homnd of the warriors, called ¡°Valha.¡±

    ¡°Lastly, warriors who have participated in the sacred duel cannot request or ept challenges for a year. As proof, the winner receives a bone ne, while the loser receives a bone ring.¡±

    ¡°But won¡¯t it be emotionally challenging for the loser?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s about channeling that anger and sadness into strength. Besides, there¡¯s no mocking or insulting of the loser. In fact, someone who was close to the loser can also apply for the sacred duel.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    It seems moreplex than I thought. After listening to Leona¡¯s exnation, I slowly organized my thoughts.

    I understood that being able to take everything from the other person was possible, but the process leading up to it was subtly difficult.

    ¡°So¡­ if we were topare it to humans, the Chieftain would be like a king?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Then, can you also apply for the sacred duel from the Chieftain?¡±

    ¡°For now, it¡¯s possible. Whether it¡¯s for the sake of justice or due to some personal grudge, the sacred duel is equal to everyone. It doesn¡¯t matter if the desire for power arises. Power can be seen as strength, so you can apply for it with the pretext of desiring strength. However, there will be strong opposition. There is a very high possibility that another sacred duel wille flying at you in a year.¡±

    ¡°Has that happened before?¡±

    ¡°From a historical perspective, it has happened a lot. As you know, we revered power, and the concept that only power mattered was widely spread. Until we established our own civilization, it wasmon to apply for the sacred duel to challenge the Chieftain¡¯s position. However, the Chieftain¡¯s power was so strong that it rarely changed.¡±

    ¡°History, huh¡­¡±

    As Leona had told me, I carefully reviewed the history of the beastmen in my notes. The beastmen had lived separately in different tribes without establishing their own civilization until they founded Animers 300 years ago after the tribal war.

    If they hadn¡¯t been massacred by humans, while they might not have been as numerous as humans, their poption would have been significant. Moreover, there are still beastmen out there in various parts of the world who have not yet joined Animers.

    In that case, is Animers still well united to this day? When the former Great Chieftain and wealthy individual ¡®Hick¡¯ was alive, all beastmen were united as one, but it¡¯s hard to believe that there were no political issues.

    <i>¡®Just a moment ago, she mentioned that they were divided into factions¡ªone saying they should interact with humans and the other saying they shouldn¡¯t, right?¡¯</i>

    Upon reviewing my notes again, I realized that I had written it down correctly. I nodded and moved on to the next question.

    ¡°Well then, can you tell me about the structure of Animers? I¡¯m curious about how the beastmen are divided, like how humans have royalty, nobility, andmoners. Oh, and if there are any specific terms used among beastmen, please let me know.¡±

    ¡°Well, first, we have the Grand Chieftain, who represents the king. Below the Grand Chieftain, there are the Chieftains, who are like the nobles, and beneath them are the warriors, like the officials. In the past, we used to call the Chieftains ¡®Yal,¡¯ but we hardly use that term anymore. As for the ranks of warriors¡­ except for the Chieftains and the elite units, there are very few ranks, you could say. Anyone can bravely fight for achievements and honor.¡±

    ¡°Is it normal for beastmen to risk their lives for honor? Even sacrificing their lives?¡±

    ¡°Of course. That¡¯s what being a beastmen is about. Although humans may see us as ignorant and savage, we can unite as one under the name of honor.¡±

    Leona spoke in a serious tone, not her usual cynical and fierce voice. Her originally low-pitched voice became even deeper, emitting a peculiar sense of power.

    Unintentionally, I found myself staring at her eyes, which had turned golden. They had definitely been a deep brown just a moment ago, so the change in color might have reflected a change in her emotions.

    I wasn¡¯t sure why she had enrolled in the Halo Academy, but I preferred to avoid asking about personal matters.

    ¡°So, summarizing everything we¡¯ve discussed so far, beastmen are a group of warriors who value honor, even though their numbers may be small. Is that correct?¡±

    ¡°Very urate. Well, asionally there may be power-hungry tyrants who end up consumed by their greed, but most of the time, we handle things within our own ranks.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    A very interesting story unfolded in my mind. It¡¯s a story rted to one of the Seven Deadly Sins, involving Satan of Wrath. If Lilith has lost the person she loved and be a demon, there is a situation where Satan betrays his homnd and turns into a demon. There could also be a sacred duel, and at the end, Xenon makes a request¡­

    <i>¡®No, the sacred duel should be requested by Wrath¡¯s younger brother.¡¯</i>

    He would be a presence that would be Xenon¡¯s friend and alleviate the conflict between humans and beastmen. Despite having a frail physique, this character was the child of a tribal chief with a strong spirit.

    Furthermore, he would have a significant role as a character who willter be revealed to be Satan¡¯s sibling. This character then requests a sacred duel from Satan, and reluctantly, Satan epts, leading to a fight between them.

    During the battle with Xenon at that time, Satan had exhausted all his strength, but as his younger brother was inherently weak, he was defeated as expected. However, the sacred duel was a duel that didn¡¯t end unless one side dered surrender.

    The younger brother, despite having a weak body, fights desperately, and Satan must summon the remaining strength to protect his brother¡¯s honor.

    <i>¡®And then Wrath overdoes it and perishes. Isn¡¯t this perfect?¡¯</i>

    Perhaps this could shatter the mindset that the beastmen worship strength alone.

    When listening to Leona¡¯s story, it seemed that the beastmen considered physical strength important in many ways. However, if it can be shown that one can be a tribal chief not just through physical power but through a different kind of strength, it could make the story quite interesting. Furthermore, by utilizing Satan¡¯s situation, it could address the internal issues within the beastmenmunity one by one.

    ¡°Thank you. I was able to obtain valuable information thanks to you. Indeed, the knowledge one can acquire from books has its limits.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. I, for one, enjoyed being able to eat delicious food. But¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    Leona began to mumble and hesitate, obscuring her words. She seemed too embarrassed to meet my gaze, constantly shifting her eyes as she spoke.

    As I pondered in confusion, she tilted her head and, with a perplexed expression, quietly opened her mouth.

    ¡°That.¡±

    ¡°This?¡±

    She pointed with her finger to none other than the steak ced on my te. It was also a T-bone steak, with only the bones remaining.

    Then, Leona, seemingly suppressing her embarrassment, tightly closed her eyes and stated her request.

    ¡°If you¡¯re not going to eat the bones¡­ Can I have them?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°It would be a waste to leave them. Don¡¯t you think so?¡±

    It was normal to leave them. I couldn¡¯t believe what I was hearing, so I burst outughing.

    ¡°In that case, I¡¯d rather order another one. It¡¯s fine to have that much, right?¡±

    ¡°Wh-who do you think I am, a pig?! Even if I have no shame, it¡¯s not to that extent¡­!¡±

    ¡°Wipe the drool from the corners of your mouth before you speak.¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    She was lying. Watching Leona hurriedly wipe her mouth with a napkin, I chuckled.

    growl-

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Even her belly, which loudly demanded more, was a bonus. Since beastmen, being part beast, can eat much more than a human, it was natural that even a whole steak wouldn¡¯t fill her up.

    I stared intently at Leona¡¯s face, which had turned as red as a tomato, and without saying a word, I moved my hand. It was a signal to call the waiter.

    Ding

    ¡°I¡¯ll order one more. Medium-rare again?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡±

    Leona answered while covering her face with both hands. Her ears were flushed with embarrassment.

    When I called the waiter like that, Leona peeked through her hands covering her face and called me softly.

    ¡°¡­Hey.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°If there¡¯s anything else you want to askter¡­ feel free to ask anytime.¡±

    ¡°That would be great. I still have a heap of things I want to ask.¡±

    ¡°Instead¡­¡±

    ¡°Instead?¡±

    Then she hesitated for a moment, her lips trembling, and spoke with a voice full of embarrassment.

    ¡°You have to buy me something delicious¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­Will you?¡±

    Why did it feel so cute and trivial to reveal one¡¯s desires while being shy?

    I chuckled and responded as if giving permission.

    ¡°Do whatever you feel like.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Leona sincerely expressed her gratitude.

    And¡­

    ¡°Um¡­ sir? I¡¯m sorry, but could you please tell me where the bones are?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I was at a loss for how to answer the staff¡¯s question. Without saying a word, I looked at Leona¡­

    Chomp¡­

    She was chewing on the bones as we watched.

 Chapter 148: Beastmen (3)

    After training Leona¡­ No, I should call it coaxing, all that remained was to obtain information about the beastmen from her.

    By obtaining fragmentary information through the books received from Siris and questioning Leona, I repeated the process ofparing information with each other.

    Thanks to that, I was able to gather information quickly, but there was also a concern. That concern was due to the fact that the beastmen, unlike other races, had an incredibly diverse range of ethnic groups.

    Leona revealed herself as a lion beastman, so I wanted to know what aspects stood out about her and what weaknesses she had, among other things. She told me many things in exchange for steak, but I had no way of confirming with other races.

    Among the three tribes that could be called the leaders of the beastmen were tigers, lions, and bears. I knew the most about these three ethnic groups, but as for other animals, well, I had no idea. That doubt naturally arose.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry! You don¡¯t have to worry about that. There are hardly any people who know more about our kind than me.¡±

    ¡°With what confidence?¡±

    ¡°Just the fact that I got into the Halo Academy should be enough, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    Confidently chewing on a bone, Leona gave a bold answer. I nodded in agreement with her convincing words. It had been about three days since I started training Leona with delicious food.

    I was now ustomed to watching her chew on bones. There was no problem with the date with Marie either. After a simple interview with Leona, it would be noter than 8 o¡¯clock.

    Since the end point of our date was an inn, it didn¡¯t matter if we stayed outte. Instead, the innkeeper started looking at us with an expression that seemed to say, ¡°Is it you again?¡±

    It was embarrassing, but Marie had a happy face knowing that she would be with me until the next day. Likewise, being able to see the face of my beloved as soon as I woke up in the morning gave me the energy to face the day more vigorously.

    <i>¡®However, I should refrain from being too suspicious for the time being.¡¯</i>

    Originally, a woman¡¯s intuition was a formidable thing. Since Leona and I often have meals together, it¡¯s not just once or twice that I¡¯ve caught suspicious nces exchanged between us.

    Fortunately, perhaps Marie firmly believed in me. However, I couldn¡¯t reveal that Leona was a beastman, so I needed to be cautious before facing various awkward situations.

    Moreover, today is Friday, marking the end of the weekday. I didn¡¯t n to seek advice from Leona anymore after today, as I had ns with Nicole tomorrow. Marie was also busy with her family matters today, so we made ns to meet at night. Most likely, we¡¯ll greet each other at the inn the next morning.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ll ask her if she wants to have a meal with Nicole.¡¯</i>

    Since we will soon be a family anyway, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to include Marie. Nicole will likely ept it willingly since we¡¯ve had meals together before. As for Adelia¡­

    I¡¯m not sure. Although her behavior didn¡¯t change after thest private meeting with Nicole, the atmosphere became subtly different. Her unique skinship remained, but the frequency increased unknowingly, and she started giving me hugs from behind.

    I could assert that it wasn¡¯t something you¡¯d do with a friend¡¯s younger sister.

    <i>¡®If Nicole doesn¡¯t say anything, it should be fine¡­¡¯ </i>

    Adelia seemed the same as usual, yet there was an indescribable feeling. Because she was behaving the same way toward Nicole. I¡¯m just thinking that our rtionship has grown closer since the exhibition, but it was uncertain.

    Adelia has apletely different personality from Nicole, who is strict yet secretly soft-hearted, so it feels like I have a new sister.

    If Adelia truly has romantic feelings for me¡­ and even knowing that I¡¯m engaged to Marie¡­ if that¡¯s the case¡­

    <i>¡®¡­Let¡¯s think about it tomorrow.¡¯</i>

    Right now, it was more important to gather more information from Leona. The 13th volume was scheduled to be published soon, so it¡¯s better to be prepared in advance for what¡¯s toe.

    Lost in my thoughts, I nced at Leona.

    ¡°Crunch. Crunch.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°The sauce is delicious.¡±

    No, please stop it already.

    Though my frustration reached its boiling point, I managed to restrain myself. After all, Leona¡¯s antics didn¡¯t stop at just devouring meat off the bone.

    As if expressing the desire to eat even more, she was licking the sauce that was smeared on the te. I was dumbfounded and couldn¡¯t utter a word.

    Finally, as she put down the te, the clean surface caught my eye, as if I had just finished washing the dishes. I looked at the te with a speechless expression, then shifted my gaze to Leona.

    Unaware of my mood, she had a blissful expression on her face. Her ears were even perked up as if they could reach for the sky.

    ¡°Mmm~ That was delicious. I could eat this every day and never get tired of it.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Huh? Why are you looking at me like that?¡±

    Leona, blinked her golden eyes and asked me. Her face showed no awareness of what she had done. Looking at her, I felt relieved that she has no friends. If she had friends, it would have been noticed that she is a beastman long ago.

    Perhaps it¡¯s because I¡¯m in front of her that she is disying such behavior. I know that Leona is a beastman, and she knows it too, so there was no need for acting.

    ¡°¡­You don¡¯t do this even when you eat regr meals, right?¡±

    ¡°Well, not to that extent. You can eat as much dining hall food as you want, right?¡±

    ¡°How many servings do you have in one meal?¡±

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know. I just eat until I¡¯m full.¡±

    After hearing her answer, I checked beside Leona. She had already finished three bowls of food, stacked one on top of the other.

    By the way, the size of the steak was definitely not small, but rather on therger side. From what I¡¯ve heard, ites from a section of beef that is asrge as an elephant. Even for me, who has been growing in sizetely, it was an amount that was difficult to finish. And since I received knight training in the past, my muscle mass is much greater than that of an ordinary person.

    ¡°Yesterday was the same, and the day before too. Are beastmen like you always big eaters?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no other choice. Beastmen have more muscle mass than other races. You could say that their innate physical abilities surpass those of all other races.¡±

    After Leona briefly paused, she asked me a question.

    ¡°Hey, how many kilograms do I look like?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°What weight do you think I would be?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡±

    I examined Leona from top to bottom in response to that question. She appeared to have a tall figure, standing at around 170cm, and overall, she has a slender physique.

    She was covered in a school uniform, so it¡¯s hard to tell if she has any excess weight, but the only visible feature is her chest. It¡¯s a moderate-sized chest, neither small norrge, with a reasonable size.

    Considering that and her bone structure, I would estimate her weight to be approximately 55kg. That¡¯s my rough guess.

    ¡°About 55kg?¡±

    ¡°Wrong. It¡¯s 85kg.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    It was unbelievable. Even I, with a height of over 180cm and increased muscle mass, didn¡¯t weigh more than 80kg. But Leona, with her height and presumably internal muscles, weighs 85kg. Is this what they call ¡°visceral muscles¡± that I¡¯ve only heard about?

    Upon seeing my reaction, Leona gave her characteristic cynical smile and began to exin patiently.

    ¡°You¡¯re surprised, aren¡¯t you? It¡¯s because I¡¯m a woman. If I were a man, I could have exceeded 90 kg. Beastmen are specialized in their ¡®bodies¡¯ themselves. Elves and demons, for example, are only good with mana, but their physical bodies are no different from humans.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve heard about that before.¡±

    Everyone was probably aware that elves and demons are naturally strong in terms of physical abilities. The same goes for beastmen.

    However, elves and demons are not necessarily physically stronger than humans in terms of muscles and physique, they simply have a stronger affinity for mana. I have seen a paper stating that their weight and physique itself are simr to humans. However, it seems that beastmen were different.

    In short, elves and demons could be considered as having greatly developed software, while beastmen can be seen as having strong hardware.

    On the other hand, humans¡­ we just shed tears. I opened my mouth, feeling bitter.

    ¡°There was a saying that beastmen are ignorant. Is it because of that? Since their bodies are so strong, they probably didn¡¯t have much need to use their heads.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. However, as the world has changed, there are now many things that cannot be solved with just physical strength. Now we need to use our heads, our minds.¡±

    Leona proudly spoke, tapping her own head with her finger. It seems that even as a beastman, she was proud of herself for being admitted to the Halo Academy.

    ¡°As the amount of muscle mass is higher than that of other races, the amount of food required naturally increases¡­ So, how many portions does each person eat? Is there a food shortage?¡±

    ¡°Before Lord Hick founded Animers, each tribe suffered from severe food shortages. This led to a culture of plundering, and that¡¯s why humans call us savages. Honestly, I¡¯m sorry to say this, but¡­ humans were the easiest target for us, and they also had abundantnd. Elves and demons were too strong, causing excessive losses during raids, and dwarves couldn¡¯t be a target in plundering due to their cities built around mines.¡±

    ¡°What about now?¡±

    ¡°Now we cultivate fields, establish pastures, so there aren¡¯t any major problems. However, if the number of beastmen increases, the territory naturally will need to expand¡­¡±

    Leona looked at me, sensing my understanding. She didn¡¯t mention the details, but I can roughly guess what she was going to say.

    Food was not only important for beastmen but also for all of humanity. Until the invention of nitrogen fertilizers in my past life, we suffered from famine until the early 20th century. It¡¯s not for nothing that Fritz Haber was honored as the ¡°scientist who made bread out of air.¡±

    Even in this world where magic exists, it couldn¡¯t solve the problem of food shortage. Can¡¯t magic make thend fertile? Even then, various problems arise, such as insects, birds, and even misceneous monsters that harm crops. Magic was not omnipotent.

    Unless a solution like nitrogen fertilizer is introduced to solve humanity¡¯s food shortage, famines can ur anytime and anywhere. Fortunately, there is a ¡°god¡± in this world, so it might be possible to resolve famine through prayers.

    The fact that the world¡¯s total poption is close to 2.5 billion without nitrogen fertilizers is thanks to magic and gods, but if things continue like this, famine, which cannot be solved by those means, could ur. In that case, a major catastrophe could also happen.

    <i>¡®I should consider this as well.¡¯</i>

    I wrote down the keyword ¡°famine¡± in my notebook and even put a star next to it. I won¡¯t include it immediately in the Xenon Chronicles, but I can add it in the sequel. There was no disaster that stirs up conflict and rapidly copses civilizations like a famine.

    Moreover, now that I know that the beastmen are a warrior group that values honor, it seems inevitable that there will be conflict with humans. It seemed fitting to include an exnation in the conclusion of the Xenon Chronicles that humans and beastmen shed, setting up a sequel.

    Of course, I n to write about World War II first before moving on to that.

    ¡°Do you have any areas of abundance in your country?¡±

    ¡°We have many areas of abundance. However, the beastmen poption is growing rapidly, almost by the day. With beastmen poption of 500 million and humans numbering 1.6 billion, it can be considered almost equal, especially since even beastmen children consume a tremendous amount of food. We have been relying on prayers to the god Hart to solve problems, but¡­ it¡¯s not enough.¡±

    ¡°So, someday you will have to go to war with humans. After all, humans currently possess thergest amount ofnd.¡±

    Leona nodded her head silently. It was a different sight from the confident demeanor she had shown before, as if she was reading my mood.

    Could it be that she was hesitant to engage in a war with humans, or was it because I was human? Regardless of which was the case, the sh between humans and beastmen was inevitable.

    <i>¡®The Second Racial War¡­ It could possibly ur between humans and beastmen as the main forces.¡¯</i>

    Three hundred years had passed since the outbreak of the Racial War, and the world had undergone significant changes. The humans, who had oppressed the elves under the name of the Alliance, were politically divided, while the beastmen steadily umted strength.

    It was hard to predict which side the elves, demons, and dwarves will take, but the dynamics may not be simr to the First Racial War.

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Can I ask you just one thing?¡±

    When it seemed like an awkward situation would continue, Leona cautiously called out to me. I nodded in response to her question.

    Upon hearing my affirmation, she hesitated for a moment, then looked straight at me with her golden eyes. Worry and concern were mixed in her gaze.

    ¡°Well¡­ you humans are strong. That¡¯s true, right?¡±

    ¡°Objectively speaking, one could say that we are strong.¡±

    ¡°In that case, do you think we beastmen can defeat you humans?¡±

    Could that happen? I stared at Leona¡¯s face intently after hearing that question. Her face was filled with unease, but there was also a subtle anticipation hidden within.

    Ordinary people don¡¯t ask such questions easily. Although the rtionship between humans and beastmen is said to be strained to the level of mutual disdain, as I saw in the previous exhibition, it was evident that there are beastmen integrated into human society.

    Furthermore, until the release of Xenon¡¯s Biography, there were public enemies known as ¡°demons,¡± so we had to be wary of each other. However, it was difficult to consider them asmon enemies anymore, especially since the perception of demons has risen vertically.

    Therefore, the friction between humans and beastmen, who were once only thorns in each other¡¯s sides, will deepen as time goes by. Moreover, there is likely a food shortage issue. Conflict and friction between the two races were inevitable.

    <i>¡®She couldn¡¯t possibly be the daughter of a tribal chief, could she?¡¯</i>

    Considering her extensive knowledge of Animers and the emphasis on her being a lion beastman, it is certain that her status was out of the ordinary. Even without going far, the example of Adelia makes one think along those lines.

    I have to give an answer for now. I put aside those thoughts and responded to the question.

    ¡°It¡¯s entirely possible.¡±

    ¡°Why? By the way, I hate sugarcoated words.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not sugarcoated words, but an objective assessment. You should also know that humans had a particr advantage during wars. It was their unity. Through that unity, they were able to achieve victory against the elves and mercilessly ughter beastmen.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    When it came to the mention of the worst history for the beastmen, Leona kept her mouth shut. I exined to her in a gentle voice so that she could understand.

    ¡°But after that, 300 years passed, and the human poption skyrocketed, and their power became diverse. Do you know what this means? It means that it is a structure that inevitably leads to political division. It¡¯s difficult to expect the same unity as the Human Alliance 300 years ago in the present. However, what about the Beastmen? They might have their own internal problems, but they are likely better off than humans. The situation could even be reversed.¡±

    ¡°¡­Can beastmen unite as one?¡±

    ¡°If there is amon goal, it¡¯s not entirely impossible.¡±

    ¡°Do we really need to go to war?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    This is a rather unexpected question. I naturally expected that we would go to war, but Leona¡¯s thoughts seemed different.

    While I was bewildered, Leona opened her mouth with a slightly sad expression.

    ¡°I wonder if we really need to go to war. Humans love politics, don¡¯t they? Can¡¯t the beastmen be the same?¡±

    ¡°Well, there¡¯s no guarantee that it¡¯spletely impossible, but history hasn¡¯t proven that. Throughout history, there have been many cases where other powers attacked to restrain the growing powers. And as you mentioned earlier, you said we need to expand your territory to support the increasing poption. Can we truly avoid conflicts in this situation?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Even though I¡¯m not sure if I hit the mark, Leona¡¯s ears, which had perked up, drooped down. Her expression also quickly became gloomy, making me feel sorry for saying something unnecessary.

    However, at the same time, I had doubts. Leona is a beastman, and furthermore, she has proimed herself as a lion beastman, indicating a more aggressive personality. Naturally, I thought she would choose war, but surprisingly, she seemed to be leaning towards the path of peace.

    ¡°Leona.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°It might seem cruel to say this to you, but it¡¯s important to distinguish between reality and ideals. If you have the ability to materialize ideals, you would be recorded in history like Hick, who is regarded as the founder and hero of the Animers. He gathered scattered beastmen and established a nation, protecting them from threats. A wise leader must make choices bypromising with reality rather than ideals. Even though I don¡¯t know why you concealed your identity and entered the Academy, I offer you advice because there seems to be a connection.¡±

    Those who achieve their ideals, whether it¡¯s in a positive or negative sense, are bound to be recorded in history. It implies that it¡¯s challenging.

    I couldn¡¯t know which path Leona wanted to take, but I felt like I should at least give her some advice. Otherwise, she might stubbornly lead herself to destruction for no reason.

    After hearing my words, Leona pondered for a while and then gave me a bittersweet smile. She looked at me and quietly spoke.

    ¡°You¡¯re saying the same thing as my mom. She also told me that I should clearly distinguish between ideals and reality.¡±

    ¡°Your mother is wise. So, did you change your mind?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it after graduation. By the way, you¡¯re really good with words, aren¡¯t you? You¡¯re 17, right? Or are you older than that?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    It was just a joke, but it stung for no reason. Leonaughed heartily as I forced a smile.

    As the atmosphere lightened up, I brought up a question I had been curious about.

    ¡°¡­Leona.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°What made you enroll in the academy?¡±

    Leona replied casually, as if it was nothing special.

    ¡°To make my mom happy.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    She was a filial daughter.

    ¡°Can I order another dish, by any chance?¡±

    ¡°You, seriously.¡±

    Trantors note:

    5/5

 Chapter 149: Lee Waejin (1)

    On weekends, as usual, I had a dinner appointment with my older sister, Nicole. Somehow, we ended up making a weeklymitment to have meals together, and it wasn¡¯t that bothersome, so I ate with her every week.

    Also, Nicole is soon graduating from the academy and is expected to be assigned to the Order of Knights. It¡¯s not confirmed yet, but I anticipate that she will be assigned to a good ce like Dave.

    (TL: I am genuinely confused if Isaac has 2 brothers or if the author changes his name every now and again. Early in the novel there¡¯s Dave who wees Isaac to the academy with Nicole. before going to the Navy Knights, but Bryce returns from there for the exhibition¡­ wtf.)

    On the other hand, Adelia¡­ It was a bit ambiguous due to her status. After graduation, it¡¯s uncertain whether she will return to the kingdom immediately or join a knights order.

    Returning to the Ters Kingdom ment facing a terrible home environment, and if she joined a knights order, it was practically betraying her homnd.

    Although she didn¡¯t show it due to her bright personality, as the graduation season approaches, Adelia¡¯s heart will be moreplicated.

    ¡°You still don¡¯t know where you¡¯ll be assigned, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Dave got assigned to the Navy Knights by marking his preference in advance, but I still don¡¯t know. I would like to follow Father and join the Navy Knights, but it¡¯s not easy. I heard that Dave was a special case, and they conduct internal tests. Maybe I¡¯ll have to do the same.¡±

    After the weekend training was over, we always visited this restaurant.

    I asked Nicole about her ns after graduation while sitting across from her. She casually replied as if it was nothing, but her forehead seemed slightly narrowed, indicating her nervousness.

    ¡°If it¡¯s you, you can definitely join the Navy Knights. They say only those with exceptional skills and grades can be teaching assistants in the Department of Martial Arts, right?¡±

    My fianc¨¦e, Marie, who was sitting next to me, interjected while elegantly cutting her steak. Her face was radiant, and her skin had a much healthier glow than yesterday. It was because she hadn¡¯t stopped smiling sincest night until now, even as we were enjoying a meal with Nicole and engaging in a lively conversation.

    By the way, Adelia tactfully excused herself. There was no ce for a third party to intervene when families were talking. Nicole said it was okay for her to join us, but Adelia adamantly refused.

    Before parting ways, I remembered the envious look in their eyes. Rather than being blocked, it seemed like she didn¡¯t have the courage to step in instead.

    As I mentioned before, Adelia has certainly acted closer recently, but she still asionally hesitates.

    ¡°Well, that may be true, but the reality will be different. I¡¯ve heard about the requirements for joining the Navy Knights, and just hearing about them was exhausting.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve heard about it too. They say if you join, you won¡¯t get proper sleep for a whole month, only constant training.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. But that¡¯s not the end of it. Not only will you not get proper sleep for a month, but you¡¯ll also have to be self-sufficient even for food. And the instructors oftenunch attacks unexpectedly. If you mess up, you could actually die, so you have to endure all sorts of hardships.¡±

    Is that truly something a person, no, a human being can do? The answer was yes. If you were born and a human born in this world could do it.

    Until now, humans haveined about being the weakest and whatnot, but that¡¯s only within the standards of this world. Compared to my past life, they are already monsters. In a world where humans could fight and win against monsters the size of elephants without any mana, there was nothing they couldn¡¯t do.

    Even someone like me, who only received basic knight training and was close to being an ordinary person, could easily lift something like a 100 kg cannon. Nicole could probably even lift it with one hand, let alone y baseball with it.

    Still, the entrance test Nicole mentioned was harsh even by the standards of this world. The Navy Knights were not responsible for border regions for no reason.

    ¡°Speaking of which, what¡¯s Dave up to these days? Haven¡¯t heard any news about him taking a vacation.¡±

    ¡°I heard he¡¯s finally finished his apprenticeship and is taking a vacation. It¡¯ll probably take a few months.¡±

    It varies between knight orders, but to be promoted from a trainee knight to a junior knight, one must serve for one year. During that year, the order assesses whether the individual is suitable for it and determines their promotion.

    So, our poor brother, Dave, has been an enlisted soldier throughout the year. Regardless of the circumstances, the military has always been gued by unfairness, so he must still be enduring difficult days.

    <i>¡®The letter he sentst time was amazing.¡¯</i>

    It was about two weeks ago. I still remember the contents of the letter Dave sent. He personally gathered the most rations for the march and merrily gave them away.

    The reason was remarkable: as time passed, rations would naturally decrease and be lighter. Ironically, hepleted the march without carrying a single ration and finished it in just three hours.

    That impressed the order, making me realize that the knight order was indeed like the military.

    ¡°By the way, what about Adelia? Where did she go?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡±

    While savoring a steak, Marie swallowed and asked about Adelia¡¯s whereabouts. Marie admired Adelia¡¯s optimistic nature, despite Adelia finding her difficult to handle.

    From the beginning, even though she is amoner, Marie refers to her as Unni. It¡¯s amusing that Adelia felt awkward about it.

    And when Nicole heard that question, she just smirked without answering.

    Does Nicole know that Adelia was a bastard child, moreover, a Ters royal family¡¯s illegitimate child? Or is it because of Adelia¡¯s peculiar behavior that Nicole was watching Marie¡¯s reaction?

    Whichever it may be, Nicole was unable to answer easily.

    ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t really know about Adeleia. She¡¯s such an unpredictable person, I can¡¯t even tell if she ns things or just goes with the flow. But her skills are simr to mine, so she¡¯ll adapt well anywhere.¡±

    ¡°I see. But Unni is amoner, right?¡±

    ¡°Why do you ask?¡±

    Based on her usual behavior, she seemed like an ordinarymoner, but her appearance and manners had a noble quality to them.

    Honestly, her beauty was enough to make her pass for a noble. Moreover, her sky-blue eyes reminiscent of a clear sky exuded a sense of mystery.

    Although Marie hasn¡¯t had many encounters with Adeleia face-to-face, she possessed the ability to instinctively discern the truth about the other person. So, she might be aware that Adeleia¡¯s status wasn¡¯t ordinary.

    ¡°Well¡­ for now, let¡¯s say that¡¯s right. Don¡¯t ask any further.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I understand.¡±

    Upon Nicole¡¯s ambiguous response and firm request, Marie coolly epted them. Since she wasn¡¯t particrly close to Adeleia, she decided there was no need to meddle.

    Following that, while Marie skillfully cut into her steak, Nicole gazed at her with aplex expression. I could sense worry and concern hidden within Nicole¡¯s eyes, shining like gold.

    What kind of concerns could make Nicole have such an expression? I hoped it wasn¡¯t a major worry.

    ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re graduating this year and taking the entrance test for the Navy Knights, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah? Ah, right. I¡¯m going to take the test before I graduate. In the Navy Knights, even as an apprentice, you¡¯re often immediately assigned to missions in the border zone. So you could say it¡¯s a slightly different case.¡±

    ¡°So, there¡¯s not much time left for me to see your face, huh?¡±

    I asked with a tinge of regret. With Dave leaving and now not much time was left to see Nicole. Nicole responded with a pleased smile, as if telling me not to worry.

    ¡°You¡¯re an adult now too. And it¡¯s been a while since I became an adult. It¡¯s natural that we can¡¯t meet often, so don¡¯t be too disappointed.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s still regrettable. Dave suddenly left too. You wouldn¡¯t do that, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. Exactly one month from now, I¡¯ll leave for the entrance test. We just have to meet for thest time then.¡±

    ¡°You attended the academy for five years, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Did anything interesting happen during your time at the academy?¡±

    As a martial arts assistant instructor, Nicole had to stay at the academy longer than others. So she must have enjoyed various events and activities.

    Nicole was a dedicated martial artist, devoting herself to training every day. However, being human, she inevitably experienced stress. To relieve that stress, she enjoyed various recreational activities.

    Furthermore, I heard from Adelia that Nicole has gained tremendous poprity among martial arts students. Even as her younger brother, I could attest to her beautiful appearance and strong physical abilities.

    As a woman who fulfilled men¡¯s fantasies, it was undeniable that she is extremely popr. I could confidently state that without a doubt.

    ¡°I was curious about something now that I think about it. Haven¡¯t you had a significant other, Unnie?¡±

    ¡°Uh, huh? A, a significant other?¡±

    Nicole visibly flustered, her eyes widened, clearly showing her bewilderment.

    And Marie, not stopping there, delved even deeper as Nicole continued to be flustered.

    ¡°Unnie, you¡¯re incredibly beautiful, so it doesn¡¯t make sense for you not to have a significant other. Even if you say you don¡¯t, have you ever been confessed to?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. I¡¯ve never been confessed to. Seriously.¡±

    Nicole blushed, sping her hands together. Even without relying on Marie¡¯s intuition, it was evident that she was lying.

    Marie, thinking she had caught her, gave an ominous smile and pushed further.

    ¡°Lies. Who confessed to you? We¡¯re family now, so it¡¯s okay to tell me, right? I won¡¯t tell anyone.¡±

    ¡°But¡­ it¡¯s true¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you think lies like that would work on me? Just tell me any confession story, even one. I¡¯m curious. You rarely talk about personal matters.¡±

    ¡°No, why are you interested in someone else¡¯s personal life when you¡¯re about to get engaged yourself?¡±

    Nicole asked, as if it was incredulous.

    ¡°Well, other people¡¯s stories are more interesting, aren¡¯t they? We shared our own stories, didn¡¯t we?¡±

    ¡°Huh. True¡­¡±

    Marie¡¯s clear response immediately left her feeling dejected. After contemting for a while, she sighed deeply and shook her head.

    Unfortunately, her answer was that it couldn¡¯t be done.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but no. I¡¯ve received confessions before, but it¡¯s a bit of an unpleasant story.¡±

    ¡°An unpleasant story?¡±

    ¡°I was confessed to by not just one person, but by four people. And all at the same time.¡±

    ¡°Wow¡­¡±

    Marie and I inadvertently let out an astonished gasp. Since Nicole was someone who usually didn¡¯t lie, the chances are high that it was true that she was confessed to by four people simultaneously.

    Just by listening, it seemed like there were hiddenplexities. If someone were to use that as material, it could easily be a romance novel.

    Nicole, as if reminded of that moment, muttered softly with her cheeks turning red.

    ¡°The grown-up guys¡­ There¡¯s nothing as pitiful as seeing them fight over one girl. I got annoyed and said I¡¯d date whoever wins through a duel. But even when four of them ganged up, they all lost. At least they should be stronger than me, right?¡±

    ¡°Oh, so your preference is for a man who¡¯s stronger than you, then?¡±

    ¡°What? No! I didn¡¯t mean it that way! I just meant that a man should be strong enough to protect a woman!¡±

    Caught off guard, Nicole hurriedly shouted in defense, disying a reaction far from her usual strict demeanor. It was evident that she was flustered. Not knowing what to do, I looked at Nicole, then joined in Marie¡¯s mischief.

    ¡°Noona, I¡¯m really weak.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ Look at this. Xenon, the author? One word from you can change the world, and you call yourself weak? You should at least be mindful of your nonsense..¡±

    ¡°Well, what about our Hyung? He¡¯s from a noble family, and he¡¯s destined to inherit the title.¡±

    ¡°Forget it. Don¡¯t even go there. Once he joins the knights, he¡¯ll have to give up on marriage anyway. Why bother with a lover? You two have more than enough love stories. Are you being responsible with contraception?¡±

    Nicole tried to change the subject, so it¡¯s probably best to stop the teasing here. I had a feeling that if I continued to y around, Nicole would die of embarrassment.

    ¡°Of course, we¡¯re being very careful. We still have plenty of contraceptives, so no problem.¡±

    ¡°Good. Make sure there are no situations where a mistake would happen, like bing parents by ident.¡±

    ¡°Well, from what I see, it won¡¯t happen as a mistake but rather intentionally.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ Honestly, it does seem that way. But no matter what, I highly doubt you used up all the contraceptives.¡±

    Nicole, who had nodded in agreement with my words, suddenly asked me if she had remembered something.

    ¡°By the way, Isaac, when will Volume 13 be released?¡±

    ¡°Volume 13? I¡¯ll probably send it to the publisher in about three days. Why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t Alvenheim say they were going to censor it? Did you really write a story about Alvenheim being invaded?¡±

    ¡°Of course I did. I can¡¯t change the story just because that country threatened to censor it.¡±

    Even if Alvenheim censors it, it won¡¯t matter. It¡¯s their country that will suffer, not me. As for the profits, I¡¯ve already earned more than enough, and Leort and Rina were helping little by little. I had no choice but to transfer the profits that were just sitting with the publisher to the mansion.

    <i>¡®Come to think of it, elves came to the publisher.¡¯</i>

    I heard the news that elves hade to the publisher through a letter sent by my father. They wanted to see Xenon, since they asked for the letters I had been sending. Fortunately, the president handled it well, and the elves withdrew.

    However, my father didn¡¯t know why elves from Alvenheim, especially from a prestigious family, hade. Although it¡¯s just spection, it might be a situation caused by Arwen¡¯s mishandling of the speech. The news has been delivered through Siris, so I¡¯ll be contacted soon.

    ¡°I¡¯m a little worried, that¡¯s all. Usually, when authors have their novels censored, they lose confidence. Isn¡¯t it the same for you?¡±

    ¡°Not really. After all, the Xenon series is a novel that more humans read than elves, and it¡¯s just a hobby for me. If they censor it, they¡¯ll be the ones at a loss.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Sometimes elves can be so foolish. Trying to censor a beautiful culture, it¡¯s bound to cause bacsh, don¡¯t you think? The Queen wouldn¡¯t do such a thing, so it must have been the Council or the prestigious families acting on their own.¡±

    Marie was coolly sympathetic. It seemed that, as expected of a duke¡¯s daughter, she had a keen understanding of the political situation in other countries. Nicole made a relieved expression when she noticed that I wasn¡¯t paying much attention to it, but she still cautiously asked if there was any way to alleviate my concerns.

    ¡°Even so, please be careful not to openly express negative opinions. Each sentence you write can have a significant impact on the world. You should know that by now, considering what you¡¯ve seen so far.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I know.¡±

    In response, I spoke as if it was no longer a matter of importance.

    ¡°I don¡¯t feel impressed by it anymore.¡±

    *****

    A few dayster.

    [Shocking News! The contamination of the roots of Yggdrasil, the pride and symbol of Alvenheim, is actually taking ce!]

    [It was not a fiction-like devil¡¯s scheme, but the effect of the demon war that urred 3,000 years ago that has been continuing until now. Although the contamination level of the roots is currently at 26%, it is gradually elerating, and it is expected to be fully contaminated in the near future.]

    [The clergy of Alvenheim have united to attempt purification efforts. Fortunately, the progress of contamination was not severe and was immediately healed.]

    [Could it be that Xenon¡¯s Biography foresaw even this?]

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Was this even possible?

    Trantors note:

    1/5

    I¡¯m sorry the chapters got dyed almost a week, but I was busy making a game for my job interview¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­which I failed *sob*sob*

    The rest of chapters wille eitherter today or tomorrow.

    And the chapters title is a korean meme for hitting a jackpot/something unlikely.

 Chapter 150: Lee Waejin (2)

    Words can be seeds. This proverb can be used to describe a situation where words spoken without much thought be a reality. It carries the lesson of being cautious and not speaking recklessly.

    In various ways, I have witnessed numerous instances where words have turned into reality, even in past lives. Most of these instances were posts on social media, whichter came true.

    However, if you examine it closely, it is simply a matter of possibilities, and therefore, there are many instances where words are spoken without much consideration. For example, predicting an ident the next morning or finding a bundle of money on the street, among other things.

    In this world, there are various probabilities, including extremely rare ones. The cases where words turn into reality mostly involve the coincidence of hitting such a low-probability event.

    Speaking of probabilities, let¡¯s take an example. What is the probability that events described in a novel, written out of boredom, will actually ur?

    There was a novel that semi-predicted the 9/11 terrorist attacks in my past life, and it was rumored that the author waster personally invited to write various scenarios. Not only that, there was a famous novel in South Korea that ¡°predicted¡± the President¡¯s Gate scandal.

    The overall content of the novel was about a shaman who helps the person who will be the future president. The story of the novel was astonishingly simr to real-life events, to the point where the author himself expressed astonishment.

    As you can see, there are countless works that predict the future. The Earth¡¯s culture has developed significantly more than in this world, and with media pouring out content, it increased the ¡°probability¡± of such urrences.

    And the current situation I am facing was simr but slightly different.

    The 13th volume of Xenon¡¯s Biography mainly revolved around the contamination of the world tree¡¯s roots by the machinations of Lucifer of Pride. As a result, Elvenheim is invaded by demons and transformed into a wastnd. The protagonist and hispanions hear the news and try to return, but they are dyed by Lilith. By the time they arrive, Elvenheim is on the verge of bing ruins, with only remnants left to greet them.

    If this were to happen in reality, it would be a major event that would turn the entire world upside down. However, devil¡¯s activities havepletely dwindled since the Great Devil war, and not even a single devil has been discovered. So the contamination of the world tree should never ur¡­

    [Shock! The world tree of Yggdrasil was actually being contaminated!]

    [The contamination of the roots that even mana from the world tree couldn¡¯t purify. If it had progressed like this, would devils have actually invaded?]

    [As the contamination of the world tree¡¯s roots urred in reality, the leaders of each country are contemting the possibility of a devil invasion.]

    [Who is Xenon, who foresaw this situation? Is it a coincidence, or did they already know?]

    But then, it actually happened. What on earth is this? It¡¯s unbelievable.

    As I read the news articles in the newspaper, I was at a loss for words. I initially thought the focus would be on the part where Elvenheim was invaded, but an unexpected variable urred.

    To neutralize the mana emitted by the World Tree, devils contaminated it from its roots. This was merely my imagination, and there was absolutely no separate research or anything of that sort.

    In the first ce, I only visited Yggdrasil, where the World Tree is located, once. Moreover, I returned home immediately after hearing Arwen¡¯s speech, without even reaching the vicinity of the World Tree.

    Therefore, it was purely a coincidence, and I swear I had no prior knowledge.

    <i>¡®Of all things, the World Tree¡­¡¯</i>

    The problem was that not something else but the roots of the World Tree have indeed been contaminated. Apparently, a certain noble of Elvenheim, who read Volume 13, suspiciously requested confirmation from Arwen, and sheplied with it.

    Originally, the Council of Elders would oppose it, but it must have been difficult to oppose something as significant as the World Tree. After that, upon careful investigation, they discovered the contamination of the roots.

    Naturally, Elvenheim was in an uproar. The World Tree was a direct gift from the gods to the elves, a symbol that had protected them for 3000 years.

    But what if the roots of that World Tree were gradually bing contaminated, just like in the novel?

    For the elves, it was an astonishing matter and could only be described as an unprecedented crisis that should never happen.

    The only fortunate thing is that it might be a phenomenon arising from the aftermath of the Great Devil war 3000 years ago, rather than someone¡¯s deliberate maniption.

    Still, it was an undeniable fact that the contamination was progressing. Currently, the priests of Alvenheim were joining forces to carry out purification work, but the aftermath was not insignificant.

    A representative example would be¡­

    [Adventurers and mercenaries are searching diligently for traces of devils. Debates arise regarding the difference between devils and the demons¡­]

    [Leaders of each nation have decided to heighten their vignce against devils. In a world where contamination of the World Tree has be a reality, there is no guarantee that devil invasions won¡¯t ur.]

    [Three thousand years is a sufficient amount of time for all races to immerse themselves in peace. Devils may seize the opportunity just like in the Xenon¡¯s Biography.]

    As a result, there were hardly any people who considered it merely a work of fiction. The number of people searching for traces of devils has significantly increased. In a reality where things that shouldn¡¯t exist have be real, there is now saying that devil invasions won¡¯t happen. This is what was written in the newspaper.

    As for me, it was an overwhelming and suffocating situation, but this wasn¡¯t the end.

    [Xenon is not an ordinary sage. He is likely a renowned schr capable of essing Alvenheim¡¯s World Tree and has connections with the high-ranking nobles of Alvenheim.]

    [Could Xenon¡¯s Biography be a book written about the future? Such spections have emerged. While the characters may be fictional, the situations depicted in the novel could potentially ur in the future.]

    [Lucifer said, ¡°Arrogance. Prolonged peace softens even the most rational judgment. Have you enjoyed the peace all this time?¡± This could be Xenon¡¯s warning to us.]

    Due to the unexpected warning (?), the number of people looking for me has increased, and they were treating me not just as a sage but as a ¡°prophet.¡± It was amusing to see them delude themselves, but I¡¯m starting to feel that things are escting. If I were to reveal my true identity someday, would they even believe me? Considering the current situation, I highly doubt it.

    <i>¡®¡­First, I should send a letter to the publisher.¡¯</i>

    To avoid any potential consequences, it seemed better to rify my position from the outset. The media may be buzzing about the prophet, but it was just a mere coincidence. I had no intention of exploiting this situation, nor could I bear the burden. I need to resolve this situation as soon as possible.

    <i>¡®It may take some time, as I need to transcribe it for the publisher.¡¯</i>

    Sighing, I folded the newspaper. I could never get used to the world bing strange because of the novel I wrote. If the praise were focused solely on the work, I could embrace it with joy, but all sorts of malicious variables keep popping up. It all started with the perception shift of the demons.

    At this rate, I¡¯m worried that when Xenon¡¯s Biography ispleted and I write about World War II, all sorts of mechanical things will pour out. Of course, to them, the history of my past life was a mere fantasy, so the probability was slim.

    Let¡¯s ignore the slim probability of guessing the contamination of the world tree. Right now, it was important to eliminate this troubled mind.

    ¡°¡­Hah.¡±

    No matter how I think about it, I couldn¡¯t help butugh. Why does this feel so real?

    The newspaper also covered the emergence of Dark Elves, but the main focus was on the contamination of the World Tree¡¯s roots. As a writer, it was an absurd situation to be in.

    Of course, as time passes and the situation calms down, there is a possibility that attention will turn to the Dark Elves. The appearance of Dark Elves was a scene that cannot be easily overlooked.

    <i>¡®First, let¡¯s write a letter. All of this is just a coincidence, and I¡¯m not a sage or a prophet but a simple schr.¡¯</i>

    More urately, an aspiring schr. It¡¯s necessary to mix truth within falsehoods to avoid arousing suspicion.

    <i>¡®Arwen must be busy now, so I should call herter.¡¯</i>

    Since the contamination of the World Tree¡¯s roots was an unprecedented incident, Alvenheim must be in chaos. Naturally, Arwen and the leaders of Alvenheim will be working tirelessly.

    If Xenon¡¯s Biography really starts to be treated as prophetic, it¡¯s obvious that it will greatly affect Arwen. She was desperately trying to prevent the Council of Elders from finding me.

    Taking a deep breath in myplicated mind, I sighed once again and threw myself onto the bed.

    ¡®Yes, it¡¯ll quiet down once I send the letter. It will quiet down.¡¯

    A few dayster¡­

    [Breaking News! Traces of a devil summoning ritual found in a cave in the Kyras Mountains! A rare ce with little human activity where an adventurer happened to discover¡­]

    [Furthermore, traces left by demons are being discovered in various ces. Will we follow Xenon¡¯s warning?]

    [There are also traces of the extremist faction of the Mages hidden after the Race War 300 years ago¡­ Upon hearing the news, Helium has dispatched an investigation team.]

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    It will quiet down.

    [Perhaps Xenon isn¡¯t just a prophet, but a ¡®divine incarnation¡¯ sent from the future by a god to warn this world, which has becent in peace, by risking danger and defying time¡­]

    [The perspective of each religious sect: Defying time is an impossible task even for a god. However, if it¡¯s not the god directly defying time but targeting mortal beings, it may not be entirely impossible.]

    It will quiet down for real.

    [Xenon imed to be an ordinary schr, not a prophet or a sage, but most people don¡¯t believe him at all.]

    [Clearly, there must be a reason for hiding his true identity. Could it be due to a constraint that prohibits directly revealing what will happen in the future?]

    [As an ordinary schr from the future, he would have been able to publish a novel with such eloquence and readability. Because future culture would be overwhelmingly advancedpared to the present¡­]

    Hey, you guys. Stop ying around drumming your own drums.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m just a reincarnated person¡­ from a different world¡¯</i>

    It seems like the situation has be even more messed up.

    *****

    Alvenheim before the traces of the devil were discovered in reality.

    Alvenheim was in the midst of great turmoil due to an unprecedented incident called the contamination of the World Tree. The half-breed incident was something that happened among people, but the World Tree was on a different level.

    The World Tree, beyond being a relic to the elves, was considered a gift from the gods, so contamination was deemed uneptable.

    Therefore, until the 13th volume was released, everyone initially lived with the mindset that the novel was just a novel and should not be associated with reality. However, when the concerns actually manifested in reality, they had no choice but to change their thinking.

    Xenon¡¯s Biography was now not just a book to be read for entertainment but a must-read.

    ¡°Your Majesty, please reconsider¡­¡±

    ¡°I forbid it. How many times have I said that I won¡¯t allow it?¡±

    Naturally, the influence reached the Queen of Alvenheim, Arwen. Not only the Council of Elders but also prestigious families were calling for finding Xenon, or rather, Isaac. For her part, it was driving her crazy.

    In fact, Arwen almost brushed it off when she learned the truth that the roots of the World Tree had been contaminated. She knew that Xenon¡¯s Biography was written solely as a hobby because she had a personal friendship with Isaac.

    However, once the contamination of the World Tree¡¯s roots was confirmed, she couldn¡¯t help but have suspicions. The contamination of the World Tree was an impossible event, but she wondered if Isaac had truly predicted it. There were whispers in society, slight suspicions that he might be more than just a prophet.

    ¡°Your Majesty, this is a serious matter. Whether Xenon is truly a prophet or not, it is a fact that he saved the World Tree from a crisis.¡±

    Fieren, a member of the Council of Elders, spoke in his characteristic hoarse voice, addressing Arwen with the presence of two other members.

    Although his words were polite and courteous on the surface, Arwen could sense the underlying intentions hidden within Fieren¡¯s speech. He must be nning to manipte Isaac and use him for propaganda purposes by bringing him here.

    In reality, the elves of Alvenheim felt immense gratitude towards Isaac for saving the World Tree. The content about Alvenheim¡¯s demons being invaded in the book?

    It¡¯s all irrelevant. What truly mattered was the reality. Despite the attention drawn by the appearance of the Dark Elves, it was still at a preliminary stage, with only curiosity being revealed.

    Furthermore, Arwen knew that due to her own mistake, the Council of Elders had deployed manpower to visit the publishing house. This information was obtained from Isaac, and only now did she realize that she had carelessly left the speech document intact without burning it.

    The speech document remained in its original ce, but the subtle change in its position suggests that someone tampered with it. Thanks to this, Arwen realized that the Council of Elders had nted many spies.

    ¡°It is true that Xenon saved the World Tree. We are also investigating whether the content in the book will be a reality.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°But don¡¯t you consider the burden that will be imposed on Xenon? Think about why Xenon is writing while hiding his identity. There must be a reason for him to write the book.¡±

    That¡¯s why Arwen could refuse more stubbornly. If the Council of Elders were to find Isaac, she would doubt whether she could protect him.

    Fieren seemed to intuit that he couldn¡¯t break Arwen¡¯s determination, so he sighed in frustration. Normally, he should refrain from even this expression, but he still had remaining questions for Arwen.

    ¡°¡­I understand. Can I ask you one more thing?¡±

    ¡°You have my permission.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m curious about the rtionship between the Queen and Xenon. What exactly is your connection?¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    This was a question that could even startle Arwen herself. However, before such a question could be resolved, Fieren continued.

    ¡°Every time we expressed our intention to search for Xenon, the Queen has always denied us. Even when it was revealed that the roots of the World Tree were contaminated, you still refused like now. So, we can¡¯t help but have doubts.¡±

    ¡°W-What¡­¡±

    Fieren deliberately omitted the fact that he had glimpsed at the speech, but Arwen, taken aback, couldn¡¯t even consider that.

    Given that Isaac had a connection with Arwen and, furthermore, the feeling of guilt flowing through her body due to the mistakes she had made, it was a situation where she couldn¡¯t help but tense up, wondering if the Council of Elders knew about it.

    In response, Fieren, as if he had caught on to something, smiled subtly and presented Arwen with one assumption.

    ¡°Is it true, Your Majesty, that you were involved romantically with Xenon?¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    What nonsense is this again? Arwen blinked her gray eyes and then looked at Fieren with a bewildered and incredulous expression.

    Arwen couldn¡¯tprehend what thoughts could lead to Fieren uttering the assumption that Isaac and she were lovers.

    At that time, Isaac hadn¡¯t even been born yet. Arwen was so overwhelmed that she couldn¡¯t speak. Fieren, perhaps interpreting her reaction in his own way, continued with a satisfied expression.

    ¡°But it would have been difficult for you to continue due to the fundamental difference in lifespan. So, Xenon must have incorporated the pain he had experienced into the book. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ that¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, letting go of lingering emotions is inherently difficult. Especially when ites to love. I hope you have considered what is more important for Alvenheim and cast aside those lingering feelings.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°In that case, we shall take our leave. Please reconsider once more.¡±

    After saying so, the elders respectfully bid farewell and left the Council Chamber. Arwen watched their retreating figures from a distance and burst into a bitterugh.

    ¡°What¡­ nonsense is that?¡±

    At first, Arwen dismissed it as nonsense too¡­

    [Is Xenon truly someone who has traveled through time? Or is all of this just a coincidence?]

    [If he is a divine incarnation, then an impossible story isn¡¯t out of the question.]

    Traces of devils were discovered throughout the world, and with the hypothesis that Isaac was a person from the future, it was hard topletely dismiss the idea. Though it might not be the present, it was possible that a simr situation to Xenon¡¯s Biography had urred in a distant future.

    Moreover, Isaac imed he didn¡¯t need anypensation for his help with the speech, stating that merely seeing her own beautiful appearance was enough.

    In addition, he showed leniency towards Rain and provided various conveniences, knowingly or unknowingly.

    ¡°¡­Should I read it once more?¡±

    Arwen diligently read from Volume 10, alongside Kair¡¯s prequel.

 Chapter 151: Lee Waejin (3)

    Who is the devil? ording to literature, the devils refers to invaders from a different dimension who came over 3,000 years ago andmitted various atrocities, causing significant and minor impacts. During the Devil War, they fought relentlessly to protect this world, regardless of race, and were barely driven out thanks to the gods who protect this world. However, various incidents urred during that time.

    It is widely known that the origin of demons are the devils, and the gods who felt threatened by the devil¡¯s invasion gifted the World Tree¡¯s seed to the elves. That seed has grown into a great tree, resiliently enduring to the present day, over the course of 3,000 years.

    Since then, research on devils has been actively conducted, but as time passed, interest gradually waned. It was an environment where attention naturally shifted more towards other races than devils. Humans, who are forgetful creatures, shifted their focus to other races rather than devils within a span of just a hundred years, and even the long-lived elves found 3,000 years to be enough time to forget the events.

    Furthermore, since the incident of the Race War 300 years ago, an event thatpletely altered the fate of all races, nobody has taken the devil seriously. Only other races have been of concern.

    The span of 3,000 years was, without a doubt, exceedingly long. It was an event that could only be recorded in ¡°literature¡± from the beginning, so it was safe to say that aside from schrs, there were hardly any individuals who delved into it intensively.

    [The leaders of countries who have recognized the seriousness of the situation are taking action to identify devil worshippers¡­ Requesting support from various factions.]

    [Luminous Church: The devil is an abomination that should never be associated with. We will definitely identify and eliminate them.]

    [Meanwhile, efforts are being made to track down the militant demons who have gone into hiding in Helium¡­]

    Until the incidents from Xenon¡¯s Biography gradually became a reality.

    The fact that the roots of the World Tree have been contaminated may be attributed to chance, but discovering traces of devils is an undeniable matter. Devils, although regarded as fictional creatures in literature, have a historical record of transforming this world into a sea of mes.

    Currently, civilization and military power have advanced significantlypared to 3,000 years ago, but devils remain incredibly powerful foes. Even the elves were forced to be on the defensive, to the point where they had to seek the World Tree¡¯s seed from the gods. This gives you a rough idea of how dire the situation is.

    Above all, the most terrifying aspect of devils, ording to literature, is the endless quantity and variety they pour forth. There are mentions of the sheer volume being so vast that it eclipsed the horizon with darkness.

    Thus, it could be concluded that unless dimensions were sealed off, it is impossible to permanently eradicate demons, regardless of the development of civilization and technology. The Devil War that urred 3,000 years ago didn¡¯tpletely vanquish all the devils but severed the interdimensional connections and sent them back.

    Therefore, the news of discovering traces of devils implies that there are people attempting to establish connections between dimensions.

    ¡°Sigh¡­¡±

    While the world was in turmoil due to the devils, I sat on my bed in my dorm and let out a deep sigh. Currently, I was reading the newspaper that was published today.

    Usually, newspapers were published once a day, ording to regr subscriptions. However, due to the state of affairs, they were practicallying out every 3 to 4 hours.

    I had visited Elena¡¯sboratory today, and as a result, the newspapers had piled up thickly. So, I started reading them one by one, and the content was quite intriguing.

    There were reports of traces of devils being discovered somewhere or individuals who were not demons but had used magic rted to ck mana, and so on.

    After delving deep into the incidents that had been easily overlooked so far, detailed evidence was steadily emerging that they were indeed associated with devils. This included peculiar symbols found at ritual sites in obscure caves or on monsters causing havoc.

    Taking it a step further, they have even discovered what is known as a ¡°Summoning Circle,¡± believed to have been performed several hundred years ago. It was difficult to find because the location of the rituals was deeply concealed underground.

    Although incidents simr to those in Xenon¡¯s Biography did not ur, the current world was in a state of extreme vignce against devils. There were concerns that the descendants of devils, known as demons, would be affected, but surprisingly, they have greatly contributed to identification of devil rted things.

    The ck mana used by demons made them even more sensitive, because it was also used by devils. Perhaps due to this reason, the Mora church was said to be coborating with Helium.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m going crazy¡­¡¯</i>

    Imented inwardly as I carefully read the incidents reported in the newspaper. Unintentionally hitting two consecutive home runs, there was nothing I could do about it.

    People were specting that I am a prophet or a person from the future, and even if I protested that I¡¯m not, they didn¡¯t believe me at all.

    On the contrary, they were specting on their own about the reasons why I haven¡¯t revealed my identity. The idea that a deity imposed restrictions received the greatest support.

    <i>¡®Restrictions, my foot. I just remember my past life.¡¯</i>

    Although I was in a different world, I remember everything from my past life. The days of my school years, along with the tragedy of losing my parents in an ident. And even dying from a cardiac arrest while using theputer, just like any other day.

    Although I am a reincarnator, I am not a regressor who came back from the future. However, these people simply refused to believe it.

    Feeling frustrated, I sent multiple letters, but each time they were neatly discarded. In the end, I had no choice but to decide to remain quiet until the situation calmed down.

    <i>¡®But the devil problem¡­ It¡¯s quite serious.¡¯</i>

    The contamination of the World Tree¡¯s roots was a significant issue, but devils could be even worse. Whether out of curiosity or for a specific purpose, devils are beings that should never be summoned.

    If you consider how much damage a devil-turned-demon can cause in the surroundings, the answer bes clear. The Devil War that urred 3,000 years ago was the result of such beings pouring out in mass.

    As a consequence, various churches, especially the Holy Kingdom Xavier, were actively mobilizing. Other countries, including the Minerva Empire, have also set aside their conflicts for a while and started devil-purging operations.

    Even adventurers and mercenaries were doing the same. It is said that they offer substantial rewards if you report the discovery of ces or items rted to devils.

    Naturally, they inspect to see if there are any traces of ¡®ck Mana¡¯.

    Anyway, currently, the whole world was swept up in the frenzy of devil-purging.

    As for Xenon¡¯s Biography, it¡¯s just an added bonus that it is now considered a prophecy.

    <i>¡®But if I had included Cecily¡¯s illustrations¡­¡¯</i>

    I took my eyes off the newspaper and pondered for a moment. Originally, the illustrations were supposed to be included in Volume 13, but due to time constraints, the n changed to include them in the full-scale battle with Lilith¡¯s defeat.¡±

    Not only Lilith, but also the other Seven Deadly Sins would be the same. They are important viins, so you could say it¡¯s a kind of bias. However, considering the current situation, I¡¯m worried that including Lilith¡¯s illustrations could harm Cecily for no reason. Since the Xenon Saga was being treated as a prophecy, people might also think of her as Lilith.

    <i>¡®¡­I¡¯ll have to put the illustrations in during the death scene.¡¯</i>

    Still, Lilith has a heartbreaking situation where she lives on in order to not forget the man she loves. This will be revealed to Xenon just before he strangles Lilith. Of course, I don¡¯t know if this phenomenon will continue until then. The eradication of Lilith is nned to happen after the beastem part.

    For now, it¡¯s a priority to wait until the situation calms down while taking care of oneself. Just act as usual.

    <i>¡®Since I have time, should I meet the kids first?¡¯</i>

    I haven¡¯t read all the newspapers yet, but it¡¯s about time for the final lecture to end.

    Since today is Wednesday, I have a normal meeting and dinner appointment instead of a date. Wednesday is a time I designated for my personal time, and it seems like Marie felt the need for her own time as well, so she readily agreed.

    At that time, she didn¡¯t care about what I did, and even if I went on a date with Cecily, she would only feel a little jealous, but wouldn¡¯t mind. Of course, the next day, we would head straight to the inn without hesitation. In fact, if I were to go on a date with Marie, you could say that the inn was always the final destination.

    And so, it happened when I temporarily set aside the newspaper I was reading and made my way to the lecture hall. As if by perfect timing, students wereing out of the ssroom one by one. Among them, familiar faces naturally popped out.

    Right at that moment, Rina, perhaps having confirmed that I wasing, greeted me with her characteristic gentleughter.

    ¡°Did youe right at the time?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. How was today¡¯s ss?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t even ask. No matter how much I listen, I still don¡¯t understand what philosophy means.¡±

    That was my girlfriend Marie¡¯s response. As always, she crossed her arm with me and grumbled.

    I gently patted Marie¡¯s arm at her cute and lovely behavior and shifted my gaze. When I met Cecily¡¯s eyes, she smiled brightly.

    In response to her always beautiful smile, I smiled back.

    ¡°Shall we go to the cafe first?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s do that. It¡¯s too early for a meal.¡±

    ¡°Where are we going?¡±

    ¡°The usual ce.¡±

    Afterwards, the four of us moved together to the cafe we often visited. In the past, our group might have attracted various gazes, but now, due to familiarity, we didn¡¯t feel any of those gazes.

    Even while heading to the cafe, we engaged in small talk, and it continued even after arriving at the cafe. Since it was a room with thorough soundproofing, there was no need to be cautious of other people¡¯s attention.

    In other words, it was an opportune moment to bring up a difficult question to answer.

    ¡°Isaac, you also read the newspaper, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I do. An extra editiones out every three to four hours.¡±

    ¡°What do you think? Lately, they¡¯re calling you a prophet, a seer of the future.¡±

    Marie, who was sitting next to me, asked with curiosity and intrigue. Silently, I responded with a wry smile, and Cecily across from us chimed in.

    ¡°I¡¯m curious too. The stories in the book areing true one by one. Are you really a prophet or a person from the future? Or maybe a reincarnator?¡±

    I chuckled at that question and immediately refuted it. While I am a reincarnator, I can deny the other possibilities since I came from a different world.

    ¡°Absolutely not. If I were either of those, I would have invested in stocks instead of making money through writing novels. I wasn¡¯t capable of that in the first ce, and the book wasn¡¯t that significant. It¡¯s all just a coincidence.¡±

    ¡°For a coincidence, it¡¯s quite precisely fitting, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Rina elegantly sipped her coffee and interjected quietly. If you only looked at her gaze, it was full of mischief, but her tone carried a hint of seriousness.

    A mixture of yfulness and sincerity, you could say. Of course, I found it somewhat unfair.

    ¡°It¡¯s really just a coincidence. And the traces of the devil appearing everywhere just make the story quite realistic. It¡¯s been 3,000 years, yes, 3,000 years. Experts have been ignoring it until now, but the warnings themselves have existed even before Xenon¡¯s Biography. They pretended not to know because their attention was diverted elsewhere.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s true. I heard there were incidents that were overlooked in the reports due to inconvenience. In reality, nobody cared about the devils, but the threat itself was present. Cecily, how is the situation in Helium right now?¡±

    ¡°Helium is no different from anywhere else. However, we¡¯re currently searching for traces of the militant faction of demons that were hostile to the Human Union 300 years ago. The investigation results will probably be out soon.¡±

    The extremist faction of demons, known as the ¡°Hardliners,¡± was hostile to the human alliance even during the tribal war 300 years ago. True to their name, they despised humans and went so far as tomit war crimes.

    Typically, devils sumbed to despair and sadness, tragically bing devils out of dark emotions. However, in the case of the Hardline demons, they frequently be devils for the sake of revenge.

    As a result, they posed a significant challenge to the human alliance during the race war. Fortunately, with the help of the moderate faction of demons, known as Helium, we managed to survive unharmed.

    Despite the near extinction of the Hardline demons due to the race war, a small number of them managed to escape and hide in various parts of the world. Due to the potential severity of the situation, Helium has taken charge since humans may face excessive casualties.

    ¡°The world is truly unpredictable. While pollution of the World Tree is one thing, devils appearing¡­ Could there really be a Second Devil War in the distant future?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not entirely impossible. After all, it¡¯s a span of 3,000 years. In fact, even if a Second Cataclysm had urred during that time, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising. Devils ruins estimated to have been constructed 500 years ago have been discovered. We were oblivious, but there were many dangerous situations. Fortunately, they all ended up unfinished, but as time went on, the magical runes installed in the hidden chambers were improving.¡±

    ¡°At least they remained unfinished, otherwise¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s possible that a catastrophe could have struck. Connecting dimensions is a difficult task even for elves and demons, so it¡¯s a good thing it didn¡¯t happen sooner, otherwise, we would have been invaded long ago.¡±

    The current world was rapidly bing more focused on devils, much like the conversation between Marie and Rina. Things that were once considered legendary are now appearing one by one in reality, so it¡¯s impossible not to take an interest.

    As a result, research rted to devils was also being actively conducted. However, books rted to devils have faced a lot of time as most have been lost.

    Perhaps the only intact ones are in the Sanctuary. However, I have heard that the Sanctuary is currently in a state of over-saturation.

    ¡°Oh, by the way, Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°When are you nning to include illustrations? I¡¯m ready whenever.¡±

    During the conversation between Rina and Marie, Cecily asked me. It was a question about the inclusion of Cecily¡¯s drawings, which means illustrations for the release.

    Originally, we had decided to include them in Volume 13, but due to time constraints, we postponed it. I n to visit Helium during the uing vacation, so it seemed like a good opportunity to draw the illustrations then.

    ¡°Illustrations? What illustrations?¡±

    Marie next to me tilted her head in confusion. Come to think of it, I hadn¡¯t told Marie about it.

    Just as I was about to respond, Cecily smiled brightly, as if proudly, and answered clearly. It was as if she was bragging.

    ¡°Yeah. You know Lilith, who appeared in Volume 13? As I¡¯m the model for the Seven Sins, Isaac would refer to me when drawing the illustrations. Originally, I wanted to include them in Volume 13, but it was difficult due to time constraints.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see. I get it now.¡±

    After listening to Cecily¡¯s story, Marie slowly nodded her head and then turned her head to look at me. I couldn¡¯t muster the courage to meet her eyes and kept my head stiffly raised, but¡­

    ¡°Isaac?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Is that true?¡±

    Unable to bear Marie¡¯s chilling question, I had no choice but to close my eyes. When I quietly opened them again, I saw Cecily lightlyughing with her hand over her mouth.

    Honestly, I almost burst intoughter at her mischievous rather than demonic appearance, but I barely managed to suppress it because Marie was ring at me.

    Marie alternated between looking at me and Cecily in the slightly subdued atmosphere, then she soon broke into a deep smile. It seemed like she had some thoughts.

    ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. Anyway, my situation is simr to yours.¡±

    ¡°Huh? You too?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not talking about putting in drawings like you. Instead¡­ let¡¯s include the intense rtionship we¡¯ve had so far¡­¡±

    ¡°Pfft!¡±

    Before Marie could finish her sentence, Rina burst outughing, spewing coffee everywhere. Naturally, all eyes turned to her.

    ¡°Cough! Cough! Oops!¡±

    Rina, who continued to cough and choke, quickly pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the area around her mouth that was covered in coffee stains.

    Just as she was about to get up from her seat, thinking that she should pat her back or something, Rina coughed and asked, as if questioning if it was really true.

    ¡°Cough! Well, that¡­ Cough! Is it true?¡±

    ¡°About putting my night affair with Isaac in the book?¡±

    ¡°Cough! Cough! Can you put that kind of thing¡­ in?¡±

    ¡°Why not? There¡¯s nothing that can¡¯t be done, right?¡±

    Marie asked in a subtle voice, holding onto my arm. Deliberately or not, she slipped her arm between her clothes and mine, and I felt a soft sensation.

    While I was only managing to give a wry smile, Sessily patted my back, calming me down. Then Rina asked cautiously.

    ¡°In which volume¡­ Does it appear?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m asking in which volume. It will appearter, right?¡±

    Why was she asking such a question? I looked at Rina, whose face had turned red, perhaps because of the cough, and replied.

    ¡°There¡¯s no set n yet. It¡¯s intended to be used in theter part, but¡­¡±

    ¡°No, you can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°You absolutely can¡¯t.¡±

    For some reason, Rina strongly opposed it. She was usually someone who would brush off whatever I said, but this time she was firm about it. Instead of feeling ufortable, I felt curious. Perhaps Marie had a simr thought, as she asked with a puzzled voice.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t we do it? Is it because minors might see it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that, but¡­¡±

    ¡°Not that, but?¡±

    Surprisingly, Rina seemed to have a conservative personality. In response to Marie¡¯s consecutive questions, Rina cleared her throat once and stared at us intently. Then, her face rapidly turned red, and she covered it with both hands, speaking in a voice as if an ant was passing by.

    ¡°¡­Keep it mild.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Write it in a mild way¡­ Write it mildly, then it¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°If you write it wrong¡­ If you give them strange knowledge¡­ you have to consider the influence of your book¡­¡±

    Was that the reason? Even in my past life, many problems arose from not receiving proper sexual education and relying solely on pornography. Moreover, this ce was a medieval era where sexual education was underdeveloped. The nobles might have had diligent parents or household tutors to teach them, but themoners did not.

    Currently, me and Marie were bing more and more passionate. Even on the first night, we enthusiastically intertwined their bodies, but now that we have grown ustomed, there¡¯s no need to say anything.

    ¡°Well¡­ I guess that¡¯s true. But don¡¯t worry. We won¡¯t be too crazy about it.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I got it.¡±

    ¡°By any chance, do you think there will be censorship or something?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s up to the publisher¡¯s discretion. The government doesn¡¯t directly censor culture unless it¡¯s something extraordinary. Maybe the publisher will attach a warning message on the first page.¡±

    If that¡¯s the case, then it¡¯s fortunate. It seems like the issue lies with the Council of Elders in Alvenheim. While I was thinking about that, Marie suddenly thought of something odd and asked Lena a question.

    ¡°But Rina, do you know how we do it and talk about it?¡±

    ¡°Uh, yeah?¡±

    ¡°When I listen to you, it feels like you know and talk about us being aggressive. Maybe¡­¡±

    ¡°No, absolutely not! I¡¯m not a pervert, and why would I want to watch what you guys do?!¡±

    Rina vigorously denied, fidgeting her hands. But because fierce denial can sound like strong affirmation, suspicions only deepened.

    Still, I should trust her denial for now. Besides, we only engaged in those activities in a well-soundproofed ce where no one else could see.

    ¡°¡­Rina.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°¡­Never mind.¡±

    Seeing Cecily¡¯s pitiful expression was just an added bonus.

    ******

    It was after all the meals, including tea time, had ended, and everyone returned to their respective amodations. Isaac had hoped to enjoy a date with Marie, but for some reason, Marie immediately went back to her room.

    Initially, Isaac was puzzled, but when she mentioned that he had personal matters to attend to, he returned without saying a word. Naturally, before parting ways, they didn¡¯t forget to exchange a kiss filled with love.

    Afterward, Marie returned to her room, changed intofortable clothes, and threw herself onto the bed. Even in the darkness, her white hair, tinged with a hint of blue, emitted a glow.

    She stared at the dim ceiling for a while before reflecting on what had happened today.

    <i>¡®¡­he lied.¡¯</i>

    Cecily asked Isaac if he was truly a prophet, a person from the future, or someone who had been reincarnated.

    Isaac chuckled and firmly denied it, but she could tell. She could tell that Isaac had lied.

    As someone who could instinctively grasp the truth of a person, Marie could sense that Isaac had lied. However, it was somewhat ambiguous. It felt like a strange mixture of lies and truths, even for Marie, making it difficult to discern. Perhaps it was a feeling of truths being mixed within the lies.

    Moreover, she couldn¡¯t determine which of the three categories¡ªprophet, person from the future, or reincarnator¡ªhe belonged to. However, one thing was the ¡°truth¡±: everything currently appearing in this world was no mere coincidence.

    <i>¡®What is it?¡¯</i>

    Marie pondered over Isaac. Despite his well-mannered behavior that seemed out of ce for someone her age, he had a deep sense of consideration.

    At just 17 years old, he was far from being a troublemaker. Moreover, he was the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography, a work that everyone assumed was written by a sage or a renowned schr. Each aspect of him had its suspicious corners.

    Isaac could be trusted, and he was even her fiance but he seemed to be hiding many things.

    <i>¡®Will he eventually tell me?¡¯ </i>

    However, Marie decided to wait. After all, everyone has their secrets, and Isaac wasn¡¯t the kind of person to have a dubious character. Most importantly, he believed in her. Wasn¡¯t it him who revealed his identity as the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography when he confessed?

    As Marie envisioned Isaac¡¯s gentle smile, she giggled and twisted her body. If she had known it would turn out like this, they could have just gone on a date and headed straight to the inn, but today was different. Why?

    <i>¡®I didn¡¯t expect Rina¡­ to be such a pervert.¡¯ </i>

    She quickly realized that Lina was voyeurizing them. Rina usually hid her true feelings well, making it difficult to discern her true intentions. But today, there was a gap, and through that gap, Marie could glimpse Rina¡¯s true emotions. Upon reflecting, there were quite a few suspicious aspects.

    If their rtionship had been at its worst, Marie would have snapped. But¡­

    <i>¡®How adorable.¡¯</i>

    Marie found that Rina was really cute. She wanted to tease her and y with her so much. All the thoughts of how to unmask Rina felt useless. There was a very simple and straightforward way, but why didn¡¯t she know it before?

    <i>¡®Not yet. Let it ripen a little more¡­¡¯</i>

    While waiting for the future event, Marie gradually formted a sinister n. She would never give Isaac to Rina, but at least she should receive some kind of ¡°punishment.¡±

    As if mocking the situation, she buried her face in the pillow and chuckled.

    [Helium side. We actually have a faction simr to demon hunters. They are called Reapers, like the hunters in Xenon¡¯s Biography¡­]

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Isaac read the newly released newspaper and once again lost his words.

    <i>¡®Why are you doing this to me?¡¯</i>

    It was the moment when he was hit by three consecutive defeats instead of three consecutive victories.

 Chapter 152: Butterfly Effect (1)

    There¡¯s a saying. Once is a coincidence. Twice is fate. Three times is inevitability. Even if everything is attributed to mere coincidences, it would be taken for something more.

    The same goes for Xenon¡¯s Biography. The contamination of the World Tree¡¯s roots, signs of devil summoning, and finally, the reapers of Helium.

    Not just once or twice, but three times in a row, events simr to Xenon¡¯s Biography have urred, leaving me speechless. Even the ¡®Reaper¡¯ of Helium had simrities to the ¡®Demon Hunters¡¯ in Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    The special forces barely known by even the high nobility of Helium. They are the strong ones who primarily carry out missions to assassinate their fellow kin turned devils, delving deeper into the dark mana until they are at risk of transforming into devils themselves.

    If you were to only look at this, there was hardly any difference from the demon hunters in Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    [The Reaper had been waiting for an opportunity toe out into the open. Numerous chances fell through, but this incident solidified their determination.]

    [It proves that Xenon¡¯s Biography is not just a simple novel but a prophecy. Traces of the contamination of the World Tree¡¯s roots and devil summoning, and finally, the secret organization of Helium.]

    [The first may just be a simple coincidence, but the third one is inevitability. The same goes for Helium¡¯s Reaper.]

    [What is their first move? And how powerful are their abilities? Their future is worth paying attention to¡­]

    As seen in the news, it seems that Helium has been vigorously promoting the expansion of Reaper¡¯s influence. Since the recognition of demons has risen sharply, they couldn¡¯t find a reason to hide the existence of the reaper anymore.

    Coincidentally, Xenon¡¯s Biography started to be treated as a prophecy, and the Helium¡¯s king decided it was the right time to introduce the Reaper to the public.

    Initially, everyone was naturally surprised, but coincidentally, there was a simr secret organization in Xenon¡¯s Biography, so they just moved on with an ¡°as expected¡± reaction. As a result, there was an increase in people reading Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    So what should I do? My mind was bing increasingly muddled, to the point where I was on the verge of escaping.

    I¡¯m not sure how the situation ended up like this, but there¡¯s one thing that is certain.

    <i>¡®If anything stranger happens, I¡¯m truly fucked.¡¯</i>

    I¡¯m already in a bad situation. It¡¯s only a matter of time before I¡¯mbeled as a prophet or a regressor when I face the fourth consecutive defeat, surpassing the third consecutive hit or the third consecutive failure.

    Even if I rify my position through a letter of exnation, no one will believe me, so I¡¯m at a loss in many ways.

    How can I calm down this situation? I covered the newspaper carefully, feeling dizzy as if I had hit my head with a hammer. The situation was so overwhelming and suffocating that I couldn¡¯t even muster the strength to say anything.

    <i>¡®From the very end of Volume 14, the beastman part starts¡­¡¯</i>

    In Volume 14, Alvenheim is upied by demons, and the World Tree bes the nourishment for Diablo, ensuring a fierce struggle. In it, there is a scene where the elven hero and the dark elven hero charge into the corrupted World Tree with one heart and one mind.

    However, the World Tree has already fallen into Diablo¡¯s hands, creating an irreversible situation, and the resurrection of Diablo, utilizing the World Tree as nourishment, is imminent. In the end, the two heroes choose to self-destruct using the immense mana of the World Tree. For thend chosen directly by the gods, Alvenheim. This scene will briefly reveal the passion of both the elves and the dark elves.

    <i>¡®Topletely annihte that massive World Tree¡­ It would require an unimaginablyrge explosion. Ordinary magic wouldn¡¯t be enough.¡¯</i>

    Here, the elves and the dark elves truly be one. The elves manipte the ¡°light¡± energy conveyed by Luminous, while the dark elves handle the ¡°darkness¡± energy bestowed by Mora. Perhaps you can grasp the general idea.

    If you forcefullybine opposing energies, a great counterforce will be generated. It¡¯s one of the clich¨¦s often employed in reincarnation stories.

    The two heroes gather their strengths topletely shatter the World Tree that has be the nourishment for the Great Devil, preparing for a massive explosion. The devils attempt to stop them sensing the crisis, but all their attempts are futile.

    Finally, the two heroes shout the magnificent line, ¡°For Alvenheim!¡± and rush towards the World Tree. Afterward, the world tree that has sustained for 3000 years appears engulfed in a massive explosion, concluding the scene.

    Thanks to the solemn sacrifice of the two heroes, the resurrection of the Great Devil is narrowly averted, but Alvenheim remains under the upation of the devils. Xenon and the sessors of the heroes manage to escape with the remaining elves without time for mourning.

    Subsequently, Xenon and his party barely manage to calm down the confrontations between the elves and dark elves at the dark elf city and begin gathering allies in preparation for future war. Humans, demons, and dwarves willingly lend their support due to their familiarity with Xenon¡¯s reputation, but the problem lies with the beastmen.

    The beastmen in Xenon¡¯s Biography will have little difference from reality, such as the sacred duel or the various ethnicities.

    Furthermore, the rtionship between humans and beastmen in Xenon¡¯s Biography is not just as bad as in reality, it is even worse. The reason why the prince of the beastmen became consumed by ¡°Anger¡± is deeply connected to humans.

    <i>¡®No way. There can¡¯t be anyone in Animers with circumstances simr to Satan, right?¡¯</i>

    Satan¡¯s situation is not as simple as Lilith¡¯s and was entangled with somewhatplicated circumstances. If he were an ordinary person, he would have long agomitted suicide due to the burden of the circumstances.

    To exin who Satan is, he is the chief of a tribe and also the general of the beastmen, having the authority over them. The position of a general is simr to the elven warriormander.

    In reality, in Animers, there are often cases where tribal chiefs also assume the role of generals. If someone is a chief of a tribe, it means they are strong, so naturally, they take charge of the military. However, it doesn¡¯t mean that every chief necessarily holds the rank of a general. This was emphasized by Leona.

    Anyway, Satan served as a general for decades, protecting Mad, Xenon¡¯s Biography¡¯s version of Animers. But as a result, his enemies also multiplied. Due to this, those who held grudges against him killed Satan¡¯s wife and children.

    Even up to this point, it would bring great pain and sadness to him, but it didn¡¯t end there. Devastated by grief, Satan stepped down from the chief¡¯s position and, following the suggestion of the Great Chief, focused on training the military, but¡­

    Even this ended tragically. While he was briefly absent, his own tribe was attacked by humans andpletely annihted.

    The mastermind behind all these events was none other than the Great Chief, who had established connections with humans. The Great Chief was swayed by the treacherous humans and made a decision that should never have been made.

    Naturally, Satan, furious to the point of exploding, challenged the Great Chief to a sacred duel, but what he received in return was a devastating defeat. The Great Chief was not wise, but in terms of power, he was one step above Satan.

    After being betrayed by his homnd, Satan wandered for several decades before aligning himself with the devil side once again and once more challenging the Great Chief to a sacred duel.

    The result?

    Satan swiftly and cleanly severed the Great Chief¡¯s neck. With the loss of the Great Chief, Mad fell into great chaos, and Satan, having achieved satisfying revenge, returned to the devil¡¯s base.

    Since then, Satan¡¯s younger brother, who can be considered the main protagonist from the beastmen side, leads the story.

    <i>¡®Surely, it won¡¯t be exactly the same, right?¡¯</i>

    Lilith¡¯s was a highly personal matter, but in the case of Satan, it was an event that would turn the entire country upside down. While humans were ustomed to dirty political fights, it would be a staggering event for the beastmen.

    Furthermore, I n to unfold stories for each of the Seven Deadly Sins. The Seven Deadly Sins will vividly showcase the ws of each race. Especially, Greed has the setting of a dwarf king who was expelled due to his tremendous avarice.

    <i>¡®Anyway, the beastmen part will continue until Volume 16, so it should be fine¡­¡¯</i>

    I pondered while lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling. In the current situation, there was virtually nothing I could do.

    Perhaps it would be better to just give up and focus on writing. I¡¯ve said multiple times that I am not a prophet or a regressor, regardless of whether they treat me as one. If they were disappointed instead, it would be an opportunity to turn the situation around.

    <i>¡®But couldn¡¯t they just ask the gods directly? They would immediately say no.¡¯ </i>

    Although I am a reincarnator, I am definitely not a prophet or a regressor, so the gods should be able to provide a definite answer. However, there wasn¡¯t a single story about that in the news.

    Instead, a strange phenomenon has urred where there was no response even when asking the gods. It was indeed difficult to converse with the gods, but the clergy isn¡¯t stupid, and they must know how tomunicate with them.

    Moreover, if I were to lie, I would receive a ¡°divine punishment,¡± so there is a high probability that the content published in the news is true.

    <i>¡®Why is there no response?¡¯</i>

    Please, spare me. What will I do if something strangees up again? I let out a deep sigh and slowly got up from the bed. If I¡¯m going to indulge in such whimsical thoughts, it would be much better to read a book instead.

    With my current state of mind, it felt burdensome to even write anything. I think I should start writing when the situation calms down a bit.

    <i>¡®But is there anything else toe out here? It feels like everything has already happened.¡¯</i>

    The contamination of the World Tree, signs of a devil summoning, and finally, the Reaper. I think everything that shoulde out has alreadye out, but what else coulde out from here?

    <i>¡®¡­Oh, right.¡¯</i>

    There was a steam lotive. An invention created by a dwarf who inherited the will of their master, with great determination.

    <i>¡®But that¡¯s prophecy and legends. With current technology, we would never be able to create it.¡¯</i>

    The steam lotive is a machine that was invented during the Industrial Revolution. Although this world appeared to have a medieval lifestyle due to the existence of magic, there were things that even magic couldn¡¯t aplish, and one of them is machinery.

    In the first ce, in this world, there was hardly any concept of engineering, let alone machines. So, even if I wasn¡¯t certain about other things, I expected that the invention of the steam lotive would take at least a few hundred years.

    <i>¡®If it is invented¡­¡¯</i>

    Not only steam lotives but also steamships, steam cars, power nts, ships, and countless other inventions will pour out. And if, after thepletion of Xenon¡¯s Biography, a sequel about World War II came out? Wouldn¡¯t scientific advancements in this world explode?

    As I thought about it, I felt slightly afraid. It feels like I¡¯m abnormally pushing the civilization of this world forward for no reason.

    <i>¡®¡­Should I visit the templeter?¡¯</i>

    It seems like I should. I focused on reading, trying to calm my uneasy heart.

    *****

    Masters of craftsmanship and invention, Dwarves are a race that inherently enjoys creating things. As a result, they often establish settlements near mines, and the Dwarven nation, Makina, had a city built near a vast mine as well.

    Makina, the Dwarven nation, was the major trading hub for weaponmerce, and many people visited it to purchase Dwarven weapons. While the prices could be high when distributed through other channels, if one were to visit Makina directly, the prices were surprisingly affordable.

    The reason behind this was that even roughly crafted Dwarven swords exhibit excellent performance that can be considered top-notch by other races. The Dwarves themselves were well aware of this, so they set high prices for meticulously crafted weapons.

    However, this led to a drawback, which was ¡°greed.¡± Regardless of the cost,mercial transactions rted to weapons were enormous. Especially in a world where ¡°monsters¡± existed, the demand for weapons naturally was always high.

    As a result, Dwarven weapons, known for their outstanding performance, have be a top priority, and the number of individuals entering into contracts naturally increased. The pinnacle of this trend was the racial war that took ce 300 years ago.

    Humans, in their efforts to narrow the gap with Elves, indiscriminately purchased Dwarven weapons, and the Dwarves reaped enormous profits as a result.

    Eventually, due to them getting a taste of money, Dwarves began producing only what wasmonly referred to as mass-produced weapons, and their creative abilities regressed. Why bother with innovation when they can charge exorbitant prices for any weapon they create for humans?

    Even if there were any creativity left, it would only be focused on weapons, neglecting everything else. In the past, they gave birth to inventions like refrigerators and air conditioners, but after the racial war, Dwarves fell victim to their greed.

    Those who lived contentedly in reality could be seen as having lost their ability to create something.

    Bang!

    ¡°Oh! These days, young people! Theyck determination, determination! Has it been less than a year and they¡¯re giving up on everything?!¡±

    A man with a typical rugged dwarf beard and stout limbs pounded the table with his fist, letting out a loud roar. In his hand was a beer ss, and his face already showed signs of intoxication, as if he had been drinking excessively.

    Another dwarf, watching this unfold, chuckled and spoke up. His face was also flushed from the alcohol.

    ¡°Einse, my friend. No matter how hard we try, some things just can¡¯t be achieved. No matter how much that book may be a prophecy or whatever, our current abilities are far from sufficient.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah. If we could have made it, we would have done it a long time ago.¡±

    ¡°Hey¡­¡±

    When the dwarves didn¡¯t show any support and insteadughed at him, the dwarf known as Einse gnashed his teeth in frustration. However, he soon let out a sigh and mumbled with a disheartened voice.

    ¡°Is it really impossible¡­¡±

    For several months, he had been striving to invent the ¡°steam lotive¡± depicted in Xenon¡¯s Biography. But there had been no progress, he was stuck in the same ce. He had a rough idea of how the steam lotive from the story worked, but that was it. He couldn¡¯t engage in any creative endeavors.

    Until now, he only knew how to create weapons from ore, including iron, because, after the racial war, creativity had declined. Furthermore, the abundant workforce had all vanished.

    In the end, there was only one person left, Einse. Somehow, he found himself in a situation where he had to invent a steam lotive alone, just like in a book, but he didn¡¯t care.

    After the racial war, the long-lost creative desire had resurfaced. It was the driving force that reignited his passion, which had been trapped in greed.

    ¡°Stop it and have a beer. Tomorrow, go to the mine and collect marble. You can earn more money than just obsessing over a ck piece of rock.¡±

    ¡°No, in the book, they operated steam lotives with that coal. There must be an answer here.¡±

    ¡°Ha, stubborn as always¡­ Do as you please. We¡¯ll go to the mine tomorrow. We¡¯ll give you all those rocks, so do whatever you want.¡±

    ¡°Why are you so fixated on strange things¡­ Tsk, tsk.¡±

    Amidst theughter of his friends, Einse felt even more pathetic. Was that entric dwarf in the book feeling the same way?

    However, only one year had passed. Just one year. Dwarves boasted a lifespan of over 300 years, not as long as elves or demons, but still considerable. So, one year was a short time for a dwarf.

    Ignoring theirughter, Einse gulped down the beer without backing down. Progress hadn¡¯t been made yet, but he couldn¡¯t give up.

    After emptying all the beer, he opened his mouth.

    ¡°Argh¡­ Fine. Going to the mine? Let¡¯s go together. It¡¯ll help clear my head a bit.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. By the way, we¡¯re heading to the Hux District, so make sure to pack your equipment properly.¡±

    ¡°Hux District? Where¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°What? You didn¡¯t know?¡±

    The dwarf made a perplexed expression in response to Einse¡¯s question. He remembered Einse that he had recently only crafted equipment without going to the mine.

    ¡°The Hux District has been one of the active mines since the racial wars up until now. However, due to continuous digging and excavating, it has be incredibly deep. Maybe because of that, high-quality ores and magic stones are frequently found there.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard about it.¡±

    ¡°But if you want to go there, don¡¯t you need to bring those with you? It¡¯s just unnecessarily consuming a lot of magic stones.¡±

    ¡°Ah, darn it. You¡¯re right. I¡¯ll end up wasting valuable magic stones for nothing.¡±

    ¡°What the heck is that?¡±

    In recent decades, Einse hadn¡¯t been to the mines, so he couldn¡¯t follow their stories. He had been too upied with assisting his father¡¯s work to pay attention to other matters.

    In response, the dwarf with a ck beard took a sip of his beer and exined in his distinctive, gruff voice.

    ¡°That¡¯s the thing. Due to geological factors or whatever, if you keep digging, water keeps flooding in. We dwarves have short arms and legs, so it¡¯s difficult for us to manually remove all the water. That¡¯s why, reluctantly, we created a machine 80 years ago.¡±

    ¡°The problem is that the darn machine consumes several times more magic stones than the amount we mine. It¡¯s filthy and inefficient, but we have no choice but to use it. It¡¯s just heartbreaking to be born as a dwarf in times like these.¡±

    Einse reacted curiously upon hearing the story.

    ¡°What principle is used to pump the water? Considering the need for magic stones, it doesn¡¯t seem ordinary.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing special. So, let me exin¡­¡±

    The dwarf with a ck beard exined each detail as if it were really nothing. Einse was initially uninterested, but as he listened to the exnations, his eyes gradually began to shine.

    And when the dwarf¡¯s exnation finally ended¡­

    ¡°Well, show it to me quickly!¡±

    ¡°What? Why all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°Forget it, just show it quickly! It seems like it¡¯ll work if I just change it lightly over there!¡±

    With a voice full of excitement, Einse shouted as if he had discovered a treasure.

    Several days passed from that moment.

    [From the Dwarven Kingdom of Makina. Invention of the ¡°Steam Engine¡± from Xenon¡¯s Biography!]

    [It¡¯s not a steam engine, but a machine powered by magic stones, so it should be called a ¡°Mana Engine¡±¡­]

    [Einse: It should have been invented earlier. I realized that the dwarvesck creative ability. Dwarves should not settle for reality but strive for greater creations¡­]

    [What remains now is the invention of a mana-powered lotive using the mana engine. With the progress made so far, all that¡¯s left is to make it run. As attention focuses on the invention of the mana engine worldwide, interest in the steam lotive from Xenon¡¯s Biography also grows¡­]

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Fuck.

 Chapter 153: Butterfly Effect (2)

    The news of the invention of a mana engine, not a steam engine, spread far and wide. The contamination of the World Tree, the signs of devil summoning, and the revtion of the Reaper had already caused quite a stir, but the mana engine took it to a whole new level.

    As a result, it was safe to say that the emergence of the mana engine attracted even more attention than before. The invention of the mana engine meant that it wouldn¡¯t be long before the steam lotives from Xenon¡¯s Biography became a reality.

    When steam lotives appeared in Xenon¡¯s Biography, people easily dismissed them as mere fiction, but deep down, everyone had thought about it at least once. Even though it was purely imagination, they believed that if it were invented, it could lead to tremendous progress. Steam lotives held unimaginable potential.

    However, since everyone simply regarded it as ¡°imagination,¡± they were far from taking it seriously. Except, perhaps, for entric dwarves that might appear in novels.

    And now, with the invention of the crucial part of the steam lotive, the steam engine, or rather the mana engine, it was enough to capture the attention of leaders from around the world. Already, they had dispatched high-ranking officials to establish contracts with the inventor of the magical engine, Einse.

    Since steam lotives, or rather mana lotives was invented, it can undoubtedly provide significant economic and military power to the country. Moreover, mana lotives would have a great impact not only on science but also on ¡°culture.¡±

    Despite the existence of refrigerators and air conditioners, the concept of machinery in this world has been scarce. The reason for this is that the proportion of ¡°magic¡± upying the principles ofplex inventions has been high.

    The invention of the mana engine could be seen as presenting a new culture. The result can be predicted whenparing theplexity of industrialization before and after the Industrial Revolution.

    Therefore, the nobles of each country made an irresistible offer to Einse in order to monopolize the mana lotives together with the mana engine, but¡­

    [Instead of me, go directly to Xenon and obtain permission. I may be the creator, but without his book, I would never have been able to invent it.]

    [I don¡¯t know what kind of future he came from, but Xenon was the one who first thought of the concept of ¡°railway.¡± As long as there¡¯s a railway, mana lotives can go anywhere, not just one-way. This is something that can only be imagined by someone from the future.]

    [As much as I¡¯d like to im ownership, if it weren¡¯t for Xenon¡¯s Biography, I would have been just an ordinary dwarf. Once I invent the steam lotive, also known as the manal lotive, we can talk then.]

    Oddly enough, Einse unexpectedly stated that he doesn¡¯t have ownership over the engine himself. While it¡¯s certain that he is the creator, he believed the ownership belongs to me.

    It¡¯s not because the concept of patents didn¡¯t exist. This entric dwarf genuinely thought that he didn¡¯t have ownership over the mana engine. The reason behind this was quite absurd. Let¡¯s take a look.

    [If Xenon¡¯s Biography is truly a prophecy, the entric dwarf in the book would have been my disciple, not me. So I have taken away the invention of my future disciple.]

    [So, even if I invent the mana lotive in the future, I will follow Xenon¡¯s words. I hope you don¡¯te bothering me for a while since I need to elerate the invention of the mana lotive.]

    Hahaha! I burst outughing at Einse¡¯s humor¡­ No, wait, what on earth is this nonsense?

    As far as I¡¯m concerned, it was an answer that could only leave me dumbfounded. I didn¡¯t even know the structure of a steam engine, let alone mana engine, yet he imed that I have ownership. It felt like I¡¯d been handed a bomb to avoid trouble.

    Regardless, it¡¯s only natural that the number of people seeking me has surged for these reasons. Even the creator of the mana engine has transferred ownership to me. My value has skyrocketed to unimaginable heights.

    That¡¯s not all. Not only am I being treated as a prophet or a regressor, but the scope of people searching for me was narrowing.

    [If Xenon is truly from the future, could he possibly be a young person now?]

    [Considering the constraints, it¡¯s likely that he didn¡¯t reveal himself as Xenon to others. He could have been living among us.]

    [The exact period of Xenon¡¯s Biography is not well-known, but it¡¯s certain that several decades would have passed from now.]

    Since he came from the future, it has been suggested that he might not be an old sage or schr, but surprisingly a young person. It was a moment that couldn¡¯t help but make my heart race.

    Though it was a situation akin to identally stepping on a mouse while taking a step back, the fact that the scope was narrowing is a situation that cannot be ignored. The only reason I¡¯ve been able to evade suspicion until now was precisely because of this.

    However, at this point where even the scope is gradually narrowing, we have reached a point where I could no longer escape the noose. This alone was a distressing situation, but¡­

    ¡°Isaac, sir.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Are you truly someone who came from the future?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Some of my acquaintances have begun to suspect me as a prophet or a person from the future, just like the Siris I summoned now.

    I looked at Siris with a facial expression that indicated I was at a loss for words in response to his question. Yesterday, Marie, Cecily, and even Rina seriously asked, and now Siris was doing the same thing.

    Although the three mentioned earlier were originally treating it as a joke, the coincidences, especially the mana engine, began to raise suspicions. Except for Marie, they didn¡¯t seem to believe me even if I insisted it wasn¡¯t true.

    Fortunately, daily life itself hadn¡¯t changed, but the stress was bing unbearable. And now, Siris was asking me as well, driving me crazy.

    ¡°¡­Absolutely not. I¡¯m not a time traveler or anything. I don¡¯t know anything. I really don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a saying that strong denial is often a sign of affirmation.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m telling you, it¡¯s not true. I don¡¯t know if I told you, but if I were a time traveler, I would have invested in stocks or something. Or I would have manipted the market and made a fortune.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ I understand.¡±

    I replied like that, but once again, she didn¡¯t seem to believe me. I pressed my temples with my fingers and let out a frustrated sigh.

    The reason I called Siris was to receive books rted to the beastmen and also to consult with her. The content of Volume 14 was that the heroes of the Elven side and the Dark Elf side join forces to destroy the World Tree that became the nourishment for the Great Demon Diablo in Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    It was a surprisingly practical strategy,bining the power of light wielded by the Elves and the power of darkness wielded by the Dark Elves to create a massive explosion. However, I hadn¡¯t heard any reports of it actually being used, so I wanted to ask Siris about it.

    ¡°¡­First, please give me the books.¡±

    ¡°Here they are.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. How is Arwen these days?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s very busy. The Council insists on seeing Sir Isaac every day, so it¡¯s a difficult situation in various ways.¡±

    ¡°Just hearing about it makes me dizzy.¡±

    I roughly sensed that the reason the Council of Elders was looking for me was for propaganda purposes. With the support for the Queen already increasing due to my speech, the Council of Elders themselves must be well aware that their position is bing increasingly precarious.

    However, due to my idental role as the savior of Alvenheim, they now saw me as their chosen one. Moreover, with the appearance of signs of devil summoning afterward, they probably have a vague sense of what might happen.

    And the Council of Elders was seeking me out to exploit that. In fact, the public opinion within Alvenheim was forming in a way that strongly suggested they must find me, as the sentiment towards me among the Alvenheim residents has reached its peak.

    If Arwen approves, that¡¯s a problem in itself, but if she disapproves, it could potentially lower the support rate that we painstakingly gained. The cunning Council of Elders was taking advantage of that.

    ¡°Is it impossible for Arwen to keep blocking?¡±

    ¡°Maybe¡­ I think it¡¯ll be difficult. It seems that the weight is leaning towards the idea that the people of Alvenheim should find Sir Isaac and repay their gratitude.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t they believe it even if it¡¯s a coincidence?¡±

    ¡°No matter how coincidental it may be, coincidences don¡¯t happen four times in a row.¡±

    As I grumbled, Siris immediately interjected. I turned my head to look at her, who was staring at me with a resolute expression rather than an expressionless one. I was tired of saying it¡¯s not true anymore.

    Rather than proving that I am not from the future through my own efforts, wouldn¡¯t it be faster for a God to directly certify it? I had no idea what the gods were doing at this crucial moment when the world was shaking.

    <i>¡®I should visit a temple soon.¡¯</i>

    Even though I can¡¯t during weekdays, I could obtain a permit from the supervising professor and go outside the academy on weekends. Since I have been appointed as a rmended student, getting a permit from Elena will be enough.

    I felt a little burdened because I didn¡¯t have anyone to go with, but I heard that the people at the temple are all friendly, so there shouldn¡¯t be any problems as long as I find my way there.

    ¡°Well, anyway, I understand. The reason I called you here is that, although you probably have a rough idea, I have some questions to ask.¡±

    ¡°Do we really need to ask?¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t I just omit you from the book if you keep talking about me being a time traveler or whatever?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Siris pressed her lips tightly when I brought that up and silently pouted. She looked kind of cute with that expression.

    Seeing her like that, I exhaled lightly through my nose and spoke the words I wanted to say.

    ¡°Dark Elves use power from Mora, right? The power of darkness, so to speak?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡±

    ¡°And Elves use the power of light obtained from Luminous.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Then, one might wonder which elves utilize the remaining deity of nature, Hart. In the case of Hart, being nature itself, there were no separate priests within Alvenheim, and managing the World Tree alone was sufficient.

    Instead, there was a race that worshiped Hart, and they are the beastmen. They used a unique power called ¡°shamanism¡± to substitute for magic. Shamanism allowed them to make it rain from a clear sky or summon thunderbolts, literally borrowing power from nature. It was natural for them to worship Hart.

    ¡°So, is it possible to forcefullybine these two powers and cause a massive explosion? Not only that, but to forcibly merge opposing energies and utilize their counterforce to create a huge explosion.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    ¡°You can use both martial arts and divine power. That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking.¡±

    There was always a saying that came up when exining elves. A race chosen by the gods. As they are chosen by the gods, they could freely use divine power, or in other words, holy power. Each elf warrior can be seen as both a powerful warrior and a cleric.

    Of course, each one has their own specialized power. There were warriors specialized in closebat, wizards proficient in magic, and clerics with exceptionally strong holy power. Commonly referred to as ¡°all-rounders¡± were only warriors. Moreover, being an elf made them only versatile, but if they were humans, they would be considered multi-talented abilities.

    Siris listened to my question and seemed to ponder it deeply before quietly opening her mouth seemingly intrigued.

    ¡°Quite¡­ an intriguing idea. Although there has never been a fusion of the powers of light and darkness, I¡¯m not entirely sure, but it could harness the counterforce that would emerge when the opposing energiesbine¡­¡±

    ¡°Has no one evere up with such an idea until now?¡±

    ¡°Well, until just now, I believed that the powers of light and darkness could never bebined.¡±

    This could be problematic. As I mentioned before, I wanted to uphold the rigor of the logic in this world at the very least.

    To shatter a colossal world tree even thicker than most skyscrapers, an immense explosive force was required. So, I thought, what if two high-level warriors joined forces and self-destructed?

    <i>¡®¡­Wait a moment. Joining forces?¡¯</i>

    A feeling akin to lightning passing through my mind.

    In a folklore game famous in my past life, there was a renowned character. A unit that would shout the legendary catchphrase, ¡°With overwhelming power!¡± while annihting countless enemies.

    The setting was that two units sacrificed themselves and became a massive energy mass. But would it be applicable here?

    Moreover, in a history spanning over 3,000 years, there was not a single record of two elvesbining their powers to be an energy mass. It sounded like a story that would only exist in a ¡°novel.¡±

    <i>¡®Since devils will obstruct their path to the world tree, and the Seven Sins will likely do the same¡­¡¯</i>

    The usibility was reasonable enough. Frankly, even if the warriors were exceptionally strong, it would be somewhat challenging to break through all the Seven Sins.

    As an added measure, incorporating a plot where the elves receive a nationalistic boost should pose no problem. Warriors sacrificing themselves for the homnd were revered as noble, regardless of their race.

    I nodded with satisfaction as a more usible storyline came to mind. For the elves, such an ending would be considered honorable.

    <em>¡®But just in case¡­¡¯</em>

    I knew I had to ask Siris and Arwen first. I looked at Siris, who was waiting calmly, and asked her a question.

    ¡°Siris, have you ever heard the story of two elves sacrificing themselves to be a single energy entity? By the way, I¡¯m asking out of genuine curiosity. It¡¯s definitely not future knowledge or anything like that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of such a story.¡±

    Siris is older than Arwen. If Siris didn¡¯t know, then there¡¯s a high chance Arwen didn¡¯t either.

    I breathed a sigh of relief internally and decided it would be okay to include it. Although most of the elements, excluding the mana engine, were stories that could potentially exist, the ¡°union¡± was entirely a fictional concept.

    The books I had read so far were the same. I couldn¡¯t find any records of two units merging into one like in a certain space game.

    ¡°I see. It¡¯s still a good idea to ask Arwen just in case.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask her once ande back.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    After that, Siris left to ask Arwen.

    ¡°Even the Queen doesn¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Really? Well, that¡¯s a relief.¡±

    Fortunately, the answer came back that even Arwen didn¡¯t know about the ¡°union.¡±

    However, if I had thought a little deeper, it would have been nice to realize that both Arwen and Siris, as part of the ¡°new generation,¡± belonged to the ¡°young elves.¡±

    <i>¡®For now, I should visit the temple this weekend.¡¯</i>

    A span of 3,000 years was more than enough time for records to be lost.

 Chapter 154: Butterfly Effect (3)

    This world was not a ce where symbolic gods like Jesus, Buddha, or Ah exist, but a ce where literal gods exist. If believers prayed to the gods or offered sacrifices, the gods would grant them a power called ¡°divine power.¡± With this divine power, believers could disy various abilities.

    Furthermore, through ¡°divine guidance,¡± the gods encouraged believers to follow a better path. However, even they could only provide advice at the level of guidance, as they couldn¡¯t casually reveal someone¡¯s future.

    Moreover, perhaps due to constraints, even the divine guidance was often vague. For example, let¡¯s say a devout believer was to tragically die in an ident shortly after. The god couldn¡¯t provide detailed exnations to that believer. At most, they might suggest to be cautious or that it would be good to rest at home today. They didn¡¯t offer detailed exnations.

    As a result, believers often suffered as they tried to interpret the divine guidance given by the gods, and frequently encountered situations where their interpretations turned out to be incorrect.

    Of course, if one offers high-quality sacrifices or an enormous amount of divine power, the gods might provide more detailed divine guidance. Seeing this, one might wonder if gods were subtly greedy by nature.

    Anyway, the trust bestowed by the gods could also be considered a kind of prophecy. It is believed that there are no results without a price, so followers of each sect prayed with deep faith and offer exceptional sacrifices for a better future.

    [Why haven¡¯t the gods informed us about the contamination of the World Tree roots and the summoning of devils? Was it because the offerings were insufficient, or were the qualities of the followerscking?]

    [The Holy Kingdom Xavier. The Pope and the high priests offered sacrifices and prayers to the gods, but the gods remained silent. Could it be that the gods are disappointed with mortals?]

    [The gods have already revealed the future through a prophet named Xenon. Therefore, they did not need to provide further answers.]

    However, recently, the actions of the gods have been somewhat strange. Signs of contamination of the World Tree roots and the summoning of devils¡ªjust these two alone could have caused a major catastrophe, endangering the world.

    Yet, the gods have not issued any warnings or even provided a response after these incidents came to light.

    Even though people have been talking about me being a prophet or a regressor from the future, the gods remained silent and did not react. However, they continued to bestow people with divine power, even though we heard nothing from them.

    Based on this, it seems that the gods were taking a passive stance and observing the current situation. It was almost certain, judging by theck of response when the Pope and the high priests offered prayers.

    In that case, if I were to directly ask as the center of these events, what would happen? Would they respond like usual, or would they remain silent and watch? If it¡¯s the former, then there must be something wrong with the gods. If it¡¯s thetter, I would question why they were just observing.

    However, when we look at history, even gods themselves are beings with human aspects. They were not omnipotent beings in the literal sense of the word ¡®god,¡¯ but rather beings that can be described as transcendent entities.

    <i>¡®But I¡¯ve never had any divine power or even prayed. Will it be okay?¡¯</i>

    The weekend had arrived as time passed. I stepped outside the academy and headed towards the temple.

    Obtaining permission to leave the academy from Professor Elena was not difficult, and I had already informed Nicole and others in advance.

    Initially, they were surprised when they heard I was going to the temple, but soon they seemed to understand. It seemed that given the circumstances, it was natural for me to visit the temple.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s my first time visiting the temple as well¡­¡¯</i>

    Due to the existence of gods, most people tend to believe in them. Among them, humans followed the god Luminous, the deity of light and hope.

    My parents were also followers of Luminous, and even Bryce and Nicole were the same. However, they weren¡¯t devout to the extent of praying every day, they only prayed asionally.

    I, too, ¡°for now,¡± believed in Luminous, but it¡¯s more out of interest. I don¡¯t even pray regrly. I just acknowledged its existence, to some extent.

    Not only Luminous, but Mora and Hart were the same to me. I haven¡¯t paid much attention to them, as I thought they had little relevance to me, except when studying theology.

    However, due to the attention my book has attracted in a strange direction, I had no choice but to go to the temple. It may be a bit awkward, but it¡¯s something I have to do to tie up loose ends.

    <i>¡®The temple¡­ It should be nearby.¡¯</i>

    I wandered around, following the map that Marie had drawn for me, trying to find the temple. It was my first time exploring the capital city alone, so it felt a bit awkward.

    When I visited the mansion of the Requilis family, located in the capital, I couldn¡¯t afford to explore the city due to the circumstances. Nevertheless, the capital, especially being the capital of the Minerva Empire, was both splendid and bustling. Buildings lined up on both sides of the streets, with people walking along the roads.

    If Alvenheim gave off an ancient Greek vibe, the capital of the Minerva Empire resembled thendscapes of medieval Europe.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s said even the slums are nearly non-existent here. Thanks to that, the public security is excellent.¡¯</i>

    One of the reasons why the Minerva Empire could prosper was precisely because there were very few slums. As the number of slums increased, crime rates naturally escted, but the Minerva Empire had a remarkably low percentage of slum dwellers.

    However, it was not the Minerva Empire¡¯s own efforts but rather the neighboring rival kingdom, the Ters Kingdom, that yed a part. The Ters Kingdom had a highly developed culture but an rmingly high proportion of slums.

    Culture thrived, yet poverty-stricken people grew in numbers. This ironic phenomenon escted to the point of triggering the Jairos Revolution, which prompted the Minerva Empire, witnessing this situation, to quickly implement policies.

    <i>¡®Just by looking at this, they seem to be good at governing.¡¯</i>

    I momentarily set aside that thought and focused on finding the temple. Whenever I got confused, I would ask passers-by for directions and continue my search.

    I wonder how much time has passed since I started wandering around the capital.

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±

    I was able to reach the Luminous Church that I had been searching for so long. I stood in awe at the magnificence of the temple, which I had never seen before in my life.

    True to its name, the structure was supported by towering pirs, reminiscent of ancient Greek architecture that everyone was familiar with. It seemed that since Alvenheim, which could be considered the cradle of civilization, had a culture simr to ancient Greece, which is why the temple was constructed in this manner.

    It felt strange to have a grand structure like an ancient Greek temple in a medieval European-style street, but it blended in surprisingly well. Considering that European culture has been heavily influenced by ancient Greece, it¡¯s only natural. I walked around the temple, feeling the overwhelming presence it exuded, before making my way toward the entrance.

    Due to its size, the temple was situated away from the street, but there were many peopleing and going.

    ¡°Hello! Wee to the Luminous Temple. May I ask your name?¡±

    As I climbed the stairs and reached the entrance, a graceful priestess warmly greeted me. She had long, flowing golden hair that resembled waves and a sunny smile that left an impression.

    Usually, nun¡¯s habits were often a mix of white and ck, but the attire of the priestess in front of me was the opposite. The majority of her clothes were white.

    Slightly taken aback by her lively greeting, I nodded my head and greeted her politely.

    ¡°I am Isaac Ducker Michelle.¡±

    ¡°Ah, you indeed were a noble. My name is Anna Schalke. I am a devotee serving the Luminous One.¡±

    Anna, the nun, greeted me warmly, cing her hand on her chest. Then, with a smile as radiant as sunlight, she spoke to me.

    ¡°Is this your first visit to the temple?¡±

    ¡°Yes. How did you know?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a redhead worshiper before.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    This red hair was truly unique. I chuckled to myself, showing a hint of affirmation. Anna maintained her smile and began to guide me.

    ¡°Then let me show you around. The Path of Light, as revealed by Luminous, is open anytime, anywhere, so feel free toe as you please.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. But today, I only n to pray¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you prefer amunal worship hall or a private worship room? Themunal worship hall is free, but there is a separate fee for a private worship room.¡±

    ¡°How much is the private worship room? Is it expensive?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s only 5 silver coins.¡±

    Surprisingly, the price was quite affordable. Come to think of it, I heard that the government directly supported temples like this. Supporting the temple was only natural since it makes it easier to establish a connection with the Holy Kingdom of Xavier, cultivate clergy, and prepare for famines and various crises.

    There¡¯s no need to worry about embezzlement or corruption, like in some ces in my previous life. If there were any big shotsmitting such acts in the temple, they would have been exposed as fraudsters long ago.

    If you really did such a thing, then a God would personally bring ¡®divine punishment,¡¯ so there was no ce as pure as the temple.

    ¡°You said it¡¯s your first time at the temple, right? Then do you also not know much about Luminous?¡±

    ¡°I have studied theology, so I know about mythology. Luminous and Mora are twin siblings, and Hart is their mother.¡±

    I don¡¯t know who ¡®Father¡¯ is. Even in mythological texts, there was no mention, so people thought he simply didn¡¯t exist. Perhaps the records have beenpletely lost, and even his existence has vanished.

    For example, let¡¯s say the father of the twin siblings was the ¡®supreme deity¡¯ of this world, but hemitted a grave sin and even the records were lost.

    ¡°You know well. So, do you also know what Luminous prefers?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Luminous symbolizes light and hope. I¡¯ve heard that they particrly love devotees who walk the righteous path with a resolute heart.¡±

    While conversing with Anna, I carefully looked around the inside of the temple. Even from the outside, it felt majestic, and the interior was simr. The ceiling was so high that I had to crane my neck to look up, and I felt a dizzying sensation.

    The scenery inside also exuded sacredness, bing more solemn. If one were to pray here, would Luminous trulye? I swallowed nervously, feeling a sense of tension for some reason, and clenched and unclenched my hands before finally speaking softly.

    ¡°Um¡­ Anna?¡±

    ¡°Yes, devotee. Please speak.¡±

    ¡°As I mentioned earlier, this is my first visit to the temple. It¡¯s also my first time praying, so could you roughly guide me on how to do it?¡±

    When I mustered up the courage and asked, I couldn¡¯t help but feel embarrassed. However, it was essential to have a basic understanding to avoid making mistakes.

    Anna listened to my question, her expression subtly changing before she eventually disyed her characteristic sunny smile.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. Luminous is forgiving. If you pray as the Holy One desires, Luminous will grant you divine power ordingly. The content isn¡¯t important, it¡¯s the ¡®sincerity¡¯ that matters.¡±

    ¡°Sincerity¡­ I understand.¡±

    ¡°Good. However, please refrain from using rudenguage. Luminous is forgiving, but at the same time, strict.¡±

    In other words, don¡¯t cross the line. I wouldn¡¯t go so far as to insult a god.

    ¡°This is the private chapel. After you finish your prayers, let me know and leave.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Click

    As the door to the private chapel closed, I carefully examined the room¡¯syout. The private chapel was small, as expected, but it wasn¡¯t made haphazardly.

    In front of me stood a small statue presumed to be Luminous, and considerately, there were cushions on the floor. It was literally a room prepared for one person to worship.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Being alone made me feel restless. I scratched my head and fidgeted before looking at the statue.

    The sculpture bore the mark of the artisan¡¯s devoted craftsmanship. Luminous, whom I saw in the mythological book, was a beautiful man with a radiant smile, and that smile has been well captured in the sculpture.

    I wonder if Luminous will respond to my prayers or remain silent like to others. I stared intently at the sculpture, and slowly knelt on the cushion.

    To think that I, who was not religious in my past life, am now offering prayers. It¡¯s truly a mysterious world, full of things I can¡¯t fully understand.

    ¡°¡­Luminous, can you hear me?¡±

    With my eyes closed and hands neatly folded, I murmured in my mind. I¡¯m not sure if this is the appropriate way to pray, but I decided to follow my heart for now.

    ¡°If you can hear me, please respond¡­¡±

    I hadn¡¯t even finished speaking.

    [Finally, you¡¯vee! Child from another dimension!]

    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±

    It wasn¡¯t a sound I heard from my ears, but a voice resonating in my head. Startled, I opened my eyes wide and looked up at the sculpture.

    Despite being in a private sanctuary with no apparent openings, the sculpture¡¯s golden eyes were shimmering. No, it was more like swirling smoke. It was definitely not an ordinary urrence.

    If that voice from earlier was real¡­

    [Close your eyes¡­e¡­ hey¡­]

    While lost in thought, the voice echoed in my mind. It was difficult to hear clearly, as if it were muffled by noise, but I could make out the instructions to close my eyes.

    Quietly closing my eyes and focusing, the result of my concentration was that the voice started to sound vividly, just like before.

    During the previous encounter, amidst my confusion, I didn¡¯t know, but Luminous was a deity with a soft and kind voice, often referred to as a honeyed vocal range.

    [Yes. Now you will hear well. To have a smoother conversation with me, you need to close your eyes and concentrate. You have to eliminate all distractions.]

    <i>¡®Um¡­ by any chance¡­¡¯</i>

    [Your thoughts are correct. I am Luminous, the deity of light and hope. I truly wanted to meet you.]

    Luminous responded to my words. It was such an unfamiliar experience for me that I momentarily doubted if it really was Luminous.

    [Well, if you really don¡¯t believe it, I can strike you with a weak lightning bolt if you wish.]

    <i>¡®No, thank you. I¡¯m sorry, ¡®</i>

    I immediately apologized. Judging by the fact that it was a weak lightning bolt and not a real one, it seemed like Luminous was ying a prank.

    Without dy, I pushed aside the bewildered feeling and decided to ask the questions I had been curious about. After all, it wasn¡¯t about my rebirth, but about the current situation in this world.

    <i>¡®Luminous, I believe you also know what the current situation in this world is like.¡¯</i>

    [Of course. I wanted to express my sincere gratitude to you.]

    <i>¡®¡­To me? Are you talking about me?¡¯</i>

    What does this mean? I almost opened my eyes but managed to keep them closed with great difficulty.

    Continuing, Luminous spoke, rendering me speechless.

    [The neutralization of the World Tree and the second invasion of devils was a colossal future even we struggled to prevent. I wanted to at least give you a sign, but if that happened, the future would changepletely, so it was a perplexing situation. Changing such a future so massivelyes at a great cost.]

    <i>¡®No way. Was that a future that was going to happen?¡¯</i>

    [Yes. Exactly 147 yearster, there was supposed to be the second invasion of devils. The World Tree would have been severely contaminated and practically neutralized by then. The ongoing summoning ritual of devils was a kind of operation. It created small holes that we ourselves were not aware of, and during the second invasion, those holes would be forcibly expanded, enabling dimensional travel. The more holes there are, the easier it is to forcibly tear them apart.]

    <i>¡®¡­Why is this real?¡¯</i>

    I was speechless with astonishment. However, the problem was that it didn¡¯t end there.

    [Fortunately, thanks to the book you wrote, that future has changedpletely. The devil invasion has been postponed for a whopping 2000 years, and even if it were to happen, the World Tree would be strong, and civilization would have developed, making it easier to prevent. ]

    <i>¡®¡­There is no disadvantage to me, right?¡¯</i>

    [Why would you be at a disadvantage? In fact, you are also a victim.]

    <i>¡®Me?¡¯</i>

    It was around that time that I began to question it. Luminous calmly exined with their unique, clean voice.

    [Just a moment ago, I exined that summoning devils requires creating a small rift in dimensions. However, due to a mistake made by a worshiper of a certain devil, the coordinates were incorrectly set, and it ended up connecting to the world you live in, Earth. Although Earth is devoid of mana, it is a far more advanced in civilization than this world.]

    <i>¡®Unbelievable.¡¯</i>

    [That¡¯s right. Devils, by their nature, are powerful beings, so traveling between dimensions was not an issue for them. However, Earth is a ce without mana, and you are nothing more than an ordinary human. The movement between dimensions is an impossible task for you. Your body has been burdened by that immense power, and eventually, your heart stopped functioning. Although your soul made it here, the ¡®order¡¯ has been disrupted in a damaged Earth where gods are causing chaos. In the end, we, too, went against the order to preserve your memories.]

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    So, devils were just a bunch of bastards.

    Trantors note:

    1/5

    I need to fix my sleep schedule, wakingte makes me unmotivated and tired¡­

 Chapter 155: Butterfly Effect (4)

    I discovered that I was reborn in this world due to the strange influence of a devil¡¯s summoning. How should I react to this?

    I feel somewhat bewildered by the revtion of an unexpected secret in my birth, but I haven¡¯t felt any stronger emotions beyond that. Anger or hatred?

    In my previous life, I didn¡¯t have much attachment to begin with. After my parents suddenly passed away, I was mentally disconnected from the world, so to speak. Although it¡¯s a bit regrettable that I couldn¡¯t finish the novel I was serializing, it was an unavoidable situation.

    Furthermore, unintentionally causing a failure for devils could be seen as somewhat satisfying in a way.

    [Are you¡­ alright?]

    <i>¡®What? What¡¯s wrong?¡¯</i>

    [We made a mistake, and you ended up here from a different dimension. Although you lived a regretful life, your life is always valuable.]

    Luminous cautiously asked me. Upon hearing that question, I once again pondered about the god named Luminous.

    Luminous, known for embodying light and hope, is said to have apassionate and lenient nature. It almost feels like I¡¯m having a real conversation with them.

    However, what I currently sensed was a subtle timidity. If they are a god or a being of that stature, they could boldly proceed even after making a mistake, but they didn¡¯t seem to do so.

    It would be somewhat unreasonable to say that the gods, including Luminous, were at fault for my sudden death caused by the devil¡¯s mischief. Despite that, Luminous was truly expressing sincere apologies.

    <i>¡®No, I¡¯m fine. I didn¡¯t hold much attachment to my previous life.¡¯</i>

    [Still¡­]

    <i>¡®But being reborn now is much better. I have wonderful parents, caring siblings, and even beautiful lovers. I¡¯m currently enjoying the happiness that I could never have in my previous life.¡¯</i>

    It was indeed true. In my previous life, I was an ordinary person with no exceptional qualities, but everything changed after my reincarnation.

    From a harmonious family and the honor and power gained through Xenon¡¯s Biography, to the women who promised me a future. I had everything a man could desire.

    [¡­If that¡¯s how you feel, then that¡¯s fortunate. I was actually a little worried that you might hold a grudge.]

    <i>¡®It¡¯s strange for beings like us to worry about mere mortals, isn¡¯t it?¡¯</i>

    [You¡¯re not from the world we oversee, but from a different world in a different universe. It was our mistake that caused this, so it¡¯s only natural for us to apologize.]

    I don¡¯t quite understand, but if that¡¯s what the gods say, then let¡¯s just ept it. Talk of worlds and universes didn¡¯t suit me.

    What¡¯s more important is how we resolve the current situation.

    <i>¡®Does that mean there¡¯s no problem with me writing Xenon¡¯s Biography?¡¯</i>

    [That¡¯s right. In fact, we wish you would include even more. We never imagined that cultural differences would lead to these results.]

    <i>¡®What do you mean by that?¡¯</i>

    [As you have noticed while living in this world, the level of science and culture here is much lower than on Earth. Xenon¡¯s Biography may seem like an ordinary novel to you, but to the people here, it¡¯s not. Things that would be considered ¡®clich¨¦¡¯ in thenguage of Earth may actually exist in this world.]

    <i>¡®Cultural differences¡­¡¯</i>

    [The progress of culture and science goes hand in hand with the development of imagination and creativity. Moreover, your Xenon¡¯s Biography is not solely focused on imagination but is thoroughly researched as well. Especially when ites to beings like devils, they were simply forgotten by everyone, but they were bound to resurface someday.]

    Butterfly Effect. Could there really be such a butterfly effect like this?

    Not all writers were like that, but most web novel writers are usually people who are even slightly interested in cartoons or novels. They have long since mastered things like ¡®cliches¡¯ and were actually trying to break down those cliches.

    By a mistake of the devil in setting the coordinates, the summoned soul happened to be a web novel writer from a civilization much more advanced than this ce, even though it was just an ordinary web novel writer from South Korea.

    Moreover, even the world I was born into was a fantasy world where beastmen, dwarves, elves, and demons exist. Coincidences like this don¡¯t just happen, and it could be said that it was almost inevitable. I think the probability was much lower than winning the lottery.

    <i>¡®Well¡­ It¡¯s strange. Anyway, there are no disadvantages, right?¡¯ </i>

    [Yes. Since the order has returned to its original state when you were born, there are no problems at all. On the contrary, we should bestow grace upon you. Although it¡¯s not intentional, the writings you have created greatly advanced the culture and science of this ce. Furthermore, you prevented the invasion of devils in advance, thus averting a situation where civilization would regress.]

    <i>¡®I feel a little burdened by the grace. You said all of this is just a coincidence.¡¯</i>

    [You don¡¯t have to underestimate yourself so much. If you were walking on the road and encountered a monster, and by chance a skilled mercenary appeared and saved you from a life-threatening situation, would you simply dismiss it as a coincidence?]

    <i>¡®Ah.¡¯</i>

    As if she were a god, Luminous gave an example that I understood instantly. Sensing my emotions, Luminous spoke in a soothing voice.

    [In fact, it¡¯s quite challenging for an ordinary cleric to have a conversation like this. At least you should be a cardinal to engage in direct dialogue like this, not just through an oracle.]

    <i>¡®Then why am I here?¡¯</i>

    [You prevented a great disaster in the future and greatly advanced the culture and science of this world. Through Xenon¡¯s Biography, you created a culture that everyone can enjoy, not just a select few. You also helped the demons toe out into the world. Furthermore, you united the elves who were on the brink of division and developed a mana engine¡­]

    <i>¡®I¡¯m sorry. You can stop now.¡¯</i>

    Feeling embarrassed to hear such stories from someone who was neither human but a divine being, Luminous let out a pleasantugh in response to my embarrassment.

    <i>¡®¡­Well then, can you tell me what this ¡®divine grace¡¯ is?¡¯</i>

    [It can be considered a kind of prophecy. It is our ability to inform you about your future. However, the future bes meaningless the moment it is revealed because it can change at any time. So, I rmend asking carefully.]

    <i>¡®For example?¡¯</i>

    [For example¡­ Oh, wait. Hey! You¡­!]

    Lumina suddenly trailed off and then raised his voice out of nowhere. I felt a sense of urgency and confusion, which startled me as well.

    At the same time, Luminous¡¯s words abruptly stopped, and I opened my eyes, wondering what was happening. The statue¡¯s two eyes were still shining golden.

    <i>¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯</i>

    I waited with my eyes closed until Luminous spoke. Fortunately, it didn¡¯t take long for them to return.

    [Phew, sorry about that. My younger sibling suddenly interrupted¡­]

    <i>¡®If it¡¯s your sibling¡­¡¯</i>

    [The God of Darkness and Rest, Mora, has arrived. She¡¯s my twin sister. She seems to want to talk to you¡­ Ah, please, go away! I¡¯ll send him to your templeter! What if something goes wrong with him?]

    <i>¡®¡­ ¡­¡¯</i>

    Once again, Luminous¡¯ irritated voice echoed in my mind. I anticipated the situation, and it seems Mora has barged in again. Thanks to her, he was able to realize again that he was not an omnipotent god who created the world with a single finger, but a transcendent being with transcendental powers and human aspects.

    Ironically, his human-like nature made me more fond of him. In most works of fiction, gods tend to have unpleasant personalities.

    <i>¡®¡­Can¡¯t Mora join the conversation as well? I¡¯m fine with it.¡¯</i>

    [No. Even conversing with me requires intense concentration, and if Mora joins in, let alone the conversing, you might even faint. Elves or demons might handle it, but you¡¯re just an ordinary human¡­]

    <i>¡®¡­ ¡­¡¯</i>

    Ordinary humans really have it rough. I feel somewhat mncholic.

    Noticing my mood, Luminous seemed slightly uneasy and cleared their throat, changing the topic.

    [Yes. Yes. Anyway, the achievements you¡¯ve umted can be converted into divine power. With that divine power, we can even foresee your future. You could call it an oracle. For example, let¡¯s assume that tomorrow you get hit by a carriage. Normally, you would trust your instincts and get out of the way, but since you¡¯ll be hit by the carriage tomorrow, we can inform you not to go outside.]

    <i>¡®I¡¯m curious, why do you give oracles in such a vague and ambiguous manner? It seems that the quality of an oracle changes as you offer good offerings or a significant amount of divine power.¡¯</i>

    [Knowing the future means buying ¡®time.¡¯ Even if we can interfere with space, time is an area that even gods like us can¡¯t casually interfere with. In fact, even the future we predict can deviate significantly when variables ur. The Devil War and the roots of the World Tree were variables caused by you.]

    <i>¡®Then what about going back to the past from the future? Are there people like regressors?¡¯</i>

    [Well, it¡¯s not impossible, but to do that, you would have to achieve something tremendous. Unless that¡¯s the case, we would have to try it at the brink of this world¡¯s destruction, risking everything. By the way, you can do it too.]

    At that moment, they were surprised and startled.

    [Right now, you could go back a week? That should be possible.]

    <i>¡®¡­It¡¯s less than I thought?¡¯</i>

    [Regressing several decades into the past, unless you¡¯re an extraordinary hero, is extremely difficult. Moreover, the cultural development you have achieved is in progress. We calcte achievements aplished up to the present, not the future. If this situation continues, you might be able to regress to ten years ago. Plus, even by just breathing, divine power umtes within you. Of course, the negative impact of what you write exists, but the positive impact is overwhelmingly dominant, so it¡¯s at a negligible level.]

    <i>¡®Well¡­ In that case, is it okay to write about the events rted to World War II?¡¯</i>

    I mentioned it before, but afterpleting Xenon¡¯s Biography, I n to write a novel about World War II. However, instead of detailing each event, I intend to categorize the protagonists by each country. The main characters will be divided between the Soviet side and the Allied side, and in theter stages, they will meet each other at the Elbe River. Naturally, the Soviet protagonist will be the one raising the g in Berlin.

    Since it¡¯s difficult to describe tanks or fighter nes within the story, I nned to include illustrations and a separate guidebook for them. In the process, I will also write about the countries.

    [World War II¡­ It refers to the worst war that urred on Earth, right? It was a tremendously brutal war.]

    <i>¡®Do you also know about it, Luminous?¡¯</i>

    [Yes, when you came here, we received knowledge from the gods of Earth. We now clearly understand how a world without mana can develop and what kind of tragedies it can bring. It¡¯s fine for you to write about that war.]

    <i>¡®Then, can you give me a brief idea of what might happen if I write that story?¡¯</i>

    Since magical devices existed, there was no rule that tanks and airnes from World War II couldn¡¯t appear in reality. Even though there is a time span of at least 200 years between the Industrial Revolution and the invention of tanks, you never know.

    In the first ce, it¡¯s an unrealistic world where mana lotive wasing into existence and dwarves existed.

    [Do you want me to provide a detailed exnation, or just a general idea?]

    <i>¡®What¡¯s the difference?¡¯</i>

    [As I mentioned before, the moment I provide information about the future, it bes nothing more than spection. You might change your mind.]

    ¡®Just let me know in detail. I¡¯m nning to write it anyway.¡¯

    [So, let¡¯s see. When the exhibition is held, three dwarves will be pulling a tank. Instead of shells, they willunch mana-condensed energy beams. It will have restrained power and will be used as a siege weapon.]

    Fuck. I should just not write it.

    [I can hear the swearing from here.]

    <i>¡®I¡¯m sorry¡­¡¯</i>

    [No need to apologize. Is there anything else?]

    ¡®If there¡¯s something else¡­ wouldn¡¯t it be extremely rare for someone like me, a reincarnated individual, to exist in this world, or even in the scope of the entire universe?¡¯

    I was a case where mistakenly instead of a devil, my soul was summoned to this world, but I¡¯m curious if there are other cases. The world is full of variables.

    And Luminous, after listening to my question, seemed to be thinking deeply, and then exined in a pleasant voice.

    [It can be considered extremely rare. Especially being summoned to a different universe, rather than the same one, is almost unheard of. The moment you defy the order, the bnce is disrupted in an instant.]

    <i>¡®So, it¡¯s notpletely impossible.¡¯</i>

    [Of course not. Even if it¡¯s one in a billion, it¡¯s still something that can happen. But for us, even that is a significant probability.]

    <i>¡®I see. Then¡­ please give me a rough idea of what I need to be careful about in the future.¡¯</i>

    Now I¡¯ve asked everything I wanted to ask. What remained was the part about what I need to be cautious about in the future.

    If it¡¯s a god, then it should know my future and the uing crises as well. Moreover, it can tell me directly, not just through an oracle.

    [You should already be aware of the things to be cautious about¡­ The situations that may arise when your true identity is revealed. Just be careful with that, and it should be fine.]

    <i>¡®Well then¡­ When do you think it¡¯s a good time to reveal my true identity?¡¯</i>

    [It¡¯s difficult to reveal it thoughtlessly. From the moment it¡¯s disclosed, the future will bepletely distorted.]

    Luminous sounded sincerely apologetic. It meant that I should make the judgment myself.

    Although somewhat regrettable, I thought it was wise in a way. It would be better for me to take action rather than having the situation beplicated by knowing the future unnecessarily.

    <i>¡®I understand. It can¡¯t be helped.¡¯</i>

    [I¡¯m sorry. Instead, let me tell you one thing. You¡¯re nning to follow Cecily to Helium in the future, right?]

    <i>¡®Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡¯</i>

    I¡¯ll go to observe Cecily¡¯s training appearance in Helium, and maybe even spend the first night together. It seems like Cecily has simr thoughts.

    [Make sure to bring the medicine. You know the contraceptive pills you take every time you have a night with Marie, right? Don¡¯t forget to bring them. You¡¯ll understand the reason¡­ even without saying it.]

    <i>¡®¡­ ¡­¡¯</i>

    I was almost in big trouble. Judging by the emphasis, it seems like I forgot to take the medicine with me.

    And after sleeping with Cecily, whates next¡­

    <i>¡®Thank you. It could have been a big problem.¡¯</i>

    [Haha. A harmonious family is always important. If possible, visit the Mora Temple and receive blessings. The demons during the cycle of evil may be more difficult with one¡¯s stamina. And¡­]

    Luminous spoke, hesitatingly. Somehow, I sensed that he was troubled.

    When I became curious about it, he called me in a cautious voice.

    [¡­Hey.]

    <i>¡®Yes, Luminous?¡¯</i>

    [Cultural differences exist even among people. Something you do without thinking can be perceived differently by people in this world. It can be seen as an insult or it can be epted as kindness and consideration.]

    <i>¡®¡­¡¯</i>

    [While mindset can be changed, deeply rooted character traits cannot be easily altered. Especially since you have a deep sense of consideration and prefer egalitarian rtionships.]

    It seemed like he was advising me to be mindful of my actions. Well, I¡¯ve also felt ufortable at times in my life, so there¡¯s no reason to think others are any different.

    I understood what Luminous was trying to say and reassured him.

    <i>¡®You don¡¯t have to worry. I will be mindful of my actions.¡¯</i>

    [How many people like that already¡­]

    <i>¡®Yes?¡¯</i>

    [Never mind. Pretend you didn¡¯t hear that. Anyway, let¡¯s make sure we handle the current situation properly. You can continue living your life as you always have done.]

    Somehow, I had a strong feeling that the words were being twisted. However, since I cannot question the gods, it would be best to keep it in my heart.

    <i>¡®I understand.¡¯</i>

    [If you want to receive strength from us, you can always speak up. As the God of Light, I can bestow beneficial blessings upon you. Visit the temple whenever you desire. I can relieve your fatigue, so even if it¡¯s a simple request, I will dly ept.]

    <i>¡®Thank you. I will make sure to visit often from now on.¡¯</i>

    [I see. I am truly grateful for preventing disasters in advance and advancing the development of this world. Well then¡­]

    With those words, Luminous¡¯ voice no longer resonated in my mind. I slowly opened my eyes.

    As I opened my eyes, I noticed that the eyes of the golden-shining statue had turned dull. It meant that Luminous had departed.

    It was strange to realize the secret of my birth and even receive prophecies from the gods.

    <i>¡®Nevertheless, I¡¯m fortunate that it¡¯s a good god.¡¯</i>

    After that, exactly two days passed.

    [Luminous responded, Xenon¡¯s Biography is all mere coincidences!]

    [However, his achievements are undeniable truths. Even if we were to name him as a saint, it wouldn¡¯t be enough.]

    [Even if all of this is considered coincidence, if Xenon¡¯s Biography had not emerged, we would have fought against devils in the future.]

    [The historical verification in the book was very thorough. It described events that could have actually happened, and some parts were really happening at the time.]

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    The situation showed no signs of improvement whatsoever.

    [The content of the oracle is as follows: It may be coincidence now, but in the future, certain things are inevitable.]

    Luminous?

    [The Xenon Chronicles not only prevented future disasters but also presented great cultural and scientific advancements¡­]

    Luminous?

    [The Holy Kingdom Xavier. ording to Luminous¡¯ words, Xenon should be treated as a saint. Even if we judge solely based on achievements, he falls nothing short of a deity.]

    Luminous? What happened?

    [Kate, the cardinal of The Holy Kingdom Xavier, embarked on a pilgrimage to find Xenon¡­ Surely, Xenon must possess tremendous divine power.]

    Luminous!!

    Trantors note:

    2/5

    LMAAAOOOO

 Chapter 156: Butterfly Effect (5)

    It feels like being hit hard on the back of the head. I couldn¡¯t focus for a while due to the news published in the newspaper. Luminous assured me that he would take care of everything and asked me not to worry, but the subsequent news I heard was quite different.

    Currently, everything in the book was mere coincidences, but in the future, my words may predict the inevitable. It all started with Luminous¡¯s assurance when he first arrived in Xavier Kingdom. However, whether it¡¯s a problem with their interpretation or intentional, he went as far as making promises that weren¡¯t necessary.

    While the incidents in Xenon¡¯s Biography appearing in reality may all be coincidences, it is a fact that they prevented disasters. Moreover, the impact of Xenon¡¯s Biography on the world was not insignificant, and it¡¯s not an exaggeration to treat it as a serious matter.

    While Luminous praised me in his own way, it seems to have a slightly different meaning to the Xavier¡¯s Kingdom, who worshiped him. To them, finding and treating me as a saint, the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography, was something that was willed by Luminous.

    Preventing the impending devil war and stopping the contamination of the World Tree, can be seen as a great thing from the gods¡¯ perspective including Luminous.

    Perhaps because of this, until recently, I was treated as a ¡°prophet¡± or ¡°regressor,¡± but now I¡¯m being treated as a ¡°saint¡± altogether.

    [Could it be that he¡¯s really not a prophet or a person from the future? Or could it be something that even Luminous cannot disclose due to constraints?]

    [If there were constraints, Luminous would have made the promise from the perspective of the present, not the future.]

    [Treating him as a saint and knowing the true identity of Xenon are two separate matters.]

    However, the assumption that I am a prophet or someone from the future remained unchanged. The title of ¡°saint¡± has overshadowed it, and those who suspected me continued to do so consistently.

    Moreover, there were cases where the divine oracle was delivered ambiguously, leading to Xavier¡¯s arbitrary interpretations. Within Xavier¡¯s followers, there were many different beliefs and thoughts.

    Above all, the one delivering the oracle was a god. It is not umon for people to immerse themselves in deciphering the will of the gods, often getting lost in various interpretations.

    Therefore, how was my current situation?

    ¡°Saint, tiramisu is delicious, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Well, yeah.¡±

    ¡°Then should I call you a prophet or a regressor?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Well, what can I do? I could only be teased by my girlfriend.

    As I let out a hollowugh, Marie, who was eating dessert next to me, burst intoughter. I shook my head and neatly cut a piece of tiramisu with a fork and put it in my mouth.

    The rich taste of chocte and the aroma of coffee filled my mouth. However, my gloomy mood didn¡¯t seem to improve.

    Luminous gave me a migraine, but the next day, I was enjoying a peaceful date with Marie. Cecily and Rina said they had busy matters and went back to their respective dorms.

    As I walked back, I recalled their gazes directed at me. Cecily had a smile that seemed to hide ulterior motives, and Rina also had a peculiar expression, or so I saw.

    Regardless, Marie seemed to be delighted by the fact that we were having a private date and couldn¡¯t stop giggling.

    ¡°Sigh¡­¡±

    ¡°Are you troubled?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Until a few days ago, they were calling me a prophet or a regressor, and now they¡¯re calling me a saint. Honestly, I feel like crying.¡±

    ¡°Do you want to cry while hugging me? I¡¯llfort you.¡±

    Marie spread her arms wide and made a suggestion. The impulse in my heart almost moved on its own, but I managed to restrain it. Embracing her was always a happy moment, but now there was a need for a serious conversation. Besides, it wouldn¡¯t mean much since we would soon go beyond just hugging.

    ¡°No, forget it. Let¡¯s do itter.¡±

    ¡°Mm.¡±

    Marie felt disappointed when I declined. It¡¯s adorable how she pouted.

    ¡°Instead, I¡¯ll hug you.¡±

    ¡°Hehe.¡±

    Her response was also adorable. After I agreed to hug her, Marie quickly got up from her spot and slowly approached me. Eventually, she extended her arms as if asking to be embraced, and I, too, extended my arms and embraced her small body.

    It has been over six months since we started dating, and rather than our affection waning, it has grown even stronger. Moments like this, when we share our warm body heat, make me realize that I¡¯m not alone.

    ¡°Isaac, Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Why are you calling me, Marie?¡±

    ¡°Just because I like it.¡±

    I briefly felt a sense of joy as I shared body heat with my beloved, but soon I started thinking about the current situation unfolding. While prophets or regressors may be somewhat detached from reality, it¡¯s an entirely different story when ites to being revered as a ¡°saint.¡±

    People belonging to the ranks of ¡°Pope¡± or ¡°Cardinal¡± are generally considered as ¡°holy individuals,¡± but saints are somewhat different. They didn¡¯t have a rank like ¡°saintess¡± or ¡°saint¡± as seen in Xenon¡¯s Biography. However, even Xavier seemed to have been inspired by Xenon¡¯s Biography, as a new rank has been born¡ªan authority that rivaled that of the Pope, yet was kind of a figurehead.

    <i>¡®To think that even a cardinal would embark on a pilgrimage to find someone like me¡­¡¯</i>

    ording to the news mentioned, there was a certain cardinal named ¡°Kate¡± who was said to be wandering all over the world on a pilgrimage to find me. It was an uncertain adventure, to say the least, but those who be cardinals or simr clergy have experienced pilgrimages of this scale numerous times. However, I didn¡¯t know much about this person named Kate.

    So, I lowered my gaze.

    I noticed a cat named Marie, burying her face in my chest and behaving yfully. Her cheeks flushed, and she closed her eyes, seemingly enjoying my presence. If time could continue like this forever, it would be perfect, but there were things that need to be done.

    I gently pushed her shoulder aside, and Marie opened her eyes, looking at me with a bewildered expression. The blinking of her blue eyes was truly lovely.

    With that, I softly stroked Marie¡¯s head and quietly spoke up.

    ¡°Marie, there are a few things I want to ask you.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Can we talk properly, away from each other?¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to.¡±

    It seems that there was no intention of separation in her resolute response. Instead, it felt like she was embracing me like a child. Eventually, we had no choice but to talk while holding each other. Until we called the waiter, no one woulde, so there was no worry about our affectionate actions being discovered.

    ¡°As you know, the cardinal went on a pilgrimage to find me. I think it was Kate?¡±

    ¡°Are you talking about Cardinal Kate Louise Angelica?¡±

    ¡°Is she a noble since she has a middle name?¡±

    ¡°No, ¡®Louise¡¯ is the baptismal name she received directly from Luminous. And Kate is a well-known young cardinal even within the Holy Kingdom Xavier. She possessed incredible divine power from birth and rose to the position of a cardinal at the age of 19. She is currently serving as the Grand Inquisitor.¡±

    ¡°Grand Inquisitor?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the highest rank among the Inquisitors.¡±

    Grand Inquisitor¡­ I hope the concept was firmly established. It may be a prejudice, but most Inquisitors tend to have a radical personality.

    Moreover, the Grand Inquisitor of the Xavier¡¯s Inquisitors in this world had a record of ughtering demons after the Devil War in ancient times. Of course, it is because the demons are considered descendants of devils.

    Right now, They are focused on their main job and only deal with heretics, but they haven¡¯t stopped handling individuals associated with devils. Even in the newspaper, it was reported that most devil worshippers have been dealt with by the inquisitors.

    ¡°I guess she must be really strong since she also holds the position of a Grand Inquisitor.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Currently, She¡¯s a terrifying figure for devil worshippers. I¡¯ve heard that her sacred power and determination can even ignite blue mes on weapons. That¡¯s why her title is ¡®Blue mes(?)¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±

    Blue mes. Even my father was called Red Lion. It felt strange. People who carry such titles often be famous, whether in a positive or negative sense.

    Of course, my father didn¡¯t want to publicly announce his achievements, so only a few people knew about it, but having a title was a kind of honor.

    ¡°When someone like that goes on a pilgrimage, it means even Xavier itself has taken action. It¡¯s possible that since various things rted to devils have surfaced, it¡¯s a good opportunity to eradicate the devil worshipers, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°We won¡¯t know until I reveal my identity.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ ording to rumors, Kate is highly sensitive to sacred power. Because of this, the individuals she personally selects have a significant influence within the country. You could say she has a keen eye.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    This is a bit dangerous. Fortunately, I have never directly received sacred power from Luminous, but I will have many conversations with him in the future.

    Because of the current situation, I have to revisit the temple immediately. What if Luminous presents me with a tremendous amount of sacred power because of the events unfolding right now?

    If I coincidentally ran into Kate, it was almost certain that suspicion would arise. Even if she doesn¡¯t suspect me as Xenon, she might suggest visiting Xavier.

    ¡°Well, don¡¯t worry too much. Even if Kate discovers you, she won¡¯t confront you recklessly. That person is more focused on vanquishing devils than finding the saint, you know?¡±

    ¡°Howe?¡±

    ¡°That person recently made a remark like this: ¡®A good devil is a dead devil.¡¯ Can you get a rough sense of it?¡±

    ¡°It seems like she has quite a fiery personality.¡±

    Somehow, a famous character from a game came to my mind. They called a chainsaw an excellent means of conversation and literally ripped apart demons.

    However, unless grudges and hatred surpass their limits, it was almost impossible for someone to possess such a personality.

    ¡°Yeah, but you don¡¯t have to be afraid since she¡¯s kind to those who are not heretics, just like any other clergy. Besides her intense actions, she¡¯s also famous for her beautiful appearance.¡±

    ¡°Have you ever met her?¡±

    ¡°Only once a long time ago when I visited the Holy Kingdom. That someone tearing apart the entrails of heretics¡­ Honestly, it¡¯s hard to believe unless you see it for yourself.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Now that I think about it, Lily, a supporting character in Xenon¡¯s Biography, was a saint, but apart from the early stages, she hardly appeared in the story rted to the holy kingdom.

    If it¡¯s for the uing war anyway, wouldn¡¯t it be better for the holy kingdom to participate? I can handle it there. But ifI continue the romance with Jin, it¡¯s obvious that there will be unavoidable shes in the holy kingdom as well.

    Furthermore, Jin was rted to one of the Seven Deadly Sins, ¡°Gluttony,¡± as his son. From the holy kingdom¡¯s perspective, they will inevitably oppose any connection to Lily.

    <i>¡®Well, this issue wille up after the beastmen part anyway.¡¯</i>

    Jin even has to hear the famous line, ¡°I am your father,¡± directly from the Gluttony. There were still plenty of loose ends to be tied up. It means that it¡¯s not an immediate concern.

    ¡°I understand. Since the vacation ising soon, we can rx a little.¡±

    ¡°Vacation¡­ Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    I faced Marie¡¯s face directly in response to her call. She stared at me intently and then quietly spoke.

    ¡°Um¡­ You said you were going to Helium with Cecily during the vacation, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­ what are you going to do then?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Instead of immediately answering, I examined Marie¡¯s expression. In her anxious, blue eyes, there was a deep concern.

    Even though I had already epted Cecily, dealing with human emotions was never easy. Although it is a world where polygamy wasmon, Marie would still be worried that I might leave.

    Gently, as if to reassure her, I softly touched her cheek and caressed it. Marie gently held my hand, which was touching her cheek. And as we gazed at each other¡¯s faces, Iforted her with a kind voice.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Cecily is also my woman now.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡±

    ¡°But my feelings for you won¡¯t change. I promise.¡±

    ¡°Even though Cecily is prettier and has a better figure than me?¡±

    ¡°Do you think I started dating you because of that? That¡¯s disappointing.¡±

    ¡°Hehe.¡±

    Seemingly relieved, Marie buried her face in my chest and nuzzled against it. I embraced her as if implying that I could be even more affectionate. Then Marie lifted her head, looked straight into my eyes, and raised an eyebrow, as if asking if I had something to say.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Marie.¡±

    ¡°Can I go to Helium too? To help Cecily¡­¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    She slyly revealed her hidden desire. I wondered if Marie was joking as she smiled mischievously in response to my stern reaction. However, it seemed that her desire was genuine as she gradually moved her arms, which were hugging my back, downwards.

    Starting from the arms, she reached the waist, and eventually, reached the hips.

    And finally, the destination¡­ There seems to be no need to say it separately. I reprimanded Marie with a smile.

    ¡°Marie, are you really a pervert?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who made me like this. Take responsibility.¡±

    ¡°Gosh¡­¡±

    Looking at Marie¡¯s eyes that had already turned into hearts, it seemed like she didn¡¯t have the self-control to go to the inn.

    Just to be sure, I checked if the door was properly closed. Unless I call the staff, no one woulde, and the soundproofing was also thorough for the expensive price paid.

    So, just before doing it in a ce that wasn¡¯t an inn for the first time, Marie, who was still clinging to me, asked a question.

    ¡°Isaac, can I ask one more thing?¡±

    ¡°Huh? What is it?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not really a reincarnator or something, right?¡±

    It was a question that made my heart skip a beat. Come to think of it, Marie had that instinctual ability to sense a person¡¯s true intentions.

    How should I answer to skillfully avoid the question at a time like this? I hesitated for a moment and ambiguously replied,

    ¡°If I say I¡¯m not?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Marie, who had been staring at my face for a while, said,

    ¡°Honestly, it doesn¡¯t matter, right?¡±

    She smiled brightly and answered innocently,

    ¡°I just like Isaac, that¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    It seems like men really go crazy because of women.

    Thus, I had a unique experience at a cafe.

    [From the Helium side: Mora also expressed gratitude to Xenon!]

    [Thanks to saving the demons, my heart feels at ease, and more people are finding true peace¡­]

    This time, the mischievous goddess hit the back of my head hard.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 157: Winter Break (1)

    Luminous and Mora repeatedly struck the back of my head hard, but they too couldn¡¯t stop the passage of time. Even if the world calls me a prophet and I¡¯m favored as a saint in the Holy Kingdom Xavier, even sending a cardinal after me, the daily life at Halo Academy remains unchanged.

    Halo Academy had a somewhat unique culture, namely, each individual has a separate graduation instead of a collective ceremony. So, unlike the entrance ceremony, there was no graduation ceremony, and it is more of a scouting process.

    Furthermore, in the case of literary students, unlike non-literary students, the academy directly presents the graduation certificate. However, non-literary students were slightly different.

    Most non-literary students admitted to Halo Academy were promising individuals who already had a reputation even before their admission, and they were carefully observed by people in power, waiting for the right moment.

    In most cases, when they finish their fourth year, they either join a high ranking knight order or return to their family, but there were also those like Nicole or Adelia who didn¡¯t graduate and became assistants.

    The teaching assistant (TA) was a highly skilled individual who interacted with non-major students and taught them various subjects, so it isn¡¯t difficult for them to join a knight order.

    They assisted instructors and even took on tasks themselves during practical training conducted outside the academy. In many ways, they can be considered simr to graduate students.

    Just as graduate students face a challenging path to obtain a doctoral degree, TAs also face simr difficulties. Individuals whoplete their TA duties are regarded as talents that should not be overlooked from the perspective of the country. Consequently, they receive special treatment and attract a lot of attention.

    My older sister, who is also a TA, Nicole, was in the same situation. I made an appointment to bid her farewell as she was leaving the academy for the Navy Knight Order entrance test.

    Once I send Nicole off, the winter break will begin a few dayster. Nicole will be taking the entrance test, while I nned to return to the mansion with Cecily and then head straight to Helium.

    ¡°Noona.¡±

    ¡°Yes? What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°Seeing you in your uniform, it feels really cool.¡±

    ¡°This one?¡±

    It was an ordinary Wednesday evening, not a weekend. I arranged a meal to have ast meeting with Nicole. My acquaintances dly supported the final meeting with my sister without anyints.

    Nicole, as if notifying that she would be leaving the academy soon, was dressed not in casual attire but in a neat uniform. Moreover, it was a men¡¯s formal suit that matched her hair color¡ªa deep navy blue top and bottom. Underneath the jacket, she only wore a white shirt, and the overall design was simple. However, it was impossible to hide Nicole¡¯s beauty, even though the outfit was in.

    Moreover, Nicole, being a woman, had a considerably tall height, so she was wearingfortable shoes rather than high heels. She tied her hair neatly in a ponytail instead of leaving it loose, and she applied light makeup, emitting a unique charm.

    Isn¡¯t ¡°cool¡± precisely used in situations like this? Thanks to her training, she had a good figure, and suits looked really good on her.

    ¡°Why do you always wear in clothes when you know how to dress up like this?¡±

    ¡°Because it¡¯s bothersome. Besides, I don¡¯t care about impressing anyone.¡±

    ¡°Right! She¡¯s been confessed to by four people¡­ Oh my!¡±

    ¡°There are things you can say and things you can¡¯t.¡±

    As I joked, Nicole pinched my cheek. While normally it wouldn¡¯t be much, Nicole was a formidable person who hadpleted all the training, including being a teaching assistant.

    Even pinching my cheek alone caused intense pain for someone like me, who was just an average person. Because of her strong grip, it felt like my cheek was about to fall off.

    ¡°Ouch¡­ That¡¯s what I get for ying a prank.¡±

    ¡°For you, it¡¯s just a prank, but for me, it¡¯s a headache just thinking about that time.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean you were popr?¡±

    ¡°What poprity? Ever since that day, all sorts of weird rumors have been spreading.¡±

    Seeing her shudder as if she hated even imagining it, it was clear that they were not good memories.

    And since Nicole was a woman, it was only a matter of time before rumors with a bad reputation started circting. Having been confessed to by four people simultaneously, it must have been quite eventful in various ways.

    ¡°For the Navy Knights, do they at least conduct an interview for the entrance test?¡±

    ¡°Of course. If father held the position of the Knight Commander, he would have been one of the interviewers.¡±

    ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°Contrary to appearances, this big sister is quite tough, so you don¡¯t need to worry about it, my adorable little brother.¡±

    I worried sincerely, and Nicoleforted me by patting my head. No matter how much older and bigger I get, it seems like she only sees me as her cute younger sibling.

    I don¡¯t know exactly how strong Nicole is, but seeing her so confident, I can¡¯t help but believe in her. And it¡¯s not just anywhere, she¡¯s trying to join the Navy Knights, so she must be among the top in her age group at least.

    <i>¡®Well, even though she looks like that, she can easily pull a truck with one hand.¡¯</i>

    I was curious once and checked how strong Nicole was. I witnessed her effortlessly moving a boulder the size of a house with just one hand.

    I heard from anotherbatant who was there that Nicole has an unusually strong power. They even said that among the instructors, no one could defeat her in a strength match.

    <i>¡®Monsters like her exist in the world¡­ It¡¯s truly scary.¡¯</i>

    Can these people in this world really understand the Second World War? A world without mana might bepletely unfamiliar and like a ¡®fantasy¡¯ to them.

    Well, for now, I n to focus on Xenon¡¯s Biography. I¡¯m also working hard.

    ¡°But Isaac, don¡¯t you have to go to the temple first?¡±

    ¡°I went yesterday.¡±

    ¡°What did Luminous say?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    Before I answered, I looked around anxiously. Although it was a remote area with few people, I was cautious about speaking recklessly.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay to speak. I¡¯ve installed a soundproofing barrier.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Isn¡¯t that magic?¡±

    ¡°Even without magic, I can create a soundproofing barrier. As long as it only blocks the noise.¡±

    Indeed, mana was an infinite power with limitless abilities. It¡¯s amazing that you can install soundproofing even without using magic.

    Without showing any signs, I looked around with the soundproofing and spoke about what happened inside.

    ¡°He said they¡¯re sorry. They just mentioned it to praise my achievement, but they didn¡¯t expect Xavier toe out like that.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    But I couldn¡¯t believe it. They were beings who can see into the future. How could they not know?

    It seems like any incidents rted to devils have disappeared without a trace. It seems like they were ying a prank on me. Maybe it was a sign of affection.

    So I let it go. In my heart, I want to spend an enormous amount of divine power and go back a week, but I didn¡¯t want to turn back time for such a trivial matter.

    Above all, regression was not 100% sessful. It¡¯s a difficult task even for those who attempt it, and the gods had to bnce the order of things, so the side effects were severe.

    Instead, it¡¯s better to use it to extend my lifespan even a little or help others like a true clergyman. It seemed like Luminous secretly wanted to push me into bing a priest.

    The gods be stronger ording to the faith of their followers, so if I became a priest, it would be a great help to him. He has quite a hidden ambition.

    ¡°What about Mora? Mora also seems to want to meet you.¡±

    ¡°Well, there won¡¯t be any problem soon because I¡¯m nning to visit Helium. Helium has made Mora their state religion.¡±

    ¡°Oh, right, I almost forgot. So you¡¯ll go back to the mansion first and then go to Helium?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I n to go to the mansion with Cecily-noona first.¡±

    To go to Helium, Cecily¡¯s help was absolutely necessary, just likest time. Luckily, I would be with Cecily alone, and since Marie allowed it for the entire vacation, so there¡¯s no need to be discreet.

    <i>¡®Cecily really liked it.¡¯</i>

    Although she often joked about being jealous. Marie is always my top priority, Cecily knew it too.

    So when Marie allowed it with a big smile, Cecily was touched and hugged her tightly. There was also a happening where Marie¡¯s face was pressed against Cecily¡¯srge chest and she struggled for breath and pushed Cecily away.

    Anyway, this vacation will be spent with Cecily alone. One reason for going to the mansion together was to formally introduce her to my parents.

    Although we won¡¯t announce it publicly, it seems proper to at least let my parents know the truth. I¡¯ll have to talk to Cecily¡¯s parents separately about it too.

    If that happens, Cecily¡¯s parents will also find out that I am Xenon, but it didn¡¯t matter. Since most of the demons were friendly to me, I expected they would be grateful and show their appreciation.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t going to the mansion, right Noona?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I already informed our parents. I n to go back after taking the entrance test.¡±

    ¡°The weather is cold, but you¡¯ll be fine, right?¡±

    The scorching heat had subsided, and winter was slowly approaching. Although I don¡¯t know what material the school uniform is made of, it provided excellent instion. However, asionally, the biting cold wind still made its presence felt.

    Training for a month without proper sleep in this weather, I feel like I understand why there are casualties during the test.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯ve done winter training a couple of times before. Dave Oppa found it tough too, but it¡¯s not that difficult. It¡¯s just a battle of stamina and mental strength.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ okay. Then what about Adelia-noona?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Do you know where Adelia is being assigned?¡±

    When asked about Adelia¡¯s whereabouts, Nicole¡¯s expression showed a slight hint of confusion. She avoided eye contact and gave a vague response.

    ¡°Um¡­ well? Adelia will be assigned in a few days. Maybe you¡¯ll meet again soon¡­?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±

    ¡°Oh, never mind. You¡¯ll find out once you¡¯re at the mansion.¡±

    ¡°At the mansion?¡±

    I was bing increasingly puzzled. I asked about Adelia¡¯s assignment ce, but why was our mansion mentioned?

    Nicole sighed heavily, as if frustrated by my inability to grasp something, and rested her hand on my shoulder. When I looked at her face, she had an expression of embarrassment, as if unsure of how to exin.

    After a while of pursing her lips, Nicole opened her closed mouth with a bitter smile. Her voice sounded somewhat awkward.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ No, I¡¯m not in a position to say anything either.¡±

    Nicole fidgeted with her hand on my shoulder and immediately changed the subject.

    ¡°Oh, by the way. When will your next work be released? Two volumes wille out around the time my test is over, right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll probably send the next volume in about a week. I need to finish up the work before going to Helium.¡±

    ¡°What? Send it a little earlier. I could read it before I leave.¡±

    ¡°Just hold on a bit. It¡¯s not like you¡¯ll die if you read it a littleter.¡±

    That was myst meeting with Nicole.

    ¡°Take care. Don¡¯t get hurt.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll confidently get my uniform ande back, so look forward to it.¡±

    Nicole left the academy with her usual kind smile.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Adelia has a lot of wounds, so don¡¯t be too harsh on her.¡±

    She left behind words that were difficult for me to understand at that time.

    *****

    Winter vacation has begun. Unlike six months ago when the scorching heat dominated, this time the biting cold has started to prevail, making it feel like my body was freezing.

    The Minerva Empire, like the Republic of Korea, had four seasons. However, this was a story about the capital and its surroundings, but the empire¡¯snd was so vast that there are ces that are cold all year round or hot all year round.

    In the areas that are cold all year round, frequent piging by monsters and brigands urs, while in the areas that are hot all year round, the sizes of animals, insects, and even monsters are terrifyinglyrge, making it difficult to find a safe haven.

    Fortunately, the Michelle Territory was located near the capital, so the seasons were distinct. It wasn¡¯t just a mere talk that it has high potential.

    ¡°It seems like a lot has changed in that short time.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right.¡±

    It has been about three hours since winter vacation began. I arrived at the Michelle Territory with Cecily. Naturally, we didn¡¯te by carriage but used Cecily¡¯s teleportation.

    Of course, I didn¡¯t forget to take Marie to the Requilis Mansion. Although she temporarily delegated her authority to Cecily, basic manners are still essential.

    The only concern was whether Marie will be able to control her sexual desires for a month. Last vacation was only a week, but now it¡¯s a whole month.

    ¡®Well, she can alwayse to the mansion, so it shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡¯

    Marie and I were not only dating but have also already been engaged. It wouldn¡¯t be strange for her toe to our mansion whenever she wants.

    Moreover, it¡¯s not like I will be solely in Helium for the whole month, so she just needs to be patient. Above all, thanks to thest time at the caf¨¦, where our love was properly confirmed, the frequency has also decreased.

    Now is the time for me to concentrate on Cecily, who was next to me. As soon as that thought crossed my mind, I turned my head to the side and looked at Cecily.

    Cecily was busy exploring the Michelle territory that has greatly changed for the past six months. Currently, the Michelle Territory was being deliberately developed as a cultural city by the Minerva Empire.

    And the cultural city was no stranger to the tourism industry. Facilities that cater to tourists visiting the territory were gradually being established.

    ¡°If you establish official exchanges with Helium, we could provide support in terms of manpower.¡±

    ¡°Hasn¡¯t the Minerva Empire recently established exchanges with Helium?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the country, not the territory. We need direct permission from the Minerva Empire to provide support to the territory. I heard that your father has personally sent a letter, but it will take time to receive permission.¡±

    Dealing with national affairs was always the mostplicated matter. Even though it may seem easy on the surface, a single wrong policy can lead to a downfall in an instant.

    Nevertheless, in this world, there were not more than a hundred countries, and the system wasn¡¯t tightly knit. If we obtain permission internally, it¡¯s only a matter of time before Helium¡¯s manpoweres to the Michelle Territory.

    ¡°In your opinion, what do you think about the potential of our territory? You can be honest.¡±

    ¡°To be honest¡­ the potential is indeed high. However, it will take a long time to be a proper city because there is hardly any infrastructure, such as sewage systems. Without Helium¡¯s help, it would take at least five years, I suppose.¡±

    ¡°What if Helium¡¯s help is avable?¡±

    ¡°One month would be enough. Our demon race established Helium from a barren territory, so to speak. Moreover, since its establishment, we have dealt with various incidents and idents, including hygiene issues, which makes us superior in these aspectspared to the Dwarves.¡±

    Cecily proudly extended her chest, but I deliberately averted my gaze as it momentarily focused on her bosom. If they had started with nothing, it would have caused various problems, from hygiene issues to the arrangement of buildings and agricultural zones.

    The noteworthy aspect here was hygiene. Due to the constant spread of diseases due to the existence of monsters in this world, hygiene was given considerable attention. There are even sewage treatment facilities that should not have existed in this era, to say the least.

    Elves have the ability to magically handle waste, but humans find it difficult. It is known that they requested help from the dwarves. At least, that¡¯s how it was recorded.

    ¡°The sewage problems in most human nations were resolved by our race. Three hundred years ago, during the racial war, we realized the severity of the hygiene issue and constructed sewage treatment nts.¡±

    ¡°What? The records say the dwarves built them¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a lie. It¡¯s true that the dwarves helped, but it was demons who shared the technology. How do you think magic ended up flowing to humans in the first ce? At that time, the elves were at war with the human alliance. Do you think they would have shared it?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°If youe to the pce, you¡¯ll discover many hidden histories. Especially those rted to the racial war. The truth is always shrouded in darkness.¡±

    Cecily gently spoke as she poked my cheek with her finger. Initially, I was dumbfounded, but after listening to her story, I could understand.

    Honestly, the pieces didn¡¯t quite fit together. We acquired magic from an elf during the racial war? From Alvenheims perspective, branding that elf as a traitor would be justifiable.

    However, if demons had passed on their magic to humans, the story would be different. Demons didn¡¯t directly engage in the front lines, instead they yed a role in preventing elves from recklessly invading human territories.

    From that point on, there were records indicating a significant advancement in human magic abilities. If the demons had assisted them, everything fell neatly into ce.

    ¡°Are you going to include this in your book, by any chance?¡±

    ¡°Thank you for the interesting material.¡±

    ¡°Hmph. Isn¡¯t this just a small part of the book for you?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps?¡±

    Of course, to me, it was merely material for a story. But Cecily seemed pleased and smiled brightly.

    From then on, the two of us made our way towards the mansion, observing how the territory had changed. Along the way, some of the familiar residents greeted me warmly or caught me staring nkly while looking at Cecily.

    The more that happened, the more I wanted to feel proud. It might be because I thought of this woman as my woman.

    We continued our leisurely date and stepped towards the mansion.

    ¡°Hello, Lady Baroness. It¡¯s been half a year.¡±

    ¡°Oh my, Princess Cecily? What brings you to our mansion?¡±

    As soon as I entered the mansion, I first reunited with my mother. She was surprised at Cecily¡¯s unexpected visit, her eyes widening in astonishment.

    Cecily opened her mouth with a beautiful smile and said,.

    ¡°Actually, there¡¯s something I want to tell you, Mother. It¡¯s about Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Isaac¡­ I have a vague idea of what it might be.¡±

    Mother replied with her characteristic gentle expression. Then she lowered her head and gently touched her belly.

    ¡°Look, Lily. Your older brother is so popr.¡±

    ¡°Is Lily your daughter¡¯s name? By any chance¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s the name of the saint in Xenon¡¯s Biography. Isn¡¯t it a beautiful name?¡±

    By this point, you might have figured it out.

    ¡°It¡¯s a lovely name. Are you sure she¡¯s a daughter?¡±

    ¡°A few days ago, I asked a pilgrim priest. They said it¡¯s a girl.¡±

    Mother¡¯s belly was swollen like Namsan Mountain. After the exhibition ended and I had my first night with Marie, the fire spread to my parents as well.

    Therefore, my current age is 17.

    <i>¡®¡­Correction.¡¯</i>

    An unexpected younger sister (Lily) came into existence.

    Trantors note:

    Just watched Seishun Buta Yarou. The anime alone was great but the movie messed me up¡­ I loved it so much¡­

 Chapter 158: Winter Break (2)

    My mother gave birth to my older brother, Dave, when she was 21 years old. Then, seven yearster, at the age of 28, she gave birth to me. Now, after 17 years have passed, she is exactly 45 years old. Due to good management and her inherent youthful appearance, she may look like someone in their early 30s, but in reality, she¡¯s approaching 50.

    Taking into ountmon knowledge and societal norms, it¡¯s considered quitete to have a child at her age. Moreover, in this day and age, with advanced contraceptive technology, having ate-in-life child is rare.

    However, this is mainly applicable among the nobility,moners tend to have childrenter as well. Contraceptive methods have primarily spread among the nobility, while themoners have not adopted them yet.

    Nevertheless, having ate-in-life child at the age of 45¡­ It¡¯s practically like being a grandmother rather than a mother. Even if I were to marry and have a child with Marie right now, it wouldn¡¯t be considered unusual in this day and age. However, my parents were a very exceptional case.

    When my future younger sister, Lily, is born, if she calls me ¡°Daddy,¡± people would naturally find it normal, but they might give me strange looks if I¡¯m called ¡°big brother.¡±

    ¡°To be honest, we never imagined having Lily. We thought it would be fine with our age, and that we didn¡¯t need any medication. But now¡­ Hoho. It¡¯s a bit embarrassing to say it out loud.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it risky? They say that the risk ofplications increases significantly for women over 40.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright. As long as I maintain a steady flow of mana, both the child and the mother will be safe. Of course, it¡¯s a good idea to invite a clergy member just in case.¡±

    My mother, Cecily, and I were currently enjoying a snack in the parlor while engaging in a pleasant conversation. The seating arrangement was slightly unusual, with my mother and I sitting side by side while Cecily sat alone across from us.

    It was ayout that made sense since Cecily was the guest, but my mother had already sensed what Cecily was trying to achieve. If she had willingly epted it, she would have seated Cecily next to me. However, the fact that she didn¡¯t meant that my mother hadn¡¯t fully given her approval. Cecily seemed to be aware of that, smiling outwardly but with a hint of tension in her expression.

    ¡°And there¡¯s one more method. It can only be used while in the unsafe period, but the effect is guaranteed.¡±

    ¡°Can I ask what it is?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯ll just let you know that it¡¯s a slightly savage method.¡±

    ¡°Aha. I think I know what it is. Well, it must be easy for the Baron since he¡¯s the Red Lion.¡±

    ¡°Hoho. My dear husband does have quite a bit of strength.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    The time the exhibition began was in June. And today is the end of January, well into the new year.

    Calcting the time from the day the exhibition ended until now, it¡¯s been at least six months, which means that they poured tremendous effort into it every night during that time.

    Even amidst recent busyness due to territorial affairs, my father also exerted his strength for my mother, so even if he was the Red Lion, he wouldn¡¯t have recovered quickly.

    I respect you, Father. I wish I had as strong a physique as you do.

    ¡°Come to think of it, Your Highness, do you have any siblings? I don¡¯t recall hearing about itst time.¡±

    ¡°I am an only child. My parents didn¡¯t have any specific ns after giving birth to me.¡±

    ¡°I heard that elves consider nighttime activities as a form of ritual. Is it simr for demons, perhaps for a simr reason?¡±

    ¡°No, demons are different. They have a much longer reproductive cycle, like elves. And most of the time, it oveps with their evil cycle, making it quite challenging for the males.¡±

    As I listened to the response, my gaze shifted slightly upward. Cecily¡¯s horns were nowpletely filled with red, except for the tips.

    The mention of the uing evil cycle, just like in the previous exhibition. Luminous had also advised me to make sure to take contraceptive pills when going to Helium, and the timing seemed to fit perfectly.

    If I hadn¡¯t taken the pills with me, wouldn¡¯t it have been the first time a human-demon hybrid was conceived? From my perspective, I could only consider it fortunate.

    ¡°Indeed, demons are intriguing since very little is known about them, so each detail is fascinating.¡±

    ¡°If you have any more questions, feel free to ask as much as you want.¡±

    ¡°Really? In that case¡­¡±

    As if it was the perfect moment, Mother opened her mouth while maintaining a gentle smile.

    ¡°What did you like about our Isaac?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    It was a straightforward and heavy question. The atmosphere was the same as before, but the underlying weight in the question was entirely different.

    Cecily momentarily flinched in response to my mother¡¯s smiling question, then straightened her lips. There was a slight tension in the two hands hidden beneath the table, barely noticeable.

    I also started to watch their conversation nervously. It wasn¡¯t a problem that I could intervene and solve, after all. Of course, if Cecily gets in trouble, I¡¯ll be willing to help. Since I¡¯ve already epted Cecily as my woman, it would be disappointing if I didn¡¯t show my support.

    ¡°To be honest, I¡¯ve been vaguely aware since thest exhibition. No matter how close you and Isaac are, you wouldn¡¯t normally visit our mansion. Especially as a princess of another country.¡±

    ¡°¡­So you knew.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Not only that, but I could see the way Princess Cecily looked at our Isaac. As a fellow woman, I could tell. It was the gaze of a woman in love. Warm affection, love, and¡­ even a sticky desire.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    As Mother finished speaking, Cecily¡¯s face hardened slightly. Considering the circumstances at that time, it might have been difficult for her to keep herposure.

    However, Cecily knew well that bringing up that topic now would only be an excuse. For now, it was more important to sit quietly and listen to Mother¡¯s words.

    ¡°Princess, you must know. Isaac is already engaged to a girl named Marie.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m aware.¡±

    ¡°Have you talked to that girl?¡±

    ¡°We resolved things amicably.¡±

    ¡°Hmm. You resolved things amicably, you say¡­¡±

    Mother gracefully ced her teacup down and caressed the growing belly of Lily.

    And as if pondering deeply, she blinked her eyes while looking up at the ceiling before turning her gaze back to Cecily.

    ¡°May I ask how you resolved it? I¡¯m curious.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Actually¡­¡±

    Cecily ryed the exact words she had spoken to Marie to Mother. She shared her true feelings and future ns, which she had brought up during the exhibition when she had argued with Marie.

    I already knew it, but Cecily seemed much more tense than she was back then. It was as if she was in a position simr to an interview, or perhaps being judged.

    Fortunately, the more Mother listened to Cecily¡¯s story, the brighter her expression became. It was clear that she was pleased.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ truly touching. To protect Isaac without minding the difference in lifespan¡­ and even the descendants.¡±

    ¡°Instead of living a life full of regrets from giving up love, I will live a life filled with longing. It¡¯s a line from Xenon¡¯s Biography.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I know that too. Thanks to that line, the interaction between different species has increased.¡±

    ¡°But, Lady Baroness, did you know? That line, Isaac said it to me before the book was published.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Cecily¡¯s shocking confession made her mother widen her eyes and look at me. It seemed like there was some misunderstanding, but since what Cecily said was the truth, I couldn¡¯t help but be taken aback.

    My mother looked at me with a subtle expression for a moment, then smiled and gently stroked my head. Her touch, as ifforting a young child, made me feel unexpectedly embarrassed.

    Indeed, no matter how much a child grows, they always seem like a beloved son in their mother¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Hoho. This child, really. Now I clearly understand why the princess has fallen for you. What woman wouldn¡¯t fall for someone who says such things? Just with that one line, the number of cross-species rtionships has skyrocketed.¡±

    ¡°When I first heard it, I was truly moved. It can determine whether a lifetime with that person will be a painful regret or a cherished memory.¡±

    ¡°Ahem¡­¡±

    Why is embarrassment my share? I couldn¡¯t say a word and only coughed awkwardly.

    Meanwhile, my mother continued to stroke my head.

    ¡°I understand Princess Cecily¡¯s heart well. In fact, everything that happened after Marie gave her permission, it left my hands.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    ¡°But before that.¡±

    Just as Cecily was about to rejoice, thinking she had received approval, my mother interrupted. She stopped stroking my head and firmly pinched my cheek downwards.

    If it was just a light pinch, I might not have noticed, but because she exerted force, I felt a sharp pain.

    ¡°Ah! M-Mother?¡±

    ¡°Our Isaac needs to be scolded a little. I was worried that a situation like this would arise because of his deep consideration and kind personality. But not only a duke¡¯s daughter, but also a princess of Helium¡­¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry! I would never do something like that on purpose!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m even more worried as a mother. Isaac will officially marry Marie, but what about Princess Cecily? We need to consider Princess Cecily¡¯s perspective too. Are you suggesting she should be a concubine?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ Lady Baroness, I¡¯m really okay¡­¡±

    Cecily tried to calm my mother down, but she was at a loss for words.

    ¡°I¡¯m not okay at all. Since Cecily realized, unlike Marie, that Isaac is a Xenon. I would have felt the same way if I were the princess. In the eyes of the demons, Xenon is nothing short of a salvation from God. Perhaps there was even a willingness to sacrifice your body and mind. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes¡­ That¡¯s¡­ urate.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the problem. Even with that kind of determination, you only care about Marie? Isaac, you will truly receive divine punishment from Mora. So you must take care of Princess Cecily so she won¡¯t be lonely. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I understand! I got it!¡±

    ¡°Phew¡­¡±

    With a sigh, Mother let go of my elongated cheeks. It was difficult to regainposure in the face of such a fiery feeling.

    ¡°Well¡­ Will the princess not officially get engaged with my son?¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about that. When we go to Helium, we will inform my parents as well. Once they learn that Isaac is Xenon, everything will go smoothly.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m d. If you ever regret this decision, please let me know. I will humbly ept it.¡±

    ¡°My heart will never change. Even if Isaac returns to Lady Mora, I will continue to live while cherishing his memory.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that.¡±

    Cecily, whose determined will was evident, pleased Mother with a warm smile. If one smiled for a long time, wrinkles would naturally form, but Mother didn¡¯t show any signs of aging.

    Continuing, Mother gently stroked her belly with one hand, took a graceful sip of tea, and spoke in a more rxed tone.

    ¡°From now on, I should call you Cecily, not Princess. Marie calls me Mother, but it would be difficult for you to do the same.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­! Thank you so much. May I call you Mother-inw?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Mother-inw. As I mentioned earlier, I will protect this territory and the descendants of the Michelle¡¯s for the rest of my life.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that. You also need to find your own happiness.¡±

    ¡°This is my happiness. Doing my best for the savior who saved the demons. If it weren¡¯t for Isaac, I wouldn¡¯t even be able to sit here, and I would have spent my whole life confined to Helium.¡±

    In response to Cecily¡¯s fervent devotion, Mother let out a bitter smile. Then she looked at me, and when Cecily was like that, I couldn¡¯t help but shrug my shoulders.

    Well, thanks to that, Mother now knows exactly how much Cecily loves me, so there shouldn¡¯t be any major issues.¡±

    ¡°Do all demons have simr thoughts as you?¡±

    ¡°Yes. If it were in the past, demons would have been treated as an enemy. But as you know, things havepletely changed now, including Mother. Furthermore, with the rediscovery of Jin and Lily¡¯s romance, such words have emerged.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°For demons, love is a difficult thing, but deciding to love someone means having the courage to give everything for that person. Even if I were to transform into a devil, my sincerity towards that person would not change.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I remember reading that in a newspaper. It was probably written by a certain critic after the release of the 12th volume.

    However, I know it was buried at the time due to the issue of half-bloods, but it seems Cecily managed to find it somehow. Perhaps if Lily¡¯s past was revealed, those words will regain attention.

    It may be seen as philosophical in a positive light, or cringe-worthy in a negative light, but given the times, it will certainly leave a strong impression on people.

    ¡°In reality, demons only transform into devils when they have lost their beloved lover or experienced despairparable to that.¡±

    ¡°¡­ So, Cecily, you too?¡±

    ¡°If Isaac passes ording to nature, it doesn¡¯t matter. However, if an unexpected situation arises¡­ I am also prepared to be a devil, Mother.¡±

    ¡°I guess it¡¯s your choice, but¡­ I¡¯m still worried. Should we assign a guard to Isaac just in case?¡±

    My mother looked at me with a concerned gaze. We may not need a guard right now, but once I reveal that I am Xenon, wouldn¡¯t it be appropriate to have one or two people apanying me?

    Siriss is already a messenger and Arwen¡¯s bodyguard, so it would be difficult for her, and the only possibility is to have Gartz assigned from Helium. However, other countries might also intervene.

    Since I am a citizen of the Minerva Empire, there is a high possibility that they would assign a guard from the Minerva Empire. Although the Ters Kingdom may try to keep tabs on me and assign a guard, the Empire will likely prevent it.

    <i>¡®Oh, right. Xavier.¡¯</i>

    Come to think of it, they said they put a cardinal on the pilgrimage path to find me. They¡¯re causing amotion, iming they will favor me as a saint, so they would obviously interfere as well.

    Once I reveal my true identity, the world will be in chaos. Thanks to Luminous trolling, I have no choice but to hide my identitypletely.

    ¡°A guard¡­ For now, Helium will assign a guard until Isaac reveals his identity. Gartz Bk, as you know, Mother.¡±

    ¡°The knight with the horns. Does he also know that Isaac is Xenon?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he knows. He¡¯s a trustworthy individual, of few words and strong self-restraint.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a relief. So when do you n to go to Helium?¡±

    I answered that question instead of Cecily.

    ¡°We have set it for three days from today. I still need to finish organizing Volume 14. Cecily also decided toe back by then.¡±

    ¡°I see. So, how many days are you nning to stay in Helium?¡±

    ¡°Maybe¡­¡±

    ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll spend the entire vacation in Helium. I got permission from Marie as well.¡±

    Before I could even say a word, Cecily interjected briskly. I was taken aback because it was a part that was not included in the n at all. While it was true that Marie had given her permission, spending the whole vacation in Helium was not part of the original n.

    ¡°Oh my. Then¡­ Could it be?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve already made up my mind. Isaac has too.¡±

    ¡°Hehe. Isaac?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes?¡±

    Why did I feel so nervous at my mother¡¯s call? As I nervously responded, my mother gently stroked her belly and spoke.

    ¡°Take care of yourself and don¡¯t forget to bring your medication. Understood?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Our son is quite popr. I¡¯m worried that he might attract more girls.¡±

    After my mother said those words, exactly two dayster.

    ¡°Say hello. This is Adelia, who will receive training from me starting today.¡±

    ¡°Oh, hello? Long time no see.¡±

    ¡°¡­Adelia-noona?¡±

    Adelia visited our mansion. She was dressed in a neat ck suit, not in casual clothes like usual but in a clean ck suit like Nicole¡¯s.

    While I was staring nkly at Adelia, my father spoke in his characteristic solemn voice.

    ¡°Nicole asked me to teach this child. It would be fine to use her as a guard when you inherit the estate in the future.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯ll do my best.¡±

    I shook hands with Adelia with a dumbfounded expression. Then I noticed that her face had slightly reddened.

    Not only did she grip my hand tightly, but she also subtly caressed it as if she didn¡¯t want to let go.

    ¡°Our son is quite popr. Don¡¯t you think so too, Lily?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Mother smiled mysteriously and gently stroked Lily¡¯s sleeping belly.

    Trantors note:

    I think Isaac only has one brother Dave, but the author sometimes forgets his name and calles him Bryce¡­ Like wtf it¡¯s so confusing¡­

 Chapter 159: Winter Break (3)

    I didn¡¯t expect Adelia toe to our mansion, let alone to be our escort knight. Nicole mentioned that they would reunite soon, but who would have thought it would be under these circumstances?

    Having someone as a knight in our family¡¯s escort wasn¡¯t a problem. Dave and Nicole have joined the military, and naturally, I will be the next head of the family. I was aware of this and I am preparing for it whenever necessary.

    Ideally, I would like to travel the world before Father retires from his position as the head of the family, but you never know what life has in store.

    Moreover, it is considered essential for each noble family to have knights in their service. Our household has only recently been elevated frommoners to nobility, and our territory has not developed yet properly, so we only had guards instead of escort knights.

    It was uncertain to receive personnel from the pce because it might appear as favoritism towards my father if other nobles were to see it, so that idea was abandoned.

    Frankly, the likelihood of problems arising in the pce and Father being called there was much higher than problems urring in our household. After all, my father is that influential.

    So, with the territory gradually developing, it doesn¡¯t matter that Father has brought a knight in the first ce. In fact, with my younger sister now in the picture, the need for an escort has increased even more.

    However, the problem lies in the fact that Adelia is the one who became the knight. Who was Adelia?

    She is not only a hidden member of the royal family of Ters, but also an extraordinary talent who haspleted everything from the military academy to the position of a martial arts instructor. With her capabilities, she could aim not only to be a knight in our family, but even to join the Royal Guard.

    Such a talent being assigned as a knight to a rural territory that was just beginning to develop externally is questionable, to say the least.

    I couldn¡¯t help but have doubts.

    ¡°Adelia.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes! Madam.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be too nervous. Haven¡¯t you seen each other at the exhibition? Feel free to call me ¡®Mother¡¯.¡±

    ¡°W-wouldn¡¯t it be appropriate for me, who will be a knight, to use such a casual title?¡±

    In a room prepared for guests to stay, not a reception room, Adelia was sitting across from her, and pped her hands in great astonishment at her mother¡¯s suggestion.

    Her face showed a truly surprised expression, and her eyes widened as she fidgeted. It was a sight I had never seen before.

    Meanwhile, my father sitting next to mother asked her a question in his characteristic solemn voice.

    ¡°I heard from Nicole. You performed the assistant duties together at the Halo Academy, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes!¡±

    Adelia answered with a tense posture. I could clearly see her reactions one by one, sitting right next to her.

    First, her hands on her thighs clenched and rxed repeatedly. Her legs were also trembling, clearly showing signs of nervousness.

    Even Cecily, who was with us yesterday, didn¡¯t show such a reaction. I wanted to hold her hand to calm her down, but it was difficult to do so given the atmosphere.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be too nervous. We¡¯ll only feel awkward if you do.¡±

    ¡°Ah! I-I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±

    ¡°No need to apologize. Anyway, why would someone like you, with your skills,e to a rural domain like ours?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s peaceful here. And even though it¡¯s a rural domain, it¡¯s slowly developing. I heard that it will grow into a cultural city in about five years.¡±

    ¡°Well, that may be true, but wouldn¡¯t it be okay to go elsewhere and gain experience during those five years?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    The interview continued just like a normal interview. It seemed like Adelia was at a loss for words due to my father¡¯s consecutive questions, and her lips trembled. If it continues like this, father might suspect something, but fortunately, mother intervened appropriately.

    ¡°While that¡¯s true, you could also receive training under him. How amazing that would be, right?¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    Father coughed, perhaps feeling embarrassed by mother¡¯s praise. Thanks to her, Adelia let out a faint sigh of relief.

    However, crises have a way of striking all at once. Father didn¡¯t stop asking questions.

    ¡°Well, since there was Nicole¡¯s rmendation, I won¡¯t ask any more questions. But there¡¯s one thing I want to ask.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes! Please ask.¡±

    ¡°Are you really suitable for themoner role? There are many suspicious aspects, such as the subtle mannerisms and dining etiquette. It¡¯s hard to believe you¡¯re amoner.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    As soon as he asked that question, Adelia was taken aback. Habits, by their nature, were deeply ingrained and difficult to change. Until her admission to the Academy, Adelia had lived in the Ters Kingdom, where she would have received education in the basic etiquette and manners of a royal.

    Even if she was a bastard, she should at least know the basics to avoid unnecessary criticism. It should be seen as her struggling to endure, even if only a little.

    And the asional habits that appeared intermittently were enough to make the observer suspicious. Above all, her exceptionally beautiful appearance, which was far too lovely to be amoner¡¯s, upied thergest portion.

    ¡°If it¡¯s difficult to speak, you don¡¯t have to say anything. Everyone has their circumstances. First, just let me know if you¡¯re amoner or of noble birth.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Adelia hesitated for a long time after hearing father¡¯s question. Her two hands clenched tightly on her thighs, and her head bowed down.

    Not only could she not see the faces of my parents across from her, but I also couldn¡¯t examine her face. Her shoulder-length chestnut hair covered her face like a curtain.

    Just as the time of deliberation was about to lengthen, father was the first to put an end to the situation.

    ¡°Enough. You don¡¯t have to speak if you don¡¯t want to.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­! Th-That is¡­¡±

    Before Adelia could even speak, father spoke first.

    ¡°Originally, a person with an uncertain past is not suitable as a bodyguard.¡±

    At his words, Adelia¡¯splexion turned paler than pale.

    ¡°However, Nicole earnestly requested it, so let it go. ording to Nicole, even though you may be mischievous, you can be trusted.¡±

    ¡°T-Then¡­¡±

    ¡°Wee to Baron Michelle¡¯s estate, Sir Cross. Take good care of our Isaac from now on.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­!¡±

    When Father called her ¡°Sir Cross¡± instead of her name, Adelia¡¯s expression brightened like the sun. She always wondered why, but Adelia truly looked best with a bright face.

    ¡°Thank you! I will work hard!¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to overdo it. By the way, Isaac, you were appointed as a rmended student, so you¡¯ll be treated as a third-year student starting from your second year, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Father.¡±

    ¡°Do you also need Sir Cross as your escort then? I don¡¯t know much about the literature department.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    As I was pondering Father¡¯s question, I suddenly felt a sharp gaze from beside me. When I shifted my gaze, Adelia was directly staring at my face. However, as soon as our eyes met, she quickly turned her head.

    Momentarily puzzled by her suspicious reaction, I immersed myself in thoughts about the uing studies since the winter vacation.

    <i>¡®Originally, starting from the third year, it¡¯s practically like being a graduate student¡­¡¯</i>

    Unlike other majors, literature has around 50 students per year, and as soon as they be third-year students, they all scatter. It¡¯s like having about 3 to 4 students per specialization.

    It could be considered more like private tutoring. Just like there are multiple professors in the history department, including Elena, the same goes for other departments.

    In the third year, you firmly decide your career path and go to each professor to acquire the knowledge you desired. Even if you haven¡¯t decided on a career path, it doesn¡¯t matter. As Professor Birus said during orientation, acquiring knowledge alone was enough.

    Originally, the Halo Academy was an educational institution that nobles were obligated to attend, even ifmoners were unaware of it. Many nobles who are expected to inherit their family titles often just obtain their graduation certificates and leave. Therefore, as a history major, I can say that I don¡¯t necessarily need a bodyguard knight¡­

    <i>¡®I said I would be going to various ces to research, right?¡¯</i>

    Professor Elena was different from other professors. She could be called entric. If she¡¯s interested in something, she first looks for books or goes to the Sanctuary of Alvenheim.

    If that doesn¡¯t work, she keeps searching until she finds relevant documents, going here and there. As an elf, she can teleport and explore every nook and cranny, but as an ordinary human, it would be a challenging task. Sometimes, when I see Cindy disappear silently for investigation purposes, I can tell how harshly she manages her subordinates.

    Moreover, I have already been appointed as her rmended student. Since I have been marked as a graduate student, it¡¯s equivalent to dering that she will push me hard. She will probably cover all the expenses, but I will still need means to protect myself.

    ¡°It probably won¡¯t be necessary¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    Adelia¡¯s expression looked as if it would crumble if I said I didn¡¯t need it.

    ¡°But it¡¯s better to have it than not. We might need it in unforeseen circumstances.¡±

    However, as soon as I mentioned that having it is better than not, her face brightened as if light had emerged. Honestly, she doesn¡¯t seem to hide her true feelings at all.

    After hearing my response, my father nodded solemnly and spoke to Adelia.

    ¡°Then, Sir Cross, you can train with me during the vacation, and when Isaac and Cecily return to the academy, you can go with them as an escort knight. Is there a residence for escort knights at the academy?¡±

    ¡°Yes, there is. Once you register, it¡¯s free as well.¡±

    ¡°Great. Let¡¯s do that for now. I¡¯ll go first because of work. These days, documents are piling up like a mountain every day.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been through a lot.¡±

    ¡°I hope you can take over the job as soon as possible, but¡­ I guess I¡¯ll have to endure until you graduate from the academy.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    My father dered that he would delegate all the work to me after graduation. Well, my father is not a bureaucrat, but he¡¯s close to being one, so paperwork would be overwhelming.

    Of course, since he once held the position of a knightmander, his ability to handle tasks was excellent, but wouldn¡¯t it be morefortable to move around rather than being stuck with paperwork?

    While I was just smiling bitterly, my father met Adelia¡¯s eyes once and then left the room. As a result, only Adelia, my mother, and I were left in the room.

    As soon as my father left, Adelia seemed relieved from the pressure that was weighing on her shoulders, and she let out a deep sigh. Seeing her in that state, which was so pitiful, I lightly tapped her back and made a joke.

    ¡°I¡¯m counting on you, sis. Oh, should I call you Sir Cross now?¡±

    ¡°Oh, um¡­ I understand. My lord¡­¡±

    ¡°Ouch¡­¡±

    Being called ¡°my lord¡± by my sister¡¯s friend made me cringe. Adelia seemed to feel the same way as her expression became awkward, and her hands under the table curled up like squids.

    My mother, observing our reactions, chuckled as if finding it cute.

    ¡°If it¡¯s hard for you, when you¡¯re alone, just call him as usual, okay? And when there are other people around, call him ¡®Young master¡¯ if you prefer that. Otherwise it¡¯s fine to call Isaacfortably as usual.¡±

    ¡°Is it okay to call her Adelia noona regardless of who is present?¡±

    ¡°Of course. It¡¯s easier to give instructions that way. Is Adelia also okay?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine with it.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Then, mother began to teach her the things to be careful about when staying in the mansion. Adelia also listened attentively to mother¡¯s words with a serious attitude. First of all, you don¡¯t need to guard me when inside the mansion. Especially, refrain from visiting my private bedroom as much as possible and always seek my permission if you have any matters.

    Mother told her that it¡¯s good to engage in personal training or receive guidance from my father while in the mansion. Adelia nodded her head without saying much in response to the basic matters.

    ¡°But what about you, madam? Don¡¯t you need a guard? You¡¯re not alone¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The most reliable lion in the world protects me. What¡¯s there to be scared of?¡±

    In response to Adelia¡¯s question, mother gently answered while stroking her growing belly, speaking kindly. Adelia looked at her with an envious gaze, at her love filled with trust towards father. Then, she turned her head slightly and looked at me, speaking with her characteristic refreshing smile.

    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure you can think like that too. You can look forward to it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m already thinking like that, though.¡±

    ¡°Huh¡­?¡±

    I returned the joke with a joke. Was my unexpectedeback surprising?

    Adelia¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment, and her ears turned bright red. It seemed that her cheeks didn¡¯t flush, only her ears turned red. She clenched her lips, squirmed, and eventually burst into a chuckle.

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re quite¡­ good with words. Anyway, You count on me.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll count you.¡±

    After expressing our trust in each other, we shook hands. Adelia¡¯s hand, calloused and hardened from years of training, felt rough but reliable.

    As we shook hands, Adelia burst into a pleasedughter, and I greeted her with a warm smile. She was an unexpected escort knight, but I could trust Adelia.

    ¡°Now that we¡¯ve exchanged greetings, can Isaac step aside for a moment? There¡¯s something I want to talk to Adelia about.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Oh, yes. I understand.¡±

    ¡°We should start preparing to head to Helium soon. You understand, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Helium? Suddenly, Helium¡­¡±

    Come to think of it, Adelia was unaware that I would be going to Helium soon. Just as Adelia was about to ask me a question¡­

    ¡°Adelia.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    But it fell through as my mother called her. I watched for a while, and then I carefully got out of the room.

    <i>¡®By the way, Adelia-noona¡­¡¯</i>

    With aplicated mind in many ways.

    ******

    Isaac went outside, leaving only Isaac¡¯s mother, Anna, and the escort knight, Adelia, inside the room. Adelia expressed her curiosity when Anna called her but she remained silent for a while. However, as Isaac left and silence settled in, she couldn¡¯t help but feel tense.

    Anna was holding a teacup somewhat casually, but each of her actions carried a strange sense of pressure. If Hawk had exerted pressure as an interviewer just moments ago, Anna approached the situation differently now.

    It was as if she could see through everything, piercing through her inner thoughts. Adelia found herself unconsciously licking her dry lips, waiting for Anna¡¯s words to drop.

    nk

    Finally, Anna, who had taken a sip of tea, put the teacup down. The sound of cing the teacup echoed in the quiet room.

    Anna, as if savoring the tea, smiled softly and slowly raised her head, locking eyes with Adelia. Violet irises met clear sky-blue ones.

    In the midst of Adelia¡¯s intense tension, Anna spoke in a solemn voice.

    ¡°Adelia.¡±

    ¡°Yes, mydy.¡±

    ¡°Do you also like our Isaac?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Isaac¡¯s mother, Anna, set aside the trivial matters and got straight to the point. As soon as she heard her question, Adelia felt her heart drop heavily. Anna got a confirmation looking at Adelia¡¯s pale face, and nodded slowly before continuing to speak.

    ¡°I had my suspicions. Perhaps he has also noticed. There¡¯s no reason for a talent like you toe into our family, and it¡¯s strange that he doesn¡¯t realize it when you make it so obvious.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Just let me ask one thing. I hope you can answer honestly.¡±

    Anna paused for a moment, exerting strength in her violet eyes, and asked Adelia.

    ¡°For what reason?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°You probably know this already, but Isaac already has a betrothed. Marie Hausen Requilis, the only daughter of the Requilis family, the sole duke¡¯s family in the Minerva Empire. They have already had several affairs, and once he graduates from the Academy, they are to hold a wedding.¡±

    That¡¯s not all. Isaac also has another lover, Cecily. However, the important thing right now is that despite having an official betrothed, Adelia had feelings for him.

    Cecily personally resolved things with Marie, which allowed Anna to move forward without any concerns, but Adelia came in as an escort knight while hiding it.

    It was a matter of great importance that could potentially shatter a harmonious family, so unlike Cecily, Anna couldn¡¯t take it lightly.

    ¡°And as you heard earlier, Princess Cecily of Helium is together with Isaac. Although it hasn¡¯t been officially announced.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes? What¡­ Why Princess Cecily?¡±

    Not only Marie, but even Cecily being Isaac¡¯s lover made Adelia widen her sky-blue eyes in astonishment. While she often saw Marie flirting around, she had no idea about Cecily.

    However, it seemed somewhat unlikely tobel their rtionship as just ordinary friendship. asionally, they would link arms or engage in intense disys of affection. Adelia felt her heart tighten as a sense of unease washed over her, but she managed to suppress it. In the midst of that, Anna spoke in a calm voice.

    ¡°There are reasons. Depending on the circumstances, I may or may not tell you. It could go either way.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Adelia Cross, why did you develop feelings for Isaac? We have noticed that you¡¯re not an ordinarymoner, but of noble birth. So, it¡¯s natural to have suspicions. There¡¯s a possibility that you approached our Isaac with ill intentions, right? Be honest with me.¡±

    Even after Anna finished speaking, Adelia kept her tightly closed lips for a long time. As if to prove that she was contemting, her hands beneath the table clenched and unfolded repeatedly.

    As a result, sweat began to bead profusely, and the thighs became damp with perspiration. To make matters worse, cold sweat trickled down her cheeks, forming droplets on her chin.

    However, Anna patiently waited nheless. Pressuring her would be meaningless, as this was a problem that Adelia had to muster the courage to resolve.

    How much time has passed since then? Adelia tightly clenched the hand she had hidden under the table and slowly raised her head. Her clear sky-blue eyes trembled as if an earthquake had urred, and her lips trembled as well.

    ¡°¡­Madam Anna.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Adelia.¡±

    ¡°I am an illegitimate child.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°Of the Tersian royal family.¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    As the conversation continued, it was now Anna¡¯s turn to be surprised. She had vaguely guessed that Adelia was an illegitimate child of nobility, but she couldn¡¯t have imagined that she was of foreign royalty, let alone of royal blood.

    In addition to that, there was another reason why Anna was surprised.

    ¡°An illegitimate child of the Tersian royalty? But the king of Ters¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes. He is famous for being a romanticist who loved only one woman on the surface. It¡¯s also famous that he had four children despite not having any concubines. But it seems he couldn¡¯t resist his desires in the past.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°My father¡­ had a rtionship with my mother, who was a prostitute, and I was born. These sky-blue eyes are proof that I am my father¡¯s child.¡±

    Anna stared directly into Adelia¡¯s sky-blue eyes.

    Sky-blue hair, like Hawk¡¯s red hair, was rare in this world. Thanks to it, it was referred to as a characteristic of the Tersian royal family in the world.

    That is also true of the iris. However, the iris was not as noticeable as hair, so she didn¡¯t realize it.

    ¡°I tried my best to be recognized as a member. But all I received in return were insults and terrible discrimination. Even my siblings I coincidentally met at the exhibition treated me as a stranger.¡±

    ¡°That¡­¡±

    ¡°I was so¡­ sad. It felt like my heart was being torn apart. I hated this world that didn¡¯t give me an ounce of consideration, alongside those who didn¡¯t give me any recognition despite my efforts¡­¡±

    Just thinking about it made me feel suffocated and my heart couldn¡¯t calm down. My lips and voice trembled, and I wanted to burst out the emotions inside me right away.

    However, what followed afterwardsforted Adelia¡¯s wounds.

    ¡°And while I was crying alone, Isaac came to find me. Actually, Isaac was there at that time too.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Mother probably knows, but illegitimate children¡­ are not treated well by nobles. But Isaac handed me a handkerchief and said this. Not to cry. That Adelia is the most beautiful when she confidently smiles. Even though he couldn¡¯t help, he said he would stay by my side. It was really¡­ heartwarming.¡±

    Heartwarming. It was the first warmth she received after her mother and Nicole, a rare time when a person had shown her their affection.

    Mother gave her parental love, Nicole gave her friendship, and Isaac gave her love as an individual.

    Despite being exposed as an illegitimate child, he handed her a handkerchief andforted her as if everything was okay. Like a sudden downpour that soothes a parched heart, Isaac¡¯s warm words conveyed hope to Adelia.

    ¡°So I thought. Instead of going back to that hellish ce, it¡¯s much better to be by Isaac¡¯s side, who gives me warmth and affection. Besides, I¡¯ll probably have Nicole with me. It wouldn¡¯t be bad to be a knight of the Michelle family¡¯s escort instead of being in the royal family.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s my honest answer. There¡¯s no other way to exin it. If it¡¯s not possible, I¡¯ll go back.¡±

    Adelia confided in Anna with a desperate expression. There was nothing left to hide.

    Being by Isaac¡¯s side would be enough to make her happy, but if she had to give up that happiness, there would be no reason to live. She would just wander around and eventually die like a stray dog. Alternatively, she could return to the Ters Kingdom and live as a doll.

    The warm ¡°affection¡± she felt from Isaac was nothing short of an irresistible drug to Adelia. If she had to give up that drug, she thought it would be better to end her life.

    While Adelia sat quietly, like a convict waiting for her sentence, Anna spoke softly.

    ¡°I¡¯m d.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°That you don¡¯t have impure intentions.¡±

    As soon as she heard Anna¡¯s words, Adelia lifted her head that had been lowered. Anna looked at her with a kind and gentle smile.

    As Adelia looked perplexed, Anna nced at her and thought to herself.

    If Adelia had any malicious intentions, that is, if she knew that Isaac was Xenon, it would have been only right to kick her out. It may be her prejudice, but illegitimate children tend to cause a lot of trouble because of their birth.

    However, Adelia was focused on Isaac himself and loved him, just like Marie¡¯s case.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t have any words that I can appropriately offer you right now. This is your personal matter, not mine, so it¡¯s a problem that you have to resolve among yourselves.¡±

    ¡°Well, then¡­¡±

    ¡°Congrattions on bing a knight in our family¡¯s guard, Adelia.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­! Thank you! Really¡­thank you¡­so much¡­¡±

    Whether it was due to the overwhelming emotions or not, Adelia began to sob instead of expressing her gratitude. Anna, who had anticipated this, gestured for her toe closer.

    Initially hesitant, Adelia nodded as if reassured by Anna and slowly approached her. Then, Anna gently embraced Adelia and softly stroked her back.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s okay. Our family isn¡¯t made up of harsh people like those you might have encountered.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­alright¡­yes¡­¡±

    ¡°And there¡¯s one more thing I¡¯ll tell you. It¡¯s also the reason why you must protect Isaac.¡±

    Anna slowly let go of Adelia and faced her directly. Adelia, with tears still there, looked at Anna with a puzzled expression.

    Anna followed, wearing her characteristic gentle smile, and gave Adelia some advice.

    ¡°One day, there wille a time when you have to make a decision. I don¡¯t know when that will be, but even then, can you promise to protect Isaac?¡±

    ¡°I promise. No matter what happens.¡±

    Did Adelia¡¯s determination please her?

    ¡°Good. If your feelings don¡¯t change even then, I¡¯ll make sure to let Isaac and Marie know. Will you ept that too?¡±

    ¡°T-That won¡¯t be necessary! I¡­!¡±

    ¡°But you still have desires, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Adelia¡¯s lips tightly sealed, as if pricked at the core. Her ears also turned red, as if revealing her inner thoughts made her embarrassed. Anna found Adelia¡¯s reaction adorable and gently covered her face with a faint smile.

    ¡°You can¡¯t hide your desires just by saying you¡¯ll hide them, Adelia.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you also deserve to live the life you want, at least once?¡±

    And Adelia¡­

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    She reluctantly agreed. Anna found Adelia¡¯spliance endearing and softly stroked her head.

    <i>¡®I hope she doesn¡¯t be more attached here. Just in case, I should be prepared.¡¯ </i>

    With those thoughts in her mind.

    Trantors note:

    One more chapter today

 Chapter 160: Winter Break (4)

    ¡°Hello! Our cutie! Good morning!¡±

    ¡°Hello, Adelia noona. It¡¯s a good morning.¡±

    After a day passed, Adelia began her activities as the escort knight of our family. Since it wasn¡¯t an official situation, we continued to speak informally as usual.

    I quickly nced at Adelia¡¯s simple attire, consisting of a shirt and leather pants, and then shifted my gaze towards her face. I wasn¡¯t sure what conversation she had with my mother, but her expression had be much brighter than before.

    Feeling slightly relieved by her appearance, I asked about her well-being.

    ¡°Did you sleep wellst night? Was the bedfortable?¡±

    ¡°Oh, it was really good! I fell asleep as soon as Iid down.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. So now you¡¯ll be receiving training from Father, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. As an escort knight, I need to be sensitive to my surroundings, so I¡¯ll be focusing on that aspect. It shouldn¡¯t be too difficult.¡±

    Watching Adelia¡¯s self-assured demeanor, I recalled Father¡¯s training methods. Not only me and my siblings, but asionally even the young men of the estate had received training under Father.

    And there was onemonality. Every time we received training, the sound of agony always resonated throughout the mansion. I also begged Father to spare me initially, but he didn¡¯t pay any heed and continued with the training.

    Well, at that time, unlike Dave and Nicole, I had a weak body, so my father quickly discontinued it. In fact, I know that he was shocked by the fact that I copsed once and suffered for several days.

    <i>¡®But still, Adeliapleted all the assistant duties, so it should be fine.¡¯</i>

    To be honest, someone like Adelia probably had a high chance of easily passing the Navy Knights entrance test. I found out by observing the sparring matches held every weekend, but Nicole and Adelia had incredible stamina.

    Even though they sparred with non-stop training students from morning until dinner, they were perfectly fine, just sweating. Although there were asional breaks, their stamina remained unchanging, like steel.

    ¡°Alright. So, during the vacation, the daily routine is to receive training from Father, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, but¡­ When did you say you¡¯re going to Helium?¡±

    ¡°Probably after lunch tomorrow, Mr. Gartz will personallye to pick us up. Have you seen Mr. Gartz, too, Noona?¡±

    ¡°The demon with horns shaped like a sheep, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    After hearing my response, Adelia pondered for a moment and then spoke with a slightly hesitant voice.

    ¡°Um¡­ Why are you going there? Just a simple visit?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    How would I exin that I¡¯m going to see Cecily¡¯s parents and spend the first night with her? For now, it¡¯s better to smoothly pass over it.

    However, I needed a more definite excuse. It was a moment when I was about to add an exnation after my response.

    ¡°Are you going on a date or something?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Well, actually, I heard from the Baroness yesterday. You¡¯re dating the Demon Princess, right? It¡¯s not official, though.¡±

    Adelia spoke to me with her characteristic bright smile. Momentarily taken aback, I could only respond with a bewildered voice upon hearing that my mother had informed her.

    ¡°¡­My mother told you?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Just in case I misunderstood, she told me. You¡¯re engaged to that white-haired noblewoman, not the Demon Princess, right? I should¡¯ve realized it earlier.¡±

    Adelia confidently spoke, cing her hand on her waist. I silently observed her face, adorned with a cheerful smile.

    I couldn¡¯t tell if she genuinely didn¡¯t care or if she was suppressing her feelings with patience. There was no reaction whatsoever, only her distinctively self-assured smile.

    <i>¡®¡­Is it really okay?¡¯</i>

    Adelia¡¯s behavior towards me had always been confusing in various ways, but it was yesterday when I became certain as she came to be my escort knight.

    Adelia, she has a romantic crush on me. The human heart isn¡¯t something that can be hidden by pretending. After realizing it, those aspects came to me more strongly.

    So, I thought there would be some reaction when she found out about the romantic rtionship between Cecily and me, but there was none at all. What on earth did she discuss with my mother yesterday?

    <i>¡®I guess I can¡¯t ask right now.¡¯</i>

    Asking without reason could make things awkward. Moreover, Adelia was starving for ¡°affection¡± due to her miserable home environment. Even if it¡¯s not me, she can continue a happy life by meeting a warm-hearted man. Not someone like me withplicated rtionships with women.

    Above all, I must eventually reveal that I am Xenon. The scope of the investigation was narrowing, and it won¡¯t be long before my true identity is revealed by the Holy Kingdom Xavier.

    If that happens, there is a high possibility that Adelia will be used by the Kingdom of Ters as well. I can almost guarantee that it will happen.

    ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m not sure if I should be relieved¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry. Even though it may seem like that, my lips are heavy.¡±

    ¡°Is it really okay?¡±

    It was a somewhat ambiguous question. Adelia might have noticed that, she flinched at first and then answered forcefully.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If it¡¯s true, let me go to Helium with you. I¡¯m your knight, so this much is fine, right?¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure about that. I¡¯ll ask Mr. Gartz tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Alright. I hope a positive answeres back. I¡¯ll be going now.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Take care. Don¡¯t push yourself and get hurt unnecessarily.¡±

    ¡°Sure. Sure. Don¡¯t worry, noona, I¡¯m tough.¡±

    Before Adelia left, she lightly pinched my cheek and took a step. Her actions seemed like those of an adorable older sister, but for some reason, there was a sense of nostalgia.

    It seemed like she was drawing a line, saying that she will onlye this far. She cannot turn back the moment she crosses the line she has drawn himself. Only going forward, without crossing it.

    Will Adelia also reach a day where she moves on? But before she can go straight, she must resolve the conflict with the Kingdom of Ters.

    I watched Adelia walking away in the distance and then turned my back.

    First, I need to go back to my bedroom and finish the remaining manuscript.

    <i>¡®My mother told me not to reveal to her that I am Xenon.¡¯</i>

    My mother said that a person¡¯s true nature is revealed in decisive moments, and she told me not to reveal the information that I am Xenon.

    I don¡¯t know when it will be, but someday when I reveal that I am Xenon, I will observe Adelia¡¯s reaction. As I mentioned earlier, if Ters Kingdom recognizes Adelia as royalty, there is a high possibility that they will offer her for a strategic marriage.

    What decision will Adelia make then? I hope she makes a wise judgment. That way, our rtionship won¡¯t be jeopardized.

    After organizing the manuscript in my bedroom, I headed to my father¡¯s office where he was working. Adelia¡¯s training will beginter, so he must be busy with his work right now.

    Knock- knock-

    ¡°It¡¯s me, Father.¡±

    ¡°Come in.¡±

    When I knocked on the office door, my father¡¯s deep voice flowed out from the other side. As I received permission, I slowly opened the door and entered the office.

    As I stepped inside, I noticed my father sitting at the desk, surrounded by stacks of documents piled up like a mountain. Due to the rapid development of our territory, the paperwork has been increasing day by day.

    My father even had sses on, as if his eyes were tired. The thought of eventually being responsible for all those documents makes me feel overwhelmed.

    <i>¡®Can¡¯t I just pass on the family duty to my older brother?¡¯</i>

    Usually, the eldest son takes over the family duty, but there are exceptions. One of them is joining the military. Once someone enters the military, they tend to stay there for a long time unless there are special reasons. Of course, if Dave changes his mind and decides to return to the family, the family duty should be transferred to him.

    However, Dave doesn¡¯t seem to have any intention of bing the head of the family. Even if he were to suffer a major injury, he would choose a job that requires physical movement. Dave takes after our father and is ill suited for administrative work.

    ¡°Alright. What brings you here?¡±

    Father temporarily set aside the pen he was yfully twirling and asked me. In response, I showed him the package containing the manuscript and replied.

    ¡°I¡¯m sending out the 14th volume of manuscripts.¡±

    ¡°Have you finished writing all of them already? Your writing speed has gotten fastertely.¡±

    ¡°I was appointed as a rmended student, so I have plenty of time now.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s impressive. So, all the stories are already in your head, huh?¡±

    My father looked at me with an expression of fascination as he received the manuscript. It was one of the phrases I often heard in my past life. When my friends found out that I was writing fantasy novels, they reacted with the same fascination as my father.

    I often received questions like how I could remember all the details or whether I could write down everything. Many people enjoy reading novels, but it¡¯s rare to find someone who actually writes them. Because of that, I received a lot of questions of that nature.

    ¡°Well, I just roughly outline the plot and write it. Thanks to the gift from Duke Requilis, the progress has been much faster.¡±

    ¡°You mean the Remover? It does seem like it would be convenient when dealing with tasks.¡±

    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s one of the benefits, and most importantly, it gives me more time.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ I see. I¡¯ll take care of sending this.¡±

    My father ced the package containing the manuscript on the desk. As I was about to leave, my father called me over.

    ¡°Isaac, there¡¯s something I¡¯ve been curious about.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Your handwritten signature.¡±

    My father pointed to my handwritten signature on the package. The signature was written in ¡°Hangul,¡± the Korean alphabet, and it spelled out ¡°Isaac.¡±

    It¡¯s a different world, so it¡¯s natural for the characters to have apletely different system from Hangul. The grammar itself was simr to Korean, so it¡¯s rtively easy to grasp the characters. Moreover, since all the races use the same script, there were nomunication problems. However, long-lived races like elves and demons asionally use old words.

    ¡°Can you tell me what this means? I¡¯ve been curious about it every time I see it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just my name. Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Your name?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    My father stared at the handwritten signature that read ¡°Isaac¡± in Korean and pursed his lips. I patiently waited for him to speak, observing his contemtive expression.

    I don¡¯t have any ns to promote the Koreannguage in this world, and moreover, I believe it wouldn¡¯t have much influence even if I did. If Korean was truly superior, foreigners in my past life would have used it left and right.

    Language, at its core, is a cultural aspect that cannot be ranked. In fact, gradingnguages itself can be seen as a form of superiority and ethnocentrism.

    Sometimes in fantasy media, youe across uniquenguages for each race. Even if Korean were to appear like thenguage in ¡°The Lord of the Rings,¡± it would receive simr treatment.

    ¡°Did you create this script by any chance?¡±

    My father, who had been staring intensely at the handwritten signature, suddenly asked me a question. In my heart, I wanted to respond by saying it was created by King Sejong, or that it was a script developed by a great sage. But if I were to answer that way, I would seem like a mad person.

    I rolled my eyes, contemting how to respond. If I simply said it was a script I had known from the beginning, it would sound odd. However, iming that I had created the script weighed heavily on my conscience.

    But sometimes in life, there are moments when you have topromise your conscience. After much contemtion, I mustered the strength to speak.

    If I were to respond with ¡°I know the characters for no reason,¡± my father might even think of me as a prophet or a regressort. I want to avoid that as much as possible.

    ¡°I just made it because I was bored. It doesn¡¯t have any special meaning.¡±

    ¡°If you say you created a unique script just because you were bored¡­ Doesn¡¯t that mean you created a writing system?¡±

    Oh, damn. Can it really turn out like this?

    I was taken aback by my father¡¯s sharp observation. As the former head of the Navy Knight Order, he had exceptional powers of observation and judgment. However, I had also sharpened my wits more than once in the past. I calmed myself down and spoke in a nonchnt tone.

    ¡°You could say that. As I mentioned earlier, it doesn¡¯t have a significant meaning, though.¡±

    ¡°Can you write down my name for me?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ording to my father¡¯s request, I wrote down his name using the magic pen and notebook that I always carried with me. Soon enough, the name ¡®Hawk Ducker Michelle¡¯ was written in the notebook, and I tore out the page and handed it to my father.

    As soon as my father received the paper, he put on his sses and stared intently. I felt my heart pounding inexplicably due to the tension.

    ¡°It feels like¡­ some kind of shape. Why are there so many lines¡­ Is this really a letter?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Will you put it in the Xenon Chronicles?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯m not sure. There isn¡¯t really a suitable ce to use it.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t a lie, it¡¯s sincere. I don¡¯t feel the need to include Korean in Xenon¡¯s Biography at all, and it doesn¡¯t fit in terms of usibility either. But if I was to include it, I might say that 99% of it was made up to make it easier when using magic.

    Humans would create characters for more essible and efficient magic, in preparation for a full-fledged war against devils.

    The difficulty of magic lies not only inplex calctions but also in the fact that magic itself is not standardized, as it was not developed by humans but passed down from demons. This is because demons, like elves, can use magic effortlessly.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s amusing from my perspective.¡¯</i>

    It would be funny to hear people in this world shouting ¡°Fireball¡± or ¡°Ice Arrow¡± in Korean. While I was silently chuckling to myself, my father nced at his name written on the paper and ced it on the desk. Fortunately, he seemed to let it pass without saying anything.

    ¡°Alright, I understand. Send the manuscript to the publisher soon.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Father.¡±

    ¡°Well, I will be going now.¡±

    Father also seemed to be getting up from his seat, probably to go train Adelia. As he stretched my body, a loud cracking sound reverberated throughout, presumably due to sitting at the desk for so long.

    ¡°Would you like to give training a try while you¡¯re at it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll pass, thank you.¡±

    ¡°Sigh¡­ I see.¡±

    I have to give it my all tomorrow, so is there any need to do something that will drain my energy? My father will only feel disappointed if I firmly refuse, and he won¡¯t insist any further.

    <i>¡®By the way, should I try it?¡¯</i>

    I thought to myself, having such unnecessary thoughts.

    I nned to visit Helium and seek direct advice about using Hangul for magic from Lady Mora. It could have been risky, as it might make magic even more difficult. Being aplete outsider to magic, I might even face criticism.

    And so, a peaceful day of vacation passed.

    ¡°Hello, Mr. Gartz. Long time no see.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Mr. Isaac.¡±

    The next day, Gartz teleported directly to our mansion.

    ¡°By the way, what¡¯s that in your hand?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s eye drops. Do you sometimes experience dry or blurry eyes?¡±

    ¡°How did you know?¡±

    ¡°As Mr. Isaac enjoys reading and even writes novels, I could easily anticipate it. That¡¯s why I brought the eye drops. They were personally made by the pharmacist of Helium Pce, so they are highly effective.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    While bringing me a very useful gift, it was indeed an appropriate present as my vision had been gradually declining recently.

    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m sorry for just receiving it.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. Instead¡­¡±

    ¡°Instead?¡±

    ¡°Cough-¡°

    Gartz coughed awkwardly, then spoke in a timid voice.

    ¡°Regarding¡­ Xenon¡¯s Biography¡­¡±

    ¡°Xenon¡¯s Biography?¡±

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s nothing. Let¡¯s go to Helium first.¡±

    ¡°?¡±

    What did he want to say?

    Trantors note:

    There were 2 chapters today

    Sorry for choppy releasesst 2 weeks, I got an internship and was busy adjusting to a new daily schedule. Unfortunately there will only be 4 chapters per week for some time but it will go back up to 5 at thetest in september.

 Chapter 161: Back to Helium (1)

    Everyone probably knows this, but it¡¯s my second visit to Helium. However,st time I went there to investigate the high-profile theft case and had no time to explore before returning immediately.

    So, if possible, I nned to explore various ces in Helium this time. Cecily said we can visit the pce in the evening, so we just had not to bete.

    The only disappointing thing is that I can¡¯t apany Adelia. I asked Gartz, but he tly refused, saying she wasn¡¯t part of the n.

    Adelia was still considered an outsider, so it¡¯s difficult to take her along. When I told her this fact, she seemed disappointed but cheerfully replied that she had already anticipated it.

    Instead, she told me to take care of myself and enjoy without any worries, as she would be training under my father¡¯s guidance until my return. I felt relieved seeing her send me off with a brave expression.

    Thus, I entered Helium after going through the immigration checkpoint using Gartz¡¯s teleportation. From then on, using Gartz¡¯s teleportation, I arrived at Helium¡¯s capital, Pandeum.

    Apparently Pandeum means ¡°cradle¡± in an ancientnguage. If you look at the origin of the demons, it is a perfectly suitable name for the capital city.

    Pandeum was not only the location of the pce but also where Cecily¡¯s vi, which I visited during the high-profile theft case, was located. Being the capital, it is a ce where peoplee and go as often.

    ¡°It has changed a lot in just a few months, hasn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°There are not only demons, other races have increased significantly.¡±

    I realized that things have changed drastically. First of all, among the pedestrians walking around, one-third of them were not demons but different species.

    Among them, half were humans, but there are also dwarves, beastmen, and surprisingly, a very small number of elves. When we arrived after the exhibition, there were only demons, but now various species mixed together.

    It¡¯s a stark contrast to before the release of Xenon¡¯s Biography, where it was considered a ce where devils lived, that other species wouldn¡¯t even take a step into.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s natural. Thanks to diplomacy, the perception of demons has been improving day by day, and during the exhibition, they also learned about the artistic abilities of demons.¡±

    ¡°Talking about the Matrics Troupe? What are they up to these days?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re doing the same thing as always. They travel around the world and perform magical theatrical ys. By the way, they announced that theatrical performances rted to Xenon¡¯s Biography will only be held during the exhibition.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not necessary to limit it like that.¡±

    ¡°Ipletely agree.¡±

    For some reason, Gartz vigorously nodded his head in agreement. Even I was amazed by the coboration between the Matrics Troupe and the Lirus Orchestra during the exhibition, but being a demon, Gartz seemed rather different.

    Although nothing has been confirmed about when the next exhibition will be held, it seems implicitly agreed that it will take ce once a year. Moreover, since I have already mentioned my birthce as the Michelle Territory, there is a high possibility that it will be held in the same location.

    As I looked around the brighter streets of Pandeum, I suddenly remembered something and asked Gartz.

    ¡°By the way, what about Princess Cecily? Can you tell me when she¡¯ll arrive?¡±

    ¡°Princess Cecily is currently waiting at the pce. I received orders to guard you while you thoroughly explore Helium.¡±

    ¡°Should we go before dinner then? I also need to visit the temple.¡±

    ¡°I will inform the princess in advance.¡±

    Gartz closed his eyes, as if transmitting a message telepathically to Cecily. After a short while, he opened his eyes again and conveyed the words to me.

    ¡°Princess also understands. However, she said that when youe to the pce, she will personallye to pick you up.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. So, until then, I can wander around anywhere, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. If there¡¯s any food you want to eat or items you want to buy, I will cover all the expenses.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not necessary¡­¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t bring any money, did you?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Sharp as ever. I chuckled lightly, and Gartz nodded as if confirming. In the end, I decided to borrow some money.

    Anyway, there was still time until evening. I began to explore Pandeum in earnest. If there¡¯s anything worth referencing for Xenon¡¯s Biography, I intended to note it.

    First and foremost, the pedestrians walking along the streets. As I mentioned before, among the pedestrians, there were not only demons but also various other races. Especially among them, humans were the most abundant.

    Up to this point, it might just seem like ordinary daily life, but what caught my attention was that there are many people who appear to be couples.

    I could see them talking while crossing their arms or disying affectionate gestures. Thebination of demons and other races seemed to have a significant number of lovers.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve heard that the number of couples from different races has increasedpared to before¡­¡¯</i>

    As I mentioned before, with the romance between Jin and Lily being highlighted, the poprity of demons soared. They are not time bombs ready to explode, but a race that suppresses their inner evil and devotes themselves sincerely.

    And when that sincerity turns towards love, it transforms into purity. Consequently, demons have be representatives of purity in people¡¯s perception.

    Furthermore, demons are mostly beautiful like elves, and their individual power is also formidable. So far, they have been perceived as unpopr due to the image of being devils. However, objectively speaking, they were an unusual race.

    <i>¡®Besides, their bodies are also great¡­¡¯</i>

    The men are tall with broad shoulders, and the women¡¯s chests and hips stood out remarkably. These are characteristics that one could observe every time you look at demons. Even Gartz, who appears thin, was slightly taller than me and had broad shoulders.

    Perhaps this is also closely rted to the ck mana that only demons use. Even elves have various body types, but demons all have superior physical builds.

    With curiosity in my eyes, I scanned each demon and couldn¡¯t resist asking Gartz. Although it was a bit embarrassing, I felt that I had to resolve my curiosity to calm my conscience.

    ¡°Gartz, may I ask you a somewhat awkward question?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what it is. What are you curious about?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ Are demons naturally endowed with good figures? Even ordinary people seem to have exceptional bodies¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah, that is deeply connected to our history and way of life.¡±

    ¡°History?¡±

    At first, I was embarrassed, but when I heard that it was rted to history, all those feelings disappeared. Only curiosity remained.

    Gartz seemed to organize his thoughts for a moment, then he looked at me sharply and blinked his eyes before speaking. Of course, I couldn¡¯t confirm if his mouth was opening since it was covered by a mask.

    ¡°Benefactor probably knows as well, but our beginning was very difficult. We helped each other, but the situation was vitale like a time bomb that could explode at any moment. I suppose it¡¯s because we were a generation directly influenced by devils.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°As a result, in the early days when there was nothing, only the strong could survive. The constant anxiety of when someone might turn into a devil, the severe restraint from other races, the harshnd, and the monsters that remained in thestnd we could flee to. All these factors came together, and only those with strong power survived for men, while women survived by inheriting the seeds of such men and giving birth to children. Many people died, but the second generation of demonkind was far greater in number.¡±

    Just like demons, humanity also gave birth to many descendants in ancient agrarian societies. Moreover, this custom can still be seen frequently in rural areas where agriculture takes precedence over cities.

    However, I had one question that arose here. Cecily said that the chances of a demon getting pregnant were extremely low, but ording to Gartz¡¯s exnation, it seemed otherwise.

    I asked him, curiosity filling my question.

    ¡°I heard that the chances of pregnancy for demons are very low, right? Moreover, it¡¯s said to be even more difficult due to the ovepping of evil cycles.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why they were able to give birth to many children. We were mere savages with nothing at that time. Moreover, being the first generation, their bodies were closer to humans, and the evil cycles were also very short. Now, a long time has passed, and the race we now call demons has been born.¡±

    ¡°Well, that makes sense.¡±

    Of course, it was immediately understandable. However, regardless, it seems that the underlying principle itself has been connected through the survival of the fittest.

    While it could be said to be excellent in terms of the genes themselves, the ruthlessness contained within could never be ignored. The exceptional physique of the demons could be considered as scars that have been passed down from the past until now.

    ¡°By surviving like that and as civilization gradually established, now is the time to suppress the inner evil. Have you ever heard from Princess Cecily about how to suppress the inner evil?¡±

    ¡°I heard that self-control is practiced through meditation.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true, but in order to deepen meditation, you must give stimtion or pain to the body. However, it is not appropriate to resort to self-harm, so we had to subject our bodies to intense training.¡±

    ¡°How is it done?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s simple. It¡¯s something simr to stretching.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been consistently doing that too.¡±

    ¡°We are progressing far beyond that. One method is to support the bnce of the body with one leg and stretch the remaining leg straight up to the sky, and there¡¯s also pulling one leg behind the head. There are various other poses as well.¡±

    Isn¡¯t that yoga? Yoga indeed has excellent efficacy in mental cultivation.

    Usually, if you deliberately make your body ufortable and meditate, it¡¯s easy for your concentration to be disrupted due to the pain. However, if you endure the pain and continue meditating, naturally, your mental strength will also be stronger.

    When your mental strength bes stronger, your patience also increases, so it¡¯s natural for demons to develop and progress.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s inevitable for one¡¯s physique to improve.¡¯</i>

    It¡¯s not just empty words, demons have consistently developed yoga literally to ¡°survive.¡± In addition, their gic makeup has been passed down through the ages, continuing the survival of the fittest.

    It might be considered natural for their physique to be exceptionally good. I expressed my admiration for the origin of demons that I newly learned and thanked Gartz.

    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ve learned something new thanks to you.¡±

    ¡°This much is nothing. I¡¯m even more d that it was helpful.¡±

    ¡°Then demons must be highly flexible, right? Since they meditate while doing challenging stretching exercises.¡±

    ¡°Yes. If you wish, I can guide the benefactor. It will be a great help for mana cirction as well.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask Cecilyter if she can help me with that.¡±

    I should include this in Xenon¡¯s Biography. Now it¡¯s about time to shift the spotlight from only to Xenon but also to Jin.

    When the reason for demons¡¯ exceptional mental cultivation, which is yoga, is revealed, I wonder if it will spread worldwide. Or maybe it¡¯s already gradually spreading.

    Afterward, I began walking down the streets under Gartz¡¯ escort. Thanks to this damn red hair, I received some nces from the people around, but I ignored them.

    ¡°By the way, Mr. Gartz, you mentioned that the security in Helium is not good in the evening, right? You said there might be demonsing out because they couldn¡¯t withstand the evil cycle.¡±

    ¡°Recently, an antidote has been invented, so the situation has improved. Even if some demonse out due to the evil cycle, the followers of Mora quickly take them to the temple. Still, it can be risky during certain hours of the night, so it¡¯s best to avoid wandering around.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ Doesn¡¯t Mora¡¯s temple open around 6 o¡¯clock?¡±

    The temple of Luminous in the Minerva Empire opens at 6 a.m. and closes its doors at 6 p.m. Of course, they operate for 24 hours in case of emergency patients, but it means one cannot pray during that time.

    So, I think Mora¡¯s temple might operate from 6 p.m., being the opposite. After all, Mora was the god of darkness, unlike Luminous.

    ¡°No, Mora¡¯s temple is always open, at least in Helium. Perhaps because demons can be devoured by their inner darkness anytime, anywhere. Moreover, they can go without sleep for several days, just like elves.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°Oh, speaking of which, it seems that Mora is looking for a benefactor, isn¡¯t she?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±

    I remember that mischievous goddess calling for me to find her. Unlike the gentle and affectionate Luminous, Mora was rather yful and a bit restless.

    She¡¯s clearly the goddess of darkness but has a much brighter personality than the god of light.

    ¡°How was Helium at that time?¡±

    ¡°It was a bit chaotic, because Mora was there, but we let it pass. Even on regr days, Mora ys mischievous pranks on her followers. Still, we did inform the media about it.¡±

    ¡°What is Mora like on regr days, anyway?¡±

    ¡°Just¡­ Well, yes. Anyway, she is a merciful deity.¡±

    Looking at how Gartz was avoiding answering, it seems like she has quite an extraordinary personality. I thought about postponing my visit to the temple, but I didn¡¯t want Mora to get upset.

    Being known as the Goddess of Darkness and Rest, she shouldn¡¯t cause any harm to me. Although the likelihood of some strange mischief was high.

    <i>¡®But don¡¯t the Dark Elves also worship Mora?¡¯</i>

    As I pondered whether the Dark Elves might be looking for me as well, a certain smell caught my nose. It was a savory aroma that made my mouth water involuntarily.

    When I turned my head, I noticed a street vendor that one couldmonly find on the streets. It could be considered unusual for a street vendor in Helium, but street food exists wherever you go in the world.

    I was drawn to that smell and slowly walked towards it. Judging by the line of people waiting, it seemed quite popr.

    And then¡­

    ¡°¡­Wh, What is this?¡±

    As soon as I discovered the identity of the savory food, I couldn¡¯t help but be astonished. I expected it to be some kind of meaty dish, but it waspletely different.

    Insects. Yes, insects. Not just ordinary insects.

    Would you believe that it¡¯s bigger than a rat but smaller than a rabbit? asionally, while browsing the inte, you mighte across insects that are as big asrge dogs. However, right in front of my eyes, there was such an insect, cooked as if it were a lobster, and someone was selling its meat to people.

    I¡¯m not sure what kind of insect it is, but judging by its hard exoskeleton, it might be a species like a stag beetle or a longhorn beetle. It had a savory smell that was tempting to eat, but its visual appearance was so gruesome that it actually reduced my appetite.

    ¡°Oh, this is a lobkerk. It¡¯s one of the most popr street foods in Helium.¡±

    ¡°¡­You eat this? An insect as big as a rabbit?¡±

    ¡°Why not? If you think about it, even shrimp or lobster in the sea are technically bugs.¡±

    It¡¯s strangely convincing, yet unbelievable.

    ¡°Does it have any historical significance?¡±

    ¡°Of course. In harshnds where there¡¯s nothing to eat, you have to eat whatever you can. Not only insects, but Helium has a variety of dishes. To put it bluntly, if it has legs, you can eat it.¡±

    It¡¯s not like it¡¯s China or anything. I hope they don¡¯t end up eating bats and catching some terrible virus.

    Still, it¡¯s not entirely iprehensible. After the Korean War, when there was hardly anything to eat in South Korea, US soldiers used leftover food and created a dish called ¡°????(Korean grunt porridge(?))¡±. Helium must be simr. And since hygiene was considered more important than in other countries, they probably won¡¯t eat all sorts of grotesque food like in China.

    The insect cuisine before me may look disgusting, but I didn¡¯t feel a sense of dirtiness. On the contrary, the flesh itself had a light pink color and looked delicious.

    ¡°Even though it looks like that, it tastes good. Please try it once. I¡¯ll pay for it.¡±

    ¡°Is it tasty?¡±

    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t tasty, it wouldn¡¯t have be famous in the first ce.¡±

    It¡¯s a bit suspicious, but trying it once wouldn¡¯t hurt. I hesitated for a moment, then stood in line, waiting for my turn.

    They said it would be a different experience, and it was a bonus that I could learn more about the demon race.

    After a while, the long queue quickly moved, and finally, it was my turn. As expected, the shop owner was a demon, and he looked at my red hair and spoke with a cheerful smile.

    ¡°Wee, red-haired gentleman! Which part would you like?¡±

    ¡°Do you have different types for each part?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Just like how some people want legs from crustaceans living in the sea, and some want the internal organs, the same goes for Lobkerks. We have head, torso, and legs.¡±

    ¡°Please give me the torso part.¡±

    My appetite was gradually diminishing. Do I really have to eat this?

    Whether I liked it or not, the shop owner skillfully separated the flesh and exoskeleton from the torso part and handed it to me. As it could be hot, it was wrapped in paper as an extra precaution.

    Honestly, the flesh looked vibrant and had a light pink hue, making it visually appealing. Well, that is if you don¡¯t consider that it came from an insect¡¯s body. While Gartz took care of the payment, I nced at the lobkerk.

    <i>¡®¡­Let¡¯s just think of it as silkworm pupae.¡¯</i>

    Silkworm pupae may look grotesque on the surface, but they have a savory taste. Lobkerk might be simr. With that in mind, I closed my eyes tightly and took a bite.

    ¡°¡­Oh?¡±

    It¡¯s delicious? It¡¯s not a lie, it really was tasty. The rich fragrance circted inside my mouth, and even though I don¡¯t know what spices were used, I could taste the subtle vors.

    I¡¯m not particrly picky about food in general, but even without considering that, it¡¯s definitely a style that suits my taste.

    ¡°It¡¯s delicious, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Right? I shouldn¡¯t judge solely based on appearance.¡±

    ¡°Hahaha. Since you say it¡¯s delicious, I feel proud. Would you like to try the head part as well?¡±

    ¡°Um, that¡¯s a bit¡­¡±

    Still, if it¡¯s not possible, it¡¯s not possible. As I hesitated about Lobkerk, a question suddenly came to mind, and I asked Gartz.

    ¡°Is there anything else besides this?¡±

    ¡°We also have fried options.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Aside from insects, we have dishes made with monsters¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡±

    This is how different cultures can be.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 162: Back to Helium (2)

    The cuisine of Helium was truly diverse. It ranged from insect dishes that emerged from impoverished lives to delicacies that evolved with the advancement of civilization. The traces of poverty were pitifully evident throughout, not only in food but also in the discriminatory cultures.

    Starting from the conclusion of the Devil War 3,000 years ago, the demons, in order to survive, established their own civilization, which led to numerous differences from the foundation.

    First and foremost, people possessed a positive, optimistic, and bright nature. When I asked Gartz about the reason, he said that having negative thoughts would only further immerse them in their inner evil, so they mostly maintain a positive mindset. Consequently, if someone manages to anger a demon, more often than not, it means the other party is at fault.

    Secondly, they rarely get angry. This was roughly expected, as from a young age, they undergo training that demands patience, simr to yoga, resulting in a high level of mental cultivation.

    Lastly, this is a recent change. Originally, demons were extremely cautious when dealing with different species, recognizing themselves as a potential danger that could transform into devils at any time and ce. However, thanks to the emergence of Xenon¡¯s Biography, a sense of pride has developed, and they have be more proactive when dealing with other species.

    Of course, just like how each individual has a unique personality, not all demons were the same. Just as there are people like Gartz who are blunt and try to restrain their emotions as much as possible, demons also have various personalities.

    You can think of it as a kind of stereotype. For example, Koreans are known for eating spicy food well and having a culture of doing things quickly, which may give the impression that they have impatient personalities.

    ¡°Mr. Gartz.¡±

    ¡°Yes, please speak.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t asked until now, but do you have a family, Mr. Gartz?¡±

    I paused my contemtion of Helium and sat on a nearby bench, asking Gartz. Following my request, Gartz sat next to me and blinked his eyes a couple of times upon hearing my question.

    ¡°A family¡­ you say?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m asking about demons, but don¡¯t know anything about the one next to me. So I became curious.¡±

    Thanks to Gartz, I¡¯ve learned a lot about Helium and demon culture, but I know very little about him specifically. I only know that he is a knight personally appointed by Cecily and that he is exceptionally skilled. Beyond that, I know very little.

    Since there is still plenty of time, it didn¡¯t seem like a bad idea to ask some questions before heading to the temple.

    ¡°I have parents and a younger sister.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not married?¡±

    ¡°I have a fianc¨¦e whom I¡¯ve promised my future to.¡±

    ¡°How old are you?¡±

    ¡°I am 132 years old.¡±

    When a demon reaches 100 years old, they are recognized as true adults. It is a testament that they have lived as humans without bing devils until the age of 100. Their physical growth is no different from humans, and socially, they each get their own professions around the age of 25. However, being 100 years old can be considered as a mental milestone of adulthood.

    For this reason, demons can marry after the age of 100. It is because they believe that before taking responsibility for another person, they must thoroughly manage themselves.

    By the way, as the representative of the long-lived races along with elves, the demons appeared much younger than they seemed. Cecil mentioned that she was 105 years old, so she was much older than me.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because I¡¯m human, but you seem quite old. Among demons, you would be considered young, right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a rookie among rookies who have recently be adults. Especially among demons, there is a culture of respect for the older ones, so in reality, I am still young.¡±

    The reason why elder demons are respected is probably because they have not turned into devils over all those long years. Still, a hundred years is unimaginably long.

    I quietly observed the people of Helium wandering the streets. Their faces bloomed with smiles, and children were running around on the streets.

    As I felt before, Helium was bright and lively. It wasn¡¯t a ce where devils live, it was just a ce where people with horns live.

    Was it the same even before the publication of Xenon¡¯s Biography? While I nced at a demon child that was happily walking holding their parents¡¯ hands and asked Gartz.

    ¡°Mr. Gartz.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Was Helium this bright even before Xenon¡¯s Biography came out?¡±

    In response to my calm question, Gartz answered in his characteristic blunt tone.

    ¡°It was bright indeed. But unknowingly, we carried fear with us. No matter how much patience we cultivated or lived positively, the evil within us was a practical threat to the demons.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°But not anymore. Now we have gained the courage to face it head-on instead of avoiding evil. We have gained the confidence that we can do it and took pride in not yielding to our inner evil.¡±

    If the previous Helium had some defense mechanism to avoid threats, now it is genuinely bright. There is a difference between a pure smile and a smile with intention. And the citizens of Helium are now enjoying life with pure smiles.

    ¡°¡­ Huh?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    While feeling a sense of inexplicable pride, just as I raised the corners of my mouth, I suddenly felt a presence beside me. When I turned my head, there was a little girl standing quietly.

    Long curly hair, red eyes, and a tightly clutched pink rabbit doll. She had horns simr to Gartz, but they were much smaller in size.

    She was a littledy who truly deserves the adjective ¡°cute like a doll,¡± and she was staring at me intently. I blinked my eyes and greeted the girl who had silently approached me with a warm smile.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Hair.¡±

    As I greeted her warmly, the girl seemed startled and took a step back. Clutching her rabbit doll tightly, she exuded an irresistible charm.

    Then, as if sensing my curiosity, she pointed at me with her finger and eximed,

    ¡°Red!¡±

    ¡°Red?¡±

    ¡°My mom said that it¡¯s dangerous if ck turns into red! Our hair is ck, but yours is red!¡±

    Is she seeing a human for the first time? Recently, there has been an increase in visits from different species to Helium, but it¡¯s possible that she¡¯s encountering one for the first time.

    It seems she¡¯s under the misconception that all demons have ck hair, and she believes I¡¯m a danger due to my red hair. Perhaps that assumption only applies to horns, and hair color doesn¡¯t matter. With a gentle smile, I momentarily tugged on Gartz, who was trying to move forward, and continued the conversation with the girl.

    ¡°So, it¡¯s because my hair is red?¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡±

    ¡°But hey, I don¡¯t have any horns, you know?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    The girl blinked her eyes when I said I had no horns. Then she stared at my face intently and spoke in a startled voice.

    ¡°Huh? Why don¡¯t you have horns? And your eyes are sparkling colors!¡±

    ¡°Sparkling colors? What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Sparkling colors are sparkling colors. They shimmer and shine, you know.¡±

    Indeed, the innocence of children is iparable. Especially when she called gold color ¡°sparkling colors.¡±

    Unable to hide the smile on my face, I continued the conversation with the girl. Although I didn¡¯t know when her parents woulde, they would likely arrive soon.

    ¡°May I ask for the name of the adorable youngdy?¡±

    ¡°My name is Amy. What¡¯s the name of the hornless brother?¡±

    ¡°You can call me Isaac. And I¡¯m a human, that¡¯s why I don¡¯t have horns.¡±

    ¡°Human?¡±

    ¡°A person like me without horns.¡±

    ¡°Then do humans also have no horns and have bright red heads? And sparkling colored eyes?¡±

    It seemed like the girl was asking such questions because demons all have ck hair and eyes.

    ¡°No, humans can have red hair like mine, or they can have white or sparkling colored hair. Unlike demons, humans have a variety of hair and eye colors.¡±

    ¡°What does ¡®a variety of colors¡¯ mean?¡±

    ¡°It means many different colors. And¡­¡±

    ¡°Amy!¡±

    While conversing with the girl, a desperate cry of a woman entered my ears. As I raised my head, I saw a demon woman who closely resembled the girl rushing towards me.

    As soon as she saw Amy, the woman swiftly embraced her and faced me. Her expression was urgent, resembling her voice.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Did Amy say something disrespectful by any chance?¡±

    ¡°No, she didn¡¯t. I think she was just curious about my hair.¡±

    ¡°Mom, mom, is it okay if the guy¡¯s hair is red?¡±

    ¡°Sigh, Amy¡­ I¡¯m truly sorry. It¡¯s the first time she has spoken to a human¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Thanks to that, it was interesting.¡±

    I wondered if Lily, when she is born, will be as cute and adorable as Amy. The woman apologized again and left with Amy, while Amy waved her hand while being held by her own mother.

    I also waved my hand to Amy, who was getting farther away. It seemed like one of the most memorable moments since I arrived in Helium.

    <i>¡®Should I go to the temple soon?¡¯</i>

    As I wandered around Helium, I noticed that the sky was gradually turning purplish-blue. Unlike the Minerva Empire, where the four seasons were distinct, Helium remained cold or chilly throughout the year.

    Although the environment is harsh for people to live in or cultivate basic crops, demons have built a civilization with their tenacious vitality and excellent magic.

    In many ways, ¡®determination¡¯ was one aspect that humans and demons alike had. Since their origin is human, it may be natural.

    ¡°Shall we go to the temple?¡±

    ¡°Yes, understood.¡±

    ¡°By the way, Mr. Gartz. Looking at that child, I suddenly had a thought. Do demons also go through adolescence?¡±

    ¡°They are usually called ¡®imps.¡¯ It¡¯s a period of emotional instability and a very dangerous stage in their growth, so they are referred to as such.¡±

    ¡°It sounds cute in a way.¡±

    ¡°It sounds unsettling to me.¡±

    Following Gartz¡¯s guidance, we walked to the location of Mora¡¯s temple. As evening approached, the weather suddenly turned chilly, and I could see my breath in the air.

    Fortunately, wearing clothes enchanted with a warming spell, I wasn¡¯t cold. By the way, these clothes were personally gifted by Cecily, but in Helium, they were widely avable. They were expensive due to their attractive design.

    If it were the Minerva Empire, one would have had to pay a hefty price for them, but in Helium, even ordinary civilians could easily use magic, so it was only natural for them to be poprized.

    ¡°A few months ago, Helium started engaging in diplomacy, right? I heard that the diplomatic envoy presented silk woven with magic as a gift.¡±

    ¡°You remember it well. That news spread, and many merchants are now conducting business with Helium.¡±

    ¡°With just this clothing alone, there would be a tremendous demand, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°Yes, indeed. The Minerva Empire has already ced a substantial order for thermal clothing to be used for military purposes.¡±

    It was a phenomenon I frequently witnessed since my previous life, so I could nod my head in agreement starting from the military. Seeing the endless stream of casualties due to chemical warfare, one can understand the importance of protection.

    Perhaps Helium will take a positionparable to the Dwarven Kingdom Makina has for humans. Dwarves provide weapons, while demons would provide basic necessities like medical supplies.

    By the way, Alvenheim primarily trades the main ingredient of elixirs, the dew of the World Tree. And for the country of beastmen, Animers, it was still somewhat ambiguous as to whether their civilization has developed to that extent.

    ¡°If you¡¯ve started trading, were there any useful goods for demons?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure since I value the act of trading itself. As for Alvenheim, although the queen has given permission, there is strong resistance from the Council of Elders, which is causing a headache. We still have a long way to go. Diplomacy isn¡¯t something that can happen overnight.¡±

    ¡°Was there no suggestion to coborate with Makina on creating magical lotives? It would be quite helpful for demons.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that aspect.¡±

    As we engaged in various conversations while walking, we suddenly found themselves at the Temple of Mora. Indeed, being twins with Luminous, the form of the temple was also simr.

    The only difference was the distribution of space. Luminous¡¯s temple had a structure that allowed more light to enter, but Mora¡¯s temple was enclosed from all sides.

    With such an arrangement, wouldn¡¯t it be dim even during bright daylight? Nevertheless, it was a design befitting the goddess of darkness and repose.

    <i>¡®Funeral rites also take ce here, right?¡¯</i>

    Mora, as the goddess of rest, also presides over funerals. Even the followers of Luminous do not object when Mora¡¯s disciples conduct funeral ceremonies. In fact, if Luminous worshippers interfere, in severe cases, Mora herself may retaliate instead of her disciples. Thanks to this, the authority between the two sects was strictly separated.

    ¡°Wee. You have arrived at Mora¡¯s sanctuary.¡±

    As we entered a somewhat dimly lit temple, a priestess greeted us warmly. She had drooping eyes and anguid impression, as one would expect from a demon.

    If the attire of Luminous disciples had a white base, Mora¡¯s attire was very simr to that of a nun from my past life, except it was even darker, reaching a pitch-ck level.

    I politely greeted the somewhat drowsy-looking priestess.

    ¡°Hello. I havee to worship Mora. Is there a private room avable?¡±

    ¡°Of course, there is. It¡¯s just 5 silver.¡±

    ¡°Then I will wait outside while you¡¯re praying.¡±

    Gartz paid 5 silver to the priestess and moved outside the temple. I followed her and looked around the dimly lit interior of the temple.

    The atmosphere was fitting for the temple of the goddess of darkness and rest, although it wasn¡¯tpletely blocked from light. Light seeped through small openings, allowing me to discern the surroundings.

    Moreover, candles were ced in various locations, creating an overall gloomy feeling. Strangely, if there was a bed, I felt like I would fall asleep immediately, feelingfortable.

    ¡°This is the worship room. If it¡¯s too dark, you can light a candle as you please and make yourselffortable.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen a human worshiping Mora. I hope it will be a rxing time for you.¡±

    Thenguid priestess bowed her head and firmly closed the door to the worship room. As soon as the door closed, I looked around Mora¡¯s private worship room.

    Except for the faint light seeping through small, scattered holes, it was pitch ck, unlike Luminous¡¯. As the priestess had mentioned earlier, there were several candles ced in front of Mora¡¯s statue.

    Unlike her twin brother, Luminous, who had small holes through which light gently emanated, Morrah possessed a mischievous personality and was depicted the same way in the statue. While her brother had apassionate smile, Mora had her lips curled upwards, which was the defining feature.

    However, one could see the meticulousness with which her statue was sculpted. Since the demons also had a deep appreciation for art, they must have carefully carved the deity they worship.

    <i>¡®I guess there¡¯s no need to light the candles right now.¡¯</i>

    Maybe I could just bow my head towards the direction where the light seeped through the holes and pray. I knelt down on the floor, just as I had prayed to Luminous.

    <i>¡®¡­Lady Mora, are you there¡­¡¯</i>

    [I¡¯m here!!! You finally came!! Why are you sote?!]

    Oh my.

    Trantors note:

    Two chapters today

 Chapter 163: Back to Helium (3)

    In the world, there is a saying that goes like this: Luminous, uses apassionate and dignified tone, more suited to the God of Darkness, while Mora is yful and chatters like a songbird, more suited to the God of Light.

    Mora, the goddess of darkness and rest, is famous for having a more lively and bright personality than her twin brother Luminous. Even Gartz¡¯s demeanor seemed somewhat hesitant when describing Mora as a good god, emphasizing her energetic and lively nature.

    However, due to the significantly smaller number of Mora¡¯s followerspared to Luminous, she had a deep affection for her own devotees. Especially unlike Luminous, Mora was uniquely associated with ¡°death,¡± but Mora wished for her followers not to die.

    Although Mora outwardly disys a brighter personality than light, I¡¯ve heard that her inner self was actually quite delicate. You can think of Luminous as having a strong exterior but a gentle interior, while Mora is the opposite.

    [Do you know how long I¡¯ve been waiting? You should havee find me as soon as you arrived in Helium!]

    <i>¡®Um¡­ I¡¯m sorry?¡¯</i>

    I couldn¡¯t help but freeze for a moment at the resonating, nging voice of a woman in my mind. Unlike the soft and low-toned Luminous, Mora had a resonant and high-toned voice.

    From the start,paring them was ambiguous due to their different genders, but at least I could tell that Mora¡¯s atmosphere, from voice to everything, was the opposite of Luminous.

    [Hmph. I¡¯ll let it slide this time. At least, you still remembered toe here.]

    <i>¡®Well¡­ thank you. May I ask why you¡¯re looking for me?¡¯</i>

    After the conversation with Luminous, Mora had thrown a bit of a tantrum, asking to meet me. As a result, Helium, who made Mora their national religion, found themselves in a very perplexing situation.

    However, I wouldn¡¯t have been summoned by a goddess just because she was bored. Luminous had already exined the whole situation before, but seeing Mora looking for me, I wondered if there was something she wanted to tell me.

    With that thought in mind, I closed my eyes and waited for Mora¡¯s response. It was around that time when Mora gave a response that exceeded my expectations.

    [Because I was sad.]

    <i>¡®What?¡¯</i>

    [I called you because I was sad. If I hadn¡¯t said anything, you wouldn¡¯t havee looking for me, right? Isn¡¯t that so?]

    <i>¡®¡­ ¡­¡¯</i>

    Did you really turn the world upside down for such a petty reason? And even went so far as to send a divine oracle? My mind became dizzy with the answer that left me speechless.

    Looking at her grumbling tone, it was a sincere response without a hint of falsehood. She truly embodied the keyword ¡°mischievous,¡± and yet, thanks to her honest answer, I didn¡¯t feel bad.

    I managed to hold back the sigh that was about to burst out and finally, barely, spoke to Mora.

    <i>¡®¡­That¡¯s not true. I was originally nning to visit Helium, so I was going to pray to you as well.¡¯</i>

    [Ah, now that I think about it, I was nning to spend the first night with the child I treasure. Ipletely forgot.]

    <i>¡®By the child you treasure, are you referring to Cecily?¡¯</i>

    [Yeah. She¡¯s been praying every day for the salvation of the demons long before you were born. She¡¯s still doing it now.]

    By the way, I vaguely remember hearing that even at the Academy, that Cecily consistently prayed. Once in the morning and once before going to bed, something like that. The content of the prayers was really touching when I heard about them.

    In the morning, the prayer expressed gratitude for being able to see the sunlight, and at night, it thanked for being able to have a peaceful sleep without being swayed by evil.

    [Lately, thanks to you, everything that was bothering me has been resolved. Even the salvation of the demons she longed for has been realized, and it has led to a connection with that benefactor. Hearing her pray every day also puts my mind at ease.]

    <i>¡®I feel a little embarrassed.¡¯</i>

    [Tonight, you¡¯re going to do even more embarrassing things. But apart from that, you¡¯re unnecessarily generous. If Luminous hadn¡¯t warned you, I would have one more child to bless.]

    <i>¡®¡­ ¡­¡¯</i>

    By the way, I¡¯ve been diligent about taking birth control pills. No matter what, idents should be avoided, right?

    When I was silently sweating and worrying, Mora, who was fiercely criticizing her twin brother, spoke to me in her distinct, bright voice.

    [Anyway, let me start by saying thank you. As you know, most of my believers are demons and dark elves. Thanks to your book, the power that reaches me has be several times stronger than before.]

    <i>¡®Can you tell me what that has to do with it?¡¯</i>

    [Before Xenon¡¯s Biography appeared, demons yearned for eternal rest as humans, not as devils. I had a hard timeforting their hearts. Wanting rest means there are many negative emotions in their hearts. I have to soothe those emotions or, if it seems impossible, even euthanize them. Because I am the deity of darkness and repose.]

    <i>¡®You must be under a lot of mental strain.¡¯</i>

    Just listening to it made me feel overwhelmed. No matter how transcendent the existence is, it must be painful to ept negative emotions orfort the dying.

    With an excited voice, filled with my sincere words, Mora replied cheerfully.

    [Right? You understand my heart. There must be a reason why that child marked you. It¡¯s only natural to fall for someone with such profound consideration.]

    <i>¡®It¡¯s embarrassing. Honestly, the biggest thing is probably that I¡¯m the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography.¡¯</i>

    [That¡¯s true. But the feelings that child has for you are genuine. If you were a worthless person, wouldn¡¯t that child have secretly despised you? She would have endured steadfastly until the day you died, thinking of repaying her debt.]

    Even up to this point, I let it slide.

    [Above all, you¡¯re handsome! Out of everything else, being handsome is the best, as expected!]

    <i>¡®¡­Cecily, aren¡¯t your standards as the princess of demons quite low?¡¯</i>

    [That may be true, but you have exceptional individuality, don¡¯t you? The uniquebination of rare red hair and golden eyes! Don¡¯t you know how attractive your face is?]

    Upon hearing Mora¡¯s words, I could only let out a bitterugh. As if it wasn¡¯t enough that this damn red hair of mine stands out wherever I go, receivingpliments didn¡¯t exactly make me feel good.

    Still, I could find sce in the fact that my appearance was praised even by the gods. Like her words, being handsome is indeed the best.

    [Don¡¯t you ever think of growing your hair out? I think it would suit you well.]

    <i>¡®Isn¡¯t that purely Mora¡¯s preference?</i>¡®

    [Hehe. Did I let it slip too soon?]

    I¡¯m a bit confused about whether I¡¯m having a conversation with a goddess or a normal girl. When I talked to Luminous, we had serious conversations that put my mind at ease, but now I feel a sense of urgency.

    Instead of a vertical rtionship, it would have been morefortable to have a horizontal rtionship with his followers. Luminous had an indescribable charisma that made it difficult to interact with him, albeit unknowingly.

    [Oh, right. You released the 14th volume this time, didn¡¯t you?]

    <i>¡®Yes, I sent it to the publisher beforeing to Helium.¡¯</i>

    [I heard you wrote quite an interesting story. It¡¯s about elves and dark elves transforming into a pure mana entity and subduing devils, right?]

    <i>¡®I see¡­ um?¡¯ </i>

    Wait, what is that supposed to mean?

    <i>¡®Lady Mora?¡¯ </i>

    [Yes?]

    <i>¡®How do you know about it?¡¯</i>

    [Well, I¡¯m watching, so I know. How else would I know?]

    <i>¡®No, why would you, Lady Mora¡­¡¯</i>

    The news that even a goddess is reading my book was enough to make me feel distant from reality.

    Come to think of it, didn¡¯t Luminous asionally mention the contents of my book in passing? At that time, I didn¡¯t realize, because the focus wasn¡¯t on that, but now I realize that Luminous was also aware of my book.

    When my thoughts were tangled and confused, Mora asked me as if there was some problem.

    [What¡¯s the matter? There¡¯s a child from a different dimension who wrote a book, so naturally I have to read it. If you wrote a book rted to certain ideologies, it would be a big problem for us.]

    <i>¡®Then did you read all of them?¡¯</i>

    [Yeah. I did read them all?]

    I wanted to disappear into a mouse hole. I opened my hands neatly folded in front of me and covered my face with them. Despite that, I could feel my face getting hotter and hotter.

    I should have expected that my book would cause amotion in the world to some extent, but I was too careless.

    [Why are you so embarrassed? You should be proud. ¡®Even the gods read my books! ¡®Be proud like that.]

    <i>¡®¡­Just don¡¯t say anything.¡¯</i>

    [You¡¯re surprisingly embarrassed about strange things, huh? How cute. So when is the next volumeing out?]

    <i>¡®¡­ ¡­¡¯</i>

    I couldn¡¯t say a word, and my lips trembled. Mora burst intoughter. If I were to mix my mother and Cecily¡¯s mischievousness, it would feel something like this.

    I focused on calming down my flushed face for a while. Since there was no way to undo what had already happened, avoiding it wasn¡¯t right. Well, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to avoid it in the first ce.

    Once the heat in my face subsided to some extent, I quietly spoke up. Clearing the atmosphere with a fake cough as an extra touch.

    ¡®Yes. Yes. Thank you for reading it nicely. However, in the world I lived in, it was an exceedingly ordinary piece of writing.¡¯

    [It¡¯s nice to be humble. Since we¡¯re at it, how about writing down a song that existed in your world? I want to hear one.]

    <i>¡®What are you talking about, wanting to hear one?¡¯</i>

    [If you write a song in the book, naturally people willpose that song. Your world has many good songs, after all.]

    <i>¡®Well¡­¡¯</i>

    Indeed, there were many good songs. With the development of civilization and culture, music has naturally progressed countless times. Especially in South Korea, there were many songs rted to love, so they could be utilized appropriately. But the problem is knowing when to include that song.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ll consider it. It¡¯s not like I haven¡¯t thought about it at all.¡¯</i>

    [I¡¯ll be looking forward to it.]

    <i>¡®You don¡¯t need to look forward to it¡­¡¯</i>

    Now, even Mora started to burden me. Just the fact that she was reading Xenon¡¯s Biography was already overwhelming, and now she was adding expectations.

    With a mischievous tone unique to Mora, she muttered somewhat hesitantly. However, the content was as serious as it could be.

    [Don¡¯t worry, you don¡¯t have to feel burdened. We can¡¯t just go back and forth, and besides, I feel grateful to you right now. Just the fact that we dyed the devil invasion by 2000 years is something to be thankful for.]

    <i>¡®Is that really just a coincidence?¡¯</i>

    [Yeah. Didn¡¯t my brother tell you? For example, let¡¯s say a passerby in danger coincidentally gets saved by an adventurer. Even if it was just a passing encounter for the adventurer, would the passerby not feel gratitude? There¡¯s a matter of scale, but it¡¯s the same principle.]

    <i>¡®It¡¯s the same story as what Luminous said.¡¯ </i>

    Mora continued with her lively voice, as if she understood what I meant.

    [So, if you want, I can bestow grace upon you. Although I don¡¯t have powers as strong as my brother, I can give you the ability to hide in the darkness if you wish. Like a Dark Elf.]

    <i>¡®Is there nothing else?¡¯</i>

    [If you have insomnia, I can help alleviate it or keep your mind clear. I can also free you from various worries and stress. Honestly, it would probably have a greater effect on demons than humans.]

    Indeed, most humans believe in Luminous because his powers surpass those of Mora. Luminous is the god of light and hope with various merits.

    On the other hand, Mora brings sce to people suffering from incurable diseases or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and helps them hide in the darkness, but there are some aspects where she falls shortpared to Luminous.

    However, Mora was an important goddess for soldiers withbat experience, in other words, PTSD patients. While Luminous cannot cure PTSD, Mora makes it possible and helps those suffering from nightmares to fall into a deep sleep.

    My father was a devout follower of Luminous and retired early. If he had visited Mora¡¯s temple even once, he could still have been actively serving.

    <i>¡®I probably won¡¯t have to go into battle, but I¡¯ll keep that in mind. After revealing my identity, I have a feeling I¡¯ll be entangled in various incidents and idents.¡¯</i>

    [You¡¯ve thought well. Oh, by the way, for now, I¡¯ll give you divine power. It should be quite useful.]

    <i>¡®Huh? Are you sure¡­¡¯</i>

    In a moment when I was about to refuse, Mora spoke with a serious and earnest voice unlike her usual self.

    [No. Aren¡¯t you going to have your first night with that child today? I will transfer my divine power to you and prevent idents in advance.]

    <i>¡®idents? I brought the medicine with me.¡¯</i>

    [It¡¯s not just any ident. When a demon enters the evil cycle, they be a creature simr to mantises. When a female mantis mates, it devours the male mantis, right? It¡¯s simr to that. That child will suck up your energy! So if I give you divine power, there won¡¯t be any problems.]

    <i>¡®¡­ ¡­¡¯</i>

    It was almost a big problem.

    ******

    After the conversation with Mora, I came out of the temple immediately to head towards Helium¡¯s pce. However, it seemed that Gartz had already contacted Cecily, as she was waiting outside the temple.

    Although the sun hadpletely set outside, enveloping everything in darkness, I could see Cecily thanks to the candles lit in the temple. With joy in my heart, I approached Cecily.

    ¡°You¡¯vee, Isaac.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    As soon as Cecily and I met face to face, she waved her hand and greeted me warmly. I was too preupied with examining her attire to have the energy to respond.

    Due to being an off-shoulder dress that fully exposes the shoulders, it revealed so much of her ample chest that it barely covered it. The dress¡¯s chest area precisely aligned with the border, practically exposing all of her chest. Moreover, the dress¡¯s ck color contrasts even more with her fair skin, emphasizing what couldn¡¯t be seen during the freshman event a few months ago. It seems that the red dress she wore back then expertly concealed certain aspects.

    No matter how much I tried, I couldn¡¯t prevent my gaze from constantly turning in that direction. Originally, Cecily alone had a powerful impact, butbining it with such revealing attire made my mind go hazy.

    Whether she knew about my state of mind or not, Cecily slowly approached me and affectionately crossed our arms. A sensation of strong sticity transmitted through my arm.

    ¡°Shall we go now? My parents are also expecting us.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡±

    I could feel it from Cecily¡¯s teasing smile. This subus had indeed made meticulous ns.

    <i>¡®¡­I¡¯m relieved.¡¯</i>

    As mentioned earlier, Mora¡¯s divine power had an outstanding effect in maintainingposure.

    Trantors note:

    The second chapter today

 Chapter 164: Night at Helium (1)

    If I had headed to Helium without receiving divine power from Mora, would I have been able to maintainposure? Suddenly, such thoughtse to mind.

    Cecily walked slowly to the pce without using teleportation, keeping our arms crossed. She moved her steps as she conversed cordially, like a lover that had recently started dating.

    I, too, suppressed the excited heartbeats with the divine power I received from Mora. Moreover, I was familiar with Cecily¡¯s physical contact, so I could handle it to some extent.

    Of course, that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m not excited. The deep corbone that was clearly visible continued to captivate my gaze, and the aura emanating from her was extraordinary.

    It could be called a kind of pheromone, or perhaps allure. The atmosphere was several times more intense than usual and felt sticky.

    I had a strong premonition that if I fell for it, I wouldn¡¯t be able to escape.

    <i>¡®Now the horns havepletely turned red.¡¯</i>

    Except for the tips, Cecily¡¯s horns were filled with red color. It meant that soon, due to the evil cycle, she would no longer be able to control herself properly.

    Will she be able to exert self-restraint until tonight? Last time, she had the worn-out ne to rely on, but this time, there was no guarantee. So caution was necessary.

    How much time had passed since I walked the road with Cecily? Before we knew it, we reached the entrance of Helium¡¯s pce.

    ¡°We¡¯ve arrived already. I wanted to walk a bit more.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a shame.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re disappointed, do you want to walk a bit more?¡±

    Cecily, with a subtle voice, urged me while pressing her chest against my arm. It was tempting, but I exercised self-control.

    In my heart, I wanted to have a conversation with Cecily a bit longer, but it was alreadyte at night, and there would be plenty of time after we entered the pce.

    ¡°No. Your parents must be waiting. Let¡¯s go inside.¡±

    ¡°Tsk. Fine.¡±

    At first, Cecily expressed disappointment, clicking her tongue.

    ¡°The long night will be long anyway.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°So there¡¯s no need to have a conversation outside.¡±

    She whispered softly near my ear, her lips brushing against it and her mouth curled up. She even tightly hugged my arm.

    In the midst of the dark night, I nced at Cecily blushing, finding her adorable, and then my eyes caught sight of the Pce of Helium. Thanks to bing ustomed to the darkness, I could make out its rough appearance.

    The imperial pce of Minerva was gleaming like it was coated in gold, visible even in the middle of the night. On the other hand, the Pce of Helium was ordinary.

    Historically, it had been exactly 2000 years since Helium had a ¡®king.¡¯ Unlike humans, they had consistently maintained their position since that time, so it was only natural for it to appear ordinary.

    However, it looked solid enough to have endured for over 1000 years. It resembled a fortressbined with a pce more than a mere pce.

    <i>¡®But are there no guards?¡¯ </i>

    Even though we approached the main gate, I couldn¡¯t see any guards on duty. Or perhaps the surroundings were too dark for me to see.

    Beyond the main gate, only the streetmps scattered along the path cast their light. The Helium Pce was generally dark and dreary. It wouldn¡¯t be surprising if a ghost suddenly popped out.

    ¡°Why are you looking around like that? Is it strange that there are no guards?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, usually there should be some strict security, right?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. They are just hiding in the darkness, unseen. In reality, they are quite strict.¡±

    ¡°Hiding in the darkness? Like camouge?¡±

    ¡°Not exactly camouge, but they wear ck clothes to blend in and not be easily seen. If they were walking around with antern, it would be like advertising their presence, right? You would only use thentern when you can¡¯t see ahead, but darkness means nothing to our kind.¡±

    I always think about this, but demons are a cunning race iparable to elves. And in some aspects, they stand out even more than elves, making humans seem infinitely inferior.

    It¡¯s fortunate that demons are friendly toward humans, otherwise, if they intentionally started a war, it would surely end in our defeat. It¡¯s a relief that such a thing hasn¡¯t happened.

    Creak!

    As I approached the front gate, the iron gate swung open wide, much like an automatic door. I looked around on both sides, wondering if there were personnel responsible for opening the gate, but all I saw was pitch-ck darkness.

    Curious, I expressed my doubts, and at that moment, Cecily exined from the side.

    ¡°This is a magic gate. It might not be easy to see at night, but there¡¯s a device in the center of the gate. It recognized me and opened the door.¡±

    ¡°What about other people?¡±

    ¡°People who reside in the pce or those who frequently visit usually show a token. Think of it as a key.¡±

    Indeed, magic¡¯s uses are infinite. Some inventions seem unfit for their time due to the influence of such magic. As I gazed at the slowly closing door, I suddenly realized that Gartz had disappeared. It seems that Cecily must have sent him away for a moment.

    Afterward, we began to make our way toward the main entrance, using the streetmps as the only source of light. In the meantime, I didn¡¯t forget to ask a question.

    ¡°Can demons conceal themselves in the darkness like Dark Elves?¡±

    ¡°It is possible, but it consumes a considerable amount of mana, and it is not as perfect as the concealment used by Dark Elves. The Dark Elves¡¯ concealment blends seamlessly with the surrounding environment, making it difficult to detect even through perception.¡±

    ¡°I see. Since both of you worship Mora, I thought it would be natural.¡±

    ¡°There is a reason why the Elves are a chosen race of the gods. Instead, she grants us peaceful nights and rest, so there is no need for jealousy.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t noona pray every day? Once in the morning when you wake up and once before going to bed?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I remember it well. Originally, before going to bed, I would offer a prayer of gratitude for providing us with a peaceful rest for tonight. But this time, it seems it will be slightly different.¡±

    ¡°What will be the content of the prayer?¡±

    ¡°Hmm~¡±

    As I asked the question, Cecily looked at me with an intrigued sound escaping her lips. There was a hint of redness in her crescent-folded eyes, resembling a blush.

    She followed by licking her lips seductively, then spoke in a husky voice mixed with a hint of allure.

    ¡°Should I tell you now, or should I show youter tonight?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ Show meter. It won¡¯t be fun if I know in advance.¡±

    ¡°Okay, you can look forward to it.¡±

    I wondered what kind of prayer it was that made her tell me to look forward to it. I looked at Cecily with a smirk, as if unable to contain myself.

    At that moment, Cecily, with a cheerful smile, leaned her face against my shoulder as if she was really excited about it.

    Poke!

    ¡°Ouch!¡±

    ¡°Oh, oh my. I-I¡¯m sorry. Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°Ow¡­ No, it¡¯s fine. Surprisingly, the end is sharp.¡±

    There was a minor mishap where her horn identally pricked my arm. Fortunately, I was wearing thick clothes, so I didn¡¯t get injured.

    I reassured Cecily, who was making an apologetic expression, that I was fine. As Iforted her, we were able to reach the main gate of the pce located at the end of the road.

    As demons have a deep appreciation for art, even the pce doors were beautifully carved. At the top, a woman, presumably Mora, was depicted ascending, while demons below were in prayer.

    The dim light of the torches faintly illuminated the main gate, allowing us to observe it more closely.

    As I stood still, gazing at the carved images on the door, suddenly, with a creaking sound, the main gate began to open slowly. It was my first time being invited to a pce instead of a mansion, so I felt a slight tension.

    Above all, I must meet Cecily¡¯s parents soon. Even though Cecily assured me that everything would be fine, I couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous. No matter how much of a writer I am, meeting my partner¡¯s parents is still nerve-wracking.

    Sigh

    Finally, the main gate of the pce swung open wide. And what caught my eye first was the color red. The entire floor was covered with a deep red carpet.

    Behind that, there were stairs leading to the upper floor and several corridors lined up, but there was one person waiting behind the main gate. It wasn¡¯t a maid but a woman in a neat red dress, wearing a gentle smile.

    Despite her beautiful appearance and the dress covering her, her figure caught my attention, but what stood out the most was undoubtedly her face, which closely resembled Cecily¡¯s.

    While Cecily had bangs, the woman in front of me had her forehead clearly exposed, and she was wearing a silver circlet.

    ¡°Wee. Thank you foring all this way.¡±

    When I vaguely guessed who she was, the woman politely bowed and greeted me. If Cecily had a seductive and sexy voice, the woman in front of me had a mix of maturity and sensibility.

    She straightened her waist after bowing and introduced herself in a calm tone.

    ¡°My name is Eisilia Drat Vin. I am the Queen of Helium. It¡¯s an honor to host the benefactor of the demons.¡±

    As expected, she was indeed Cecily¡¯s mother and the Queen of Helium. In fact, she looked so much like Cecily that it was not difficult to imagine them being sisters. But Cecily mentioned before that she was an only child.

    ¡°I am Isaac Ducker Michelle of the Minerva Empire. It is an honor to meet the Queen of Helium.¡±

    After she finished her introduction, I politely greeted her ording to etiquette. It seemed that she was already informed about our rtionship, judging by the fact she was referring to me as a benefactor of demons and the fact that there was not a single maid apanying the Queen.

    Queen Eisillia nodded her head in response to my greeting and spoke with a gentle tone.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re the one with the attractive red hair and golden eyes that I¡¯ve heard about.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Your Majesty is also beautiful.¡±

    ¡°Hoho, thank you. Have you had dinner yet?¡±

    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t had dinner yet.¡±

    ¡°Well, that works out nicely. Let¡¯s meet our husband first.¡±

    Referring to him as a ¡®husband¡¯ instead of a ¡®king¡¯ indicated a more informal meeting. After all, even if I was formally invited, I was here as Cecily¡¯s lover, nothing more.

    Cecily and I started following Eisillia as she began to guide us. Whether it was because we had entered the pce or for some other reason, Cecily kept holding my arm, even in front of Eisillia.

    ¡°I heard from my daughter that you¡¯ve been a great help at the Halo Academy.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve helped her much, to be honest¡­¡±

    ¡°Well, good people tend to forget the good deeds they¡¯ve done themselves. Only the recipients remember them.¡±

    When did I ever help Cecily? Honestly, I don¡¯t remember well. Until I revealed that I was Xenon, we simply had a mischievous noona and obedient younger brother rtionship. I could only think that Cecily spoke kindly to me. Even if she had told me, there was a high possibility that I wouldn¡¯t have known.

    As we followed behind Eisilia, I diligently explored the interior of the pce. Unlike the somewhat ordinary and shabby exterior, the interior fully embodied the atmosphere unique to demons.

    The floors were unified with red carpets, and now, in the evening, I could feel a sense of eeriness relying solely on candlelight. Perhaps it was because I had be too ustomed to darkness, I could discern my path even with the faintest light.

    While demons might view it differently, it gave humans a slightly eerie feeling. The calm yet profound silence had settled to the point that nothing seemed out of the question, even if something were to jump out. Even the paintings installed on the corridor walls seemed to crawl ande to life.

    ¡°By the way, Lord Isaac, I have something I¡¯m curious about. May I ask?¡±

    ¡°Yes? Ah, yes, you may.¡±

    ¡°You said that you had no connection to demons before meeting Cecily.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°But I was curious why it was described like that in Xenon¡¯s Biography. As you know, before Xenon¡¯s Biography, demons were more or less devils, right?¡±

    Eisilia turned her head slightly and asked, drawing in a breath. In truth, I had received simr questions countless times before. I first received it from my parents, then from Marie, and finally from Cecily. Especially Cecily, who was a demon, asked in more detail.

    The problem was that I couldn¡¯t remember exactly what I said back then. Ipondered for a moment and then answered honestly.

    No. It was exactly the moment I was going to do it.

    ¡°Perhaps¡­¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°As rumor has it, you¡¯re from the future?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Little did I know that I would hear those words from Cecily¡¯s mother. In my confusion, I wondered what I should say, but Eisilia gently spoke up.

    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s almost impossible for someone like Isaac, who hasn¡¯t even turned 20 yet, to have such thoughts. About 50 years ago, I¡¯ve even seen a 5-year-old human child point a finger at a demon, calling it a devil. Originally, Prejudice is terrifying.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°But Isaac saw us demons from a different perspective. Especially when the fifth volume of Xenon¡¯s Biography came out, Isaac was 16 years old. That means you wrote it during your adolescence, a period of emotional turmoil for humans. It¡¯s only natural to have doubts about whether it¡¯s possible to write such a story during that time.¡±

    Well, before the three consecutive hits, the world only regarded Xenon as a highly experienced sage. Not only does Xenon possess great writing skills, but the incidents and idents within the Xenon saga are nearly impossible to write without diverse experiences.

    However, vivid memories of my past life were deeply ingrained in my mind. I am a soul that crossed over from another dimension due to an ident in this ce. I lived within the sea of information called the inte and indirectly experienced various civilizations. It is natural for my perspective to be broader than the people here.

    Of course, I cannot simply state this fact outright. After listening to Eisilia¡¯s story, I pondered for a long time and responded with a question.

    ¡°I see. Then, do you think the Queen believes that I came from the future?¡±

    ¡°I keep that possibility in mind. Of course, only Isaac and the gods know the truth.¡±

    ¡°For now, I can say with certainty that I didn¡¯te from the future.¡±

    ¡°I understand. Then, what do you think, Cecily?¡±

    Eisilia sought Cecily¡¯s opinion next. Cecily, who had been standing with our arms crossed, lifted her face from leaning on my shoulder and looked up at me.

    I, too, met her gaze directly with my eyes, which were as red as blood. The reddish energy emanating from her cheeks and sparkling pupils exuded a captivating charm that seemed to draw me in.

    After staring at me for a while, she smiled lightly and tightly embraced my arm, responding energetically.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to me, Mom, no matter what.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Yes, there¡¯s no need toplicate things, right?¡±

    After saying that, Cecily continued in a sticky voice.

    ¡°Anyway, he¡¯ll be my man in a little while.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to think aboutplicated things right now.¡±

    Seems like she¡¯spletely absorbed in desire. As I looked at Cecily, who had started to emit a heart-like glow, I let out a bitter smile. At that moment, Eisilia murmured softly from the front.

    ¡°Is our daughter really Lilith¡­¡±

    No, she isn¡¯t.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 165: Night at Helium (2)

    As I followed behind Eisilia, I ended up meeting the King of Helium and Cecily¡¯s father, Descal Drat Eisilia Vin. He was staying in a private chamber, not the audience chamber, where he usually received guests.

    Being the king of demons, it was natural for him to exude charisma, but he was also a handsome man with distinct facial features and a simr build to mine. At first nce, he looked young like Gartz, but in reality, he was over 300 years old.

    Finding simrities between Descal and Cecily was quite challenging sinceCecily strongly resembled Eisilia, but I could tell that both of them had identical horn shapes. Eisilia¡¯s horns extended straight back, resembling goat horns.

    Nevertheless, as we sat facing each other while dinner preparations were underway, I started to engage in various conversations with Cecily¡¯s parents.

    It was a somewhat nervous asion, simr to a formal meeting, but fortunately, Descal made me feelfortable on his side, allowing me to rx a bit.

    ¡°First and foremost, I want to express infinite gratitude for saving the demons. I feel like giving up the throne out of my heart¡¯s gratitude.¡±

    ¡°To that extent¡­ Honestly, I never expected such a change in the perception of your kind.¡±

    ¡°Even in unexpected circumstances, thanks to Xenon¡¯s Biography, our people have begun to see the light. Even if someone happened to rescue us by chance, it doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re not indebted to them.¡±

    Luminous and Mora¡¯s words echoed in Descal¡¯s mouth, making me feel peculiar. Now, I think I can humbly ept the role of savior for the demons.

    Until now, I¡¯ve been slightly burdened and avoided clearly acknowledging it, partly because it doesn¡¯t suit my nature to bask in glory. But it seems better to recognize it clearly from now on.

    ¡°But, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you can speak freely in private. It feels awkward for me to hear honorifics from a benefactor.¡±

    ¡°Well then¡­ Lord Descal?¡±

    ¡°If possible, I would prefer that you call me father-inw.¡±

    Another thing I learned is that Descal possesses a somewhat gentle temperament. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Cecily¡¯s personality was inherited from Descal.

    Anyway, since I¡¯m ufortable at the moment, I decided to refer to Descal as ¡°Lord Descal.¡± I also said that it¡¯s fine for Descal to call me however he feelsfortable.

    ¡°So, what do you want to ask?¡±

    ¡°About Her Majesty, the Queen¡­¡±

    ¡°Please call me mother-inw.¡±

    As soon as the word ¡°Queen¡± left her lips, Eisillia smiled and corrected herself. ¡°¡­Lady Eisillia¡­¡±

    ¡°Mother-inw.¡±

    ¡°¡­Mother-inw.¡±

    ¡°Hehe.¡±

    Could it be that Cecily inherited both her father and mother¡¯s mischievousness? If not, then Cecily¡¯s asional mischievousness, like a little devil, remained unexined.

    When I referred to Eisillia as my mother-inw, Cecily seemed pleased and discreetly grabbed my hand under the table. She was sitting on my right side, and her hand naturally reached for my right hand.

    And it would have been fine if she only held my hand, but she focused on a small pen mark on my middle finger. It felt strange to have someone fixate on a tiny pen mark.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m curious about how mother-inw¡¯s name ended up being the middle name. Is it a tradition unique to Helium?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. In Helium, it¡¯s a tradition for the queen and her children to have the queen¡¯s or princess¡¯s name as their middle name. If you and Cecilia have a child, well¡­ do you have any names in mind, by any chance?¡±

    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t have any.¡±

    I was taken aback by the sudden question, but I calmly replied.

    ¡°That¡¯s a shame. Let¡¯s say the name is Jin. It would be Jin Drat Isaac Vin. By the way, Drat and Vin are surnames only used by the royal family.¡±

    ¡°I see. What do Drat and Vin mean?¡±

    ¡°Drat is the name of the founding king, and Vin means ¡®king.¡¯¡±

    I have gained a lot of information in various ways. By the way, let¡¯s overlook the fact that Descal used the name ¡®Jin¡¯ as an example.

    ¡°What about our Helium? Gartz said you liked it because it smells like a ce people live.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly right. Helium is where people live, nothing more and nothing less.¡±

    ¡°I see. As you say. Helium has never ceased to smell like people since its founding. They say it¡¯s a ce where demons live, that once you enter, you can never leave. But we are human.¡±

    Descal¡¯s eyes, looking at me, were warm beyond measure, as if he had always kept me in mind. Though they were as red as blood, his pupils were filled with infinite gratitude, making me slightly embarrassed.

    Meanwhile, Cecily didn¡¯t stop touching my hand under the table. When I nced at her, she was smiling brightly.

    Is this moment of happiness? I held her hand without saying a word. Then Cecily¡¯s face blushed slightly.

    ¡°It¡¯s fortunate that you seem to have affection for our daughter. When I heard that you were the benefactor of demons, I thought it would be okay, but I couldn¡¯t help but worry a bit.¡±

    It seems that Cecily and I have been caught in the act of affection under the table. Surprised, I looked at Descal and noticed his face with a satisfied smile.

    Eisillia sitting next to us was the same. She spoke in her distinctive mature voice, as if she was relieved.

    ¡°To be honest, I felt the same way. I can¡¯t tell you how surprised I was when I heard that Cecily found Xenon and they even became lovers. And on top of that, Isaac has his fianc¨¦e, Maria.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡±

    ¡°My husband and I respect our daughter¡¯s choices. To our kind, it may be a fleeting moment, but it¡¯s better to leave beautiful memories rather than painful regrets.

    had a simr theme, didn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Mary said she would live a life full of longing instead of regret.¡±

    The response came from Cecily. Then she slowly pulled up the hand that she had tightly held under the table and showed it to the two people in front of her.

    I was initially taken aback, but it seemed like I didn¡¯t have to hide anything, so I obediently did as she wished. Eventually, our hands, intertwined like lovers, were raised onto the table, and Cecily¡¯s parents also turned their gaze in that direction.

    ¡°Mom, Dad, I will never regret it. No matter how many women are by Isaac¡¯s side, I will love Isaac. Even if Isaac leaves me for Mora¡¯s embrace in the future, I will live while missing him.¡±

    ¡°Noona, I have no intention of adding more women after you.¡±

    Although Adelia might have some ns, for now, I have almost no thoughts of adding more women after Cecily. It is uncertain whether Marie will agree or not too.

    However, Descal¡¯s thoughts seemed a bit different. As soon as Descal heard my words, he firmly rebutted in a resolute voice.

    ¡°Well, it may be difficult realistically.¡±

    ¡°What? What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Reconsider your value once again. From now on, even the leaders of countries could not deal with you lightly, considering the contamination of the World Tree¡¯s roots and the signs of demon summoning. In Savior, to honor you as a saint even a cardinal was dispatched. The moment anyone touches you, not only Helium but even Xavier would join forces and thoroughly destroy that country. So, rather than interfering, they would choose persuasive tactics. And that persuasive tactic is¡­¡±

    ¡°Political marriage, right?¡±

    After Descal, EAisilia spoke calmly. In response, Descal nodded and exined the situation in which he could stand up.

    ¡°There is nothing as beautiful as a marriage formed through love. However, marriage can also be a rtionship bound by a kind of contract. I heard from Cecily that you have a deep interest in history.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡±

    ¡°Well then, you can see why strategic marriage can be a ¡®shield.¡¯ You mentioned that you were engaged to the future Duchess of the Minerva Empire. If your true identity were to be revealed, the Ters Kingdom could aim to restrain you. In severe cases, they might even attempt assassination. Even for your own sake, you should consider strategic marriage.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Hearing such reasonable words, deep contemtion was inevitable. Strategic marriage seemed like a story from another country, but hearing it directly made it feelpletely different.

    If I were to marry Marie as Descal mentioned, I would practically be affiliated with the Minerva Empire. Therefore, from the perspective of the rival Ters Kingdom, it would naturally be a source of animosity.

    The Minerva Empire, as well as Helium and Xavier, would undoubtedly protect me. However, the affairs of humans are unpredictable. Of course, they would need to be prepared to face collective punishment if the Ters Kingdom decides to take action.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s not a problem that can be easily resolved.¡¯</i>

    The power of strategic marriage, which takes ce between countries rather than within one¡¯s own country, is incredibly formidable. The moment a leader invades a country where their close rtive resides, their reputation will rapidly decline, and the trustworthiness of their nation will plummet.

    You might have heard the news about the princess of the Ters Kingdom transferring to the Halo Academy. It¡¯s because they felt threatened by my mentioning the Michelle Territory as my birthce.

    ¡°Especially in your case, since you have aplished feats that even a nation cannot ignore, such qualities will be even more prominent. Isn¡¯t it better to have more allies than enemies?¡±

    ¡°So¡­ Are you suggesting that I should enter into a strategic marriage for my own safety?¡±

    ¡°If you prioritize your position. We will protect you, but there are clear limits.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯splicated.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s how politics works. Well, you don¡¯t need to think about itplexly right now. I¡¯ve just informed you of the most likely situation.¡±

    Descal responded as if to reassure me, but I didn¡¯t feel reassured at all. Perhaps Descal was right that, for the sake of my safety and the safety of those around me, I should ept a strategic marriage without any reservations.

    However, the problem lies in the subject of the strategic marriage. If I were sent as a target for a strategic marriage not only by another country but specifically by the Minerva Empire to ensure their dominance, my position would be extremely precarious.

    It wouldn¡¯t be appropriate to make a princess a mere spy. Even Marie, who is savvy in politics, would likely consider it unavoidable, but she would still feel disappointed.

    Therefore, if I were to ept the strategic marriage, I would need to handle it carefully to continue a smooth family life. It¡¯s a decision that carries great responsibility in many aspects.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s probably best to stop with the bothersome political talk here. Let¡¯s move on to another topic. Whatever you¡¯refortable with, feel free to talk about it.¡±

    ¡°Ah, there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to ask. Isaac, may I?¡±

    ¡°Yes? Ah, yes, please go ahead.¡±

    ¡°What do you like about our daughter, Isaac? Since you have affection for her, as her mother, I¡¯m curious about your eptance of her.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Upon hearing Eisilia¡¯s question, Isaac turned his head towards Cecily. Cecily, as if suggesting that he should speak, gave me a mischievous smile and looked at me.

    Meanwhile, I carefully examined Cecily¡¯s appearance. The alluring red eyes shining with maturity. Even a slight downward nce revealed a chest that boasted an intimidating presence, as if a valley had deepened.

    That alone is enough to feel affection for Cecily, and more. Even if Cecily only gives me a yful smile, there is no need for further exnation in my heart.

    Any man would fall for Cecily, let alone if she were the one openly disying affection first, it would be even more peculiar if it didn¡¯t please one¡¯s heart.

    With an embarrassed smile, I responded quietly.

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s difficult to pinpoint. She¡¯s a woman without any ws, each and every aspect of her. Her face and¡­ yes.¡±

    ¡°Hoho. I like your honesty.¡±

    ¡°Cecily is indeed an exceptional girl.¡±

    Eisilia elegantlyughed with her hand covering her mouth, and Descal wore a somewhat satisfied expression. Fortunately, it seems that they epted it favorably, perhaps because they had a favorable impression of me from the beginning.

    When a sense of satisfaction welled up from the front, I felt relieved inside. As if signaling me to look at her, Cecily tightened her grip on my hand. I shifted my gaze toward her.

    She was gazing at me with warmth and affection, her chin resting on her hand. It was as if she was looking at me with eyes full of tenderness, like a painting that momentarily took my breath away.

    If Marie energized me with her unique vivacity, Cecily drew me in with this enchanting atmosphere.

    ¡°Well, it seems like the meal is ready now.¡±

    Cecily spoke after we locked eyes for a while.

    ¡°Is there anything you can¡¯t eat? Let me know beforehand.¡±

    Descal opened his mouth, as if receiving telepathy. Both Cecily and I instinctively turned our heads toward Descal.

    ¡°I can eat just about anything.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. Well then, let¡¯s get up from our seats¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, wait. Before that, may I ask you for one favor? Is it okay?¡±

    In the moment Descal was about to stand up, Eisilia hurriedly stopped him with an anxious voice. With a careful gaze, she lightly flicked her finger.

    Surprisingly, a book popped out of thin air. It seemed like she used magic rted to spatial teleportation.

    Then, Eisilia handed me a book that looked somewhat familiar and excitedly asked me for a favor.

    ¡°Could you sign this before the meal?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind signing, but this is¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the fifth volume of Xenon¡¯s Biography which contains the final moments of Sakran. It¡¯s a book I always carry with me in Helium.¡±

    Upon careful consideration, I realized that Gartz had conjured five books out of thin air using teleportation magic. Since then, I signed them for him as well. As I looked at the expectant Eisillia, her eyes gleaming, I chuckled and took out my trusty magic quill. I proceeded to inscribe the name ¡°Isaac¡± in Korean on the first page of the book.

    ¡°Here.¡±

    ¡°Thank you so much. Did you also get a signature, Cecily?¡±

    ¡°No, she didn¡¯t say anything¡­¡±

    After ncing at Cecily, I cautiously asked her.

    ¡°Do you want me to get one for you too?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll just receive the confirmation stamp(on the marriage certificate) anyway. What¡¯s the point of getting a signature?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Indeed, it seemed impossible to surpass her sarcasm. While Iughed at her response, Eisillia held the book close to her chest and spoke joyfully.

    ¡°So, I¡¯m the first one to receive your autograph? I¡¯m really happy.¡±

    ¡°Well, actually Mr. Gartz received it first.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    As I revealed the truth, Eisillia¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment. Not only her, but Descal and Cecily also showed simr reactions.

    Confused by my expression, Cecily quickly asked in a slightly flustered voice.

    ¡°Bk received it first? When?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ He signed it when I first came to Helium. Before going to Noona cottage.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­ But without saying anything¡­¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Cecily muttered under her breath, while Descal lightly stroked his chin, deep in thought. I started feeling uneasy, thinking that I may have said something unnecessary. However, not long after, Cecily smiled and spoke as if she didn¡¯t care.

    ¡°It¡¯s probably not a problem right now. Let¡¯s go have a meal for now.¡±

    ¡°¡­Alright.¡±

    ¡°Oh, by the way. Since we¡¯ll have dessert again tonight, there¡¯s no need to force yourself to eat it, okay?¡±

    ¡°Dessert? What kind of dessert?¡±

    Just as I was curious and about to ask, Eisilia, who was in front, seemed to notice something and eximed with an ¡°Ah!¡± Descal was scratching his cheek, lost in his own thoughts.

    As I became even more curious about their reactions, Eisilia raised the corners of her mouth and spoke cryptically.

    ¡°It¡¯s a dessert I specially made. It¡¯s the only kind of dessert that exists in Helium.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s something like that?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Eisilia nodded her head and left a significant remark.

    ¡°It¡¯s going to be really delicious.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    *****

    The true meaning of those words became apparent only after dinner, as night fell.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t mom say that before we had our meal? That it¡¯s the only dessert avable in Helium.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±

    Inside the bedroom, with only a faint moonlight seeping in, I couldn¡¯t help but stare wide-eyed. I had cleaned myself up neatly and was waiting for my first night with Cecily, but my eyes couldn¡¯t help but be bewildered.

    Despite the divine power I received from Mora, my heart was pounding madly, and I felt like I could be swayed by desire at any moment. Why? Because¡­

    Swoosh¡­

    ¡°How is it? The dessert personally prepared by my mom.¡±

    ck lingerie and a garter belt. That alone would suffice as an exnation.

    The ck lingerie failed to fully cover Cecily¡¯s ample bosom, causing her flesh to spill out, and the garter belt underneath stimted primal male desires.

    Furthermore, until a moment ago, it was covered by a gown, so now she stood there sexily, as if suggesting that she might take off the gown. Thanks to that, not only her breasts but also her ample hips are entuated, rivaling those of Arwen.

    Could Cecily really be the descendant of a subus? I swallowed hard and quietly opened my mouth.

    ¡°It looks incredibly delicious.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    She approached me slowly while saying those words, as I sat on the bed. Cecily¡¯s figure, barely concealed even in darkness, came into sharp focus in my sight.

    Before long, as she got closer to me, she began to straddle my thigh. My heart started pounding like crazy, and my gaze moved up and down repeatedly.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yeah. Noona.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything you want to say to me?¡±

    What more words were needed? I smiled softly as I looked into her red eyes, brimming with desire.

    ¡°I love you, Noona.¡±

    ¡°Hmm~ Besides that?¡±

    She was such a demanding subus. While gazing at the trembling Cecily, I uttered the words she wanted to hear.

    ¡°I¡¯ll eat well.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Then¡­ mmm!¡±

    Cecily¡¯s words were cut off. Because I sealed her lips with mine.

    Mwah~

    Starting with a passionate deep kiss, the real night began.

    Trantors note:

    WARNING

    Next 3 chapters are NSFW!

 Chapter 166: Deep Night at Helium (1)

    Churup Chuup Churup

    ¡°Uh¡­ Isaac. Isaac¡­ chu-eup¡­¡±

    Cecily straddled Isaac¡¯s thigh and greedily sucked on his lips as if devouring them. Their tongues intertwined deeply, exchanging saliva.

    Although her body was already heating up due to her arousal, it grew even hotter as they began kissing. Not only that, but Isaac¡¯s presence below, revealing his arousal, was gradually stimting her.

    Just from kissing, her brain was melting, so what would happen if they went further?

    Now, btedly speaking, Cecily, caught up in the rhythm of desire, was ultimately a virgin with no prior experience with men. They continued kissing, driven by instinct, but there were inevitably some inexperienced moments.

    And Isaac was well aware of that fact.

    Swoosh

    As Isaac continued the intense kiss, holding Cecily¡¯s face, he slowly swept his hand downward. From her slender neck, past her arms and armpits, all the way to her delicate waistline.

    Cecily¡¯s whole body trembled and grew more sensitive as his gentle touch roamed. Despite that, their lip-lock didn¡¯t break, but her trembling couldn¡¯t be contained.

    And then, when Isaac¡¯s beautifully delicate hand passed her waist and caressed Cecily¡¯s buttocks.

    ¡°Haak!¡±

    Cecily let out a moan of pleasure. As soon as her lips parted, the silver thread that had been stretching out between them snapped.

    Isaac¡¯s mouth was now free, but he didn¡¯t stop caressing her buttocks. Instead, he used his other hand to delicately handle Cecily¡¯s heated body like a work of art.

    After his experience with Marie, Isaac had learned one thing: when a woman is properly aroused, her body bes highly sensitive.

    Especially in the case of Cecily, her excitement had reached its peak to the point where there was no need for extra caressing. As evidence, Cecily¡¯s thighs, on which she sat, were not only moist but rather lively.

    In his heart, Isaac wanted to take off his pants and explore Cecily to his heart¡¯s content, but today was their unforgettable first night. He had nned to do his best to create unforgettable memories and pleasure for her.

    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±

    ¡°Haa¡­ Huhh¡­¡±

    While the caressing continued, Isaac pressed his lips against Cecily¡¯s neck. Cecily trembled and let out a moan at the soft lips she felt on her neck.

    Following that, Isaac continued to kiss, marking a trail as he gradually moved downward. From the neck to the corbone, and from the corbone to the breasts with marked dots.

    Just as he was about to kiss the nipple, which was barely covered by her underwear, Isaac stopped there. He circled around as if he were stoking a fire, no longer intending to go further down.

    ¡°Ah, Isaac¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you want more?¡±

    Isaac, who detached his lips from Cecily¡¯s breast, asked mischievously with a yful smile. When his low and husky voice entered her ears, Cecily looked at Isaac with an expression ofplete rxation.

    Even in the darkness, Isaac¡¯s golden eyes shone brightly as he stared directly at Cecily. In response, she struggled to control her elerated breathing and swallowed her saliva.

    ¡°Make me a mess. Make me scream with greater pleasure than now.¡±

    Cecily¡¯s heart cried out powerfully.

    However, the response that came out of her mouth waspletely different. Reason still remained as desire had not yet taken over her mind.

    ¡°Well, I want to. So¡­¡±

    ¡°But shouldn¡¯t we pray first?¡±

    ¡°P-Pray?¡±

    Cecily was momentarily bewildered by Isaac¡¯s sudden request to pray, but soon she understood the reason.

    Before entering the pce, when Isaac and she were having a conversation alone, they had mentioned it. They had said that tonight¡¯s prayer would be quite different.

    And she could look forward to the content of the prayer. Cecily herself had mentioned it.

    ¡°Do we¡­ have to do it now?¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t do it until I hear it.¡±

    ¡°¡­How wicked.¡±

    ¡°Until now, I was only teasing you. If you don¡¯t say it¡­¡±

    ¡°Haang!¡±

    Isaac gently grasped Cecily¡¯srge chest. With the sudden surprise attack, Cecily let out another moan.

    While Cecily was momentarily distracted, Isaac vited her ample chest hidden beneath her underwear. If Marie¡¯s chest was soft like marshmallows, Cecily¡¯s chest was exceptionally stic.

    Moreover, its size was enormous, perfect for ying around like a toy. Isaac couldn¡¯t help but want to do various things with those breasts.

    He held his words for a moment, sensing an addictive sensation, and leaned close to Cecily¡¯s ear. Then he whispered in a soft voice,

    ¡°I¡¯ll just tease you like this and leave it at that.¡±

    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±

    ¡°Noona didn¡¯t you say? You can devote your body and heart for my sake. So, hurry up.¡±

    As Isaac murmured, Cecily pondered amidst the confusion. It was rebellious and demeaning. To receive affection from the man she loves and pray to God. What would Mora think if she saw this?

    <em>¡®Just this once¡­ Will she close her eyes?¡¯</em>

    However, her mind was already consumed by desire, making it impossible to think straight. Besides, the situation was where Mora was showing great favor to Isaac.

    Unless she defiled the temple, Mora wouldn¡¯t even give a nce. With that in mind, Cecily brought her hands together neatly and quietly began to pray.

    ¡°Oh, Goddess Mora of Darkness and Rest¡­ Tonight¡­¡±

    Click

    While praying with her eyes closed, Isaac skillfully unhooked Cecily¡¯s bra. The bra, which had tightly enveloped herrge breasts, fell weakly as soon as the hook was undone.

    Cecily¡¯s body twitched momentarily as the bra was released. It was a relief that all the pressure on her chest disappeared, but a greater sense of embarrassment overwhelmed her.

    The fact that the bra hade off meant that her bare chest was fully exposed. Feeling embarrassed, she instinctively tried to cover her breasts with her arms, but it was impossible to hide her ample bosom.

    However, Cecily, unaware that the more she acted that way, the more it tempted Isaac, struggled to recite her prayer.

    ¡°¡­Oh, thank you so much for allowing me to spend my first night with the man I love. I hope that man¡­¡±

    Is it greed or desire? Cecily couldn¡¯t bring herself to finish her final words and her lips trembled.

    Thud!

    ¡°Haeng!¡±

    ¡°Prayers should bepleted, right, Noona? What about that man?¡±

    While Cecily was still contemting, Isaac grabbed her bare breast and asked in a soft voice, gently rolling his finger over her nipple, stimting her desires.

    With his other hand, he caressed her buttocks and lightly touched her intimate area. Even though it was covered by a garter belt, he touched it enough for her to feel it.

    ¡°Haan¡­ That man¡­¡±

    ¡°That man?¡±

    ¡°Me- Hooeng¡­!¡±

    ¡°Me?¡±

    Isaac imitated every word and, at the same time,forted Cecily¡­

    ¡°Oh, a mess¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Let us make a mess¡­!¡±

    She finally let out her restrained desires passionately. When Cecily finished her prayer, Isaac smiled deeply and grabbed her chin as she blushed and lowered her head in embarrassment.

    He slowly lifted her chin, making their eyes meet. Cecily¡¯s red eyes were already filled with sticky lust.

    ¡°Well done, Noona. Now¡­¡±

    I¡¯ll do as you wish.

    As soon as Isaac finished speaking, he pressed his lips against Cecily¡¯s. Cecily, too, now surrendered to her instincts as Isaac kissed her.

    ¡°Mm¡­ Mm¡­ Isaac¡­ Mm!¡±

    The deep kiss began once again. However, unlike before, Cecily moved her body gently back and forth, touching Isaac¡¯s private parts.

    Sensing Cecily¡¯s desire for his belongings, Isaac slid his buttocks back and, feeling ufortable, removed his tight pants. As he took off his pants, only his underwear remained, which was not enough to conceal Isaac¡¯s belongings.

    Thanks to that, Cecily stopped kissing when she felt something foreign around her pubic area and took her face away. As she looked down, she sighed with a dazed expression.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    It isrge. Just as Marie mentioned, it seemed like it would prate through the underwear ande out grandly.

    Isaac¡¯s object hidden inside the underwear will soon enter her own genitals. Although she is already wet, can it really go in?

    And if it does go in, how would it feel? I heard that if only the secretion of love juices is abundant enough, an unforgettable pleasure will strike.

    I want to put it inside right away. Whether it¡¯s the first night or whatever, I want to satisfy my deep desire immediately.

    Just imagining it is thrilling, and my lower abdomen trembles. It¡¯s already like a flood down there, with water flowing incessantly.

    Like during the previous exhibition, it was Cecily¡¯s innermost thoughts that couldn¡¯t suppress her instinct when the evil cycle of desire found her.

    ¡°Noona.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Do as you wish now. I¡¯ll help you.¡±

    Isaac preemptively handed over the initiative to Cecily. Originally, he intended to take the lead, considering it was the first night, but looking at Cecily, it didn¡¯t seem necessary.

    Cecily was already consumed by desire. It would be more intense than Marie, who had umted sexual desire, and certainly not less.

    Moreover, since it was said that subus blood was flowing in her, I n to watch over her. I will only help when she needsforting or to prevent excitement from subsiding.

    Cecily diverted her gaze from Isaac¡¯s face and looked down towards his groin. She noticed the prominent bulge still standing strong without losing its vigor.

    ¡°¡­Hmm.¡±

    Cecily licked her lips as if she had caught her prey, and her red eyes sparkled with anticipation. She then moved away from Isaac¡¯s thigh, on which she had been sittingfortably, and stepped back. Isaac awaited Cecily¡¯s next move with a rxed expression.

    First, she lowered the frilled ck panties, and then, she unfastened and lowered the garter belt, which could be considered the main dessert. Finally, Cecily stood before Isaacpletely nude. Isaac thoroughly admired Cecily¡¯s naked body.

    Her breasts, frequently mentioned until now, maintained an attractive shape without any sign of sagging, despite their size. Her waistline and the curvature of her hips below formed soft and sculpted lines. Moreover, thanks to consistent yoga practice as a demon, there was not a trace of b anywhere, and her arms and legs extended slenderly. Lastly, there was even a modest tuft of ck hair growing below her lower abdomen.

    Is this what they mean by celestial beauty? The object that had already been burning hot seemed to grow even harder.

    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±

    While Isaac indulged in his admiration, Cecily let out a seductive hum and took a step forward. Then, she knelt down provocatively and grabbed hold of Isaac¡¯s underwear.

    Isaac, who noticed that she intended to undress him just like that,plied with her wishes. As he slightly lifted his buttocks, Cecily took the opportunity and began to remove Isaac¡¯s underwear. Although there was a momentary snag with the underwear, it didn¡¯t take long for Cecily topletely strip Isaac of his underwear.

    ¡°Wow¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    When Cecily saw Isaac¡¯s thing rise proudly towards the sky, she let out a genuine sigh filled with admiration. Although Marie jokingly referred to it as a ymore, seeing the object in front of her, it was definitely no exaggeration.

    Perhaps it was due to the subus blood flowing within her, the scent emanating from Isaac¡¯s thing stimted her sense of smell. It had a sweet and intense aroma that evoked thoughts of ¡°delicious.¡± Cecily brought her face closer to Isaac¡¯s thing, inhaling the scent deeply.

    ¡°Sniff, sniff. Haah¡­ This is Isaac¡¯s cock¡­ It smells so good¡­¡±

    ¡°Where did you hear such words?¡±

    Isaac asked with a trembling voice when Cecily uttered such vulgar words. He never thought she would tantly refer to it as a cock.

    However, with an expression as if questioning what the problem was, Cecily tilted her head and retorted.

    ¡°I called it a cock because it is a cock. Is there any problem?¡±

    ¡°¡­No.¡±

    Seeing her innocent expression as she referred to it as a cock¡­ it excited him uncontrobly.

    The situation where the princess of Helium, despite being noble, smells his own belongings and speaks vulgarly. It¡¯s impossible for anyone not to find it distasteful.

    Swish¡­

    Cecily¡¯s hand cautiously enveloped Isaac¡¯s belongings. The size was too big to wrap with one hand, so she had no choice but to hold it with both hands. Cecily wrapped her hands around it and slowly, gently moved it up and down.

    It felt like touching a piece of metal heated by fire, and the sensation traveled through her hands.

    ¡°It¡¯s hot¡­ and hard¡­¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Isaac let out a weak groan as Cecily took care of his belongings. Just the fact that Cecily was attending to him was stimting, even without the sensation of the training of his martial skills. She was an inexperienced maiden, but her alluring presence and bold actions were driving him crazy.

    Lick¡­

    While attending to him, Cecily licked the pir. Then, she pursed her lips as if savoring the taste and briefly blinked her eyes. It was delicious. It wasn¡¯t a lie, it truly tasted good.

    The manifestation of subus blood flowing through her body,bined with the rhythm of wicked pleasure. The unique strong scent and taste emanating from the man¡¯s belongings excited Cecily¡¯s pte.

    She swallowed her saliva and opened her mouth wide, taking the entire head inside.

    ¡°Hmm. Chyup. Chuup. Hehe. Chyup. Lick.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    Cecily sucked, licked, sucked, and licked repeatedly. She carefully handled the object as if eating an indestructible candy, so as not to cause any damage. Not stopping there, she diligently went back and forth with her hand in the part that couldn¡¯t be swallowed. Thanks to the saliva that made everything soggy, she was able to move even more smoothly.

    Usually, being inexperienced is normal when ites to fetio, but Cecily was exceptionally skilled and agile, unlike a beginner. Despite the fact that fetio can be an act that induces repulsion, Cecily took the initiative in her actions.

    Whether the blood of a subus flowing through her body engraved such behavior or not, as Isaac, it brought great pleasure.

    ¡°Noona¡­¡±

    ¡°Slurp. Suck. Swallow.¡±

    When Isaac ced his hand on the horn, Cecily was momentarily taken aback but didn¡¯t stop the act. On the contrary, it seemed to stimte her even more, urging her on.

    Since the length was long, the maximum was only half, but the asional contact with the tip of her nipples felt truly exquisite. In his heart, he wanted to use the horn as a ¡°handle¡± and forcefully insert it, if possible.

    However, the situation now is that Cecily has given in to everything, and it would be too much for her as well. For now, she needs to focus on the service she is providing¡­

    ¡°Gulp.¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­ N-noona?¡±

    ¡°Gulp. Chug.¡±

    Despite such irrelevant thoughts, Cecily was the first to take action. She didn¡¯t just swallow about half of Isaac¡¯s penis, she took it even deeper.

    At first, she struggled and swallowed deeply, then slowly pulled back as she sucked in. But as Cecily repeated the process, the pir gradually began to disappear.

    Deeper and deeper. Until the entirerge object vanished inside her throat.

    Normally, one would feel nauseous and be unable to continue, but Cecily was forcefully pushing Isaac¡¯s organ deeper and deeper. Like diving, she plunged her face into Isaac¡¯s crotch.

    And finally, hisrge objectpletely disappeared into Cecily¡¯s throat. Cecily¡¯s nose collided with Isaac¡¯s pelvis.

    Isaac, experiencing an unfamiliar pressure that only urred in his mind, raised his head with a rough groan. I think it¡¯smonly referred to as ¡°deep throat¡± with vulgarnguage, and I can guess why they call it that.

    ¡°N-Noona.¡±

    ¡°Mm¡­ Yes?¡±

    Cecily looked at Isaac with confusion as he pushed his face away. Meanwhile, she didn¡¯t remove the member in her mouth.

    In the meantime, Isaac calmed his pounding chest and looked down at Cecily, then suddenly grabbed her horns.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I can¡¯t do it anymore.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    Cecily blinked at his apology. Just as she was about to withdraw her head, wondering if she should continue.

    Swoosh!

    ¡°Mmh?!¡±

    Isaac tightly gripped Cecily¡¯s horn as a handle, pulling with great strength. As a result, Isaac¡¯s erect member disappeared entirely beyond Cecil¡¯s throat.

    Cecily trembled at Isaac¡¯s sudden and unexpected action, but soon realized what he desired and relinquished his resistance, allowing Isaac¡¯s thing to glide effortlessly past her tongue.

    As her tongue slid against it, the object filling her mouth felt vividly real. Isaac¡¯s member emanated a hot and rich scent, arousing her senses.

    Delicious. It truly tastes delicious. It feels even more intense because it belongs to the man I love.

    Slurp, slurp, slurp, slurp¡­

    ¡°Ah, ah! Mm, mm! Chu-rip! Chu-eup! Jju-wup!¡±

    As Isaac held Cecily¡¯s horn and moved back and forth, Cecily reciprocated without pause, skillfully rolling her tongue and sucking with firm pressure, bestowing new sensations.

    Without a single gag, Cecily received Isaac¡¯s member through her mouth and down her throat, leaving almost no trace behind.

    Furthermore, as if emphasizing his innate lewdness, Cecily lowered her hand and vigorously stimted her dripping pussy. Isaac grew even more excited by the fact that Cecily was eagerly swallowing her member while pleasuring himself.

    Slurp, slurp, slurp¡­

    ¡°Chu-wup! Chup! Ah, ah! Mm, mm!¡±

    ¡°Noona. Now¡­!¡±

    Cecily felt Isaac¡¯s member filling her mouth and throat growingrger and harder. This was undoubtedly a signal of climax.

    She eagerly watched as Isaac¡¯s essence was about to be expelled into her mouth, intensifying her desire. The act of exploring her lover¡¯s rod like she was pleasuring herself provided Cecily with even greater pleasure.

    Although having the object entering and exiting her mouth and throat was ufortable, it strangely heightened her sense of pleasure. As she touched her wet private parts, the fluids flowed abundantly.

    ¡°Uh!¡±

    ¡°Oof!¡±

    Suck, suck, suck.

    Isaac forcefully pulled Cecily closer, ensuring that his semen reached her throat. As Cecily expelled the semen from her mouth, her eyes, which had been tightly shut, opened wide.

    Upon opening her eyes, he realized that the reddish color in her irises had faded away lightly. Her mouth was filled with her beloved man¡¯s semen, flowing down her esophagus, and below, herher regions were drenched with her own secretions, forming a puddle.

    With this, it became clear that Cecily, with her vulgar yetscivious nature, had inherited the subus bloodline.

    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±

    Cecily slowly withdrew Isaac¡¯s member from her throat, which she had dominated like sucking on a candy. Isaac still held onto her horns like handles.

    Plop.

    Finally, Isaac¡¯s sturdy member came outpletely from Cecily¡¯s mouth. It was covered in saliva, but it remained erect and proud.

    ¡°Phew¡­¡±

    Isaac, who couldn¡¯t ovee the immense pleasure, let out a refreshing breath. He had beencent, thinking she was an inexperienced virgin.

    Cecily was a demon with subus blood running through her veins, and she was caught up in an evil cycle of desire. She possessed abilities that humans couldn¡¯t easily achieve and her body was consumed by lust.

    What had just happened was part of it. Isaac brushed his hair back and looked down.

    ¡°Kiss-. lick-.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Mmm. Ahh. Mm.¡±

    Isaac noticed Cecily, who was still licking and kissing his belongings or performing fetio. She delicately caressed it with her hands while moving her mouth like she was eating ice cream.

    Thanks to that, even though he had reached climax once, he felt that his erection had be even stronger. Isaac decided that he couldn¡¯t let things go on like this.

    Just as he had given himself pleasure, he wanted to give a gift to Cecily. He gently touched her horns and opened his mouth.

    ¡°Noona.¡±

    ¡°Mm¡­ Yes?¡±

    ¡°Shall we start going in slowly now?¡±

    Cecily blinked her eyes slowly at Isaac¡¯s suggestion. With his erect member towering high in the sky, alongside her face, his heart throbbed even more.

    Cecily held onto Isaac¡¯s belongings with one hand and seemed lost in thought before gently shaking her head.

    ¡°Later. Right now, I want to taste it more.¡±

    ¡°¡­Really?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I feel like I¡¯ll get addicted. Isaac¡¯s penis is so delicious. Mmm.¡±

    With those words that drive men crazy, Cecily resumed fetio. Isaac stroked her head in appreciation, but he felt sorry for receiving service like this.

    At the very least, he should give her the same pleasure. Isaac momentarily stopped, as if indicating for her to look up at his face.

    When her face was raised, Cecily looked at Isaac with a skeptical expression.

    ¡°Noona,e up on the bed.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°I have something to do for you.¡±

    Cecily hesitated for a moment, but since they were already instinctively exploring each other due to their desire, she carefully listened to his words.

    Soon, the two of them ended up in the middle of the bed. Even as Cecily moved towards the center of the bed, she never let go of Isaac¡¯s penis.

    ¡°Make your buttocks face my face.¡±

    ¡°Like this?¡±

    Without a hint of embarrassment, Cecily positioned her buttocks as Isaac desired, bringing them closer to his face. Thanks to that, Isaac was able to closely observe her intimate area.

    Hair growing densely in ck, unlike Marie¡¯s. And the entrance, which was wet and sticky in between.

    Thud, thud.

    The mucus was secreting enough to drip like water droplets. Isaac sighed with admiration and then lowered his gaze to the sensation he felt from below.

    ¡°Chewp. Chewng! It¡¯s delicious¡­ chewp.¡±

    Cecily, who performed fetio without any shame, showing it to a man who loved secret ces. Just by looking at this, she seemed to have a much greater lewdness than Marie.

    Isaac let out a bitterugh and then shifted his gaze back to Cecily¡¯s secret region. And using both hands, he grabbed her buttocks and slowly pulled downward.

    Finally, as the pink flesh came near Isaac¡¯s mouth, he extended his tongue and gently licked it.

    Lick

    ¡°Aaahk!¡±

    As soon as he licked the vagina, Cecily let out an adorable moan and trembled vigorously.

    Trantors note:

    There are 3 chapters today! Don¡¯t wanna leave you guys hanging

 Chapter 167: Deep Night at Helium (2)

    The positionmonly referred to as the ¡°69 position¡± is one that Marie and Isaac have tried many times before. Unsurprisingly, it was Isaac who first suggested it, as this position is not well-known.

    Initially, Marie felt embarrassed about assuming a position where her genitals, including the anus, would be presented in front of a man¡¯s face. However, after bing ustomed to it, she began to enjoy it. In addition, they have been exploring various other positions thatplement each other well.

    However, it is important to maintain cleanliness, as ack of hygiene could result in unpleasant odors. This position should always be performed after thorough cleaning.

    Lick!

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    As Isaac lightly licked Cecily¡¯s vagina with his tongue, her body trembled, and there was a momentary surge of strength in Cecily¡¯s hand holding his erection.

    It was apletely different sensation from when she masturbated just a moment ago, as if electric currents were flowing through her brain. She had long since cast aside any shame, but the act of her beloved man licking her genitals was a powerful stimulus for Cecily.

    Momentarily stunned by the unfamiliar pleasure, she regained her breath and used her tongue to lick the object in front of her eyes. She lovingly touched it with both hands and used her tongue and mouth to savor it like candy.

    Lick!

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    ¡°Mmm¡­ slurp¡­ mmm¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah! Huh!¡±

    But as Isaac began to lick her clitoris, Cecily found it difficult to contain herself. She could feel a tingling sensation in her lower abdomen, and her juices flowed profusely.

    Her legs weakened to the point where she wanted to surrender her bodypletely. The patience she had cultivated to ovee her inner demons was meaningless.

    This wasn¡¯t some inner evil, it was the ¡°pleasure¡± that her beloved lover was bestowing upon her. It was the first time in over a century that someone other than herself was using their mouth to pleasure her.

    <em>¡®It has a subtle sweetness to it.¡¯</em>

    As Celily buried her face in Isaac¡¯s crotch, Isaac savored her nectar as he licked her mound. The taste and aroma of love juices vary depending on the person.

    If Marie¡¯s love juices were salty and tangy like lemons, Cecily emitted a fruity scent or rather, a sweet taste.

    As a princess of Helium, she must have eaten various kinds of food, but the sweetness wouldn¡¯t have yed a significant role in her origin. It was a persuasive hypothesis since she sucked on Isaac like an ice cream, iming it tasted delicious.

    With his eyes closed, Isaac greedily devoured Cecily¡¯s love juices. Instead of falling drop by drop like water droplets, they flowed continuously like a faucet, quickly saturating the area around his mouth.

    ¡°Churp, chwup, jyup!¡±

    ¡°Hahk! Hahng! Ahh!¡±

    Now Cecily only moaned instead of sucking on Isaac¡¯s penis. Although he could bring her to climax by licking her mound, Isaac was experienced in countless sexual encounters with Marie.

    He knew that a woman¡¯s climax doesn¡¯t explode all at once like a man¡¯s but builds up slowly like climbing stairs until it reaches its peak. Unlike the so-called ¡°post-sex nap¡± that men experience, a woman¡¯s climaxsts for a long time.

    So when Cecily stopped fetio, Isaac would stop as well and, once she regained her senses and took something into her mouth, he would lick her clit.

    Although she didn¡¯t explicitly demand it, by now Cecily must have realized that if she didn¡¯t caress Isaac¡¯s penis, this pleasure would disappear forever.

    ¡°Uguk! Oooh! Jyup! Chup!¡±

    As soon as Cecily became aware of that fact, she tightly closed her eyes and epted Isaac¡¯s member deeply into her throat. Cecily, without forcibly inserting his rod, moved her head back and forth as if diving underwater.

    At the same time, Isaac was also fervently exploring her pink treasure. Not only did he caress her with his mouth, but he also handled her delicate curves like fragile ss. Her peach-shaped buttocks were so well-formed that even the act of caressing them had an addictive quality.

    Slurp!

    ¡°Oo-goo-wup!¡±

    Before long, as if bing ustomed to licking with his mouth, Isaac widened the entrance of Cecily¡¯s vagina with his thumb and pushed his tongue deep inside. Cecily widened her eyes and stiffened her body as soon as Isaac¡¯s tongue prated her insides.

    The sensation inside her was not like something hard and rigid but rather the soft and pliable texture unique to a tongue. It was apletely different sensation from when she had masturbated just moments ago.

    Cecily firmly gripped Isaac¡¯s erect member, plunging it deep into her throat, and clenched her fist tightly. The electrifying sensation rising from below traveled through her lower abdomen, up her spine, and pierced her brain.

    This was dangerous as it was. However, she couldn¡¯t stop.

    With her eyes wide open, Cecily awaited the signal for Isaac to release¡­

    Pop!

    ¡°Ooo-ooh! Puh-ha! Hoo-aahh!!¡±

    As soon as Isaac touched her swollen nds with his hand, it exploded intensely.

    Squelch! Squelch! Squelch!

    ¡°Haa-aaah! Haa-ng! Uwaa-ang! Aa-ang!¡±

    When touched, Cecily, released a scream that was soaked in delight. From her depths, love juices burst forth like a fountain, dampening Isaac¡¯s face.

    However, Isaac remained undeterred and kept his tongue inserted at the entrance of Cecily¡¯s intimate parts. Instead, he stimted herher region by using his index and middle fingers, savoring the love juices as if they were holy water.

    As if a dam had burst, Cecily trembled sporadically, reaching the climax. The climax gifted to her by another, a man she loves, deviated from self-pleasure, taking a different course.

    ¡°Ah¡­ hah¡­ haa¡­¡±

    Cecily buries her face in Isaac¡¯s groin, controlling her breath. Her jet-ck hair flowed like a curtain, and her crimson eyes lost focus.

    Yet, Isaac¡¯s member, firmly grasped in her hand, revealed Cecily¡¯s lewdness. Even in the midst of a chaotic mind caused by the climax, she extended her tongue and skillfully stroked the pir.

    Isaac appreciated Cecily¡¯ssciviousness, which may rival Marie¡¯s or even exceed it. They haven¡¯t even entered the main event, but she was already thirsty for more.

    Thus, he cautiously shifted Cecily¡¯s buttocks to the side. Even when moving her legs onto the bed, Cecily never once considered detaching her face from his erection.

    ¡°Noona, I understand you want to continue sucking, but we should stop now.¡±

    ¡°Meanie¡­ I want to eat more cock¡­ I haven¡¯t had enough¡­ I¡¯m drooling.¡±

    Despite being absent-minded, Cecily continued to seek only Isaac¡¯s member. Perhaps it¡¯s because she¡¯s a subus, but her resilience is no joke.

    Marie couldn¡¯t even move after reaching climax, but Cecily seemedpletely fine. Isaac chuckled wryly and restrained her with a gentle voice.

    ¡°I¡¯ll feed you more without restraintter, so for now, let¡¯s stop.¡±

    ¡°Heehee¡­¡±

    Isaac harshly pushed Cecily away, causing her to fall helplessly on the bed. Her expression was gloomy, but her gaze remained fixed on Isaac¡¯s crotch.

    Suddenly, Isaac grabbed Cecily¡¯s slender shoulders and spun her body around. Cecily turned her head and faced Isaac¡¯s face.

    Even in the darkness, Cecily blinked her eyes a couple of times at Isaac¡¯s shining golden eyes and then smiled mischievously. Then she extended her lips, demanding a kiss.

    Although his own desire had waned, Isaac fulfilled her request willingly. After all, his semen would reach its destination and satisfy the woman he loved, so he had no hesitation.

    Furthermore, Cecily¡¯s mouth exuded a sweet fragrance, reminiscent of a unique fruity aroma that was also present in her saliva.

    As ifparing herself to a dessert, Cecily¡¯s body was like a sweet fruit dessert itself.

    ¡°Mm, softer¡­ deeper¡­ mm¡­¡±

    While kissing Isaac, Cecily arched her back, feeling the softness of the bed enveloping her head.

    Isaacid Cecily on the bed and continued kissing her for a while before silently parting their lips. A trail of silver saliva stretched and then weakly broke apart.

    Eventually, he gazed at Cecily lying on the bed. Herrge and perfectly shaped breasts, despite lying down, maintained their roundness, and the curve of her waist and hips was truly a work of art.

    In addition to this, the secret garden, soaked with the nectar. Isaac swallowed his saliva and gently ced his object on Cecily¡¯s abdomen.

    ¡°Wow¡­¡±

    Cecily marveled at the size of the object, which almost reached her belly button. Could that really enter inside her? If it did, how would it feel?

    Could she experience a more intense pleasure than the one she felt earlier? With an expression of anticipation, she pressed Isaac¡¯s object against her abdomen.

    As Isaac¡¯s object touched her wless abdomen, she could feel the sensation perfectly. She had thought about it before, but it was hot and solid like an iron rod heated in fire, just as Marie had described.

    <em>¡®Marie¡­ She said she couldn¡¯t take it all, right?¡¯</em>

    Could she really ept all of that? She was taller than Marie and her pelvis was well developed, so maybe it was possible. Cecily lovingly caressed Isaac¡¯s penis, then raised her gaze. Isaac was smiling gently, as if waiting for permission.

    ¡°¡­Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Noona?¡±

    ¡°I love you. So¡­¡±

    Suddenly, with a trembling voice, Cecily confessed her love and used both hands to widen her vaginal entrance. The fluid that had been lingering inside her vagina poured out.

    Then, with an expression that seemed consumed by desire, she earnestly begged Isaac. Her red eyes emitted an even more intense gleam.

    ¡°Please¡­ ravage mepletely, Isaac.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°You can handle me however you want. Treat me roughly. So, please¡­ please put it in.¡±

    Just these words were enough to make Isaac¡¯s object throb with anticipation.

    ¡°My body and heart¡­ belong to you, Isaac ?¡±

    With a quick decision, Isaac took action, breathing heavily. Normally, he would have caressed, but with the flood that urred, there was no need for forey.

    Without dy, he grasped the rod with one hand and began to search for the entrance. As an experienced person, finding the entrance was easy.

    Finally, the tip touched the entrance, and Cecily tightly gripped the bedsheet in anticipation of the imminent pleasure. Her heart pounded violently, and her breathing became rapid.

    ¡°¡­ Nuoona.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes. What is it?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re really a pervert, Noona.¡±

    As he spoke, Isaac smirked.

    Sst!

    Without hesitation, he pushed the penis inside.

    ¡°Ah¡­!¡±

    As Isaac¡¯s object filled her, Cecily¡¯s tongue slipped out of her mouth. Her waist arched like a bow, and her grip on the bed sheets tightened.

    Due to the rapid and prating entry without taking it slowly, there was some pain, but it became meaningless due to the pleasure that came like a tidal wave afterward.

    The sensation of a hot iron rod, hard yet fiery, filled her lower abdomenpletely. Cecily trembled and then forced her gaze downward with difficulty.

    Most of that enormous erection had disappeared. She shifted her gaze with a happy smile, knowing that she had be one with the man she loved.

    Isaac, too, looked down at himself with his characteristic deep smile.

    ¡°Ah, Isaac, you¡¯re¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah, noona.¡±

    ¡°I love you¡­ really¡­ I love you¡­¡±

    Cecily confessed her love once again, spreading her arms wide. Isaac obliged by lowering his upper body, embracing her as she desired.

    As their bodies entwined, Cecily¡¯s ample bosom also became beautifully wrinkled. Isaac appreciated the wonderful feel of her breasts and enjoyed breaking down her barrier.

    Naturally, it was tight like a virgins, but it also felt soft as it wrapped around him. The thick secretions provided a different sensation from Marie¡¯s.

    Most surprisingly, Cecily amodated Isaac¡¯s massive girth for the most part. While there was a slight remnant at the base, she didn¡¯t feel his ns touching her cervix.

    This aspect gave Isaac a new stimulus. Gently wiping Cecily¡¯s face, he asked quietly,

    ¡°Does it hurt?¡±

    ¡°It just feels good¡­ so please, move¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah, got it. Here we go.¡±

    Isaac lightly kissed Cecily and raised his upper body slightly. Instead of pulling back, he moved forward slightly.

    Squelch¡ª

    ¡°Kyahh!¡±

    With that, even the remaining base disappearedpletely, and the ns collided with Cecily¡¯s cervix. Cecily felt a sensation as if electric currents were flowing throughout her body.

    Thud¡ª

    ¡°Uuhh¡­¡±

    After Isaac pulled his hips back, the cock that had filled her insides also disappeared. Cecily, while emitting a satisfied moan, felt a sense of emptiness as the bat scraped against the walls and retreated.

    It¡¯s natural to feel empty when something that had filled every space disappears. Finally, just before the ns was fully withdrawn.

    Jiggle¡ª!

    ¡°Aaahh!!¡±

    Isaac forcefully thrust his waist and prated inside once again. The ns collided with the cervix once more, and Cecily let out a scream filled with pleasure.

    Thud¡ª

    ¡°Uhhuung¡­¡±

    Slowly pull out.

    Thrust!

    ¡°Ah-ahh!!¡±

    He thrust forcefully.

    Squelch!

    ¡°Ah, mmh¡­¡±

    He withdrew slowly once again.

    Squish!

    ¡°Uhhhh!!¡±

    He thrust even harder once more.

    It was a process to be ustomed, and every time, Cecily let out moans of pleasure. She had already fully adapted to Isaac¡¯s actions, epting nothing but pleasure.

    In response, Isaac moved slowly and teasingly, arching his lower back. Mixed with the flow of fluids, evidence of her virginity, blood trickled out.

    However, Cecily seemed to have a body that had already experienced this several times, whether due to her innate nature or not. It seemed fine to proceed as they always did with Marie.

    Normally, he would proceed with care and consideration, but Cecily seemed not to require it. Nevertheless, he had to make her feel the climax.

    Thrust!

    ¡°Mmhh¡­!¡±

    Isaac lifted his upper bodypletely and firmly grasped Cecily¡¯s breasts, which he had longed to y with. His hands were buried in the vast mound of flesh.

    While teasing her plump chest freely, he gently moved his waist. He would delicately touch or pull on her pointed pink nipples with his fingers.

    To make it a mess just the way she wanted, he began to handle her roughly.

    Thump! Thump! Thump! Thud!

    ¡°Ah! Oh! Ahh! Yeah!!¡±

    As her chest was being teased, Cecily moaned continuously while repeating the waist movements. Due to excessive arousal, the sound of moistness started to emerge.

    Isaac tightly grasped Cecily¡¯srge breasts as handles and eagerly devoured them. Based on their previous sexual encounters, he incorporated not only simple repetition but also controlled the rhythm.

    If he sensed that Cecily was approaching climax, he deliberately slowed down, and when she seemed to rx a little, he thrust forcefully.

    It wasn¡¯t only a crude exercise like their first night with Marie, but Isaac also added techniques to provide Cecily with extreme pleasure.

    Thud! Thud! p!

    ¡°Ah! Mmm! Mmh. Mm. Mwah! Ah¡­¡±

    To prevent boredom, they asionally kissed. As Isaac explored her mouth, Cecily responded willingly. Moreover, she wrapped her legs around Isaac¡¯s waist to further stimte him.

    Even amidst the intertwining of their tongues, like entwined snakes, Isaac relentlessly thrust into Cecily¡¯s vagina. Her mouth was teased with kisses, her breasts were handled with both hands, and finally, her lower entrance was upied by Isaac¡¯s penis.

    The three rhythms harmonized perfectly, gradually reaching their limit. Tears welled up in Cecily¡¯s eyes, and her vaginal walls contracted forcefully.

    Isaac gradually realized that the climax was approaching and examined her face. Her red eyes were rising, revealing the whites.

    If that¡¯s the case, everything left will be released. While maintaining the kiss, he lowered the hand that had been gripping her chest.

    Passing her lower abdomen, which was already wet with fluids, he arrived at Cecily¡¯s clit. He lightly touched the sensitive spot he had confirmed earlier.

    ¡°Ah! Hng!¡±

    As soon as he touched her sensitive spot, Cecily¡¯s body trembled. It felt like an electric current running through her spine, striking her brain, just as before.

    But this wasn¡¯t the end. Isaac strengthened his grip on her muscles, making her more tightly held, and he roughly stimted her core with his hand.

    Throb! Throb! Twitch! Twitch!

    ¡°Ah! Ah! Huh! Haah! Kyaaah!¡±

    Cecily was now writhing and screaming almost uncontrobly. Something was building up from her head, signaling the imminent climax.

    In response, Isaac withdrew his hips and forcefully thrust them back in an instant.

    Squelch!

    ¡°Kyaaaah!¡±

    The feeling of their genitals colliding with each other finally brought Cecily to her climax. Her waist arched like a bow, and the bed, unable to withstand the strong force, shook vigorously.

    Pusshii!!

    Cecily¡¯s long, slender legs that wrapped around Isaac¡¯s waist were trembling, and ejaction gushed like a fountain from the still-filled vagina.

    There was a significantlyrger amountpared to what was done orally, and the bedsheet was soaking wet.

    Cecily had reached orgasm, gasping for breath.

    ¡°Hmm¡­! Ahh¡­! Mmm¡­¡±

    Squelch~

    ¡°Huh!?¡±

    But the issue wasn¡¯t Isaac. It was Cecily realizing that Isaac¡¯s waist wasn¡¯t moving slowly and deliberately while she was catching her breath.

    Only then did she realize that Isaac hadn¡¯t climaxed yet.

    The real show was about to begin.

    Isaac gently stroked Cecily¡¯s cheek, which was trembling with fear. Cecily, who was already highly aroused due to the orgasm, trembled as he wiped her cheek.

    A woman¡¯s orgasm isn¡¯t easy, and evening down from it is slow. So Cecily¡¯sscivious body is currently in an extremely sensitive state.

    It means that she¡¯s suitable for continuously experiencing the pleasure that feels like her brain is melting.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say, ¡®Make a mess of me¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Ah, Isaac¡­¡±

    Cecily called Isaac¡¯s name with a trembling voice. Isaac affectionately wiped her cheek and then put his finger in her mouth.

    A few months ago, when Cecily and I were alone at the cafe, she was the one who sucked on my fingers first. However, now Isaac directly put them in her mouth.

    Cecily faced Isaac while sucking on his fingers, from which a sweet scent spread due to the saliva. His penis, which had entered her vagina, still remained firm and proud.

    ¡°Ah¡­ Mmm¡­ Agh¡­¡±

    Thump!

    ¡°Oof!¡±

    Isaac¡¯s waist jerked once, causing her to widen her eyes. However, her mouth was blocked by Isaac¡¯s fingers, preventing her from making any moaning sounds.

    Thump! Thump! Squelch! Slurp!

    ¡°Huff! Ooh! Ahh! Eeuung!¡±

    Isaac continued to tease Cecily¡¯s mouth with his fingers, back and forth. With each insertion, water sprayed in all directions.

    Cecily, already sensitive due to the peak of pleasure, sensed another wave building up. Not only was the act of insertion pleasurable, but also teasing her mouth brought delight, and squeezing her chest was no different.

    She wondered if she might actually die. The stamina of a demon mattered in terms of endurance and wounds, not this kind of climax. If anything, it seemed like subus blood prevented her from easily descending from such heights.

    Moreover, with the ovepping evil cycle, her current state of orgasm made her entire body feel like it was filled with erogenous zones.

    ¡°Eeung. Ahh. Isaac, you are¡­¡±

    ¡°Why? What¡¯s wrong, Noona?¡±

    ¡°I said something wrong. I was wrong¡­¡±

    Due to the unexpectedly strong stimtion, Cecily eventually apologized. However, Isaac countered with a smirk.

    ¡°But why are youughing?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ it¡¯s nothing¡­¡±

    Despite denying it, Cecily had a happy smile on her face. Her words were merely a facade, as her true desires were evident.

    In response, Isaac removed his fingers from Cecily¡¯s mouth and decided to change positions. First, he temporarily removed the rod from her vagina and then flipped her body over.

    Due to the relentless pleasure that repeatedly surged, Cecily had no strength left to resist, and her face was pressed against the bed.

    Then, Isaac wiped the peach-shaped, beautifully contoured buttocks before inserting himself. Before pration, he wore a devilish smile and extended his hands towards Cecily¡¯s horns, not her waist.

    He forcibly grasped her horns like handles and lifted them up. As Isaac held onto the horns and forcefully lifted, Cecily, in her frenzy, used both arms to support her upper body.

    Thud!!

    ¡°Ah¡­ahh!!¡±

    Without any warning, Isaac inserted himself into Cecily¡¯s vagina. Once again, an overwhelming sensation pierced through her brain, causing Cecily to let out a moan. Since it went deeper than usual and stimted the pleasure receptors inside her vagina properly, this position brought even greater pleasure.

    p! p! Thud! Thud!

    ¡°Uh-heung! Ah-heung! Ah-aang! Hoo-ang!¡±

    Isaac watched Cecily¡¯s back as she writhed in pleasure. Her back muscles, extending in a straight line down the center, and the peach-shaped buttocks that flowed beneath her slender waistline were captivating.

    Every time he struck, herrge breasts jiggled and swayed, a truly magnificent sight.

    <em>¡®First, let¡¯s give it a try.¡¯ </em>

    Thanks to Mora¡¯s divine power, excluding the calming effects, Isaac¡¯s erection had been going strong for a long time. However, he couldn¡¯t leave it as it was, so he thought it would be good to release once.

    Above all, one reason Mora granted divine power was to transmit it to Cecily as well. The method of transferring energy through sex has existed since ancient times.

    Instead of delivering the final thrust, Isaac¡¯s attention was suddenly drawn to Cecily¡¯s tempting buttocks. They were plump and seemed incredibly inviting.

    Well, he had asked her to make a mess anyway. A mischievous expression crossed his face. Besides, even with just one hand, it would be enough to hold onto the horns.

    Then, raising his arms high towards the sky, Isaac¡­

    p!

    ¡°Kyaaah!!¡±

    He forcefully smacked Cecily¡¯s peach-shaped buttocks. As soon as her buttocks were struck, Cecily let out a mixture of a scream and a moan. At the same time, the tightness of her inner walls increased significantly. Unable to contain his excitement, Isaac continued to spank her buttocks.

    Snap! p! Smack!

    ¡°Oooh! Aaah!! Uh-heung!!¡±

    Every time Isaac spanked her buttocks, Cecily let out a scream of pleasure. Her vagina also contracted and rxed repeatedly.

    Thus, Isaac learned one thing. As if proving her plea to be vited in disarray, Cecily enjoyed being tormented.

    She was nothing but ascivious slut, not a demon princess, not anything other than a subus itself.

    Thud! Thud! Thud! p!

    ¡°Ah! Isaac-nim! Isaac-nim!! I, I¡­¡±

    Cecily cried out, calling Isaac¡¯s name. Seeing her tongue sticking out was evidence that she was reaching another climax.

    As the signal of his release approached, Isaac momentarily stopped spanking and shook his hips. Then, gripping her buttocks tightly instead of her horns, he thrust backward, lengthening his movements before violently pulling away.

    Thud!!

    ¡°Ahhh!!!¡±

    Cecily, with her tongue sticking out, experienced her third climax.

    Drip¡­ Drip¡­ Drip¡­

    Isaac also released his seed deep into Cecily¡¯s uterus. It was his second release, but the quantity was by no means small; it had actually increased.

    Looking down while catching his breath, Isaac ejacted inside Cecily, not Marie. Her buttocks were stained red, and Cecily¡¯s body trembled in excitement.

    On the first night, could it feel this good? He slowly pulled out and pped Cecily¡¯s buttocks coolly.

    Smack!

    ¡°Haeng¡­¡±

    Isaac felt the climax as Cecily trembled when he spanked her buttocks. Despite having ejacted for the second time, Isaac still looked at his erect member.

    Still not enough. With the umtion of steady effort and the divine power from Mora, it was only natural.

    The night is still young. Isaac pressed his face against the bed and approached the trembling Cecily.

    ¡°Noona, can we do more?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ we can do more.¡±

    Just moments ago, she seemed like she would faint, but for some reason, she quickly regained her stamina. Could it be that subi regain their strength with the intake of semen?

    If not, perhaps the divine power received from Mora was transferred to Cecily. It¡¯s possible that Cecily, not Isaac, is the dangerous one.

    Isaac extended his member, feeling a sense of satisfaction in conquering Cecily, who is much stronger than himself and is even ted to be the next Demon Lord.

    As a massive object approached her face, Cecily raised her body, flinching.

    ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡±

    ¡°Yes? Ah!¡±

    Without any further conversation, Isaac grabbed Cecily¡¯s horns and began the act. Cecily¡¯s eyes widened as his penis filled her mouth, and she soon started trembling.

    Push¡ª

    A distinct sound of bodily fluid being discharged could be heard below. Isaac grasped her horn and moved it up and down.

    ¡°Oog! Ooogh! Jyuup! Chwak! Ooguk!¡±

    Tonight, there was no esteemed princess of Helium. There was only one lewd woman left.

    ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯ll go again.¡±

    ¡°Chuwup! In¡­ in my mouth¡­¡±

    Plup plup

    Isaac enjoyed a long night ejacting inside Cecily¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°It tastes good¡­ More¡­ Give me more¡­¡±

    ¡°As you wish.¡±

    ¡°Kyaaah!¡±

    Cecily, who had an unforgettable first night, was no different.

    Trantors note:

    Didn¡¯t think they would be into this¡­

    Also decided not to change the sfx in those chapters as I had more than enough of my share looking up sfx for sex before.

 Chapter 168: Morning at Helium (1)

    The long night stretched until the break of dawn. When Isaac had his first encounter with Marie, it at least ended by dawn, but Cecily was a subus. She possessed exceptional physical abilities.

    Furthermore, Cecily¡¯s stamina was exceptionally high, unlike Marie¡¯s, who was an ordinary human. Cecily had undergone various forms of training, including yoga, which greatly enhanced her endurance. The calloused, rough skin on her hands was evidence of that.

    Of course, this is the story of Cecily when she was still an ordinary demon, but her case is slightly different. First and foremost, as the evil cycle umted and needed release, her body became more sensitive. Even though she only took Isaac¡¯s member into her mouth, one could tell by the intensity she reached that she had reached her peak.

    Secondly, the subus blood flowing within her body. The subus blood that had been dormant for over a hundred years had manifested, but the problem was that its concentration was very diluted. If it had been even slightly stronger, Cecily would have been able to easily absorb Isaac¡¯s essence, but over time, the blood had weakened. Ultimately, it only served to further arouse Isaac¡¯s excitement, leaving Cecily in a mess as she desired.

    Both of the aforementioned conditions were currently fulfilled, and Cecily¡¯s entire body was as sensitive as erogenous zones. No matter how strong her physical stamina may be, if her mental endurance was drained, it was meaningless.

    Mora¡¯s divine power, as he learned only at dawn, was not only for Isaac, but for Cecily.

    ¡°Mmm¡­ Is this okay?¡±

    ¡°Move your tongue a little more. Mm-hmm, like that.¡±

    ¡°Mmm¡­ Ah¡­¡±

    Even though the morning sun had risen, the two lovers werepletely engrossed in sex, without a moment¡¯s rest. Cecily inserted Isaac¡¯s member between herrge breasts and fervently sucked on the tip that protruded between them. Despite the considerable size of Cecily¡¯s breasts, which were well worth their weight in gold, they couldn¡¯tpletely hide Isaac¡¯s member.

    Isaac, lying on the bed, leisurely enjoyed the service provided by Cecily. The shaft disappeared entirely within the softness of her breasts, leaving only the tip stimted, as if it would release at any moment.

    The position known as ¡°Boobjob¡± required both the man and woman to have above-average proportions. Given that Marie was a well-fed and well-rested noblewoman, she hadrge breasts, and it was a favorite position of theirs.

    However, Cecily¡¯s breasts were not average, they were truly at a heavenly level. While her nipples were exposed, they were surrounding the pir, providing a refreshing stimtion.

    Furthermore, unlike Marie¡¯s soft and fluffy breasts, Cecily¡¯s breasts were highly stic. With a different texture, the stimtion would naturally be different as well.

    The night of pleasure that startedte at night did not end even when morning came.

    <em>¡®Is this also thanks to divine power?¡¯</em>

    Isaac thought as he watched Cecily caress her protruding tip that emerged through her chest. Even if he imed to have received knight training, his stamina was not as strong as hers.

    Although there were times when Cecily took breaks due to asional fainting spells, it was unbelievable that not even a sign of fatigue could be felt.

    Surely, the divine power given by Mora had produced some kind of effect. As a bonus, Cecily¡¯s energy was also replenished, resulting in a win-win situation for both of them.

    Swish~

    ¡°Chuup. Cold. Hehe.¡±

    As Isaac gently stroked her horns, Cecily removed the tip from her mouth and trembled. She used both hands to move her breasts up and down, applying pressure to the pir buried in the valley.

    The skin itself was very smooth and not roughened, and thanks to asionally spitting out saliva, it was notcking in quality either. With a warm gaze, Isaac stroked Cecily¡¯s horns and then lowered his hand towards her breasts.

    And he pinched the still erect nipples and pulled them slightly harder.

    ¡°Kyaah!¡±

    Isaac pulled on Cecily¡¯s nipple, causing her to let out a moan of pleasure. Even such minor pain became a source of delight for her.

    Isaac teased and pinched Cecily¡¯s enticing nipple, helping her to be even more aroused.

    ¡°What are you doing? Keep sucking.¡±

    ¡°Mmm¡­ slurp. Plop. Mmm.¡±

    Cecily obliged Isaac¡¯s wicked demands, taking his penis into her mouth. With her hands, she fondled her breasts, while her mouthvished attention on the remaining parts.

    Meanwhile, Isaac did not cease his action of pulling on her breasts. Through the continuous sex thatsted until dawn, he discovered one thing about Cecily: she had masochistic tendencies.

    Whether he spanked her buttocks forcefully or pinched her nipples like this, Cecily only let out pleasure-filled moans without experiencing any pain.

    Isaac didn¡¯t particrly possess sadistic tendencies, but witnessing the sight of his beloved woman immersed in pleasure made it difficult for him to hold back. After all, it wasn¡¯t an easy sight to see Helium¡¯s Princess, who received the admiration of demons, sumbing to pleasure.

    <em>¡®Given that her horns have turned ck again, it must truly be her preference.¡¯</em>

    While tormenting Cecily¡¯s breasts, Isaac confirmed the color of her horns. Justst night, they were filled with red, but now they werepletely ck.

    From this, it could be deduced that Cecily hadpletely satisfied all the umted desires. Considering the number of climaxes she experienced during the night, surpassing two digits, it was no wonder.

    Therefore, now that all desires had been fulfilled, it meant Cecily was in her purest state. In fact,pared to the evil cycle, there wasn¡¯t much difference.

    ¡°Noona, I¡¯m ready now.¡±

    ¡°Ung, hurry and wrap it up. I want to have Isaac¡¯s semen. Pout.¡±

    When Isaac gave the signal, Cecily pulled out the ns that was in her mouth and stuck out her tongue. It was as if she was savoring a candy. Unable to hold back any longer, Isaac ejacted.

    Squirt! Squirt!

    ¡°Kyaa?¡±

    Although the quantity and concentration were light due to multiple previous releases, it was enough to dirty Cecily¡¯s face. As the beloved man¡¯s semen sttered on her face, Cecily made a cute sound. Eventually, as the milky white ejacte smeared on her face, she wiped it off lightly with her hand and put it in her mouth.

    ¡°Mmm, it¡¯s tasty. Slurp. I want to eat more.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    While Cecily savored the semen in her mouth, Isaac turned his head towards the window. Even though it was winter and the sun rosete, it was nowpletely dawn, heralding the beginning of the day.

    They had explored Cecily¡¯s body all night, but thanks to Mora¡¯s divine power, their vitality was still abundant. However, both Cecily and Isaac felt unsatisfied with ending it like this. Something special was needed to conclude.

    ¡°Noona.¡±

    ¡°Yeah? Why?¡±

    ¡°You said you do yoga, right?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s yoga?¡±

    Cecily asked back, grabbing his rod, which had sagged from having just ejacted. Holding the cock with that face, innocently asking, it felt like my blood was rushing in again.

    ¡°Ah! I stood again. Yum!¡±

    As Isaac¡¯s cock gained strength and rose, she put it in her mouth as if she was aiming for this moment. Isaacughed bitterly at her almost poisonous greed.

    I¡¯m a little worried that she might not be able to even continue her daily life normally. Isaac nudged Cecily¡¯s head as she indulged his cock between her breasts.

    Cecily also pulled his cock out of her mouth as he pushed her head away. Making a puzzled expression was a bonus.

    ¡°Listen to what people say. Yoga, so you said you do stretching, right? I heard from Mr. Gartz. Demons do high-difficulty stretching.¡±

    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Then can you do what I want?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do anything Isaac wants. Instead, this is mine. Yum?¡±

    What kind of obscenity is this? Isaac almost gave in when Cecily responded sexyly by kissing him on the tip, but he managed to contain it.

    It was said that when the cycle ends, the desire quickly fades, but it seems like a weird switch has been flipped in her. The future of staying at Helium and having sex all the way through the vacation opened up.

    However, everyday life must go on. Isaac pondered how he could stop Cecily¡¯s rampage and came up with a good idea.

    ¡°Let¡¯s make a bet. It¡¯s rted to the stretching we talked about earlier.¡±

    ¡°What kind of bet?¡±

    ¡°If you can hold the desired posture for 5 minutes, then today, you can do whatever you want.¡±

    Isaac suddenly regained his energy and pointed to his penis standing tall. The red pupils of Cecily¡¯s eyes lit up at the idea that she could freely handle Isaac¡¯s manhood for the day.

    At first nce, it seemed to be emitting a heart-shaped light, indicating a properly aroused state. Then, while Cecily looked at him with loving eyes and caressed his manhood, Isaac made a condition.

    ¡°But if you can¡¯t hold it, that¡¯s the end of it today. I want to continue, but I can sense someone¡¯s presence.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve already told Mom everything. I might note out until tonight.¡±

    ¡°Well, it might be fine for a subus, but I¡¯m human. I need to eat. Besides, I have to go to the temple as well.¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­ I understand.¡±

    As Cecily yfully touched the object with her finger, expressing her regret, she suddenly had a question and tilted her head.

    ¡°Come to think of it, strangely enough, I don¡¯t feel hungry. It feels like I¡¯m even full.¡±

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because of your subus bloodline? Could it be rted to that?¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Well, considering that subi feed on male essence, being with Isaac should prevent me from starving to death.¡±

    ¡°Instead, I¡¯ll probably wither away from dehydration.¡±

    After a frivolous joke, both the man and the woman got out of bed and stood up on their own two feet. Despite it being their first experience, Cecily, unlike an ordinary person, was able to stand up due to her trained physique as a demon.

    The pain of past sins had long vanished due to the pleasure. What remained now were only remnants of sticky desire.

    Isaac admired Cecily¡¯s naked body, which looked much better in the morning than before. Her splendid breasts, slender waist, and hips were always captivating. Even if one were to draw a picture, you couldn¡¯t depict them as exquisitely.

    Furthermore, as evidence of their passionate affairst night, various secretions were still clinging around her intimate area. Semen, love juices, saliva, and even traces of virgin blood.

    Although she could use cleansing magic to eliminate everything, Cecily didn¡¯t do it right away. Why bother using magic when it will get dirty again anyway?

    Thinking about the fact that he had indulged in wild passion with a woman who possessed such a provocative figure and shamelessly uttered lewd words, Isaac¡¯s lower body began to throb.

    Cecily chuckled at the sight of his erect state and teasingly touched it with her hand. She swept her palm along his pir and delicately grasped it, moving up and down.

    ¡°I feel a little jealous that only Marie knew how good this is. You¡¯re staying in Helium for the entire vacation, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, so should we start stretching now?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. What do you want to do?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    Isaac conveyed the desired position to Cecily, who listened attentively and promptly took action.

    First, one leg stretched high into the sky, exhaling a long breath, she firmly anchored it with one hand. If she had been wearing clothes, it might have been hidden, but thanks to that, her private parts were clearly exposed.

    However, whether Cecily didn¡¯t feel any shame or not, she innocently asked Isaac with a naive face.

    ¡°Like this?¡±

    ¡°¡­You¡¯re incredibly flexible.¡±

    ¡°This is just the basic foundation.¡±

    Isaac carefully examined Cecily¡¯s posture, regardless of her answer. The posture she adopted wasmonly referred to as the ¡°I Bnce.¡±

    It was a posture that only someone with extreme flexibility could achieve, and it easily made one feel embarrassed due to the exposure of their private parts. However, Cecily had long since discarded such feelings of shame.

    Swallowing his saliva, Isaac slowly approached her. His member was already hard as it could be.

    ¡°Should we proceed like this?¡±

    ¡°Yes. If you endure for just five minutes, victory will be mine, big brother.¡±

    ¡°Hmph. I¡¯ve gotten used to it now¡­ Huh!¡±

    With a swift motion, Isaac took advantage of Cecily¡¯s heightened state and immediately prated her. Cecily almost lost her bnce due to the unexpected surprise attack, but she narrowly averted disaster.

    ¡°If your posture loosens, you lose. Got it?¡±

    ¡°T-That¡¯s¡­ cheating¡­ Who does this¡­ Ahh!¡±

    Cecily shook her body as she protested, and Isaac responded by jerking his hips. Ejacte flowed out of her vagina, staining the ground. It was a sensation that prated deeper inside, more than any position they had tried before. Moreover, it was the first time they were doing it standing up with both legs.

    Cecily trembled as unexpected sensations emerged, and she looked at Isaac with trembling eyes. He wore his characteristic gentle smile.

    ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡±

    ¡°Just a moment¡­ Ahh!¡±

    Stab, stab, thrust, thud.

    As Isaac started moving his hips more vigorously, Cecily let out a moan. The amount of vaginal fluid secreted increased as the muscles inside her filled and contracted.

    As Cecily felt the strength in her waist gradually waning, she bit her lip and endured it. If she could hold on for just five more minutes, she would be able to control Isaac¡¯s penis as she pleased.

    ¡°Ugh! Ugh! Heuk! Haah!¡±

    She kept her moans to herself and maintained her bnce, but she didn¡¯t anticipate that it would further excite Isaac.

    Feeling as if it was being forced, Isaac moved his hips faster and stronger, thoroughly ravishing Cecily¡¯s vagina.

    Each thrust caused ejacte to stter in all directions, dripping down her legs or falling like droplets. After sincerely exploring Cecily¡¯s vagina for about a minute.

    Stab, thrust, stab, thud.

    ¡°Ah! Ahh! Aaahh!!¡±

    In the end, Cecily, who couldn¡¯t resist the fresh stimtion, released the arm that had been restraining her and let her legs down. Her legs, which had been straightened in an upright position, now rested on Isaac¡¯s shoulders.

    Cecily, who was defeated by pleasure in less than a minute, didn¡¯t care about the fact that this would be the end of their encounter today. Right now, she was only focused on feeling Isaac¡¯s member filling herpletely. After all, they had plenty of time during the vacation.

    ¡°It hasn¡¯t even been a minute, and it¡¯s already over? Isn¡¯t that too disappointing?¡±

    ¡°Mmm¡­ No¡­ Ahh. Isaac¡­ Isaac is just¡­ Mmm!¡±

    Although it was an ufortable position, Cecily steadfastly maintained her bnce with one leg and deeply epted Isaac¡¯s member inside her. Unlike on the bed, the member was stimting her upper region and asionally touched her cervix. They had tried various positions fromst night until morning, but each new position brought a new sensation.

    ¡°Oh, ah!¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    Isaac yfully thrust into Cecily¡¯s inner depths, then changed his position. After lowering the leg that was resting on his shoulder, he swiftly embraced her.

    Surprised, Cecily naturally had no choice but to ce both legs on Isaac¡¯s waist. As Isaac held her up, his member delved even deeper inside her.

    ¡°Ah¡­!¡±

    ¡°Is something pushing against you?¡±

    ¡°Mmm¡­ You¡¯re cruel. Really¡­¡±

    Even without that, I was already at a level where I had a little energy left, but now that I¡¯ve used it all up, I vividly feel my uterus shifting. This position, known as the ¡°squatting posture,¡± is challenging unless a man has strong muscles, but Isaac once received knight training, so his body was prepared for it. Moreover, he has rapidly grown and strengthened his muscles in recent months.

    Cecily was not a beastwoman but a demon, so she was rtively lightweight. Although she may be heavier than a normal person due to her height and chest, it didn¡¯t pose any difficulty.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll move.¡±

    Squeeze. Choo. Chewp.

    As Isaac spoke, Cecily began to passionately kiss him. Utilizing her arms and legs, Cecily firmly embraced Isaac and epted his tongue.

    Finally, Isaac skillfully moved his hips, and Cecily trembled even more as she felt a deeper prationpared to their previous position.

    Thud, thud, thud, thud¡­

    ¡°Ah! It¡¯s too¡­ de-deep! Ahh!¡±

    Every time the tip of Isaac¡¯s penis hit her cervix, Cecily let out moans of pleasure. The strength in the arms and legs that enveloped Isaac increased, and their fluids flowed like a faucet.

    While embracing Cecily, Isaac thrust into her with all his might. She had asked him to make a mess of her, and he intended to keep that promise until the end.

    Even if her cervix pushed against his tip, even if Cecily let out unique moans from the stimtion, even if her strength was waning in the arms and legs that embraced him.

    Isaac did not stop moving his hips to provide the ultimate pleasure to Cecily until the very end.

    p, thump, squeak, squelch.

    ¡°Ah, Sir Isaac! I, I¡­!¡±

    Cecily spoke respectfully while sticking out her tongue. It was her signal that she was about to reach climax soon. Sensing that he would also reach his limit soon, Isaac covered Cecily¡¯s mouth. Cecily, in response, teasingly yed with her tongue as they kissed passionately.

    Thump, thump, thump, thump.

    Huff! Squirm! Chew! Slurp! Moan!

    Cecily weed her beloved man¡¯s tongue with her upper mouth and epted his intimate part with her lower mouth. Being simultaneously attacked from both ends, she began to approach her limit. Before long, Cecily tore her mouth away and screamed in ecstasy.

    ¡°Huaaah! Let¡¯s go! I¡¯ming, Sir Isaac! Kyaaaah!!¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­!¡±

    Kuwong!

    As if those words were a trigger, Isaac thrust his hips to the very end. The forceful push left no room for her cervix as it was pushed upward.

    Vweep, burp, sob, sob.

    ¡°Aaaaaah!!¡±

    Cecily let out a scream of ecstasy as the semen prated beyond her cervix and into her uterus. Her body trembled intermittently, and her legs, wrapped around Isaac¡¯s body, grew tense.

    Her arms were in a simr state, unable to withstand the intensity, she scratched his back with her nails, leaving marks. However, even in the aftermath of climax, Isaac couldn¡¯t feel the slightest pain.

    Thud¡­ Thud¡­ Thump¡­

    After a moment, a mixture of love juices and semen dripped from Cecily¡¯s vaginal entrance onto the floor. The floor already had puddles of love juices she had released earlier. Now, the fluids from both the man and woman marked the surface.

    Isaac caught his breath and checked on Cecily¡¯s condition. She could only tremble and shake due to the intensity, unable to even raise her face.

    Splurt¡­

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    As he pulled out from her, a sound reminiscent of removing a cork was heard. Simultaneously, a mixture of semen and love juices sttered.

    Isaac carried Cecily in his arms and moved towards the bed. Heid her down and faced her, looking into her flushed face as she tried to catch her breath. With an affectionate smile, Isaac caressed her horn.

    ¡°Noona.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±

    ¡°I love you. Truly.¡±

    A deep, lingering kiss followed the confession of love. This time, it was a short and intense kiss to confirm each other¡¯s feelings.

    Cecily, who had kissed Isaac, smiled happily and gently caressed his face before quietly speaking.

    ¡°I love you too.¡±

    With the love confession of the two individualsing to an end, it marked the end of their first night together, extending until morning.

    ¡°Master?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    It seemed that the night would continue a bit longer after all.

    Trantors note:

    I¡¯m starting to fear what the other girl¡¯s are into¡­ Marie is super lewd, Cecily a maso, and Rina is into voyeurism¡­

    Also there are 3 chapters today in case someone didn¡¯t notice.

 Chapter 169: Morning at Helium (2)

    Until just before lunch, Cecily and I messed around. Frankly, the remark she put into her mouth, ¡°Master,¡± was enough to rekindle dying embers and even linger on.

    Clearly, she must have done it on purpose to provoke me. I can be sure of that.

    It was exhausting, as if I had been exercising intensely for over 12 hours, but thanks to Mora¡¯s divine power, I didn¡¯t feel physically drained. However, the divine power couldn¡¯t prevent the physiological effects, so I still felt hunger and thirst.

    Fortunately, Cecily seemed satisfied enough that she wouldn¡¯t want to continue any further, so we barely managed to conclude. Then we affectionately washed each other¡¯s bodies in the bathroom and came out dressed in bathrobes.

    As I stepped outside, I found the maids who had arrived in the bedroom, tidying up the beddings and its surroundings diligently. The beddings were in such a filthy state that they seemed beyond reuse, and they would have to bepletely burned.

    I gazed at the mess of bodily fluids on the beddings and asked Cecily.

    ¡°Noona, can magic clean something like that thoroughly?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it can be done, but why bother? Even with magic, the difort would remain the same. It¡¯s easier to just get new ones.¡±

    She gave a smile filled with various meanings and continued.

    ¡°Besides, it¡¯s going to get dirty again throughout the vacation. Is there really a need to clean it up with magic? I don¡¯t think so.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right.¡±

    ¡°By the way, it¡¯s really dirty. It¡¯s hard to believe most of it came from my body.¡±

    She looked at the soiled beddings with a more curious expression than embarrassed. Cecily had no reservations about saying explicit things, likening herself to a dessert or asking to be messed up. Towards the end, she even discarded shame and embarrassment and called me ¡®master¡¯.

    Marie had been shy about sexual desires until recently when she opened her eyes to pleasure, but Cecily was not like that. If this continued, I worried that I might have to deal with both of them at the same time.

    I absentmindedly traced the now entirely ck horns of hers and cautiously asked in a hushed voice. The maids who were tidying up the beddings and its surroundings had already left.

    ¡°Noona, I¡¯m curious, is this prolonged arousal only during the evil cycle, or does it happen regrly?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ Let me think. ording to what I heard from Mom, the evil cycle is when desire, or you can say sexual desire, is the strongest. Before that, it varies for each individual. It¡¯s like everyone has their own differences.¡±

    ¡°Then, what about you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve already fallen for you, so I¡¯m not quite sure~ Maybe after the vacation, Marie and I might fight frequently?¡±

    Cecily replied yfully in her unique tone. With mischievous smiles, it seems the future was promising.

    Perhaps I should visit the temple more often. However, I feel a bit awkward since I don¡¯t know how Luminous¡¯s divine power will affect Cecily.

    I patted her horns, which she cutely nudged against me while pouting. As I showed affection, Cecily smiled and enjoyed the feeling.

    ¡°Noona, does Luminous¡¯s divine power have a negative effect on demons?¡±

    ¡°Hmm? No, not really. Although the efficiency is much lowerpared to Mora, our origin is still human. If Luminous¡¯s divine power was harmful to demons, then even Mora¡¯s divine power would cause harm. Why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°Actually,st night, Mora granted me divine power. It seems like it was to help me not get tired and also to share it with you.¡±

    ¡°Really? No wonder you kept feeling energetic even though you seemed tired. That must be the reason. The fullness in my stomach is from the subus¡¯s blood, not the divine power, right? And I feel like my mana has increased even more.¡±

    As Cecily gently caressed her abdomen, I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. After a full 12 hours, her belly protruded slightly.

    While some people get thirsty and hungry after such a night, she gets her hunger satisfied and mana increased. Moreover, with her skin glowing, she¡¯s undeniably a genuine subus.

    <i>¡®I must visit Mora before doing anything with Cecily.¡¯</i>

    If that¡¯s not the case, then it urred to me that I should either build up my stamina tost 12 hours or consider getting knight training from my father again.

    It¡¯s not just something I could do haphazardly, but it¡¯s quite a good option because now I have to deal with not only Marie but also Cecily. If the two of them don¡¯tpromise, there¡¯s a possibility of facing both of them at the same time.

    Increasing my stamina might be a necessity rather than a choice. I can¡¯t rely on divine power forever, it seems like I shouldn¡¯t postpone it any longer.

    <i>¡®Polygamy isn¡¯t all that great, after all.¡¯</i>

    Of course, it¡¯s not to say that it¡¯s bad or that I¡¯m not happy. Marie and Cecily have both made concessions to each other, so we can continue to live a happily fulfilled life.

    Afterward, both of us changed into our regr clothes instead of bathrobes to have abined breakfast and lunch. The maids had prepared clothes that fit us perfectly in advance.

    Cecily wore an off-shoulder dress like yesterday but with her chestpletely covered, revealing only her shoulders and corbone. I, on the other hand, just wore a simple ck suit. Nevertheless, since it was made in Helium, thefort was unparalleled.

    While changing clothes, due to our exposed bodies, Cecily¡¯s desires were about to lead us into the second round, but I vehemently stopped it. The effects of the contraceptive pills had worn off, and we couldn¡¯t predict how much more we would do, so we needed to be cautious. The power given by Mora and Cecily¡¯s fertility period endingpletely made it better to endure until then.

    ¡°Do you want to eat anything? Tell me in advance.¡±

    ¡°I just want to eat anything. I¡¯m thirsty too.¡±

    Afterward, I moved my feet to the ce where the meal was being held with Cecily. Thanks to her telepathy, the meal was prepared in advance.

    Unlike street food, the meal served at the Helium Pce consisted of ordinary dishes, such as steaks or simple chicken dishes, stews, and so on. They particrly used stimting spices that perfectly suited my taste. Demons have enjoyed using spicy spices as a means of mental cultivation since ancient times.

    In the past, people enjoyed spicy food for mental training, but now it¡¯s merely a matter of gastronomy.

    ¡°Are you awake? Please take a seat.¡±

    As I entered the dining room, Eisillia was already seated at the distinct long table¡¯s end. However, Descal was nowhere to be seen. When I questioned it, Eisillia read my expression and promptly answered,

    ¡°He¡¯s briefly away due to work. He has a lot of tasks piled uptely due to recent diplomacy. He barely managed to find time yesterday too.¡±

    ¡°I see. I understand.¡±

    Indeed, Helium is currently busy with diplomacy with neighboring countries. Naturally, the top officials, including the King, would be stretched thin even if they had two bodies.

    Upon hearing the reason for Descal¡¯s absence, I took my seat. Naturally, Cecily sat beside me in an elegant manner.

    On the table, there was steak with a red sauce already prepared. From its color, it looked like it would be spicy, but it actually boasted a delicious and piquant taste. It is one of the spices that Helium has been steadily developing since its founding.

    In my past life, being Korean, it seemed to fit my taste perfectly, so while living in Helium I thought I would eat it often.

    ¡°So, did you enjoy the dessert I prepared for you yesterday?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    At the moment when I was about to grab the tableware, preparing even the napkins, Eisillia asked with a subtle voice. I was momentarily taken aback and turned my gaze to her.

    Eisillia wore a smile that was hard to read, waiting for my answer. Until yesterday, she even used honorifics like ¡°Mr. Isaac,¡± but seeing her drop the formal speech, it seemed that she had started treating me as her son-inw from today.

    I was at a loss as to what to answer her smile when Cecily came to my rescue in that situation.

    ¡°Oh, Mom. Is that even a question? You can probably guess from what just happened.¡±

    ¡°This child. Can¡¯t you give your mom a break? Do you know how much your mom and dad went through to prepare the dessert?¡±

    ¡°Isaac is feeling awkward. Stop with the teasing.¡±

    ¡°Hmph. That¡¯s why raising a daughter is useless.¡±

    At Cecily¡¯s scolding, Eisillia grumbled with a pouting expression. I felt like I shouldfort her, feeling a bit guilty because of me.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I enjoyed it. It was one of the best desserts of my life.¡±

    ¡°Oh my, really? I¡¯m d. Since you said it was one of the desserts, the other one must have been prepared by the Requilis family, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±

    Once she actually said it, embarrassment overwhelmed her. However, seeing Eisillia smile gracefully seemed to ease her mind.

    ¡°Can I ask Requilis how he prepared the dessert? By the way, I personally prepared it yesterday.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­Mom.¡±

    Due to the follow-up question, I lost my words. Thankfully, Cecily called out in a cold voice, ending any further questions.

    Eisillia also seemed to realize her slip of the tongue and bowed her head in apology. Indeed, as a son-inw of the demon race, I had to be cautious.

    Though the atmosphere became a bit awkward, I opened my mouth first to quickly break the tension.

    ¡°Ahem. Ahem. By the way, what is the name of this dish? The sauce seems a little different from yesterday¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s a good question. Have you heard of a monster called Ringkel?¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s Ringkel¡­ I heard it¡¯s a mollusk covered in mes. It¡¯s known to mainly live in volcanic areas.¡±

    ¡°And it¡¯s filled with the energy of fire, especially rich in nutrients for men.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s also a vegetable next to the broli that looks simr. It resembles broli, but it¡¯s called Cadid. It¡¯s also good for men.¡±

    Moreover, the ingredients used in the soup are said to be good for vitality, and the dessert also contains ingredients that are good for energy, and so on. Eisilia did her best to support and advance my rtionship with Cecily as it was. At first, Cecily was ufortable with it, but after realizing that it was also beneficial to herself (?), she didn¡¯t say anything. On the contrary, she even offered it to me, saying she was full.

    I, too, couldn¡¯t refuse, although I felt embarrassed. She had prepared it for my well-being, and there was no reason to decline, as it was like returning the favor and providing great help to me.

    We cannot rely on Mora¡¯s divine power forever, so from now on, I need to consume what is good for my bodies in advance to ensure afortable future. Above all, it perfectly suited my taste, so I could eat it without hesitation.

    ¡°Thank you. I feel energized already, thanks to you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re wee. The grace given by a son-inw to our demon race is something that can never be repaid in a lifetime. If you wish, you could be a Buma, you know?¡±

    ¡®Buma¡¯ is a term that refers to the husband of a princess, in other words, the son-inw of the king. Technically, I am already a Buma, but what Eisilia means is settling in Helium, leaving the Minerva Empire. Therefore, it would mean being naturally separated from Marie, so I don¡¯t want that. This wouldn¡¯t just be crossing a line, it would be betraying Marie ruthlessly.

    I feel sorry for Cecily, but it¡¯s best to politely decline the position of a Buma.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. As Mother-inw already knows, the decision has already been made.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Mother. I¡¯m happy just being Isaac¡¯s woman, so there¡¯s no need for you to do that.¡±

    ¡°Hmm. If you say so, then I suppose that¡¯s the case. Still,e visit Helium asionally. If you want, I can install a teleportation magic circle in the mansion for you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine too, but I think it would be much better if I personally visited. After all, inheriting the throne will take a few hundred years anyway.¡±

    ¡°Alright then, that should work. However, our future son-inw might have some difficulties, so let¡¯s make arrangements in advance. We should ensure that we can contact each other if needed.¡±

    The mother and daughter were happily chatting away about me. Although I wanted to interrupt and join the conversation, they started talking about magical topics, so I just listened with one ear. The unfamiliar jargon makes it hard for me to intervene.

    I vaguely understood that they were trying to find a means ofmunication between us. I¡¯ll just have some tea as a dessert.

    Eisillia mentioned that this tea was good for vitality, and it tasted simr to green tea. It feels like it would be perfect for someone with sinus problems.

    ¡°Oh, speaking of which, the son-inw.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°You sent the manuscript for Volume 14 to the publisher, right?¡±

    While sipping my tea without a word, Eisillia asked me a question about the soon-to-be-released Volume 14.

    It caught me off guard when Xenon¡¯s Biography was mentioned out of the blue, but I answered her question first.

    ¡°Yes, I sent it, and it should be released soon.¡±

    ¡°When exactly?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure, but usually, the first edition is printed about 3 to 4 days after sending the manuscript.¡±

    ¡°I see. Then I should ask lord Bk to start preparing soon.¡±

    It seems like they were nning to buy the first edition as soon as it was released. Although the publisher had announced the release schedule, it would still take some time for the news to reach Helium.

    Nheless, the situation in Helium seemed to be better. The race that showed the second-highest purchasing power after humans was the demons.

    ording to what I heard from Cecily, even when the demons had a bad reputation, there were still those who traveled to Helium, and through these individuals, they obtained Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    No matter how much Helium¡¯s demons were stigmatized as a nation of demons, there were always people willing to risk their lives for money in the world. And such people were not much different from ordinary humans, which made them reliable contractors even to this day.

    ¡°But Mom, what happened to Bk?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that? We seized the original copy for now. The signed version itself was not a problem, but the issue is that he didn¡¯t report it. We will decide whether to return it or not based on his future behavior. Ah, if our son-inw wants it back, we might return it soon.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Poor Gartz. Just the thought of him getting punished over one signed copy brought tears to my eyes. I imagine his usually gruff face distorted with sadness and gloom, and I empathetically spoke quietly.

    ¡°¡­It might be best to just return it.¡±

    And after the morning in Helium, the day passed ordinarily.

    ¡°Did you go to the temple? How will you torment me today?¡±

    ¡°¡­Wasn¡¯t the evil cycle over?¡±

    ¡°Even if the evil cycle is over, my heart has already fallen for Isaac, hasn¡¯t it? I think I know why Marie is acting like this.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t night, but I had a strong feeling that it would be a memorable vacation in various ways.

    ******

    While Isaac was spending a thrilling vacation with Cecily in Helium, the release of Volume 14 of Xenon¡¯s Biography was just a day away.

    Fans who had been eagerly awaiting the release news were already waiting in front of bookstores, and some even had people lining up for them. Originally, Xenon¡¯s Biography was limited to one purchase per person, but that restriction was lifted after the introduction of new printing technology.

    The reason for the one-per-person limit was that Xenon¡¯s Biography frequently sold out, leaving many unable to purchase them. Now that there was no need for hoarding, an official announcement was made to allow multiple purchases.

    Some high-ranking nobles paid hefty sums and secretly received the first edition from the publisher. Additionally, the top officials, who travel around the world, invested money to make contracts that allowed Xenon¡¯s Biography to be sold in other countries.

    As a result, if you don¡¯t buy them directly, it takes time for Xenon¡¯s Biography to be avable in countries other than the Minerva Empire. For your information, the country farthest away from the Minerva Empire geographically was the Elf nation, Alvenheim.

    Thanks to Arwen¡¯s speech, Alvenheim was handling the issue of half-blood tensions well and entering a stable period. Furthermore, they had practically no issues since they managed to stop the contamination of the World Tree.

    What changed was the significant increase in interest towards Xenon¡¯s Biography, and more importantly, a shift in feelings towards Xenon. Since they had saved the World Tree, it was only natural for them to feel that they had received a divine gift.

    Because of this, there was a belief that they must find Xenon and repay the favor. This certainty that Xenon must be the Prophet caused Arwen a headache, but it was something she had to let go of.

    ¡°¡­I wish we could rx the immigration screening criteria a bit more.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    Inside Alvenheim¡¯s audience chamber, not for official duties, Arwen was sitting on the throne, receiving a report from Keir, the immigration inspector.

    Even if they were not part of the Council of Elders, those responsible for important tasks had toe to the audience chamber and report. The same applied to the overseer of immigration, Keir.

    He was currently giving a report about Alvenheim¡¯s strict immigration screening criteria and requesting a rxation of the rules.

    ¡°I understand your request well. It might be worth considering easing the screening criteria. However, it will likely take some time.¡±

    ¡°Is it due to the trade issues?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Easing immigration screening means more diverse races cane and go. Not to mention various organizations. We¡¯ll have to discuss this separately with the Council of Elders.¡±

    ¡°But those stubborn folks are likely to reject it¡­¡±

    In the midst of talks about attending a council meeting, Keir grumbled. Despite his position as an advisor to the queen, he was uncharacteristically carefree for an elf.

    Arwen could only smile wryly because she knew how much Keir resented the council. The reason he had withdrawn from active duty and became an immigration inspector was also due to the council¡¯s influence.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like I can handle everything alone. I know very well that you dislike the council. But it would be better if you could separate personal feelings from official duties.¡±

    ¡°Sigh¡­ I understand. I suppose I have no choice but to trust you, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°That being said¡­ Can you tell me about the current situation of Ikher, the former warriormander?¡±

    Arwen inquired about Ikher, the ex-warriormander of Alvenheim and Keir¡¯s former superior. Once hailed as a hero who almost saved Alvenheim from defeat during the racial wars, he was betrayed by his homnd and imprisoned due to the council¡¯s interference.

    Since the end of the tribal wars, he had been living in seclusion, never leaving his residence. However, recently, there were asional sightings of him showing his face or engaging in training in his martial arts dojo. There were signs that he might be considering aeback, which garnered a lot of attention.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about Ikher. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s really because of that book or if there¡¯s another reason¡­ Anyway, if Ikher returns, I would wee him. I can¡¯t predict how the council will react, though.¡±

    ¡°People¡¯s hearts can change for various reasons. It would be a good sign if he returns.¡±

    Elves, like soldiers for example, typically devoted their whole lives to one profession unless there are special circumstances.

    Especially the elves who be warriors tend to stay in the military until the end unless they suffer severe injuries. Ikher, who felt disillusioned after being betrayed by the Council of Elders, was a special case.

    As a result, elves can be seen as having all their strength disyed outwardly. Skilled individuals retiring and living their remaining years like humans or other races are rare.

    <i>¡®This must be thanks to Xenon¡¯s Biography.¡¯ </i>

    Anyone with even a slight interest in history would know that. The elven hero appearing in Xenon¡¯s Biography was inspired by Ikher.

    The hero in question was betrayed in the past by their homnd, but theye to realize that what they protect is not the noble families but the nation itself, and they stand against the devils. In the process, they meet the Dark Elves and join forces.

    To someone unfamiliar, it might seem like just another setting, but for those who know Ikher well, the story takes on a different meaning. In reality, Ikher only felt disillusioned with the Council of Elders and went into hiding, but his affection for Alvennheim remained unchanged.

    If the Devil War had actually broken out, everyone acknowledged that Ikher would have acted in the same manner.

    <i>¡®Is Isaac truly a prophet?¡¯</i>

    Arwen couldn¡¯t easily dismiss the contents of Xenon¡¯s Biography from her mind. She had been contemting this since thest time she heard from the Council of Elders, and Xenon¡¯s Biography truly felt like a prophecy.

    The pollution of the World Tree¡¯s roots, the summoning of demons, and the session of ¡°coincidences¡± like Reapers, to be honest, should be seen as almost impossible. Luminous also mentioned that while they may be coincidences for now, they would be inevitabilities in the future.

    Since many people may have mentioned the ¡®constraints¡¯, Arwen couldn¡¯t easily overlook it. Moreover, as the council had mentioned, Isaac was showing endless favor to Arwen. Reason dictated that it was just Isaac¡¯s pure nature, but emotions were telling a different story. All of this felt like the story that was almost about toe true.

    If that¡¯s really the case¡­

    Kwoong!

    Just before Arwen could immerse herself in her own delusions, the tightly closed door of the chamber suddenly swung open with force. Both Arwen and Kair turned their gazes towards the direction of the door, startled.

    As they looked, a member of the council, Fieren, was approaching sternly with a determined expression. There were no other council members present, only Fieren.

    No matter how chaotic the council might be, they still follow some basic rules. They wouldn¡¯t rudely and loudly open a door like just now, especially the door to the Queen¡¯s chamber.

    Normally, they would have been scolded and reprimanded for such behavior, but Arwen noticed that something was off in Fieren¡¯s expression, so she waited silently.

    ¡°¡­ What¡¯s this? Have you already made up your mind to leave?¡±

    ¡°Shut your mouth and get out of here. There¡¯s something important to discuss with the Queen.¡±

    Even when Kair asked in a sarcastic tone, Fieren uttered harsh words that he rarely used, ordering them to leave the audience chamber. Kair¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.

    Fieren usually spoke politely, but there was no trace of that aspect now. It meant that a serious situation had arisen.

    Moreover, the fact that he came alone to see the queen without gathering the members of council indicated that it was urgent. Keir observed Arwen¡¯s reaction with a surprised expression.

    Arwen, too, seemed curious about Fieren¡¯s unusual behavior, so she refrained from reprimanding him and remained silent. Then, after locking eyes with Keir, she quietly instructed.

    ¡°It¡¯s better to discuss thister. Please go inside.¡±

    ¡°Yes, understood.¡±

    Keir politely greeted and then gave Fieren a sly smile before stepping out of the audience chamber. Eventually, only Arwen, sitting on the throne, and Fieren, standing before her, were left inside the chamber.

    Arwen pierced through Fieren¡¯s stiff expression and softly spoke.

    ¡°Fieren, esteemed member of the council. I assume this is an important matter, given that you made the breach of etiquette.¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, please pardon my impertinence, but I have one question,¡±

    Fieren said, even though the queen had asked the first question. For a moment, Arwen¡¯s lower eyelid twitched, but she could tell that he was holding something in his hand.

    Judging by its square shape and slight thickness, it seemed to be a book. As Arwen became suspicious again, Fieren asked a strange question.

    ¡°Your Majesty, do you truly have no connection with Xenon whatsoever?¡±

    ¡°What nonsense is this you¡¯re talking about? I have already said there is absolutely none.¡±

    ¡°In that case, please take a look at this book. It¡¯s the 14th volume of ¡®Xenon¡¯s Biography,¡¯ recently released by the Minerva Empire.¡±

    As Arwen had expected, the item clenched in Fieren¡¯s hand was a book, and it happened to be Volume 14 of Xenon¡¯s Biography. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder why an unreleased book in Alvenheim was in his possession, but she soon realized one crucial fact.

    On a previous asion, he had sent someone to the publishing house to find Xenon independently. With the help of those resources, he must have obtained the book.

    Meanwhile, Fieren used magic to levitate the book and handed it over to Arwen. Though she felt skeptical at first, she epted it without a word ofint.

    The book that Firren delivered was undoubtedly Volume 14 of Xenon¡¯s Biography. From the brand-new cover to the honest inscription of ¡°Volume 14,¡± there was no doubt about it.

    ¡°You can start reading from page 100 of the book. If you wish, you can read it from the beginning as well.¡±

    ¡°Before that, I doubt why you¡¯re asking me to read this. First, tell me the reason. This is an order.¡±

    Even in this situation, Arwen had no intention of giving up her initiative. No matter how urgent things were, some principles had to be upheld, right?

    Fieren knew this well and nodded before speaking in aposed tone.

    ¡°The book contains forbidden magic.¡±

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 170: Forbidden Magic (1)

    ¡°Forbidden Magic? Are you talking about Necromancy?¡±

    Arwen responded with a puzzled expression to the term ¡®forbidden magic¡¯ that Fieren mentioned. In the world, there are various types of magic, and among them, some are so dreadful that their use is prohibited. One of the most prominent examples is ¡®Necromancy.¡¯ Necromancy is a form of magic that resurrects the deceased as ¡®undead,¡¯ and in the past, devils mainly favored it during the Devil War.

    Especially, the higher the proficiency in Necromancy, the stronger the abilities of the resurrected undead, and it can also inflict significant psychological pressure. Moreover, the undead, by their very nature, can engage in an endless battle, while the opponent¡¯s strength diminishes over time, whereas the undead¡¯s power keeps increasing.

    Fortunately, through the existence of ¡®Divine Power¡¯ and the ¡®World Tree,¡¯ they managed to repel the undead with great effort, but remnants of their existence still linger in this world. The most significant example would be the Demons.

    Demons possess the ¡®ck Mana,¡¯ enabling them to use Necromancy. However, due to the great harm they suffered from demons, they strictly forbid Necromancy, even though they might possess the ability to use it.

    Recently, there have been traces of Devil worshippers ndestinely using Necromancy, and it was mentioned in Xenon¡¯s Biography. Even in Xenon¡¯s Biography, Necromancy was considered a magic that should never be attempted.

    In addition to that, ck magic, which gains power through human sacrifices or spreads terrible curses and gues, was also forbidden. In fact, since Necromancy is included within ck magic, it is right to view ck magic itself as forbidden magic.

    ¡°It isn¡¯t like ck magic or necromancy. It¡¯s the purest form of magic, but it¡¯s forbidden due to the dreadful carnage it can cause.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ It¡¯s hard to understand just by listening.¡±

    After hearing Fieren¡¯s response, Arwen looked puzzled and gazed at Volume 14 of Xenon¡¯s Biography. It was difficult to predict why Fieren was saying such things based solely on what she heard.

    If it¡¯s not like ck magic, then what kind of magic could it be? Moreover, there was something else that she couldn¡¯tprehend.

    That was about one of the criticisms of Xenon¡¯s Biography ¨C magic was activated without proper exnation. So, it only describes what magic was cast, without teaching the detailed principles. If there¡¯s a w in Xenon¡¯s Biography, it¡¯s the weak depiction of magic, but it¡¯s understandable since Isaac was not a magician. Moreover, magic is not properly standardized among humans.

    So, why exactly did Fieren describe forbidden magic in such a way? Arwen, with her stern expression, waited for Fieren and then opened the book.

    Since it¡¯se to this, it might not be a bad idea to read Volume 14 of the Xenon Chronicles to grasp the situation.

    <i>¡®Elvenheim has indeed beenpletely upied.¡¯</i>

    Due to the contamination of the World Tree and Lucifer¡¯s wicked scheme, Elvenheim has beenpletely incapacitated and invaded by demons. Naturally, the warriors of Elvenheim resisted repeatedly, but it was difficult to stop the devils who swarmed like a tidal wave.

    If the warriors of Elvenheim defeat 5 devils, the devils send 10 more troops, and if they block that too, they send an additional 20 troops. The situation was the worst of the worst since the contaminated World Tree became a sort of coordinate and turned into a gateway, even nourishing Diablos. Elvenheim was practically on the verge of destruction. The Xenon¡¯s party happened to encounter Dark Elves and fought against the demons in Elvenheim, but they were forced to retreat due to the presence of the Seven Sins.

    <i>¡®The council¡­ has beenpletely annihted. That¡¯s really unfortunate.¡¯</i>

    In Xenon¡¯s Biography, the council that could be considered the equivalent of the council of elders was shown to have expressed extreme disapproval towards Xenon¡¯s group, even going as far as imprisoning them on the pretext of Jin being a demon. In many ways, it portrayed the negative aspects of the elves in an exaggerated manner.

    After Kair¡¯s death, Elisha, who had be partially disabled, took charge of governing the nation, but under the pretext of investigating Xenon¡¯s party, she expelled them from Elvenheim. The group even included a warrior named ¡®Ruden,¡¯ who had been a thorn in the council¡¯s side.

    However, the council was unable to fight devils properly and was easily defeated. Furthermore, they were resurrected as undead and continued to chase after Xenon¡¯s party until the end.

    Just from this, there were sufficient reasons for the council of elders to be furious, but this alone was not enough. There were still many pages left, as mentioned by Fieren in the first ce.

    ¡®But what will happen if Diablos is resurrected? Won¡¯t it all end then?¡¯

    If this continues, the Great Devil Diablos would be resurrected. In the World Tree, there are enough nutrients to even resurrect the Great Devil, so it first invaded Elvenheim.

    Furthermore, Diablos possessed an incredibly powerful force ording to the settings. With a single gesture, it can shatter mountains and even reverse the heavens and earth, so one could easily imagine the extent of its power.

    As Arwen immersed herself in the increasingly serious situation, she briefly nced at Fieren. He was still standing there with a stern expression, waiting.

    Finally, she reached the page he had mentioned, wondering what kind of magic would be there. Arwen delved deeper into the story as she turned the page.

    <i>¡®¡­Power fusion with Eir?¡¯</i>

    Eir was one of the representatives of the Dark Elves and one of the warriors mentioned in Volume 13. Among the Dark Elves, Eir held the title of ¡®Dark Guide,¡¯ given to the most exceptional warrior among them.

    In other words, someone like Ruden, the leader of the elven warriors, who has extraordinary and unmatched strength. This warrior has started fighting to protect Elvenheim.

    Even though the Dark Elves in the real world were once exiled after a terrible civil war, their deep affection remained. Alvenheim was their homnd, a ce where the roots of their hearts were nted by the gods, so it¡¯s only natural.

    Therefore, it¡¯s not at all surprising that the Dark Elf in Xenon¡¯s Biography fought for Elvenheim. Despite lingering conflicts between different races, ¡®Ruden¡¯ and ¡®Eir¡¯ have be one for the sake of Elvenheim.

    Their united hearts are directed towards the corrupted World Tree, which was originally a gift from the gods but now must be destroyed. If they were to step back, Diablos would resurrect, and this world would head towards destruction. The two heroes are well aware of this fact, leaving them with only one choice.

    <i>¡®But breaking through the Seven Sins would be difficult¡­¡¯</i>

    Just dealing with Lucifer alone would be a challenge, not to mention the other Seven Sins. Other elves were supporting them in clearing a path, but it¡¯s clear that it¡¯s impossible. So, there¡¯s only one option left: ¡®Cooperation.¡¯

    And not just any cooperation that wouldbine their strength into a power of 2, but one that produces a power of 10 to incinerate the corrupted World Tree.

    The Elven hero, Ruden, and the Dark Elf hero, Eir, both understood this and thus proceeded with their final decision.

    ¡®Fusion¡­ you say? What kind of ability is this?¡¯

    It was the ability to truly be ¡®one,¡¯ a ¡®fusion(??).¡¯¡±

    Over hundreds of years, they umted mana, knowledge, divine power, and finally transformed even their own essence into pure energy.

    Using their bodies as kindling, they changed the mana into a raging fire that could burn everything.

    Ruden followed the God of Light, and Eir followed the Goddess of Darkness. Despite their different natures, they belonged to the same race.

    [Submit to overwhelming power!]

    Eventually, the two heroes transformed into one massive energy entity and began their march towards the contaminated World Tree. Neither Ruden nor Eir, but a pure energy being emitted a mixed voice as they moved forward.

    With a single wave of their hand, even high-ranking devils were devoured by the mighty energy and obliterated, not to mention the lesser devils beneath them.

    If the limit of a person¡¯s power output is 100, then the pure energy entity exceeded that limit. Furthermore, since it would naturally perish once all energy is lost, it possessed a quality of absorbing all surrounding energy.

    And that energy was replenished by absorbing the nearby devils. Even the ck mana infused by the devils was simply considered ¡®energy,¡¯ so there was no difficulty in advancing.

    The problem was that this ability did not discriminate against allies. The description mentioned that even the Elven warrior supporting the surroundings was sucked in.

    When faced with an entirely unexpected situation, even the Seven Deadly Sins were left bewildered and unable to act recklessly. Meanwhile, the energy entity had already reached the World Tree.

    Feeling the crisis, Diablos hurriedly gave orders to the Seven Deadly Sins, but the energy entity was one step ahead. Subsequently, they, or perhaps the ¡®one¡¯, reached out towards the contaminated World Tree and murmured in a low voice.

    [For Elvenheim.]

    The appearance of the Energy Entity marked the end here. From then on, the perspective shifted towards Xenon and hispanions.

    Xenon¡¯s group, who had been sheltering the remaining residents of Elvenheim, immediately turned their attention to the flow of enormous mana detected from the World Tree.

    What they witnessed was a massive explosion that enveloped the entire World Tree. A blindingly bright sh burst forth for an instant before gradually subsiding.

    As the light faded, the World Tree, which had stood firm for 3000 years, vanished without a trace, leaving behind only a giant mushroom cloud. It was a moment when the heroic sacrifice of the two protagonists slightly dyed the resurrection of the Great Devil.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    After one volume came to an end, Arwen blinked her gray eyes. As expected of the Xenon¡¯s Biography, she found herself deeply engrossed and lost track of time while reading.

    However, she couldn¡¯t deviate from her original purpose. She tore her gaze away from the book and looked ahead.

    ¡°Did you read it all?¡±

    Perhaps noticing that Arwen had read the crucial parts, Fieren asked in his distinct, elderly voice. Arwen felt a bit embarrassed by the fact that she had been so absorbed in reading Xenon¡¯s Biography and replied with a forced cough.

    ¡°I¡¯ve read all the parts you mentioned. The scene where Ruden and Eir became a pure energy entity to destroy the World Tree was quite impressive. But is this bing a problem?¡±

    ¡°¡­ My Queen, 3000 years is an exceedingly long time even for us Elves. Just as the water in the upper reaches of a river dries up, revealing the bottom downstream, history and traditions also follow the same pattern. If our ancestors were to destroy all records, there would be nothing left for future generations.¡±

    Fieren used a metaphor that anyone, even children, could understand to exin to Arwen. Arwen initially had a puzzled expression but quickly caught on to its meaning.

    It meant that the ancestral records were intentionally erased to make them disappear. Indeed, most of the records of the civil war with the Dark Elves were lost, but a small portion was still preserved in the sanctuary.

    However,pletely erasing the records themselves meant that the ancestors considered it a very serious matter. Arwen urgently asked Fieren while showing him the 14th volume.

    ¡°So, does the content written here mean it¡¯s a lost magic from the past?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The magic described as ¡®Fusion¡¯ is the name of that magic. It was also used in the Devil War 3000 years ago. It transforms people into pure energy beings andbines that energy to give birth to a massive living organism. The book only mentions two people bing energy beings, but in reality, it is possible with several people.¡±

    ¡°Really¡­¡±

    Arwen was stunned and couldn¡¯t find the words to speak. At the same time, she was filled with questions.

    Is Isaac, who even knows about the lost magic, truly a prophet or someone from the future? And how does Fieren know about the existence of this magic and why it was forbidden?

    Various doubts swirled in her mind, but for now, she had to start with how Fieren knew about this magic. She hesitated for a moment before asking Fieren in a hushed voice.

    ¡°¡­Then how do you know that this magic is forbidden? If you know about it, you must also know why it was prohibited.¡±

    ¡°Of course. This is one more reason why I am convinced that Xenon is a prophet or a regressor. It¡¯s the effect that urred after bing an energy being. A formless energy entity is destined to eventually vanish. To dy that fate even a little, they indiscriminately absorb energy from their surroundings. You must have seen descriptions of how not only demons but also the supporting warriors were sucked into the energy entity.¡±

    ¡°Gigantic energies possess the property of absorbing the energy around it¡­ I¡¯ve heard that theory long ago. But the Council, including you, dismissed it as nonsense and discarded it.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t nonsense, it was the truth. An unimaginable energy possesses the property of absorbing everything around it.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    It was too dangerous a truth, so they deceived others, calling it false. Arwen¡¯s expression grew more rigid.

    ¡°During the devil war, the situation was so desperate that we had no choice but to use fusion magic. However, that changed after the war. Our ancestors realized that through fusion, they could turn people into a single massive mana. But don¡¯t you, Your Majesty, know what would happen when that fact bes known?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Using people as ¡®mana.¡¯ Once that truth spreads widely, it is highly likely that gruesome human experiments will take ce in the shadows.

    Not only that, but the current civilization has advanced far beyond the time of the devil war, and the poption has multiplied several times. As described in Fieren¡¯s exnation, fusion¡ªmeaning the joining¡ªwas not limited to just two people, but multiple people could perform the magic, just like in Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    If certain individuals were to execute with impure intentions¡­ It¡¯s evident that a dreadful tragedy would ur. Even if some energy entities were created, they wouldn¡¯t be possible to annihte and will only move forward.

    Since our ancestors also anticipated this, there is a high probability that theypletely eradicated any records. Arwen concealed her concern, then asked quietly.

    ¡°I will ask again before that. How do you know about this forbidden magic?¡±

    ¡°My father taught me it, and he learned it from my grandfather, who, in turn, learned it from my great-grandfather. Though the documented records disappeared, it was orally passed down to make us aware of the dangers.¡±

    ¡°Is it truly such a perilous magic? Not just an excuse to find Xenon?¡±

    ¡°If that were the case, why would I have dared to be disrespectful and sought out the Queen? This book has already spread widely in the human world. We must prohibit its publication as soon as possible and, more importantly, find Xenon.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    If one only listens to the words, it¡¯s a very serious matter. This magic called ¡°Fusion¡± should not be known to the world, as it might lead to crossing an irreparable river.

    However, it¡¯s impossible to bring Isaac here as well. Arwen, with a pensive gaze, nced at the 14th volume of Xenon¡¯s Biography and suddenly had a question.

    Is ¡°Fusion¡± something only elves can use, or can other races use it as well? What if it¡¯s exclusive to elves?

    In that case, she could block it from her side. Even if a few thoughtless individuals unknowingly conducted experiments, punishment could put an end to it.

    Above all, if Xenon¡¯s Biography was truly a ¡°prophecy,¡± there shouldn¡¯t be any major issues. The fusion mentioned in Xenon¡¯s Biography was not something that just anyone could do, it exins that only warriors with pure spiritual power can perform such a magic.

    In Xenon¡¯s Biography, Ruden and Eir are heroes who chose to sacrifice themselves to protect their homnd and even prevent the resurrection of the great devil, Diablos. If only such heroes can perform the fusion, then there should be no problem.

    Of course, the theory that a huge energy absorbs surrounding energies was dangerous in itself. However, this can be controlled through agreements with leaders of each nation.

    <i>¡®There are still some shady aspects¡­¡¯</i>

    Because the Council of Elders had made outrageous ims in the past, it was difficult to believe them immediately. It could also be an excuse to bring Isaac here.

    Arwen quickly organized her thoughts and then turned her gaze to Fieren. Fieren was still waiting with an unchanged expression.

    ¡°Fieren, the Grand Councilor. I have onest question.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Is the fusion you mentioned something that only our elves can use, or can other races use it too?¡±

    ¡°It is something that only we elves, who have been chosen by the gods, can use. We are the ones with the purest mana.¡±

    Then, there should be no problem. Although some foolish humans might want to try it once, there is a high chance they will be immediately restrained.

    Besides, wizards are highly valuable assets to humans. They wouldn¡¯t be crazy enough to attempt such a thing.

    However, human experimentation takes a bit of time. Nevertheless, since this is essentially a kind of human surrogate, you could dismiss it as ¡®ck magic¡¯ and strictly prohibit it. If anyone vites this, they can be directly executed by the Holy Kingdom.

    There¡¯s no need to be in a rush. Isaac must have written about this, desiring such results.

    <i>¡®I can go and ask him directlyter, to see if he is truly aprophet.¡¯</i>

    Maybe Isaac wrote about it in his book because he personally has seen the ¡®Fusion¡¯. Arwen replied, emphasizing the weight of the matter toward Fieren.

    ¡°Then there shouldn¡¯t be a problem. As long as only elves can use it, there won¡¯t be any issues. We will control it ourselves.¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, this in itself could cause significant problems if news about this forbidden magic spreads. Please consider it carefully. This is not an issue to be taken lightly.¡±

    ¡°Hmm. Why are you so uneasy? Don¡¯t you trust yourself, the one who has ruled Alvenheim until now? Or is it because of the Dark Elves?¡±

    Startled, Fieern flinched at her words. Observing his reaction, Arwen smiled inwardly.

    <i>¡®I knew it.¡¯</i>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 171: Forbidden Magic (2)

    When Arwen noticed the trembling of Fieren¡¯s body, she almost burst outughing. On the surface, because of forbidden magic, she had to be serious, but inside, she couldn¡¯t stop herself fromughing.

    In Xenon¡¯s Biography, thebination magic, or ¡®fusion,¡¯ as it¡¯s theoretically called, was undoubtedly a highly dangerous magic. Fusion sacrifices oneself as an offering and goes so far as to indiscriminately absorb the surrounding energy, making its dangers impossible to ignore.

    However, Fieren¡¯s true concern was not about the danger of fusion. If you carefully review the process of fusion mentioned in Xenon¡¯s Biography, you could only roughly grasp the idea.

    It would be enough to subtly hint at the future that may happenter if forbidden magic was mentioned in a book. It was excessive to cause a fuss to this extent.

    Furthermore, Fieren already knew that fusion was a magic that only elves could use. For Fieren, who ruled Alvenheim for centuries, it was an easy task to prohibit specific magic.

    Moreover, since thest speech, the poprity of the Queen, Arwen, in Alvenheim has risen dramatically. If Arwen strictly prohibited it, the citizens would follow obediently.

    <i>¡®But the problem is the fusion between elves and dark elves.¡¯</i>

    The problem lies in the fact that the subjects of fusion are not elves and elves, but elves and dark elves. Although it was overshadowed by the issue of mixed-blood, the appearance of dark elves has captured readers¡¯ attention.

    Who are the dark elves? Another race of elves withpletely different culture and traditions, despite sharing the same origin.

    Sometimes they appear in human society to buy necessary items or conduct investigations, but they reallye out very rarely. This is why humans look at dark elves with curious eyes or express their curiosity directly when they meet them.

    Like this, Dark Elves were originally one of the lesser-known races in the world. However, when they appeared in Xenon¡¯s Biography, many people paid attention, wondering if Xenon knew a lot about Dark Elves.

    Furthermore, the Dark Elves¡¯ portrayal based on the information advised by Siris was so close to reality that it was almost indistinguishable. Starting from their specialization in covert attacks to their ability to permanently conceal their bodies.

    One could overlook the differences in their titles, as it was the least of the concerns. The biggest issuey in the rtionship between Elves and Dark Elves. Despite being overshadowed by the matter of mixed-blood, Xenon¡¯s Biography also borates extensively on why the rtionship between Elves and Dark Elves became strained and the event that led to the Dark Elves¡¯ banishment from Elvenheim.

    Thanks to Xenon¡¯s Biography, the fact that the Dark Elves chose to exile themselves to avoid an internal conflict became widely known. The truth buried deep in the history of the Sanctuary was revealed through Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    Elven schrs, including humans, began serious research to verify its authenticity, and some even set out on journeys to the habitats of Dark Elves. Although it is currently a quiet period to gather evidence for confirmation, once it is proven, Alvenheim will be engulfed in yet another shock.

    ¡®The Dark Elf problem is somewhat progressing positively.¡¯

    Arwen anticipated that the matter concerning Dark Elves would proceed smoothly. After all, they have been exchanging interactions with the Dark Elves for this very purpose.

    Instead, she should express her gratitude to Isaac. Despite Rain stealing the manuscript, the Dark Elves were portrayed favorably in Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    Therefore, the fusion of Elves and Dark Elves described in Volume 14 can be seen as a true integration between the two races. The conflicts that once divided the two nations during times of crisis are set aside as theye together to fight against the evil threatening the world.

    As the saying goes, ¡°One¡¯s clothes get wet in light rain,¡± and it¡¯s only a matter of time before Alvenheim¡¯s perspective on the Dark Elves gradually changes. If the Alvenheim citizens view the Dark Elves even slightly differently, it won¡¯t be long before they are allowed into Alvenheim.

    No matter how hard Arwen tries, if the people of Alvenheim continue to fear the Dark Elves, assimtion will be nearly impossible. However, through Xenon¡¯s Biography, if their perspectives change, they can ovee misunderstandings and take a step forward.

    To prevent that from happening, Fieren nned to censor Volume 14 of Xenon¡¯s Biography. The pretext was the presence of forbidden magic, but the real reason was the dangerous intent hidden within.

    ¡°Sigh¡­ Fieren, the Grand Councilor.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Is this really because of the Dark Elves? You also know well the significance of Elves and Dark Elves fusing in this book. It represents the unity of two races that were once divided by the past conflicts. It might be a very sensitive matter for some individuals who insist on purity of blood.¡±

    ¡°The Dark Elves are those who hide in the darkness. We can¡¯t trust those who don¡¯t even show their faces.¡±

    When Arwen pointed out sharply, Fieren seemed to have no intention of concealing his true feelings anymore, and he expressed his inner thoughts. Arwen almost showed a scornful expression but managed to suppress it.

    In the end, his obsession with purity of blood remained. Though uniting was dangerous, and the fusion might be a forbidden magic, it¡¯s merely a pretext.

    On this asion, disregarding the usual protocol and even disying rudeness, he hade to the Audience Chamber, leaving the members of the parliament behind. But nothing had changed. It was evident that Fieren had rushed in recklessly, speaking out of turn and causing amotion.

    ¡°However, Your Majesty must also be aware of the danger of the fusion. It¡¯s a highly perilous magic. By now, it must be impossible to conceal it since it was already discovered. Before the forbidden magic spreads widely among the Dark Elves and others, we must quickly ban its publication.¡±

    ¡°You know that it isn¡¯t practically feasible, don¡¯t you? Alvenheim has been engaging in exchanges with other countries for decades now. Moreover, Xenon¡¯s Biography has recently gained immense poprity even within Alvenheim. Are we suddenly going to halt all of that? Don¡¯t you know it would erode trust in diplomacy?¡±

    In the past, Xenon¡¯s Biography was only read by a few in Alvenheim, but after the 12th volume, the demand skyrocketed.

    Firstly, the fact that the heroine, Mary, is an Elf, attracted a lot of attention. And the tragic love story of Kair and Elisha caused a social stir and there was the half-blood situation.

    Above all, even if by chance, the revtion of the contamination of the World Tree¡¯s roots was enough to capture the Elves¡¯ interest. Thanks to this, the publishing house was enjoying exceedingly happy days.

    ¡°Of course, I understand that. But even if the publishing house is unaware, isn¡¯t mentioning the Minerva Empire a sensitive matter? Even if Xenon were from the Michelle Territory, nobody knows where he currently resides. The authority over Xenon¡¯s Biography lies not with the Minerva Empire but with the publishing house.¡±

    However, Fieren was not to be taken lightly. As he said, Xenon, or rather Isaac, had only mentioned being from the Michelle Territory, without granting authority to the Minerva Empire.

    If Isaac were to reveal his identity and join the Minerva Empire, things might have been different, but for now, the situation remains the same. Moreover, there is a high possibility that a worst-case scenario, ¡°serial discontinuation,¡± could ur if the higher-ups caused harm to the publishingpany.

    Having experienced the bitterness of serial discontinuation and its consequences, the Minerva Empire would find itself in a difficult position. Despite being a book that sells well in their country, they have no real authority over it.

    The only thing the Minerva Empire can do is receive taxes from the publishingpany. They try to squeeze out whatever they can by conducting unexpected inspections every month, but the publishingpany¡¯s CEO was already skilled in evading such situations, leaving the Minerva Empire with no real gains.

    ¡°So, even if we censor it in our Alvenheim, the damage will only fall upon the publishingpany, and Minerva Empire will be barely affected. Moreover, we have the pretext of forbidden magic, so there should be no problem with censorship.¡±

    ¡°A pretext¡­¡±

    Arwen mumbled softly at the word ¡®pretext¡¯ that Fieren had mentioned. Up to Volume 13, she could easily dismiss the nonsense the council had spoken, but this time, the pretext was solid.

    Forbidden magic, an ability that should not even be mentioned in books. While there are ¡®books¡¯ about military tactics, there are no ¡®spell books.¡¯ If even a little detail is described, it must be burned without a doubt.

    And the depiction of fusion in Xenon¡¯s Biography was somewhat ambiguous. The process of fusion was not exined in detail, filled with rather abstract phrases.

    Is that enough reason to censor it? She sighed after contemting for a while.

    ¡°I do not allow it.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you really not know how significant an impact Xenon¡¯s Biography has? Do you think censoring it will prevent forbidden magic from spreading?¡±

    There¡¯s a saying: If someone tells you not to do something, you want to do it even more. Especially schrs and wizards with a strong thirst for knowledge often make such mistakes.

    It¡¯s understandable to censor Xenon¡¯s Biography, there was a very good reason to believe that forbidden magic is contained within. However, schrs and wizards already dispatched here may raise doubts upon hearing the news. They might wonder why this magic is forbidden.

    Above all, the biggest w was that it has already spread widely in the human world. Many elves live in human society, some of them even of mixed blood. The powerful force and influence of their already-rooted culture cannot be stopped simply by censorship.

    ¡°Let alone children¡­¡±

    Arwen almost blurted out her real thoughts in her excitement. She quicklyposed herself and continued smoothly.

    ¡°¡­even if they read those books. It¡¯s doubtful if censorship can do anything. Don¡¯t you think it might just lead to more illegal activities?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Just earlier, you said that Dark Elves are unreliable individuals. But, Grand Councilor, do you really believe they would unite in vengeance to threaten our Alvenheim?¡±

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s not entirely impossible, but Your Majesty, do you truly trust them? Even those whose appearances and hearts are dark?¡±

    Fieren wrinkled his nose in disdain and mentioned the Dark Elf¡¯s skin color. In response, Arwen let out a light snort.

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell who¡¯s ck-hearted just by looking at them. It¡¯s often those with the most sinister intentions who appear the most trustworthy. At least the ones who are blind to the light are more believable. They have the ability to see through the darkness and perceive the truth.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t censor anything. Leave Xenon¡¯s Biography imported to Alvenheim as they are. Do you have anything else to say?¡±

    ¡°¡­Your Majesty, do you really n to take them back to Alvenheim? It¡¯s been hundreds of years since they were banished. Centuries have likely brought significant changes to their culture and traditions.¡±

    Fieren continued in aposed tone, sensing that Arwen couldn¡¯t be swayed by his words. Arwen listened to him half-heartedly, expecting more empty talk.

    However, contrary to her expectations, Fieren¡¯s words were quite realistic.

    ¡°A sh of cultures often leads to ruptures. Although Your Majesty may see it with hopeful eyes, they may not be the same. Their own culture and traditions might be consumed by fear. That fear could soon cause another social turmoil, much like the Half-Blood situation.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Are you certain, Your Majesty? Are you certain about the integration of two different races with the same roots but different stems? I want to ask about practical solutions, not just relying on books. Dark Elves have witnessed the consequences of the Half-Blood situation, so please reconsider once more.¡±

    As an Elf secretly engaging with the Dark Elves, Arwen found the question absurd. However, the Council, including Feren, remained unaware of this fact, making the question valid.

    The issue was that within the question, whether intended or not, Arwen was being underestimated. The half-blood situation was different from this one, where Dark Elves are involved.

    Though the half-blood issue was contained just before it went awry, the Dark Elves were already divided. Fieren was questioning if Arwen¡¯s ambitions were realistically achievable.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s truly remarkable how you manage to infuriate people.¡¯</i>

    Since the Racial War, the kings of Alvenheim have been frequently reced before Arwen¡¯s reign. The Council¡¯s constant probing could easily wear down one¡¯s patience.

    But Arwen was different. Born a half-blood, she excelled in all sorts of strategizing and this did not faze her much. With a smile hidden within, Arwen spoke in a soft voice.

    ¡°You speak of ambitions¡­ Then let me ask in return, Councilor Fieren, what are your ideals?¡±

    ¡°Naturally, it¡¯s the peace of Alvenheim. If that peace were to be disrupted, I would do anything to preserve it.¡±

    ¡°Then, would you even risk your own position for that peace?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Arwen¡¯s direct question left Fieren without an answer. No, he couldn¡¯t answer.

    ¡°Ruling Alvenheim peacefully¡­ It may seem good at first nce. But Councilor Fieren, that peace is nothing but stagnation. The people might be content with what they see without knowing what¡¯s wrong. Ignoring inconvenient truths is akin to being a frog in a well.¡±

    ¡°Are you truly intent on shattering the peace, Your Majesty? That would be tyranny.¡±

    ¡°No, I too prefer the tranquility now. However, look at humans. They achieve endless progress while disturbing their own peace. Even in the racial war, humans have initiated aggression against us and triumphed gloriously. To achieve progress, one must be prepared to disrupt peace. But¡­¡±

    She then gazed down at Fieren with a disdainful gray nce. A good-for-nothing waiting to be defeated without even putting up a fight.

    ¡°What do you really want? ¡®Peace¡¯ and fort¡¯ must be clearly distinguished. You are facing a huge storm, yet you are only thinking of avoiding it without any preparation. At least, that¡¯s how I see it.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°But when the typhoon grows stronger, even avoidance bes impossible. There will be nowhere left to escape. However, those who are prepared and ready for the impact? Unlike those who arepletely engulfed and disappear, they will endure steadfastly. That¡¯s development, and behind the typhoon, peace will inevitablye. It has always been that way throughout history.¡±

    Having given a lengthy exnation, Arwen delivered the final blow.

    ¡°Was my exnation too difficult? Then let me ask another question, sir. Why are you involved in politics?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you think Alvenheim will truly be peaceful by merely implementing policies that turn a blind eye and amount to mere bluff? I believe it will only lead to an increase in smuggling and the rise ofwless people.¡±

    Clench-

    Arwen was directly denying even the significance of the Elder Council¡¯s existence, yet Fieren could only clench his fist as she voiced her straightforward remarks. From the standpoint of a politician engaged in politics, such words could only be regarded as highly offensive.

    However, what stirred an even greater anger was the fact that there was no way to refute her. The Queen, who was thought to be a novice, had gained even more influence since the half-blood incident.

    And the decisive reason for this increased influence¡­ only one came to mind immediately.

    After barely suppressing the boiling rage within him, Fieren quietly spoke. It was a statement tinged with hidden anger due to him being so furious.

    ¡°¡­I understand Your Majesty¡¯s thoughts. Let¡¯s treat the censorship as if it never happened.¡±

    ¡°Understood. Is there anything else you wish to say?¡±

    ¡°No, nothing else. However, I will personally handle the matter of Xenon¡¯s whereabouts. Simply the fact that he knows forbidden magic is enough to identify him as a dangerous individual.¡±

    After having visited the publishing house already, Arwen responded as if nothing had happened, repressing her inner thoughts.

    ¡°Do as you please. If you think you can handle the storm that wille when you touch Xenon.¡±

    ¡°He won¡¯t be broken so easily. Farewell for now.¡±

    Fieren left with those words, walking confidently towards the tightly closed door of the study. Once his figure hadpletely disappeared, Arwen released the tension in her body and let out a sigh.

    It had consumed a great deal of mental energy, but it wasn¡¯t entirely in vain. She looked around and then down at her thigh with a pleased expression.

    On her thighy Volume 14 of Xenon¡¯s Biography, which Fieren hadn¡¯t collected.

    ¡°Still, it wasn¡¯t entirely useless.¡±

    Arwen chuckled and began reading the book with a gleeful expression.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 172: Book 14 (1)

    The 14th volume of Xenon¡¯s Biography has made its appearance in the world. And once again, it has caused a significant impact, as always.

    First and foremost, it introduced the ability for Elves and Dark Elves to truly be one, through a magic known as ¡®Fusion¡¯.

    This ability was not just a mere imagination but a magical curiosity that caught the attention of numerous schrs and wizards. Furthermore, the current situation seemed to confirm that Xenon (Isaac) was, at least partly, considered a prophet.

    Up to this point, it might have been merely a matter of varying opinions, but everything changed after the events of Volume 14, which unfolded in Alvenheim.

    [Fusion, as depicted in Volume 14, is an actual magic that can be performed. However, it is highly hical and strictly prohibited due to its severe repercussions.]

    [It was magic once used by Elves during the Devil War 3000 years ago. However, after receiving the World Tree as a gift from gods, it was considered too dangerous and all records were destroyed.]

    [Fusion, or rather, the unification, can only be achieved by Elves chosen by the gods, and among them, only noble-minded warriors¡­]

    The remarkable scene of Fusion depicted in Volume 14 of Xenon¡¯s Biography was revealed as an actual usable magic, albeit a forbidden one.

    The official term was ¡°Unification,¡± and as described in the book, it doesn¡¯t disappear until all its energy is depleted, absorbing everything around it to replenish that energy.

    As it is only a pure energy, it doesn¡¯t distinguish between regr mana and dark mana and absorbs both. Unification can create a cmity like in the book.

    When the news spread, especially among the elves, in Alvenheim, people were astounded.

    [Anyone attempting to harness Unification will face severe punishment, and the same goes for those who attempt to exploit its theory.]

    [Even though the Queen has issued orders, the schrs and magicians still show interest in the theory described in the book.]

    [The theory that a massive energy absorbs surrounding energy to prevent its own destruction was once proposed by a schr from Yggdrasil. However, it was quickly discredited by strong opposition from the council.]

    Unification triggered various reactions. Although Arwen threatened severe punishment, she felt it might not be enough to quell the curiosity of schrs and magicians.

    Some worried about the possibility of a truly dangerous situation arising, while others insisted that the theory was impossible. Their reasoning was that the phenomenon of an energy entity absorbing surrounding energy to prevent its own destruction requires a form of ¡°self-awareness.¡± Since the birth of the energy entity through Unification ultimately results in a living being with self-awareness, just like any other living creature, it would struggle to survive when faced with danger.

    Therefore, to verify this phenomenon, it would be necessary to create an energy entity with self-awareness. No matter how infinite the power of magic may be, ¡°creation¡± was still exclusive to deities. Even the magicians realized this and abandoned their attempts cleanly.

    As it was, I thought I could overlook the matter of unification, but the real problem arose after the situation settled down.

    [Xenon knew the forbidden knowledge of unification. If so, could he know other things as well?]

    [Looking back, all the knowledge he knows is dangerously saturated. If he truly knows the future, his knowledge could be a weapon.]

    [There is no doubt that Xenon is the one who saved this world from crisis. However, the fact remains that his knowledge can be dangerous.]

    With the misunderstanding that Isaac even knows forbidden magic, negative evaluations also rose to the surface.

    In fact, the assessment that Xenon is dangerous existed even before, but due to being absorbed in the book, it did not attract much attention. Moreover, even this was culturally dangerous, not meaning that the author himself was dangerous.

    However, starting from Volume 14, they began to be more cautious.

    If he knows forbidden magic that doesn¡¯t even exist in records, then could there be other dangerous knowledge? So they thought.

    Xenon was a hero who revealed the signs of contamination of the World Tree and devil summoning, but precisely because of that, his knowledge is very dangerous. Such evaluation slowly started to emerge.

    When someone achieves great aplishments, there are those who admire them, but at the same time, there are those who envy them. People, especially the human heart, are treacherous.

    Throughout history, eminent figures who left their names in history received respect from the masses, but along with that, they also faced significant constraints.

    Starting from Volume 14, a faction that has been interpreting Isaac¡¯s actions negatively and seeing him as a threat has gradually started to emerge. Naturally, they had the pretext of forbidden magic, making it easy to criticize him.

    Of course, there was no prominent figure openly ndering him in public, especially those who acknowledged him as a Luminous¡¯s saint. The criticism mentioned in the newspaper was also clumsily written anonymously, without revealing the author¡¯s name.

    [Those who harm the saint acknowledged by Luminous will be severely dealt with.]

    [Do you not fear God¡¯s wrath?]

    [While it is true that his knowledge is dangerous, there are no immediate issues. He is, in fact, a benefactor of the world, preventing the invasion of devils.]

    Above all, due people¡¯s trust in Luminous, there was no way that fanatic followers, like those from Xavier, would stay silent. Even though they no longer showed fanatical aspectspared to the time when they indiscriminately ughtered demons, their loyalty remained unchanged.

    This sentiment was not limited to Xavier but was also prevalent in the Minerva Empire, Ters Kingdom, and even in Helium. Helium, of course, requires no further exnation, and the Minerva Empire and Ters Kingdom were in a state of mutual restraint.

    Anyway, it wasn¡¯t just individuals, nations themselves stepped forward to protect Isaac, leaving those who had poured out criticism in a position where they could only regret their actions. Nevertheless, some continued to raise their voices, emphasizing that Xenon¡¯s knowledge was dangerous.

    In fact, their arguments seemed reasonable at first nce, which further intensified the pursuit of Isaac¡¯s identity. Thanks to this, there was one person who suffered the most.

    ¡°Ah, really! I already said I don¡¯t know! I¡¯m just responsible for receiving the manuscript and sending it to the printing press!¡±

    ¡°You said you would tell us who gave you the manuscript. Speak up already. What do you want? Money? Or honor?¡±

    It was the CEO of a publishingpany. As always, he grumbled, seemingly frustrated, as he addressed the nobles who hade to track down Xenon.

    He could tolerate the previous visit from the nobles of Alvenheim. After all, if he didn¡¯t betray Xenon and had Matthew forge the signature, it would have been over.

    In reality, the operation hit the mark perfectly, and the nobles of Alvenheim didn¡¯te back anymore. After that, he enjoyed life, watching the scene while his money was duplicated with great pleasure.

    However, due to the forbidden magic described in Volume 14, those nobles came back once again. It was because Xenon, who even knew the magic lost from the records, was deemed extremely dangerous.

    Even though they offered him money and power, the CEO valued his loyalty to Isaac. But this time, the ¡°justification¡± was too strong. If he thought about why the forbidden magic was called forbidden, the answer was apparent.

    Because of this, the publishingpany¡¯s CEO once again encountered the stubborn nobles of Alvenheim.

    ¡°If Xenon¡¯s knowledge causes great chaos in the world, you, who allowed it to happen, will be responsible too. Do you think it¡¯ll be okay? You might lose all the money you¡¯ve saved up until now.¡±

    A tall elf man, dressed in luxurious silk-like attire, asked the CEO in a threatening tone, though somewhat hesitantly. Being an elf, he naturally looked down on the CEO due to his taller stature.

    However, the CEO didn¡¯t back down an inch. He had faced several nobles until now, and an elf noble wouldn¡¯t make any difference.

    ¡°It¡¯s money. I¡¯ll stop if I earn enough. But I can¡¯t betray a person just for that.¡±

    ¡°Hmph. Loyalty, huh? You must be saying that because you can earn more money.¡±

    The elf noble spoke as if he was not bothered. It was true in a sense, and the CEO had to seal his lips tightly. He had no intention of revealing Isaac¡¯s whereabouts, not even a trace. The moment he did, his connection with Isaac would bepletely severed.

    For now, his priority was to drive away the nobles somehow. The CEO clenched his hands and quietly sighed at the annoying elves.

    ¡°¡­Is it really going to be solved like this? I¡¯m already busy to death, and now I have a headache. Come backter.¡±

    ¡°Remember, human. The knowledge Xenon possesses is very dangerous. Not only to us but to many others who share simr thoughts.¡±

    The elf nobles left, seemingly threatening without being threatening, and the CEO let out a sigh as their footsteps gradually faded away. He sank into his chair, feeling powerless. Whether it was dangerous knowledge or whatever they were roasting him for, he couldn¡¯t understand. But that probably meant finding Isaac would be equally difficult.

    The CEO himself was the only clue and connection, so the chances were high that they came with the intention of clutching at straws.

    Last time, they came simply to ¡®verify¡¯ a signature, but now they were deliberately ¡®tracking¡¯ Isaac down. Besides the nobles of Alvenheim, there were others who were also searching for Isaac. However, being elves, they carried an entirely different weight.

    <i>¡®He seems to have some skills¡­ If they are elves who use magic skillfully, it will be dangerous.¡¯</i>

    Although they don¡¯t have the authority to directly investigate taxes like the Minerva Empire, the elves are much better at tracking step by step. No matter how skillfully Hawk hides the manuscript path when he sends it, getting caught was just a matter of time.

    The reason he hasn¡¯t been caught until now is that he always hired different messengers, and above all, the elves didn¡¯t show much interest. At least until the release of Volume 13.

    While Hawk¡¯s method ofmunication might be effective with humans, it¡¯s uncertain whether it will work with elves. Elves were one of the races that could use the power of magic as naturally as breathing.

    <i>¡®No, this won¡¯t do. If things continue like this, I should send a warning.¡¯</i>

    That way, even if problems arise, he won¡¯t be held responsible. Just before the CEO wrote the letter to Isaac, he looked around.

    Come to think of it, those damn elves might have pulled off some tricks while staying here. No matter how urgent it is, one should be cautious, right?

    With that in mind, the CEO decided it would be better to write the letter at home instead of the publishing house, leaning back on the chair. The recently reced leather chair made him feelfortable.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m working so hard, but what is that man, Xenon, doing?¡¯</i>

    What is he doing, indeed?

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not really a prophet or a seer, are you? This isn¡¯t just a coincidence, is it?¡±

    ¡°You say it¡¯s a coincidence.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, I see. Anyway, let¡¯s get out of here quickly.¡±

    ¡°Suddenly?¡±

    He had a happy life with his beloved partner to enjoy.

    ¡°Do you not want to mess me up?¡±

    ¡°Not at all.¡±

    That day became a long night.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 173: Book 14 (2)

    As the 14th volume was released, I suddenly had a thought. Perhaps, by now, the world might hate me. Luminous and Mora may have different perspectives, but from my point of view, it¡¯s hard not to think that way. The contamination of the World Tree¡¯s roots, devil summoning, reapers, mana engine, and so on ¨C there were already enough headaches with all these elements, and now people are making a fuss about forbidden magic and whatnot.

    I merely wrote the novel based on my imagination, but now that those imaginings have manifested into reality, it feels surreal and overwhelming. Maybe it¡¯s time to give up. Why should my imagination turn into reality anyway? What¡¯s the point?

    What¡¯s even more distressing is that even if I deny being responsible for those events, nobody will pay attention to my excuses. The incidents have been piling up consecutively, making it hard to dismiss them as mere coincidences. The only silver lining is that some factions acknowledge the danger of the knowledge I possess and attempt to exclude it. However, they surfaced momentarily, facing fierce criticism, before retreating back into obscurity. In truth, I¡¯ve faced resentment and jealousy before, so it didn¡¯t bother me much.

    However, now the scope seems to have broadened slightly. While it wasmon for novelists to criticize me in the past, now even nobles were getting involved.

    And they thought just like those at Alvenheim. ¡®If one knows forbidden magic, wouldn¡¯t they also know other dangerous knowledge?¡¯, like that.

    Before Alvenheim, Xenon had faced many situations where he was mocked and even attacked by human nobles. He found himself cornered in various ways.

    As a result, some prominent figures spoke harshly, but they soon met with bacsh and faded away. However, the cautionary atmosphere remained, and it weighed heavily on my shoulders. What started as a hobby, writing novels, became a burden because I didn¡¯t know what might be reality in the future, making it difficult to continue.

    I even had to contemtepletely revising the part about the beastmen I had carefully nned. But it¡¯s tough to get into that part of the story as well.

    I had no choice but to think about whether I should continue writing steadily while clearing my mind or take a break for a while.

    [Isn¡¯t it better to keep going like this? Whatever you write from now on, I¡¯m sure it will have meaning.]

    <i>¡®You¡¯re just piling on the burden without giving any advice.¡¯</i>

    [Even if I wanted to help you, neither you nor I can do anything, right? The future that¡¯s already set in stone can only be prepared for, not stopped.]

    In the end, I visited Mora to receive advice and gain divine power for the night activities with Cecily, but it yielded little.

    ording to what Mora told me, the signs of devil summoning were just the beginning, these events were already destined to happen.

    One of the reasons I answered ¡°I don¡¯t know¡± when asked about fusion was because of this situation. I had no idea what would happen in the already fixed future.

    [Didn¡¯t you have such a saying on Earth? ¡®First, poop. Then you¡¯ll be famous. Right?]

    <i>¡®Be famous first. Then even if you poop, people will apud you. What will happen if you just poop carelessly? They¡¯ll treat you like a crazy person.¡¯ </i>

    [Oh, I see. But as long as they understand, it¡¯s fine!]

    Sigh-

    I let out a deep sigh in my heart. Anyway, there¡¯s a very high chance that from now on, regardless of what I write, people will try to figure out if it¡¯s true or false, just as Mora said. They treat the novel as if it were an actual prophecy, not just a work of fiction.

    The problem is, it¡¯s ambiguous whether Luminous and Mora would approve of it, as their involvement might have unintended consequences. As the saying goes, once a fixed perception is formed, it¡¯s hard to change. You don¡¯t have to look far back, just think about how the demons were treated for over 1,000 years.

    The contamination of the World Tree¡¯s roots alone was at a suspicious level, and now with the revtion of the forbidden fusion magic, Xenon¡¯s Biography will undoubtedly be treated as more than just a novel¡ªpractically as a prophecy or something of the sort.

    <i>¡®¡­Isn¡¯t there any way?¡¯ </i>

    [Of course, there¡¯s nothing we can do to help. The best way is to include stories that are impossible in this world.]

    <i>¡®And the result is what it is now.¡¯ </i>

    [Well¡­ that¡¯s true too.]

    After contemting for a while, Mora tried to persuade me with a casual tone.

    [Just ignoring it seems like the best way. It¡¯s true you came from a different world, but you¡¯re not a prophet or someone who regressed, right? As you keep writing your book, someday people will understand.]

    <i>¡®The problem is the impact that might ur before that. As you said, misunderstandings will probably be resolved, but the phenomena caused by the book¡­¡¯</i>

    [We can handle that from our end. Or ask us. Write about it and see how people react.]

    <i>¡®When I asked about the fusionst time, you said you didn¡¯t know.¡¯</i>

    [You should have asked more specifically. Instead of ¡®Is it okay?¡¯, what kind of reactions wille out? If you ask vaguely, we can only answer that we don¡¯t know. You have to ask the right questions if you want a definite answer.]

    Seems like some coded program. I was in liberal arts, but I had a rough idea about programs.

    <i>¡®It feels a little unfriendly, though¡­¡¯</i>

    [Well, as my brother also mentioned, knowing the future means buying time. And except for us, most other gods don¡¯t even bother with divination. It¡¯s often a difficult task to speak so candidly like this. You are special in that sense.]

    <i>¡®¡­I¡¯m sorry. I was rude.¡¯</i>

    I almost made a big mistake confronting a god. If their kindness continues, I may end up taking it for granted, but they are gods. Though not all-powerful, they are transcendental beings who can see into the future.

    Throughout history, there are numerous examples of those who received the favor of gods but became arrogant and faced divine punishment. I must make sure not to be like that and should remain humble, at least as much as I can.

    [It¡¯s okay. You¡¯re handsome, so I¡¯ll look at you with a generous heart. How about growing your hair long just once?]

    <i>¡®I¡¯ll pass on that. It¡¯s too much trouble to manage.¡¯</i>

    [Oh,e on. Give it a try. There are plenty of men with long hair in this world, you know.]

    Like Mora¡¯sint, there were more men with long hair in the world than one might think. However, most of them simply don¡¯t bother with maintenance, not for fashion reasons.

    There are no ces like salons where professionals cut hair, and there is no standardized hair style either. The exception might be soldiers who tend to keep their hair short because it could get caught on something during deployment or get pulled by an enemy.

    I, too, considered growing my hair long at least once, but I gave up because I realized toote that even tying long hair is a cumbersome task.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m sorry¡­¡¯</i>

    [Alright, I understand. If that¡¯s your choice, there¡¯s nothing to be done. It¡¯s a pity though, I think it would suit you really well.]

    <i>¡®If the opportunity arises, I¡¯ll consider it.¡¯</i>

    [Really? Alright then, I¡¯ll have to ask that person for a favor. Hehe.]

    <i>¡®¡­ ¡­¡¯</i>

    What a maniptive way to go about it. Hearing Mora¡¯s teasingughter, I felt a mix of annoyance and excitement.

    I can understand why the other gods find Mora exhausting. Being so frivolous, it¡¯s no wonder that mortals find it hard to deal with her.

    The only fortunate thing, perhaps, is that she doesn¡¯t have a narrow mind and possesses a broad tolerance. Even the believers would find it difficult to confront Mora, but they don¡¯t fear her.

    <i>¡®¡­Mora, are you still there?¡¯</i>

    [Yeah, did you call me?]

    <i>¡®Then, if I were to release the fifteenth volume now , what kind of response would I receive¡­¡¯</i>

    I stopped myself from asking about the response to the publication of the fifteenth volume. While preparing thoroughly by checking the reactions in advance might be a good choice, it could inevitably affect my writing, both big and small. Moreover, there was the worry that my pre-nned story might be aplete mess. Knowing the future has its merits, but on the other hand, it means not experiencing growth.

    Also, it wouldn¡¯t be right to keep seeking help from the gods every time I publish a book. I should find my own way forward, relying on others would mean standing still.

    So, I gave up asking about the response to the fifteenth volume. It was evident that the reactions would be simr, and until people¡¯s misunderstanding was resolved, the only answer was to consistently release books.

    Though I couldn¡¯t predict what incidents might ur during that time, it still wasn¡¯t a good choice to depend on someone else.

    <i>¡®¡­No, you¡¯re right, Mora. It seems the best way is to continue writing steadily until the misunderstanding is cleared.¡¯</i>

    [You thought well. We can warn, but we can¡¯t force. The ¡®penalty¡¯ you know can only happen in the temple. The reason why wicked people can exist is also because of that.]

    <i>¡®Then, is it impossible for the believers to unite and pray for that wicked person to receive a penalty?¡¯</i>

    [Before that, if we speak up, wouldn¡¯t people take care of that scoundrel on their own?]

    <i>¡®Oh¡­ That makes sense.¡¯ </i>

    The word ¡°take care of¡± didn¡¯t suit the mouth of a god, but that¡¯s why it left a stronger impression. In fact, after Luminous spoke, even Xavier¡¯s cardinal became dedicated to the pilgrimage to find me. It was as if she had made it her life¡¯s mission.

    I pondered on what question to ask and recalled the reactions that came upst time. Unlike before, they said my knowledge was dangerous and I needed to be found immediately. Though my existence was only reported in the newspaper, there were still those who sought to protect me. Moreover, I heard that Alvenheim nobles hade looking for me as well.

    If things continued this way, there might be a riot, so it seemed best to be prepared, especially for this aspect.

    <i>¡®Mora, then, can you tell me what I need to be cautious about from now on? I would be grateful if you could also warn me about any dangers that might befall the people I love.¡¯</i>

    [Hmm¡­ Well, it seems like something interesting will happen soon. And it will happen at your mansion.]

    <i>¡®What do you mean?¡¯</i>

    I flinched at the thought of something happening at our mansion. I urgently asked with a sense of unease.

    While I didn¡¯t mind incidents urring elsewhere, I wanted to prevent any trouble at the mansion. My mother had recently gotten pregnant with Lily, and if she were to experience any stress orplications, it could be a big problem. As I mentioned earlier, my mother is older than one might think.

    Despite my concerns, Mora responded with an intrigued voice, leaving me with iprehensible words.

    [You¡¯ll be able to witness hyenas sneak into a lion¡¯s mouth without even realizing it.]

    <i>¡®¡­I don¡¯t really understand what you mean.¡¯ </i>

    [You¡¯ll find out exactly one weekter when you return to the mansion. There¡¯s no need to worry about anything, nothing will happen to you. I¡¯ll make sure of it.]

    <i>¡®If that¡¯s the case, then I¡¯ll be relieved, but¡­¡¯ </i>

    Just the urrence of any incidents at the mansion worried me greatly. During the exhibition, Rain once broke into the mansion, causing chaos. I think it¡¯s better to be thoroughly prepared. I wanted to prevent any harm to those around me because of me.

    <i>¡®Wouldn¡¯t it be better if Cecily noona was with me too?¡¯ </i>

    [That way, you can handle it more confidently. Oh, but I rmend you just sleep on that day. You might face an awkward situation for no reason.]

    <i>¡®¡­I understand. Is there anything else?¡¯ </i>

    [After that, you don¡¯t need to be involved, it will be taken care of automatically. You just focus on writing your book.]

    <i>¡®Do you mean I can just stay still?¡¯ </i>

    [Instead of staying still, how about writing a little letter? It could be quite amusing.]

    I wonder what¡¯s going on at our mansion to make it sound amusing. I tilted my head in puzzlement, but until that dayes, it will be hard to figure out.

    It¡¯s difficult even for Mora to tell me directly, because if that happened, the future could bepletely messed up. To prevent that, I didn¡¯t ask for details.

    <i>¡®Thank you. Then I¡¯ll trust only Mora and return to the mansion in a week.¡¯ </i>

    [Alright. Before you leave, you¡¯ll receive divine power, right?]

    <i>¡®Yes.¡¯</i>

    Before Mora left, as always, she transferred her divine power to me. As Mora¡¯s divine power was absorbed into me, I felt my mind bing calmer and my thoughts clearer.

    Unlike Luminous, Mora¡¯s divine power didn¡¯t give an immediate impact. But if Luminous¡¯ divine power could make you feel its strength directly, Mora¡¯s was different, stabilizing the mind.

    Still, through the first night with Cecily, I could understand how crucial Mora¡¯s divine power was. If it weren¡¯t for her divine power, I would have exhausted myself and copsed before Cecily did.

    <i>¡®But today, it feels like there¡¯s more¡­ Is it just my imagination?¡¯ </i>

    [It¡¯s just your imagination. Having more divine power is better, right?]

    <i>¡®That¡¯s true.¡¯ </i>

    At first, I epted it without any suspicion, but the problem arose the next morning. Cecily, not being affected by the evil cycle, fell asleep after a few attempts, allowing me to restfortably as well.

    Huh? Isaac, your hair¡­ Why is it so long?¡±

    ¡°¡­Oh, really.¡±

    And when I opened my eyes again, my hair had grown long, reaching down to my shoulders and even beyond. It was obvious that Mora had yed a prank on me.

    Even without trying, my red hair stood out, and as it grew longer, it exuded even more vibrancy. Eventually, with irritation in my heart, I asked Cecily again to tidy up my hair, but¡­

    ¡°Has it already grown? It hasn¡¯t even been an hour.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    No matter how much she cut, my hair grew back quickly like seaweed. Cutting it seemed pointless as it continued to grow endlessly, so I had no choice but to give up.

    ¡°Just let me take care of it and tie it up like this.¡±

    ¡°¡­Do as you please.¡±

    ¡°Am I the first one to tie your hair?¡± I feel good that I¡¯m doing what Marie couldn¡¯t do first. Wouldn¡¯t I be in the lead at this point?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    And so, a peaceful day passed at Helium.

    *****

    ¡°¡­So, he secretly sent a letter?¡±

    ¡°Yes. He wrote it at home instead of at the publishingpany, and considering he didn¡¯t put it in the mail, it must have been a letter to Xenon.¡±

    ¡°Good. Well done. If we just follow that guy, we¡¯ll find him.¡±

    A morous and beautiful elf raised the corner of her mouth and muttered as if it were nothing.

    ¡°No matter how much they fly or crawl, in the end, they¡¯re nothing but humans.¡±

 Chapter 174: Unexpected Situation (1)

    Not all new couples may experience this, but for the majority, there¡¯s an expression ¡®incredibly lovey-dovey, as if overflowing with sweetness¡¯. If you¡¯ve been in a long-term rtionship, it might be different, but usually, this term is used to describe the fun of getting to know each other¡¯s previously unknown sides in a rtionship.

    Just like Marie and me before, my pce life with Cecily was simr. The only difference was that with Marie we spent a short honeymoon at my mansion, while Cecily seemed to be together with me at all times throughout the vacation.

    In fact, Marie and I were only engaged, so it¡¯s a bit ambiguous to call it a honeymoon. The same goes for Cecily; she is not in a formally bound rtionship with me like Marie.

    However, we cherished and cared for each other so much during that time, almost as if we were on our honeymoon. When we were in the prime of our passion, just locking eyes would lead us to the bedroom, and even when that wasn¡¯t the case, we spent much time embracing each other.

    Unlike Marie, Cecily sought emotional stability even though she enjoyed pleasure. On the first night, due to the evil cycle, she preferred pleasure more, but from the next day on, she focused on just being with me.

    Because of this, she found satisfaction in just hugging. The problem is that herrge breasts pressed against me, making it hard to resist.

    Anyway, while Marie awakened to her sexual desires, Cecily was pursuing emotional connection. It felt like their positions should be switched.

    ¡°So, whenpared to Marie, who enjoys it more, you or me?¡±

    ¡°Oh my, I can¡¯t answer such a question.¡±

    I pinched Cecily¡¯s cheek yfully and scolded her, asking a mischievous question. I know it¡¯s just a joke, but I avoid sensitive questions.

    Currently, the two of us were enjoying a date in the gardens inside the pce. However, we took a moment to rest and found a quiet spot.

    After settling down, I made a pillow out of Cecily¡¯s slightly plump thigh andfortablyy down. The sensation of her soft thigh reached my head through her clothes.

    ¡°Hehe, was I too mischievous?¡±

    Cecily asked, lightly grabbing my hand as I pinched her cheek. As she held my hand, I immediately let go and smoothed her cheek.

    When I gently caressed her cheek with affection, she leaned her face into my touch as if to savor it more. The soft feeling of her cheek was vividly transmitted through my hand.

    As I mentioned before, Cecily particrly enjoyed physical affection. We didn¡¯t necessarily have to be in a passionate rtionship; she valued our connection above all else.

    Just knowing that she can feel my presence brings peace to her heart, or so I¡¯d like to believe. Thanks to this, I once again realized that she¡¯s deeply in love with me.

    Originally, I thought she was devoted to me because I¡¯m a well-known writer in the Xenon¡¯s Biography, but over time, Cecily became more precious to me, like Marie.

    While gently touching her cheek, I moved my face to see her expression. However, there were tworge masses of fat blocking my view.

    They were big enough that even when I shifted position, it was difficult to see Cecily¡¯s face. Her bust was impressivelyrge.

    <i>¡®Didn¡¯t she say if she can¡¯t be able to see her feet by looking down?¡¯</i>

    It was a familiar concern that even Marie hadined of. Especially when going down the stairs, as she couldn¡¯t see the bottom, she had to carefully descend, which also worried Cecily. And in this position, a thigh pillow, her face was practically invisible.

    She had given up her lower field of vision.

    ¡°Cecily.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Can you see my face?¡±

    ¡°Your face?¡±

    In response to my question, Cecily made a puzzled sound and slowly lowered her upper body. Naturally, herrge breasts also moved toward my face.

    Anticipating what would happen next, I closed my eyes slowly.

    Squish-

    Eventually, Cecily buried my face with her chest. A different kind of tranquility came through the sensation, even through her ck dress.

    How many seconds passed like that? Cecily btedly realized what she had done and pulled her upper body back hastily.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry! Are you okay? Did you feel suffocated?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I knew this would happen, so I held my breath.¡±

    ¡°What? This guy, really¡­¡±

    In response to my teasing reply, Cecily grumbled in a way that suggested she had noticed I was intentionally being provocative. A faintugh escaped her lips on its own.

    Even after we became lovers, she always knew how to yfully tease me, so I wanted to y with her at least once. However, I soon realized that I couldn¡¯t outwit Cecily when it came to yfulness.

    Thud¡ª

    ¡°How about it? Want to y around again?¡±

    ¡°Urp! No!¡±

    Cecily leaned her upper body down, full of intention. Caught off guard, I found myself pinned between tworge mounds, and I could only squirm helplessly. It felt like I might suffocate if this continued, so I urgently tapped her arm. Reacting to my desperate response, she let out a mischievous chuckle and lifted her lowered upper body.

    ¡°Phew!¡±

    ¡°If Isaac wants more, I can do it, but¡­¡±

    She said with a sly smile as she ced her hand on my chest and, discreetly, slowly moved it downward, reaching my abdomen. Just as her hand was about to go lower, I quickly grabbed her wrist.

    Due to her breasts blocking my view, I couldn¡¯t see Cecily¡¯s expression, but I expected she might be disappointed.

    ¡°No, we can¡¯t. We need to hold back in public. You never know if someone might see.¡±

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t we use magic to hide ourselves?¡±

    It seemed that Cecily wanted a different kind of rapport. However, I now had to decline. Since I had gone through all the trouble of gaining divine power from Mora, I couldn¡¯t waste it.

    I slowly stood up from Cecily¡¯sp and faced her directly. She had her lips pouted, expressing her dissatisfaction. If she were an ordinary human woman, it would have taken some time to console her, but Cecily was a demon.

    For demons, there is one special way to soothe them.

    Swoosh-

    ¡°¡­Hmm.¡±

    That is to pet her horns. As I reached out my hand and stroked her horns, her expression immediately softened. Then she leaned her face against my chest.

    It was like a cat being pampered, and I responded with a gentle smile, continuing to caress her horns.

    I might have exined this long ago, so I don¡¯t remember, but horns have no feeling capabilities. Even if they break, you would only register the fact that they¡¯re broken and don¡¯t feel any pain. By the way, broken horns will grow back in just a day.

    However, to demons, ¡®horns¡¯ are like a symbol of the devil. To lovingly stroke those horns implies that even if they were to be a devil, you would still ardently love them.

    It¡¯s a romantic tradition that can only be found in demons who have endured pain for many years.

    <i>¡®At night, well¡­¡¯</i>

    It was somewhat subtle to use horns, which contain such a beautiful culture, as ¡®handles.¡¯ But I heard from Cecily that they were originally used for such a purpose. I gazed down at Cecily, who leaned against my chest and purred like a cat. Enjoying the sensation of touching the horn with her eyes closed, focusing despite not feeling it.

    ¡°Haah¡­ Isaac¡¯s scent¡­ I really like it¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I want to stay like this forever. Just like this, forever.¡±

    Cecily¡¯s voice grew even huskier as she smelled me. Looking at it, I saw that it was filled with ck.

    It is certain that the cycle of evil, when inner evil overflows, is separate from sexual desire. I let her head fall from my bosom before it went farther.

    Even when I pushed her away, Cecily looked at me with moist eyes. It seemed like she was filled with the feeling that she shouldn¡¯t be too impudent.

    ¡®It¡¯s different seeing her like this.¡¯

    If Marie¡¯s unique lively personality stimtes my heart, this side of Cecily has a calmness to it, like throwing a stone into a quietke, causing ripples that resonate deeply in my heart.

    ¡°Uung¡­¡±

    ¡°Haah¡­¡±

    I gently exhaled a deep sigh as Cecily, begging with her index finger on her lips, rushed towards me. Who could refuse such a plea? With my arms wide open, I invited her.

    ¡°Want a hug?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    She held me tightly, burying her face in my chest as if she never wanted to let go.

    Unlike moments ago, simply touching her horn seemed insufficient. As I slowly stroked her back, I could feel her warmth.

    <i>¡®She loves me this much, but when I die¡­¡¯</i>

    Suddenly, an unhappy vision of her future crossed my mind. I am a mortal human, while she is an immortal demon. Due to the limits of my lifespan, even if I grow old and die, she will continue to exist as she is. Can she bear such sadness?

    One of the biggest reasons why demons be devils is the death of their beloved. Demons can control rage, but not sorrow.

    <i>¡®¡­I should create countless cherished memories for her.¡¯</i>

    As I mentioned to her, rather than regrets, I should fill her life with fond memories. Will that make her less sorrowful? Slowly closing my eyes, I savored the delicate body of Cecily.

    I wished time would stand still at that moment, but s, time refuses to stop. For a while, we embraced each other, finding sce, until we faced each other again.

    Cecily looked at me with a radiant smile, filled with happiness like the colors of the world.

    ¡°¡­Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Noona.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve always told you, but my body and heart are all yours. So, you can do as you please. Got it?¡±

    Cecily said affectionate words, cing her hand on my cheek. It wasn¡¯t an empty promise; she was always ready to dedicate herself entirely to me. At first, I thought it was only because I was the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography, but now, it¡¯s not just that.

    She was preparing to devote herself to who I am as a person. A woman I couldn¡¯t help but fall for in a different way than Marie. I smiled and quietly replied.

    ¡°I feel a bit guilty just taking. Noona, don¡¯t you want anything?¡±

    ¡°Are you offering the position of a first wife?¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡±

    I may have fallen deeply for Cecily, but my love for Marie has not cooled down. Moreover, I can¡¯t help feeling sorry for Marie, who is probably working on her own thesis in the studio right now.

    As I spoke with a hint of bitterness and a forced smile, Cecily chuckled lightly. Then, with her usual yful demeanor, she said.

    ¡°Just kidding. The first wife position should be given to Marie. The fact that I could be with you is all thanks to Marie¡¯s generosity.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. For giving it to her.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s there to thank for? I should be the one thanking you. Cheer up.¡±

    Saying so, Cecily lightly kissed me. Her adorable charm made me burst into a chuckle.

    ¡°Still, I¡¯m curious sometimes. What if I had realized that you are Xenon a little earlier?¡±

    ¡°Well, honestly, nothing would have changed. Marie liked me even before she knew I was Xenon.¡±

    ¡°Really? Well, I guess there¡¯s nothing we can do about it then. I should just get rid of my greed.¡±

    If Marie had heard this, she might not have been pleased. It was partly a joke, but it seemed like she was pushing Marie away and aiming for the seat next to him.

    Of course, given Cecily¡¯s personality, she wouldn¡¯t do that. If she had wanted to push her away, she would have done it a long time ago.

    They both knew thatpromising with each other was the best option. However, the need to reconcile their feelings for each other remained unchanged.

    ¡°Don¡¯t say such things in front of Marie if you can help it. Once suspicion takes root, it grows endlessly.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m aware of that. But should we still be cautious? If Marie¡¯s affection for Isaac wanes, I¡¯ll swoop in and take him. And intentionally raise jealousy.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Marie¡¯s jealous figure¡­ just imagining it made him feel affectionate and endearing. He wanted to rush over and give her a tight hug right away.

    But really, would Marie¡¯s affection for him wane? He doubted it. Cecily would faithfully y the role of preventing such a situation. The reverse was also true.

    On second thought, thinking like this was quite phndering. Nevertheless, I should get used to it; otherwise, I might end up in a situation where nothing works out.

    ¡°It seems like a good idea¡­ I¡¯ll have to look into it slowly. It¡¯s not like my affection will fade away immediately.¡±

    ¡°By the way, I can swear that my feelings for Isaac won¡¯t change. Without Isaac, life feels empty.¡±

    ¡°If you already feel this way, what does it matterter?¡±

    ¡°I should console myself by looking at Isaac¡¯s child. Or maybe I should look at the child born between Isaac and me?¡±

    ¡°Cecily, are you scheming something?¡±

    ¡°Hehe.¡±

    Cecily smiled shyly at my admiring words. Then, she put both hands on my cheeks and asked eagerly.

    ¡°Next evil cycle, can¡¯t we do it without contraception?¡±

    ¡°No, we can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Sigh.¡±

    Still, what can¡¯t be done can¡¯t be done.

    When I firmly rejected her, Cecily made a pouty face but quickly brought up another question.

    ¡°How about the illustration? Can¡¯t we have an illustration? We agreed on that from the beginning.¡±

    ¡°With the current situation, it¡¯splicated. It might harm you for no reason. What if there¡¯s a demon that resembles Lilith more than you?¡±

    Everyone probably knows, but in Xenon¡¯s Biography, Lilith was the character based on Cecily.

    So, as part of improving my drawing skills, I had ns to include illustrations in the story. However, due to the current situation, I had to temporarily suspend that idea.

    As Xenon¡¯s Biography was somewhat treated as a prophecy, adding illustrations could lead to unforeseen consequences. It might even cause harm to those who could be perceived as potential culprits in the future, facing persecution. It might sound like an extreme thought, but given the times we live in, it¡¯s entirely possible.

    ¡°Alright, I understand. So, you won¡¯t include any illustrations at all?¡±

    ¡°Maybe not entirely. By the end, the misunderstandings should be cleared up. I¡¯m thinking of adding them around that time. The same goes for other characters, not just for Lilith.¡±

    ¡°When will it bepleted? The story seems to be just starting to build up.¡±

    ¡°We still have a long way to go. It will take at least half a year, I guess?¡±

    ¡°Only half a year?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    She was a demon. A demon who perceived even a year as a short period. Half a year could pass without her noticing.

    ¡°Well, for now, that¡¯s the n. As long as nothing major happens, it should take about half a year. Since I¡¯ve been appointed as a rmended student, I have plenty of time.¡±

    ¡°What kind of major incidents could happen?¡±

    ¡°Nothing serious¡­ just thinking about possible dys in the serialization.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by dys?¡±

    ¡°I might get seriously injured, for example. Even if everything else is fine, if my hands are injured, there¡¯s no way to avoid a dy in the serialization.¡±

    ¡°Your hands, huh¡­¡±

    Cecily hesitated with her words, as if she had made up her mind, she nodded her head. Then, with a determined, fiery gaze, she looked at me and opened her mouth to speak in a solemn tone.

    ¡°If anyone hurts Isaac, they will pay with their life.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it won¡¯te to that¡­¡±

    I didn¡¯t even finish my sentence before Cecily shook her head from side to side. She sped my right hand with both of hers and spoke to me with a serious expression.

    ¡°You used this hand to save our race, so it¡¯s only right. And it¡¯s not just me, others would think the same way too.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Most of all, if the man I love gets hurt, I¡¯ll be in even more pain. Though I might not always be by his side, I¡¯ll make sure revenge is carried out thoroughly.¡±

    It¡¯s reassuring to hear these words from Cecily, who was destined to be the next Queen of Helium. She imed she could blow up mountains with just a few gestures, so revenge would be a piece of cake. But what I truly appreciate is her mindset. Who wouldn¡¯t be captivated by someone like her?

    Filled with determination, I gazed into Cecily¡¯s red eyes and couldn¡¯t help but smile. Cecily responded to my smile with a smile of her own.

    ¡°Thank you, Noona. It feelsforting when you say that.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me. If you¡¯re really grateful, take off your pants.¡±

    ¡°Suddenly again?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m teasing you. I put up the barrier, so you can rx.¡±

    ¡°Sigh. I got it. I got it.¡±

    The fire in Cecily¡¯s heart seemed to burn as intensely in the daytime as it did at night.

    *****

    In a dark space where not even a single ray of light could prate, two men faced each other around a round table. The darkness enveloped them, making it impossible to discern their features, but despite that, they exchanged words in a familiar manner.

    ¡°Here¡¯s the letter for today. The boss seems to consider it quite important, as he sent it from home.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    As one man ced a simple piece of paper on the table, the other man gazed at it intently. Although nothing was visible in the darkness, his golden eyes shone brightly. Like a predator¡¯s eyes gleaming in the dark night, his eyes emitted an intense light.

    As the man with the letter attempted to hand it over, the recipient suddenly cleared his throat. The man with the golden eyes hesitated before taking the letter, and then slowly raised his head to meet the courier¡¯s gaze. After a momentary exchange of nces, the courier ced his hand on the table.

    Tap-tap tap

    ¡°By the way, how¡¯s life these days? Your daughter joined a prestigious Knights¡¯ Order, right?¡±

    The messenger habitually tapped the table with his finger as he inquired about the recent updates.

    The man with golden eyes, seemingly unaffected, replied.

    ¡°No news yet. And what about you? How¡¯s your son doing?¡±

    ¡°He must be struggling by now. Unfortunately, he doesn¡¯t have much talent.¡±

    The messenger answered with a series of tapping sounds on the table.

    Tap tap tap tap-tap.

    Even while responding, his fingers continued to drum on the table, but soon, they came to a halt. The man with golden eyes shrugged and carefully ced the letter handed to him by the messenger into his pocket. It was about time to leave.

    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m always thankful. It must be bothersome to do this for me.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s there to be thankful for? I owe you a lot. Besides, it¡¯s not entirely unenjoyable.¡±

    ¡°You always say that, but your temperament is quite peculiar. I¡¯ll be going now.¡±

    ¡°Take care of yourself.¡±

    The man with golden eyes stood up and briskly walked away. As he disappeared, the messenger also got up suddenly.

    ¡°I might not be able to do this for a while.¡±

    The mumbling man scratched his head.

    On the other hand, the man who received the letter from him, the man with golden eyes¡­

    <i>¡®He is being pursued by elves. It doesn¡¯t seem like good news.¡¯</i>

    The person who received signals not through words but through their fingers was on their way back home, deducing the signals they had sent.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s fortunate that Isaac isn¡¯t in the mansion, if he were, it would have been a big problem. For now, I can handle it from my side.¡¯</i>

    A lion with red hair began to lure the hyenas. The problem was¡­

    ¡°¡­Isaac? And Princess Cecily? Why are they suddenly in the mansion?¡±

    ¡°We thought it wouldn¡¯t be good to be only in Helium. We also came to see Father¡¯s face.¡±

    ¡°Hello, Baron Hawk. Oh, should I call you Father-inw now?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Unexpected situations could ur at any time.

    Trantors note:

    3 chapters today

    1/3

 Chapter 175: Unexpected Situation (2)

    Upon returning to the mansion, my father had a troubled expression on his face when he saw me. It couldn¡¯t be because of Cecily, as he wouldn¡¯t react like that even if he disliked her. There must be some definite reason behind his reaction.

    Curious about what was going on, I asked him what happened, and he looked embarrassed as he gestured for me to follow him. Cecily and I exchanged nces beforeplying.

    Though I had many questions, following him was the priority. We walked, filled with curiosity, and ended up in the same room where we had the interview with Adeliast time. It was not a space for formal reception, but a ce where we could face each other and have discussions on various topics.

    ¡°Have youe?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mother.¡±

    In that room, Mother was already sitting, probably having received a prior notice from Father. By the way, Father had briefly stepped in and out, so he had already met Mother. Mother greeted me with her characteristic warm smile and gently patted my belly. Lily is growing up healthily without any problems.

    ¡°Please take a seat first. Princess, sit next to Isaac.¡±

    ¡°You can speakfortably. You¡¯re already my father-inw now, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    When Cecily cheerfully uttered the word ¡®father-inw,¡¯ Father looked at me with a strange expression. Since it was already confirmed, I didn¡¯t have any intention to deny it, so I just shrugged my shoulders. Father chuckled and squeezed himself next to Mother. Cecily and I sat across from them, waiting to hear what they had to say.

    I prayed that it wouldn¡¯t be something serious, but when I recalled the oracle that Mora told me I knew it was likely not good news. Moreover, Father clearly showed an uneasy reaction as soon as he met us.

    Whether it was something deeply rted to me or something rted to the family, the fact that it was troublesome remained the same.

    ¡°Phew¡­ Didn¡¯t you say you would spend the entire vacation in Helium?¡±

    Father, who sighed again, asked in aplex tone. It seemed like he didn¡¯t expect Cecily and me to return.

    At first, my n was to stay only in Helium, but he changed his mind after hearing about Mora¡¯s oracle. Moreover, there was a good reason to see each other, so Cecily dly joined. I quietly replied, feeling somewhat uneasy.

    ¡°Being only in Helium feels a bit¡­ awkward. At least we should see each other¡¯s faces.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­ why now of all times?¡±

    ¡°¡­What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    It was rare to see Father in such contemtion. He had been stressed before due to an increased workload, but that was an exception. After pondering for a while in response to my question, he shook his head. It seemed like he had made a decision in his mind.

    ¡°By any chance, when are you nning to return to Helium?¡±

    Despite my curiosity, he didn¡¯t forget to test the waters. I maintained aposed attitude and answered.

    ¡°I n to stay for about 2 to 3 days and then leave. There¡¯s still about half of the vacation left.¡±

    ¡°What if I told you to go back right away?¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s something rted to me, I won¡¯t go back.¡±

    Perhaps realizing that he couldn¡¯t sway me, Father chuckled as if he couldn¡¯t hold back, then nodded in agreement.

    He then shifted his gaze to Mother, who was pregnant with Lily with a warm and worried look, before turning back to me. His golden eyes were shining brightly.

    ¡°Since you¡¯ve already exposed your identity, there¡¯s nothing left to hide. As you suspected, it¡¯s a matter closely rted to you. The news came from the connection through which the manuscript was delivered.¡±

    ¡°Could it be that I¡¯ve been found out?¡±

    It was not me, but Cecily who asked the question. In response, Father nodded heavily as he met her gaze.

    ¡°Yes¡­ no, that¡¯s not right. Fortunately, we weren¡¯tpletely exposed. The aplice noticed the pursuit and took a roundabout route to get here. But they will likely reach this ce soon.¡±

    Father was willing to speak openly after Cecily had given her assurance earlier. Cecily herself seemed unfazed by the situation.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard of Father-inw¡¯s skill in Helium. Known as the ¡®Red Lion,¡¯ right? Since you mentioned an aplice, are they as capable as Father-inw?¡±

    ¡°They used to berades-in-arms in the bordends. He¡¯s quite adept at espionage and reconnaissance. He willingly helped with delivering the manuscripts because I once saved his life.¡±

    ¡°But for someone like that to be pursued¡­ could it be¡­ an Elf?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no one else but an Elf, and a skilled one at that.¡±

    Elf again. I tried my best to suppress my impressions.

    Last time it was a Dark Elf who intruded into our mansion without permission, and now it¡¯s an Elf. I can¡¯t figure out why they keep causing trouble.

    Though there may be normal Elves like Arwen or Keir, their tendency to cause trouble seems to be an inherent characteristic of their race.

    ¡°Here¡¯s the letter delivered by the publisher. They tried to send it discreetly from their home, but they were eventually caught because they are an ordinary person.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    After receiving neatly folded letter paper from my father, I slowly unfolded it. I didn¡¯t forget to show it to Cecily so she could also see. The content of the letter was roughly as follows:

    Elves came again to look for my letter after Arwen¡¯s speech. This time, unlike the previous asion, they persistently pestered me until they would find me.

    I¡¯ve heard of the elves visiting the publishing house before. ording to what Arwen told me, they belong to one of the distinguished families affiliated with the Council of Elders. They are led by a chief named ¡®Fieren.¡¯ Being part of the Council was not unusual for prestigious families since it is a political organization. So, the probability of them being stuck-up conservatives who adhere to elitist ideologies is very high.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure which faction these elves belong to, but I¡¯m certain they are arrogant. That much I can guarantee.¡±

    ¡°Why do you think so?¡±

    ¡°If they weren¡¯t arrogant elves, they wouldn¡¯t have acted like this from the beginning. They were the ones who demanded from the publishing house to hand over the letter in the first ce.¡±

    My father, who encountered an elven reconnaissance team in the border zone, spoke with such conviction that I couldn¡¯t take his words lightly. Moreover, I also had developed close rtionships with several elves, so they approached me more intimately.

    However, that doesn¡¯t present a fundamental solution. After thinking for a moment, I asked cautiously.

    ¡°So, what do we do now? It won¡¯t take them long to find their way to this mansion.¡±

    ¡°Two situations will unfold from now on. First, they will ¡®formally¡¯ visit this mansion. In that case, you can simply talk to them politely and send them away. But now that they know this ce is the end of their pursuit, they might use force.¡±

    ¡°And the second is trespassing into the mansion.¡±

    ¡°Elves trespassing?¡±

    Not dark elves but normal ones. Elves were a race that even refused assassinations, calling them dirty tricks during the race wars. I can¡¯t quite understand how such a race would engage in trespassing.

    ¡°Of course, they won¡¯t tantly charge in. The idea that elves don¡¯t do dirty tricks is something from the time of the race wars. They probably have a high chance of infiltrating using magic, whether it¡¯s for orders or for a just cause. Self-justification is enough for them.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t the mansion protected by security magic?¡±

    ¡°Those elves aren¡¯t fools, and they can easily neutralize security magic.¡±

    ¡°In the end, both situations lead to the same conclusion.¡±

    ¡°If you think about it, that¡¯s right.¡±

    Either way, it doesn¡¯t seem like those elves will back down easily. Father also had a hunch about that, which is why he was nning ahead. However, due to Cecily and I unexpectedly returning to the mansion, the situation seemed to have be a bitplicated.

    Thinking carefully about theplex situations ahead, I asked my father a question.

    ¡°Would the elves benefit from doing something like this?¡±

    ¡°What kind of benefit couldn¡¯t there be? You know there were rumors recently in Alvenheim about your books being censored, and your books have also given rise to the social issue of half-bloods. Of course, the Queen managed to handle it well, but there might be more incidents in the future. Moreover, the existence of Dark Elves is gradually resurfacing. Forbidden magic like the ¡®Fusion¡¯ is the same. From Alvenheim¡¯s perspective, they have more than enough reason to find you.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that in Alvenheim, there is a political conflict between the Queen and the Council of Elders. The Queen is favorable to an open-door policy, but the Council of Elders opposes it. Since the elves don¡¯t act independently, they must have received orders from one of them. I want to believe it¡¯s from the Council of Elders.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t particrly surprising as it was already a known fact. The main point was how to ovee this situation. It wouldn¡¯t be long before the elves dispatched by the Council of Elders would enter our mansion.

    Just like what happened to Rain, there was a high chance they woulde to my room to look for the manuscript. However, I couldn¡¯t move the manuscript elsewhere either. If they found out that this mansion was the source of the transmission, they wouldn¡¯t be foolish enough not to notice.

    ¡°If we weren¡¯t here, how would Father have dealt with it?¡±

    ¡°I initially nned to move everything, including the manuscript, and endure it. If there¡¯s no evidence, they¡¯ll have no choice but to leave.¡±

    ¡°But, Father-inw. That¡¯s just a temporary solution. There¡¯s no guarantee they won¡¯te back and find out someday.¡±

    Cecily pointed out firmly when she heard Father¡¯s n. As she said, elves could use magic anytime, anywhere, and there was a high possibility they would thoroughly search the mansion.

    While we might be able to endure it for now, it¡¯s not a fundamental solution. To achieve aplete resolution, we must deal with them.

    ¡°I know that too. But since we don¡¯t even know where they came from, my options are limited. The letter the boss sent seems to indicate they might be nobles, but elf nobles carry a different weight than human nobles. Above all, there is a high risk of Isaac¡¯s identity being exposed.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s exposed or not? There¡¯s Marie and I. Besides, Isaac is currently favored as a saint within the Luminous church. If they touch him, even Xavier won¡¯t remain quiet.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­ revealing Isaac¡¯s true identity in the current situation would be tough for him. He¡¯s already under scrutiny for being a prophet or a regressor, and people are cautious of his dangerous knowledge. At least waiting for such circumstances to calm down would be the best course of action.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    While my father and Cecily were arguing, I got lost in my thoughts. If I do it well, I can crush not only those elves but even the council, which is nothing more than a bunch of hypocrites.

    Revealing the situation before and after the incident is not a significant problem. As seen in Arwen¡¯s speech, her persuasive ability was outstanding. Slightly changing the course to ¡®maniption¡¯ would be enough.

    Currently, public opinion towards Arwen is very favorable. By emphasizing her identity as an ¡®elf¡¯ without distinguishing between pureblood and mixed blood, she has instilled not only confidence but also pride in the hearts of the citizens.

    And if we add the status of ¡®Xenon¡¯ to this? For the elves, Xenon, who saved the World Tree from contamination, is a hero in itself. After all, the World Tree was a gift from the gods.

    If youbine these two appropriately, you can make falsehoods believable as truths. Of course, not entirely filled with lies, but mixed in a reasonable manner.

    As I blinked my eyes, I found my right hand resting on my thigh. At the same time, an amusing n came to mind, and I smiled slightly.

    It seemed that the meaning of a hyena entering a lion¡¯s den was bing clear to me only now.

    ¡°Father, I have a good n. Would you like to hear it?¡±

    ¡°A n?¡±

    ¡°Yes. If executed well, I can hide my true identity, eliminate the elves, and all those involved at once. But before that¡­ Noona.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Isaac?¡±

    ¡°Do you happen to know of any magic that can suggest or manipte memories?¡±

    Cecily was named the next Demon Lord, so her magical abilities would undoubtedly be exceptional. When ites to magic, I can trust her without a doubt.

    At my question, Cecily momentarily looked puzzled but then nodded and gave a positive response.

    ¡°There is such magic, but it might not work on elves since they have natural resistance to it. And if it¡¯s a cleric, it would be ineffective.¡±

    ¡°Really? How about imnting an explosion spell in their ears?¡±

    ¡°¡­What kind of n involves nting an explosion spell in someone¡¯s ear?¡±

    Cecily looked at me with a bewildered expression, questioning the oddity of the idea. Well, I guess it did sound a bit far-fetched.

    In response, I waved my hands, assuring her that it wouldn¡¯t go that far.

    ¡°We¡¯re not actually putting in exploding magic, it¡¯s just for intimidation. Anyway, is it possible?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s possible, yeah.¡±

    ¡°Then it¡¯s settled. Oh, by any chance, how about tracking magic?¡±

    ¡°As long as it stays within the range, that¡¯s possible too.¡±

    Magic is truly something. It makes things that were once only possible through the technology of past lives achievable. During that time, my father seemed to have caught on to our conversation and spoke with a worried voice.

    ¡°Isaac, I have a rough idea of what you¡¯re thinking. However, Elves are not to be underestimated. Even with the magic you mentioned, a thorough investigation could¡­¡±

    ¡°But would those people know that Cecily is here? Even if they have heard of father¡¯s might, they would know you can¡¯t use magic.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ that may be so, but in Alvenheim¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have to worry about that. We have an ally.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    Upon hearing about the ally, father widened his eyes and looked at me with surprise. Mother, who was beside him, also had a somewhat astonished expression. Indeed, having a political ally within Alvenheim is something that can be quite perplexing.

    I¡¯ve only been to Alvenheim once, and that was it. I hesitated on whether I should say it all, and then I nced at Cecily with a side nce. She smiled back as if to say I could say whatever I wanted.

    I gained confidence and slowly began to reveal the existence of the ¡°coborator¡± within Alveneim. First and foremost was the incident of the high-level theft.

    Until the incident of the high-level theft, my parents remainedposed, but as soon as they heard about Rain¡¯s unauthorized intrusion into the mansion during the exhibition, their expressions changed in real-time. Following that, when they heard about Arwen apologizing to me, they were amazed.

    ¡°¡­So, I actually wrote the speech and sent it to the queen. We¡¯re still in contact because of that connection.¡±

    ¡°Hehe.¡±

    ¡°Amazing, truly amazing.¡±

    As he finished exining about the speech, Father¡¯s reaction went beyond astonishment to bewilderment, while Mother¡¯s response was filled with unease. To be honest, such reactions were natural.

    The coborator I mentioned was none other than the queen of Alveneim, and she kneeled down and apologized to me. Moreover, using that as an excuse, we¡¯ve been maintaining our connection until now.

    Without any context, it might sound like nonsense, but considering the incident of Rain¡¯s high-level theft, they have no choice but to believe it.

    ¡°I heard from the queen that the elves who came to the publishing house were the closest aides of the Council of Elders. As you know, unlike the queen, the Council of Elders rejects other races besides the pureblood ideology. During the racial war, they also made the worst mistakes.¡±

    ¡°Whether they disappear or not doesn¡¯t matter. But Isaac, if the Council of Elders were to vanish, Alveneim would be in great social turmoil. And there are forces supporting the Council, so they won¡¯t easily fall apart. They might even instigate a coup through various means.¡±

    ¡°Well, Father, my thoughts are different.¡±

    I smirked after hearing my father¡¯s concerns. Just as he looked at me with a puzzled expression, I confidently spoke while showing my right hand.

    ¡°If news spreads that my right hand was shattered, won¡¯t it cause amotion in Alvenheim?¡±

    *****

    ¡°But Isaac, why did your hair suddenly grow so long?¡±

    ¡°Well, this is¡­ there¡¯s a reason for it.¡±

    ¡°It suits you very well. Keep it that way from now on, okay?¡±

    ¡°¡­Sure.¡±

    Trantors note:

    2/3

 Chapter 176: Unexpected Situation (3)

    The n has almost been set, but there are points to be addressed before they fall into the trap. First of all, Adelia was staying at our house. She is my bodyguard, but she has no idea that I am Xenon. She became my bodyguard purely out of favor towards me, and if she gets involved in this situation, it will be quite troublesome.

    Because of this, Father even suggested revealing it to Adelia. Although she¡¯s not talkative and her background is suspicious, it¡¯s unavoidable for a smooth progress.

    However, the person who firmly rejected it was not only me or Cecily but also Mother.

    ¡°No. Dame Cross shouldn¡¯t know that Isaac is Xenon.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    Up until now, my mother had sat quietly, merely listening to the conversation, so my father asked with a puzzled expression. I, too, was equally puzzled.

    Mother gently stroked Lily, who was peacefully asleep in her stomach, and then she opened her mouth with her unique beautiful smile.

    ¡°Maybe one day, Dame Cross might face an important decision. Even for that chance, we must not reveal that Isaac is Xenon.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ If you say so, I¡¯ll ept it. I¡¯d like to hear the detailster.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll probably understand too.¡±

    In the end, we were left with no choice but to not include Adelia. However, she was highly skilled, having worked as an assistant at the Halo Academy.

    Elves might intrude at any time, and her senses should be sharp, so could she really not notice?

    Father seemed somewhat hesitant, perhaps because he was worried about that point.

    ¡°Dame Cross has exceptional senses, even though I don¡¯t know what she went through in the past. Even during training, she intuitively knows where to attack.¡±

    ¡°She notices everything?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. She said her body warns her on its own. It must be hard to develop such a perception going through ordinary experiences, I wonder where she learned it.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Could that also be connected to the past? As she was not properly recognized as a royalty and lived in the pce, she must have faced all sorts of persecution.

    It might have been bad enough to warrant an assassination attempt. Considering the insults Adelia received from her siblings, it¡¯s not an entirely imusible story.

    ¡°Anyway, it means we need to handle the operation without Dame Cross noticing¡­ It¡¯s not as easy as it sounds.¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, what if I put her to sleep with a sleep spell?¡±

    ¡°Would that work?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not impossible.¡±

    ¡°Hah.¡±

    When things were handled more easily than expected, Father let out a disappointedugh. As always, magic yed the role of doing the impossible.

    ¡°Alright, then the issue with Dame Cross is resolved. We just need to let our employees know that thieves broke in.¡±

    ¡°But the key is when they wille, right? Father-inw, when do you expect them toe?¡±

    ¡°Well, my friend purposely messed with their tracks, so it¡¯ll take some time. At best it might be three days, if they¡¯re fast, tonight.¡±

    They wille tonight. A week ago, Mora informed me that something would happen at night. And today is that day.

    There is still plenty of time until nightfall, but it¡¯s a bit urgent to set up the trap soon. It¡¯s better to hurry.

    ¡°I understand. Let¡¯s set up the trap first. Please wait a moment.¡±

    ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°I have something to bring from my room.¡±

    I suppose you have a rough idea, but it¡¯s the summoning scroll for Siris. Since I¡¯ve already exined everything, they won¡¯t be surprised by Siris¡¯s introduction.

    When I got up from my seat, Cecily tried to get up with me, but I immediately stopped her. There¡¯s no need for her to follow me when I¡¯m just going to the room, and it won¡¯t take long anyway.

    Instead, I asked Cecily for one favor.

    ¡°Oh, Noona, can you ask Gartz to join us in this matter? The more people, the better, right?¡±

    ¡°Lord Bk is currently under strict home arrest. Can you guess why?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Poor Gartz. At least he was fortunate enough to get his autograph returned. Without that, he would¡¯ve been extremely downcast.

    I forced a bitter smile and headed to the room to get the summoning site. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯m going to the room since I met Father.

    ¡°Oh?¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    As I turned the corner, I came face to face with Adelia. She was gently drying her wet, chestnut-colored hair, as if she had just finished bathing. At first, her sky-blue eyes blinked, but soon they began to widen.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Weren¡¯t you in Helium?¡±

    ¡°I just came back. It¡¯s a bit suffocating to stay in Helium all the time. It¡¯s good to see my parents¡¯ faces sometimes. But did you just bathe?¡±

    ¡°After training, you should take a bath. But¡­¡±

    Adelia stared at my face intently and tilted her head to the side. It seemed like she noticed my hair had grown longer in that short time.

    ¡°Your hair¡­ seems to have grown longer?¡±

    ¡°I have my reasons. I think I¡¯ll keep it like this for a while. It grows back even if I cut it.¡±

    ¡°Oh, really? Surprisingly, it suits you well.¡±

    Adelia touched her chin and seemed to be deep in thought. Since we had plenty of time, I just waited patiently.

    However, for some reason, her face started to blush gradually. While I was puzzled, she suddenly cleared her throat and asked quietly.

    ¡°Ahem. Do you¡­ like long hair, cutie?¡±

    ¡°Huh? All of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°No, I was just curious, that¡¯s all. Marie, that girl, and even the Demon Princess, they all have long hair, you know.¡±

    Upon hearing Adelia¡¯s words, I recalled Marie and Cecily¡¯s hairstyles. Both of them indeed had quite long hair, with Cecily¡¯s reaching down to her hips.

    Moreover, my hair had grown long now, too, so it¡¯s understandable why Adelia would have such a misconception. However, the three of them had such beautiful faces that any hairstyle suited them well.

    Honestly, whether it¡¯s short or long hair, as long as you are as pretty as the two people mentioned, that¡¯s enough.

    ¡°Not really? I just like it when I like it.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see. How about me? Am I okay?¡±

    ¡°Right now, you are the prettiest.¡±

    It¡¯s not an emptypliment, it¡¯s sincere. The wavy end of her dark brown short hair and the distinctive small nose add to her beauty. Even her husky voice.

    With Adelia¡¯s lively charm fully on disy, one could say she is the prettiest now. Even if she grows her hair longer, it would only diminish Adelia¡¯s charm.

    ¡°Thank you. Though it¡¯s a bit embarrassing to hear it out loud.¡±

    Adelia heard the sincere praise and twirled her hair with her fingers. Seeing her feeling shy, which was different from her usual self, added a different charm.

    Seeing that, I inwardly chuckled. Her feelings are too obvious. Even someone who¡¯s bad at picking up cues would notice that she has a crush on me.

    But Adelia herself waspletely unaware of this fact. Is it because this is the first time she¡¯s experienced something like this, or is it because she genuinely doesn¡¯t realize it?

    ¡°So¡­ are you going back to Helium?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll stay there for about a week.¡±

    ¡°I hope so. It gets boring without our cutie around.¡±

    ¡°Well, we¡¯ll be together all the time once the vacation is over and we return to the academy. Anyway, I¡¯m heading out now. Take care, Noona.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll work hard.¡±

    Adelia stepped aside and waved her hand discreetly. I waved back and walked towards the room. When I turned back after walking a little, she was still standing there, waving her hand with that characteristic confident smile.

    Every time I saw her, I felt a sense of nostalgia. They say unrequited love is always painful. Moreover, knowing that I already have two lovers makes me feel even more sorry. But I can¡¯t just readily ept her feelings.

    To fully embrace her, aplex process must be undergone. I wonder what choices Adelia will make at the end of that process. It might be a story of the distant future, or it could happen not too long from now, but the fact that she has to make a choice remains unchanged.

    I can only hope for her to make a wise decision.

    *****

    I got the scroll in the room and promptly tore it apart. My family watched with intrigued expressions as I ripped the scroll in half and waited patiently.

    After about 30 seconds passed, the torn scroll was engulfed in blue mes and soon turned into ashes, dispersing into the air.

    Then, a magic circle formed on the floor, emitting a blue light, and slowly, someone began to appear.

    ¡°Did you summon me?¡±

    It was a familiar voice of a woman. Siris, one the dark elf famous for concealing their appearance, stood before us. She was still wearing her revealing armor.

    Father groaned when the Dark Elf appeared, and both Cecily and Mother watched silently with surprised reactions. I scratched my head as I looked at the armor worn by Siris. It wouldn¡¯t have been embarrassing if it was just the two of us, but now that I was with my family, I felt really awkward.

    ¡°Let me introduce you. As I mentioned earlier, this is Siris, the Dark Elf who connects me to the Queen. Among the Dark Elves, she is exceptionally skilled.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    While I introduced her, Siris looked at me with aplicated expression. After all, I had been keeping this secret all along, and suddenly I was summoned in front of my family.

    However, her expression changed quickly as I exined everything about the situation. She nodded as if she understood.

    ¡°So, that¡¯s what happened. First, let me introduce myself. My name is Siris Lunatic. As you might have heard, I am currently working as a courier for Isaac, havingmitted a crime against him.¡±

    ¡°I am Hawk Ducker Michelle. Isaac¡¯s father.¡±

    ¡°I am Anna Ducker Michelle. Nice to meet you.¡±

    Siris introduced herself politely, and Father seemed curious, asking her a question in a curious tone.

    ¡°Isaac mentioned you being a messenger earlier, how long is the contract valid for?¡±

    ¡°Until Sir Isaac goes to Lady Mora¡¯s side. At least for over 50 years, I suppose.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    As soon as they heard Siris¡¯s response, the parents turned their gaze towards me without hesitation. They seemed to be suspicious, as if they were thinking the same thing: her too?

    I was taken aback for a moment, but I quickly realized what they were suspecting. Since Siris, a beautifuldy, was my messenger, they must have imagined some strange scenario.

    In order to dispel their misunderstanding, I quickly shook my head and said urgently,

    ¡°That¡¯s not it. she¡¯s not a ve but just a messenger.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ I see. By the way, a Dark Elf, huh? It¡¯s my first time seeing one, so it¡¯s intriguing¡±

    ¡°Is it also the first time for you to see a Dark Elf, Father?¡±

    ¡°I operated in the border area, so there¡¯s hardly any contact with Dark Elves. Maybe if they were part of an Elven reconnaissance unit, but that¡¯s about it.¡±

    With a curious glint in his eyes, Father looked at Siris intently. However, his gaze inadvertently shifted to some inappropriate ces because of Siris¡¯s attire.

    Of course, every time that happened, Mother would prevent it by putting her hand on Father¡¯s thigh. In some cases, she would pinch his thigh, causing Father to chuckle.

    ¡°Anyway, Siris.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Lord Isaac.¡±

    ¡°I called you, Siris, for the reason you heard earlier. Soon, a close associate of the Council wille to our mansion. I hope Siris and Arwen can assist us. It¡¯s also an opportunity for Arwen to eliminate the Council.¡±

    ¡°I will ask her about it and let you know.¡±

    Siris left with those words and used teleportation immediately. About 30 minutester, while we were carefully establishing our ns, she returned.

    ¡°The Queen has kindly epted. However, she said she cannot directly help us.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. As long as Arwen finishes it properly, that¡¯s enough.¡±

    ¡°Is there something I can do to assist?¡±

    ¡°Siris, well, yes. Please let us know in real-time where those elves are. Father, since the elves were tracking, you roughly know where they are, right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll roughly draw a map. They should be around here.¡±

    The nning proceeded swiftly. With two skilled individuals in magic and ample force to subdue the elves andmunication between the Michelle territory and Alvenheim.

    Of course, we didn¡¯t forget to consider potential variables. Especially since Mother wasn¡¯t strong, someone must protect her just in case.

    We didn¡¯t think the elves would take hostages, but things don¡¯t always go as nned. If Mother gets overly stressed and something happens to Lily, it will be a real problem.

    ¡°Then, Lady Anna, I¡¯ll protect you. With Lord Hawk and Princess Cecily, they should be able to subdue them.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m sorry for causing inconvenience even on our first meeting.¡±

    Fortunately, Siris being responsible for protecting Mother blocked all potential variables. If theyunch a surprise attack, no matter how powerful the elves are, they¡¯ll be taken care of by Cecily and Father.

    Then, we carefully reviewed and re-reviewed to make sure there weren¡¯t any overlooked parts. With little time, meticulousness wasn¡¯t a choice but a necessity.

    Finally, when all the preparations wereplete, I checked the time. It was exactly 6 o¡¯clock. Now it was time to have dinner.

    ¡°Shall we start wrapping things up now? Let¡¯s have dinner first and then double-check everything.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good. What about Siris?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine not eating. Right now, it¡¯s more important to assess the situation.¡±

    Siris left the mansion without having dinner, opting to trace back the lead. Following the map drawn by the father should lead to some news soon.

    After resolving everything until dinner and reorganizing our ns, we each returned to their bedrooms. We didn¡¯t forget to deliberately ce the manuscript on the desk.

    We could wait quietly for news from Siris, but¡­

    ¡°No, it won¡¯t do.¡±

    ¡°Why? Are you sure the elves will reallye tonight?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but there¡¯s a possibility. So put it on again.¡±

    ¡°Tsk.¡±

    With my firm reminder, Cecily pulled up the straps of her partially undressed evening dress. Her lips pouted in annoyance.

    Earlier, Mora had warned that if I didn¡¯t want to face an embarrassing situation, I should avoid any romantic encounters tonight. Now that it was night, I could understand the reason.

    However, it wasn¡¯t just about being embarrassed; Cecily disliked the idea of showing her intimate side to others.

    ¡°However, Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°You said you will spread the news about having your hand injured, so are you taking a break from serialization for a while?¡±

    Cecily, dressed in an evening dress, asked with a puzzled expression. Frankly, it is a concern. If my hand is injured, it¡¯s only natural to take a break from serialization, but I can¡¯t help but think that my itchy hand might end up writing the manuscript anyway.

    However, if I im to have had it neatly fixed at the temple, there shouldn¡¯t be any problem with the serialization itself. Although unexpected events might ur during that time, I wouldn¡¯t know about them.

    ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll rest for about a month. In the meantime, they might be searching for a person who injured their hand.¡±

    ¡°Now you¡¯re even bluffing, our Isaac has grown so much.¡±

    Cecily gently stroked my head, as if impressed. I didn¡¯t really like being treated like a child, but since it felt good, I let it go.

    ¡®Damn brats. I hope they get fucked.¡¯

    I¡¯m really looking forward to tonight.

    Trantors note:

    There are 3 chapters today. This is the 3rd one.

    3/3

 Chapter 177: Trap (1)

    After the publisher¡¯s CEO sent the letter, the elves, who had been quietly tracking him, set out to trace its whereabouts without knowing what was happening at the mansion.

    At one point, when the man intentionally tried to mislead their route, they almost lost track of him, but they were elves ¨C masters of magic. By using magic, they could easily track him, including the flow of mana in his footsteps. If that wasn¡¯t enough, they could use even more advanced magic, so the difficulty was not an issue.

    ¡°The path continues here.¡±

    A fair-haired elf male with shoulder-length hair murmured while looking at the entrance of the mansion. His eyes reflected the imposing door firmly closed.

    In front of the gate, guards stood motionless, though it was a dazzling night with stars shining brightly. Despite the darkness, the elves could see as clearly as in broad daylight. Of course, this was also thanks to magic.

    ¡°By the way, wasn¡¯t this territory the ce where the exhibition was held?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. It was a few months ago when there was an exhibition for Xenon. Such a ridiculous thing to hold an exhibition just for one writer.¡±

    Another elf male asked the group, and an elf woman with brown hairughed and replied. Her stereotypical elvish attitude was rather condescending.

    <i>¡®A bit unsettling, though¡­¡¯</i>

    The elf male named Mael muttered inwardly as he gazed at the mansion¡¯s gate. The process of sessfully tracking and reaching the mansion was smooth.

    The problem was that it was too easy and straightforward. The messenger¡¯s attempts to alter their route to dy time were meaningless in the face of magic. To erase tracks cleanly, they needed magic at least on par with his. That¡¯s why he felt even more uneasy. Currently, Xenon was believed to be a prophet or someone rted to the future, so there was no way he could fall prey to mere ¡®tracking.¡¯

    Unlike the otherpanions, Mael couldn¡¯t help feeling uneasy because the others were understimating Xenon. Of course, it was a fact that he was overestimating him, apart from his true feelings.

    ¡°Now, what should we do? Should we go in when it gets bright?¡±

    ¡°No, we should go in right away. We might fall into a trap if we wait. Is there protective magic here?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s some, but it¡¯s at a basic level.¡±

    The elf woman, Lena, answered the leader¡¯s question. The protective magic was at a rtively high level from a human perspective, but it was difficult for it to function properly in front of them. They were not ordinary elves but personnel dispatched directly from the Council of Elders.

    Even though they were already elves with extraordinary abilities, their powers were even more formidable. They might not be as strong as warriors, but they were more than capable enough to be considered a formidable force.

    The elf leader, Ks, wore a confident smile, feeling that the task was going to be easy. Of course, even if there was protective magic, it was probably just some kind of human-level enchantment, easily surmountable.

    ¡°It seems the task is bing easier. Everyone, follow me. First, let¡¯s check the first floor.¡±

    ¡°Do you think Xenon is really here?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if he¡¯s not. Since the trace ended here, there must be something.¡±

    Lena chuckled confidently and waved her hand. Then her body temporarily turned transparent and eventually vanished.

    Although since she wasn¡¯t hiding her body in the darkness like a Dark Elf, a faint afterimage remained. Even so, it would be difficult for anyone without keen eyesight to detect it.

    Afterward, Ks and Mael also concealed their bodies using magic. They did not forget to use stealth spells to avoid detection.

    ¡°Still, be cautious. Hide your footsteps. We willmunicate through telepathy from now on.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    In this way, the three elves activated their concealment magic and infiltrated the mansion. To prepare for any unforeseen circumstances, they effortlessly leaped over the walls with their superior physical abilities instead of using conspicuous mana-intensive teleportation.

    The fact that elves no longer engaged in dirty deeds wasn¡¯t only a thing of the distant past. However, their behavior was different when it was for the ¡°greater good.¡± This greater good meant that Xenon possessed dangerously powerful knowledge. Until now, they could have dismissed the novel as just a novel, but now they had apelling reason to act.

    Despite the warning from the gods not to intervene, they had onlye to verify and ¡°persuade,¡± with no intention of doing what was warned against.

    [It seems the first floor is upied by employees.]

    [I don¡¯t notice anything particrly suspicious.]

    [This room is the same.]

    The elvesmunicated through telepathy.

    The first floor of the mansion served as both the employee quarters and a dining area with a lounge. There were employees patrolling withmps, but they couldn¡¯t detect the elves.

    After a short time, thoroughly examining every corner of the first floor without finding anything, the elf tracking party proceeded to the second floor. The second floor housed not employees but family members, including the lord.

    Ks inspected the first floor just in case, but he had already anticipated that there was a high probability of finding clues on the second floor. Therefore, he nned to examine the second floor more closely.

    [I¡¯ll check the lord¡¯s office and bedroom. You guys start searching from other ces.]

    [Understood.]

    [Yes.]

    After giving instructions to his subordinates, Ks moved towards the room that was presumed to be the lord¡¯s bedroom. Usually, rooms associated with the lord had not just one but two doors attached.

    Soon, Ks arrived at a ce where two doors were side by side. He used magic to sense if anyone was inside. Seeing that there was no one, he assumed it was the office.

    <i>¡®But I feel like I¡¯ve heard the name Michelle somewhere before¡­¡¯</i>

    Before entering, Ks pondered over the Michelle family. He was sure he had heard it somewhere, but he couldn¡¯t recall the details.

    Due to his characteristic as an elf, Ks remembered things very well. He could remember what he had for breakfast ten years ago, let alone a name.

    He rarely forgot a name he had heard, but for some reason, he couldn¡¯t remember where he heard about Michelle. In most cases, it would have been a passing rumor.

    <i>¡®I should investigate first.¡¯</i>

    Ks teleported a short distance and entered the office. He looked around. As expected, it was the lord¡¯s office, where the lord handled his official business.

    The office was generally ordinary, from the distinct smell of paper to the desk ced in the center.

    With confidenceing from somewhere, he hoped there might be clues here. With an excited heart, Ks smiled and walked briskly towards the desk.

    Eventually, when he saw the tightly closed drawer with a lock, he became convinced that there must be clues rted to Xenon here. He used mana to easily unlock the drawer and carefully opened it, making sure not to make any noise. The drawer opened silently without even the typical creaking sound.

    <i>¡®¡­It¡¯s empty.¡¯</i>

    Inside the drawer, there were only stacks of documents, nothing rted to Xenon. Well, considering the importance of these documents, it wasn¡¯t surprising to have them locked away.

    Ks gritted his teeth inwardly and began searching through another drawer. Before long, he found a piece of paper in another drawer.

    <i>¡®A photo?¡¯</i>

    Indeed, it was a photograph. Some might wonder how there could be a photograph in a time where cameras didn¡¯t even exist. But it¡¯s possible through ¡®magic,¡¯ another wonder of this world.

    With magic, images or photographs could be captured and printed on paper. However, this technology was not yet widely avable to the public and is mainly used for military purposes.

    In Alvenheim, where most elves can use magic, seeing a photograph wasn¡¯t a novelty. But what caught Ks¡¯s attention were the people captured in the photo.

    In sharp color, the photograph depicted Lord, or rather the former Knight Commander, Hawk, standing side by side with hisrades. Ks, who usually looked down on humans as an inferior race, couldn¡¯t help but focus on the people in the photo. The reason being that the prominent feature of Hawk, who stood proudly in the center, was his ¡®red¡¯ hair.

    In addition to this, the golden eyes shining like a fierce beast captivated Ks with their brilliance.

    <i>¡®Red hair and golden eyes¡­¡¯ </i>

    Such a uniquebination was scarce, not only among elves but almost nonexistent across all races. Beyond rarity, it can be considered nearly unparalleled.

    <i>¡®Wait a moment. Michelle is¡­¡¯</i>

    When one faint memory surfaced in his mind, a chain reaction urred. ¡°Michelle¡± and ¡°red hair¡± merged in Ks¡¯s mind.

    Though he heard it as if passing by, humans with red hair were incredibly strong. There have been frequent reports of Elven reconnaissance teams returning with broken limbs after confronting those humans at the border zone.

    While they recovered quickly and their lives were not at stake, these individuals possessed enough strength to ¡°subdue¡± the Elven reconnaissance teams. Though human, they were not to be underestimated, even by Albenheim¡¯s standards¡ªa target to be wary of.

    A man who single-handedly eliminated the wild savages causing trouble at the border, thereby restoring imperial security. The Red Lion, Hawk Ducker Michelle.

    <i>¡®¡­My goodness.¡¯</i>

    Ks quickly discarded the photo and straightened his bent back. He never dreamed this ce would be the Red Lion¡¯s mansion.

    Until now, he had only heard the title and hardly knew the name. However, he was well aware of the Red Lion¡¯s reputation.

    Even Ks, who typically disregarded humans, couldn¡¯t afford to underestimate the Red Lion.

    <i>¡®We must leave this ce immediately¡­¡¯</i>

    And then, it happened.

    Bam!

    ¡°Aaargh!¡±

    While Ks was briefly distracted, someone grabbed the back of his neck and thrust him onto the desk. It was a surprise attack so sudden and overpowering that he couldn¡¯t resist, and the pressure on his neck was terrifying.

    No matter how hard he tried to manipte mana to escape, he couldn¡¯t. The mana that had already flowed from his neck hadpletely taken control of his body.

    Ks struggled and turned his head back as much as possible. In the darkness, he saw golden eyes gleaming ominously, looking down at him.

    The gaze was nothing short of that of a ¡®beast.¡¯ It overwhelmed Ks, who was considered one of the skilled among the elves.

    ¡°You, you¡­¡±

    ¡°Shh. Be quiet.¡±

    As Ks was about to speak, the person holding his neck ced a finger on his lips, silencing him. At the same time, Ks felt the amount of mana passing through his neck increasing. The mana moved toward his heart, swirling around it even though it didn¡¯t make direct contact.

    Ks understood what this meant. If he resisted unnecessarily, his heart would explode.

    It was a mana control that would be impossible for an ordinary human, but the opponent was the famous Red Lion¡ªa man rumored to be on par with the warriormander.

    Meanwhile, the person holding Ks down looked at him and smirked.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mess with someone else¡¯s house.¡±

    *****

    Meanwhile, while Ks was subdued, Lena and Mael were investigating together as a team of two. They believed that it would be more efficient to search in a pair instead of having one person in charge of each room, even if it took more time.

    They started their investigation meticulously from the empty rooms. Originally, Dave¡¯s room would have been one of those rooms, but he had already enlisted, leaving the room unupied.

    Next, they searched for Nicole¡¯s room, but she had also vacated her room for the enlistment test. Naturally, it was impossible to find any evidence rted to Xenon there.

    In the end, there was only one room left: Isaac¡¯s bedroom.

    [By the way, why haven¡¯t we heard from Ks?]

    [I don¡¯t know. Let¡¯s focus on our task. He¡¯s probably concentrating on something.]

    The two quietly sneaked into Isaac¡¯s sleeping quarters. Before opening the door, they made sure to check if any servants were wandering around.

    As they stepped into the room, a unique scent stimted their senses. It was the distinctive musty smell of old books.

    Pointing to the source of the smell, Isaac¡¯s room contained several bookshelves filled with books.

    [It feels like it might be here, right?]

    [Let¡¯s search quickly.]

    The man and woman, engulfed in the smell of books, entered with a subtle certainty. Just to be sure, they checked the bed, finding the room¡¯s owner peacefully asleep, oblivious to the world.

    As long as they investigated quietly, it would be over soon. Mael and Lena walked towards the desk next to the bed first.

    They discovered a stack of papers and a letter ced on the desk. The two elves were instantly excited but remainedposed as they each checked the items.

    [This is¡­ My goodness, it¡¯s the draft of the first volume of Xenon¡¯s Biography!]

    [And this is a letter. It¡¯s from the publisher¡¯s CEO.]

    They quickly realized that the stack of papers was the draft of the first volume of Xenon¡¯s Biography, and the letter was sent by the publisher¡¯s CEO.

    With this, their suspicions were confirmed. The owner of this bed was indeed Xenon. Lena exchanged looks of excitement as she alternated between the letter and the draft before ncing towards the bed.

    The room¡¯s owner, seemingly unaware of the unfolding events, continued to sleep soundly with closed eyes.

    [What should we do? Should we take him with us?]

    [Of course, we should take him. We have no choice but to do a proper verification.]

    [Right. We¡¯ll return him by the next morning, no big deal.]

    Having confirmed Xenon¡¯s identity, the two elves wasted no time in nning their kidnapping scheme. In their eyes, greed had taken hold in an instant.

    Just finding Xenon was already a remarkable achievement, but persuading him too? That would further solidify their position within the Council.

    Even if the persuasion fails, it doesn¡¯t matter. Since, if they threatened Xenon to stop writing any more books, it would be enough. Once it¡¯s proven that he possesses dangerous knowledge, that would be enough of a reason.

    Upon thinking this, Mael and Lena each ced the manuscripts and letter on the desk and turned their gaze toward the bed. And¡­

    ¡°No, you don¡¯t~¡±

    Tempting voice of a woman flowed from behind them. In addition to this, she carefully covered the mouths of the two men and women with her hands.

    It wasn¡¯t just words, she truly ¡®gently¡¯ covered their mouths, but as soon as their mouths were covered, the sharp eyes of the elves quickly became blurred, as if consciousness hadpletely vanished. Even though it seemed like they had lost consciousness entirely, they remained standing upright. The woman who covered the elves¡¯ mouths, Cecily, smiled charmingly and spoke quietly.

    ¡°Kidnapping is a bad thing. Little elves.¡±

    She had even eavesdropped on the elves¡¯ telepathy.

 Chapter 178: Trap (2)

    Even a person with exceptional abilities will meet their doom if they becent. This holds especially true during critical moments. Thismon sense applies even to elves. Especially among the older generations of elves, there was a strong tendency to underestimate other races.

    However, it was merely a narrow-minded way of thinking, akin to a frog in a well. Among humans, there are monsters with skillsparable to elf warriors, and there are even demons with abilitiesparable to elves.

    To carry out important missions, considering each and every variable was not a choice but a necessity. Of course, no one could have imagined there being a human warrior of equal caliber and demons of higher status among those variables.

    ¡°Are these three all of them?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The publisher also confirmed three, and the dark elfdy said it¡¯s these three.¡±

    ¡°Is mother alright?¡±

    ¡°She woke up in the middle, but she¡¯s probably asleep again.¡±

    After hearing my father¡¯s words, I looked ahead. In front of the desk, three elves, two males and one female, were kneeling with their hands tied with ropes. They were still unconscious and had their heads lowered, but when I saw them earlier, they possessed the beauty typical of elves. It was fascinating to see that their hair colors were different.

    However, these individuals were viins who not only intruded into our mansion but also nned to kidnap me as soon as they realized I was Xenon. Considering thews of the Minerva Empire and the current era, executing them immediately would pose no problems.

    ¡°But Isaac, did you really have to reveal yourself as Xenon?¡±

    Cecily, who easily subdued two of the three elf intruders, asked me with doubt. She was the one who figured out their real-time kidnapping n by eavesdropping telepathically.

    I looked at the elves in front of me and replied.

    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have taken long for them to realize that I am Xenon anyway. I might have let my guard down, but I¡¯m not that foolish. Just the fact that I set a trap should have given them some idea of what to expect.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s still too risky¡­ What if these people leak the fact that you are Xenon?¡±

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll have to detonate the ¡®ear bomb¡¯ for real. If not, there¡¯s also the ¡®pact¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    When the magic used to establish a master-servant rtionship, the ¡®pact,¡¯ was mentioned, Cecily showed a nod of understanding. As everyone knows, a pact was made between Arwen and Cecily at the time of Rain¡¯s punishment.

    The pact imposes a significant penalty on the ¡®servant¡¯ if they don¡¯t act as written in the contract, and the ¡®master¡¯ also bes aware of it. Thus, concealing anything is absolutely impossible.

    In the past, very existed and was frequently used in human society, but it disappeared over time. There have been cases where ves collectivelymitted suicide, stating that they couldn¡¯t live like that, and events where they rose up in rebellion.

    The pact is powerful enough to prevent unnecessary actions.

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to make good use of it so that they can¡¯t exploit any weaknesses. For example, they should never reveal Xenon¡¯s true identity. What happens if the pact is broken?¡±

    ¡°Initially, it causes intense pain in the heart, and if you try to force it, it stops beating. If you receive emergency treatment, you can be saved, but they would never consider revealing it.¡±

    ¡°So, transmitting information through writing or code instead of speaking?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Anything rted to your identity cannot be done without viting the pact.¡±

    It was reassuring to see Cecily so confident. Even if it¡¯s not a pact, we can use Siris to prevent any foolish actions. I¡¯ll have to discuss this separately with Arwen. In any case, we¡¯ve managed to lure even the ancient fish, now all that¡¯s left is handling the aftermath.

    Frankly, we could dispose of these elves silently without any major issues. From the council¡¯s perspective, they will think that the pursuers just met their demise and will send another pursuit team. This fight will continue until we eliminate the source.

    ¡°Alright then. What about¡­ When will these people regain consciousness?¡±

    ¡°Shall I wake them up now?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Snap¨C

    Cecily listened to my request and lightly flicked her fingers. I felt a faint wave of mana.

    ¡°Ughh¡­¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    Before long, the restrained elves began to regain consciousness, groaning in their sleep. The room relied on a few candles, so it would take some time for them to recover their sight.

    Moreover, although the ropes themselves were ordinary, Cecily had used magic to prevent them from using mana, eliminating any chance of resistance.

    ¡°Ugh¡­ My head¡­ What?¡±

    ¡°W-What? Why am I¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    As soon as they realized they were tied up, the two elven men and women looked startled, but the elven leader in the center remained silent. He merely confirmed the situation, restrained by ropes, with an expression that seemed to say ¡°as expected,¡± showing almost no reaction.

    ording to what their father had said, unlike the other two elves, he had acted alone. The possibility of the blond elf being the leader seemed likely.

    ¡°This, what on earth¡­ I¡¯m certain¡­¡±

    ¡°What, who are you all?¡±

    While the woman was still trying to grasp the situation, the man asked in an anxious voice, seemingly having noticed us. The woman, who had been fidgeting, also raised her head to look at us.

    Lastly, when the hazy blond man also turned his gaze towards us, I stepped forward and crouched down to meet their eye level. As soon as our eyes met, I felt a twinge in my heart.

    ¡°R-right now, untie these ropes, human! It seems like you don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve done¡­!¡±

    The brown-haired elven woman demanded urgently, either boldly or arrogantly in an elven manner. I could hear my father sighing behind me, frustrated.

    I looked at the elf who seemedpletely clueless about the situation and smirked as I cut to the chase.

    ¡°What we¡¯ve done? We caught a bunch of intruders in our mansion.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°And it seems like we know roughly what you came to find.¡±

    ¡°¡­Are you Xenon?¡±

    A blonde elf, presumably the leader and not the elven woman, asked in a soft voice, and then the subordinates on both sides btedly realized the situation and closed their mouths.

    However, it didn¡¯t take long for their expressions to contort. It seems they must have tried to use telepathy, but they must have realized that using mana itself was impossible.

    In the end, one of the subordinates conveyed the truth with an expression of helplessness.

    ¡°This¡­ This man is definitely Xenon. There were notes and letters on the desk.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Unlike the subordinates, the leader maintainedposure. I can¡¯t fathom why they would even try to use telepathy having mana disabled.

    Cecily and Father seemed to notice that as well as they subtly moved. First, Cecily stood beside me, and Father stood behind the elves.

    It was an expression that meant they would immediately stop any futile actions. I must admit, it made me feel secure and oddly confident.

    Meanwhile, the leader of the pursuit unit trembled when he saw Cecily approaching me.

    ¡°Could it be Princess of Helium?¡±

    ¡°Do you know me?¡±

    ¡°I might. I saw you from afar during the speech.¡±

    Cecily was also present during Arwen¡¯s speech. At that time, they had an unexpected encounter at the immigration checkpoint, and she got to know the true nature of the elves.

    The elven leader gazed silently at Cecily for a moment, then smirked and made a remark that gently teased her nerves.

    ¡°Indeed, you knew who Xenon was. So I suppose that¡¯s why you were capable of doing such things.¡±

    ¡°Hmm. I¡¯m not so sure. It doesn¡¯t seem like an elf who has done dirty deeds should be speaking. Is your conscience doing well?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    He got hit after poking his nose where it didn¡¯t belong. I guess a certain level of cheekiness was necessary.

    ¡°Anyway, can you tell me your names? If you don¡¯t want to, you don¡¯t have to.¡±

    ¡°¡­Ks.¡±

    ¡°The others?¡±

    ¡°Mael.¡±

    ¡°Lena.¡±

    The elves responded in curt tones, unwilling to bend their pride even when cornered. Honestly, I didn¡¯t expect much.

    But soon enough, they would have to swallow that pride. I¡¯ll take my time building up until then, it¡¯s not an urgent situation for me, but it is for them.

    Their safety is now in my hands.

    ¡°First, let me ask this question. Why did you bother looking for me? I haven¡¯t done anything to harm you.¡±

    ¡°Your knowledge is very dangerous. So we tried to persuade you.¡±

    ¡°Persuade?¡±

    ¡°We were willing to pay a price in return if you would help us.¡±

    ¡®Persuasion¡¯ was pure nonsense. The very same bastards who dered they would censor my book couldn¡¯t utter a word when faced with persuasion. It was so amusing that I couldn¡¯t find the words to express it.

    Cecily seemed to share a simr sentiment as she pointed out Ks¡¯s contradiction with an astonished voice.

    ¡°So, those people attempted to censor Xenon¡¯s Biography? They went to such lengths, and now they¡¯re willing to negotiate. Truly cunning.¡±

    ¡°Censorship wasn¡¯t our doing. It was a direct order from the Queen herself.¡±

    Now, Ks even shamelessly resorted to lies. If being able to lie shamelessly without a change in expression is a skill, then he surely possesses that skill.

    And they im that elves don¡¯t engage in dirty deeds. I found out through Ks that it¡¯s all nonsense.

    I scoffed at the empty words and spoke to Ks with a chilling voice.

    ¡°What about the Queen? You all received orders from the Council, didn¡¯t you? Don¡¯t think I¡¯m ignorant.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know where you heard that nonsense, but you¡¯re wrong. We follow the Queen¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°Fieren Garrit Stormwalker.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    As soon as I mentioned the name of the Council¡¯s leader, the one who gave orders to them, Ks¡¯s eyes widened significantly. It was an expression of disbelief, asking how I knew that name.

    The other elves had simr expressions. Mael¡¯s jaw dropped in astonishment, and Lena seemed to be trying to verify the truth of what she had heard.

    From their perspective, just the fact that I knew Fieren wouldplicate things in their minds. They might think that I¡¯ve been ying them from the beginning or that they¡¯ve been fooled by me.

    Either way, as long as I lead them to the situation I desire, that¡¯s all that matters.

    ¡°That old elf gave you an order, didn¡¯t he? To find Xenon. Didn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°How, how did you¡­ No, you can¡¯t be¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have to exin myself. Anyway, you must know it too. From the moment you were caught by me, you are nothing more than abandoned dogs. If you go back now, you might disappear silently, or you might face the punishment of having your ears cut off. And for you elves, having your ears cut off is a worse punishment than death, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    I¡¯ve heard about Fieren, the Grand Councilor, from Arwen. He wields immense power as the head of the Council of Elders and goes to great lengths to maintain that power.

    After the racial war, when even the Council of Elders was on the brink of copse, Fieren forced a revival. At that time, Fieren was a prominent figure in the Council and just about to soar to new heights when the racial war broke out.

    Naturally, Fieren must have hated the idea of the Council of Elders fading into history. Once you taste the power, it¡¯s harder to quit than a drug.

    And now, Fieren was constantly keeping Arwen, who poses a threat to his power, in check, even resorting to various dark schemes.

    The reason these elves came to the publisher to check the manuscript in the first ce is that Arwen identally left her speech behind, which was obtained through a certain channel. Arwen noticed it btedly and tried to burn it, but the damage was already done.

    The saying that elves don¡¯t do dirty tricks is only applicable in war. In front of power, whether it¡¯s humans or elves, everyone¡¯s the same.

    ¡°So, here¡¯s my proposal. You wouldn¡¯t consider staying attached to the Council of Elders, talking about loyalty or anything like that, would you? No matter what happens, your life is the most important thing. Especially for you elves, your ears would be more valuable.¡±

    ¡°Hah, do you really think you can manipte us with such threats!? Just a mere human!¡±

    The elven woman introduced as Lena snarled with some pride still left in her, but her voice was trembling, likely consumed by fear.

    I looked at her expressionlessly. Lena stared back at me with a defiant face, but as I remained silent, her resistance gradually subsided.

    ¡°Should I just cut off your ears here? Do you really think you can return to Alvenheim with your ears cut off?¡±

    ¡°Hick¡­¡±

    Lena whimpered as I threatened her in a relentless tone. The atmosphere was tense, and even a seemingly minor threat like this was enough to put considerable pressure on her.

    With no mana avable, and two lions waiting with their mouths open, ready to pounce, there was no guarantee for her life.

    If these were humans who valued honor more than life, they might have said, ¡°Go ahead and kill us!¡± But they were elves. Honor and nonsense aside, their lives came first.

    ¡°No need to emphasize it further, your lives are in my grasp. And with my noona, Cecily, you can¡¯t pull off any tricks with magic. Bound up like this, you¡¯re in a vulnerable position. Got it?¡±

    ¡°¡­If you n to use us, it¡¯s better to get rid of us. The Council of Elders won¡¯t send us off nicely either way. It might be cleaner to handle it here.¡±

    ¡°Well, in that case, if the Council suspects something, they might send more people our way. It¡¯s probably better to uproot everything.¡±

    ¡°Hah, do you think that¡¯s possible? Even if you use us as bait, you won¡¯t gain anything.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I see it differently.¡±

    I showed my right hand to Ks, who had been calling me a fool. In response, Ks narrowed his eyes slightly.

    As he said, the Council of Elders boasted a history of over hundreds of years as a political organization. Even during the racial war, it has survived like a cockroach, enduring through the ages.

    However, since the racial war, there has been a growing opposition to the Council of Elders. Especially after the speech, support for Arwen has increased significantly.

    If we ignite the fuse of discontent here, the Council of Elders will be unable to lift a finger and face its downfall. With a cold smile, I spoke to Ks.

    ¡°What would happen if I said something like this? ming my right hand injury on the elves, making it impossible for me to continue my duties for a while. Xavier, who annoyed me with the idea of me being canonized as a saint, will undoubtedly join forces with Helium. The human kingdoms will do the same.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Even if it¡¯s Alvenheim, it won¡¯tst more than a few months. Just cutting off the trade routes alone will cause massive damage. War will break out before that. What decision should we make to prevent this?¡±

    The more I spoke, the stiffer Ks¡¯ expression became, eventually turning pale. No matter how the Council of Elders decides to handle this, they will undoubtedly be eradicated.

    They will probably im it was an independent action, something they know nothing about. From their perspective, it¡¯s a desperate situation.

    If they do it this way, they¡¯ll lose their ears, and if they do it that way, they¡¯ll lose their lives. Even if they plead with the gods, they won¡¯t listen to their sins.

    ¡°Even if you ask the gods for help, it will be useless. They warned you directly, but you stillmitted such a deed, so they will probably bring down divine punishment instead.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°So what will you do? Will you help me and eradicate the Council of Elders, or will you just quietly disappear? Honestly, it won¡¯t matter much if you¡¯re not here. Eventually, the Council of Elders wille looking for me again.¡±

    That¡¯s all I had to say. If you¡¯re smart, you should have a rough idea of the situation by now. The rest is up to you.

    Whether you cooperate with us to crush the Council of Elders for what they¡¯ve done, or quietly vanish.

    I hope you choose the former if possible.

    ¡°Ka-Ks¡­!¡±

    ¡°Y-You must ept our request! It¡¯s the only way we can survive!¡±

    Mael and Lena pleaded with Ks with desperate eyes. Even if they were chosen as a race favored by the gods, they were still just people when they begged like this.

    No matter how strong their honor and pride were, they meant nothing in the face of a situation where their lives were at stake. There was no point in glorifying sacrifices.

    Ks listened to his subordinates¡¯ pleas and hesitated for a moment before meeting my gaze. My face reflected in his blue eyes like a mirror.

    ¡°Then¡­ what do we gain?¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    ¡°We should have something to gain, shouldn¡¯t we?¡±

    ¡°Haha.¡±

    Look at how shameless he is until the end. He must have been utterly bbergasted for Father to even chuckle. I, too, lowered my head and let out augh, as if agreeing with him.

    The impulse to just cut off their ears and send them back to Alvenheim grew stronger by the moment. However, we need to use these elves until all the events are concluded. In fact, it could be considered the most crucial aspect. I slowly lifted my head again and met Ks¡¯s gaze.

    His expression was stiff, but the corners of his mouth subtly lifted, indicating that he expected to gain something from this deal. Of course, there were some benefits for them as well.

    ¡°Yeah. There is something. Something very good for you too.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    Ks asked with anticipation.

    ¡°I¡¯ll let you live.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°There should be some limits to shamelessness, right? Where did your conscience go?¡±

    I delivered my verdict kindly.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 179: Trap (3)

    I¡¯ll say it again, I currently have the authority to make immediate decisions regarding these elves. Not only is it specified in thew, but there¡¯s also no one here who would say anything about killing thieves.

    However, just as you need to use bait to catch a fish, I must use these elves well in order to destroy the Council. Nevertheless, the Council isn¡¯tpletely foolish and meticulously nning our moves wasn¡¯t a choice but a necessity.

    First and foremost, the ¡®pact.¡¯ The pact was difficult to use because it requires the consent of the other party, but in a situation where their lives are at stake, it can be useful. Of course, the owner could die or take advantage of the ws in the pact to escape, but it didn¡¯t matter since Cecily will handle it.

    The problem lies with the elves. I¡¯ll say it again, in order to establish a pact, you need the consent of the other party. Arwen epted it willingly as a token of her sincerity, but whether these elves will ept it is doubtful. As everyone knows, elves, especially the older ones, have a terribly strong pride. Many tales circte about them needlessly provoking fights and ending up dead or humiliated, leading to a mental breakdown. Considering such a race, how would they react to a pact that is akin to a ve contract?

    ¡°We refuse! Are you telling us to be ves of demons?¡±

    ¡°Such disgrace¡­ It might be better to die.¡±

    Naturally, the moment I mentioned the pact, they loudly refused with defiant voices. They know well what kind of magic the pact involves, and they are adamantly rejecting it.

    Above all, the subject of the pact is not me but Cecily. Given that she¡¯s a demon, the older elves would start with disgust with no room for pride to allow it.

    However, I didn¡¯t fail to predict this either. As I watched the defiant elves with irritation, I turned to their father who stood behind them and asked,

    ¡°Father, do you have a sharp knife?¡±

    ¡°Are you nning to cut their ears?¡±

    ¡°What else can I do? They don¡¯t listen. I have to cut them.¡±

    ¡°Wh, what! Not the ears¡­!¡±

    ¡°We were wrong!¡±

    When I used their strong pride against them and threatened to cut their ears, the elves ttened themselves on the ground. Why are you making such a fuss?

    As a result, the elves entered into a pact led by Cecily. Since they couldn¡¯t use mana, we proceeded by unbinding them one by one, just in case.

    Every time they made a pact, the embarrassed expressions on the elves¡¯ faces were quite amusing. Of course, they got upset, so whenever that happened, I pointed to my ear with my fingers.

    If necessary, I would threaten to cut their ears, and they would contemte and rx their expressions. Honestly, I had no intention of actually cutting their ears, but given the situation, they had no choice but to believe it was true.

    So, having made the pact, I faced Ks for the experiment. Ks had a cold expression, as if he had never experienced such humiliation before.

    ¡°Now. Shall we ask a few questions for the experiment? Tell me where Xenon lives.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±

    Perhaps Ks also knew the effectiveness of the pact, as he couldn¡¯t continue his answer and hesitated. Arwen couldn¡¯t participate in such an experiment due tock of ill feelings between us, but Ks could.

    I stared fixedly at Ks, whose lips were quivering, and quietly spoke as I exhaled deeply through my nose.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t talk, you know what will happen, right?¡±

    ¡°Mm¡­ Miii¡­¡±

    In the moment when Ks was about to respond to my threat, he suddenly widened his eyes and let out a pained scream before mping their mouth shut. Just mentioning the letter ¡®M¡¯ from Michelle¡¯s Domain was enough to have a tremendous effect.

    A little whileter, Ks slowly lifted his head, seemingly having recovered from the pain, and took a slow, deliberate breath. How agonizing must it have been? His sweat flowed profusely even in that short span of time, causing his hair to suck to his damp skin.

    This couldn¡¯t possibly be an act. There doesn¡¯t seem to be a need for separate confirmation.

    ¡°The pact seems to have been firmly established¡­ What¡¯s left is¡­¡±

    ¡°Should I imnt an exploding spell in their ears?¡±

    ¡°Ehm!¡±

    As I stroked my chin and mumbled, Cecily suggested from the side. Then, we heard a sound of someone clearing their throat from the front.

    Imnting a bomb in their ear wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea in itself, but since the pact has already been made, it wouldn¡¯t hold much significance. Eavesdropping or recording spells would be more fitting.

    However, eavesdropping spells were too conspicuous. While the pact wouldn¡¯t be discovered even if their bodies were searched, eavesdropping spells would be detected in eight or nine cases out of ten.

    Moreover, those like Fieren, who had immersed themselves in politics for hundreds of years, prioritize safety and certainty above all else, making it highly likely they would search their bodies.

    ¡°No. It¡¯s okay. The pact alone should be sufficient. Instead, we need to prevent these people from causing any trouble¡­¡±

    ¡°That, that will never happen! I can swear to it!¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right! What more do we need than a pact ced on the line?¡±

    Even though they were pleading so desperately, it didn¡¯t feel very reliable. While watching Mael and Lena¡¯s earnest request, I nced at Ks.

    Ks was still catching his breath, as if the pain still lingered. Beads of sweat were also forming at the edge of his forehead. In truth, the future depended on how well these people could act their part. If we were to raise suspicions from the Council of Elders, it would lead to nothing but trouble.

    As I pondered over what to do, I decided to bring up more specific questions to establish a detailed n. This was about the situation after I had dismissed them.

    ¡°When you return, are you nning to report to the elf named Fieren?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±

    ¡°Then you¡¯ll speak of the results of the tracking.¡±

    Instead of replying verbally, Ks nodded his head. This was where we needed to make good use of the pact. The covenant had the effect of inflicting severe pain when revealing the ¡®truth¡¯ rted to Xenon, but I had set it up so that it wouldn¡¯t have any effect if they were telling lies.

    So, if these people mixed lies into their report, they would pass through without any issues. Even if a bit of truth was mixed within falsehoods, the pact would still be triggered. There was almost no way to escape from its grip once it took effect.

    <i>¡®However, openly admitting that we intentionally used the pact would cause problems.¡¯</i>

    People naturallye up with various ideas when they are pushed into a crisis. Therefore, it would be wise to prepare for the unexpected. The question is, can we prevent even that? Or can we make it impossible to even have such thoughts? We must choose one of these two options.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you have any concerns?¡±

    Cecily cautiously asked, noticing my preupied expression. In response, I let out a sigh and replied with a pained voice.

    ¡°In truth, if these elves were to show signs of risking their lives for a solemn sacrifice, the situation would beplicated. I¡¯m curious if there¡¯s a way to prevent even that. Should we really nt a bomb in their ears or something?¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that create a problem? They¡¯d realize they fell into a trap.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s quite a headache¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    As our conversation continued, the elves¡¯plexion grew increasingly pale. Observing this, I lifted the corner of my mouth.

    ¡®Attaching Siris will surely solve the situation easily.¡¯

    In reality, all the above conversations were a prearranged bluff. There¡¯s a simple solution at hand, and there¡¯s no need to ponder deeply.

    Let¡¯s send the elves away and attach Siris to follow them from behind. She¡¯s also well-versed in magic, so instructing her with eavesdropping and recording should suffice.

    The stealth skills of the Dark Elves are difficult to detect even for skilled individuals, and Siris was a seasoned warrior. Even if Fieren was cautious, it would be hard for him to discern her presence.

    Moreover, the likelihood of not predicting the situation where a Dark Elf is watching was high. I should discuss this with Arwen, but she will probably agree. The reason for weaving such an borate lie was simple ¨C to instill confidence in those Elves.

    If we can demonstrate that we¡¯ve gone through countless deliberations to arrive at a suitable solution, they will believe it wholeheartedly. Honestly, given the circumstances, they have no choice but to believe.

    In a situation where lives and ears hanged in the bnce, who wouldn¡¯t be skeptical? For a while, I pretended to be deep in thought, then snapped my fingers as if I¡¯d had a great idea.

    ¡°Ah! That¡¯s it. Noona.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Can you lend me your ear for a moment?¡±

    I straightened my bent knee and asked Cecily to lend me her ear. It¡¯s necessary to include such meticulous details, as disying the whole process openly might arouse suspicion.

    Elves have exceptional hearing, as keen as their long ears, but installing soundproofing magic resolved that issue. As Cecily proceeded to set up the soundproofing spell, I leaned in close to her ear and muttered softly.

    ¡°We might have to stay at our mansion for a while. I¡¯ll let our parents know in advance about the situation, at least broadly. You understand, right? Oh, and I love you.¡±

    When I withdrew my mouth from her ear, Cecily blinked, her expression tinged with puzzlement. Her acting skills, befitting a princess, were truly remarkable.

    Although her face blushed a little at the words ¡°I love you,¡± it was too dark for anyone to notice.

    ¡°Is that enough?¡±

    ¡°Is it difficult?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not too difficult.¡±

    ¡°Then start right away.¡±

    As soon as Cecily heard my words, she walked up to the elves and reached out her hand. The direction her hand pointed to was none other than the symbol of the elves, the ears.

    With her long fingers, she lightly tapped Ks¡¯s ear, then quickly pulled back. A slight flow of mana entered, only subtly perceptible, but nothing more.

    While Ks gave Cecily a questioning look as if asking what she had done, she sequentially touched the ears of Mael and Lena. Unlike Ks, the two men and women trembled all over as their ears were touched.

    When Cecily finished the entire process and returned to my side, I examined the faces of the elves. Expressions of doubt, fear, and terror mixed together were evident.

    ¡°You must be curious about what Cecily Noona just did. It¡¯s actually quite simple. You all know about ck mana, right? The mana that demons use, the symbol of devils.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°She injected that mana into your ears. Non-Demons might not know, but ck mana is lethal to other creatures. Especially to elves. It might be fine for a few days, but just like dropping a drop of ink onto white paper, your ears will gradually start turning ck. It¡¯s not a curse, but pure mana, so divine power won¡¯t work against it. To solve this, another demon needs to absorb that mana. Since no one else can absorb ck mana. Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡±

    Finally, I asked nonchntly. The elves¡¯ faces turned pale, and they looked as though they had lost their souls. Their ears didn¡¯t turn a sickly gray like those of dark elves, nor did they turn a sickly yellow like those afflicted by a gue.

    It was a gruesome phenomenon, to the point where cutting seemed preferable, but even that wasn¡¯t a real option. In other words, it meant they had to seek help from the demons. For those who lived with the pride of being chosen by the gods, it was a punishment thatpletely crushed that pride.

    However, there was something they didn¡¯t know at all here.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s all a lie.¡¯</i>

    I exined at length, but it was all a lie. While it was true that ck mana harmed other races besides demons, it didn¡¯t discolor their skin. ording to records, it only generated a defense reaction within the body, causing a slight fever, simr to a virus or bacterial infection.

    Furthermore, this applied only to the first-generation demons. Over time and through continuous prayer, the ck mana of the demons became closer to pure mana. The difference lies in their nature, much like water and oil.

    The reason this lie was convincing was that there was very little known about demons. Until Xenon¡¯s Biography and the like emerged, demons were treated as devils, making it impossible to know the truth even if one wanted to.

    Not to mention the older-generation elves. They already held a negative perception of demons, making them susceptible to such trivial lies.

    ¡°So, if you don¡¯t want to cut your own ears, it¡¯s better to listen well. It¡¯s pure mana, so even if you search for it,you won¡¯t detect it. Got it?¡±

    ¡°I understand¡­ Fine¡­¡±

    ¡°Th-then, understood! So, please, at least as much as our ears¡­¡±

    ¡°Really, will you really heal us? Yes? Please say that you will¡­!¡±

    Ks despaired, and Mael and Lena began to plead while crying. Though it pricked at my conscience to see an elf with such a graceful appearance react like that, it was they who had first offered their conscience for sale. I¡¯m just resisting and defending myself.

    This world was infinitely lenient towards self-defense, so I could strengthen my resolve as well.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Depending on what you do, I¡¯ll decide whether to take action or leave you be. Now then¡­¡±

    Only one thing remained.

    ¡°I will inform Fieren of the report you will send. I¡¯ll do it in your ce.¡±

    It was time to bait the fish.

    Trantors note:

    Hello! I apologize for no uploads recently as I was busy with life stuff but now that I took a few days off for my birthday I will resume uploading again!

    And so¡­ 12 chapters today!!!

    1/12

 Chapter 180: Bait (1)

    The elves should tell Fieren a certain lie. It goes something like this: Xenon¡¯s real name and residence, appearance, and finally, the fact that measures have been taken ¡®hostage¡¯ to prevent him from writing any more. Since this lie doesn¡¯t vite the agreement, and considering Fieren was willing to entrust them with tracking, which implied a reasonable level of trust, making it highly likely he will buy into these lies.

    Of course, Fieren isn¡¯t a fool, so he¡¯ll probably demand evidence. To prepare for that, there¡¯s the ¡®fake pact.¡¯ Although pacts require mutual agreement to be effective, being a kind of ¡®contract,¡¯ they are often subjected to fraud. Among the most significant fraudulent methods was, as mentioned before, the fake pact.

    People frequently lie about having made a pact, showing seemingly eptable terms even though no agreement was reached. Since there are various ways to confirm whether a pact was formed, it doesn¡¯t work well with strangers. Hence, this method is only effective with someone who has built a certain level of trust. Ks stated that Fieren indicated them for a reason, not necessarily implying full trust but enough to merit credibility, so it should be usible.

    However, meticulous maniption was essential to ensure that the fake pact remains undiscovered. Cecily assured that this aspect was not a concern, so there shouldn¡¯t be a significant issue. All the bait should be ready. All that¡¯s left is to wait for the opportunity.

    Amid various preparations, the sunrise was nearly upon us without us realizing it. I looked at the exhausted Ks and his group and sought confirmation.

    ¡°Do you understand? If you don¡¯t want your ears to turn pitch ck, it¡¯s best to do as I say.¡±

    ¡°¡­Understood.¡±

    Now even Ks, perhaps with his pride worn down, used politenguage. After enduring hours of pressure in a strained state, it¡¯s no wonder their spirits would be drained. Moreover, they were elves. They likely never experienced such a situation before.

    ¡°Isaac, I¡¯ve written down the pact here.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    A little whileter, I received a fake treaty from Cecily and confirmed its terms. I had asked her to write it from the perspective of an arrogant elf, and I¡¯m curious about how she actually wrote it.

    [From now on, Xenon¡¯s Biography will be written with the supervision of the Council.]

    Okay. Just looking at use 1 was enough. There was also a use asking to exclude all the negative aspects of the elves and only write down the positives, but the first one was sufficient.

    Even if it contained uses that could easily please Fieren¡¯s egoistic mind, filled with racial superiority, it wouldn¡¯t matter if all those uses were not included. If I had written Xenon¡¯s Biography ording to these terms, it would surely be mere propaganda.

    The terms were written solely with the focus on the elves, uplicated and concise.

    ¡°Sign here¡­ You too, sign.¡±

    Ks signed on the fake treaty and tucked it into his robe. With the fake treaty also prepared, I warned once again.

    ¡°Remember. Depending on how youe out of this, it might not be your ears, but your life that you lose. Got it?¡±

    ¡°¡­We will keep that in mind.¡±

    ¡°Then return to that old elf, Fieren. Make good use of what I¡¯ve taught you.¡±

    As I gestured and spoke, the elves hid their appearances without needing anyone to signal them. Seeing the waves of mana, it seemed like they had used teleportation.

    It was slightly amusing to see them fleeing as soon as the opportunity presented itself, but there was still work to be done. As soon as the elf tracking party disappeared, I spoke to Cecily.

    ¡°Noona. Did you tell Siris?¡±

    ¡°By now, she¡¯s probably gone after them.¡±

    ¡°Is there no issue using teleportation?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. If you understand the principles of teleportation, tracking isn¡¯t difficult. In fact, the risk of teleportation being traced is high. Do you want me to exin the principles?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡±

    Attributing magic to a fantasy was beneficial. I have a lot of knowledge thanks to my past life memories, but I¡¯m not necessarily well-versed.

    ¡°Do you really believe it will seed, my son?¡±

    My father asked me, his arms folded, seemingly sensing that the situation had reached a certain conclusion. His face held a sense of doubt. While I did provide a rough n before the elves invaded the mansion, he still appeared skeptical.

    I hadn¡¯t directly stepped into politics, but having observed from afar, I¡¯m concerned about the current situation. Like my father, I don¡¯t believe there¡¯s a 100% chance of sess either. The world doesn¡¯t always go as one desires, and people tend to exhibit unpredictable behavior when cornered.

    But as the saying goes, with strategy, one can win a hundred battles. In reality, we hold a significant advantage in this fight. There are allies who can block any unexpected variables that arise, so the overall course of events won¡¯t be disrupted.

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think we¡¯llpletely seed. However, the flow should remain intact. The rest depends on how well the queen can use it.¡±

    ¡°Incitement¡­ I heard her speech was apparently excellent, but I don¡¯t quite understand ¡®incitement¡¯.¡±

    Since my father had never personally heard Arwen¡¯s speech, he scratched his chin and spoke with a slightly uncertain tone.

    However, originally, a speech and incitement are merely a sheet of paper apart. Especially if a small amount of falsehood is mixed within a great truth, people have no choice but to believe it.

    Moreover, this is a world where not only the inte but even information doesn¡¯t spread properly. Someone from my past life left behind such a famous saying.

    Incitement can be achieved with just a single sentence, but to counter it, dozens of documents and evidence are needed. And when one tries to refute it, people are already swayed by the incitement.

    There was a rumor that the famous Nazi orator, Goebbels, said something like that, but there¡¯s no evidence. However, the fact that such words can be attributed to Goebbels demonstrates his skill in incitement.

    And the Arwen I saw possessed a powerful speech ability, not as great as Goebbels, but still remarkable. I merely provided the speech, and it was Arwen who sessfully delivered it, so it¡¯s fair to say her ability wasn¡¯tcking.

    ¡°It will surely go well. Father knows well how favorable the public opinion towards the Queen is, right? Even the blending of purebloods and half-bloods into one is Arwen¡¯s doing.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s thanks to your speech. But now there¡¯s probably nothing you can do to help¡­¡±

    ¡°So, it all depends on the Queen¡¯s hands. She¡¯s probably still preparing even now.¡±

    From Arwen¡¯s perspective, it¡¯s a golden opportunity topletely overthrow the Council of Elders that was nothing but a thorn in her side. Since she was informed through Siris, she must be making preparations ordingly.

    I¡¯ll just wait leisurely and observe the situation. If a problem arises in the middle, then I¡¯ll take action at that time.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ I don¡¯t know much about Alvenheim politics, so I¡¯m just asking. But I¡¯m curious if the influence of the Council of Elders and the Queen is roughly equal.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re somewhat simr. Because of the symbolic nature of the Council of Elders, they couldn¡¯t easily make moves since there were many aristocrats who held grievances. The monarchy was established in the first ce to keep in check the Council of Elders¡¯s power.¡±

    No matter how skilled Arwen is in diplomacy and politics, it¡¯s mentally exhausting to be under constant restraint alone. Considering how many times the ruler of Alvenheim¡¯s throne has changed hands, one can roughly understand how severe the restraint is.

    However, seeing Arwen endure steadfastly, even prominent figures are looking at her with a sentiment of ¡®Hmm, she¡¯s quite resilient, isn¡¯t she?¡¯ Moreover, her support from the nobles has be even stronger since she captured the hearts of the people through her speech.

    ¡°Well, then it might not matter, but it seems inevitable that a storm is brewing in Alvenheim. Just the fact that your hand is injured is a significant matter, but if it¡¯s revealed that the culprit is the Council of Elders¡­¡±

    ¡°Arwen is surely aware as well. But considering that she permitted it, it seems she has taken it into ount and formted a n.¡±

    The Council of Elders is undoubtedly a group that obstructs the progress of Alvenheim, but its symbolism cannot be undermined. If Arwen were to break that symbol, the shock among the people wouldn¡¯t be insignificant.

    The aftermath that follows will be something she has to endure entirely. I secretly hope that she can handle it wisely. With the weakening of Alvenheim, there¡¯s a high possibility that surrounding nations will exploit the opportunity to exert pressure.

    ¡°So, what are you going to do now?¡±

    ¡°For now¡­¡±

    I responded to Cecily¡¯s question with a smile, then in a weary voice, I added,

    ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep. I¡¯ll write the letterter.¡±

    *****

    After the pact with Isaac, the Ks gang fled from the mansion as if escaping, desperately squeezing out the remaining mana and moving to a safer location. Teleportation consumed mana exponentially more when the distance was greater, but given the circumstances, they had no choice.

    And so, in their haste, they moved to an area far from the Michelle domain. The area they arrived in was not a city or a town, but a forest, which was nothing short of a sanctuary for these elves.

    ¡°Now, what do we do?¡±

    Lena, an elf woman with brown hair, spoke with an anxious and restless voice. Her eyes trembled, and her hands were touching her ears.

    Mael wasn¡¯t much different from her. If there was a difference, it would be the expression of near-desperation. It was a look that seemed to have already given up.

    ¡°Sigh¡­¡±

    Ks heard Lena¡¯s question, let out a deep sigh, and rummaged through his pockets. In his hand was a false pact with the demon princess, Cecily.

    In his heart, he wanted to tear the pact to shreds or even burn it, but he couldn¡¯t. If his ears turned pitch ck, all elf pride and everything else would vanish.

    At the moment, there was nothing they could do. Ks opened his mouth quietly, a voice tinged with resignation.

    ¡°For now, let¡¯s return to Alvenheim. We¡¯ll have to hope that Fierin notices.¡±

    ¡°But the pact¡­¡±

    ¡°Just because it¡¯s a pact doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s wless. There must be a way out.¡±

    The pact only takes effect if it¡¯s based on the truth; if it¡¯s a lie, it won¡¯t be effective. So, they would use this in reverse. Ks, as if he hade up with a good idea while pondering, erased his resigned expression and smiled. Lena and Mael¡¯s expressions also brightened slightly at that smile.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. When we report to Lord Fieren, we can indicate that we¡¯re lying. Since the pact doesn¡¯t work with falsehoods.¡±

    ¡°Th-then that should work! But how do we lie¡­¡±

    ¡°When people lie, their body reacts. Like shifting their gaze to the left or fidgeting with their hands, among other things. There are many signs. Lord Fieren wouldn¡¯t be unaware of that either.¡±

    Given Fieren¡¯s extensive political experience, his intuition was quick. Furthermore, once he gets a hint, he won¡¯t let it go until his suspicions are resolved. Even if they didn¡¯t lie, once Fieren became suspicious, he would keep digging and digging.

    And they can use that to their advantage. The ears rotting due to the ck mana? What¡¯s crucial now is buying time. It¡¯s most important to somehow dy Fieren from taking action.

    ¡°But be careful. We don¡¯t know who the traitor within Alvenheim might be. Considering he even knows Fieren¡¯s full name, the probability of him being from one of the prestigious families is high.¡±

    ¡°Why would a mere human like him have ties to a prestigious family¡­ even a young one¡­¡±

    ¡°There must be a connection. Or perhaps he¡¯s really from the future. Surely the gods have imposed limitations on him, not allowing him to act recklessly. So, we¡­¡±

    Skkrt-

    Thud!

    During Ks¡¯s speech, a strong gust of wind swept through, making a sharp sound as it struck something. Startled, Ks and hispanions turned their heads towards the direction of the sound.

    A dagger was lodged into the stem of a nt, stretching high into the sky. Tied to the hilt of the dagger was a note. Ks stared at the dagger stuck right above his head with a dumbfounded expression, then reached out his hand. He carefully removed the dagger, and with trembling hands, he untied the note.

    Gulp¡­

    Amidst the sudden ambush, the sound of someone swallowing nervously could be heard. Ks unfolded the note with a mixture of anticipation and anxiety.

    And on that note was¡­

    [Don¡¯t do unnecessary things.]

    A clear warning was written.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Ks felt his blood run cold in real-time. He urgently cast detection magic around but found nothing.

    ¡°How? Did they use teleportation? What kind of trick is this?¡±

    Could it be the ability of that demon princess? Demons were utterly enigmatic, with no known facts about them, so the impossible wasn¡¯t ruled out.

    Above all, demons, like Dark Elves, were a prominent race that revered Morah. Concealing oneself in darkness wasn¡¯t out of the question, especially for something like this.

    Truly, he was surrounded by eyes and ears in every direction. Even the path to Alvengard would be under surveince. For Ks, it felt like his world was crumbling.

    ¡®What is that guy¡­?¡¯

    Xenon, or rather, Isaac. Just how powerful was he? Ks looked up at the sky with a despondent expression.

    In stark contrast to his feelings, the sky was brilliantly clear.

    ¡®It¡¯s over.¡¯

    Ks let out a bitterugh, consumed by a sense of futility.

 Chapter 181: Bait (2)

    Council of Elders.

    Boasting a history long enough to rightfully im a ce in the annals of Alvenheim, the political institution with a storied past. In any civilization, a ¡®leader¡¯ to guide the civilization forward is essential, most often taking the form of a ¡®king¡¯. This king holds the duty and responsibility to ensure the people¡¯s more stable lives and the nation¡¯s robust growth against surrounding threats.

    However, during the founding of Alvenheim, there was no ¡®king¡¯. A king, by nature, reigns over the people with formidable power, a being to which ordinary citizens must look up. At that time, the Elves vehemently resisted being ruled by anyone due to their pride in being chosen by the gods. They believed that only the gods could govern them and thus decided to operate the nation under the guidance of their trust in the gods.

    Consequently, the initial leaders were ¡®priests¡¯. The clergy offered high-quality offerings to the gods and received their direct guidance, efficiently managing the nation. Despite some grumbling among the people of Alvenheim, life continued without issues.

    Until the event of the ¡®Devil War¡¯, which led to some doubts about the gods¡¯ power.

    Fortunately, having received the seed of the World Tree as a gift, the Elves managed to repel the threat, but they realized the potential danger. They understood that it might be toote to heed the gods¡¯ voices in the face of a simr crisis in the future.

    They came to the realization that it should not be the gods, but the Elves themselves who must oversee Alvenheim¡¯s progress. This realization gave birth to the political institution known as the ¡®Council of Elders¡¯.

    At first, the elves were wary of being dominated by mortals rather than gods, but as time passed, that thought gradually faded. Furthermore, as is often the case with beginnings, the Council led Alvenheim wisely, with pure hearts and upromised beliefs. Among them were also the Dark Elves. In truth, one could say that this was thest true era of the elves.

    However, power has a tendency to corrupt and decay as it grows stronger. The Council of Elders began to restrict other forces in order to secure their own interests. Dark Elves were a prime example. They were a convenient target for oppression due to their distinct ethnicity, skin color, and even the deity they worshiped. The result was the exile of the Dark Elves.

    In a sense, the involvement of the Council of Elders in the exile of the Dark Elves was substantial. Externally, the religious disputes had escted into madness, but the Council of Elders had ignited the fuse of that powder keg.

    Subsequently, through divine intervention, the madness subsided, and the Council of Elders, in an attempt to hide the worst aspects, even erased records. Despite its inherent corruption, the political entity of the Council of Elders managed to persist instead of being dissolved.

    The Dark Elf exile incident was a major event in itself, but it triggered a full-scale racial war, revealing the Council of Elders¡¯s corruption. They imprisoned even the capable warriormanders who could have turned the tide of war, and led the nation to defeat.

    What used to be silent discontent erupted all at once, causing an increase in demands for the dissolution of the Council of Elders and ultimately leading to the birth of the ¡°monarch.¡± Nevertheless, the Council of Elders managed to persist relentlessly.

    The Council of Elders, merely by its existence, symbolized a part of Alvenheim¡¯s history, whether positive or negative. Erasing this symbol would be a significant loss for Alvenheim.

    It can be said that elves, unlike other races, particrly dislike ¡®change¡¯.

    ¡°Please, have a seat. Ah, is there anything you¡¯d like to eat?¡±

    ¡°No, thank you.¡±

    In the reception room of a mansion in Yggdrasil. Two men were facing each other across the table in the modestly decorated room. The head of the Council of Elders, Fieren, and his subordinate, Ks.

    Fieren had a smile like a gentle grandfather, while Ks seemed slightly tense, his face somewhat stiff.

    ¡°A cup of tea brewed from the leaves of the World Tree. Perfect for fatigue.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll dly have some.¡±

    When Ks hesitated upon Fieren¡¯s offer to drink, he looked at the liquid in the cup. It had a faint greenish hue and emitted a subtle fragrance that tantalized his senses. Tea brewed from the leaves of the World Tree was outrageously expensive, as the name suggested.

    There were few who could approach the World Tree directly, and magical treatment was necessary to preserve the freshness of the leaves. However, its effects were remarkable as well. It was excellent for fatigue, and its calming effect was exceptional, simr to a tranquility potion.

    It was a perfect choice for Ks, who was currently nervous. As he finally took a sip of the tea, a refreshing taste spread through his mouth. Unlike its greenish appearance, it had no discernible vor, only a sense of coolness.

    ¡°So, did you find Xenon?¡±

    Fieren cut through the trivial words and got straight to the point. He had given Ks themand to find Xenon, so it was only natural that he was eager for updates.

    He hesitated for a moment, but then Ks shed a natural smile. If Fieren were to have any suspicions here, he would have no choice but to let his ears rot away.

    No matter how esteemed he might be in the Council, it¡¯s not worth sacrificing one¡¯s own ears.

    ¡°Of course. Humans are truly unremarkable. Especially a publishingpany executive, an utterly ipetent human ¨C easy to track.¡±

    ¡°Oh, impressive. I thought Xenon might have concealed his identity by borrowing power from another race. Like demons, for instance.¡±

    While Fieren spoke casually, Ks couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang.

    A demon was in Xenon¡¯s mansion. Not just any ordinary demon, but Princess Cecily of Helium. Even Xenon¡¯s father was known as the Red Lion, a renowned knight. The publishing executive may have let his guard down, but the people around him had far surpassed the realm of ordinary individuals.

    ¡°He must have had confidence in himself. Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t make sense.¡±

    ¡°A fitting price for arrogance, I suppose. So, can you tell me the name and whereabouts? I¡¯d like to see his faceter if possible.¡±

    Finally, the moment hade. While Fieren asked questions and sipped his tea, Ks rolled his head, ensuring Fieren wouldn¡¯t catch on.

    Back when he was captured in Michelle estate, Isaac had recited the report to Fieren in painstaking detail. The alias, the living area, and finally, a detailed description.

    With a calm demeanor, Ks whispered the information to Fieren, ensuring he wouldn¡¯t notice.

    ¡°Name was Xenon Cloud. He was an elderly human living in the Hask region of the Ters Kingdom. His appearance¡­ well, one could only say he looked wise at first nce. He had a neatly trimmed beard, and his white hair was apanied by blue eyes.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough of that. By the way, I wonder if the ¡®persuasion¡¯ worked.¡±

    Fieren yfully rolled the word ¡®persuasion¡¯ off his tongue. The persuasion he mentioned was what the ramifications of Xenon¡¯s Biography were called in the Council of Elders.

    The High Council, a political organization in Elvenheim(in the book), as everyone familiar with Xenon¡¯s Biography knew, was the motif taken from the Council of Elders. It was as clear as day.

    The problem was that the actions of that council were just as serious and significant as those that actually took ce in the real Council of Elders. The banishment of the Dark Elves was the prime example.

    It was unclear how Xenon knew, since the Council of Elders was only involved even though they didn¡¯t directly banish the Dark Elves, but it was impossible for them not to be pricked by it.

    So, they were determined to persuade him in any way possible. But if persuasion failed, the n was to establish a forced cooperative rtionship using ¡®means¡¯. Given that their identities were exposed, they were practically in a superior position.

    In response, Ks smiled a seemingly sinister smile and answered casually,

    ¡°Well, as expected, the persuasion didn¡¯t work. He seemed more willing to stand up against those who censor his precious culture rather than joining the same side as them. Isn¡¯t that the nature of an artist?¡±

    ¡°That is indeed a characteristic of artists. So?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve taken some measures to ensure he never entertains such thoughts again. He was quick to break down in tears and beg, saying he¡¯d rather not write for the rest of his life.¡±

    ¡°Hahahahaha!¡±

    Fieren¡¯s satisfaction was evident as he burst into heartyughter in response. It was a feeling of satisfaction that had been building up inside him. But when people¡¯s moods turn positive, their judgment tends to be extremely clouded. This was a story that applied even to Fieren, who had been active as the leader of the council.

    If only he had thought a little deeper, just a bit more, he might have caught onto Ks¡¯s ¡°mistake¡± much earlier. He could have realized how great Xenon¡¯s reputation was at present and how strong its repercussions were. It was perhaps Fieren¡¯s biggest mistake to have regarded Xenon only as a potential threat.

    ¡°Very well. I¡¯m curious about this action you mentioned. Can you tell me more?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯ve broken their fingers so he won¡¯t be able to write for a while. The Hask province is far from the city, so he won¡¯t be able to receive treatment at the temple. Instead, I provided him with potions.¡±

    ¡°Satisfactory. And?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve brought something that I believe you will find pleasing, Lord Fieren.¡±

    As Ks searched his pockets, Fieren¡¯s eyes filled with curiosity and anticipation. While he was already satisfied with the fact that Xenon had been dealt with, it seemed this loyal servant had even better news to deliver.

    Subsequently, as Ks handed over a piece of paper, Fieren¡¯s excitement grew evident. It wasn¡¯t an ordinary piece of paper, judging from the mana contained within.

    ¡°This is¡­¡±

    ¡°A pact, my lord.¡±

    ¡°A pact?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Please read it.¡±

    As Ks urged, Fieren began to read the terms in the contract with anticipation. A smile formed on his lips from the very first use, but as he read on, his satisfaction grew.

    He never even thought it woulde to the point of signing such an agreement, let alone feeling this content. Originally, he had intended to settle for finding out the identity and whereabouts of Xenon, but Ks had raised the stakes. He had addressed all the concerns that might have troubled Fieren.

    ¡°Truly¡­ impressive. I never expected we¡¯de this far. Looks like I underestimated you. I apologize.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that. I was just lucky. And besides, didn¡¯t we both not know what kind of person Xenon was until now?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true, but your abilities are outstanding, there¡¯s no denying that. Thanks to you, the Council of Elders will be able to exert its influence.¡±

    Though it seemed like a heartwarming scene on the surface, the true emotions were quite the opposite. Suppression, maniption, and the dirtiness of political maneuvering were rampant.

    And there was one person observing all this filth from the shadows¡­

    <i>¡®¡­This makes me want to throw up.¡¯</i>

    Dark Elf infiltrator, Siris, who had bypassed all the protective magic of the mansion. She watched every bit of this situation, recording it all with her eyes.

    If she were an ordinary thief or wizard, she might have been detected by the security spells. But she was a Dark Elf. If she moved cautiously, infiltration wasn¡¯t difficult.

    Moreover, she didn¡¯t forget to receive divine power from Mora in preparation for the worst-case scenario. No matter how skilled a dark elf¡¯s infiltration abilities were, there were clear limits.

    Perhaps it could be considered somewhat fortunate, but Fieren¡¯s mansion had surprisingly weak security, fitting the owner¡¯s personality. It seemed no one expected that the mansion would be infiltrated.

    ¡°You¡¯ve done an excellent job indeed. Keep up the good work.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. However, it seems like there aren¡¯t any young ones trying to join the Council of Elderstely. Is that okay?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. We don¡¯t need uncertain individuals like those. We need talents like you.¡±

    Upon hearing this conversation, Siris almost smirked. The reason the new generation of elves distanced themselves from the Council of Elders was simple: they recognized that even if something was rotted, it could still rot to dust.

    As if corruption wasn¡¯t already inevitable with power, who knew what would happen to the Council of Elders. Especially with the elves¡¯ longevity, the phenomenon of the ¡®rotten water¡¯ would inevitably be more pronounced.

    As time passed, the Council of Elders¡¯s power would weaken, but since that would take too long, who knew what incidents might ur in the meantime?

    <i>¡®Now, that time will probably be moved up.¡¯</i>

    Siris listened to the conversation between Fieren and Ks and then disappeared quietly. Since they had already obtained decisive evidence, all that was left was to ry it to Arwen.

    <i>¡®How long will it be until we can enter Alvenheim?¡¯</i>

    The Dark Elf Exile urred just 800 years ago. There were still some dark elves who remembered that event, but they still longed for Alvenheim. Some of the younger generation of dark elves couldn¡¯t understand them, and Siris felt simrly. However, after reading the recently published Xenon¡¯s Biography, her feelings had changed somewhat.

    Living in the forest was impossible for long, and even though they had cut off their own ears, they still held on to the pride of being chosen by the gods. Xenon¡¯s Biography moved not only the hearts of the elves but also the hearts of the dark elves gradually.

    ¡®The queen will surely seed.¡¯

    With subtle emotions in her heart, Siris walked towards where Arwen was staying.

    *****

    A few dayster, in the Minerva Empire¡¯s publishing house.

    ¡°Is, is this real?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes. It is. Though it¡¯s crooked, the fact that there¡¯s even a genuine signature¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    The CEO of the publishing house despaired upon reading the letter sent by Isaac. The content of the letter was as follows:

    [Dear readers, I apologize. Due to a viin¡¯s attack, my right hand has been seriously injured. Serialization will be impossible for the time being¡­]

    They had enough matches prepared in advance to light the fuse.

 Chapter 182: Big Fish (1)

    The most important body part for a novelist is undoubtedly their ¡®hands.¡¯ Even if their legs or back hurt, as long as they have their hands, they can write, even if they have to lie down. Even if their eyesight deteriorates, as long as it¡¯s notplete blindness, writing is still possible. However, if their hands are injured or disabled, writing bes a challenge not only for their literary work but also for their daily life. While it¡¯s possible to write with the other hand, it takes much longer and feels awkward.

    As a result, when readers learn that a writer¡¯s hands are injured, they express sympathy and wish for a speedy recovery, as injuring the hands is a significant loss for a writer. This is because both the writer and readers suffer from such a situation.

    Currently, the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography, Xenon (Isaac), was facing a simr situation. Especially since Xenon has gained fame worldwide rather than in a specific country, countless readers have expressed their concern for his safety. If anything were to happen to him, the release of Xenon¡¯s Biography could be dyed indefinitely, and it¡¯s uncertain when the next installment woulde out.

    Moreover, while it typically takes around 1 to 2 months to publish a single book, Xenon¡¯s Biography has been released much more frequently, to the point where it might seem excessive. The publishing frequency was notably fast.

    Furthermore, there have been mentions from the publishingpany about bloodstains on the manuscripts, which has heightened concerns about his well-being. Currently, since new installments have beening out consistently, there haven¡¯t been significant problems, but¡­

    [¡°Xenon¡¯s Biography¡± author, Xenon. Attacked by viins, he suffered a severe injury to his right hand¡­]

    [Fortunately, his life is not in danger as the perpetrators have retreated. However, Xenon¡¯s Biography¡­]

    [An involuntary forced hiatus, and his right hand is injured¡­]

    The news of Xenon being attacked by someone and injuring his right hand shocked readers beyond belief. It¡¯s not just any body part, but his right hand, of all things. What¡¯s more, it¡¯s not just a minor injury; his fingers were severely deformed, reaching an extremely critical state.

    The publisher, at first, didn¡¯t believe it, as it was from a ghostwriter, but upon seeing the crooked handwritten signature, they epted it as the truth. For a novelist, their hands, which are practically their greatest asset, being injured to that extent could potentially lead to a worst-case scenario of an ¡®indefinite hiatus.¡¯

    [Readers¡¯ anger because of Xenon¡¯s Biography. They gather in front of the publisher, demanding exnations.]

    [Key figures from various countries are also striving to find the culprit. However, searching for the culprit is virtually impossible when they don¡¯t even know Xenon¡¯s true identity.]

    [The Holy Kingdom Xavier. Offering significant tributes, they asked Lumineus for divine punishment. However, the response they received was, ¡®Wait. Time will resolve it.¡¯]

    [Where will the de stained with anger be directed?]

    Readers were furious. Xenon didn¡¯t just have an ident; they were attacked by the culprit and injured their right hand. While the security in the capital might be sufficient, the outskirts of this world are far from ideal.

    There are areas where bands of bandites frequently emerge to plunder, and even in the capital, it¡¯s not entirely safe at night. asionally, news of someone being attacked by a mugger and severely injured or killed can be heard, making Xenon no different. Especially at night, the rogues out and about are mostly on a mission to attack.

    There¡¯s no guarantee that Xenon wouldn¡¯t identally be a target, and given that they¡¯ve suffered a serious injury to their right hand, readers¡¯ anger began to swell to an immeasurable extent.

    [Efforts began to find Xenon. With the significant injury to the right hand, there¡¯s a chance they might be found if luck is on their side.]

    [In the Bellua Republic, they found someone who injured their right hand around the same time, but it wasn¡¯t Xenon. Just an ordinary knight.]

    The anger of the readers has also increased, along with those who are trying to find Xenon. While there could only be so many people with injured right hands in this world, if someone was attacked by criminals during a simr period, the scope narrows significantly.

    It was a reduction in range from searching for a needle in a desert to searching for a needle in a sand pit, but even that at least could actually be found.

    Amidst this situation, there were criticisms about wanting to find Xenon, but there are also unavoidable aspects since it would be difficult to locate Xenon otherwise.

    [Is Xenon¡¯s right hand the only thing injured? Or did the viins know who Xenon was?]

    [While it¡¯s possible for the right hand to get injured due to frequent use, the probability that these viins knew Xenon¡¯s identity and targeted them is significant.]

    [Was the viin¡¯s purpose really Xenon¡¯s right hand? Or was it just a coincidence?]

    It wasn¡¯t as if there were no rational thinkers amidst the whirlwind of anger. Of course, if the viin indeed targeted Xenon¡¯s right hand and caused harm, that would be a bigger problem on its own.

    As the events gradually descended into chaos, the readers¡¯ anger was reaching its boiling point, almost on the brink of exploding.

    [Queen Arwen of Alvenheim. There is a fact that the citizens need to know.]

    [Will Queen Arwen reveal this fact in such times? The surrounding nations, including Alvenheim¡¯s citizens, are looking at her with suspicious eyes¡­]

    [The second nationwide address since the half-blood incident. What is she going to reveal in the future?]

    Unexpectedly, Queen Arwen of Alvenheim officially announced that she was preparing for another nationwide address after the half-blood incident. In the current situation where Xenon¡¯s Biography was temporarily on hold, this move was somewhat difficult to understand.

    However, Arwen was currently receiving fervent support from the citizens of Alvenheim. People from other countries, including their leaders, were momentarily intrigued and have shifted their positions, curious about what she might reveal.

    She quelled the socially significant issue of mixed lineage with her exceptional oratory skills, and went further to unite the elves as one. Therefore, neighboring nations considered this a matter of concern.

    Even though Xenon¡¯s right hand was injured due to the attack by the viin, the state affairs had to be attended to. Numerous individuals, like the figures involved in the mixed lineage incident, were heading to Alvenheim, waiting to see what Queen Arwen would say.

    All of this while having no clue of what events would unfold there.

    *****

    Arwen¡¯s speech took ce in the Great za of Yggdrasil, just as it did thest time. Dignitaries, including members of the council of elders, were seated towards the front to get a better view of Arwen, while VIPs from other countries sat in chairs arranged behind them.

    The rest of the citizens and tourists gathered around as the elven warriors instructed, encircling the area. It wasn¡¯t an ordinary speech, but a direct address to the entire nation by Arwen herself, attracting arge crowd.

    ¡°What exactly does she intend to say in this nationwide address?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ I have no idea either.¡±

    Fieren, the head of the council of elders, couldn¡¯t hide his bewilderment as he absentmindedly stroked his chin in response to his aide¡¯s question. Making a nationwide address in this situation was quite unusual.

    Even if she had prepared the speech beforehand, the circumstances weren¡¯t favorable in many ways. The mixed lineage issue has been skillfully resolved, so it shouldn¡¯t be rted to that.

    Especially during times of turmoil, making a speech at this moment might not yield significant political effects. This was just a temporary situation, and it¡¯s obvious that soon enough, attention will shift back to Xenon, as clear as daylight.

    <i>¡®What on earth? It¡¯s not like she¡¯d be upset just because her lover got hurt¡­ He wouldn¡¯t even have a reason to tell the Queen¡­¡¯</i>

    Fieren touched his chin while the speech was being prepared, deep in thought. He had already internally confirmed that Xenon was Arwen¡¯s former lover.

    Furthermore, the possibility that Xenon had informed her of the culprit was close to zero. It was written in the pact they had made. The letters he sent to the publishingpany only contained sentences about being attacked by a viin, he didn¡¯t reveal his identity.

    While it could be seen as exploiting a loophole in the pact, it wasn¡¯t decisive evidence. Therefore, Arwen¡¯s speech was likely purely coincidental.

    Usually, speeches are given for significant political gains, but Fieren was unsure about the current situation. He didn¡¯t know if it¡¯s hisck of intuition or if she¡¯s revealing another fact.

    <i>¡®What is this uneasy feeling¡­?¡¯</i>

    In his daily efforts to restrain Arwen, he had learned many facts about her. Firstly, Arwen possesses not only unique rhetoric skills but also outstanding political abilities.

    Originally, politics involved establishing clear ¡°enemies¡± to rally one¡¯s own side. And Arwen treats the Council as her opposition, systematically recruiting prominent figures to her side.

    After the racial war, the Council has been described as a setting sun, a toothless tiger, but it still couldn¡¯t be ignored. Arwen alone cannot face them.

    Due to this unease, he wondered if there might be something she¡¯s hiding. However, the pact that Ks brought a few days ago was undoubtedly true.

    It was a moment when his intuition that had been developed through centuries of involvement in politics was triggered, yet the cause behind it was unknown. Fieren absentmindedly touched his chin, contemting, and then btedly realized that the seat next to him was empty. He had personally vacated the seat for Ks, who had yed a significant role in this matter, but the protagonist himself had not shown up.

    ¡°But where is Ks? Where did Ks go?¡±

    ¡°He said he had a family matter to attend to.¡±

    ¡°A family matter¡­ well, there¡¯s nothing we can do then.¡±

    While the Council held significance, if there was a family matter, there was little that could be done. However, this only amplified Fieren¡¯s unease.

    Was Ks really absent due to a family matter? If so, what was causing this unease? The reason Fieren had been able to participate in the Council for centuries was due to this intuition, yet without knowing the cause, he couldn¡¯t act recklessly. Because trusting intuition doesn¡¯t make the world emotionally predictable.

    Ultimately, he had no choice but to hold his position until the anxiety was alleviated, even up until the moment right before the speech began.

    ¡°Everyone, be quiet! Her Majesty the Queen is entering!¡±

    Just before the speech began, the announcer used amplification magic to announce Arwen¡¯s entrance ahead of time. Unlikest time, the announcer¡¯s voice was raised even before Arwen stepped onto the tform.

    The roaring crowd that had filled the square immediately hushed, and a subtle atmosphere began to circte within the hall. The onlookers had patiently waited for Arwen to ascend the tform.

    Tap tap tap

    The sound of footsteps echoed in the quiet square. People looked at Arwen as she ascended the podium. Even Fieren, with his arms crossed, silently observed her ascent with a somewhat haughty demeanor, still carrying an unknown unease within his chest.

    Tap

    Finally, Arwen, the Queen of Alvenheim, stood confidently on the elevated tform in front of the crowd. The spectators scrutinized her figure on the podium closely. Silver-gray hair and eyes resembling the milky way.. Delicately defined features like a girl¡¯s, with a slender frame. Yet, the curved hip line below her slim waist exuded a mature charm.

    During the half-blood incident, Arwen had appeared in a verdant dress that radiated freshness, unlike the silver dress she had worn now. She gazed around the crowd before meeting eyes with Fieren, who sat at the very front.

    Despite their eye contact, Fieren remained silent and observed her motionlessly. The gray irises seemed to pull him in, concealing thoughts that were utterly unpredictable.

    ¡°¡­Everyone has gathered. Some have endured a long journey to be here.¡±

    Arwen exchanged nces with Fieren, then turned her gaze forward and quietly began to speak. Her voice, amplified by magical means, enveloped the entire square like the flow of precious gems on a silver tter.

    ¡°You must be curious. Why, in such a crucial time, I have summoned you here to deliver a speech. It might seem puzzling or even absurd. However, what I am about to reveal to you, and perhaps to this world, might be an incredibly significant part of your lives.¡±

    Continuing the calm speech, Arwen suddenly turned around and waved her hand as if beckoning someone toe. This action raised questions in the eyes of the observers.

    Calling someone was inappropriate behavior during a speech. However, Arwen gestured as if she nned inviting them toe right from the beginning.

    While everyone held doubts in their hearts and waited, someone slowly began to ascend onto the tform. Not bying up directly, but being pulled by the warriors on either side.

    Thud thud thud

    ¡°¡­K-Ks?!¡±

    ¡°M-Mael and Lena¡­ what on earth¡­?¡±

    The people who were brought up to the tform by the warriors were none other than Ks and his subordinates. Naturally, Fieren and his associates could only be perplexed.

    Although they seemed fine at a nce, if you saw the expressions mingled with despair and resignation, you could sense that something had gone wrong. Only then did Fieren realize the true nature of his underlying anxiety.

    Even if something went wrong, this went horribly wrong. To a serious extent.

    As a seasoned politician who had been involved in politics for hundreds of years, he overworked his head trying to figure out how this situation came to be, but nothing came out. Ks wouldn¡¯t have betrayed them, and the pact was undoubtedly true.

    There was not a single possible reason for this mess, so Fieren couldn¡¯t understand what had happened at all.

    ¡°Who are those people?¡±

    ¡°Well, who knows? They seem like criminals or something¡­¡±

    ¡°Why would they bring criminals up to the tform? What big mistake could they havemitted?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps¡­¡±

    The crowd, unaware of the detailed circumstances, could only specte that they must be criminals. They have no idea how grave their mistakes are.

    As soon as Ks and his subordinates stepped onto the stage, Arwen nced at Fieren inside the turbulent square. With a paleplexion, Fieren was revealing his emotions.

    In response, she held a bitter smile within and shouted with strength in her voice.

    ¡°Everyone must already know the news that Xenon¡¯s right hand has been injured by an unidentified viin! Look at the faces of these sinners! The sinners¡¯ names are Kas, Mael, and Lena!¡±

    As Arwen shouted, the rumbling of the crowd quickly subsided.

    Lastly, using herpelling voice, she yelled to the crowd.

    ¡°Under the orders of the leader of the Council, Firen Garit Stormwalker, they are the criminals who attacked Xenon!¡±

    The fuse was all burned out, and the bomb exploded.

 Chapter 183: Big Fish (2)

    As mentioned earlier, Fieren¡¯s political career spanned over hundreds of years. From before the Racial War to the present day, he has held significant influence within the Council of Elders and has experienced various challenges during that time.

    There were times within the Council when factions divided and choices had to be made. During the Racial War, the Council of Elders made ill-fated decisions that even threatened its existence.

    However, Fieren managed to barely survive each of those crises. The methods used to navigate these crises were diverse ¨C through maniption and instigation, truth and logic, and sometimes even through underhanded tactics that no one knew about.

    Based on these approaches, Fieren has sustained the Council of Elders through times of crisis and ultimately ascended to the position of High Councillor, wielding immense power. But the pure convictions he had upon entering the Council of Elders in the distant past have been tainted over time by power, leaving only greed and arrogance. Those who have tasted the vor of power cannot escape it, much like being addicted to a drug.

    Fieren managed to keep the Alvenheim kings, who always sought more power, in check at critical moments. As the royal authority grew stronger, the influence of the Council of Elders diminished.

    Throughout their life, Fieren encountered various crises, oveing them smoothly with experience and adaptability. However, the crisis of a lifetime has now returned.

    ¡°Intruders who attacked Xenon under the orders of Fieren Garit Stormwalker, the leader of the Council of Elders!¡±

    Arwen shouted with a powerful voice that echoed through the square. The amplification magic caused her voice to reverberate in the square.

    As if the echo had consumed all other sounds, the reverberations faded, leaving the square eerily quiet. The silence was so deep that even the sound of a cough could be heard loudly.

    Her revtion plunged the citizens gathered in the square and foreign dignitaries into a massive shock.

    ¡°What¡­ What was that?¡±

    ¡°Clearly¡­ She said it¡¯s Fieren, a member of the Council.¡±

    ¡°Those¡­ criminals over there attacked Xenon?¡±

    The unbelievable truth began to stir the crowd. The citizens of Alvenheim knew well what the Council of Elders represented and who Fieren was.

    The Council of Elders has silently held its position as a symbol of Alvenheim for hundreds of years, so it¡¯s not surprising that many things about it remain unknown. Furthermore, during the time of the racial war, the horrific actions of the Council of Elders led Alvenheim to defeat, making it impossible to even consider favorable evaluations.

    However, Arwen¡¯s actions here were not merely fanning the mes in a ce already aze, but rather pouring oil relentlessly onto the fire.

    ¡°Lord Fieren, what in the world is¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Just like his bewildered attendants, Lord Fieren was equally startled. No, it was beyond surprise; he felt his heart sink.

    Where exactly had things gone wrong? The pact was not a lie, and there was no suspicious behavior from Ks. It was even dubious tobel him a spy. He had met Ks face-to-face for decades, and seeing him captured and put on trial like a criminal, he was definitely not a spy.

    Hence, it was through some means that he had deduced Ks¡¯s crime, yet even after thoroughly investigating the past, nothing came to light. While Fieren was lost in profound confusion, Arwen, who had delivered the bombshell statement earlier, spoke. Her voice was incongruent with her petite stature, resonating with authority.

    ¡°These criminals harmed Xenon, who bestowed upon us unimaginable favors, not for his graciousness, but merely because they possessed dangerous knowledge! They mercilessly defiled the right hand of Xenon, who granted us immeasurable grace! They acted unterally, disregarding the opinion of Alvenheim¡¯s queen, me!¡±

    Even as Arwen shouted, there was no appropriate response. That¡¯s only natural, considering how shocking the situation was,pounded by the severeck of definitive ¡°evidence.¡±

    Her oratory ability has been demonstrated as seen before, but this time it was on a muchrger scale and significantly more impactful. If not careful, Alvenheim might sumb to pressure from neighboring countries and could even face war in the worst-case scenario.

    Once maniption based on falsehood takes root, undoing that falsehood requires substantial evidence, making maniption all the more challenging. Even if public opinion currently favors Arwen, the citizens are not easily swayed.

    ¡°How do you all view the Council of Elders? Do you truly believe they are working for the advancement of our Alvenheim? Due to the Council¡¯s wrongdoing, we¡¯ve suffered the disgrace of defeat in racial war, and furthermore, they¡¯ve suppressed numerous areas all under the pretext of being the chosen ones! They¡¯re even attempting to suppress our brilliantly shining culture now!¡±

    Therefore, Arwen began to meticulously point out the wrongdoingsmitted by the Council of Elders one by one. Given the Council¡¯s wide recognition, its wrongdoings are also widely known.

    asionally, minor misdeeds could have been concealed by the Council¡¯s maniption of history, but just as seen in the racial war, significant transgressions can¡¯t be covered up. Evenmon folk understand this, and the citizens of Alvenheim explicitly acknowledge this fact.

    The Council of Elders is a group filled with corrupt power. Yet, it¡¯s maintained steadily thus far due to its status as a symbol.

    Not only the new generation of elves but also the previous generation acknowledged the achievements of the Council of Elders, yet they remained cautious. They support it solely because it¡¯s a ¡®symbol¡¯ that shared history.

    ¡°The world is rapidly changing! However, they¡¯re turning a blind eye to this fast-changing world, merely prioritizing their current well-being! Not for the well-being of Alvenheim, but for their own safety, they¡¯re suppressing our beautiful culture! But will they only suppress Xenon? Are you all truly going to suppress only Xenon?¡±

    ¡°The world is changing rapidly! However, they are turning a blind eye to the swiftly changing world and simply prioritizing their current well-being! Not for the well-being of Alvenheim, but for their own security, they are oppressing the beautiful culture! But will they only oppress Xenon? When you all are building up the beautiful culture piece by piece, if the Council does not approve, they will bring harm just like they did to Xenon! And they will shatter that culture into pieces!¡±

    ¡°W-well, you¡¯re right. Xenon was hiding his true identity.¡±

    ¡°What makes us any different?¡±

    ¡°Those Council folks¡­ causing trouble again¡­¡±

    Normally, if a convincing story is presented, sedition tends to sway people easily. Just like now.

    If the Council¡¯s usual behavior had been righteous and clean, it might be different, but due to their past actions, the masses started to sympathize one by one.

    Even Xenon, who had been living in hiding, was harmed. Is there really any difference when ites to themselves? Can they freely express their art in this country?

    Even if they were to immigrate to another country, if they don¡¯t align with the Council¡¯s views, they¡¯ll chase them down to the end, just like they did with Xenon. Is freedom then possible?

    Impossible. As long as the Council exists, not only will culture be suppressed, but even negative remarks about the elves are likely to be oppressed.

    Like ripples forming when a stone is thrown into a tranquilke, the hearts of the masses were also deeply stirred.

    Upon seeing the crowd somewhat shaken, Arwen immediately shouted at the Ks¡¯s group.

    ¡°I ask the sinners! Is it true that you followed Fieren¡¯s orders and harmed Xenon?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes. That¡¯s correct.¡±

    ¡°Xenon has never caused harm to you. So why did this happen?¡±

    ¡°The knowledge Xenon possessed¡­ it¡¯s dangerous, that¡¯s why.¡±

    Ks replied briefly, but thanks to the amplification magic on his voice, the crowd could all hear. His testimony continued, and the crowd grew more aggressive. However, one final blow was missing. Arwen shifted her gaze towards Fieren for that final blow.

    Fieren maintained aposed expression outwardly, but his paleplexion betrayed the turmoil he was undergoing internally. In response, Arwen spoke in a quiet voice.

    ¡°From the mouth of the sinner, Fieren, a member of the Council of Elders, was named. Councilor Fieren, step onto this tform.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°If you do not step forward, we will bring you up by force.¡±

    Simultaneously, Elven warriors began to approach Fieren¡¯s side with powerful strides. There was no hesitation, as if they had discussed this beforehand.

    ¡°Stand aside! I will walk on my own!¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Yet, whether out of pride or some other reason, Fieren staunchly refused their guidance. The Elven warriors proceeded to the tform, forming a protective escort without uttering a word.

    Eventually, Fieren adjusted his slightly disheveled attire and approached the tform where Arwen stood. Even as he ascended, the crowd¡¯s murmurs and roars showed no signs of abating.

    Finally, Fieren, a member of the Council of Elders, stood upon the tform where the queen was present. Before meeting Arwen¡¯s gaze, he cast a piercing look towards Ks and his subordinates, who were kneeling like sinners.

    Not long ago, Fieren had been one to praise him, but now that was not the case. Having failed in his mission and having pushed himself into jeopardy, he seemed nothing more than a viin.

    If this situation is passed over, not only will they expel him from the Council of Elders, but they also n to pressure his family. With this incident, the influence of the Council of Elders will undoubtedly diminish further.

    ¡°¡­ Your Majesty, this time you¡¯ve gone too far with your jest.¡±

    Fieren maintainedposure as much as possible while addressing Arwen. However, it was easy to see that he was tense, as sweat trickled down his cheek. Arwen also noticed this immediately and smiled inwardly. There was still one move left, but she was aiming for the right timing.

    ¡°You call it a jest? I spoke the truth.¡±

    ¡°The truth, you say, but I don¡¯t know who those people are.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know? Your name was mentioned by those criminals, and yet you¡¯re pretending not to know?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it natural to deny knowing someone you don¡¯t know?¡±

    Fieren continued to lie in order to find a way out. Their conversation was being broadcasted through magic.

    ¡°How amusing. You roared that you had to find Xenon for me¡­ Are you really pretending? If you admit your guilt obediently, I, as a member of the Queen, will offer you the utmost leniency.¡±

    ¡°Seeing you fabricate nonexistent crimes, it seems you disliked me so much. If I¡¯m guilty, wouldn¡¯t there be evidence? Just the testimony of mere criminals is insufficient.¡±

    ¡°Evidence¡­ Right. Evidence. As you say.¡±

    Snap!

    When the keyword ¡®evidence¡¯ was mentioned by Fieren, Arwen smiled and lightly flicked her fingers. In an instant, a wave of mana surged, forming something rectangr and t on the stage.

    It was about the size of a movie theater screen. Even the crowd watching from a distance, including Fieren, could see it vividly. All eyes turned towards the screen.

    And what the screen was showing was¡­

    [So, did you find Xenon?]

    It was the image of Ks and Fieren having a discreet conversation in the mansion. As soon as Fieren saw the image, her face turned pale in an instant.

    [Of course. Humans are truly unremarkable. Especially a publishingpany executive, an utterly ipetent human ¨C easy to track.]

    [Oh, impressive. I thought Xenon might have concealed his identity by borrowing power from another race. Like demons, for instance.]

    As the conversation progressed, Fieren¡¯splexion became more dismal, and the crowd fell silent in an instant.

    With clear evidence before them, who could present any disagreement? Recording magic could be edited, but maniption was absolutely impossible.

    However, Arwen excluded the part where Xenon¡¯s true identity (although fake) was directly revealed. It could potentially cause confusion no matter how fake it might be.

    [That¡¯s enough of that. By the way, I wonder if the ¡®persuasion¡¯ worked.]

    [Well, as expected, the persuasion didn¡¯t work. He seemed more willing to stand up against those who censor his precious culture rather than joining the same side as them. Isn¡¯t that the nature of an artist?]

    [That is indeed a characteristic of artists. So?]

    [We¡¯ve taken some measures to ensure he never entertains such thoughts again. He was quick to break down in tears and beg, saying he¡¯d rather not write for the rest of his life.]

    [Hahahahaha! Very well. I¡¯m curious about this action you mentioned. Can you tell me more?]

    [Well¡­ I¡¯ve broken their fingers so he won¡¯t be able to write for a while.]

    The onlookers had simr thoughts upon witnessing this scene. They felt like they were going to vomit. They wished they could just look away now and begged them to stop. Some tightly shut their eyes, while others sealed their lips as if not believing what they were seeing.

    While it was impossible to fullyprehend the extent of Xenon¡¯s suffering, the more they listened to the story, the more vivid their imaginations became. How agonizing it must have been. How humiliating. How challenging. For an artist, shattered by these greedy individuals filled with avarice, merely surviving withoutmitting suicide was an act of great courage.

    [I¡¯ve brought something that I believe you will find pleasing, Lord Fieren.]

    [This is¡­]

    [A pact, my lord.]

    [A pact?]

    The fact that they even formed a ¡®pact¡¯ that was beyond imagination left the crowd in awe. Just like elves, who are known for their magic, they also understand what kind of pact it is.

    Once it is made, they have no choice but to act ording to what¡¯s written in the pact. In other words, this means that Xenon can¡¯t write the stories he wants to tell in his Xenon¡¯s Biography anymore.

    In short, because of those greedy elves, it means that the development of the Xenon¡¯s Biography has beenpletely ruined.

    [Thanks to you, the Council of Elders will be able to exert its influence.]

    With Fieren¡¯s words, the evidence came to an end there. However, no one, including Fieren, spoke hastily.

    The evidence Arwen showed was something that could shake not only Alvenheim but the entire world.

    Around the time when the long silence had settled in the hall like that.

    ¡°Well, what a damn bastard!!¡±

    Starting with someone¡¯s vehement shout, the crowd erupted.

    ¡°Choke that damn elf¡¯s neck right now!!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s disgraceful to call him a fellow elf!¡±

    ¡°The Council of Elders should be abolished quickly! Otherwise, there¡¯s no hope for the country!!¡±

    As one, the crowd began to criticize Fieren. It wasn¡¯t just criticism but me, insults, and words too vile to be spoken all surged like a storm.

    Arwen looked at Fieren while listening to those sounds as if her ears were blocked. Fieren had a bewildered expression as if he couldn¡¯t believe this reality.

    ¡°I, the Queen of Alvenheim,mand.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°The representative of the Council of Elders and the sinner, Fieren Gerit Stormwalker, to be restrained!¡±

    As soon as hermand fell, Fieren¡¯s sanity returned. However, it was already toote.

    Thud!

    ¡°Ugh!¡±

    Suddenly, the approaching elven warriors subdued him swiftly. They first forced his arms, preventing any resistance, and then made him kneel.

    Once again, Fieren was not a soldier but a politician. Moreover, he was too old to stand against the warriors, his wrinkles speaking of his age.

    ¡°Let go, release me! How dare you¡­¡±

    ¡°Seems like you still haven¡¯t regained your senses. Councilor Fieren, no, a criminal.¡±

    ¡°You¡­!¡±

    Now, throwing away all formality, Fieren even released his words. Arwen watched him with scornful eyes.

    The Council could no longer persist. In a precarious situation to begin with, the council¡¯s existence was hanging by a thread. And now, with the seal snap, there was only disappearance left in the future.

    ¡°Do you really think you can rule Alvenheim well without us? The inexperienced queen who knows nothing about how the Council has governed Alvenheim until now!!¡±

    ¡°I know well. But can I keep a rotten leg?¡±

    Even though Fieren shouted in frustration, Arwen¡¯s response was clear. Naturally, Fieren was engulfed in anger.

    ¡°Strike his neck now!!¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty! Please, wipe away that filthy thing! It¡¯s an embarrassment for the elves!¡±

    ¡°How dare you harm Xenon, who even the gods have acknowledged?! If Alvenheim falls, it¡¯s all your fault!!¡±

    Even amid this, the voices of the crowd grew louder. Some asionally couldn¡¯t contain their anger and attempted tosh out, but they were quickly restrained by the warriors. As the barrage of insults against him continued, Fieren felt himself weakening, while also realizing that he couldn¡¯t end things here. Arwen picked up on that part as well. However, she remained still. She had a rough idea of what he was about to reveal.

    Next, Fieren made up his mind and instead of addressing Arwen, he shouted towards the crowd. ¡°Listen up, everyone! His name is Xenon Cloud!¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s an old human man living in the Hask region of the Ters Kingdom! He sports a well-groomed beard, and his eyes are blue amidst his white hair!¡±

    As if he couldn¡¯t die alone, Fieren began to expose Xenon¡¯s fake identity. But it fell far short of quelling the exploding crowd. Of course, there were those who would listen, but it didn¡¯t matter. Since everything was fake anyway, it didn¡¯t matter whether it was revealed or not. At that moment when Arwen was about to signal to lead him away, Fieren blurted out a bombshell.

    ¡°And he¡¯s also the lover of Arwen Elodia, who is supposed to be a queen and is engaging in absurd acts!¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    What is this nonsense again? Arwen, of course, and even the crowd, upon hearing that bombshell deration, were taken aback and stopped their anger.

    ¡°Did you think I didn¡¯t know? I sensed it from the moment I heard the story that you gave a speech he wrote you! Could I not tell that, unless you were lovers, would you continue to stay in contact until now and do something like this?¡±

    ¡°W-what are you¡­! Take the criminal away immediately!¡±

    Arwen gave the order hastily, unable to conceal her bewilderment. However, even as Fieren was being dragged away by the warriors, he didn¡¯t stop his outburst.

    ¡°This age will be recorded in history like this! A usurper who lost the kingdom for the sake of a mere human lover! What will that mean once that human dies!! I will watch over everything! Everything!! With my own eyes!!¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Afterward, Fieren was led down from the tform, but¡­

    ¡°The Queen¡­ is she really with Xenon?¡±

    ¡°Is that true?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the deal with the story about the speech?¡±

    The crowd began to murmur in a different sense.

    ¡°Wait. Come to think of it, could Xenon also have failed to connect with the elven queen and wrote that story in a book?¡±

    ¡°Really? Then¡­¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t the whole thing fit perfectly?¡±

    Viins, originally, are known to cause problems until the end.

 Chapter 184: Big Fish (3)

    A few days ago, the misconduct of the Council of Elders came to light. I was leisurely spending my vacation at the mansion after all preparations wereplete. The Ks group had been dealt with effectively, and the publishing house had spread the news of my injured hand.

    Though I felt somewhat sorry for the publishing house, it was unavoidable to fabricate such a story to attract attention. So, I nned to tell soon that a passing priest helped me, and that my hand waspletely healed. Thus, at the moment, I was idly passing time, hoping Arwen would handle the follow-up measures well.

    Three days after news of my injured hand had spread, Marie paid a surprise visit to our mansion. Usually, she would send a letter in advance and announce her intention to visit, but due to the circumstances, it seemed she had rushed over urgently. Coincidentally, I had also stepped out of the mansion to engage in some exercise.

    When Marie got out of the carriage and our eyes met, she seemed startled before quickly hurrying over. Initially, I was slightly puzzled, but I soon smiled because I had a rough idea of what she might say.

    ¡°Oh, Isaac! Your hand¡­¡±

    ¡°Look.¡±

    As Marie approached, I immediately showed her my right hand. My right hand, characterized by its long and slender fingers, was perfectly fine without a single injury. Upon examining my hand, Marie¡¯s expression turned bewildered. Well, considering themotion in the newspapers was far from reality, it was only natural for her to be taken aback.

    ¡°Oh? What¡¯s this? I¡¯m sure the newspaper¡­¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ the story might be a littleplicated. Let¡¯s go inside for now.¡±

    If I don¡¯t exin the situation to my fianc¨¦e even after talking to my family, Marie will probably feel disappointed. As I entered the mansion, Marie followed along with a bewildered look on her face.

    ¡°Hello, Marie? I knew you¡¯de eventually.¡±

    ¡°Ah, hello. It¡¯s been a while¡­ Is that how I should say it?¡±

    Although she had just heard Marie¡¯s voice, Cecily warmly weed us as we entered the mansion. She was wearing a ck dress with minimal exposure. She seemed to have already known that Cecily was at our mansion, and she brushed it off lightly.

    Nevertheless, her expression remained the same. After exchanging greetings with my parents, Marie moved to the guest room for a private conversation. Incidentally, Cecily followed along too.

    ¡°¡­What was that all about?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. You don¡¯t really need to worry.¡±

    After exining the situation for a while, Marie finally showed a reaction that indicated she had grasped the entire situation. She was surprised when she heard about the connection with Arwen due to the high-level theft incident, but she quickly regained herposure.

    ¡°I was worried, you know. When I heard that your hand was injured, you can¡¯t imagine how surprised I was, right?¡±

    While speaking with concern, Marie didn¡¯t hide her disappointment. Well, it was my fault for not saying anything to my fianc¨¦e. Since it could have been an issue that would affect trust, I apologized properly.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making you worry. At least I should have told you.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s alright. I guess you didn¡¯t tell me because you thought I¡¯d be worried. Above all, I don¡¯t think there would have been anything different if I knew it.¡±

    Fortunately, Marie passed it off without much concern and even left a word of gratitude for Cecily. It was characteristic of her to think in such a way.

    As I was smiling warmly, Marie alternated her gaze between me and Cecily, who was sitting next to me. Then, with a mischievous expression, she yfully asked in a teasing voice.

    ¡°By the way, Cecily. Are you now sitting next to Isaac as if it¡¯s a given?¡±

    ¡°We promised. You said you¡¯d give in during the vacation.¡±

    ¡°I remember well. So¡­ did you?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Cecily responded to Marie¡¯s curious question with a faint smile. Seeing her cheeks slightly reddened, she seemed to be feeling somewhat embarrassed.

    In response to that reaction, Marie nodded as if she understood, then shifted her gaze to me. I wanted to divert my attention, but her gaze was so intense that I couldn¡¯t help but nervously open my mouth.

    ¡°Why are you staring like that?¡±

    ¡°I hope the vacation ends quickly.¡±

    Marie replied with a grin that carried her characteristic yfulness. After all, even with thepromise, there must be limits to how much she can endure.

    In fact, considering her overwhelming desire, it could be considered remarkable that she managed to hold back until now.

    ¡°I can give in for a day. The choice always rests with you, Marie. Honestly, isn¡¯t it hard to endure?¡±

    Cecily willingly expressed her intention topromise. However, Marie firmly shook her head and decisively declined.

    ¡°No, I can¡¯t. A promise is a promise. You two should get along well with each other. It¡¯s true that it¡¯s hard to endure, but if I hold back for a few days, it¡¯ll be okay. I n to be more disciplined at the academy for a while.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°My grades¡­ have dropped a bit. Hehe.¡±

    Marie brightly smiled while addressing a very practical issue. Studying is something that should be done consistently, not just during exam periods, but she has been cramming during exam periods.

    The rest¡­ you can probably guess. After sses, we would go on dates, and at night, we would head straight to an inn. With this pattern continuing, it¡¯s impossible for her grades to improve.

    Thanks to me rigorously teaching her history, her situation might be a bit better, but for other subjects, tears would probably be shed.

    ¡°While it might not be ideal, it¡¯s still a matter of pride. Isaac might be able to write more as well, so it could be a win-win situation?¡±

    ¡°So how often? Every few days?¡±

    ¡°Maybe every 3 to 4 days?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Right back to square one. And although she says that, the probability of her not enduring even for three days is even higher.

    ¡°Anyway! Let¡¯s stop the depressing talk here. So, what¡¯s Isaac going to do now? Since you announced that you injured your hand, you won¡¯t be able to write for a while, right?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s no problem. I n to tell soon that a passing priest helped me, and that my hand waspletely healed. Still, the next volume will probably be publishedte.¡±

    ¡°Sigh¡­ a bit disappointing. But it was something you had to do someday, so I can¡¯t help it. Will you go back to Helium?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go back eventually, probably a few days from now. I¡¯m curious about any news from Alvenheim.¡±

    The news of my injured hand has been spreading since 5 days ago. Arwen will reveal the culprit within a week at thetest. Until then, I n to stay at the mansion. Even if I go to Helium, there¡¯s not much I can do, and unexpected variables could arise. It¡¯s best to at least discuss things roughly with the family.

    ¡°Really? Okay, then. I guess I should head back soon.¡±

    ¡°Huh? You¡¯re going back right away? Take a day to rest first.¡±

    ¡°No, I shouldn¡¯t. You won¡¯t be able to focus with me around. I have some sense of propriety too. If you¡¯re really sorry, give me a hug at least.¡±

    When Marie subtly requested, I nced at Cecily. It was a sign that I could hug in front of her. Cecily read my eyes, smiled gently, and nodded. Both Marie and Cecily, they were broad-minded in various ways. To have such women who even love me, I am truly a fortunate guy.

    ¡°Come here, Marie.¡±

    ¡°Hehe.¡±

    As I opened my arms wide to wee her, Marie didn¡¯t miss the chance and jumped into my embrace. The warmth of her hug, something I hadn¡¯t felt in a long time, made my heart feel warm.

    While Marie and I shared a tight, intense hug for a while, she yfully pressed her face against my chest, showing affection. She was expressing the desires that had been suppressed during the vacation.

    ¡°Sniff, sniff. Yeah, it¡¯s this scent. Isaac¡¯s unique smell. I can¡¯t even fathom how much I¡¯ve yearned to feel this.¡±

    ¡°If you want, you can stay at the mansion for a few days.¡±

    Seems like Cecily felt a bit sorry for Marie, as she kindly offered. However, even after hugging me, Marie shook her head hesitantly.

    Then, while still holding onto me, Marie looked at Cecily and said with a bright smile.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m content with this. I just realized something ¨C having the person you love right next to you seems to fill up the empty ces in your heart.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I think I know that feeling.¡±

    ¡°Hehe.¡±

    As soon as Cecily agreed, Marie smiled brightly and pressed her ear against my chest. It was as if she was trying to listen to the sound of my heartbeat, enjoying the warmth with her eyes closed.

    I gently stroked Marie¡¯s snowy white hair and gave her a light kiss on the forehead. In response, Marie trembled and shivered slightly.

    <i>¡®I hope this kind of life continues now.¡¯</i>

    Enjoying a happy life with the women I love while doing what I enjoy. How blessed this life is. Compared to my previous life, it¡¯s something that I could not have even dreamed of.

    The Council of Elders, which had been annoying, is soon to be dissolved by Arwen. Now, there is only one thing left ¨C to dispel the misunderstanding that I am a prophet. Of course, as time goes by, it¡¯s something that will eventually be resolved, so I just need to continue writing Xenon¡¯s Biography consistently.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°When did your hair get long?¡±

    ¡°Is there something wrong with that? Don¡¯t you like it?¡±

    ¡°No. Even if your hair gets longer, you¡¯re still Isaac. I love you.¡±

    ¡°I love you too, Marie.¡±

    Could jealousy have arisen from the affectionate exchanges between me and Marie? Cecily pressed my arm with her fingers.

    As I turned my head, Cecily was gazing at me with gleaming red eyes, as if she was eagerly anticipating something. Like a cat that wanted to be petted, I embraced her gently with one arm.

    ¡°Of course, Cecily.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    I hope these happy times continue like this.

    [Shocking! The culprit who maimed Xenon¡¯s right hand was the Council of Elders from Alvenheim! But¡­£Ý

    [Was there a romantic rtionship between the Queen of Alvenheim and Xenon? Nothing has been confirmed yet, but there is a strange persuasiveness¡­£Ý

    [Were all the speeches by the Queen of Alvenheim actually the work of Xenon? Is it really true?£Ý

    [As the stories from the novel graduallye to life, their rtionship is also bing more realistic.£Ý

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    What is this strange sound again?

    *****

    ¡°Sigh¡­¡±

    Arwen let out a sigh of frustration. It was because of a single fact that had been spread before Fieren was captured, as she knew.

    She couldn¡¯t fathom on what grounds such an absurd act had been carried out, but as the situation came to an end and she slowly recollected the past, it was almost understandable to have such misconceptions.

    In reality, Isaac had even shown kindness to her, so it was not strange to not think in that direction. Moreover, it involved the responsibility for an unforgivable act, the theft of the manuscript.

    ¡°To the bitter end¡­¡±

    Since Fieren¡¯s misconduct had been revealed to the world, the Council of Elders naturally went through the dissolution process. Public opinion had reached its worst, and the hidden corruption began to be unveiled one after another.

    With the head gone, it was a natural course for the limbs that followedmands to be destroyed. It was a positive development that the troublemakers who had been causing problems for Alvenheim disappeared, but the post-processing was not yetplete.

    The Council of Elders had been supported by the older generation of elves, but now the situation had turned into dissolution. Perhaps a second Council of Elders could emerge, so there was no choice but to be cautious.

    Moreover, the biggest issue was herself. The rumors circting within Alvenheim have unsettled Arwen¡¯s ears.

    <i>¡®Me and Isaac in a romantic rtionship? That¡¯s just absurd¡­¡¯ </i>

    While it¡¯s true that Arwen was on friendly terms with Isaac, he already has two lovers. One is a human woman named Marie, and the other is Princess Cecily of Helium. Although Cecily hasn¡¯t officially confirmed it like Marie, it would be insignificant after Isaac revealed his true identity. Considering that Xenon and the Princess of Helium being together was somewhat understandable.

    However, with such rumors circting while Isaac¡¯s true identity remains undisclosed, it was an ufortable situation for Arwen. But there¡¯s an even bigger problem here.

    <i>¡®¡­But why is Isaac showing me favor?¡¯ </i>

    Arwen herself was starting to get confused. This phenomenon emerged alongside the kindness Isaac was showing her and the events from Xenon¡¯s Biography bing real. Even if it¡¯s not now, isn¡¯t it possible that it could be true in the distant future?

    A groundless delusion. But given that Isaac was currently being spected as a prophet or regressor, her thoughts leaned in that direction. Of course, it was all about ¡®possibility,¡¯ so no hasty conclusions were drawn.

    However, the moment doubt creeps in, it tends to grow exponentially. The destination of that doubt was unknown, but at least it could be certain that it wasn¡¯t in a negative ce.

    Knock knock knock

    Someone knocked on the study door at that moment. Arwen, upon hearing the sound, turned her gaze from the documents to the door.

    ¡°Your Majesty. It¡¯s Navir. May Ie in?¡±

    Navir was the newly appointed advisor. Among the capable individuals brought in as the Council of Elders was being disbanded, he was one. Navir was an ordinary member, having no distinct ideology, solely affiliated with the Council for the purpose of ¡®work.¡¯ That¡¯s why he could be brought in without much trouble. Arwen cast aside herplex emotions and gave permission in a calm voice.

    ¡°Enter.¡±

    Creak-

    As soon as permission was granted, Navir entered. She was an impressive woman with round sses and an expressionless face.

    ¡°What news do you bring this time?¡±

    ¡°The clergy have received a response from the deity.¡±

    ¡°What? Is that truly the case?¡±

    Arwen was taken aback by Navir¡¯s firm response and rose from her seat. Normally, she would have reacted indifferently, but not now. This matter was deeply connected to the rumors currently circting, even causing confusion for Alvenheim.

    The confusing rumor was about Arwen¡¯s rtionship with Isaac. To prevent further confusion in Alvenheim, Arwen sought help from the clergy, thinking that if the god, who presumably knew the future, could provide a clear answer. If the gods knew the future, wouldn¡¯t they give a definite answer? With this thought in mind, Arwen personally asked the clergy for assistance.

    ¡°Then, what kind of answer did they give?¡±

    ¡°They didn¡¯t say it in words. Just¡­¡±

    ¡°Just?¡±

    Nabir raised the fallen sses and calmly exined.

    ¡°They said that the ss is filled only halfway.¡±

    ¡°¡­What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure either. But they said that¡¯s the answer.¡±

    For reference, the question they asked the priest was something like this.

    [I wonder if Isaac and I will be lovers, just like the story in the book.]

    But Luminous ambiguously said that the ss is filled only halfway. Normally, one wouldn¡¯t be able to understand the meaning of the oracle, but¡­

    ¡®¡­Filled only halfway? Does that mean they¡¯re not denying? Because the future is uncertain?¡¯

    Hearing it like that, Arwen had no choice but to think positively.

    ¡°¡­Alright. Go out for now.¡±

    Following Arwen¡¯s instructions, Navir nodded and left the office. Alone now, Arwen sat at the desk, deep in thought, and muttered softly.

    ¡°¡­Really?¡±

 Chapter 185: Interpretation over dreams (1)

    The revtion that the culprit who harmed Xenon¡¯s right hand was a member of the Council of Elders was already a significant shock, but an even more attention-grabbing rumor had surfaced.

    The rumor was about Xenon and the Queen of Alvenheim, being in a romantic rtionship with each other. In other words, it was said that Arwen and I were in a rtionship.

    As someone who was merely munching on popcorn from a distance, this was an incredibly absurd rumor. I have no idea why such a rumor started, but ording to the newspaper, an imaginative someone named Fieren said it as a final act of defiance.

    However, there was enough truth to that, since I passed on a speech to Arwen and provided various forms of assistance. Since there¡¯s nothing particrly wonderful about trying topete with Arwen and she has also been of great help to me. Nevertheless, it seems that Fieren has simply concluded that Arwen and I are in a romantic rtionship based solely on these reasons.

    [Ters Kingdom. There was no Xenon Cloud in the Hask region. The vigers had never heard the name before¡­]

    [The Council of Elders in Alvenheim has undergone dissolution procedures, and the Grand Councilor Fieren Gerit Stormwalker received the punishment of having both ears severed. Additionally, the three individuals, including Ks, who directly attacked Xenon, will remain imprisoned for eternity¡­]

    [Ks¡¯ confession. The pact was false, and all information about Xenon is lies. So, what about Xenon¡¯s right hand now?]

    Furthermore, there were investigations into Xenon¡¯s information spread by Fieren¡¯s final stunt, but naturally, nothing turned out to be true.

    From the perspective of the Ters Kingdom, they must have been disappointed as they merrily made their way to the Hask region, only to find nothing. Perhaps they felt really unfair..

    Fieren once again became theughingstock after suffering another setback, but Xenon¡¯s identity once more turned into a mystery. While it¡¯s ¡®true¡¯ that the right hand was injured, the situation was rather confusing, as Ks and his group invaded and ended up being countered, creating a tangled scenario.

    [The Queen of Alvenheim would have noticed this fact in advance and informed Xenon. All that was needed was a pretext.]

    [Will it end in tragedy like Kair and Elisha, or will it continue like Xenon and Mary?]

    [In a situation where the attention of many people, including the citizens of Alvenheim, is focused, Queen Arwen is avoiding answering, stating that state affairs are a priority.]

    Of course, more than half were paying attention to my rtionship with Arwen. At first, I thought it would just be baseless rumors, and that it would quickly dissipate like bubbles after a while. But as time went on and neither side provided any exnation, signs of them trying to establish their own conclusions were gradually appearing.

    If things continue like this, they might really conclude that Arwen and I are lovers, so I hurriedly sought opinions. First and foremost, it was Marie and Cecily. Marie didn¡¯t stay at the mansion and immediately returned, only toe back as soon as she heard the news.

    In the end, because we didn¡¯t know what else might happen, we decided to have her stay at the mansion for the time being. My parents were aware of the situation and readily epted.

    ¡°Using this situation might not be a bad idea, right?¡±

    After the three of us discussed it, surprisingly, Marie presented a positive opinion. It was even more surprising because she had conceded a step to Cecily, and her expression showed unexpectedness. It seemed that Cecily felt the same way.

    ¡°For what reason?¡±

    ¡°After all, it¡¯s not like you¡¯re really dating, right? If we use it well politically, it should work out. It¡¯s a gain for the queen too, not a loss. It would be easier to think of it as a strategic marriage concept.¡±

    I nodded as I listened to Marie¡¯s exnation. Indeed, making use of rumors in a strategic marriage fashion didn¡¯t seem like a bad idea. Arwen could maximize her poprity among the citizens, and I could easily y along with such a narrative. However, we needed to rify matters before revealing my identities.

    If we were to disclose our identities, it would be necessary to acknowledge the fact that Marie and I were engaged, not to mention Cecily too. Otherwise, there was a risk that unfavorable rumors could spread.

    ¡°But Marie, Isaac is only 17 years old. Isn¡¯t it too young tobel him as an elf¡¯s lover?¡±

    Cecily, who had been pondering deeply, expressed a slightly negative opinion. Her concern stemmed from the fact that the rumors about me and Arwen being lovers were circting due to my undisclosed identity.

    Although there were asional spections that I might be an elderly sage, opinions had gradually emerged suggesting that my age might be surprisingly young, starting from the contamination of the World Tree¡¯s roots. Prophets or regressors didn¡¯t necessarily have to be old.

    ¡°Again, I¡¯ve never said they would be in a romantic rtionship. They just share a ¡®connection¡¯; but never held feelings for each other. Time-wise, it¡¯s not an issue. Remember when Isaac coincidentally met the Queen during the previous exhibition? We can spin the story around something like that, right?¡±

    ¡°A story?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Something like, ¡®We met when I was around 10 years old, and we¡¯ve been in touch ever since. Oh, the Queen also likes reading? What a coincidence! We¡¯ve been rmending books to each other, and it¡¯s evolved into this over time.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    It feels like strange rumors would be circting more and more. For instance, situations like me confessing to Arwen after growing up from my childhood, or the opposite scenario, and so on.

    These kinds of situations aremon even among the same humans. The story of a kid growing up and confessing to the adult they¡¯ve had feelings for since before. It¡¯s often exined as a situation where the roles were reversed.

    If it were in my past life, it would have been seen from various perspectives, but in this world, most things are just epted and moved on from. Moreover, with the increasing prevalence of love between different species, even the seemingly impossible isn¡¯t entirely out of the question.

    Still, there doesn¡¯t seem to be a better solution for the current situation.

    ¡°It seems okay. But I should ask Arwen for her opinion as well.¡±

    ¡°Should I call her right away?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. But I need to get permission from my parents first.¡±

    ¡°Just be careful not to let Dame Adelia find out.¡±

    As I got up from my seat and headed outside, Marie cautioned from behind. She had also learned the fact that Adelia had be my guardian knight.

    Then, there was a subtle expression change as if she sensed something. Most likely, being astute as she was, she might have caught onto the fact that Adelia had some favorable feelings towards me.

    For now, she¡¯ll continue to see us as close siblings, but if Marie were to find out about Adelia¡¯s true status and background, I don¡¯t know how she¡¯ll react. Knowing Marie¡¯s personality, she¡¯ll probably show understanding.

    <i>¡®Still, it¡¯s not the right time yet.¡¯</i>

    I¡¯ve heard something subtly from Mother. If I really want to ept Adelia, I should decide after hearing her choice when I reveal my true identity in the future.

    I am not a fool, so I know very well what that choice is. It¡¯s probably closely rted to the Kingdom of Ters. Even though she is currently keeping her distance and watching from afar, human hearts are prone to desires. Especially considering Ters¡¯s status as a cultural powerhouse, they will surely make efforts to establish a connection with me somehow.

    There¡¯s a strong possibility that by granting Adelia the title of royalty rather than amoner, they can link me to her. Furthermore, the fact that we were known to be close adds to the strategic advantage.

    <i>¡®Once my identity is revealed, things will be truly difficult.¡¯</i>

    We recently faced a crisis, but luckily we overcame it and even managed to create the best situation. The rumors about Ardwen and me were unexpected, though.

    Afterward, I exined everything to my parents. They told me to handle it as I see fit and respected my decision.

    When I asked where Adelia was at one point, I was told that she finished all her training and is currently taking a bath. Since there¡¯s plenty of time to talk, I can set ater date for our conversation.

    With my parents¡¯ approval, I returned to the bedroom where the two women were waiting. Even in my absence, it seems they were engaged in a lively conversation; their expressions were as bright as sunshine.

    ¡°What were you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Nothing important. So, did you get permission?¡±

    ¡°Yes. They said we could talk privately. Father also mentioned that from now on, I can handle matters rted to me on my own.¡±

    After this incident, my father said he wouldn¡¯t intervene unless I directly asked for help. Well, this time he was just a coborator; he didn¡¯t formte or execute any part of the n, after all.

    I walked towards the desk, carrying a piece of magic paper to summon Siris. Cecily had seen it many times, but Marie was seeing it for the first time, looking at it with an expression of fascination.

    ¡°If you tear that, you can summon [someone]?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Rip-

    I briefly answered and tore the summoning paper without hesitation. The torn paper immediately transformed into blue particles and scattered into the air.

    ¡°Did you summon me?¡±

    Soon, Siris was summoned in mid-air. She greeted politely with her distinctive husky voice.

    Marie¡¯s expression of fascination at seeing a Dark Elf for the first time in her life didn¡¯tst long. She was taken aback by Siris¡¯ revealing attire. Even though she was wearing armor, it was practically no different from underwear, so it was only natural to be surprised.

    ¡°Is, is she really a Dark Elf? But her clothes¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because of the Dark Elf¡¯s abilities. You¡¯ll get used to it as you see more.¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    Surprisingly, Marie seemed weak in situations like this. She turned her gaze elsewhere, embarrassed. However, with Siris¡¯ figure being what it was, she asionally peeked and eventually stared openly.

    Cecily gently smiled, her eyes twinkling, as she softly stroked her hair while she found the mentioned story amusing. Siris herself didn¡¯t seem to react much.

    Taking a brief moment to admire Siris¡¯s impressive figure, I cleared my throat to break the atmosphere and made a request to her.

    ¡°Siris, could you possibly call Arwen for a moment? If it¡¯s too taxing, you could even assume the role of a messenger. The conversation might end up being a bit lengthy.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Upon hearing my request, Siris promptly teleported away. During her absence, I didn¡¯t forget to y a prank on Marie.

    ¡°Marie, are you really shy about it?¡±

    ¡°Well, still¡­ this attire is¡­¡±

    ¡°But you wore something even more revealing on our first night.¡±

    ¡°I, I covered up everything important back then! That¡¯s not armor, just underwear!¡±

    With a bright red face, Marie let out an embarrassed squeak. Sitting beside her, Cecily watched this unfold with an enigmatic smile.

    If Marie found out that Cecily had donned a garter belt during our first night, what kind of reaction would she disy? I wanted to y a mischievous prank, but I decided to leave it at this level.

    ¡°¡­Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Do you happen to like this sort of thing?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t dislike it.¡±

    ¡°¡­I see. So, you actually enjoy this kind of thing¡­¡±

    It somehow feels like I¡¯ve given Marie unnecessary motivation, but let¡¯s just overlook it.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here.¡±

    A little whileter, Arwen appeared with Siris. As soon as Arwen appeared, Marie quietly stood up from her seat.

    Although it was not an official asion but rather an informal gathering, Arwen was still the queen of another country. Moreover, this was their first meeting, so it was important to make a good impression.

    ¡°Hello, Your Majesty. I am Marie Hausen Requilis, the daughter of Duke Requilis. It¡¯s an honor to meet you.¡±

    ¡°I am Arwen Elydia, the queen of Alvenheim. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡±

    The two women exchanged greetings ording to the customs of their respective countries. Cecily had met Arwen once before, so a brief exchange of nces was enough.

    Eventually, they all took their seats around the round table. However, Siris remained standing beside Arwen.

    ¡°So, what is the reason for summoning me to this ce?¡±

    ¡°Well, actually¡­¡±

    I conveyed to Arwen the story I had told her before. She seemed startled when she heard the rumors that were currently circting, but soon she listened attentively as I exined one thing after another.

    After a while, when the exnation was over, Arwen disyed a contemtive expression. asionally, she would meet my eyes and seem like she wanted to say something, her lips moving as if about to speak, but I patiently waited in silence.

    About a minute had passed like that. At around that point, she seemed to have judged what things were better than she thought and nodded her head. It was a sign of agreement.

    ¡°It¡¯s a good approach. We don¡¯t have to deny the rumors, but we should make it clear that it¡¯s not a romantic rtionship, just a simple connection¡­¡±

    ¡°Simply showing goodwill towards each other should be enough. But we should draw a clear line.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡±

    ¡°Maybe something like having an engagement partner?¡±

    ¡°An engagement partner¡­¡±

    Arwen looked at Marie at the mention of the word ¡°engagement partner.¡± Marie smiled beautifully as soon as their eyes met, then lowered her head slightly.

    It was somewhat amusing how she was making an effort to divert her attention from Siris. Her hand, clenched into a fist under the table, was trembling slightly.

    Meanwhile, Arwen nced at Marie with a subtle expression, then turned her head to the opposite side and looked at Cecily. Her face became even moreplex and intricate.

    What could she possibly be thinking? I waited quietly until she decided to speak.

    ¡°¡­Alright. Let¡¯s decide to do that, then.¡±

    ¡°No issues, right?¡±

    ¡°Issues with that¡­ Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    Arwen gazed at me with gray eyes resembling gxies. After her lips quivered once more, she spoke with effort.

    ¡°When you see a ss filled halfway with water, what kind of thoughtse to your mind?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I asked what thoughtse to your mind when you see a ss filled halfway with water. I want to hear the opinions of not just Isaac, but also all of you.¡±

    Arwen also sought the opinions of Marie and Cecily. Since it was an unexpected question, both the women on my sides, and me, showed slightly startled expressions.

    However, Arwen seldom spoke unnecessary words. Surely, there must be meaning behind that question.

    While I pondered deeply, Marie promptly expressed her thoughts.

    ¡°Ick the insight to understand what the Queen is asking with such an ambiguous question. Is there any significance to it?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s start with trust.¡±

    ¡°Trust¡­ I cautiously offer the opinion that it might mean to have a drink and regainposure, rather than just a ss of water.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Marie spoke her mind without hesitation. Arwen¡¯s reaction to her words was quite interesting to observe. Her already paleplexion seemed to whiten even further.

    Meanwhile, Cecily, who had been thinking deeply, offered another perspective.

    ¡°Could it mean that it varies depending on one¡¯s perspective? Some might think the ss is only half full, while others might see it as half empty.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    With a hint of hesitation in her voice, Arwen nodded while lowering her voice. It was a sign that things were somewhat fine but not entirely clear.

    The only remaining person was me. Since it was called a ¡°trust,¡± there must be some significance to it.

    I can¡¯t help but wonder what kind of joke Luminous might have yed again, but at least I should offer some positive words, like interpreting it as a premonition rather than just a dream. Otherwise, I might feel unnecessarily down.

    With that in mind, I looked straight at Arwen, who had an expectant look in her eyes, and voiced my opinion.

    ¡°It¡¯s ambiguous, but it could have various meanings. It could mean filling up the remaining portion of the cup, or on the contrary, pouring the water on the ground. Depending on one¡¯s intentions, they could choose to fill it or empty it, right?¡±

    ¡°Filling it up or emptying it¡­¡±

    ¡°It could indirectly express the idea of making a choice. It might not be about filling the water, but rather smashing the cup altogether. It¡¯s so vague that even I¡¯m not sure.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Arwen, having listened to my response, seemed to deeply contemte for a moment before raising her head and looking into my eyes.

    For reasons unknown to me, the corners of her mouth lifted slightly, showing a relieved expression.

    ¡°I understand. It seems I did well by seeking opinions from yourpanions.¡±

    ¡°So, can you tell us what kind of question led to this trust being bestowed upon us?¡±

    In response to my question, Arwen¡¯s smile grew even brighter.

    ¡°It¡¯s a secret.¡±

    She gave a response that could sound somewhat teasing or alluring.

 Chapter 186: Interpretation over dreams (2)

    [The Queen of Alvenheim finally speaks out! Xenon and I are merely connected by chance, not lovers¡­]

    [A few years ago, there was a chance meeting between Xenon and me. We¡¯ve kept our connection since then due to our shared love for books. He also has someone he promised a future with.]

    [Stop inting rumors any further. Alvenheim is in a state of confusion due to the Council of Elders. We should focus on governing the nation from now on.]

    Two dayster, as agreed upon with Arwen, we made the announcement. We were not lovers, only linked by a simple connection, which has persisted until now. The reason I could give her a speech was that we used magic to stay in touch, and recently, although we¡¯ve been too busy tomunicate regrly, we still manage to see each other¡¯s faces asionally.

    There was a hint of skepticism, not entirely unfounded, but when Arwen made the public statement, thebel of ¡°lovers¡± seemed to still fit¡­ Not without lingering dubious gazes, though. Once suspicion takes root in a person¡¯s mind, it tends to grow until it¡¯spletely eradicated. And as Arwen made the announcement, another round of stories began to circte.

    [The Queen of Alvenheim knows Xenon¡¯s true identity.]

    With just that sentence, one can roughly anticipate the situation Arwen was about to face. Articles aside, dignitaries from various countries started to express their positions one by one. A range of statements poured in, but most of them were expressing a desire to meet Arwen promptly. From the Minerva Empire to the Ters Kingdom, the Belua Republic, and even the maritime kingdom across the sea.

    For those who didn¡¯t know Xenon, the situation was inevitable as Arwen was their only point of contact. However, Alvenheim, despite having been defeated in the racial war, was once a powerful nation.

    Arwen rejected all demands, citing the need to strengthen her own position. If an envoy had visited, she diplomatically and cleverly sent them back in good terms to avoid any diplomatic issues.

    Normally, they would have restrained Alvenheim, which was susceptible, but due to the situation where Arwen was the sole connection and they could potentially lose her support, they were left with no choice but to be cautious.

    Thanks to Arwen, Alvenheim had gained a formidable shield and received unintended benefits.

    And there¡¯s one more thing. A piece of fortunate news reached the readers of Xenon¡¯s Biography amidst the misfortune.

    [Hello, dear readers. It¡¯s Xenon. Lately, in various ways¡­ (omitted)¡­ Therefore, my right hand, with the help of a passing priest, has fully recovered. I won¡¯t reveal their identity, but I express my gratitude to the clergyman. The new volume of Xenon¡¯s Biography will be out in as early as two weeks, or at thetest, within a month.]

    Xenon¡¯s right hand, which was said to be badly injured, had recovered. Those readers who cared only about Xenon¡¯s Biography rejoiced.

    When it was said that his right hand was severely injured, one couldn¡¯t fathom how distressed he must have been. At least half a year, maybe even a year, was expected for recovery, possibly even needing to write with his left hand.

    But just as there are viins in the world, there are also virtuous people. One virtuous person, by chance, aided Xenon and alleviated people¡¯s anxious hearts all at once.

    [The attack by the elves is true. What about the pact?]

    [Alvenheim¡¯s queen. The pact is all lies. Xenon handled them and contacted her personally.]

    [How powerful is Xenon¡¯s force that even the elves can¡¯t win?]

    Furthermore, even strange delusions were added like seasonings. That Xenon¡¯s strength was great enough to subdue the elves who attacked him in return.

    With Arwen¡¯s testimony, people came to regard Xenon as someone endowed with both ¡®literature¡¯ and bat.¡¯ While it was known that someone had ghostwritten for him, the focus remained solely on Xenon.

    Thanks to this, Xenon¡¯s value naturally soared. A person possessing not only knowledge but also power is a rare find in the world, let alone achieving victory against elves.

    Amidst the onught of numerous misconceptions like a typhoon, the true protagonist¡­

    ¡°Are these all fan letters?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Like being in the eye of a storm, I was peacefully reading the fan letters.

    ******

    With my arms crossed, I nced at the pile of fan letters on the desk. Cecily and Marie were looking at them with expressions of curiosity.

    After everything was settled and I sent a letter to the publishingpany, I requested fan letters. The publishingpany dlyplied and sent me a substantial amount of fan letters. And this is the result.

    However, the quantity was ridiculouslyrge. I¡¯ve been so busy that I haven¡¯t been receiving fan letters, and in the meantime, an enormous amount has umted.

    ording to what the publishingpany president told me, this is only a ¡®portion.¡¯ I can¡¯t even fathom how many fan letters are piled up.

    ¡°Do you n on reading all of these?¡±

    When I was pondering which letter to read first, Cecily asked me with a hesitant voice. I heard her question and scratched my temple as I replied.

    ¡°Yes, I should read them all. They¡¯re letters fans sent.¡±

    ¡°Can I read them too?¡±

    Marie asked, her expression full of curiosity. She had decided to stay at the mansion for a while to observe the situation. About two weeks remained until the end of the vacation. We nned to stay at the mansion for about three days before returning to Helium, and during that time, Marie would stay at our mansion.

    Hearing her request, I thought for a moment and nodded my head to indicate that it was okay. After all, I could just read them again if needed, so there was no problem.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Just make sure to put them aside after you read them. I need to read them too.¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    ¡°Isaac, what about me?¡±

    ¡°You can read them too, Noona.¡±

    Saying that, I picked up one letter from the pile that was stacked high. I wasn¡¯t sure how long it would take to read them all, but with my practiced speed-reading skills, I would likely finish them quickly. Roughly estimating, it wouldn¡¯t take more than 1 to 2 hours. If there were any contents that seemed like ¡°persuasion¡± or ¡°threats,¡± I could simply discard them right away.

    ¡°If there¡¯s anything weird written in the letters, you can just ignore it.¡±

    ¡°Weird content?¡±

    ¡°Like saying they¡¯ll make me rich and famous if I join them or something.¡±

    ¡°I see. There might be things like that.¡±

    ¡°Well, it would be strange if there weren¡¯t.¡±

    Marie and Cecily both showed expressions of understanding, then each picked up a letter. As they tore open the envelopes and began to read, I also shifted my gaze to the letters.

    Knowing that there was no worry of someone entering the bedroom in the meantime, as I had already informed the servants, I confirmed the sender before tearing open the envelope.

    [Cherry Blossom Roseberry]

    <i>¡®It¡¯s this person again.¡¯</i>

    Among the numerous stacked envelopes, there was a particrly noticeable pink one that caught my eye, and as expected, it was indeed from them. Among the consistent fan letters that had beening from the beginning until now, this was one of the few people to whom I had responded.

    Upon receiving my response, it seemed like they were moved, as the interval between their letters had be much shorter than before.

    Rip¨C-

    I neatly tore open the envelope, which was pink like cherry blossoms, and pulled out its contents. Then, I unfolded the letter paper that was entirely pink like the envelope and slowly began to read the contents.

    [Hello, Xenon-nim! Red-tinted autumn leaves are falling, and the cold winter is already approaching. The vigers areining about the wintering faster thanst year. I¡¯m curious if Xenon-nim enjoys the withered flowers of winter. I don¡¯t like them personally.]

    As expected, the elegant handwriting, like the letters I¡¯ve received so far, was impressive. In addition, there were words imbued with a girl¡¯s sensibility. Just like thest time, I felt it too, that a single letter can be written so sweetly, warming the heart of the reader.

    If the atmosphere of Xenon¡¯s Biography flows smoothly like a river, changing like vast waves, then this woman named Cherry must be wafting a scent of blossoms, attracting butterflies and bees.

    I¡¯ve never met her in person, not even once, but somehow, an approximate image has formed in my mind. A literary girl emitting the aura of cherry blossoms.

    [Soon, I¡¯ll be entering Halo Academy. I want to acquire as much knowledge as Xenon-nim has. My parents oppose this, but won¡¯t theree a day when I write like Xenon-nim? Unlike an adventure, I want to focus on the love between two people, like the elf and human love story you wrote, Xenon-nim. Love is sweet but also has a bitter taste, aplex yet intense emotion. I want to write in a way that captures that feeling well.]

    Cherry, the girl who will soon enter Halo Academy. As I was reading the letter slowly, a question arose in my mind, so I shifted my gaze to Marie.

    Marie was concentrating with her index finger against her lips. Although I felt a bit sorry for interrupting her concentration, I wanted to resolve my curiosity.

    ¡°Marie.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Do you happen to know about the Roseberry family?¡±

    ¡°Roseberry? Are you talking about the Roseberry Viscount family known for their pink color?¡±

    ¡°Probably?¡±

    As expected, just like a skilled diplomat, she even knew my middle name. As Marie and I engaged in conversation, Cecily also became attentive to our discussion.

    While idly tapping her index finger against her cheek, Marie eventually began to share information about the Roseberry family.

    ¡°The Roseberry family is famous even within the Minerva Empire. Like many noble families, they¡¯re wealthy, and they are particrly renowned for producing exceptional philosophers through generations.¡±

    ¡°Philosophers?¡±

    ¡°Yes. More than half of the philosophy books published within the Minerva Empire havee from the Roseberry family. Even the philosophy professors at the Halo Academy are graduates of the Roseberry family.¡±

    A family that ces such importance on philosophy was somewhat unique. However, considering the era, philosophy was one of the most crucial disciplines. The development of human rights in my past life was rooted in philosophy, with figures like Sakyamuni, Confucius, to, Nietzsche, and others. The philosophies left behind by numerous prominent individuals continued to wield significant influence in the modern world.

    Moreover, philosophy was deeply intertwined with the framework of ¡°ideology,¡± which moved nations. The anecdote of Hitler drawing inspiration from Nietzsche was well-known, and the father ofmunism, Marx, needs no introduction.

    Furthermore, given that gods actually existed here, philosophy was bound to flourish even more than on Earth. It wasn¡¯t entirely strange for a family to revolve around philosophy, and it wasn¡¯t umon even in the past life.

    <i>¡®It makes sense she¡¯s exceptionally skilled at writing.¡¯</i>

    Considering she was born and raised in a family that regarded philosophy as fundamental, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if her writing skills were remarkable.

    As I made a convincing expression, Marie pointed to the letter I was reading and asked.

    ¡°Is that from the Roseberry family by any chance?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Cherry Blossom Roseberry. She¡¯s about to enter the academy soon.¡±

    ¡°Really? You might even have a chance to meet her. Even though we¡¯re in different grades. Plus, you were appointed as a rmended student.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Upon hearing those words, I shifted my gaze to the letter. There aren¡¯t many people who can write so sweetly. Maybe I¡¯ll have a chance to meet her at least once.

    Of course, that¡¯s a story for when circumstances align. For now, I¡¯m just thinking about exchanging letters from the perspective of an author and a fan.

    ¡°Yeah, maybe we could meet.¡±

    I shrugged and started reading the next letter.

    ******

    In the midst of numerous headlines flooding the current news, it¡¯s a well-known fact that many countries are striving to establish connections with Alvenheim. Creating a link with Xenon somehow could greatly advance cultural development. The leaders of each nation were putting effort into gaining Arwen¡¯s favor in any way possible.

    Among them was the Kingdom of Ters, renowned for its freedom and culture. When Fieren spread malicious rumors, they went to the Hask region with a carefree attitude, but returned empty-handed.

    Only then did the Kingdom of Ters realize that Fieren had spread false information, and they couldn¡¯t help but feel disappointed. With Xenon¡¯s pursuit already thwarted, now even theirst hope had been extinguished.

    Ultimately, the Kingdom of Ters decided to proceed with its original ns.

    ¡°¡­So, you¡¯re saying I have to go there?¡±

    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. It¡¯s something you must endure for the sake of our rtionship with the Minerva Empire.¡±

    ¡°But isn¡¯t Lara here as well?¡±

    ¡°Lara is still young. And who knows what kind of impoliteness she mightmit.¡±

    King Friedrich of Ters spoke firmly while looking at the woman before him. She had sky-blue hair and eyes that flickered beneath her gaze.

    Her name was Hiriya Duke von Kurchers, the second princess of the Kingdom of Ters. Unlike her older sister Adelia, who had a different aura and a lively impression, Hiriya exuded a somewhat sharp and cold beauty. Instead of the morous dresses that most princesses wore, she was dressed in a neat uniform, projecting a dignified image.

    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re sending me, right? I made myself clear. I¡¯d rather be a knight than be dolled up like a doll.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°But why are you so determined to marry me off? Is forming a connection with the Minerva Empire really that important?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not sending you off in marriage; we¡¯re merely spreading rumors. So don¡¯t worry.¡±

    ¡°But Olivia noona¡­¡±

    ¡°Olivia really did hit it off. It¡¯s not my fault. So, she¡¯s still doing well, raising three children and all. The exchange with the Belua Kingdom has be much more active than before.¡±

    ¡°Sigh¡­¡±

    Hiriya let out a frustrated sigh at Friedrich¡¯s stubbornness. His personality was unwavering once he made a decision, and no matter how many times you asked, the answer remained the same. In order to foster better rtions with the Minerva Empire, Hiriya, as one of the two princesses, would transfer to the Halo Academy.

    There, she would build friendships with the crown prince or princess, thus bridging the gap between the two nations. Given the unpredictable nature of when and how war might erupt between the two countries, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to be close.

    Additionally, there was one unavoidable circumstance driving this decision. That was the fact that the Michelle Territory, where the exhibition took ce, was Xenon¡¯s homnd. With just that, the Minerva Empire enjoyed unexpected profits, while the Ters Kingdom faced an unexpected blow from the dry skies.

    ¡°¡­Father.¡±

    ¡°Why are you calling?¡±

    ¡°Promise me. Promise that you won¡¯t send me away in marriage until I want it.¡±

    ¡°For now, I promise. But if your feelings change, I¡¯ll be sure to listen whenever that happens.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no way that will happen.¡±

    With resolute determination, Hiriya responded, and then, as if something had urred to her, she questioned Friedrich in a curious tone.

    ¡°Come to think of it, isn¡¯t Adelia at the Hailo Academy?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing to worry about. Because she has already graduated and won¡¯t be around. It seems she¡¯s be a knight in the service of some noble family.¡±

    ¡°A knight?¡±

    ¡°Yes. So you don¡¯t need to worry about meeting her.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Upon hearing this, Hiriya smiled satisfactorily and spoke quietly.

    ¡°That¡¯s a bit disappointing.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Friedrich raised one eyebrow in a questioning expression. But in response to Hiriya¡¯s next words, he couldn¡¯t help but let out a chuckle.

    ¡°I was actually thinking of using the pretext of a duel to teach her a lesson.¡±

    ¡°Hehehe.¡±

    There were two weeks left until the academy¡¯s reopening.

    ¡°Let¡¯s torment her just enough. If she ends up resorting to suicide or something, it¡¯ll be a headache.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll consider that.¡±

    Another storm was slowly approaching.

 Chapter 187: 2nd Grade (1)

    As all the events were resolved, time flowed rapidly as before, without any incidents. However, due to Arwen¡¯s statement about the ¡®person whom he promised the future to,¡¯ it got a little noisy. The ¡®person whom he promised the future to¡¯ referred to Xenon¡¯s fianc¨¦, meaning someone in their twenties. Some pointed to Arwen, however this was soon buried quietly.

    If Arwen were human, it might have been different, but she was an elf of the long-lived kind, a race that considered a few decades as merely a ¡°brief¡± time. Furthermore, she had added an additional exnation that they had met a long time ago, making it even more difficult to guess my age.

    All that was left for me was returning to Helium and enjoying sweet dates with Cecily. Marie also returned to her mansion in preparation for the Academy reopening. In the midst of this, Cecily suggested once again that Marie could apany us to Helium, but she declined firmly, saying she would go after receiving a formal invitationter. Though she was ambitious, she was being subtly considerate.

    And so, in the remaining time, while enjoying precious dates with Cecily in Helium and working on writing the next volume, the day before the Academy¡¯s reopening finally arrived.

    Cecily suggested we meet at the Academy and returned me to the mansion, leaving me with a final kiss to express her affection.

    Before heading to the Academy, she offered to teleport me there, but I declined out of politeness. This time, I nned to go to the Academy with Adelia.

    ¡°How is it? Is it okay?¡±

    And back to the present. I was facing Adelia, who would soon be a guardian knight. She wore leather pants that showcased the graceful lines honed through training, along with a white shirt and a vest on top.

    The sleeve of the shirt was also slightly lifted, giving off the image of a free-spirited adventurer. It was a stark contrastpared to the random things she used to wear during her days as a teaching assistant.

    ¡°Yeah. It looks really good on you. Your figure is great, so anything you wear would suit you well.¡±

    ¡°Really? Thanks for thepliment. And it¡¯s not like my figure is that great.¡±

    Adelia gained confidence from my praise, cing her hand lightly on her waist and showing off. I couldn¡¯t help but smile at her confident demeanor, which I had seen many times before.

    From now on, she would be acting as my escort knight, so she needed to dress neatly like this. Iron armor was ufortable, and it couldn¡¯t be used within the academy.

    However, the genuine sword could be used, but unless my life was in danger, there wasn¡¯t much reason to use it.

    ¡°You know how to operate within the academy, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Apart from sses, I always have to be by your side. If the lord doesn¡¯t want it, I can go separately, but I need the lord¡¯s permission for that. Otherwise, I have to stay in the escort knight¡¯s exclusive residence.¡±

    ¡°You know well.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been in the academy longer than you have. So, it¡¯s not that difficult.¡±

    Escort knights are not mandatory, and if nobles wish, they can bring them along. Looking at the fact that Rina and Marie don¡¯t have escort knights, it¡¯s clear that it¡¯s a choice.

    The academy is known for its much better security than other regions, and up to the second year, it¡¯s mainly about studying like crazy. There¡¯s almost no worry about getting in danger.

    Because of this, the number of people apanied by escort knights was rtively small. Still, it¡¯s not entirely absent; it¡¯ll just attract some attention and end there.

    ¡°Our cutie was appointed as the rmended student, right? So, are you going to be a teaching assistant right away?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Although I am only a second-year student, I have been appointed as a teaching assistant as a rmended student to assist Professor Elena. I just found out now, but even non-majors take a course called ¡®Culture¡¯ starting from the second year. For non-majors, the first year is just an adaptation process. Moreover, non-majors are ssified as knights and wizards for different sses, but they all take history together.

    However, because literature and martial arts students study differently, they are divided by ss time. So, I will simply follow the professor around and assist as a teaching assistant.

    ¡°I might know about being a teaching assistant for martial arts majors, but I¡¯m not sure about literature students.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. I just handle the professor¡¯s tasks and help with discussions, that¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°Have you seen other teaching assistants besides you?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    Come to think of it, Professor Elena has assistants like Cindy, but I¡¯ve never seen any teaching assistants. It¡¯s quite distinct from other history professors who usually have two or three assistants. Even if history is not a popr subject, there should be at least one or two assistants, but I¡¯ve never encountered them so far.

    I wonder what the reason is. As I pondered, I shrugged my shoulders. It¡¯s okay to be alone, and I do like history as a subject and have confidence in it.

    ¡°No, there aren¡¯t any. I¡¯ve visited the Professor¡¯s office frequently, but I¡¯ve never met one.¡±

    ¡°Really? Hmmm¡­ Well, it probably doesn¡¯t matter. Are you going to keep your hair as it is and go?¡±

    While staying in Helium, Mora was very generous in imbuing me with a lot of ¡°kind¡± divinity. Thanks to that, my hair, which at first had grown to my shoulders, went down all the way down to my waist. I was horrified.

    Even so, I strongly protested that it shouldn¡¯t go all the way to my waist, but it didn¡¯t even budge. Cutting it was meaningless, as it would grow back again.

    Thanks to this, every morning after getting up, I would wash and then gentlyb each other¡¯s hair with Cecily. It wasn¡¯t all that bad, as it was a somewhat refreshing experience.

    (TL: Holy shit Mora made Cale out of him XD)

    Managing it was incredibly annoying, though. The fact that I would have to manage this damn hair on my own from now on already gave me a headache.

    ¡°Probably. Since it grows back even if you cut it.¡±

    ¡°Is it not some kind of illness? Have you been to the temple?¡±

    Adelia, who didn¡¯t really know the situation, asked with a worried look in her eyes. Maybe I could tell her about the blessing Mora had given me.

    As I looked at her reaction, I eventually let out a bitter smile and confessed.

    ¡°Well¡­ actually, it¡¯s been like this since I went to the temple.¡±

    ¡°Huh? What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°When I was staying in Helium, I went to the temple for a short while. It¡¯s been like this since then.¡±

    As I exined, a stronger sense of doubt filled Adelia¡¯s vivid, sky-colored eyes.

    Indeed, it¡¯s hard to understand that going to a temple would make your hair longer. Usually, temples are ces for clergy or patients to go.

    However, I learned something while visiting the temple of Luminous and Mora. The fact that these two are very human-like. Especially Mora, who had a higher levels of energy than Luminous and was a bit of a prankster.

    ¡°Um¡­e to think of it, Helium worships Mora instead of Luminous, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°For some reason, Mora seems to like you. Sometimes that happens. asionally, certain characteristics are given to the worshippers that Mora likes. Like their hair getting longer, or they grow taller, or maybe they start emitting a floral scent.¡±

    ¡°Does Luminous do that too?¡±

    Mora was the goddess I got involved with, so it¡¯s true for me, but I was curious if Luminous does the same.

    ¡°Yeah. Cutie, since you¡¯re into history, you know what kind of flower Luminous likes, right?¡±

    ¡°Luminous likes lc flowers.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. If a worshipper emits the scent of lc flowers, it means they¡¯re favored by Luminous. That¡¯s why they often offer lc flowers as offerings. That¡¯s also why Luminous worshippers often use lc-scented perfume.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s an interesting story¡­¡±

    As soon as I heard that story, I rubbed my nose against my arm in haste. If Luminous likes lc flowers, then Mora likes peaches. So, I wondered if I emitted the scent of peaches. Suddenly, that thought crossed my mind. There¡¯s no guarantee that I would emit the scent of peaches like in the case of Cecily. But in this situation where I¡¯m not even sweating, it was hard to tell what scent I was emitting. Cecily and Marie just told me that my scent is nice but didn¡¯t specify what exactly the scent was.

    Sniff Sniff-

    ¡°¡­What are you doing?¡±

    Adelia asked in a curious voice as I pressed my nose against myself, smelling all over. I answered as if it wasn¡¯t a big deal.

    ¡°I was just curious if I smell like peaches. Mora likes peaches, so I thought maybe since my hair has grown longer, my scent has changed too¡­¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    Adelia replied slowly to my words. There was no change in her sky-blue eyes, but she seemed to want to say something, licking her lips with her tongue. Then she seemed to hesitate for a while, and eventually, with determination, she closed her eyes tightly. Could it be that she does it herself or something¡­

    ¡°Well, maybe if you ask Marieter.¡±

    ¡­It wasn¡¯t an unreasonable suggestion. For a moment, greed welled up, but I held my principles firmly.

    ¡°Ah, then that should work. Thank you.¡±

    ¡°I-It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s just a¡­ small thing.¡±

    She was trying to smile, but a hint of bitterness couldn¡¯t be hidden as her lips quivered. Somehow it felt a bit awkward. I need a topic to lighten the mood somehow. Fortunately, there was a suitable one, so I can smoothly transition.

    ¡°Oh, by the way, take this.¡±

    ¡°Is this¡­¡±

    ¡°A summoning gem. I¡¯ll probablye to Noona¡¯s room myself most of the time, but it¡¯s better if you have it for now.¡±

    I handed Adelia a small, palm-sized blue stone. If I want to, the blue light will shimmer on that stone.

    Adelia looked at the summoning stone resting on her palm, then clenched it tightly. She carefully wrapped her other hand around it and pressed it against her chest.

    There¡¯s a determination not to lose it. She might still be holding onto the handkerchief I gave her.

    I¡¯m not sure if she¡¯s aware of it herself, but her pure feelings toward me were subtly revealed.

    Adelia was deeply in love with me, an unrequited love.

    ¡°Take care from now on, Sir Guardian Knight.¡±

    Before I knew it, the eventful first year had passed.

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    The even more eventful second year began.

    *****

    You would likely know about the events where Lumineus praised Isaac and the Holy Kingdom Xavier began to canonize him as a saint.

    Until now, he had only propagated the concept of the ¡®Seven Deadly Sins¡¯ and presented a new path in theology. However, the situation has now taken aplete 180-degree turn.

    Isaac¡¯s achievements have transcended imagination to the point where even Lumineus directly acknowledged them. No matter how much coincidence yed a role, his merits will not disappear.

    Xavier took significant actions, even had a Cardinal embarking on a pilgrimage, to find Isaac. The name of this Cardinal was Kate Louise Angelica. Born with potent divine power, she ascended to the position of a Cardinal at the tender age of 19, disying exceptional martial prowess and concurrently serving as an inquisitor.

    As time passed, at the youthful age of 20, she¡­

    Crash!

    She was in the midst of shattering the nest that the devil worshipers concealed underground in the city.

    ¡°Hii, h-hiiii¡­! Mon, monster!¡±

    ¡°Monster?¡±

    The woman responded with an amused expression as the devil worshiper, d in a dark robe, spoke in a trembling voice of fear. Despite the darkness prevalent underground, her emerald eyes gleamed brightly. Furthermore, although sprayed with blood due to the powerful blow she had just struck with her solid mace, her graceful appearance couldn¡¯t be concealed. Rather, the sttered blood enhanced her aura of a formidable warrior.

    Thud-

    As she slowly raised the mace that had crushed the skull, bits of flesh and blood dripped off. The woman retrieved the mace, gazing silently at the trembling demon worshiper consumed by fear before finally speaking.

    ¡°Monsters can be redeemed. But demons¡­ maybe. As for devils¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, please! D-don¡¯t¡­!¡±

    The woman, regardless of whether the devil worshiper pleaded or not, shed a cheerful smile and raised her mace high, speaking dryly.

    ¡°Only punishment.¡±

    Thunk!!

    Once again, she swung down her mace decisively, and the devil worshiper¡¯s head burst open like a smashed watermelon, blood, flesh, and sticky brain matter sttering across her face. However, the woman didn¡¯t even bat an eye.

    ¡°A devil worshiper dares such a thing.¡±

    Wooo-wooom-

    Muttering in such a manner, the woman swung her mace again with a satisfying motion. Various debris, including blood, scattered across the floor.

    Without considering wiping her face, she scanned the scattered bodies of devil worshipers around her. All of them were missing their heads.

    It was cruel without a hint of mercy, but these were devil worshippers, the ones who offered living humans as sacrifices to summon devils. The victims were obviously the ones who had gone missing recently in the vicinity. Due to the numerous reports of disappearances, she had investigated and found the presence of devil worshippers.¡¯

    <i>If left unchecked, they would have caused even greater harm.¡¯</i>

    She shifted her gaze towards the altar where the devil worshippers had been offering sacrifices. Bones of the victims were already piled near the altar.

    Necromancy was a forbidden art of gaining power in exchange for life. The sacrifice offered became immediately a decaying bone.

    ¡°Oh, Luminous One. Please grant these souls rest¡­¡±

    After mourning for the victims not yet found, the woman turned her back as if she had nothing more to see. The rest would be taken care of by the following generations.

    Eventually, upon exiting the altar room, she met with the individuals who were already preparing outside. Among them, her gaze met the eyes of a woman who seemed to be giving orders.

    ¡°Ah, Lady Kate, have you finished organizing everything?¡±

    ¡°Yes. What about the rest?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve contacted the organization. They will send priests soon.¡±

    Satisfied with the answer, the woman named Kate nodded. The activities of demon worshippers had intensifiedtely, necessitating more hands.

    She heard that it was because they wereing out in the open, since they had been already revealed and were causing disturbances. While Xenon had ignited the powder keg, it was better this way. It was more serious to not discover the victims at all, even if their numbers increased rapidly in a short period. They hadn¡¯t even known about the existence of devil worshippers before Xenon¡¯s incident.

    This illustrated how well the devil worshippers had been concealed, even involving high-ranking nobles as coborators.

    ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll leave the rest to you.¡±

    ¡°Yes. By the way, may I ask where our next destination is?¡±

    ¡°First, I n to head to the Minerva Empire. We need to find Xenon as soon as possible. Although I¡¯d like to go to Alvenheim in my heart, since the queen is busy, we¡¯re nning to proceed with the pilgrimage for now.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ Can we really find him?¡±

    The priestess expressed a negative sentiment. Last time, Xenon had received help from a priest and healed his right hand, but they couldn¡¯t pinpoint the exact location. In this world, there are many priests like Kate who embark on pilgrimages, and there are no small number of individuals who bestow offerings in return.

    Xavier was initially intrigued by the news, but gave up immediately due to theck of clues. As a result, even Xavier was in the process of sending Kate on a pilgrimage and searching for Xenon on the ground. The devotees requested hints from Luminous, but the response that came back was quite vague.

    ¡°Luminous surely gave me such a task to find him as well. While the gods may speak ambiguously, if you offer your sincere devotion, they will never grant you a false task.¡±

    ¡°But still¡­¡±

    ¡°It is our duty toprehend the intentions of the gods, Sister. We mustn¡¯t be suspicious.¡±

    Kate spoke with a gentle yet firm voice. Her words represented her strong faith in Luminous. Upon hearing this, the priestess momentarily flinched, then quickly bowed her head in apology. If her words were misinterpreted, the consequences could be dire.

    ¡°I apologize. I spoke out of turn. Please forgive me.¡±

    ¡°Stand tall, Sister. asionally, it is necessary to harbor doubt to deepen our inherent trust.¡±

    Kate, who touched the shoulders of the priestess, spoke with a boundlessly merciful voice, not as a blindly fanatical believer. The problem was that her hands were also stained with blood, much like the mace. Naturally, the blood had stained the priestess¡¯s white robe red.

    The priestess, who had anticipated this in advance, sighed inwardly. The blood wouldn¡¯t easilye off even after washing, so the only solution was to purify it with divine power.

    ¡°¡­ Thank you for your advice. Before you go, Lady Kate.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Please speak, Sister.¡±

    ¡°May I inquire about the reason why Cardinal embarked on a pilgrimage to find Xenon herself?¡±

    Kate embarked on the pilgrimage to find Xenon not by Xavier¡¯smand, but of her own volition. She even directly requested it from the pope.

    It was a fact not widely known in the secr world, but those closely associated with the Church had a rough idea. However, they were unaware of the reason behind it.

    With a beautiful smile that anyone could see, Kate revealed the reason aloud.

    ¡°Sister, as you know, Xenon has saved this world from crisis. Even Luminous has expressed gratitude personally.¡±

    ¡°I am aware of that.¡±

    ¡°Aplishments trante to divine power. If he wishes, even the Pope wille to appear insignificant in terms of divine power.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°I am undertaking this pilgrimage to receive the seeds of such Xenon.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Pardon?¡±

    What was that? As the priestess blinked her eyes round and disyed a bewildered expression, Kate gently stroked her lower abdomen. And despite wearing a warmer smile than anyone else, she began to make somewhat fanatical remarks one by one.

    ¡°I have risen to this position with the blessing of Luminous. A girl from the countryside, who had nothing, now possesses immense divine power¡­ This can only be described as a blessing. It¡¯s practically a form of grace.¡±

    ¡°Th-that¡¯s right. But¡­¡±

    ¡°In order to repay that grace, I will receive the seed of someone with strong divine power. The child born between us will undoubtedly possess a much stronger divine power than me or the pope. If that child grows up to be a clergy, they will be of great assistance to Luminous. This is the way I will repay my gratitude to Luminous.¡±

    Just to rify, her rank was already that of a Cardinal and Grand Inquisitor. It¡¯s an impossible position without considerable faith and divine power. Her mindset didn¡¯t bow down to fanaticism.

    Upon hearing those words, the priestess was left speechless, but suddenly, a practical problem came to her mind.

    ¡°What if Xenon were a girl?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. If either Xenon or I request from Luminous to change one of us into a man, it should not be a problem. It¡¯s an actual urrence, so there won¡¯t be any issues.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    She could understand why the oracle was given in such an ambiguous way.

 Chapter 188: 2nd Grade (2)

    In the second year, just like in the first year, students aim to take various sses to avoid failing and repeating a year. There isn¡¯t much difference from the first year, but if there¡¯s any distinction, it¡¯s probably the change of professors.

    However, even among the professors, there are those who change and those who remain the same. From the third year onwards, students be teaching assistants, helping professors or providing significant assistance in sses. At this point, they¡¯ve essentially chosen their career path, so they¡¯re treated almost like half-graduate students rather than mere teaching assistants.

    Even if they haven¡¯t decided on a career path, there¡¯s a process to obtain a graduation certificate, so there¡¯s no issue. In fact, there are fewer cases of students deciding on a career path in advance than one might think, which is why only about half of the literature students be teaching assistants from their third year.

    Anyway, I nned to follow Professor Elena and assist her or directly participate in sses in the future. As mentioned before, history is a general education ss that even non-literature students attend.

    Unlike literature students, there are far more non-literature students, and their sses are also divided into several groups. ording to Adelia¡¯s exnation, when she first entered, there were only three groups.

    But now, there were over five groups. Surprisingly, more than half of them weremoners, and the number of nobles was unexpectedly low.

    This basically means that within less than 10 years, Minerva Empire¡¯s talent recruitment ability has been elevated, and the system has been well established. The admission process is not based on rtive evaluation but absolute evaluation, so the numbers can only increase over time.

    As a result, there¡¯s a need for faculty to teach non-literature students, so they are currently hiring skilled individuals from various backgrounds. By the way, among them was my father as well, but he politely declined due to being busy with territorial matters.

    ¡°Perhaps this year will be very busy. There are about 350 new students. Among them, 150 are liberal arts students.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    I visited Elena¡¯s researchb on the day of the academy¡¯s reopening. While organizing materials, I couldn¡¯t help but be surprised by the story Elena brought up. Last year, there were only 200 new students and 50 literature students. However, something happened in the meantime that caused the number of liberal arts students to triple.

    Truly an explosive growth. As mentioned just now, the entrance exam is an absolute evaluation, so an increase in new students was a natural urrence, but it was too much.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this increase a bit too much?¡±

    ¡°I thought it was strange at first too, but if you look closely, it¡¯s a phenomenon that makes sense.¡±

    ¡°It makes sense?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Elena nodded her head and began to present a somewhat absurd hypothesis as I listened in disbelief.

    ¡°Do you know when Volume 1 of Xenon¡¯s Biography was published?¡±

    ¡°Probably¡­ about a year and six months ago?¡±

    Since I was 16 years old when Volume 1 was published, it¡¯s probably roughly correct. The significant surge in poprity started from Volume 5, but it had some poprity before that.

    ¡°But why bring up Xenon¡¯s Biography? Are you suggesting that this might be because of that?¡±

    ¡°It could be?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I clenched my lips as I watched Professor Elena, who seemed to be countering with a questioning gaze. I was left speechless with a feeling that my wit was escaping me.

    It¡¯s true that Xenon¡¯s Biography is an easily readable book for people of all ages, genders, and social sses, but I can¡¯t bring myself to say it¡¯s beneficial for education.

    Does reading novels improvenguage orprehension skills? In that case, it¡¯s better to read another piece of literature or look up words in a dictionary.

    While numerous critics praise Xenon¡¯s Biography, some point out its w as being too simple. It¡¯s overly straightforward, making it difficult for philosophical contemtion and deeper thinking.

    Meanwhile, Elena pushed her slightly lowered sses up and looked at me before speaking.

    ¡°The noteworthy aspect here is that the number of nobles is simr tost year, but the number ofmoners has significantly increased. And Xenon¡¯s Biography is an easy-to-read book that disregards social sses. Can you guess why?¡±

    ¡°Not at all.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re still far from it. Well, considering you were born a noble, that¡¯s to be expected.¡±

    Even in response to my curt answer, Elena shrugged her shoulders and showed a reaction that indicated she understood. She seemed to be smirking, narrowing her eyes as she extended a finger and continued speaking.

    ¡°Until Xenon¡¯s Biography was released,moners found it difficult to read books. Do you know the reason?¡±

    ¡°Because it was filled with unfamiliar words, and it was hard to grasp the overall flow. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    ¡°Very urate. On the other hand, Xenon¡¯s Biography has a sentence structure and readability that allow you to imagine it even in your mind, to the extent that its narrative skill and ease of understanding are unparalleled. The content contained within, like the love between different races or the Sakran¡¯s story, bes subtly profound when delved into.¡±

    Up to this point, it sounded like ordinary praise. So, in a moment when I was about to put on a smug expression, Elena provided a very important point.

    ¡°Thanks to this, it¡¯s tailored perfectly for taking the first step.¡±

    ¡°The first step?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The first step. Regardless of what it is, the first step is crucial. You must know this too.¡±

    No matter what you do, taking the first step is the beginning, as Elena said. Ironically, taking that first step is the hardest part.

    People have curiosity about the unknown, but at the same time, they also have fear. The saying ¡®the beginning is half the battle¡¯ isn¡¯t there without reason.

    ¡°So, are you going to tell a squire who¡¯s just removed his novice badge to go and y a dragon? Or will you tell him to kill an orc?¡±

    ¡°Of course, thetter.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s simr to that. Before Xenon¡¯s Biography came out, the books were all so difficult. Not onlycking in fun, but alsocking in interest. Even if you had interest, the basicprehension ability wasn¡¯t there, so reading was very difficult. Fairy tales and such are practically meaningless unless kids read them when they start reading. ¡°

    ¡°Um¡­ So, Xenon¡¯s Biography is well-suited for approaching the ¡®book¡¯ as a written form?¡±

    ¡°Very urate.¡±

    Elena nodded with a satisfied expression at my response. Only then did I realize what she was trying to say.

    Xenon¡¯s Biography is an easily essible book in itself. Just like Elena¡¯s analogy, if you were to ask a newly trained knight, who just removed his training badge, to go and subdue a dragon, he would likely end up dead before too long. Unless they¡¯ve awakened some talent they didn¡¯t know they had, it¡¯s almost certain they¡¯ll die. Unless it¡¯s a talent granted directly by a deity, most talents require the support of effort.

    Xenon¡¯s Biography was simr to this concept. It¡¯s more efficient than any other book when ites to ¡®growth,¡¯ making it suitable for advancing to higher levels.

    <i>¡®Well, originally I had no interest in books either.¡¯</i>

    I can deeply rte, having experienced a simr progression in my past life¡¯s skill tree. Back when I was fervently readingic books, a friend rmended a fantasy novel, and I became captivated by its charm. However, genre novels have their limits, so I delved into other books and eventually developed a deep interest in history, leading me to read books rted to that subject. If my friend hadn¡¯t rmended that novel back then, I probably wouldn¡¯t have touched history books and would have spent my time aimlessly browsing the inte.

    The same held true after reincarnation. Because I cultivated the habit of reading, it saved me from just wasting time without purpose.

    The current situation was quite simr. Xenon¡¯s Biography has garnered unprecedented poprity, increasing interest in books overall. Even though Xenon¡¯s Biography continues to dominate the publishing market, there¡¯s news that the sales of other books have also risen.

    ¡°By the way, this isn¡¯t just the case with the Halo Academy, it¡¯s the same in other countries too. The academy in the Ters Kingdom has seen a staggering 5-fold increase in literary students.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s impressive. Is the increase in non-literary students separate?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s separate. Well, who knows if it will increase in the next few years. After all, there might be those who enroll thinking they¡¯ll be heroes like Xenon, right?¡±

    While Elena spoke jokingly, a smile emerged as it seemed like she might actually mean it. After all, tales of heroes had always been enough to ignite a fire in the hearts of children. Of course, reality was horrifying beyond measure, but if that determination continued to the end, another hero could be born.

    ¡°Thus, I¡¯m going to be very busy from now on. We used to put literature students all in one ss, but now we have to split them into three. Not just for the first year, but also for the second year literature students and even the non-literature students.¡±

    ¡°Do I have any free time then?¡±

    Won¡¯t the time for me to write Xenon¡¯s Biography disappear? That¡¯s why I became the rmended student.

    Elena seemed to sense some unease in my question and responded, raising one corner of her mouth.

    ¡°Of course you do. I might treat assistants differently, but I won¡¯t push my teaching assistants too hard. You¡¯ll have enough break time, so don¡¯t worry.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a relief. But what about Cindy? Where did Cindy go?¡±

    ¡°Cindy went to the sanctuary for a short while. She¡¯ll probably be back within a week.¡±

    Since obtaining her doctorate, Cindy has been extremely busy. There are more days when her seat is empty than when I get to see her face. While it¡¯s a bit disappointing not to see her distinctively hazy face, I wasn¡¯t resentful as everyone has their own life. I¡¯m going to be busy too, and I don¡¯t have the luxury of worrying about others.

    ¡°The number of literature students has tripled, has the system changed too?¡±

    ¡°Things will probably change soon. From now on, assistant positions might only be appointed to rmended students. And by now, the upper ranks might be experiencing quite a headache. They probably never imagined it would turn out this way for themselves.¡±

    ¡°Xenon¡¯s Biography is causing quite a lot of changes.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯sying the groundwork for leading the heyday of human literature. What Luminous said wasn¡¯t just empty praise.¡±

    Elena spoke like this and then checked the time before getting up from her seat. Just to note, the entrance ceremony was held yesterday, and orientation will be conducted starting from today.

    Originally, history wouldn¡¯t be taught at this time, but due to the division of the ss into three groups, the number of sses has tripled. Not only that, but they also have to hold sses for the second-year students, so she will be quite busy in the future.

    ¡°Well then, let¡¯s start preparing for the ss. Do you have everything you need?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve prepared everything.¡±

    ¡°Good. Don¡¯t be nervous, just stand by my side and watch how the ss progresses. Of course, I might pass things over to you from time to time, so don¡¯t space out.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±

    Afterward, I followed her and walked to the ssroom where the ss would take ce. Although the number of literary students has tripled, causing some disruptions in writing, it shouldn¡¯t be a big issue as long as I manage my time.

    I haven¡¯t forgotten to consider dates with Marie and Cecily¡¯s from time to time. Anyway, since all sses end at 5 PM, that won¡¯t change.

    While I was slowly revising my ns in my mind, a sudden question popped up. In fact, it¡¯s a thought that I¡¯ve had even beforeing to the academy.

    Why does Professor Elena not have an assistant? Curious, I asked her as she stood in front.

    ¡°Professor Elena.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you have any teaching assistants?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that? It¡¯s not a big deal. I don¡¯t take TAs unless they¡¯re rmended students.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    As I wondered, she pushed up her sses and replied with a nonchnt tone.

    ¡°That¡¯s where the satisfaction of growthes from.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°By the way, all the history professors in the history department were once my TAs.¡±

    It must be a mistake that I saw the gates of hell opening before my eyes.

    <i>¡®Yeah, it must be a mistake.¡¯ </i>

    It has to be a mistake.

 Chapter 189: 2nd Grade (3)

    Originally, the sses for first-year students were conducted in a single ssroom. In that one ce, professors of each subject came and went, conducting sses while students listened. However, this story is fromst year when the student count was around 50, and this year¡¯s iing literature students were a whopping 150. Splitting them into groups of 50 results in three sses, thus requiring three ssrooms.

    Of course, there¡¯s no academy with only one ssroom. The Minerva Empire also predicted the increase in student numbers at some point and designed ordingly in advance. Thanks to that, there haven¡¯t been any disasters of having to teach students all together in one ce.

    Concerns about confusion in sses were also unfounded. Divided into three groups, each had its own set of lessons.

    What if a student from ss A wants to attend the history ss in ss B? It¡¯s fine. There aren¡¯t any bonus points anyway, and they would just be wasting their own time.

    Exams are scheduled to take ce at fixed times, so there¡¯s no possibility of cheating. Still, with the student count tripling within a year, there will likely be many vulnerabilities.

    Since immediate actions can¡¯t be taken, the n was to proceed with the sses for now, in a kind of a ¡°let¡¯s give it a shot¡± approach.

    ¡°A ss is on Monday at 1 PM, B ss is on Wednesday at 1 PM, and finally, C ss is on Friday at 1 PM. By the way, this is for the first year; the second year is separate.¡±

    The lecture building they reached for the first ss and orientation. Elena walked to the ssroom where the sses would be held and exined the rough schedule.

    For the second year, not only literature students but also non-literature students are together, making for a tight schedule. While there¡¯s only one ss of second-year literature students, there are a whopping three sses for non-literature students.

    One of the schedules was incredibly tight. Thankfully, the 3rd and 4th years have different history professors, or else there wouldn¡¯t have been time to write Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    Thinking that there would be plenty of time, I became a teaching assistant early on, but it felt like I got even busier. Still, my graduation will go smoothly, so I¡¯ll takefort in that.

    ¡°But can you graduate faster if you be a teaching assistant from the second year?¡±

    ¡°For the time being, yes. If the professors approve, you can graduate within a year. However, that¡¯s assuming you¡¯re working on your graduation thesis. With your writing skills, it might be possible.¡±

    ¡°Are you really going to let me graduate?¡±

    ¡°If it appeals to me. If the topic of your thesis is interesting, I might be able to help. Or you could work together with Cindy.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡±

    I¡¯m not sure if I should be happy or sad. Given Elena¡¯s straightforward personality, she would graduate me if I write a satisfactory thesis. But a thesis wasn¡¯t a trivial matter, and I haven¡¯t mastered the art of writing one yet. I can learn that gradually by Elena¡¯s side, though.

    In the meantime, I¡¯ll probably also write Xenon¡¯s Biography, but I strongly felt that I would have a pretty busy schedule.

    ¡°Have you read all the books in the researchb?¡±

    ¡°No. I haven¡¯t finished reading them yet.¡±

    As I talked with Elena, we somehow arrived at the door of a ssroom without realizing it. It wasn¡¯t the same ssroom I used to go to in my freshman year but a different one. It looks no different on the surface, but it seems like it hasn¡¯t been properly renovated yet, as the distinct scent of wood lingered. However, it was more of a natural scent rather than an unpleasant one, and fragrant.

    Soon enough, Elena opened the half-closed door and entered, and I followed her inside. As I stepped in, the ssroom, which had been somewhat bustling, grew quiet.

    ¡°Huh? What¡¯s this? An elf? There¡¯s an elven professor?¡±

    ¡°But who¡¯s the red-haired person next to them? An assistant, perhaps?¡±

    ¡°Seems like an assistant, but their hair is really long. Longer than mine, it seems.¡±

    Amidst the tranquility, asional sighs could be heard. Somehow, I felt tense amidst these unfamiliar emotions I hadn¡¯t felt before. It might be natural, as this is my first time as a teaching assistant.

    As my heart started to beat faintly, Elena stood at the center of the podium and slowly scanned the students. And the students, now faced with an elven professor instead of a human, disyed expressions filled with curiosity and interest.

    During a brief silence, Elena adjusted her sses and then opened her mouth with a clear voice.

    ¡°Hello, new students. I am Elena Heavensinger, the professor who will be teaching you history from now on. Please take care of me.¡±

    Just as I did when I was a new student, Elena introduced herself and bowed politely. The students responded with enthusiastic apuse to her introduction.

    Then, as the apuse subsided slightly, she pointed towards me and spoke.

    ¡°And this redhead is my teaching assistant. Say hello.¡±

    ¡°I am Ducker Michelle.¡±

    As I greeted them with a slightly trembling voice, the students responded with another round of enthusiastic apuse. I took a deep breath, calming my nerves, and looked around at the students.

    Various colors of hair and eyes caught my attention. Each student had a unique appearance. I skimmed through to see if anyone else had red hair like me, but as expected, there was none. The same goes for snow-white hair like Marie¡¯s.

    However, there was one color that stood out conspicuously.

    <i>¡®¡­Pink?¡¯</i>

    Even though I was far away, there was one color that caught my eye ¨C the color of hair that was pink like cherry blossoms. Although their face was obscured by the person in front of me, it stood out prominently.

    In this world, there are wigs but no hair dye. Therefore, the color of that hair was natural like mine. I turned my gaze away from the student, thinking that this world was also a fantasy world. It might arouse needless suspicion if I stared too intently.

    ¡°Today, I will exin how my ss will proceed. Earning extra points in my ss is simple. You can either answer the questions I ask or ask me interesting questions. The ss I will give you is about the fundamentals and essence of history.¡±

    Elena, with her distinctive and rhythmic pronunciation, exined to the students about the uing ss content. Simr tost year yet with different content, I also listened attentively.

    The teaching assistant, me, wouldn¡¯t just be left idle like a folding screen, surely she¡¯ll find some way to utilize me. Bringing a teaching assistant treated halfway like a graduate student all the way to the lecture hall ¨C there must be some use for it.

    Just as Elena¡¯s exnation was about to conclude, one of the students raised their hand swiftly. It was a female student sitting in the front row.

    ¡°Professor, does that mean Teaching Assistant Isaac will just stand there quietly and watch?¡±

    A truly audacious question. Well, it¡¯s possible to think that I¡¯m not doing anything while just standing there. Even I entertained that thought for a moment.

    The student and even I turned to Elena, seeking an answer. After hearing the student¡¯s question, Elena chuckled briefly, then smiled as she provided her response.

    ¡°It¡¯s definitely not true. Assistant Isaac will engage in discussions with you when interesting topics arise. If Assistant Isaac leads the debate, you will receive a significant bonus point. Of course, it¡¯s up to you, the students, to bring up those discussion-worthy topics.¡±

    ¡°Wow!¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    So, that¡¯s how it is. The girl who asked the question sparkled with excitement, but I let out a bitterugh. While some of this might be due to the course¡¯s nature, it seems like she¡¯s nning to assign scores under the pretext of debates to properly evaluate me. I might have won Elena¡¯s favor with my eloquent writing, but she probably hasn¡¯t properly assessed my level of knowledge.

    ¡°In addition, Assistant Isaac will handle tasks such as exam supervision and various administrative duties. Speaking of which, Isaac?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°While I exin, could you distribute the papers?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Following Elena¡¯s instructions, I began distributing the papers that I had prepared in advance, one by one. Calling them papers was hardly different from saying they¡¯re lesson ns for the future.

    I can¡¯t even begin to describe how much my hands suffered while jotting this down. Ironically, Cindy being away on a business trip meant that I single-handedly operated the magic quill.

    What¡¯s fortunate is that Elena can use the duplication spell. If she were human, I would¡¯ve had to do everything manually.

    ¡°Someone once said, ¡®History possesses the power to predict the future through a dialogue with the past.¡¯ Just as there is a cause if there is a result, history is no different. Due to specific causes, significant events erupt, much like¡­¡±

    While distributing the papers, Elena¡¯s lecture continued. The students also focused on her, and when I handed out the papers, they received them with both hands.

    As I was distributing guide papers to the students seated at the back, I found myself facing the same pink I had seen earlier. It wasn¡¯t a mistake¡ªher hair, flowing down to her shoulders, was entirely pink.

    However, just as my gaze was fixed on her hair, when I lowered my gaze slightly, I couldn¡¯t help but startle. It was because of her chest, which seemed to disy a particrly noticeable presence.

    I had already guessed that she was a female student, but when I saw her size, perhaps even bigger than Marie, maybeparable to Cecily, I couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. Although she seemed to have adjusted her uniform somehow, she was shouting for the clothes to be more amodating.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Did she feel my gaze on her? Somehow, the female student, who had been bowing her head for some reason, slowly lifted her head. Thanks to that, I could properly meet her eyes.

    Cherry blossom-colored irises that seemed to match her pink hair. With a delicate appearance that suited herrge eyes, she gave off a doll-like image.

    However, there was one problem that overshadowed all of this¡ªthe eyes.

    It¡¯s not an exaggeration to say that there was no life in her eyes. Like a dead fish, there was no trace of light in them, creating a gloomy and eerie atmosphere. I couldn¡¯t really tell if she was truly alive or not.

    As I mentioned before, if her features looked doll-like and cute, now she was literally like a ¡®doll¡¯ with no signs of life. A doll that moved as if controlled by a person.

    With this, I even felt a sense of impending doom, wondering if she might end her own life someday.

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    The female student looked at me without taking the paper and smiled. Even so, she blinked without showing any strangeness.

    I hurriedlyposed myself and cautiously handed over the paper. However, the female student didn¡¯t even take the paper and continued to stare intensely at my face.

    Feeling a bit uneasy and eerie, I cautiously spoke.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to take it?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Only after my careful question did the female student finally shift her gaze towards the paper. She then slowly reached out her hand and took the paper.

    With relief washing over me as she epted the paper, I took a step away.

    ¡°¡­Red.¡±

    I tried to ignore the voiceing from behind. Somehow, it gave me shivers.

    <i>¡®The Roseberry family¡¯s characteristic is¡­¡¯</i>

    I had heard it from Marie before the start of the school year. Cherry Blossom Roseberry, the one who always delivers fan letters to me, her family was known for having pink hair as a characteristic trait.

    If the Michelle family was famous for their red hair, and the Marie¡¯s family, the Requillis, was known for their white hair, then the Roseberry family was recognized for having pink hair.

    Furthermore, in thest fan letter I saw, Cherry mentioned that she would be enrolling in the academy soon. Thanks to that, I had thought we would meet again soon.

    However, the atmosphere was far from what I had anticipated. The Cherry in the fan letter was lively, passionate, and full of vitality.

    However, the female student I had just met was not like her. Along with a gloomy atmosphere, her eyes were dark, as if lifeless. Not human, literally like a doll.

    <i>¡®¡­Probably not.¡¯</i>

    I finished distributing all the papers and returned to Elena¡¯s side. As I returned, I didn¡¯t forget to nce at the female student. She was staring at me with her dead eyes, directly and precisely. Without blinking her eyes even once, she was gazing at me fixedly, as if truly inhuman or something.

    Feeling a sense of unease and even fear, I tried my best to avoid making eye contact. Her face was beautiful, yetcked any vitality, making it difficult to even look at her.

    ¡°¡­So, what do all of you think about history? Depending on your answers, I¡¯ll give extra points.¡±

    In the meantime, Elena¡¯s long exnation came to an end, and the question time followed. As with any first ss, at the beginning, there was hesitation, but one by one, hands went up to answer.

    Satisfying Elena, good answers came forth, as well as somewhat odd ones, but still, just the act of answering seemed to be sufficient. Even themoners who were being cautious showed courage and expressed their own thoughts.

    However, amid all this, the girl with pink hair remained utterly focused on me without a trace of wavering. Elena also seemed to notice it vaguely, but she didn¡¯t point it out to avoid embarrassment.

    Of course, not being attentive from the very first ss and daydreaming was quite difficult to bear. After all the students finished answering, Elena cleared her throat and brought up a different topic.

    ¡°Thank you for your great answers. Now, before I exin the most important cause and effect in history¡­ I¡¯ll ask you a question that you might find interesting. Untilst year, there were only 50 literature students, but now, there are a staggering 150. The number of literature students has tripled in just a year. Does anyone know the reason?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    It seemed like there was no student eager to tackle the rather challenging question. Well, before even listening, I wondered why it was like this. Perhaps it was a natural reaction.

    Elena, as if expecting this response, looked around the ss and offered a hint.

    ¡°Let me give you a hint. There¡¯s currently one book leaving the biggest cultural impact. If you connect it, it¡¯ll be very easy.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Are you talking about Xenon¡¯s Biography?¡±

    ¡°It seems like that might be it.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the connection with Xenon¡¯s Biography¡¯¡±

    Despite the hint, the students only murmured among themselves, and no one raised their hand with confidence. While the students were debating, I nced at that girl from earlier, who was now in my line of sight.

    Her gaze was the same, but perhaps due to the mention of Xenon¡¯s Biography, there was a faint spark in her eyes. However, it was so subtle that the difference was negligible.

    Could that girl really be Cherry? The sense of dissonance was so strong that it was incredibly difficult to conclude.

    ¡°Since no one is giving an answer, I¡¯ll pick someone. First¡­¡±

    Elena paused for a moment and then shifted her gaze to the back. Towards the girl with pink hair who had been staring at me intently from before.

    Following that, Elena stared directly at the female student and quietly called out her name.

    ¡°The girl with the pink hair over there?¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    ¡°Would you try to answer?¡±

    When she was pointed out, the pink-haired girl turned her gaze towards Elena. I inwardly sighed with relief, waiting for the pink-haired girl¡¯s response.

    ¡°¡­Me?¡±

    The pink-haired girl answered quietly, tilting her head slightly with a yful smile. She seemed unaware that she had been singled out, staring nkly at me. Elena, too, instinctively sensed that something was amiss and asked with a somewhat trembling voice.

    ¡°¡­Yes. By any chance, what is your name?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Despite the follow-up question, the pink-haired girl didn¡¯t answer right away. Not blinking her eyes once until the end, she grew increasingly eerie. Then, the pink-haired girl turned her head slightly and shifted her gaze back to me. And in a quiet voice devoid of any vitality, she uttered word by word.

    ¡°Cherry¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    If Cindy¡¯s tired voice had been wavering.

    ¡°Cherry Blossom Raspberry¡­¡±

    Cherry¡¯s had absolutely no strength left, as if she were about to die.

 Chapter 190: 2nd Grade (4)

    After hearing the introduction of the pink-haired female student, Cherry, I lost my mind for a moment.

    The atmosphere she had shown in the fan letters and the atmosphere she was exuding now were quite different. It was almost as if someone else had ghostwritten the letters, that¡¯s how mismatched they seemed. The Cherry from the fan letters was lively, full of energy, and radiated a girlish sensibility, but the Cherry before me was entirely the opposite.

    Her voice was devoid of strength, as if she could die at any moment, and her gloomy demeanor seemed to seep into her surroundings, making anyone who looked at her feel uneasy. And on top of that, her bright cherry blossom-colored eyes looked as lifeless as coal.

    What on earth could have happened to that child? Could something significant have urred while exchanging letters? No matter how desperate a person is, they don¡¯t be like this female student named Cherry.

    Even bedridden individuals at least sit still, yet Cherry was attending sses. As I mentioned before, she truly resembled a doll that hade to life.

    ¡°Roseberry? From the Roseberry Viscount family?¡±

    ¡°Looking at her hair, it seems quite certain, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°But there¡¯s something¡­ strange about the feeling. Is she unwell?¡±

    When Cherry revealed her full name, the atmosphere inside the ssroom began to stir. The Roseberry Viscount family held significant power even within the Minerva Empire. More than half of the philosophical works published in the Minerva Empire had originated from the Roseberry lineage.

    It¡¯s possible that the students¡¯ murmuring was due to her background, but it seems that the atmosphere was unsettling, leading to an awkward response. Even if her face was doll-like and pretty, if her gaze was lifeless, anyone would look at her strangely.

    ¡°Okay. Student Cherry. Can you answer my question by any chance?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    While the ssroom was filled with murmurs, Elena asked Cherry the question once again. As she did, the murmurs from the students also stopped simultaneously, and numerous gazes turned toward Cherry.

    I too waited for Cherry¡¯s response while trying to grasp the situation, but she stared at me without blinking once. Upon this, Elena, perhaps displeased with Cherry¡¯s attitude, slightly narrowed her eyes and spoke again.

    ¡°Student Cherry?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±

    ¡°I hope you would say you don¡¯t know if you don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Cherry immediately responded to Elena¡¯s words. Her voice stillcked any signs of life.

    Elena also seemed to notice something odd about Cherry¡¯s response, as she raised an eyebrow and made a puzzled expression. However, that too was temporary, as she instructed Cherry to take a seat.

    Following her instructions, Cherry took a seat, but her gaze toward me remained unchanged. I wanted to ignore it, but the intensity of her gaze made it difficult to brush off.

    ¡°Are there any other students? Even if it¡¯s not the right answer, if you clearly exin the cause and result, I will give extra points.¡±

    ¡°Here!¡±

    ¡°Great. What¡¯s the student¡¯s name?¡±

    Elena continued the lecture after that. I stood by her side and quietly watched. asionally, a few students would unexpectedly ask me questions, but I was able to answer them easily. Most of it was content from Professor Elena¡¯s lecture, so it was rtively straightforward.

    ¡°Originally, history was not just about recording past events and incidents. Everyone has their own history. If you observe in detail what someone has done in the past, you can anticipate what they will do in the future.¡±

    ¡°Well then, Professor. Can I ask just one question?¡±

    ¡°Yes. What¡¯s your question?¡±

    ¡°Just now, there was a discussion about Xenon¡¯s Biography, so I¡¯m talking about that. How do you predict Xenon¡¯s actions? Oh, of course, I mean the author, not the Xenon in the book.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    In response to a student¡¯s question, Elena pressed her fist against her chin and appeared deeply lost in thought. I felt a bit embarrassed that my story hade up for no reason, but I remained silent. Honestly, I¡¯m curious about her answer as well.

    When talking with Elena, I focused on history rather than Xenon¡¯s Biography. As history predicts the future through conversations with the past, predicting the actions of a particr person was not that difficult either. Of course, that¡¯s when the subject¡¯s past is clear; if it¡¯s uncertain, predictions are almost impossible.

    ¡°Being honest, it¡¯s difficult. There are countless hypotheses about Xenon, but very little hase out clearly. Predicting actions based solely on someone¡¯s achievements is truly challenging.¡±

    ¡°So, how should we interpret historical figures whose records have been lost? Sometimes their actions seem inconsistent.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the student¡¯s name?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Michael Destora.¡±

    With no middle name, he¡¯s presumably ofmon birth. He gives a neat impression with his well-groomed appearance, although not extraordinarily handsome, he exuded a warm atmosphere.

    Elena¡¯s smile showed she was pleased with Michael¡¯s question. After all, questions like thate from people with deep curiosity, and as a professor, she would naturally appreciate them.

    ¡°That¡¯s a truly excellent question, Michael. I¡¯ll give you extra credit for it.¡±

    ¡°Really? Oh, thank you.¡±

    ¡°As Michael¡¯s question implies, history often involves periods where records are lost. Why? Because history is recorded by humans, not gods. While history should always be objective, ironically, it¡¯s influenced by human subjectivity. Especially in cases where records have vanished¡­¡±

    Elena began to exin with earnestness in response to Michael¡¯s question. I stood next to her, quietly listening to her exnations.

    However, despite that, there was something bothering me the most ¨C Cherry. I wondered if she was still observing me. When I shifted my gaze, she was staring fixedly.

    I couldn¡¯t figure out what kind of interest I had sparked that made her look at me like that. Is having red hair really that fascinating?

    <i>¡®She won¡¯t follow meter, will she?¡¯ </i>

    Then, how should I react? I couldn¡¯t bring myself to ignore her, so I met her gaze.

    Even though Cherry and I locked eyes, she didn¡¯t avoid my gaze at all. For no reason, I felt a bit uneasy and lowered my head, and only then did she show a reaction.

    Blink

    Slowly blinking her eyes. Her lips also subtly changed, with an expression that seemed to hold curiosity.

    In response, I let out a bitter smile and turned my head toward Elena. For now, I intended to focus on the lecture.

    I¡¯ll consider Cherry¡¯s situation gradually, but I won¡¯t postpone it. How could I ignore someone who had sent passionate fan letters to me?

    Because of my unease, I can¡¯t help but be interested. I¡¯ll watch for a while, but if I see any ominous signs, I¡¯ll intervene immediately.

    ¡°Today¡¯s lecture ends here. Great job, everyone. Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Great job, everyone. We¡¯ll count on you in the future.¡±

    As time passed, the lecture came to an end. Elena and I headed out of the ssroom, listening to the enthusiastic apuse from the students.

    The hallway was bustling with students, perhaps from another ss that had already finished. It¡¯s different fromst year, and my mood has be oddlyplex in this changed situation.

    ¡°Definitely different fromst year. Last year, when I went outside, it waspletely empty.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°But hey, do you happen to know the person with the pink hair?¡±

    In response to Elena¡¯s question, I shook my head from side to side. I wasn¡¯t even surprised, as they had anticipated such a questioning.

    ¡°No, we¡¯re meeting for the first time. I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re asking.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ really? Her eyes seemed lifeless, and she looked anxious as if she had depression¡­ Do you know anything about the Roseberry family?¡±

    ¡°Elena, you don¡¯t know?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m an elf, you see. I might know about history, but I¡¯m not particrly interested in how human society works. Besides, since you¡¯re also a noble, you might know, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°I really don¡¯t know. From what I¡¯ve heard, they¡¯re a family centered around philosophy, but I don¡¯t know much beyond that.¡±

    It seems like she also sensed that something was off about the atmosphere surrounding Cherry. Upon hearing my response, Elena seemed to be deeply contemting something. She looked at the front in silence and then shrugged her shoulders.

    ¡°Well, that person probably has a reason to be interested in you. Maybe she finds your red hair or golden eyes intriguing. Did you feel the gazes directed at your head earlier?¡±

    ¡°Rather than that, there seemed to be more gazes directed at you, Professor. After all, you¡¯re an elf.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Anyway, how was the lecture? Was it easy?¡±

    ¡°It was manageable, I suppose.¡±

    ¡°From now on, you just need to do that. There are sses for the 2nd year tomorrow, so today, read books in theb and then go.¡±

    ¡°Understood¡­¡±

    Twak-

    ¡°Ugh!¡±

    In the moment I was about to respond, I couldn¡¯t help but pause as something tightly grabbed my hair. Already, because of Mora, my forcibly grown hair would asionally get caught on something. I thought it might be the same reason now, but it felt different. It was as if someone had grabbed the hair tied together as one.

    With many people passing by in the hallway, it could have been a prank. I turned around, grimacing at the pain that felt like my scalp was being peeled off. If it was a prank, I nned to scold them with a sharp remark. However, as soon as I turned around, I couldn¡¯t help but be terrified.

    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    The first thing that caught my eye was the pink hair. Adding to that, as my gaze lowered, I saw the decayed pink irises like fermented tofu, the doll-like pretty face, andstly, even the ample chest that the winter uniform couldn¡¯t hide. Cherry Blossom Raspberry, it was her. With one hand holding my hair tied together, she was looking up at me. The deep, deep pupils felt incredibly frightening.

    ¡°What are you¡­ Student Cherry?¡±

    Elena also seemed momentarily puzzled by my hesitation. However, as soon as she saw the pink hair, her eyes widened. Even while doing so, Cherry did not release her hold on my hair and continued to gaze at me intently.

    Momentarily taken aback by this, I called out to her with an affectionate voice, suppressing my confusion.

    ¡°¡­What¡¯s the matter? Student Cherry.¡±

    ¡°¡­Red.¡±

    Cherry blinked her eyes slowly and opened her mouth. There was no liveliness in her like a living person speaking; instead, it was as if a doll was uttering the words.

    Red, she said. What could be the meaning behind saying ¡°red¡±? Neither Elena nor I showed any reaction that could make sense of it.

    During this time, Cherry stared at my face for a while and then shifted her gaze down toward my hair. Afterward, she gazed intently, blinked once, and then rummaged through the pocket of her school uniform with empty hands.

    Muttering again, she took out a small ss bottle norger than a finger. It was sealed with a cork, making it look quite convenient for preservation.

    However, what was stored inside was enough to send chills down my spine and beyond. Because¡­

    ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    Inside the ss bottle was a single, thin strand of hair. And that hair was distinctly red.

    When I couldn¡¯t wrap my head around why that was inside the ss bottle, Cherry opened her mouth with her peculiarly gloomy voice.

    ¡°It¡¯s from the letter.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°This is also red.¡±

    Continuing, she alternated her gaze between my hair and the strand of hair stored inside the ss bottle, then smirked.

    ¡°Author Xenon?¡±

 Chapter 191: 2nd Grade (5)

    Throughout my past life and present one, there have been experiences that were so chilling I couldn¡¯t even scream. In a previous life, there were moments likeing home, turning on the lights, and having a cockroach fly right in front of my eyes, or my parents using myputer without permission, and so on.

    In my current life, there was the incident where I, overflowing with clumsiness, showed Marie a steam lotive drawing. Fortunately, I drew it like a child¡¯s artwork, so she didn¡¯t catch on. Well, looking back now, it didn¡¯t hold much significance, so I don¡¯t dwell on it. However, I vividly remembered how my face changed in real-time.

    ¡°Author Xenon?¡±

    And now, back to the present, I felt my heart race once again. It was none other than the pink-haired girl in front of me, Cherry. I¡¯m not sure why she¡¯s keeping my hair so carefully, but regardless, the crisis remained unchanged. As I¡¯ve mentioned before, red hair is extremely rare, to the point where it¡¯s rarer than diamonds or mithril. There¡¯s a legend that it¡¯s a symbol of a fallen royal family from the past, but I don¡¯t know for sure.

    ¡°Why is the name Xenon suddenlying up?¡±

    ¡°Well, I wonder?¡±

    At the moment, appearing confused was the most important thing. It would be one thing if it were just Cherry and me, but Elena was also there, and students who¡¯ve finished their sses are milling about in the corridor.

    Responding with a tense demeanor to Elena¡¯s question, I looked at Cherry. She was still tilting her head, her eyescking any sign of life.

    Earlier, did she mention that there was a strand of hair in the letter? Since I had been diligently replying to her fan letters, it¡¯s possible that a strand of hair identally got in there. However, keeping that strand of hair in a ss jar¡­ that¡¯s definitely not normal. To say such a thing made me feel sorry for her, but it¡¯s clear that something is off mentally.

    With a gulp, I asked Cherry, who still had my hair gripped in her hand, gently.

    ¡°Cherry, can I ask why you referred to me as Author Xenon?¡±

    ¡°Red.¡±

    When I asked, Cherry briefly answered, showing me the strand of hair in the ss jar. There was only one strand, but it disyed a vivid shade of red.

    Though her response was brief, I seemed to understand what she meant by ¡°red.¡± Perhaps it was because the hair in the letter and my hair were the same color.

    However, there¡¯s one thing she didn¡¯t notice from all of this. Pretending to contemte for a moment, I questioned Cherry.

    ¡°You mentioned that this strand of hair appeared in the letter earlier, right?¡±

    Nod, nod.

    ¡°In that case, did you conclude that I¡¯m Xenon because my hair color matches this strand of hair?¡±

    Nod, nod.

    Cherry nodded in response to my consecutive questions. Even so, she still held onto my hair tightly. I looked at her expectant expression, then pointed to the hair she was holding onto and began to speak.

    ¡°However, Student Cherry. Just like you see, my hair isn¡¯t long, is it? The hair here is short.¡±

    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±

    That¡¯s right. When I replied to Cherry before Mora yed a prank on me, my hair length was ordinary. However, now my hair has grown long enough to reach my waist. Even for women, it takes at least a few months to grow hair that reaches the waist, so what about a guy?

    Cherry seemed to realize that too, btedly, as she blinked her eyes slowly andpared the length of my hair with the hair inside the vial.

    ¡°And there are other people with red hair in the world, besides me. Isn¡¯t it too hasty tobel me as Xenon just because our hair colors match?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    As I pointed this out in a faint voice, Cherry¡¯s grip on my hair loosened. Her eyes, which hadn¡¯t been lively to begin with, grew even darker. In that moment of her anxious reaction, as I was getting uneasy, Cherry lowered her head and murmured softly in a hesitant voice.

    ¡°¡­Or is it not?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Red isn¡¯t really¡­ there¡­¡±

    Can a person be this eerie? Hearing Cherry¡¯s murmur, I felt a sensation of dryness creeping into my mouth.¡±

    If I weren¡¯t Xenon, it might be understandable, but since it¡¯s true, I couldn¡¯t easily let it go. I have to find a way to detach Cherry, but it¡¯s not easy to do so. However, fortunately, there was someone who could bring this situation to an end.

    ¡°Cherry, are you not going to the next ss? Even if it¡¯s just orientation, you should attend, shouldn¡¯t you?¡±

    It was Elena, who had been watching the situation from the side. She pushed up her sses and spoke to Cherry in her characteristic professional tone.

    Her words essentially meant not to be stubborn and to go to ss. In response to her words, Cherry slowly lifted her head that had been lowered.

    After exchanging nces with Elena for a while, Cherry opened her mouth with her unique mncholic voice.

    ¡°¡­Where are you?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°The office¡­¡±

    Is she referring to the study room? It seems she¡¯s trying to gather suspicions and thene find me.

    After hearing the question, Elena pondered for a while and then looked at me with an expression that asked what I would do. I was extremely embarrassed, but it didn¡¯t seem like I could just refuse outright.

    This female student named Cherry gave off a strong vibe that she would follow me even if I refused. She might even skip the next ss and follow me.

    I sighed deeply at the increasinglyplicated situation, then opened my mouth with mixed feelings.

    ¡°I¡¯ll draw you a map. Come over there. It¡¯s a building called the History Hall.¡±

    ¡°Thank you¡­¡±

    After expressing gratitude, I took out a notebook and a magic pen that she always carried with her. By the way, I wonder when she¡¯ll let go of my hair. As I was thinking about this, I was drawing a map on the notebook when I felt a strong gaze from the front. Most likely Cherry, but it was strong, almost too strong.

    As I lifted my head to meet her gaze, I couldn¡¯t help but feel startled. Her hazy and unfocused gaze, like that of a fish, remained the same, but for some reason, she was smiling in a creepy way. Her gaze was fixed directly on my hand.

    ¡°That¡¯s right¡­¡±

    ¡°Wh-what do you mean?¡±

    She mumbled something and pointed her index finger towards the back of the notebook, not the page where I was drawing the map. Curious, I flipped the notebook over.

    On the back of the notebook, there were simple and mundane records that had nothing to do with Xenon¡¯s Biography, such as things I needed to do today or important appointments.

    At first nce, it might be difficult to notice, but I couldn¡¯t help but realize as I listened to Cherry¡¯s following words.

    ¡°The handwriting¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just like the letter¡­¡±

    Just as people have different personalities, handwriting also varies. Even deliberately trying to forge handwriting requires a lot of effort.

    And my handwriting is beautiful enough to earn praise from my mother. Since I had been writing novels by hand, I put effort into making my handwriting beautiful.

    However, due to the handwriting, it made me feel stifled and congested. Perhaps it¡¯s because we¡¯ve been exchanging letters, but contrary to her appearance, she seems to possess keen observational skills.

    Gulp

    I didn¡¯t respond to Cherry¡¯s confirmation and tore up the map, handing it to her. Upon receiving the map, she cradled it in her hands as if she had received a treasure.

    Her expression had also noticeably changed ¨C the corners of her mouth lifted slightly, and her cheeks had a faint blush. However, the lifeless gaze in her eyes was no different from before.

    Though I shivered at the sensation that the doll was smiling, I tried my best not to show any reaction.

    ¡°You cane here. At least stay until 6 o¡¯clock and finish your sses before youe. Got it?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what misunderstandings student Cherry is having, but for now, I¡¯ll say it¡¯s not true. I¡¯m not that person.¡±

    Just in case, I continued to deny it until the end. It seemed like she had already halfway figured it out, but I had no choice but to try to shake it off as much as possible.

    However, Cherry seemed to interpret my strong denial as affirmation and responded with a subdued smile. Despite her pretty appearance and an equally impressive figure as Cecily, those eyes were undermining everything.

    Just as I was about to turn around with a somewhat uneasy feeling and take a step, suddenly¡ª

    Thud¡ª

    Cherry unexpectedly grabbed my right hand and brought me to a halt. While it was fortunate that she didn¡¯t grab my head, my body still jolted ufortably.

    Finally, as I subtly squeezed my impression, I looked at her as if asking what was going on this time. A peculiar sensation could be felt in my right hand. The callus on the middle part of my right index finger. Isn¡¯t she touching the pen hook I had for a long time?

    ¡°Pen hook¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I have one too¡­¡±

    Cherry spoke while showing her own right hand. Her fingers were long and slender like almonds, but the notable point was her middle finger. Just like me, there was a pen hook on the middle part of her index finger. Does she often write like in the letters?

    However, Cherry¡¯s expression was unusual, more than anything else. Somehow trying to smile, yet the corners of her mouth trembled faintly. From that, you could vaguely sense that she was afraid of something.

    I had a hunch that uttering cold words would be thest thing to do, considering how unstable she already seemed emotionally. I couldn¡¯t be unkind to someone who already seems mentally fragile, right? With a smile, I spoke in a gentle tone.

    ¡°Seeing that you also have a pen hook, Cherry, you must have put in a lot of effort.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±

    ¡°I might not know what kind of effort you¡¯re making, but if you keep working hard, you¡¯ll see results in the future.¡±

    I¡¯m not sure if my words became a warmfort.

    ¡°So, please don¡¯t give up. Alright?¡±

    A faint light returned to Cherry¡¯s eyes.

    *****

    ¡°Haah¡­ Haah¡­ Haa¡­¡±

    Isaac and Elena had left, and Cherry, without attending the next ss, rushed somewhere in a hurry.

    With her pink hair fluttering in the wind, even running was difficult due to her unnecessarilyrge chest, but she still moved her two legs quietly.

    Pedestrians passing by looked at her strangely, but they averted their gazes and went on their way. Eventually, Cherry arrived at the girls¡¯ dormitory.

    ¡°Haa¡­ Haa¡­¡±

    After entering the dormitory assigned on the day of the entrance ceremony, she closed the door tightly and caught her breath. Her ample chest rose and fell repeatedly, and her pink hair, due to the rushed run, was sticking from sweat.

    After calming down somewhat, Cherry lifted her head calmly. With eyes that seemed brighter than before, she quickly looked around the room.

    As if representing her unstable mental state, nothing was organized, and even the clothes she had worn when she entered the academy were scattered everywhere.

    The bag containing casual clothes, not the uniform, was the same. After swallowing her saliva, she walked towards the bag.

    Rustle, rustle¡­

    After fervently digging through the bag as if possessed, what emerged at the end was a substantial amount of paper. However, its condition was far from ideal.

    It seemed as though someone had torn it apart and then clumsily reassembled it with adhesive, like patching together shredded pieces. There were even traces of rough treading, as if someone had stepped on it with force.

    Even at a nce, the damage was severe. The reassembly effort was impressive in itself, considering the state it was in.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    For a while, Cherry gasped for breath as she stared at the paper intently. This paper wasn¡¯t just ordinary paper; it was in the format of a manuscript suitable for writing novels.

    And within that manuscript, there was a story written. The damage was so extensive that reading it properly was difficult, but it was evident that someone¡¯s strenuous effort and affection were poured into it.

    As evident as the fact that someone had ruthlessly torn apart that effort and affection.

    [Instead of wasting time on this trash, you should read another book on philosophy.]

    As she gazed at the manuscript, a male voice echoed in her mind. In response, her small body started trembling.

    ¡°Ugh¡­ Sniff¡­¡±

    With all the effort, affection, and even her heart brutally torn apart, the day that came to her mind caused tears to roll down Cherry¡¯s eyes drop by drop.

    Like expelling all the suppressed emotions within her, the droplets gathered into distinct streams and clung to her chin.

    ¡°Please¡­¡±

    She muttered in a plea.

    ¡°Just say it¡­ Please say it¡­¡±

    She wept softly, resembling a person teetering at the edge of a precipice.

 Chapter 192: Dream (1)

    After sending off Cherry, I returned to the history hall. Since I had given her a map, I nned to wait while reading a book.

    ¡°Hey, are you really Xenon?¡±

    Of course, it was natural for Elena to question whether I¡¯m Xenon. It would be strange not to ask after Cherry had called me Xenon in front of her.

    As soon as I heard her question, I hesitated before pulling a book from the shelf. When I looked at Elena, I could see a curious expression on her face.

    ¡°Do you also think so, Professor?¡±

    ¡°No? I just asked out of curiosity. I can¡¯t understand why that girl suddenly called you Xenon.¡±

    Elena replied, pushing up her sses. Upon hearing her words, I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.

    I didn¡¯t know what Cherry had in mind, but her hasty actions put my secret at risk. First, I needed to question her, but it was also important to understand what she was thinking.

    ¡°If I really am Xenon, what will you do, Professor?¡±

    ¡°I would ask if you are a prophet or someone from the future. Or perhaps, I would request to work together on research. Even I didn¡¯t know about forbidden magic until now, but you may know more about history.¡±

    ¡°Is that all?¡±

    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m just an ordinary schr, not a noble ruling a territory or a soldier protecting the country. Isn¡¯t uncovering knowledge that people don¡¯t know about a delightful task?¡±

    It¡¯s certainly the mindset of a born schr. Thanks to that inquisitive nature, I can freelye and go to Alvenheim¡¯s Sanctuary. Plus, the unique characteristics of the elves y a role as well. As mentioned before, elves spend their entire lives dedicated to their chosen profession and don¡¯t show much interest in anything else.

    So, I don¡¯t think it will be a big problem to reveal to Elena that I am Xenon. She¡¯ll probably be pleased that she got an assistant, not a high-level ve.

    From what I¡¯ve seen of Elena so far, she¡¯s at least a born schr and not a cunning maniptor.

    ¡°So, are you really Xenon?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡±

    Of course, that doesn¡¯t mean I n to reveal the secret. We haven¡¯t built enough trust for me to disclose it just yet.

    ¡°That¡¯s a shame. How are you going to exin it to her then?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡±

    I heard her question and sat down on the couch, pondering. Cherry will arrive around 5 o¡¯clock at thetest, since usually the orientation ends early.

    Moreover, Cherry saw mepletely as Xenon. It¡¯s alsoplicated to talk about it in theb because Elena is there as well.

    Well, judging from our recent conversation, I don¡¯t suspect that she¡¯ll do anything drastic upon learning my secret. Even if she does, she¡¯s likely to stop at the Arwen line.

    ¡°Well, I think it¡¯s best to start by clearing up any misunderstandings. And we can apologize for dragging you into this mess as well.¡±

    ¡°When she arrives, go to a cafe to talk. I¡¯d prefer not to discuss personal matters in theb if possible.¡±

    ¡°So, theb is strictly for research purposes, is that right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, exactly.¡±

    She really does have the mindset of a true schr. In fact, I nodded silently because I had simr ns in mind. It was when I opened the book I had chosen in advance to wait for Cherry.

    Knock knock knock

    Someone quietly knocked on theb door. Since there was still plenty of time before Cherry arrived, it seemed like someone else.

    ¡°Yes,e in.¡±

    I closed the book I had opened and swung the door wide open.

    ¡°Who¡­?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    The first thing I saw as I opened the door was pink hair that seemed to smell like cherry blossoms. If there was pink hair, there was only one person it could be.

    ¡°¡­Student Cherry?¡±

    ¡°Oh, hello¡­¡±

    Cherry Blossom Roseberry, it was her. She greeted me with her peculiar expression and her characteristic lifeless voice.

    I wondered if I had misread the time, so I looked at the clock in theb. It was exactly 3 o¡¯clock. It was time for the orientation since it was the first day.

    I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she had skipped ss ande here. I looked at Cherry with disbelief. She had a face that was devoid of energy, unlike before.

    ¡°Did you skip ss?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ Even so¡­¡±

    As I was about to mutter in disbelief, I noticed that she was holding something preciously. Although they looked like ordinary pieces of paper on the surface, they were severely torn and glued back together as if they had been shredded and then pieced together with adhesive.

    Despite that, seeing her holding onto it made me guess that it was something valuable to Cherry.

    ¡°What is that?¡±

    ¡°Ah, this, um¡­¡±

    When I pointed at the paper and asked, Cherry trembled noticeably. Her trembling resembled a frightened squirrel.

    I decided to change the subject, thinking that I might just waste time if I continued like this.

    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go to the caf¨¦ for now. Professor?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Since there are no sses today, go to the caf¨¦ and take a break.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Cherry, could youe with me for a moment?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    After receiving permission from Elena, Cherry and I took steps together, just like ducks.

    Grab

    ¡°¡­Red.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    But why has this one been holding onto my hair since earlier? ording to Marie and Cecily, they said that they like my hair better than theirs and want to keep touching it, but maybe that¡¯s the reason.

    Normally, I¡¯d say, ¡°What are you doing?¡± and want to scold them, because it¡¯s impolite to touch someone else¡¯s hair. But since Cherry¡¯s mental state was far from normal, I thought about saying it in the cafe.

    In the end, Cherry followed me while holding onto my tied-up hair, and I let out a sigh as we moved to the cafe I favored.

    Even though passersby were giving us strange looks, I ignored them neatly. I¡¯ve received those kinds of looks often enough that it doesn¡¯t bother me anymore.

    Moreover, with bright red and pink hair, people were bound to look. So, I just went past it.

    ¡°Wee.¡±

    ¡°Please give me a private room.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    After arriving at the cafe, I ordered coffee and went into a private room. Cherry hesitated outside the cafe for a moment, then quickly followed inside.

    Finally, in a situation where only the two of us were left, I continued to gaze at Cherry, who was holding a piece of paper to her chest. Even though she had just taken the plunge, she seemed tock the courage to move one step further, hesitating and wavering. asionally lifting her head that had dropped down, I would meet her eyes briefly, but that was the extent of it.

    ¡°The drinks you ordered are ready.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Without saying a word to each other, we sat in silence, and before we knew it, the coffee we had ordered arrived. I took a sip of the sweet cappino and smiled faintly as I nced at Cherry.

    She alternated her gaze between the coffee in front of her and me. When I finally extended her hand as if to say it was okay to drink, she did so slowly. Even as she reached out her hand, she held the paper tightly in her grasp.

    ¡°Is it good?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±

    Cherry nodded slightly in response to my question. It was fortunate that it tasted good, but we still hadn¡¯t entered into a proper conversation.

    I briefly smiled, took another sip of my cappino, and carefully ced the coffee cup back down. The clinking sound echoed loudly in the otherwise silent private room.

    Following that, I supported my chin with both hands, trying to ease Cherry¡¯s tension, and asked her the question.

    ¡°So, what is it you want to say to me? Are you going to show me that piece of paper?¡±

    ¡°¡­Are you Xenon, the writer?¡±

    Setting aside the preamble, Cherry raised her head, and with curiosity in her eyes, she asked me.

    The unique dead eyes were eerie, but her appearance itself was so morous that I barely managed to answer her question. It¡¯s unreasonable topletely trust someone on the first meeting.

    ¡°Well, if I were Xenon, what would you do? Are you nning to inform the Cherry Student¡¯s family?¡±

    ¡°Family¡­¡±

    As soon as the keyword ¡®family¡¯ was mentioned, Cherry¡¯s gaze darkened even more. To top it off, she slowly lowered her head like a severed puppet.

    I realized one thing as I watched her. The word ¡®family¡¯ was like a minefield to Cherry. Many nobles dislike their own families to some extent, but it¡¯s not an easy thing to exhibit such an extreme reaction as Cherry did.

    I quickly noticed that there were family-rted issues with her and hastened to change the subject.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s just a possibility, so don¡¯t take it too seriously. So, if I really were Xenon, what would you do?¡±

    ¡°¡­Is it really true?¡±

    Fortunately, Cherry, who had somewhat recovered, slowly raised her lowered head and asked. Evidence had appeared in various ces, but she seemed unable to convince herselfpletely.

    I sighed deeply inside and thought about what to do. Regardless of the backstory, Cherry intensely disliked her own family. I could easily deduce that from her reaction just now.

    So, even if I reveal that I¡¯m Xenon, there¡¯s very little chance she¡¯ll inform her family. Given her current mental state, it doesn¡¯t seem like she¡¯ll blurt it out recklessly either. But I can¡¯t openly admit it either. First, I need to ascertain whether she¡¯s someone I can trust.

    ¡°Cherry, you mentioned that red hair was mentioned in the letter, right? And that the handwriting in the letter matches mine.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±

    ¡°Even though that alone could serve as evidence, it¡¯s still not enough.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not denying it¡­¡±

    To Cherry¡¯s quiet yet sharp observation, I could only muster a smile. I only meant for her to make her own judgment. Even if I¡¯m partially exposed, I have reliable allies by my side. I¡¯m engaged to Marie, the daughter of the Requilis family, and I even have a friendly rtionship with Rina.

    Cherry might not blurt things out recklessly, but her family could pressure her to do so. By observing her condition, I can roughly guess what kind of ce the Roseberry family is.

    ¡°That¡¯s just Cherry¡¯s judgment, isn¡¯t it? I haven¡¯t said anything, have I?¡±

    ¡°Th-then¡­¡±

    In response to my evasive answer, Cherry frantically rummaged through her belongings. She briefly fidgeted with the paper in her hands, then discreetly extended it towards me with a polite gesture.

    The traces torn here and there were bad enough, but there were even footprints on it, quite literally like a mop. I stared at the crumpled bundle of paper that Cherry cautiously handed to me, as if asking, ¡°What is this?¡± However, her head was bowed deeply, and her expression was unreadable.

    Unable to do otherwise, I epted the paper. It was not just any paper but a manuscript paper, heavily damaged. On the manuscript paper were writings, done in Cherry¡¯s distinctive warm handwriting.

    [Red Sunset Once Again.]

    What is this? Such an emotional title. Although the writing was a bit damaged due to being glued together like a puzzle, the title was clear enough for me to see.

    I blinked my eyes and stared at the title for a moment, then turned my gaze to Cherry across from me. She still had her head bowed and her hands were sped between her thighs.

    ¡°Could it be that Cherry wrote this?¡±

    She nodded slowly in response to my question. For a moment, I couldn¡¯t help but make a surprised expression, then I shifted my gaze towards the manuscript paper.

    It was torn and crudely patched up, making it a bit difficult to read, but not impossible. However, by looking at the clear shoeprints on the first page, I could guess the circumstances of how this came to be. It was undoubtedly a matter deeply rted to her family.

    The act of trampling on the manuscript of an aspiring novelist was not only an assault on their self-esteem but also a potential destruction of their dreams. Cherry¡¯s spirit could certainly copse under such pressure.

    <i>¡®Shees from a philosophical family¡­¡¯</i>

    Why did the Roseberry family press Cherry so hard, to the point of pushing her to the brink? With a heavy heart, I slowly read through the novel.

    At first, it began with sentences filled with warm emotions, just as the title suggested. As I had seen in her letters, Cherry¡¯s distinctive, sweet, and warm writing style left a strong impression.

    However, there was one standout element above all else¡­

    <i>¡®¡­What? A time travel story?¡¯</i>

    Cherry¡¯s work, ¡°Red Sunset,¡± surprisingly turned out to be a time-travel story. Despite being a clich¨¦ in my past life, there was no such genre in this world. The very concept alone showcased Cherry¡¯s uniqueness.

    Furthermore, with a writing style that suited romance well, she made the female protagonist more multidimensional. Especially, the psychological descriptions were exceptionally well-crafted, drawing one inpletely.

    But that¡¯s not all. Being from a philosophical family, she included various such elements. The thought-provoking themes were clearly defined, making the characters¡¯ personalities even stronger.

    Lastly, the highlight of the romance novel was the introduction and meeting of the male protagonist. Although the development was a bit rushed, there was one thing that was certain.

    ¡°Um¡­ Cherry?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes?¡±

    Cherry¡¯s work, Red Sunset Once Again.

    ¡°Is there no next volume?¡±

    It was never a work that could be trampled on by anyone.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Cherry momentarily had a bewildered expression upon hearing my words. She seemed unable to discern whether what she had heard was true or false. In an effort to give her assurance, I pointed at the manuscript paper and sincerely said,.

    ¡°This is really interesting? Are you sure Cherry wrote it?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡±

    ¡°Eheuk¡­¡±

    Just as I was about to call her name again, tears flowed down Cherry¡¯s pink eyes like a faucet, without a single blink, making me feel a bit uneasy.

    ¡°Sniff¡­ Sniff¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I remained momentarily perplexed, waiting silently until Cherry¡¯s tears stopped.

    ¡°I¡¯m relieved¡­ it¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t trampled on¡­ it wasn¡¯t trampled.¡±

    Although her face was a mess from shedding tears, Cherry¡¯s expression was much better than before.

 Chapter 193: Dream (2)

    I waited until Cherry stopped crying. Tears streamed down her cheeks as if a faucet had broken, and they formed droplets on her chin.

    Yet, despite it all, she was smiling as if she had finally been acknowledged. She looked noticeably different from before, when she had no life in her.

    ¡°Do you feel better?¡±

    ¡°Hick¡­ Yes¡­¡±

    She hadn¡¯t cried enough yet. I smiled faintly as I wiped her tears away.

    I tried to wipe the tears away, but they showed no signs of stopping.

    As I fumbled through my pocket, considering giving her a handkerchief like I have Adelia, Cherry asked me in a choked voice.

    ¡°Did you really¡­ hick! Did you really find it¡­ fun?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. It was really fun. Coming back from the future to change the tragedies you¡¯ve experienced to create a better future. How did youe about that idea?¡±

    As mentioned earlier, time travel is amon clich¨¦. It¡¯s a popr setting among writers, given its high demand. However, in this world, the clich¨¦ of time travel itself doesn¡¯t exist. Anyone would want to go back to the past to correct their mistakes, but the thought of writing a novel based on that premise wouldn¡¯t even cross their minds.

    Cherry listened to my question, blinked a few times, and then lowered her hands. Tears welled up in her eyes, her nose turned as red as a strawberry.

    Nevertheless, some vitality returned to her eyes, which had previously seemed to have rotted away, as if she had expelled all the suppressed feelings within her. Her cherry blossom-colored eyes appeared even clearer now.

    ¡°Sob¡­ Because of Writer Xenon¡­¡±

    ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ Sniff! They said that you came from the future¡­¡±

    She hupped intermittently as if her insides were surprised. I looked at her response with an expression of wonder.

    After the contamination of the World Tree roots, the world thought of me as a prophet or a regressor due to some of the truths that emerged. Later, due to a slip of Luminous¡¯s tongue, I was on the verge of being canonized as a saint.

    When ordinary people heard the story, they came up with all sorts of conjectures and assumptions, but they didn¡¯t use it as material like Cherry did. I¡¯m not sure if I can call this a change of perspective.

    ¡°I see. That¡¯s impressive.¡±

    ¡°Hic¡­ Th-thank you¡­¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    I lowered my head and watched Cherry, who expressed her gratitude, then shifted my gaze to the manuscript. Honestly, if I publish her book as it is, it will be a huge hit.

    Especiallypared to Xenon¡¯s Biography, which is read by both men and women, Cherry¡¯s book, Red Sunset Once Again, will likely be mainly read by women. Unlike Xenon¡¯s Biography, Red Sunset was undoubtedly a regression story.

    Typically, in regression stories, the focus naturally goes to the regressor, and the flow of the story revolves around the regressor. Naturally, the spotlight would be on the female protagonist.

    Still, it should sell well because the target audience was certain. Romance novels have been a sessful genre even before the release of Xenon¡¯s Biography. Even if the context is a bitplicated, as long as they can understand the story, the demand would be certain.

    Perhaps it will be popr among noblewomen. As for men¡­ I don¡¯t really know. Men in this world tend to have fixed stereotypes that suit the era.

    Adventure stories overflowing with dreams and hope, like Xenon¡¯s Biography, may be enjoyable to read, but romance stories bordering on politics may seem boring. Of course, the novelty of being a regression novel might pique some interest, but that¡¯s about it. Instead, they¡¯ll pretend to read it just to fit into noblewomen¡¯s conversations. Trends can be a sensitive topic among the aristocracy.

    I looked at the manuscript paper that had been barely salvaged after beingpletely messed up, then raised my head and nced at Cherry. Even though some life had returned to her pink eyes, she still had a hunched posture and a somewhat sulky demeanor.

    Judging from her reaction when I mentioned the family and the shoeprints clearly imprinted on the manuscript paper, I could roughly guess the situation.

    ¡°Student Cherry.¡±

    ¡°¡­Cherry.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Please call me¡­ Cherry¡­¡±

    Encouraged by mypliment, she asked with her characteristic gloomy voice. I momentarily made a puzzled expression, but soon nodded my head.

    I too find it easier to talk to each other casually. She already seems convinced that I¡¯m Xenon, and there¡¯s no need for formality in a private setting.

    ¡°Got it. Cherry.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you want to publish this as a book by any chance?¡±

    Cherry hesitated for a moment at my straightforward question before nodding slowly.

    ¡°But you were refused in your family, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±

    Cherry started trembling again when I mentioned her family. I wondered how severe her trauma was to elicit such a reaction. I wanted to avoid mentioning it if possible, but this manuscript was closely rted to her family. Even if we published it secretly as a book, someone might still notice.

    ¡°Has anyone actually read this manuscript properly?¡±

    ¡°¡­No.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Cherry reluctantly opened her mouth with a trembling voice.

    ¡°Only you¡­ have read it¡­¡±

    ¡°Only me? Even if they aren¡¯t your parents, you can show it to someone close to you, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    When I asked in confusion, Cherry just clutched her school uniform skirt tightly with both hands and didn¡¯t respond at all.

    I could roughly guess that from looking at that. It seemed like the Roseberry family must have taken a strong stance.

    In the worst case scenario, they might have even dragged away anyone who had read Cherry¡¯s novel with some ridiculous excuse. I mentioned it before, but this ce was a world where social ss was clearly defined.

    For those around me, they were all good people, but usually for nobles, things like human rights were practically non-existent.

    ¡°¡­yes.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Other people read my writing¡­ they were all kicked out¡­ and even tried to prevent me from writing¡­¡±

    Do such families even exist? I listened to Cherry¡¯s response, which she struggled to get out, and was more puzzled than shocked.

    It¡¯s amazing that a family like that hasn¡¯tpletely ruined her. It¡¯s fortunate that she hasn¡¯tmitted suicide.

    When people have a firm dream, they tend to hold bright beliefs and hopes in their hearts. Even if there are trials along the way, as long as a small me remains, they don¡¯t give up and keep moving forward.

    But the Roseberry family even trampled on that small me. Like the footprints on a manuscript page.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m really lucky to have been born like this.¡¯</i>

    If I had been born into the Roseberry family, Xenon¡¯s Biography might not have been born. I once again express my gratitude to the gods who allowed me to be born into the Michelle family.

    I decided that I needed to do something when I saw Cherry¡¯s eyes losing light once again.

    If time continues to pass like this, she might end up taking her own life soon. Perhaps even grabbing my hair was born out of desperation.

    If I had denied her, there was a high chance I would never have seen her again. Meeting her even now was practically luck, given the precariousness of the situation.

    ¡°¡­Cherry.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    ¡°No one has read this manuscript, right?¡±

    I asked to confirm, and Cherry nodded her head up and down. That meant, in other words, the people iming to be Cherry¡¯s parents not only hadn¡¯t read her novel but had trampled on it and torn it to shreds just because.

    Anyone who destroys their child¡¯s dreams instead of supporting them was not fit to be called a parent. At the very least, they were a presence that should not be called a parent.

    I carefully ced the manuscript on the table and leaned forward slightly, asking Cherry.

    ¡°Can I help you?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°If you want, I can secretly submit the manuscript to a publisher for you. But you¡¯ll have to rewrite it since it¡¯s in such bad shape. Do you have anyone in the academy monitoring you?¡±

    Shake shake

    Cherry shook her head from side to side. Thankfully, it seemed that there were no academy monitors assigned.

    Perhaps they shattered her hopes into an irreparable state, thinking that she wouldn¡¯t indulge in pointless thoughts. Trash remains the same, whichever way you look at it.

    ¡°Can you rewrite it and show it to me again? In fact, the writing is good, but the development feels too rushed. I wish you could provide a clearer exnation of this world and, furthermore, delve into what the protagonist experienced in the past in more detail. While the overall events are fine, what happened between people might be crucial.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    As I offered various pieces of advice, Cherry¡¯s expression changed. The gloomy atmosphere disappearedpletely, reced by curiosity and vitality.

    It was a fresh experience for her to have someone offer advice on her novel. I, too, felt a bit excited, as our shared passion drew us closer.

    ¡°And there¡¯s one thing you should pay special attention to here. The future the protagonist experienced and the future ahead might not be exactly the same. The actions the protagonist took to prepare for the future might actually lead to different oues. Or, on the contrary, they might expedite certain results.¡±

    ¡°I think I understand what you mean.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    As the conversation continued, hope began to shine in Cherry¡¯s eyes. The darkness receded, and the somber atmosphere lightened slightly. It was a transition from being a ¡°doll¡± to bing a ¡°person¡± once again.

    It seems that the Roseberry family was truly a sinister ce to ruthlessly trample on someone who shines so beautifully like this.

    ¡°Cherry.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±

    ¡°I mentioned it earlier, but if you need help, tell me. I don¡¯t know how much help I can offer, but I¡¯ll help you as much as I can, as long as you reach out.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Cherry listened to those words, then looked at me with a vacant expression. Her lips trembled for a moment, then her mouth curled up. It was a clearly visible smile to anyone. However, her eyes gradually welled up with tears, and tears began to flow down her cheeks once again.

    Her lips were upturned, but there were tears streaming down her eyes. Crying and smiling wasn¡¯t a pretty sight, but I quietly watched, understanding that it represented her emotions.

    ¡°Th¡­ thank you¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah. If you ever face difficult times in the future, talk to me. Don¡¯t cry. Your pretty face will get all messed up.¡±

    ¡°Hic¡­¡±

    Cherry, who hastily wiped away tears upon hearing my words, showed no signs of stopping. It seemed like the pent-up frustration still lingered within her. I checked the time while she shed tears. I had wasted a considerable amount of time reading the manuscript, and it was already almost 5 o¡¯clock.

    It¡¯s about time to meet my acquaintances soon. But I can¡¯t just leave Cherry like this, so I quietly sat down in my seat.

    ¡°There seems to be a lot on your mind.¡±

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have shown myself like this.¡±

    ¡°No, no. It¡¯s okay. Sometimes it¡¯s not a bad thing to cry and let it all out. Cherry, are you going straight back to your amodation?¡±

    ¡°What about Author Xenon?¡±

    Cherry asked a question in return without answering my question. I should change the way I address him first.

    ¡°From now on, don¡¯t call me Author Xenon, call me Assistant Isaac. And I have other ns as well.¡±

    ¡°Other ns?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, ns. I need to meet some friends. I also have a girlfriend.¡±

    ¡°Girlfriend¡­¡±

    What¡¯s with this reaction again? As soon as I mentioned having a girlfriend, Cherry¡¯s eyes turned dark. It was clear that his vitality had returned just a moment ago, but it seemed like a switch had been turned off, making him dark again.

    Slightly taken aback by this, Cherry mumbled something and then asked in a quiet voice.

    ¡°¡­You do?¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Like in the newspapers¡­ a promised future¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ yeah. We¡¯re even engaged.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡±

    The familiar tense atmosphere returned. I felt uneasy and cautiously got up from my seat.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the bill, so you can go back to the dorm. You missed ss, so you¡¯ll be quite busy starting next week.¡±

    ¡°¡­Okay.¡±

    ¡°Then whenever you have a hard time,e to theb. I¡¯ll be in theb most of the time, so you understand, right?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    What did she want to say? Cherry hesitated, as if trying to find the right words.

    Finally, she lowered her head and whispered softly, as if ants were passing by.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing¡­¡±

    ¡°Cherry?¡±

    Even when I asked, Cherry¡¯s answer remained the same.

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s nothing.¡±

    *****

    Isaac left first for the appointment. However, Cherry remained in the private room even after he had gone. An employee who noticed something strange in the middle knocked and came in, but because the atmosphere was too serious, they turned back. The employee thought that Cherry had simply confessed to Isaac and been rejected, but the reality was slightly different.

    <i>¡®He admitted it¡­¡¯ </i>

    She was secretly pleased. After reading his manuscript, Isaac asked when the next volume would be written and even gave the highest praise by saying it was really interesting. When she heard that praise, it felt like all the pent-up resentment inside her was melting away, reced by a joy that soared to the sky.

    The dreams and hopes that had been trampled upon and torn to pieces in the family had been acknowledged as interesting by Xenon (Isaac), who was now acimed as the best writer.

    How could she describe this feeling? If she hadn¡¯t met him or if she hadn¡¯t been acknowledged, she would have hung herself in her room. It was the first time she had felt the feeling of living like this since she was born. She had fallen into the abyss of despair once but thanks to Isaac, she felt it even more keenly now.

    <i>¡®But my parents¡­¡¯ </i>

    They would never acknowledge it. Rather than wasting time on such trash, they would tell her to read another philosophy book. They were people who envied theck of interest in their philosophical books due to Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    She vividly realized how ¡°jealousy¡± could make people so ugly. But Isaac was different. He not only acknowledged her but also gave various advice and suggested her future path. He treated her as a person, not as a doll, and watered the growing tree of dreams with sweet water.

    The sweet sensation that swept over her chest, like having a piece of sweet candy after eating nothing but bitterness, revitalized Cherry. However, it was not enough. Although the sweetness lingered in her mouth, candy wasn¡¯t meant to fill her stomach, so it was inevitablycking.

    <i>¡®More¡­ More¡­¡¯</i>

    She wanted attention. She wanted recognition. She wanted praise. She wanted love.

    His every word was as sweet as candy, providing new stimtion and pleasure. She had never felt this way before in her life.

    Cherry gazed silently at the spot where Isaac had left. It was the ce where he had departed to meet his acquaintances and his fianc¨¦e. Was there any way to keep him in that spot? If that were the case, they could have longer conversations and more time to look into each other¡¯s eyes.

    Silently, she rose from her seat and slowly moved to the opposite side. She gently swept her hand over the seat where Isaac had just been. There was still warmth left behind from his recent departure. Cherry relished the warmth on her hand before bringing it to her face.

    ¡°Sigh¡­ Ah¡­¡±

    As she closed her eyes and inhaled the scent, a feeling of something filling her chest washed over her. For her, even such a simple act was akin to inhaling drugs, as her previously unstable mental state, battered by her family, synergized with her physical changes.

    Due to rough excitement, her heart pounded as if it were about to burst, and her lower abdomen tingled as if it had been electrified. As a result of that stimtion, she even felt something dampening.

    Cherry opened her eyes that she had closed while lowering her gaze. Isaac¡¯s scent still lingered on that leather.

    Swallowing hard, she cleared her throat. mes of passion flickered in her pinkish eyes.

    Fortunately, no one wasing into the private room at the moment. Even if someone did enter, they would knock, so she didn¡¯t have to worry about being caught.

    How much time had passed since then?

    ¡°Goodbye~¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    It was only after a long time that Cherry finally emerged from the private room.

    Her face was subtly flushed, and her school uniform was disheveled, but the staff didn¡¯t seem to notice.

    However, when they entered the private room to clean it, they noticed something strange.

    ¡°¡­What¡¯s this smell?¡±

    The private room was filled with the scent of cherry blossoms.

    Trantors note:

    Isaac just can¡¯t get a girl with vani tastes now can he.

 Chapter 194: Bad Luck (1)

    Some people might wonder if I wasn¡¯t trying to hide my identity. Or that I easily admitted it with such evidence.

    Honestly, I originally intended to persist until the end. I was tired of the situation gettingplicated for no reason. But it seemed that Cherry¡¯s mental state was more serious than I thought, so I had no choice but to reveal it discreetly, considering it as saving one person. It wasn¡¯t an empty statement,if I had pretended not to know back then, she might have been discovered in our dorm as a lifeless body.

    If that had happened, I would have carried guilt for the rest of my life. Trauma from my past life of losing parents in a single day was already enough.

    <i>¡®I should gradually tell others about it.¡¯</i>

    After the counseling that was not counseling with Cherry ended, my daily routine remained the same.

    After having a simple meal with acquaintances, I would go on a date with Marie or Cecily. After the date, depending on our circumstances, we would either return to our respective rooms or head to an inn. The lessons that followed the next day and the day after that continued just like the first day. This was true for the second year as well.

    The repeating sses could have be slightly boring, but I was too busy to even notice. Instead, there were faces I hadn¡¯t seen in a long time.

    ¡°Isaac? Are you really Isaac?¡±

    With dark brown hair, eyes, a sharp jawline, and overall a sharp and cold image, he was a cool handsome man.

    I met Edin Mavi Signer, the eldest son of Count Signer, whom I had a connection with during the freshman event.

    Naturally, we could only meet briefly after all the sses were over. Elena didn¡¯t say anything, knowing that today¡¯s sses hade to an end.

    ¡°Although I¡¯m a bit different from the wee party, it¡¯s still Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. You¡¯ve changed a lot from back then. I¡¯ve seen someone with red hair asionally, but I never thought it was you.¡±

    As I shrugged in response, Edin looked me up and down in amazement. Back during the freshman event, I was barely over 170 cm tall, but now I had easily surpassed 180 cm. My physique had developed nicely, and after consistent exercise, my muscles had be firm.

    Unlike a year ago when I was extremely frail, my father¡¯s genes had manifested themselves ratherte, which contributed to the change. Edin had grown taller and his shoulders had broadened slightly in the past year, but he hadn¡¯t undergone as dramatic a transformation as I had.

    ¡°What¡¯s with the hair? It¡¯s gotten really long since Ist saw you. Were you always a fast grower?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, something like that. Anyway, nothing major happened to you?¡±

    ¡°Well, not really. But you¡¯re already performing your duties as an assistant?¡±

    ¡°The professor is giving me the opportunity. Have you been reading bookstely?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Edin and I could engage in various conversations. We both knew that we were avid readers, so our conversations never ran dry. asionally, people who seemed to be Edin¡¯s friends would approach, but as soon as they realized the topic was rted to books, they quickly moved away.

    ¡°What¡¯s your sister up to these days? Is she still performing her assistant duties?¡±

    ¡°No, she went to take the Navy Knight Order entrance test. It¡¯s about time for her toe back¡­¡±

    Nicole said it would take about a month, so she should be back soon. She¡¯ll probablye back wearing the Navy Knights uniform that they provide. I¡¯m really curious about the Navy Knights¡¯ uniforms, I heard they¡¯re supposed to be quite stylish. Maybe she¡¯ll visit the mansion first to see our parents beforeing to the academy.

    ¡°Navy Knights¡­ Speaking of which, didn¡¯t your brother also join the Navy Knights?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, he did. I don¡¯t have the talent for it, though.¡±

    ¡°From what I can see, it doesn¡¯t seem like you¡¯repletely untalented. With a physique like yours, you could certainly have potential with a bit of exercise.¡±

    ¡°Enough about that. I¡¯m just exercising, that¡¯s all.¡±

    In reality, I had been intensifying my physical trainingtely. It was not just for Marie but also for Cecily, it was more of a necessity than a choice. Moreover, since I couldn¡¯t receive divine power from Mora, I had no choice but to rely on my physical strength. I nned to increase my basic stamina as it seemed like I was depending too much on Luminous for divine power. I just had to hold out until then, and I nned to receive plenty of divine power this weekend.

    ¡°You make a good point. By the way, there have been rumors that you¡¯re dating Lady Marie. Is that true?¡±

    ¡°It is true, but did that rumor really spread to the department of martial arts? too?¡±

    ¡°Well, she¡¯s the heir to the only duke in the Minerva Empire, so I guess it¡¯s not surprising. But it turned out it¡¯s true.¡±

    Eddie looked at me with an amazed expression, then nodded to himself as if he understood.

    ¡°I guess with your looks, it¡¯s not impossible.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t only talk about others. How about you? Do you have a girlfriend?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have the luxury for that. How about you? I¡¯m a little curious about how you started dating.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    Instead of answering immediately, I nced around. A few people seemed to be pretending not to listen but were actually eavesdropping as the story of Minerva Empire¡¯s only Duke heir and amon baron¡¯s son unfolded. It seemed that the difference in our social status made it an interesting topic even for those who didn¡¯t want to hear about it.

    ¡°We just got together because we liked each other. I can¡¯t exin it any other way.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll stop here. I don¡¯t want toplicate things for no reason. Can you tell me your story, or do you have any interesting rumors from the department of martial arts?¡±

    When I cut off the conversation abruptly, Edin looked disappointed for a moment but then brought up a topic that piqued my interest.

    ¡°Oh, by the way, have you heard about this? A transfer student hase from the Ters Kingdom¡¯s academy. But the interesting part is that this transfer student is a member of the royal family.¡±

    ¡°What? What are you talking about¡­ Oh.¡±

    Come to think of it, I vaguely remembered hearing about it. It was when I had revealed Michelle territory as Xenon¡¯s birthce after the exhibition. There was a rumor that, upon hearing this, the Ters Kingdom had decided to send one of the royal family members to Halo Academy in response.

    Since the Crown Prince, Leort, the Princess, and Rina were attending Halo Academy, their intentions were clearly visible. Nevertheless, from the perspective of the Kingdom of Ters, it was an inevitable choice.

    ¡°They came as a graduate student?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I heard she graduated already and came here as a teaching assistant. Rumor has it she¡¯s the Second Princess.¡±

    ¡°The Second Princess¡­¡±

    I met the Ters royal family during the exhibition. From what I heard, the First Princess had already married and moved to another country, leaving only one choice.

    A cold beauty with sky-blue hair and sky-blue eyes like Adelia, Hiriya Dukeard von Kurchers.

    Considering she wore a uniform instead of a dress at the exhibition, it was evident that she aspired to be a knight. She must be a student at the academy, given her age is likely younger than Adelia¡¯s.

    <i>¡®Not too thrilled about it¡­¡¯</i>

    At the time, her attitude and gaze toward Adelia were far from friendly, even if it was less hostile than towards the Crown Prince. The expression she showed Adelia could be described as openly hostile.

    Furthermore, her younger sister, Lara, even tried to approach Adelia. As someone who witnessed the situation firsthand, I couldn¡¯t possibly view it in a positive light.

    ¡°¡­Is that so? That¡¯s quite an interesting rumor. Since she¡¯s a teaching assistant, she must be at the practical training by now, right?¡±

    ¡°Maybe? I don¡¯t really know much about practical training. Why, do you want to see her?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    I had no reason to go see that person, and I had no intention of doing so. I just hoped to avoid running into her.

    On the weekend, I had ns to visit the training grounds to exercise and also watch some sparring. However, it seems better to postpone it for a while. If I were an assistant instructor, I¡¯d be visiting the training grounds every weekend to teach the students.

    Above all, I need to inform Adelia about this. She probably knows nothing about it, so if we happen to run into each other, she might panic like she did back then.

    ¡°For now, I¡¯ll go first. It was nice meeting you after a long time.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, take care.¡±

    The current time is 3 PM. Fortunately, I have some time to spare, so meeting Adelia in the middle of it shouldn¡¯t be a problem. After exchanging greetings with Edin, I left the lecture hall. As soon as I stepped outside, I could feel numerous eyes on me. The reason, of course, is my conspicuous red hair.

    While the Literary Arts building may be used to it, this is the first time for the Martial arts building, so students were looking at me with curious eyes.

    <i>¡®The Martial arts building definitely has more people.¡¯</i>

    The ce where I attended theory sses isn¡¯t much different from the Literary Arts building. The essence of the department of martial arts lies not in theory sses but in practical sessions, so it¡¯s rtively calm.

    However, due to the fundamental difference in the number of people, it was bustling. Above all, almost everyone has a formidable physique. There are male students with muscles like my father, and even female students easily exceed 170 cm. My physique wasn¡¯t small either, but just looking at them made me feel small and inadequate.

    I felt like I might get into an argument for no reason, so I quickly changed my direction. If I had to live in a ce like this, I¡¯d feel suffocated. I should consider myself extremely fortunate to be a Literary Arts student.

    <i>¡®How did Dave and Nicole perform their duties as assistants in a ce like this?¡¯</i>

    It¡¯s the moment when I suddenly feel that my older brother and sister are amazing. Adelia was the same. It¡¯s not any kind of animal kingdom, but the energying from the students felt a bit fierce. Given their vigorous age and the physical training they¡¯ve been doing since they were young, there must have been many incidents.

    Feeling a bit hurried, I quickened my steps. Before long, just as I was about to leave the building¡­

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    For some reason, a familiar deep and unique voice pierced my ears. It was mature but distinctly stiff.

    With a sense of wonder, I turned around, and my gaze met a pair of indifferent sky-blue eyes. To top it off, the sky-blue hair tied up with a ponytail.

    The person I had just talked to, Hiriya, called me with his characteristic stoic expression.

    ¡°¡­Me?¡±

    Why did this person call me again? When I asked in surprise, Hiriya stared at my face without saying a word.

    Then, he slightly tilted his head and mumbled while tapping his chin.

    ¡°Red hair, definitely¡­ Could you possibly be his brother? You two look too simr for that¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you happen to have a twin brother? He¡¯s shorter than you and has shorter hair.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m Isaac.¡±

    It seems like it caught Hiriya¡¯s attention because of the red hair that stands out all by itself. That damn red hair of mine.

    But even though she was an assistant, I couldn¡¯t figure out why she was in the building for theory sses. While I was pondering this, Hiriya spoke to me with an amazed expression.

    ¡°Is it really you? You¡¯ve changed so much from the exhibition.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just part of growing up.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ I see. It suits you in a way, despite looking like a girl with long hair.¡±

    With thatment, Hiriya walked past me. I watched his back with a slightly puzzled expression.

    Even if she¡¯s a princess of the Ters kingdom, her personality¡­ How should I put it? She seemed quite bossy. She only says what she wants to say and then leaves. Does she really need to add the term ¡°like a girl¡± to it?

    <i>¡®Is Adelia the only sane one among the Ters royal family?¡¯</i>

    The king of Ters, Friedrich, was widely known as a great romanticist, but looking at Adelia, that doesn¡¯t seem to be the case. In many ways, Hiriya has a lot of sharp edges. If we only consider this, then Leort and Rina, who only pressure others, might seem like the reasonable ones. In reality, the two siblings were a bit hasty, but they were quite decent people even now, maintaining a friendly rtionship between themselves.

    <i>¡®Someday, I should definitely write in the book.¡¯</i>

    The story of an abandoned royal family¡¯s illegitimate child seeking revenge and overthrowing the kingdom was really great. Really excellent.

    However, I nned to write it in my next work rather than including it in Xenon¡¯s Biography. Not the one about World War II but the sequel to Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    The problem is that I¡¯ve been so busytely that I had to force even my writing time into small bits of free time. As a result, I nned to send the new book to the publisher at the earliest a week from now.

    <i>¡®I never expected to be this busy.¡¯</i>

    Who would have thought that there would be 150 literary freshmen? During this vacation, I didn¡¯t even have time to work on Xenon¡¯s Biography because I was having a good time with Cecily in Helium.

    Moreover, Elena has been asking for my help more frequentlytely for her research. This is probably because she suspects me of being Xenon.

    <i>¡®I need to meet Leona too¡­ I¡¯m busy, very busy.¡¯</i>

    I learned a lot about the beastmen during the vacation from my father. To be more specific, I referred to the beastmen¡¯sbat techniques.

    Leona knows much more about the beastmens way of life, so she was ying the role of the only advisor. I nned to ask her for help again next time, probably using food as a condition.

    <i>¡®By the way, I wonder what kind of reaction the beastmen will show.¡¯</i>

    I thought about Animers, the beastmen¡¯s nation that didn¡¯t react even though Xenon¡¯s Biography went up to volume 14. Even Alvenheim showed a reaction, but Animers remained silent.

    I¡¯m confident that there will be a reaction in the next volume, whether it¡¯s because Xenon¡¯s Biography is uninteresting from the beastmen¡¯s perspective or because there¡¯s some internal issue. Especially since I¡¯m briefly revealing the beastmen¡¯s strengths and weaknesses and ending with ¡°Satan¡± challenging the tribal chief to a duel. And that tribal chief¡¯s head goes flying.

    Prick

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    As I contemted each step, heading towards Adelia¡¯s lodging, I suddenly felt a tingling sensation on the back of my head. It was as if someone was staring at me.

    I turned around, but there was no suspicious corner to be found. Only pedestrians on the street. If my head was tingling like that, it meant someone was sending a strong gaze my way. I involuntarily tilted my head.

    <i>¡®¡­Is it my imagination?¡¯</i>

    It must be. I continued confidently towards Adelia¡¯s lodging. Even as I walked, I asionally felt a prickling sensation on the back of my head, but I ignored it. Every time I looked back, there was nothing to suspect.

    Eventually, I arrived at the lodging reserved for the escort knights. Just to be sure, I looked back once more and confirmed that no one was there.

    Knock knock knock

    I lightly tapped on the door to Adelia¡¯s lodging and waited quietly. I could have pressed the summoning gem, but this was more courteous.

    Soon, the door opened, and Adelia appeared. I was about to greet her warmly, but when I saw her attire, I had to stiffen my body.

    Usually, Adelia rarely wore outfits that revealed her figure, but right now¡­

    The top was a workout tank-top, revealing a well-defined abdomen without reservation. Not just an ordinary six-pack but the kind of abs that could only be achieved through extreme training.

    In addition, her slightly protruding lower belly, a slender waistline, and the pelvis that followed below exuded a refreshing charm as a woman.

    Lastly, her lower body. Even though I knew she looked great in leather pants, now, with her shorts, her strong thighs were prominently disyed.

    Even the sweat caused her scent to permeate the air, and my heart raced a little.

    ¡°Cutie?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    When I was absentmindedly examining her body, Adelia called me again. I hurriedly snapped out of it and turned my head.

    No matter what, it was a bit surprising to see her like this. If it were Marie or Cecily, I would have just chuckled a bit, but Adelia was different.

    ¡°Um¡­ noona? Were you working out?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. So what?¡±

    ¡°Uhm¡­ your clothes¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±

    As I cleared my throat and spoke, Adelia blinked her sky-blue eyes and then nced downward. Subsequently, she realized her attire and her face turned rapidly redder.

    ¡°S-Sorry!¡±

    Bang!

    Adelia forcefully closed the door to the extent that the wind blew. I waited with a wry smile.

    [You¡¯re crazy! Absolutely insane! Get a grip on yourself!]

    I pretended not to hear Adelia¡¯s scream mixed with her criesing from behind the door.

    <i>¡®Even so¡­¡¯</i>

    Seeing Adelia in different clothes made me feel a bit different.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 195: Bad Luck (2)

    I waited outside for about 5 minutes. As the awkward situation continued, the door slowly opened. On the side where the door opened, Adelia cautiously stuck only her face out. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, probably because of what had just happened.

    ¡°Do we really have to talk about it in my room?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s kind of important¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­Even though I¡¯m all sweaty and probably stink?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±

    When I replied that it was okay, Adelia hesitated for a moment, her lips twitching, and then she slowly opened the door. I took a look at Adelia¡¯s changed appearance.

    I wondered how she managed it, but she had wrapped herself tightly in a nket, like a cocoon. It seemed like the best option since putting on clothes would make her feel sticky due to sweat, and taking a shower would take too long.

    I felt somewhat awkward seeing her like that, but I went inside anyway. Adelia followed me inside with a careful step.

    Her personality, which had always been lively, was now overshadowed by shyness, making her appear refreshingly different.

    ¡°Do you smell something strange? I did open the window for now¡­¡±

    Adelia asked cautiously as I stepped inside. I heard her question and immediately sniffed the air.

    Honestly, I couldn¡¯t detect any specific odor, it was just the typical fragrance associated with women. Given her personality, she probably wouldn¡¯t be the type to wear perfume, so I assumed it might be a scent of sweat.

    Rose scent. Yes, it was a rose scent. Sometimes when she teased me, I would catch a whiff of rose scent from her, so it seemed like it was her natural scent.

    ¡°I don¡¯t smell it? I mean, you didn¡¯t just spray any perfume right after I came, did you?¡±

    ¡°You know I don¡¯t use perfume.¡±

    ¡°Really? That¡¯s strange. I can only smell something nice.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    In response to mypliment, Adelia¡¯s ears turned bright red, and she buried her face in the nket that was wrapped around her. Her reaction was a mixture of embarrassment and shame.

    Though a momentary amusing incident had urred, my purpose foring here was deeply rted to her. Adelia, perhaps realizing this fact btedly, mumbled something before lifting her face from the nket.

    Her face was still quite red, like she had caught a cold.

    ¡°So, um¡­ why did youe? I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but why did you want to talk in my room?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡±

    Before answering directly, I looked around Adelia¡¯s lodging. Although I briefly saw it when we came to the academy together, I have never entered her room before.

    Compared to the rooms where academy students stay, it¡¯s not very spacious, and the facilities are not that great, but it seems she has managed to make it work in her own way.

    Especially, various exercise equipment was scattered here and there. She must have used them just a moment ago.

    ording to what my father said, Adelia was not only talented but also incredibly hardworking. It¡¯s probably because of the influence of her difficult family background when she was younger.

    I briefly considered whether to talk about Hiriya at this moment, but it¡¯s something I must tell her, for her sake.

    ¡°¡­Adelia noona.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°I have something to tell you that¡¯s very rted to you, especially concerning your family.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    As I mentioned the family, the word seemed to startle Adelia. Fear took hold of herrge, sky-blue eyes.

    ¡°What? My family?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Why all of a sudden? Did someone¡­ someonee here?¡±

    As if to prove that trauma had deeply rooted itself in her heart, Adelia¡¯s voice trembled. When they met at the exhibition, she couldn¡¯t say a word and stiffenedpletely, so it¡¯s a natural reaction.

    Always confident and full of vitality, Adelia, who had a unique energy, seemed like a small, restless animal in my eyes. Her delicate voice, dted pupils, and the cold sweat that flowed. I looked at her with a sympathetic look and mentioned Hiriya, whom I had just met.

    ¡°Hiriya, the princess¡­ you know? I heard she transferred here as a teaching assistant. I just met her by chance on the way here.¡±

    ¡°Hiriya? Why¡­?¡±

    ¡°Rumors say it¡¯s for the sake of rtions with the Minerva Empire. Our territory, where the exhibition was held, is known to be Xenon¡¯s birthce, so there must have been a lot of pressure.¡±

    In hindsight, it was my fault. I had teased Hiriya to some extent that I intend to develop the Michelle Territory into a cultural city.

    So, I had to help Adelia in any way possible to lead a normal life. If Hiriya found out that Adelia was here from my side, the situation would be extremelyplicated. The best way here was to send Adelia back to the mansion.

    As seen at the exhibition, just meeting her family would stop all her actions and she would show severe anxiety symptoms. Moreover, she had been unjustly denied her family right in front of her, so the psychological shock would be tremendous. In my judgment, she would never be able to lead a normal life.

    ¡°Adelia noona.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°I know how scared you are of your family. So, if possible, to the mansion¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. I, I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Adelia noticed that I was trying to send her back to the mansion and urgently spoke, her voice already trembling uncontrobly.

    It was evident to anyone that anxiety symptoms had already set in. With a sheepish expression I quietly said.

    ¡°Even your voice is shaking. Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡±

    ¡°Uh, yeah. I¡¯m fine¡­ ah.¡±

    Now, she couldn¡¯t even meet my gaze, and her sky-blue irises were vibrating intensely. Her lips were trembling, too.

    I knew the reason why she didn¡¯t want to go to the mansion, even though she was disying such behavior. It was undoubtedly because of me. She had be a knight to be with me at the academy, after all. A woman in love could be so fragile.

    ¡°Noona¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m, I¡¯m fine, you don¡¯t have to worry.¡±

    ¡°Sigh¡­¡±

    I sighed as Adelia repeated the same words over and over. It seemed like she had no intention of returning to the mansion at all. Persuasion only works when the other person is willing to listen, and stubbornly insisting like this was pointless.

    In that case, there was only one thing left to do. To alleviate her trauma even slightly and make it possible for her to lead a normal life.

    <i>¡®But that¡¯s not as easy as it sounds¡­¡¯</i>

    I¡¯m not a psychologist, and trauma is extremely difficult to resolve. Trauma often elicits physical reactions before you even consciously think about it. Just like a person who has been through a major explosion might startle at the sound of fireworks, Adelia reacts simrly. She¡¯s sensitive to the keyword ¡®family.¡¯

    If I were a clergyman who used miracles, I might be able to help a little, but it¡¯s tough. I know how to receive divine grace, but I don¡¯t know how to use it.

    <i>¡®There¡¯s not exactly no way¡­¡¯</i>

    That way requires a significant improvement in Adelia¡¯s and my rtionship and the consent of those around us. It¡¯s a very unconventional method, and I¡¯m embarrassed to even mention it.

    In the end, all that¡¯s left is to provide enough stability to cover the trauma. For Adelia, that stability is either her close friend Nicole or her unrequited love, which is me.

    I decided to take one step at a time, like climbing a staircase. Starting with Hiriya.

    ¡°¡­Alright, but instead of ¡®Hiriya,¡¯ call her ¡®sister.¡¯¡±

    ¡°uh, sure¡­¡±

    ¡°Can you tell me about Princess Hiriya?¡±

    ¡°When you ask about Hiriya?¡±

    Adelia¡¯s sky-blue eyes widened at the request. Her hidden thoughts seemed to be asking why I would make such a question.

    I need to understand something about Adelia and Hiriya¡¯s rtionship if I¡¯m going to help in any way. If she seesmoners aspletely worthless, there¡¯s a high chance she¡¯ll unterally dislike Adelia.

    In addition, just by seeing Adelia¡¯s recent signs of anxiety, one can roughly sense how rudely Hiriya acted.

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m curious about who she is. If she¡¯s not a good person, I won¡¯t be polite either. She¡¯s an assistant, so I won¡¯t go to the training hall then.¡±

    ¡°¡­She¡¯s not that bad.¡±

    Oh my. Such gullible words were alreadying out. I almost burst intoughter at Adelia¡¯s timid response.

    Adelia is the type of person who canugh it off even when she¡¯s being harassed because of her personality. Furthermore, she was family, so she must have forced herself tough it off.

    She must have treated her family well to that extent. Hiriya¡¯s little sister, Lara, even approached Adelia with a bright smile as soon as she saw her.

    Of course, Hiriya immediately stopped her. I looked at Adelia with mixed feelings and spoke quietly.

    ¡°We can put good and bad aside for now. What¡¯s important is what that princess did to you as your sister.¡±

    With a firm statement, Adelia raised her head, as if she felt something. Wrapped tightly in a nket, she looked cute.

    After looking at my face for a while, she lowered her eyes and cautiously brought up the past. Her distinctive husky voice resonated in my ears.

    ¡°¡­She used to listen to me well. When I was training in swordsmanship, she trained alongside me, saying she would be like me someday.¡±

    Huh. Surprisingly, the past doesn¡¯t seem so bad, does it?

    As soon as I had that thought, her true colors were revealed.

    ¡°However, was it from the age of 14? She began to envy and feel jealous of me. She even shouted, ¡®Why do you have such skills as a mere illegitimate child?¡¯¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I was surprised, but when I tried to console her, she pushed me away and insulted me. Eventually, we naturally grew apart. Later on, her skills improved, and I kept losing to her.¡±

    Listening to Adelia¡¯sment, I could be sure. Princess Hiriya was simply a spoiled brat from the beginning. Moreover, she probably concealed the truth and made it sound more bearable. In reality, it must have been even more dreadful. Such severe trauma doesn¡¯t develop easily.

    I nced at the now saddened Adelia with a heavy heart, and suddenly, one thought crossed my mind. Just earlier, she mentioned that she had sparred with Hiriya and consistently lost. As a legitimate royal, Hiriya would have received more attention and support than Adelia.

    Especially in martial arts, you can¡¯t learn without the guidance of a mentor. It¡¯s natural for there to be a difference in skill. However, what if she used this difference in skill to physically harm Adelia under the guise of sparring? And what if she said words that should never be said as a human being? It¡¯s not an entirely imusible story, and it¡¯s actually quitemon in a world like this.

    ¡°Adelia noona.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Could you uncover the nket for a moment?¡±

    ¡°What, why?¡±

    ¡°I need to check something. It¡¯ll only take a moment.¡±

    Adelia¡¯s face turned rapidly red at my sudden request. However, upon seeing my serious expression, she hesitated for a moment before taking action.

    Slowly, like shedding a cocoon, she lowered the nket, revealing Adelia¡¯s healthy and well-proportioned figure in all its glory. Her body was adorned with firm muscles, a testament to her hard work over time.

    I briefly lost my gaze to her figure, but soon refocused my attention on her body, taking my time to examine it thoroughly. Previously, I hadn¡¯t had the opportunity to study it closely due to the circumstances, but now I had a clear objective in mind.

    First, I examined her arms and abdomen. Her skin was not exceptionally pale but had a sun-kissed tone, likely from training outdoors as a knight. However, there were noticeable marks that caught my eye, particrly bruises that had healed but left scars. These were more prominent not only on her arms but also on her abdomen and thighs.

    These were the scars of injuries. Especially in the case of bruises resembling beatings, they could have healed cleanly with proper treatment, but seeing them turn into scars¡­

    <i>¡®¡­These are clearly the result of violence.¡¯</i>

    It could be one of two things. Either Hiryaa had subjected Adelia to brutal beatings during their sparring sessions, or she hadn¡¯t received proper treatment. Perhaps, it could even be abination of both.

    With such significant scars on her body, it was inevitable that trauma would build up. If you¡¯ve seen how much suffering school violence victims endured in my past life, you¡¯d understand.

    Furthermore, Adelia has probably heard hurtful words her whole life because she¡¯s a child born out of wedlock. It¡¯s fortunate that she has a kind heart, but if she didn¡¯t, she might have taken her own life or even harmed her family long ago.

    I raised my head, looking at the faint scars scattered here and there with a sympathetic gaze.

    Did Adelia notice what I saw? She smiled widely, showing her gums, trying to express indifference.

    ¡°Yes, I used to be wounded, so what? I¡¯m fine now.¡±

    ¡°¡­Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes, really.¡±

    Seeing Adelia forcing a smile to reassure me made my heart ache even more. I reached out slowly as I watched her discreetly cover herself with a nket to hide the scars. And I gently held her hand that held the nket. Adelia¡¯s eyes widened in surprise when I held her hand.

    ¡°Noona, do you remember what I said at the exhibition?¡±

    ¡°Uh, uh? W-what did you say?¡±

    ¡°I said, your confident smile is the most beautiful. You don¡¯t have to force it.¡±

    Adelia made a confused expression at my words. I gave her a gentle smile and held her hand. As if symbolizing all the suffering and hardships she had endured, Adelia¡¯s hand was covered with calluses and hardness.

    ¡°I won¡¯t send you to the mansion as Noona requested. Instead, if you ever really can¡¯t stand it, just let me know. Okay?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°And I hope you understand this much. I¡¯m always on your side. If things get tough, just tell me. I¡¯ll do whatever I can to help.¡±

    What can I not do for the girl who likes me? Even though I might not ept her feelings, I need to do at least this much to ease my mind. You might call it self-satisfaction, and I might be criticized for it, but so what? It¡¯s what I want to do.

    Above all, the Ters royal family will never know. They mocked and looked down on Adelia, calling her a bastard and assaulting her, but in reality, she is Xenon¡¯s bodyguard. That alone was enough to make them eat their words. And Adelia will have to make a choice then.

    I will prevent her from choosing to return to her family, no, not a ¡®family¡¯, but to the Ters royal family. More precisely, I will make her heart lean in this direction.

    ¡°I¡¯m nning to work out this weekend. Would you like to join me, sis? I hope you can help me a bit.¡±

    With a kindness that her family had never heard before, Adelia blinked her clear eyes like a clear sky in response to my request.

    Then, with the confident smile I mentioned earlier, she replied energetically.

    ¡°Sure. But I won¡¯t go easy on you, even if it¡¯s tough, okay?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯d be just fine.¡±

    I hope that this will help Adelia heal even a little from her trauma.

    Time passed quickly, and the weekend approached.

    ¡°You¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Why is this bitch here?¡±

    Fate came faster than I expected.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 196: Bad Luck (3)

    It was an ordinary day, just like any other. The weekend hade, and as nned, I started my physical training with Adelia. Since Nicole was not around, there was no need to go to the training field, and the likelihood of Hiriya being there was very high. There was no need for intense exercise, and there were plenty of ces to work out even if it wasn¡¯t the training field. So, it was while I was roaming around the academy, warming up and increasing my stamina.

    ¡°Why are you here, Bitch?¡±

    Coincidentally, I ran into Hiriya while we were both jogging for basic stamina training. Surprisingly, she was dressed in ordinary workout clothes, but they were all in a sky-blue color that oddly suited her. It was a situation where I had just left the tiger¡¯s den to avoid the tiger, and I happened to run into the tiger outside. It was a situation that could be described as extremely unlucky.

    As I looked at Hiriya¡¯s face, filled with a mixture of difort and disgust, I observed Adelia¡¯s reaction. She was the most important one in this situation. And as if on cue, despite my previous attempts tofort her, Adelia¡¯s sky-blue eyes were shaking vigorously. She, who hadn¡¯t even broken a sweat while jogging, was now dripping with cold sweat.

    I¡¯ll say it again, the trauma deeply ingrained in one¡¯s heart cannot be fixed, no matter how much you want to.

    ¡°Sister.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    Nevertheless, it seemed she had improved from before as she regained herposure when I patted her arm. At the exhibition, there were three of them, but now it was just Hiriya.

    Adelia, who had regained herposure, looked at Hiriya, who was lost in thought, and swallowed hard. Then, with an expression that was hard to tell whether she was smiling or crying, she quietly spoke up.

    ¡°Ah, hello. It¡¯s been a while since the exhibition¡­?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Even when Adelia extended her hand for a handshake and greeted her, Hiriya remained silent. Instead, she turned her gaze toward me, as if demanding an exnation of what was going on.

    I had a strong feeling that the situation was about to getplicated, but she was a foreign princess, and I was Lord Yeongsik. There was a clear ss difference, so I had no choice but to exin.

    ¡°Dame Cross is currently assigned as a knight of the Michelle family. Right now, she¡¯s my personal bodyguard and attending the academy.¡±

    ¡°¡­A personal bodyguard?¡±

    Upon hearing the answer of ¡°personal bodyguard,¡± Hiriya made a surprised expression and then nced between me and Adelia alternately. Adelia tensed up every time their gazes met.

    Then, Hiriya scratched her chin, deep in thought, and soon, the corners of her mouth turned up slightly. I wasn¡¯t sure what she was thinking, but I had a gut feeling that it wasn¡¯t a very favorable situation.

    ¡°Well, this works out nicely. Come with me to the practice grounds.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I saide to the practice grounds. We have some catching up to do as long-lost acquaintances.¡±

    While saying that, Hiriya spun her body around. I watched her retreating figure as she walked towards the training grounds, but my gaze soon shifted to Adelia.

    Adelia, holding her left arm with her right hand, seemed to have understood the meaning of ¡°sparring¡± that Hiriya mentioned, as she trembled visibly. It appeared that past memories were resurfacing.

    <i>¡®Is she suggesting a sparring match, perhaps?¡¯</i>

    There was no reason for her to ask Adelia toe to the training grounds for anything else. The problem was that Adelia had a history of severe beatings, which she had suffered under the guise of sparring.

    No matter how much stronger she has be since then, the deep-rooted feelings of powerlessness and fear remained an issue. Like an elephant with a thin rope tied around its ankle since childhood, past horrific memories haunted her.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t youing?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes. We will follow you soon. Adelia Noona?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Adelia didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of moving from her spot, as if she were unable to respond to my call. She didn¡¯t just hesitate, she swayed as if she might run away at any moment.

    The confidence she had disyed earlier hadpletely disappeared, reced only by a fearful creature. I looked at her with a sympathetic gaze and gently took her hand.

    When I held her hand, she flinched and looked at me with a surprised expression. At the same time, her trembling body gradually calmed down.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ve told you before, I¡¯m on your side, noona.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be scared because you will regret itter. You can¡¯t just run away like this, right?¡±

    Adelia gradually felt reassured by the words that were delivered with a kind smile. Her body¡¯s trembling hadpletely subsided, and her contracted pupils were gradually returning to normal.

    Before long, even her panting breath, which had been hurried, returned to its usual rhythm, and even the corners of her mouth lifted. With that, she even added some strength to the hand I was holding.

    She smiled at my face and quietly expressed her gratitude.

    ¡°¡­Thank you.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s there to be thankful for? Let¡¯s get going.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Adelia must have calmed down too. I held her hand affectionately and followed behind Hiriya. Adelia, whose footsteps had been reluctant to part, now walked ahead with ease.

    If a stranger were to see us, it would look like lovers holding hands affectionately and going somewhere. Adelia even seemed to want to subtly express her desire as she yfully squeezed my hand.

    Originally, we had simply held hands, but she started cing her fingers one by one between mine. However, she hesitated to cross a certain line and only inserted her index and middle fingers between mine.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Hiriya, who was leading the way, looked at us with a subtle expression, then soon shed a wicked smile. Adelia and I were both taken aback.

    ¡°You seem to be getting along well. To the point where one wouldn¡¯t think of you as a bodyguard and a master.¡±

    ¡°Uh, this is¡­¡±

    ¡°No, there¡¯s no need for an exnation. Such entertainment is quitemon among the nobility. I can understand it.¡±

    At the moment I was about to exin, Hiriya raised her hand, as if indicating her understanding. I¡¯m not sure what exactly she understood, but it¡¯s definitely not a favorable interpretation.

    Then, she shifted her gaze to Adelia and spoke in a mocking tone.

    ¡°It surprisingly suits her quite well. In the end, she¡¯ll just keep begging and get rejected, though.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Crack!

    Hiriya¡¯s words were like a blow to the gut. I could vividly feel the strength in Adelia¡¯s grip on my hand. It was practically an insult. If it weren¡¯t for our social ss difference, I would have had every reason to punch her in the face for such a severe insult.

    Moreover, Adelia was a bastard child, so those words must have felt like a dagger stabbing deep into her chest.

    <i>¡®Wow¡­ quite impressive.¡¯</i>

    How can someone have such a vulgar personality? I knew she was uncouth, but I never expected her to say something like that so brazenly in front of us.

    In my heart, I wanted to immediately reveal my identity as Xenon, and have her kneel, and beg for forgiveness. But it¡¯s not the right time yet. To strike back magnificently, I need to build up my advantages step by step.

    Above all¡­

    ¡°¡­You.¡±

    Adelia¡¯s mood was unsettling. Just a moment ago, she seemed to be trembling with fear, but now she was trembling in a different way.

    Anger. Yes, it was anger.

    She, who had always shown signs of anxiety whenever she faced her family, was now clearly disying anger. It was the first time Adelia had shown such anger, and it felt unfamiliar.

    Nevertheless, without saying anything, Hiriya gave a sinister smile that could make her beauty fade and started to taunt.

    ¡°That expression, it¡¯s been a long time, hasn¡¯t it? Well, in the end, you¡¯ll cry and beg, won¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Did you say Isaac? I rmend not getting too close to that woman. It¡¯s before you get disappointed.¡±

    Was she so eager to receive a punch in the face? Hiriya left with only those words, turning around and taking her steps again.

    I watched her go with an astonished expression, then shifted my gaze to Adelia.

    Her face was still filled with anger, but also somewhat uneasy. She was watching me cautiously, and traces of her struggling with herself were evident, even the grip on our sped hands loosened. Perhaps she had realized once again after hearing Hiriya¡¯s words. That she was just a bastard with someone else¡¯s blood or something like that.

    Moreover, she was being scorned by her family, and she could even cause harm to those around her. There was a high probability that she was thinking like this.

    <i>¡®Some people are really something¡­¡¯</i>

    Even though she was kind, she was too kind. Her family environment was beyond terrible, reaching the level of absolute chaos. The fact that such a person had emerged itself spoke volumes about her nature.

    If she had been born as an ordinary noble¡¯s daughter, she would have grown up to be a mischievous and innocent youngdy. Her only misfortune was meeting the wrong family.

    However, where there¡¯s misfortune, there must also be luck. As Hiriya moved away from her, I made her an offer she couldn¡¯t refuse.

    ¡°Noona, can I make a proposal?¡±

    ¡°What¡­ proposal?¡±

    ¡°If you defeat that woman¡­¡±

    When I referred to her as ¡°that woman¡± instead of Hiriya the princess, Adelia widened her eyes in surprise. But the words that followed were enough to startle her even more.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever you want.¡±

    ¡°W-What? Whatever I want?¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    I grinned and then whispered softly into her ear.

    ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know what you desire?¡±

    ¡°¡­!!¡±

    At the same time as those words, Adelia¡¯s body jolted. Her grip on my hand grew stronger.

    I slowly pulled my face away from her ear and faced her. Adelia, with her facepletely flushed and looking utterly bewildered, caught my eye.

    In front of me, she used to be confident and self-assured, but seeing her act so nervously like this¡­ I don¡¯t know how to describe it, but she looked really cute. I guess all girls in one-sided love are like this, but Adelia is especially different.

    ¡°If you¡¯re going to hide, hide properly. It¡¯s so obvious.¡±

    ¡°Well, but you¡­ with Lady Marie and Princess Cecily¡­¡±

    ¡°I know. I can¡¯t immediately ept Noona¡¯s feelings. Instead¡­¡±

    I hesitated for a moment, then gently brushed her cheek with my hand. When my hand touched her cheek, Adelia shivered again.

    To fully ept her, as I said, it will take time. I need to reveal my identity, and most importantly, I need Marie¡¯s permission.

    The possibility is very high since Cecily was epted, but Cecily is the princess of Helium. So Marie willingly epted for many reasons.

    However, Adelia¡¯s situation is quite different. She may have great martial skills, but she has a major w in being a bastard child.

    Whether she bes a member of the Ters royal family to eliminate that w or remains my personal knight will depend on her choice.

    ¡°I¡¯ll decide after seeing Noona¡¯s choiceter. So, please bear with it until then. Okay?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°You must win no matter what if you want to receive what Noona desires.¡±

    People need a clear sense of purpose to develop passion and determination. Adelia was no different in that regard.

    Adelia responded enthusiastically with a gentle voice and a soft smile as I encouraged her while brushing her cheek.

    ¡°I¡¯ll definitely win!¡±

    ¡°Yes, you will.¡±

    I wonder what favor she will ask of me.

    Trantors note:

    Ehew¡­ New semester started so I quit my internship¡­ It sure feels like shit, exchenging one busy for another.

 Chapter 197: Bad Luck (4)

    When Isaacforted Adelia and then headed straight to themon training grounds, the training grounds were already in chaos due to Hiriya¡¯s appearance.

    Naturally, it was because Hiriya was a princess of the Ters Kingdom, often referred to as the rival of the Minerva Empire. They had heard that she worked as a martial arts assistant, but this was the first time she hade to the training grounds.

    Her status, skills, and, on top of that, the delicate beauty she had, reminiscent of a winter season ¨C everything about her was captivating. Nothing wascking, and she exuded an aura that was not easily approachable.

    ¡°Oh? Isn¡¯t that Miss Adelia, the instructor?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, didn¡¯t she graduate and be a knight?¡±

    ¡°Why did shee here?¡±

    A little whileter, when Adelia revealed herself alongside Isaac, themotion doubled. Like Nicole, she had a dazzling appearance that was far frommon, an unbiased mindset, and, in addition, great martial prowess, making her popr among the students.

    Above all, her personality, which made everyone feel naturally close to her, was impossible to dislike. Especially the notorious incidents of asionally ying mischievous pranks on Nicole, which earned her repeated scoldings, was widely known.

    Because of that, many students felt regretful, thinking they couldn¡¯t see them anymore. However, her suddenly appearing at the academy, in the training ground no less, left everyone astonished.

    But there was something even more surprising.

    ¡°They¡¯re going to have a duel?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I heard. Let¡¯s watch.¡±

    On top of that Hiriya and Adelia were having a duel. From the perspective of a third party who didn¡¯t know the circumstances, it was impossible to tell why they had arranged a duel.

    Except for one person, Isaac, who was sitting in the audience.

    He couldn¡¯t help but feel a slight unease as he fixed his gaze on the training ground where the duel between the two began. To borrow his father¡¯s, Hawk¡¯s words, Adelia¡¯s talent could be considered genius, but what was even more frightening was her effort. It was a relentless determination that went beyond just effort.

    Considering that that genius could stand out among numerous talented students and be an assistant instructor, one could imagine how much effort she put in.

    But this was Adelia¡¯s story, he had no idea how strong Hiriya was. There were even instances of her physically abusing Adelia when they were younger.

    Of course, this was possible because the royal family provided substantial support to Hiriya, but considering the age difference between the two, it was certain that she possessed an extraordinary talent.

    ¡®Is it going to be alright¡­¡¯

    Above all, Adelia had a deep-seated trauma that she carried in her heart. Her body could react before she even had a chance to think.

    In order to alleviate that trauma in any way possible, Isaac had made an irresistible proposal to her. However, he couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy.

    If Adelia wins, it will be the best oue, but if the opposite happens, things will get a bitplicated.

    Her trauma will worsen as time goes, and it might even leave asting scar on Adelia¡¯s heart. Hopefully, she will emerge victorious.

    ¡°As expected, you were here.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Oh, Lord Leort.¡±

    While waiting for the duel to begin, a young man with golden hair approached Isaac. He was Leort, the Crown Prince of the Minerva Empire and one of the regr visitors to the training grounds on weekends.

    Isaac extended his hand to greet Leort as he stood up, but he motioned to stop him. With a bitter smile and a voice filled withplexity, Leort spoke.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it unnecessary now? It seems I¡¯ve been quite a burden.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s different when it¡¯s just the two of us. There are spectators now.¡±

    ¡°Your personality remains consistent.¡±

    Leort said so and took a seat beside Isaac. Afterward, they both shifted their gazes towards Hiriya and Adelia, who were facing each other with training swords.

    Observing the two for a while, Leort nudged Isaac. Isaac, too, kept his eyes on the training grounds where the duel was about to take ce.

    With a slightly cautious tone, Leort asked Isaac a question. It was a suitable question since there were hardly any spectators in the stands nearby.

    ¡°Do you know what kind of rtionship those two have?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I know well.¡±

    ¡°Then, by any chance¡­¡±

    ¡°Hiriya, the princess, doesn¡¯t know who I am. She just knows me as Adele-noona¡¯s master.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fortunate.¡±

    I wondered for a moment but was reassured. After all, if Hiriya had known Xenon¡¯s true identity, she wouldn¡¯t have challenged Adelia to a duel. Moreover, from the perspective of Leort and the Minerva Empire, it was an ideal situation. They may not have known, but Isaac¡¯s reputation regarding the Ters Kingdom was deteriorating in real-time.

    Sometimes, doing nothing was the top priority. This is a lesson I learned a few months ago, after experiencing a protest that would go down in history. Thanks to that, we¡¯re still maintaining a reasonably good rtionship. It was an ufortable situation after the protest, but Isaac¡¯s leniency allowed them to recover.

    ¡°¡­Lord Leort, I have one question. Is it okay to ask?¡±

    ¡°What is it? I¡¯ll dly answer any question you have.¡± ¡°

    The Ters royals are originally¡­ well, how should I put it¡­¡±

    Isaac hesitated to speak and looked around. After confirming that there was no one nearby, he cautiously continued.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t they a bit¡­ arrogant?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°That¡­ even if Adelia is a bastard child, don¡¯t you think what they do is too much? No matter how much one says otherwise, denying family in front of her seems a bit harsh.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Hearing that question, Leort shifted his gaze to Hiriya. The Minerva Empire and the Ters Kingdom had a growling rtionship with each other, but paradoxically, their exchanges were quite active.

    To take the right actions, one needed to understand the other side, and to grasp the situation properly, you needed to find weaknesses. So, active exchanges between the two sides and even royal family members meeting were natural urrences.

    In Leort¡¯s view, the Ters royals were certainly strong personalities individually. The first princess married into the Belua Republic before they could meet, but he knew well about the crown prince and the other two princesses.

    ¡°Individual differences might exist, but I don¡¯t think of them so negatively. The issue of a bastard child is their problem, not mine.¡±

    ¡°Well then, what do you think about bastards? Do you also consider them as worthless, Lord Leort?¡±

    ¡°If you want to curse, then curse their father who roamed around as he pleased. What sin has the childmitted? If the Luminous who governs life were to see that, they wouldment.¡±

    ¡°If you want to curse someone, you should curse the father who wandered around as he pleased. What crime can a child have? If Luminous, who governs life, were to see that sight, she would surelyment.¡±

    Leort¡¯s indifferent yet straightforward answer made an unexpected expression on Isaac¡¯s face. Leort was a noble, and moreover, the Crown Prince who should be looked up to after the Emperor. Nevertheless, his attitude toward bastards didn¡¯t seem too bad. In fact, it was close to having no interest at all, but it was something, nheless.

    Leort smiled inwardly as he looked at Isaac¡¯s expression. Although he didn¡¯t have much interest because there were no bastards in the imperial family he belonged to, it was good to score points like this.

    The Kingdom of Ters would take care of its self-destruction. All he had to do was just fume the mes a little.

    ¡°Come to think of it, didn¡¯t Nicole say she was going to take the entrance test for the Navy Knights?¡±

    ¡°Yes. She should being back soon¡­¡±

    Bang!

    Before Isaac could finish his sentence, a loud noise came from the training grounds. His gaze shifted from Leort to the direction of the training grounds.

    First, he noticed Hiriya lying on the ground. And next¡­

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    As if she had washed away all her traumas, Adelia was confidently pointing her sword at the fallen Hiriya.

    *****

    About three minutes before this incident urred, while Hiriya had a smile on her face, Adelia was standing with a stern expression. They both held training swords in their hands.

    Although the training swords had no sharp edges, they were made of metal and had a weight simr to real swords. Moreover, they were still intimidating weapons,cking only the lethality.

    Normally, a spar would begin with a bow or a ceremonial sword sh as a sign of mutual respect, but for these two, there was no such formality. Only a chilling atmosphere surrounded them.

    Adelia looked at the rxed Hiriya for a moment and then turned her head slightly to the left. Isaac, sitting in the spectator seats, was watching her.

    ¡°What are you looking at? Are you watching your prince again?¡±

    She noticed Adelia¡¯s gaze fixed on Isaac, and taunted her with her distinctive low and sultry voice.

    ¡°Seems like Adelia has already developed feelings for Isaac.¡±

    She had already sensed that Adelia had some affection for Isaac, so it wasn¡¯t a big surprise to her.

    This made it even more amusing for Hiriya. A half-blood, neither nobility normoner, having feelings for someone like Isaac, who was practically a noble. It reminded her of her own mother, who hade to the royal family¡¯s doorstep in desperation to live a more dignified life. Eventually, she would be cast aside just like her mother.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just give up? You know better than anyone else how hanging onto something useless ends up. It¡¯s like trying to grasp a rotten rope.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    As Hiriya continued to insult her, Adelia¡¯s expression gradually grew more hostile. Her forehead furrowed, and her usually lively demeanor turned fierce, like a tiger.

    They say when a good person gets angry, it¡¯s even scarier, and Adelia was currently in that exact situation. Even Hiriya couldn¡¯t help but be slightly taken aback by a facial expression she had never seen before.

    But soon, memories from the past shed in Hiriya¡¯s mind, and her smile returned. The memory of receiving support from the royal family and abusing Adelia under a pretext of their rivalry.

    Was there any difference between then and now? She had be much stronger since then, and Adelia had run away to the academy with hardly any proper education.

    This duel was assuredly her victory.

    ¡°I see you know how to make that expression. So¡­¡±

    ¡°Hiriya.¡±

    Adelia, who had been silent all this time, called out to Hiriya quietly. Hiriya stopped speaking and looked at her, her expression now softer.

    A mere bastard dares to interrupt my words. She wanted to smack her immediately, but he remained silent as Adelia continued speaking.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about it for a while now. Why did someone who used to follow me so well suddenly start disliking me¡­?¡±

    ¡°Why are you bringing it up now¡­¡±

    ¡°You were jealous of me. I could replicate anything I saw once, but you couldn¡¯t. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    It was clearly a provocation, and not just any provocation, but words that forcibly brought out the deep-seated emotions hidden within Hiriya.

    To exin those emotions¡­ it was inferiority. Inferiorityplex.

    Hiriya wasn¡¯t particrly talented in martial arts, including swordsmanship, if it weren¡¯t for the secrets and supporting from the royal family, she would have been just an ordinary knight.

    But Adelia was entirely the opposite. Due to her status as a bastard, she couldn¡¯t even receive proper support, but what she learned on her own was more than enough.

    Thanks to that, some of the knights who valued her talent taught her skills one by one, and Hiriya could only hide behind Adelia.

    Initially, it was envy, then jealousy, and finally, inferiority.

    There were various reasons why Hiriya disliked Adelia, but it all came down to his inferiorityplex. That was the sole reason.

    ¡°What¡­ what? Me? Jealous of someone like you?¡±

    Adelia¡¯s statement left Hiriya feeling bewildered at first. Jealous of someone like her? It was almostughable.

    However, before she could realize it, her heart was pounding wildly, and her hands holding the sword were trembling. Adelia checked Hiriya¡¯s reaction and then turned her head to look at Isaac once again. Meanwhile, Leort sat next to them and engaged in conversation.

    She used to experience severe anxiety every time she faced Hiriya, but not anymore. Whenever Isaac was nearby, her heart would calm down, and in a different sense, it would flutter.

    <i>¡®It shouldn¡¯t be like this, but¡­¡¯</i>

    How could she resist when he was so kind? Just one of his gentle smiles could make all her worries and anxieties melt away. To the point where her family now felt insignificant, just being together could bring happiness.

    Adelia smiled sincerely and met Hiriya¡¯s gaze. Would she really be happy in the current situation? She suddenly became curious.

    ¡°Hiriya. I have one question.¡±

    ¡°Noisy!¡±

    Perhaps because of the recent altercation, Hiriya charged fiercely. She had strengthened her body with mana to the point where the wind was whipping around her.

    However, Adelia remained calm and predicted her attacks until the end. In the past, her body would have stiffened, allowing the attack to go through, but not today.

    With her loved one watching, and the chance to reveal her intentions if she won this duel, she couldn¡¯t afford to lose.

    Swoosh!

    Adelia, as Hiriya swung her sword forcefully from top to bottom, quickly blocked with one hand gripping the hilt and the other holding the de¡¯s edge. Without hesitation, she swiftly kicked Hiriya¡¯s leg as seething with anger, unable to maintain herposure.

    Thud!

    Eventually, her bnce wavered as her leg was swept away, and Adelia took advantage of the opportunity, maintaining her defensive stance, and pushed her back.

    Immediately after releasing her defensive posture, she struck at her throat with the tip of her sword. It was a perfect offense and defense, and all these movements flowed smoothly in just one second.

    Hawk, the knight known for his reputation as the ¡°Crimson Lion,¡± had perfectly imprinted onto her the ¡°smoothness¡± he had emphasized so much.

    ¡°Grrr!¡±

    Thud!

    Hiriya fell heavily, writhing in pain as she spat out saliva due to the excruciating pain in her throat. The throat was one of the human body¡¯s vital spots, and if properly attacked, it would make it difficult to even breathe.

    Thus, defending the throat was one of the most critical basic skills, but Hiriya couldn¡¯t manage it. It¡¯s not that she thought Adelia was foolish and wouldn¡¯t target her throat. But due to the overwhelming difference in skill, this was the result. Thanks to the various basic skills and techniques she had learned from Hawk.

    Gasp

    ¡°Ugh¡­ You¡­¡±

    Hiriya looked at Adelia with a mixture of surprise and anger in her eyes. Her expression indicated that she had no idea what was going on.

    In response, Adelia slowly pointed the tip of her sword at her and spoke, a question she had just failed to ask earlier.

    ¡°Hiriya, are you happy?¡±

    ¡°Huh¡­ What on earth¡­¡±

    ¡°You have status, family, wealth, and honor, unlike me. So I asked if you¡¯re happy.¡±

    ¡°What kind of nonsense is that¡­ Ugh.¡±

    Hiriya, unable to finish her sentence due to the pain in her back, stared at Adelia in silence. Adelia slowly moved her head.

    Isaac¡¯s face, which was now looking at this side with a bewildered expression because he couldn¡¯t grasp what was happening, could be seen. His face, which brought a smile just by looking at it.

    Her true happiness was not far away. No, it could be said that she found it by chance.

    Bing ¡°family¡± because of shared blood was not always the case. Family was not something that could be connected solely through blood.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you now, Hiriya.¡±

    With that thought, Adelia dered with a genuinely happy smile.

    ¡°I¡¯m much happier now.¡±

    Especially when she was with that man.

 Chapter 198: Liquidation (1)

    The situation that was too embarrassing to even call it a duel ended shortly thereafter. Hiriya, who had fallen to the ground, got up from her seat and left immediately.

    I¡¯m not sure if she couldn¡¯t do anything and felt embarrassed or if there was some other reason, but her footsteps seemed a bit hasty. What¡¯s more, as she left, she gave me a lingering look.

    In any case, as the duel ended too easily, the onlookers started going about their own business. A few people applied for a duel with Adelia, but she rejected them all and came back to me.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Your Highness. Have you been well?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it seems like you¡¯ve improved your skills in the meantime¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re too kind.¡±

    After returning, she greeted Leort first, who was sitting next to me. Leort responded with a friendly gesture.

    Adelia politely bowed and then met my gaze directly. At first, she hesitated, then blushed and spoke shyly.

    ¡°So, what did you think? Did you like it?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it was really impressive.¡±

    To be honest, I didn¡¯t know how Adelia had defeated Hiriya while I was talking to Leort. Since there was quite amotion, I guess Adelia didn¡¯t even realize my lie. She only smiled brighter than before. I could feel the innocence of a young girl when she lowered her head slightly.

    I guess we¡¯re done with the duel. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any need to stay here any longer. I decided, getting up from my seat.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be leaving now.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Have a nice day.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Let¡¯s go, noona.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    I didn¡¯t seem to sweat at all, and it didn¡¯t look like she needed to shower. I nned to finish the exercise I hadn¡¯t done in the remaining time.

    I didn¡¯t know what Hiriya was going to do next, but for the time being, she wouldn¡¯t harm Adelia. Even if she did, I had confidence that I could repay her several times over.

    ¡°Noona, if Hiriyaes to see you separately and says something, please let me know right away. Okay?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Hiriya won¡¯t be that reckless.¡±

    Adelia cut in, showing that she knew Hiriya well. It would be great if it turned out that way, but you never knew how people¡¯s hearts might change. Especially since she had suffered such a humiliating defeat, there was a high chance that she would harbor resentment internally.

    I was worrying about the future for a moment, but then a question popped into my head, and I nced at Adelia. It might be a sensitive topic for her, but I felt like I needed to ask.

    ¡°Um¡­ noona.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Was the power gap between you and Princess Hiriya always this big?¡±

    ¡°¡­ Originally, it was.¡±

    Adelia smiled bitterly at that question, as if thinking about something from the past. She maintained the bitter smile for a moment before speaking quietly.

    ¡°That child may seem calm on the surface, but she¡¯s secretly quite hot-tempered. She has a hard time controlling her emotions when provoked even a little. Even if you exclude that, I¡¯m still more skilled than her¡­¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you keep losing to Princess Hiriya back then?¡±

    ¡°I thought it would get better if I kept losing. I thought that if I gave in, we could return to the time when we were close, and she would follow me around again, calling me ¡®sister¡¯ and all. I realized it was all in vain not long after¡­ but it wasn¡¯t easy to let go.¡±

    The more she spoke, the more a sense of nostalgia crept into Adelia¡¯s sky-blue eyes. Hope is something that feels within reach and elusive at the same time.

    Adelia, too, had struggled to hold onto that hope, but it shattered into pieces during the exhibition. If I hadn¡¯t been there to support her at that time, she would have surely crumbled beyond recovery.

    I thought I could be her hope. Tofort Adelia, who was feeling down, I called out to her.

    ¡°Adelia noona.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°So, what do you want to ask me for?¡±

    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±

    At my question, Adelia blinked her sky-blue eyes and stared at me nkly. At first, her expression seemed to convey that she didn¡¯t quite understand the situation.

    ¡°Have you already forgotten? I told you that if I win, I¡¯ll give you what you want.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ well, that¡­¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what it is, so don¡¯t feel pressured and just tell me. Of course, it shouldn¡¯t be something inappropriate. Marie has to approve of it first.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡±

    Adelia¡¯s face rapidly turned red as she made a pained sound. Even though I indirectly mentioned it, Adelia would know what I meant. I inwardly chuckled as I watched her blush like a persimmon. Adelia blushing out of embarrassment was always refreshing to see.

    She had a lively and open-hearted personality, always hiding her wounds withughter, but deep down, she was an incredibly gentle woman. Like a flower blossoming from nourishment and love, she became more beautiful as she received more love.

    I¡¯ll say it again, Adelia was by no means a person who wouldn¡¯t receive love. If she had been born into an ordinary family, she would have received more love and grown up with it than anyone else.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be embarrassed. I told you about it, didn¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°Well, then¡­¡±

    As I reiterated, Adelia hesitated, showing signs of wanting to say something. She looked around, lowered her head, and then quietly made her request.

    ¡°¡­Um, my head¡­ could you?¡±

    ¡°Huh? What did you say?¡±

    She had her head down, and her mumbling made it difficult to hear. I leaned in closer to her face and asked again.

    Adelia, when I brought my ear closer, she twitched and soon whispered so that I could hear her.

    ¡°Hug me¡­ and stroke my head¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Is this¡­ okay?¡±

    Adelia, who had lowered her head and timidly made the request as her sky-blue eyes met mine head-on, became moist and shiny.

    Adelia is a person who exercises, so she¡¯s quite tall like Nicole. However, right now, because of my sudden growth spurt, she was looking up at me.

    I momentarily froze, facing Adelia¡¯s expectant expression. How can she be so lovely? Compared to her usual behavior, I wondered if she was the same person.

    Maybe it¡¯s her charming twist, or perhaps this is the true Adelia.

    Gently, I held her slender body with both arms without saying a word, and Adelia let out a soft sigh. There¡¯s no need to worry about anyone seeing us since there¡¯s no one around.

    Next, I tenderly pet her brown hair like I was handling a precious work of art. Every time I stroked her head, her body trembled.

    ¡°How is it? Is this okay?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    As I deliberately lowered my voice and whispered, she let out a sweet sigh. I¡¯ve felt it before, but she has some subtle cuteness.

    It was when I had been holding Adelia like that for a while, stroking her hair. She buried her face in my neck and spoke in a small voice.

    ¡°¡­Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Really.¡±

    Swoosh

    Adelia, who had just been clinging to me, seemed to gather her courage and hugged me. Unlike before, her actions seemed to be crossing a line little by little.

    Still, it wasn¡¯t apletely inappropriate gesture, so I let her be. Adelia seemed to realize that I had allowed it, and she put strength into her arms that held me.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I should say this, but I feel like I have to.¡±

    Her husky yet charming voice pierced my ears.

    ¡°I¡¯m so happy right now. I¡¯ve never felt this kind of happiness in my life.¡±

    A redemption from a troubled past.

    ¡°I¡¯ll definitely protect you.¡±

    A firm resolution. And¡­

    ¡°I love you, Isaac.¡±

    A sincere confession. But one that I couldn¡¯t ept immediately.

    Instead, as if asking me to wait just a little, I gently stroked her head and quietly opened my mouth.

    ¡°Then that¡¯s enough.¡±

    If she has moved from the dark shadow of the past.

    ¡°If my sister is like that, that¡¯s fine.¡±

    All she has to do is envision a bright future ahead.

    *****

    ¡°Darn it! Darn it! Darn it! To someone like that¡­!!¡±

    Meanwhile, in a girls¡¯ dormitory around the same time.

    After a humiliating defeat to Adelia, Hiriya was expressing her intense anger in the dormitory. The previously clean interior of the dormitory had be messy, with evidence of her frustration vividly marked on the walls, perhaps from her throwing things around haphazardly.

    If she were to damage the facilities, it could potentially lead to eviction, but she was a princess. This level of damage could be overlooked with some leniency.

    ¡°Whew¡­ Whew¡­¡±

    Hiriya, panting heavily as if she had let out all the built-up anger, had her once tidy hair now disheveled, and her cold beauty was tainted by her anger. Nevertheless, even in her enraged state, her beauty resembled a work of art, despite the chaos of broken objects around her.

    After a while, she took a deep breath, trying to calm her heated emotions, and sat down on the bed.

    ¡°When¡­ did she acquire such skills¡­¡±

    She recalled the events from a little while ago, particrly the moment when she had swung her sword and Adelia had defended herself.

    However, the actions that followed, like the flow of water, were enough to shock Hiriya greatly and still lingered. She could somehow block the next attack by anticipating it and kicking her leg, and she seized the opportunity to strike the throat.

    Even she knows that she couldn¡¯t control her emotions at the time of Adelia¡¯s provocation. She had always tried to maintain herposure as much as possible to hide her choleric nature, but it wasn¡¯t easy.

    Furthermore, she had never expected Adelia, who she had easily overwhelmed in the past, to have grown this much. In reality, Adelia had intentionally lowered herself to improve their rtionship, but Hiriya had no way of knowing that.

    <i>¡®When did she start growing stronger?¡¯</i>

    As she ground her teeth, Hiriya predicted the catalyst for Adelia¡¯s growth. The most likely scenario was that she had unexpectedly developed her talents at the academy.

    If not, there was no way the gap in their abilities would have be this wide. However, there was one thing that bothered her the most.

    <i>¡®You¡¯re happiest now?¡¯</i>

    Adelia confidently stated, pointing her sword at Hiriya, who had fallen to the ground. She imed that she was happier now than before. She asked if Hiriya was happy.

    She had be a knight to avoid bing a ¡®thing,¡¯ and she had gained the corresponding skills. However, she couldn¡¯t easily answer the question of whether she was truly happy.

    The reason she had be a knight was to surpass Adelia. At first, she had followed her, calling her ¡°big sister,¡± but at some point, she hade to despise Adelia, who had exceptional talent despite being an illegitimate child.

    So, she had tried to defeat Adelia and emphasize the difference between real royalty and half-breeds. Thanks to the support of the royal family in her youth, she had been able to easily overshadow her.

    But now? She had been easily subdued without even doing anything. The gap in their abilities had be insurmountable.

    More than that, the question of whether she was happy with herself had turned her insides upside down. It was akin to denying her entire life.

    <i>¡®Come to think of it¡­¡¯</i>

    Before anger consumed her thoughts, Hiriya thought of Isaac, the object of Adelia¡¯s affection.

    A distinctivebination of long red hair and golden eyes. His beauty was exceptional, enough to captivate many women. ording to rumors circting at the Martial arts department, he was already in a rtionship with the beloved daughter of the Duke of Requilis. Yet, even Adelia had fallen for him, indicating how great his charm must be.

    <i>¡®Every time she looked at that red hair, Adelia¡¯s gaze changes.¡¯</i>

    In other words, the source of her happinessy in Isaac. As these thoughts crossed her mind, Hiriya raised the corners of her mouth.

    If the source of her happiness were to disappear, would Adelia crumble once again? Hiriya knew all too well how deeply a woman who lost love could fall into despair.

    Of course, it wasn¡¯t about getting rid of Isaac. If that were to happen, it would not only result in severe diplomatic losses but also, as he was soon to be the son-inw of the Duke of Requilis, it could potentially lead to war.

    The best solution was one: finding a way to bring Isaac into the Ters royal family in any manner possible. In other words, a strategic marriage.

    The novels were filled with lovely stories, but reality was always a cruelw. Even if Isaac was in a rtionship with Lady Requilis, the situation changed when they officially pursued marriage from the Kingdom of Ters. The son-inw of the Ters royal family and the son-inw of the Duke of Requilis, the decision of which side to choose has already been made.

    Even if the Minerva Empire and the Kingdom of Ters sh with each other, they won¡¯t hesitate to go through with the marriage.

    ¡®The Michelle family is a baron rank, so there shouldn¡¯t be any problem sending him as a son-inw. He¡¯s also good-looking.¡¯

    Upon closer examination, it¡¯s not as bad of a choice as one might think. Hiriya can still maintain her knighthood, and Isaac is handsome enough that just looking at his face was enough to make a decision.

    Most importantly, they can take away the man Adelia loves. If the marriage is finalized, the anticipation of how desperate she will be is something to look forward to.

    ¡°First¡­ I should find out who that child is. It should be interesting.¡±

    As Hiriya was secretly making sinister ns in her mind.

    ¡°Achoo!¡±

    Isaac sneezed loudly, from some unknown chill while trying to write.

    ¡°Ugh. Fuck.¡±

    The Ink had smeared because of the spittle.

 Chapter 199: 15th Book (1)

    The content of Volume 15 of Xenon¡¯s Biography was primarily rted to the rtionship between the various races and devils. It marks the starting point where Alvenheim falls under the upation of devils, and humanity, feeling the impending crisis, begins nning to form a united alliance.

    The elves, whose homnd has already been upied, are on a vengeful path against the devils, much like the other races, as the devils have drastically altered their way of life. Humans and dwarves have also suffered greatly from the devils and are aware of the impending catastrophe, which is why they are contributing to the formation of the united alliance.

    However, there is a variable in this situation, and that is the presence of the ¡°beastmen¡± or ¡°races of the wild.¡± Beastmen are perceived as hostile and barbaric, but this perception was outdated. Since the establishment of their own nation, they have engaged in diplomatic rtions with many other countries. However, in the world of the novel, the beastmen, much like in reality, have a strained rtionship with humans, and the two races were not on good terms. While some human nations have diplomatic rtions with the beastmen, there was still a lot of mistrust, especially due to political maniptions by humans.

    Above all, a political plot by humans has led to ¡°Satan¡± bing ¡°Wrath¡± and defecting to the devil¡¯s side. Naturally, this has made the beastmen even more distrustful of humans, believing that humans resorted to underhanded tricks.

    In this situation, Xenon and his party request the support of the beastmen nation, Hikton, to aid in the formation of the united alliance. The beastmen are known for their formidable strength,parable to elven warriors, and were considered essential for the alliance.

    The result?

    The chieftain of the beastmen makes it clear that they will not be part of the alliance, dering that Xenon¡¯s party, despite being representatives of the alliance, will never be associated with them. Despite their efforts to persuade the chieftain, Xenon¡¯s party is outright ignored. Due to events rted to Satan, the chieftain remains deeply distrustful of humans to the end.

    The beastmen were indispensable to the alliance due to their exceptional warriors. However, at that moment the chieftain was particrly stubborn, and as Xenon and his group were about to give up.

    Cain, the chieftain¡¯s son and Satan¡¯s half-brother, came to their aid.

    Cain was inherently physically weak but could cleverly navigate through various crises using his extraordinary intellect. However, despite establishing a nation, the beastmen, who still had a strong survival-of-the-fittest culture, couldn¡¯t help but look down on someone like Cain.

    It was only because he was a prince that they left him alone, otherwise, they would have targeted him openly and aggressively.

    Even in the face of such disdain, Cain persevered, using his ¡®intelligence,¡¯ which could be stronger than physical strength. His presence had a significant impact due to the beastmen¡¯s aversion to politics.

    With eloquent persuasion, he managed to sway the chieftain and presented a proposal that made Xenon¡¯s group ponder deeply on the issue of founding the alliance. Ultimately, the hesitant Xenon and his group ended up staying in Hikton for a few days.

    During those days, Satan led his army to attack and challenged the chieftain to a sacred duel. Through it, the chieftain suffered a humiliating defeat, and Satan decisively severed the head of his father and traitor chieftain before confidently returning to his base.

    The story ends here, depicting the chaos that ensued in Hikton due to the leader¡¯s absence.

    [The chieftain, who disliked politics, was assassinated by his own son when he became a threat. The pinnacle of irony.]

    [In the context of a nation, politics are absolutely necessary. However, it¡¯s often talked about by those who only avoid it.]

    [Who will Hikton choose as the leader? Someone with strong military power as tradition dictates? Or someone with exceptional political skills, like Cain?]

    After the 15th volume of the story had concluded, the overall response was lukewarm. The story was generally interesting but because it was about beings who didn¡¯t usually interact with humans, it was received as ¡°just that¡± by many.

    Elves had been actively engaging with humans since Arwen¡¯s reign, so they knew a lot about each other, and the demons had left a strong impression just through Sakran¡¯s story alone.

    On the other hand, it wasn¡¯t the same for the beastmen. Internally, there was no way to know exactly what was happening, so it was taken as a simple ¡°Oh well.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t aplete failure in terms of poprity and reviews, butpared to before, it could be seen as a somewhat uneventful response.

    [Is the reason Animers are quiet because the tribal chief suddenly received the sacred duel application like in the novel?]

    [Animers are going through political turmoil. It¡¯s possible that¡¯s why they¡¯re silent.]

    Of course, it would be disappointing if spections were left out of this. People were specting that something simr had happened to Animers as the events in the novel unfolded.

    It was all just spection, but Animers had been so quiet until now that suspicion couldn¡¯t be avoided.

    Amidst these spections, Animers remained silent until the end.

    ¡°So, how do you feel? It¡¯s apletely different reaction than before.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m really happy, can¡¯t you tell?¡±

    I really liked these reactions. Whenever I released a new book, all sorts of unbelievable news used to erupt, giving me a headache. But this time, it was surprisingly peaceful.

    People say that once you¡¯ve tasted stimtion, you can¡¯t quit, but that¡¯s not true for me. Instead, every time I experienced stimtion, stress umted to the point of driving me crazy.

    However, the spection that I might be a prophet or a regressor still lingered, but it had definitely improvedpared to before. Thanks to that, I was able to find some peace.

    ¡°It¡¯s strange. Most people would be disappointed if the reactions were not great.¡±

    Rina, who was sitting across from me, said with a surprised expression. From her perspective, she might think that way.

    But just as when you crave water or milk when the spiciness is strong, I also felt a simr sentiment.

    Lately, I had been seeking a milder taste, amidst all the stimtion. The reactions to the 15th volume were precisely that.

    Sometimes, you need a stress-free and uneventful rest period.

    ¡°That could be true. But it was the same from the 11th to the 14th volume. I just want some peace of mind now.¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s why you killed Kyer?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Marie, sitting on my right, subtly applied the ¡°fact-violence,¡± leaving me speechless. Honestly, that was an unavoidable part for the sake of the story development. Kyer had to die for Elisha to emotionally copse, and then Mary, who witnessed it all, would confess to Xenon.

    Thanks to that, an unprecedented social turmoil known as the mixed-race incident urred, but it was managed well, so there¡¯s no problem.

    ¡°Yeah, right. I can¡¯t really believe it when the person who made the Sakran story says that.¡±

    This time, Cecily, sitting on the left, said to me in her characteristic yful tone. Come to think of it, it has been spicy since the fifth volume. Back then, demons were so obscure that it was hard to even mention them, so it must have been provocative to the point of making one¡¯s tongue tingle. Maybe I¡¯m a specialist in spiciness.

    Although it looked ordinary in my eyes, I must have appeared provocative in the eyes of the people in this world.

    ¡°¡­Well, let¡¯s move on from that anyway. I want to enjoy the situation now. By the way, why hasn¡¯t Animers said anything?¡±

    ¡°This is just my guess, but as it appeared in your book, they might be going through a political turmoil. It¡¯s a bit strange that there hasn¡¯t been any reaction until now.¡±

    Rina expressed her opinion gracefully as she sipped her coffee. It was a story simr to what I had seen in the newspaper. After the end of the racial war, Hick personally founded the country. It began as a small vige, but word spread, people gathered, formed a city, and eventually established a nation.

    Now, 300 years have passed, and unlike Helium, which was forcibly isted, Animers was thoroughly istionist. asionally, they engaged in trade with neighboring countries, but it¡¯s a small-scale operation. However, it¡¯s not like they were telling humans not to go abroad. You can see beastmen on the streets of the Academy working as security guards.

    Instead, most of them were second-generation, which means they were born in the human world. Unlike the demons, the humans born and raised in Animers didn¡¯t often venture outside.

    ¡°So, we¡¯re feeling something unusual on our end too, and we¡¯re sending reinforcements. Politically, it could create chaos, which might be an opportunity for us. Alvenheim didn¡¯t give us a chance because the queen handled things well, but Animers is a bit different.¡±

    ¡°What do you n to do if there¡¯s a situation?¡±

    ¡°Of course, we should exploit that opening. In the future, the enemy might not be elves or demons, but beastmen. We need to weaken them in advance.¡±

    Rina spoke with a calm voice, but I couldn¡¯t help but be impressed. I also had the same idea that if we considered beastmen as enemies, they might as well be humans with special abilities.

    There is a historical record of beastmen massacring other races 300 years ago, and each individual among them consumes an insane amount of food. Even someone as agile as Leona could easily devour three T-bone steaks.

    So, even if it¡¯s due to food shortages, it won¡¯t be long before beastmene into conflict with the races. Coincidentally, they also have a birth rate simr to humans, so their poption will increase to saturation levels soon.

    <i>¡®I wonder what Leona is doing right now?¡¯</i>

    I thought about Leona while listening to Rina¡¯s words. I expected her to be reading Xenon¡¯s Biography, and I¡¯m curious about what she¡¯s thinking after reading this volume.

    I should probably meet her separately soon, perhaps using steak as an excuse, and ask all the questions that have been piling up.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll stop the boring political talk here. By the way, Isaac, have you heard the news?¡±

    ¡°What news?¡±

    ¡°News has it that Cardinal Kate ising to the Minerva Empire.¡±

    ¡°Oh, if that¡¯s the case, I¡¯m aware of it too. Didn¡¯t she mention visiting the Academy as well?¡±

    When Mari heard the news for the first time and tilted her head, the person next to her spoke in a cheerful voice. It seemed she had also heard the rumors. I¡¯m familiar with Kate as well.

    She ascended to the position of cardinal at a young age and became a high inquisitor. She also made a pilgrimage to find me. I don¡¯t know what she wants to do by finding me, but for now, I think she won¡¯t do anything unnecessary since she¡¯s a high inquisitor. Besides, she probably won¡¯t find me anyway.

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s better to be careful. If the Luminous Order discovers you, the situation could get really troublesome.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. They probably won¡¯t recognize me anyway.¡±

    Instead, I nned to visit the temple this weekend. The reason was thanks to the two women sitting on either side of me. Marie, well, she¡¯s been trying to restrain herselftely, but she¡¯s still lively, and Cecily gives me a sense of exhaustion every time she does it.

    I was improving her physical fitness day by day through exercise with Adelia, but even for me, it¡¯s tough to go up against the two of them. The divine power of the Luminous was desperately needed in this situation.

    ¡°Still, be cautious. Luminous might have issued a divine order. Especially since your hair color is quite noticeable, it could be risky.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±

    ¡°But Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    I turned my head in response to Cecily¡¯s call and faced her. Then, with a tone that hinted at something bothering her, she said to me.

    ¡°Have you felt like someone has been following or watching you recently?¡±

    ¡°Why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°Well, it happened earlier, and I¡¯ve been feeling like someone¡¯s been following me for a while. Any idea who it might be?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    I pondered her question carefully. Recently, I had also felt like someone was trailing behind me. It wasn¡¯t just a simple mistake, and if Cecily was mentioning it, someone was definitely stalking us. The gaze was probably¡­

    <i>¡®¡­Cherry. It has to be her.¡¯</i>

    There was no one else but Cherry with her pink hair and prominent chest. She had beening to Elena¡¯sb whenever she found the opportunity, even though she wasn¡¯t even taking the same sses. She remained unswayed even when I scolded her.

    <i>¡®But she¡¯s a good kid in her own way¡­¡¯</i>

    She had a difficult home environment, much like Adelia, and it had messed her up, but her core personality was decent. She seemed mentally fragile, to the point where she couldn¡¯t even express herself properly, which is why I was gently trying tofort her now.

    Of course, stalking was still wrong. I nned to talk to her separately and tell her that such behavior was uneptable.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t know.¡±

    For now, I decided to pretend not to know.

    ******

    Two dayster.

    [Animers. Finally, they make their stance clear! Currently, Animers have no issues at all.]

    Animers, who had been keeping their mouths shut until now, have made their stance clear. At first nce, it seemed fine, but¡­

    ¡®These guys really have a problem, don¡¯t they.¡¯

    In reality, there was a clear political issue. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have hurriedly released a statement.

    ¡®Not again, please.¡¯

    Please don¡¯t do this again. Let me rest for a bit.

 Chapter 200: 15th Book (2)

    There are no problems at all. If you look at it casually, it might really be nothing. However, for people with questionable intentions, especially politicians, making such statements undermines your credibility to nearly zero.

    If someone has remained silent all this time and suddenly said something like that out of the blue, anyone would be suspicious. Furthermore, it¡¯s not just a few individuals who are being quiet, it¡¯s happening at a national level, and that alone is cause for concern.

    Animers was founded 300 years ago through the heroic efforts of Hick, but since then, there hasn¡¯t been any significant movement.

    It may be to strengthen their foundation, but it¡¯s been not just decades, but centuries. Now it was time to turn our gaze outward. If they were preparing for war while avoiding the eyes of others, from the perspective of other countries, it would be like lightning striking a clear sky. We would have no choice but to quickly dispatch our forces.

    [Is it really nothing at all? The Minerva Empire, the Kingdom of Ters, and many other countries are sending envoys to Animers¡­]

    [Historically, when civilizations are established, culture naturally develops. Politics are no different, and Animers is likely experiencing this phenomenon.]

    [The extension of politics is war. We must prevent their gaze from turning outward.]

    With Animers saying ¡®there are no problems,¡¯ the world once again stirred. If there is indeed political turmoil within Animers, other countries should be cautious.

    Especially since during the race war, humans ughtered the beastmen by tribes, they have to be careful. It was a time when wars were waged on what were originally unbelievable pretexts. Therefore, it means that we need to find out about the internal situation in any way we can to prepare.

    We can consider it a somewhat tense situation. Volume 15 of Xenon¡¯s Biography was released, but there was no response, and for this reason, concerns started to snowball.

    [Was the tribal chief assassinated due to political problems as in Xenon¡¯s Biography?]

    [Our concerns are gradually bing reality. Could Xenon have anticipated even this?]

    [Animers, which had no significant movements since its founding. The characteristics of the aggressive beastmen are something we can never ignore.]

    When each person was pouring out various predictions, naturally, attention turned to my side as well. In general, the opinions were as follows:

    As in Xenon¡¯s Biography, a person who had once been embroiled in political issues and had fallen out of favor with the tribe returned and challenged the chieftain to a sacred duel. As a result, the chieftain¡¯s position became vacant, and there is internal turmoil as a consequence of this issue.

    In reality, tradition and culture served as important means of uniting a tribe, but the beastmen people could be considered somewhat savage. ¡°Sacred duel¡± was a culture where everything of the opponent, including their life, can be taken depending on the oue. While this may not be a problem when scattered in tribal units, in a situation where a nation has been established, it could lead to numerous issues.

    If, as in Xenon¡¯s Biography, someone challenged the chieftain, in other words, the king, to a sacred duel and wins, the subsequent consequences couldn¡¯t be ignored. The pir of the nation was removed, and it won¡¯t be long before everything fell apart.

    [Should we abandon tradition and culture for the sake of the nation? Or should we persist and eventually return to the way things were?]

    [The beastmen people consider the duel sacred, believing that it is watched over by the goddesses of creation and nature, Harte.]

    [It¡¯s good to maintain culture and tradition, but as seen with the Elders of Alvenheim, stubbornly adhering to tradition eventually leads to decline.]

    As a result, people began to deeply contemte tradition and culture once again. Should they continue their stable lives by maintaining tradition and culture? Or should they appropriately address the irrationality and inequality embedded in those traditions and culture and move forward?

    Conveniently, there were good examples in Alvenheim and the Elves, so numerous schrs presented their opinions based on this. It caused another social phenomenon, much like the half-blood crisis.

    ¡°What¡¯s this again?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but feel puzzled as I read the articles in the newspaper. They had been unusually quiettely, but it seemed like they were now causing amotion among themselves.

    Even though the diplomatic envoy dispatched to Animers had not returned yet, it was confirmed that there was already a problem. This conclusion was based on the information from the Xenon incident.

    If it had been earlier, I would have been frantic, but now I could justugh it off. In reality, it was close to a state of resignation.

    <i>¡®Why don¡¯t I ask Leona?¡¯</i>

    I wanted to ask Leona, who was closely rted to the situation, if there really was a problem with Animers. She had always taken pride in being a noble, but she had suppressed that pride and enrolled at the Halo Academy.

    I pondered about Leona for a moment and then closed the newspaper, standing up from my seat. It was best to remain quiet for now since any interference might lead to suspicion.

    <i>¡®For now¡­¡¯</i>

    Should I go grab a meal? I was currently in theboratory. Elena had mentioned that she needed to discuss something with other professors, and Cyndi was dozing off on the couch across from me.

    Even with a degree, Cyndi still seemed tired, and the dark circles under her eyes seemed even darker than before.

    I felt sorry about waking her up, so it might be better to go and have a meal on my own for now.

    Carefully, making sure not to wake Cindy, I opened the door and stepped out of theboratory. And then¡­

    ¡°Huh? Cherry?¡±

    ¡°Oh, hello¡­¡±

    I came face to face with Cherry, who had been waiting outside the door. I immediately recognized her by her pink hair reminiscent of cherry blossoms and her eyes that seemed tock any vitality.

    I blinked as if I couldn¡¯t understand when I saw her waiting in front of theboratory. I checked my watch, and it was indeed the time when sses ended. However, it was a bit strange for her to be waiting right in front of the door as I came out.

    ¡°Do you have some business with me?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡­ I mean, I wanted to have lunch with Assistant Isaac¡­¡±

    ¡°With me?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Assistant Isaac usually goes to eat around 12:30, right after the ss ends, so I waited for you.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    What¡¯s going on? This is creepy. I hesitated as Cherry spoke. In fact, it wasn¡¯t the first time Cherry had waited for me in front of theboratory. However, this was the first time she had mentioned my daily routine like this. Could she be turning into a stalker? Considering Cherry¡¯s unstable mental state, it wasn¡¯t an entirely impossible scenario.

    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±

    I felt a brief shiver on my arm, and then I noticed the papers she was holding so carefully. I had only been focused on her face and her eyes, so I realized it btedly.

    It wasn¡¯t the torn and footmarked paper from before but a new, very clean manuscript paper. It seemed like she had gone through the editing process, just as I had suggested.

    I pointed to the paper and asked.

    ¡°Cherry, did you rewrite this?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ I wanted to show it to Assistant Isaac today¡­ Hehe.¡±

    She blushed and smiled as if embarrassed, but her eyes remained lifeless, creating a tense atmosphere.

    Nevertheless,pared to when she moved like a lifeless doll back then, she had clearly improved. At that time, she was practically at the level of a moving corpse.

    Seeing Cherry graduallye to life, I smiled and decided to have a meal together with her.

    I could check the manuscriptter so there shouldn¡¯t be any problems.

    ¡°Alright then. Since things have turned out this way, let¡¯s go have a meal. We can check it after we eat.¡±

    ¡°Sure¡­ Thank you.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re thankful, you can treat me to a mealter.¡±

    I said it as a joke, but I intended to pay for the meal.

    I had to do at least this much for the dream sapling that had been trampled to the point of being impossible to revive, but had managed to sprout again.

    Cherry blinked her eyes slowly at my joke and then whispered quietly with a slight smile.

    ¡°¡­I can give you something better than a meal.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I can give you something better than a meal.¡±

    ¡°Oh? What is it?¡±

    She answered my question with a smile and her distinctive mncholic voice.

    ¡°Someday, I¡¯ll give it to you. It¡¯ll be really delicious.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ Alright.¡±

    As soon as I heard her answer, my gaze shifted towards Cherry¡¯s chest. Even though it was covered by her school uniform, it was a substantial bust that could rival Cecily¡¯s. Surely, she wasn¡¯tparing herself to dessert like Cecily did. I couldn¡¯t help but think in that direction, wondering if there was some kind of lewd intention behind it.

    Of course, Cherry wasn¡¯t as provocative as Marie or Cecily, so the likelihood of that was very low. She probably genuinely meant that she would give me something tastier than a meal.

    <i>¡®¡­My mind is ying tricks on me.¡¯ </i>

    I shook my head left and right. What had I been thinking, entertaining such thoughts about someone whose mental state was already unstable? Cherry, like Adelia, had her dreams and hopes torn apart due to an unfortunate family background, only managing to piece them back together with great effort. Thinking strange things about a child like her was something I shouldn¡¯t be doing as both her colleague and senior.

    ¡°I¡¯ll look forward to it. Will you make it yourself?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±

    ¡°Can you tell me what it is a little?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to exin, but¡­¡±

    Cherry, her words somewhat blurry, chuckled bashfully before speaking.

    ¡°It definitely smells like cherry blossoms.¡±

    ¡°Cherry blossom scent¡­ that¡¯s unique.¡±

    Seeing that she¡¯s referring to it as cherry blossom scent, she probably intends to give me a food item that reminds her of herself. It was charming and, above all, cute. I walked alongside Cherry, looking forward to the day she would give me the food she had in mind. First, we had to figure out what to eat¡­

    ¡°¡­Cherry?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ never mind.¡±

    Cherry grabbed my long, dyed hair as we continued walking. Naturally, with her holding onto me like this, we would attract attention from people around us. In truth, this wasn¡¯t the first time Cherry had grabbed my hair. She did it when we first met, and she continued to do so every time she looked at me. Because of this, I had scolded her once, but she just giggled and showed no signs of changing this habit. I had ultimately given up halfway.

    ¡°My hair is that great, huh?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ it¡¯s soft¡­ red¡­ it smells nice¡­ and it¡¯s delicious.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s this nonsense again?¡±

    I eximed in surprise and turned to Cherry. But Cherry, as if asking why I was staring, tilted her head and blinked slowly.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°¡­Never mind.¡±

    Maybe I misheard ¡°delicate.¡± I held the awkwardness in my heart and continued walking to the restaurant.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    I heard a strange noise from behind as I walked away.

    *****

    Exactly three dayster.

    [The chief of the Animers has been assassinated! A n dissatisfied with the policies, as described in the book, applied for the sacred duel¡­]

    [Since then, the Animers have be a cauldron of chaos. They indiscriminately applied for the sacred duel to each other¡­]

    [The foundation of the nation is shaking violently.]

    ¡°Ah, damn it. Again?¡±

    It seems like there¡¯s never a calm day.

    Trantors note:

    Chapter 200! Woohoo!

 Chapter 201: 15th Book (3)

    The information hastily ryed by the envoy returning from Animers can be summarized roughly as follows:

    A rebellion or coup urred, resulting in the death of the Great Chieftain. Then, the one who took the Chieftain¡¯s ce ruled for a while and once again faced a sacred duel and lost their life. As a result, the position of the Great Chieftain is vacant, causing internal confusion.

    When a nation is founded, it is natural for a power structure to emerge, along with people who are dissatisfied with that power structure. The caste system itself represents the pinnacle of irrationality and inequality. However, if the ruling ss governs well and does not be corrupt, the likelihood of rebellion is significantly reduced. Even if someone blinded by power incites a rebellion, if it proceeds without legitimacy and justification, the nation will ultimately stop it.

    As the most significant example, we can look at the Jayros Revolution that erupted in the Ters Kingdom. The Ters Kingdom is renowned as a cultural powerhouse and is considered a beautiful country not unlike Albenheim. However, prior to the Jayros Revolution, culture, which includes the arts, was the exclusive domain of the nobility. Culture was not permitted for themon people, and the reputation of being a nation of culture was limited to a tiny fraction.

    If amoner engaged in the arts? They were immediately suppressed and thrown into prison. In severe cases, they would have their hands cut off, inflicting horrendous suffering. Some conscientious high-ranking nobles protested against this in the upper echelons, but the response they received was demotion and loss of status. This became the catalyst for the Jayros Revolution.

    Although the Jayros Revolution couldn¡¯tpletely overturn the upper ss, it did change the king, and, furthermore, art began to permeate among themon people. Thanks to that, the Ters Kingdom even gained the title of the ¡®Land of Culture.¡¯

    Of course, we couldn¡¯t possibly know how much blood and sweat it took to earn that title. Rebellions like this alone provide a fragmented glimpse into a nation¡¯s history.

    [It shows what happens to a country that clings to tradition. If civilization is to be achieved, the traditions that hinder it must be discarded.]

    [Even if not discarded, flexibility is necessary to avoid chaos.]

    [Hick¡¯s goal was to unite the people through culture and tradition, but ironically, that same culture and tradition are once again dividing the Animers.]

    The Animers¡¯ coup was a very natural phenomenon, but it¡¯s slightly different. ording to what the envoy revealed, the position of the Great Chieftain has changed several times in the past ten years.

    Due to a very unique culture called the ¡®Sacred Duel,¡¯ the throne of the ruler has been vacant, leading to a state of confusion in the country. It seems the original Great Chieftain was wise and skillful, governing the Animers well and actively engaging with neighboring nations, but that was no longer the case. Openly tyrannizing and indulging in debauchery, he lost his life within just two years.

    Since then, the Animers have split into two factions over the position of the Great Chieftain. One faction emphasizes ¡®authenticity¡¯ and is centered around lion beastmen like Leona.

    On the contrary, the other faction proposes discarding traditions that have shaken the foundation of the nation, suggesting that the country should be governed in a different way, not necessarily by a Great Chieftain. Although there isn¡¯t a clear leader for this faction, most of them lean toward abolishing traditions.

    In other words, it can be seen as a confrontation between a king and his followers who are tightly bound by tradition and loyalty. The reason for the vacant position of the Great Chieftain is also because these two forces could not find a suitable point of agreement.

    The excessive urrence of sacred duels was ironically fulfilling their justifications. Since they cannotmunicate with each other, sacred duels are happening countless times, and as a result, there are blemishes on tradition.

    If this continues, it may be chaotic, and the foundation of Animers might be uprooted. Both sides are not fools, so they were trying to prevent this fact from leaking out.

    Of course, after the release of Volume 15 of Xenon¡¯s Biography, things changed. Maybe they are also diligently searching for me over there.

    It¡¯s a story from a distantnd, but I can¡¯t help but feel tense since it has an indirect connection to me.

    <i>¡®Luminous-nim.¡¯</i>

    [Speak.]

    <i>¡®I¡¯m not really an amnesiac regressor or a prophet, right?¡¯</i>

    [¡­ ¡­]

    Now, with my batting average in who knows how many seasons, even I began to doubt myself and went to the Luminous¡¯s Temple personally.

    Perhaps, as the journalists spected, I can¡¯t remember due to constraints. Such an unbelievable suspicion that at first, I dismissed it as nonsense, but as more and more incidents urred in session, I began to nurture the seed of doubt.

    Of course, I know it¡¯s an unbelievable story. Nevertheless, in this world, there is such a thing as ¡°what if.¡±

    Due to the incident rted to Animers, people¡¯s gazes around me became peculiar. Marie immediately asked me, ¡°Are you really from the future?¡± so you can imagine to some extent how it is.

    [Absolutely not. I can swear on my divinity. You¡¯re just a soul who crossed from Earth to here, simply an ordinary novelist.]

    <i>¡®But why do these things happen with every new release? Can this really be considered a coincidence?¡¯</i>

    [¡­Honestly, even I find it unbelievable.]

    <i>¡®¡­ ¡­¡¯</i>

    Even the deity showed a reaction of ¡°this is a bit¡­¡±. As absurd as it may be, it significantly boosted my credibility.

    In fact, partly, I¡¯mining to Luminous. The world won¡¯t leave me alone, and whenever something happens, they force-fit it to me. It¡¯s tear-inducing.

    Luminous advised that things would gradually get better over time, but if I continue like this, there will be no solution. I need toe up with a solution somehow¡­

    <i>¡®¡­How can it be resolved?¡¯</i>

    [How about reverting back a few days and starting over? With your current achievments, you can go back two weeks.]

    <i>¡®No, I¡¯ll pass. I don¡¯t want to redo the story, and it¡¯s not that urgent.¡¯</i>

    Regressing was an act suitable for urgent situations, and it¡¯s not appropriate in the current situation. I¡¯ll just endure it.

    Besides, even if I redo the story, people will surely view it in strange ways again. In the current situation, no matter what happens, something will explode.

    Therefore, the only thing I need to do right now is one thing.

    <i>¡®¡­Instead, I¡¯ll ask for some Holy Power. I¡¯ve been through a lot of exhausting thingstely.¡¯</i>

    [Are those kids bothering you a lot?]

    <i>¡®Well, that¡¯s one way to put it, but the situation is just tiring in its own right.¡¯</i>

    I need to resolve the stress and fatigue that has been building up over the past few days with the holy power from Luminous. The current situation is one thing, but fundamentally, Marie and Cecily are both troubling me. It was a relief that we reached apromisest time. We had a hard time because we argued about who would go first. And on top of that, Rina, who was sitting across from me, blushed.

    I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s thinking, but every time our eyes meet, she blushes. Lately, she has been asking subtly where I¡¯m going whenever I send signals to Marie or Cecily. She probably doesn¡¯t have such preferences, but for some reason, the mood has be subtle.

    [There might be more than just those kids¡­ If it¡¯s already this tough¡­]

    <i>¡®What? What did you say?¡¯ </i>

    [It¡¯s nothing. And you, too. I wouldn¡¯t rmending to get holy power just because you¡¯re finding it hard. You should increase your physical strength, using holy power topensate won¡¯t make any difference.]

    <i>¡®I¡¯m working on it, but it¡¯s hard to increase physical stamina in a short period. Right now, this is the only option I have.¡¯</i>

    [Hmm¡­]

    Luminous showed a thoughtful expression in response to my words and then spoke up about one possible solution.

    [In a short period, there is a way to increase your stamina. Especially for someone like you, who has almost limitless divine power, it should be quite suitable.]

    <i>¡®Oh? Can you tell me about it?¡¯</i>

    [I have no problem telling you¡­ but there will be some changes. Just as your hair has grown longer ording to Morra¡¯s taste, when you use this method, the scent of lcs will emanate from your body.]

    <i>¡®Ah, I¡¯ve heard of that.¡¯</i>

    Devotees favored by gods undergo various changes. One prominent change is the scent that emanates from their bodies.

    ording to the myth, Luminous enjoys the scent of lcs, and the more favor he bestows upon a follower, the stronger the scent of lcs emanates from them. This is why those who worship Luminous often have a culture of using lc perfumes.

    In addition, Mora priests emanate the scent of peaches, and Harts¡¯, the mother of the siblings and the goddess of creation and nature, have a fundamentally different aura.

    <i>¡®Surely Luminous-nim doesn¡¯t engage in strange practices like Mora¡­¡¯</i>

    [I¡¯m different from that mischievous one. The lc scent alone is enough for me.]

    Indeed, siblings will treat each other like siblings. In this way, they truly are godlike beings with human-like traits.

    <i>¡®Thank you. So, can you tell me what this method is?¡¯</i>

    [Do you happen to know much about pdins?]

    <i>¡®If you mean pdins¡­¡¯</i>

    As you all know, Pdins are the personnel responsible for the military within the church. Instead of directly using their holy power, they primarily utilize their divine power for physical enhancement rather than healing. The Grand Inquisitor and Cardinal, Kate, is a Pdin.

    Usually, Pdins hold a much higher rank than regr clergy. They are highly esteemed because they do not neglect personal training, even while praying. They are abination of both martial and intellectual prowess, which is why their rank is so elevated.

    Furthermore, Pdins are stronger than ordinary knights since they can wield both magical and holy powers. Rumor has it that Kate¡¯s abilities rival those of the Elven warriors, so you can roughly estimate how formidable she is.

    [The reason why Pdins can be so strong is because of their divine power. Using divine power for physical enhancement leaves an imprint on their bodies. Training one¡¯s physical endurance by expending holy power is much more efficient than using regr magic power.]

    <i>¡®You didn¡¯t tell me about using holy power before?¡¯</i>

    [Don¡¯t worry about that. Holy power and magic power have a simr nature, so you can think of magic power as a form of holy power.]

    <i>¡®Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier?¡¯</i>

    [Well¡­ Anyway, are you willing to ept it?]

    <i>¡®Yes.¡¯</i>

    Since I can practically receive an endless amount of holy power, it would be foolish to give it up. The strong scent of lcs was not a problem either.

    In fact, the scent changed pleasantly, bing sweet like the fragrance of flowers. Originally, I didn¡¯t even use perfume.

    [¡­It¡¯ll probably make it easier for that child to find you.]

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    [It¡¯s nothing.]

    After receiving divine power, I left the private chapel.

    ¡°Sniff, sniff. Sniff¡­ Isn¡¯t this a bit overwhelming?¡±

    I vividly felt the intense lc scent vibrating within my body.

    *****

    Creak

    It wasn¡¯t long after Isaac had left his private prayer room. The door to the private prayer room next to him opened, revealing a woman. She had impressive features, with golden hair woven into one and emerald eyes that shone like emeralds.

    She possessed a pure beauty, like a country girl, with an aura that seemed infinitelypassionate. She was dressed in the white holy robes typically worn by the Luminous Order, which left little to the imagination, entuating her voluptuous figure. From her ample chest to her slender waist, wide hips, and finally, the fair thighs revealed by the side slit.

    Her name was none other than the Cardinal and High Inquisitor, Kate Louise Angelica, who despite her appearance as a Holy Knight was known for her cruelty towards heretics and demons.

    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±

    Kate blinked her green eyes and wrinkled her nose as soon as she stepped outside. At first, she was unsure, but the intense lc fragrance wafted into her nostrils.

    While she continued to inhale the scent and look around, a female priestess approached her.

    ¡°Have you finished your prayers, Kate Reverend?¡±

    ¡°Sniff, sniff. Oh, yes. Sister Anna. But this scent¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, this scent? I don¡¯t know who it is, but someone must have sprayed lc perfume.¡±

    Perfume¡­ The acolyte didn¡¯t think much of it, but Kate thought differently. Because this was definitely not an artificial scent.

    The reason she could distinguish between artificially made perfume and natural scent was simple. Just as her body received the favor of the deity, she also exuded a strong lc fragrance. And the scent she smelled outside the sanctuary was astonishingly identical to her own. In other words, someone who attended this temple was receiving the favor of Luminous.

    With a smile aspassionate as any saint in the world, Kate asked the acolyte.

    ¡°The scent is still strong, so someone must have gone in just now. Who was it?¡±

    ¡°No, they didn¡¯te in, but someone came out from the adjacent prayer room. Their name¡­ was it Isaac? He had red hair and impressive golden eyes.¡±

    ¡°Oh, right¡­ Wait a minute. Red hair and golden eyes?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Red hair and golden eyes¡­¡±

    Kate sat there, deep in thought, touching her chin as if there was something bothering her. Thebination of red hair and golden eyes was rare, even when you looked around the world. From the start, having red hair itself was quite unusual.

    ¡°In the oracle, it was clearly¡­¡±

    Kate, who was meticulously reviewing the oracle Luminous had given her, snapped out of her reverie. The oracle was so vague that it was difficult to make a judgment. It only pointed to an inexperienced person, so it was best to confirm it directly.

    ¡°Did that saint¡¯s name happen to be Isaac? Do you happen to know where he resides?¡±

    ¡°Judging by his school uniform, he seems to be a student at Halo Academy¡­ Probably.¡±

    ¡°Halo Academy¡­ I see.¡±

    Then, Kate continued with a friendly smile,

    ¡°Thanks for your help. It¡¯s been really helpful.¡±

    With her hand gently resting on her lower abdomen.

 Chapter 202: 15th Book (4)

    It¡¯smon for a bachelor¡¯s home to have a distinct ¡®bachelor¡¯ smell, as they say. In fact, not only men but most ces where adults live alone are like this.

    So we use air fresheners, ventte the room, or take a shower every day to get rid of that smell. I¡¯m also someone who dislikes that smell, so I frequently ventte the ce.

    However, now there¡¯s no need for that. A delightful lc fragrance emanates from my body, and all I need to do is ventte appropriately.

    Even if I briefly go outside and return, my room is filled with the lingering scent of flowers, which is nice, but it¡¯s not without its problems.

    ¡°Hey, did you happen to spray perfume?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Then why does this smell emanate from you?¡±

    Immediate reactions from those around me, especially as I am a teaching assistant who often has to visit theb. Theb was filled with the fragrant scent of flowers.

    ¡°It¡¯s a nice smell¡­ better than the musty smell of books¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not about whether it¡¯s nice. My nose feels bothered.¡±

    ¡°Professor doesn¡¯t know about it¡­ How fragrant can flowers be¡­¡±

    While Cindy liked the lc fragrance, Elena wrinkled her nose to block my smell. It seems that Elena, unlike Cindy, has a sensitive sense of smell.

    Nevertheless, the sense of smell was the fastest to be ustomed among bodily senses, so it didn¡¯t take long for her to adapt. I had to open the window for venttion, though.

    These reactions were the same when I met with other people after ss.

    Sniff Sniff Sniff

    ¡°Isaac, did you put on perfume?¡±

    ¡°No?¡±

    ¡°But there¡¯s a pleasant smelling from you. Sniff Sniff.¡±

    When I was on a date with Marie after a long time, she yfully nuzzled her nose into various parts of my body and sniffed. I chuckled at the subtle feeling but remained still because Marie¡¯s actions were cute. Marie has always liked the scent that emanates from me, so this situation was familiar. It¡¯s a bit of a problem that she doesn¡¯t care even if people passing by give her strange looks though.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t change your soap¡­ Did you really put on perfume?¡±

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. I just received holy power from Luminous.¡± ¡°Holy power? Ah, that makes sense. So, is this the scent of lc flowers then?¡±

    Marie also knew about the myths well, so she noticed that the scenting from my body was that of lc flowers. However, she continued to press her face against my body to smell it.

    With a warm smile, I carefully stroked her white hair, as if she were a puppy trying to recognize her owner¡¯s scent. Coincidentally, as Marie, who had her face pressed against my chest, received my gentle touch on her head, she pulled her head away and met my gaze exactly. Her clear blue eyes were truly adorable.

    ¡°It¡¯s not too strong, is it?¡±

    ¡°Yeah! I really like it. How long will thisst?¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure. Probably for a while. I n to go to the temple every weekend.¡±

    The method that Luminous told me is very simple. After receiving enough holy power for the lc scent to emanate, all you have to do is exercise more vigorously than usual. Since holy power relieves the burden on the body, physical strength can be increased dramatically, and the amount of holy power consumed increased as the intensity did.

    It¡¯s a very simple principle, but are knights really just knights for nothing? Since sincerity and patience are important, it may seem simple but is a difficult task.

    ¡°Why a temple? Even if it¡¯s bothersome?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I heard that question and stared at Marie. A woman who receives love is beautiful in itself, but Marie has be more and more beautiful as the days went by.

    Her snow-white hair gleamed as if light were reflecting off it, and her skin, despite not receiving any special care, was incredibly stic.

    Perhaps it was because of her growth phase, or maybe there was another reason, but her figure was also improving rapidly.

    She waspletely transforming from the appearance of a young girl into a full-fledged adult.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, why am I so tired because of someone else?¡±

    When I pinched her cheek, she made a cute sound for a moment, then blinked at the words that followed.

    Afterward, she herself smiled, seemingly embarrassed by something.

    ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s better than being a bachelor. I¡¯ve been more carefultely.¡±

    My cute girlfriend defended herself with pronunciation that was all wrinkled up due to the pinching of her cheek.

    I indulged in stroking her cheek to my heart¡¯s content, enjoying the taut and springy feeling, and it was worth seeing Marie¡¯s face getting messed up here and there.

    I pressed her cheeks like steamed buns and then let go as I opened my mouth.

    ¡°Yeah, thankfully, you¡¯ve been more self-controlledtely. Just before the break, it seemed like there was no sign of the burning firewood going out.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the old days. Besides, the fire goes out if there¡¯s no fuel. I also felt like it suddenly went out at some point.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying that you like me less than before?¡±

    ¡°Oh,e on. I was just using a metaphor, my desire is the same, and I still like Isaac. Isn¡¯t it enough that you¡¯re right here?¡±

    Marie grabbed my arm while speaking in an affectionate tone, even rubbing her cheek against me like a puppy. Until recently, Marie had been bing more demanding, but nowadays, she was showing more affection. In contrast, Cecily, as before, was bing more demanding, just as Marie used to be.

    Though our bodies were tired, our hearts were at peace, radiating different charms. Honestly,pared to my previous life, I could say that I was living a blessed life.

    Sniff-sniff sniff

    ¡°Can you please stop sniffing me?¡±

    ¡°Just a little longer. It¡¯s quite addictive.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say the same thing before?¡±

    ¡°Did I? Well, maybe you¡¯re just that appealing. Is it the scenting from your body, or is iting from somewhere else? I suddenly became curious.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Today, it¡¯s confirmed that I¡¯m heading straight to the inn once again. There was no desire in Marie¡¯s gaze, but on the contrary, it was filled with curiosity.

    I think we might go to the inn to satisfy that curiosity. I forced a smile and changed the subject. There¡¯s a question I wanted to ask Marie.

    ¡°By the way, Marie, do you happen to know anything about Leona?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Ah, that girl with the reddish-brown hair? Of course, I know her.¡±

    The reason Marie knows Leona is simple. Leona has an exemry image among students of the same grade. She¡¯s always diligent in ss and participates in almost every ss. Her passion for knowledge was exceptional, earning her the favor of many professors. Moreover, her beauty was outstanding, and her lion-like mane of hair made her easily recognizable among her peers.

    ¡°That girl didn¡¯t attend this ss. I¡¯m curious if she attended any other sses apart from history.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ no? She didn¡¯t attend any other sses either. Maybe there¡¯s some reason.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    The fact that Leona, who used to attend all sses, is absent from all of them¡­ It¡¯s undoubtedly rted to the Animers. Perhaps she went outside the Halo Academy to avoid being noticed by others. I also feel concerned indirectly because I might have some responsibility in this.

    From the very beginning, Leona had concealed his identity to gain knowledge and had entered the Halo Academy. Given herplex family background, it was highly likely thatplicated circumstances were at y, much like Adelia.

    ¡°By the way, what about Leona?¡±

    ¡°The professor asked about her. Well, everyone has personal reasons, you know.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±

    Isaac thought deeply about how he could help Leona, but he couldn¡¯t find any suitable way. During the simr incident with the Half-Blood Crisis, Arwen could have asked for his help, but the conditions were entirely different. Arwen knew that he was Xenon and, besides, she was an elf. She could request help anytime, anywhere.

    On the other hand, Leona had no idea that he was Xenon. It was a very ambiguous situation for her to request help from his side.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°What do you think about the Animers situation? It¡¯s been quite chaotictely.¡±

    I was momentarily lost in thought, but when Marie asked such a question, I couldn¡¯t help but feel surprised. I hesitated for a moment and then regained myposure.

    The current situation with Animer was so serious that it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if a civil war broke out at any moment. Knowing that a major disaster could ur if they fought each other, they remained silent, like a powder keg. So, it was likely that the world was watching closely.

    A king who adheres to tradition, and on the contrary, vassals who believe tradition should be discarded. From a distance, it may seem like a battle between the two, but fundamentally, it¡¯s a fight over the identity of the beastmen.

    Due to the sacred duel, doubts began to arise about the tradition and culture that had united the beastmen into one.

    ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s moreplicated than I thought. Tradition is something that beastmen cannot easily let go of. Do you know about Hick?¡±

    ¡°No. I don¡¯t. Who is he?¡±

    ¡°You can think of him as the wealthiest of the beastmen and the founding king. He was the hero who gathered the scattered beastmen from all over the world after the tribal war 300 years ago. However, the problem is that when he united the beastmen tribes, he made clever use of tradition.¡±

    Hick was a beastmen who, like the Elven warriors, was incredibly strong among those who fought in the tribal war. Naturally, his fame was not only known among the beastmen but also among the humans who were once his enemies.

    However, no matter how powerful an individual with strong military force might be, he could only witness beastmen indiscriminately being ughtered by humans because they united.

    If he were an ordinary beastman, he would have been enraged and would have been a great cmity to others. However, Hick suppressed his ¡®anger¡¯ and began by addressing the fundamental issues one by one. As a result, he realized that the beastmen could not unite as one and were scattered.

    ¡°Hick applied for the sacred duel to each tribe through an unbelievable show of force. But the interesting thing is that he didn¡¯t apply for the sacred duel recklessly. If you look at the records, 60% were persuaded, 30% passed through the sacred duel, and 10% were others. And even those who lost the sacred duel didn¡¯t lose their life.¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t take their lives? If you forcibly bring in people who don¡¯t want toe under you, won¡¯t nine out of ten be rebellious?¡±

    Marie asked with a puzzled expression. In fact, it¡¯s a downside of the sacred duel. The oue is determined by victory or defeat regardless of the other person¡¯s intentions. In other words, it means you have to follow it no matter whatints you may have. In the worst case, you could lose your life.

    The tradition of the sacred duel is good for enforcing your will, but ites with countless downsides.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s why if you didn¡¯t want to go through with it, he would have to kill you. It¡¯s a kind of choice he gave. He defeated them in the sacred duel, but then gave them the final choice.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be seen as an insult? In your book, you said that in the sacred duel, you must always follow the winner¡¯s decision.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s also true. But Hcik never ¡®forced¡¯ anyone. He simply gave them a choice. Most of the time, it¡¯s the other side that initiates the sacred duel. Hick respected the other person¡¯s wishes and didn¡¯t shed unnecessary blood.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ there was a reason he could be the king. With that kind of inclusiveness, he had no choice but to be a king.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s true, but¡­¡±

    I looked up at the sky with a perplexed expression. Like Hick¡¯s example, traditions and cultures tend to deteriorate as time goes by. This phenomenon was evident in the current Animers.

    For the beastmen, tradition yed a crucial role in uniting themunity, but that was about it. To maintain it, flexibility was necessary, but tradition was hindering that.

    You could say the situation in Alvenheim was simr to the Elder¡¯s Council. Tradition united the race, but it was gradually decaying.

    The dilemma Animers faced was simr to wanting to eliminate tradition, which is both the country¡¯s asset and the foundation of its establishment, tarnishing Hick¡¯s reputation. Yet, preserving it jeopardizes the nation¡¯s existence.

    Animers found themselves in a precarious situation.

    ¡°It¡¯s ironic that this tradition, which is currently dividing the nation, has led to this situation.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ do you have any solutions in mind? We¡¯ve faced simr situations before.¡±

    Marie mentioned, referring to the mixed-blood issue, as she knew about Arwen¡¯s rtionship with me.

    ¡°The situation is quite different from what it was back then. This isn¡¯t something that can be resolved with a speech. It involves tampering with a tradition that once united the tribes. Moreover, the sacred duel ces more importance on pure force than politics or strategy, so they might encounter resistance.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s moreplicated than I thought.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. If I were to suggest a solution¡­ they¡¯d have to adapt the sacred duel tradition to the current circumstances. It¡¯s no longer about tribes; it¡¯s about the nation now. For example¡­¡±

    ¡°For example?¡±

    ¡°The sacred duel as some kind of tournament¡­ Wait a moment.¡±

    This voice wasn¡¯t Marie¡¯s, and it didn¡¯te from beside me either. I blinked and turned around to see what was happening.

    To my surprise, a copper-haired beastwoman named Leona, whom I couldn¡¯t even tell hade close, was eavesdropping on our conversation from behind.

    ¡°Could you please tell me quickly?¡±

    Desperation filled her golden eyes.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 203: Tradition (1)

    Leona approached silently like a true beast, without making any noise from behind. Marie and I were taken aback as we saw Leona appear behind us without a sound.

    I¡¯m not sure if she came to listen to our conversation, but her golden eyes shone like a wild animal, showing a sense of urgency.

    ¡°Leona? Is that you, Leona?¡±

    Marie asked with a trembling voice when the subtle tension settled. It seemed to be because of the different atmosphere and the golden eyes that had changed from her usual blue eyes.

    Unlike her usual self with blue eyes as a model student, she now had somewhat rougher, beast-like, shining eyes. It was understandable that Marie, who didn¡¯t know her well, would be taken aback.

    However, Leona remained silent, still fixed on me, demanding an answer. I nced around cautiously.

    There weren¡¯t many people passing by at the moment, but it wasn¡¯t an appropriate ce to talk. It would be awkward for her to state her position openly as well.

    But I couldn¡¯t just leave Marie behind. We had been enjoying our date, and Leona¡¯s sudden intrusion had caught us off guard.

    I wanted to suggest meetingter if possible, but Leona¡¯s expression seemed too urgent for that.

    ¡°Is it really urgent? If it is, we could go somewhere else to talk. However, it¡¯s on the condition that Marie apanies us.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Leona shifted her gaze wordlessly to Marie in response to my proposal. Marie, unable to grasp the situation, wore a puzzled expression. Meanwhile, Leona¡¯s expression seemed somewhatplicated.

    Since no one else but me knew her true identity, it was a situation I would have to eventually reveal to Marie. However, it seemed that she would reluctantly ept the situation, as she appeared to be in dire need of my assistance.

    And my prediction was urate.

    Leona let out a sigh and nodded, as if epting it.

    ¡°¡­Alright. It¡¯s your female, right? You can tell her.¡±

    ¡°Uh, female?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Sorry. I meant girlfriend.¡±

    Leona corrected herself, seemingly surprised by her own words.

    In any case, it seemed she had epted the conditions. I decided to change our location. Although it was regrettable not to fully enjoy our rare date, Leona¡¯s expression was far from ordinary. Given the significant events that had urred at Animers and her transfer to the Halo Academy, it was likely that she had been affected as well.

    Above all, the fact that she was making this request of me, someone who was essentially a third party, without even attending sses, indicated that it was quite an urgent matter.

    ¡°Did you have a meal by any chance?¡±

    ¡°No, not yet.¡±

    ¡°In that case, let¡¯s go to that restaurant.¡±

    Mari and I had already eaten, but it was fine as long as Leona was okay with it. She could easily devour about three servings on her own.

    As I started moving towards the restaurant, Marie, who still seemed unsure of the situation, whispered to me.

    ¡°Isaac, can you exin what¡¯s going on? Why is Leona suddenly asking you for a favor?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ You¡¯ll find out when we get there. It¡¯s a bitplicated to exin right now. Do you trust me?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I trust you. It just seemed a bit strange.¡±

    Marie muttered as she gave a sidelong nce to Leona, who was walking ahead of us. Leona, with her keen hearing as a beastwoman, might be listening to our conversation.

    I shrugged my shoulders at Marie, who appeared to be suspicious of Leona, and gently held her hand. It felt as soft and tender as a baby¡¯s touch.

    Marie initially flinched but then held my hand back, as if she was trying tofort me.

    ¡°Could it be that our date is taking an unexpected turn?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not. Besides, the night is still young.¡±

    She smiled and yfully hugged my arm. I could distinctly feel the sensation of her developing chest.

    Maybe she¡¯ll grow as big as Cecily someday. I softly chuckled as I ruffled her snow-white hair.

    As I petted her head, Marie snuggled against my arm like a puppy, her face nuzzling into my shoulder. She was truly adorable.

    It wasn¡¯t until we arrived at the restaurant, were seated in a soundproof private room, and closed the door behind us that the conversation continued.

    ¡°Now, is it okay to reveal everything?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°What exactly are you revealing?¡±

    Pop

    Around the time when everyone had taken their seats, Leona responded to Marie¡¯s question by revealing what she had hidden ¨C animal ears. Not human ears, but clearly those of an animal. Marie blinked her eyes twice when she saw the animal ears sprouting from Leona¡¯s head, and then eximed loudly.

    ¡°Ears, ears? Oh, no. Wait a moment, Leona, are you¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. I¡¯m a beastwoman. Part of the brave lion¡¯s pride.¡±

    ¡°Really, you¡¯re a beastwoman¡­¡±

    After a moment of surprise, when Leona confidently revealed her true identity, Marie looked at her with a mix of astonishment and curiosity. For Marie, who had always seen her as a model student, the fact that Leona was a beastwoman was a big shock because there was a deeply ingrained perception that beastmen were hostile and savage. No one would have thought that someone like Leona would enroll in an institution like Halo Academy.

    Marie looked back and forth between Leona¡¯s face and the ears that had emerged from her head for a while and then turned her gaze to me.

    ¡°Isaac, did you know?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I knew.¡±

    ¡°Since when?¡±

    ¡°Since a few months ago. But back then, it was really by chance. There was no point in letting others know, and the situation would have only gotten moreplicated, so I just kept quiet.¡±

    I gained a lot of benefits from learning about the beastmen, their traditions, and various cultures. Of course, it also led to the revtion of a serious situation involving Animers, thanks to the release of Xenon¡¯s Biography Volume 15 based on that information.

    Leona, sitting across from me and Marie, looked around before letting out another sigh and spoke with a hesitant voice.

    ¡°Thanks to that, I was able to lead a normal life. But now, even that seems difficult. I might have to return to my homnd soon.¡±

    ¡°To Animers?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°You mentioned earlier that you were a member of the Lion¡¯s n, right? The news said the Great Chieftain and his followers were lions. Does that mean¡­¡±

    Although my words trailed off at the end, Leona and I both understood what Marie was getting at. As evident from the news reports, the original Great Chieftain was a Lion beastman, just like Leona. Furthermore, the current emphasis on preserving tradition was also associated with the Lion beastmen. It made me wonder if Leona had any connections to this.

    After contemting Marie¡¯s question for a while, Leona finally replied quietly.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll admit it for now. Even if you¡¯re not the chieftain, polygamy is tolerated among the beastmen. It¡¯s a situation where strong males lead multiple females. My mother is the third wife.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ I see. You¡¯re still the chieftain¡¯s daughter, after all.¡±

    I had already expected it, but it was as expected. She always took great pride in being a lion beastwoman, so it was no surprise. However, the situation seemed moreplicated than I had thought. If she¡¯s the daughter of the third wife, she¡¯s still quite far from the throne. Yet Leona had said she might have to return to Animers. In other words, there could be a significant issue within her family. In the worst-case scenario, not just her but everyone might be in danger.

    Knock knock knock

    Just as a serious discussion was about to take ce, someone knocked from outside. It seemed like the food had arrived. Marie and I had already eaten, so we didn¡¯t really need to eat more, but we ordered three dishes because of Leona. It wouldn¡¯t matter if we gave them all to her. Of course, we had some soup to fill our bored mouths.

    ¡°So why do you have to return to your hometown? Is there some problem?¡±

    Leona, who was quietly eating her steak with a somber expression in response to my question, looked startled. She looked up at me after swallowing the steak in her mouth and said.

    ¡°The problem is just like in the news. It¡¯s not like all of my siblings have died, I just have an obligation to attend as a member of the family.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? That¡¯s a bit of a relief then.¡±

    ¡°However, the problem is that the expectations ced on me by the family are high. As you can see, I¡¯m smart enough to get into the academy. Sigh¡­¡±

    While exhaling deeply, she continued to eat her steak without pause. It was a strange sight, as if her body and mind were in different ces, which was slightly unsettling.

    Still, it¡¯s undoubtedly a serious situation. Otherwise, Leona, with her cynical personality, wouldn¡¯t make such a facial expression.

    I asked her while looking at her, not sure if she¡¯s enjoying or not enjoying the steak.

    ¡°You asked me to answer earlier, right? It seemed like you cut off my exnation midway. But can you provide more details? Tell me what situation you¡¯re in and why you enrolled in the academy.¡±

    ¡°Do I really have to tell you?¡±

    ¡°Well, if not, then you don¡¯t need to listen to me. If you valued tradition, you¡¯d probably just keep doing what your family wanted, right? No?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Seemingly unable to counter my sharp observation, Leona focused on her steak. Complex emotions seemed to seep into her shining golden eyes, like a wild beast.

    She must have liked the delicious bribe in the form of steak, as she nodded her head as if there was no other choice and then used her fork to pick up a piece of steak. She opened her mouth wide, finished the remaining portion, and then honestly revealed her thoughts.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. I hate that old-fashioned tradition.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Tradition sounds good, it¡¯s traditional, but sticking to tradition can lead to stagnation. The world is changing rapidly, and the way people live is evolving. If we stubbornly cling to tradition, we¡¯ll eventually find ourselves back in those times. However, like Hick did, it¡¯s also tradition that brings our people together. Whether we like it or not, we can¡¯t just discard it.¡±

    Leona expressed her frustration and heartfelt feelings, even though she felt awkward. In truth, not only Leona but also other beastmen likely shared simr sentiments.

    The sacred duel was a barbaric tradition. It not only allows for taking someone¡¯s life but also the stripping of authority, a unique tradition among beastmen.

    However, as the nation was established, this tradition gradually began to erode the country¡¯s foundations. The recent murder of the Great Chieftain was a clear example.

    Looking at it from this perspective alone, the sacred duel is not a tradition but a harmful custom that should be abolished. However, this is a perspective from a third party. For Leona, it¡¯s a tradition that, no matter how disliked, can never be abandoned.

    To put it nicely, it¡¯s an irony, but to put it bluntly, it¡¯s a form of shackles. As time goes on, this tradition will only be more rigid and sharp, causing harm to many people.

    ¡°My mother used to say that. She said that to lead the country forward, intelligence is more important than force. She said we can¡¯t rule through strength forever. The reason I enrolled in the academy is because of that.¡±

    ¡°Did someone try to stop you? It¡¯s not like you¡¯reing into the human world for anything else.¡±

    ¡°They didn¡¯t just try to stop me, they mocked me. They made fun of me for wanting to study instead of training.¡±

    At that time, she must have received quite a bit of humiliation. However, their feelings can be understood as well, considering that only 300 years had passed since the founding of Animers, strictly speaking, the term ¡®nation¡¯ itself meant that the nation was established. Human nations existed even before the race war, and the first nation was established about 3,000 years ago, just before the Devil War broke out.

    However, Animers are now in the process of building their own nation, and there are many shorings in various aspects. Among them, the most significant is tradition.

    How many countries are willing to boldly discard the traditions that have contributed to the establishment of their nation? It could be concluded that there are none.

    The best solution here is time. As time passes, people¡¯s ways of thinking will change, and there will be a higher probability that these traditions will gradually evolve. Right now, individuals like Leona are showing signs of such change.

    Listening to her story, I pondered deeply and then nced at Marie sitting next to me. She seemed to be seriously contemting this profound topic as well.

    ¡°Marie, what do you think?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Me?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you. How would you handle this situation?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ there¡¯s no easy solution to this problem. Honestly, even if I were an Animer, I don¡¯t think I could just abandon the sacred duel. It¡¯s practically a part of their identity, you know.¡±

    ¡°Identity¡­¡±

    That¡¯s a valid point. For Animers, the sacred duel is their very identity, a tradition they can¡¯t easily discard.

    It seemed like Leona was aware of this, as she lowered her eyes with a troubled expression. Judging by how her ears that had been standing straight up were now drooping, she must be feeling incredibly frustrated in this situation.

    However, it was a bit funny to see her working so hard with the knife and fork while being sad.

    ¡°¡­So that¡¯s why I asked you. I can¡¯t think of anything right away.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    ¡°Can you continue what you said earlier? You mentioned there was a way.¡±

    ¡°Well, there is¡­ but talking alone is easy.¡±

    I took a bite of soup and looked straight into Leona¡¯s face. Her expression held a hint of hope, anxiety, and restlessness. It meant a lot to her. Leona, who still didn¡¯t look like an adult, was carrying a heavy burden on her shoulders. We couldn¡¯t exactly call ourselves close, but despite that, she had asked me for a helping hand, and it was a request I couldn¡¯t ignore. It was a debt, something she can repayter.

    ¡°You said you dislike rigid traditions, right? It¡¯s simple. Polish the tradition well to make it smooth.¡±

    ¡°Smooth?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s say there¡¯s a problem with your heart. You have to fix that problem, you can¡¯t just remove the heart. It¡¯s a simr principle. You need to address the issues within the tradition. It doesn¡¯t mean you have to abolish the tradition itself. For example¡­¡±

    I paused for a moment and then exined a very simple idea.

    ¡°Change the sacred duel to an annual event?¡±

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 204: Tradition (2)

    Tradition, by its nature, tends to change as time passes. However, its ¡®origin¡¯ remains unchanged. For example, there¡¯s ¡®wrestling.¡¯ Originally, wrestling was a martial art designed against soldiers in thick iron armor in ancient times to somehow kill each other.

    They would overthrow their opponents, stab them in the gaps of the iron armor, or even make use of deadly techniques like Muay Thai. Over time, it evolved into a sport. Martial arts designed to kill people transformed into sports as eras changed and civilization advanced, as long as they are not used by the military.

    Of course, that¡¯s a story from my previous life, and this was a medieval era. In a ce where war may break out anytime, it will take more time for martial arts to evolve into sports. However, traditions like the sacred duel must somehow evolve into sports. Otherwise, as in the recent Chieftain incident, the foundation of the nation could be shaken.

    That¡¯s precisely the transformation of tradition into sports.

    ¡°¡­Do you really think that will work? Changing the sacred duel into an annualpetition?¡±

    Leona responded with a somewhat bewildered expression to my proposal. Her face clearly showed her disbelief.

    In fact, her reaction wasn¡¯t entirely surprising. The sacred duel was not just a simple tradition, it was a sacred contest that brought the tribes together as one. The idea of changing such a tradition into a simplepetition could appear to dilute its meaning.

    ¡°It might sound a bit strange, but honestly, it could be a good idea. Not holding it once a year but every 3 to 4 years wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, but what¡¯s the convincing part? Did I not exin about the sacred duel? It¡¯s not just a simple duel. It¡¯s a sacred duel watched directly by the Goddess of Nature, Lady Harte. It¡¯s a match where you stake everything on the line.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say earlier that you didn¡¯t like that aspect of the sacred duel? The previous chieftain also lost his life because of that.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s true, but¡­¡±

    Leona, still struggling with what she couldn¡¯t quite grasp, narrowed her brows while contemting. At the same time, she mumbled around the steak in her mouth.

    In truth, her reaction was normal, as I was a reincarnator who had crossed over from Earth to this world. And Earth¡¯s civilization was far more advanced and developed than this world.

    Even what seemed simple to me would inevitably appear different to them. Changing people¡¯s minds is difficult enough, let alone changing the traditions that form the foundation of a nation.

    But the world is changing rapidly, and stagnant water must flow. Otherwise, it will rot.

    ¡°From the start, trying to change tradition itself will face a lot of resistance and shes. If that¡¯s the case, it might be better to go in a direction that spills less blood. The sacred duel is watched by the Goddess Harte herself, right? Make a new format ofpetition centered around the sacred duel. Recruit candidates who meet certain criteria, and the winner can spread their opinions widely. Do you get the rough idea?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ so that means we can take away all the opponent¡¯s authority?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s definitely something we should exclude. You¡¯re not just a bunch of tribes anymore, but a nation, a country. You can¡¯t live barbarically forever, right?¡±

    ¡°Sigh¡­ It¡¯s too difficult¡­¡±

    Leona groaned while clutching her head. It seems like she¡¯s experiencing a headache from trying to absorb a lot of knowledge at once. Worried that I might have exined things tooplicatedly, I turned my head to look at Marie.

    To my surprise, she was staring at me with a curious expression. Her bright blue eyes were filled with amazement and curiosity. I opened my mouth with a slightly perplexed feeling.

    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fascinating. Isaac knows so much.¡±

    She didn¡¯t hide the look of wonder in her eyes. It almost seemed like there was a subtle hint of suspicion. Perhaps deep down, she actually believed that I might be a time traveler.

    Considering the pranks she asionally yed on me, it wasn¡¯t such a strange thought. I gave Marie a wry smile in response to her gaze filled with suspicion and curiosity, then turned my attention back to Leona. She seemed to be lost in deep thought, her face contorted with contemtion.

    Several minutes passed like this. Leona removed her hands from her head and looked at me before asking.

    ¡°¡­Holding the sacred duel in a tournament format is a good idea. And for an adequate preparation period, it¡¯s better to have a gap of 3 to 4 years as you suggested.¡±

    It seemed like she was truly determined because Leona echoed my words exactly. There was a sense of deepmitment gleaming within her golden eyes, like a fierce resolve had settled in.

    Then she looked straight at me and said about one issue.

    ¡°But if that happens, the winner of the sacred duel will be predetermined. It would likely be one of the naturally strong ns, nobles, or elites, right? In that case, it seems meaningless, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Will it really be like that?¡±

    ¡°With what confidence?¡±

    ¡°Just by looking at my father, you can tell.¡±

    ¡°Hehe.¡±

    As I replied absentmindedly, I heard Marie chuckling beside me. Leona was blinking her eyes with a perplexed expression. Well, that¡¯s because my father, despite being human, possesses unmatched strength in the world.

    He was renowned as the Red Lion within the military and continues to be to this day. Even though humans are the weakest among all the races, he confidently stands among the strong. In this way, innate limitations can be ovee with talent and effort.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, those three groups are likely strong contenders for victory. But there are no eternal champions in this world. Unexpected winners can always emerge.¡±

    The reason people get excited about the Olympics or the World Cup is precisely because of unexpected variables. Countries perceived as strong are often defeated by smaller nations, especially when they becent.

    ¡°Even if you have to resort to unfair means, it¡¯s fine. As long as Lady Hart is watching and is lenient, we can slip in the origin of the sacred duel subtly.¡±

    ¡°Is it okay to use poison or tricks?¡±

    ¡°Ah, we should exclude such things. At the beginning, even if there are many deficiencies, the essence of the tradition of the sacred duel can be maintained, and that¡¯s where the significance lies.¡±

    ¡°It seems okay, but¡­ I still don¡¯t fully understand.¡±

    Leona, still not grasping the situation, clenched her fist, showing a confused reaction. However, unlike before, it seems she doesn¡¯tpletely fail to understand.

    Then, she closed her eyes, deep in thought, and spoke with a hesitant tone.

    ¡°Certainly, it would be great if things proceed as you say. But the sacred duel is requested when one has been insulted or umted grievances against someone else. The current chieftain also had a reason to receive a request for the sacred duel. It¡¯s true that the Goddess Hart is watching over it, but if it happens that way, the voice that individuals can express to each other disappears. Is there a way to resolve this?¡±

    ¡°In such cases, it should be brought to a ¡®trial¡¯ rather than resolved individually. Resorting to violence is something that only savages do. Don¡¯t you have chieftains with authority simr to a lord among you? In the future, you can request a trial from that chieftain. And if, even then, they fight? Send them straight to prison.¡±

    ¡°What if there¡¯s dissatisfaction with politics?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s when you use the sacred duel. But instead of individual dissatisfaction, it¡¯s about a group having grievances, and a representative from that group raising their voice. In other words, the representative of the group doesn¡¯t necessarily have to be physically strong.¡±

    An individual¡¯s voice is weak, but when individuals gather and form a group, their voice bes much stronger.

    There are no policies in the world that satisfy the entire poption. If someone is happy, it means that someone else is working tirelessly in the background.

    ¡°Leona.¡±

    Leona and I made eye contact as I called her name in a serious tone. I gazed at her face for a moment before conveying an important point.

    ¡°Animers is not just a nation, it¡¯s the ¡®civilization¡¯ founded by Hick. If everything is resolved through force, that civilization is bound to fracture eventually.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Just because it¡¯s a noble tradition passed down from the past, can you simply let it be? Fate is predetermined from that moment onward. You must make clear changes.¡±

    Suppressing one¡¯s instincts was challenging for a beastman, but if you¡¯ve established a civilization, it¡¯s essential to do so. After all, Leona overcame the prejudice that beastmen are uneducated and confidently enrolled in the academy. By making one change at a time like this, things will eventually improve.

    ¡°And changing a civilization requires wisdom, not just strength. Throughout history, it was wise kings, not powerful ones, who led their nations to greatness. Conversely, kingdoms ruled by tyrants fared worse. Simrly, the representatives of the groups I mentioned earlier should be wiser rather than relying on force.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not easy for a beastman to be wise, is it? Your advice is hard toe by.¡±

    Leona responded with a bitter smile upon hearing my words. Indeed, beastmen had relied on strength to solve problems until now, so there might be some resistance to change.

    ¡°Anyway, I understand your point. Let¡¯s start by changing the format of the sacred duelpetition to a tournament, and prohibit individual challenges. However, if there are objections, they can form groups and participate together. Does that sound good? Since Goddess Hart is watching, it¡¯s better to consider the words of the winner, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the idea. But it might be best to refrain from using it for political purposes. The meaning of the sacred duel could be diluted.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s better to use it politically instead. They attended to show their grievances, what else is this if not politics? It¡¯s okay if it conveys the meaning of raising voices without distinction of age, gender, and nationality. Whether they will ept this is the question¡°

    ¡°¡­Ugh.¡±

    Even with good intentions, it¡¯s all in vain if they don¡¯t ept it from above. Leona sighed in frustration, wondering if she knew about that part. But there¡¯s a simpler way than you might think, amon trait among those in power regardless of their race.

    Their pride was as strong as ever, especially in this era where honor is crucial. So, gently touching their pride should do the trick.

    ¡°What if we just delicately poke at their pride? ¡®Are you scared or something¡¯, wouldn¡¯t they be offended and agree to your opinion?¡±

    ¡°Oh! That sounds reasonable. Even though I may seem reserved, I¡¯m confident in speaking. I¡¯ve never lost in a verbal battle before.¡±

    Leona perked up and spoke with a bright expression, despite being a princess of a nation, she had a rather rough way of speaking. I felt like we were on the right track. After taking a bite of the almost cold soup, I began to speak.

    ¡°Does that work then? I exined it a bitplicatedly, but if we break it down slowly, it should be fine. Just be prepared for hardships and challenges. It won¡¯t be easy.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m grateful anyway. If things work outter, I¡¯ll definitely reward you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be looking forward to that. Can you give me a rough idea of what the reward might be?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Leona seemed to think deeply, poking at her steak and looking up as if it were no big deal. Then, she opened her mouth.

    ¡°If it happens as you say, it means the entire Animus will change¡­ I will be your wife?¡±

    ¡°Cough!¡±

    ¡°Cough! Cough!¡±

    Me, and even Marie, couldn¡¯t help but cough suddenly. The idea of suddenly bing my wife was such an absurd statement.

    However, Leona seemed unfazed by it and asked with a puzzled expression.

    ¡°Why are you so surprised? It¡¯s just that there are no other men around, so it has to be me, right? If there were another woman, it would have been her, not me.¡±

    ¡°Cough. No. No. It¡¯s not that¡­ Can you really be someone¡¯s wife so easily?¡±

    This question wasn¡¯t from me, but from Marie. I was still coughing due to Leona¡¯s words.

    Leona blinked her eyes, pondered Marie¡¯s question, and then nodded, saying.

    ¡°Yeah, in the beastmen culture, when someone makes a mitment,¡¯ they often offer their own child. You humans do something simr, right? Throughout history, there have been many instances of offering one¡¯s own child as amitment, haven¡¯t there?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ No?¡±

    It was a moment when I realized the cultural differences between our races.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 205: Tradition (3)

    Leona confidently dered that she would be my wife, which instantly made the atmosphere awkward. It wouldn¡¯t have been a big deal if I were alone, but the presence of Marie addedplexity to the situation.

    Leona seemed to sense that something was wrong as she lowered her gaze and discreetly nced around, but due to coughing, I couldn¡¯t provide a proper exnation.

    Amidst this, Marie, who had been wearing a bewildered and slightly flustered expression, quietly called out to Leona.

    ¡°Leona.¡±

    ¡°Yes? What is it?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand, but do you know that Isaac and I are in a rtionship?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I know.¡±

    ¡°But isn¡¯t it a bit strange to talk about it openly in front of me?¡±

    Marie¡¯s words were hesitant, but her disbelief was evident. After all, from Marie¡¯s perspective, Leona could be seen as a threat to our rtionship.

    Leona blinked a few times in response to her question and then answered with a timid voice, quite unlike her usual self.

    ¡°¡­ Is it strange for humans? Humans sometimes give their daughters away in marriage or have multiple wives. That¡¯s why I said it¡­¡±

    ¡°Cough! There¡¯s a¡­ cough! difference in cultural norms among our species. Cough. I¡¯ll exin properly.¡±

    It seemed that I had misunderstood a lot of what I had learned so far. Once we had calmed down a bit, I began to teach her everything step by step.

    As Leona mentioned, giving one¡¯s own child as an offering was a practice that wasmon in the distant past, as a part of their culture. It wasmon to offer one¡¯s child as a tribute to a warrior who had contributed greatly to a war effort. This concept still exists today, albeit somewhat obscured by the shadow of ¡°strategic marriages.¡± The idea remains simr but is now about ensuring one¡¯s own interests.

    ¡°Oh, so it¡¯s not necessary to offer one¡¯s own child as a tribute. You can offer something else as tribute?¡±

    ¡°Yes, and as you mentioned, while it can be a tribute, it is also strategically used in politics. Humans are known to value kinship rtionships, so even through marriage, they consider those they marry into as family. The emergence of strategic marriages is a result of this.¡±

    ¡°I see. I understand now.¡±

    Humans, being the most fragile species, have had a tendency to stick together since ancient times and have built civilizations through this unique kinship. This unique kinship has even given rise to the peculiar custom of strategic marriages.

    On the other hand, beastmen have a strong sense of independence. So, if they decide to marry and establish a family, they are treated almost like outsiders.

    Of course, it¡¯s not that beastmenck familial bonds, and if anyone touches their family, they be extremely angry. This remains the same even after marriage. Treating them like outsiders means there is little interference, and they willingly help if asked for assistance.

    The concept of ¡°tribute¡± that Leona mentioned is purely about giving one¡¯s own child as a form of tribute, without any political reasons.

    ¡°So, what about polygamy? Humans also have cases where males have multiple females, right? Is this also due to political reasons?¡±

    ¡°Yes, and if a peaceful agreement is not reached in such cases, it can be quite troublesome. Mating disputes aremon, and there are often headaches caused by one¡¯s own offspring. What about beastmen?¡±

    ¡°We naturally obey the males. The fact that a male can lead multiple females means that the male has strong and excellent genes. Even my father has five wives, you know?¡±

    Leona, while enjoying the remaining steak, exined the ecology of beastmen to me. As expected, their customs were simr to animals since they were based on animals. After listening to her exnation and pondering for a while, a curious question came to mind, so I asked her.

    ¡°Then, do females ever lead multiple males?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s very rare. If a strong female appears, an even stronger male will usually defeat her and ept her as his wife. So, it¡¯s extremely unlikely for a strong female to bring multiple males.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    It¡¯s truly a kingdom of animals in the truest sense. I think I now understand why they call beastmen savages.

    ¡°Well, then it doesn¡¯t matter if you give a different reward, right?¡±

    ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t matter. Do you have something in mind?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡±

    Chew, chew¡­

    Leona now chewed the T-bone steak bones meticulously. She raised her gaze as if deeply contemting, then smiled brightly and answered energetically.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t!¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    The silence settled into an ufortably self-assured stillness. The response had been too cheerful, almost to the point of making one wonder if they had misheard.

    Leona, after gulping down a bone like it was a snack, nced around at both of us with a bitter smile.

    ¡°¡­There really are no other options here. Even if I¡¯m the chief¡¯s daughter, all I have is my body as the third wife¡¯s daughter.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°But still, if you use the wisdom you¡¯ve shown me to change Animers, I¡¯ll definitely give you a reward, even if it¡¯s not me! So, don¡¯t make that kind of face¡­¡±

    The more she spoke, the more Leona¡¯s voice seemed to waver. Judging by the way her ears were pinned back, it seemed she wasn¡¯t entirely sure herself.

    I hesitated whether tough or sigh at her reaction. It was quite a contrast from Leona¡¯s usual cynical demeanor.

    ¡°You can take your time thinking about the reward. Are you nning to return to Animers for now?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll clean up first and then head back. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯ll go well, but they¡¯ll definitely listen to my voice.¡±

    ¡°Alright. Is there anything else you¡¯re curious about?¡±

    ¡°Curious¡­ well, has the scent on your body changed at all? Not like perfume, but more like a natural floral scent?¡±

    ¡°I received quite a bit of divine power, that¡¯s why.¡±

    After that, we had some rather trivial conversations. In between, Mar¨ªe asked questions about the beastmen, and Leona diligently answered while crunching on the bones.

    ¡°Leona. If it¡¯s alright, can you show me your ears?¡±

    ¡°Huh? I¡¯m already showing them.¡±

    ¡°Oh, not those ears. I mean the part where humans have ears. It¡¯s covered by your hair, so it¡¯s not very visible.¡±

    ¡°Well, there¡¯s nothing there, but if you insist¡­¡±

    In response to Marie¡¯s question, Leona nonchntly lifted her head to reveal her human-like ears. There was indeed nothing where there should have been ears on a human. It was empty.

    Marie looked at it with fascination for a moment before quickly moving on to her next question.

    ¡°How about your tail? Can you show me your tail too?¡±

    ¡°Curiosity seems to run strong in you, just like a couple. Here you go.¡±

    With a swish, Leona revealed her tail, which she had been hiding beneath her school uniform pants, rather than her skirt. Being a lioness beastwoman, her tail had a thick, bushy tip, reminiscent of a lion¡¯s tail.

    I, too, looked at Leona¡¯s tail with amazement since it was my first time seeing it. The swaying motion of her tail stirred an impulse in me to reach out and touch it.

    ¡°Can your tail move on its own too?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Ta-da!¡±

    ¡°Wow.¡±

    When Leona formed a heart shape with her tail, Marie gasped in excitement beside her. It was the expression of a child who had just discovered a new toy. At that moment, with a somewhat proud smile on her face, Leona heard Marie¡¯s slightly excited voice as she made a request.

    ¡°Hey, can I touch it?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not. The tail is a sensitive area for beastmen. Only spouses can touch each other¡¯s tails.¡±

    ¡°Oh, really? I didn¡¯t know that.¡±

    Thanks to this, I learned one more thing about beastmen culture. After ying around for a while, Leona put her tail back into her pants, and that was the end of it. Marie was a bit disappointed, but she couldn¡¯t keep insisting since it would be impolite.

    ¡°Time has passed so quickly. Let¡¯s start getting up now. Leona, you¡¯ve finished eating too¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­There¡¯s no need to wash dishes.¡±

    Leona¡¯s steak te, which she handled, was clean without a single drop of sauce. I wondered what the waiter would think if they saw it. Leona looked a bit embarrassed as she watched our reactions, but she chuckled and scratched her head.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for always receiving like this. Although I¡¯m just saying this, I¡¯ll definitelypensate you.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Please don¡¯t make remarks like you¡¯ll be a wife like earlier.¡±

    In response to my request, she made a slightly cautious expression and spoke quietly.

    ¡°¡­Before that, there¡¯s something I want to tell you.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°We beastmen have a cultural tradition where if we receive something, we must reciprocate it. Even if you refuse, Animer¡¯s side will find a way to reward you somehow. If you reject it, they¡¯ll take it as a severe offense.¡±

    ¡°Just say that you came up with it. Say it¡¯s the wisdom you gained from attending the Academy.¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not. Lying within a family is one of the greatest sins to beastmen. I must definitely confess that it¡¯s the wisdom you¡¯ve shared.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    If that¡¯s the culture, there¡¯s nothing we can do about it. I hesitated for a moment and then shrugged lightly.

    ¡°Even if it¡¯s something strange, it¡¯s okay. So don¡¯t feel too burdened and just do what makes youfortable.¡±

    ¡°¡­Thank you. I won¡¯t forget this favor.¡±

    ¡°What favor? Anyway, I hope everything works out well.¡±

    I mean it. Seeing her ask for a favor, despite not being close to me usually, I can tell how desperate she must be feeling. As we were about to part ways outside the restaurant, Leona called me.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    She used my name instead of her usual ¡®Hey, you.¡¯ I looked at Leona with slight surprise.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°I said to you that ¡®apples sometimes fall far from the tree¡¯ before, right? I want to apologize for that.¡±

    Leona said, bowing her head politely as she spoke. I blinked as I watched her. Now that I think about it, I heard her say something like that regarding my father. It wasn¡¯t necessarily incorrect, so I didn¡¯t get angry, but it seemed to have bothered her in some way. She then lifted her bowed head, revealing a bright smile with her fangs slightly visible as she spoke.

    ¡°Indeed, under a lion, a lion is born. Just because one is powerful doesn¡¯t mean they are strong in every way. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s one way to put it.¡±

    ¡°You should remember that a king must be wise, even if you can¡¯t be one. Making that king wise is enough.¡±

    It seemed like she had her own realizations. Leona bowed politely once more, then smiled brightly and shouted,

    ¡°Then enjoy yourselves! I¡¯ll be going first!¡±

    And she dashed away as if escaping. I watched Leona disappear into the darkness, then turned my head. As I turned my head, coincidentally, I met Marie¡¯s face head-on. We both stared at each other for a while, then chuckled simultaneously without saying a word.

    ¡°Shall we go too?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s.¡±

    My date with Marie was not over yet.

    ******

    Leona returned to Animers and the next day.

    ¡°¡­ So, who are you?¡±

    ¡°Kate Louise Angelica, a follower of Luminous.¡±

    The Head Inquisitor came to me. She looked at me with a deep gaze and suddenly asked.

    ¡°May I have your child for the sake of Luminous?¡±

    ¡°This is insane.¡±

    Trantors note:

    They are popping out like damn rattatas now

 Chapter 206: This guyâ€¦ (1)

    The storm doesn¡¯te back once it passes once. And it usually takes a few days before anotheres.

    However, I was about to face a second storm that wasn¡¯t even on the schedule, and it was a much stronger one than before.

    Knock knock

    ¡°Uh?¡±

    I was taking a break in my dorm. Today, as a teaching assistant, all the sses I was observing had ended, and I was working on my writing while waiting for other people¡¯s sses.

    I heard the sound of someone knocking on my dorm room door.

    Very few people usually knock on my dorm room door. Except for the asional visit from Marie and Cecily, it¡¯s usually academy personneling for academic matters.

    ¡°Who could it be? Marie or Cecily?¡±

    I checked my watch. The current time was 2 o¡¯clock. It was still during ss hours.

    As I mentioned before, student dorms are off-limits unless you¡¯re the owner. If you want to enter, you need prior permission from the academy.

    Of course, Marie had visited my dorm room once before, but she wasn¡¯t caught, so there was no problem.

    Is it an Academy personnel then? Just in case, I stored the manuscript I was writing in the desk drawer.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ming.¡±

    I said to the person waiting behind the door as he stood up from his seat. Then, without much thought, I walked towards the door and grabbed the doorknob, pulling it down.

    Creak¡­

    ¡°Who¡­ are you?¡±

    I had expected it to be an Academy official, but apletely different person was standing in front of the door. The first thing I noticed was the atmosphere. It wasn¡¯t as intense as when I had talked directly with Luminous or Mora, but it felt like I could feel the holy power with my skin. Just being near her made him feel at ease.

    Secondly, her appearance. Pure beauty untouched by time, like a countryside maiden, along with emerald green eyes that shone like emeralds. If Rina had hair that seemed to be woven from gold, the woman in front of him had hair that reminded me of golden fields, all woven together.

    In addition to that, the slightly drooping eyes and the gentle smile exudedpassion. Lastly, her figure, entuated by the tight white nun¡¯s habit. Her ample chest, the curve beneath it, and finally, her thigh revealed by a side slit, all stimted a man¡¯s desires.

    ¡°¡­Who are you?¡±

    So, who was this beautifuldy? I blinked his eyes twice, focusing on her face, and asked again.

    Judging by her attire, it¡¯s clear that she¡¯s a follower of the Luminous Church, but to me, she¡¯s just a stranger. However, the beautiful woman in front of me smiled kindly and gazed at me intently.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    she suddenly took a deep breath and exhaled.

    ¡°This fragrance is so strong¡­ a beautiful lc scent¡­¡±

    After that, she muttered something to herself. She was undeniably stunning, but her behavior was somewhat odd. As I was feeling uneasy, she looked at my face with her moist, green eyes and opened her mouth.

    ¡°Excuse me. Are you Isaac Ducker Michelle?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me¡­ but why have youe looking for me?¡±

    The fact that she knew my name confirmed that she hade for me, but I still didn¡¯t know her intentions. She nodded when I confirmed my identity and then nced around, as if checking if there were any other people around.

    ¡°It¡¯s not suitable to talk here. Can we go inside?¡±

    ¡°Well, we can¡­ but did you ask for permission?¡±

    If it were Marie or Cecily, I would have dly let her in. However, the woman in front of me was clearly an outsider. I couldn¡¯t allow her in without knowing her purpose. Even if she¡¯s a follower of the Luminous Church, caution was necessary.

    ¡°Academy officials have already given their permission, so you don¡¯t need to worry. I even have the certificate here.¡±

    The woman said, as if she had expected my concern. She reached into her pocket and showed me the certificate. Seeing the clear stamp on it, it seemed like she had indeed received permission.

    It felt a bit strange to let someone I had never met before into my dorm room, but there was no other option. I was curious about what she wanted to talk about. Plus, I had safely stored the manuscript in the drawer, so there was no fear of it being discovered.

    ¡°Well, pleasee in.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for allowing me in.¡±

    She replied politely, bowing her head slightly before entering quietly. The atmosphere she brought with her exuded a sense of sanctity in every action she took.

    I had seen many clergy members when visiting the Luminous Temple, but few seemed as solemn and deeply religious as this woman. She resembled Cecily in some ways, but there were clear differences in personality. The faint scent of lcs I had noticed when we first met indicated that Luminous held her in high regard.

    ¡°The fragrance filling the room¡­ it¡¯s distinct¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Her mental state didn¡¯t seem to be in the best shape, but her faith appeared strong, so it should be alright.

    I seated her on the bed, and I took the chair at the desk as we faced each other. However, the issue was her attire. It was already a snug material, revealing all the contours of her chest, and it was in a sleeveless style.

    The glove that reached up to the elbow covered her hands, but in between, her pristine white skin was fully revealed. Moreover, the dress she was wearing had a side slit that exposed more than half of her thigh, creating an awkward atmosphere just by sitting still.

    <i>¡®Should I say it¡¯s sexy in its own way¡­¡¯</i>

    In any case, I had to focus on her face as much as possible. I cleared my throat and quietly asked.

    ¡°¡­May I ask your name?¡±

    The woman, who had been examining every corner of my room, turned to look at me after hearing my question. Her emerald green eyes shone with a sharp light like jewels. She looked at my face for a moment, then smiled with her characteristic kindness and ced her hand on her chest.

    ¡°I apologize for the dyed introduction. My name is Kate Louise Angelica. I am a follower of Luminous.¡±

    ¡°¡­yes?¡±

    Did I hear wrong? I could only stare in astonishment at the woman who had introduced herself as Kate. The name Kate Louise Angelica was something I had heard before. Not knowing would be strange.

    She was the Grand Inquisitor, the ultimate rank of the Inquisition, and the head of the Luminous Church¡¯s Order. A position that even high-ranking nobles from other countries could not treat lightly. And a few months ago, she was famous for making a pilgrimage to find me herself. I had also heard that she recently arrived in the Minerva Empire¡­

    ¡°¡­Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the Cardinal and Grand Inquisitor I know of?¡±

    ¡°Undeservedly, but yes.¡±

    The woman in front of me right now. I¡¯ve only heard about her in words, so I couldn¡¯t even guess what she looked like. I blinked for a while because I couldn¡¯t figure out how the situation was unfolding. But for now, it seemed better to know the purpose. But before that, I confirmed once again.

    ¡°¡­So, who really are you?¡±

    ¡°I am a follower of Luminous, Kate Louise Angelica.¡±

    ¡°Why have youe to find me?¡±

    To that question, Kate looked at me with a meaningful gaze and revealed her purpose.

    ¡°May I have your child for the sake of Luminous?¡±

    ¡°This is insane.¡±

    The curse words just came out naturally. She suddenly came and asked if we could have a child. I know she cut to the chase, leaving everything unspoken. But this was different. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on in her mind, but this Cardinal Kate was definitely not normal. I can guarantee that. I looked at her with curiosity and asked about the reason for this first.

    Honestly, I had a rough idea why she was making such demands, but I just wanted to confirm it.

    ¡°Cardinal Kate? I don¡¯t understand, so why are you making such demands? Could you please provide a detailed exnation without cutting corners?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s because you¡¯re a Xenon.¡±

    I expected it but never thought I would actually hear that. So, how did Kate figure out that I¡¯m a Xenon? Could it be because of the lc scent emanating from my body? That alone was not enough evidence, as there could be many clergymen with the scent of lc. I replied calmly, trying to maintainposure. For now, I had to buy some time.

    ¡°Why? On what grounds are you concluding that I¡¯m a Xenon? It seems like you¡¯re making a serious usation.¡±

    ¡°I received a revtion.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    It seems like Luminous enjoys watching me suffer. Why did they choose to give such a revtion to a woman like her? I briefly entertained these thoughts before managing to suppress the fiery rage welling up inside me. I wondered why they had confirmed me as a Xenon based on a revtion. After all, revtions can be interpreted differently by each person.

    ¡°¡­Could you please tell me what kind of revtion it is?¡±

    Kate nodded in response to my forced attempt to maintainposure and seemed to recall the revtion as she ced her hand on her chest. Then, she closed her eyes and, in a pleasant tone, spoke the trust out loud.

    ¡°Seek those who look at the world with a pure passion, like a clean sun.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I blinked in confusion, not understanding any of it. The words that followed seemed like they might be referring to me, but they were iprehensible. Just when I was feelingpletely bewildered and unable to speak, Kate quietly opened her eyes and interpreted the content of the trust.

    ¡°Since ancient times, the sun has been associated with ¡®golden light.¡¯ People desire gold because it resembles sunlight. In other words, it means having golden eyes, just like you.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Next is pure passion. This one was the most puzzling. Passion can mean so many things. However, passion is a zing fire. In essence, it¡¯s ¡®fire.¡¯ Fire is usually associated with the color red, so someone with red hair would be suitable. In other words, trust refers to someone with red hair and golden eyes.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit of a stretch? A clean sun could symbolize a gaze rather than eye color, and pure passion could refer to one¡¯s heart, right?¡±

    Once again, trust tends to be interpreted differently by each person. Because of this, the followers make great offerings in an attempt to receive a clearer understanding of the revtion.

    The trust above is simr to this one. Kate interpreted it based on appearance, but as I just mentioned, it could be interpreted differently.

    ¡°Above all, my father also has red hair and golden eyes like me. It seems too presumptuous to say it¡¯s me, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°In the revtion, it said clean sun and pure passion. This can also be interpreted as not stained with dirty blood. It means you¡¯re young.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean¡­¡±

    ¡°Even if you were a prophet or someone who came back from the future, it¡¯s not a problem. For now, there¡¯s no blood on your hands.¡±

    Kate, who said this, smiled even more confidently than before and spoke with a firm voice.

    ¡°Finally, the scent of lcs that emanates from you. Even the Pope can¡¯t produce such a strong fragrance. Unless you¡¯re a saint like from a novel. Oh, in your case, we should call you a saint, Xenon.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you deny it to the end. I¡¯ll just confirm it through the revtion again.¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    I sighed deeply in frustration as I swiped my face. There was nothing I could do now. For some reason, Cherry and others had been revealing my identity recently. And now, even God had granted her a revtion, so there was no escaping it. Even if I denied it, if she received it once again, it would be over. Since she was a cardinal, Luminous would reluctantly confirm it.

    <i>¡®¡­But what¡¯s this talk about whether we can have a child?¡¯</i>

    Let¡¯s get back to the point. Kate suddenly proposed having my child for Luminous. What could her true intention be? I nced at her, who was waiting with apassionate smile.

    Superficially, she¡¯s a beauty who can make heads turn effortlessly. Her body was excellent, even explosive. A figure that effortlessly arouses admiration, blending both holiness and sensual charm. It¡¯s hard to believe that such a person would go around smashing the heads of devil worshippers, but seeing how rough her hands are, it¡¯s certain.

    ¡°Cardinal Kate.¡±

    ¡°Please call me Kate, Mr. Xenon. Luminous acknowledges you as a saint.¡±

    ¡°Fu¡­¡±

    I almost blurted out a curse.

    Who acknowledged who as a saint¡­ Ah, Luminous again. I gritted my teeth inwardly and struggled to ask the question.

    ¡°¡­Yes. Fine. For now, let¡¯s call me Xenon. But what¡¯s this sudden request to have my child?¡±

    ¡°Can I exin it slowly?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    In my approval, Kate began to slowly bring out her past. She grew up in an unremarkable rural area, but at some point, she gained immense holy power.

    Since having holy power without any apparent reason was nearly impossible, she believed it was thanks to the grace of Luminous. When sheter asked Luminous, he said that he indeed bestowed his ¡°grace¡± upon her.

    Grace means that God personally chooses a believer, and it is often recorded as a great honor in this era. Currently, even the Pope of Xavier imed to have received Luminous¡¯ grace.

    ¡°Even though Lord Xenon did not receive grace, with his achievements, you must have possessed a holy power not inferior to grace. Therefore, it¡¯s to repay Luminous.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Surely, Luminous will be pleased as well. Perhaps the child born between you and me may also receive grace.¡±

    One who has lived true faith and a fanatic are different by a mere sheet of paper. Kate seems simr to this.

    She may sound like a faithful believer when you hear her, but in my eyes, she¡¯s just a fanatic. A fanatic who even treats her own body as an offering to God.

    I couldn¡¯t find the words to say in her absurd mindset, but I quietly spoke up.

    ¡°¡­ Do you know that I have a fianc¨¦?¡±

    ¡°Oh. You have a fianc¨¦? I didn¡¯t expect that¡­¡±

    Kate widened her eyes, genuinely surprised by the news. Seeing her pondering it was reassuring, as it seemedmon sense was still intact.

    ¡°Nevertheless, it doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s all for Luminous.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°If you find it burdensome here, we can go directly to the temple, Lord Xenon. I¡¯m always ready.¡±

    I furrowed my brow, expressing my refusal right away. No matter how beautiful and well-endowed Kate may be, this is not right. Treating people like stallions was diforting, and above all, the sudden request was ufortable for me, given my memories from my past life.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I won¡¯t ask for something like that.¡±

    ¡°Why are you like this? It¡¯s embarrassing to say this, but I believe I have enough appeal as a woman.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s your mindset that¡¯s the problem. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s right to mix bodies without any reason.¡±

    Cecily was simr in the past. Due to her hasty actions, she had once offended me, leading to many awkward situations. However, we eventually developed a close rtionship and even shared affection.

    In this world that¡¯s closer to medieval rather than modern times, infidelity and adultery run rampant, but it¡¯s because of the unique tradition of strategic marriages. At least, with my remaining beliefs from my past life, I want to firmly reject such behavior. I believe it¡¯s both reasonable and obligatory to consult with women faithfully.

    ¡°Um¡­ I see. Alright.¡±

    Kate nodded as if she understood my words. It¡¯s fortunate that she seems to understand me.

    ¡°So, am I supposed to seduce you?¡±

    ¡°Fuck.¡±

    Looks like we¡¯re not on the same page.

 Chapter 207: This guyâ€¦ (2)

    Some people might know, but I usually don¡¯t curse easily. At most, I might say rtively mild words like nonsense or crazy. I don¡¯t use harshnguage.

    However, the situation was so frustrating, absurd, and maddening that I couldn¡¯t help but blurt out the word ¡®fuck.¡¯ That too, to someone I had just met.

    You can vaguely imagine how flustered and angry I was.

    ¡°Surprisingly, you have a foul mouth.¡±

    Kate¡¯s green eyes widened in surprise as I let out the curse. From her perspective, it was indeed unexpected. I wanted to kick her out right now. It felt like I was talking to a wall rather than a person.

    Frustrated, I sighed and ced my hand on my head.

    ¡°Whew¡­ Cardinal, I mean, Miss Kate.¡±

    ¡°Yes, please go on.¡±

    ¡°In the Luminous Church, do they¡­ encourage extramarital affairs?¡±

    I wanted to avoid asking such a question, but I had no choice after hearing Kate¡¯s unconventional response.

    I need to find out whether it¡¯s because of the doctrine taught by the Luminous Church or if it¡¯s Kate¡¯s personal belief. Of course, no sane religious group would endorse adultery, but I don¡¯t know much about this church. Kate seemed to ponder my question carefully before responding with a sly tone.

    ¡°It¡¯s ambiguous. If it¡¯s an affair, then it¡¯s a sin, but if it¡¯s true love, even Luminous approves.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    This doesn¡¯t make sense. Wasn¡¯t Luminous the god of light and hope? Despite my bewildered expression, Kate continued with her characteristicpassionate smile.

    ¡°Do you know why there are so many affairs among the nobility? It¡¯s simple. It¡¯s because they don¡¯t love each other. They might have loved someone else initially, but they end up separated due to differences in their family¡¯s position, and many times, their social status prevents them from being together.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°For this reason, even if theymit adultery, if they truly love each other, Luminous will support them. Luminous is the god of light and hope. There¡¯s nothing as hopeful as the truth.¡±

    As I listened, I couldn¡¯t help but feel convinced. Her words made sense, especially considering that the prevalence of adultery in noble society is often due to arranged marriages.

    Because they got married out of a sense of duty, even though they¡¯re in a marital rtionship, they often have a separate lover. Of course, if you get caught, it¡¯s over, but there are cases where it just continues steadily.

    Moreover, as Kate mentioned, true love in extramarital affairs was rare. Most of it was closer to a fling, and it usually doesn¡¯t end well.

    <i>¡®But it¡¯s not always like that¡­¡¯</i>

    Having a strategic marriage doesn¡¯t necessarily mean you¡¯ll engage in an affair. Although the numbers may be high, the percentage of such cases is surprisingly low.

    Strategic marriage is a kind of contract. When one party breaches the contract, they incur significant losses. Because of this, they often treated each other well, and falling in love wasmon.

    Marrying someone you don¡¯t know well can be quite ufortable, but there¡¯s nothing more interesting than getting to know each other bit by bit.

    Adultery mostly urs when high-ranking nobles are connected with low-ranking nobles. It seems that as power increases, morality bes weaker, so it can be seen as a natural phenomenon.

    ¡°¡­Does Luminous have a way to discern that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not amon urrence. They themselves are embarrassed about it. And even if they were to be recognized, they¡¯ve still done wrong, so they will face consequences.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Thanks to that, I gained a new piece of knowledge.

    ¡°But still, it¡¯s not good. Instead of giving in to temptation or anything, just cleanly give up.¡±

    However, what can¡¯t be done can¡¯t be done. My first impression was ruined, and there were beauties around me as attractive as her, if not more so.

    Even if Kate tries to seduce me, there is no reason to fall for her, and there is no need to do so. It would feel unpleasant to be used for her own purposes.

    ¡°If you truly care for Luminous, you won¡¯t be able to force me, right? Isn¡¯t that so?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct. If I were to assault you, Luminous would be angry.¡±

    ¡­It feels strange when a woman talks about assaulting a man. But in this world, thanks to the existence of mana, it¡¯s not umon for women tomit such acts.

    Kate might be able to forcibly obtain something from me now, but she is a follower of the Luminous Church. Even though she has a twisted way of thinking, her faith is deep.

    <i>¡®Right. I can mention Luminous.¡¯ </i>

    To have a conversation with someone deeply immersed in religion, it¡¯s best to make use of that religion. I, too, have some favor with Luminous, so mentioning his name while persuading her should work.

    I was momentarily pleased that I seemed to have found a way out, but I lost my words again at Kate¡¯s next statement.

    ¡°But what if it¡¯s the other way around?¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m always prepared, so it doesn¡¯t matter if you assault me. It won¡¯t be a sin, but a sacrifice. Luminous will surely forgive you.¡±

    ¡°hahaha.¡±

    Hollowughter escaped at the unexpected turn of thought. Her determination to obtain my seed by any means was clear.

    If Luminous were to see this scene, wouldn¡¯t he be amazed and apud? Later, I should go to the temple and ask for help on how to handle this person.

    I lowered my head, feeling like I was losing my mind. Then, I took a deep breath and quietly opened my mouth.

    ¡°¡­Kate, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Saint.¡±

    ¡°No. That title¡­ No. No.¡±

    I should just give it up. Oh, of course, I¡¯m not talking about my seed but that title, ¡®Saint.¡¯

    I hesitated on whether to curse and slowly lifted my head to face Kate. On the surface, she had a pretty face and an ideal body; she truly was a virtuous youngdy. How did she end up like this?

    She said she received grace from Luminous and herself used to be an ordinary country girl with no connections in the past. Maybe that¡¯s why she obsessively worships Luminous. She connected the act of giving birth to a child to repaying the favor somehow. I wonder if the gods, including Luminous, can really predict the future.

    Anyway, after circling around once again, I firmly expressed my refusal.

    ¡°Anyway! I have absolutely no intention of sleeping with you. Whether you were trying to seduce me or not, it¡¯s meaningless, so please understand.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you ask Luminous for a favor. I¡¯ll also ask Luminous for a favor.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    When I firmly refused, Kate¡¯s expression became subtle. She raised her slightly pursed lips, wearing a face filled with discontent.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m embarrassed to say this, but I consider myself exceptionally attractive as a woman. I¡¯ve been praised as a flower personally nurtured by God even in the church.¡±

    True to her words, Kate was indeed beautiful. There wasn¡¯t a single w from her face to her figure. She exuded her unique charm, a blend of the innocence of a country girl, the sanctity of a clergywoman, and the sexiness emanating from her body.

    If it weren¡¯t for the protection of the Luminous, someone with ill intentions would have surelyid their hands on her. With her current position as the Grand Inquisitor, she possessed immense power, and no one dared to touch Kate.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Kate is beautiful. That¡¯s an undeniable fact.¡±

    ¡°But then why are you rejecting me? Do you perhaps have issues with your sexual capabilities?¡±

    ¡°Kate¡­¡±

    She probably asked without malice, but to me, it was a question that scratched at my self-esteem rather than a mere inquiry.

    I mustered all my strength and answered again after barely suppressing the urge to explode.

    ¡°Absolutely not. I wish I could prove it, but I can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine with that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not okay. If you insist on checking, I¡¯ll kick you out right away, so keep that in mind.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Kate pursed her lips, as if really considering it. It seemed like her habit to express dissatisfaction. I let out a long sigh, feeling like I was going around in circles, then leaned back in my chair. I was starting to get tired.

    ¡°Miss Kate.¡±

    ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡±

    ¡°Please stop today and go back. I have no intention of giving in, no matter what the stakes are.¡±

    When I asked with an exhausted tone, Kate hesitated for a moment. After all, pressuring someone like this was likely causing her some inner conflict. She must have realized her own wrongdoing. Then, she cautiously nced at me and nodded her head.

    ¡°¡­Alright. I¡¯ll stop for today.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. And I hope you continue to give up in the future.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll consider that gradually.¡±

    I hope she considers it thoroughly and gives up cleanly. I struggled to hold onto my fading sanity. Even Cecily didn¡¯t go to such lengths to share my affection, but Kate seemed to be on a different level. At this rate, I¡¯m worried that I¡¯ll soon start fighting with my lovers.

    ¡°¡­So, Miss Kate, do you n to stay in the Minerva Empire for the time being?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Now that I¡¯ve found the Saint, I intend to engage in relief activities.¡±

    ¡°When do you n to leave the Minerva Empire?¡±

    ¡°I have no ns to return until I receive the Saint¡¯s seed. It¡¯s the ultimate goal of this pilgrimage.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    If others were to hear this, they might find it absurd to embark on a pilgrimage for such a purpose. However, from a religious perspective, the story might be slightly different. There¡¯s a simr story in mythology, where a man and a woman chosen by the godse together to give birth to a hero.

    It wasn¡¯t driven by personal ambition but rather for true faith, so there¡¯s a very high chance it will be tolerated within the religious institution.

    ¡®I¡¯m going crazy.¡¯

    From my perspective, it¡¯s nothing more than another stalker targeting me, but it¡¯s already unsettling enough with Cherry¡¯s situation, and now one more person is getting involved.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve said it many times, but there won¡¯t be any connection between you and me.¡±

    ¡°No one knows what the future holds.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, I understand. If you have nothing more to say, please leave.¡±

    ¡°Oh, there is something I want to discuss.¡±

    ¡°If you bring up the ¡®seed¡¯ again, I¡¯ll beg Luminous to restrict your ess.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡±

    Could it finally be a change of topic? I listened with relief.

    Kate stared straight at me with sparkling emerald eyes. For some reason, the faint blush on her snow-white cheeks made me uneasy.

    Eventually, she ced her hand on her lower belly and quietly opened her mouth as if she was eager to say something.

    ¡°If a child is born, how about naming a boy Xenon and a girl Lily?¡±

    ¡°Get out.¡±

    The answer was not in sight.

    *****

    A storm passed through, and the next day arrived.

    ¡°Hello, Saint. Can I have your seed today?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense.¡±

    Kate didn¡¯t give up.

    ¡°I should visit the temple soon.¡±

    I should enforce a no-entry policy.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 208: This guyâ€¦ (3)

    Kate being here alone was already extremely dangerous. The reason she embarked on the pilgrimage was to find me, but suddenly settling in one ce was suspicious. Even if she might not say it herself, the higher-ups of the church will surely have suspicions.

    Why would someone who left on a pilgrimage stay in one area? Could it be that she found something?

    In that case, there¡¯s a very high chance that they will send someone from above to keep an eye on Kate. So, her presence is more of a threat to me than anything helpful. Of course, if I agree to give Kate what she wants, she¡¯ll dly leave, but I don¡¯t like that idea. Sleeping with someone I¡¯ve just met was burdensome for me, and who willingly epts being treated as a tool by someone else?

    No matter how beautiful her face is or how desirable her body might be, it seems like she sees me as an instrument, and that repulses me. Above all, neither Marie nor Cecily have had my child, so it¡¯s against thew to create an extramarital child so soon.

    For these reasons, I n to visit the temple this weekend and politely request Luminous to prohibit Kate from approaching me. Even Luminous, who favors Kate, would reluctantly agree if I ask earnestly.

    ¡°Did you guys hear about that?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Three days ago, Cardinal Kate visited the academy.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    One day before the approaching weekend, while on the way to the restaurant, I couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy after hearing Rina¡¯s words. Kate visited the dormitory where I¡¯m staying exactly two days ago. The next day, she came looking for the seed and the likelihood of hering today is very high.

    That¡¯s why I n to stay out as long as possible while spending time with other acquaintances. She may be a person with a strangemon sense, but I don¡¯t think she¡¯llete at night anyway. While I was silently holding such thoughts, including Rina, other girls began to engage in the conversation.

    ¡°Oh, I heard that story too. I heard she¡¯s going to stay here for a while. They say there might be devil worshippers in the capital.¡±

    ¡°I heard she¡¯s extremely pretty. I kind of want to meet her, but Rina, won¡¯t you meet her?¡±

    ¡°Rather than me, my brother or Duke Requilis will meet her. ording to the hierarchy, a dignitary higher than a duke should greet the cardinal.¡±

    The cardinal is the second highest rank after the pope, and Kate is the grand inquisitor of the heresy inquisition. If it¡¯s not a personal matter but a public matter, at least a duke or higher-ranking dignitary should greet them. That¡¯s how high their prestige is, and if you say a wrong word to the cardinal, you¡¯ll be embarrassed internationally. So only the prince or the duke can meet them.

    <i>¡®Anyway, she only looks like a pervert to me.¡¯</i>

    A perverted priestess who tries to steal seed from me whenever there¡¯s an opportunity. I wonder how she¡¯ll ask me for seed today. I hope tomorrowes quickly. Just the existence of Kate was enough to expose my true identity.

    Did she notice my mood? Marie, who was talking properly with others, checked my face and asked in a puzzled voice.

    ¡°Isaac, what¡¯s with your expression?¡±

    ¡°Huh? What¡¯s wrong with my face?¡±

    ¡°It looks like a face that¡¯s chewed on poop.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I wondered if there might be another way to express it aside from that. After hearing Marie¡¯s response, I chuckled. Actually, I did think about telling them about Kate¡¯s situation, especially its something that Marie and Cecily needed to know.

    I sighed heavily out of frustration and then nced to the side. They seemed to have noticed that my expression wasn¡¯t good, as they both wore concerned looks.

    ¡°¡­ I¡¯ll tell you at the restaurant.¡±

    ¡°Is it a big problem?¡±

    ¡°Whether it¡¯s big or small¡­ you¡¯ll find out after hearing it.¡±

    The once cheerful atmosphere seemed to have dampened, and I felt strangely apologetic. However, it was a matter that they needed to know. After arriving at the restaurant, we reserved a private room as usual and ced our orders. Then, I exined what was on my mind.

    ¡°Two days ago, Cardinal Kate came to my dormitory.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°She knew I was Xenon.¡±

    The fact that Kate hade was already surprising, but when I mentioned that she knew my true identity, they both reacted with simr expressions of shock. Their eyes widened even more, and their faces showed genuine astonishment. Frankly, it was quite shocking indeed.

    I rified one by one the points that made them curious while they were organizing their thoughts.

    ¡°It seems like Luminous has given a revtion about my identity. Fortunately, it seems to have been only given to Cardinal Kate, but¡­ it doesn¡¯t matter now that it¡¯s been exposed.¡±

    ¡°Revtion? What kind of revtion?¡±

    ¡°Seek those who look at the world with a pure passion, like a clean sun.¡±

    The verse itself wasplicated, but it left an impression, so I remembered it clearly. When I spoke about the contents of the revtion, the women seemed even more puzzled. I probably made the same expression at first. So, I exined slowly.

    ¡°Looking at the world with a clean sun means golden eyes, and pure passion seems to refer to my red hair.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it the same for your father and brother?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true, but it seems like the modifiers ¡®clean¡¯ and ¡®pure¡¯ imply that there¡¯s no blood on their hands. Father is a knight, and Dave used to go hunting often in the past.¡±

    Father, Dave, and Nicole were strong from a young age, unlike me. So, they sometimes hunted monsters and beasts in the territory. On the other hand, I had a frail body and even resented knight training, so my family cherished me.

    Due to the significant age difference between me and my siblings, I received more attention and affection.

    ¡°And because of the lc scent emanating from my body, even if I deny it, she won¡¯t believe it, right? I heard it has a stronger fragrance than the Pope¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°I see. So, what did Cardinal Kate say? Is that the end of it?¡±

    ¡°I wish it were the end here too. What did Cardinal Kate want? Well¡­¡±

    Should I really say this or not? I felt embarrassed and sorry, so I couldn¡¯t bring myself to say it. After hesitating for a moment, I let out a deep sigh and spilled the whole truth.

    ¡°¡­To receive my seed.¡±

    ¡°Seed? What kind of seed¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    As expected, there were different reactions from each of them. Marie started to say something but seemed to realize halfway and closed her mouth. Cecily had a momentary pause in her thinking process, andstly, Rina blinked her blue eyes and then her face rapidly turned red.

    They were all old enough to know what my statement implied.

    ¡°¡­You guys must have heard about this kind of story, too. The tale of a man and a woman chosen by the gods who form a rtionship and give birth to a hero. Kate asking me for my seed is somewhat simr to that. She¡¯s been blessed, and I helped the world break free from the devil¡¯s grasp through Xenon¡¯s Biography. Do you get the idea?¡±

    ¡°Is that woman mentally unstable or something?¡±

    Marie blurted out the doubt that was poking through her mind. After all, from her perspective as the one engaged to me, this situation was not only anger-inducing but also utterly baffling.

    It wasn¡¯t just her, Cecily was in the same boat. She couldn¡¯t decide whether to get angry or just be dumbfounded.

    On the other hand, Rina¡­ Her face turned bright red, but she kept her mouth firmly shut. It seemed like she didn¡¯t want to say anything, probably because she didn¡¯t see a significant connection.

    ¡°Seems like she¡¯s a bit¡­ out of it, but the focus seems to be entirely on Luminous. She says even the reason she wants my child is for Luminous.¡±

    ¡°What is that¡­¡±

    ¡°Like a fanatic, isn¡¯t it? I think so too. She doesn¡¯t listen even when I say I don¡¯t like it. Anyway, I n to go to the temple tomorrow and request a ban on approaching from Luminous.¡±

    ¡°¡­It probably won¡¯t work.¡±

    Rina, who had been quiet, surprisingly expressed a negative opinion. The gaze of others, including me, turned towards Rina. She exined her reasons while fanning her flushed face to cool down.

    ¡°The Cardinal is the second-highest position after the Pope. To ascend to the position of Cardinal, you need to be chosen directly by Luminous. Moreover, Cardinal Kate has received direct favor from Luminous. No matter how much you try, Isaac, it¡¯s going to be tough to get a ban on approaching.¡±

    ¡°Even if I use divine authority?¡±

    ¡°If that happens, Cardinal Kate will likely use her divine authority to nullify it. Of course, Luminous will reprimand her severely.¡±

    ¡°Ah. If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s okay.¡±

    If it¡¯s Luminous, warning her should be enough since she¡¯s a devoted clergywoman willing to sacrifice even her body. At least, when ites to her faith, she¡¯s a genuine person. However, I¡¯ll still look for opportunities. She¡¯s more persistent than I thought, so if there¡¯s a gap in my defenses after I visit the temple, she might request it again.

    ¡°But it¡¯s still unpleasant. Did you tell her about your engagement?¡±

    Marie asked with a voice full of dissatisfaction. Meanwhile, Cecily seemed to be deeply contemting something.

    First, I decided to speak the truth, primarily because it was essential to separate Kate from the situation.

    ¡°Of course, I told her. But she also told me that she was ready anytime if I was okay with it. I said I¡¯m not interested, so she asked if she should seduce me?¡±

    ¡°¡­I can¡¯t believe it.¡±

    Since it was unbelievable, Marie shook her head with a wry smile.

    However, an unexpected positive opinion came from Cecily.

    ¡°I actually feel okay about it.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Are you in your right head?¡±

    I, of course, questioned Cecily in surprise, to the point where Marie could ask if she was right in her head.

    Cecily, looking at our faces demanding an exnation, began to speak very realistically.

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not thrilled about the idea of having a child forced upon you like that. But there¡¯s nothing to lose. In fact, it could be very beneficial in many ways, as it would connect us with the Xavier Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t ruled out that idea either. But, Noona.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t connect with you while thinking about such a thing, did I?¡±

    If Kate had approached slowly, like Cecily, I might have hesitated for a moment. Perhaps I would have sought permission from Marie and epted her. I¡¯m already in a situation where I¡¯ve epted Cecily and I¡¯m contemting Adelia, so adding one more won¡¯t hurt. As long as I don¡¯t secretly cheat on my partners with other women, it¡¯s okay.

    However, when a fastballes straight at your neck, you can¡¯t just stand there and take it. Cecily blinked her red eyes after hearing my response and then raised the corner of her mouth, giving me a gentle smile.

    She then subtly grabbed my hand under the table and spoke in a warm voice.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I just wanted to help Isaac. Can you forgive me?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need forgiveness. Anyway, my experiences have led me to this point. Is there any other solution?¡±

    ¡°I think it would be better if Marie and I went to talk to her directly. Right, Marie?¡±

    ¡°Of course! Honestly, it would be nice if she epted, I don¡¯t like her stubborn attitude.¡±

    Marie, who had said this, nced under the table, but instead of lightly grabbing my hand, she softly stroked my thigh. As everyone knows, this is a kind of signal. It seems like Kate¡¯s situation has been stressful for her.

    I paused for a moment, stopping Marie¡¯s strange touch on my thigh, and then returned to the main point.

    ¡°So, I¡¯ll go to the temple tomorrow ande back. Can you wait until then?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Have a good talk.¡±

    Now, I released Cecily¡¯s hand and it now clung to my thigh. On the surface, it might look like two beautifuldies on either side were being cute to me, but I was actually fearful of the future thaty ahead. Perhaps because we had talked about my seed, it seemed like they also wanted to take seeds from me. I guess that can¡¯t be helped.

    ¡°Well¡­ it seems like this matter is settled for now. By the way¡­¡±

    Knock knock knock

    Just as Rina was about to speak, someone knocked, either because food had arrived or someone else was at the door. Marie and Cecily immediately stopped their actions.

    Knock knock knock

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±

    ¡°Is it someone else?¡±

    If it were a waiter, they would knock and then enter after a brief pause. But knocking more than once meant that someone else hade. I got up from my seat and immediately opened the door, putting my questions aside for a moment. And at the door¡­

    ¡°Hello. Sa¡­ No, Isaac.¡±

    Kate was standing at the door, wondering how I had ended up here. It seemed like the tiger really followed my words.

    When I was too flustered to say anything, Kate opened her mouth with her characteristicpassionate smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s not what you think this time¡­¡±

    It was a moment when I was about to close the door before I could even listen.

    Thunk!

    When she noticed that I was trying to close the door, Kate quickly wedged her foot between the door. I tried to push it somehow, but it didn¡¯t budge an inch. Strangely, no matter how much strength I used, I couldn¡¯t feel it moving at all. Instead, it felt like I was the one being pushed back from the other side. Whether I liked it or not, Kate spoke to me with her previouspassionate smile.

    ¡°Please listen to what I have to say until the end. I didn¡¯te here to talk about seed this time.¡±

    ¡°Well, in the end, it¡¯s going to be about seed, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°See!¡±

    Since there was no response, it was certain. And when I tried to push somehow¡­

    ¡°It¡¯s good timing. Come in.¡±

    Marie¡¯s voice came from behind.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 209: This guyâ€¦ (4)

    Before I knew it, Kate ended up sitting at the dinner table. With Marie and Cecily each upying a seat next to me, she naturally sat across from them, which means she took a seat next to Rina.

    When I asked if she had eaten, she said she had eaten beforehand. Because of that, we quietly waited until we all finished eating.

    It¡¯s not like I did nothing while waiting. I checked from time to time, and I could see her with her eyes closed, hands neatly folded, praying.

    Thanks to that, the meal was quiet until it was over, and after ordering dessert, the real conversation began.

    ¡°First, how did you know I was here?¡±

    ¡°I followed the scent of lcs. And the destination was here.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    From the first response, it was truly ridiculous. She hadn¡¯t even been professionally trained at tracking, and she imed to have followed a scent.

    The lc scent emanating from my body was indeed strong, but in Kate¡¯s case, it can be considered somewhat unique.

    Kate, after facing all the stares directed at her one by one, cautiously opened her mouth with a slightly wary voice.

    ¡°But Isaac, is it okay to have a conversation here?¡±

    ¡°Oh. These people all know who I am, so you can rx.¡±

    ¡°I see. But¡­¡±

    She hesitated for a moment and nced alternately at Marie and Cecily sitting on either side of me. In response to her puzzled look, Marie wrapped her arms around mine with a sulky expression, and Cecily smiled and leaned in. Anyone could tell we were lovers.

    Kate seemed to have noticed something from their odd behavior and nodded her head.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to have two fianc¨¦es.¡±

    ¡°The official fianc¨¦e is still just me. Cecily is unofficial.¡±

    Marie subtly emphasized that she was the first. Cecily didn¡¯t seem to have any objections as she remained silent. I chuckled at the yful territoriality of the two women and then looked across the table again. Rina, sitting next to Kate, seemed to be just observing, sipping her tea.

    ¡°So, why did youe here? If you¡¯re going to talk about the seed again, I¡¯ll kick you out, so you should know that.¡±

    ¡°I will formally apologize for that part. My unnecessary obsession made Isaac ufortable, so if you wish, I will ept any punishment you deem necessary.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    What¡¯s going on? It¡¯s like the character suddenly changed.

    Kate lowered her head and politely asked for forgiveness, which was rather surprising. Not just me, but even Marie, who had been firm until now, seemed taken aback.

    Kate had been demanding the seed from me at every opportunity for the past two days, so why was she suddenly apologizing today? Unless something had happened in between, it didn¡¯t add up. And there was only one expected reason for that. I recalled Kate¡¯s fanatical side and decided to probe a bit.

    ¡°Were you scolded by Luminous by any chance?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±

    Kate responded to my question with a gloomy expression, confirming my suspicions.

    Luminous is a merciful god who may inflict punishment upon the wicked, but to devoted followers like Kate or me, he is apassionate deity. He rarely loses his temper and seldom raises his voice.

    However, it seems he must have been quite upset if Kate was feeling so down.

    ¡°It seems he scolded you quite a bit.¡±

    ¡°¡­He even raised his voice for the first time. He asked what I was doing, and even though he understood why, it was still quite impolite. He told me to apologize immediately.¡±

    If he raised his voice to that extent, it appears Luminous was very angry. After all, she had nearly caused harm to others for her own sake.

    Although Luminous was merciful, he also had strict principles, so this matter couldn¡¯t be overlooked. If a child did something like stealing to please their parents, even normal parents would scold them sternly.

    <i>¡®I guess she won¡¯t be talking about seed for a while.¡¯</i>

    I gazed at the gloomy Kate and had a feeling that the talk about seed would be put on hold for some time.

    If Luminous had scolded Kate to that extent, there was a high chance that she had given up.

    ¡°Alright. Since Luminous has scolded you, I¡¯ll let this matter go. So, what¡¯s the real reason you came to see me?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s rted to Xenon¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°Just call me Isaac for now. You might make a mistaketer.¡±

    ¡°Understood. Isaac, it¡¯s rted to your safety.¡±

    ¡°My safety?¡±

    I opened my eyes wide at the mention of a close connection to my safety. Curiosity also flickered in Rina¡¯s eyes, who was sitting next to Kate.

    I wondered what could be happening to me during this peaceful time. Kate is a person who has been on a pilgrimage. She must have a clearer understanding of the situation around the Academy than we do. Unlike before, she looked at me with determination in her green eyes and spoke.

    ¡°Yes. As you all know, I¡¯ve been on a pilgrimage, hunting down devil worshipers who have spread throughout the world. Even just before arriving in the Minerva Empire, I was busy eliminating devil worshipers.¡±

    ¡°Devil worshipers¡­¡±

    Originally, devil worshipers operated in secret, unbeknownst to anyone. Especially in regions where many disappearances urred, devil worshipers were deeply involved.

    The reason we didn¡¯t notice until now, before these incidents began urring consecutively, was simple: dulled judgment andcency due to longsting peace, and indifference. The devil war had erupted a whopping 3,000 years ago, and even the elves had vague memories of it. Naturally, there was little interest.

    ¡°Devil worshipers were unknown until the events surrounding Xenon. But now their presence is rising to the surface, and their influence is gradually waning with each passing day. Do you understand what this means?¡±

    ¡°Are you saying Isaac might be targeted by devil worshipers?¡±

    Cecily immediately answered Kate¡¯s question, and Kate nodded in agreement.

    In fact, I had only a rough idea until the talk about devil worshippers came up, but it feels quite different when I hear it directly from Kate.

    ¡°Yes. Xenon¡¯s Biography was a coincidence, but it directly revealed the existence of devil worshippers, so of course, they are actively working to eliminate Isaac. It¡¯s already a widely spread testimony among devil worshippers.¡±

    ¡°Testimony¡­ you say? Are devil worshippers forming organizations among themselves?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not certain, but it¡¯s highly likely. There are traces of their activities for at least a hundred years, after all.¡±

    It¡¯s more serious than I thought. Another reason not to reveal my identity has arisen. I have a dependable knight with me, but until the devil worshippers arepletely eradicated, there¡¯s a very high chance that my acquaintances will be in danger.

    I don¡¯t know how powerful the devil worshippers are, so I need to be more cautious in my actions.

    ¡°Furthermore, most things rted to the underworld are influenced by devil worshippers, from drugs to smuggling, and even the ck market. It will take quite some time for aplete eradication.¡±

    ¡°So, are you telling me to hide and not publish books until then?¡±

    ¡°You can publish books, that¡¯s not an issue. Just be careful not to reveal your true identity. I also n to stay here for about a month before leaving for somewhere else. If I stay here longer, it will raise suspicions.¡±

    Did Luminous give her a hard time about this? Kate calmly exined in her polite voice. She was different from the way she used to be, always asking for seed. It felt a bit odd, but it was satisfying enough.

    ¡°Do you think there are devil worshippers in the Minerva Empire, Cardinal?¡±

    Rina, who had been quiet, spoke up. It was only natural for her to be concerned since it was her own country.

    ¡°Of course. Devil worshippers are like cockroaches, multiplying unless you crush their heads. The Minerva Empire is no different just because it¡¯s called an empire. Perhaps we can find evidence of that organization here.¡±

    ¡°If the Cardinal wishes, I can provide military support.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate the offer, but I¡¯ll decline. Devil worshippers go into hiding as soon as their cockroach-like presence is exposed, so secrecy is crucial.¡±

    As I heard, things rted to devils seem to be treated worse than insects.

    And to think she would talk about crushing the head of devil worshipers or request my seed with such an innocent face. Honestly, it¡¯s hard to believe.

    She¡¯s said to have blue magic that flickers like mes and even carries the title ¡°Blue me,¡± but just looking at her, I can¡¯t really tell.

    ¡°Alright. Do you have anything else to say?¡±

    ¡°One more thing. Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°It might be ufortable, but it¡¯s rted to the seed.¡±

    I wondered why she hadn¡¯t mentioned it earlier. When Kate brought up the topic of seed more seriously(?), the atmosphere changed in an instant.

    From Marie, who had been cautious since Kate¡¯s arrival, to Cecily, who had shown a softer attitude.

    Finally, Rina elegantly sipped her tea and looked even more focused.

    I opened my mouth as if feeling a strange atmosphere and said somewhat awkwardly.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you get scolded by Luminous a little while ago?¡±

    ¡°Yes. But I haven¡¯t given up. Since you two are here, I¡¯ll formally request it.¡±

    She said confidently with her sparkling emerald eyes.

    ¡°If it¡¯s not too much trouble, may I receive Isaac¡¯s seed?¡±

    At the same time, a sharp response came back, not from me but from Marie. Marie tightened her grip on my arm and said to Kate with even more strength.

    ¡°Cardinal Kate, do you love Isaac?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°There you have it. You don¡¯t even love him, but you¡¯re willing to have a child for Luminous. Will Luminous be pleased? No, he¡¯ll definitely be sad. He¡¯ll be sad that the child he loves is giving up their body for his sake.¡±

    Right. Our girlfriend speaks well. As Marie spoke each word meticulously, Kate had nothing to say and was keeping her mouth shut.

    She seemed to want to say something, but it was impossible.

    The problem is that it¡¯s not just Marie who thinks like this.

    ¡°Marie is right. Marie and I promised Isaac a future because we love him. What about you, Cardinal? You just covet the holy power that Isaac possesses. If a man with even stronger sacred power than Isaac appears, wouldn¡¯t you go to him?.¡±

    ¡°Luminous would never forgive that.¡±

    Cecily delivered a heavy blow of factual violence right to Kate¡¯s weakness. Kate immediately tried to defend herself, but the words pierced through her essence, and that was the end of it.

    I just watched because my girls took care of saying the things I wanted to say. So, it was just a spectacle for me. Kate, perhaps chastened by Luminous¡¯s scolding, did not put up a fight like she didst time.

    When Kate chose to remain silent, Marie seemed to take it as a victory and continued with her triumphant words.

    ¡°Even if you manage to win Isaac¡¯s heart, I won¡¯t acknowledge you. There¡¯s nothing as despicable as using love as a means.¡±

    ¡°¡­I see.¡±

    ¡°Above all! I find you detestable. Even I, who am engaged, don¡¯t suddenly rush to have a child. Even if it works out, you¡¯ll have to wait at least four years.¡±

    Academy graduation is roughly around that time, so a formal wedding will also be around then.

    Under Marie¡¯s continuous criticism, Kate had no more energy to respond and could only nod her head. Just when it seemed like it wasing to an end.

    ¡°Well then¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°If I genuinely love Isaac, is it okay for me to ept his seed?¡±

    A question filled with a determination to receive my seed in any way possible hung in the air. Not just me, but everyone else was left bewildered by that question.

    In the meantime, Kate wore a warm smile and ced her hand over her heart before quietly opening her mouth.

    ¡°Luminous has indeed scolded me, but after that, he said something like this. Not to give everything to him, but to seek the true happiness I desire. He said that a devotee¡¯s happiness is also his own happiness¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°After hearing those words, I changed my thinking. Love someone sincerely and find happiness. Love someone, and not only will I find my happiness, but I will also bring happiness to Luminous. And the person I wille to love¡­¡±

    She then looked straight at me, blushing, and shyly confessed.

    ¡°The author of Xenon¡¯s Biography, who is favored by Luminous. Isaac.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Thinking like that makes my heart race, and I feel my face turning red. The scent of lcs emanating from Isaac feels like a drug to me, and I feel the sanctity seeping into me.¡±

    Oh my¡­

    ¡°Is this¡­ love?¡±

    I wonder what her thought process is like to lead to this development.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 210: This guyâ€¦ (5)

    Due to Kate¡¯s confession that she didn¡¯t give a damn about setbacks, we felt more bewildered than angry. No one else dared to speak up, and a deep silence settled in the room.

    While Kate was known for her impulsive nature, this was beyond elerating with the pedal to the floor. I wonder what kind of thought process she had.

    As the heavy silence hung in the air, Rina, who had managed to maintain herposure, finally spoke up quietly.

    ¡°Cardinal Kate.¡±

    ¡°Yes, please speak.¡±

    ¡°I hesitate to say this, but¡­¡±

    Rina paused briefly, her face showing signs of deep contemtion before she blurted out.

    ¡°Do you have any friends?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Initially, Kate looked puzzled, raising her eyebrows. Rina rified her question.

    ¡°I asked if you have anyone you¡¯d consider friends.¡±

    ¡°Everyone under the protection of the Luminous is both my friend and sibling.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    In response to Kate¡¯s devoted answer, Rina nodded and looked at her with a mixture ofpassion and pity in her azure eyes.

    ording to Marie¡¯s words, Rina had exceptional observational skills. Could it be that he was trying to analyze Kate¡¯s psychology by asking her if she had any friends?

    Rina almost emptied her teacup, then, after taking a deep breath, she spoke in her characteristic gentle tone.

    ¡°My question isn¡¯t about that. When I mentioned a friend, I meant someone who can be treated without prejudice regardless of their profession, gender, or status. It¡¯s about distinguishing between work and personal life, someone with whom you can be yourself on an equal footing in private spaces. Lastly, I meant someone of a simr age to Isaac, Marie, and Cecily, like Cardinal Kate.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Are there such friends in Cardinal¡¯s life?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡±

    Kate, upon hearing Rina¡¯s exnation, lowered her head with a flicker of emerald in her eyes. She seemed to be contemting for a moment, then raised her head to look at me.

    I was slightly apprehensive about what mighte out of her mouth next, but fortunately, her next words were surprisingly normal.

    ¡°¡­ There is someone I confide in.¡±

    ¡°Who is it?¡±

    ¡°His Holiness.¡±

    His Holiness is a title used to address the Pope. It seems that even the people Kate interacts with are exceptional.

    Upon hearing this answer, Rina immediately asked her next question.

    ¡°May I ask how old His Holiness is?¡±

    ¡°He is currently eighty years old.¡±

    ¡°Then what about Cardinal Kate?¡±

    ¡°I have lived 20 years.¡±

    At that age, they were not friends, but rather a grandfather and granddaughter. In other words, it meant that there was no one else besides the Pope with whom she could confide her inner worries.

    No one else but Luminous personally granted her his grace, so there must have been a great deal of attention directed towards her within the church as well. Regardless of the direction of that attention, many aspects of her life would have been limited. Even fellow clergy would not have dared to approach her recklessly, so she probably had very few ¡°friends¡± who got along with her without any issues.

    Furthermore, she possessed such strong power that she rose to the position of Grand Inquisitor at a young age. She was a true powerhouse, so approaching her was out of the question. Her peculiar thought process, solely focused on God, could likely be attributed to this reason. Regardless of her education, she was bound to have significant shorings in human rtionships.

    ¡°I¡¯m not talking about the kind of friend Cardinal Kate has in mind. I can¡¯t put it into words, but I mean it in a broader sense.¡±

    ¡°A broader sense¡­ I don¡¯t quite understand.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯lle to understand as time goes on. Perhaps the reason why she¡¯s drawn to Isaac is because she may have met someone who could be her first real friend. Isaac is someone who receives favor from Luminous like Cardinal Kate.¡±

    Rina offered a very usible exnation befitting her position as a princess. Kate, on the other hand, listened to the story and looked at me with a pensive expression. She still didn¡¯t seem to have a clear grasp of it, but this was a problem that time would resolve. I looked into Kate¡¯s emerald eyes and began to speak.

    ¡°I also agree with Rina¡¯s words. Currently, Kate is happy to find someone she can have a normal conversation with on an equal footing, so it can be concluded that it¡¯s not love.¡±

    ¡°Friendship is a rtionship that can¡¯t be exined in words. You can y pranks on each other, but you shouldn¡¯t be rude. It¡¯s not something that happens all at once, but gradually seeps into that person¡¯s life and can upy a significant part of it.¡±

    When ites to important human rtionships, you can list three: family, lover, and finally, friends. Family is undoubtedly a precious presence, a lover can fill in your missing parts, and they can also create another life. And friends, even though their bodies are apart, can be considered as one. That¡¯s how important a friend¡¯s presence is in a person¡¯s life.

    But Kate hasn¡¯t had anyone she could call a friend until now. If you don¡¯t have friends from the beginning, there¡¯s a good chance you don¡¯t even know what loneliness is.

    ¡°So, I¡¯ll ept it if it¡¯s just friendship, not love. By the way, I¡¯m not giving my seed to friends.¡±

    ¡°Friends¡­ I don¡¯t really understand. With Luminous¡¯s protection, aren¡¯t we all friends and brothers?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s doctrine, it¡¯s different when ites to human rtionships.¡±

    I think I vaguely understand. Kate is in a situation akin to a frog in a well. I understand why Luminous scolded her and told her to find her own happiness. Even in Luminous¡¯s eyes, Kate¡¯s limited human rtionships are heartbreaking to the point of tears.

    In my past life, I lived as if I had disconnected from the world ever since I lost my parents in an ident, but Kate was in apletely wrong state right from the first button.

    She faithfully follows the doctrine, but personally, she¡¯s a woman who can¡¯t even form any proper rtionships. Perhaps even loneliness couldn¡¯tfort her.

    As I thought of this, I felt a warm feeling andforted her with a gentle voice.

    ¡°Miss Kate, God can y a significant role in a person¡¯s life, but it cannot take over everything, can it? Luminous loves you, but he doesn¡¯t envelop you entirely? He scolded you a bit this time too¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°So, it¡¯s not toote even now. Slowly turn your gaze to other ces. You¡¯re still worshiping Luminous, but it¡¯s your life, Miss Kate. Oh, by the way, you mentioned you lived in the countryside, right? When did you receive Luminous¡¯s grace?¡±

    ¡°I was five years old. The vige was in chaos because it was attacked by bandits. That¡¯s when Luminous bestowed his light upon me.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I must have stepped on a mine. She was speaking with a calm tone, but there was clearly sadness in her words. I had originally nned to continue the conversation as if recalling a friend from the countryside, but I couldn¡¯t have imagined such a hidden past.

    In my confusion about what to say next, I managed to open my mouth and apologize.

    ¡°¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I had no idea such an event had urred.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. If you feel really sorry, you can give me your seed.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Is that a joke? It must be a joke. It has to be a joke.

    When she made a silly joke (?), I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle bitterly.

    ¡°¡­ Anyway, Kate. I can say that the feeling you have for me is not love. It¡¯s the joy of meeting someone who could be a friend. It¡¯s probably a feeling you¡¯re experiencing for the first time, so it might be confusing.¡±

    ¡°I see. So what does it mean that my heart races when I see Mr. Isaac¡¯s face?¡±

    ¡°Arrhy¡­ Well, it¡¯s anticipation.¡±

    I almost called it arrhythmia. Kate nodded as she listened to my answer and then looked alternately at Marie and Cecily on either side of me. Then, she put her hand on her chest and tilted her head as if something was strange.

    ¡°Unlike with Mr. Isaac, my heart isn¡¯t racing. Does that mean we¡¯re not friends yet?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll know when you keep looking at their faces. It¡¯s a bit strange to be friends in just one day.¡±

    It¡¯s not really feasible to be close to people who just insulted me moments ago, especially since the first impression was still fresh in their mind. Besides, their gaze towards Kate wasn¡¯t too favorable.

    Kate blinked her eyes a couple of times and then nodded her head. She seemed to have convinced herself of something.

    ¡°I understand. This unfamiliar feeling I¡¯m experiencing¡­ it¡¯s not love, but friendship, right?¡±

    ¡°Rather than friendship, it¡¯s more like anticipation. It¡¯s the anticipation that you can have a friend as a person, not as someone united by the doctrine.¡±

    ¡°I see. I¡¯ll understand. What about the seed¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s when you truly feel love, not right now.¡±

    It somehow felt like brainwashing ,imnting knowledge one by one. However, Kate¡¯s mind was already filled with what she learned in the church, so I feel I had to do it this way. If Luminous were to check Kate¡¯s condition, they might be astonished. While God can provide guidance, they cannot offer education, which led to this oue.

    Tomorrow, I want to go to the temple and ask how they educated the child, but the issue seems to lie within the church rather than with Luminous.

    ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s end this conversation here. Do you have anything else you¡¯d like to discuss?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have anything specific.¡±

    ¡°I do have a question I¡¯d like to ask if that¡¯s okay?¡±

    Cecily, who had been silently listening to the conversation, asked her question. Kate¡¯s gaze turned towards her.

    Cecily brought up the questions she had been curious about while looking directly at Kate.

    ¡°As I was listening to Lady Kate¡¯s words, it seemed a bit strange. Does the Luminous Church refer to a man¡¯s¡­ semen as ¡®seed¡¯?¡±

    ¡°A man¡¯s¡­ semen?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Do they describe it as something other than a seed?¡±

    But the reaction was strange. Normally, one would understand, but Kate had a perplexed expression as if she didn¡¯t understand what Cecily was saying.

    At this, not only Cecily but also others made subtle expressions, indicating that they felt ufortable. Then, Cecily asked in a hesitant voice.

    ¡°¡­Cardinal Kate.¡±

    ¡°Yes, please go ahead.¡±

    ¡°Do you know how children are born?¡±

    ¡°Of course. I learned that when a man¡¯s seed enters a woman, a child is conceived.¡±

    ¡°No, I mean in more detail. Please exin in detail.¡±

    Kate made a face as if to ask why she was asking such a question and then exined as if she were teaching from the pulpit. It seemed like some awkward words mighte out, but it was not at all.

    ¡°I heard that white seeds grow in a man¡¯s body and can be artificially expelled. If a woman consumes that seed, does a child not develop?¡±

    ¡°¡­She consumes it? Where?¡±

    ¡°Naturally, through the mouth. Where else would she consume it?¡±

    What did I just hear? While I couldn¡¯t even open my mouth, Marie asked urgently this time.

    ¡°Um, then what about men and women sleeping in the same bed? You haven¡¯t heard of that kind of story?¡±

    ¡°Oh. I heard about that too. But I heard that it doesn¡¯t result in a child. The most important thing is the seed.¡±

    This was beyond absurd. Even Rina, who was sitting across from me, had her mouth wide open in shock.

    If even Rina makes that kind of expression, we can guess how serious Kate¡¯s sexual knowledge is. Originally, Rina used to blush in such conversations.

    I gazed at Kate, who was making an innocent expression, and recalled something that had happened in the dormitory before.

    ¡°Wait a moment, Miss Kate. Didn¡¯t you say something like this to me before? That you have confidence in your face and figure.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Why did you say that?¡±

    ¡°I learned that if a woman has a beautiful face and body, it means a man¡¯s seed wille out better, especially if they are naked. It enhances the effect.¡±

    ¡°Then, what about rape? Do you know what that means?¡±

    ¡°Of course. It¡¯s a criminal act where a man forcibly feeds his seed to a woman.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    She left out the most important part. But is it even possible? People naturally go through puberty, and especially for women, they also experience menstruation. It¡¯s natural to develop an interest in these things, so why would they leave out the most crucial part?

    As I sighed with both hands on my face, Cecily, who seemed to have simr thoughts, asked quietly.

    ¡°Well then¡­ Do you know where a man¡¯s seedes from?¡±

    ¡°No, I learned that when a man gives his seed to a woman, I would naturally find out.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    This is so frustrating.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 211: 16th Book (1)

    After learning about Kate¡¯s selective education she received from the church, I headed straight to the Temple of Luminous the next day. I questioned how her education led to this point, even though the god had guided her in so many ways. It didn¡¯t make sense to me.

    Not only was there a danger of my perception towards Kate being severely affected, but it was also problematic that her sexual education was at this level despite her adulthood. I had never encountered such a situation before, but if someone with malicious intentions and dangerous ns approached Kate, it could lead to a major disaster.

    Moreover, Luminous¡¯s response left me speechless.

    [This is a part I cannot control. Education is not something I can provide, you know? Even as a god, I am not all-powerful.]

    <i>¡®Does that mean all of this is purely coincidental? It seems like she has been left mostly on her own despite the grace you bestowed¡­¡¯</i>

    [Left on her own? You¡¯re exaggerating. I have invested a lot of interest in that child. Of course, I entrusted her sexual education, among others, to the clergy¡­]

    Luminous replied with a somewhat timid attitude, acknowledging their own responsibility to some extent.

    I had noticed this before, but Luminous was a god with distinct human traits. Not just Luminous, but Mora as well.

    Having received the response that they would slowly resolve the matter regarding Kate, I could finally conclude the happening.

    [If it¡¯s too difficult, will you teach her yourself?]

    <i>¡®Don¡¯t say something like that.¡¯ </i>

    I did hear a shocking remark at the end, but I wasn¡¯tpletely refusing. Although I could still hear about my seed, so I nned to leave it to someone else. Other people also tried to take action after learning about Kate¡¯s frustratingck of knowledge about sexual matters.

    We didn¡¯t be close friends right away, and we all had our own tasks, so we postponed it for now.

    <i>¡®I didn¡¯t know there was such a person in the world.¡¯ </i>

    After returning to the dormitory, I paused in my writing and thought about Kate.

    Originally, nothing came to mind except for her being a pervert or fetishist, but now that I knew the truth, I felt a little sorry for her. It¡¯s worse not to learn at all than to learn something wrong, and even though I didn¡¯t know how they taught her in the church, her knowledge of sexual things was at a dismal level.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s not apletely impossible story¡­¡¯ </i>

    There was a simr incident in my past life as well. A Chinese couple once consulted a doctor because they couldn¡¯t have a child, and surprisingly, they didn¡¯t even have a concept of sexual intercourse.

    Even in my past life with advanced civilization and education, such things asionally urred, so there was no guarantee that this world would be any different. Of course, the Church of Luminous wasrgely to me for this. Kate had received his grace, but they didn¡¯t properly educate her.

    To maintain her purity, or perhaps because there was no suitable mentor, I couldn¡¯t be sure, but it probably was abination of various things.

    <i>¡®Not having friends must have yed a part too.¡¯</i>

    Would someone have the courage to call Kate, who received grace from god, a friend? If there were friends, they would have noticed Kate¡¯s peculiarities and taught her propermon sense. I noticed my perception of Kate gradually changing and then cleared my mind to focus on writing.

    The number of literature students had increased threefold, and I also had to counsel Cherry, so my writing time had decreased, but I had already filled about two-thirds of it. The problem is¡­

    <i>¡®¡­Did I write too much?¡¯</i>

    I scratched my nose as I looked at the thick manuscript piled up. It¡¯s almost the equivalent of writing a whole book, even though it¡¯s only two-thirds. I originally thought about dividing it into two books, but I just wrote as I pleased, and before I knew it, the manuscript was piled up without a clear division.

    <i>¡®Having more is better.¡¯ </i>

    I shrugged my shoulders and resumed writing with the magic pen I received from my father.

    The contents of the 16th volume are roughly as follows: Since Satan beheaded the great chieftain in the 15th volume, Hikton, a country of beastmen, has fallen into chaos. In it, two factions have shed. Those who believe that the strongest should be the chieftain, and those who now think that someone with political skill should be the chieftain.

    The problem with bing one is the prevailing sentiment that one must defeat Satan to be recognized as the true great chieftain. It¡¯s a situation where you naturally have to challenge him to a sacred duel. However, Satan¡¯s power was so great that he could even dominate the former great chieftain. There was no one who could convincingly im the throne.

    <i>¡®To have legitimacy as a great chieftain, one must¡­¡¯ </i>

    Satan must be defeated. However, it would take a year to issue a challenge for a sacred duel. During that year, Cain trained tirelessly to somehow bring down Satan, but his inherent fragile body made it an impossible task.

    To the point where Xenon, who had been watching over him, suggested giving up. After all, Satan could be defeated by him, so he just told Cain to restfortably. However, Cain couldn¡¯t ept that and resolved once again that he must defeat Satan.

    <i>¡®He¡¯ll even tell me the detailed history of Satan here.¡¯</i>

    In Volume 15, it was mentioned that Satan was banished from Hikton for purely political reasons. In Volume 16, it is revealed more precisely through Cain¡¯s words.

    Originally, he was an ideal husband and leader who treasured his family and n deeply, but he lost everything due to external attacks. A man with a tragic past to the point of being pitiful.

    Satan did not be a devil by his own ord, it was the circumstances and the people around him who turned him into one. The result was revenge against the great chieftain.

    <i>¡®But he can¡¯t bring himself to kill his brother.¡¯</i>

    Satan and Cain were step brothers, but they held each other in special regard. From a young age, when Cain, who was weaker, was in trouble, Satan stepped in to resolve the issue. If there was something Satan didn¡¯t know, Cain would teach him. If the former great chieftain hadn¡¯t be so blinded by greed, Satan would have handled the military, and Cain would have managed politics. That¡¯s how strong their bond was.

    Although circumstances led the brothers to face off against each other, Satan, aware of his own transformation into a devil, dered surrender in the fierce battle with Cain. After dering surrender, he immediately betrayed the devils and charged into battle, ultimately dying heroically. Despite the grim process, he ended up as a hero among the beastmen.

    <i>¡®The original purpose has changed¡­¡¯</i>

    As I wrote, I found myself in doubt. The original message was supposed to convey that beastmen needed wisdom, not just strength. But as I continued to write, tears of brotherly love and some philosophical aspects were added. Of course, the story itself wasn¡¯t bad, and it¡¯s quite captivating. It¡¯s just that the message I wanted to convey isn¡¯t quite there.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s just focus on the essence. The present is changing rapidly.¡¯</i>

    There was still no news about Leona returning from Animers. The same goes for news about the Animers itself. Most importantly, I wasn¡¯t a philosopher, but I have grateful critics who interpret my book whenever I publish one. I should trust them once.

    <i>¡®But anyway¡­¡¯</i>

    After briefly setting aside my magic pen, I opened the drawer and retrieved a bundle of paper. It was the manuscript that Cherry had handed to me after going through the editing process thest time.

    As it was a freshly written manuscript, it was neatly preserved without any damage. However, the content inside remained the same as before.

    I nned to send it to the publisher along with the other 16th volume to support her dream, but I had doubts if it was really okay.

    <i>¡®At least it¡¯s undeniably entertaining.¡¯</i>

    Cherry¡¯s romance fantasy, ¡®Once Again, Under the Crimson Sunset,¡¯ was truly enjoyable. At least in my eyes.

    The plot seems quitemon ¨C a heroine from the future returns to the past to ovee adversity. But in this world, the concept of ¡®regression¡¯ was scarce enough to capture people¡¯s interest. The problem lies in the fact that the context and grammar are eerily simr to mine.

    From what I¡¯ve heard, she somehow copied Xenon¡¯s Biography to write it simrly to mine, which was unavoidable. I, too, used to write stories based on what I enjoyed in my past life, and as time passed, I developed my own style.

    There¡¯s a chance this novel may face criticism in the same way. Generally, even just one or two negativements can be deeply hurtful.

    Above all, Cherry¡¯s current mental health was not in a good state, to the point where criticism could be fatal. She might even show anxiety symptoms upon seeing criticism in the newspaper.

    <i>¡®Even if she receives criticism, I still want her to continue¡­¡¯</i>

    Cherry has been ruthlessly trampled upon even before her talent sprouted. This time, I need to protect her somehow until it fully blossoms.

    She¡¯ll use a pen name to avoid being recognized by her family, so it¡¯s better not to leave any traces.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s hard to call her my disciple¡­¡¯ </i>

    If Cherry says she¡¯s my disciple, I can immediately be her shield. However, it could getplicated once I reveal my true identity.

    And to say that the person who wrote the regression story is Xenon¡¯s disciple? I may as well call myself a regressor.But, for the sake of the future, it¡¯s better to keep her as my disciple.

    <i>¡®First, I should ask for her opinion.¡¯</i>

    I thought so and checked the time. It¡¯s the weekend, so there are no sses, and I haven¡¯t made any separate ns to meet Cherry, so we¡¯ll meet next week. For now, it seems like a good idea toplete the remaining parts of 16th volume and start nning the next story.

    <i>¡®Since the 17th volume concludes the beastmen part, I should shift the focus more toward Jin and Lily. Maybe meeting with Gluttony and learning about the secret of their birth.¡¯</i>

    Thus, after finishing all of the 16th volume after writing for a while, I had one thought.

    <i>¡®Should I introduce Cherry to others next week?¡¯ </i>

    It¡¯s not a bad choice. It was strange to meet her secretly like this, so it¡¯s wiser to let them know about Cherry¡¯s existence. When Cherry gets same-sex friends, her unstable mental state will probably improve somewhat. Every time I saw her in ss, she sat alone, not talking to anyone. There were people who showed interest in her appearance and figure, but her gloomy atmosphere quickly drove them away.

    <i>¡®At the same time, it was burdensome that she kept looking only at me¡­¡¯</i>

    I believe it will gradually get better.

    *****

    The weekend has passed, and Monday hase. Over the weekend, I sent thepleted manuscript of Volume 16 to my mansion. However, I haven¡¯t made a decision regarding Cherry¡¯s novel and n to keep it as it is. Instead of making a thoughtless decision, I intend to listen to Cherry¡¯s opinion before making a choice.

    By the way, whenever I was at Elena¡¯s researchb, Cherry always visited. Thanks to that, Cherry and I have ended up going to a caf¨¦ to discuss our opinions without the need for me to visit her.

    ¡°Cherry, I¡¯ve mentioned this before, but if you really want to, I can send your manuscript to the publishingpany. However, you¡¯ll face a lot of criticism. I¡¯m worried about you¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±

    ¡°I could be a shield for you¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    After spending the weekend agonizing in solitude, Cherry responded that it¡¯s okay even if she receives criticism, and there¡¯s no need for me to be her shield. Her gloomy expression and deep, dark eyes remained, but her lips lifted slightly, creating a somewhat somber atmosphere.

    I couldn¡¯t decide whether to say she was feeling good about it or still felt depressed.

    ¡°Before that, Assistant Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°When do you n to release Volume 16 of Xenon¡¯s Biography?¡±

    ¡°I have already sent it?¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    In response, Cherry, who had been looking at me with raised eyebrows, tilted her head. She then made a request in her characteristic gloomy and weary voice.

    ¡°Can you send mine in two weeks then?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind. But why in two weeks?¡±

    ¡°Releasing it at the same time as Isaac isn¡¯t possible.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ I see.¡±

    I guess we¡¯ll have to go along with that.

    ¡°So, what pseudonym do you want to use? Let¡¯s go for something that¡¯s far from the color pink if possible. Observant people might suspect it¡¯s from the Roseberry family.¡±

    ¡°Oh. I already prepared a pseudonym.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± In response to my question, Cherry looked me straight in the eye and answered.

    ¡°Mary.¡±

    Finally, she smiled.

    ¡°Please use Mary.¡±

    It was a very insidious smile.

    I briefly wore a puzzled expression, then nodded. The smile was a bit unsettling, but using the pen name Mary made sense.

    It was a manuscript we were sending from none other than our mansion, and Xenon and Mary were the names of the protagonist and heroine. The publisher might find some connection, so they would manage it well.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll send it then. I¡¯m sorry to say this, but it¡¯s best not to have too high expectations. I find it interesting, but it¡¯s just my subjective opinion.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. That¡¯s enough for me.¡±

    ¡°¡­Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Her words sounded almost reverential. Well, considering she had her dreams crushed and then barely managed to cling to a new one, I understood why she said such things.

    ¡°Oh, and this¡­¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    Cherry, looking embarrassed, showed me something. It looked like an ordinary water bottle.

    (TL: Oh god, please don¡¯t be what I think it is¡­)

    When I made a puzzled expression, she spoke in a shy voice.

    ¡°Last time¡­ instead of a meal, I said I¡¯d give you something better¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah, that?¡±

    Now that she mentioned it, she did say something like that. As a thank-you for helping me, she said she¡¯d give me something better instead of a meal.

    Honestly, I had forgotten, but it seemed Cherry remembered.

    ¡®Did she say it will definitely smell like cherry blossoms?¡¯

    I turned my gaze towards Cherry, who had lowered her head. Her ample chest became even more prominent as she tucked her hands between her thighs due to embarrassment.

    I wondered why she was so embarrassed about what she had made. It was a somewhat unusual reaction for someone who usually exuded a gloomy atmosphere.

    For a moment, I had doubts about her appearance, but then I opened the lid of the bottle and checked its contents. As soon as I opened the lid, a strong scent of cherry blossoms stimted my sense of smell.

    I did have a strong lc fragranceing from my body, but this was¡­ thick? Or sticky?

    ¡°What is this? Is it perfume?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Then?¡±

    ¡°You can drink it¡­¡±

    Cherry exined vaguely without giving a proper exnation. Judging by how red her face had be, she seemed quite embarrassed.

    Still, a gift is a gift, and I should graciously ept it. Since it was given to me by my coworker and cute(?) junior, I nned to use it as she wished.

    ¡°Thank you. By the way, you said you can drink it?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ You can drink it, or use it as a seasoning¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s like a sauce.¡±

    No wonder the scent was so strong. I vaguely heard that this type of sauce was popr among nobles.

    And the Roseberry family is famous for being symbolized by cherry blossoms. Naturally, there must be a cherry blossom-scented sauce as well.

    <i>¡®But it¡¯s a bit unusual to put it in a bottle. She could just give it to me as a whole.¡¯ </i>

    With such thoughts in mind, I dipped my finger in to taste it. As I put my finger in, Cherry suddenly raised her head from which a cherry fell. Before long, I looked at the sticky white sauce(?) and immediately put it in my mouth. As I put it in, a proper saltiness and a rich cherry blossom scent swirled in my mouth.

    ¡°Ah, uh¡­¡±

    As I put the sauce in my mouth, an inexplicable exmation poured out from Cherry¡¯s mouth. Her lips, which had gone down, went up, and joy and ecstasy were etched in her pink pupils.

    Was it really that pleasant? As the strong scent of cherry blossoms swirled in my mouth, I wrinkled my forehead slightly. It seems like I should dilute it a bit.

    ¡°Is it¡­ delicious?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s delicious. Except for the strong scent.¡±

    Cherry responded to my straightforward answer.

    ¡°Hehe.¡±

    Sheughed strangely and bowed her head again. Why is she acting like that? I briefly paused in my confusion and dipped my finger in the water bottle once more.

    ¡°But why does it taste salty?¡±

    It seemed strangely sweet, too.

 Chapter 212: 16th Book (2)

    The true identity of the sauce Cherry gave me as a gift was the sap from the cherry blossom tree, which can be considered a specialty and symbol of the Roseberry family. While it¡¯smon to extract sap from maple or oak trees, Cherry exined that in this world, cherry blossoms produce a different kind of sap.

    (TL: I still have my suspicions, but I will believe it for my own sanity.)

    Furthermore, Cherry mentioned that if you process the sap, you can make a sauce or perfume with a cherry blossom fragrance, and its vor is unique but intense, making it suitable for bath products as well. The slightly sweet taste was because Cherry brought the raw sap as it is, but even she wasn¡¯t sure why there was a subtle saltiness.

    ording to Cherry¡¯s exnation, you can use the raw sap directly, but she rmended diluting it because its concentration is very strong. Especially since the period for extracting the sap was limited, it¡¯s known to be quite expensive. Hence, she gave me a in container, as the sap itself already carries the cherry blossom scent and can be pricey.

    She also mentioned that the processing method is not difficult. You can use it in cooking or simply dilute it in water with a bit of mana, and you¡¯re done.

    Her promise to give me something better than a meal was by no means an empty one. Although I may not have an immediate use for it, I intend to keep it stored for now.

    ¡®I can¡¯t bring myself to give it to anyone else.¡¯

    Giving a gift filled with goodwill to someone else was not proper etiquette. Furthermore, this sap is something Cherry went to great lengths to obtain and gift to me.

    ordingly, I should show proper manners. Although there is no need for perfume as the scent of lcs already emanates from my body, I should use it as a bath additive at least. With the intention of giving one to Cherry someday, I began to spend my days in this manner.

    And a few dayster, Volume 16 of Xenon¡¯s Biography was revealed to the world. It was a substantial volume, equivalent to nearly two books, and it received enthusiastic apuse from many readers.

    [Xenon. Is he a golem who writes without even eating?]

    [Readers are sending mixed looks of astonishment and concern at the unprecedented massive volume. He was injured by the elves, but with this pace¡­]

    [Did he fail to control the volume? Frankly, it would be better if he continued to fail, but for the sake of his health¡­]

    The original Xenon¡¯s Biography had an average thickness of one joint of a finger. However, this time, due to volume control failure and a faster plot development, it ended up being as thick as an index finger.

    By the way, the standard for the index finger was me. As mentioned before, my fingers are long and pretty enough to be called ¡°lily fingers.¡± So you can roughly imagine how thick it is. I was a bit embarrassed because I never thought I would write so much. Perhaps it was thanks to the holy power from Luminous that my unique focus was unleashed.

    It was a hypothesis with high credibility.

    [In fact, if Xenon puts in the effort, achieving this volume is not that difficult. So, next time¡­]

    Oh, no. It¡¯s impossible.

    There was a wish in the newspapers that Volume 17 would alsoe out like this, but unfortunately, it cannot happen.

    The reason why Volume 16 came out very thick was fundamentally due to a failure in controlling the pacing. Moreover, the message I wanted didn¡¯t even get in, and there¡¯s hardly any focus on Cain¡¯s tragic past with Satan.

    Even though towards the end, Xenon confronts Satan and even engages in a duel, Cain intervenes midway and challenges him to a sacred duel. Due to writing it in a haphazard manner, it fell short in terms ofpletenesspared to other books. Still, it seems that people are mostly satisfied with therge volume.

    Anyway, let¡¯s move beyond praising the volume and evaluate the content of the work.

    [Satan, symbolizing wrath, finally releases his anger in the end. A very impressive scene.]

    [Is the one who turns someone into a devil more like a devil? Or is that devil the real devil?]

    [As we see in the case of Satan, we can make someone into a devil. Even though there may be no sin, there is ¡®responsibility.¡¯]

    [It¡¯s easy to destroy one person. But it¡¯s difficult to stop such a person.]

    [When the anger that blinds one¡¯s eyes and ears disappears, you will see what¡¯s around you.]

    The evaluations followed as I expected. It will be impressive as Satan, who lived consumed by anger, has his anger resolved thanks to Cain. Moreover, Satan was a victim turned perpetrator, a character of misfortune who turned to the sword due to the betrayal of the nation.

    Historically, there were many such people of this type, especially those who seek revenge when betrayed by someone they trusted.

    [Revenge is just a process, the moment it bes the destination, one is no different from a devil.]

    [The only way to resolve anger is through love, as shown by Cain. Only love for family, siblings,panions, and romantic love can quell anger.]

    [The process was not pleasant, but Satan met his end as a beastmen hero.]

    [To end it as family, not as a devil.]

    As you may know, there is a scene where Cain challenges Satan to a sacred duel and in the process, they reveal their inner feelings to each other. It turns out that Satan also harbored feelings of remorse towards Cain, and Cain also carried the guilt of not being able to stop Satan.

    As time goes on, Satan¡¯s anger subsides, and he cannot bring himself to harm Cain anymore, despite the fact that he could have subdued Cain. This was because every time he attempted to do so, Cain expressed the determination to fight to the end.

    Although he had slit the throat of his father, who had betrayed him, Satan could not do the same to his brother because Cain was a true family member.

    [It reveals the aspect of beastmen that values family greatly. On the other hand, it also shows a merciless side to the betrayer.]

    [The characters Satan and Cain represent the current state of beastmen and the ideal that they should aspire to.]

    [Sometimes, it is necessary to show sincerity, not physical strength or intelligence, in order to inspire trust in others.]

    It also shed light on the rtionship between Satan and Cain. It seems that it dealt with the bond between siblings rather than the romantic love between individuals, as has been shown so far.

    Despite their individual circumstances and tragedies, they almost came to harm each other with swords, but brothers are still brothers. If it weren¡¯t for the greed of their father, they would have lived happily without parting.

    Because of this, the assumption ¡®what if?¡¯ also asionally surfaced. If the great chieftain had not been ambitious, Satan would have be a great Hikton warrior, and Cain would have governed the nation well.

    [Unlike the battles so far, it was one-sided and fierce. But at the same time, it was poignant.]

    [It showed that even if it wasn¡¯t a shy and intense battle, it could leave a deep impression.]

    [There must have been many emotions in their fists and ws.]

    Many people also viewed Cain and Satan¡¯s confrontation in the sacred duel favorably. Unlike before, it wasn¡¯t intense, and it was a situation where Cain was being defeated one-sidedly, but it portrayed the tragedy of brothers vividly, touching the hearts of many.

    Some people praised it as one of the top battle scenes in the series, while others said it wasn¡¯t as good as the showdown with Sakran, no matter what. Because it was nearly two volumes long and was tightly packed, the criticisms of people were also diverse. In fact, before it was officially published, I received a letter from the publishingpany.

    [Hello, Mr. Xenon. I am Musk Grid, the president of the Grik publishingpany. The reason for my message is that the manuscript you sent us this time is too long¡­ (omitted) ¡­ so I suggest dividing it into two volumes. Ah, of course, it¡¯s just a suggestion, and if you wish, you can publish it as it is.]

    From the publisher¡¯s perspective, it would be much more profitable to split it into two. It was actually a reasonable length for that. However, I just requested that it be sold as one bundle. I¡¯m sorry to the publisher, but there was no suitable point to cut it off, and if it sells out, there might be an empty space in the middle.

    In the printing industry, there was almost no enthusiasm for introducing new technology, but that was before Volume 12 came out. Recently, there has been a frequent rush.

    The reason, as everyone knows, is because of Xenon¡¯s Biography. Starting from Volume 12, Xenon¡¯s Biography began to spread widely, and people from all races started buying it.

    Now, it sold like hotcakes not only to humans but also to other races, so the printing house was in a situation where they could only exim, ¡®We can¡¯t handle this!¡¯ Because of this, the publishingpany hastily signed contracts with several printing houses, but it was still an unbearable situation as it started selling worldwide.

    <i>¡®Still, I can say they¡¯re doing well in business.¡¯</i>

    The CEO of the publishingpany was a person of deep integrity, so he wouldn¡¯t be foolish enough to kill the goose thatys the golden eggs. Despite the nobles and even the elvesing, he remained resolute to the extent of not revealing any clues about my identity. There may have been suspicions of embezzlement, but that level of corruption can be overlooked.

    It can¡¯t be helped that the president of the publishingpany looked sullen, but considering the enthusiastic cheers from the readers, this might be just fine as it is.

    [What will Cain, the new leader of the Hikton, do? Will he abolish the bad habits and traditions, or will he maintain them? Spection is high.]

    [Even on the devil side, one of the top officers, Satan, has fallen, so they should be on alert. The wrath has disappeared, but other sins are still thriving.]

    [Who will be the next sin they encounter?]

    It hasn¡¯t been long since Volume 16 was released, but there were already many people eagerly anticipating Volume 17. Fortunately, the plot itself was well-structured, so once the writing is done, it¡¯s over.

    If the holy power I received from Luminous also affects concentration, it won¡¯t be long until it¡¯s released. It would be nice to just sleep until then¡­

    However, there¡¯s a problem that has arisen here.

    However, a problem arose here.

    ¡°Hey! Help me out a bit!!¡±

    ¡°No. What are you doing here all of a sudden¡­ By the way, when did youe back?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not the issue!¡±

    Leona, who had returned from Animers, grabbed my shoulder and shouted as soon as she saw me.

    ¡°It¡¯s starting to look like I will be a Great Chieftain just like this!!¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    Trantors note:

    Thank you everyone for the well wishes!

 Chapter 213: 16th Book (3)

    Volume 16 was released, and about a week had passed. Leona, who had headed to Animers, also returned to the Academy. However, as soon as she returned, she urgently sought me out, saying that she could be a great chieftain and asking for my help, seemingly out of the blue.

    Fortunately, there were hardly any passersby around, but if there had been more people, it would have been a dangerous moment in many ways. Of course, it was dangerous for Leona, not me.

    In response, we urgently visited a quiet ce, a suitable cafe, and I slowly listened to Leona¡¯s situation.

    ¡°Before we go into the details, have things been resolved in Animers? That¡¯s what I want to ask first.¡±

    Did she run around looking for me? Sweat beads formed on Leona¡¯s forehead. In general, the fact that even the most robust species in terms of hardware was sweating meant that it was urgent.

    Thanks to the lc scent emanating from my body, finding me should have been easy. However, I could roughly sense how dire her situation was.

    ¡°Phew¡­ First of all, I apologize for calling you out of the blue. It¡¯s a very urgent matter¡­¡±

    ¡°I think I can tell that it¡¯s urgent. So, what¡¯s the oue?¡±

    ¡°Ultimately, it went well. Just as you said, when peopleughed or pretended not to listen, I gently provoked them, and they naturally got involved.¡±

    ¡°So, does that mean the sacred duel is really going to be held in a tournament format?¡±

    Leona nodded her head firmly in response to my confirmation question. I was honestly surprised by her reaction.

    Changing traditions and culture in our era was a very difficult task. Especially since the sacred duel made a crucial contribution to the founding of the country, it would likely be considered integral to the country, and tampering with it would be a courageous act in itself.

    However, judging by the result, it seems they themselves recognize that the tradition of the sacred duel was barbaric and a major obstacle to leading the nation.

    ¡°It¡¯s in the ns for the future. It won¡¯t happen immediately, but we¡¯ll establish rules and slowly make ns. But to make it public, we need a Great Chieftain¡­¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t issue a decree because there¡¯s no regent.¡±

    The only one with enough authority to change tradition is the ruler. And a regent must maintain authority even if someone doesn¡¯t upy the throne.

    If someone deres themselves a king the moment they feel like it, it¡¯s no different from what happened before. Leona mentioned having many siblings, so it¡¯s almost like a power struggle has already begun.

    ¡°Why not just pass the chieftain¡¯s position to the eldest son of the first wife? Are beastmen different?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a bit moreplicated. Normally, the chieftain should make the selection personally, but the problem is that this happened before a proper session could take ce, and they returned to Harte¡¯s arms. Because of this, it¡¯s not an easy task to choose the chieftain hastily. Furthermore, the faction that wanted to abolish the sacred duel is also insisting on choosing the chieftain themselves¡­¡±

    ¡°It could potentially lead to a division into two factions.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    It¡¯smon for different groups with varying ideologies within a country to elect their own leaders. In my past life, there were examples like South Korea, Vietnam, Germany, and so on.

    This means that Animers, which Hick founded with great effort, could potentially be a divided nation. If we don¡¯t take action quickly, the probability of a civil war breaking out will increase.

    I was momentarily taken aback by the apparently more serious state of Animers¡¯ internal affairs and asked a question about the part that had piqued my curiosity.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s the deal with you possibly bing a Great Chieftain again? Regardless of whether you¡¯re the daughter of the third wife, you still have the chieftain¡¯s bloodline.¡±

    ¡°¡­First, we need to understand the ideologies of the opposing faction in detail. It¡¯s closely tied to their reason for wanting to abolish the Sacred Duel. They want a chieftain with intelligence, not just military power, someone who can handle politics, diplomacy, and state affairs. Until now, lions have been in charge of state affairs simply because they were Hick¡¯s descendants. On the other hand, we believe we cannot nominate those who are not lions as a Great Chieftain.¡±

    It was something that could be found everywhere, but it was very interesting. While the royal family considered lineage important, it was necessary to focus on the opposing forces.

    When you think about it, it could be considered the first step toward democracy. Of course, it wasn¡¯t a proper democracy like in my past life, but it emphasized the selection of the monarch. If power is vested in the opposing forces here, the concept of ¡®voting¡¯ may emerge.

    Moreover, the Sacred Duel is also undergoing significant changes that are suitable for this. If used wisely, it could take a step towards democracy. It¡¯s a bit amusing that the beastmen who were collectively called barbaric across all races are the first to head towards democracy, but in this world, anything is possible.

    Anyway, getting back to the point.

    ¡°When there is such a tense confrontation between each other, Volume 16 of Xenon¡¯s Biography was released. Have you seen it by any chance?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ve seen it.¡±

    I¡¯m the author, after all. Leona nodded seriously as she swallowed her follow-up words. Subsequently, she seemed embarrassed, and her cheek turned slightly red, and her ears that had stood up above her head dropped weakly. In that state, Leona hesitated and opened her mouth, not in a cynical tone, but in a very timid one.

    ¡°Um¡­ you might not remember, but didn¡¯t I say something like this to youst year? I absolutely don¡¯t read things like Xenon¡¯s Biography that humans write.¡±

    ¡°Did you say that?¡±

    I gingerly searched through my memories, tilting my head. The day I identally discovered Leona¡¯s true identity, as far as I can recall, was that day.

    She called me a red penguin that squawked without fear, so her views on humans couldn¡¯t have been positive. Perhaps even Xenon¡¯s Biography written by a human seemed uninteresting.

    Of course, I¡¯ve long forgotten all of that, but it seems she¡¯s still kept it close to her heart.

    <i>¡®She¡¯s secretly timid.¡¯</i>

    On the surface, she tried to appear fierce and strong, but now, seeing her like this, there¡¯s a timid side. I can¡¯t confirm which is her real self. Maybe the timid side is genuine, and the fierce personality is just a front. She was a daughter of the third wife, but perhaps she wore that facade not to be underestimated.

    ¡°¡­Actually, that¡¯s not true. I really like it, you know. Even my siblings enjoy reading it.¡±

    ¡°Your siblings? Doesn¡¯t seem likely.¡±

    ¡°I rmended it to them. To read it at least once. No matter what, you should read a book, right? So reluctantly, they read it. But a problem arose after Volume 16. Do you know what Volume 16 is about?¡±

    Of course, I know. I¡¯m the author, after all. It would be strange if I didn¡¯t.

    Leona nodded as I did, then hesitantly began to reveal more about the story.

    ¡°As you know, Volume 16 doesn¡¯t exactly have Cain defeating Satan¡­ well, not clearly. Anyway, toward the end, Cain, who may be physically weak but mentally strong, bes the chieftain.¡±

    ¡°I know that.¡±

    ¡°Here is the problem. Xenon¡¯s Biography is currently being treated as a prophecy. Because of this, there is a growing voice that says someone like Cain, who excels in intelligence rather than brute force, should be the n leader.¡±

    ¡°¡­Do you believe that?¡±

    Even if that¡¯s the case, it doesn¡¯t seem right to follow the book¡¯s contents blindly. The contamination of the World Tree¡¯s roots, the devil worshippers, and the Reapers were events that have already urred, not the future.

    But Animers are currently trying to follow the contents of Xenon¡¯s Biography. They¡¯re just trying to fit it in forcibly.

    ¡°Of course, there was resistance at first. People questioned whether we should follow something that¡¯s just in a book. But thanks to Xenon¡¯s Biography, we found out that our situation at Animers isplicated. So everyone believes. Because Xenon knows the future, Animers should also change.¡±

    ¡°Not at all¡­¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Not at all.¡±

    It was so absurd that I almost made a slip of the tongue. Leona blinked her golden eyes when she saw me disagreeing and continued her exnation.

    ¡°Really? But it¡¯s also getting involved in political issues here. I¡¯m smart enough to get admitted to the Academy, and I even have the bloodline of the Lion Tribe. There are no issues with my bloodline, and I meet the desires of the opposing faction.¡±

    ¡°So they¡¯re nominating you as the next Great Chieftain. Is that what you¡¯re saying?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right! I have no intention of bing the Great Chieftain, not even a bit!¡±

    Bang! Bang! Bang!

    Was the current situation frustrating for her? Leona, filled with anger, mmed her fist onto the table forcefully. However, whether it was a failure of strength control or not, her fist left a clear mark on the table.

    I¡¯ll have to ask about thatter. Leona seemed to realize her mistake btedly and started to give me a hot look.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯llpensate separately, so just keep talking for now.¡±

    ¡°Sorry¡­ Anyway, not only our family but even the opposing forces are choosing me as the Great Chieftain, someone who is intelligent and has no issues in terms of bloodline. Moreover, they think it¡¯s right for me to be the Great Chieftain because I also proposed the changes to the Sacred Duel.¡±

    ¡°But it was me who first proposed the improvements to it. Didn¡¯t you say you won¡¯t lie to your family members?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s also an issue. It seems they were impressed by the idea that a wise monarch, not a strong one, should rule the country. They even seem to suspect you might be a sage.¡±

    ¡°Huh.¡±

    I let out a bitterugh. Why do they all call me a sage?

    I pondered for a moment about what to say and then spoke in a calm voice.

    ¡°We¡¯re just friends.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ Friends?¡±

    Leona seemed to put on a cold expression when I casually mentioned that we were friends. The word ¡°friend¡± seemed somewhat awkward for her.

    Well, she had to keep her identity hidden most of the time, so there probably weren¡¯t many people she couldfortably call friends. Recently, others hade to know her true identity, but they weren¡¯t particrly close. I was likely the only one she could consider a friend, given her role as the model student who always had to act and pretend.

    ¡°Why. Is it strange that I call you a friend?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no! Absolutely not! Don¡¯t misunderstand.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s there to misunderstand?¡±

    The more I talked with Leona, the more I felt like I was getting to know her true self. It seemed like her current demeanor was her real personality, unlike her usual cynical facade. Perhaps she had been harsh before because I was essentially a stranger. She might have had a mindset that it didn¡¯t matter how she treated me since I wasn¡¯t really her friend.

    I watched Leona, who blushed with embarrassment, in silence for a moment and then took a sip of my coffee. Summing up our conversation so far, it went something like this:

    In Xenon¡¯s Biography, Cain, who was more intellectually gifted than physically strong, became the Great Chieftain, and Xenon¡¯s Biography was currently treated as a prophecy worldwide.

    So, it seems that Leona, who is brilliant enough to be admitted to the academy, is spected to bring a good oue to Animers if she takes on the role of the Great Chieftain. Moreover, having established connections with a wise sage(?), who is wise enough to propose improvements for the Sacred Duel, she could reap many benefits.

    <i>¡®At least that would be the case in a book¡­¡¯</i>

    In fiction, Animers would achieve tremendous progress after Leona became the Great Chieftain and created an era of peace. They would establish alliances with neighboring nations, and in future major wars, they would y a significant role.

    However, one must distinguish between fiction and reality. Whether Leona has the qualifications of a Great Chieftain is uncertain. She could be a tyrant, an even more formidable military leader, or even make history as an unparalleled Great Chieftain.

    ¡°Ultimately, you don¡¯t want to be the Great Chieftain, is that it? Why don¡¯t you want it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d rather be a chief aide supporting the leader than the leader myself. Besides, it¡¯s already tough enough studying, so bing a Great Chieftain seems like an absurd idea.¡±

    ¡°Youck confidence, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Leona confidently replied as if she felt no need to deny it. It must have been quite a surprise for her to receive the offer of bing the Great Chieftain so suddenly. Of course, from my perspective, it doesn¡¯t matter whether she bes one or not.

    However, I can¡¯t just pretend not to know when she¡¯s making such a request.

    Oh, there¡¯s one thing I¡¯m curious about. They probably assume I¡¯m a sage over there, so it will undoubtedly have an impact on me as well. I know from the culture of the beastmen that they believe in repaying kindness.

    Didn¡¯t Leona even dere in front of Mari that she would be my wifest time? Although it was a mishap caused by a difference inmon sense, if Leona bes the Great Chieftain, she might bestow an even greater honor upon me. Of course, from their perspective, it may be an honor, but it¡¯s extremely embarrassing for me.

    ¡°Come to think of it, do they consider me a sage over there? If you were to be the Great Chieftain, would it affect me?¡±

    With a coffee cup in hand, I asked Leona. After posing the question, I sipped my coffee and waited for her response.

    ¡°Since you brought a proposal for the Sacred Duel and even gave me advice, probably¡­¡±

    Leona, who had been pondering my question, cautiously nced at me and replied in a hushed tone.

    ¡°¡­We might have to have a child, even if it¡¯s against the customs of the beastmen. It¡¯s none other than because you¡¯ll be carrying on the Great Chieftain¡¯s bloodline.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Drip

    The coffee that was in my mouth returned to the coffee cup.

    Trantors note:

    1/4

 Chapter 214: 16th Book (4)

    I couldn¡¯t hide my shock as I listened to Leona¡¯s response. Just a few days ago, it was Kate asking for the seed, and now it¡¯s Leona. What¡¯s more, Leona had confidently dered in front of Marie thest time that she would be my wife. It was a misunderstanding caused by cultural differences, but now it¡¯s a little different.

    Leona might potentially be the Great Chieftain, and in such a situation, she says she¡¯ll bear my child to repay the favor. Could this also be a part of their culture? She did mention customs directly, so it¡¯s halfway certain.

    ¡°¡­What are you talking about again? Last time, you said you¡¯d be my wife.¡±

    I quietly asked without even thinking of wiping the coffee that had spilled from my mouth. Still in shock, I was feeling dazed.

    Then, Leona awkwardlyughed and scratched the back of her head in response to my question. Even though she had said it herself, she seemed unsure.

    ¡°I must emphasize that this is a story if I be the chieftain. Beastmen regards giving birth to the offspring of the chieftain as the highest form of repayment. If someone has received personal favors or has greatly aided the tribe, they are honored with the privilege of carrying the blood of the chieftain.¡±

    ¡°What if the genders are the same?¡±

    ¡°They can ask a family member or rtive of the chieftain, or the reverse, or even give their own child at ater date. In any case, it¡¯s enough to have the blood of the chieftain running through the offspring.¡±

    ¡°Wow¡­¡±

    Considering it an honor to give birth to the chieftain¡¯s offspring, it was truly a savage and beastmen-like tradition. It wasn¡¯t for nothing she confidently dered she would be my wife in front of Marie. With such a culture as the foundation, there could be a significant difference inmon sense.

    I couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter at the beastmen¡¯ culture, which elicited only admiration from me, and then I looked at Leona. She seemed puzzled even after exining it herself.

    ¡°¡­So, the beastmen consider it an insult if someone refusespensation?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Then, does that mean you have to marry someone without any choice once you be the chieftain?¡±

    Leona looked up, deep in thought about my question, before answering.

    ¡°Um¡­ Marriage is up to you¡ªif you want to, go ahead, but if not, you don¡¯t have to. As long as you have offspring, it¡¯s fine.¡±

    ¡°Who will raise the child?¡±

    ¡°You can raise them, or I can. If you prefer, you can just have the child and pretend you don¡¯t know about it. Human culture and Beastmen culture are different, so I can tolerate that much.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I was left speechless, my mind spinning. There¡¯s one remarkable thing to note here: Leona doesn¡¯t seem embarrassed at all. While there¡¯s a hint of awkwardness, there¡¯s almost no shame in her response.

    Since thest time she confidently dered that she would be my wife, I¡¯ve been thinking about this, but she sees herself as an ¡®upper¡¯ beastmen, as beastmen-like as she is.

    For a brief moment, I felt the gap created by our differing norms, but suddenly, a thought crossed my mind: if Leona doesn¡¯t be the chieftain, do they have to give me a child? I quickly asked this question.

    ¡°Wait a moment. This is a conversation assuming you be the chieftain, but what if it¡¯s the other way around? What if someone else bes the chieftain instead of you?¡±

    ¡°Maybe? If the chieftain has a daughter, they¡¯ll probably give her to you, right? If waiting is too hard, they might even send me away. Anyway, as long as the lion¡¯s blood flows in them, it¡¯s all right.¡±

    ¡°Oh. That¡¯s quite something.¡±

    Why can¡¯t I shake this ominous premonition? I only offered advice borrowed from my past life, but the situation has be incrediblyplicated.

    I can understand such a culture existing due to a savage environment, but when viewed from a third party¡¯s perspective, it¡¯s very hard to ept.

    <i>¡®How can I exin this to Marie and Cecily¡­¡¯</i>

    I buried my face in my hands in embarrassment. With the alreadyplicated rtionship with Adelia, adding Leona into the mix made it even moreplex.

    It¡¯s honestly fulfilling as a man when beautiful women show affection towards me. However, after epting Cecily¡¯s confession, I realized it¡¯s not as simple as it seems.

    Marie and Cecily fortunately get along andpromise with each other. But if this situation esctes further, I can¡¯t predict what will happen. Even now, they¡¯re in a heated argument due to the night¡¯s activities. Adding more women into the mix?

    I¡¯m not some kind of super virile character from a manga or novel, it¡¯s going to be a challenging time ahead.

    ¡°¡­Is it that bad if I be your wife?¡±

    In the midst of despairing over a bleak future, Leona seemed to take my reaction in a different sense as she muttered.

    I removed my hands from my face and looked at her. Her lips were puckered, and she wore a sulky expression, her wounded pride evident. It was a cute sight, like an irritated kitten, rather than a brave lion. I stared at the pouting Leona for a while.

    First, let¡¯s start with the main point. Leona is beautiful. It¡¯s undeniable that she¡¯s a beauty with her golden hair and dazzling gold eyes, resembling a beast. Her beauty, which highlights her wildness, and her pointed ears that make you want to touch them, stirred an irresistible impulse.

    While she¡¯s usually fierce, her current appearance exuded a contrasting charm. How many men could refuse a beautiful woman like this, who is willing to be their wife? However, I need to consider my current situation carefully.

    <i>¡®I have to let her know that Cecily too is my lover¡­¡¯</i>

    If that happens, I¡¯ll definitely have to reveal that I am Xenon. The beastmen cultureplicates my position in many ways.

    First, let¡¯s try to appease the upset Leona. The more I remain silent, the more it could hurt her.

    ¡°It¡¯s not because of that; it¡¯s because of my situation. Actually, I don¡¯t have just one lover.¡±

    ¡°Oh, the demon princess?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Uh, how did you know?¡±

    I was genuinely shocked. Except for a few close acquaintances, I¡¯ve been keeping my rtionship with Cecily a secret. So, I¡¯m careful when we go on dates and try my best to avoid suspicion.

    For situations like nighttime, we sneak out of the academy to do it in Helium without anyone knowing. However, Leona figured it out in an instant, and she even responded as if it weren¡¯t a big deal.

    Leona pointed at me with her index finger as I disyed a bewildered reaction and replied.

    ¡°Smell.¡±

    ¡°Smell?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. As you probably already know, every person has their own unique scent. In your case, it¡¯s the scent of lcs, Marie has a fresh lemony fragrance, and the Demon Princess has a sweet peachy scent. Sometimes, I can even smell a lemon scent from you, but peachy scent too. Unless you blend your bodies together, it¡¯s impossible for human scents to mix.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°So, I had a rough idea that the Demon Princess has be your lover, but I didn¡¯t see the need to announce it to everyone? That¡¯s why I kept my mouth shut. Don¡¯t underestimate a beastman¡¯s sense of smell.¡±

    Leona gestured with her fingers, seemingly emphasizing her point.

    An animal¡¯s senses are far superior to those of humans. So, a beastman¡¯s senses should be the same.

    I felt a sense of futility as everything I had tried to hide seemed meaningless, but at the same time, I felt relieved.

    I remained silent for a while with a dumbfounded expression before eventually bursting intoughter.

    ¡°¡­ Aren¡¯t you curious why Cecily became my lover?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not curious at all. If your hearts match, you be partners, simple as that. Or maybe you have some hidden power.¡±

    I was slightly taken aback by her words. However, I realized that my thoughts had been focused in that direction solely because of the way humans think. I hadn¡¯t even considered it as a possibility.

    ¡°Are you secretly an easygoing person?¡±

    ¡°Call it being amodating.¡±

    Leona proudly replied, sticking out her chest as if she was proud. So this is where the difference between our specieses into y. I shook my head in disbelief as I observed it.

    ¡°So, is it difficult for you to ept someone as you have two partners? Because they might reject them too, right?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s closer to that. It¡¯s hard to reject outright. It could be taken as an insult. Is there any other reward besides that? Like materialpensation.¡±

    ¡°I consider myself as your materialpensation.¡±

    ¡°Wow¡­¡±

    I felt dizzy. The savage customs of the beastmen were so deeply ingrained that I couldn¡¯t deal with them usingmon sense. Should I just ept it as it is? It¡¯s a problem whether Leona bes the Great Chieftain or not.

    From a quick nce, it seemed like Leona had already made up her mind¡­ No, it seemed like she didn¡¯t even think about it. Even if she lived at the Halo Academy and learned about human customs, the beastmen¡¯smon sense was deeply rooted.

    So, it wouldn¡¯t be a big deal for her even if she became my wife. How can I politely refuse? Regardless of whether Leona likes it or not, this is a practical problem. While I was seriously contemting with a furrowed brow, Leona casually spoke up.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, epting it is also one way. And if I be the Great Chieftain, you can just have children and ignore them, right?¡±

    ¡°You might not understand as a beastman, but I¡¯m human. I must take responsibility for my child.¡±

    ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯ll have to take a different route then if I¡¯m not going to be the Great Chieftain.¡±

    ¡°Hmm? What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°If I be the Great Chieftain, I have an obligation to have many offspring. So, not only you, but other men will also have to ept me as a mate.¡±

    I furrowed my eyebrows. Normally, males having multiple females wasmon, but I had heard of the opposite situation as well. And the Great Chieftain is the king of the beastmen.

    Power could also be considered a form of strength, so it was a position that no one could touch. In other words, if Leona became the Great Chieftain, it meant that she would have to ept other men besides me.

    Honestly, I didn¡¯t like that idea. If Leona were someone else¡¯s, I might have overlooked it as a unique custom, but not when it came to my child. Whether it was because of memories from a past life or just my own desires, I felt repulsed by that. I had always been averse to the idea of having children outside of marriage.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m a bit uneasy about that. Can¡¯t it be changed?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not easy to change this. That¡¯s why I don¡¯t want to be the Great Chieftain. It would be much better for me to be your third wife.¡±

    ¡°¡­Leona.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    I looked at Leona, who was giggling, with a conflicted expression and eventually let out a sigh.

    In response to my sigh, she also stopped smiling and adopted a somewhat serious expression. After a subtle silence settled in, I began to slowly bring out my inner thoughts.

    ¡°It might be because I¡¯m human, or it could just be a personal perspective. I believe there should be affection between us to have a rtionship, and I think the ultimate goal of that should be a child. At least, I don¡¯t see it as a ¡®reward¡¯ or ¡®duty.¡¯¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t dislike you at all. It¡¯s just that¡­ how can I put it¡­ it feels like you¡¯re treating yourself like an object. At least, I want to cherish and value my own person. Not as an object but as a lovely woman.¡±

    I could have said such nonsense, having already epted Cecily and having been confessed to by Adelia. But I really dislike insincere affection.

    Between people, it¡¯s not about obligation, but true feelings shoulde and go. At least, I live my life thinking that way.

    The reason I unconsciously epted Adelia is also because of this. She doesn¡¯t know I¡¯m Xenon, and her affection towards me is genuine.

    ¡°So, for now, I can only reject you. I won¡¯t stop you from not bing the Great Chieftain if you wish, but bing my wife is something I¡¯ll gradually consider. Let¡¯s build our rtionship slowly as individuals, not as a reward, but as two people.¡±

    ¡°What if I insist on bing the Great Chieftain?¡±

    ¡°We should pretend that conversation never happened. It¡¯s better for both of us to remain friends.¡±

    In some ways, you could say it¡¯s selfish. I don¡¯t want Leona to be with another man, and I¡¯m pushing away the idea of bing my wife as well. So, maybe I could just close my eyes and have a child once, but pregnancy wasn¡¯t that easy.

    Beastmen birth rate is simr to humans, so their fertility period is probably simr too. So, we have to do it at least a few times. She hasn¡¯t developed any affection for me until now either.

    ¡°Actually, you could call it selfish. I don¡¯t want another man in your life, and I¡¯m refusing to be your husband for love reasons. That¡¯s how I feel right now.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°What do you think?¡±

    Leona listened to my innermost thoughts somehow spilled out and had a subtle expression on her face. I anxiously waited for her words to fall from her lips. If she were an ordinary human, I wouldn¡¯t have anything to say even if she pped me and cursed me. The statement I made was at the level where I would take all the curses in the world without any objections.

    However, she currently sees herself as a kind ofmodity. This is precisely the part that I dislike the most. I wished that she would at least think of herself as a person, not an object.

    ¡°¡­I see.¡±

    After a brief moment, Leona nodded as if she understood. I tensed up inwardly.

    What wille out of her mouth, really? Although she had just spoken, I couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious.

    How much time had passed in this silence? While waiting anxiously, Leona, whose mouth had been tightly closed, began to slowly open it.

    ¡°I like it.¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    ¡°I like it.¡±

    And, quite unexpectedly, those words flowed from her mouth. To make it even more surprising, she wore her characteristic cynical smile.

    While I was left stunned, Leona clenched her fist, and as if convinced on her own, she nodded and continued speaking.

    ¡°Yes. A male should have ambition, right? The aspiration to dominate without sharing a female with anyone else. I really like that.¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant¡­¡±

    ¡°I know. So your words mean you want to feel affection from me, right?¡±

    Swish

    Leona spoke iprehensible words, then pulled out a tail hidden in her pants. A tail resembling the end of a brush.

    While I was focused on the swaying tail, she slowly got up from her seat and approached me.

    Subsequently, she looked straight into my eyes, chuckled, then slowly knelt down and brought her head close to mine. Her pointed ears stole my attention.

    ¡°Touch.¡±

    ¡°What, what?¡±

    ¡°Touch my ears. Don¡¯t you want me to express affection towards you?¡±

    Upon hearing those words, I shifted my gaze to the two ears that were perking up. Touching tails was an act reserved for couples, and touching ears signified the granting of affection.

    So, she was allowing me to touch her ears as a sign of affection in response to my words. She was expressing it directly, not metaphorically. I was unsure how to proceed, but Leona encouraged me by pushing her ears closer. Eventually, I found myself touching the ears that had popped up unexpectedly.

    Swoosh

    ¡°Rrrrow.¡±

    As I touched her head, Leona started to purr like a cat. I focused on the sensation in my hand. When I petted Marie and Cecily¡¯s heads, it felt only soft, but Leona¡¯s texture was quite different, probably because she was a beastwoman.

    It was more rough than soft. However, it had a strangely addictive quality, and I couldn¡¯t stop petting her. On the other hand, her ears were very soft.

    ¡°Rrr. Rrrrow.¡±

    Leona continued to purr and impatiently rubbed her head against my hand as if urging me to continue. I, too, continued to pet her head with aplex expression. It felt like I had a big cat in my hands.

    Just doing this alone made my feelingsplicated, but Leona seemedpletely intoxicated by my touch, going so far as to engage in even more affectionate actions.

    Lick

    ¡°Uh!¡±

    Themon behavior of animals in the cat family, grooming. Leona grabbed my hand while I was petting her and licked my palm with her tongue.

    Startled by her sudden action, I hastily withdrew my hand, and it seemed Leona was equally flustered as she quickly apologized.

    ¡°Oh. I¡¯m, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to¡­¡±

    ¡°No, no. It¡¯s okay. I was just a little surprised.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a relief. So, did you feel my affection?¡±

    Leona still knelt on the floor, making it impossible for me to avoid her gaze. Her tail swayed gently behind her, and her ears perked up with an expression that seemed filled with anticipation. Not to mention her irresistibly cute face.

    I covered my face with one hand, feeling my heart pounding. But that hand was the same one Leona had just licked with her tongue.

    After a moment of difort, I sighed deeply and spoke.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll talk to others.¡±

    The number of women in my life was increasing.

    Trantors note:

    Man, I love Leona, she¡¯s so cute¡­ and normal¡­paratively¡­

 Chapter 215: Great Chieftain (1)

    Originally, cats are sly, prickly, and independent creatures. They often have a subtle sense of boundaries and tend to have mostly calm personalities. Typically, they don¡¯t easily approach others, but some can be rather friendly, sociable and show a lot of affection. They might even go for walks.

    And Leona, who expressed affection to me, was simr to this. At first, she was cynical and often growled, but as I helped her, we became closer, and today she even let me pet her head. Of course, she¡¯s not a cat but a lion, but let¡¯s overlook that since they belong to the same feline family. She takes pride in being a lioness, so mentioning it might lead to an unfortunate incident.

    Anyway, I found myself chosen by her due to some circumstances. I n to speak with Marie and Cecily, but solving the Great Chieftain issue was more urgent. The problem is that it¡¯s the most challenging part. Judging from the current situation in Animers, Leona is the most likely candidate for the next Great Chieftain. There¡¯s no other being who can perfectly satisfy the desires of both the royal faction and the opposing faction.

    ¡°When will the decision be made?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll probablye from above in about three days. It would be ideal to decide after I graduate from the academy, but that¡¯s unlikely. We need to appoint someone as the Great Chieftain as soon as possible since we currently don¡¯t have one.¡±

    ¡°Will the final decision be made then?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°In that case, what about the academy?¡±

    ¡°For now, I will just hand over authority to them and focus on my studies. Just think of it as leaving my position temporarily vacant.¡±

    Three days from now, the schedule was quite tight. We need to find a way to prevent Leona from bing the chieftain during that time. Of course, I nned to inform Marie and Cecily as well. If Leona bes the chieftain, they won¡¯t have any connection with her, but if it goes the other way, they must know.

    Being kept in the dark and suddenly being introduced to Leona without them knowing would be disrespectful and inconsiderate, so I have an obligation to let them know.

    ¡°Are you attending the ss at 3 tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s meet then. We need to inform Marie and Cecily too.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    I hesitated as I looked at Leona. Currently, she wasn¡¯t sitting across from me but beside me. She was even leaning her head on my arm as if showing her affection, making purring sounds. There was even a happy smile on her face. What could have caused this change in her mood in such a short time?

    ¡°¡­Leona?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Can you exin why you¡¯re getting so close? You¡¯ve already shown your affection.¡±

    ¡°Just because I like your scent. Honestly, I¡¯ve wanted to do this since before.¡±

    Leona continued to purr, pressing her cheek against my arm without saying a word. It seemed like she was intoxicated by the lc scent vibrating from my body.

    I suppressed a sigh trying to escape and gently pushed her head away. She yielded without any resistance, but a question formed on her face.

    ¡°Enough for now. Think about how you can get out of the position of chieftain too. Is it really true that there isn¡¯t a single person with the aptitude?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡±

    ¡°Before that, tell me who leads the opposing faction. Judging by the way they lead, they seem like a formidable figure. They might not have a center, but there¡¯s likely someone skillfully coordinating things.¡±

    ¡°¡­Are you talking about that woman?¡±

    Leona seemed ufortable when asked about the opposing faction. Judging by the way she referred to her as ¡°that woman,¡± it seemed like she was a woman, and her reputation didn¡¯t seem to be particrly good.

    However, discrimination was widespread due to the focus on strength among the Beastmen. So, I couldn¡¯t take Leona¡¯s words at face value.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know who that woman is. Can you exin properly?¡±

    ¡°¡­Alright. Her name is Jinai Crochuker. She¡¯s a Hyena Beastwoman.¡±

    ¡°Hyena Beastwoman?¡±

    My eyes widened when I heard Hyena Beastwoman. I didn¡¯t remember much, but I had heard that Hyena Beastmen received a less favorable evaluation even among the Beastmen.

    Just how bad was it? If you were to ask a beastmen if they are a hyena, a sacred duel would immediately fly at you. It was discriminatory, but I suspected there might be a reason for it.

    I, too, don¡¯t have a favorable image of hyenas due to memories from my past life. They are cunning and malicious, and in many ways, they fit the image of a scoundrel.

    However, this was just an image, and in reality, hyenas y a very important role in the ecosystem. Moreover, even if we look at them as a group, they belong to the strongest individuals in the food chain,peting with lions.

    But it seems that the hyenas on the opposite side have a leader. I had a feeling that somethingplex might be involved.

    ¡°Hyena beastmen don¡¯t have a good image even among your kind, right? They say that you might even receive a challenge for a sacred duel if you call someone that.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Can you tell me why they have such a bad image?¡±

    ¡°Historically, they were conniving individuals. They used all sorts of tricks to create divisions between the tribes and would seize any opportunity they got. That¡¯s why hyena beastmen used to live as wanderers until they were persuaded by Hick to join Animers. But their nature created the situation we¡¯re in now.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Listening to it, all sorts of negative aspectse to the forefront. It¡¯s not much different from the image from my past life.

    However, to truly understand a person¡¯s character, you have to meet them in person. I hesitated while stroking my chin and asked Leona one thing.

    ¡°Have you ever met them in person?¡±

    ¡°No. I¡¯ve only heard about them. Historically, hyenas didn¡¯t have a good reputation.¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    I nodded involuntarily upon hearing Leona¡¯s response. While I would need to meet them in person to truly know, I can see why Hyena beastmen might be considered miniature versions of devils.

    Prejudice exists everywhere, as demonstrated by the example of demons. It¡¯s possible that Hyena beastmen, like demons, have been oppressed by prejudice throughout their lives.

    Nevertheless, seeing someone rise to prominence as a central figure in opposing forces must indicate an exceptional individual. I¡¯d like to meet them at least once.

    ¡°Leona, it¡¯s not right to judge someone just by what you¡¯ve heard. Look at the demons, for instance. They were persecuted before the Xenon incident happened. Couldn¡¯t the Hyena beastmen be in a simr situation?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true, but they have brought great chaos to Animers. It¡¯s hard to see them in a positive light as a member of the Lions.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right. But I¡¯m a bit uneasy about the fact that Hick brought the Hyenas himself. If the Hyenas were truly a vile race, Hick wouldn¡¯t have brought them, would he?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Hick, the founding king of Animers and the wealthiest beastmen in history. After the racial war scattered the tribes everywhere, he united them to establish Animers, and he deserves praise as a hero.

    However, someone with such heroic qualities like Hick directly incorporating the Hyenas into Animers, would have been an obstacle to its founding if they were as wicked and vile as their reputation ims.

    History reveals many facts but not everything. While it is said that humans began using magic because they fought against the elves during the racial war, the reality is that it was passed down by the demons.

    Perhaps hyenas have their own circumstances as well. At least that¡¯s how it looked from a third-party perspective.

    ¡°Of course, this is just my opinion, so take it into consideration. I¡¯m not suggesting we crown the hyena as the chieftain. It¡¯s all about letting go of prejudices.¡±

    ¡°¡­Alright. I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±

    ¡°Good. Then¡­¡±

    I gently patted Leona¡¯s head, which had be gloomy, with a contented smile. It was an action that I took without even realizing it, seeing her in such a gloomy state. In response, Leona¡¯s previously drooping ears perked up.

    She looked at me with vacant eyes for a moment. I quickly withdrew my hand with a start, but her gaze continued to fixate on my face.

    ¡°Oh. Sorry. If¡­ it made you ufortable¡­¡±

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    ¡°I apolog¡­ huh?¡±

    Just as I was about to apologize hastily, Leona suddenly made a strange request.

    ¡°Can I bite you once?¡±

    ¡°¡­No, you can¡¯t.¡±

    With those sharp fangs? Does she want to kill me?

    *****

    The day after, the meeting of the trio, Marie, Cecily, and Leona, approached. Despite steeling my resolve, I couldn¡¯t help but think that I should just let them know since I was bound to receive an earful of curses. However, Leona had already nearly given up her position as the Great Chieftain. She was already delightfully nonchnt about the prospect of losing the chieftain¡¯s seat once I offered my help.

    In this situation, her dering that she would be my wife was certain. To lessen the shock of it all, I had to somehow break the news in advance. There¡¯s a saying that it¡¯s better to get bitten by a mad dog sooner rather thanter for a reason.

    Fortunately, Rina seemed to have caught onto something and vacated the scene. Thus, I, Marie, Cecily, and finally Leona, could have a peaceful meal.

    ¡°From now on, I Leona Lions, will be Isaac¡¯s third wife. Please take care of me.¡±

    ¡°Cough!!¡±

    Before the ordered meal arrived, Leona confidently made a statement, skipping all the circumstances before and after. My throat was parched from nervousness, so I had no choice but to respond exactly as she did. I wondered how the others would react while I was giving this kind of response.

    ¡°¡­Marie? Did I hear that wrong¡­?¡±

    ¡°No. I think we heard it clearly.¡±

    Both Marie and Cecily seemed taken aback. Cecily, in particr, had a face that seemed to be trying to determine if what she heard was real or not. While Marie already had some familiarity with Leona and some understanding of the differences inmon sense between humans and beastkin, Cecily was meeting Leona for the first time. She could do nothing but be bewildered by the situation.

    ¡°No¡­ Cough! Cough! Well¡­ Cough!¡±

    I hurriedly tried to speak, sensing the strange atmosphere that had developed due to Leona¡¯s statement, but it seemed like only my coughing could be heard. It was only after Marie patted my back that I finally managed to calm down.

    Nevertheless, I couldn¡¯t help but cough asionally.

    ¡°Cough. Hey. You left out so much¡­ Cough. What will they think if you suddenly say that?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter as long as the problem is resolved, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­Isaac?¡±

    As soon as Leona said that, Marie next to me called my name in a cold voice. I turned my head in surprise to find Marie ring at me fiercely. Unable to say anything in response to her expression, I watched as Marie continued to re at me for a while before finally letting out a sigh.

    Guilt weighed heavily on my chest, making it difficult for me to speak. Meanwhile, Cecily, who still didn¡¯t understand the situation, asked us with a questioning look.

    ¡°Can someone please exin the current situation? Marie, it seems like you have some history with Leona?¡±

    ¡°Oh, right. I didn¡¯t tell the princess. Let me show you.¡±

    As Cecily asked her question, Leona answered in her ce and showed her own animal ears on top of her head. She even twitched them. Cecily, momentarily surprised by the animal ears that had appeared on top of Leona¡¯s head, soon nodded calmly.

    ¡°Indeed, it seems she really was a beastwoman. I had a suspicion from the moment I saw her.¡±

    ¡°Oh? You knew?¡±

    ¡°Just because she hides it doesn¡¯t mean the ¡®truth¡¯ changes.¡±

    As expected, Cecily already seemed to have figured out Leona¡¯s true identity, as expected of the next demon lord. In a world with mana and magic, it shouldn¡¯t be too difficult to uncover someone¡¯s identity. She briefly nced at Leona¡¯s ears and then turned to me with a question.

    ¡°Leona being a beastwoman aside, what¡¯s the deal with her being a third wife? Can you exin in more detail?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll dly hear a detailed exnation, Isaac. I heard that bullshitst time, so why do I have to hear simr things again?¡±

    Lovers had their own ways of applying pressure, but I was already prepared for such a situation. With an excited heart, I began to exin step by step, starting from Volume 16¡¯s publication until the story just before Leona was nominated for a Great Chieftain.

    I didn¡¯t leave out any details, as there might be room for misunderstanding. I had prepared thoroughly, so I could continue without interruption. After all the exnations were done, as expected, there was a long and silent pause.

    Marie and Cecily didn¡¯t respond or react at all initially. As someone awaiting their response, it was a nerve-wracking situation. Leona, too, seemed aware and quietly waited, not uttering a word.

    ¡°¡­Sigh.¡±

    How long has this heavy silence hung in the air? Marie exhaled a long sigh, as if the weight of it all had be too much. Then, she rested her chin on her hand and whispered in a somewhat resigned tone, as ifmenting something.

    ¡°Last time, one asked for your seed, and now another openly dered that she wants to be your wife¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I expected there would be more women, but I never dreamed it would happen like this¡­ That damn Xenon¡¯s Biography¡­¡±

    As she sighed, she turned her gaze toward Leona, still holding her chin. When their eyes met, Leona seemed taken aback and assumed a somewhat embarrassed posture. Her self-assured deration of bing my wife had disappeared, leaving only a sharp-witted cat behind. The noisesing from Marie seemed far from friendly.

    Marie stared at Leona for a while and then finally removed her hand from her chin to speak.

    ¡°I understand the situation. If you be the chieftain, you¡¯ll not only bear Isaac¡¯s child but also receive the seed of other men to increase your offspring. And if it¡¯s the other way around, you be Isaac¡¯s wife, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s how the beastmen repay their debts. If he refuses, it will be seen as an insult. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    It seems that Marie couldn¡¯t easily ept the situation. I, too, initially felt the same way as her.

    The customs of the beastmen may seem barbaric to humans, especially treating people likemodities, which can be quite unsettling. Meanwhile, the Demons, originally humans themselves before the transformation, don¡¯t differ much inmon sense, aside from cultural differences. On the other hand, beastmen have stronger instinctual traits, much like animals.

    ¡°Leona, do you think that¡¯s a normal culture? The tradition of treating people as some kind of bounty?¡±

    ¡°At least it¡¯s entirely normal for beastmen. I hope you won¡¯t casually disparage another culture.¡±

    Leona, who had a strong sense of pride as a beastwoman, immediately countered. Not only did she disy a displeased expression, but her words also carried thorns.

    Marie, realizing her mistake, quickly apologized. She seemed so embarrassed that it was as if she had made a terrible blunder.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. But it¡¯s just so hard to believe¡­ you¡¯re willingly going to be the third wife?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s so strange about that? I don¡¯t find it strange at all.¡±

    ¡°No, I mean¡­ uh¡­¡±

    Marie groaned while clutching her head. She couldn¡¯t find a way to convince her because words weren¡¯t getting through. Her current feelings were likely something like this.

    Cecily, looking at her with a mix of sympathy, shifted her gaze to Leona. Then, in her unique charming voice, she spoke.

    ¡°Leona, it¡¯s possible to respect beastmen culture for what it is. But I hope you¡¯ll also respect human culture. Dering yourself as the third wife might be somewhat disconcerting from a human perspective.¡±

    ¡°Princess, you became Isaac¡¯s second woman, didn¡¯t you? Isn¡¯t that simr?¡±

    ¡°I love Isaac, and he loves me too, so it¡¯s possible. Do you love Isaac?¡±

    ¡°As a male, I¡¯m quite fond of him. I have a strong desire to keep him all to myself without sharing him with any females.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    This time, Cecily was left speechless. Her expression showed amazement at the beastmen-like statement, which was very fitting for her.

    If things continued like this, it would be like going in circles. I spoke cautiously as the awkward atmosphere settled.

    ¡°¡­I may have said that, but nothing is confirmed yet. We still need to resolve Leona¡¯s nomination as the chieftain. I just wanted to let you all know about this situation for now.¡±

    ¡°Right. You did well to inform us. If you hadn¡¯t, I might have squeezed you so you couldn¡¯t be with other women.¡±

    ¡°I agree.¡±

    Cecily growled like a fierce dog and Marie agreed. Her terrifying words were enough to send a shiver down my spine.

    Fortunately, there was no talk of parting ways, but I knew I would have to deal with the aftermath.

    As I shivered at the goosebumps that sprouted on my thighs, Marie lifted her head and offered a solution.

    ¡°Alright. I understand Leona¡¯s situation now. You don¡¯t want to be the chieftain, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I hate it.¡±

    ¡°I agree. Even if I were like you, I¡¯d refuse to be a seed pouch. That¡¯s something we can empathize with as fellow women. But bing Isaac¡¯s wife, let¡¯s consider that gradually. We must respect the beastmen culture while also familiarizing ourselves with human culture. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ I get it. We have plenty of time.¡±

    ¡°It seems to be roughly settled then. And Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, what?¡±

    Marie called me and looked at me with her burning blue eyes. I was overwhelmed by that gaze and remained silent.

    ¡°Isaac?¡±

    Cecily called my name seductively from the side. When I turned to her, I caught sight of her eyes filled with desire, glowing with a deep red color.

    Two pairs of different eyes were ring at me as if they could devour me. Who could withstand this gaze? As I nervously swallow my saliva, Marie and Cecily simultaneously open their mouths.

    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure you don¡¯t think about other women today.¡±

    ¡°So this is what happens when you look at other women. Understood.¡±

    At the same time, Marie discreetly ced her hand on my thigh, and Cecily gently wrapped her arms around mine. Those who know what this means will understand. The situation has been resolved nicely, but it seems I may have to sacrifice my waist.

    <i>¡®¡­I¡¯m lucky to have received divine protection.¡¯</i>

    I might wake up tomorrow. It was when I was shedding tears inwardly.

    ¡°¡­Two lionesses.¡±

    Leona, sitting in front, eximed in awe.

    Trantors note:

    3/4

 Chapter 216: Great Chieftain (2)

    The issues rted to Leona were resolved one way or another. Leona also said that she would take her time to think after solving the chieftain problem, so there was no need to worry about the future. Of course, I couldn¡¯t avoid sacrificing my waist in the process.

    Not long after Kate asked me for my seed, Leona¡¯s situation happened and my beloved lovers jealousy exploded. It was a given that I had to keep going until I was physically exhausted, as if I wasn¡¯t even allowed to look at another woman. The next day was the same, especially with Marie, who was so passionate that she might skip ss the next day due to exhaustion.

    In addition, she insisted that she always came first and that she would take me first, openly disying her possessiveness. There was no one as adorable as a jealous girlfriend, so I eagerlyplied. As a result, Marie fainted, but we were satisfied knowing that we had confirmed our love for each other once again.

    ¡°Hey, are you okay?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry.¡±

    And so, as the day approached when someone woulde looking for us from Animers, I casually answered Leona¡¯s question filled with concern.

    I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because of my holy power or because I¡¯ve been training my body with Adelia regrly, but my back was fine. It was the first time I had to face both of them at once, so it was a bit challenging, but I quickly recovered and could resume my daily life.

    (TL: At once?! O.o )

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Leona looked at me with a calm expression and then nced down. I could feel that she was looking at a certain ce. I narrowed my eyebrows slightly and scolded her for her seemingly critical gaze.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at strange ces and focus on getting ready. You might be the chieftain if you¡¯re not careful, and you¡¯re not even worried.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not worried because you¡¯re here.¡±

    ¡°Sigh. You¡¯re so carefree.¡±

    Leona was supposed to handle the main issue, but I ended up taking care of it. Of course, it was partly my responsibility due to the incident with Xenon¡¯s Biography. As for the matter of bing my third wife, we could slowly work it out. For now, the chieftain issue was more urgent.

    ¡°So when is heing?¡±

    ¡°He should be arriving soon.¡±

    It was evening after all the sses had ended. Currently, Leona and I were waiting near the academy entrance.

    It would have been better if he hade on the weekend, but the situation didn¡¯t allow for that. So, we decided to meet in the evening after all the sses had ended.

    ¡°Who¡¯sing?¡±

    ¡°First brother and Jinai.¡±

    ¡°Is it just the two of theming?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. They¡¯re strong enough that we don¡¯t really need security, and it bes troublesome if we stand out.¡±

    ¡°Just being together might make you stand out, though. Are you okay?¡±

    As everyone knows, Leona hides her true identity as a beastwoman while pursuing her studies. In this world, there was a prejudice that beastmen are aggressive and uneducated, making it certain that they would not be able to enroll in the academy.

    However, in my opinion, beastmen don¡¯t study not because they¡¯re uneducated but because they don¡¯t need to use their brains. You could say they¡¯re cases where they don¡¯t need to use their heads because their bodies are so capable. Anyway, since a beastman has never enrolled in the academy, if Leona¡¯s true identity is revealed, it will cause a big problem. Leona nodded as if she knew that too.

    ¡°Let¡¯s be as careful as possible not to get caught. That¡¯s why only the leaders areing. Ah, there theye.¡±

    As Leona pointed her finger towards the entrance, I turned my head in that direction. Two figures approaching from the main gate towards this side came into view.

    My eyesight isn¡¯t that great, and they were too far away for me to see their detailed appearances. Meanwhile, Leona waved her arm happily, as if she were d to see them.

    As they approached from a distance, one of the two people was showing a weing gesture by waving their hand. On the other hand, the person next to them didn¡¯t show any reaction.

    Perhaps the person waving his hand is Leona¡¯s brother, and the one next to him is Jinai. However, even from a distance, their body shapes looked simr to each other.

    <i>¡®Now that I think about it, didn¡¯t they say that hyenas haverger bodies for femalespared to males?¡¯</i>

    For these reasons, I heard that hyenas uniquely maintain a matriarchal society. Could it be that¡¯s why the leader is a female, not a male?

    As I observed them getting closer little by little, I became curious if there was anything to be cautious about, so I asked Leona:

    ¡°Is there anything I should be careful about when talking to them? For example, something sensitive?¡±

    ¡°Well, if there¡¯s anything, it¡¯s their age, maybe? They tease each other about age. So, be careful not to mention it.¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    It seems that Leona still holds some prejudice against hyena people.

    *****

    As nned, we met with representatives from each side and then headed to a morefortable ce for our conversation. Fortunately, both of them had already taken care of their meals, so we could just chat at a caf¨¦.

    However, the issue was that both of them were incredibly massive in stature. I thought I¡¯d never see someone bigger than my father in my lifetime, but the hardware of the beastmen was truly imposing.

    In the end, we decided to go to a restaurant for our conversation instead of the cramped caf¨¦. It just so happened that Leona and I also needed to have a meal, so we asked for their understanding.

    ¡°Nice to meet you. I am Balkan Lions, the chieftain¡¯s eldest son. It¡¯s an honor to meet the sage who delivered wisdom to the Animers.¡±

    Said the lion-beastman sitting across from Leona. Unlike Leona, he had a face more reminiscent of a beast than a human.

    With a lion-like mane in ce of hair and dazzling golden eyes, he gave off the impression of a brave warrior.

    Furthermore, his attire was not casual clothing, but rather leather armor, giving off an image closer to that of a warrior than royalty. His deep and cavernous low voice also exuded masculinity, revealing a sense of strength.

    ¡°Jinai Crochuker.¡±

    The hyena-beastwoman sitting across from me also had a face more reminiscent of a beast than a human. With protruding snout and ck eyes, unlike Balkan, the fur was drab and dirty-looking, mixed with a somewhat sinister impression.

    However, the well-tailored purple silk robe and ornate sses unexpectedly disyed an intellectual aspect. Her voice, too, was pleasant, even soothing.

    As Leona mentioned, she gave off a cunning impression, but I should also add that she seemed capable.

    ¡°Pleased to meet you. I¡¯m the one who advised Leona¡­ I am Isaac Ducker Michelle. I¡¯m not a sage, so you can leave out that title.¡±

    The reason for my momentary hesitation was, of course, my father. Even though it was an incident in the border zone, my father had a dreadful record of ughtering beastmen.

    As expected, the two in front of me were taken aback when I revealed my identity. Balkan was the first to ask.

    ¡°Michelle? Are you the Red Lion¡¯s child?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m the son of Hawk Ducker Michelle.¡±

    ¡°I expected it from the red hair and golden eyes, but¡­ it¡¯s quite surprising.¡±

    Father¡¯s reputation seems to have reached the ears of the Animers. After all, he was rather famous, so it¡¯s strange not to know.

    As I awkwardly smiled, Balkan stared at me with an interested expression and then shifted his gaze to Leona.

    ¡°You seem to have quite a remarkablework of acquaintances.¡±

    ¡°Just happened that way.¡±

    Leona shrugged nonchntly, as if it were no big deal. In the meantime, Jinai nced at me, then chuckled and spoke.

    ¡°You seem to be the type who uses your brain more than your body, huh?¡±

    ¡°How did you know?¡±

    ¡°You can tell just by looking at your hands.¡±

    Jinai pointed at my hands as she replied. Well, anyone could see that I had never properly held a sword, and my hands were long and slender.

    It was a matter of no consequence to me, but it seemed to bother Balkan. He frowned slightly and spoke sternly.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it impolite to say such things to a warrior¡¯s son?¡±

    ¡°Why? I just told the truth. Can¡¯t I even say that?¡±

    ¡°Be careful not to run that sarcastic mouth of yours too recklessly.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡±

    Even without saying it explicitly, it seemed like there was some tension between them. It was natural, considering that Balkan had lost his father to the sacred duel and med her for pushing Animers into chaos.

    ¡°I hope we don¡¯t have any idents here. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll lose my neck, but I still shouldn¡¯t let my guard down.¡±

    ¡°Cough, cough. My apologies for the interruption. Anyway, Leona, do you have any intention of bing the Great Chieftain? Jinai also agrees, so it depends on your opinion.¡±

    ¡°While it¡¯s annoying that the lion always stands on top, there¡¯s no one with a clearer reason than the youngdy.¡±

    Both Balkan and Jinai seemed eager to elect Leona as the chieftain without any selfish motives. Moreover, the title ¡®youngdy¡¯ suggests that, in her own way, they respect Leona.

    However, they don¡¯t know. Leona has already firmly made up her mind. After listening to their words and ncing at me once, she dered with a resolute expression.

    ¡°No, I won¡¯t take the position of the Great Chieftain.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Unlike Balkan, who showed clear surprise, Jinai remained calm. Although her expression looked surprised, she didn¡¯t react as emotionally as Balkan did.

    Seeing that, it could be inferred that she expected Leona¡¯s refusal to some extent. She seemed as smart as she appeared.

    ¡°What, what do you mean? You¡¯re rejecting the position of Great Chieftain?¡±

    ¡°Exactly. I never had the slightest intention of bing the chieftain in the first ce. I may be intelligent, but I¡¯m not wise. As Isaac said, a ruler should be wise.¡±

    Knowledge and wisdom may seem simr at first nce, but there is a distinct difference. Knowledge can be acquired through learning, but wisdom was not gained simply by learning.

    Especially in the aspect of coping abilities, the true nature of these two abilities was revealed. Knowledge often leads to frantic actions when a specific problem arises, but wisdom allows one to navigate through it smoothly with appropriate adaptability.

    Because of this, it¡¯s not about being smart but about being wise. You never know how the world will change, and there are various unpredictable variables in the future.

    ¡°Balkan Oppa, I am not wise. Even the improvements in the sacred duel were all told to me by Isaac, I am just a messenger. And even in Xenon¡¯s Biography, Cain is described as highly intelligent, but upon closer examination, his wisdom stands out more.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡±

    ¡°If I be the Great Chieftain, I might be able to immediately resolve the current chaos, but it won¡¯t be the case afterward. A situation like this could happen again. The nation is important now, but above all, the future matters.¡±

    After Leona, I continued.

    ¡°As Leona said, a king should possess not only intelligence but also wisdom. You can forcibly ce Leona in the chieftain¡¯s position, but it will lead to unfavorable results for everyone. Historically, benevolent leaders have had better oues than tyrants.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying that Leona will be a tyrant?¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I mean. However, a king, or in this case, a chieftain, should not be ced in the position without proper justification. Hasn¡¯t it already happened that someone who ascended to the Great Chieftain¡¯s position through the sacred duelmitted tyranny?¡±

    I wasn¡¯t referring to the former Great Chieftain who was the father of Leona and the Balkan, but to someone who had been one before. A person who was the source of all evil and a tyrant that himself threw Animers into chaos.

    After listening to my words, Balkan reluctantly nodded as if he had to admit it. He would sympathize with my words since the tyrant openlymitted atrocities.

    ¡°But if that happens, there is no one suitable to sit in the position of the great chieftain¡­¡±

    ¡°Just put me there. What¡¯s there to think about? I can handle it well.¡±

    When Balkan was lost in deep thought, Jinai chimed in from the side. Balkan and even Leona started to show fierce expressions and emit a menacing atmosphere. Even if it was a joke, it seemed like it had gone too far.

    I nced around cautiously in the rapidly chilling atmosphere. Jinai, receiving the intense gazes of the two, maintained a nonchnt attitude.

    Is being tough like that also a hyena¡¯s characteristic? I have a feeling that one wrong word could be fatal.

    ¡°¡­If you make fun of me one more time, you¡¯ll have to give up on going back in one piece.¡±

    ¡°Huh, scary. Hey, wise one.¡±

    ¡°Yes? Me?¡±

    Despite Balkan¡¯s fierce threat, Jinai called me without any concern. I felt a little puzzled by being referred to as the wise one.

    She hesitated for a moment, then extended her upper body slightly forward and, in a soothing voice, opened her mouth.

    ¡°What do you think about me bing the great chieftain instead of those stubborn lions? Even though I may not seem like it, I have a clever mind. Your idea of wisdom, as you said.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not wisdom, that¡¯s cunning.¡±

    ¡°If it were cunning, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to influence the opposing faction so significantly, would I? Cunning helps oneself, but wisdom helps others, right? Isn¡¯t that so?¡±

    ¡°Well, you have a point¡­¡±

    As Jinai said, there is a distinction between cunning and wisdom. Wisdom helps others, while cunning can have somewhat selfish aspects. However, it depends on how they are used, fundamentally, they can be simr. I rolled my eyes for a moment and carefully responded.

    ¡°¡­Do you consider yourself wise, Jinai?¡±

    ¡°Somewhat?¡±

    ¡°In what way?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m good at using people.¡±

    ¡°Isaac, as I¡¯ve said before, it¡¯s better to take half of what she says with a grain of salt.¡±

    As Jinai and I continued our conversation, Leona warned from the side. Her persuasion skills had the ability to captivate people. Through such skills, she must have helped the opposing faction grow and, further, brought confusion to the Animers. But suddenly, I became curious about something here.

    What is her goal? Regardless of the faction, they all have their own goals. And Jinai can be considered the center of the opposing faction.

    I watched Jinai, who was lost in thought and chuckling, and asked.

    ¡°So, what is your goal, Jinai? I¡¯m curious to know what you¡¯d like to do if you be the chieftain.¡±

    ¡°Nothing special. Just living a slightly better life than now? Maybe cultivate somend for food reserves and, as a side note, overhaul the political structure. Those traditions are useless, it¡¯s best to eat your fill and live well.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    I nodded.

    I looked around and subtly said.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better if Jinai became the Great Chieftain?¡±

    And a response came immediately.

    ¡°Are you insane?¡±

    Not from Balkan or Leona but from Jinai herself.

    Trantors note:

    4/4

 Chapter 217: Great Chieftain (3)

    When I spontaneously epted it, Jinai looked at me with wide eyes and asked if I¡¯d gone crazy. It¡¯s a bit surprising that not someone else, but Jinai, reacted this way.

    Earlier, she was saying that it would be fine if she became the Great Chieftain, but when I epted it, she seemed really flustered.

    I wonder if she had some intention to provoke Balkan and Leona. From the way she widened her eyes, it seems she didn¡¯t anticipate this situation.

    I looked at her and, in an almost bewildered tone, asked,

    ¡°No. Just a while ago, you said you¡¯d be the Great Chieftain, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°It was just something I said. If we were to make someone like me the Great Chieftain, that country would be ruined.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    There was nothing I could say to her self-aware statement. I nced at Balkan beside me.

    Balkan had an expression of utter surprise at Jinai¡¯s dramatic change in attitude. Leona, too, seemed to be in a simr state, with her eyes wide open.

    I looked at Jinai, who appeared to be growing anxious, and nodded. It seems she really has no intention of bing the Great Chieftain.

    More than anything, it hasn¡¯t been long since I met Jinai. It¡¯s not like I can see the future¡­

    <i>¡®¡­I¡¯m a transmigrator not a prophet.¡¯</i>

    Let¡¯s just move on. Anyway, it¡¯s a bit strange for me to propose for her to be the Great Chieftain in just a few minutes.

    ¡°It¡¯s more like something I said casually. It hasn¡¯t been long since I met Jinai, and it¡¯s a bit odd to say something like this out of the blue, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°Is that so? I was quite surprised.¡±

    ¡°But, you know, it doesn¡¯t seem like a bad choice for Jinai to be the chieftain.¡±

    ¡°Are you crazy?¡±

    In the moment Jinai was about to rx, I affirmed it again, and she panicked once more. However, this time it was not a joke, but partly sincere.

    However, it would be good to investigate everything about her one by one. If I only listened to what was said, she may seem suitable for a ¡°king,¡± but the details were unknown.

    Moreover, Leona advised me to be careful with Jinai¡¯s slyness. This, too, could be a high-level psychological game. For now, it¡¯s a priority to probe and grasp Jinai¡¯s true intentions.

    ¡°Jinai, why did you say you raised the opposing faction?¡±

    ¡°To fix those damn traditions and customs. Because of the guys who overthrew their fathers, the entire Animers starved. Does it make sense to rob 50% of the taxes just to fill your own stomach? And some guy applied for a sacred duel a yearter and lost. In the end, we suffered for two years.¡±

    ¡°Ehem.¡±

    As Jinai grumbled in a voice full ofints, Balkan cleared his throat, as if he had nothing to say. It seems that the person who applied for a sacred duel against the tyrant was a member of the lion tribe.

    You can only take part in one sacred duel per year, so you can neither apply nor receive it for a year. Moreover, since the tyrant has won once again, they couldn¡¯t do anything and suffered for two years.

    If the tyrantmits tyranny, the price will be borne by the people. Two years may seem short, but when the scale grows to a national level, the suffering increases exponentially.

    ¡°Thanks to that, our tribe had nothing to eat, and that¡¯s why the hyenas created the opposition. So I thought, ¡®Oh, because of this darn tradition, we might all starve to death. We need to change the tradition.¡¯ With this thought.¡±

    ¡°A revolution, right?¡±

    ¡°Is that what you humans call it? Well, at least these guys know there¡¯s a problem with tradition, otherwise, things could have gotten a lot worse. The wise one did a great job.¡±

    If you only listen to it, it seems that the revolution was started with good intentions. But what should be focused on is the ¡®influence.¡¯

    Animers is a country founded by Hick, the nation¡¯s sponsor and founder, based on tradition. Naturally, there would be many people who follow that tradition, and there would be many who follow the philosophy of change like Jinai.

    She was even a hyena, a race faced deep-seated prejudices. If she personally raised influence, it means she has excellent political power.

    ¡°Because you¡¯re a hyena, it must have been difficult to build influence. How did you do it?¡±

    ¡°I put forward a different face. Theints weren¡¯t exclusive to our tribe. I gently manipted one noble tiger to represent us. Well, over time, it became clear that I was the representative.¡±

    ¡°It went well until then, didn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but they seemed burdened, and they disclosed every detail. Although it was a bit embarrassing, we managed to get through this level of betrayal without much trouble. Naturally, that guy also stepped down from his position.¡±

    She¡¯s a typical example of a ¡°courtier.¡± She respects the authority of the leader but secretly seeks power as the second-inmand.

    However, from her perspective, it¡¯s not a choice but a necessity. There are few who would follow someone with a bad reputation like a hyena, so she had to present another figure as the leader.

    As she is a hyena, she would probably be viewed as despicable and be criticized as treacherous, but at least from my perspective, she wasn¡¯t. She simply excelled in political skills.

    ¡°Well, there are many people following me now, and I¡¯m living quite a decent life. We must change those old traditions, but some things will remain unchanged.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ is that so? What about Balkan?¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t trust a suspicious woman.¡±

    ¡°What about Leona?¡±

    ¡°The same. I can¡¯t trust her at all because we can¡¯t see through her true intentions.¡±

    Despite their continued skepticism, Jinai simply shrugged her shoulders and didn¡¯t seem to care. In many ways, she showed characteristics of a courtier, making it challenging to fully trust her.

    So, what about her real abilities? Her political skills have been roughly proven, but we need to look elsewhere.

    The first question is how she grew her influence. Not the politics part, but the funds.

    Even someone with deeply held beliefs can lose their willpower if theyck basic resources. Throughout history, having abundant resources often leads to better results.

    The opposing faction of Animers was no different. If the country was in turmoil and other tribes joined the opposing faction to prevent it, but received no support there, their numbers would decrease, and their influence naturally would weaken. If they were a faction strong enough to directly oppose tradition, they must certainly have arge budget.

    ¡°So, Jinai, how did you grow and sustain the opposing faction? It must have required a lot of resources.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that? I just sweet-talked the people above to get their support. By the way, I also took a little from them.¡±

    Jinai pointed to the Balkan with his finger, wearing her characteristic sly smile. Balkan appeared ufortable with that gesture. When I shifted my gaze to him, he let out a long breath and spoke with a nonchnt voice.

    ¡°¡­It was the chieftains, not us, right? Jinai gave bribes to the chieftains to get information and then used that as a basis for profit.¡±

    ¡°Information? What kind of information was it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s simple. We bought and sold thend that only the chieftains knew about in advance. We also bought all the goodsing from abroad and sold them at high prices. Right now, thanks to Xenon¡¯s Biography, we¡¯re making a fortune selling it to the beastmen.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    What Jinai mentioned was profiteering and hoarding, especially in the case of Xenon¡¯s Biography, it was so serious that the Minerva Empire has even legited against hoarding. However, considering the current international legal framework, it¡¯s uncertain if these concepts apply to Animers. Even without considering that, Jinai¡¯s actions were illegal or at least hical.

    The reason she can openly dere this might be due to the absence of properws. Animers has only been around for just over 300 years, so there might be weaknesses here and there. Jinai cunningly exploited these weaknesses. In many ways, her abilities are remarkable.

    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re saying I didn¡¯t put some extra money in my pocket? I do have a legitimate sry, too.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s strange to hear the word ¡®sry¡¯ from your mouth.¡±

    ¡°Is it? Anyway, I¡¯ve used this approach to build connections and gather resources to strengthen the opposition. No one else stepped up, so I did it, and anyone else could have done the same.¡±

    Upon hearing this, I immediately replied.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just be the chieftain?¡±

    ¡°Are you crazy? I told you I won¡¯t be the chieftain. How many times do I have to say it?¡±

    ¡°No matter how you look at it, it seems like Jinai is the most suitable person for the chieftain position, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    Jinai was the epitome of a courtier, and not just any but one with exceptional abilities. Like with the chieftains, she build connections with high-ranking officials through bribery, and she has the ability to manage resources. She ims that anyone else could do it, but I don¡¯t think so. It¡¯s probably because she has a natural talent for it that she can engage in suchrge-scale corruption with ease.

    Above all, she is well-versed in the current situation, and her vision was exceptional. No matter how excellent the information is, it¡¯s meaningless if the usercks intelligence.

    In that sense, there is no deficiency in Jinai bing the current Animers¡¯ chieftain. Instead, we should use her intelligence for the country¡¯s progress.

    ¡°Even if you say that, the lions won¡¯t tolerate it, will they? We would be cing a hyena as our head.¡±

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s frightening. If I make a mistake, I might get bitten right away.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I think it¡¯s right for you to be the chieftain. You won¡¯t go crazy andmit tyranny even if just because you might get bitten. Besides, the sacred duel has changed.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    After hearing my words, Balkan seemed to have a change in his mindset. Seeing this, Jinai became anxious and said urgently.

    ¡°Hey, hey, you¡¯re not seriously considering it, are you? You know that what I said is nonsense, too.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ honestly, there is no one as suitable to be the chieftain after observing your tactics for the past four years. However, not only our siblings but also the people will surely resist it.¡±

    ¡°Is, is that so? See, it wouldn¡¯t be good for me to be chieftain. There might be another rebellion.¡±

    When Balkan mentioned practical issues, Jinai showed a relieved reaction. Even if she had the ability, if Jinai became the chieftain, there would likely be more talk within Animers.

    She was of a tribe not well-regarded in general, the hyenas, and she hadmitted various wrongdoings. But here, Leona dealt a blow to Jinai.

    ¡°You bribed the n leaders earlier, didn¡¯t you? We can use those people.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    At Leona¡¯s words, Balkan, and of course, Jinai, widened their eyes. Now that I thought about it, they could use that.

    Meanwhile, Leona, calmly endured the gazes directed at her, looked directly at Jinai and voiced her thoughts.

    ¡°You bribed the n leaders earlier to buy information, right? Do it the same way. ¡®If I be the chieftain, I¡¯ll show favor to your tribe¡¯, or something like that and you can gently persuade them.¡±

    ¡°But won¡¯t those guys try to stop me from bing the chieftain? They¡¯re stubborn guys with strong pride.¡±

    ¡°Why bother stopping them? If we push, the other n leaders will follow along easily. Right?¡±

    Leona sought Balkan¡¯s agreement. It seemed that Balkan had also organized his thoughts, as he nodded in agreement with her words.

    ¡°Leona is right. The noble ns are already on your side, and the low ns won¡¯t get involved in this kind of thing.¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡±

    When Jinai was still unable to regain herposure due to the siblings¡¯ joint attack, I added one more thing.

    ¡°And it doesn¡¯t matter if Jinai bes the Great Chieftain, her political influence has already been proven as she has built his power base and polished her connections. If Jinai bes the chieftain, do you think other n leaders would dare to think of corruption? With Jinai as the n leader?¡±

    ¡°¡­The methods of the n leaders are too simplistic. They wouldn¡¯t even know if you secretly took something.¡±

    ¡°See? Honestly, Jinai does have a desire to be the Great Chieftain right?¡±

    Jinai¡¯s heart was gradually tilting towards bing the chieftain. Jinai, with an expression that seemed to be in deep thought, let out a sigh and replied with a reluctant voice.

    ¡°¡­I guess a little.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°But! I¡¯m not going to be the Great Chieftain. I will stick close to the n leaders and discreetly take what I can. Humans call it embezzlement, right?¡±

    Jinai openly identified as an embezzler. It seems that she was feeling threatened, as she may be the chieftain, so she threatened to embezzle. It was a statement that couldpletely erode trust. I listened to his words silently and then turned to Balkan and asked.

    ¡°Is that so? Are you going to keep him by your side?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d rather keep him under me so he can¡¯t do anything. If he bes the tribe leader, there will be nothing left to embezzle.¡±

    ¡°I have simr thoughts. It¡¯s better to prevent any embezzlement in the first ce. The kingdom would be like your property; why would you steal from it?¡±

    ¡°If she embezzles, it would probably be the people¡¯s food. But we can prevent that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll trust only you guys.¡±

    It had no effect at all. Jinai, watching the scene, made a baffled expression and covered her face with one hand.

    ¡°Damn it, this isn¡¯t it.¡±

    ¡°Congrattions. You¡¯ll be the Great Chieftain you¡¯ve dreamed of.¡±

    ¡°You shut up.¡±

    It seems like it will be resolved well.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 218: Great Chieftain (4)

    The proceedings were as casual as roasting beans in a lightning fire, but the position of the chieftain couldn¡¯t be decided haphazardly. It was concluded that Jinai would be the chieftain to some extent, but it wasn¡¯t 100% certain. As Balkan mentioned, it would take some time to carefully coordinate the opinions of the noble tribes and the people.

    However, the original goal of resolving Leona¡¯s chieftain issue had been sessfully achieved, so there was relief. Leona had some concerns about the possibility of Jinai bing the chieftain, but she appeared relieved.

    ¡°If I really be the chieftain, then you¡¯ll see.¡±

    ¡°People who say such things are usually the least scary.¡±

    It was an unexpected turn of events that Jinai, who was in danger of bing the chieftain, was posing a non-intimidating threat to me. Nevertheless, my reaction was more annoyance at getting entangled in a troublesome matter, rather than anger.

    If Jinai truly possesses the abilities I imagine, then it¡¯s not just empty words. She could govern Animers more wisely. She often expressed discontent with tradition, has exceptional political skills, and a long-term vision. So, even though it may be difficult, she could potentially be the Great Chieftain.

    I suddenly felt a sense of relief and for a moment, the customs of the beastmen came to mind. I remembered hearing before that if Leona were to be the n leader, she would have to bear my child.

    So, could the same be true for Jinai? As this thought crossed my mind, I felt my expression waver, and with a slightly anxious voice, I asked.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, but I heard from Leona before. If she were to be the chieftain, there¡¯s a tradition that she would have to bear my child as a reward, right? So, if Jinai bes the chieftain¡­¡±

    ¡°Why not? Should I bear your child too?¡±

    It already seemed like I was in a tough spot when Jinai asked in a tone that felt like a sharp jab. I immediately shook my head in response.

    I helped Leona get away from the chieftain¡¯s position because I didn¡¯t want to treat her like a pawn. Above all, forming a rtionship with someone who had an animal face was far from my preference.

    Jinai, upon seeing my reaction, smirked and shrugged her shoulders to ease my anxiety.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t really follow those traditions. Don¡¯t humans prefer material things more? I can give you expensive jewelry or something.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fortunate.¡±

    ¡°Fortunate? Why does that sound like it bothers you? Even though I look like this, I¡¯ve received manypliments within the Animers, you know?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because I have a lover.¡±

    It seemed my reasonable excuse had worked, as Jinai nodded while watching me silently. She disliked rigid traditions, so she seemed unfazed by it.

    By the way, it was fascinating how that animal face fit into the category of beauty in Animers. Differences in culture never ceased to amaze me. In my past life, beauty standards varied across cultures and eras, so this was probably something simr. I wondered if Leona was also part of the less attractive category in Animers.

    While lost in such pointless thoughts, Jinai spoke up.

    ¡°If you have a lover, there¡¯s nothing you can do about it. I have five husbands, so it would be awkward for me if you asked me to pair up with you.¡±

    ¡°You have five husbands?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, because I have both good abilities and strength. It¡¯s natural for males to fight over me.¡±

    Originally, hyenas form a matriarchal society, with females beingrger and much stronger than males. It seems like this was a fact that applies to the world as well.

    Furthermore, hyenas have a mating culture that might be described as chaotic. However, it seems not to be the case as she mentioned having a husband.

    Jinai looked at me with an admiring gaze, as if finding me intriguing, and confidently spoke.

    ¡°Why? Are you in love, by any chance? If you want, I can do it for you at least once.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but your face is far from my type.¡±

    Still, not an animal face. This is a preference that won¡¯t change even if I die ande back to life.

    Unless there were only animal ears and a tail attached to a human-like Leona, at least not a face like Jinai¡¯s with a snout and a close resemnce to an animal.

    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s strange. Do you really have a preference for a face like Miss Leona¡¯s?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Me, me?¡±

    In response to the short and bewildered question, Leona replied with a surprised voice. What¡¯s there to be surprised about?

    In fact, I had more questions. Leona spent time at the Halo Academy, so she should have some knowledge of human culture. So, it¡¯s a bit unusual that she¡¯s so amazed by the fact that the aesthetic sense of the Beastmen and humans waspletely different.

    At least in my eyes, Leona¡¯s beauty was quite impressive. Unlike Marie or Cecily, she was not shy and had a wild, almost primal appeal of her own.

    ¡°Why are you surprised? You¡¯re a beauty by human standards, too, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Really? I didn¡¯t know that. I thought my face was, at best, average by human standards.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ I can see why you might think that.¡±

    The Halo Academy has a higher proportion of nobilitypared tomoners, and nobles often tend to have looks that far surpass the average.

    There was a reason for Leona to think that way. Even though there are people who work within the academy, Leona usually keeps to herself, dedicated to her studies.

    <i>¡®A person like that asked me to pet her as a sign of affection¡­¡¯</i>

    Surprisingly,pliments about her face seemed to have an effect on Leona. Her face blushed slightly. Judging by the way her ears drooped, it was quite clear. Unlike when she confidently said she would be my wife and bear my child, she now appeared somewhat embarrassed. It was a rare sight.

    I silently gazed at her, then shifted my gaze forward and asked a rted question,

    ¡°Are faces like Jinai or Balkan popr?¡±

    ¡°Yes, they are. I¡¯m sorry to say this, but at least by our standards, Leona¡¯s face is quite far from the ideal. Of course, everyone has their own preferences, so you can also consider it as a matter of cultural differences.¡±

    ¡°What about Leona¡¯s mother?¡±

    ¡°¡­Our father didn¡¯t really discriminate much. Leona¡¯s mother has a face that is close to human, just like Leona.¡±

    How carnivorous. As expected, there are various people in the world, and with thates a variety of preferences. Nevertheless, thanks to that, she was able to enter Halo Academy, so she can consider it a good result in her own way. If she had an animal-like face, she might not have even attempted such a thing.

    ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s end the conversation here for today. You really do share some wise stories.¡±

    ¡°Me? Not at all?¡±

    ¡°Keep your lips sealed. It¡¯s not entirely confirmed yet, so I hope you won¡¯t grumble.¡±

    ¡°If you take it positively, then I appreciate that.¡±

    The issues rted to the great chieftain were settled more or less, albeit with some difficulties. Jinai seemed somewhat dissatisfied, but Balkan brushed it off with ease.

    And Leona¡­

    ¡°Am I¡­ pretty?¡±

    The words I had spoken earlier still seemed to linger in her mind, and her thoughts were still elsewhere. She was trying to control her blushing face by covering her cheeks with her hands, but it didn¡¯t have much effect.

    I decided that I should remain silent when I saw that. However, Balkan¡¯s tone was somewhat different, and he called Leona¡¯s name in a serious voice.

    ¡°Leona.¡±

    ¡°Uh, yes? You called?¡±

    ¡°I understand your thoughts well. We should abolish the idea of making you the chieftain.¡±

    ¡°T-Thank you.¡±

    ¡°But we should offer somepensation to the sage. Sage.¡±

    Perhaps he¡¯s changed his thoughts or anticipated something after hearing our conversation. If that¡¯s the case, he would consider my rtionship with Leona more carefully.

    ¡°For now, we¡¯ll rely on you to take good care of Leona. I hope you¡¯ll wait until after she graduates from the academy to have a child. Can you provide that level of consideration?¡±

    ¡°¡­I understand.¡±

    Of course, the Lions of Animers, who lived and died by tradition, wouldn¡¯t care about that kind of thing. I was a fool to think a brief conversation could change his mind.

    Balkan, who had smiled contentedly as if he had made the right choice now, shifted his gaze to Leona. Perhaps because it had be an established fact that we couldn¡¯t do anything, Leona was visibly tense now.

    ¡°Leona, you also need to live wisely like your mother. Even if she was the third wife, she¡¯s been a great help to our father.¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±

    ¡°Good. We¡¯ll send your mother to the academy soon. After all, she should at least see the face of the man you¡¯ll be married to.¡±

    The matchmaking was progressing smoothly. It seems that now it¡¯s best to let go of all concerns and ept itfortably. However, if I do ept Leona, I¡¯ll have to tell her the fact that I am Xenon. I¡¯ll exin this gradually, so there shouldn¡¯t be a problem. But there¡¯s a bigger challenge remaining.

    <i>¡®How should I tell Adelia¡­¡¯ </i>

    Adelia. Since herst duel with Hiriya, Adeliaa confessed her feelings to me. She promised to protect me no matter what, even if I don¡¯t ept her feelings.

    That¡¯s how it is. If I ept Leona, it will deeply hurt Adelia¡¯s feelings. Her personality is delicate, and even if she pretends to be fine on the outside, she might secretly burst into tears. So, once Balkan and Jinai leave, I n to let Leona know about this. Let¡¯s take bing lovers slowly.

    ¡°We¡¯ll go now. You can talk privately and confirm each other¡¯s feelings.¡±

    ¡°Farewell. If I truly be the chieftain, I¡¯ll provide you with some jewelry.¡±

    While saying this, Balkan and Jinai seemed to have nothing more to discuss, as they immediately got up from their seats. Leona and I also tried to stand up to see them off. However, Balkan gestured that there was no need for a farewell. Despite feeling it was impolite, I had no choice but to remain seated after hearing Balkan¡¯s words.

    ¡°No need for that. It¡¯s customary for beastmen to leave immediately once the topic of conversation is done unless there¡¯s another topic to discuss. Humans call this ¡®in and out,¡¯ I believe.¡±

    ¡°I think I have a rough idea.¡±

    ¡°Your wisdom is truly remarkable. Let¡¯s be on our way.¡±

    Afterwards, Balkan and Jinai left, leaving only Leona and me in the room. Unlike before, there was a strange awkwardness hanging in the air.

    Up until now, we had a rtionship that could be described as that of ordinary friends, but soon, we would be a married couple. Leona seemed to be hesitating to speak, perhaps aware of this fact.

    I cautiously opened my mouth in response to the subtle atmosphere, clearing my throat.

    No, it was the moment I was about to open my mouth.

    ¡°¡­Hey.¡±

    ¡°Leona¡­ Yes?¡±

    ¡°Do you really think I¡¯m pretty?¡±

    Suddenly, when Leona asked if she was pretty out of the blue, I couldn¡¯t help but be taken aback. However, Leona seemed somewhat serious, looking me straight in the eye.

    Before I knew it, her upright ears and her distinct sharp gaze were in contrast, creating a unique charm. The blush on her cheeks, as well as her unique contrasting appeal, were evident.

    I stared quietly at Leona, as I looked at her perky ears. While she may not be shy or distant, her beauty was enriched in its own way.

    Particrly, her ears sticking out above her head were the highlight of her charm. Even though it may be far from fierceness, it was the embodiment of a different kind of cuteness. Who could call this appearance ugly?

    ¡°Of course, you are. At least in my eyes.¡±

    ¡°More than your other lovers?¡±

    ¡°Comparing like that is wrong. They have their own beauty, and you have your own beauty. You are just as beautiful as they are.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    It was a sincere statement without a hint of falsehood. Just like Marie has her own unique qualities and Cecily has her own unique traits, Leona has her own distinct characteristics.

    Leona seems to have realized that there¡¯s no falsehood in my words, as she started blushing more fervently and fidgeting with her ears. After staring at my face for a while, she eventually averted her gaze. asionally, her trembling golden eyes and quivering lips gave off an embarrassed appearance.

    ¡°Th-thank you. It feels weird hearing it from you.¡±

    ¡°You could have heard it from someone else if not me. But first, Leona.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, go ahead.¡±

    ¡°Actually¡­ I have something to tell you.¡±

    As soon as I had the chance, I brought up the topic rted to Adelia. When a story about a different woman, not Marie and Cecily, came up, Leona also showed her curiosity.

    Of course, I briefly exined her situation, leaving out the fact that Adelia was a royal bastard child of the Ters Kingdom. I didn¡¯t tell Marie and Cecily either. Originally, I had nned to reveal everything about Adelia when I fully epted her, but Leona was a new variable, so I had no choice.

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s going to be difficult to ept her right away. She confessed to me, and Adelia also awaits in that position.¡±

    ¡°Why not just ept her?¡±

    ¡°There are circumstances here. I will exin little by little. So, can you wait?¡±

    In response to my request, Leona blinked a few times and replied as if she couldn¡¯t understand.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter to me. I¡¯ll start being your wife when that happens.¡±

    ¡°¡­You can wait?¡±

    ¡°Why can¡¯t I wait? If you think so, that¡¯s how it should be. You obey the male. That¡¯s the basic family system for beastmen.¡±

    Ah, that¡¯s right. She was a beastwoman, wasn¡¯t she? I feel like I¡¯ve been overthinking this for no reason, and I feel like a fool. Still, I can¡¯t help but feel grateful for her kindness. She could have taken it negatively, but she just brushed it off as if it were nothing.

    Feeling thankful to her, I slowly reached out and gently stroked her head. Last time, she made the first move, but this time, I extended my hand first. In other words, I¡¯m also expressing affection. Leona seemed to have noticed the meaning, her eyes widening briefly, and then she smiled and leaned her head against my hand.

    ¡°Purr, purr.¡±

    As I pet her head, Leona purred contentedly, just like a cat. She¡¯s always more like a cat than a lion.

    After that, the tail shaped like a paintbrush swayed, stirring up the desire to touch it. However, it was said that touching the tail was only possible after bing a couple, so I endured the urge.

    As we continued to express our affection for each other for a while, Leona, who I really liked, lifted her head, purring. It felt like an adorable cat looking up at me.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Then do you n to mate with that female afterward?¡±

    At the mention of mating, my hand, which had been stroking, abruptly stopped. Even when referring to a man and a woman, it seemed like beastmen called it a male and a female, even in the context of sexual intercourse.

    I was taken aback by the direct question, but I regained myposure. I already knew that Leona had a straightforward personality, so I didn¡¯t fumble.

    ¡°Maybe so, right? It might take a while.¡±

    ¡°Alright. That¡¯s a bit disappointing. I wanted to start in three days if possible.¡±

    ¡°Three days? Why?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s when the estrus begins.¡±

    ¡°¡­Estrus?¡±

    Once again, I was taken aback by the word ¡°estrus.¡±

    (TL: estrus ¨C a recurring period of sexual receptivity and fertility in many female mammals; heat.)

    I could guess what it meant just by hearing it, but I needed a more detailed exnation.

    In response, Leona, still in my embrace, exined about estrus.

    ¡°Beastmen go into estrus at specific intervals. If wepare it to humans, you could call it a menstrual cycle. In my case, as a lion beastwoman and taking after my mother, ites around about once a month. It¡¯s somewhat simr to a human¡¯s menstrual cycle.¡±

    ¡°¡­So, does that mean your sexual desire surges during that time?¡±

    ¡°Exactly. The reason beastmen can¡¯t control their instincts is because of estrus. I wanted to try it with you since we¡¯re getting married anyway. Besides, contraception is an option, right?¡±

    ¡°W-Well, yes. But still, we can¡¯t.¡±

    Leona seemed to understand and confidently brushed it off, despite my unease. It appeared that she just wanted to test the waters.

    I briefly found relief in her consent, but soon, the worst-case scenario that coulde in the future crossed my mind.

    <i>¡®Wait a minute. So, if Cecily¡¯s evil cycle and Leona¡¯s estrus were to ovep¡­¡¯</i>

    I needed to prepare for that situation, even if just to be ready for it. Otherwise, not only my physical strength but even my very life could bepletely drained.

    Of course, I also had to put more effort into writing to better receive divine power. Originally, I had nned to take it easy, but now I had to write to survive.

    <i>¡®¡­Now, I have to write to survive.¡¯ </i>

    Readers might enjoy it, but for me, it¡¯s a sad reality.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 219: New Star (1)

    Since theunch of Xenon¡¯s Biography, the publishingpany that made a contract with the Michelle family has been experiencing increasing sales with each passing day.

    Before the release of the 12th volume, it was mainly popr among humans and demons, but now it was being sold like hotcakes to all races. Giant tradingpanies from all over the world were making efforts to secure contracts with the publishingpany by any means necessary, and thepany¡¯s CEO asionally took bribes while trying to make the most profit.

    Originally, Isaac was supposed to personally visit the publishingpany to make the contract, but due to the risk of his identity being exposed, he delegated the authority from the time of the contract. The copyright was definitely with Isaac, but the sales management was in the hands of the CEO.

    Therefore, if the CEO decides, he could falsify them, but surprisingly, he doesn¡¯t. Why?

    Even without that, because it was selling so well, there was no ¡®need¡¯ to steal any money from it. To be honest, he did take a bit when it was first sold. But as time passed, he stopped that act, given that the revenueing in from the publishing house was more than enough to make a living.

    The ountant in charge of managing the publisher¡¯s revenue was so overwhelmed that they submitted their resignation letter several times. It¡¯s a job that can drive you crazy even if you manage to get through a day¡¯s worth of work because the work keeps piling up.

    It¡¯s aborious task that requires manual work for each and every step, and, in addition to that, managing the publisher¡¯s kickbacks. Of course, the CEO, while gently letting the ountant slide, also soothed them with cash treatment.

    He didn¡¯t forget to recruit more staff to assist the ountant¡¯s work. The ountant was one of the most critical roles after all.

    As Xenon¡¯s Biography wasunched, the profits they made were beyond words,parable to the wealth of a duke. In the Minerva Empire, the ss with the most wealth was the dukes, so you can get a rough idea of how much that is.

    Money rolled in just by breathing. Even though there are many expenses in various ces, there is enough capital to cover them.

    In other words, if the CEO wants to buy a carriage, he can just stand still for a few seconds. In fact, there have been times like that.

    While happy days continued day by day, the publisher¡¯s CEO couldn¡¯t be happy all the time. It might be a bit surprising to hear this from someone who loved money so much. The reason for this was nothing but the hardships the CEO has experienced up to now.

    When a new Xenon¡¯s Biography volume is published, it will definitely sell. However, turning this statement around, it means that books other than Xenon¡¯s Biography are struggling. The books before Xenon¡¯s Biography was published were so difficult to read that even nobles found them challenging. It was not just the readability, but also understanding what the story was about that was difficult.

    The only rtively easy ones were the few essays that adventurers wrote themselves. Since the adventurer¡¯s experiences were shared as they were seen and felt, they were quite popr. As Isaac evaluated it, it may be simple, but it¡¯s just as entertaining.

    However, even their demand fell far shortpared to Xenon¡¯s Biography. For the time being, Xenon¡¯s Biography will sustain them, but things will change once it¡¯spleted. If Xenon¡¯s Biography reaches its conclusion, the profits could hit rock bottom, not just drop. The current story seems to be around the middle, sopleting it within a year would be quite challenging.

    Therefore, they should start transitioning into the next phase as soon as possible. The publishingpany¡¯s CEO, who has a keen sense for the smell of money, was well aware of this. Besides the frequent pressure from the nobles and the recent publication hiatus due to a major theft and the elves who have recently visited the publishingpany that have caused significant trouble. No matter how strong someone¡¯s mental fortitude may be, they can¡¯t help but feel unwell somedays.

    For these reasons, the CEO made one decision: to focus on something other than Xenon¡¯s Biography. Even though it may not bear fruit immediately, another bestseller might emerge eventually. Thanks to Xenon¡¯s Biography, the percentage of people reading books has increased, so they will produce something new sooner orter.

    ¡°Sigh¡­¡±

    Certainly, it wasn¡¯t easy at all. The CEO let out a sigh as he counted his money.

    Looking down between his covered hands, he noticed a thick manuscript. The meticulous handwriting suggested that someone had put a lot of effort into it. This manuscript was not part of Xenon¡¯s Biography but rather the work of an aspiring writer. While one might assume it would be included in Xenon¡¯s Biography, the publishing house was a distinct entity. Manuscripts were turned into books that could be sold. That was the basic job of a publishing house.

    ¡°Starting from the basics anding here¡­¡±

    The bossmented while looking at the manuscript on his desk. Even he was unsure of it. He had been sent the manuscript by mail, and the result was, unfortunately, clear. The readability was abysmal, and the writing was quiteplex. In fact, it was more like paragraphs than sentences, with each sentence being quite long.

    This was amon mistake made by beginner writers. Writing sentences that are overly long and meandering. As the CEO of a publishingpany, he¡¯s witnessed countless authors make this mistake. Even if the story is good, people won¡¯t read it well in such cases.

    So, this manuscript was, without a doubt, rejected. He read it all the way through out of respect, but his head involuntarily shook.

    ¡°Why does this keep happening¡­¡±

    The CEO pushed the manuscript far away, burying his head in his hands. In the past year, stress had built up to the point where he felt he might go bald. Thankfully, it had all been resolved with financial therapy, so there was no need to worry about that.

    Ever since the Xenon series became a worldwide sensation, there was a craze where everyone wanted to be an author, but there was nothing noteworthy. No matter how good their readability and sentence structure were, imitating them was a different story.

    However, there were authors who elevated their own writing skills through ¡®transcription.¡¯ Moreover, Xenon¡¯s Biography has a writing style that anyone can replicate if they try, making even the act of ¡®transcription¡¯ easy.

    However, the real challenge was how to make your writing skills, honed through ¡®transcription,¡¯ stand out from the rest. Especially after the 12th volume, Xenon¡¯s Biography is almost treated as prophecy. Not to mention Isaac, who is being revered as a saint.

    Is there a book with simr writing skills to Xenon¡¯s Biography being published here? Frankly, it¡¯s not a problem if the writing skills themselves are simr, as long as the story is different.

    The biggest issue is theck of courage to ¡°dare¡± to follow suit. Unless you¡¯re in a world where social civilization is highly developed it can be problematic.

    But here, there is a king who reigns over the country, nobles who govern their territories under the king¡¯smand, andmoners living within those territories. It¡¯s a clear ss-based society.

    In a ss-based society, there is a sense of ¡®honor¡¯ that must never be tarnished. Especially if someone tarnishes the honor of a noble or higher, they may face immediate judgment, and there would be little room forint.

    So, if you were to write a book simr to Xenon¡¯s Biography, even if the story is different, there would be an underlying anxiety about harming Xenon¡¯s honor.

    Even if you were to publish it while concealing my status, you should be prepared to receive a lot of criticism.

    As amoner who was also immersed in the new culture of ¡®capitalism,¡¯ I couldn¡¯t understand them.

    ¡°Should I write a letter¡­ or maybe not. But I still feel uneasy¡­¡±

    However, he didn¡¯t entirely not know. In my heart, he wanted to write a letter to Xenon and ask for this favor.

    From the publisher¡¯s perspective, it¡¯s not good to focus solely on the Xenon series, so can¡¯t they at least say a few words? He wanted to ask if they can be lenient for the sake of those authors who nurtured their dreams while reading Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    He wanted to say these things, but the CEO knew Xenon¡¯s true identity. It¡¯s strange that they don¡¯t know, considering they signed the contract themselves. If he were amoner, it might be understandable, but Isaac was a noble. Even though he¡¯s a baron, the CEO should know his ce and not make demands.

    In truth, when he received the manuscript for the new volumest time, he had some greedy thoughts, so he subtly made a request. Since the volume was too long, he asked if they could split it into two and release it. He emphasized the quantity without mentioning the benefit to the publisher. However, the response that came back was a resolute and firm rejection.

    That one rejection made the CEO hesitate. He wanted to gather the courage to try just one more time, but he was unsure whether it was crossing a line or if it was okay.

    ¡°Hoo¡­¡±

    The CEO let out a sigh as he nced at the manuscript he had pushed aside. It seemed like he needed to write a letter first in order to send that back.

    As the CEO opened the desk drawer to retrieve some stationery and a pen.

    Knock knock knock

    [CEO? It¡¯s me, Matthew. May Ie in?]

    ¡°Oh, yes. Pleasee in.¡±

    Recently promoted to the position of secretary was a man named Matthew. As soon as the CEO recognized that the person knocking was Matthew, he immediately granted entry.

    The door opened, and in came a tidier-looking Matthew, who had adopted a more polished appearance. Originally, Matthew had yed the role of a liaison between Xenon and the publishing house, but he excelled at his work, and his demeanor was impable, making him the perfect fit for a secretary.

    Furthermore, he had realized that taking up the role of a secretary would spare him from the grueling ¡®on-duty¡¯ hours that had previously been a part of his job.

    ¡°Alright. What brings you here this time? Perhaps¡­?¡±

    The CEO asked with a subtle tone of anticipation. Matthew didn¡¯t visit the CEO¡¯s office unless it was something important. And, when it came to important news, it was inevitably rted to Xenon¡¯s affairs. There wasn¡¯t much else to talk about, so the CEO could only anticipate.

    The 16th volume was revealed to the world not too long ago, but the CEO had noticed an eleration in the recent writing speed.

    ¡°It¡¯s not rted to Xenon¡¯s Biography¡­ well, we can say it¡¯s rted to Xenon.¡±

    ¡°Hmm? What do you mean by that? Are you saying that what¡¯s in the mail isn¡¯t Xenon¡¯s Biography?¡±

    The CEO inquired as he pointed to the item nestled in Matthew¡¯s armpit. If it wasn¡¯t Xenon¡¯s Biography, then what could it be?

    Matthew, disying a puzzled look that even he found unsettling, handed over not a piece of mail but a letter. The CEO epted the letter without any particr suspicion.

    The sender of the letter was, as expected, Xenon. Nevertheless, the fact that what was contained in that mail wasn¡¯t the manuscript of Xenon¡¯s Biography was somewhat perplexing.

    In any case, he should check the letter. The CEO read the letter with a puzzled expression.

    [Hello, Mr. Musk. It¡¯s me, Xenon. I¡¯m writing to you not with a Xenon¡¯s Biography this time, but with a manuscript written by someone I hold dear.]

    From the first sentence, his eyes widened. The CEO blinked his eyes a few times at the unbelievable words.

    Usually, when Xenon sent letters, he conveyed what he wanted to say to ¡®readers,¡¯ not himself. He was nothing more than a representative who would rify Xenon¡¯s intentions.

    But this letter was clearly speaking to him. The CEO looked at the letter with a bewildered expression, then turned his head to look at Matthew.

    More precisely, at the mail tucked between Matthew¡¯s armpits. The CEO stared at the mail for a moment, then, with a sudden movement, he turned his head and read the letter.

    [If you happen to see the manuscript, you might feel that it is simr to my Xenon¡¯s Biography. It¡¯s inevitable because the author wrote as they read my writing. However, if you sense warmth and see beautiful sentences, you will feel that it¡¯s different. Originally, this could have been a story that came into the world a bit earlier, but unfortunately, it fell through due to personal circumstances. I can guarantee it¡¯s fun with my honor on the line, so please give it a read.]

    I guarantee it¡¯s fun without a doubt. This is none other than Xenon, the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography, saying this. He was even willing to stake his honor on it.

    This alone is enough to make the CEO¡¯s heart swell, but there was a practical issue ¨C the ¡°copyright contract.¡± No matter how excellent the manuscript is, it¡¯s pointless if you can¡¯t secure the contract. Even if you engage in various forms of misconduct, including tax evasion, this aspect was managed meticulously.

    He furrowed his brow slightly, pondered for a moment, and decided to start by reading the rest of the letter. The contractual matters could be dealt with gradually, and that would be enough.

    [This child¡¯s pen name is ¡®Mary.¡¯ As you know, sir, she is Xenon¡¯s lover, but in reality, we are not in a romantic rtionship, so please do not misunderstand. I simply decided to protect her. Finally, I have something to say.]

    The pen name is Mary, or whatever, let¡¯s put all that aside and focus on thest paragraph.

    [As I read this manuscript and met this child, one thought came to my mind. There are countless sprouts in the world, but they are often trampled upon or wither away without ever blooming. The world may call me a prophet, a saint, but I am just a mere writer. Culture is a beautiful creation that should be allowed for everyone without discrimination. There may be sprouts out there who are hesitant to show their courage just because their work resembles mine. So, please, Mr. Musk, tell them in my ce. I will permit them to try, and there is no need to be afraid. Of course, if someone copies my story verbatim, please deal with that sternly, but still, let them try to bloom. I would be grateful if you could convey this message.]

    [P.S. I hope the contract issues can be handled the same way as Xenon¡¯s Biography. We will visit separately soon, so please wait until then.]

    ¡°Haaa¡­¡±

    The CEO exhaled the breath he had been holding after reading the entire contents. Scratching the itchy parts had a refreshing effect, leaving an indescribable feeling gnawing at his mind.

    As if things weren¡¯t already troubling enough, he wondered how he could time this letter so perfectly. Moreover, he even handed over the manuscript that was mentioned as interesting, so the CEO couldn¡¯t be happier.

    ¡°Matthew.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    ¡°Hand over that manuscript for now.¡±

    A new star was rising.

    *****

    Meanwhile, Isaac¡­

    ¡°¡­So, how many wives is this now?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that this time. I¡¯m serious.¡±

    ¡°H, Hello¡­¡±

    He was arranging a meeting between his acquaintances and Cherry.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 220: New Star (2)

    This world allows for polygamy to some extent, but that doesn¡¯t mean it can be taken lightly. In order for a husband to take another woman, in other words, a concubine, he must obtain the wife¡¯s permission, and if not, it¡¯s considered adultery, which can¡¯t be condoned.

    However, the nobility fundamentally have a sense of being different frommoners and possess powerful authority, which makes their moral values rtively lower. As their power increases, this tendency bes stronger.

    For these reasons, high-ranking nobles are aware of their authority and power and engage in immoral actions. The absence of moral values in marital rtionships can have very serious consequences.

    Adultery is prevalent in noble society for these reasons, and the fact that rumors don¡¯t spread widely is also due to this. If someone takes steps to prevent loose talk, that¡¯s the end of it.

    Of course, when you look at it proportionally, there are many cases where even in arranged marriages, the partners hold each other in high regard. Arranged marriages are often like contractual rtionships, so if one party makes a mistake, the consequences can hurt them.

    Surprisingly, there are also cases where the wife encourages her husband to take a concubine. It might be because the wife has issues with bearing offspring or perhaps the husband¡¯s stamina and affection are so intense that it¡¯s difficult to ept it day by day.

    While the former might be understandable, thetter may sound somewhatical, but it happens more often than you might think in this world. Even young Isaac, who had only received basic knight training and had holy power, possessed the strength to overpower Cecily on their first night together.

    Even when Marie, who exploded with jealousy over Leona¡¯s situation, and Cecily, who had fun watching it, attacked in tandem, it took some effort, but he withstood it.

    I made some unnecessaryments for a moment, but the very fact that the jealous Marie couldn¡¯t help but feel a little dissatisfied. From the moment she epted Cecily, it had been quite a journey, and now, because of that darned culture, she had to ept Leona.

    Even though she had no sexual knowledge, there was even Kate, who tantly asked for a child. Instead, she foundfort in the fact that her human rtionships had copsed in a different sense.

    However, as Isaac¡¯s first lover and the person who would be his first wife in the future, it was only natural toin. If it were revealed in the distant future that Isaac was Xenon, there might be cases where she ¡®had to¡¯ ept another woman, but that wasn¡¯t the case now.

    Cecily was content with just being connected to Isaac, but Marie always felt a sense of crisis. With the atmosphere of Adelia, the knight escort, being unsettling enough, she absolutely couldn¡¯t ept the idea of another womaning into the picture.

    Receiving Isaac¡¯s sincere affection during the day and experiencing the pleasure mixed with affection at night was something she could never forget. As a result, she couldn¡¯t tolerate the thought of sharing that with someone else.

    At the same time, she felt fortunate. She was the first to learn about Isaac. If someone else had known first, she would have had to take a different approach.

    Furthermore, the fact that she was of noble descent as the future Duchess of Requilis added a solidyer of protection. Thanks to that alone, no other woman dared to approach Isaac.

    Not to mention, Isaac may not know it, but he was already quite famous within the ss. A year ago, he drew attention because of his uniquebination of red hair and golden eyes, but now, as he has grown into a charismatic young man, his attractiveness has risen even further.

    In fact, he¡¯s be the kind of guy that female ssmates talk about wanting to date at least once. Isaac, who is busy with his duties as a student assistant, remained oblivious to this fact, and asional rumors have heightened Marie¡¯s stress.

    Of course, even that stress disappears like melting snow the moment she sees Isaac¡¯s face. But sometimes, she lightly pinches Isaac¡¯s cheek for this very reason.

    ¡°¡­So, how many wives does this make?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡±

    But she had not expected a new student at all. Marie looked at Cherry, the girl with pink hair standing beside Isaac, and asked in a resigned voice.

    Isaac insisted it was all a misunderstanding, that he just wanted to introduce a junior he liked, and there was no ulterior motive. But Marie, as well as Cecily and Rina, who were watching, had skeptical expressions.

    There was another difference here. Cecily, in a situation simr to Marie¡¯s, couldn¡¯t help but force a smile in an awkward situation. However, Rina, being a third party, found it interesting and watched. She had always thought that watching a fire across the river was the most fun, and that was exactly the situation she was in now.

    In the meantime, Marie, full ofints, clenched her fist and looked up and down at Cherry, who was hesitating. Her height was average, but¡­ her chest was noticeablyrge, to the point of being striking.

    When she nced at Cecily¡¯s chest next to her, it was almost the same. Both of them were vehemently demanding that they be saved from their uniforms.

    Marie¡¯s chest was by no means small and wasrger than average, but these two were truly beyondparison. What could make them grow so big?

    Even Leona, who confidently dered herself as a wife, seemed, at first nce, to be about the same size as herself. Thanks to this newfound realization, Marie asked Isaac straightforwardly.

    ¡°Does Isaac like women with big breasts?¡±

    ¡°Why is that question suddenlying up?¡±

    ¡°Just answer first.¡±

    ¡°¡­I do like them.¡±

    Once again, he couldn¡¯t lie. Well, now that everything¡¯s out in the open, he probably won¡¯t.

    Marie looked at Isaac, who blushed slightly and answered, and she chuckled. She always liked that about him, his honesty. The face was just an essory.

    The question about how many wives he will have just asked was just a joke anyway, a kind of revenge. Given that he had been involved with so many womentely, partly due to jealousy, she decided to tease him a little.

    However, except for Cherry¡¯s slightly unusual condition, Marie couldn¡¯t help but notice. She shifted her gaze from Isaac, who was scratching his cheek ufortably, to Cherry.

    If you looked at her pink hair and eyes, it was clear that the Roseberry family, known as a philosophical lineage even within the Minerva Empire, had a unique style. If the Requilis family was known for their snow-white hair, the Roseberry family was all about pink.

    But, there was something, or rather, something wascking in her eyes. Whether it was ack of vitality or ack of enthusiasm, her eyes looked gloomy. Marie, who didn¡¯t know Cherry¡¯s situation, wondered if she had always been like that.

    ¡°Did you say your name is Cherry? Are you a freshman?¡±

    ¡°Y-yes¡­¡±

    Her voice was beautiful, just like her appearance, but there was no enthusiasm in it. Marie, as well as the others, wore expressions of curiosity as if they had noticed something strange about her.

    However, not knowing her situation well, Marie considered it as an aspect of her personality. After all, Isaac had introduced her, and they needed to find a ce to sit first.

    ¡°Let¡¯s move to another spot for now. Are we going to our usual ce?¡±

    ¡°That sounds good. Cherry?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    In response to Isaac¡¯s call, Cherry cautiously watched their reactions and waited for them to move first. It seemed like she intended to follow them rather than taking the lead. Even though there was a creed of equality within the academy, authority still held its ce. Marie was the daughter of the Duke of Requilis, Rina was a princess, and Cecily was the princess of Helium.

    Marie would have liked to invite Cherry to walk alongside them, but now there was Rina. In a situation where she didn¡¯t know anything about Cherry, it would be disrespectful to stand beside her without good reason.

    The result was that Cherry followed the group, trotting along behind them. asionally, she spoke, not ignoring Rina, but there was something slightly unusual about it.

    It was the fact that she followed only Isaac, just like a baby bird. She hadn¡¯t even kept her distance; she had approached so closely that it could be intimate. She seemed to want to touch Isaac¡¯s long hair and her hands even fidgeted.

    It was a suspicious sight to anyone, and not only Marie but Cecily also looked at it strangely. Isaac and Rina were in the middle of a conversation,pletely unaware of Cherry¡¯s close approach.

    So, without saying a word, Marie and Cecily simultaneously looked at each other. They didn¡¯t speak, but they understood what each other was thinking.

    That girl, Cherry, undoubtedly had romantic feelings for Isaac. They were women who loved the same man, so it was strange not to know.

    Right now, they needed Isaac¡¯s introduction, so they would remain silent for now, but if the opportunity arose, they would inquire. With such thoughts in mind, the two women moved on to the restaurant they frequented.

    After a while, they arrived at the restaurant, and just before opening the door and entering, Marie took the lead in what appeared to be some sort of operation(?).

    ¡°Ah, right. Isaac. Can I ask you for a favor?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the favor?¡±

    ¡°I think I left my pen in the ssroom. If you go with Rina, she¡¯ll know which one it is.¡±

    At the same time, Marie subtly signaled Rina as well. Although Rina was suddenly singled out, she quickly understood the situation and nodded her head.

    ¡°You mean that? Alright, I¡¯ll go with Isaac to look for it. I¡¯lle back if it¡¯s not there.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a relief if it¡¯s not there. You mentioned your name is Cherry, right? You can wait with us.¡±

    ¡°Oh, uh¡­¡±

    Perhaps she was anxious about the sudden situation of having to separate from Isaac. Cherry hesitated, ncing between Marie and Isaac. Her pink eyes, trembling like an earthquake, looked quite pitiful. However, the situation seemed to have taken a turn since meeting Isaac. Isaac pondered what to do and quietly replied.

    ¡°¡­Alright.¡±

    ¡°Great. Then we¡¯ll go in first.¡±

    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll be back quickly.¡±

    Time had passed. As Marie watched, Isaac and Rina walked away into the distance and waved them goodbye. Then, she looked at Cherry with a bright smile and urged her.

    ¡°Shall we go inside?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    Although she appeared somewhat uneasy, she followed Marie¡¯s lead. They followed their usual routine and found a soundproof room before taking their seats.

    Marie and Cecily sat side by side, leaving an empty space in the middle, across where Cherry ended up sitting. Cherry¡¯s self-esteem seemed to take a hit as she realized she wasn¡¯t sitting next to Isaac, and her head drooped.

    Marie gave her a puzzled look, and Cecily simply stared at her in silence. From their first impression, it was clear that Cherry had no self-confidence.

    Marie began to wonder what circumstances could lead a person like her to act as if she depended on Isaac. Growing more curious, Marie softly spoke up.

    ¡°Your name is Cherry, right? Cherry Blossom Roseberry. I¡¯ve heard of the Roseberry family. They¡¯re famous for their philosophy.¡±

    ¡°Uh, yes.¡±

    When Marie mentioned her family, Cherry responded with a tremble in her body. Her two hands lowered down, tightly grasping the hem of her skirt.

    Even from a distance, Marie could tell that Cherry was putting in effort to stay calm, so she stared at her without a word. In the past, she had met with Viscount Roseberry, who hade as an author, but he seemed like an ordinary nobleman one might encounter anywhere.

    He had the pride of a nobleman, but he was a unique man who tried to infuse his philosophy into everything. However, if Cherry¡¯s reaction was so intense, it seemed like his qualifications as a father weren¡¯t that great.

    ¡°How did you get to know Isaac?¡±

    ¡°¡­A letter.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°The letter¡­ there was a red hair¡­¡±

    At first, Marry couldn¡¯t understand what that meant when she heard it, but soon realized its meaning. It must be a story about red hair being found in the letter. And during winter break, when she briefly stayed at Isaac¡¯s mansion, they read the stack of fan letters piled high together. The same goes for Cecily, who was next to her.

    Among those letters was a letter sent by Cherry, the one with the pink envelope. Isaac said she was one of the fans who sent him letters regrly. He wrote a reply to her, but, given his clumsy nature, it seems the hair got in there at the time. It¡¯s not entirely impossible, but it was a bit absurd.

    ¡°Do you know who Isaac is, by any chance?¡±

    In response to Mary¡¯s bewildered question, Cherry simply nodded her head. Marie and Cecily exchanged looks of astonishment upon Cherry¡¯s affirmation. Expressions filled with mixed doubt as to how were reflected in their eyes. Being certain that a single strand of hair appeared on a letter was insufficient evidence, no matter how you look at it.

    ¡°Only with a single strand of hair? That doesn¡¯t make sense. Wait, did you keep that hair?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    The more they delved into it, the more difort they felt about the girl named Cherry. It¡¯s definitely not normal to keep a strand of hair when you would typically discard it.

    Unless you were a real stalker, it¡¯s impossible. Marie, sounding somewhat urgent, continued with her questions.

    ¡°Recognizing it with just that is not enough, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­Handwriting.¡±

    ¡°Handwriting?¡±

    ¡°The handwriting on the letter was exactly the same as Mr. Isaac¡¯s¡­¡±

    Isaac¡¯s handwriting was elegant like that of a noble and meticulous like that of a writer. Each word was clear, and even if he wrote hastily, it still exuded grace.

    But this couldn¡¯t be considered entirely normal either. How can someone have such confidence in recognizing just their handwriting when there are so many people in the world?

    The moment Marie realized that Cherry was quite different from the norm, she couldn¡¯t help but be stunned.

    Cherry, who had been fidgeting with her hands under the table, lifted her head to face the two women. In her distinctive, somber voice, she said.

    ¡°Isaac had partly approved. He found my manuscript interesting and said he would help.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Manuscript? What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°Were you a writer too?¡±

    When the word ¡°manuscript¡± was mentioned, not only Marie but also Cecily showed their curiosity. It seemed like this was probably the reason he wanted to introduce Cherry this time.

    Cherry, observing the curious expressions on the two women¡¯s faces, seemed hesitant to meet their gaze and lowered her head. Nevertheless, she wanted to speak and opened her mouth with a hesitant tone as if she wanted to be heard.

    ¡°My father¡­ He tore my manuscript to shreds without even looking at it, and he stomped on it. But I kept holding on with the determination to somehow piece it back together and show it to Mr. Xenon¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­Wait a moment. You kept holding on?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ If it weren¡¯t for Isaac being Mr. Xenon, then perhaps¡­¡±

    She didn¡¯t finish her sentence, but Marie and Cecily could sense what she meant. Her voice, devoid of energy, and the deeply shadowed pupils in her eyes served as evidence of that.

    The girl was in worse condition than they thought. Isaac revealing his identity is the reason for it happening here. If Isaac had avoided Cherry, wouldn¡¯t there have been a sinister rumor spreading about a cold corpse in the dorm? Revealing his identity was equivalent to saving a person, given that context.

    ¡°¡­I see. That makes sense.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, there¡¯s nothing we can do.¡±

    And that exins why Cherry was attracted to Isaac. Not only did he try to fix the dreams shattered by her family, but he also supported her and offered help.

    Furthermore, Marie suddenly became curious about how much persecution Cherry must have endured in her family to be so broken. To make a person like a puppet, there must have been an unimaginable amount of pressure.

    Marie felt a certain emotion from her, but that was one thing, and this was another. No matter what, she didn¡¯t want her to be Isaac¡¯s woman. There were already too many.

    In any case, she should ask for her opinion. Marie stared at Cherry with a perplexed expression and asked subtly.

    ¡°So, do you want to be Isaac¡¯s wife or something like that?¡±

    Cherry slowly raised her head in response to the question. Then, her eyes blinked slowly, and she cocked her head.

    Following that, her previously tightly sealed lips opened.

    ¡°Me?¡±

    As if she wondered why she would ask such a question.

    ¡°Dare to?¡±

    Her self-esteem, which had hit rock bottom, was ringly exposed. Marie could only be taken aback at hearing the answer. ¡®Dare to?¡¯ How little does she value herself to not even think of such a thing? Honestly, she could have aspirations, but something was amiss with her.

    Just as Marie was starting to feel a little apprehensive, Cecily, who had been watching from the side, spoke in her characteristic seductive voice, as if sensing something.

    ¡°Hey. Wasn¡¯t the one who had been following Isaac until now you?¡±

    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s right.¡±

    She freely confessed that she stalked without any intention to hide it. However, there was no trace of guilt on her face.

    A heart that waspletely shattered and barely mended can never return to normal. That was an utterly natural fact.

    Cecily, after listening to Cherry¡¯s answer, thought deeply and then asked another question.

    ¡°What about the gift? Lately, Isaac has been smelling like cherry blossoms. Was that your doing?¡±

    ¡°I gave him cherry blossom extract from our family.¡±

    ¡°But you did it without any feelings?¡±

    ¡°Someone like me?¡±

    Once again, her self-esteem wasid bare. Cherry stared into Cecily¡¯s red eyes and slowly spoke each word.

    ¡°I¡¯m just happy with the fact that Isaac is here. His hair, scent, voice, face, warmth, and so on. I¡¯m happy with just seeing, hearing, and feeling him.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°But I can¡¯t have him, can I? Even though I adopted the pseudonym Mary, it¡¯s impossible for it to truly continue. I¡¯m just happy with him knowing of my existence.¡±

    ¡°Umm¡­¡±

    Cecily looked at Cherry as if she had made a terrifying and insane statement. Marie was slowly retreating her chair, as if she were afraid.

    Cecily shifted her gaze once more from Cherry and muttered inwardly.

    <i>¡®¡­I think I get it.¡¯</i>

    She had received salvation far toote.

    *****

    Meanwhile, as Isaac and Rina headed to the ssroom as per Marie¡¯s request, they walkedfortably, exchanging words without feeling awkward with each other through their improved rtions.

    Superficially, it appeared to be a conversation between the Baron¡¯s son and the princess, so some passing people gave them strange looks. However, they could easily brush off this level of attention.

    Isaac was also pleased that Rina had be morefortable with him, and Rina, too, felt at ease knowing that her rtionship with Isaac had improved.

    However, when rtionships improve, personal questions tend to arise. Rina gazed at Isaac, who had grown into a well-built young man, and curiously asked.

    ¡°By the way, Isaac, is your back okay? Last time, you and Marie and Cecily went together, right?¡±

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s fine¡­ wait a moment.¡±

    Isaac briefly recalled the past after hearing Rina¡¯s question. Before Marie and Cecily teamed up, it was not Leona but Rina who was there. Rina didn¡¯t mind mentioning his and her friends¡¯ sexual life, as they often talked about it, so it wasn¡¯t embarrassing, unlike in the past. However, asking a question like that was a bit peculiar. It was as if she knew everything about my sex life.

    With a blink of his eye, Isaac looked at Rina with a questioning expression and asked.

    ¡°How do you know that?¡±

    ¡°Uh, what?¡±

    ¡°Back then, you weren¡¯t there. It was Leona, not you. Didn¡¯t you step out for a moment?¡±

    ¡°Uh, well, you see¡­¡±

    Perhaps because it was an unexpected question, Rina began to ramble. Moreover, her face turned as red as a tomato.

    Isaac raised one of his eyes to see the reaction, and then asked vaguely in an expectant voice.

    ¡°Rina. Are you¡­¡±

    ¡°No! I didn¡¯t see it! It¡¯s true! I¡¯m not a pervert!¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    There¡¯s a saying that strong negation is strong affirmation. I didn¡¯t even finish my question.

    Still, as she said, Rina wasn¡¯t a pervert and she wasn¡¯t the type of person to spy on him, so he should just move on.

    ¡°Whew¡­¡±

    Beside him, Rina let out her sigh of relief, but let¡¯s ignore this too.

    Trantors note:

    Them bitches crazy

 Chapter 221: New Star (3)

    Originally, I had ns to introduce Cherry to my friends, but it seems that the introductions have concluded during Rina¡¯s and mine brief visit to the ssroom.

    However, even though I didn¡¯t know what exactly was discussed, their expressions were different. Marie had a somewhat hesitant expression, Cecily had a sympathetic expression, and Cherry had a somewhat grim smile.

    Observing that, I was momentarily puzzled, but since I hadn¡¯t yet told Rina what I nned to say, I continued with the remaining part of the conversation. Rina, after being momentarily surprised when I introduced Cherry, thought for a while and then asked me a question.

    ¡°So, when is Young Lady¡¯s Roseberry book going to be published?¡±

    ¡°It should be published soon, right? By now, they should have finalized the contract.¡±

    Cherry¡¯s debut work, ¡°Once Again, the Red Sunset,¡± was entrusted to my father for another contract. Ideally, Cherry should have visited in person, but due to certain circumstances, there was no other choice.

    The CEO of the publishingpany is the first person I¡¯ve met in rtion to Xenon¡¯s Biography, so there should be no problems in handling the contract. Since the CEO will keep silent about our identities thanks to the contracts, there¡¯s no need to worry.

    If the CEO quotes an unusual amount, I can pressure him. The position of the top-ranked author, as long as Xenon¡¯s Biography is going crazy, will always be mine. Therefore, Cherry¡¯s work will be thoroughly protected under my name. Now, all that¡¯s left is to wait for it to grow and bloom like a flower.

    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it. Since you said it¡¯s interesting, the quality of the work is guaranteed.¡±

    ¡°Can you tell me what it¡¯s about?¡±

    Cecily asked with interest about Cherry¡¯s work. For reference, Rina was sitting beside Cherry, and I was sitting between Marie and Cecily.

    I pondered for a moment on how to exin her question and then spoke. I decided not to mention the time travel setting.

    ¡°First of all, it¡¯s a romance genre, so I think you guys will really like it. However, it¡¯s better to see the story for yourselves, don¡¯t you think? I was impressed when I first read it.¡±

    ¡°The book that the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography was impressed with¡­ makes us even more excited, right? Young Lady Roseberry?¡±

    ¡°Ye-yes?!¡±

    Cherry, who had been hesitating at Rina¡¯s call, suddenly perked up and lifted her head in surprise. It seems that even someone like Cherry couldn¡¯t help but be tense in the presence of Princess Rina¡¯s authority.

    Perhaps, living with me has made her emotions a bit richer. Before meeting me, Cherry was truly lifeless, as if she were a walking corpse.

    ¡°I will visit the Roseberry family soon. The Roseberry family is famous for their philosophy, so it might not be a bad idea to have a conversation with them.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    As soon as Rina mentioned the family, Cherry¡¯s pink eyes sank deep like an abyss. I couldn¡¯t help but be terrified as soon as I heard Rina mention the family.

    For Cherry, ¡®family¡¯ was like a forbiddennd that should not even be mentioned. But Lina seemedpletely unaware of this and spoke as if it were nothing.

    When Rina saw Cherry¡¯s gaze suddenly darken, she seemed to realize that something was wrong and had a bewildered expression. Then, as if to convey that she wondered what had happened, she shifted her gaze to me.

    Only after exining Cherry¡¯s family situation did she realize her mistake and hurriedly apologized.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know about your circumstances¡­¡±

    ¡°Princess, there¡¯s no need to apologize. Everything is fine now¡­¡±

    It wasn¡¯t really okay. Because of the trauma deeply ingrained in her heart, not only her voice but even her hands were trembling.

    Rina seemed to have noticed this, as she didn¡¯t ask any more rted questions. Instead, she changed the topic to something more direct, praising Cherry herself in ce of her family.

    ¡°Anyway, as the Minerva Empire, we¡¯re in for a real stroke of luck. Xenon¡¯s Biography author and the author he praises have emerged here. Maybe we can really surpass the Ters Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t even said I¡¯m bound to the Minerva Empire.¡±

    ¡°Well, if you marry Marie, it¡¯s pretty much the same as being bound to the Minerva Empire. There¡¯s no reason to go over to the Ters Kingdom, is there?¡±

    ¡°I have no intention of going over there.¡±

    The Ters Kingdom is a country of art and culture. At first nce, many artists have impressive titles. However, it seems like just empty words when you look at Adelia¡¯s unfortunate family history.

    Perhaps, as Rina says, it might be the same to be bound to the Minerva Empire, just writing works under their protection. Moreover, Rina must also know that I am in a position that cannot be easily disturbed. It was just a yful expression of intimacy.

    ¡°And starting with Cherry, many writers will emerge in other countries as well. Honestly, it¡¯s not difficult if you have the material, and the grammar I use is easy to copy.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true, but who would dare to imitate you? People might even say you¡¯re tarnishing your reputation. Cherry is your precious friend, but other writers are different.¡±

    ¡°In anticipation of that, I¡¯ve already told the publishing house. I told them not to be afraid of following me and to express themselves freely.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ Is that so? It¡¯s a bit regrettable, but if that¡¯s how you feel, there¡¯s nothing to be done.¡±

    Of course,monly known copycats might also appear. In that case, the publishing house will have to filter them out. Moreover, if the story is almost a carbon copy, I¡¯ve made it clear that they need to scrutinize it closely. If I say I¡¯m ufortable, they don¡¯t have to wait for me to step in, those around will handle it on their own.

    So, I just need to quietly enjoy it from the perspective of an observer. It can be a little ambitious, but the grammar of Xenon¡¯s Biography is so easy that a little practice is enough to follow along.

    It¡¯s better toy it all out from the beginning, as there may beintster.

    ¡°They¡¯ll create books for me to read myself, too.¡±

    Most satisfying of all is that there will be an increase in books that are enjoyable to read. The reason for writing Xenon¡¯s Biography in the first ce was that there were hardly any books worth reading, except for history books and adventurer biographies.

    In my past life, genre novels poured out like a flood, and there were many enjoyable novels as well, but it¡¯s not the same in this world. People¡¯s enthusiasm for Xenon¡¯s Biography is also due to this.

    While there may initially be a lot of trash at first, there are also sprouts in this world that wither away without ever revealing their talents. Just like the sprout in front of me, which will eventually blossom like a cherry tree, and when more talents bloom beside it, it will create a beautiful garden called ¡°culture.¡±

    ¡°Isaac, I think I know what you¡¯re thinking. But it¡¯s going to take longer than you expect.¡±

    Marie, who was next to me, voiced her opinion cautiously. It was somewhat surprising that this came from Marie, not Rina. When I looked at her, Marie brought out her thoughts.

    ¡°If you say that, then undoubtedly countless aspiring writers will bepelled to write. However, that will also harm some people. For example, the moment Xenon¡¯s Biography came out, a lot of troublesome things happened, right?¡±

    ¡°You mean established writers?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    The novels of this world are filled with very obscure sentences and words. It¡¯s so difficult that some even say you need to use an encyclopedia to understand the story. Nobles, after reading some novels, might end up discussing them, making it feel like an English exam for no reason.

    At least until the era of Xenon¡¯s Biography, this was the prevailing trend. Authors would proudly write, showcasing their philosophy and intellectual qualities, and if readers didn¡¯t understand, they would use them of being ignorant.

    But since the advent of Xenon¡¯s Biography, thendscape and public opinion havepletely reversed. People now wonder why they should bother reading those when there are other novels with simple and straightforward sentences with easy-to-understand stories. They just call it dirty and avoid reading it.

    Naturally, established authors criticized and ndered Xenon¡¯s Biography, but it remained unscathed. Some writers praised it for its depth, but they were in the minority.

    Of course, over time, there were people who started taking an interest in books themselves rather than just Xenon¡¯s Biography, and it resulted in some considerable benefits. You can see this from the fact that the number of literary neers has tripled in just one year.

    ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re in such a high position. The influence of established authors is much stronger than you think. The publishing house that signed Xenon¡¯s Biography can ignore it because you¡¯re involved, but it¡¯ll be tough for publishers in other countries. It won¡¯t be resolved as quickly as you think.¡±

    ¡°Hmm. I didn¡¯t think of that. But it¡¯s not entirely impossible, right?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough then.¡±

    If time can resolve it, I can wait indefinitely. Until then, I can write Xenon¡¯s Biography and the next work, waiting for the readers¡¯ reactions. After that, I¡¯ll finish by writing another work casually.

    In the meantime, I should read Cherry¡¯s books so she won¡¯t feel left out.

    ¡°Well, I think a bit differently, you know? Maybe it won¡¯t ever happen.¡±

    However, Cecily¡¯s opinion seemed a bit different from Marie¡¯s. I looked at Cecily with a puzzled expression and asked.

    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    In response to my question, Cecily smiled cryptically. Her smile was always beautiful and captivating, no matter when I saw it.

    As I was staring nkly at that smile, Cecily pointed at me with her long index finger and spoke.

    ¡°Xenon¡¯s Biography, and because you¡¯re in such a high position.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    It had a simr yet different tone.

    ******

    Creation is a very demanding task. The creative process itself is challenging, and when you present your creation to the world, it¡¯s equally demanding. That¡¯s because people tend to judge creative works based on the ¡®oue¡¯ rather than the process. No matter how much someone has suffered or how much effort they¡¯ve put in, people only focus on the final result.

    Some may praise the oue, while others may criticize it. Creators can draw strength or despair from these results. In this way, art, which is the act of creation itself, is a difficult and arduous endeavor. However, even this is a story of significance when it receives attention, as there are countless works of art that have withered away unnoticed by the world.

    In this sense, Cherry¡¯s debut work, ¡®Once Again, the Red Sunset,¡¯ can be considered quite fortunate. She happened to meet me, the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography and received praise for her writing being interesting. To support her dream entirely, we used Xenon¡¯s reputation to lead to publication. However, just because I find it interesting doesn¡¯t mean everyone does, as everyone has their own tastes.

    ¡°Shall we take a look now?¡±

    ¡°Ye-yes¡­!¡±

    A week after Cherry¡¯s first work was published, Cherry and I arrived at the cafe to check the reaction. The way to confirm the reaction was very simple. All we had to do was to check what news was in today¡¯s newspaper.

    You might think it¡¯s possible to check the newspaper that was avable on the day it was published, but that¡¯s only possible in my past life on Earth, where there was the inte.

    Even if the books start selling at the publisher, it takes a considerable amount of time for them to move to other ces. It takes at least a month to arrive in Alvenheim, the farthest country from the Minerva Empire.

    However, this is just the story before the appearance of the 12th volume. I heard that even the elves found it hard to thumb through the pages after the 12th volume, so they requested it directly from Arwen. In response, Arwen readily lowered the tariffs and even provided teleportation facilities.

    It didn¡¯t even take a few days to establish the facility for transporting only the Xenon series. Because it was the work of the elven magic experts, the work progressed at a fast pace.

    Anyway, it¡¯s been a week now, and it¡¯s the moment when the evaluation of Cherry¡¯s work was expected to explode. It¡¯s already reached the maximum interest level because it¡¯s a work written by the child I cherish.

    The only thing left is whether the readers found it enjoyable. I nced at Cherry, who was tense and rigid due to expectation and anxiety.

    The light returned a little to the eyes that were dark and gloomy when we first met.

    Slowly, I unfolded the newspaper, and Cherry and I started examining the news that was boldly highlighted without deciding who would go first.

    [Another major debut? Xenon protegee¡¯s, Mary¡¯s ¡®Red Sunset¡¯, is on sale with great enthusiasm!]

    [Just the story of traveling from the future to the past is noteworthy in itself.]

    [Simr to the Xenon series, yet with a different style. Each emotional and warm sentence touches the heart.]

    [This book, which is exploding in poprity among women¡­]

    And as expected, it was receiving tremendous praise from its first work. Regression stories are inherently a popr theme, and whenbined with Cherry¡¯s unique writing style, it¡¯s no wonder it¡¯s a hit.

    Moreover, I even personally said it¡¯s enjoyable, leveraging Xenon¡¯s reputation. They can¡¯t criticize it because of my name? That¡¯s a funny statement. Even when Xenon¡¯s Biography was at its peak of poprity, there were critics.

    Initially, most of the criticism came from established writers¡¯ jealousy, but as time passed, more conventional criticism followed.

    [Since it¡¯s a romance, it focuses more on people¡¯s psychology than events. Immersion is sufficient, but it¡¯s slightly challenging to understand how the events unfold. However, it will gradually develop.]

    [I wish they would provide a more detailed exnation of what happened in the future.]

    The format was as described above. However, it wasn¡¯t just malicious criticism, as I had also entertained simr thoughts, so I nodded in agreement.

    But what mattered most was Cherry. How would she react? I nced at Cherry while reading the newspaper, and I couldn¡¯t help but be surprised.

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    Cherry was clearly reading the newspaper, but tears were streaming down her rosy cheeks.

    Could it be that all the pent-up emotions in her heart had finally been released? Perhaps even she wasn¡¯t aware of it, as she didn¡¯t make a sound and just let the tears flow endlessly.

    This might be a moment when the dream, which had been ruthlessly trampled before it had a chance to sprout, was blossoming. I gazed at her with an expression of bewilderment and quietly spoke.

    ¡°Cherry.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°How do you feel? Your dream hase true, hasn¡¯t it?¡±

    She stared nkly at the question for a while and then shifted her gaze back to the newspaper. The news was full of praise for her work. The question of when the next volume would be released echoed loudly.

    Cherry stared at the news with a vacant look in her eyes, but soon her lips, which had been horizontal, slowly turned up. Not only her lips, but the tears in her eyes, too, gradually disappeared.

    After a while, a ¡®happy smile¡¯ that had not been seen until then bloomed like her own work, and she quietly said.

    ¡°I¡¯m happy¡­¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m so¡­ so happy¡­ it feels like a dream¡­¡±

    She didn¡¯t seem to realize she was still crying, and tears began to fall from her cheeks, drop by drop. I wordlessly took out a handkerchief and wiped away her tears.

    At that, Cherry looked at me in surprise. It was then that she seemed to realize that she was crying and fumbled nervously.

    ¡°Um, I¡­ I¡­¡±

    ¡°Use this until you stop crying.¡±

    ¡°¡­Thank you.¡±

    It was as if the faucet of tears had broken, and she couldn¡¯t stop crying. Eventually, she reached for my handkerchief. While she wiped away her tears, I looked at other news.

    I turned the pages of the newspaper, but there was nothing else except news rted to Cherry¡¯s work. This meant it was just as big a hit as the Xenon series.

    Due to its romantic nature, it was gaining immense poprity among women. However, due to its unique setting as a regression story, even men were reading it.

    Whether this was a bubble or not, it all depends on Cherry from now on. ording to her, she has already nned the ending, so all she has to do is write it. We just have to wait patiently.

    <i>¡®But, isn¡¯t there any news about new authors or something?¡¯</i>

    I had informed the publishingpany about it, but it didn¡¯t seem to show up strangely. With doubts in my mind, as I flipped through the pages, I came across a strange passage.

    [Xenon said it was okay to copy his writing style, but that is simply not possible.]

    What¡¯s this all about? I squinted my eyes and brought my face closer to the noticeably strange text.

    [If you want your work to be recognized, you have to gain Xenon¡¯s approval first. If you don¡¯t, it¡¯s an insult to Xenon.]

    Ah, right.

    [Don¡¯t sully Xenon¡¯s honor! Who dares to besmirch Xenon¡¯s honor! He may say it doesn¡¯t matter, but we will not forgive!]

    This era was like that. Damn it.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ Cherry.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ sniff¡­¡±

    With a heavy heart, I gently stroked Cherry¡¯s head and said resignedly,

    ¡°¡­Give me the next volume a bit earlier.¡±

    ¡°Even if I have to risk my life, I¡¯ll give it to you early¡­¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to do that¡­¡±

    It seems like it will take a long time for a worthy book toe out.

 Chapter 222: A Welcome Face (1)

    As you may have expected it, it was the Holy Empire of Xavier, or the Luminous Order, who shut down any imitating authors.

    If I were just an ordinary high-ranking person, they might have let it slide, but I was a ¡®saint¡¯ acknowledged even by the Luminous Order, so they couldn¡¯t possibly allow for my honor to be tarnished, or something like that.

    In my view, it¡¯s a mind-boggling and bewildering situation, but the current era ces a significant emphasis on honor. Those who live and die for honor are widespread in this world.

    In the end, even the publishingpany had to give up on thepeting authors with tears in their eyes, and I, too, found myself in a ridiculously surreal situation, but it was postponed forter.

    Can¡¯t I just send a letter and exin? If that were possible, I wouldn¡¯t even be hearing the words ¡°regressor¡± or whatever. It¡¯s like talking to a brick wall.

    Even if I were to ask Luminous directly, it wouldn¡¯t mean much. Luminous bestows oracles as a ¡®deity,¡¯ not as a messenger to convey someone else¡¯s requests.

    The gods only offer guidance and suggestions closely rted to the future to mortals, without directly interfering. If direct interference were possible, why would there be criminals and peoplemitting sins in the world?

    I was so annoyed that I even thought about hitting someone during my break, but everyone seemed to ept it, so I held back for a moment. It¡¯s better to take things slowly with the contest and focus on writing for now.

    Furthermore, the break might cause inconvenience to my colleagues. I have to endure it. Sometimes, I feel sorry for causing trouble with my mistakes, but I do my best to make amends.

    <i>¡®I need to write quickly for a better future.¡¯</i>

    In my dorm after finishing all my work, I thought about writing volume 17. With the increase in literature students and the growing number of people to meet, my second year was getting busier.

    As a result, I have significantly less time for writing, but I¡¯m trying to squeeze in every avable moment. If I don¡¯t, my future is quite bleak, so I have to.

    In order to receive more divine power, now that Leona has been confirmed as my wife, I need to put more effort into writing Xenon¡¯s Biography. Otherwise, there might be a distant future where I be as emaciated as a mummy.

    Up to Marie and Cecily, it¡¯s fine. The genes inherited from my father were getting stronger day by day, boosting my stamina and strength.

    However, it will get increasingly difficult from the third person onward. Moreover, I need to consider not only Leona but also Adelia, so the burden bes even heavier.

    Furthermore, if Cecily¡¯s evil cycle and Leona¡¯s estrus cycle ovep, I might have to engage in a life threatening battle, so it¡¯s better to be prepared in advance. The saying ¡®A wise man makes his preparations¡¯ isn¡¯t just for show.

    <i>¡®¡­But the number of women keeps increasing. Am I really a yboy?¡¯</i>

    Originally, once was difficult, but two or three times not anymore. I agonized a lot when epting Cecily, but after that, it strangely became easy.

    I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m gradually adapting to the mindset of this world, or if I naturally have a yboy disposition.

    Even if Marieined whenever I had more women in my life, but as long as there was a good reason, she epted them all. Of course, Marie always emphasized that she is the first.

    I, too, always pour my affection generously on her as she is my first. Of course, Cecily can feel a bit jealous, so I need to divide it appropriately.

    <i>¡®Humans, demons, and even beastmen¡­ I have almost every race. I wonder if even elves will get involved at some point?¡¯</i>

    Such a pointless thought. Cecily is one thing, but I only met Leona purely by chance. If that hadn¡¯t happened, we wouldn¡¯t have known each other.

    Elves are the same. Besides the four I know ¨C Arwen, Elena, Cindy, and Siris ¨C there aren¡¯t many. The fact that they are all female is a bit concerning, but none was a romantic rtionship.

    <i>¡®Come to think of it, I haven¡¯t been in touch with Arwentely.¡¯</i>

    I paused my writing for a moment and thought of Arwen. Since winter break, we haven¡¯t been in touch, not even exchanging messages with each other.

    Arwen is unavoidably busy in her own way, as the Council of Elders that had upheld Alvenheim for centuries has vanished into history. Even if she had ten bodies, it wouldn¡¯t be enough.

    Furthermore, there are those who are discontent with Arwen¡¯s rule, and she¡¯s the only known link to Xenon externally. She must bnce both domestic pressures and international politics, and it must be enough to make her head explode. Although I¡¯d like to help, she has remained silent until now.

    <i>¡®I should write a letter soon.¡¯</i>

    No matter how busy I am, I shouldn¡¯t neglectmunication. Especially during tough times like these, a warm word offort can make a big difference. Arwen has trusted very few until now, so even a single letter would be a great source of sce. I¡¯ve kept my distance for too long.

    Nheless, I should keep writing consistently. I wrote ¡°Letter to Arwen¡± in the notes where I organize the plot, just in case I forget. Then, I refocused.

    <i>¡®Starting from volume 17, I should switch to Jin and Lily.¡¯</i>

    Volume 17¡¯s content will focus on Jin and Lily¡¯s story, not Xenon. It¡¯s nned to showcase their sweet romance and at the same time evoke a sense of nostalgia.

    The protagonist¡¯s performance always stands out, but the supporting characters¡¯ poprity is equally essential. Furthermore, the touching story of Jin and Lily has garnered support from many readers.

    The story of a member of the discriminated race, a Demon, and the Saintess protected by the gods. With this premise alone, you can churn out several volumes of romance novels. And I¡¯m incorporating that into Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    <i>¡®The beastmen part was almost three volumes long, so¡­ I should write the church part in a simr length. It shouldn¡¯t be too long.¡¯</i>

    By the way, the ending of volume 17 will drive readers crazy. It was a situation that could asionally ur between lovers. It¡¯s during a festival, and too many guests flood the inn, leaving only ¡®one¡¯ room avable. In that room, Jin and Lily end up sleeping together.

    Naturally, both of them know each other¡¯s feelings, but they find themselves in an awkward situation, unable to confess. The two individuals, both sharing a room with the opposite sex for the first time, react entirely normally.

    Jin can¡¯t bear it any longer and tries to get up to sleep outside the room when Lily gently grabs his arm.

    When flustered Jin looked at Lily, she blushed deeply but didn¡¯t avoid his gaze, and confidently said.

    <i>¡®Don¡¯t forget the duty of a guardian knight.¡¯</i>

    The readers of Jin and Lily¡¯s story, including my mother, will love it to death. However, as I mentioned earlier, I n to include this only at the very end.

    They found themselves in a situation where they ended up spending the first night together by chance. If things continued this way, the story would turn into a romance. I¡¯ll say it again, Xenon¡¯s Biography is an adventure, meaning danger can strike anytime, anywhere.

    As the atmosphere became strange, and their faces got closer, an unexpected attack urred. The process was great, but the ending was aplete mess.

    Volume 17 ends with clues about the identity of the attackers. It signifies that the roots have rotted to the extent where they would openly attack the saintess of the Church.

    <i>¡®Because the Church still discriminates against the demons.¡¯</i>

    This wouldn¡¯t represent reality, but only what¡¯s happening in the book. No matter how much Sakran might have shown a heroic image of demons, it¡¯s only in the eyes of the readers, not within the story.

    Fortunately, Jin had been living with Lily since childhood, so the looks he receives are less judgmental, but that doesn¡¯t mean it was all good. Especially since one of the priests openly insulted Jin. It¡¯s safe to say he had a lot to say about him.

    <i>¡®But that senior priest was a true clergyman, in fact, the priest who supported Jin is the one who conspired with the devil.¡¯</i>

    While they may have a discriminating view towards demons, there are genuine clergy who sincerely worship the gods, and the pretenders who perform clerical acts while hiding behind a mask. By confusing these two, I n to provide readers with a twist.

    When all the events are over, even the senior priest who disliked Jin will acknowledge his own mistakes ande to trust himpletely. He will also join the Union. Furthermore, I will throw the hint of Jin¡¯s true identity, as the child of Gluttony.

    <i>¡®But is there someone simr in reality?¡¯</i>

    The content from Volume 17 to Volume 18 is roughly like this, but the real problem is the present. Even I am confused now, and it¡¯s a story that is truly ¡°possible.¡± In the Xenon¡¯s Biography, the situation is so serious that there are senior priests conspiring with demons.

    One might wonder how the demons could creep into a country founded under the protection of the gods, or how senior priests could conspire with demons.

    However, what you need to know is that, unless it¡¯s a special case, the gods cannot directly interfere. If those senior priests don¡¯t pray to the gods, that¡¯s the end of it.

    Honestly, it was constructed to the extent that one could take the position of a cardinal without arousing suspicion. Moreover, the more power and authority increase, the easier it is to be corrupt. It might be a sudden and unexpected twist, so I n to insert subplots here and there. For example, there might be situations like recently being too busy to even pray or showing signs of doubting the gods from time to time.

    If you¡¯re truly a faithful clergy, you should never neglect prayer to the divine and never entertain doubt. But the position of a cardinal conceals all of that.

    <i>¡®¡­But I¡¯m from another country, and I don¡¯t really know much about being a cardinal.¡¯</i>

    I¡¯ve heard that the people¡¯s way of life is simr in other countries, but I don¡¯t really know much about the internal affairs of the Holy Kingdom.

    I went to the temple and got advice from a few people, but that¡¯s about the temple, and it¡¯s almost unrted to the Holy Kingdom.

    There is at least one person I can turn to for advice. It¡¯s Kate, the cardinal who begged me for seeds thest time.

    I should ask her, but I¡¯m afraid she will ask for seed again.

    <i>¡®For better quality, I guess I have to ask for a favor.¡¯</i>

    As I mentioned before, I want to be thorough about authenticity, even though I may not know much about battles. I have the willingness to overlook the seed request, which will probably end with just a few questions.

    I momentarily paused from writing, havingpleted over half, and shifted my gaze to the clock. The current time was around 3:30. Today, Elena was busy, so I had returned to my dorm as soon as the sses ended, leaving me with plenty of free time.

    I thought about going to see Kate as it was, but I put that idea on hold. Kate¡¯s whereabouts and activities were unknown to me, and she was also busy with her current relief work.

    Unlike when she urged me to give her the seed, she was now a diligent missionary. Despite her asional entricities, she never forgot her true calling as a dedicated missionary. I had sometimes wondered if her ¡°mission¡± had a different meaning, but now it seemed different.

    Knock Knock Knock

    While I was staring at the clock endlessly, someone knocked on the door to the dorm. I averted my gaze from the clock and looked toward the door. I had been thinking about Kate just moments ago, so I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if it could really be her. That thought crossed my mind, but for now, confirmation was the priority.

    ¡°Yes,e in.¡±

    I rose from my seat and slowly walked towards the door. There would be very few peopleing to my residence at this time, so I was curious.

    Could it really be Kate? If so, I would have to set the seed story aside and ask for her help.

    Creak¡­

    ¡°Who¡¯s there¡­ huh?¡±

    As soon as I opened the door, I couldn¡¯t help but be taken aback by the face that met her gaze. She wore a ck uniform cap, but her brilliant golden eyes were far more striking. Also, the navy-blue hair, which had grown down to her waist, was now cut short to the neck.

    She didn¡¯t tie it into a ponytail, as she usually did, which briefly confused me, but even so, it was a face I could recognize instantly.

    ¡°Noona?¡±

    ¡°Hello, Isaac.¡±

    My older sister, who is also a swordsman and who left for the navy knights entrance test a month ago.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while. Have you been well?¡±

    Nicole weed me with her characteristic bright smile.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been fine! But¡­¡±

    I could only make a gloomy expression right after weing her with a bright smile.

    It¡¯s no wonder because I could see the state of her arm when I lowered my gaze.

    Nicole seemed to notice where my gaze was directed and opened her mouth with an awkward smile.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I expected this level of injury.¡±

    She had a brace on her right arm.

 Chapter 223: A Welcome Face (2)

    There¡¯s a saying that goes, ¡®There¡¯s nothing as heartbreaking as getting injured in the military.¡® This statement is partly true and partly false.

    For a soldier, their body is almost their entire asset. Especially if they sustain injuries in areas like the arms or legs, it significantly affects their daily life andbat effectiveness. So, if someone gets injured among the troops, they should be protected, and every effort should be made for their recovery. If they insist on working in that condition? You should stop them, even if you have to scold them.

    Going intobat while already injured not only increases the likelihood of more severe injuries but also results in a significant loss of overallbat capability. So, it¡¯s normal to wait and focus on recovery to return to the original state, and it¡¯s abnormal to continue under such circumstances.

    Unless the situation is the absolute worst of the worst, injured personnel are not sent to the front lines. However, I¡¯ve witnessed numerous instances in my past life where they couldn¡¯t even do this simple thing and created various rumors.

    In that regard, the Minerva Empire¡¯s military, especially special units like the Navy Knights, can be considered exceptional. I heard from Nicole that she got injured towards the end of her entrance test, but the instructor just let her pass and exempted her from the test.

    In fact, the reason for the injury was something the instructor found eptable. Nicole had preserved her stamina until the end of the test, while other trainees wereining and she was helping her peers, which led to her injury.

    ¡°It was really just an ident. During our march, we were suddenly ambushed by a group of orcs. Thankfully, it¡¯s a ce known for frequent monster appearances, so the instructors were prepared, but there were just too many of them. That¡¯s how it happened.¡±

    Nicole exined in a nonchnt voice as she lightly tapped her injured right arm with her left hand. While she might genuinely be okay, my worry as a brother couldn¡¯t help but manifest.

    It¡¯s not like it¡¯s any other part, it¡¯s her arm. For a knight, it¡¯s one of the most critical ces to get injured.

    She was lucky she received immediate medical attention, as initially, her bone had broken in half. Any worse, and she might have lived with a lifelong disability.

    Did she figure out what I was thinking? Nicole chuckled and gently reached out, lightly pinching my cheek.

    ¡°Don¡¯t make that kind of expression. Even though I¡¯m a trainee, now I am also a knight. Knights should be prepared for unexpected situations anytime, anywhere. A mere injury like this is nothing. Just the fact that I received an injury is far from what it means.¡±

    ¡°Noona, the human body is much weaker than other species.¡±

    ¡°I know that. Still, don¡¯t worry too much.¡±

    To ease my worries even a bit, Nicole put on a bright smile. Maybe thanks to that, I found myself lifting the corners of my mouth into a warm smile.

    In one way or another, she is strong. Not only did she perform her duties as an assistant alongside Adelia at the academy, but she also inherited remarkable talent from our father.

    Although she got injured, she easily passed the Navy Special Warfare entrance test, so if she stays cautious, she shouldn¡¯t suffer any further injuries.

    ¡°If that¡¯s what noona says, then okay. Did you visit the mansion beforeing?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. There have been quite interesting things going on during that time, right? Starting with the Demon Princess and ending with the Elf incident. It hasn¡¯t even been a month, but a lot of incidents happened.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve heard it all.¡±

    It seems like she heard everything about the events that happened while she was taking the entrance test. There doesn¡¯t seem to be a need for a separate exnation.

    ¡°But you seem to have changed a lot during that time, haven¡¯t you? Your hair has grown longer, and you seem taller. Did you put on perfume or something?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not perfume. I received divine power at the temple, and the fragrance started emanating from me since then.¡±

    ¡°Really? Then it must be the scent of lcs. Luminous¡¯s favored disciples emit the scent of lcs, or so I heard.¡±

    Nicole mentioned the incidents that she heard about at the mansion so far, but I have no idea about her current situation. Soon after, various stories from both of us poured out.

    Thanks to her, I heard about what kind of entrance tests the Navy Knights go through and how tough they are. Just hearing about it was enough to make my teeth chatter. Plus, there was also talk rted to my older brother, Dave, who was the first to head to the Navy Knights. It¡¯s natural to be curious when there¡¯s absolutely no news.

    ¡°Dave oppa has already shed his trainee badge. They have high hopes for his future within the Knights, and they¡¯re pushing him forward. Of course, having our father¡¯s influence also helps, but he¡¯s working hard consistently.¡±

    ¡°I see. But why isn¡¯t he taking a vacation? Let him know that the youngest sibling will be upset when hees backter.¡±

    ¡°He¡­ I¡¯ll pass on the message, but taking a vacation is difficult for him. The Navy Knights are so elite that each member is crucial.¡±

    As I listened to the exnation, I briefly looked Nicole up and down. As Navy Knights who can proudly call themself the best in the Minerva Empire, their uniform was impable. Furthermore, the navy-blue uniform that matched her hair color made her look even more stunning. With just that uniform, she looked impressive enough to have a reason to join the Navy Knights.

    ¡°But, seriously, your uniform is incredibly cool. Don¡¯t people admire it whenever they pass by?¡±

    ¡°A little bit?¡±

    Nicole proudly puffed out her chest. It¡¯s no wonder she was proud of herself; being in the Navy Knights would undoubtedly instill a great sense of pride.

    And Nicole had every right to feel that way. From her days as a cadet, she was a standout among the most skilled,parable to a knight.

    While looking at Nicole with admiration, I subtly shifted my gaze towards the clock. Time had swiftly passed, over 30 minutes had flown by, and it was already past 4 o¡¯clock.

    Staying in the dorm like this wasn¡¯t ideal, but it was too early for dinner. Nevertheless, wanting to spend some quality time with my dear older sister, whom I hadn¡¯t seen for a long time, we nned to have dinner together.

    ¡°Are you nning to stay for a few days?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll probably head back in about three days. It¡¯s quite a journey from the capital to the border area.¡±

    ¡°Good to hear. Let¡¯s have dinner together tonight then. I¡¯ll let the others know.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ll just have dinner with some acquaintances today. I¡¯ll have time tomorrow too. Before that¡­¡±

    Nicole started to speak hesitantly, ncing at me with a slightly cloudy expression. It was evident that she was torn between whether to say something or not, and her hesitation was palpable.

    At first, I was bewildered, not understanding why she was behaving this way. However, what she said next rified everything for me.

    ¡°Well¡­ how is Adelia? Is she doing well in her role as a bodyguard?¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    The topic was about Adelia, her close friend and my personal bodyguard. Judging by her reaction, it seemed that Nicole was aware of Adelia¡¯s feelings towards me.

    Nicole might be the most emotionally conflicted person in this situation. Currently, I had not only Marie but also Cecily by my side. Furthermore, Leona had boldly dered herself as my wife. If Nicole were to find out, she might sigh in resignation or even grab the back of her own neck.

    Nevertheless, I was nning to ept Adelia next, so I was waiting quietly for the right moment. I wasn¡¯t sure when I would reveal my true identity, but as long as we continued like this, there wouldn¡¯t be any issues.

    ¡°¡­is carrying her duties out well.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a relief. Even though she can be a bit clumsy, she has skills¡­¡±

    ¡°She even confessed her feelings.¡±

    ¡°Confes¡­ What?!¡±

    Nicole, awkwardly trying to continue the conversation with a forced smile, suddenly eximed in surprise. Her flushed face and widened eyes reflected her emotions.

    I, startled by her reaction, nervously scratched my cheek while trying to force a smile. Following the confrontation with Hiriya, Adelia, who I hadforted, directly expressed her own feelings.

    Even though I couldn¡¯t respond appropriately given the circumstances, the fact that she confessed her feelings itself transcended the boundaries of a normal rtionship.

    During our weekend workouts together, there was an increase in physical contact, and she began showing sides of her femininity that she hadn¡¯t disyed before. We were walking a fine line, not crossing thest boundary.

    ¡°She-she confessed?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Oh my. How should I¡­¡±

    Nicole made a rather shocked sound as she covered her face with one hand, perhaps thinking that Adelia might have crossed a line. Nicole¡¯s reaction indicated that she had some understanding of Adelia¡¯s situation, and I had a hunch that the conversation would progress smoothly.

    I waited quietly while Nicole was lost in thought, giving her time to sort out her feelings. She must have had her ownplexities to deal with.

    After a while, Nicole slowly raised her head and looked directly at me with her sparkling golden eyes. Various emotions were etched in her eyes.

    ¡°So, what are you going to do in a situation?¡±

    ¡°What do you think, noona?¡±

    ¡°You might not know, but that girl is willing to be a concubine. But I¡¯m not sure if you would treat her as such, given your personality¡­ Before that, do those two even know?¡±

    ¡°More or less.¡±

    Marie has always had exceptional intuition, so it didn¡¯t take her long to notice that something unusual was in the air between me and Adelia. Sometimes, she would casually ask about Adelia¡¯s well-being and that¡¯s it.

    Cecily¡­ She had a nonchnt attitude. She was okay with the fact that a new woman was added to my life, no matter what. She even proposed the idea of giving my seed to Kate and establishing a connection with her. Although there were political reasons involved, she didn¡¯t mind me having another woman by my side.

    ¡°But, noona, you know it too. If I connect with Adelia, I naturally have to reveal my true identity. Noona, you know that Adelia is a bastard of the Ters royal family, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­Ters Kingdom? Wasn¡¯t she just amon noble?¡±

    Nicole asked with wide eyes. It seemed she didn¡¯t know this much.

    ¡°You only knew half of it.¡±

    ¡°No. Is she really a bastard of the Ters royal family? Of the romantic king who only has eyes for the queen without even keeping mistresses?¡±

    Nicole asked me with a slightly anxious voice. King Friedrich of the Ters Kingdom is well-known as a romanticist, even to the general public. Furthermore, he has been implementing good policies, so from the perspective of Ters Kingdom citizens, he has a positive image.

    But, whether he is truly a romanticist or not, we can say that he is disqualified as a father. Seeing the deep trauma that Adelia carries, it is highly likely that he not only didn¡¯t intervene but also simply watched.

    As I nodded calmly, Nicole sighed and then let out a bitterugh. She continued in a voice that had lost its strength, shaking her head as if in despair.

    ¡°¡­In that case, it will be even more troublesome. If you reveal your true identity, it will surely have an impact on that child as well. Maybe they¡¯ll even try to use you. No, they will definitely use you.¡±

    ¡°Right. That¡¯s why it¡¯s difficult to ept.¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­ Frustrating, so frustrating.¡±

    The current situation was so frustrating that Nicole¡¯s heart pounded as if it were going to explode. I, too, felt frustrated about my rtionship with Adelia, but there was no clear solution.

    First and foremost, I had to talk to Marie, and eventually, I had to reveal the truth. It was an uphill battle from the start, with progress in my rtionship with Adelia moving at a snail¡¯s pace.

    ¡°So, I¡¯m taking the stance that we should wait a bit. After all¡­¡±

    ¡°Wait, even after confessing? Are you crazy?¡±

    I ended up trying to rationalize it and ended up receiving only insults. When I nced at Nicole, who was giving me a fierce look, I shut my mouth in embarrassment.

    Afterward, she stared at me, as if I were a mute who had just eaten honey. She then took a deep breath and got up from her seat.

    I didn¡¯t know what she was up to, and I must have had a puzzled expression on my face when she asked me what she was doing.

    ¡°Isaac, as your older sister and Adelia¡¯s friend, I have one serious question for you. I hope you¡¯ll answer it properly.¡±

    ¡°Uh? Uh, what¡¯s the question?¡±

    ¡°Do you want to remain as a scoundrel who takes a concubine without your wife¡¯s consent, or do you want to be a fool who epts many women¡¯s hearts?¡±

    No matter what I choose, both are the worst, aren¡¯t they? Nicole looked at me with an incredulous gaze and said in a stern voice.

    ¡°Answer. My actions will depend on your answer.¡±

    ¡°No. Aren¡¯t both of them hurting people¡¯s hearts?¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t be able to push away someone whoes unnecessarily kind. At times like this, don¡¯t hesitate indecisively; push forward decisively. Be a fool who epts all the women who like you, or be trash who takes them as you please. What will you choose?¡±

    ¡°Um, wouldn¡¯t being a fool be better?¡±

    Nicole¡¯s pressure was so intense that it created an atmosphere where there was no room for argument. Listening quietly, it seemed like being a fool might be better than being trash.

    With my hesitant response, Nicole, with her cold, golden eyes, stared at me and soon gave an order.

    ¡°Guide me.¡±

    ¡°Uh, huh? Where, where to?¡±

    ¡°Guide me to Adele. Since we¡¯vee this far, we have to see it through to the end.¡±

    I can¡¯t figure out exactly what her n is. I got up from my seat, momentarily taken aback, and began to follow her instructions.

    Before I knew it, I found myself outside the dorm, but I still couldn¡¯t discern Nicole¡¯s intentions. She just followed behind me, emitting a chilly atmosphere.

    <i>¡®But if Leona is revealed¡­¡¯</i>

    I can¡¯t bring myself to say that. It¡¯s not just empty words, Nicole might snap at me.

    No matter how much she loves her younger brother, she is the one who corrects things directly. I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s trying to correct, though.

    I walked for a while with a heavy heart. Finally, we arrived right in front of Adelia¡¯s residence. The gaze I felt from behind intensified as we reached the amodation.

    Under some sort of pressure to open the door, I cleared my throat and lightly knocked. Adelia should be waiting inside the dorm until I call her.

    How much time passed?

    Coming out~

    I heard the voice, then the sound of Adelia approaching the door. For some reason, my heart raced nervously as she came closer.

    Creak¡ª

    ¡°Who¡¯s there¡­ Oh! Cutie?¡±

    When I opened the door, Adelia, wearing a white shirt and shorts, greeted me with a bright smile. It seemed like she had just finished exercising.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on all of a sudden¡­ Huh?¡±

    Adelia, with a look of surprise and delight in her sky-blue eyes, seemed to have noticed Nicole standing behind me. It was as if she had met a close friend after a long time. Adelia¡¯s smile was brighter than before as she walked slowly from her amodation to meet Nicole.

    ¡°Nicole! How long has it been? But your arm¡­¡±

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Uh, yeah?¡±

    Nicole called my name without acknowledging Adelia¡¯s greeting. Her voice was somewhat low and seemed to be irritated for some reason.

    Adelia also seemed to sense this subtle atmosphere, and while initially concerned about Nicole¡¯s injury, she started to roll her eyes with a worried expression, trying to understand the situation.

    Push-

    Then Nicole forcefully pushed me from behind. It was a strong push, and I had no choice but to collide with Adelia.

    Fortunately, Adelia epted me, but I couldn¡¯t help feeling bewildered by the sudden close contact. Just as Adelia and I were left speechless, Nicole spoke in a sharp voice.

    ¡°Now both of youe inside.¡±

    ¡°Noona? Can you exin what¡¯s going on¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Nicole. What¡¯s the sudden idea?¡±

    Adelia, also taken aback by the abrupt situation, asked with a puzzled expression. Perhaps sensing an unusual atmosphere, she held me tightly to protect me.

    ¡°Sigh¡­¡±

    Whether she liked it or not, Nicole looked at the two of us in turn and let out a deep sigh as if the weight of the world was on her shoulders. Then, she pulled her uniform cap down low and spoke quietly.

    It was a tone and voice mixed with variousplex emotions that couldn¡¯t be easily exined in words.

    ¡°I can¡¯t stand to watch this anymore. Really¡­¡±

    After saying that, Nicole turned her back and gradually walked away.

    ¡°You guys decide whether you¡¯re going to kiss or have sex or whatever.¡±

    She added onest sentence.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go knock some sense into my sisters-inw.¡±

    Adelia and I could only stare nkly at Nicole¡¯s retreating figure.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 224: A Happy Face (1)

    Adelia and I ended up alone in a room, thanks to Nicole pushing us in without warning. Being in the same room as her wasn¡¯t a big deal, as it happened often, but the problem was the situation.

    Nicole¡¯s words before leaving lingered in our minds. ¡®Decide quickly, whether you have a kiss or fuck.¡¯ She also said she was going to scold her sisters-inw.

    In the sudden and unexpected situation, I had no idea what decision to make. But now that I calmed down, it seems like I know. To ensure there¡¯s no further interference in Adelia¡¯s and my rtionship, I decided to take matters into my own hands.

    ¡°Why is she acting like this all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°¡­Well, I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Adelia, too, initially had an expression of not understanding the situation at all. Unlike me, who had a deep(?) conversation with Nicole, for her, it was like a bolt out of the blue.

    However, as time passed and the atmosphere between us became more subtle, it seemed like she noticed something.

    The situation was one where, to connect her best friend with her own younger sibling, she pushed them together into one room. Not only that, but she left words behind to build ¡®certainty.¡¯

    While I was silently sighing deeply, Adelia hesitated to open her mouth while ncing at my face. I waited in silence until she spoke first.

    It would only make the situation awkward if I opened my mouth first, so Adelia had to initiate the conversation.

    ¡°¡­Did you tell Nicole?¡±

    When a quiet silence settled in, Adelia cautiously asked me with a careful voice. After a long time, she took the initiative to start the conversation.

    I realized the meaning contained in her question and nodded my head silently. What¡¯s the point of saying it? The situation already speaks for itself.

    Adelia nodded in acknowledgment of my affirmation, then made a face as if she herself didn¡¯t know what to say.

    Usually, it was normal for her to yfully tease with her characteristic lively smile, but the situation was asplicated as it can be.

    ¡°Right, Nicole has a mischievous side too. I didn¡¯t know this well¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Cutie, do you think the same? You know it well, don¡¯t you? How strict she normally is.¡±

    Nevertheless, she was making an effort to lighten the mood somehow. I remained silent, just listening to her talk.

    Adelia forced an awkwardugh, scratching her cheek and then started speaking incoherently.

    ¡°Su-suddenly asking for a kiss. What was it again? S-sex¡­¡±

    But when the word she couldn¡¯t bring herself to say finally came out, she tightly sealed her lips. The faint blush rising on her fair skin vividly expressed her emotions.

    Watching Adelia¡¯s neck gradually turning redder, I let out a bitter smile. It seemed increasingly difficult for her to speak.

    If that¡¯s the case, there¡¯s only one thing for me to do. I need to bring out the words she wants to say.

    ¡°It seems Nicole noona must be quite frustrated. Perhaps she brought me here because handling the situation is beyond her.¡±

    ¡°Bu-but you have an engagement¡­ Nicole should know about it, so why¡­¡±

    ¡°I said that. But she asked me whether I want to be remembered as a scoundrel who took a mistress without his wife¡¯s permission or as a trash who freely yed with a woman¡¯s feelings. I chose the first option, and that¡¯s how it turned out.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Adelia¡¯s face turned noticeably red. Choosing the first option essentially meant epting herpletely, or at least that¡¯s how it could be interpreted.

    After her duel with Hiriyast time, she confessed her feelings to me. However, given the circumstances, I couldn¡¯t ept her at that time.

    The situation seemed frustrating from Nicole¡¯s perspective. While she seemed to understand theplexities of my situation, she still considered epting someone¡¯s feelings different. So, she indirectly appealed that ying with a woman¡¯s feelings is what trash do. Moreover, she even said to me, ¡®You¡¯re unnecessarily kind, aren¡¯t you? If someone ising to you, just boldly ept them. Why hesitate?¡¯

    <i>¡®If this was my past life, I¡¯d really be trash.¡¯</i>

    Even in a society where some polygamy is tolerated, I¡¯d have nothing to say if I received insults in my past life. I suppose I¡¯ve adapted well enough to the social culture of this world by now. However, despite bing ustomed, me being indecisive was a fact. It¡¯s not like I can see through people¡¯s hearts; I can just straightforwardly rify things.

    Upon careful thought, I can understand why Nicole said those words to me. Thanks to her, I was able to engage in sufficient self-reflection.

    Let¡¯s sincerely be grateful for being born in this world. And at least show some sincerity to the woman who likes me.

    ¡°Adelia-noona.¡±

    ¡°Uh, yeah?¡±

    ¡°What do you like about me?¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    Adelia¡¯s sky-blue eyes widened at my direct question, and she flinched noticeably. In addition to that, her already red face deepened in color, as it would burst at the slightest touch and her lips trembled like ripples.

    Adelia, who was usually carefree and confident, looked genuinely cute when she reacted like this. It felt strange that despite being older than me, she seemed younger.

    <i>¡®In terms of age, I guess I am older.¡¯</i>

    That¡¯s a story from my past life; let¡¯s move on since now I¡¯m a lively 18-year-old. People are creatures of adaptation, and after reincarnation, behaving ording to that age naturally affected my way of thinking.

    Anyway, putting aside unnecessary talk, Adelia remained silent for a while in response to my question, avoiding eye contact. Her short hair, which reached her shoulders, covered her face like a curtain.

    Nevertheless, her distinctive sharp nose and, especially, her sky-blue eyes peeking through the strands of hair were vivid. Even from the side, her appearance was undeniably beautiful.

    ¡°¡­because you¡¯re warm.¡±

    ¡°Warm?¡±

    When I was carefully scrutinizing Adelia¡¯s appearance, she spoke in a whispery voice, as if crawling. It was so soft that it was barely audible.

    So, I leaned my face forward a bit, and only then did her words start to reach my ears.

    ¡°Because you¡¯re warm¡­ even though you know I¡¯m a bastard, you treat me normally and without discrimination. Even though you¡¯re a noble¡­¡±

    Adeleia, who had spoken so, slowly, very slowly turned her head to look me straight in the eyes. Her face, reddened like the sunset, and a closed mouth, but the sky-blue eyes conveyed her upright determination.

    How clear and transparent must her eyes be to reflect my face like a mirror? They seemed to express her clean conscience.

    ¡°The reasons I like you are countless, but the warm affection I feel from you is the best.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do exactly as Nicole said. I¡¯m just happy to convey my feelings.¡±

    Adeleia, with her hand on her chest, spoke with determination.

    A knight-like resolute decision. However, a spirit firmly blocked both front and back. Her feelings toward me are more sincere than anyone else¡¯s, but because of that, it¡¯s a heartbreaking love that deres she won¡¯t approach any further. She dered that she won¡¯t demand anything more and will be satisfied with the current situation.

    Did she take my silence as eptance? Adeleia chuckled, showing a faint smile, and made a slight request.

    For Adeleia, it was almost like a final plea.

    ¡°I¡¯m content with just asionally being hugged or holding hands. If I unnecessarily intervene, it will only make things difficult for you. There won¡¯t be anything crossing the line here anymore.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. So¡­¡±

    Before Adelia could even respond, I grabbed her face with both hands. She looked at me in surprise.

    Receiving one-sided love from just one side is not fair. At least, that¡¯s what I think.

    I stared at her dumbfounded expression, raised the corners of my mouth, and smiled gently. Then, as if making a deration, I spoke.

    ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯ll just have to cross the line first. How about that?¡±

    ¡°What, what?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s unfair for me to be the only one receiving love. You should be loved fairly too.¡±

    I won¡¯t hesitate indecisively. Living as a scoundrel is morefortable for both of us than me living as trash.

    Of course, I don¡¯t mean living as a literal scoundrel. It¡¯s not about getting permission from every woman before messing around.

    Just Adelia, let¡¯s make an exception for Adelia. There was no more hesitation in the yard where Nicole had already put nose in.

    Moreover, Adelia revealed my feelings even though she doesn¡¯t know that I am Xenon. A political problem arising? Tell them to go to hell. I will give her ¡®support¡¯ so that Adelia won¡¯t even think about going back to such a family.

    In the distant future, when I reveal that I am Xenon, I hope she can ¡®choose¡¯ me without any hesitation.

    <i>¡®Why didn¡¯t I know such a simple solution?¡¯</i>

    It seems that people truly need to confront things directly to make the right judgment. As I was thinking this inwardly, Adelia, who had been hesitating, tightly shut her mouth.

    Her not being able to meet my gaze was truly charming. The freshness of a maiden nervously experiencing her first encounter was evident. However, I wouldn¡¯t rush into a confession immediately. There were facts I needed to disclose to her, and above all, I wasn¡¯t even properly prepared.

    I should at least show her some courtesy so that it will be an unforgettable memory. I looked gently at the shy Adelia and spoke in a low voice.

    ¡°I will also confess here, noona. I¡¯ll make it so that in the future, it¡¯s me that you choose, not those people. I¡¯ll be your true family, not by blood but by choice.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    Adelia made a soft sound, covering her face with both hands. However, I removed her hands one by one, preventing her from hiding her face. Despite her efforts to cover her face each time, she soon gave up as I continued to remove her hands.

    The flushed skin, wandering eyes, and wavering lips came into view. Without realizing it, she had already knelt down with her knees.

    Afterward, Adelia, who had blushed for a while and peeked at me with a red face, lightly scratched her cheek with her index finger.

    ¡°Well¡­ just a kiss¡­ okay?¡±

    ¡°If you want, it can be more than that.¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    Adelia copsed forward with a troubled sound at my mischievous joke. ording to Nicole, she imed to have never been in a rtionship, and it seemed to be true.

    Still, thanks to that, I discovered new aspects of her that I had never known. I thought she was a reliable and sturdy noona, but the reality waspletely the opposite.

    Meanwhile, Adelia, leaning forward, groaned for a while before slowly raising her upper body. After giving me a nce, she closed her eyes tightly and then slowly extended her face.

    It was a gesture indicating that she wanted me toe forward and kiss her. It was awkward, but that made it even cuter.

    Swoosh¡ª

    Instead of kissing her as she wished, I reached out my hand and gently embraced the back of her head. With my other hand, I softly brushed her cheek.

    With each of these actions, Adelia¡¯s body trembled slightly. Due to having her eyes closed, her heightened senses naturally led to such reactions.

    However, I didn¡¯t immediately kiss her. Like a predator waiting for its prey, I patiently waited for the right moment.

    Adelia seemed to sense something was amiss and slowly began to open her eyes, filled with confusion. Then, with an expression of puzzlement, she opened her tightly sealed lips.

    ¡°Why, why¡­ ugh!¡±

    Before she could fully express her confusion, I brought my face close, and our lips collided in a surprise kiss. Adelia¡¯s body stiffened at the sudden kiss.

    Originally, her lips were closed like a fortress, but due to carelessness, they were slightly open. Moreover, what I wanted was not a light kiss but a deep and intense kiss suitable for lovers.

    My tongue invaded Adelia¡¯s mouth, making contact with her hesitant tongue, conveying taste and fragrance without direction.

    ¡°Um. Mmm.¡±

    At first, Adelia was tense, but as the kiss continued deeply, she gradually surrendered to instinct.

    The initially awkward tongue y became more skilled, and her once rigid body gradually rxed. She went further, wrapping her arms around my neck. There was no longer any shy maiden; only one lovely woman remained.

    ¡°Hoo.¡±

    ¡°Haah¡­ Haah¡­¡±

    After the long and deep kiss, neither of us hesitated to pull away simultaneously. The silver thread that had extended between our lips was abruptly severed.

    I was rtivelyposed, while Adelia gasped as if she might lose consciousness any moment. Her upright sky-blue eyes became hazy, and her trembling lips revealed her agitation.

    In my heart, I wanted to conclude things here, but I exercised as much patience as possible. I had nned to give her intense memories that could cover up her unfortunate family circumstances.

    ¡°Was it good?¡±

    ¡°¡­I feel like I might get addicted.¡±

    Adelia pulled back while still holding my neck. By crossing the line first, she no longer needed to conceal her true feelings.

    With a smile, I carefully pulled her towards me and embraced her. Adelia, nestled against my chest, seemed to want to feel the warmth and hugged me tightly.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. What is it?¡±

    ¡°I love you.¡±

    It was the second confession, but the feeling was quite different. It wasn¡¯t a confession of one-sided love but rather a confession as lovers.

    I gently replied, stroking Adelia¡¯s head.

    ¡°I love you too, Noona.¡±

    ¡°Will you¡­ not abandon me?¡±

    Adelia asked me with an anxious voice, perhaps haunted by the memory of being rejected directly by her family.

    To quell that anxiety and to ovey those memories with happy ones, I sincerely reassured her.

    ¡°Absolutely, that will never happen.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    A sigh containing variousplex emotions. At the same time, my heart began to moisten.

    It was hard to read her expression buried in my chest, but I silently brushed away her back. As I did, her grip on me became stronger.

    ¡°I¡¯m relieved¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Really¡­ phew. I¡¯m so relieved¡­¡±

    Adelia was undoubtedly sobbing. But when I lowered my gaze¡­

    ¡°I¡¯m truly happy¡­¡±

    I could see that she was smiling.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 225: A Happy Face (2)

    We reached the point of no return. The only thing left is revealing my identity as Xenon to Adelia. Since the manuscript happened to be in my room, proving it won¡¯t take long. However, I have no intention of disclosing it right now. Even if we¡¯ve became lovers, it will take time for her to fully fall for me.

    I need to wait until I¡¯m sure she will choose me without any hesitation after I reveal myself as Xenon. To ensure not to make a mistake in a moment¡¯s choice, not to hold any lingering regrets.

    Look at the present moment. Despite having just experienced the deep, intense first kiss moments ago, she was still wearing an uneasy expression. With an anxious look in her eyes, she repeatedly asked confirming questions, as if she couldn¡¯t believe the current situation.

    I responded to those questions with a warm smile, and in a low, soothing voice, I opened my mouth.

    ¡°If it¡¯s too unbelievable, should I give you another kiss?¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    As soon as I said that, Adelia¡¯s face turned as red as a volcano about to erupt. Her lips trembled like the waves, expressing her feelings in an instant.

    As I mentioned before, Adelia was starving for ¡°affection.¡± Being born as an illegitimate child, her family environment was truly the worst, and during the exhibition, she even faced worse.

    So, instead of ying pranks, giving Adelia warmth would be better. But there¡¯s one thing that I can¡¯t quite understand.

    ¡°Noona, why did it have to be me? There are plenty of guys with affection like mine in the world.¡±

    As I said, there are many men in the world simr to me. Rather than a man like me with many women around, it would have been better for Adelia to meet a man who only had eyes for her.

    In response to my question, Adelia blinked her sky-blue eyes and then replied with aplex smile.

    ¡°Even if I revealed that I¡¯m illegitimate, would they really treat me like you?¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    ¡°Illegitimate children are treated much worse than you think. Among nobles, they are seen as a threat to power or as cause for discord in the family, tainted with impure blood. Themoners treat illegitimate children as nobles. It¡¯s a status that¡¯s neither here nor there.¡±

    The treatment of illegitimate children is indeed as Adelia described: not good at all. It could lead to significant discord within families and is entrenched with strong negative biases.

    Above all, there¡¯s a clear distinction between ¡°legitimate children¡± and ¡°illegitimate children.¡± Legitimate children, even if they are born from concubines, receive a certain level of noble treatment. However, illegitimate children are born from rtionships outside the family. There inevitably exists a difference.

    The reason Adelia calls herself an illegitimate child rather than a legitimate child is also because of this. If she isn¡¯t acknowledged as part of the family, she would have tobel herself as an illegitimate child rather than a legitimate one.

    I reached out and gently stroked Adelia¡¯s head as she stood there, lost in mncholy. Startled, she slowly lifted her head to look at me with surprised eyes.

    ¡°¡­Isaac?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to me yourself anymore. I¡¯ll make sure you forget everything about being an illegitimate child. Understand?¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    At my words, Adelia bit her lip hard, tears welling up in her eyes. Soon enough, she leaned into me. Just looking at her like this, she seemed so tearful and fragile. They say people whough a lot often carry many inner wounds, and it seems to be true.

    I intend to cherish Adelia until all those wounds are healed, and I¡¯m willing to provide her with ample affection as a remedy. The scars might remain from deep wounds, but the healing itself will be sufficient.

    ¡°¡­Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, noona?¡±

    ¡°Do we really have to meet them now? Will they even allow it?¡±

    She¡¯s probably referring to Marie and Cecily. Normally, she would have referred to them as ¡®those kids,¡¯ but now she spoke of them in a more elevated manner as ¡®them.¡¯

    Even though the line has been crossed, permission is still necessary. Adelia herself being of illegitimate birth makes it even more daunting.

    Even if Nicole were to go and insist, the moment she faces rejection, Adelia¡¯s heart will quickly burn down like a piece of paper on fire. And once again, new wounds will be etched.

    I¡¯ll do whatever it takes to stop it. I¡¯m already prepared to take several hits.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll try my best.¡±

    ¡°¡­Can I trust you on that?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    I said affectionately while gently stroking Adelia¡¯s head to reassure her worries.

    ¡°I might get scolded a lot, but it¡¯ll be okay.¡±

    Knock knock.

    As soon as I said that, the sound of someone knocking on my door reached my ears. Adelia and I immediately turned our gaze towards the door upon hearing the sound.

    <i>¡®They¡¯vee.¡¯</i>

    Checking the clock, it¡¯s already half-past five. Thest ss ended around 4:30, so we must have talked for an hour before they came.

    I said it would be fine, but I couldn¡¯t help feeling nervous. I stroked Adelia¡¯s head once again and got up from my seat, walking towards the door.

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll go.¡±

    It¡¯s a tense moment. I took a deep breath, lowered the doorknob, and slowly opened the door.

    It¡¯s probably just a misconception that it feels like the gates of hell are opening. While briefly having an unnecessary thought, I checked the person who knocked.

    As soon as I opened the door, I saw very familiar faces. Not only Nicole in a uniform, but also Marie and Cecily standing beside her.

    I could roughly guess why they hade. My intuition about the Gates of Hell was precisely urate. Awkwardly, I chuckled, but feeling the chilly yet intense aura, I couldn¡¯t help but shudder.

    The source of that energy was none other than Nicole, who had knocked. She gazed at me with cold, sunken golden eyes.

    ¡°Uh¡­ you¡¯re here? Did you¡­ talk?¡±

    Something was dangerous. My instincts were screaming. As I awkwardly chuckled, Nicole slightly lifted the corner of her mouth. However, the problem was that while her mouth was smiling, her eyes were not.

    It was an unmistakably eerie atmosphere and vibe. I slowly stepped back in unease, but¡­

    ¡°Hey, you¡­¡±

    Nicole widened her eyes and then eximed.

    ¡°You rascal!!!¡±

    She kicked me right in the chest, a very precise and clear kick that could have appeared alongside a roaring battle cry in a movie from a past life.

    It¡¯s a w that I took that kick. Naturally, due to the strong pain I felt in my abdomen, I couldn¡¯t help but roll backward.

    Fortunately, she hadn¡¯t kicked me hard enough to cause serious harm, but it was painful nheless. As I¡¯ve not encountered many opponents since reincarnation, the pain feels even sharper.

    ¡°W-What?!¡±

    ¡°N-Nicole!¡±

    Suddenly, everyone was startled by Nicole¡¯s abrupt kick and hurriedly approached. Whether I said anything or not, Nicole relentlessly stomped on me while Iy copsed on the ground.

    She seemed to be controlling her strength to some extent, but I could sense intense anger with each kick.

    ¡°I thought there was only Adele, but there¡¯s one more?! And she¡¯s even a beastwoman, not to mention the chieftain¡¯s daughter?! You¡¯re quite the princess collector, huh?¡±

    ¡°No-noona, just a moment¡­! Let me exin¡­¡±

    ¡°What exnation! That elf you imed to be friendly with¡­ seems like you¡¯ve gotten quite close! No, maybe you¡¯re already beyond ¡®close¡¯! If you collect one person from each race, you¡¯ll go down in history as the greatest yboy, just like that! Xenon is said to be a pure lover who only cares about one person, but he¡¯s being a damned yboy!¡±

    18 years passed after my reincarnation.

    ¡°Ouch! Ahh!¡±

    ¡°Noona, hold on! Isaac might die like this!¡±

    ¡°Let go of this, Marie! We have to do something about that guy¡¯s lower body first! Otherwise, it¡¯ll only get worse, and as a sister, I can¡¯t let that happen!¡±

    ¡°No, don¡¯t! Leave the face and below as they are and just do it in other ces¡­¡±

    For the first time in my life, I was beaten like a dog by my elder sister.

    *****

    When people feel pain, their minds suddenly sharpen. It¡¯s not just a superstition that getting hit brings you to your senses for no reason. Because you don¡¯t want to get hit, you do whatever it takes to snap out of it and escape.

    I¡¯m the same way. When I was kicked by Nicole, my mind cleared up instantly. Although it¡¯s shocking to have been hit by my close sister for the first time in my life, I could understand, given my situation.

    But pain is pain. She aimed for ces where it wouldn¡¯t cause much harm even if I got hurt, but it¡¯s inevitable that it stings. I just have to endure it.

    ¡°Ouch¡­¡±

    ¡°All right, it¡¯s settled after all that fuss.¡±

    When I was rubbing the part that was stinging, Nicole warned me in a sharp voice. She even crossed her arms, indicating that she was still not over it.

    Though her terrifying warning made me shudder, since I was at fault, I couldn¡¯t say anything. I just stayed put, trying to read the atmosphere.

    ¡°Thank you.I don¡¯t care about anything else, don¡¯t touch Isaac¡¯s face, below, or his hands. Other than that, he can be like a corpse.¡±

    Cecily, sitting on the right, gently stroked my head while teasingly saying. Marie, sitting on the left, nodded inplete agreement.

    I wanted to retort, but I bit my tongue, fearing it might just invite more insults. I¡¯m a sinner and a troublemaker, after all.

    Yet, even with Cecily¡¯s joke, the tension didn¡¯t ease. If anything, it only increased.

    I¡¯m already feeling nervous but I wonder how Adelia feels. She¡¯s sitting opposite me, knees pulled up, visibly tense.

    It may kinda be a marriage interview, amusingly enough, but for her, it¡¯s probably the most nerve-wracking moment in the world.

    ¡°All right then¡­ Adelia, was it?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes!¡±

    Adelia replied stiffly to Marie¡¯s question, visibly tense to anyone observing.

    ¡°Please speakfortably. We¡¯ve all heard from Nicole. You can rx.¡±

    ¡°I, I feel ufortable doing that¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re ufortable, there¡¯s nothing to be done.¡±

    Marie shrugged as if she didn¡¯t particrly care. Then, she pinched my cheek and pulled it out teasingly.

    ¡°Ow, that hurts. Marie.¡±

    ¡°Good that it hurts. Anyway, Adelia, Isaac¡¯s¡­¡±

    Marie paused mid-sentence and nced at me briefly. It was a question asking if I had disclosed my identity.

    Recognizing that, I gently shook my head. It wasn¡¯t yet time to tell Adelia.

    She nodded once, smoothly continuing her sentence.

    ¡°It¡¯s because of your kindness, right? Even as an orphan, you see yourself without any judgment.¡±

    ¡°Y-yeah.¡±

    p!

    As soon as Adelia finished her sentence, Marie lightly pped my cheek. It stung a bit but oddly refreshed my mind.

    In the meantime, Marie nced at the nervous Adelia and, folding her arms, spoke her mind.

    ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t really like it.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    ¡°Marie?¡±

    I was immediately faced with an obstacle. I wanted to plead and somehow convince her due to certain circumstances, but I couldn¡¯t in the current atmosphere.

    This had to be resolved between Marie and Adelia. However, right from the start, there was a discord.

    As everyone waited for Marie to speak, she nced at me once, then released her arms and subtly took my hand.

    Facing Adelia¡¯s surprised expression, Marie began to exin the reason.

    ¡°If Adelia-unnie hade because of Isaac¡¯s status, he might have rejected it from Isaac¡¯s side. But Adelia-unnie fell for Isaac himself. She held love for Isaac in her heart. She said she only had a pure love for him. Nicole-unnie noticed that and pushed Isaac.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why Nicole-unnie apologized fervently earlier, even hitting her head on the ground. She pushed Isaac without knowing Leona was there too.¡±

    As she spoke, Nicole red fiercely at me. I couldn¡¯t gather the courage to meet her eyes and focused my gaze on Adelia as much as possible.

    Adelia¡¯s expression stiffened more and more as Marie continued speaking. However, seeing her sky-blue eyes asionally wavering, I could tell she was conflicted.

    The two fists ced on top of her thighs repeated opening and closing, and her trembling breath resonated in my ears.

    ¡°I¡¯m simr to you, Unnie. My status isn¡¯t an issue, and I love Isaac as a person, just like you.¡±

    ¡°Then, what about the princess¡­¡±

    Adelia paused, shifting her gaze to Cecily, who was in close contact with me. Crimson and blue sky-like irises exchanged nces.

    Sensing those looks, Cecily linked arms with me, disying affection. Outwardly, it seemed like I had two beautiful maidens on either side. But the reality was close to hell. But this was undoubtedly my fault.

    ¡°I¡¯m the same. Despite the reduction in discrimination against demons thanks to Xenon¡¯s Biography, it hasn¡¯t beenpletely eliminated. And when I¡¯m with Isaac, I feel like a human, not a demon. Warm affection, a kind attitude, and even stam- energyparable to a demon¡­ there¡¯s nothingcking.¡±

    Trying to say ¡®stamina¡¯ but switching to ¡®energy¡¯ in a hurry, Cecily diverted the conversation. It¡¯s very much like her. I chuckled bitterly.

    She also had a liking for me from the beginning. However, it was only a liking, and it fell short of being considered rational in terms of emotions.

    First of all, the difference in lifespan was clear. It was because she realized that I was Xenon and didn¡¯t even consider things like lifespan, and if it wasn¡¯t for that, it¡¯s unknown whether she would have connected with me.

    Therefore, it can be said that Marie was the one who truly loved me from the beginning. The current Adelia is the same.

    ¡°See? That¡¯s why it¡¯s unsettling. Both of us fell in love with the person Isaac, but you came barging in here. Of course, Isaac probably won¡¯t have such profound concerns, but our position could be precarious.¡±

    ¡°T-That will never happen!¡±

    Perhaps she was afraid that Marie might refuse. Adelia cried urgently but abruptly stopped herself with both hands covering her mouth.

    No matter how urgent it was, shouting face-to-face was clearly against etiquette. That¡¯s how urgent it was.

    However, Marie smiled casually and opened her mouth.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I might be a little grumpy, but we¡¯re not rejecting you, Unnie. Cecily has simr thoughts.¡±

    ¡°Yes? Then¡­¡±

    ¡°Instead, there¡¯s a condition.¡±

    At the mention of a condition, Adelia restrained her expression instead of being moved. She must know well that the condition is the most important.

    Then, Marie, holding hands with me, showed a kind smile and spoke.

    ¡°Unnie should also understand that ¡®officially¡¯ marrying is only between me and Isaac for now. Cecily is still ¡®unofficial.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Marie?¡±

    ¡°Why? It¡¯s true, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Do you have to emphasize it like that?¡±

    It seemed Cecily was upset when the word ¡°unofficial¡± was mentioned. However, Marie pushed forward diligently, not wishing to be deprived of the title of the first because Cecily didn¡¯t have any desire for it in the first ce.

    ¡°Anyway, I don¡¯t know which of us will inherit the title, but it¡¯ll probably be Isaac who receives it from his father. Or the royal family might confer a separate title. If that happens, you might be Isaac¡¯s concubine.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°But if you be a concubine, there¡¯s a high chance of constant surveince from the Ters Kingdom. Even if you renounce them, there might be things that could be traced back to you.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    Adelia sighed at the somewhat realistic conversation. It clearly meant that she was officially designated as a ¡®concubine.¡¯

    The situation would beplicated if the Ters Kingdom recognizes Adelia not as a bastard but as a ¡®child¡¯ in the future. Even if the Minerva Empire and Adelia refuse vehemently, ¡®lineage¡¯ holds immense power in society nowadays.

    In other words, it¡¯s difficult to ept Adelia even as a concubine. That damn lineage continued to torment her like a shackle.

    Around the time when even Adelia and perhaps I felt a sense of pity, Mari unexpectedly made a proposal.

    ¡°So, I have a suggestion, Unnie. How about bing a personal maid instead of a guard knight?¡±

    ¡°A personal¡­ maid?¡±

    ¡°Yes, a maid. Not just an ordinary servant but a personal maid who attends to Isaac and me.¡±

    A maid and a servant mean the same thing. However, a personal maid performs a role simr to a ¡®secretary.¡¯

    Managing the employer¡¯s schedule is basic, but they also act as an assistant, following around and fulfilling the duties of an attendant.

    When you first nce at it, it may seem simr to being a maid, but a personal maid is undoubtedly a noble. Onemon misconception is that a personal maid is not a servant but has rather apanion-like rtionship with a high-ranking noble. Adelia is certainly qualified to be a concubine, but it might be easier for her to be a personal maid rather than risking trouble with the Ters Kingdom.

    Just as everyone was astonished by the proposal that could be considered cunning, Marie continued confidently.

    ¡°In the mansion, you¡¯ll y the role of a maid, and when you go outside, you¡¯ll return to being a knight escort. That way, you can be close to Isaac and even receive love as you wish. How about it? Does it sound good?¡±

    ¡°Well, bing a maid is not exactly¡­ I don¡¯t dislike it, but I¡¯m not sure if I can do well¡­¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you do well or not. Knowing Isaac¡¯s personality, he¡¯ll do his own tasks. It¡¯s the same for me. What do you think?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­ ¡°

    Adelia hesitated at Marie¡¯s proposal, then shifted her gaze to me. It was an indication of whether it was eptable to be appointed as a personal maid. In response, I nodded my head.

    Honestly, I¡¯m curious. The always carefree Adelia, weing me in a neat maid outfit. In various ways, my thoughts were drawn to that side.

    When I nodded my head, Adelia opened her mouth with a surprised expression.

    ¡°¡­Alright. I¡¯ll ept it.¡±

    ¡°Great. I¡¯ll give you the necessary books, so study hard in your spare time. Oh, and¡­¡±

    Marie paused for a moment, then reached out her empty hand and grabbed Adelia¡¯s hand. Adelia, momentarily startled by Marie holding her hand, looked at her with a puzzled expression.

    Then, with warm eyes fixed on Adelia, Marie spoke with a voice filled with sincerity.

    ¡°Wee to the family, Adelia-unnie.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Now, don¡¯t suffer anymore and live happily. You¡¯re worth that, unnie.¡±

    Perhaps that one sentence struck a chord in Adelia¡¯s heart. She initially had a vacant expression, then her lips trembled slightly before she slowly nodded her head.

    Finally, cing her other hand over Marie¡¯s hand that held hers, Adelia spoke with a choked voice,

    ¡°Thank you¡­ really¡­ thank you¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, unnie.¡±

    ¡°I will definitely¡­ sniff¡­ I will definitely protect you.¡±

    She really was someone who sheds tears easily. It¡¯s probably because she has been through a lot of pain.

    As a warm atmosphere began to settle, Marie slowly stood up. Adelia looked at her with a tear-stained expression, puzzled. I felt the same way.

    In the midst of this, Marie ignored those looks and called out to Cecily.

    ¡°Cecily?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ming.¡±

    Did they synchronize their movements in advance? At the call from Marie, Cecily rose from her seat without any hesitation.

    By the way, Marie held my hand, and since Cecily had linked arms with me, my two arms involuntarily lifted upwards.

    As the bewildering situation continued, Marie looked down at me and spoke coldly.

    ¡°What are you doing? Aren¡¯t you getting up?¡±

    ¡°Uh, what?¡±

    ¡°If you have any sense, wouldn¡¯t you get up?¡±

    What on earth is happening? I really have no idea.

    However, I could understand the situation from Cecily¡¯s subsequent words.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Ye-yeah?¡±

    The chill in Cecily¡¯s voice was far colder than the freezing wind.

    ¡°Did you really think we would just move on like this?¡±

    It was much colder than the northern winter.

 Chapter 226: Book 17 (1)

    I¡¯ve always thought about it, but I feel grateful that my father¡¯s genes have manifested, albeitte. If that hadn¡¯t happened, my back would have been broken a long time ago.

    However, a bigger issue remained: the changed attitudes of Marie and Cecily. It¡¯s not that they were distant or have lost affection towards me, but rather it has deepened even more than before.

    To the point where the intensity has be so strong.

    Originally, we used topromise with each other, but starting with Adelia, it seems like they¡¯ve developed a new preference of conspiring together.

    Rather than waiting for their turn, it seems they took to staying by my side. Surprisingly, Marie was more proactive than Cecily, and her jealousy seems to be increasing day by day, always trying to keep me by her side.

    In her heart, she even wanted us to share a dorm like a married couple. Thanks to that, I could understand how much she loves me.

    As time goes by, more women gather around me, but still, I will prioritize Marie and love her passionately.

    She was the first to notice me and confess her love, so I couldn¡¯t do anything less.

    <i>¡®Oh, by the way, it¡¯s almost our 1-year anniversary.¡¯</i>

    I remember the exact day when Marie and I officially started dating. I have a habit from my past life of diligentlymemorating anniversaries and such.

    In this world, apart from birthdays, there¡¯s no culture ofmemorating special days. Even with engagements or marriages, it ends there.

    So, wouldn¡¯t she be moved if I remembered our anniversary? Since I¡¯ve caused Marie some emotional turmoil, I n to give back as much as I can.

    Of course, Cecily was the same. Even if she pretends not to mind if I only take care of Marie, she¡¯ll feel disappointed inside.

    <i>¡®But what could be a good gift¡­¡¯</i>

    It was a dilemma thinking about what would be an appropriate gift here, cosmetics or an expensive perfume would be the safest, but asking other women would still be the best.

    So, I nned to send a letter to my mother soon and ask her. Or maybe subtly ask Marie so she doesn¡¯t catch on.

    Bing a good-for-nothing, this is the best expression of goodwill and apology I can do. Since this might not be enough, I¡¯ll make sure tomemorate the special days diligently to soothe their hearts.

    Anyway, since the Adelia incident, my life has been divided into assistant duties, writing, and sweet dates with my lovers, as usual. There¡¯s nothing else to do than things that require attention one by one, but recently, I¡¯ve been concentrating on writing.

    I¡¯ve be ustomed to the assistant life, so helping Elena and Cindy is a breeze, and as for the dates¡­ let¡¯s just pass over that.

    However, during the weekend, Adelia¡¯s face bloomed with a bright smile, and that made me very satisfied. Not a smile to hide the wounds but a genuinely happy one. Just that alone is worth sacrificing my waist for.

    Although we briefly deviated to another topic, let¡¯s get back to the issue of Volume 17. As everyone knows, Volume 17 focuses on Jin and Lily, and it depicts the events unfolding in the ¡®Holy Church,¡¯ which can be considered the ¡®Church¡¯ episode of Xenon¡¯s Biography, centered around Xavier like country.

    ¡­ Let¡¯s notin that I chose the name ¡®Holy¡¯ too casually. I just named it like this because I couldn¡¯t think of a better name.

    Anyway, the development is that a priest associated with devils threatens Jin and Lily in the Holy Church. This story was also rather realistic.

    The world realized the contamination level of the World Tree¡¯s roots as soon as they saw my book. But how corrupt can clergy members be? Especially in the case of the Luminous Order, there is a distant past where they turned fanatical and ughtered demons.

    Given the considerable time that has passed since then, the likelihood of internal decay once again spreading is high. Hence, though hesitant to write about it when faced with the thought of opposition, I had no choice but to proceed, for fear the plot might stagnate if I made amendments.

    More than anything, it was transformed to the extent of creating something that doesn¡¯t exist, unlike Animers previously. If I were to exaggerate a bit and write that dung can turn into gold, there are those who might take it at face value.

    With this in mind, while the story continues as it is, I¡¯ll ask Luminous directly. Are there truly corrupt clergy members within Xavier?

    [There are.]

    <i>¡®Crazy.¡¯</i>

    And a positive response came back from Luminous. I couldn¡¯t believe it even though I had hoped. Hearing a definitive answer from the god overseeing the world was more than shocking.

    I felt my head ringing. However, cursing during a conversation with a god was an obvious sphemy, so I immediately apologized.

    No matter how much Luminous may favor me, a god is a god. Even a slight slip of the tongue in jest is a serious matter.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry. How could I¡­¡¯</i>

    [I¡¯m fine. I can understand your feelings. But it¡¯s truly fascinating. Cultural differences aside, the extent of these oues is unexpected. It¡¯s quite severe, but interesting, isn¡¯t it?]

    Luminous seemed to be in a daze now. Although I poked to check, they probably didn¡¯t expect it to actually exist.

    No, he may not directly interfere, but he¡¯s observing. Even though he knew that Xavier was rotting from inside, he probably couldn¡¯te up with a proper n.

    Not informing about the widespread devil worshippers was simr to this. Since no one raised questions, the gods must have been frustrated. Even if they warned through oracles, it would have been misinterpreted, leading to frustration.

    Or maybe those interpreting the prophecy became corrupted. That¡¯s not an impossible possibility.

    [¡­We, gods, always end up owning you. Thanks to you, the future of the world is bing brighter.]

    <i>¡®Should I thank the devil worshippers who summoned me here?¡¯</i>

    [No. Because of those bastards, innocent souls ended up in apletely different ce. From the gods¡¯ perspective, they might be insignificant, but life is always precious. That¡¯s what our mother used to say.]

    The mother of gods. Luminous and Mora inherited theirpassionate nature from Harte, the goddess of life and nature.

    It feels proud in a corner of my heart that this world is developing under the protection of suchpassionate and loving gods.

    On the other hand, I wondered why the devils would invade this world. They are known for destruction and ughter, but there must be a leader giving them ¡®orders.¡¯

    Perhaps the goal of that leader is the destruction of this world. Since there was no clear exnation in the myth, I became slightly curious. Still, I didn¡¯t ask Luminous directly. Instead, I moved on to another question.

    <i>¡®Can you tell me who in Xavier is making a pact with devils?¡¯</i>

    [Sorry, I can¡¯t do that. It¡¯s a future that would shake the entire world, too much for your sanctity to handle even now. Such a great cmity requires an immense force to ur.]

    How severe could it be that even my sanctity is insufficient? It seems like it will bring about a wave as significant as the contamination of the World Tree¡¯s roots, which was a major crisis.

    And they¡¯ll probablybel me as the cause. Now, they will get even more certain with their theories. I dread how severe the aftermath will be once I reveal that I am Xenon. I hope for the safety of those around me, even if I¡¯m unsure about anything else. But things in this world aren¡¯t that simple.

    I¡¯ll try toe up with a n somehow, but I¡¯m not the protagonist in a novel like Xenon, and dealing with the immense power of the world is almost impossible.

    Sigh¨C

    Amidst the perplexing situation, just as I exhaled deeply, I felt a gentle touch caressing my head. A touch that felt kind and sacred, such warmth. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve felt this while conversing with Luminous.

    The god of light and hope, Luminous, gently stroked my head, and simultaneously, a clear sanctity entered my body, soothing myplex emotions.

    God doesn¡¯t ofteny hands on the heads of believers,forting them as if soothing them, except for the Pope and the Cardinals, I heard.

    <i>¡®¡­Luminous?¡¯ </i>

    [Don¡¯t worry too much, child. At least, there won¡¯t be any dark clouds looming in your near future. The same goes for the women and family you love.]

    Luminous reassured me with his gentle tone. Feeling his touch, I couldn¡¯t help but feel relieved. I feel like I understand why people adore Luminous and love the gods of this world. Offering warmth not just to their families but to everyone, who wouldn¡¯t admire such a deity?

    Conversely, despite being established for such a god, the Luminous Order¡¯s clergy, which made a pact with devils, became repulsive. Specifically, I¡¯m referring to a minority of clergy.

    Surely, most are devout, but it¡¯s because of this minority that Luminous¡¯s name is being tarnished. Just as Luminous bestowed love and grace upon me, I feel I should repay him in some way.

    ¡­Kate, who once asked for my seed, shed through my mind but swiftly dismissed. There might be a separate favor to ask of herter anyway.

    <i>¡®Thank you. I¡¯ll try to finish the book as quickly as possible. It won¡¯t take more than ten days toplete the writing. And the story I¡¯ve told isn¡¯t in 17 volumes but in 18. It¡¯s a long way to go yet.¡¯ </i>

    [Don¡¯t push yourself too hard. Work is important, but taking it easy is just as crucial¡­]

    <i>¡®Otherwise, I might be by Luminous¡¯s side soon.¡¯ </i>

    [¡­ ¡­]

    Even if I abruptly interrupted midway, Luminous maintained silence. Luminous probably knew well the situation I was facing at the moment. Curiosity arose with the conversation. It was a half-jokingment, but I wondered what would actually happen if I engaged in nighttime activities without receiving sanctity.

    If Luminous had said something, I wouldn¡¯t have been sure, but staying silent without uttering a word made me truly wonder.

    <i>¡®¡­Is such a future really possible?¡¯</i>

    [Under the assumption of you not receiving sanctity. That future ceased to exist because you have received sanctity. Don¡¯t worry too much.]

    <i>¡®Can you tell me what kind of future it is?¡¯</i>

    [Sometimes not knowing is a form of protection.]

    I wondered how sad and dreadful a future would have to be for Luminous to outright reject it. I became more curious, but there were situations where not knowing was better.

    Moreover, since I consistently received sanctity, that kind of future ceased to exist, so it¡¯s not something I need to worry about. As always, I should continuously serve and care for my beloved ones.

    As long as I continue receiving both physical training and sanctity, there shouldn¡¯t be any major issues if I keep training.

    <i>¡®Understood. Then, until next time.¡¯</i>

    [Oh, before that, ask Cecily to visit Helium once. Mora insists on seeing you.]

    Come to think of it, I haven¡¯t visited Mora since the winter vacation. I was too engrossed in academics and writing, not even having the chance to visit Helium.

    Though I wish to visit Mora if my heart had its way, I¡¯m currently holding off because I don¡¯t know what prank she might pull. My hair has grown long since winter vacation, and no matter how much I cut it, it seems to grow back overnight. I¡¯ve almost given up. My friends and family say it suits me well and encourage me to continue, but I¡¯m terribly ufortable.

    The weight of the hair alone is no joke, and it¡¯s incredibly difficult to manage when it tangles every day during washing. I sought advice from Cecily, whose hair is much longer than mine. Thankfully, she offered some guidance, otherwise, I would have struggled alone.

    <i>¡®Please tell her that I¡¯ll go on the condition that she doesn¡¯t y any pranks likest time.¡¯</i>

    [Really? Ah, she apologizes.]

    It seems Mora was next to Luminous. That means she heard our entire conversation. With her mischievous nature, I¡¯m not sure what she¡¯ll say, but I hope it¡¯s nothing strange.

    [Hmm¡­ It¡¯s probably better to go as soon as possible.]

    <i>¡®Why?¡¯</i>

    Luminous replied. After hesitating for a moment, he cautiously conveyed Mora¡¯s intentions with a careful tone.

    [Otherwise, she insists she¡¯ll turn you into a girl for a month¡­]

    <i>¡®¡­¡¯</i>

    [It seems she¡¯s suggesting that if it¡¯s not Cecily, you could ask Gartz, the demon, for help.]

    I should probably hurry. I may not know about other things, but I must avoid turning into a woman. Daily life itself might not be too much of a challenge, but it¡¯s as clear as day what kind of reaction my lovely lovers would have. Just imagining it gives me goosebumps.

    <i>¡®¡­Please say I don¡¯t have to go through that transformation. If not, I really won¡¯t go.¡¯</i>

    [They say they¡¯ll give until the end of the week. After a week passes, they say a month will be added with each passing day¡­]

    <i>¡®Haha¡­¡¯</i>

    I let out a bitterugh. She¡¯s a goddess who¡¯s difficult to deal with in many ways.

    Even so, she¡¯s aspassionate and kind as Luminous, so her followers will likely faithfully obey, even if they¡¯re groaning. You can tell her character from her dedication to the demons and dark elves who were persecuted from the start.

    She might y pranks on the children she likes. But I¡¯ve heard that she¡¯s yed pranks on herself too, at Cecily¡¯s behest.

    She got rid of everything that could be considered pride. It wasfortable, but then she became so depressed that Mora hastily returned her to her original state.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ll go as soon as possible. I¡¯m busy too, trying to make time.¡¯</i>

    [No need to rush too much.]

    <i>¡®Understood. Then, I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡¯</i>

    [Go ahead. I hope there will be light in your future.]

    With those words, Luminous¡¯s voice disappearedpletely. I slowly opened my closed eyes and lifted my head.

    A statue depicting Luminous stood before my eyes. If Luminous was here, a faint aura would have enveloped the statue, but seeing its absence confirms their departure.

    I rose from my spot and loosened my stiffened body. My knees were a bit numb from kneeling for so long, but it was bearable.

    <i>¡®I should head to Helium as soon as possible.¡¯</i>

    It¡¯s been a while since I met Mora, and I don¡¯t want to transform into a woman. I should avoid it at all costs this time. I¡¯ll ask Cecily for help this time, and in the future, I can ask Gartz for assistance to visit regrly.

    I bowed my head sincerely to Luminous, who has been very amodating, and stepped outside. As soon as I stepped out, I unexpectedly encountered someone.

    ¡°Saint Isaac?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Did youe to pray to Luminous?¡±

    It was Kate, the Cardinal of Xavier¡¯s Church and the Grand Inquisitor. Her forest-green eyes seemed indifferent but held a hint of delight.

    I¡¯ve heard she stays in this temple before, so it didn¡¯t surprise me, but what stood out the most was her attire. Instead of the nun¡¯s habit she usually wore, she was d in armor that covered her entire body.

    Given her usual habit, it was natural to question.

    ¡°Hello, Miss Kate. I just finished offering my prayers a moment ago. But about that armor¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m nning to go exterminate devil worshippers who defile Luminous¡¯s name.¡±

    As expected. As my gaze shifted to her waist, there hung a mace that seemed too heavy to wield with just one hand.

    She, with a pure face like a country girl, goes around smashing the skulls of devil worshippers. It felt strange, not aligning with her usual demeanor.

    It clearly shows that judging people solely by appearances is wrong. I chuckled at the notion of devil worshippers in the capital and asked.

    ¡°Are there devil worshippers in the capital?¡±

    ¡°There are rumors that they reside underground. It¡¯s a fitting ce for vermin like them. Those creatures need to be crushed thoroughly and incinerated then resurrection should be impossible.¡±

    I learned during my conversation with Kate that she has quite a sharp tongue. Only when ites to devil worshippers, though.

    Her faith in Luminous must be that strong, indicating sincerity. Despite some missing screws inmon sense, she¡¯s not a bad person.

    Sometimes, her faith goes overboard, causing some disturbances. But recently, through small talk, she seems to be gradually changing.

    ¡°I see. Take care. Don¡¯t get hurt unnecessarily by being too reckless.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your concern.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡±

    I looked at Kate with an indifferent expression. As I stared, she blinked her green eyes and grinned.

    ¡°Do you have something to say?¡±

    ¡°No, just¡­¡±

    Kate is fervently devoted to Luminous. Does that mean her feelings toward Xavier, her hometown and sanctuary, are the same? It feels uneasy to leave things this way after directly receiving that information from Luminous.

    If the 18th volumees out, it might reveal everything, but by then, it could be toote. However, it¡¯s not something that can be directly disclosed. There¡¯s a risk that revealing it might cause significant trouble for Kate, who is still quite inexperienced.

    Certainly, she¡¯s established herself as a skilled individual in terms ofbat and has risen to the position of a Cardinal through that. However, there are matters that cannot be resolved by force alone. After pondering repeatedly, I recalled an appropriate proverb and subtly conveyed it to her.

    ¡°Do you happen to know the saying, ¡®The darkest ce is under the candle¡¯?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of that. Is it a directive from Luminous?¡±

    ¡°Not exactly.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Kate cast her gaze downward, blinked a few times, and replied in her characteristic blunt tone.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t quite understand.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­ Alright.¡±

    ¡°Still, I will engrave Isaac¡¯s words in my heart, thank you for that.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. May there be a path of hope for you.¡±

    I bowed slightly, uttering the farewell often shared by clergy of the Luminous order. Kate returned the gesture, offering the same salutation.

    ¡°May there be a path of light for you.¡±

    After sixteen volumes and precisely a fortnightter, the 17th volume made its appearance in the world. And¡­

    ¡°Kate has returned to the Holy Kingdom?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it seems like something urgent came up.¡±

    Exactly two dayster, Kate returned to her hometown.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 227: Book 17 (2)

    The 17th volume portrays the intimate romance between Jin and Lily, while unfolding events urring within the Holy Kingdom. Although the Holy Kingdom was originally favorable to the alliance¡¯s establishment, upon hearing the news of having to unite with demons, they refused. The reason is simple and clear: demons can turn into devils at any moment.

    (TL: rification, Holy Kingdom in the book and Holy Kingdom Xavier in Isaacs world are spelled differently and it would be more urate to call Xavier a ¡®Theocracy¡¯ but I don¡¯t want to change it now. Thus I will try to use Xavier instead of ¡®Holy Kingdom¡¯ Xavier when possible to avoid confusion.)

    As mentioned before, even if the readers knew, the characters in the book didn¡¯t directly witness Sakran¡¯s noble sacrifice. Only a few priests who witnessed his final moments treat demons as humans, the upper echelons remain unchanged. Even Jin, who had served as Lily¡¯s guardian knight since childhood, finds himself in a situation of suspicion. While Jin himself was ustomed to such discrimination, the circumstances make it frustrating.

    Moreover, the veterans tend to grow stagnant, and unfortunately, the cardinals, all of whom were aged elders, further slowed down progress.

    Afterward, Jin and Lily postponed the formation of the Allied Forces and headed to an inn for the night¡­ Only to be attacked without doing anything. The clues regarding the mastermind behind the attackers are found thereafter, concluding Volume 17.

    Because hints and clues about the mastermind have been scattered throughout, someone with good deduction skills could easily realize who the culprit is. Anyway, all truths will be revealed in Volume 18, so there¡¯s no issue.

    [Xavier¡¯s Holy See assures that the contents are unrted to Xenon¡¯s Biography under the name of Luminous.]

    This was the ¡®deration¡¯ released by Xavier¡¯s Holy See as soon as Volume 17 emerged.

    Yeah, it¡¯s nothing but a deration. Since they were the first ones to im that Xenon¡¯s Biography is a prophecy, that Xenon is a ¡®regressor¡¯ or something, it¡¯s natural they¡¯d be rattled.

    Amidst the diminishing discriminatory views towards demons, Helium now possessed enough power from the perspective of other nations to make them drool.

    Not only exceptional in dwarf-level item crafting ability but also possessing a force with each individual demonparable to tactical weaponry.

    Each of these aspects was a sweet fruit, and since the nation of Helium possesses them all, it¡¯d result in significant loss if anyone were to view it unfavorably.

    However, due to its characteristic as a ¡®Holy Nation,¡¯ even if criticized from within Helium, it might not suffer significant damage. But from the perspective of other nations, they¡¯d need to tread cautiously.

    [Demonkind in the book is still discriminated against. That¡¯s why the emotions are more poignant.]

    [An attack on the Saintess, especially an attack within the Holy See, is by no means normal.]

    [Is there a secret battle happening within the Holy See?]

    (TL: I just learned the Holy See is a thing.)

    Readers began to question and analyze the part about them being attacked. After all, the Saintess should receive as much favor within the Church as the Pope himself, so the attack raised doubts. Consequently, Xavier found itself in a precarious situation. They not only had to provide exnations, but they also emphatically stated that such a thing could never happen under the name of Luminous.

    Even though this scandal involving the church exploded to the point where readers were quite skeptical, it¡¯s a nation established for the sake of the ¡®god,¡¯ so they chose to overlook it, at least temporarily.

    Certainly, for the clergy, forming pacts with devils while evading the eyes of the gods was an unimaginable act. Even though there might be followers of the World Tree and devil worshipers, these incidents wouldn¡¯t ur within the sacred nation.

    Originally, to receive an oracle, one must undergo strict scrutiny and obtain permission from Luminous, so they firmly deny any such events. Of course, receiving an oracle might be difficult, but it¡¯s even easy to fall into corruption afterward. As power increases, morality tends to diminish, and one bes more susceptible to desires.

    In the 18th volume, exnations about this will be provided, and as Luminous mentioned, the world will turn upside down.

    [Though the attack disrupted things for a night, hope still remains.]

    [They practically confessed their mutual feelings. Damn those attackers¡­]

    [I believe it will continue in the 18th volume.]

    The progress between Jin and Lily, the couple, has also garnered much attention. As mentioned before, Jin and Lily are just as popr as the main characters, Xenon and Mary.

    In fact, even my mother was more drawn to Jin and Lily than the main characters, indicating how high their poprity truly is.

    So far, they have never directly revealed their hearts to each other. Jin was genuinely hiding his feelings, while Lily noticed Jin¡¯s emotions but quietly waited. However, starting from Volume 17, Lily couldn¡¯t hold back and confessed to Jin first, which must have been earth-shattering for the readers.

    The ambush disrupted their night together? That doesn¡¯t matter. What¡¯s most important is that they didn¡¯t hide their feelings. If things continue like this, it¡¯s obvious what will happen next¡ªthe ending will see the birth of a lovely child between them.

    <i>¡®That¡¯s impossible.¡¯</i>

    Jin is the final boss. That¡¯s an unchanging fact, and he will consistently move towards that fate. Original works usually end tragically to deeply imprint on readers¡¯ minds. Just like Sakran, he will sacrifice himself to protect the one he loves.

    I might receive some criticism and scolding from my mother, but I have no intention of changing it. If it gets too severe, I can release a spin-off. Until then, I¡¯ll sprinkle foreshadowing and clues for the readers, injecting a sense of foreboding. It will be an introduction of a very famous cliche, the ¡®death g,¡¯ in Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    <i>¡®But why did Kate leave? Did she understand what I said and leave because of it?¡¯</i>

    While writing Volume 18, I pondered over Kate¡¯s whereabouts. She returned to Xavier within just two days after the release of Volume 17 of Xenon¡¯s Biography. Perhaps she sensed something, as the saying goes, ¡®it¡¯s darkest under the candle.¡¯

    Yet, from what I¡¯ve observed, Kate is out of touch withmon sense and her social skills in human rtionships are very underdeveloped, almostcking.

    It¡¯s a bit strange that someone like that sensed something off and went back to Xavier. Or maybe there¡¯s an aspect of her that I¡¯m unaware of.

    <i>¡®She¡¯ll figure it out on her own.¡¯</i>

    From my perspective, it¡¯s a decent situation since the priestess that asionally sought my seed is gone. Even Marie seemed relieved upon hearing the news of Kate¡¯s return.

    My current tasks are to write Volume 18 and prepare for the anniversary. I subtly asked Marie what she wanted most.

    <i>¡®But when ites to that gift¡­¡¯</i>

    Thinking about what Marie might want the most as a ¡®gift,¡¯ I smirked. She doesn¡¯t need anything except for me to be there.

    As a noble, Marie has grown withoutcking anything, so if she needs anything, she can rely on the family¡¯s power or something like that.

    It¡¯s me who¡¯s in trouble. How can I satisfy Marie? I¡¯ve already purchased top-tier cosmetics with my mother¡¯s help, but that doesn¡¯t change the fact that I¡¯m the top priority gift.

    Lately, with more women around me, I¡¯ve be possessive. In any case, I need toe up with a solution.

    <i>¡®¡­Should I at least make a wish ticket and give it to her?¡¯</i>

    It might sound crazy, but surprisingly, it could be a good gift¡­ or not? I don¡¯t know. If it was my past life, I would search the inte for a suitable gift, but here, it¡¯s quite limited.

    I¡¯ll just give cosmetics as an anniversary gift and offer the wish ticket as an extra. I¡¯ll also write a heartfelt letter while I¡¯m at it.

    If it was my past life, upon receiving a handwritten letter, one might have grumbled about it being old-fashioned and told your partner not to bother with such gifts. But this isn¡¯t Earth. It¡¯s a time filled with emotions and romance, thete modern to early contemporary era.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s see. There¡¯s about ten days left until the anniversary¡­ I¡¯ll have to go see Mora soon.¡¯</i>

    As for going to see Mora, I¡¯ve already asked Cecily to do that for me. By the way, it¡¯s not Gartz but she herself who ns to bring me to Helium.

    Originally, I had nned to ask Gartz instead, but she insisted on personally bringing me as part of our date. Since I didn¡¯t really mind, I easily agreed. I absolutely have to arrive on time, as I must avoid transforming into a woman at all costs.

    <i>¡®But considering Mora¡¯s personality, she might pull some prank again¡­¡¯</i>

    If she jokes around, I should say I won¡¯te again. She might grumble a bit, but if she understands my sincerity, she¡¯ll reluctantly ept. For now, let¡¯s focus on writing. I need to hurry and finish Volume 18; otherwise, the bugs hiding in Xavier will run away.

    <i>¡®Ah, right. I should expect a letter from Arwen soon.¡¯</i>

    There¡¯s just too much to do, even though there¡¯s already too much.

    *****

    Inside a carriage returning to the Xavier, at a simr time.

    Kate, the inquisitor of the Church¡ªor rather, Grand Inquisitor Kate¡ªsat with her eyes closed inside the carriage. d in white armor, her closed eyes lent her an aura of sanctity and beauty, almost befitting a saint. Her hair, reminiscent of golden fields, was tied neatly, while her long eyshes exuded a mysterious air, painting a scene akin to a picture of a ¡®saintly¡¯ figure.

    Her face, with its characteristic impassiveness, seemed distant from any torment. Sitting across from her, a priestess quietly spoke up.

    ¡°Inquisitor Kate.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­ ¡°

    At the priestess¡¯s call, Kate slowly opened her closed eyes, meeting her gaze. Her emerald-green irises, resembling leaves, seemed to harbor a resolute determination.

    She then smiled gently, a bright smile adorning her face, before speaking softly.

    ¡°Yes, Priestess Aisha. What is it?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m curious as to why you¡¯re returning to the homnd. Have youpleted your pilgrimage, perhaps¡­?¡±

    The priestess, Aisha, cautiously inquired about the reason for Kate¡¯s return. She knew to some extent that Kate had embarked on the pilgrimage path to find Xenon. However, returning to Xavier beforepleting the pilgrimage seemed contradictory. The pilgrimage held great significance for clergy.

    Unless under extraordinary circumstances, returning without fulfilling this duty was enough to raise questioning and suspicion.

    ¡°Surely, you haven¡¯t found Xenon¡­¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡±

    Kate responded firmly, nodding her head slowly at Aisha¡¯s questioning. Xenon, well, she did find Isaac, but she fulfilled his request and didn¡¯t disclose it to the world. Besides, something more urgent than Xenon has arisen, so she must return.

    Kate nced at Aisha¡¯s puzzled expression and chuckled before subtly asking,

    ¡°Aisha,, whates to mind when you hear the saying, ¡®It¡¯s darkest under themp¡¯?¡±

    Kate, having absorbed Isaac¡¯s advice, delivered it word for word. Aisha blinked, then smiled and replied.

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t even know why it¡¯s darkest under themp¡­¡±

    Kate received the expected response and, with a wider smile than before, slowly closed her eyes. Aisha couldn¡¯t fathom why Kate had said such a thing and looked baffled, but Kate remained silent.

    Meanwhile, Kate mentally revisited Isaac¡¯s advice and the recent Xenon incident that had emerged.

    <i>¡®If the stories in the book are true¡­¡¯</i>

    Thoughcking in human rtionships andmon sense, Kate possessed an exceptional level of analytical and observational skills. She was the one who had originally uncovered the devil worshippers hidden in the Minerva Empire¡¯s capital. She tracked them by gathering rumors, information, and meticulously tracing each clue.

    The position of the Cardinal and the Grand Inquisitor is not something easily obtained by chance.

    <i>¡®The mastermind is undoubtedly someonecking in faith, probably someone who hasn¡¯t prayed recently. Cloaked in the authority of a Cardinal, hiding behind a mask with a smile.¡¯</i>

    She already precisely saw through who the person behind was. In other words, it means she can predict exactly how Volume 18 will unfold.

    When Volume 18es out, there will surely be chaos even in the Xavier. It¡¯s probable that someone has made a pact with a devil, and it¡¯s among the ranks of the Cardinal.

    And Kate will uncover such individuals and deliver punishment. Of course, if she were to immediately punish them, it would cause her significant harm as well, so she nned to proceed slowly with her work.

    There¡¯s at least a fortnight remaining. She must pull them out of hiding like insects before Xenon¡¯s Biography Volume 18es out.

    <i>¡®So that¡¯s why you only told me. Surely, he must have trusted me.¡¯</i>

    Isaac predicted such an event and informed her. He gave instructions to find those who tarnish the name of Luminous and crush their skulls.

    If Volume 18es out and they just start searching, it will be toote. Therefore, it was a roundabout way of saying to quickly return to her home country and start the operation.

    <i>¡®Sir Isaac is undoubtedly someone from the future. That¡¯s why he couldn¡¯t directly say it.¡¯</i>

    Not only that, but Kate had another conviction. Until now, people have spected that Isaac couldn¡¯t reveal his true identity because of the ¡°constraints¡± imposed by God.

    Things that will happen in the future are events humans can¡¯t handle alone, and they¡¯re revealed through the ¡°book.¡± The contamination of the roots of the World Tree and the worshipers of devils were examples of this.

    Above all, Isaac himself gave her advice that sounded like a proverb: ¡®It¡¯s darkest under themp.¡¯ It indirectly expresses that there is a fallen clergyman in Xavier. Therefore, the conclusion is clear. Isaac is certainly someone who has returned from the future and cannot speak directly due to constraints set by God.

    He is the ¡®chosen one¡¯ by ¡®God,¡¯ blessed as a ¡®saint,¡¯ and finally, a ¡®hero¡¯ to save the tainted world. The titles that would startle Isaac if he were to hear them continued one after another, but at least Kate thinks so.

    <i>¡®I dared to seek the seed of such a person¡­¡¯</i>

    She still fell far too short. Kate hugged her belly hidden under the armor.

    At least to receive his seed, she needs to further refine her faith more than now and eliminate all the dirty things. Otherwise, it would be a disrespect and insult to the saint chosen by God.

    So, the foremost task is the ¡®purification¡¯ of Xavier. They are secretly defiling Luminous¡¯s name while under his banner. Unforgivable. Kate¡¯s subtle anger surged briefly in her heart, but when she thought of Isaac again, her mind calmed down.

    <i>¡®Please wait, Isaac. I will follow your instructions.¡¯</i>

    Following Isaac¡¯s words was akin to following the words of Luminous.

    <i>¡®And someday, your seed¡­¡¯</i>

    A ¡®pure madness¡¯ began to take root in Kate¡¯s mind.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 228: Book 17 (3)

    The goddess of darkness and rest, Mora, unlike her twin brother Luminous, has a strong mischievous side in addition to being headstrong. Sometimes she teases her followers or ys pranks, and if someone among her followers scolds her sternly, she might sulk.

    Because of this, there are doubts not only about whether she is truly a goddess but also whether she has spent an unimaginable amount of time as a transcendent being.

    Luminous, on the other hand, presents a more genuinely divine demeanor. However, the skepticism isn¡¯t malicious. It¡¯s merely a desire for her to maintain her dignity as a deity.

    Moreover, Mora¡¯s behavior may seem mischievous, but she is a benevolent deity, showing a different kind ofpassion and kindness to her followerspared to Lumine.

    [You¡¯rete! Do you have any idea how long I¡¯ve been waiting?]

    <i>¡®Sorry.¡¯</i>

    [You might as well have been an hourter! Then I could have turned you into a woman!]

    Her yful nature is a bit excessive, but I breathed a sigh of relief internally, hearing Mora¡¯s tantrum.

    I could tolerate having long hair. Although it was ufortable, it didn¡¯t interfere much with daily life. However, changing genders was something I needed to prevent at all costs. Imagining the awkwardness of losing what was below and gaining what was above made me shudder.

    <i>¡®I¡¯d appreciate it if you didn¡¯t make such horrifyingments.¡¯</i>

    [Oh! Horrifying? Sure, your shoulders might be a bit stiff, and you might feel a bit empty down there, but it won¡¯t be that bad.]

    <i>¡®If you¡¯re going to joke like that, I¡¯ll leave.¡¯</i>

    [Sorry.]

    When I earnestly declined, Mora seemed puzzled but immediately apologized. For some reason, Mora¡¯s face, awkwardly smiling and sticking out her tongue appeared in my mind.

    Dealing with her was draining in many ways, but I couldn¡¯t help but feel she¡¯s human. That thought alone eased my mind.

    Though she disys childlike behavior, it¡¯s oddly endearing. It¡¯s as if I¡¯m interacting with an ordinary person, not a deity.

    <i>¡®By the way, do you have something to say?¡¯</i>

    [No, not really? Just wanted somepany, that¡¯s all.]

    <i>¡®But there are other gods.¡¯</i>

    [They¡¯re themselves, and you are you. You¡¯re a soul from a different dimension, truly special.]

    Initially, I wanted to retort, questioning what she meant. Yet, Luminous showed simr behavior. He even patted my headst time.

    Being a soul from another dimension, Mora¡¯s interest in me must naturally be high. Thanks to that, my feelings were rather peculiar.

    <i>¡®If Cecily knew, she¡¯d probably be upset.¡¯</i>

    [That child isn¡¯t a soul from another dimension like you. And to me, all children are special. You¡¯re just exceptional.]

    <i>¡®Um¡­ Okay, I understand.¡¯</i>

    Even if she seems unreliable, Mora was still a goddess. Despite her yful manner, sincerity was woven into every word she spoke.

    I pondered what words might please Mora and decided to bring up any topic. Since she mentioned being bored, I figured I¡¯d go with the flow.

    <i>¡®Mora, you mentioned offering protection to demons and dark elves. Are there no other races?¡¯</i>

    [Not really. Humans and elves mostly believe in Luminous, while dwarves and giants believe in our mother.]

    <i>¡®When you say ¡®mother,¡¯ you mean the goddess Harte, right?¡¯</i>

    [Yeah.]

    Harte was the goddess of life, nature, and the mother of the twin gods. I¡¯ve heard many stories, but unlike the twin gods, I¡¯ve never spoken directly with her.

    ording to Leona, rather than building ¡®temples¡¯ like Luminous or Mora, theymune with her through a kind of ¡®ritual.¡¯ She exined that by offering appropriate offerings and performing the ritual, one can converse with her without needing to build a temple.

    For this reason, the races who worship Harte possess a unique power called ¡®sorcery,¡¯ not ¡®magic.¡¯

    Sorcery was a different power from magic and scrolls, a force used by both giants and humans in the distant past. Even now, in undeveloped civilizations, there are primitives who use sorcery.

    While magic operates like programming to derive results, sorcery was an inexplicable and mystical ability. The prime example is the ¡®rain dance,¡¯ and sometimes, in drought-stricken areas, they invite sorcerers.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve never met Goddess Harte before. There¡¯s a temple of Harte in the Makina Kingdom, right?¡¯</i>

    [Yeah. Want to meet herter?]

    <i>¡®Don¡¯t you think I should see her once? So far, I¡¯ve only met Luminous and Mora.¡¯</i>

    [Got it. Wait a moment. Mom! Can I ask you one thing?]

    Mora¡¯s voice gradually faded away. Listening to that, I sensed a very familiar memory from my past life. The situation of requesting to switch to someone else during a call.

    Thinking back to Luminous and thest time, I suddenly became curious about the form in which the gods live. Are there ¡®angels,¡¯ the ancestors of elves, there too? ording to myth, those who wronged the gods lost their wings and fell to the earth, but it wasn¡¯t explicitly stated if it was one person or many.

    Furthermore, there are documents mentioning that the one who delivered the seed of the World Tree during the Devil War was an angel. From this, it can be inferred that angels are not just one, but multiple individuals.

    As I pondered these irrelevant thoughts for a moment, the call with Mora, which had been interrupted in the middle, reconnected.

    [My mom said it¡¯s up to you. But since you seem busytely, it¡¯s not necessary for you toe. Or you could ask that kid, Leona.]

    <i>¡®Ask Leona?¡¯</i>

    [Yeah. Just convey what you want to say by possessing that child. Of course, only in the situations you desire. She insisted that there¡¯s no hurry, as we have plenty of time.]

    <i>¡®Understood.¡¯</i>

    I wonder if Leona can also use sorcery. I had no idea about that at all.

    Indeed, even though she was the third wife¡¯s daughter, she must have learned a considerable amount as the chieftain¡¯s daughter.

    <i>¡®Do you perhaps have something to ask of me, Mora-nim?¡¯</i>

    [If I had to, turn you into a woman¡­]

    <i>¡®Except for that.¡¯</i>

    [Ah~ Why~ just once. Can¡¯t you close your eyes and do it just once? You¡¯re so pretty like this.]

    The phrase ¡®You¡¯re so pretty like this¡¯ somehow irritated me. As soon as I heard those words, I widened my eyes in shock.

    However, there was no change in my body. The lower garment was still sturdy, and my chest had not changed.

    Then what could it be? With doubts in my mind, I asked Mora while keeping my eyes tightly closed.

    <i>¡®What do you mean by pretty? Nothing has changed.¡¯</i>

    [Open your eyes again and take a look in the mirror.]

    Mirror? Come to think of it, there was a full-length mirror in the private worship room of the Helium Temple.

    It was ced there as a suggestion to tidy up before praying to Mora. This was not only Mora¡¯s temple but also the same in the Luminous Temple.

    With that in mind, I opened my eyes and shifted my gaze to the full-length mirror ced right beside me. After blinking for a while, I slowly stood up and checked my reflection in the mirror.

    <i>¡®¡­Oh, please.¡¯</i>

    The reflection in the mirror was truly that of a heavenly woman. The hair that was originally tied up was now flowing like a waterfall down to my waist, for some reason.

    My face naturally resembled my mother¡¯s, boasting a radiant beauty, but it became more refined than before, and my physiquepletely changed. Shoulders and waist narrowed, while the hips widened to boast graceful curves. Even that alone was shocking, but what stands out the most was undoubtedly my chest.

    HUGE. There was a presence that defied simple description, a giant mass that hung on my chest.

    I¡¯m currently wearing a school uniform but the buttons were about to pop! Even though it¡¯s a male uniform! What kind of unfair body is this? Not just me, but even Nicole, Cecily, and Cherry couldn¡¯t possibly have this. To put it bluntly, it¡¯s like walking around with explicit material.

    Damn it. Can¡¯t help but swear. I covered my face with my hands and cursed. The beauty in the mirror mirrored my actions.

    Absolutely, absolutely not. Rather than being like this, I¡¯d rather bite my tongue andmit suicide.

    With a body like that, even daily life itself would be ufortable. I knelt down again, feeling defeated.

    [How is it? Pretty, right? Living like this for at least one day¡­]

    <i>¡®Mora-nim.¡¯</i>

    [Not bad¡­ huh?]

    <i>¡®If you continue like this, I¡¯ll describe you as an evil spirit in my book.¡¯</i>

    [Hng¡­]

    Realizing the sincerity in my words, Mora responded with a sulky expression. Even if an image of a puppy soaked in a downpour came to my mind, some things just shouldn¡¯t happen.

    However, even though she was a self-proimed goddess, she seemed so depressed that I felt a little sorry. I sighed and, with a hint of apology, quietly spoke up.

    <i>¡®¡­But isn¡¯t it a bit too much to inject your personal preferences?¡¯</i>

    [Huh? What are you talking about? If you were a girl, you¡¯d be exactly like that.]

    <i>¡®This is insane.¡¯</i>

    I couldn¡¯t help but curse inwardly. Sure, Nicole exercised and had a good body, but why did I look like that? Not even my mother looked like that.

    Maybe Morah overheard those doubts because she kindly exined.

    [That¡¯s because it¡¯s not from your mother; it¡¯s the potential that¡¯s stored in your father. Was it Lily? That child will probably grow up to be just like that. Appearance might be a bit different though.]

    <i>¡®¡­My younger sibling will grow up like that?¡¯</i>

    [Yes.]

    The moment I heard that confirmation, one thought came to my mind simultaneously: The bugs are going to be a real mess. I must definitely protect my younger sister.

    By the way, Father really has exceptional physical talent. Thanks to that, I learned about our family¡¯s true potential.

    <i>¡®Haah¡­ Mora-nim.¡¯</i>

    [Why are you like that?]

    <i>¡®Firstly, I¡¯m sorry for cursing. It¡¯s just too shocking¡­¡¯</i>

    [No, it¡¯s okay. I can be quite mischievous. Instead, I¡¯ll sprinkle plenty of sanctity on you today. Don¡¯t you have any other questions?]

    The situation almost became a bit awkward, but thankfully it was somehow resolved. I listened to Mora¡¯s question and pondered for a while before speaking up.

    <i>¡®Could you please tell me a few things I should be careful about in the future? I meant to ask Luminous, but I forgot.¡¯</i>

    [Things to be careful about¡­ Even though my brother already mentioned it, at least in the near future, there won¡¯t be any looming dark clouds. Something slightly troublesome might arise, though.]

    <i>¡®Troublesome?¡¯</i>

    [Yes.]

    At my puzzled question, Mora gave a cryptic answer.

    [In the future, the content of the 18 volumes you will write. The world wille to know that content. And it¡¯ll happen soon.]

    <i>¡®¡­?¡¯</i>

    At that time, I couldn¡¯t grasp the meaning.

    *****

    Around a simr time, in Xavier.

    ¡°Oh! Wee back, Kate, the Chosen One!¡±

    ¡°I hope you¡¯ve been well, Lord Deimos.¡±

    Kate, equipped with a pure zeal in her heart, returned to Xavier¡¯s territory.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 229: Spoilers (1)

    Xavier, founded to worship only Luminous, the deity of light and hope.

    The establishment of Xavier urred just after the end of the Devil War, when humans erected Xavier in honor of Luminous, who had saved them. During the Devil War, there were also Mora and Harte, but they couldn¡¯t perform as remarkably as Luminous.

    To borate further, Luminous bestowed blessings upon those at the frontline, Mora concealed the sight of fleeing refugees with a veil, and finally, Harte gifted the seed of the World Tree to the Elves.

    Due to these circumstances, Luminous¡¯s actions stood out even more, and particrly, the feeble humans had no choice but to worship him. Luminous was the deity who bestowed divine power upon them while they were fighting devils bare-handedly in dire situations.

    Heroes emerge in turbulent times. And under Luminous¡¯s protection during the Devil War, numerous heroes were born, many of whom perished gloriously without even leaving their names. At the end of this sequence was founded the nation known as the holy kingdom of Xavier.

    Any civilization established in the name of a deity tends to demonstrate immense power.

    Moreover, unlike Earth, the gods of this world not only exist but also continue to wield significant influence to this day. Until the societal culture in Xavier developed as it is today, they became intoxicated with their power andmitted dreadful atrocities.

    They unterally categorized demons as evil beings and massacred them, suppressing neighboring nations under the guise of a ¡®holy war.¡¯ Those who didn¡¯t believe in Luminous were persecuted under absurd pretexts, beingbeled as heretics.

    However, it seemed Luminous found this uneptable and swiftly stopped it through divine intervention. If ignored, he graciously bestowed ¡®divine punishment.¡¯

    Thanks to his support, the Xavier Kingdom was able to barely hold onto its faltering path and has now risen to be a powerful nation while maintaining a neutral stance. Because most people believe in Luminous, there wasn¡¯t a ce in any country where temples weren¡¯t built, and receiving support funds made the country wealthy.

    However, due to the necessity of maintaining strict neutrality, there was little interference in international affairs unless absolutely necessary. This was because unlike in the past, there was no need felt to meddle in the affairs of other weaker nations.

    At least until Xenon¡¯s Biography and the appearance of devil worshippers.

    ¡°So, Cardinal Kate. May I ask what you¡¯ve summoned us for?¡±

    Around a round table adorned with the symbol of the Xavier and the Luminous, representing the sun, four people were seated in the cardinal directions.

    The elderly man seated in the east, Deimos, directed the question to Kate, who was seated opposite him. His eyebrows were almostpletely covered by thick hair, and his impressive beard was striking. The others, apart from Kate, shifted their gaze to her with curious expressions. One was a middle-aged man, the other a middle-aged woman.

    You might have already inferred, but these people summoned by Kate were the cardinals of Xavier. In other words, they hold power and authority just below the Pope. Despite their individual busy schedules, the fact that Kate was able to gather them in one ce hints at her considerable influence.

    Unlike other cardinals, she even holds the position of Grand Inquisitor, positioning her one step higher than them in terms of hierarchy, considering roles alone.

    Kate didn¡¯t have much interest in politics, but if she had put her mind to it, she could have be a real influential figure. Thankfully, she could somewhat let go of her feelings, considering her distortedmon sense in human rtionships.

    ¡°Everyone¡¯s here. How long has it been since we gathered like this?¡±

    Kate responded to Deimos, the bearded cardinal, with a kind smile. She was known for her beautiful looks, and when she smiled, it seemed as if the surroundings brightened with an illusion.

    Seeing her smile, Deimos chuckled softly, while the other middle-aged man cleared his throat, unable to look directly at the strikingly beautiful smile.

    Except for one person, the middle-aged woman. She smiled mysteriously at Kate and spoke in a flustering tone.

    ¡°You still have that beautiful smile, Cardinal Kate. Seeing how much more beautiful you¡¯ve be, I wonder if something good happened during your pilgrimage?¡±

    The middle-aged woman emitting strong displeasure was named Hera. She might have had quite a beautiful appearance in the past, but now she was nothing but a wrinkled middle-aged woman.

    While others showed difort at her sarcastic tone, Kate, upon hearing her words, nodded positively.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right, Cardinal Hera. Something good happened, so I hurriedly returned here.¡±

    ¡°Something good? Surely not¡­¡±

    Hera widened her eyes at Kate¡¯s answer, trailing off in her remarks. Not only her but others as well.

    The reason why Kate embarked on the pilgrimage path was already publicly known. It was solely to meet with Xenon. So her return meant she met Xenon.

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t meet Xenon. I simply realized what I have to do.¡±

    But Kate shook her head vigorously, shattering their expectations. While it was true that she had met Xenon, or rather Isaac, it was a fact that needed to be concealed somehow.

    Hera responded with a skeptical face. However, a middle-aged man soon addressed Kate.

    With a well-groomed beard and a continuous gaze, the middle-aged man exuded a handsome aura despite his age.

    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®what you have to do¡¯? Could you tell us?¡±

    ¡°Of course. But before that, Cardinal Bark?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Go ahead.¡±

    ¡°How long has it been since Cardinal Bark prayed to Luminous?¡±

    After asking that question, Kate looked around at others and posed the same question.

    ¡°The others too. I¡¯m curious how long it¡¯s been since you all prayed to Luminous.¡±

    ¡°I did it before Cardinal Kate arrived.¡±

    Hera was the first to respond. She still had an ufortable expression, but she continued to answer the questions diligently.

    ¡°I did the same. If you don¡¯t offer prayers even for a day, Luminous might feel neglected.¡±

    Next, Deimos, with his distinctive caterpir-like eyebrows, answered. Despite his intimidating appearance, he seemed devout, matching his outward appearance of kindness.

    Thest person remaining was Bark. Kate turned her gaze away from Deimos and looked at Bark. As Bark¡¯s gaze met Kate¡¯s green eyes, he hesitated for a moment, then slowly replied with a bitter smile.

    ¡°Uh¡­ I haven¡¯t been able to pray recently. I¡¯ve been busy.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°You know that too right, Cardinal Hera?¡±

    Perhaps the fact that he hadn¡¯t prayed bothered him a bit. Bark quickly sought Hera¡¯s agreement.

    Hera looked at him somewhat reservedly, blushed shyly, and quietly spoke.

    ¡°¡­Cardinal Bark has been very busytely, so he hasn¡¯t had time to pray. I can vouch for that.¡±

    ¡°I understand. If you¡¯re busy with work, there¡¯s nothing you can do. In that case, Cardinal Bark.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Have you read the new volume of Xenon¡¯s Biography that was recently released?¡±

    Seemingly an odd question at first nce, but as everyone knows, the world almost treats Xenon¡¯s Biography as a prophecy. It brought to the surface the truth about the contamination of the world tree¡¯s roots and the worshipers of devils, and even opened up the possibility of advancing technology with the magical engine.

    By now, it would be strange not to believe that, especially for someone closely rted to the divine, like a clergy member.

    Bark blinked at Kate¡¯s question and soon nodded with a somber voice.

    ¡°Yes, well¡­ I did read it.¡±

    ¡°I see. What about the others?¡±

    ¡°I read it too.¡±

    Unlike Deimos, who answered with a gentle tone, Hera just nodded. Kate confirmed these reactions and smiled even more brightly.

    It was a smile simr to the one from earlier but somehow seemed more eerie. Other disciples felt that peculiar vibe and couldn¡¯t help but be taken aback. Meanwhile, Kate slowly looked around before bringing up another question.

    ¡°So, everyone. Do you know the proverb ¡®It¡¯s darkest under themp¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Under themp¡­¡±

    ¡°Darkest?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t make sense of the words you¡¯re saying.¡±

    As expected, the responses came back indicating they had no idea. Kate nodded in response to the expected reactions.

    Even she couldn¡¯t understand the meaning behind those words when she heard it from Isaac. She kept it in her heart, busy with the task of eliminating devil worshippers. However, after much contemtion over time, she realized the significance of those words. It became clear with the release of Volume 17 of Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    It¡¯s darkest under themp. Just hearing the words raised questions about what that could imply.

    It¡¯s darkest underneath themp due to its own shadow. While the surroundings are brightly lit, an unidentifiable darkness also emerges.

    ¡°It¡¯s darkest under themp. Just by listening, you wouldn¡¯t understand its meaning. Surprisingly, themp, which illuminates the surroundings, is covered in deep darkness underneath. It¡¯s a phrase used when the cause is closest but one wanders elsewhere.¡±

    ¡°Interesting. ¡®It¡¯s darkest under themp¡¯¡­ Is this the enlightenment you gained on this pilgrimage?¡±

    Daimos spoke as he gently stroked his full beard, as if in a dignified manner. Most clergy on pilgrimage often attain enlightenment through physical and mental suffering.

    It seems Kate had a simr experience. While she may not have experienced physical pain, she assumes she struggled mentally while dealing with devil worshippers.

    However, his assumption was entirely off. Kate, while nodding in apparent agreement with Daimos¡¯ words as a positive notion, harbored a shocking statement.

    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s why I¡¯m telling you all this fact. Xavier is no different.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°What on earth¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    The shocking nature of her statement varied in its impact on each person, but they all looked at Kate with expressions of astonishment.

    To im that the Xavier, established for Luminous, is no different from being ¡®underneath themp¡¯ was a dangerously sphemous statement that could lead to charges of sacrilege.

    No matter how highly Kate was regarded as a cleric, sphemy against Luminous was never to be tolerated.

    However, Kate herself, seemingly unfazed, maintained a smile while keeping her calm. Instead, she seemed to up the ante here.

    ¡°Xavier is an enormousntern unlike anything else. Such a colossal shadow looms beneath it. Even the devil worshippers, less than insects, hide under the name of Xavier.¡±

    ¡°How can you be so sure about that? Despite being a Cardinal, your statement is extremely risky. Can you handle it?¡±

    Hera, who usually detested Kate, seemed to think this was going too far and urgently tried to dissuade her. Not only her, but others felt the same way.

    However, Kate was adamant. She faced the gazes directed at her and, in her unique gentle voice, spoke up.

    ¡°Xenon¡¯s Biography.¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°The reason I am certain. It¡¯s convenient that everyone has read the story. The identity of the one who attacked Jin and Lily in the end is a high-ranking clergyman of the Holy Kingdom.¡±

    As soon as Kate said this, a silent hush fell upon the room. Even Deimos, and notably Hera, had expressions indicating they didn¡¯t know how to react.

    It was a conversation that flowed from the darkness beneath thentern to Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    Except for one person, Bark. Upon hearing Kate¡¯s revtion, he initially trembled, then burst intoughter.

    ¡°Hahaha!¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    Suddenly, all eyes were on Bark as he burst intoughter. Deimos and Hera still had expressions of confusion, but only Kate remained calm.

    While holding his stomach, Bark wiped away tears forming at the corners of his eyes. It wasical how farcical the situation was, even leading to tears.

    Then, while chuckling, he looked at Kate. Kate¡¯s face remained almost expressionless.

    ¡°I was wondering what story you¡¯d tell¡­ Cardinal Kate.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Cardinal Bark.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s quite an amusing story. Seems like on the pilgrimage, you¡¯ve even developed a sense of humor.¡±

    Kate just grinned at Bark¡¯s words. Due to herck ofmon sense in many aspects, she couldn¡¯t grasp Bark¡¯s words.

    Meanwhile, Bark, looking at her, wagged his tongue as if consoling a child, speaking softly.

    ¡°Cardinal Kate, I am well aware of the significance of Xenon¡¯s Biography as a prophecy. I also know that due to certain constraints, Xenon cannot easily reveal their identity.¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    ¡°However, it¡¯s too spective. Xavier is a nation established under the protection of Luminous. It¡¯s a ce where even shadows cannot exist.¡±

    Words expressing deep trust in Luminous. Since Bark¡¯s words were all urate, the other elders could only nod in agreement.

    Honestly, what Kate brought up was simply too difficult to ept, and it was just a ¡®prediction¡¯ after all.

    Not only was her statement sacrilegious, but it could also bring great confusion to Xavier.

    ¡°It seems that Cardinal Kate is the one doubting Luminous. Could it be that you don¡¯t believe in Luminous¡¯s light and hence harbors such thoughts?¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    ¡°Still, it would be wise to be cautious as Cardinal Kate suggests. Let me look into it once¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    ¡°Cardinal Bark.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    Bark had no choice but to stop speaking in the middle of his words. Clearly, Kate¡¯s voice, which had been gentle just a moment ago, had be infinitely lower.

    Moreover, a terrifying momentum was emanating from her. She couldn¡¯t control her emotions, and a deep resentment was slowly seeping out.

    As everyone turned their gaze to Kate, swallowing all their saliva, Bark could clearly confirm it.

    ¡°How dare you¡­¡±

    The face of a fanatic filled with anger.

    ¡°How dare you doubt?¡±

    Above all, innocence.

    ¡°His words?¡±

    Madness.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 230: Spoilers (2)

    Kate was making a name for herself in various ways within the Xavier¡¯s Church.

    She is a priestess who has received grace from Luminous, yet she mercilessly wielded her authority as an inquisitor against those who oppose the meaning of Luminous.

    One could say she was staunch in her faith, but at the same time, she was someone who could easily be an extremist.

    Receiving grace, possessing a tremendous amount of sacred power, she ascended to the position of a cardinal before even turning 20, simultaneously assuming the role of a grand inquisitor.

    While regr priests are strong in sacred power but weak in physical prowess, and knights are strong in physical prowess but weak in sacred power, Kate fulfills both criteria.

    Truly one chosen by the divine, a woman deserving the title of ¡®saint,¡¯ revered by the clergy within Xavier.

    Indeed, it¡¯s not just respect but ¡®awe.¡¯ They respect her while also fearing her.

    Already disying exceptional potential at a young age to be a cardinal, she also possessed formidable physical strength.

    In other words, if she decided, she could expand her influence and swallow up Xavier¡¯s politics in a gulp. Considering the number of people following her, this was quite a usible story.

    Thankfully, she solely focused on Luminous and doesn¡¯t even consider her social standing. She only follows the will of Luminous.

    Conversely, if she decides with a ¡®will,¡¯ no one can stop her from achieving it. Even if the target was the Pope.

    If one were to be a fanatic, the most dangerous individual would be the one with a firmly secured ¡®leash¡¯ like a Luminous ¨C merciful and gentle clergyman. That would be Kate Louise Angelica, a time bomb in a different sense from demons.

    ¡°His words?¡±

    And back to the present. Signs indicated that the firmly tethered leash was gradually loosening.

    Normally, mentioning Luminous should result in silence and for things to remain normal. But today, for reasons unknown, there was visible agitation.

    Not only does Kate exude a suffocating aura, but her beautiful green eyes now held a hint of crimson. The rage in Kate, unseen until now, begins to swirl with a ferocious energy.

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    Bark couldn¡¯t utter a single word due to the terror of feeling like his entire body would tear apart if he misspoke.

    Dangerous. It¡¯s not just dangerous. It was an instinctual rm sounding to the extent that his whole body was trembling.

    Even a single additional word here might mean a lost life. The woman before him was in a state of madness.

    A blend of madness and faith, a fanatic(??).

    The most terrifying aspect of such fanaticism is its ¡®authenticity.¡¯ It follows and believes in it without an iota of doubt, steadfast in its convictions.

    Not only Bark but other cardinals also felt the danger and hurried to stop her. Hera was the first.

    ¡°Cardinal Kate. Even if we don¡¯t know what you felt while on the pilgrimage, your current heart is very dangerous. Hurry and pray to Luminous¡­¡±

    ¡°I also share the same thoughts as Cardinal Hera. Currently, Cardinal Kate is very dangerous.¡±

    The country of Xavier has a terrible history in the distant past, harboring fanaticism in their hearts, ughtering demons, and suppressing surrounding countries.

    Using that history as a contrast, they now boast a strong influence, but nheless, fanatics are continuously being expelled.

    Whatever the case, if taken to extremes, it will eat away at one¡¯s life. To break away from the image of the past, Xavier vehemently rejects fanatics.

    For these reasons, in the eyes of the cardinals, Kate could be seen as having reached a dangerous state. If she falls into fanaticism, it might be inevitable to banish her.

    ¡°Ah¡­ I understand. I got a little excited.¡±

    Kate also reassured them of her concerns. It seemed she had gotten excited without even realizing it.

    Other cardinals wiped their faces in relief, and Bark, who had particrly received Kate¡¯s anger, wiped off his sweat.

    It seemed to have been resolved amicably, but Kate¡¯s fanaticism didn¡¯t end there.

    She looked around, then smiled mysteriously and spoke in her characteristic gentle voice.

    ¡°Then, it wouldn¡¯t be bad to pray to Luminous as you advised.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    In Kate¡¯s words, the cardinals all shivered in unison, looking at her. Kate wore a merciful yet radiant smile. It felt impossible for such a beautiful smile to be frightening unless onemits ¡®evil¡¯.

    Only one person. Except for Bark, who had just borne the brunt of Kate¡¯s anger a moment ago. He realized that the target of that smile was himself and stiffened as he understood he had to brace himself.

    Certainly, this ce was filled with bright light, yet for some reason, it felt as if his surroundings were engulfed in darkness. An oppressive feeling as if only Kate and he were left alone. Is this what prey caught tightly in the noose trap feels like?

    He felt like prey. In the midst of pressing his head more towards the giant maw of fanaticism.

    ¡°Cardinal.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Bark, Cardinal Bark?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes?¡±

    Bark, oppressed and overwhelmed by fear, hastily snapped back to reality upon hearing the voice in his ear.

    When he turned in the direction of the voice, Hera was staring at him with a puzzled expression.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you getting up? What are you doing? We should hurry for prayers.¡±

    ¡°P-Prayers?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Cardinal Bark, you haven¡¯t been able to pray recently because of work, so I thought it wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to do it now.¡±

    Hera smiled warmly, a smile she hadn¡¯t shown to Kate before, and attempted to persuade Bark. As soon as Bark heard her words, he turned his head so swiftly it made a noise.

    In the direction he turned, he caught sight of Kate, looking at him with a bright smile. That smile felt truly repulsive to him.

    However, going to pray like this might lead to some trouble with those fanatics. So, Bark awkwardly smiled and politely expressed his refusal.

    ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯m sorry. Actually, I still have some work to do¡­¡±

    ¡°Surely even five minutes isn¡¯t too much to spare, Cardinal Bark.¡±

    Just as he was about to refuse, Kate interjected. Her words pierced Bark¡¯s ears like arrows.

    When he looked at Kate, she was wearing a gentle smile.

    ¡°For a Cardinal, not dedicating even five minutes for Lumineers is disappointing.¡±

    ¡°Cardinal Kate.¡±

    ¡°Or¡­¡±

    Kate lowered the corners of her raised lips and slowly licked her lips. A look that seemed to re, unmatched hostility. It was a gaze that couldn¡¯t be considered friendly even with empty words, filled with hostility instead.

    ¡°Using the title of a ¡®Cardinal¡¯ like a mask while supporting devil worshippers in secret? Just like in Xenon¡¯s Biography.¡±

    Bark was startled, almost feeling thorns prickling at the chilling question. It was so frightening that he almost took a step back unconsciously.

    Fortunately, he managed to restrain himself from stepping back, but he couldn¡¯t help the tightening feeling in his chest.

    ¡°Cardinal Kate! If you continue like this, I will report to His Holiness! No matter how high-ranked you are, this behavior will not be tolerated!¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    While Hera reprimanded Kate with a stern voice, Deimos quietly watched with an inscrutable expression.

    Having lived longer than others, perhaps having sensed something, Deimos refrained from stepping forward and observed the situation from a third-party perspective.

    Kate, hearing Hera¡¯s warning, slowly turned her head to face her. Even meeting Hera¡¯s cool green eyes, Kate stood her ground without flinching.

    Was that sight pleasing? Kate raised the corners of her mouth that had drooped and bowed her head slightly in apology.

    ¡°I apologize, Cardinal Hera. It seems I may have been a bit excessive.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s understandable. And while I genuinely express my concern, Cardinal Kate, make sure to pray consistently to Luminous for a while. You seem genuinely rming to anyone.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for the advice. I suppose heading to the chapel would be wise for now.¡±

    Even as Kate spoke, she didn¡¯t forget to nce at Bark. Bark once again felt a shiver down his spine at that look.

    The conversation flowed so naturally that they didn¡¯t realize it, but Kate was currently wearing white armor and had Mace strapped to her waist. She¡¯s fully armed and prepared. She¡¯s not functioning as a cardinal but as an ¡°inquisitor¡± at the moment. And the target of her ¡°mace¡± is¡­

    ¡°Ugh!¡±

    ¡°Wh-what? Cardinal Bark! Where are you headed?¡±

    Without a second thought, Bark fled as when his mind had just passed that point. Hera called out in a fluster from behind, but he ignored everything.

    Continuing like this would inevitably lead to the chapel without any chance to escape. Then, inevitably, he¡¯d have to pray to Luminous. Luminous grants holy power to the faithful and, conversely, unleashes lightning bolts or punishments equivalent to them upon the unfaithful. And he¡¯s certain that he¡¯ll unleash his full wrath, not just mere bolts. He¡¯smitted such grave sins.

    <i>¡®It can¡¯t be. How can it not be? Is it really an oracle¡­?¡¯</i>

    The question nestled in his heart as he fled, but it didn¡¯t take long before¡­

    Whack!

    ¡°Ugh!¡±

    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡±

    Kate, who had suddenly caught up, viciously grabbed Bark by the scruff with one hand. Despite the considerable time Bark had been running, Kate swiftly caught up with her fearsome physical prowess.

    Bark felt a momentary throbbing pain in his head, realizing that Kate had grabbed onto him, he urgently shouted. It was a desperate struggle to survive.

    ¡°Let go of this! Cardinal Kate! What, what are you trying to do right now?!¡±

    ¡°You know very well. I¡¯m trying to punish those who oppose the will of Luminous and hide in the shadows.¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­! Over here! Is there anyone?¡±

    Bark called out to the people residing within the Holy See with his final act of resistance. Already, due to themotion, people wereing in, and Bark¡¯s outcry attracted even more.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening¡­! Cardinal Kate?!¡±

    ¡°Cardinal Kate! What on earth is going on?!¡±

    Kate looked around at the people, full of shock and surprise, and then shifted her gaze to Bark.

    Bark, in the throes of pain as if all his hair would be pulled out, was holding onto his arm with a strained expression. It seemed like he was trying to create witnesses to escape somehow, but it only seemed to satisfy Kate.

    It was an immediate opportunity to expose the sins of this person to the world. Despite the objections from those around her, she dragged Bark away without any regard.

    ¡°Aaah! Aaah! Let go of me! I said let go!¡±

    ¡°What, what should we do with this?¡±

    ¡°Why is Cardinal Kate doing this to Cardinal Bark?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±

    The people from the Holy See who were trailing behind Kate as she dragged Bark like a dog didn¡¯t even dare to consider stopping her. And no wonder¡ªKate was known for her unwavering faith even within the ranks of Xavier. Moreover, she had been bestowed with grace.

    There were even priests who confidently asserted that her will was synonymous with the will of Luminous.

    Eventually, as everyone followed along helplessly, Kate and Bark finally arrived at the chapel. Unlike the temple¡¯s chapel, this was the Holy See¡¯s chapel, which could be considered the headquarters.

    In the center stood the meticulously crafted statue of Luminous, surrounded by a magnificent chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

    Swish!

    ¡°Ack!¡±

    Kate threw Bark beneath the statue of Luminous as if he were a sack of goods. Her hand clenched Bark¡¯s hair tightly, showcasing her immense strength.

    After roughly pulling out those strands of hair, Kate, with Bark¡¯s head on the ground,manded the groaning Bark in a tone of authority.

    ¡°Cardinal Bark. It¡¯s time to pray.¡±

    ¡°Ughhh¡­¡±

    ¡°If you have even an ounce of shame, pray to Lord Luminous.¡±

    As her hand wound around his head, Kate¡¯s cold voice pierced through Bark¡¯s ears. Bark, droplets of saliva escaping, slowly opened his eyes.

    As he did, he found Kate looking down at him, with people gathered behind her, murmuring and crowding around.

    It¡¯s nearing the end. Bark shouted as if sumbing to a dreadful intuition piercing his chest.

    ¡°What, what do you think wille out of this?! Cardinal Kate! Committing violence within the sacred Holy See! What would Luminous think if he saw this!¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    As Bark mentioned Luminous, Kate¡¯s eyes twitched underneath, her hands tensing.

    Perhaps oblivious to Kate¡¯s feelings, Bark shook off her hand and slowly stood up. Then, with an audacious face, he snapped at Kate.

    ¡°Even if Kate, blessed by Luminous, has crossed the line! Pray? Originally, prayers shouldn¡¯t be enforced by someone. What Cardinal Kate is doing now is no different from our distant past, when our Xavier Church fell into fanaticism!¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    Was this his final outburst? Using the situation, witnessed by many, Bark pinned Kate.

    In reality, to someone unaware of the circumstances, Kate¡¯s actions are excessive, far beyond eptable levels. Even if the Xavier Church is considered the worst breeding ground for fanatics, there was no excuse for what Kate was doing.

    Bark made good use of this. No matter how much others respect Kate, if the rumors spread, even her safety will be at risk.

    ¡°Even if I were to pray and get struck by lightning, that would be the end for Cardinal Kate. There¡¯s aw within the sacred Holy See that prohibits shedding blood. If you don¡¯t want to incur divine punishment, that¡¯s what should be done.¡±

    ¡°¡­Divine punishment?¡±

    As soon as the words ¡®divine punishment¡¯ were mentioned, a ferocious aura emanated from Kate once again. Her head slightly tilted, the gleam in her eyes slowly faded away.

    Observing this in real-time, Bark hesitated and withdrew, passing her straight by. A gut feeling crept in, as if he had pressed the wrong switch.

    If things continued this way, his head might explode from that mace. He haspleted the political attack, and all that remained was escaping from here.

    But was Luminous tired of such shameless and potentially nauseating actions?

    As Bark approached the central part where the chandelier was situated.

    Thud¨C¨C.

    Not a thunderbolt, nor a dry lightning from the clear sky.

    Crash!!

    The chandelier, firmly suspended, fell, bringing down the ¡®divine punishment.¡¯

    ¡°Aaaah!!¡±

    ¡°B-Bark, Cardinal Bark!!¡±

    People revealed their own reactions as they witnessed Bark crushed under the fallen chandelier.

    However, even as Bark, lyingpletely crushed under the chandelier, only writhed his slightly protruding hand and couldn¡¯t even scream, he was already dying.

    As blood oozed slowly from hispletely crushed body, the holy knights hurried to rush to remove the chandelier, but it was already toote.

    Meanwhile, Kate, watching the ¡®penalty¡¯ being executed in real-time, slowly turned her back.

    Behind her back stood the statue of Luminous. Could it be that Luminous had watched over all of this? Otherwise, there was no way for the penalty to have been delivered.

    Thus, she slowly walked towards the statue and knelt down gracefully. Despite the chaos behind her, Kate was anything but calm.

    Lastly, after neatly joining her hands together, she softly murmured with a reverent heart.

    ¡°Do not doubt¡­¡±

    Trantors note:

    Back from family holidays and my hangover is going away, so its time to get back to tranting. Hope you had a fun christmas and new year and I wish you a happy 2024.

    3 chapters today

    1/3

 Chapter 231: Spoilers (3)

    Everything is a possibility in the world. Although there is no definite evidence, it refers to events or facts that seem to exist somewhere, even if uncertain.

    In other words, it¡¯s ¡®Lee Wae-jin.¡¯ There are quite a few cases where someone has casually written or spoken words without much thought, and they turn out to be true. The reason for such urrences is quite simple. The world is vast, the people living in it are diverse, and these people cause various events and incidents.

    Especially in a culturally developed world like Earth, where the ¡®Inte,¡¯ a sea of information, has be popr, we often encounter various things. Moreover, media such as ¡®movies,¡¯ ics,¡¯ and ¡®novels¡¯ stimte imagination and fulfill fantastical desires.

    If people from the distant past were to see what we see now, they would dismiss it as unbelievable, whereas modern individuals think, ¡®Why not?¡¯ instead of ¡®It can¡¯t be.¡¯

    The most significant example is the airne. People in the past would never have thought that they could fly through the sky with their creations. But now, enormous metal structures fly through the sky, and we even have jet nes that travel faster than the speed of sound.

    In this way, ¡®imagination¡¯ changes with the development of science and culture, and I, who possesses memories of past lives, can boast of having an imagination that is as outstanding as anyone else.

    Just by mentioning a little bit of my past life, others might casuallybel it as a joke, appearing to them as if I have an extraordinary imagination. However, having witnessed it with my own eyes, I could only smile wryly.

    Of course, it¡¯s understandable that the era and the less developed state of science might limit understanding. The problem is that such imagination isn¡¯t confined solely to ¡®airnes.¡¯

    The pollution of the World Tree¡¯s roots came from my imagination, and the devil worshippers that appeared in Xenon¡¯s Biography also emerged from my imagination. The hunters of the devil turned demons also made their appearance from my imagination, as did the forbidden fusion magic.

    Movies, games,ics, novels, and so on¡ªmy imagination, nurtured through various cultural media from past lives, would be truly astonishing by the standards of this world. It bes an issue when all of that manifests in reality, though.

    Moments when my needlessly vast imaginationes back like a boomerang and strikes me in the back have not been few or far between.

    To me, these are purely events and thoughts from my imagination, but this ce is a ¡°fantasy world.¡±

    Yes, a fantasy world. The fantasy world seen in movies,ics, novels, and games from past lives. I had overlooked the likelihood that crafting stories in such a world could manifest in reality. Thanks to that, the ¡°Prophetic¡± incidents urred multiple times.

    If it were Earth, it would¡¯ve been purely fantasy, but in the context of the fantasy universe, one might easily consider it a ¡®prophecy.¡¯ Realizing this, I¡¯ve be a bit more cautious, little by little.

    [The darkness concealed behind the enormousntern of the Xavier Church has been revealed!]

    [The Cardinal of the Luminous Order actually conspired with the cultists¡­]

    [Caught in a whirlpool of shock, the Xavier Church. The person who uncovered the truth is none other than Kate Louise Angelica, this hero is also a Grand Inquisitor¡­]

    However, this time a different meaning of ¡®Lee Wae-jin¡¯ emerged. As seen in the recently published newspaper, there was an actual case of a cardinal in the Holy Church consorting with devil worshippers in Xavier.

    It¡¯s not that I¡¯m surprised after getting a direct answer from Luminous¡­ but it¡¯s incredibly bewildering.

    Because this was a situation expected to unfold in Volume 18. It¡¯s a story where the mastermind behind the attack on Jin and Lily turns out to be a cardinal of the Holy Church, leading up to a battle, step by step.

    But before that story could be revealed to the world, the culprit was apprehended in reality. It¡¯s a situation that sounds like a tale as I calmly ate bread in the dorm.

    [Cardinal Bark was a faithful clergyman, but blinded by greed, he did things that shouldn¡¯t have been done¡­]

    [Currently, the Xavier Church has dered to eliminate all devil worshippers lurking in the shadows.]

    [Moreover, devil worshippers are deeply connected to the underworld through drugs, smuggling, human trafficking, etc.]

    The contents in the newspaper were truly shocking. Bark, the clergyman, was a figure among the high ranks of devil worshippers, conveying all of Xavier¡¯s movements to the devil worshippers.

    Originally, due to devil worshippers operating like secret organizations, tracking them was incredibly difficult, but after Bark¡¯s identity was revealed, the organizational structure became clear.

    Especially noteworthy was the influence devil worshippers have in the underworld. Capturing one of their heads enabled understanding the kind of influence devil worshippers exert.

    Just like crimes such as drug trafficking, smuggling, and human trafficking exist in this world, there are also criminal organizations growing through such gains.

    However, it has been revealed that there is no ce untouched by the sinister influence of devil worshippers within the criminal underworld. The impact they have had on the world, hidden in the shadows for many years, was truly rming. The problem is that there are some influential individuals associated with these criminal organizations.

    While they may not have directly forged alliances with devil worshippers, the fact remains that when connected to a criminal organization, funds inevitably flow towards devil worshippers. In essence, tying them together is reasonable.

    [Xavier: ¡°We hereby dere themencement of the ¡®Holy War¡¯.¡±]

    Realizing the situation is far more serious than anticipated, Xavier has initiated the ¡®Holy War.¡¯ This war, in the name of religion, was different in meaning this time.

    For Xavier, the fact that a high-ranking clergyman entered into an alliance with devil worshippers must have been extremely embarrassing. Some high-ranking clergy members are reported to have left the church, disappointed, ording to the newspapers.

    Hence, this is not a deration against a nation but specifically against devil worshippers, revealing a determination to uproot them entirely.

    To prevent such incidents, not only high-ranking clergy but also ordinary clergy have started a familiar ¡®Mass¡¯ culture, where they pray together.

    However, whether it¡¯s a Holy War, Mass, or prophecies from Xenon¡¯s Biography, none of it holds any meaning for me at the moment. There¡¯s something else more urgent.

    [The prophecy regarding this event was already foreseen in Volume 17 of Xenon¡¯s Biography! Cardinal Kate remarks that ¡®the darkest ce is under themp¡¯¡­]

    [It will likely be a gentle cardinal, not the one who uttered harsh words toward the truth.]

    [If someone who usually doesn¡¯t pray and harbors doubts towards God starts doing so, it¡¯s certain.]

    [Will the events unfold in Volume 18 simrly to reality?]

    As it turns out, Kate had actually apprehended Cardinal Bark. It was a case of being darkest under themp, as he said, and the contents of volume 17. Currently, she¡¯s imprisoned within the Holy See formitting violence, but the newspapers stated that her merits will soon be acknowledged, and she¡¯ll be released.

    However, I find myself unable to ignore the situation where the content of Xenon¡¯s Biography Volume 18 has not just been ¡®leaked¡¯ but ¡®exposed¡¯. It¡¯s enough to make my head spin.

    It¡¯s a predicament ¨C on one hand, I¡¯m worried that I might be in the red again, caught up in fervor over the prophecy, and on the other hand, if I change the storyline, it might ruin the structure I¡¯ve built.

    It¡¯s truly a desperate situation. I feel the newspapers are subtly waiting to see my reaction.

    ¡°Sigh¡­¡±

    I exhaled deeply, closing the newspaper. It felt like getting a strong blow to the head with a hammer. I can¡¯t grasp what to do next.

    It might be better to start with an exnation, but I¡¯m doubtful if people will believe it. I won¡¯t change the story for now. My resolve was firm.

    It¡¯s probably better to keep pushing forward as is; there¡¯ll be less confusion, and most importantly, people will naturallye to understand.

    Whooom

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    With a heavy heart, I sat on the bed and felt a faint mana wave. It was such a familiar sensation that I didn¡¯t even feel the need to be on guard. I had felt this wave every time Siris teleported to my dormitory.

    And sure enough, with a gentle breeze, Siris appeared in my room. She still wore the revealing bikini armor that never failed to delight the eyes.

    Quietly, as Siris swayed in with her white hair flowing, I opened my mouth.

    ¡°You¡¯re here?¡±

    ¡°Hello. Isaac.¡±

    Siris politely bowed her head in greeting. I asked her while still sitting on the bed, wanting to know her reaction to the letter I had sent to Arwen earlier.

    ¡°What did Arwen say?¡±

    ¡°She mentioned that there have been many difficult things recently, but thanks to them, her strength has increased.¡±

    Well, Arwen was the only one externally connected to Xenon. When Fieren made his final move, spreading strange rumors about our romantic rtionship, there was nothing I could do. From her perspective, despite the fatigue, having a connection to me had its advantages.

    It seemed that she had managed to establish a foundation for solidifying the ¡®connections¡¯ she had struggled with even after bing a queen. For politicians like Arwen, connections were more valuable than gold. However, she was still going through difficulties due to the aftermath. That¡¯s why I had sent her a letter of encouragementst time.

    ¡°Here¡¯s the queen¡¯s response.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    I received a letter from Siris and immediately unfolded it. It was written on a scroll, subtly girlish in its style, if that description fits a rolled up paper.

    As I opened the letter, I was greeted by a graceful handwriting befitting a queen¡¯s position. It filled a page with care and dedication.

    [Dear Isaac, I have read your letter. It gives me strength, like a downpour in a parchednd. I¡¯ve been through some tough timestely, but thanks to you, everything feels alleviated.]

    A content smile graced my lips. Even just reading the words, I felt as though I could hear Arwen¡¯s voice.

    ¡­Wait a second. Can I really hear a voice? What¡¯s this?

    ¡°It¡¯s an audio storage spell.¡±

    ¡°¡­Really?¡±

    I pondered whether there was a need for magic when the letter itself sufficed. Despite feeling a bit unnerved, I slowly continued reading the letter.

    I can¡¯t fathom the principles behind it, but as I read the letter with my eyes, Arwen¡¯s voice yed in my mind.

    Perhaps it¡¯s apt to call it magic after all. Astonishing things abound. Arwen being an elf might make this possible; for a human, it would be an ability beyond dreams.

    [Due to workmitments, confined to the office, I long to see your face. I know, as a queen, I shouldn¡¯t feel this way, but there¡¯s no one else I feel thisfortable with. Please bear with my longing a little longer.]

    How difficult must work be toment about it even in a letter? Since ancient times, regardless of the region, a hardworking king boasts of an incredibly heavy workload. Just the stack of documents piled up in my father¡¯s office was mountainous, so Queen Arwen wouldn¡¯t have exaggerated if she said it was severe.

    Moreover, even though she ascended to the queen¡¯s position, she struggled to implement even a single policy due to pressure from the council, and there were hardly any trustworthy individuals. Before meeting me, there was no one she could call a ¡®friend,¡¯ so one could say her life was a bit challenging.

    [Thanks to meeting you, many things have changed. We prevented the contamination of the World Tree in advance, and even the council, hindering the progress of Alvenheim, has vanished into the sidelines of history. Even our rtions with the Dark Elves are gradually improving. Without you¡­ I wouldn¡¯t have been able to do anything. I want to express my gratitude somehow, but there¡¯s nothing I can adequately do. You have everything a man can possess.]

    Arwen¡¯s voice suddenly faded away. It¡¯s a bit awkward for me to say, but I¡¯m someone whocks very little now.

    Power, wealth, fame, and finally, beautiful women. To anyone¡¯s eyes, I must seem like someone whocks nothing.

    [However, my pride doesn¡¯t allow me to step back like this. If there¡¯s anything you desire, please tell me, and I¡¯ll grant it without any hesitation. Don¡¯t even think about recing it with giving you books from the Sanctuary, it wouldn¡¯t suffice to repay the favor I received from you.]

    At that moment, I couldn¡¯t help but flinch. Perhaps it¡¯s not as sincere as it sounds¡ªmaybe it¡¯s just a token of gratitude. But even so, seeing Arwen go as far as saying such things indicates a profound sense of gratitude towards me.

    [It seems the story has grown long. If the opportunity arises,e to Alvenheim. It feels like even the strength I didn¡¯t have would emerge upon seeing your face. Or if you permit, I might set aside some tasks and make my way there. You might think it childish, but I hope you¡¯ll indulge this whim just a bit. A day for an elf is likely very short, yet after meeting you, a day feels like a week. With that, I¡¯ll take my leave, wishing for Luminous¡¯s protection upon you.]

    [Oh, and there¡¯s no need to reply. Just let Siris know when you mighte to Alvenheim.]

    With that, Arwen¡¯s voice faded away. I smiled while reading the childish content despite the graceful handwriting. I¡¯ve been busytely, hardly having the chance to meet face-to-face, but visiting during this vacation might not be a bad idea after all.

    It¡¯s true that rtionships tend to grow stronger when you see each other¡¯s faces. The farther the distance, the more the hearts tend to drift apart.

    ¡°I¡¯ve read the letter. Please convey my thanks to Arwen.¡±

    ¡°Understood. Oh, before that¡­ The Queen wanted to ask you something.¡±

    ¡°Hmm? What is it?¡±

    Siris, with his usual poker face, ryed Arwen¡¯s question.

    ¡°Regarding the recent events in Xavier, people are starting to firmly believe that Sir Isaac is a prophet or someone from the future.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m already trying to put that idea to rest. Even if I say otherwise, they won¡¯t believe it.¡±

    ¡°So, Arwen wanted me to ask you this: Are you truly a prophet or someone from the future?¡±

    No, that¡¯s not it. It seems like Arwen even suspects me now. But I have no intention of revealing to anyone that I am a reincarnator. There¡¯s nothing to gain by disclosing it, and it will only cause confusion.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that. Tell her that all of this is just a coincidence.¡±

    I¡¯m just in a fantasy world.

    ¡°There are no constraints set by the gods or anything like that.¡±

    Writing something that could happen in a fantasy world.

    ¡°I¡¯m just an ordinary writer writing a usible novel.¡±

    A writer who writes novels.

    Really.

    Trantors note:

    2/3

 Chapter 232: Spoilers (4)

    Who suffers the most when the world inadvertently spoils your story? Is it the writer who lost the story they were yet to write? Or is it the devil worshiper struck by a bolt from the blue? Or perhaps the nation of Xavier struck by a scandal?

    None of these.

    Among those who have suffered the most from real world spoilers are the ¡®readers.¡¯ Those ordinary readers who have a significant interest in worldly affairs but do not actively engage. It¡¯s like being spoiled in reality because, due to the ending of Volume 17, they are dying to know the rest of the story.

    In addition, in this world, even without the inte, the art of publication has developed so that one can ess news through newspapers. At least, each household subscribes to one newspaper, making it easy to keep up with the news of the world.

    Especially Xenon¡¯s Biography, a book that almost no one does not read. Even if rumors spread, you can¡¯t help but overhear them.

    [It¡¯s good to purify evil, but the taste for anticipation of whates next has disappeared.]

    [Readers feel both anger and frustration. It can be understood given the situation, but it¡¯s still regrettable.]

    [Will Volume 18 unfold just like reality?]

    It was enough to shock the whole world that none other than Xavier had devil worshippers hidden within, even more so a Cardinal.

    So, readers also had no choice but to take a somewhat ambiguous stance. No matter how important Xenon¡¯s Biography was, there was nothing as important as reality.

    Above all, since Xenon¡¯s Biography is being treated as a prophecy, it¡¯s a position that something happening in reality based on that prophecy is not unusual.

    People who only worship Xenon¡¯s Biography shed tears, passing it off casually, excluding all of this. However, expectations for Volume 18 were somewhat shaken¡­

    [Readers. It¡¯s frustrating, so I hope Volume 18es out quickly¡­]

    [Since we already know the story, it would be nice if Volume 19 also came out together¡­]

    ¡­Instead of diminishing, it rather soared. They wanted to confirm the events in Xavier and the contents of Volume 18 as soon as possible, even if it was just for a day.

    If the content of Volume 18 aligns astonishingly with real-world events, the value of Xenon¡¯s Biography will skyrocket. Otherwise, doubt will creep in. No, not even doubt.

    The world is weaving absurd spections about me being under some ¡®constraint.¡¯ There¡¯s a ridiculous notion that, even to avoid constraints, I could modify the content of Volume 18. Hence, a mood has formed where even if the content diverges, it wouldn¡¯t disperse the suspicion.

    Doubts directed at me could lead to doubts aimed at the divine, as some priests have suggested. Kate has done something quite amusing.

    So, what should I, as the author, do? Well, I should just write as nned, without any modifications. Even though Volume 18 hasn¡¯t been released, I anticipated this situation to some extent through Luminous¡¯s confirmation, and it didn¡¯t have any adverse effects on me.

    Should I issue a statement through a letter? If letters had any effect, I would have sent more than a hundred a day. ording to my father, the situation at the publishingpany is even worse than chaotic.

    Originally, people from the upper ss, including nobles, came to connect with me, but now even clergy were approaching. They were even threatening me, demanding information about me urgently, stating that Xenon¡¯s assistance is crucial in initiating the ¡®Holy War.¡¯ Fortunately, such individuals were soon apprehended by other clergymen and faced severe punishment.

    Anyway, it¡¯s an ambiguous situation to send a letter. It¡¯s probably better to keep quiet since they won¡¯t listen to me anyway. The most urgent thing to do now is¡­

    ¡°Prophet, so is the content of Volume 18 really identical to what is happening now?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m curious too. Can¡¯t you tell us a little? We have a deep connection with the Prophet~¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    I don¡¯t know what to do about these whimsical lovers who tease me. Whether it¡¯s all a joke or if it¡¯s serious, ever since the incident broke out, they¡¯ve been teasing me, calling me a prophet.

    Even before, every time something like this happened, they teased me, calling me a prophet or a regressor. But this time, it was a bit more intense.

    ¡°Will the child born between us be a son or a daughter?¡±

    ¡°Me too. Me too. You¡¯re a prophet, so you should be able to predict that much, right?¡±

    They ridicule me with questions like that. I¡¯m not really a prophet, so how could I guess something like that? And on top of that, we haven¡¯t even had the wedding yet, but they¡¯re already nning for parenting, which is just absurd.

    Moreover, they keep bombarding me with questions fit for a prophet, making me feel dizzy to the point where I burst into nervousughter involuntarily.

    ¡°Both of you, stop it. Isaac is feeling ufortable.¡±

    Luckily, Rina, who was the third person, intervened, putting an end to their teasing. With her reproach, Marie and Cecily, each holding one of my arms, backed away.

    I expressed my gratitude to Rina through facial expressions, feeling relieved. Rina shrugged gracefully as if it was nothing and sipped her tea elegantly.

    The ce we¡¯re currently in is a caf¨¦ I often visit. Originally, it was ss time, but because the professor went on a short business trip, it turned into a free period.

    That¡¯s why they came to my researchb and called me. Elena allowed it, so I could spare some time.

    ¡°Come on, Rina, why don¡¯t you ask too? Maybe you¡¯ll find out who your future husband is, right?¡±

    Cecily, who was always mischievous, asked Rina with a big grin. It seemed like she had no intention of stopping the teasing. Rina, caught off guard by the unexpected question, had a bewildered expression, her blue eyes blinking rapidly, disying a mix of astonishment and confusion.

    ¡°¡­What? My husband? All of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Aren¡¯t you curious too? What your future self will be like.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m a little curious, but I¡¯m not really drawn to it. It¡¯s just something far in the future, so thinking about it now seems meaningless.¡±

    It¡¯s typically Rina-like. She didn¡¯t get caught up in Cecily¡¯s joke at all. Instead, she shrugged her shoulders, disying an air ofposure.

    Even though we¡¯ve be close, Rina was still a princess from the empire. Gracefulness emanated from every movement she made.

    ¡­Her taste in romance might be somewhat unique though. It¡¯s surprising to find hidden subtlety beneath such graceful elegance.

    ¡°Well, maybe it¡¯s not about the far future. Once you graduate from the academy, your engagement will likely be set, so shouldn¡¯t you find a fianc¨¦ soon?¡±

    However, there was someone who was unsettling Rina¡¯s attitude, none other than Marie. She was smiling faintly, with an air of ease, her lips slightly curled upwards.

    When we graduate from the Academy, our age (excluding Cecily) will be precisely 21 years old. It will be an age ripe with possibilities.

    Originally, even in thete twenties, one bes a confirmed bachelor or an old maid. Commoners might be busy with their daily lives, but nobility, especially women, find their ¡®worth¡¯ rtively diminished the longer they postpone marriage.

    Unless, like Nicole, one possesses abilities that exceed that worth, nobles, in general, strive to find an engagement and marry early. Whether it¡¯s for love or strategic reasons.

    Of course, Rina, holding the position of ¡®Princess,¡¯ won¡¯t see a decline in her worth. Only one thing, she must endure the gazes pouring in from all around.

    ¡°I already have a fianc¨¦, Cecily too. But ironically, there¡¯s no suitable match for the ¡®Princess¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Are we fighting?¡±

    Surprisingly sensitive, Rina, with a narrowed brow, retorted in a low voice to Marie¡¯s teasing. It was an evident sign of her being angry.

    Marie chuckled lightly before speaking in a half-joking, half-serious tone.

    ¡°That¡¯s why you should also hurry and find a fianc¨¦. A whole year has passed in the blink of an eye, hasn¡¯t it? You should find someone in advance to avoid problems.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡±

    Rina seemed to ponder upon those words before briefly ncing in my direction. Perhaps because I was the only man here, it seemed like she was looking at me.

    But thedies didn¡¯t miss that. Cecily alternated gazes between Rina and me, then shed her mischievous smile.

    ¡°Could it be Rina¡¯s eyeing Isaac too?¡±

    ¡°Wha, w-what?¡±

    Rina was startled not just once, but twice, as surprised as she was. Her eyes widened so much, disying a remarkable level of astonishment.

    And Cecily didn¡¯t miss it. She extended her face forward and spoke in aforting voice.

    ¡°Honestly, is there even a more suitable husband than Isaac? The Ters Kingdom will be linked to your brother, and the Belua Kingdom¡¯s queen is the first princess of the Ters Kingdom. Isn¡¯t there a more fitting groom?¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    At first, it was meant as a joke, but unexpectedly, Rina was genuinely listening. She had a thoughtful expression, contemting deeply while pressing her fist against her lips.

    This led Cecily to momentarily be taken aback. She might have wanted to see Rina flustered, but the atmosphere had be serious.

    Just before a quiet silence settled, Rina lowered her gaze, then lifted it back up. Her gaze was directly fixed on me.

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Come to think of it, there wasn¡¯t a more suitable groom for me than Isaac?¡±

    If Rina had said it yfully like Marie or Cecily, it would have been one thing, but because she was serious, it was a problem. Rina was staring straight at me with her earnestly shining blue eyes.

    The confusion and surprise were left to Cecily, Marie, and me. This was a seriousness devoid of even 1% mischief. But Rina didn¡¯t stop there. She nodded as if she had finished thinking something and spoke in her characteristic elegant manner.

    ¡°Perhaps marrying Isaac, tying him more securely to the Minerva Empire for protection, isn¡¯t a bad idea. The title of princess is quite modestpared to Xenon. I¡¯m the princess of the Minerva Empire, not a heroic figure like Isaac who saved the world. Instead of Isaacing to me, I should go to him, which would also solve Marie¡¯s problem.¡±

    ¡°W-Wait, seriously?¡±

    Marie asked, stumbling through her words, apparently quite surprised. I was in a simr state of mind, so I waited for Rina¡¯s response.

    Ignoring our stares, Rina calmly raised her teacup. Herposed and elegant demeanor confirmed the sincerity in her words.

    ¡°When am I not serious? Perhaps before Volume 17, things might have been different, but the situation has changed. Thanks to Xenon¡¯s Biography, one of the high-ranking devil worshippers has been eliminated, and Isaac¡¯s reputation has soared. If someday Isaac reveals his true identity, I¡¯ll have to go, whether I want to or not.¡±

    ¡°What about my choice? Do I have no say in this?¡±

    ¡°If you dislike it, it won¡¯t matter.¡±

    Well, that¡¯s a relief¡­

    ¡°But I¡¯ll make it so you can¡¯t refuse. Not by threats, but by offering you full support in the Michelle territory you¡¯ll govern, granting authority, and more. The Empire is thirsty for culture. While our military and economy are strong, weck a unifying cultural aspect. That¡¯s why we¡¯ll spare no expense to keep you somehow attached.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ um¡­¡±

    ¡°Just give up cleanly and marry me. I don¡¯t even desire authority. Let¡¯s just get along well. Understand? Keep the¡­ night activities reasonable.¡±

    The atmosphere, perhaps due to the eloquent yet restrained expressions, or maybe because every word seemed fitting, became strangely distant. Even Marie and Cecily, who were usually yful, were silent, exchanging looks as if wondering how they ended up in this situation.

    The content was so serious that no one dared to interrupt. In fact, every word from Rina was precise and chilling. When everyone remained tight-lipped, Rina, after sipping her tea and cing the cup down, looked around at us.

    Her expression was filled with a sense of iprehension, as if asking why we were reacting this way. A face full of questions.

    Following that, she, with an ironic tone, opened her mouth.

    ¡°Why is everyone so serious? Did you seriously take it to heart?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°What did you say?¡±

    Rina, after confirming our reactions, let out a littleugh and said.

    ¡°Can¡¯t I joke too? You guys y so many pranks that I thought I¡¯d join in for once.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­that¡¯s all¡­¡±

    ¡°It was a prank?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it was all just a prank.¡±

    It was all a joke. I was almost too serious to take it as a joke because you seemed so serious.

    It was all a joke. It was so serious that I almost didn¡¯t take it as a joke.

    Just when I was starting to feel relieved, Rina exined again to lighten the mood a bit.

    ¡°Well, what I said earlier was half serious. Our empire will definitely try to catch you once you reveal your identity, Isaac. Don¡¯t worry, it won¡¯t involve threats or anything like that. Just keep that in mind.¡±

    ¡°Got it. I¡¯m expecting that much.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re expecting it, that¡¯s good. And consider that you might actually marry me for real.¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    In the end, it wasn¡¯t a joke. I looked at Rina, who casually brought up the topic of marriage, with an incredulous expression.

    On the other hand, as always, Rina was leisurely lifting her teacup, enjoying the taste of her drink.

    However, there was an unexpectedplication¡¤¡¤¡¤

    ¡°So, Rina, are you nning to spend the first night with Isaac in advance too?¡±

    ¡°Cough!!¡±

    It was a surprise attack from Marie, who had been silently observing. This caught Rinapletely off guard, causing her to spit out her tea rather vigorously, but thankfully, it didn¡¯t hit anyone¡¯s face. Rina just had a violent cough.

    ¡°Cough! Cough! Cough! W-What is that bullshit?¡±

    Rina asked urgently, not even thinking about wiping around her mouth, with a face mixed with various questions as she looked at Marie. Marie spoke calmly, as if it didn¡¯t bother her at all.

    ¡°Did you know Isaac spent the first night with me before he even got engaged to Cecily? If what you¡¯re saying is true, either confirm it or spend the first night altogether.¡±

    I wanted to ask, ¡°What about my opinion?¡± but seeing Marie¡¯s mouth shape, I held back for a moment.

    Although very subtle, her lips were trembling slightly. She¡¯s definitely joking.

    Once I confirmed that, I could rx and observe the situation. Having taken one hit, it seemed like she was nning to feed an even bigger one.

    Meanwhile, Rina, wiping the liquid around her mouth with a handkerchief, started to exim in embarrassment.

    ¡°W-What is¡­! That¡¯s weird for you guys! Originally, the first night is! After a man and a woman get married! Doing it before marriage, like you guys, is a very rare case¡­¡±

    ¡°Is it? It was all happening over the inn besides us, wasn¡¯t it? When did that tradition start?¡±

    ¡°No¡­! That¡¯s¡­! Ugh¡­¡±

    It seemed like Rina was about to say something obscene, but she stopped herself. Her face, now intensely red, was a stark contrast to her usually calm demeanor.

    Up to this point, it would have been a fatal blow, but Marie wasn¡¯t alone here. Cecily also saw it as an opportunity and chimed in from the side.

    ¡°Hey, what if you just watch instead if it embarrasses you? It might even be helpfulter, you never know?¡±

    Woah, that¡¯s a bit intense. Thatment really hits the mark on Rina¡¯s secret preferences.

    Maybe Cecily made that remark because she knows about her sexual inclinations. Cecily, who¡¯s quite perceptive, wouldn¡¯t miss that.

    In response to such a pointedment, Rina¡¯s reaction was¡­

    ¡°¡­Maybe?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Momentarily swayed by desire.

    ¡°Ah, no, this isn¡¯t right. I¡¯d rather¡­¡±

    Desperately trying to regainposure, she once again made us all flustered.

    Trantors note:

    3/3

 Chapter 233: Spoilers (5)

    Due to an unexpected spoiler, people around me had fun teasing me, but it didn¡¯t change my daily life. During the weekdays, I performed the duties of a teaching assistant, essentially being Elena¡¯s ve and writing. On weekends, I spend time exercising with Adelia to improve my physical strength.

    Especially after thest encounter with Nicole, the time spent with Adelia has increased. She seems happy but also appears burdened by it. She suggested it might be better to spend time with Marie or Cecily instead of herself, saying she¡¯s fine just exercising together on weekends, etc. It seems like she still belittles herself.

    Of course, I ignored it all. Since Marie and Cecily said they could make concessions over the weekend, I was able to focus on Adelia during the weekends. Thanks to that, Adelia¡¯s face became brighter over time, and her characteristic confident smile returned. Every time I looked at her, I couldn¡¯t help but think that Adelia¡¯s smile warms the hearts of those who see it.

    It was because of the pressure, not only from Nicole, that connected Adelia and me, but to say we have fully connected was a stretch. There¡¯s still a secret I haven¡¯t told her, and those around me advised caution about that matter.

    Still, just being by my side, Adelia seemed happy, never losing her smile. I heard women in love are said to be childish, and perhaps reminding me of that, she continued to show cute behaviors one after another.

    ¡°Come on! Come on! Just once! Let¡¯s do it just once! Be strong!¡±

    ¡°Ughhh!¡±

    Right now, I was doing squats at Adelia¡¯s dormitory, receiving vigorous encouragement. On my shoulders, a noticeably heavy barbell was lifted, boasting a weight that required mana reinforcement for the body. Since my body can easily lift a sack weighing 100kg, you can guess how heavy it is by the effort I¡¯m putting in.

    Although I consistently train my lower body through squats, for some reason, Adelia was pushing me even more relentlessly than before.

    Whether it¡¯s because I someday believe I have to contend with my own limits, or perhaps it¡¯s due to the increasing number of women around me, I don¡¯t know, but it feels like I¡¯m tasting death. Still, it¡¯s better than truly dying in the midst of the night job. Moreover, even with the tremendous boost from Luminous, it was still unavoidable.

    ¡°Enough now!¡±

    ¡°Huah!¡±

    Kwong!

    As soon as the words ¡®enough¡¯ came from Adelia, I threw my weight down as if it were a piece of luggage. It felt as the ground trembled slightly from its weight.

    While I rested on the ground, Adelia approached me and took out a white handkerchief from her pocket to wipe away the sweat. It was a very meaningful handkerchief for Adelia, one I had given her when she was lost in despair during the exhibition.

    With sky-blue eyes mixed with determination and warmth, she encouraged me as she looked at me.

    ¡°You did well. Take a 10-minute break and let¡¯s move on to the next.¡±

    ¡°¡­Can¡¯t I rest more?¡±

    ¡°No. Your body is in full development right now. Endure it like a warrior until then.¡±

    Adelia blushed and acted innocently when teased, but she¡¯s strict when ites to exercise. Although she was somewhat forced onto the path of a knight due to her family environment, her determination was genuine. So much so that even if I begged, she would just brush it off calmly and firmly.

    Thanks to her, I¡¯ve seen a dramatic increase in my stamina every week. While Luminous has bestowed some sacred power upon me, Adelia¡¯s support was the most significant. Originally, exercise tends to be doubly effective with someone¡¯s assistance. Especially Adelia, ording to my father¡¯s words, prioritized efficiency and was someone full of vigor.

    <i>¡®So, her body¡­¡¯</i>

    I nced at Adelia while she wiped my sweat. She was wearing custom-made attire for exercise, all provided by my family. The pants were like what Nicole wore, a tracksuit, while the top was a tank top that revealed her abdomen and arms, designed to keep her cool.

    Although I had seen it once by chance before, it still caught my attention. Her body always exuded a healthy beauty. The well-trained abs beyond the level of merely impressive made me want to touch them.

    ¡°Where are you looking?¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    Adelia asked me in a somewhat embarrassed tone, seemingly noticing that I was tantly staring. Only then did I avert my gaze from her abs and look toward her face.

    Blushing slightly, she seemed embarrassed and shyly covered her stomach. She must have noticed where my gaze was directed.

    Before, I might have turned away in embarrassment and said nothing, but not anymore. What¡¯s there to be embarrassed about when I¡¯ve already epted her? Soon enough, we¡¯ll be seeing everything about each other.

    Above all, I couldn¡¯t help but think she was truly amazing. Really. Despite women naturally having far fewer muscles than men, to have developed such defined abs symbolized her countless efforts.

    So, without any ulterior motive, I spoke my mind.

    ¡°Just impressive. Even my older sister wasn¡¯t at that level.¡±

    ¡°¡­Really?¡±

    Adelia must have sensed the sincerity in my words as she slowly revealed her covered abdomen with both arms. Then, she nced at me and, with a slightly trembling voice, made a request.

    ¡°Uhm, would you like to touch it once?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Did I hear it wrong? With a bewildered expression, I looked at Adelia, whose face was turning as red as a tomato. But soon after, she covered her face with both hands, lowered her head, and copsed to the ground.

    ¡°Ah¡­ this isn¡¯t it¡­ what am I doing¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    What is she doing alone? She said it herself, but seeing her embarrassed state made me smile involuntarily.

    Yet, in her own way, she must have shown courage. I gently reached out and stroked her head as shey on the ground, trying tofort her.

    When I patted her head, Adelia flinched slightly. But soon after, she rxed and started to enjoy my touch.

    ¡°I¡¯ll pretend I didn¡¯t hear.¡±

    ¡°¡­Thank you.¡±

    As she replied with gratitude, I smiled and slowly lowered my face. I developed a new hobby with Adelia.

    Eventually, I brought my face close to hers and spoke softly with a teasing voice.

    ¡°After all, soon I¡¯ll be able to touch without any reservations, right?¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤Huek.¡±

    That was teasing Adelia. Whether she understood the suggestive tone of my words or not, she startled and let out a surprised scream. Because she showed such fresh reactions every time I yed a prank like this, I couldn¡¯t stop doing it.

    I looked at her blushing face and couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter before slowly lifting my head. Adelia still had no intention of raising her face.

    <i>¡®She¡¯s really cute.¡¯</i>

    Little by little, if I give her affection, she¡¯ll choose me even when I reveal that I¡¯m Xenon. In fact, there¡¯s no reason for her to be a member of the Ters Kingdom royalty.

    Being my woman was a much higher position than bing a member of the Ters Kingdom royalty.

    <i>¡®But why does Hiriya keep sticking around these days? I don¡¯t understand.¡¯</i>

    While I continued to gently stroke Adelia¡¯s head, who was still not fully recovered, I thought of Hiriya.

    After losing to Adelia in the duel, Hiriya continued to approach me for reasons unknown. Even the reason for exercising in Adelia¡¯s dormitory today seemed to be because of that. While exercising in the training grounds, Hiriya would suddenly appear and intervene between us.

    I can¡¯t openly show my dislike, especially since she¡¯s not just an ordinary noble but practically a princess from another country. I already have an official fianc¨¦, yet she¡¯s showing an excessive amount of interest.

    <i>¡®Surely, she wouldn¡¯t be attempting an impossible seduction.¡¯</i>

    Maybe she just dislikes how close Adelia and I are. Besides, since I started exercising in the dormitory, I rarely have a chance to meet her.

    Right now¡­

    ¡°Noona? When are we starting our exercise?¡±

    ¡°You¡­ Are you doing this on purpose?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it because noona is cute?¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    Let¡¯s enjoy this peaceful weekend. Spoilers or whatever, as long as I¡¯m happy in the present.

    <i>¡®But I wonder if Kate wille back.¡¯</i>

    ******

    The kingdom of Xavier was currently in a state of considerable turmoil. It wasn¡¯t just a simple state of confusion, one could even say that the very foundations were being shaken.

    Not only have ordinary clergy members been implicated, but even a high-ranking cardinal has been revealed to have conspired with devil worshippers. Furthermore, the impact of devil worshippers on the world was more significant than anticipated.

    The people of Xavier have begun to question the integrity of the entire kingdom due to the presence of a corrupt cardinal. They were even suspicious of ordinary clergy members.

    How can they trust clergy who, in alliance with devil worshippers, have betrayed their sacred duties? Are you truly clergy who faithfully follow the teachings of Luminous?

    As a result, a new cultural phenomenon called ¡®Mass¡¯ emerged, where clergy and ordinary citizens intermingle in prayer. Personal worship can be conducted at any time, but Mass, being close to an ¡®obligation,¡¯ was conducted without regard for social rank.

    Although this helped extinguish the urgent mes, incidents of clergy receiving direct punishment from Luminous during Mass urred frequently. Recognizing the severe progression of the clergy¡¯s corruption beyond initial expectations, Xavier dered a ¡®Holy War¡¯ even up to the ¡®Holy See.¡¯

    If that¡¯s the case, what might Kate, the initiator of all this and the Grand Inquisitor, be doing now? She¡¯s currently confined in solitary confinement within the sacred halls of the Holy See for perpetrating violence. However, merits are merits, so it¡¯s a matter of course that she¡¯ll soon be released.

    Through a small hole, only a speck of light entered the pitch-ck cell. As the thick iron door of the cell opened, someone came into view.

    Thick, bushy eyebrows obscured his eyes, much like his voluminous beard¡ªa senior cardinal named Deimos, belonging to the same rank as Cardinal Bark, and one of the eyewitnesses who directly witnessed the punishment handed down by Luminous.

    Deimos looked around the solitary cell, where only a single beam of light shone. His gaze shifted towards the center. There, he noticed Kate, kneeling in devout prayer, relying on a single ray of light. She prayed earnestly.

    ¡°¡­Grant us light, please. Bestow upon us the power to bring hope to the just and wield the scourge upon the corrupt,¡±

    Unperturbed by Deimos opening the cell door, she continued reciting her prayer. It was one of the venerable doctrines passed down among the inquisitors, particrly fitting for the current situation.

    As Kate finished her prayer, Deimos, in his aged voice, called out.

    ¡°¡­Cardinal Kate.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Cardinal Deimos.¡±

    Responding to his call, Kate slowly rose from her seat. Despite being confined to the cell, her beauty remained undiminished, having meticulously taken care of herself, a marked difference from her past.

    Deimos could sense it. The aura of sanctity emanating from her had grown severalfold. The scent of lcs, denser within the cell, even making one¡¯s nose tingle. ording to the guards, she spent the whole day reciting prayers, except for meal and sleep times, indicating the intensity of her faith.

    ¡°For what reason have youe?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the Pope¡¯s directive. You are now allowed toe out.¡±

    ¡°I see. Thank you.¡±

    Kate, with a genuinely grateful expression, nodded graciously, sporting a kind smile. Deimos, sensing an unfamiliar reverence in her smile and actions, couldn¡¯t help but feel taken aback.

    Receiving grace from Luminous, she naturally possessed a strong sanctity, but even to him, a fellow cardinal, her demeanor exuded an unprecedented sense of reverence. This was no ordinary urrence.

    Kate, already possessing a sanctity that surpassed that of a cardinal for quite some time, felt inexplicable, surrounded by the scent of lcs filling the solitary room.

    Observing this, Deimos cleared his throat and, after a few hesitant coughs, spoke in a quiet voice.

    ¡°What are your ns now? Will you continue on the pilgrimage path to find Xenon as before?¡±

    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s the n.¡±

    Kate, once again embarking on the pilgrimage path to find Xenon after stopping midway, had an obvious n in mind.

    However, Deimos suspected that she might have already found Xenon. Her words during the Cardinal Bark incident echoed in his mind.

    <i>¡®Dare to doubt him¡­¡¯</i>

    One couldn¡¯t make such statements without meeting someone in person. While it could refer to Luminous, Deimos, with his extensive experience, could discern subtle gaps.

    Yet, he wouldn¡¯t ask directly. There was the immediate need to pacify the confusion of Xavier, and besides, he felt too old. Suchplicated matters had to be set aside, focusing on the present reality.

    However, curiosity couldn¡¯t be easily suppressed. What exactly did Kate intend to do upon meeting Xenon?

    He smoothed his lush beard and asked cautiously.

    ¡°May I ask a question?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m always willing to take questions from Cardinal Deimos.¡±

    ¡°If you meet Xenon, what are you nning to do?¡±

    At that question, Kate blinked her green eyes slowly and then shed a gentle smile. She neatly folded her hands and paused.

    Was it an illusion that the single beam of light emerging from behind grew stronger? Deimos gazed, utterly captivated by her divine figure.

    Hwaaang¡­

    The single beam of light that had been the only thing in the dark cell began to brighten, gradually illuminating the entire cell, far brighter than before, as if dispelling all the surrounding darkness, a majestic and beautiful sight.

    While Deimos was left speechless by the indescribable scene, Kate, with a soft smile, finally spoke.

    ¡°My original goal was to receive his seed and please Luminous. But that was my arrogance and misconception. He was not a ¡®light¡¯ that someone like me could contain. He¡¯s blindingly beautiful, radiant, and divine to the point of blinding one¡¯s eyes.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°So I want to go to him and deliver my words.¡±

    Finally, she released her sped hands and slowly moved downward. Past her ample chest, past her spine and navel, finally to the lower abdomen where the child would be growing.

    Kate looked down at her lower abdomen with sparkling green eyes, gently running her hand over it before speaking.

    ¡°To nt his seed, and it grow abundantly.¡±

    There was an immacte purity, untouched by even an ounce of filth, yet it held a terrifying ¡®madness¡¯ because of it.

    ¡°To spread his ¡®seeds¡¯ of light far and wide.¡±

    Not knowing what went wrong.

    ¡°Including me.¡±

    It was the true image of a fanatic.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 234: Balance (1)

    Let me say it again. I am not a ve to Professor Elena at the Halo Academy, but rather a teaching assistant. I might even be considered as a potential sessor as the next assistant after Cindy.

    Naturally, I have a lot of responsibilities, not just assisting Elena or teaching Cindy, who recently obtained a doctoral degree, how to write.

    In addition to writing, there was a lot of work to be done. Furthermore, while working as a teaching assistant, I have learned numerous advantages and disadvantages.

    First, let me talk about the disadvantages ¨C it¡¯s busy. Incredibly busy. It¡¯s not just a matter of being busy; there is a mountain of research to be done, and I have to move around here and there.

    Not only do I have to approach other professors for information rted to Elena¡¯s research, but I even have to reach out to professors from different departments, not just in history, to request materials. As mentioned before, there is no inte here, so to find information, I have to either read books or, if not that, physically run around. And I was currently in the midst of doing just that.

    Furthermore, Elena often sought my opinions whenever she was writing papers, as she seems to highly regard my knowledge of history and philosophy. The problem is that she, having umted knowledge and experiences that ordinary humans could never fathom, can be quite daunting in many respects. Therefore, I am making efforts to assist her even a little.

    Next, an advantage that is simr to a disadvantage is her vast knowledge rted to history, pouring out like a rushing stream. Elena¡¯s researchb was already filled with numerous historical books and papers, even containing ancient texts whose origins remain unknown.

    There¡¯s even a diary written by a human soldier from the era of racial war. Not only that, but it¡¯s so well preserved that it¡¯s an immensely valuable relic of history. Yet, Elena casually tossed it to me, suggesting I should give it a read.

    When I asked her if it was alright for her to give me something so precious, she simply replied that it wasn¡¯t a significant period by her standards. Thanks to her, I am once again reminded that she is an elf with a lifespan close to a thousand years.

    To an elf, 300 years ago would be like 30 years ago to a human, so differences in perspective are inevitable. Nevertheless, by my standards, it¡¯s quite an important item.

    <i>¡®It seems the army is the same wherever you go.¡¯</i>

    The contents of the diary were indeed very military-like, whether one should call it rough or just realistically practical. It¡¯s filled with the mundane details of an insignificant soldier rolling about.

    Whether it¡¯s rushing forward to take down an elven warrior by any means, even ifrades fall, or drinking improperly purified water leading to stomach troubles, or finally, biting into bread only to feel the grit of sand.

    One striking aspect here was PTSD. There¡¯s a daily rant about the army, yet surprisingly, there¡¯s almost no depiction of symptoms rted to PTSD.

    Of course, asionally they dream of colleagues dying or hear their voices as if they¡¯re haunted. There have been mild symptoms, butpared to the harsh conditions of the military, they were rtively minor.

    The reason became apparent with each battle against the elves. Every time they fought them, a strong sense of hatred and resentment emerged, calling them ¡®ear freaks¡¯ or feeling indifferent even if tearing apart those damn creatures.

    <i>¡®It seems there¡¯s contempt directed towards the elves.¡¯</i>

    While it¡¯s difficult to treat stress after trauma, there¡¯s a way to somewhat alleviate it: by justifying one¡¯s actions.

    Comparing soldiers from World War II and the Vietnam War reveals a certain significance. World War II had a firm belief in fighting against a great evil, the Axis powers, but the Vietnam War was different, simply fighting for national interests.

    The owner of this diary was simr. Apparently, before the racial war, elves didn¡¯t just look down on humans; they treated them like monkeys.

    Even the owner of this diary suffered explicit racial discrimination from elves in the past, implying it was prevalent throughout their society.

    In response, humans formed an alliance and dered war on Alvenheim. It could be seen as self-inflicted, and the downfall of the elves was due to their excessive disdain for humans.

    The difference between the old and new generations of elves might stem from this.

    <i>¡®Rank¡­ There¡¯s almost no difference from now.¡¯</i>

    Even the hierarchy among ordinary soldiers resembled something akin to ancient Rome, such as centurions andmanders. The owner of this diary was initially an ordinary soldier butter got promoted to a centurion.

    Nevertheless,pared to knights, he was nothing more than an ordinary soldier, asmon as theye. The gap between knights and soldiers cannot be easily bridged, and the reason is the use of ¡®mana.¡¯

    Even if mana exists in this world, it¡¯s absolutely not something everyone, from dogs to people, can wield. Elves and demons were exceptions, but in ancient times, only the chosen few among humans could manifest it.

    Fortunately, as time passed and civilization progressed, knowledge umted, making it more essible. Currently, all academy students can use mana, and even someone like me, who only received basic physical training at the mansion, can enhance their body using mana.

    However, that¡¯s about it. I cannot wield mana in a way that allows me to slice rocks with a sword imbued with mana, like others. It takes considerable effort to manifest it externally, even if the potential exists within.

    Of course, unless you¡¯re an unrivaled genius, you can¡¯t use mana as you want. These are what aremonly referred to as ¡®heroes.¡¯

    <i>¡®Looking at it this way, it¡¯s amazing that humans won the racial war.¡¯</i>

    The strength of an elven warrior depicted in the book was truly cmitous. Splitting five soldiers in half with a single stroke was merely the basics, and what¡¯s more terrifying was the magic.

    It¡¯s written that when the elves were cornered, the magic they unleashed in a final act wreaked havoc to the extent of nearly wiping them out.

    Fortunately, with the support of the knights, the elves were eliminated, but the diarist¡¯s unit suffered critical injuries, requiring substantial time for recuperation.

    Afterward, with the war over, discharge followed, leading to engagement and eventually marriage, culminating in the birth of lovely children.

    <i>¡®It was really well written?¡¯</i>

    It¡¯s not just an ordinary diary; the immersion is no joke. There are moments where I was deeply engaged, elements that drew me in, and even incidents born from the distinct military culture that provokedughter.

    Of course, it¡¯s not without depth. The diary¡¯s owner sometimes contemtes whether it¡¯s right to engage in war, facing skepticism, or feels powerless, unable to do anything when arade falls.

    Nevertheless, I am convinced that this diary is an artifact of immense historical and cultural value. I found myself lost in contemtion after closing the worn-out journal.

    <i>¡®There truly is a vast difference between regr soldiers and knights.¡¯</i>

    When people think of war, they often think of knights, neglecting the ordinary soldiers. Frankly speaking, as written in this diary, regr soldiers are essentially meat shields.

    They may handle other human soldiers, but theyck a lot when facing elves and demons who can wield mana from birth, as well as races with inherently superior hardware.

    If we liken this to a game scenario, it¡¯s akin to a single zergling confronting a zealot instead of a marine. This is the reality for regr soldiers who can¡¯t even defeat human knights.

    <i>¡®However, a regr elven warrior is on par with a human knight.¡¯</i>

    As mentioned before, they are regr warriors. Just as there are knights among humans, there exist simr ranks among elves.

    The difference is that while warriors rely solely on physical prowess, they are essentially unarmedbatants. Elven knights, on the other hand, arebat mages whobine magic withbat.

    As if facing a single warrior isn¡¯t difficult enough, how much more challenging would it be to confront a knight? ording to records, it took four to five human knights to take down a single elven knight.

    The internal division within Alvheim was a contributing factor to our victory, but the humans, like a swarm of ants, yed a significant role by relentlessly pushing their forces.

    Even with the support from the demons, we could notunch an attack, but we could defend ourselves. Especially remarkable was how the humans spared no effort, even resorting to covert operations, while the elves refrained from such tactics. Despite the efforts of their warriormander, Ikher, well¡­ as you know, he was imprisoned, thanks to the relentless trolling by the Council of Elders.

    Looking at it this way, the Council of Elders¡¯ actions were iprehensible to the extent that one might think they were in favor of the humans.

    <i>¡®Back then the beastmen were not justcking in civilization at that time but alsocked proper unity. Moreover, beastmen excel only in physical attributes.¡¯</i>

    Even among the beastmen, regr warriors cannot wield mana; their hardware itself is just insanely superior. The fundamental reason why the massacre of beastmen, akin to the Holocaust, was possible 300 years ago was due to the disparity in civilization.

    As the saying goes, ¡®Divide and conquer,¡¯ it¡¯s much more advantageous to fight two battles of 100 against 50 each than a straight 100 versus 100. The massacre of beastmen happened through such a process.

    Anyway, after 300 years, with the advancement of civilization, various educational institutions were established, and the essibility of mana drastically increased, leading to an upward leveling. To grasp mana, the presence of a ¡®teacher¡¯ is crucial, and educational institutions have taken on that role. It is the experience and driving force of human development acquired through the racial war 300 years ago.

    <i>¡®But setting that aside, how powerful are devils, really?¡¯</i>

    In Xenon¡¯s Biography, numerous devils as mentioned in the literature make appearances. Not the Seven Deadly Sins but devilsmonly referred to as mere minions.

    The Seven Deadly Sins will be driven out anyway by the main characters, so let¡¯s assume that¡¯s settled. The problem lies with the ordinary devils. Not only do they possess considerable power, but their sheer numbers are staggering. The fundamental reason they were able to upy Alvenheim, or rather Elvenheim as depicted in the book, was due to their overwhelming quantity.

    Will the allied forces hold up while the main characters confront the Seven Deadly Sins? Humans might have their numbers, but fundamentally, they¡¯re destined to copse in the face of a significant difference in specifications. Of course, if they somehow manage to withstand it and it¡¯s briefly described, readers will easily ept it. After all, Xenon¡¯s Biography is not about ordinary soldiers but the story of heroes.

    <i>¡®In order to effectively counteract such numbers¡­¡¯ </i>

    Magic was perfect for that. To be precise, it¡¯s potent ¡®firepower¡¯.

    In this world, gunpowder and cannons exist. However, only humans and dwarves use them; elves and demons naturally rely on magic, and giants don¡¯t depend on machinery.

    Moreover, there are spells that emit firepower several times stronger, so they don¡¯t feel the necessity to use cannons.

    In a world where magic substitutes for science, the progress of ¡®machinery¡¯ was significantly slowerpared to my past life.

    ¡®Nevertheless, a magical engine has been invented.¡¯

    Everyone knows that Ains invented the magic engine. Currently, with support from the dwarven nation, Makina, he¡¯s in the process of jointly inventing magical lotives.

    Although the invention of magical lotives, symbolizing the civilization of machinery, has urred, there¡¯s still skepticism surrounding its potential superiority over magic and its efficiency.

    <i>¡®I won¡¯t include this in Volume 18 but consider it for Volume 19.¡¯</i>

    If five human soldiers can wield the power of a human knight, would they believe it?

    By the way, this plot twist will not be resolved in Xenon¡¯s Biography but will unfold in the future during the Second World War-esque novel that I will write. Although the universes are not connected, I n to showcase the peak of a mechanical civilization.

    Even though there¡¯s a high chance, as Luminous said, that dwarves might bring tanks to the exhibition, I have to make use of what I have. I turned my head while gazing at the old journal.

    In the direction I turned, I saw Elena working on her thesis and Cindy researching materials next to her.

    ¡°Have you finished reading it all?¡±

    Perhaps sensing my gaze, Elena momentarily set down her pen and looked at me. Adjusting her slightly slipping sses, she had an intellectual appearance.

    Upon hearing her question, I lifted the old journal and replied.

    ¡°Where did you get this from?¡±

    ¡°From my apprentice. Apparently, it¡¯s a journal written by their ancestor.¡±

    ¡°Then what is that apprentice doing now?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re deceased. Because their descendants passed away early, it was handed down to me.¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    It¡¯s a moment when the aura of the elves stacked even higher. Elena, noticing my uneasiness, propped her chin with both hands and made a subtle expression.

    I¡¯ve seen that expression many times before, so I know well what it means. It¡¯s the face she makes when she casually tosses a thesis or interesting material at me, asks me to read it, and then demands my opinion.

    ¡°So, after reading it, what do you think?¡±

    As expected, Elena asked for my thoughts on the worn-out reading journal. Cindy, who had been researching materials nearby, seemed curious too, setting down her stack of papers and turning her gaze towards me.

    Still with dark, intense circles around her eyes and piercing gaze, there was a deep curiosity within. I wonder why everyone seems to lean on me as one.

    I rolled my eyes thoughtfully, pondering what to say, and just blurted out the thought in my mind.

    ¡°I¡¯m curious about how the elves discriminated against humans in the past. Disdain towards elves is evident throughout the diary, yet there¡¯s simultaneous awe for their power.¡±

    ¡°You read it correctly.. During the racial wars, elves were indeed a bundle of arrogance itself. They held not just humans but all other races beneath their feet.¡±

    After saying this, Elena brought up a rather unsettling story.

    ¡°I used to wonder why these arrogant elves didn¡¯t conquer other nations. Even though they¡¯re elves, theck of a desire for dominance seemed odd. However, Xenon¡¯s Biography answered that question all at once.¡±

    ¡°Xenon¡¯s Biography?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It was exined in Xenon¡¯s Biography. The incident of the dark elf expulsion. They went into chaos, trying to dominate each other, which led to a massive fallout. The aftermath of that incident probably instilled a sense of restraint among them. Of course, their inherent arrogance wasn¡¯t fixed, hence the bloodshed during the racial wars.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    It¡¯s possible. Indeed, as she mentioned, the elves before the racial wars seemed somewhat inclined towards fascism.

    Even if imperialism were rampant and upying other countries at this very moment, given the situation, the Dark Elf expulsion incident might not have seemed peculiar, and caution might have been exercised in all matters. Moreover, bound by the w¡¯ as a shackle, the schrly nature of the elves might havepelled them to stay quiet.

    ¡°That could be possible. But do you believe everything written in Xenon¡¯s Biography?¡±

    ¡°Just that alone exins why the Council insisted on the formation ofws and further elucidates why Alvenheim remained silent. I¡¯ll be presenting it soon at Yggdrasil.¡±

    Yggdrasil is where prominent schrs gather periodically to present their research findings. While there¡¯s no specific name, it¡¯s akin to a seminar. Originally, only elves could attend, but after Arwen¡¯s open policy, other races were allowed. This expanded its scale significantly.

    asionally, due to differences in lifespans, situations arise that aren¡¯tughable. Sometimes, when a few humans vanish, the elves finally grasp the disparity in lifespans.

    After carefully considering Elena¡¯s story, a question suddenly urred to me, so I asked her:

    ¡°Professor.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°If there were no mana in the world, what do you think would happen?¡±

    At my question, both Elena and Cindy blinked, wearing puzzled expressions. Their expressions clearly conveyed ack of understanding.

    It¡¯s not like my question was difficult, so I can¡¯t fathom why they¡¯re reacting like this. As I pondered with a tilted head, Cindy, in her characteristic hesitant voice, asked.

    ¡°What are you talking about¡­?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Without mana¡­ I don¡¯t understand what you mean¡­¡±

    Following Cindy, Elena spoke next.

    ¡°I feel the same way. A world without mana? Is that even possible? If there¡¯s no mana, wouldn¡¯t humanity have be extinct long ago?¡±

    ¡°Is it really that extreme?¡±

    ¡°¡®Of course. We can¡¯t even handle ogres without magic, let alone deal with orcs, without mana, we elves would be nothing more than pretty dolls. Lifespan is closely rted to mana, so we¡¯d probably be simr to humans. Perhaps humanity would have peacefully gone extinct.¡±

    Some rather pessimistic spections poured out. Cindy beside me nodded in agreement, sharing a simr sentiment.

    As someone with memories from a past life, I couldn¡¯t help but feel bewildered. After all, I retain vivid memories from a past life while they are people living in this world; naturally, there would be differences.

    I scratched my head and reluctantly agreed.

    ¡°Well¡­ I understand your thoughts. It seems like an impossible story.¡±

    ¡°It is impossible. Unless, of course, therees a weaponparable to magic, but if it¡¯s written in a paper, it might as well be a novel, not a thesis.¡±

    Surprised by those words, I tried to remain asposed as possible and quietly spoke up.

    ¡°¡­Then, how do you perceive Ains¡¯s invention of the mana engine?¡±

    ¡°Well, Xenon is a regressor, so it might be possible for them. If it weren¡¯t for that, we wouldn¡¯t have even thought of it.¡±

    So, that¡¯s why there was the talk about bringing a tank. I let out a wry smile after hearing her response.

    <i>¡®¡­I should just throw in some breadcrumbs.¡¯</i>

    I contemted whether to write a thesis about it but decided to set it aside for now.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 235: Balance (2)

    The discussion about bnce brings up this point: in terms of bnce, there cannot be the absence of ¡°rivals.¡± They are so strong that one cannot easily judge their superiority, even in symbolic terms; they are individuals who never fall behind.

    In past lives, there have been various rivals, such as lion vs. tiger, AK-47 vs. M16, Naruto vs. Sasuke, deep-fried chicken vs. soy sauce-marinated chicken, or Cao Cao vs. Liu Bei, and so on. There are diverse rivalries.

    Even if something strange intervenes in between, let¡¯s ignore it. Anyway, if they are rivals, they are rivals.

    People enjoy evaluating which side prevails when simr forces confront each other. Without this tendency, the aforementioned wouldn¡¯t evene up.

    Sometimes, on the inte, you can see users fighting between imagined things or games. Especially when it¡¯s hard to determine superiority, they might fight all day long.

    Externally recognized rivalries, like those mentioned, often keep others busy arguing and debating, even if the individuals involved don¡¯t really care. That¡¯s also how it is in the world I¡¯ve been reborn into.

    Throughout history, there have been various rivalries, but there are venerable rivalries that have persisted since the Devil War.

    That would be the Elves and the Demons. Just hearing about it makes one¡¯s heart feel grand.

    The Elves, undoubtedly the chosen race of the gods and the symbol of light, contrast with the Demons, a race tainted by demons and symbolizing darkness.

    Both races possess abilities that do not allow emtion by other races, yet strangely, there have been almost no direct shes between them.

    However, they have a close association with humans. Elves have a history of being defeated by humans during the racial wars, and demons themselves share origins with humans.

    In fact, even if they were considered rivals, when elves and demons werepared, most people chose elves. More urately, they had no choice but to choose them.

    That¡¯s because until the era of Xenon¡¯s Biography, demons were persecuted and couldn¡¯t dare reveal themselves to the world. No one knows how they would be perceived if one chose demons.

    However, things changed after Xenon¡¯s Biography emerged. Since then, the situation has been different. Without needing to worry about others¡¯ opinions, one could establish connections with demons and openlypare their strengths and abilities.

    Therefore, a certain philosopher described elves as noble and demons as venerable. It¡¯s a saying that fits so perfectly that nobody dares to challenge it.

    Moreover, with each new volume of Xenon¡¯s Biography, the perception of demons was on the rise. Not only due to sacrifices made by Sakran but also because Jin and Lilly¡¯s love story shed a brighter light on demons.

    Does this mean that the perception of elves is decreasing in contrast? Not quite.

    Even though they revealed the darker side of the elves through the ¡®Council,¡¯ they also portrayed their nobility through the actions of two heroes who destroyed the World Tree.

    Furthermore, with the Queen of Alvenheim, Arwen¡¯s unbiased actions and excellent policies, the perception of elves was gradually changing for the better.

    Because of this, readers, and even other people, have begun to wonder.

    Are elves really stronger? Or are demons stronger?

    This is something I¡¯m curious about as well. Even though elves and demons may not sh directly in the book, to maintain a bnce, some adjustment is necessary.

    There used to be talk about why there were no elves in the scene where demons (Jin) appeared, but when Mary¡¯s identity as an elf was revealed, that talk faded away.

    Instead, there was a growing desire for someone else¡¯s active role to be richer than ever before. Especially since the 12th volume, due to being immersed in Xenon¡¯s Biography regardless of race, that aspect has be even stronger.

    In other words, a fandom, particrly a toxic fandom, began to slowly emerge. It¡¯s quite a sight when even my mother is supporting Jin, while other readers are at odds.

    They were rivals from before, but since Xenon¡¯s Biography, it has intensified. Sometimes, conflicts arise over this topic, reported in the newspapers that fans fought over it.

    Where people live is all the same; as the poprity of Xenon¡¯s Biography rises, so does the influence of the fandom. What¡¯s noteworthy here is that even humans have be involved, despite elves and demons being the focus. Although the protagonist of Xenon¡¯s Biography is human, they are debating and fighting over who among elves and demons is stronger.

    Originally, humans harbored a longing for things they cannot achieve themselves. This longing has grown, spreading even to the fight between elves and demons.

    Even if elves are noble beings, there are humans who dislike them for their arrogance, and even if demons are venerable beings, there are humans who dislike them for their devilish origins.

    In such an irresolvable situation, bncing things is somewhat expected. Xenon may be the protagonist, unaffected by power intion or whatnot, but it has be a delicate situation for other main characters.

    Why is that? Because my book is being treated like a prophecy, so I must be cautious, or it will spread further. Moreover, the demon princess and the elven queen were silently watching nearby.

    Firstly, as Jin is the final boss, he will demonstrate a sublime sacrifice, and the nobility of the elves will also be shown simrly. Just like in every game, in the Elvenheim liberation operation, I n to show what ¡®ganji¡¯ (meaning ¡®coolness¡¯ or ¡®swagger¡¯) is for both races.

    However, bnce bes a hindrance here as well. Both races exhibit abilities that are monstrous from a human standpoint, so even the description must be handled with extreme caution.

    <i>¡®Didn¡¯t Cecily say before that if she were to unleash her power, she could blow up a mountain?¡¯</i>

    This indicates that Cecily is immensely powerful to the extent of being ted as the next Demon Lord. However, what sets demons apart from other races is their use of ¡®ck Mana.¡¯

    As ck Mana was originally the power used by devils, it had numerous problems in the first generation. Fortunately, through Mora¡¯s generous support and passing through generations, it gradually became refined, leaving only purity behind.

    As a result, demons are particrly noticeable for their ¡®firepower.¡¯ If other races produce an effect of 10 by using 10 mana, demons emit an effect ranging between 15 and 20.

    However, it¡¯s not that theyck uracy or meticulousness. Recognizing themselves as the most dangerous beings, demons have consistently spared no effort in ¡®restraint.¡¯

    Thanks to this, they possess magical item-making abilitiesparable to dwarves, and they can make barren environments fertile. In many ways, they can be considered a versatile race.

    Just looking at this, one might think that demons are an overwhelming race surpassing the elves, but the elves also possess abilities no less than theirs. They excel in magic where demonsg behind in firepower.

    As a race that established the first civilization, their depth of knowledge in magic is iparable to other races. For instance, consider arithmetic.

    Humans have to groan even for 15*27, while demons and elves immediately know the answer. For them, this level of mental arithmetic is like 1+1.

    However, something asplex as 2415¡Á1172 may require even demons to calcte, but an elf can, with a slight exaggeration, calcte it all with a blink of an eye.

    In other words, while they possess abilities up to a certain level equivalent to elves, beyond that, elves hold a superior position.

    Precision, meticulousness, and the margin of error need no mention. Because of each one¡¯s strengths and weaknesses, it¡¯s not easy to easily determine superiority.

    Especially now, Jin is scheduled for a direct sh with ¡®Gluttony¡¯, Mary is set for a confrontation with ¡®Lust.¡¯

    The highest-ranking official of the Seven Sins, in charge of ¡®pride,¡¯ the elf, will be dealing with Xenon.

    Although it¡¯s a fantasy setting and there might be differences inbat power andpatibility, my intention is to rigorously maintain consistency, as I¡¯ve mentioned. Thus, a situation necessitates the consultation of both races.

    For demons, I can acquire knowledge through Cecily and Gartz, but the issue lies with the elves. Siris is a dark elf, hence irrelevant. Elena and Cindy are schrs far removed frombatants.

    Meaning, there are hardly any individuals closely associated with bat.¡¯ There is Arwen, but she is currently extremely busy with state affairs.

    <i>¡®I did send a letter, but¡­¡¯</i>

    Regarding the matters concerning Xenon¡¯s Biography, I did request Arwen¡¯s assistance. I did mention she¡¯s free to decline if she¡¯s upied.

    Arwen did say she¡¯de to me if she finds time. However, the issue is on elven terms, so I can¡¯t be certain when she¡¯lle.

    Firstly, it¡¯s important to thoroughly understand the power of demons. So, from now on, what I need to do is¡­

    ¡°So, you¡¯re asking for my help?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    It¡¯s necessary to have a more detailed understanding of the strength of demons through Cecily. I¡¯ve investigated it myself, but asking her directly is the most efficient way.

    Moreover, she¡¯s not just strong, she¡¯s powerful enough to demolish mountains with magic. In terms of strength, Cecily cannot be excluded from consideration.

    Originally, she is the model for one of the Seven Deadly Sins, Lilith. She¡¯s a very appropriate person to consult and can provide assistance regarding bnce.

    I¡¯m almost done writing the 18th volume, and from the 19th volume onwards, I¡¯ll be engaging with the Seven Deadly Sins directly. So, it¡¯s better to be prepared in advance.

    That¡¯s why, to also have a date and seek advice, Cecily and I came to a caf¨¦ alone. Cecily seemed very satisfied, making the conversation flow smoothly.

    ¡°Um¡­ Are you considering me for the battle against Lilith?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Since Lilith isn¡¯t just a regr demon but has be a devil, I thought referencing Noona¡¯s power might be helpful.¡±

    ¡°Who will be the opponent? Still Xenon?¡±

    ¡°No. Mary will be the one facing her.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    At the answer that it would be Mary and not Xenon, Cecily fell into thought. Meanwhile, I leisurely admired her beauty.

    I wonder when was thest time that Cecily and I were alone together like we are now. Recently, whether with Adelia or joint attacks with Marie, there haven¡¯t been many instances of just the two of us.

    Since Marie was always the first, there were countless times when Cecily yielded. Somehow, feeling apologetic, today I intended to be as considerate as possible.

    ¡°If I decide to unleash my power, well¡­ isn¡¯t Mary strong too?¡±

    ¡°As the heroine and an elf, you could say she¡¯s strong. She has a lot ofbat experience.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ still, it¡¯s vague. How many people in the world are as strong as me, I wonder?¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see.¡±

    It¡¯s a response that¡¯s easily understood at once. It might sound a bit arrogant, but it¡¯s none other than Cecily.

    The reason I believe in her like this is also because I witnessed a part of her power with my own eyes in Helium. Like aser, a beam shot from her index finger, causing a boulder the size of a house to explode.

    So, Lilith¡¯s strength may be a little lower than her, but I can refer to her for the ¡®Gluttony¡¯, Belzebub.

    ¡°Got it. Then, I should just refer to Nona¡¯s fighting style for Lilith. As for strength, I¡¯ll use it for Belzebub.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Belzebub? Who¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    I identally mentioned the Belzebub¡¯s name. As I realized my mistake, Cecily¡¯s eyes narrowed, and with a voice that seemed to question, she asked me.

    ¡°Surely it¡¯s not one of the Seven Deadly Sins¡¯ names, right? Every time the Seven Deadly Sins appear, a namees up.¡±

    ¡°¡­Sorry.¡±

    ¡°A year ago, it was from Rina, and now it¡¯s from the author.¡±

    I identally spoiled it. You might say that the name isn¡¯t important, but demons like Cecily treat Xenon¡¯s Biography almost like scripture.

    Naturally, even the names of individual characters are important, and major figures like the Seven Deadly Sins haven¡¯t properly had their names revealed yet, except for a few.

    Moreover, ¡®Gluttony¡¯, Belzebub, is Jin¡¯s older brother and a presenceparable to ¡®Pride¡¯ in terms of power.

    I was nning to throw a huge teaser rted to him at the end of Volume 18, but I made a huge mistake.

    Furthermore, although everyone normally connects Belzebub with ¡®Gluttony,¡¯ people in this world have no clue. It would have unraveled like a string of sausages with just one name, and I identally exposed that fact.

    Seemingly unaware of my feelings, Cecily brushed her hair back and forgave me this time with a tone that said it was thest time.

    ¡°Well, if it¡¯s not that important, I¡¯ll forgive you. It¡¯s just a name; we can move past it.¡±

    ¡°¡­Is it not important?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    As the author, saying that It¡¯s important made Cecily freeze instantly. In her crimson eyes, there was a mix of bewilderment and disbelief.

    I¡¯ve been a sinner, a bad guy, for thoughtlessly babbling. Lowering my head, I received her piercing gaze. I don¡¯t have the courage to lift it.

    ¡°Haah¡­ Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±

    ¡°First, let¡¯s go to your dorm and think slowly, very slowly. Got it?¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    So this is how it ends up. I got up silently chuckling to myself. Probably won¡¯t do anything like that as soon as I get into the dorm. Cecily liked to mix bodies to express love; except for her evil cycle, when she wasn¡¯t unable to control her desires like a cat in heat.

    In other words, she¡¯sing to my dorm to really hear me say it. And then, after that, I¡¯ll probably apologize. How I¡¯ll apologize¡­ everyone already knows. Seems like today¡¯s writing has gone off track.

    With that thought, as we arrived at the dormitory door arm in arm, Cecily paused and voiced her doubts.

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Why¡¯s someone inside now?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    The mention of someone being inside a personal dormitory was startling. A dormitory was unequivocally personal space, and without a key, one could never enter.

    But someone being inside¡­ that was definitely not an easy problem to dismiss. Especially considering that Xenon¡¯s Biography manuscript was inside the dorm.

    If it¡¯s an intruder, the situation bes serious. I urgently unlocked the door with a key and stepped inside. As soon as I entered, amidst the strong scent of lcs for a moment, I could see someone reading manuscript 18 at the desk. At that moment, that person seemed to sense my presence and startled, looking in my direction.

    ¡°Who¡­!¡±

    ¡°Uh, uh¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­are you?¡±

    And as our eyes met, we both couldn¡¯t help but be surprised simultaneously. Because¡­

    ¡°Arwen?¡±

    ¡°Y-you?¡±

    Arwen, who was supposed to be busy with national affairs, stood there, holding unfinished manuscripts in both hands. As I stared at her dumbfounded, Arwen quickly ced the manuscripts on the desk and desperately eximed.

    ¡°I-I didn¡¯t see anything!¡±

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 236: Magnificent (1)

    The situation exining why Arwen was in my dorm and reading the manuscript roughly goes like this:

    Last time, Arwen mentioned it, and through letters, we discussed the possibility of meeting if time allowed. However, I¡¯m busy in my own way, and Arwen, with her hands full of state affairs, doesn¡¯t really need a separate exnation.

    To give you an idea of how much is piled up, some elves, despite spending several nights without rest, copsed due to overwork, or something along those lines.

    Arwen¡¯s political philosophy is awkward and challenging for elves who resist change, and furthermore, the Council of Elders, which was a symbol of Alvenheim, vanished into history.

    Moreover, as I¡¯ve mentioned before, Arwen has be much busier due to the tantrums of Fieren. Somehow, she ended up bing the closest link to Xenon after the CEO.

    Every day is a continuous stream of demanding tasks, but Arwen is also a person. Personal time is necessary, and rest is inevitable. So, after dealing with a pile of documents for several days, she came to the academy to meet me as promised.

    However, because her face was somewhat known through her speech, she couldn¡¯t simply walk in openly. She teleported to my coordinates, which she figured out through Siris, instead.

    It was vague to roam outside freely, and most importantly, since she didn¡¯t know where I was, she decided it was better to wait.

    Although teleporting was a good idea, it seems she was surprised by seeing the manuscript of Xenon¡¯s Biography Volume 18 on my desk.

    Who wouldn¡¯t be surprised to find the next volume lying right in front of them? Initially, she tried to endure it, but eventually, she seems to have sumbed to temptation.

    Honestly, even I, being myself, would want to sneak a peek at the manuscript. It¡¯s rted to the next volume that can¡¯t even be bought with money. Just a little peek, right? That thought might have crossed her mind.

    The problem was that Arwen had fallen too deeply into it. Normally, she would have sensed my approach and immediately put the manuscript on the desk, but there was no chance for that.

    Already cautious due to Rain¡¯s stolen draft incident, it was a situation where one had to be careful in many ways, and unfortunately, it happened at that precise timing.

    ¡°Thankfully, at least. You didn¡¯t steal it like someone else would have.¡±

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Cecily¡¯s voice sounded mocking, as if she didn¡¯t approve of Arwen¡¯s actions. Arwen, aware of her own fault, lowered her head along with her apology.

    In Cecily¡¯s crimson eyes looking at Arwen, there was a deep suspicion and animosity. Even if the draft theft incident was Rain¡¯s arbitrary act, Arwen¡¯s responsibility was also substantial.

    Moreover, Cecily was a demon. For demons, Xenon¡¯s Biography was a divine grace and a book akin to scriptures.

    For Rain to steal the Xenon¡¯s Biography¡¯ draft and now for Arwen secretly sneak in to read the manuscript made Cecily inevitably ufortable.

    As for me, knowing that Arwen wasn¡¯t that kind of person, I could overlook it as rather insignificant. She didn¡¯t steal the manuscript; she just read it.

    Instead, I wonder if it was really necessary for her to teleport straight to my dormitory. It seemed a bit too hasty, considering she could have been informed through Siris beforehand.

    ¡°Lift your head, Arwen. You don¡¯t have to be too sorry. I can understand.¡±

    ¡°T-thank you¡­¡±

    As I gently reassured her, Arwen slowly lifted her bowed head. There was a touch of emotion in her twinkling, gxy-like gray eyes.

    Now, with a difference of at least one head, she looked up at me from below. Already looking younger than her age, her eyes were moist, making me feel apologetic. It¡¯s almost unfair to be looked up at with such a youthful appearance.

    I barely restrained the urge to stroke Arwen¡¯s head and started with a question instead.

    ¡°I understand why you came to my dorm. But couldn¡¯t you have informed me through Siris?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true, but wouldn¡¯t that reduce the time we spend together?¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    Cecily, who had her arms crossed, raised an eyebrow and let out a sigh. Her expression and reaction conveyed a message of ¡®See this?¡¯

    Honestly, it¡¯s a statement containing a fair amount of misunderstanding. If anyone hears it, they might mistakenly think that Arwen has feelings for me.

    However, considering Arwen¡¯s situation here, sadly, she doesn¡¯t have anyone who could be considered a friend. When she was in Alvenheim, she couldn¡¯t trust anyone due to the Council, and now, due to her demanding duties, she doesn¡¯t even have the chance to build friendships.

    Though she gets along with some elves, it¡¯s still challenging to get close due to her position as a queen.

    In other words, practically speaking, apart from me, there¡¯s hardly anyone with whom she couldy down the mantle of being an Elven Queen and talk freely. Even Rain, who was her ward, was living in hiding due to a suspended sentence.

    I understood Arwen¡¯s words through appropriate filtering and nodded my head.

    ¡°Well, then, nothing can be done. But¡­¡±

    I paused, clouding my words momentarily as I nced beneath Arwen¡¯s face. Due to the height difference, only the face was visible, but as my gaze shifted downward, a striking outfit caught my attention.

    Arwen typically wore a silver-gray dress thatplemented her hair color, snugly fitted like a knitted one-piece. Even now, she wore a simr style of dress, but the issuey with the side.

    The description of it being ¡®ripped at the sides¡¯ seemed fitting, as it was quite boldly exposed. Arwen already boasted a superior hip line, and this dress, emphasizing it further, drew all attention in that direction.

    Whether she skillfully utilized her strengths or simply chose without much thought, I couldn¡¯t tell. Knowing Arwen¡¯s personality, it was probably thetter. She likely just put on whatever was handed to her.

    ¡°Hey there? Where are you looking?¡±

    Arwen, sensing my gaze, grinned and questioned me. Judging by that expression, it was evident she had no idea what she was wearing. If this was all an act, she must be hiding a few secrets deep within. I replied somewhat nervously.

    ¡°Um¡­ Aren¡¯t you cold?¡±

    ¡°Oh, this outfit? It¡¯s a dress I received as a gift from the noble family this time. Does it suit me well?¡±

    It seemed she wasn¡¯t even aware. Arwen casually rested her hands on her exposed side and swept them down to her hips.

    If one were to focus solely on that act, it was bound to provoke a man¡¯s imagination, leaving no choice but to turn a blind eye. Normally, the pelvis should remain rtively unnoticed when standing still, but Arwen¡¯s was slender down to her waist. d in a tight-knit dress that emphasized every curve, her figure was distinct and well-defined.

    Above all, her pelvis was her forte, yet other aspects were above average, too outstanding to ignore, despite her slightly shorter stature being a potential issue. Her proportions were excellent, making any ws inconspicuous from afar.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t know who gifted this, but¡­¡¯</i>

    Sincerely, I want to praise whoever did. It was as if they had amplified her strengths multiple times over, truly tailor-made for Arwen. Not only did it match the queen¡¯s position in terms of design, but it also exuded the unique nobility of an elf.

    Though I¡¯d like to discreetly admire from afar, it might lead to an embarrassing situation, especially with Cecily nearby, silently observing. She might have a mindset that doesn¡¯t mind more women around me, but once this news reaches Marie or Nicole¡¯s ears, it¡¯ll escte beyond control.

    Thus, inwardly, I prayed to Luminous and, opening my closed eyes, looked at Arwen.

    Arwen, as if entirely unaware of her actions, gazed up at me with innocent, silver-gray eyes. If one were to judge solely by her face, she exuded pure innocence and the distinctive nobility of an elf¡ªa celestial being descended from the heavens.

    ¡°Well, it suits you well. They say ¡®clothes are wings¡¯(korean proverb), you look like a real angel.¡±

    ¡°T-that¡¯s quite the metaphor befitting of you.¡±

    With a generous amount of sincerity in my praise, Arwen blushed and felt embarrassed. However, she subtly touched her side, which genuinely seemed cold.

    Meanwhile, there was someone not pleased with this situation. For some reason, Cecily had a sulky expression on her face.

    She stood with crossed arms, observing our conversation. Then, she opened her mouth with a voice that felt sharp, as if she was poking.

    ¡°So, what are you going to do from now on?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Only then did the shy Arwen turn her head towards Cecily. Eyes filled with dissatisfaction, a pair of reddish-brown and pure gray met each other¡¯s gaze.

    Maybe it was due to the height difference. Arwen¡¯s gaze kept moving down and then up again. Cecilia seemed to be doing the same.

    At first nce, it might seem like they were exploring each other, but I had a different thought. Maybe they were examining each other¡¯s bodies just like I did earlier.

    They each had magnificent advantages in terms of chests and hips. Moreover, their greatest advantage was not just limited to those areas but far exceeded the average in other parts as well.

    Just as I was really engrossed inscivious thoughts, Cecilia, seemingly still displeased, said to Arwen.

    ¡°By the way, Isaac and I were enjoying a rare date. But it¡¯s very inconvenient for the queen to interfere.¡±

    Despite her courteous words, Cecily¡¯s tone had an underlying edge. Why interfere when we were enjoying a sweet date?

    Moreover, Arwen had entered my lodging and even peeked at the manuscript, so she couldn¡¯t possibly look kindly upon her.

    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m really sorry. I just wanted some rest¡­¡±

    Arwen lowered her head, expressing her regret, seemingly aware of that fact too. Seeing her drooping shoulders made me feel sorry for her.

    She¡¯s been carrying the heavy responsibility of being a queen for so long and finally had a moment of liberation. Yet, even that rxation had been disrupted by others.

    Then, after pondering for a while, she slowly raised her head to face Cecily directly. Cecily¡¯s expression was unchanged from before.

    ¡°¡­Is it not possible?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry, and I know this might sound audacious, but¡­ even if it¡¯s just for 10 minutes, just 10 minutes, I want to talk to Isaac.¡±

    Arwen pleaded desperately, sping both hands together with sparkling eyes. Her appearance was such that even Cecily couldn¡¯t help but hesitate.

    Who wouldn¡¯t waver when a cute girl holds your hands and pleads? Especially when she¡¯s not just an ordinary human but an elf.

    While Cecily hesitated, Arwen once again pleaded in a sincere voice.

    ¡°I know very well what kind of rtionship you and Isaac have. But I really want to ask like this. I¡¯ll grant you anything you desire in return. Can¡¯t you allow me just 10 minutes?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    If she came out with such an attitude, even Cecily would be bewildered. Arwen is not an ordinary noble; she is the queen of Alvenheim.

    Cecily, despite being a princess of Helium, also has clear differences in position. However,ing out in such a manner puts Cecily in a somewhat awkward position.

    Ultimately, Arwen was sincerely appealing. How difficult must state affairs be for her toe out with a demeanor that would kneel to the ground for the sake of a 10-minute meeting with me?

    <i>¡®¡­Do we really have to do this?¡¯</i>

    I wonder what Arwen thinks of me toe out like this. It could be because there¡¯s no one else I would consider a friend, but there seems to be something more.

    When I was in a perplexed state, Cecily, with a discerning mind, stared at Arwen, keeping her lips sealed, possibly having grasped the essence of that something.

    When there was nothing exchanged between the two in the strange silence, Cecily sighed deeply and then quietly spoke.

    ¡°Sigh¡­ I understand. Isaac is a sinner, whatever¡­¡±

    ¡°T-Thank you! Really, thank you!¡±

    Even if Arwen is happy, why treat me like a criminal? Did theymunicate telepathically?

    As the situation became increasingly awkward, I tilted my head in confusion. Cecily, with aplex gaze, looked at me and then turned her gaze to Arwen.

    Continuing, she spoke with a firm voice to Arwen, who was happily jumping around like a child.

    ¡°But! There¡¯s a condition here.¡±

    ¡°What is it? I¡¯ll do anything.¡±

    Arwenplied with the request, wearing a happy smile as if she had obtained what she wanted, but Cecily, raising the corners of her mouth, proposed something that made Arwen hesitate.

    ¡°The conversation will happen here, at the dorm. And I will be by your side.¡±

    ¡°¡­What? That wouldn¡¯t just be a conversation between the two of us.¡±

    ¡°Well, considering you ruined our date, I should get something out of it too, shouldn¡¯t I? You shouldn¡¯t take advantage of the situation too much.¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    Arwen expressed disappointment at Cecily¡¯s firm assertion. Well, it wasn¡¯t the worst oue, so she would probably find some satisfaction in it.

    <i>¡®But what¡¯s this about taking advantage of the situation?¡¯</i>

    What on earth did the two of them discuss confidentially?

    *****

    30 minutester.

    ¡°Well, wouldn¡¯t demons be more superior? Even if the depth of your knowledge is considered, they can¡¯t catch up in terms of diversity.¡±

    ¡°Sigh. How foolish. Diversity essentially leads to versatility. We elves are the epitome of versatility.¡±

    ¡°Are you done talking now?¡±

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you finished speaking?¡±

    A direct confrontation between the strongest beings in the universe.

    In many ways.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 237: Magnificent (2)

    Before the serious sh between them began, Arwen brought up what had been happening in her life. Most of it was about the tight schedule, the hardships due to not getting rest time, the difficulty in clearing up the mess left by the council, and more.

    Most notably, there was a significant shortage of talent. Arwen wanted to pull resources from the council, but it seemed risky due to most of them being elder elves.

    In the unlikely event that a second council emerged, it would be just as troublesome, so Arwen was handling all the work alone for now. Fortunately, thanks to the events surrounding Xenon, there were no signs of a second council forming, and the operation in Alvenheim was proceeding smoothly.

    The considerable increase in support for Arwen after the public speech to the nation was one reason, but more than anything, it was the connection between Arwen and the Xenon¡¯s Biography¡¯s author that yed a significant role.

    Especially after the contamination of the World Tree, there was a Xenon craze among the elves. The fact that their queen was connected to Xenon led to inevitable rising support. Along with this, neighboring countries began efforts to interact with Alvenheim in any way possible, starting from major powers like the Minerva Empire and the Ters Kingdom to smaller nations.

    Thanks to these efforts, Alvenheim¡¯s national power was increasing by the day. Despite feeling like she needed ten bodies to cope with the situation, Arwen said she was happy every day because it was the dream she had been envisioning.

    ¡°Listening to it alone feels exhausting, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    To my ears, the workload was so excessive that it made me gag, but the final decision-making power undoubtedly belongs to the queen, so the workload could only be staggering. Particrly now, Alvenheim is in its adolescence. The Council of Elders, a symbol of Alvenheim, has vanished, and Arwen, backed by the people, holds strong royal authority.

    Naturally, the workload must be beyond imagination, with Arwen alone bearing it all, which worries me. Arwen seemed to notice my expression, responding with a reassuring, gentle voice and a slight smile.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. I get a solid four hours of sleep each day.¡±

    ¡°Is that okay?¡±

    It reminded me that Cindy, for the sake of writing her thesis, stayed up for days on end without sleeping, resulting in her characteristic slurred speech and trademark dark circles under her eyes.

    Unlike humans who encounter problems if they go without sleep for over two days, elves can stay awake for several days without major issues. However, their condition noticeably deteriorates, and except for specific professions, they tend to sleep for at least seven hours a day.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright. Using a sleep-inducing spell immediately resolves any problems.¡±

    ¡°Is there such a spell? That¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard of it.¡±

    ¡°We elves use magic in our daily lives, so there are various spells like this one. Apart from sleep magic, there are spells to rx tense muscles or enhance concentration.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    I listened to the story and nced over at Cecily, with a question about whether there was such magic among the demons.

    As Cecily and I made eye contact, she smiled and then confidently spoke. It seems that demons are more than capable of performing such magic.

    ¡°That level of magic is basic. Demons are not inferior to elves when ites to magic. Magical abilities that are helpful in daily life are already widespread among us.¡±

    Indeed, demons areparable to elves. They are an enviable race no matter when you see them.

    While humans endure some inconveniences in daily life, the two races can simply enchant them away, making the quality of life different. The more I delved into it, the more I wondered how humans managed to win in the race war and how Xavier ughtered the demons.

    <i>¡®When will humans be able to use magic in their daily lives?¡¯</i>

    At the same time, I became curious about when humans would catch up with these two races. Elves and demons can freely use magic like breathing, while humans need to rely on ¡®calctions.¡¯

    Even their calction abilities are much superior to humans, and their memory is on an extraordinary level. They can remember what they ate on New Year¡¯s Day ten years ago.

    However, on the flip side, both racesck the adaptability that humans possess. Due to their lifespan, which is several times longer than that of humans, their lifestyles be entrenched. Moreover, with little inclination topete, they tend to be more leisurely.

    On the contrary, humans have a characteristic of striving, almost in a rebellious manner, to leave something behind. There¡¯s a saying that ¡®tigers leave their skins when they die, and humans leave their names.¡¯

    Because of this, it often happens that knowledge, filled with failures, soon turns into sess. I specte that one reason humans have gained dominance is because an abundance of ¡®failures¡¯ has umted.

    ¡°Both of you are remarkable. As a mere human, I¡¯m just¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t belittle yourself. Aren¡¯t you the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Isaac. You¡¯re the strongest among us. There¡¯s no need to belittle yourself.¡±

    Just before I expressed discontent about being infinitely inferior to elves and demons, the two women immediatelyforted me. Even though I was referring to the difference in races, theyforted me at the same time.

    Although I felt a bit out of ce receiving such unexpectedfort, being looked upon with concern by the two beautiful women somehow made me feel relieved without knowing why.

    ¡°Thank you. But it¡¯s true that humans are weakerpared to other races, right? And I was referring to differences between races, not individuals.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s true that humans are weak.¡±

    Arwen nodded in agreement after hearing me.

    However, she soon looked at me earnestly with gxy-like silver-gray eyes and spoke seriously.

    ¡°But humans are strong. I can guarantee that.¡±

    ¡°Although humans are weak, humans are strong¡­¡±

    It¡¯s a phrase that defines what kind of species humans are. Spoken not by anyone else but by Arwen, an elf, the weight of those words is different.

    Moreover, Arwen is not of pure blood but of mixed blood. There is a custom among the mixed-blood in the human world that when their human parents pass away, they enter Alvenheim. Having wandered the human world for several decades herself, she would know better than anyone what humans are like.

    ¡°Nice words. I should put this in the book.¡±

    I took out the notebook from the front pocket of my school uniform and recorded it. It seemed fitting as a passage describing Xenon and Lilly, humans among thepanions.

    Individually, humans may be the weakest race, but ironically, when theye together, they be the strongest race. Other races might unite as well, but historically, none have shown the same cohesion as humans. Even though there were demons, they werecking in various ways due to their istion.

    ¡°Y-you mean putting it in a book? Xenon¡¯s Biography?¡±

    Arwen was taken aback when I mentioned putting it in a book. Her face was filled with surprise and a peculiar joy.

    I stopped recording in the notebook for a moment and looked at her.

    ¡°Should I not include it if you don¡¯t want me to?¡±

    ¡°No, no! Absolutely not! On the contrary¡­¡±

    For some reason, Arwen blushed and felt embarrassed. It seems she¡¯s looking forward to her words being included in Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    As I was inwardly finding Arwen adorable, Cecily seemed ufortable with the situation.

    She pped her hands, drawing our attention, then opened her mouth as if she¡¯d just thought of something amusing.

    ¡°Oh, right. Isaac, since we¡¯re already here, how about learning more about the races of demons and elves?¡±

    ¡°Huh? What¡¯s this about?¡±

    ¡°You asked me at the caf¨¦. About my power, the power of demons. As Arwen is the Queen of the elves, why not ask her for a reference for Pride?¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    I think I get the gist. Just as I sought advice from Cecily, she¡¯s suggesting seeking counsel from Arwen regarding the prowess ¡®Pride¡¯ should be.

    Arwen would likely be pleased that her counsel would be referenced in Xenon¡¯s Biography, and I¡¯d be getting help in my own way.

    Arwen looked at her with a subtle expression, yet Cecily just grinned.

    ¡°¡­It matters not to me. If it can help Isaac, it¡¯s an honor.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯ll help?¡±

    ¡°If you wish, I can do more than that.¡±

    As soon as she said that, Cecily¡¯s brow furrowed briefly before smoothing out.

    Let¡¯s skip over what Cecily meant by ¡®more than that.¡¯ Seeking advice is the priority right now.

    ¡°First of all, let¡¯s overlook the fact that elves are famous for their beautiful appearance. Instead, I¡¯d like to know the differences between elves and demons. I¡¯ve heard that demons have ¡®diversity¡¯ while elves have ¡®depth¡¯.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s very urate. Our elves, with the help of the gods, were the first to establish civilization. And that civilization has been maintained until now, after thousands of years. Compared to other races, depth is inevitable. Not just in magic but also in knowledge, culture, society, science,nguage, and so on. It can truly be said to be the beginning of everything.¡±

    Arwen, who carries elven pride within her despite being of mixed heritage, was praising elves from the start. If she were a typical snobbish elf, it might have been awkward to hear, but perhaps because she was Arwen, there was an inexplicable charm.

    In reality, it could be said that the start of all civilizations was elven, and humans who achieved civilization afterwards merely imitated them. There was more than enough basis for confidence.

    ¡°Through such a civilization, the depth of our magic is beyond description. Not only can we observe the stars in the night sky with our own eyes, but we can also make thend fertile or bring rain to drought-strickennds. Even parts of nature can be substituted with magic.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the difference between sorcery and magic?¡±

    One could also make rain fall using a sorcery ritual, what could be the difference between the two? Arwen widened her gray eyes in surprise when I mentioned sorcery and asked me in an unexpectedly curious tone.

    ¡°Do you also know about sorcery?¡±

    ¡°I know someone who is familiar with it. Besides, there are historical records of humans using sorcery in the distant past.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see. Well, you do love reading like me, so that might be possible. If you ever need rted bookster on, feel free to ask. I¡¯d dly provide them.¡±

    ¡°Thanks. I always seem to impose.¡±

    ¡°No need for thanks. If you ever need anything from me¡­¡±

    At the moment Arwen was about to express her gratitude.

    ¡°Alright, can we skip the exnations? I don¡¯t want to waste any more time.¡±

    Cecily interjected, appearing displeased as she crossed her arms. Seeing her react with dissatisfaction as Arwen¡¯s story extended, it was understandable¡ªmore of Arwen¡¯s narrative meant less time for the two of them.

    Arwen momentarily narrowed her eyes at Cecily¡¯s irritable demeanor, then cleared her throat and continued exining in her characteristic delicate voice.

    ¡°Ahem. Ahem. The digression was lengthy. Anyway, the clear difference between magic and sorcery is that sorcery utilizes nature itself, while magic can be seen as artificially created. Sorcery maniptes the world, while magic is something created on its own.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see what you mean. So, what about attack magic? I¡¯ve heard that demons are stronger due to differences in firepower.¡±

    ¡°Huh? What are you talking about?¡±

    Arwen responded with widened eyes, questioning Cecily¡¯s statement about publicly known facts, sporting a look of utter disbelief.

    Cecily¡¯s narrowed eyes were a natural response to such confusion. Was it just a misconception that an unknown current had begun to flow?

    Whether to call Arwen elvish or confident, he began to exin in a low voice.

    ¡°At a nce, demons with ck mana may seem stronger. However, this is a fundamentally wrong understanding. Demon magic often leads to unnecessary waste. Just as their strength may make them seem skill-less, demon magic, in the eyes of us elves, can be considered somewhat outdated.¡±

    ¡°Can you say that so openly? A princess of Hellium is right next to us.¡±

    In response to my surprised question, Arwen turned her head slightly and looked at Cecily. Cecily, with her fists clenched, seemed to be challenging Arwen to say it aloud.

    After a brief standoff with Cecily, Arwen, as if unwilling to concede on this point, boldly continued.

    ¡°Of course. It¡¯s not because I¡¯m an elf, but it¡¯s a clear fact. To humans, demons may appear more morous and powerful. However, that¡¯s only on the surface. It¡¯s thanks to the ck mana that they can supply their strength, but their magic, to the eyes of elves, is undeniably crude and chaotic.¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    It seemed like this could escte into a fight. Since I was ignorant of magic, I couldn¡¯t say anything, but Cecily probably wouldn¡¯t stay silent.

    As soon as I thought that, I checked Cecily¡¯s reaction. She had an expression of difort but didn¡¯t respond at all.

    Seeing this, it confirmed Arwen¡¯s exnation and raised another question in my mind:

    <i>¡®How did demonse to acquire magic?¡¯</i>

    The origin of demons is humanity. However, during the devil war, humans struggled not only with magic but even with handling mana properly.

    And soon, an answer to that question flowed directly from Cecily¡¯s lips.

    ¡°¡­As the queen said, our demon magic might seem chaotic to the elves. Demons use magic closer to instinct than theory. That¡¯s the decisive difference between demons and elves.¡±

    ¡°Instinctual use?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Demons developed magic literally to survive. In the first generation, bing a devil urred frequently before anyone could teach you anything, so they had to awaken to it on their own. By now, we¡¯ve polished our theories to some extent, but we¡¯re still far from perfect.¡±

    So, that¡¯s it. Demons were using magic as naturally as elves breathed.

    While elves manifested magic by calcting, demons brushed aside calctions and reached conclusions directly.

    Because of this, impurities affected their efficiency, but theypensated for it with the firepower of dark mana.

    Thanks to that, the distinct difference between elves and demons became apparent. This setting serves as a significant aid in distinguishing between Gluttony and Pride.

    ¡°However, demons have a distinct advantage over elves in the speed of spellcasting. Simple spells might seem simr, but asplexity increases, the difference bes severe. While elves mumble for ages, demons can just finish it with a simple gesture.¡±

    While contemting the setting of Xenon¡¯s Biography, Cecily confidently spoke, gesturing with her hand. It seemed like she was uplifting demons subtly while indirectly pointing out the ws in elves.

    In that sarcasm, Arwen couldn¡¯t possibly remain silent. Arwen furrowed her eyebrows and retorted with displeasure.

    ¡°Mumble¡­ be careful with your words. The casting is an indispensable process in magic. In fact, your demons are crude for omitting it.¡±

    ¡°During that time, wouldn¡¯t it be more efficient to cast two more spells? There¡¯s no fool who would just watch the magician cast the spell.¡±

    In response to Cecily¡¯s reply, Arwen, in a rare urrence, spoke with an almost disdainful tone, even resorting to snorting.

    ¡°Hah. Typical of demons to focus solely onbat. I wonder why you only use magic for offense. As I mentioned earlier, magic is not necessarily limited to attack. Magic is an essential force for research that can be greatly beneficial in life. Surely in Helium, you don¡¯t refrain from using magic for research? There¡¯s no way. It¡¯s a race that¡¯s beingpared to our elves.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s¡­¡±

    Perhaps finding a w, Cecily hesitated and averted her gaze. It seems that Heliumcks an institution like Yggdrasil in Alvenheim.

    Of course, it wouldn¡¯t bepletely absent. Helium must have actively engaged in magical research in its own way.

    However, because it was isted until the release of Xenon¡¯s Biography, progress may have been slowpared to Alvenheim. In contrast, under Arwen¡¯s policy, Alvenheim had active exchanges with other races.

    While Cecily hesitated, Arwen, with a triumphant expression, nodded her head and opened her mouth with an attitude that indicated victory.

    ¡°Look, Isaac. Unlike the demons who ignorantly rely on brute force, we elves prioritize efficiency. It¡¯s evidence that elves are superior to demons.¡±

    And perhaps that touched a nerve.

    Snap-

    A vein bulged on Cecily¡¯s forehead. Subsequently, she muttered quietly with a voice that seemed to be audible.

    ¡°A dwarf with a small chest¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    Did I mishear that?

    Trantors note:

 hapter 238 â€“ Magnificent (3)

    hapter 238 ¨C Magnificent (3)

    The elves, unlike demons, have a long history of interacting with other races, which has resulted in numerous positive and negative descriptors attached to them.

    They are described as a race chosen by the gods, the first civilization, the origin of everything¡ªpositive descriptors that abound. However, there are also negative ones that counterbnce these positives.

    They¡¯rebeled as arrogant, rude, snobbish, excessively prideful, hot-tempered, and discriminatory, with most descriptors culminating in ¡°elves are arrogant.¡± Just as the positive descriptors reflect their exceptional abilities, the negative ones are rooted in their undeniable capabilities, leaving others feeling overshadowed.

    Even if elves were to criticize a specific aspect, others couldn¡¯t say a word in return. Their perceived arrogance stems from their unwavering belief in their own abilities, allowing them to dismiss criticisms easily.

    Moreover, even if elves were to learn something from other races, they would only acknowledge it as such. In their fields of expertise, they wouldn¡¯t yield an inch to anyone, regardless of what they might learn from others.

    Especially, the most potent aspect was magic. Magic has been the power and ability developed since the establishment of civilization, and indeed, the elves possess the most outstanding abilities.

    The demons wield formidable firepower through dark mana, yet it¡¯s practically impossible for them, like the elves, to drop meteorites from the sky. While the demons can make barrennds fertile, they can¡¯t match the efficiency of the elves in doing so.

    Instead, due to the persecution they faced over the years, the magic that aids daily life is far more abundant among demons than elves. Furthermore, magical items like refrigerators rival even the craftsmanship of dwarves.

    However, do the elves consider that impressive? That¡¯s the question. They believe that with time, they can create not just the same but even better items. Of course, this is a thought possible because they haven¡¯t witnessed it firsthand. In reality, creating magical items requires immense expertise.

    Refrigerators, magic pens, temperature control in dormitories, and so on. Although these are magical, engineering ys a significant role. The confidence that elves hold in their magic and research is quite simr to ¡®science¡¯, but engineering is a distinct field that emphasizes craftsmanship the most.

    However, the elves seem to forget this fact, and Arwen is no exception. Despite her mixed heritage and integration into human society before entering Alvenheim, it seems inherent traits couldn¡¯t be altered. Moreover, Arwen herself took pride in magic, making her reluctant to yield.

    Nevertheless, it¡¯s not that she was entirely wrong. If it were just the two of us, it might not matter, but the issue is that she uttered those words in front of Princess Cecily of Helium.

    The magic of demons appears crude to the elves, citing evidence that elves are superior to demons and so on, even as Arwen, who is most wary of the elven trait of ¡®arrogance,¡¯ ironically exhibits a demeanor that befits it the most.

    ¡°A dwarf with a small chest¡­¡±

    It¡¯s understandable why Cecilyunched a personal attack. However, this constitutes a significant mistake on her part. While it would be one thing to disparage races like Arwen, this was a direct insult to an individual. It¡¯s akin to a signal re veering into an odd direction in the midst of a fight.

    ¡°W-what did you just¡­ What did you say?¡±

    She might have whispered it, but there¡¯s absolutely no way Arwen, facing me, didn¡¯t hear it. It¡¯s no different from saying it aloud right in front of her.

    Upon this, Arwen reacted with considerable confusion, briefly covering her chest with both arms. Perplexity filled her grayish eyes.

    Although she has said it that way, she¡¯s by no means on the petite side and, if anything, she¡¯s above average. Cecily is just overwhelminglyrge.

    As for height¡­ let¡¯s overlook that. That¡¯s not a matter of rtivity but rather absoluteness.

    Meanwhile, Cecily, observing Arwen covering her chest with her arms, snorted, crossed her arms, and wore a smug expression.

    Already boasting a formidable presence with her school uniform buttons almost bursting due to her massive chest, adding crossed arms only entuated her imposing aura.

    ¡°Did I say something wrong? Even the Queen looked down on demons in my presence. Right?¡±

    ¡°W-well, that¡¯s true, but this was a personal attack!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you consider criticizing demons to be a personal attack on me? It¡¯s a fact that demon magic is somewhat more chaotic than that of elves. However, to speak so bluntly without exining it a bit¡­ it feels a bit too much.¡±

    Unlike when Cecily made a personal attack, she spoke calmly, but her words were cutting. Insulting demons would be considered a personal attack on her. So, if Arwen insults them further, she won¡¯t stand idly by. Moreover, she¡¯s the princess of Helium and the next in line to be the future demon lord. She has ample reason and justification to speak that way.

    When I sensed signs that their argument might escte, I immediately intervened.

    ¡°Arwen, Cecily¡¯s right. You might have said what you thought, but from the listener¡¯s perspective, it could hurt. It might be true that elves are the most proficient in magic. But be cautious about making directparisons.¡±

    ¡°¡­Alright. Seems like I misspoke.¡±

    Even though she¡¯s of mixed blood, an elf is an elf. In the fields they¡¯re confident in, they don¡¯t bend their pride.

    As Arwen bowed her head and apologized, I turned to Cecily. She seemed somewhat uplifted that I took her side but had her arms crossed, drawing attention to her chest.

    An impulse surged in me, like wanting to snatch away ripe fruit, but I barely restrained myself. Firstly, I needed to address her mistake.

    ¡°Same goes for you. Arwen was wrong, but there was no need for a personal attack. You could¡¯ve phrased it differently.¡±

    ¡°But isn¡¯t that the truth? I just returned it as it was given.¡±

    Cecily remained unyielding, showing no concession to my words. It seemed that Cecily had taken offense at Arwen underestimating the demons. Clearly, Arwen had openly engaged in racial discrimination, and she probably wouldn¡¯t even consider apologizing. She had stayed quiet, but Arwen had pushed her into this.

    However, it wasn¡¯t a personal attack. To retort, she should have targeted the elves, not Arwen individually. Arwen seemed to share a simr sentiment, as she spoke with a slightly choked voice.

    ¡°Is that so? Alright then. I¡¯ll stop attacking the demons as well.¡±

    Following her words, she, just like Cecily had done,unched a personal attack.

    ¡°Fatty.¡±

    ¡°Wh-what?¡±

    ¡°Arwen?¡±

    Cecily, and even I, stared at Arwen in surprise. ¡°Fatty¡± was undoubtedly a word that scorned Cecily¡¯s chest. It was a part that stood out much more than others, making it a vulnerable point for an attack. However, it also raised a question.

    Isn¡¯t having arge chest considered good? Cecily had touched on Arwen¡¯s weakness, but Arwen, instead of getting offended, seemed to take it as apliment. Cecily, initially taken aback,ter caught on, looking embarrassed for a moment before snorting inughter.

    Instead, she confidently responded, emphasizing her already prominent chest even more by clenching her fists.

    ¡°Thank you. Some people don¡¯t even have these lumps of fat. It may be a bit ufortable, but Isaac likes it.¡±

    ¡°Why me?¡±

    ¡°Why. It¡¯s true.¡±

    It is true that it¡¯s true, but I don¡¯t understand why she insists on involving me in this fight.

    ¡°Hmm. Isaac, you can understand too. Men have traditionally preferred women withrge breasts. I¡¯ve read about it in books. Biologically, they are attracted to it because it reminds them of their mother¡¯s embrace.¡±

    Why are you like that again? Even Arwen was nodding seriously, epting it.

    While Cecily was smirking even more, Arwen slowly got up from her seat. I just watch her actions with a puzzled look.

    Then, Arwen ces her hand on her slender waist and sweeps it down, showcasing her superior hips.

    With a dress already exposing her bare side, her actions make it even more detrimental to the heart.

    ¡°Well, how about this? Isn¡¯t it better to have these curves than just having a lot of fat?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about the chest, but I¡¯m confident below. I¡¯ve been praised for my beauty since ancient times.¡±

    Considering Arwen¡¯s standards, it¡¯s been quite a while since ancient times, and if she¡¯s been praised since then, her pelvic line is undoubtedly as overwhelming as Cecily¡¯s chest.

    Cecily, being a demon, boasted exceptional hips and a well-defined lower body, yet she doesn¡¯t quitepare to Arwen. Moreover, due to Arwen¡¯s petite stature, this difference was further emphasized.

    While sitting, I found myself gazing at Arwen¡¯s lower body as if entranced, slowly shifting my gaze upwards. However, this action seemingly embarrassed Arwen, whose flushed face caught my eye.

    Trying not to be obvious about my scrutiny, her efforts to hold back made her even more endearing. Yet, when I looked away, the charm faded entirely.

    One side had the chest, the other, the hips. Truly, it was an unequaled battle between two grand ces.

    <i>¡®¡­Why am Iparing them again?¡¯</i>

    I didn¡¯t know why I wasparing. Whether it was a matter of feminine pride, neither woman yielded an inch.

    Rather than merely watching from afar, it felt like I was adding fuel to the fire.

    ¡°Th-that much I have too! Look!¡±

    In the midst of this, perhaps sensing some urgency, Cecily abruptly stood up, cing her hand on her waist. Following suit, just like Arwen did, she swept her hand downward. While undoubtedly above average,pared to Arwen, she fell slightly short.

    Arwen¡¯s hips were indeed remarkable, but her slim waist madeparisons impossible. Despite her short stature, her proportions, typical of elves, made her anything but small.

    Confirming this, Arwen wore a triumphant expression and, with a bold voice, spoke up.

    ¡°Comparing just that much is rather petty, isn¡¯t it? So, Isaac, which do you think is better?¡±

    ¡°What? Out of the blue?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Isaac, you¡¯ve got a good feel, right? You touch my chest every night.¡±

    ¡°Wait, why are you suddenly saying this to me? This feels like a situation where a shrimp¡¯s back breaks during a whale fight.¡±

    Honestly, her chest was indeed good, but when I see Arwen, my eyes shift to her hips again.There was a saying even in my past life, that when a man sees a woman, he first looks at her hips. It¡¯s some sort of deep-seated gic instinct.

    As I was entertaining these useless thoughts, Arwen seemed to sense something strange and blinked as she asked Cecily.

    ¡°Every night? Touching every night, what kind of talk is that?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    Come to think of it, Arwen had no idea that Cecily and I were having these nightly encounters. I inadvertently revealed an embarrassing truth, but Cecily wasn¡¯t fazed at all. In fact, she seemed to take it as an opportunity, wearing a sly smile, a particr blend of mischief and amusement in her expression.

    ¡°Oh my. Come to think of it, Your Majesty didn¡¯t know. Do you know that Isaac and I are in a rtionship?¡±

    ¡°W-well, I knew about that, but¡­ But, about the nights¡­ No, before that, aren¡¯t you the Princess of Helium? Even if Marie is human, you are¡­¡±

    Arwen alternated her confused, silvery-gray eyes between me and Cecily. In response, I scratched my head, suppressing a wry smile.

    It seemed the grand confrontation¡¯s end would yield results in a different direction.

    ¡°Your Majesty knows, don¡¯t you? In rtionships, it¡¯s natural for things to ze hot like a volcano. Isaac and I are no different, right? At least once every three days.¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    ¡°Me being a princess of Helium? That¡¯s no issue at all. Why? Isaac is the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography. I offered my body to the savior of the demons. What¡¯s the problem?¡±

    In essence, the game was over. The sh between the elves and demons abruptly turned into a battle of hips and chests, resulting in Arwen¡¯s defeat.

    What Cecily wanted to convey was that no matter how much noise she makes, it¡¯s meaningless unless a rtionship is established. It¡¯s meaningless topare if bodies weren¡¯t mingled.

    ¡°So, Your Majesty. No matter how superior your hips are, they mean nothing to Isaac. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    With each sessive attack, did Arwen really dislike losing that much?

    She hesitated slightly, gave me a fleeting nce, then tightly shut her eyes. Her fair skin flushed a deep red, reminiscent of a tomato.

    Subsequently, Arwen mumbled for a moment, then shouted forcefully.

    ¡°This is unfair!¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Arwen?¡±

    Then came Arwen¡¯s next statement¡­

    ¡°Then allow me to engage in an intimate act with Isaac!¡±

    Something was seriously amiss.

    ¡°That way, we can fairlypare!¡±

    It was Elvishmunism.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 239: Magnificent (4)

    Chapter 239: Magnificent (4)

    When does a person feel ¡®shame¡¯?

    When the other person insults them? That¡¯s correct.

    When their weaknesses are exposed to the world? That¡¯s also true.

    When they feel unnecessary embarrassment from observing someone else¡¯s actions? That¡¯s also true.

    Each person experiences shame or embarrassment in different ways.

    However, just as one cannot retrieve words once spoken, many experience shame after blurting out anything just to win an argument.

    Realizingter, but just as I said a moment ago, once spoken, words cannot be taken back. Such situations often result in what¡¯smonly referred to as ¡®throwing a nket over it.¡¯

    Moreover, if the words spoken were particrly sensitive in a rtionship between a man and a woman? If they unexpectedly popped out?

    ¡°Uh¡­ Arwen?¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    The Queen of Alvenheim, even if she ruled over the elves, couldn¡¯t bear the overwhelming embarrassment and hid her body. That¡¯s exactly how Arwen was right now. She bravely made a statement announcing Elvishmunism, but after a brief silence, she immediately hid.

    Where? Under the nket. So embarrassed that she didn¡¯t even think about it not being her own nket, she promptly covered herself entirely without hesitation. Afterward, she climbed onto the bed, wrapping herself tightly like a silkworm, ignoring my cautious calls without a response.

    <i>¡®This is just¡­¡¯</i>

    I smiled awkwardly, observing Arwen wrapped in a nket on the bed.

    The initial silence just wouldn¡¯t fade away. Her statement about wanting to share a bed with me echoed as if it were an unforgettable illusion. What followed was as everyone had expected. Realizing the situation btedly, her face turned crimson, and became a nket silkworm

    It¡¯s embarrassing even for the listener, but how would she feel? Thanks to that, her feelings could be understood perfectly. Somehow, I couldn¡¯t help but think she was like a child. However, that too was a trap that fit Arwen¡¯s appearance extremely well.

    Yet, if this continues, Arwen might never emerge from under the nket. I must somehow soothe the situation to prevent this awkward moment from lingering any further.

    ncing at Cecily discreetly, she was sitting there with one corner of her mouth upturned in a helpless expression.

    Arwen felt a sense of embarrassment and was visibly squirming inwardly, while Cecily stood there in utter bewilderment, unable to utter a word. Cesily¡¯s expression, one of disbelief, seemed as if she was seeing something for the first time.

    ¡°Ce on, Arwen?¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    ¡°Arwen, say something.¡±

    Even after calling her name several times, Arwen didn¡¯t even flinch. Wondering if I had called too softly, I climbed onto the bed. As I did, Arwen, wrapped tightly in the nket like a silkworm cocoon, visibly twitched.

    Though she might not have heard any sound, she must have felt the vibrations and realized that I had approached. After a while, she brought what seemed like her head out from the nket and reluctantly spoke.

    ¡°That¡¯s my nket. Are you nning to keep doing that?¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤!¡±

    Flutter!

    The words seemed quite provocative to Arwen at that moment, as the edge of the nket fluttered, covering her face. I closed my eyes tightly, waiting for her topletely emerge from the nket.

    Eventually, the nket, which had been fluttering vigorously, slid down, and like a silkworm turning into a butterfly, Arwen emerged from within. As she cleared the nket that had covered my face¡­

    ¡°Ar¡­¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    Now, I discovered Arwen lying face down in the corner without even covering herself with a nket. I was speechless at the sight.

    Though she seemed to be trying not to meet my eyes at all costs, her posture forced me to nce in her direction.

    A ripe and tantalizinglyrge peach was right in front of me. All unnecessary; a single word could deduce the situation perfectly.

    She was lying as if bowing towards the wall, yet her posture showcased an impressive backline.

    Her normally noticeable pelvis, now bent over,pelled me to stare as if enchanted. She emitted a charm as fatal as Cecily¡¯s chest.

    ¡°You¡¯re quite the seductress, Your Majesty. Boasting so brazenly.¡±

    Cecily retorted in a teasing tone, seemingly displeased with Arwen¡¯s posture.

    Only then did Arwen realize the situation and silently rose from her ce.

    Yet, she continued to face the wall, now on her knees, pressed tightly against it.

    What¡¯s amusing is that despite her efforts, she couldn¡¯t conceal her backline. Ironically, every change in posture highlighted her strengths to the fullest.

    I think I might just end up fixating on Arwen¡¯s pelvic line if I keep going like this. I pulled myself together and ced my hand on her shoulder.

    As soon as I ced my hand on her shoulder, Arwen¡¯s body trembled noticeably. She even shook all over.

    Thinking it was unnecessary for her to shake so much, I slowly pulled her shoulder. At first, she resisted as if pushing back, but when I pulled firmly, she slowly turned her head.

    And then¡­

    ¡°Arwen?¡±

    ¡°Sniff. Don¡¯t¡­ stop¡­¡±

    I found myself facing Arwen, her te-gray eyes filled with teardrops. Her face seemed as though it could explode any moment, flushed red and lips tightly sealed.

    Arwen, who normally showed increased emotions in private situations rather than as a queen, seemed to be overwhelmed by emotions she couldn¡¯t control, unable to ovee unbearable shame and embarrassment.

    Looking at her, who already appeared distant and far from maturity, crying made her seem like a young child. Maybe it¡¯s just my misconception that¡¯s making my heart ache so much.

    ¡°Are you crying?¡±

    ¡°S-sniff. I-I¡¯m not crying¡­!¡±

    No, you definitely are. Your nose is as red as a ripe strawberry.

    While thinking this, Arwen hurriedly wiped away her tears with her small, adorable hands. Although I wished I could help her by wiping them away with a handkerchief, she had already wiped them all, leaving me with no chance to lend a hand. Cecily was watching beside us, so I had to be mindful.

    For a while, Arwen wiped her tears, unaware that the tip of her nose had turned red, and finally managed to speak in a nasal voice.

    ¡°I-If, if it¡¯s about those words just now, pretend you didn¡¯t hear it. I feel so embarrassed I could die¡­¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ okay.¡±

    I almost blurted out ¡°I don¡¯t want to,¡± but I barely restrained myself. If I make a joke here, I might actually start crying. Arwen might resent me. Even if I¡¯m not like that, there¡¯s now saying Cecily can¡¯t be. Instead, she seemed to take pleasure in teasing as if she had found a weakness.

    ¡°You know, words spoken can¡¯t be taken back, right? Honestly, saying it once might not be so bad. It might cause a big fuss, but¡­¡±

    ¡°Noona¡­¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    I looked at Cecily with a ¡®Please stop¡¯ expression, and Arwen covered her face with her hands in embarrassment.

    Whether she said it or not, Cecily only showed her mischievousness by sticking out her tongue in a teasing manner.

    Once Arwenes back in a little while, I¡¯ll have to give her a real scolding. Seeing her act like that, she must secretly want it.

    ¡°Sigh¡­ I¡¯m sorry. What am I doing, acting like a child¡­¡±

    ¡°You know it now. I didn¡¯t expect you to have such a preference.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a pre-preference! Don¡¯t misunderstand!¡±

    Anyway, the situation eventually settled down, and Arwen fanned herself, trying to cool down her flushed face.

    Of course, sometimes when she nced at my face, it would heat up again, which was a futile gesture. It seems impossible even with magic.

    Originally, it was a dispute between elves and demons, but it suddenly turned into a showdown between chests and hips, eventually ending in elf-stylemunism as usual.

    Both Cecily and Arwen seemed to sense that if they continued to argue, it might veer into strange territory, so they began to be careful with their words.

    ¡°Then, do most demons have the same physique as you?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s notmon to have a big chest like mine. Because historically, due to harsh environments, it was necessary to safely bear children. Do elves not have such a thing?¡±

    ¡°Elves don¡¯t have that history, but before engaging in sexual rtions, they visit temples for blessings. If they conceive with such divine blessings, the child inherits all the physical talents of the parents. Even in hybrids, there¡¯s no difference between a pureblood elf and one with mixed blood due to this.¡±

    Thanks to this, I also learned about the cause of the superiority of elf genes. I learned in ss that elves view sexual rtions as a kind of sacred ritual.

    However, it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard of visiting a temple to receive sacred power. The fact that this sacred power permeates into the child and inherits the talents of the parents.

    There might be a question about whether humans can do the same, but being an elf means fully epting the sacred power; it¡¯s not the same for humans. Let¡¯s first understand why they are referred to as a race chosen by the gods.

    At first nce, one might think that the gods discriminate, but instead, humans inherited an infinite reproductive capacity. Ancestors leave behind knowledge, and their descendants use that knowledge as a stepping stone for development, which is incredibly advantageous.

    <i>¡®Not some transcendent race.¡¯</i>

    But looking at history, that statement is partially true. Elves were strong from the start, while humans are a race with an incredible capacity for development.

    I briefly looked into the characteristics of humans again and then shifted my gaze to Arwen.

    If she inherited all physical talents, why is Arwen so small in stature? Her hips are incredibly well-formed, but her height is quite disappointing.

    Perhaps sensing my gaze, Arwen blushed momentarily, cleared her throat, and quietly spoke up.

    ¡°Um. Um. Why are you staring at me like that? It¡¯s ufortable.¡±

    ¡°Just wondering why you¡¯re so short.¡±

    ¡°My father¡­ forgot and didn¡¯t fully receive the sacred power.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    That curiosity was neatly resolved. Arwen nced at my now-rxed face, smirked slightly, then sighed.

    She looked at me with a provocative gaze and then casually spoke.

    ¡°So, where do you feel the most confident?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Me?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s been unfair for us to talk only. So, it¡¯s your turn to speak.¡±

    Once again, Arwen brought up an Elvish-stylemunist statement. I blinked my eyes when I heard the question. It seemed like she was challenging me to touch upon my ownplexes. I felt a bit uneasy.

    Scratching my head, pondering how to answer, Cecily, who was nearby, intervened.

    ¡°Maybe you could say you¡¯re simr to the queen.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    Our gazes shifted towards her at thatment. What could it mean that my physical advantages might be simr to Arwen¡¯s? Even I couldn¡¯t understand.

    When I was still pondering the meaning behind Cecily¡¯s words, she shed a teasing smile and answered in a subtle voice.

    ¡°Isaac is also excellent in the lower body like the queen.¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    I should have expected that. Cecily really knows how to use seductive remarks. That¡¯s the princess for you.

    Even just hearing it made me cover my face with one hand in embarrassment at the joke. It seemed that just as she used to do in the past, she was teasing Arwen, and it sounded like it was hitting close to home this time.

    ¡°Lower body? Has Isaac¡¯s pelvis developed? I¡¯ve never heard of a human man having a developed pelvis, even if women do.¡±

    At first, it didn¡¯t seem to register over there. Arwen grinned and shifted her gaze towards my lower body.

    Arwen, who had been staring at my lower body for quite some time, seemed to have somethinge to mind; suddenly, she stiffened visibly. Subsequently, starting from her neck, her face turned crimson all the way to her ears.

    Hmm. Finally, it seems it struck her over there. I hoped that side would remain pure, but perhaps I relied too much on the mixed blood.

    p p p

    How excited must she be for her typically elongated elven ears to twitch up and down? I¡¯ve read in a book that when an elf experiences intense emotions, their ears wiggle up and down.

    This is the first time I¡¯ve seen it with my own eyes. That probably means Arwen¡¯s emotions are in turmoil.

    Fortunately, was the embarrassment a kind of preventative measure just now? Arwen, with eyes spinning before turning around, managed to open her mouth slightly.

    ¡°W-Well, I think I understand what you mean. It¡¯s important for a man¡¯s l-lower body to be considered for¡­ ahem¡­ good childbirth.¡±

    ¡°Arwen¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s fine. You don¡¯t have to be too embarrassed. I¡¯m an adult too, I can ept this kind of joke just fine.¡±

    For someone who said that, her ears kept twitching up and down, this elf.

    On the other hand, Cecily was suppressing herughter, enjoying Arwen¡¯s reaction as she turned her head. She wanted to squeeze out a chuckle, but for now, she must hold it in.

    Amidst the awkward situation, Arwen barely managed to cool down the heat on her face. Yet, her gaze kept returning to my side.

    ¡°Phew¡­ Anyway, you¡¯re overdoing it, Princess of Helium. Don¡¯t tease too much.¡±

    ¡°Oops. Sorry, I apologize. Your Majesty is just too adorable¡­¡±

    Cecily apologized, wiping away tears forming at the corners of her eyes. Calling a queen adorable might be impolite, but it signifies their closeness.

    Arwen, nonchntly, got up quietly from her seat. I raised my gaze as she stood.

    ¡°Are you leaving now?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯d love to stay longer, but time won¡¯t wait.¡±

    ¡°You cane visit anytime.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. But Isaac, can I ask you one thing before I leave?¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    The moment of parting was imminent. Though brief, the time spent was meaningful, making the impending farewell more poignant.

    Arwen gazed at my sitting face for a moment and softly curved her lips upward. Her smile held deep affection and warmth.

    As I was drawn into her grayish eyes, she spoke quietly.

    ¡°When I read Xenon¡¯s Biography, I was certain, but the more I meet you, the more confused I be. Isaac, are you a prophet or someone from the future, as the world spectes? Siris said it wasn¡¯t so.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying that too? No way. That¡¯s all nonsense.¡±

    It was so absurd that I burst outughing. I waved my hand dismissively as if it was nothing.

    Ordinary people might believe me here, but Arwen didn¡¯t seem convinced.

    Watching my reaction, she nodded as if confirming something.

    ¡°Alright. Then answer this question.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡±

    Arwen¡¯s subsequent question was¡­

    ¡°Are you from a ce entirely different from the world we live in?¡±

    ¡°What¡­¡±

    It was a question enough to startle me as a ¡®reincarnator¡¯ and still leave me pondering.

    As soon as I heard that question, my heart raced, and a chilling sensation swept through my body.

    How did she know? I¡¯ve never explicitly mentioned being a reincarnator despite subtly revealing that I¡¯m the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography. From the very beginning of this life, I had no lingering attachments, so I seamlessly blended into this world. asionally encountering differences inmon knowledge didn¡¯t pose any problem.

    Why did she ask such a question? Could it be because of the ¡®restriction¡¯ that¡¯s been buzzing around the world? Maybe the gods put a restriction on me, so she indirectly asked through that kind of question, unable to directly reveal it? I really don¡¯t know.

    My mind was inplete disarray, utterly confused.

    When I couldn¡¯t say a word and just stood there dumbfounded, Arwen seemed more certain from my reaction and her smile grew even brighter than before.

    Not just a smile, but her silver-gray eyes began to sparkle, expressing clear ¡®joy.¡¯

    And then¡­

    ¡°If that¡¯s the answer, it¡¯s all good!¡±

    With those determined words, she teleported away. But even after she left, there was something remaining¡­

    ¡°Isaac?¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    ¡°What¡­ what was that? Is it true?¡±

    Cecily was staring at me with wide eyes.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 240: Book 18 (1)

    Chapter 240: Book 18 (1)

    Due to Arwen¡¯s unexpected bombshell, I couldn¡¯t help but feel disoriented for a while. Her question about whether I came from apletely different world than the one we live in. I didn¡¯t inquire about the meaning behind that question, so as a ¡®reincarnator,¡¯ it¡¯s quite perplexing.

    Whatever the intention, it is true that Ie from a different world.

    When the world noisily proimed me as a regressor or a prophet, I could easily refute that, but I couldn¡¯t help but momentarily falter at the notion ofing from another world.

    That momentary hesitation gave Arwen a sense of certainty. Whatever misunderstanding she had, the events ahead were inevitablyplicated. The issue isn¡¯t just with Arwen, though. At that time, not only Arwen but also Cecily were in the same room.

    After Arwen dropped that bombshell, Cecily started questioning me for a while. Whether I really came from a different world as Arwen asked, and if that¡¯s why I ended up writing Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    As you might know from my life so far, I¡¯m terrible at lying. Even though I usually maintain a stoic expression, myplexion drastically changes when a specific point is touched upon.

    Moreover, Cecily has a particrly keen sense of reading my feelings. If Marie intuitively detects my lies, Cecily, like Rina, has an incredibly sharp observational skill.

    So, even if I lie, she mostly sees through it, and this time is no different. Eventually, Cecilypletely started believing that I came from a different world.

    As for whether my attitude changed afterward? No, far from changing, I was too preupied that day.

    Since then, lying side by side in bed, she said that even if I came from a different world, it¡¯s a grace from the gods, or even if not, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that I¡¯m a benefactor of the demons.

    Instead, just one thing. she asked why I had taken her as a model of lust until now. Whether her future self really bes a devil for a specific reason. But since it was closely rted to the unfortunate past of lust, I refused it all. It felt like thrusting a sharp spoiler, so she just obediently epted it.

    Anyway, it¡¯s a bonus that my rtionship with Cecily was subtly getting closer than before. I hope the dayes soon when I can officially dere my rtionship with her without any disturbances.

    It seems Cecily is beginning to think of me as a gift bestowed by the gods. If I indeed im to be from another world, one can only think in that direction.

    For now, I n to quietly bury the part rted to reincarnation. Cecily agreed with this n and even promised to strictly monitor any slip-ups.

    Some might wonder why I don¡¯t speak up, especially why keep it a secret from Marie. But considering my current situation, it might be understandable.

    Already being teased as a regressor or a prophet in jest, what if I were called a reincarnator now? From this moment, I can¡¯t simply take the jokes as just jokes.

    Cecily might regard it as a gift or grace bestowed by the divine to a mortal. Especially since it is obvious that this will significantly affect my rtionship with Marie, the closest person to me as a human being.

    Of course, due to Marie¡¯s slightly simple personality, there is a very high chance of her simply saying, ¡®Oh well,¡¯ and moving on. Over the year we¡¯ve spent together, I¡¯vee to understand that she avoidsplexities in human rtionships to an extreme degree.

    In the past, although it was an inevitable situation, after being deceived by Rina once, she just wanted to meet people simply. She tries to avoid entanglingplicated stories like politics in these rtionships as much as possible.

    Despite the verbose exnations, the biggest issue is theck of necessity in revealing it. After all, I¡¯ve been limatized to this world for so long, and only Arwen and Cecily know.

    Even thendscapes change in a decade, so wouldn¡¯t people change too? Apart from the trauma of losing my parents in an ident and the vivid memories, I¡¯ve almost forgotten everything. There¡¯s no gain in speaking up, and even if I do, nothing changes. For now, staying silent seems to be the best option.

    In a few days, they¡¯ll probably forget that I¡¯m a reincarnator anyway. It was like that even before Arwen asked, so it¡¯ll likely be the same this time.

    <i>¡®¡­But writing a World War II novel seems impossible to avoid, doesn¡¯t it?¡¯</i>

    World War II was a sh of steel-made weapons, the worst war in human history. It altered history itself, a turning point in history.

    If Arwen or Cecily read that book, they¡¯ll surely sense it. ¡®Isaac came from a world like this,¡¯ they¡¯ll say. I¡¯m 100% certain of that. Even the name is World War II. It might be rted to the racial war that happened 300 years ago.

    Because of this, I thought about putting the World War II novel on hold, since first, I must finish Xenon¡¯s Biography. There are troubles piling up due to Xenon¡¯s Biography, and now a World War II novel? It would be too much.

    Honestly, I wanted to do that nonsensical thing, but I can¡¯t afford it. I have to somehow grasp the divine power to survive, so I must focus only on Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    Fortunately, recently under the leadership of Adelia, I carried out intense physical training, and my stamina noticeably increased. Perhaps because of this, Marie¡¯s and Cecily¡¯s calls have be much more frequent. However, it seems they were now calling for reinforcements, saying it¡¯s too much for them alone.

    Anyway, despite the lengthy gossip, shortly after Arwen¡¯s reincarnation question, the 18th volume of Xenon¡¯s Biography was revealed. Due to real-life spoilers, the readers¡¯ reactions were lukewarm, but the book still sold like hotcakes. Reality is reality, and a book is a book. Even if you¡¯re curious about the ending, you have no choice but to read it.

    [As it turns out, the identity of the one who made a pact with the devil as it happened in reality was the cardinal.]

    [I want to smack the person who spoiled it.]

    [Ironically, the cardinal who pressed Jin is truly faithful. There was just a difference in perspective.]

    [Even such a cardinal grew mentally and broke the prejudice against demons.]

    There was a strange opinion inserted in the middle, but there¡¯s actually a statement like that. It seems to be from a dedicated reader of Xenon¡¯s Biography who got angry enough to put such words in the newspaper.

    Seeing that, I wondered if I had misread it and blinked my eyes several times. But it was indeed there.

    How angry must someone be to put such words in a newspaper? In fact, not only this critic but also quite a number of ordinary readers were angered by spoilers.

    Moreover, since I didn¡¯t express any stance, it must have been aplicated feeling for me as well. Even as the author, I reacted with, ¡°What is this?¡± but how did the readers feel?

    [The one who tempted the fallen cardinal is named ¡®Belzebub.¡¯ What is the identity of the one with this name?]

    [The tricks of the devils that are graduallying to the surface.]

    [The present reality is no different. Currently, devil worshipers are being eliminated one by one¡­]

    The impact of Kate¡¯s reality spoiler seemed so significant that half the talk was about Xenon¡¯s Biography, while the other half revolved around real devil worshippers. Xavier¡¯s deration of a ¡®holy war¡¯ undoubtedly carries substantial consequences. Moreover, the fact that an actual cardinal was a high-ranking member among the devil worshippers.

    Thanks to this, surprisingly, since the release of Xenon¡¯s Biography, there hasn¡¯t been any unusualmotion¡­

    [Are we still going to deny he¡¯s a prophet? Xenon, reveal your true identity as soon as possible!]

    [Xavier¡¯s announcement. We¡¯ll definitely protect you, so please support the holy war¡­]

    [He surely knows about the devil worshippers¡¯ higher-ups as well. We must quickly calm the world¡¯s chaos¡­]

    ¡­Bunch of crap. They¡¯ve started begging now. At this point, anything goes as long as it helps expose the devil worshippers and eliminate them. Despite the emphasis, I am not a regressor or a prophet by any means.

    With worries about future affairs or personal rtionships looming, what use is there for assistance? Besides, with more women around me, I must continually maintain my strength. First and foremost, I have to survive whether or not I¡¯ll be of any help.

    <i>¡®Anyway, as for Kate¡­¡¯</i>

    ording to the news in the newspaper, Kate has once again embarked on a pilgrimage. The previous pilgrimage was aimed at finding me, but this time, it seems to have a different purpose.

    Perhaps she¡¯sing to find me while smashing the heads of the devil worshippers. With Xavier proiming the holy war, as the grand interrogator, she wouldn¡¯t have spare time.

    The inquisitor who initially stepped onto the pilgrimage path wasn¡¯t the only one there. It¡¯s reported that most inquisitors, following the deration of the holy war, have mobilized.

    For Xavier, it was a revealing w that must be somehow addressed. It¡¯s expected to cause quite a stir in the world for a while.

    <i>¡®No, it was noisy from the start.¡¯</i>

    Right now, I should probably stay really quiet. I raised my head, covering the newspaper filled with various news stories.

    <i>¡®Now that the vacation is approaching¡­ the exhibition needs to be prepared too.¡¯</i>

    It feels like the new students just arrived yesterday, but already, the summer vacation was slowly approaching. Along with this, preparations for an exhibition in our territory were actively underway.

    Originally, the Ters Kingdom was eager to host the exhibition themselves, but a few months ago, the Minerva Empire cunningly took control.

    My mentioning Marshal Territory as my birthce yed a significant role here. Moreover, Xenon¡¯s rising reputation by the day made it impossible for even the Ters Kingdom to be obstinate.

    Correspondingly, my father¡¯s workload soared even more. In a letter sent by my mother, my father grumbled about wanting me to inherit the family duties soon and hoped the exhibition would end quickly.

    I felt guilty for no reason, but with ample support from the royal family, there are no manpower issues. Initially, in order to keep my father in the empire, an estate with exceptional potential was granted from the upper echelons.

    <i>¡®I also want to see Lily soon.¡¯</i>

    A year ago, it was the night after the exhibition ended and I spent it with Marie for the first time. Unfortunately, due to my mother giving me thest remaining contraceptive pills as a gift, she ended up bringing Lily into the world unexpectedly.

    And exactly one month ago from now, she gave birth to the adorable youngest daughter, Lily. Being the fourth child, she delivered her without any crisis, apparently healthy. ording to the letter, she¡¯s a really cute and charming baby, with red hair like her father and golden eyes. I really want to see Lily.

    <i>¡®How cute must she be?¡¯</i>

    I imagined Lily in my mind with anticipation. At the same time, I pondered what kind of stage this exhibition would present.

    Certainly, those rascals from the Ters Kingdom wille, that¡¯s for sure, but as long as Adelia shakes off the trauma, there won¡¯t be a major incident if we¡¯re cautious. Anyway, at that time, Adelia will be acting as my bodyguard, and there will be others including Marie.

    I wonder if Dave and Nicole wille. Even if they¡¯re busy, I heard they send their regards through vacations at least.

    <i>¡®At least the usual people wille¡­¡¯</i>

    Some who will definitelye are decided, but I¡¯m not sure about the rest. Especially, Leona and Cherry are critical.

    Leona is likely toe if I provide some help, but Cherry is the issue. Her home environment is just as harsh as Adelia¡¯s, if not worse.

    It¡¯s a household where they ruthlessly tear apart the works poured with dreams and hopes, going as far as trampling upon them.

    If I had left it alone, it would have been as obvious as seeing fire, but luckily, she was able to endure it with some help.

    <i>¡®It would be better to visit an exhibition rather than being in such a ce¡­¡¯</i>

    That would be good for Cherry too. It would be better for her to spend the vacation somewhere else rather than in a hellish family.

    No, perhaps she could spend the entire vacation at the academy without returning to the family. Didn¡¯t Leona mention working during the vacation too?

    I thought of a good idea and smiled. Just lie to her parents that she¡¯ll be at the academy the whole time, and once we¡¯re in our territory, it¡¯s over.

    <i>¡®Anyway, the likelihood of those people noting is high.¡¯</i>

    In many ways, it¡¯s a vacation with a lot of expectations.

    ******

    As Volume 18 of Xenon¡¯s Biography came out, where was the busiest ce? By now, everyone knows, but naturally, it was the publishing house.

    The publishing house CEO, Musk, didn¡¯t care at all even when hearing that Xavier dered a holy war or that the cardinal was, in fact, a devil worshiper.

    If anything, rather than paying attention to that stuff, they had to print at least one more volume of Xenon¡¯s Biography. Musk ispletely crazy about money, to the point of being deeply mad.

    It was like that until unexpectedly receiving a knife in the belly.

    ¡°Oh my¡­¡±

    ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    Matthew, Musk¡¯s secretary, worriedly called out to Musk who was lying on the white bed, groaning. Matthew¡¯s concern was none other than Musk¡¯s condition, as thick bandages were tightly wrapped around his swollen belly.

    Fortunately, the surgery had ended sessfully, but initially, the bleeding was quite severe, reaching a dangerous level. Musk retorted.

    ¡°Do I look okay, damn it?

    Hurling even vulgar curses at Matthew. Despite receiving such insults, Matthew did not erase the worried expression from his face.

    The reason Musk, who was usually healthy, with oil flowing through his veins, ended up like this was simply because of the actions of devil worshippers. After the revtion of spoilers in reality, devil worshippers began to sense the crisis and started causing chaos. Musk became their top priority.

    If it weren¡¯t for the Xenon incident, their wicked n would have progressed without anyone knowing, but now it was falling apart. Originally, they would have targeted Xenon, or rather Isaac, as their top priority, but his identity was not even known. Therefore, they targeted Musk, one of the connecting links with him.

    Apart from Musk, there was also the Elven Queen, Arwen, but she was like a whale inparison when it came to the devil worshippers¡¯ targets. So, they focused on Musk, who was rtively smaller in size. Of course, Musk was not entirely foolish, so he invested a considerable amount of money to hire mercenaries. However, he overlooked the fact that devil worshippers had infiltrated among those mercenaries.

    If only he had visited the temple with the mercenaries even once, but due to hiscent belief that everything would be fine by this point, he failed to reach that realization.

    ¡°Why do you swear and act like this? Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m worried?¡±

    ¡°Sigh¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°If the boss isn¡¯t here, who will pay my sry?¡±

    ¡°You jerk. Right now, you¡ªoh¡­¡±

    Instead of getting angry at Matthew¡¯s not-so-joking joke, Musk restrained himself, holding his stomach. If it had been an ordinary stab, it would have been better, but due to the poisonced within, the aftermath was severe.

    Thankfully, under the motto of ¡°Even if you¡¯re rich, you can¡¯t use it when you¡¯re dead,¡± he always kept emergency potions. Otherwise, he might have be a cold corpse.

    Currently, he was in a temple, focusing on recovery, but there was more than one thing causing concern.

    ¡°Matthew.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    ¡°How are the other employees? Are they wavering?¡±

    ¡°They are wavering.¡±

    As expected. After news spread that the CEO himself had been targeted by devil worshippers, the publishing house staff showed intense wavering.

    Fortunately, under the protection measures of the Luminous Order, there hadn¡¯t been any threats to his safety, but there were still worries.

    No matter how much Musk was crazy about money, he wasn¡¯t someone who ced human life beneath it. With beads of sweat running down, he looked up at the temple¡¯s ceiling before speaking quietly.

    ¡°Matthew.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    ¡°Prepare a letter immediately.¡±

    ¡°A letter?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    There¡¯s now that says only I should suffer like this. Especially with an ¡®exhibition,¡¯ it¡¯s even more dangerous. Devil worshippers will be determined to tarnish Xenon¡¯s name by any means necessary. There might even be ¡®terrorism¡¯ at the exhibition. If I¡¯m in this state, how could the exhibition possibly seed? And there will be numerous nobles attending.

    Therefore, in order to minimize casualties¡­

    <i>¡®What big hands those people have!¡¯</i>

    ¡­Forget it. If they disappear, there¡¯ll be a direct hit on sales. Musk decided he had to prevent that much at least.

    Those who impact sales are bastards. To Musk, devil worshippers fit that bill perfectly. And bastards must be controlled through punishment. With this in mind, after briefly chuckling inwardly, he returned to the practical problem.

    ¡°The issue of protecting the employees¡­ sigh¡­ seems inevitable.¡±

    ¡°Is there any sharp solution?¡±

    ¡°If Luminous allows it, it¡¯s possible.¡±

    ¡°What solution?¡±

    Then from Musk¡¯s lips came¡­

    ¡°Buying a temple.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°And merging with a publishing house.¡±

    It sounded ridiculous, but it was a very surefire method. He nced at the bewildered Matthew and discussed the ¡®grounds.¡¯

    ¡°The only publishing house contracted for Xenon¡¯s Biography. Wouldn¡¯t Luminous allow it?¡±<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 241: Book 18 (2)

    Chapter 241: Book 18 (2)

    Every day, I¡¯m just waiting for the vacation toe, but life has a way of throwing unexpected things at us. The Academy, with its many guards, maintains excellent security due to the high number of peopleing and going, resulting in very few incidents urring.

    Even if security-rted issues were to arise, they are usually promptly resolved. I¡¯ve never heard of any major incidents like terrorism happening at the Academy so far. But that¡¯s within the Academy; the situation outside is different. Especially in this world, where individual strength holds sway, it¡¯s inherently unstable in terms of security.

    Hence, it means that anywhere, anytime, there might be some lunatics up to no good. And the devil worshipers fit that description perfectly. They have been a force lurking in the shadows of the underworld long before Xenon¡¯s Biography. If people suddenly go missing or ¡®undead¡¯ appear without any signs, it¡¯s mostly their doing.

    They¡¯re nothing but vile beings worse than pests, nothing short of the epitome of evil in this world. Their biggest problem was that they were virtually unknown before Xenon¡¯s Biography, but now they¡¯ve fully emerged.

    In fact, it would be apt to say that due to Xenon¡¯s Biography, they¡¯ve been forced into the limelight. Rumor has it that with Xavier dering a holy war, the devil worshipers¡¯ heads are being smashed every ten seconds.

    However, their scariest aspect is that they managed to go unnoticed even by Dark Elves and Demons.

    If the dark elves and demons borrow the power of darkness through Mora, the devil worshipers were literally the slimy darkness itself. Some demons, deeply associated with the devil, had sensed omens from the past. This was spected because among the devil worshippers, there seemed to exist a faction of radicals that was believed to have been annihted in the distant past.

    During the time when demons were persecuted, there were those who harbored not restraint but hatred towards the world, embracing the power of the devil themselves. Though defeated in the civil war that took ce in Helium long ago, it is gradually being revealed that they are secretly in league with the devil worshippers.

    It¡¯s been said that even in Helium, some clues were found after assigning the task to the ¡®Reaper¡¯ to track them down. The power and scale of the devil worshippers are far greater than anticipated.

    With great power and scalees great danger. Moreover, whenever any faction feels threatened, they tend to act out. While it¡¯s uncertain in what form this acting out will manifest, many resort to causing chaos.

    The issue lies in the immense damage caused by this chaos. Particrly, those deeply associated with Xenon¡¯s Biography were in extreme danger.

    [¡­Therefore, I send this letter urging caution. Please do not worry, and I hope to continue steady serialization.]

    The owner of the letter I¡¯ve read is Musk. He is precisely in such a situation. Musk is the CEO of the onlypany known to have contracted with Xenon¡¯s Biography and is one of the visible links to Xenon externally. Naturally, he could be a target for the devil worshippers. Although Arwen is also known to have a connection, she¡¯s currently too significant a figure to engage with, hence they aimed at Musk.

    ording to the contents of the letter, it seems that there was a surprise attack from devil worshippers, but it was handled appropriately and safely. The uing publication will be done in coboration with the Luminous Church.

    Coborating with the Luminous Church for publication was surprising, but what concerns the writer most is undoubtedly the attack. The letter expresses that while the sender doesn¡¯t mind being attacked, they are particrly worried about the uing exhibition in the Michelle Territory.

    Since I, as Xenon, announced my attendance in a previous exhibition through a letter, there¡¯s a high probability I¡¯ll attend this one as well. Hence, there¡¯s a possibility that the devil worshippers might target the event. Although I will take precautions, there¡¯s an uneasiness that won¡¯t fade away.

    It¡¯s said that crazy people don¡¯t listen to reason, and even with significant manpower invested in the exhibition, the devil worshipers are individuals who could carry out acts of terror.

    <i>¡®Father mentioned a direct request to the royal family, but¡­¡¯</i>

    Musk¡¯s letter has been read by my father beforehand. The CEO thinks of my father as Xenonand sends his letters to him, since it¡¯s better if it¡¯s not addressed directly to the writer, me.

    Father ns to invite officials from the royal family to the mansion. There¡¯s a clear justification for reinforcing security, the threat from the devil worshippers, which should convince the royal family.

    Furthermore, if I inform Cecily about this, Helium might also provide personnel. This exhibition only happens once a year, and there¡¯s no intention of missing it.

    Most importantly, the scale of the exhibition a year ago and the current one differs greatly. A year ago, mostly humans and demons attended, but now, it¡¯s expected to be bustling with attendees from all races without discrimination.

    If the security here copses to the point of even terrorism urring, the repercussions on the Minerva Empire and not just the Michelle territory would be beyond imagination. To prevent that, the exhibition must proceed smoothly.

    <i>¡®Will it extend to Xavier? If it does, Kate wille, right?¡¯</i>

    Somehow, it feels like the exhibition is bing something other than an exhibition. It seems like a massive amount of people, including other countries, will gather.

    During thest exhibition, my father said he was suffering from headaches due to preparations, but now, not even a hint of relief was visible.

    For now, there¡¯s nothing immediate that I can do. There¡¯s about a month left until the vacation, and at the same time, the exam period is approaching.

    The approaching exam period means that students are getting very busy. Thanks to that, my recent meetings with acquaintances have decreased, and I¡¯ve be quite busy on my own.

    ¡°What kind of topics do you think the exam questions should be about? Just think about it.¡±

    ¡°Why are you telling me, a mere assistant, that?¡±

    ¡°Because youe up with brilliant ideas. Remember when you imagined a world without manast time?¡±

    Elena instructed me to make the exam questions instead. I¡¯ve heard of assistants grading papers in my past life, but I¡¯ve never heard of them substituting for exam questions.

    This is obviously passing the buck and an illegal act, but in these times, let¡¯s just brush it off. There¡¯s no specificw against it, so it¡¯s meaningless no matter what anyone says.

    I momentarily stopped fretting and shifted my gaze to Cindy, who was tirelessly writing a new paper.

    She still stuck to her messy hairstyle, and judging by the dark circles under her eyes, her lifestyle seems unchanged from before.

    ¡°Did Cindy submit exam questions like me?¡±

    ¡°I used to do it too¡­ But now I don¡¯t have to.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯m also a doctor like the professor¡­¡±

    It seems Cindy, like me during my assistant days, has indulged Elena quite a bit. Nevertheless, she didn¡¯t seem to have anyints. Elena doesn¡¯t ignore things like human rights as if they were trivial or pick on oddities, so that¡¯s a relief.

    Instead, helping her seems to be quite helpful in history-rted matters. Through researching, I¡¯ve gained various knowledge, unknowingly umting an enormous amount of information.

    ¡°Oh, by the way, if you leak exam questions, I¡¯ll immediately strip you of your assistantship. Not even close friends are exempt.¡±

    ¡°I know that much. Different questions for each ss, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll handle the questions for the second year and ss 1, you¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    It¡¯s bothersome, but what can I do? If the professormands, I have to ept it. It might be somewhat interesting in its own way.

    For a moment, I stopped pondering about what kind of questions would impress the students, and suddenly a question for Elena popped into my mind.

    ¡°Professor, are you nning to visit the exhibition this time?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Ah,e to think of it, the exhibition ising up soon. Will it be held in your territory again?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Elena lifted her sses, paused for a moment in thought, then shrugged and spoke up.

    ¡°I really want to see it once. They said the Matrics Theater troup¡¯s performance was so amazing, right? They coborated with the Rilus Orchestra.¡±

    ¡°It was a performance I¡¯ll never forget. If the professor saw it once, you¡¯d never forget it either.¡±

    The vivid memories still yed in my mind¡ªthe sacrifice of Sakran by the Rilus Orchestra and the Matrics theater troupe from the very opening act.

    Later, when it was revealed that the director of the Matrics theater troupe was a demon, there was a bit of a stir, but ironically, that only boosted their poprity.

    A show you wanted to see twice after seeing it once, and three times after seeing it twice. This exhibition was about to showcase the performance again. The Matrics theater troupe had emphasized they¡¯d only perform Sakran¡¯s sacrifice at this exhibition, meaning it would happen only once a year.

    ¡°Are you going this time?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯ll pass on this exhibition too. I have a mountain of research to do during the break, stuck in theb.¡±

    ¡°Are you that busy?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. We¡¯ve spotted some inconsistencies in certain historical records that seem to be tampered with by devil worshippers. If I delve into this, I might uncover what kind of influence these devil worshippers had.¡±

    It might be appropriate to say it¡¯s typical of Elena, or perhaps it¡¯s a schrly response by nature. She was so firm that I couldn¡¯t persuade her anymore.

    As I was neatly giving up and thinking about submitting a certain problem, at that moment, Elena advised me in a very serious tone.

    ¡°So, be careful at the exhibition. Devil worshippers are the kind of people who even slightly alter history. We don¡¯t know how they might cause harm.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m aware of that. That¡¯s why I¡¯m preparing thoroughly.¡±

    ¡°Then, that¡¯s fortunate. I don¡¯t want to lose a good sl¡­ no. Assistant after finally acquiring one.¡±

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you just about to say ¡®ve¡¯?¡±

    ¡°You misheard.¡±

    It didn¡¯t seem so.

    ******

    Isaac was having busy times due to his final exams at the academy.

    The Michelle Territory, where the exhibition is taking ce, was bustling with a seemingly never ending daily routine.

    Under the immense symbolism of Xenon¡¯s birthce, it¡¯s evolving into a cultural city, attracting diverse upper-ss and tourists alike.

    Originally a peaceful small vige, it¡¯s gradually advancing into a cityscape, with various buildings being erected and skilled workers meticulously constructing them using materials flown in.

    In preparation for any potential mishaps, clergy members were on standby in the vicinity, just in case.

    Not only that, but artists were sporadically disying their artwork in advance for the exhibition.

    Most were intricate sculptures and handicrafts that are challenging to move, and more artworks were nned to be exhibited in the future.

    The once tranquil Michelle Territory, relentlessly progressing into a cultural city day by day, felt different this time.

    ¡°Hurry up! We need to have everythingpleted before the exhibition!¡±

    ¡°Hey! If it¡¯s too exhausting, take a break. If you copse while working, who will it be reported to, Xenon?¡±

    ¡°Give me that hammer!¡±

    The essential need to construct the designed buildings isbor. Equally important is the ability of the workers who construct the buildings,parable to architects.

    Both sides will be satisfied only if the workers understand what the architects want and build ordingly. Additionally, as thebor force increases, the time required significantly reduces.

    However, the most crucial factor is the number of workers, especially forrge-scale construction where quantity takes precedence over quality.

    Look at this now. Regardless of theck of technological advancementpared to Earth, they had to work manually, yet the scale of construction remained unchanged.

    So, what exactly are they building to warrant such a massivebor force?

    ¡°¡­Is it really going to bepleted within a month?¡±

    The head of the Marshall family, Hawk, opened his mouth with a bewildered expression as he gazed at the bustling construction site. The current scale of the construction, reminiscent of what one might see in the capital, was reflected in his eyes.

    And the woman with golden hair standing beside him shed a charming smile. She was armed in white armor, and a well-maintained mace hung at her waist. It was Kate Louise Angelica, known to have recently returned to the pilgrimage and also serving as the grand inquisitor.

    For some reason unknown to him, the situation had led her beyond the capital to Michelle¡¯s territory. And not just her, but an enormous force dispatched from Xavier apanied her. All the personnel currently at the construction site were individuals directly dispatched by Xavier.

    ¡°Of course. That¡¯s why I brought them.¡±

    Kate said, his arms crossed, ncing at the somewhat functional temple before turning his head slightly.

    She wore her usualpassionate smile, but Hawk sensed a slight unease. He had been puzzled when he heard about the pilgrimage arriving with an enormous group in their territory and was left baffled by the subsequent talk of erecting a temple in the territory.

    He wanted to ask what nonsense it was directly to her face when he first heard about it but found himself speechless when it came to getting to work. Apparently, the decision had already been made in discussions between the royal family and the involved parties.

    For the country where the temple would be erected, Xavier¡¯s jurisdiction yed the most significant role, and other nations simply had to give their consent. From the standpoint of the country where the temple was being built, it meant goods would be sold, unemployment rates would decrease, and above all, the weing of the temple¡¯s construction with open arms.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Hawk listened to Kate¡¯s exnation and slightly furrowed his brow. Being a devout follower of Luminous himself, he had no objection to the construction of a temple. However, constructing a temple was typically required in a city of a certain size. As a result, to visit the temple, one had to head towards the capital.

    Being the one referred to as the ¡°Red Lion,¡± he could make the journey to the capital every day, but for others, it was nearly an impossible task. Especially considering he went there without even taking a carriage, opting to run.

    ¡°You might be wondering why we¡¯re suddenly building a temple. But building a temple is necessary for this sacrednd to receive protection from Luminous.¡±

    Kate said, sensing Hawk¡¯s thoughts, with a reassuring smile.

    Hawk raised one eyebrow in response, questioning.

    ¡°Sacrednd, you say?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s thend where Luminous has chosen, the opportunity to drive out the vile darkness from the world. It¡¯s thend where Xenon was born.¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    ¡°Building a temple on top of it is only natural. Under the protection of the god, the exhibition can be safely held, and blessings can be received.¡±

    She continued, locking eyes with Hawk. There was a clear conviction in her emerald eyes.

    As Hawk gazed into her determined eyes, he shifted his gaze towards the construction site. Though it might be unclear from just listening, Kate¡¯s words conveyed her intent.

    [I will make Marcel¡¯s territory a ¡®sanctuary.¡¯]

    She will make it and that remains forever untarnished, where only purity lingers.

    Hawk realized the situation and let out a sigh with a perplexed expression. Above all, there was something particrly unsettling.

    ¡°If Lord Xenon were to see this, how delighted he would be? Just imagining it gives me shivers.¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    ¡°Ah, how I wish thisnd were quickly filled with the blessings of Lord Luminous¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    It was Kate¡¯s fanatical aspect. Hawk had already seen through at once that she knew Isaac¡¯s true identity. However, her attitude towards Isaac sent chills down the spine of anyone who witnessed it. Despite being someone who had seen everything, having soared under the reputation of the Red Lion, he was discreetly stepping back.

    <i>¡®What on earth have you done, my son¡­¡¯</i>

    Hawk sighed once again with a perplexed expression, looking at the construction site.

    <i>¡®Surely, the Demon Princess wouldn¡¯t imitate this after seeing it?¡¯</i>

    Such a thought crossed his mind unexpectedly.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 238: Magnificent (3)

    The elves, unlike demons, have a long history of interacting with other races, which has resulted in numerous positive and negative descriptors attached to them.

    They are described as a race chosen by the gods, the first civilization, the origin of everything¡ªpositive descriptors that abound. However, there are also negative ones that counterbnce these positives.

    They¡¯rebeled as arrogant, rude, snobbish, excessively prideful, hot-tempered, and discriminatory, with most descriptors culminating in ¡°elves are arrogant.¡± Just as the positive descriptors reflect their exceptional abilities, the negative ones are rooted in their undeniable capabilities, leaving others feeling overshadowed.

    Even if elves were to criticize a specific aspect, others couldn¡¯t say a word in return. Their perceived arrogance stems from their unwavering belief in their own abilities, allowing them to dismiss criticisms easily.

    Moreover, even if elves were to learn something from other races, they would only acknowledge it as such. In their fields of expertise, they wouldn¡¯t yield an inch to anyone, regardless of what they might learn from others.

    Especially, the most potent aspect was magic. Magic has been the power and ability developed since the establishment of civilization, and indeed, the elves possess the most outstanding abilities.

    The demons wield formidable firepower through dark mana, yet it¡¯s practically impossible for them, like the elves, to drop meteorites from the sky. While the demons can make barrennds fertile, they can¡¯t match the efficiency of the elves in doing so.

    Instead, due to the persecution they faced over the years, the magic that aids daily life is far more abundant among demons than elves. Furthermore, magical items like refrigerators rival even the craftsmanship of dwarves.

    However, do the elves consider that impressive? That¡¯s the question. They believe that with time, they can create not just the same but even better items. Of course, this is a thought possible because they haven¡¯t witnessed it firsthand. In reality, creating magical items requires immense expertise.

    Refrigerators, magic pens, temperature control in dormitories, and so on. Although these are magical, engineering ys a significant role. The confidence that elves hold in their magic and research is quite simr to ¡®science¡¯, but engineering is a distinct field that emphasizes craftsmanship the most.

    However, the elves seem to forget this fact, and Arwen is no exception. Despite her mixed heritage and integration into human society before entering Alvenheim, it seems inherent traits couldn¡¯t be altered. Moreover, Arwen herself took pride in magic, making her reluctant to yield.

    Nevertheless, it¡¯s not that she was entirely wrong. If it were just the two of us, it might not matter, but the issue is that she uttered those words in front of Princess Cecily of Helium.

    The magic of demons appears crude to the elves, citing evidence that elves are superior to demons and so on, even as Arwen, who is most wary of the elven trait of ¡®arrogance,¡¯ ironically exhibits a demeanor that befits it the most.

    ¡°A dwarf with a small chest¡­¡±

    It¡¯s understandable why Cecilyunched a personal attack. However, this constitutes a significant mistake on her part. While it would be one thing to disparage races like Arwen, this was a direct insult to an individual. It¡¯s akin to a signal re veering into an odd direction in the midst of a fight.

    ¡°W-what did you just¡­ What did you say?¡±

    She might have whispered it, but there¡¯s absolutely no way Arwen, facing me, didn¡¯t hear it. It¡¯s no different from saying it aloud right in front of her.

    Upon this, Arwen reacted with considerable confusion, briefly covering her chest with both arms. Perplexity filled her grayish eyes.

    Although she has said it that way, she¡¯s by no means on the petite side and, if anything, she¡¯s above average. Cecily is just overwhelminglyrge.

    As for height¡­ let¡¯s overlook that. That¡¯s not a matter of rtivity but rather absoluteness.

    Meanwhile, Cecily, observing Arwen covering her chest with her arms, snorted, crossed her arms, and wore a smug expression.

    Already boasting a formidable presence with her school uniform buttons almost bursting due to her massive chest, adding crossed arms only entuated her imposing aura.

    ¡°Did I say something wrong? Even the Queen looked down on demons in my presence. Right?¡±

    ¡°W-well, that¡¯s true, but this was a personal attack!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you consider criticizing demons to be a personal attack on me? It¡¯s a fact that demon magic is somewhat more chaotic than that of elves. However, to speak so bluntly without exining it a bit¡­ it feels a bit too much.¡±

    Unlike when Cecily made a personal attack, she spoke calmly, but her words were cutting. Insulting demons would be considered a personal attack on her. So, if Arwen insults them further, she won¡¯t stand idly by. Moreover, she¡¯s the princess of Helium and the next in line to be the future demon lord. She has ample reason and justification to speak that way.

    When I sensed signs that their argument might escte, I immediately intervened.

    ¡°Arwen, Cecily¡¯s right. You might have said what you thought, but from the listener¡¯s perspective, it could hurt. It might be true that elves are the most proficient in magic. But be cautious about making directparisons.¡±

    ¡°¡­Alright. Seems like I misspoke.¡±

    Even though she¡¯s of mixed blood, an elf is an elf. In the fields they¡¯re confident in, they don¡¯t bend their pride.

    As Arwen bowed her head and apologized, I turned to Cecily. She seemed somewhat uplifted that I took her side but had her arms crossed, drawing attention to her chest.

    An impulse surged in me, like wanting to snatch away ripe fruit, but I barely restrained myself. Firstly, I needed to address her mistake.

    ¡°Same goes for you. Arwen was wrong, but there was no need for a personal attack. You could¡¯ve phrased it differently.¡±

    ¡°But isn¡¯t that the truth? I just returned it as it was given.¡±

    Cecily remained unyielding, showing no concession to my words. It seemed that Cecily had taken offense at Arwen underestimating the demons. Clearly, Arwen had openly engaged in racial discrimination, and she probably wouldn¡¯t even consider apologizing. She had stayed quiet, but Arwen had pushed her into this.

    However, it wasn¡¯t a personal attack. To retort, she should have targeted the elves, not Arwen individually. Arwen seemed to share a simr sentiment, as she spoke with a slightly choked voice.

    ¡°Is that so? Alright then. I¡¯ll stop attacking the demons as well.¡±

    Following her words, she, just like Cecily had done,unched a personal attack.

    ¡°Fatty.¡±

    ¡°Wh-what?¡±

    ¡°Arwen?¡±

    Cecily, and even I, stared at Arwen in surprise. ¡°Fatty¡± was undoubtedly a word that scorned Cecily¡¯s chest. It was a part that stood out much more than others, making it a vulnerable point for an attack. However, it also raised a question.

    Isn¡¯t having arge chest considered good? Cecily had touched on Arwen¡¯s weakness, but Arwen, instead of getting offended, seemed to take it as apliment. Cecily, initially taken aback,ter caught on, looking embarrassed for a moment before snorting inughter.

    Instead, she confidently responded, emphasizing her already prominent chest even more by clenching her fists.

    ¡°Thank you. Some people don¡¯t even have these lumps of fat. It may be a bit ufortable, but Isaac likes it.¡±

    ¡°Why me?¡±

    ¡°Why. It¡¯s true.¡±

    It is true that it¡¯s true, but I don¡¯t understand why she insists on involving me in this fight.

    ¡°Hmm. Isaac, you can understand too. Men have traditionally preferred women withrge breasts. I¡¯ve read about it in books. Biologically, they are attracted to it because it reminds them of their mother¡¯s embrace.¡±

    Why are you like that again? Even Arwen was nodding seriously, epting it.

    While Cecily was smirking even more, Arwen slowly got up from her seat. I just watch her actions with a puzzled look.

    Then, Arwen ces her hand on her slender waist and sweeps it down, showcasing her superior hips.

    With a dress already exposing her bare side, her actions make it even more detrimental to the heart.

    ¡°Well, how about this? Isn¡¯t it better to have these curves than just having a lot of fat?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about the chest, but I¡¯m confident below. I¡¯ve been praised for my beauty since ancient times.¡±

    Considering Arwen¡¯s standards, it¡¯s been quite a while since ancient times, and if she¡¯s been praised since then, her pelvic line is undoubtedly as overwhelming as Cecily¡¯s chest.

    Cecily, being a demon, boasted exceptional hips and a well-defined lower body, yet she doesn¡¯t quitepare to Arwen. Moreover, due to Arwen¡¯s petite stature, this difference was further emphasized.

    While sitting, I found myself gazing at Arwen¡¯s lower body as if entranced, slowly shifting my gaze upwards. However, this action seemingly embarrassed Arwen, whose flushed face caught my eye.

    Trying not to be obvious about my scrutiny, her efforts to hold back made her even more endearing. Yet, when I looked away, the charm faded entirely.

    One side had the chest, the other, the hips. Truly, it was an unequaled battle between two grand ces.

    <i>¡®¡­Why am Iparing them again?¡¯</i>

    I didn¡¯t know why I wasparing. Whether it was a matter of feminine pride, neither woman yielded an inch.

    Rather than merely watching from afar, it felt like I was adding fuel to the fire.

    ¡°Th-that much I have too! Look!¡±

    In the midst of this, perhaps sensing some urgency, Cecily abruptly stood up, cing her hand on her waist. Following suit, just like Arwen did, she swept her hand downward. While undoubtedly above average,pared to Arwen, she fell slightly short.

    Arwen¡¯s hips were indeed remarkable, but her slim waist madeparisons impossible. Despite her short stature, her proportions, typical of elves, made her anything but small.

    Confirming this, Arwen wore a triumphant expression and, with a bold voice, spoke up.

    ¡°Comparing just that much is rather petty, isn¡¯t it? So, Isaac, which do you think is better?¡±

    ¡°What? Out of the blue?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Isaac, you¡¯ve got a good feel, right? You touch my chest every night.¡±

    ¡°Wait, why are you suddenly saying this to me? This feels like a situation where a shrimp¡¯s back breaks during a whale fight.¡±

    Honestly, her chest was indeed good, but when I see Arwen, my eyes shift to her hips again.There was a saying even in my past life, that when a man sees a woman, he first looks at her hips. It¡¯s some sort of deep-seated gic instinct.

    As I was entertaining these useless thoughts, Arwen seemed to sense something strange and blinked as she asked Cecily.

    ¡°Every night? Touching every night, what kind of talk is that?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    Come to think of it, Arwen had no idea that Cecily and I were having these nightly encounters. I inadvertently revealed an embarrassing truth, but Cecily wasn¡¯t fazed at all. In fact, she seemed to take it as an opportunity, wearing a sly smile, a particr blend of mischief and amusement in her expression.

    ¡°Oh my. Come to think of it, Your Majesty didn¡¯t know. Do you know that Isaac and I are in a rtionship?¡±

    ¡°W-well, I knew about that, but¡­ But, about the nights¡­ No, before that, aren¡¯t you the Princess of Helium? Even if Marie is human, you are¡­¡±

    Arwen alternated her confused, silvery-gray eyes between me and Cecily. In response, I scratched my head, suppressing a wry smile.

    It seemed the grand confrontation¡¯s end would yield results in a different direction.

    ¡°Your Majesty knows, don¡¯t you? In rtionships, it¡¯s natural for things to ze hot like a volcano. Isaac and I are no different, right? At least once every three days.¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    ¡°Me being a princess of Helium? That¡¯s no issue at all. Why? Isaac is the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography. I offered my body to the savior of the demons. What¡¯s the problem?¡±

    In essence, the game was over. The sh between the elves and demons abruptly turned into a battle of hips and chests, resulting in Arwen¡¯s defeat.

    What Cecily wanted to convey was that no matter how much noise she makes, it¡¯s meaningless unless a rtionship is established. It¡¯s meaningless topare if bodies weren¡¯t mingled.

    ¡°So, Your Majesty. No matter how superior your hips are, they mean nothing to Isaac. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    With each sessive attack, did Arwen really dislike losing that much?

    She hesitated slightly, gave me a fleeting nce, then tightly shut her eyes. Her fair skin flushed a deep red, reminiscent of a tomato.

    Subsequently, Arwen mumbled for a moment, then shouted forcefully.

    ¡°This is unfair!¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Arwen?¡±

    Then came Arwen¡¯s next statement¡­

    ¡°Then allow me to engage in an intimate act with Isaac!¡±

    Something was seriously amiss.

    ¡°That way, we can fairlypare!¡±

    It was Elvishmunism.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 242: Invitation (1)

    Chapter 242: Invitation (1)

    As the exams approach, the closer the vacations be. Additionally, my academic workload, which includes submitting exam papers, bes increasingly busy.

    You might ask if submitting exam questions is difficult, but surprisingly, it is challenging. Especially in majors close to liberal arts, like history, most exams require subjective answers, and its not something I can do alone.

    Elena told me to just focus on creating the questions, as grading needs to be fair, and there will inevitably be a lot of differing opinions.

    If it were a multiple-choice problem, I could just roughly prepare the answers, but the academy doesnt work like that. Each professor has their own beliefs and philosophies, so there are no multiple-choice questions; only subjective ones.

    So, I kept pondering repeatedly on how to squeeze out some sort of subjective answer. I need to submit the answers quickly to have more free time for myself.

    But theres always a way the world gets its way with you. Suddenly, I had a good idea and proposed it to Elena.

    What if we just submit the problem from a year ago?

    I was actually thinking about that.

    But why ask me for a favor?

    I was curious about what problem you woulde up with. A bit disappointing.

    One way or another, the test questions were settled casually. Actually, there might not be a better question than asking new students, What is history?

    However, from now on, I really have to submit history questions myself. Since Elena said she would directly submit them for the second-year students, its like Ive been given some substantial free time.

    During this free time, I was writing Volume 19 and researching historical data. Ive been spending my time productively until the vacation approaches.

    This free time also includes invitations to the exhibition. Marie, Cecily, and Rina will definitelye to the estate, and Adelia is my bodyguard, so shell automatically attend.

    However, Leona and Cherry are a bit different. Leona became my woman due to the unique cultural norms of the beastmen, but she has a strong sense of independence.

    So it meant that she wouldnt be able to work part-time throughout the vacation period. Shes always done that until now, so theres no reason this exhibition would be any different.

    Well then, Ill cover everything you need for next semester.

    Ah, even if you say that much

    Including food. How much steak do you want to eat?

    I love you, darling.

    Of course, inviting Leona, who adored steak, wasnt difficult. When I promised to buy her steak for the next semester without any hesitation, Leona pressed her face against my chest.

    It was fortunate that we were alone in the cafe; otherwise, if anyone had seen us, they might have given us a cold stare.

    With her ears perked up, she gave off a vibe of a very affectionate cat. Lions are part of the cat family, so maybe its not that strange.

    Leona often shows her affection by pressing her face against me, regardless of whether its my cheek or chest.

    Just as animals leave their scent, when were alone, Leona tends to engage in physical affection, skin-to-skin.

    There are a lot of delicious things in your territory, right?

    Yeah, there should be plenty. Its Xenons Biography exhibition, after all.

    The more I see you, the more impressive you be. How could Xenons birthce be over there?

    Well, because I am Xenon. By the way, I havent told Leona that I am Xenon yet.

    I should have told her from the beginning, but first, I n to introduce myself to my parents and then tell her.

    Its all because of my father. He has extensive experience not only with Elven reconnaissance units in the border zone but also shes with beastmen.

    Naturally, there might be some reluctance towards beastmen, so its better to seek permission first.

    Given Fathers disposition, hell reluctantly ept, but I have a feeling that I should let him know that Leona is a beastwoman.

    Well, then when do you n on pairing up? Im ready anytime.

    Um this uing vacation might be tough, right?

    Ah, so theres someone who has made prior arrangements?

    Its not really a prior arrangement

    I was at a loss for how to exin this, offering a wry smile. For now, Leona is certain to follow after Adelia.

    However, at this exhibition, its uncertain whether Adelia and I will have our first night together. I want to give her a joyous first night that erases all past traumas, but its not that simple.

    I vowed that even if I were to reveal my true identity as Xenon, I would ensure she chooses me, but shouldnt I also consider others?

    Especially since Marie and Cecily are eagerly anticipating this vacation, there might be a chance for Adelia to intervene.

    <i>She was thrilled when I remembered our anniversary.</i>

    On the exact day marking one year since I started dating Marie, I gifted her a ring adorned with a ruby. It was a fairly expensive ring purchased with the profits from selling Xenon series.

    When I asked my mother about it, she said that noblewomen who like to show off prefer expensive jewelry. In particr, They wear the jewelry given by her beloved every day.

    My mother also always wears the same ring on her left ring finger. However, it turns out that the ring is a marriage anniversary ring that my father obtained by using his retirement money. I was so surprised to hear that.

    Anyway, when I gave her the ring, Marie jumped around happily and confessed her love to me continuously. I, too, was very pleased with her reaction, and my heart became full.

    After that, well you probably know. Despite it being an exam period, her passion for me red dramatically. She even made a nearly runaway statement, saying that we should have a child immediately.

    Luckily, I managed to regain myposure. If not, I might have immediately prepared for a wedding instead of studying for exams.

    Its a bit unexpected. So, it might take some time. Is that okay?

    Whether its okay or not, it doesnt matter. It might be a bit challenging during the mating season, but I can endure it.

    Yeah. Yeah. Thanks for understanding.

    Purrr.

    I stroked her head with sincere words. As I did, Leona purred, rubbing her ear against me.

    Although her tail was hidden behind her pants, I wondered if it would sway if revealed.

    While stroking Leonas head, a sudden thought crossed my mind.

    <i>Come to think of it, I seem to embrace a different girl every vacation, dont I?</i>

    The first summer vacation was with Marie, and thest winter vacation was with Cecily. And though its not confirmed, it seems like this summer vacation will be with Adelia. So, does that mean the next winter vacation will be with Leona? Honestly, I seem to fit the description Nicole mentioned, a trash wandering around and seducing girls.

    <i>Well, what can I do.</i>

    I should consider this my fate. I kept soothing my mind by continuously stroking Leonas soft, fluffy hair. For some reason, it feels addictive. Even in my past life, I tended to enjoy petting cute puppies or cats. After losing my parents in an ident, the only sce I found was in cute dog or animal pictures. I wanted to raise one myself, but circumstances didnt allow it, so I lived somewhat lonely.

    Although Leona isnt an animal but a person, isnt she still a living being? I want to keep feeling this sensation in my hands.

    Purr. Mrrr.

    Do you like it that much?

    Yes. Hubby. Please stroke a little more.

    Its certain. Leona is not a lion but a cat.

    I chuckled and, as she wished, didnt stop stroking her hand. It seems she wants to address me as Hubby.

    <i>I invited Leona too, and the remaining person is</i>

    Cherry, a freshman who has just sprouted the buds of dreams and hopes. I havent proposed going to the exhibition to her yet, but I n to do so soon. However, given her suppressive family environment, there is a possibility that they strongly discouraged her from even dreaming about going to the exhibition.

    Ive counseled Cherry extensively so far. Her family, the Roseberry, boasted an extremely rigid upbringing. Treating people more like robots than fellow humans. Just listening to it makes one feel suffocated.

    Originally, their lineage, well, her grandfathers time, was rtively ordinary, but this particr Roseberry generation, especially after the release of Xenons Biography, became severe. Cherry mentioned this trend intensified significantly after its publication.

    <i>I should meet her in person and talk.</i>

    If possible, Id like to invite Cherry to the exhibition. If thats not feasible, I n to directly send an invitation to her family. If thats not possible either Ill coax her toe secretly. She needs to witness firsthand how Xenons Biography is bing a culture.

    One might call it motivation. The public already spectes her as Xenons disciple. Despite only one volume being out, its gaining significant attention due to its reincarnation theme.

    If Cherrys poprity continues to rise, even her family wont easily interfere. Its the most certain way right now.

    Suddenly

    Huh?!

    Oh. Sorry. I didnt think you would be surprised.

    I was lost in thought for a moment when suddenly I felt a cold sensation on my neck, making me jump in surprise. Simultaneously, Leonas apology followed. Wondering what was going on, I nced down to see her awkwardly smiling with her tongue sticking out.

    It seemed she couldnt resist her instincts and had licked my neck. Its a behaviormonly referred to as grooming. I stared nkly at the giggling Leona and felt a chill down my spine. Meanwhile, she, with a peculiar expression, regained herposure and spoke to me with sparkling golden eyes.

    I thought it would taste simr since the fragrance was so vibrant. But, it seems not. It even seems quite delicious, doesnt it?

    Can I try licking it one more time? You can lick mine too.

    Is that a custom among your kind?

    More of a characteristic of beastmen like lions, tigers, and catfolk rather than beastmen. So, is it okay?

    I almost asked her to lick somewhere else instead of my neck for a moment.

    *****

    The second exhibition at Michelle Territory was about a month away. For humans and certain other species, it might seem like plenty of time, but for those whose lifespans surpass theirs by far, its quite brief.

    Especially for those engaged in the arts, needing to transport their works to Michelle Territory makes the time even shorter. Consequently, most artists have been bustling about long before the exhibition, striving busily to secure a spot and earnestly presenting their pieces.

    And among those passionately striving to exhibit their work was someone

    Does this thing really move?

    Yeah, why would I lie?

    Ains, a dwarf and inventor of the magical engine, who hadmitted to attend this exhibition, was currently showcasing his creation to other dwarfs. At first nce, it appeared to be an ordinary carriage, but distinct differences were noticeable here and there.

    Firstly, the carriage, quite literally, was horseless; no visible mechanism was in ce for the horses. Instead, there were seats for the coachman, and remarkably, seats for guests as well.

    However, one striking feature stood outthe peculiar item hitched at the reara magical engine designed for magical lotives but affixed to the carriage by Ains himself.

    So, was it coal? How far can you go by putting that ck rock in?

    I havent even experimented with that yet.

    You idiot! Without even trying that, youre nning to head straight to the Minerva Empire? Youre out of your mind.

    In response to Ains unclear answer, a dwarf muttered under his breath. Its understandable, as the distance between the Dwarfs realm, Makina, and the Minerva Empire is quite vast.

    While it doesnt require crossing a sea like Alvenheim, traveling bynd would take at least a month, assuming one doesnt walk but uses a carriage. Even with a carriage, it takes a month to cover that distance, and yet, they havent even experimented with the magic carriage.

    Nevertheless, Ains, confidently folding his thick arms, spoke up. His rich brown beard stood out prominently.

    Its possible, thats why Im doing this! Once you ride it, all doubts will vanish. Did you all think I couldnt even create a magical engine?

    Well thats true. But why start with this instead of a magical engine train?

    This is more of an experimental piece. Because of its size, it needs to be constructed on arge scale altogether. The crucial thing is to get it moving, for now.

    That makes sense. So, whats its name? Magic carriage?

    Thats too unimaginative.

    Well, a magical engine train sounds like it has something special, but this one seems tock that something. It sounds like a downgrade.

    The dwarves were already criticizing it without having even heard its name, yet Ains paid no mind.

    He had anticipated such reactions well enough. Especially among dwarves, ones inventions must be handled as preciously as ones own children.

    This principle extends to the name as well. Its crucial to choose a name carefully to avoid bing the subject of ridicule in the future.

    Ains frowned as the dwarves casually assigned names, wagging their tongues, then spoke with his characteristic confident voice.

    Do I look like I dont have such thoughts? Am I not Ains Eitri, the inventor of magical devices?

    Yeah, you seem totally clueless.

    He probably made that thing because hes a thoughtless fool. We can acknowledge his achievements, but hecks thought and is reckless, right?

    Damn bastards. Anyway, the name for this invention is quite simple. No need for any words, it moves only with magical engines!

    If Isaac had witnessed this scene, what would he have thought?

    By its name, the magical car!

    It seems even worse than before?

    Just call it a car.

    Perhaps he would have chuckled softly. It might have been a moment where he considered the Second World War novel more carefully.

    Ignoring the harsh evaluation of the two dwarves, Ains nodded as if he liked it and then pointed with his thumb to the magical car behind him.

    So, want to give it a try? If you guys want, Ill give you the honor of the first ride.

    Well, were bored. Should we give it a shot?

    Why not.

    However, even the inventor Ains had faced apletely unexpected issue.

    But how do we stop this?

    What?

    What? What what! Dammit! Stop it right now!

    He forgot to create the brake. Luckily, it was just before takeoff; otherwise, it would have almost caused the worlds first transportation ident.

    With just one month left until the exhibition.

    This reckless guy. Step aside. We should create a stopping mechanism.

    Lets also include speed conversion here. Whats the maximum speed of this?

    Itll probably be slightly slower than going at maximum speed, right? Whatever we put in, itll eventually convert into mana.

    Hmm. That might be a bit tricky. How about creating a separate mana storage? Store extra mana and if it bes excessive, just discharge it outside.

    Is that okay?

    Culture and religion were converging towards science.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 243: Invitation (2)

    Chapter 243: Invitation (2)

    Inviting Cherry to the exhibition surprisingly proceeded very smoothly, much more easily than expected. Despite hesitating a few times due to the oppressive home environment, she readily epted the proposal.

    The ease of eptance left me rather dumbfounded. When I cautiously inquired if her family was not concerned, a bewildering response came back, leaving me perplexed.

    Seniors proposal is much more important than my family.

    Upon hearing that, a sense of unease prompted me to hastily ask further questions, fearing potential consequences if discovered.

    The subsequent response was truly bewildering. Cherry, with her distinct hazy gaze, blinked slowly and responded with a yful tilt of her head.

    Is there anything scarier than seniors indifference?

    It was a statement that seemed to diverge in various meanings, but she seemed satisfied with just attending the exhibition. It appeared that she had somewhat dealt with the trauma rted to her family.

    I then asked about the progress of the next volume. Apparently, despite loosely attending sses, she diligently wrote as much as she did in the first volume.

    Cherry, like me, had a style of nning the plot in advance and didnt experience dys in her writing pace.

    ording to her, now that a month had passed since the release of the first volume, if shepleted the finishing touches, releasing the second volume was feasible.

    Curious about her new work, I yfully urged her. However, Cherry seemed to take my jests quite seriously.

    How serious was it?

    If I cant keep the promise, Ill cut my wrist.

    No. Theres no need for that.

    No, its your order, Senior. I must absolutely keep it.

    With a resolution not to joke with Cherry in the future, I returned to the amodation. All sses were over, and with the exam period, time was rtively rxed.

    The remaining time was naturally being poured into writing. From volume 17 onwards, especially in volume 19, devils from the Seven Deadly Sins, slowly start to emerge.

    The Wrath, Satan has already been defeated magnificently, so naturally, he wont appear, and the remaining Seven Deadly Sins will gradually make their appearance. However, Pride and Gluttony will be dealt with by Xenon and Jin, respectively, a littleter. They will serve as driving forces for growth for these two characters, so their appearance is inevitable.

    Nevertheless, due humanitys utmost efforts and hardships, theyve established a coalition force. However, the devils are incredibly powerful. Whats even more terrifying about devils are their seemingly endless numbers.

    Even Elvenheim couldnt ovee this quantity and, despite resistance, ended up being pushed back. Moreover, if it hadnt been for the heroic sacrifices of the heroes, Diablo might have resurrected.

    Fortunately, there havent been instances where devils directly attacked while awaiting Diablos resurrection, but its not something that can be left unattended. Here, the Elves who were lost Elvenheim were sharpening their swords. The Elves who lost their home hurriedly fled to the area inhabited by the Dark Elves after the sudden demonic invasion.

    However, the deep-seated conflict between the Elves and Dark Elves, built up over a long time, hasnt diminished. They not only argue among themselves but, particrly, the older generation of Elves shed with the younger generation of Dark Elves.

    This situation was very simr to reality. The older generation of Dark Elves perceive Elvenheim as their ancestral homnd, whereas the younger generation of Dark Elves does not. Conversely, the younger generation of Elves simply heard about the Dark Elves and let it slide, but the older generation of Elves rejected them as heretics.

    Here, the heroine and Elven woman, Mary, steps forward. Mary, having traveled the world with Xenon for a long time, has an open-minded way of thinking.

    In the midst of the parliamentary fumbling, Elvenheim faced destruction right before their eyes. Despite the simmering conflicts exploding and lingering, warriors continued to rampage, insisting on restoring Elvenheim without a proper understanding of the power dynamics.

    The reason for this chaos lies in the absence of a leader among the elves, or more precisely, a cause that can unite them. The elder of the Dark Elves is too feeble, functioning at a day-to-day level, and the Elven Queen remained in a state close to being a pauper. It vividly illustrated the characteristic disunity of the elves at a critical moment, turning it into aplete catastrophe.

    <i>To ovee this</i>

    In times of crisis, a hero is always needed. A sublime existence like the Elven heroes who sacrificed themselves to prevent the resurrection of Diablo. If heroes do not appear where they are needed, it could lead directly to doom. Mary will be such a heroic figure, facing challenges as diverse and tumultuous as those of Xenon.

    Not only will she endure mental anguish, but she will also lose a symbol of the elves one of her ears, in the battle against Lilith.

    <i>Mary is known for her boldbat style for an elf</i>

    Marys personality is vibrant and fiery to the extent that the wordss suits her perfectly. The character who first showcased the legendary Hexopascal Kick is none other than Mary. Strangely, she is not ignorant or reckless. On the contrary, she always maintainsposure during battles, showcasing exceptional intelligence by strategically using magic to turn the tide.

    As for weapons? Mary doesnt need them. She simply pummels her opponents with her fists.

    If Xenons finesse in swordsmanship learned from the master Kyir defines sophistication, then Mary primarily employs techniques acquired over decades of traversing the world.

    Observing Marys battles so far gives a glimpse of her style. Perhaps she might even shatter the fixed notion of a magician.

    Of course, Marysbat style is only possible due to her being an elf, if she were human, she wouldnt even dare attempt it. Humans have to recite even simple spells.

    In fact, Marysbat resembles more that of demons than elves. She knocks foes away like in that pirate manga, using sheer brute force.

    <i>On the other hand, Cecily No, Lillith</i>

    Mary has faced Lillith, one of the Seven Deadly Sins, before.

    Lillith serves as the protagonist Marys rival in various aspects, contrasting in many ways. Firstly, their races differ: Lillith turned into a devil but originally belonged to the demonkind, while, as everyone knows, Mary is an elf.

    Moreover, Lillith has faced a loss of a loved one right before her eyes in the past, while Mary, though inexperienced, continued her path with Xenon.

    Marys discovery of this fact provokes Lillith, leading to Lillith exposing a vulnerability in her rage, resulting in a fatal wound.

    <i>Yet she managed to cut off one of her ears.</i>

    The battle between Mary and Lillithsts for more than three days and nights. As my father said, battles between the mighty arent about whos stronger but a test of endurance and adaptability.

    Assuming equal prowess, the worst case inevitably will happen. Therefore, one must always consider the worst, not the best, and approach battles with that in mind, especially in a fight where ones life is at stake.

    In this aspect, Mary triumphs over Lillith due to her superiority. A significant injury to an elf, symbolizing their identity, is the severing of their ear?

    For Mary, something like an ear is not important; what matters more is the future ahead and the existence of the world. Must she not save the world before marrying Xenon and having a child?

    This mindset bes one of the decisive reasons why Maryter leads the Elven Union, establishing the Elven identity as us, not you or me.

    It might seem somewhat like Elvishmunism, but lets overlook that. Associating Arwen with this would be a mistake.

    <i>And Lillith</i>

    Lilliths end In many ways, it can be considered regrettable. Hearing the news, Xenon rushes to support Mary, whereas Lillith is betrayed by her ownrade.

    The Seven Sins, the betrayer among the elves, known as Pride, Lucifer. Without a hint of hesitation, Lucifer coldly looks down at the dying Lillith and mercilessly ends her life.

    Its absurd enough to kill arade, but what Lucifer utters after killing Lillith is even more absurd. She should have been a nourishment for the devils long ago.

    Amidst all this, whatsmentable is that, just before dying, Lillith called out the name of her former lover. She will be etched into peoples minds as a symbol of tragedy within the demon realm.

    That would be the same for Lucifer, symbolizing Elven arrogance. He doesnt even spare a nce at Xenon and Mary as he departs. Unaware that his choice threatens himself.

    <i>Looks like there will be plenty of anti-fans.</i>

    There are countless clichs where viins kill their subordinates or colleagues. Yet despite being a clich, it still shocks the viewers considerably. Even my past life was like this.

    Why did it have to be this way? Perhaps its a situation where he might even be treated worse than a bastard, maybe as a son of a bitch.

    Its fortunate people dont pay attention to names.

    If people considered names as a kind of prophecy I dont even want to imagine. The name Lucifer isntmon, but that very uniqueness might invite suspicion.

    Even if they were to deny it, it could be seen as an insult to Xenons Biography and lead to a witch hunt. Thats why I canceled the illustration. Temporarily setting aside my diligent writing, my hands gradually became numb, forcing me to put down the magic pen. Everythings fine, but its a pity this worldcks typewriters.

    Considering typewriters were invented at least after the Industrial Revolution, they were far from being avable. Yet, with printing presses around, I wondered why it wasnt feasible, but theres no news about it.

    <i>Ideally, Id like to release it before the exhibition.</i>

    Theres about 20 days left until the vacation and precisely one month until the exhibition. At the current pace, it might be possible, but if it continues like this, my hands wont endure. Ive forced myself to write for a living and had to juggle academics; the hardships were not few.

    Although machines for writing or the magic itself certainly exist, its akin to copying at best. What I need isnt a printer but a typewriter. Then the work speed would be much faster than now. Im confident I could release one volume every fortnight.

    <i>Im just being greedy.</i>

    Lets start by writing something. My goal is to finish writing the 19th volume before the exhibition.

    Knock knock knock

    Just as the tip of my pen touched the manuscript, the sound of someone knocking reached my ears. I lifted my head and nced toward the door.

    There shouldnt be anyoneing at this hour. I thought it might be someone from the academy, so I got up from my seat.

    Yes. Come in.

    Creak

    After a moment, as the door was cautiously opened, I wondered who it could be.

    It wasnt an academy official or Adelia, but Gartz, the guard of Cecily, was standing solemnly at the door.

    A demon with horns curved like sheeps horns, unlike Cecilys. Due to Morras tantrums, Gartz has been visiting Helium more frequently, and Ive been in touch with him often.

    However, it was usually me who called him first, so it was the first time Gartz hade on his own. And he even knocked very politely.

    Mr. Gartz?

    As I wondered if there was any reason for him toe, Gartz, in his characteristic cold voice, spoke.

    Have you been well?

    Despite his cold tone, his manner of politeness towards me was striking. He appeared aloof on the surface, yet somehow possessed a peculiarly warm sentiment.

    While receiving his polite greeting with a nod, I suddenly noticed something in his hands. Entirely ck and rectangr, longer horizontally than vertically. At a nce, it resembled a keyboard from my past life. Just what could it be? Seeing it held by no one else but Gartz only fueled my curiosity.

    Whats that?

    Oh, this? Its a device. I had it made in Helium, thinking it might be helpful for the benefactor.

    For me?

    I raised my head again at the mention that it was made not by Gartz personally but by Helium. It seemed like he hade to deliver it on behalf of Cecily, who was likely busy with exam preparations.

    During that time, Gartz excused himself for a moment and entered the dormitory. Originally, it was forbidden for outsiders, but at this point, it was merely a nominal restriction.

    Afterwards, he looked at the manuscript on the desk and seemed surprised, then began to nce at me. As soon as I confirmed that, I quickly put the manuscript into the desk drawer.

    Upon seeing me put the manuscript in the drawer, Gartz bowed his head apologetically.

    Im sorry. I didnt realize you were busy

    No, no, its okay. By the way, what is that item used for?

    I was not interested in anything else; I was just curious about the nature of the item. Gartz, seeming tense at my question, let out a sigh and ced it on the desk.

    ced on the desk, it really looks like a keyboard. Characters arranged as they are in this world, including special characters

    Hmm?

    Whats this? Its a real keyboard. What in the world have these people created?

    As I stared bewildered at the object resembling a keyboard, Gartz cleared his throat and offered an exnation, his usually cold tone now tinged with an unexpected hint of tension, his voice trembling slightly.

    Like I mentioned earlier, its an invention from Helium, designed to assist benefactors in any way possible. Artisans hailed in Helium dedicated themselves to this creation.

    Firstly, this button is the power switch, which, as the name suggests, turns the device on and off. And if the device is turned on

    Click!

    As soon as I pressed a familiar button, the keyboard(?) emitted a blue light. Honestly, to anyone, this looked like a keyboard.

    Regardless, Gartz, proud in tone, continued his exnation.

    This is how the light appears. Pressing these characters here would disy a message in the air. For instance, if you type my name

    Tap tap tap

    Our guardian knight, Gartz, cautiously typed his name using the famous eagle w technique. Its unbelievable that this same person is referred to as a reaper who deals with peoples lives as if they were nothing.

    However, Gartz was always serious. He nced at his name disyed in the air and nodded once.

    Is there any spare paper?

    Here.

    A sheet of paper was taken out from the drawer and handed over. Gartz then inserted the paper into a small gap beneath the keyboard.

    He pressed a specific button again, and with a whirring noise, the paper wound its way into the keyboard, much like amon copier from a past life.

    And

    Whirrr

    The paper emerged from a gap at the top of the keyboard. Gartzs name, just typed moments ago, was clearly imprinted on it.

    I couldnt help but look bewildered. What I thought was just a simple keyboard turned out to be abination of a keyboard and a printer.

    A fusion of keyboard and printer, truly a product of science and magic. Is this really possible?

    Mr. Gartz.

    Yes, please speak.

    How did you make this?

    To that question, Gartz smiled proudly and answered confidently.

    Its magic. After the benefactor started associating with the princess, the king devised this to assist the benefactor.

    If it ever malfunctions, please let me know anytime. Ille immediately.

    As soon as I heard that, I immediately said to Gartz,

    Do you need any more signatures?

    Hail to the magic.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 244: Typewriter (1)

    Chapter 244: Typewriter (1)

    In this world, writing may resemble English, but the context itself is no different from Korean. The reason I quickly grasped thenguages of this world was that despite thenguages being different, the context remained the same. If you just memorize thenguage, thats the end of it.

    The reason I said that if typewriters were invented, the work speed would double was also because of this. Since the context is the same, I could just type as I imagine, and it would be done.

    Language issue? Once you get used to it, it bes meaningless. Even in my past life, when I typed in English instead of Korean, I struggled a bit, but after adapting, I could use it as naturally as water flowing.

    And that fits perfectly with the current situation. This machine I received from Gartz, could be called a typewriter and a copier. If you turn it on and type, hologram-like characters appear in the air, and if theres paper, you can print those characters.

    A creation specialized in magic and with craftsmanship rivaling dwarves, made only by the demon race, who are adept at both magic and craftsmanship, exclusively for writing.

    Gartz told me to call this machine whatever I wanted. When I asked why I, not the creator, should name it, he said it was solely for me. So, I simply named it Typewriter. It might seem ordinary, as I brought up a name from my past life, but Gartz was pleased. Despite being a simple typewriter, its performance surpasses technology by leaps and bounds.

    Its a piece that could transcend the industrial era and fit right into the modern age, even if its imed to be mixed with magic. Despite that, its performance is unbelievable. Thanks to it, Ivee to realize the potential of magic in this world and what oues the demons might cause if they decide to.

    Especially for something like a typewriter, its akin to giving me wings. Its not an empty statementI can release a book every two weeks while juggling my studies. During breaks, I might write continuously and publish every ten days. After all, until now, Ive been steadily releasing one every month, all handwritten.

    Above all, the best part is being able to upgrade its performance through Gartz. If I express a desire for certain features based on memories from my past life, Gartz would immediately return to Helium and add those functions.

    At first, the keys for numbers were oddly ced, and the backspace was simr. But after various suggestions, a typewriter very simr to my past one was born. Its called a typewriter, but its almost just a keyboard.

    The only downside is the key pressure. They seem to have set the key pressure very low, considering my finger fatigue, but that also means I often press the wrong keys.

    Still, its much better than writing by hand. Its a bit of an indulgence to have that crisp sound, like a mechanical keyboard.

    Nevertheless, the typewriter, born after numerous improvements, has significantly increased my work speed. Ive already typed about half, so Ive used the typewriter for the remaining portion.

    Ta-tatata ta-tata

    The distinct typing noise of the typewriter gradually filled the dormitory. At the same time, the characters Im typing startede lining up in front of my eyes.

    Although this typewriter works on scientific principles, its mostly crafted through magic, so the noise isnt that loud.

    The key feel is just a sensation of pressing, and otherwise, its quite in. Despite improvements based on my advice, it has many shorings as a prototype.

    However, as mentioned earlier, the existence of a typewriter alone is advanced technology. The significant influence of magic, rather than machinery, adds value to the typewriter.

    I happen to be one of the few who can use the typewriter almost as well as an expert. Its like giving wings to a tiger.

    Ding

    Not even five minutes have passed, and Ive already filled a whole page. As soon as I heard the notification that the page was full, I immediately inserted a manuscript into the space below.

    Then, with the characteristic whirring sound of a copier, a sheet of paper came out of the typewriter. Along with a warm feeling, the characters filling the manuscript caught my eye.

    The standard for the pages is strictly based on the manuscript, and if desired, the font size can be reduced.

    <i>Its really convenient.</i>

    I quickly checked for any possible typos on the page and gently ced it on the desk. The desk was already piled high with manuscript paper.

    The typewriters efficacy was impressive, but the most astonishing aspect is its typo inspection feature. Unlike the drawback of having to discard paper in case of a typo in typewriters from my past life, this typewriter uses a holographic format for output, allowing for the removal of characters beforehand.

    There are no issues even after printing. Im not sure how copying works, but it erases cleanly with a remover. Of course, it wont disappear after five minutes, just like before, but even five minutes are enough. Its an item Ill consider a lifelong treasure.

    This led me to receive an improved typewriter as a gift, and in just five days or so, maybe due to excessive excitement or joy, Ivepleted all of the 19th volume.

    Finally, I havent forgotten to meticulously check for typos and, after confirming, I ced it in an envelope for mailing.

    Ah, I didnt forget to include a handwritten letter before cing it inside. While I started writing it by hand until halfway through, suddenly it changed to neat handwriting, so I needed to exin the situation.

    And though I might not do that for other things, I n to consistently write the letters by hand as a matter of etiquette. This might be a kind of sentimentality.

    <i>Now that things have turned out this way, should I try writing the 20th volume?</i>

    For some reason, I feel like writing more. Leaning back against the chair, I stretched and looked toward the typewriter.

    When writing by hand, I had to stop due to fatigue, but since I started using the typewriter, Ive wanted to continue writing.

    It didnt have the same satisfying feeling as using a keyboard from my past life, but its its own type of a sensation, if I should call it that. Anyway, that feeling was really nice.

    In the past 5 days, I couldnt think of anything except wanting to use a typewriter quickly. When that thought merged with my concentration, I managed to fill more than half the content in just 5 days andpleted the 19th volume.

    Ive also outlined the plots for the 20th volume, so its just a matter of typing it out. I blinked my eyes and reached out both hands.

    <i>I should aim to release the 20th volume before the exhibition.</i>

    Theres nothing urgent to do right now, and it doesnt hurt to prepare in advance. It might even garner more sacredness, so its beneficial.

    Moreover, among the stories I wanted to write, one of the reasons is the proper appearance of Jins father, Belzebub, who governs gluttony.

    Furthermore, the demon country briefly mentioned in Volume 5 will also appear. Its name is Pandem, and it will be based on real-life Helium.

    <i>Originally, I intended to depict it somewhat mncholically, but</i>

    Whether from the time of Rains punishment or when I visited during winter vacation, Helium was a ce where the scent of people lingered strongly. Its not at all like a crime-ridden city or a chaotic mess, but rather, most people there move forward into the future with happy smiles.

    The food might deviate slightly from my taste, but that was their culture, so I can understand it well enough.

    <i>Bringing such a city into confusion feels a bit daunting, but</i>

    The 20th volume involves Jin and Lilly going directly to Pandem to meet the king. However, the situation in Pandem isnt particrly favorable.

    The number of disappearances among demons was increasing due to the tricks yed by Belzebub, who already had an insatiable appetite.

    The reason for the demons disappearances was quite simple. It was to increase Belzebubs own power. Belzebub had a characteristic of absorbing strength, quite fitting for the sin of gluttony, and the process was simple yet horrific. By devouring the heart of their opponent, the power would bepletely assimted and be their own. Throughout history, the heart has been the foundation of power, making this entirely usible.

    <i>However, this isnt the crucial point.</i>

    In truth, the disappearances urring in Pandem were nothing but a smokescreen. Belzebub had grander ns than this. It involved turning all demons living in Pandem into devils.

    Kidnapping demons to stockpile power was also part of the n. Belzebub wasnt merely turning demons into monsters like a Lilith; they were inherently evil from their origins. Naturally, ck mana was impure and exceedingly corrupt and vile. To spread this like a gue throughout all of Pandem was a dreadful n.

    No matter how many generations pass or how much help they receive from gods, the origin of demons is that of the devils. Theres always the risk of turning into one at any time.

    Demons be devils only when they experience tragedies like despair or sadness, but they also turn into devils when they absorb thick darkness, as in the case of Sakran.

    Once key figures noticed this n, they immediately remembered Sakran and swiftly took action to thwart it. While they wished to seek help from Xenon and Mary in their hearts, the n had already been set in motion a long time ago.

    Belzebub goes so far as to block all externalmunication and even disable teleportation, showcasing a cunning level of prevention. In the end, the main story of volume 20 is about Jin and Lily working tirelessly to stop it.

    <i>Wow. Have I written this much already?</i>

    I paused briefly for a break, but the manuscript was already piling up. My hands werent even tired. Is this the power of machinery? At this pace, it might actually be possible to produce one book every two weeks.

    I was marveling at the addictive performance of the typewriter Helium had specially made for me when a thought struck me. They went through the trouble of making this typewriter for me; shouldnt I do something for them in return?

    By the way, I handed a signed copy to Gartz. Not just one book, but all the books from the first to the present. I vividly remember how happy he was when he received the signed copies. But that was a personal gift for Gartz, not a gift for Helium.

    So, what would be a good gift? Since they invented a typewriter for me, I should give them something in kind.

    After much thought, a good idea came to me. Just like writing the Kayr side story, I should write a Jin and Lily side story. Its been mentioned so far, but the detailed reason why they fell in love with each other hasnt been exined.

    There are few stories about love between a human and an elf, but there wasnt one with a demon. Frankly, while they might not show it outwardly, they might secretly feel disappointed.

    <i>Do I release the side story after the 20th volume? Or should it be released together with it?</i>

    At the conclusion of the 20th volume,

    <i>I might just receive endless criticism</i>

    As soon as Jin hears the secret of his birth from Belzebub, he gets stabbed through his heart.

    *****

    Due to the fear of potential aftermath, I had to momentarily put it aside. I thought I should ask Cecily about it first. So, the next day, as soon as it became possible, I found Cecily and asked her a question. I really liked the typewriter and I wanted to reciprocate to Helium.

    I asked if there was anything else she needed apart from my writing, which I am best at. Cecily seemed to ponder deeply and said.

    There is one way.

    What is it?

    Cecily smiled slyly at my question and replied in her characteristic teasing voice.

    You just have to stop taking birth control whenever were together for about two months.

    Upon hearing that, I immediately raised my gaze to check her horns. Somehow, except for the tips, they were already tinged with red.

    Im scheduled as the next Demon Lord, so I have an obligation to bear offspring. It wont be a problem if its slightly elerated. Besides, its Isaacs child, right?

    Lets discuss thister.

    Sheesh.

    Cecily genuinely felt disappointed.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 245: Typewriter (2)

    Chapter 245: Typewriter (2)

    The news that the publishers CEO, Musk, intends to purchase a temple might already be known to you. He nned to merge the temple and the publishing house, not as a joke but for the safety of himself and his employees.

    Although he is a money-driven individual who even engages in tax evasion, surprisingly, his principles are firmly grounded. Moreover, considering the era, tax evasion can be a forgivable offense with the right bribes paid to those in authority.

    If this were within the royal court, Musks head would have rolled long ago. However, he holds a formidable shield named Xenons Biography that protects him. Its challenging to touch him, even if one desires to.

    If Musk had been blinded by money and indulged in all sorts of viiny, Isaac would have severed ties immediately. However, Musk wasnt someone who went that far.

    Instead, he invested in the printing press to enhance the spread of the Xenons Biography and amassed a fortune akin to nobility.

    Yet, after being attacked by devil worshippers, he realized one thing  thats the value of life.

    No matter how much money one has, losing ones life renders it all meaningless. Musks truth, his enlightenment, was realized only after narrowly escaping death, from the brink of a fatal crisis.

    Did he only think about his own safety? Thats not true. Since establishing the publishingpany, he has also been concerned about the employees who have experienced various hardships.

    Even though those concerns wereing from a somewhat selfish direction. Its much better now to invest heavily in hiring and nurturing new employees than to do soter.

    Money can solve many things, but time is hard to buy. Especially considering the uproar that would ur if Xenons Biography was to continue toe out, experienced employees were not just a choice but a necessity.

    So, the proposal to buy a temple with money, though it seems absurd, turned out to be eptable.

    The publishingpany, which made a contract with Xenon, who saved the world from the threat of devils, hoped that Luminous would also approve.

    Matthew and the other employees initially looked at Musk with a disdainful expression, but after careful consideration, they all agreed because every word he said was true.

    However, even Musk, unexpected variables were present.

    You mean its not possible?

    Unfortunately, thats correct. While we would like to build a temple ording to Musks request, it seems difficult due to the scrutiny of other denominations.

    That was none other than the existence of denominations other than Luminous. Musks n itself might seem absurd to anyone, but it was brilliant enough to warrant the term genius.

    However, in worldly affairs, there are countless variables. In this world, besides Luminous, there are other gods.

    Most humans worship Luminous, but there are countries like Helium that adopt Mora as their national religion, and Makina and Animers worship Harte.

    Finally, Alvenheim is currently divided by ethnic groups, but all three religions are worshiped there. This is practically a very difficult matter.

    If Xenons Biography is released within the Luminous Temple, other religions will inevitably oppose it. Especially since Xenons Biography is about the redemption of devils, it will cause a stir in Helium.

    This situation was not Isaacs decision but Musks arbitrary act, and the aftermath that wille back will be so huge that an individual cannot bear it. Even if the Minerva Empire were to protect him, it would still be burdensome.

    Its not an exaggeration; this carries the risk of escting into a religious war. Dealing with matters involving religion always requires considering the worst-case scenario.

    In this situation, Musk couldnt help but feel awkward. Its undeniably a genius idea, but there were many practical problems.

    Even if the number of believers in the Luminous isrge, the situation will be reversed if the other two religions unite. Above all, Xavier now has to raise the tarnished reputation due to devil worshipers. It might end up being a finger-pointing game for the overly ambitious.

    For safety, purchasing the temple with capital seemed to be the right answer, but paradoxically, it was very difficult because the reputation of Xenons Biography had soared to the heavens.

    Is there no other way then?

    Considering it a sure investment for the future, Musk had no intention of giving up on purchasing the temple. So, once again, he sought permission from the Archbishop of the Luminous Church sitting across from him.

    The archbishop, after hearing his question, smiled as if amused and shook his head slowly. Although he wanted to approve in his heart, this is a matter that could lead to a major conflict between religions.

    Still, just one thing. Its not entirely impossible. Its just that the feasibility is extremely low.

    The archbishop, looking at Musk who seemed in a hurry like an eager puppy, spoke in a polite tone.

    While its close to being nearly impossible, there is one possibility.

    W-what is that? Can you tell me?

    I repeat, its almost impossible. Erecting the temple for not only Luminous but also Mora, and finally Harte. Its a daunting task.

    The archbishop advised Musk to fairly acquire the temples of each denomination to prevent conflicts anywhere.

    Purchasing not just one but all three temples of different denominations? Was this some kind of joke?

    Even acquiring just the Luminouss temple alone required an enormous amount of funds, a situation Musk found utterly impossible.

    Initially, it was doubtful if other denominations would readily build temples. To construct a temple, a person of at least the rank of an Archbishop had to personally oversee it.

    If even the Luminous Church was a struggle, how would other denominations go? Despite Musk having considerable connections, they didnt extend that far.

    It simply means its impossible.

    Thats correct. Im aware of your circumstances, but this is about Xenons Biography We can, for now, dispatch a pdin from our denomination.

    Alright I understand. Thank you for taking the time, even though Im sure youre very busy.

    In the end, establishing a temple of Luminous and the publishing house had to be temporarily suspended. It is best to seek protection from the pdins under the Archbishop.

    After sending the Archbishop away, Musk pondered for a while. The silence settled in his now-empty office.

    How can one ensure their own and their friends safety? Even trusting the pdins in the church, where a Cardinal himself was suspected of devil worship, seemed difficult. Furthermore, werent the mercenaries he hiredst time also devil worshippers? It was a moment when he vividly realized that things in the world dont always go as one desires.

    <i>Somehow, I have to convince Mora and Harte Churches </i>

    The more he thought about the problem of bing too famous, the more he felt a bitterugh welling up.

    Xenons Biography being treated as a scripture or prophecy? Such matters held no relevance to Musk. It was merely a means to make money.

    For Musk, Xenons Biography wasnt a golden goose but a diamond-encrusted one, and even that goose was being embraced by the world.

    What should I do

    He was in the midst of repeating his concerns while endlessly staring at the ceiling.

    Knock knock

    Boss, its Matthew. May Ie in?

    Matthew, who is both a faithful secretary and somewhat of a wage thief, hade. Of course, calling him a wage thief was half in jest, as he was as diligent in his duties as he was in receiving his pay.

    And Matthew showing up meant something had happened. Musk, with the intention of addressing the current issue first, straightened up with resolve.

    Come in.

    Creak

    As Musks permission was granted, the office door opened, revealing Matthew.

    Lately, he seemed sleep-deprived, with deep dark circles under his eyes. Musks expression turned puzzled upon seeing this.

    Already weary-looking, today he appeared even more exhausted. What could have happened?

    Why the weary face? Didnt get enough sleep?

    Boss, if I dont even know where those guys stuffing knives into your belly are, shouldnt I be worried? Every day, Im on edge, wont

    Musk seemed to grasp the situation roughly. His expression hardened in an instant.

    Just because Matthew hasnt been attacked by devil worshippers and wasnt directly involved didnt mean he could dismiss the matter. This applied to Matthew and any other employee.

    If this unease among the staff continued, it would inevitably affect thepanys revenue. If even an ountant were to leave the thought was dreadful.

    Musk, assuming a serious hemorrhage, asked Matthew a question.

    Putting that aside, what brings you here this time?

    Its about the manuscript for Xenons Biography Volume 19. Its arrived.

    What? Already?

    Elon Musks eyes widened at the news conveyed by Matthew. The 18th volume of the manuscript arrived just a fortnight ago, yet there was already a new one here.

    What sort of magic has been cast to make them arrive so soon? Even producing one book per month is a terrifyingly fast pace of work. A typical writer might release one book every two months. Of course, Xenons Biography is as easy to read as it is rtively easy to write.

    However, the inexplicable pace remains unchanged. Musk, with a bewildered expression, received the manuscript from Matthew.

    Ripping open the envelope and peering inside, thick sheets of manuscript paper met the eye, along with an apanying letter. Musk, before reading the manuscript, started with the letter. Upon seeing the distinct elegant handwriting and the signature written in Hangul, it was certain it was from Xenon (Isaac).

    [Hello, Mr. Musk. This is Xenon. I believe you must have been quite surprised to receive the manuscript in such a short time. The reason being a gift I received from the demons I have been acquainted with, which greatly enhanced my writing speed.]

    The contents of the letter were roughly as such: originally having a connection with demons, Xenon received a gift from them, significantly elerating the writing pace. While initially publishing a new book every one or two months, Xenon now anticipates sending manuscripts every fortnight or ten days.

    I have no idea what kind of gift this is, but it was enough to make Musk feel like dancing with joy.

    However, its not without its side effects. As time passes, the demand for Xenons Biography was increasing.

    The printing press was running at full capacity, yet the supply was far from sufficient. Moreover, incidents of crimes like hoarding were gradually increasing, causing considerable concern.

    <i>What kind of gift could this be?</i>

    Musk momentarily set the letter aside and checked the manuscript. Initially, it was written only in Isaacs elegant handwriting, making it difficult to spot any differences.

    But as he turned past the middle of the manuscript, it became clear what those differences were. Like a book printed at a press, every character was typeset rather than handwritten, precise and orderly.

    It seemed that the item gifted by the demons had a deep connection with typesetting. If he had read the manuscript first, he might have misunderstood it was made in another publishing house.

    [I am considering writing a side story out of a desire to respond to fans. The side story would delve into the past of Jin and Lily, who are currently beloved by many readers. As its a side story for the demons, it seems Ill focus more on Jin.

    Following the Kyer side story, a Jin-Lily side story. Already, the sound of money piling up resounded in his ears.

    The Kyer side story depicted tragedy due to differences in lifespan, but wouldnt Jin and Lily be somewhat different? In the main story, Jin and Lily never confessed, but they were no different from lovers.

    At this, the CEO quickly calcted in his mind. This will sell incredibly well. Especially among the Helium enthusiasts.

    [If possible, I would like the spin-off to be sold first in Helium. Its my small gift to them, conveying my gratitude.]

    Even this kind of consideration was there. The wailing sound of demons who consider Xenons Biography as a grace of God could already be heard from here.

    [I would like to express my gratitude once again to the demon who gave me the gift. Naturally, I wont reveal who the demon is, but I would like to convey my thanks through this letter. Oh, and Mr. Musk, if you wish, you can release it at your convenience. ording to the news, it seems that the supply is having difficulty keeping up with the demand. Mr. Musk, feel free to do it your way.]

    Wow

    Why is this person so kind? Musk let out a sigh of admiration upon seeing the content that neatly scratched the itch.

    But that doesnt mean Ill do it every month. Until a little while ago, I was worried that the supply wouldnt meet the demand, but even though I dont know what the gift is, Isaacs work speed has increased several times.

    Buying not just Luminous but also Mora, even the temple of Harte. If new volumes are released every two weeks or ten days, its not entirely impossible.

    After reading the letter, Musk gently put it down and looked at Matthew. Matthew still seemed to be struggling with fatigue, rubbing his eyes.

    Youve worked hard, Matthew. If youre tired, you can leave now.

    Thank you. Oh, by the way, have you heard the rumor?

    What rumor?

    Im not entirely sure as Ive just heard it, but theres a mention of the Michelle Estate.

    Of course, I know.

    Xenon was born there. Moreover, an exhibition is scheduled to be held there soon. Matthew spoke quietly with a tired voice.

    They say that Luminouss temple will be erected there. I heard that Grand Inquisitor Kate personally brought in the manpower.

    Hmm? What does that mean?

    I dont know either. Its the ce where Xenon was born, so they might consider it a sacred ce or something. Im not sure. I just heard the stories being passed around.

    Hmm.

    Musk listened to his words and fell into thought. Theres no baseless rumor in this world. Most likely, that rumor is ten to eight true.

    Although Musk has never personally met Grand Inquisitor Kate, its said that her devotion is close to madness. Of course, this is also a rumor.

    Making Xenons birthce a sacred ce is justification enough. He had revealed the existence of devil worshippers who had been gnawing at the world and had even brought retribution upon a corrupt cardinal.

    <i>Wait a moment.</i>

    Would the demons, or rather, the followers of Mora, just stand by and watch?

    Since they consider Xenons Biography as a relic and his birthce as their means of salvation?

    Religion is sometimes something that transcends races and has a unique rivalry.

    The rumor is circting that the Luminous Church is raising funds to build a temple in the Michelle Territory, but there is now prohibiting the Mora Church from doing the same.

    <i>This is it!</i>

    A vivid spark shed through Musks mind in an instant. His brain, which worked unnecessarily well in these situations, manifested.

    In this case, there were various risks to bear, and it would require consultation with Xenon. However, the probability seemed higher than what the Archbishop had mentioned.

    After careful consideration, Musk chuckled and casually asked Matthew.

    Look at this, Matthew.

    Why are you calling me?

    Could you find out how many of our employees have families? Specifically, those who havent separated or started families.

    Why is that?

    Musk responded promptly to Matthews question.

    We might have to relocate thepany.

    ?

    What is this guy up to now? Strong suspicion took hold in Matthews gaze.

    *****

    A few days passed.

    [Helium Side: We also n to build a Moras temple in the Michelle Territory.

    ?

    Isaac, eating bread in the dormitory, received news that made him doubt his own eyes.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 246: Book 19 (1)

    Chapter 246: Book 19 (1)

    The contents of Volume 19 focus on the heroine Mary and the conflict between the elves and dark elves, with battles involving Lilith also being significant. From the early stages, there is mutual distrust between the two races, leading to asional conflicts.

    Dark elves look down on elves as wretches who couldnt even protect their homnd, while elves insult dark elves, calling them heretics who mutted their ears.

    However, there is a high possibility that this situation might change if the two races reconcile. As mentioned before, the differences in culture that emerged between the two races after the dark elves separated from Alfheim are a significant factor.

    Especially, elves have a deeply ingrained culture rted to gods in their daily lives. For example, there is a cultural belief that values elongated ears more than life itself tomunicate with the gods. Considering that cutting ears is one of the worst punishments in Alfheim, the significance of ears can be understood.

    On the other hand, dark elves were expelled in the past due to their fanatical devotion to gods. Witnessing the rejection and developing a strong hatred towards ears, they adopted the practice of cutting their own ears.

    As a result, mutual trust wascking between the two races. Even though elves sought refuge after Alfheim was upied, cohabitation was uneasy, especially considering the unpredictability of conflicts due to the elves belief in being a chosen race by the gods.

    The early story of Volume 19 describes the events that would unfold if the elves and dark elves were to unite for some reason.

    [If different cultures blend without any preparation, such phenomena will ur.]

    [Should elves and dark elves be regarded as different races, or should they be treated as one race?]

    [Just as there are numerous ethnicities and cultures among humans, its evident that there are distinct elven races.]

    Due to the clear demonstration of how cultural differences can cause significant repercussions, it garnered the attention of many.

    In fact, Arwen was making efforts to win over the dark elves, and although it ended in failure, her support for Rain was also based on this.

    And just like Arwen, who tried to reconcile the two races, Mary in Xenons Biography was also putting in various efforts.

    [If it werent for the sacrifice of their two heroes, the situation would have been much worse.]

    [Are their sacrifices truly meaningless?]

    As assessed above, if it werent for the sacrifice of the elven heroes who oxidized along with the World Tree through their fusion, the situation would have escted to the worst possible oue.

    In essence, their sacrifice hinted at the possibility of the eventual merger of elves and dark elves, but no one knows when that might happen. With the current scenario of the older generation of elves and the new generation of dark elves at odds and in turmoil, reconciliation seems far-fetched, considering the ongoing civil war.

    One somewhat fortunate aspect is that through this series of events, elves were gradually moving away from the strict totalitarianism they once held onto.

    [Only elves are capable of casting magic through physical means.]

    [Seemingly crude, but it will prove immensely effective inbat.]

    [A newbat style that shatters themon notion that magic requires incantations.]

    Marysbat techniques disyed during the battle with Lillith attracted a lot of interest. In this world, even the sorcerers had some biases, namely the belief that magic could only be unleashed by chanting spells.

    Therefore, Marysbat techniques were seen by humans as not just innovative but almost revolutionary. However, this was a bias unique to humans; the elves, who could use magic almost effortlessly, had a slightly different perspective.

    [A method capable of emitting extreme efficiency.]

    [Treating ones body as a form of calction?]

    [It holds significant research value but could be risky.]

    Despite the perceived risk, many attempted to replicate it. Magic originally manifests as an ability through a form of calction. However, Mary applied that calction to movement, which, from the perspective of an elf, was a theory intriguing enough to capture attention.

    Hence, for the very basics of magic, like casting a fireball, calctions are necessary, regardless of whether one is an elf or a demon.

    But to associate that form with a specific movement, releasing a fiery fist akin to a pyrokic from a certain pirate manga, naturally drew interest. If this theory were further developed, it could supposedly summon lightning bolts with a flick of the finger in a clear sky or conjure up a snowstorm.

    [What is the name of this theory?]

    [Yggdrasil of Alvenheim. Lets designate the theorys name as Memorize. However, if Xenones up with a more definitive name, Ill change it ordingly.]

    [Given that its a theory Xenon revealed, it should undoubtedly be achievable.]

    No, I havent thought that far. What are these people trying to do again? Now there are people trying not just to imitate but to actualize thebat techniques from Xenons Biography.

    Whats frightening is that these people arent human; theyre elves. Elves, the origin of magic, who boasted of a magic history longer than demons.

    In other words, if they set their minds to it, it might be possible. In the book, it was just abat technique Mary made because she was annoyed with casting, but now theyre determined to apply it in reality.

    <i>Just because theyre elves.</i>

    This ce was, from the start, a fantasy world. There are countless things beyond themon sense of my previous life, so lets just ept and move on.

    [Even Lilith ultimately was just a demon who couldnt forget her beloved. Her end was tragically fitting for a demon.]

    [To live without forgetting. The truth about Lilith is finally revealed.]

    [If Jin had lost Lily, he would have been no different from Lilith.]

    [In reality, there are countless cases like this. Demons turned into devils, the unfortunate products of their environment.]

    The fight between Mary and Lilith was just a fight, but Liliths ultimate fate deeply resonated within the readers minds.

    Already drawing attention due to the setting of being a devil-turned-demon, the focus intensified as the past was vaguely revealed, earning a gaze of sympathy.

    It was a clichmonly seen in my past life: This guy was also a pitiable one, vividly portrayed in Lilys case, is an example also illustrating the tragedy of the demons.

    Amon evaluation was that if Jin loses Lily, he would be no different from Lilith. The sympathy towards demons has also increased, as it was an urrence often observed in reality as well.

    This assessment was very satisfying as expected. Although imitating Marysbat style was a bit surprising.

    [Pride, Lucifers appearance is short but simultaneously very intense. How does his conduct, fitting for arrogance, unfold?]

    [Its wrong to treatrades simply as chess pieces.]

    [What kind of fate will he face?]

    The appearance of Lucifer, who murdered Lilith, left a strong impact. Being an elf in addition to being part of the Seven Deadly Sins by killing arade, there was considerable interest.

    Moreover, having mercilessly killed Lilith, who had just begun to rise with the revtion of her past, he was now receiving a torrent of curses. Wishing for him to meet a dreadful end, hoping for him to plead for mercy soon, and so on.

    From the beginning, he has umted numerous anti-fans, and elves even made hard statements, perhaps there might be sparks flying at Alvenheim. No matter how arrogant elves may be, they are not at this level of trash.

    [At the end of the fierce battle with Lilith, Mary lost one of her ears. However, it will remain as a symbol.]

    [Marys actions carry a message of us, not just you and me. It is very simr to the current Alvenheim, which suffered from chaos during the mixed-race conflict.]

    [Is the fusion of elves and dark elves possible in reality?]

    The 19th volume can be considered sessful except for the attempt to realize Marysbat techniques.

    What about Lee Wae-jin? I just gave up on that. Even if I made a mess, people would cheer or even worship, but I had to give up. There is something more important now than Lee Wae-jin.

    [Helium Side: We also n to build a Moras temple in the Michelle Territory.

    ?

    I was leisurely eating bread in the dormitory when I was struck by unexpected lightning. What kind of nonsense is this again?

    No matter how many times I read it, the unbelievable news about building a temple in the Michelle Territory by Helium stood out.

    No. Why?

    Even though I received a typewriter as a gift and promised to write a side story in return, why would they go this far? Could it be that demons understand give and take in a different way?

    If it were a simple device like a teleportation facility rather than a temple, it would be understandable. However, its not an ordinary facility; its a temple.

    Unlike in my past life, temples cannot be built just by people gathering together and working swiftly.

    It not only unmistakably houses the sacred energy but is also the sole architecture capable of direct interaction with the gods. From the very conditions required to erect a temple, its a painstaking process.

    Firstly, one must consider if the area is densely popted by people; you might call it cost-effectiveness. If it were a region inherently potent with sacred energy from the start, the story would be different. However, the Michelle Region has only just begun its surge in development.

    While its close to the capital and towns, its unsuitable for temple construction, even for gratitudes sake, given the immense scale. I heard that the Luminous Church mandates a minimum number of high-ranking clergy to oversee the construction of a temple. It seems Moras Church operates simrly.

    <i>Cecily must be aware of this fact, right?</i>

    As I realized the situation was unfolding unexpectedly, I found myself scratching my head in perplexity.

    Most humans venerate the Luminous, but not everyone does. Nheless, its incredibly challenging to find Moras shrine in human society. Moreover, the Michelle Region is externally known as the birthce of Xenon. If Moras shrine were to be erected, naturally, there would be resistance from both the Luminous and Harte sides.

    [ording to thetest reports, under the supervision and management of Grand Inquisitor Kate, a Luminouss templeis under construction in the Michelle Region]

    [If this happens, both the Luminous and Moras temples will stand in the Michelle Region simultaneously. Only Hartes temple remains.]

    [Harte, the goddess of life and nature, unlike the twin gods, doesnt require a separate temple. Nature itself embodies Harte.]

    [If a ceremony is conducted for the goddess Harte in the Michelle Region, it will truly be the fabled Temple of All Gods.]

    No need for that! No wonder Kate didnte to the academy but instead made her way to our territory.

    It seems that there hasnt been any separate news because she went to my territory to build a temple. My parents probably didnt send me letters to avoid burdening me. Moreover, with the recent birth of Lily, they probably had even less time to pay attention to me.

    Well, now it makes sense.

    I nodded with a relieved expression. Actually, whether it makes sense or not, I dont know. Lets just give up understanding. As I mentioned before, it seems like Ive reached the point of where they would get excited even if I poop. Theyre building a temple without even asking for my opinion.

    But thinking about it calmly, our territory would be the safest area in the world under the protection of the gods. Even with just one temple, it would be a ce where devil worshippers wouldnt be able to act out. And now with Mora and Harte, its even better.

    Oh, by the way, since Harte is the goddess of life and nature, you dont need to build a separate temple; you just need to perform a ritual. Harte was closely rted to rituals, especially those involving magic.

    Instead of a temple, all you need is an altar or something like a totem. However, since it needs to be imbued with divine power, a shaman was essential. As for inviting a shaman, well figure it out yourself. I dont know.

    Sigh

    I let out a sighden with various meanings and flopped onto the bed. Now, I dont even know what I should do. The news mentioned that thanks to the gifts from the demons, my work speed had improved, but surprisingly, there was no word from the elves side.

    Thats what makes it scarier. What are they nning that theyre not saying anything about? Simr to this, theres Animers. The reason Animers had been quiet for a while was due to political reasons.

    Wouldnt Alvenheim be somewhat simr?

    <i>What kind of gift are the elves preparing? </i>

    Really, its not just empty words; Im genuinely excited, to the point where I might not even sleep due to anticipation.

    *****

    The Council Hall was not just a ce where the king met his courtiers or exchanged opinions, but since Arwens reign, it had taken on a broader range. It meant that evenmon folk coulde if the matter was important, not just the courtiers. In other words, it allowed for a closer hearing of the voices of the people.

    The situation now: a multitude of elves were respectfully kneeling and disying proper etiquette in front of the throne where Arwen was seated.

    So, do we also need to offer something?

    That is our suggestion. To present an unparalleled gift, iming we cannot be defeated by the likes of demons.

    Hmm. I concur with that sentiment. So, what kind of gift do the people wish to offer?

    Arwen listened to the delegations story that entered the hall to make a request. It was truly unsettling to hear the news.

    Thanks to the gift delivered by the demons, there was a significant improvement in Xenons work speed, news that scratched the pride of the Elven magic users. It was more than enough to unsettle Arwen, especially considering the recent dispute with Cecily.

    Just at that moment when she was contemting what gift to give, the people acted on their own without any specific orders.

    The demons have enhanced the speed of Xenons work, so I believe an appropriate gift is due.

    That is only natural.

    So I dare to suggest. Its something only our queen, the sole link to Xenon, can do.

    What could it be that they emphasized dare with such insistence? Curiosity and anticipation froze in Arwens gray eyes.

    Then, representing the masses, an elf stood tall, facing Arwen squarely, speaking confidently.

    Our queen and the symbol of Alvenheim. We will present Queen Arwen to Xenon as a gift.

    What?

    Did I hear it wrong? Arwen blinked her silver-gray eyes twice upon hearing his words before replying.

    For a moment, she was confused whether it was a statement or a joke, but the determination in the elfs eyes as he spoke was resolute.

    This only added to her confusion. Even without going far, there was the dew of the World Tree, the essence of the elixir, so why would she present herself as a gift?

    It didnt make sense to Arwen at all, and she found herself unable to say anything. In the midst of her silence, the spokesperson spoke with a dignified voice.

    The true entity that can be called ours is none other than the Queen herself. Presenting the Queen is no different from presenting our entire elven kind. Its a worthy gift for the benefactor who saved us from the contamination of the World Tree, iparable to any gifts from demons.

    What about my opinion? I almost asked but held it back. Initially startled, she gradually swayed in their favor.

    Well, theres nothing to be done about it. Could there be a king who refuses when the people want this? Isaac might find it absurd, but he would ept it on the surface, at least.

    Furthermore, through that opinion, she came to know how the people currently perceived her. Alvenheim would never abandon her, that was certain. Stories about elves that surfaced during Xenons Biography and the things Fieren shouted made an intense synergy.

    Of course, she herself would never abandon Alvenheim. She was someone who wielded power for the sake of ideals rather than greed for power.

    Arwen scrutinized their expressions one by one, then coughed softly and reluctantly responded in agreement.

    Theres merit in it. I shall consider it.

    Another remark then followed.

    This isnt for me but for our elven kind.

    The elvishmunism seeped in steadily.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 247: Book 19 (2)

    Chapter 247: Book 19 (2)

    At the same time the 19th volume was released, rumors spread about a new temple being erected on Michelle territory. Even those who didnt subscribe to the newspaper would have caught wind of it through the grapevine. In other words, acquaintances who know my true identity are aware that Ive received the gift from the demons.

    Cecily knows the nature of the gift, so she overlooked it. The rest of the people, however, were left wondering what kind of gift I received that drastically improved my work speed, considering they were used to me releasing a new volume once a month, but now I could manage one every two weeks or even ten days.

    Therefore, I arranged a meeting to show them the typewriter. Since I had finished all my exams, having a gathering after such a long time wasnt an issue. Oh, of course, I couldnt openly carry the typewriter around, so I enlisted Cecilys help. Cecily had be closer to me since the reincarnation remark from Arwen thest time, but after the release of the 19th volume, it felt like we had grown even closer.

    It seemed different from mere misunderstanding; even the gaze had changed. It felt like the expression of her affection had intensified, perhaps as the evil cycle approached.

    Anyway, with Cecilys assistance, I arrived at the caf where my acquaintances were waiting. Since the exams were almost over, I could afford to take a little breather.

    Is this it?

    Yeah.

    It looks fascinating.

    Let me show you the typewriter first. Marie opened her eyes wide, scanning here and there with a sense of wonder and curiosity in her blue eyes, like a child discovering a toy. As I smiled at the unknown delight of witnessing her, Marie, who had been examining the typewriter, pressed the keys firmly with her index finger.

    Coincidentally, the typewriter was already powered on, and holographic characters began to line up on the disy. Marie, watching the scene, eximed in awe and removed her index finger. At the same time, the characters that had been appearing stopped.

    Looking at the holographic characters suspended in the air, she turned to me and asked.

    How do you use this?

    Do you see the gap here at the bottom? If you insert paper here, the characters will be copied onto it.

    Amazing. How does it work, though?

    I have no idea.

    I am ignorant not only in magic but also in engineering. Even in my past life, I was a liberal arts student; does that count for anything? Anyway, exining the principle wouldnt make sense to anyone except Cecily, who understands these things.

    Can I write anything?

    Of course. Feel free to write.

    At Maries request, I gently pushed the typewriter toward her. She carefully examined the typewriter once again, then began pressing each letter with her index finger.

    The way she typed using the eagle method was truly cute and endearing. She seemedpletely absorbed, alternating between focusing on the typewriter and the hologram, asionally biting her lip in concentration.

    Curious about what she might type, I shifted my gaze to the hologram disying the sequence of characters. As expected, she was in the midst of typing her own name.

    Just like the Gartz exined before, peoples thoughts seem to be quite simr in appearance.

    Wiiing

    Finally, just in case, I had prepared an extra sheet of paper for copying, and as I did, Maries blue eyes sparkled endlessly.

    Written with a clean font, she eximed upon seeing her name printed on the paper.

    Wow! This is amazing. Is this the gift from Helium?

    Its a masterpiece crafted by the artisans of Helium, filled with dedication.

    Cecily shrugged, crossing her arms. Due to the crossed arms, her chest was emphasized even more

    Seemingly, she wanted to emanate as much confidence and poise as her ample chest disyed. Undoubtedly, the typewriter was an incredible invention, bordering on innovation.

    It even featured a backspace function unlike regr typewriters. It was a masterpiece beyond its time,bining magic and engineering.

    Well then, let Isaac try writing once. Im curious about how its done.

    In front of me, Rina, elegantly sipping her tea, made a suggestion with an enthusiastic gaze. Despite her lineage from the royal family, the existence of a typewriter seemed mysterious to her as well.

    In response, I willingly obliged her request, cing the typewriter in front of me. At first, I pondered what to write, but I began typing whatever came to mind.

    Taptaptap taptap

    Characters appeared skillfully rather than in the eagle-pecking style. Characters amalgamated into words, words flowed into sentences.

    [Hello. I am Isaac Ducker Michelle, Xenons Biography author.]

    Thepletion of this sentence took no more than ten seconds.

    If I had written it by hand, it would have taken several times longer. Working with just a typewriter made the process smooth, drastically reducing writing time by more than double.

    How was it?

    Its incredibly fast. Youre using all your fingers.

    Rina looked at my formidable typing skill with admiration, as did Marie, who was observing from the side. However, Cecily wore a somewhat subtle expression. She nced between the produced sentences and me before coyly asking,

    Are you already proficient at this?

    Yeah, its getting easier after a few tries.

    Is that so?

    For some reason, Cecily still looked at me with a mysterious gaze. After staring at me for a while, she grinned and spoke up.

    As expected, huh.

    What do you mean?

    Is Isaac quick to adapt to these kinds of things?

    I can vaguely grasp the meaning behind her words. As I mentioned earlier, after Arwens reincarnation remark, Cecily has been specting that I might be a reincarnator.

    In that situation, by quickly adapting to this new invention, its as though Ive stamped my identitypletely.

    Maybe Cecily aimed for this. In my eagerness to show off, my habits from a past life inadvertently surfaced.

    If I flinch here, others will probably be suspicious too. I answered evasively, avoiding Cecilys gaze.

    I, I just got used to it quickly while practicing. I initially tapped with my index finger. Anyway, thanks to you, my work speed has significantly increased. Im really grateful.

    If youre grateful, you know what to do, right?

    While gently caressing her lower abdomen, Cecily subtly rested her hand on my thigh. Is it just an illusion that Kates image was reflected in Cecily?

    But Kate genuinelycksmon sense in some areas, while Cecily is filled with her own desires; thats the difference.

    When I couldnt say anything and was awkwardly smiling, the relief pitcher came to the rescue appropriately.

    Hah! Where are you getting greedy? The first one has always been mine, hasnt it? You sly fox.

    Tsk.

    My lovely girlfriend, Marie, spoke firmly, pushing away Cecilys hand on her thigh.

    Cecily, aware that she might have been too greedy, showed regret but didnt offer any other retort. However, she just stepped back, but she probably had a lot to say. Cecily nced briefly at Marie and grumbled under her breath.

    Cant you consider the wait? Even though Im a demon and have a long lifespan, waiting is tough.

    Dont demons consider moderation a virtue? Surely, Princess, you dontck such virtue.

    As Marie touched upon the virtue simr to the demons belief, Cecily awkwardly chuckled.

    In reality, despite being a demon with strong self-control, Cecily doesnt hesitate to express her desires towards me. This became even stronger, especially after meeting Arwen.

    Marie was no different. Using her unique intuition, she felt something off in Cecilys attitude, and her vignce intensified.

    But its nothing more than a small, white cat hissing. I gently stroked Maries head to ease her displeased expression.

    The wary expression on Maries face, filled with caution, gradually softened as I pet her head. Then she firmly grabbed my arm and pushed her head against it as if asking for more.

    Marie is always adorable. It seems like an undeniablew.

    Anyway, Isaac. Did you hear the news? Theres talk of a temple being erected in your territory.

    To dispel the subtle tension, Rina mentioned the situation in our territory. While I was petting Maries head against my arm, I nced at Rina. Cecily, with a discontented expression, suggested we move on momentarily.

    Of course, I heard. I couldnt believe it when I did. Has there been no word from the royal side?

    As you said, a temple cannot be built just because the clergy strongly advocates it. It should ideally be done under the agreement of leaders from each nation. The same goes for Helium.

    Rina spoke while ncing at Cecily, indicating for an exnation. In response, Cecily, seeming to prepare for a serious conversation, shrugged before speaking in a calm, deliberate tone.

    Rinas right. Temples are supposed to be built under the agreement of leaders from each side. But this time, its different. Even the Minerva Empire readily agreed.

    They agreed immediately?

    Yeah. It seems to me theyre nning to turn the Michelle territory into a Xenon district entirely Or am I mistaken?

    Cecily chuckled and threw a question at Rina. Her smile might have seemed beautiful at first nce, but it held various political implications.

    Rina noticed the meaning behind that smile and faintly smiled before raising her teacup. Gracefully sipping her tea, she then spoke in a calm voice.

    Yeah. Isaac mentioned writing a side story for the demons, and things escted quickly. Plus, with the Luminous Temple under construction, itll truly be Xenons territory.

    Helium is one thing, but was there an agreement beforehand for the Luminous Temple?

    No. That was something Kate, the Grand Inquisitor, pushed for almost forcefully.

    What?

    Theres a rumor that the Luminous Temple will bepleted just before the exhibition. That means construction began not long ago.

    It usually takes several months for leaders of each country to meet and reach an agreement, but all that was skipped.

    As more Luminous Temples are erected, the power of the Xaviers nation naturally grows stronger. So, having many temples isnt necessarily a good thing.

    Thats why theres usually strict consensus before constructing temples, but Michelle territory progressed without any of that.

    In a serious view, its clearly ignoring the Minerva Empire, but for some reason, theres no word about it.

    Then there will be a lot of talk about this?

    At first, yes. But Cardinal Kate dered shed build a sanctuary for Xenon.

    Sanctuary?

    Yes. Like Alvenheim itself, dering Xenons birthce a sanctuary. I suppose they see you as a divine envoy.

    Envoy? That term was also used in theology. People chosen by gods to save the world from crises, like saints.

    Though Kate possesses formidable divine power, bestowed by the grace of Luminous, enough to be called an incarnation, she seems to consider me a saint. However, I obtained my divine power purely by chance and coincidence. I am definitely not the saint she envisions.

    Feeling perplexed and utterly dumbfounded, I couldnt utter a word. Rina gently exined.

    Moreover, at present, Cardinal Kate is exerting significant influence within Xavier after purging the corrupted cardinal. Having a figure with such influence dere you as a saint, there is no choice but to permit it unless there is a reasonable justification. Its also advantageous from our empires perspective.

    Um There wont be any harming to the Michelle territory, right?

    I find getting involved in politics troublesome, especially since my father detests the conflicts among nobles and was assigned the Michelle territory. I want to avoid causing trouble for my family as much as possible.

    Its hard to say. Can anyone really trouble you politically? The Michelle territory, which can receive the protection of Luminous, Mora, and perhaps even Hartes in the future? If you inherit the position of the lord and someone slights you, you might even dere a holy war, not just in Xavier but possibly extending to Helium.

    However, Rina responded with an answer that belittled my concerns. Ironically, her reaction seemed more absurd than my worries.

    Thanks to her, Ive be acutely aware of the current situation of our territory. It means even touching ites with considerable risk.

    But if it goes that way, my family should be able to livefortably. I nodded contentedly, reassured.

    Well, thats fortunate. Its a bit burdensome, though.

    Even that burden will be familiar over time. Our husband is truly amazing.

    The cat, who had been rubbing against me until now, yfully looked up at me, gently brushing against my face while subtly stroking my thigh.

    Marie doesnt seem to pay much attention to who I am, whether Xenon or whatever. Shes just happy that Im advancing to higher ces, and that, in turn, makes her happy. I adore her for this.

    <i>Should I just have a child?</i>

    I had such a naughty thought for a moment. However, even for her future, contraception needs to be consistently maintained.

    As she made a discreet gesture, I cautiously held her as if understanding her intention. Her smile then deepened even more.

    Perhaps our affectionate behavior made Rina ufortable, as she blushed and coughed lightly.

    Uh, um. Anyway, Cecily. When is Moras temple expected to bepleted?

    Probably before the exhibition, right?

    What? That fast? Is that possible?

    If theres magic, the construction itself is rather quick. Instead, it takes a bit of time to call Mora to a temple.

    Now its not particrly surprising. Without such magic, inventing a typewriter would be impossible.

    After saying that, Cecily pped her hands and then spoke to me as if she had just remembered something.

    Oh, by the way, Isaac. Can I ask you something?

    Yeah?

    You saidst time that the model for Lilith was me. You also said illustrations would be included ordingly.

    Thats right.

    However, the sudden focus on Xenons Biography as prophecy began to disrupt the original n.

    How many unique and beautiful women are there in the world like Cecily? If her drawings were attached, there might have been some damage to Cecily as well.

    Thats why it was put on hold, and Cecily agreed. But it seems that the perspective has changed with the release of Volume 19.

    Can we include it now? Volume 19 didnt justify Liliths misdeeds, but the perspective has greatly improved. You know that too, Marie, right? Lilith called out the lovers name at the end and died.

    Oh, that? I know about it too. That scene was really sad. I wished Pride would just die.

    What about Rina?

    She seems no different from demons in reality.

    You heard, right?

    Cecily, having heard the opinions of Marie and Rina, finally asked me. I faced Cecily with a subtle expression.

    What could she be thinking to bring up the topic of illustrations? Perhaps, does she really think of herself as Lilith? Honestly, thats the direction my thoughts leaned toward.

    Still, I cant refuse her request like that. I reluctantly nodded, granting her request.

    Okay. But as for the drawings

    We can support you from the heliums side with the illustrations. If you only depict the characters, we can draw others as well.

    I was about to suggest finding an illustrator, but Cecily interrupted. She said she could support not only Liliths illustration but also other characters if needed.

    Once again, I faced Cecily directly. She still smiled, looking at me with her reddish eyes.

    In those eyes, there was a deep trust and an indescribable emotion towards me.

    It wasnt scary or intimidating at all. On the contrary, it was the opposite, raising questions.

    Noona?

    Yeah, Isaac?

    Do you really think of me as a prophet?

    I asked, and Cecily answered with a grin.

    Yes, of course.

    The reincarnation statement of Arwenst time and the depiction of Liliths end in Volume 19.

    I dont want to face such an ending.

    Those two seemed to create a suitable synergy and caused confusion for Cecily.

    So, as soon as possible, I want to give birth to Isaacs child.

    I was left speechless.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 248: Book 19 (3)

    Chapter 248: Book 19 (3)

    Even though Marie was right beside, Cecily showed her greed, so Marie naturally got upset. I thought the situation might be noisy again, but fortunately, Cecily apologized first, saying it was just a joke.

    When Cecily stuck her tongue out like a prankster, Marie reluctantly let it go, but I know. I know she was sincere.

    Whether its because the evil cycle is approaching or because of the 19th volume that was recently published and Arwens statement, Im not sure, but it seems like Cecily is eagerly waiting for an opportunity.

    Considering the nature of the demon race, getting pregnant easily might be unlikely, but recalling her appearance during the demonic possession, its not entirely impossible.

    Although Marie, like a huge barrier, stood in the way, Cecily was subtly expressing her desires. Just by observing the increased physical contact, it was evident.

    Marie seems to have noticed this, as there has been an increase in efforts to restrain Cecily, who has always been a powerful rival. After all Marie always emphasized that she is first, and even with having a child, she insisted on being the first.

    But whenever Cecily and Marie talk about it, I try to smoothly move on and return to the peaceful situation.

    Its just spection, but Cecily might be trying to provoke Marie in this way to instill anxiety. Its not entirely impossible, as there have been students who got pregnant and married while attending the academy. However, both Marie and I are being cautious.

    Even though Im Xenon, everyone has their dreams and things they want to do. In my case, its bing a historian, and for Marie, its studying political science for her benefit.

    Theres no need to rush into engagement. Cecily expressed her feelings, but I didnt feel any pressure. Above all, we need to think about whats happening at the Michelle territory and the uing exhibition.

    As mentioned before, Leona and Cherry will also attend this exhibition. Cherry can stay at the mansion with the permission of my parents as a guest, but Leona is a bit of a problem. Leona isnt just a friend; shes my future wife. Though the customs of the beastmen culture led to a speedy process, its still a bit ambiguous.

    I havent revealed to her that I am Xenon yet, and theres also Adelia. For Adelias sake, the first night with Leona should be postponed.

    However, this is also a matter of etiquette(?), but it bothers me. For now, Ill stay at the mansion.

    Ah, that? Its okay. I can stay with my mother.

    Your mother?

    Yeah. She said shede to the academy the day before the break. I dont care, so we can decide our matchmakingter. Just find a decent inn for now.

    Leona was momentarily forgetting that she was a filial daughter. When I briefly met her at the cafe and informed her of this fact, she cheerfully brushed it off. Instead, she asked if I could lend her some money to enjoy the festival with her mother, and I agreed, as I was willing to help.

    Oh, by the way, I heard that temples for Luminous and Mora will be built on your territory?

    You heard about it too?

    Of course. I read the newspaper every day. But isnt it a bit unfair to leave out Lord Harte?

    I am considering inviting a sorcerer as well.

    As mentioned before, Harte is the goddess of life and nature. Unlike the twin siblings, she doesnt grant divine powers and simply represents nature itself, exerting the greatest influence on humanity. Through rituals, she can easily bring rain to drought-strickennds or unleash storms causing significant damage to others.

    However, as a part of nature herself, these actions have a deep connection to natural disasters. ording to some texts, rain and snow represent Hartes sorrow, volcanoes and earthquakes express her anger, and thunder and lightning indicate surprise.

    Sometimes, uncontroble events ur during her manifestations, causing significant harm. Yet, 3000 years ago, during the Devil War, it was Harte who gave the elves the seed of the World Tree.

    There will never be a time when humanity loses its awe for nature, and Hartes sanctity will never disappear. Above all, Harte does not desire to cause natural disasters. Just as we asionally get angry or shed tears, Harte is a transcendent being with emotions.

    Moreover, controlling nature itself is challenging. If we were to liken it to humanity, its like not being able to control ones digestion or circtory system as desired.

    I heard that if a sorcerer performs a ritual, Harte will watch over it. Is that right?

    Yes, thats correct. You dont need anything extravagant; offering a suitable sacrifice to Harte is enough. Since Harte is nature itself, theres no need to build a temple. I can do it if you want.

    Come to think of it, I heard about this when I visited Morast time. Leona can use magic andmunicate with Hirt through possession. Although a significant price is needed for possession, I have the divine power to cover it.

    Considering when it would be appropriate to talk to Harte had to be considered, so I decided to postpone it forter. It might be better to conduct the ceremony at an exhibition rather than in a cafe. Ill ask Leona for help with the ritual.

    Then Ill ask for your help at that time. Before that, Father might invite a sorcerer, but if not, we can do it then.

    I understand. Take care from now on. Hubby?

    You too.

    The meeting with Leona ended here. Next, its the encounter with Cherry.

    First of all, the invitation to the exhibition was over, but I had to ask her what they would wear there and how she would live there.

    And what happened?

    Cherry. So

    Ill do it.

    I havent said anything yet?

    Whatever the senior says, Ill do it.

    The conversation proceeded like that. When I asked what clothes she would wear at the exhibition, Cherry said she would wear whatever I wanted.

    In a teasing manner, I asked if, in that case,she could evene naked if I wanted. Cherry, without a change in her expression, looked straight at me and answered.

    Yes.

    If you want, I can take it off right now.

    Cherrys attitude towards me became increasingly strange as time went on. While she used to show a tendency to depend on me before, after publishing her work, it became almost blind obedience.

    It created an uneasy atmosphere, simr yet different from Kate in various ways. Considering her family background, it might be understandable, but at some point, it became odd.

    It seemed like I controlled everything as if I were manipting a marite. Its not just a simple metaphor, I genuinely felt Cherry will do anything I order.

    The situation was almost indistinguishable from that of a master and a ve. I pondered deeply on how Cherry came to this point, but I couldnt find a satisfactory answer. Perhaps becausest time, she even gifted me cherry tree sap. Just seeing that, she certainly had a certain degree of autonomy.

    <i>Where did things go wrong?</i>

    After concluding a simple yetplicated conversation with Cherry, I stepped outside. Myst task was to meet Adelia, and during that time, I thought about Cherry.

    Cherrys attitude is clearly far from normal. To put it inly, shes like an animated doll with a personality.

    A doll that has a definite owner but, if no specificmands are given, it does its own tasks. It perfectly matches Cherrys current situation.

    Since Im not a psychology expert and cant offer counseling, my n for now is to observe as much as possible. Leaving her in that state might lead to some unexpected results.

    <i>I hope she doesnt do anything strange during the exhibition.</i>

    As long as she doesnt go aroundpletely naked, I dont care if she even chews on my hair.

    Suppressing that anxiety deep within my chest, I headed towards Adelias lodgings.

    Hey.

    Yeah?

    The voice, strangely familiar, dug into my ears. The low, seasoned, yet pleasant tone of a woman. Just hearing the voice was pleasant, but the owner of that voice happened to be someone I really didnt want to meet.

    Wondering, I turned my head in the direction of the voice. To my surprise, there stood Hiriya.

    Princess Hiriya?

    She was the royal family member I considered an enemy, and I didnt even want to be associated with her. She was dressed in a school uniform, likely attending a theory ss just now. Despite my dislike for her, her figure and face carried an elegance even in the school uniform.

    However, her character inside was inversely proportional. While pondering this, Hiriya, staring directly at my face, opened her mouth with her distinctive seasoned voice.

    Where were you going?

    I was on my way to meet an acquaintance.

    If I said I was going to meet Adelia, it would undoubtedly lead to an unfavorable situation. Despite my displeasure with her, I am still the ordinary son of a baron.

    I may be far from the level of someone like Princess Hiriya, but I have to keep my identity hidden, especially from the Ters royal family. Revealing my true identity would onlyplicate matters.

    An acquaintance Could it be youre not referring to that troublemaker, are you?

    I responded as bluntly as possible, but it was clear that Hiriya noticed. At the same time, her gaze sharpened.

    I dont understand why this woman keeps bothering me when she should just focus on her own work. Could it be because of the humiliation she suffered in thest sparring session? Honestly, if thats the case, the word pathetic suits her well. Even Adelia, a bastard child, has a correct and upright character. Maybe its a problem with her upbringing.

    I blinked without any response to her question. Its better to appear dull and stupid than to let the situation turn into a mess.

    Fortunately, it seems like that thought got through. Hiriya chuckled and, with a sly grin, said.

    Seems like being dense is amon trait for both you and your bodyguard. Its written all over your face.

    Caught red-handed. I felt a bit awkward.

    I avoided eye contact, scratching my head as I replied.

    I apologize. If the princess is ufortable with her presence as my bodyguard, I will apologize if it upset you.

    Apology

    Hiriya mumbled something and slowly approached me. With each step she took, an indescribable atmosphere began to emerge.

    I wanted to take a step back, but Hiriyas momentum held my ankles like an invisible force. It felt like she was silently warning me not to think about escaping. As she got closer, Hiriya came right up to my face.

    After confidently wearing a smile that seemed both self-assured and sinister, Hiriya extended her hand slowly toward my face.

    Grab-

    Because she wasnt someone close to me and due to my unfavorable impression of her, I grabbed her wrist to stop her.

    Upon my intervention, Hiriyas smile vanished instantly, and her expression hardened. While such behavior might be considered rude when interacting with a princess from another country, I am unequivocally Maries boyfriend and fianc.

    Unlike Cecily, who I am secretly dating, the fact that I am involved with her is widely known within the academy, so I need to be cautious about public disys of affection. Moreover, Hiriya is the princess of the Ters Kingdom, a rival to the Minerva Empire. Carelessness could lead to diplomatic disputes.

    Therefore, I shed the most gentle smile possible and rejected her advances with a polite remark.

    I apologize for the rudeness, Your Highness. However, I am engaged to someone else.

    What if I can treat you better than your betrothed? What would you do then?

    Why is this woman suddenly acting like this? Did she lose her mind after being defeated by Adelia?

    For a moment, I wore a bewildered expression upon hearing her proposal, then slowly released her hand that I had been holding. Stepping back a couple of steps, I maintained a perplexed expression.

    Apologies. Considering the distinguisheddy I am already involved with, this is more than enough.

    You dont have any ambitions as a man? A wife from a royal family would be better than a nobles, wouldnt it?

    Ambition, was it? Right now, the world is moring that I am a saint and a prophet, but its all nonsense. I never had such intentions from the beginning.

    I responded with a warm smile, suppressing my true feelings.

    Princess, caterpirs should eat pine needles, not oak leaves, or they will die.

    (TL: A proverb meaning that one must know ones purpose, position, and role.)

    This statement is not directed at me but at Hiriya. Although she doesnt know my true identity, she seems to have some idea of why I am behaving this way.

    Perhaps having tasted a lifetime of humiliation from Adelia, she is trying to repay that in some way. If she takes away my position as Maries fiance, naturally, I will be separated from Adelia. In that case, Adelia will taste a terrible sense of despair.

    Hiriya, after hearing my remark, widened her eyes and once again arrogantly clenched her fist.

    Caterpirs should eat pine needles; thats a pleasing phrase.

    Im d you liked it.

    You, too, have the same sentiment.

    No, I have no interest in you, even in the slightest. Regardless, Hiriya continued to lick her lips with her tongue, looking at me with desire. The sky-blue eyes filled with lust were truly dullpared to Adelias pure ones, making the contrast staggering.

    Lets give up this time. Instead, I will appoint you as the guide for the exhibition. Can you manage that much?

    As I mentioned earlier, I

    The second princess of the Ters Kingdom, Hiriya Duked von Coutres, will officially request it.

    As soon as I heard those words, my eyelids twitched. Officially requesting means its not a personal-to-personal request but a request to the empire from the kingdom. In other words, if they order me from above, I have no choice but to obey. Its just as awkward for the Minerva Empire. If I ept, it will be displeasing to me, and if I refuse, the Ters Kingdom will harbor suspicions. Its a kind of dilemma.

    First, Ill defend myself with the date with Marie, but the chances of sess are low. I sighed deeply, feeling a profound frustration inside.

    Understood. Ill ept it as ites from above.

    You thought well. Then, lets meet at the exhibition. Isaac Ducker Michelle.

    Hiriya approached me, patted my shoulder, and then left. Her ponytail swayed as she walked away.

    I quietly looked at her back and then looked at my shoulder. It was the ce where Hiriya had just touched with her hand.

    Pat Pat

    I casually brushed off the area around my shoulder with my hand and walked away. I want to quickly meet Adelia and relieve this feeling.

    Recently, as mentioned by Marie before, Adelia was receiving maid training. She doesnt have a separate instructor and is learning only through books. I heard that its books Marie rmended. Although my mother will personally teach her when she goes to the mansion, she was preparing in advance.

    Knock knock

    Who is it Oh! Cutie!

    Hello, Noona.

    As the door opened, Adelia greeted me with a joyful face. The memories of meeting Hiriya just now seemed to havepletely vanished, as my mood lightened to the point where it felt like nothing happened.

    Following her guidance, I entered the lodging. While the scattered exercise equipment is still present, there were some noticeable changes.

    Thats the books. From the familiar Xenon series to educational books here and there.

    It seems to be the maid training books that Marie mentioned.

    Studying hard?

    Yeah. Ill learn properly at the mansion, but I have to study hard.

    In response to my question, Adelia nodded vigorously and answered energetically. Even though she exuded reliability and dignity as usual, shes putting in even more effort to be helpful to me.

    Thanks to that, her face, smiling happily and radiating warmth, appeared even more lovely. Why does she choose to do only beautiful things like this? Im truly a fortunate man.

    I picked up a book, likely the one she was studying until a while ago. I flipped through the pages and asked her.

    Can you show me the most important thing youve learned so far?

    Thats easy. Sit here first.

    Adelia listened to my question and tapped her bed with her hands. What on earth was she telling me to sit on the bed for? I briefly entertained such a question and sat on the bed as she demanded. Once I did, Adelia cleared her throat and stood in front of me after coughing softly.

    After neatly folding her hands, she opened her mouth with a gentle tone, as I had learned from the book.

    Hello, young master. Has today been afortable day for you?

    Her husky voice and gentle tone synergized, creating a peculiar charm. I admired her silently and watched for her next move.

    You must have had a difficult and tiring day today. Easing that fatigue is the duty of an exclusive maid.

    Huh?

    Something seemed odd. I blinked and looked at Adelia.

    Meanwhile, Adelia had been smiling gently, looking down at me with her sky-blue eyes.

    Eventually, her sweet and utterly charming voice, unique to Adelia, prated my ears.

    Tonight, I will personally attend to your bedtime routine.

    How is it? Wasnt that good? There was nothing more after that, so I dont know what it means, but wouldnt just a massage be enough?

    What kind of book did she read?<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 249: Vacation Again (1)

    Chapter 249: Vacation Again (1)

    After hearing Adelias offer to stay upte with her, my mind became hazy, but fortunately, I managed to recover. Until now, she had been focused solely on martial arts, so she hardly knew any euphemisms. Euphemisms are not something taught in books but rather acquired through interpersonal interactions, so its an unavoidable aspect.

    I cant me her, as I, too, have no room to speak, having casually invited Marie for coffee during the previous exhibition without knowing anything. Proposing to have coffeete at night was the equivalent of suggesting, Shall we eat instant noodles in our next life? It meant the same thing.

    Still, thanks to that, Ive been enjoying happy days, and now I canugh it off. However, Ill have to exin it to Adelia. I first asked her to provide detailed information about euphemisms. It seems that the situation arose because Marie only conveyed it vaguely to Adelia.

    Once Adelia learns about euphemisms, she mightin to Marie, but thats a matter forter. It might be tough for her to look at my face for a while.

    Regardless, some trivial incidents urred, and I also informed Adelia about what to do during the exhibition. This includes the recent meeting with Hiriya. To prevent interference from the royal family or unnecessary actions from the Ters Kingdom, it might be possible to assign someone else. Just as Hiriya formally requested, if people from other countries make simr requests, that should be enough.

    Nevertheless, even so, Adelia must stay by my side. Ive somewhat relieved the trauma, but it hasnt beenpletely resolved.

    Adelia was taken aback when she heard the story, but with her characteristic confident smile, she replied.

    With you around, I dont have any worries.

    Touched by this, I responded with a deep kiss. However, her confident smile disappeared instantly, leaving only a bashful blush.

    Adelia, not the usual dignified knight but now a woman, exuded an indescribable charm. Persecuting someone like her so much only intensified my resentment towards the Ters Kingdom.

    After expressing affection to Adelia a few times and advising her on what to watch out for at the exhibition, I returned to the dormitory. Before going back, Adelia mimicked something she learned from a book.

    While I am looking forward to the exhibition, the most anticipated moment is when Adelia, dressed in a maid outfit, appears. I briefly exined this to my mother in a letter.

    So, the moment we return to the mansion, Adelia undergoes maid training while donning a maid outfit. As a bonus, she will likely receive martial arts training from my father, fulfilling the fantasy of a perfectbat maid.

    In this fantasy world,bat maids actually exist. Since the conditions to be an exclusive maid are extremely stringent. Basic martial arts skills are a must, and being a secretary is also a requirement.

    It can truly be considered the epitome of being both cultured and martial. Moreover, Adelia, being a royal-born despite being a bastard, received a high-level education, making it possible for her, but for the averagemoner, its incredibly challenging, almost like an impossible dream.

    There probably isnt a more suitable job for Adelia.

    <i>It feels strangely fitting.</i>

    The meeting with Adelia was over, all thats left was to finish my work until the vacationes.

    The task of submitting exam questions was also done, so the assistants work was almost over. I still had to stay in the researchb even after 5 oclock because I had to do the grading as well.

    There was also the fun of finding out which student submitted a unique answer. By the way, the content of the exam questions was about exining history that I received a year ago.

    I wrote the answer as History repeats itself, and through that answer, I became Elenas assistant.

    And maybe because the number of literature students has tripled, there were quite a few students who wrote creative answers.

    Among them, the most unique answer was History is a mirror talking to itself. The student who wrote this answer is a male student like me who has a deep interest in history. Elena seemed secretly pleased when she saw that students answer, so it seems like she may appoint him as an assistant. Finally, it seems like Im getting a junior.

    As for Cherry

    I also checked Cherrys answer, and she wrote such an answer that its hard to say if its clever or strange.

    [History is red.]

    What does she mean red? Elena was perplexed while giving scores as she couldnt understand the meaning of the answer at all.

    Her looking at my hair, while I was grading the answers, was an extra challenge. I deliberately ignored that gaze and scored ording to the standards Elena had taught me.

    I didnt have the task of grading my acquaintances scores for the second-year exam since Elena was in charge of all the exam questions. After grading all the exams, I returned to the dormitory and had dinner promptly.

    After settling dinner, I immediately sat down at my desk and started writing. I had to write quickly; otherwise, I would forget what I intended to write.

    And this time, what Im writing is not the main story but a side story. Moreover, its the past story of Jin and Lily written for the demons.

    <i>Honestly, I didnt expect to gain poprity to this extent.</i>

    At the time of the first writing of Xenons Biography, the perception of demons was at the very bottom. So, when my family first read it, they were worried about the aftermath.

    And as expected, as soon as the romance between the demon man and the human saint came out, there was a flood of attention and criticism.

    People asked how a devil and a human could cultivate love. No matter how you look at it, they couldnt understand forming a rtionship with a demon. Considering the current status of Xenons Biography, the reaction was very different.

    There were even asional requests for the series to be discontinued. Fortunately, the ratio of readers who find it interesting was higher, and from the fifth volume onwards, the evaluation haspletely changed.

    The disdainful and hateful gaze towards demons has been uprooted, and naturally, the romantic route of Jin and Lily has also risen. Furthermore, as Xenons Biography continued to be published, real demons also got a rise in reputation, and now, they are no more than a race included in the category of humans.

    As it turned out, people were curious about the past of Jin and Lily. How did these two meet, and how did they confirm each others feelings?

    While their past was mentioned intermittently throughout the story, it was not detailed. The only exnation was that Jin, who had a miserable past, met Lily and was redeemed. Originally, the side story was nned to be written afterpleting the main story, but for the sake of the demon who even invented the typewriter, there was a need to hurry.

    Although there are still about two weeks left until the exhibition, it is more than enough time. The 20th volume is scheduled to be released during the vacation after the exhibition.

    This is all thanks to the typewriter. Even if it breaks down, there is a great AS (After Service) knight named Gartz, so there is no need to worry.

    Tap-tadada tap-tadadak

    The sound of typing on the typewriter echoed throughout the dormitory. I paused for a moment while looking at the spectacle of sentences appearing on the holographic window.

    Its good to write the side story, but the perspective and atmosphere are crucial. Jins past was so depressing that even the expression miserable falls short. On the other hand, Lily, destined to be a future saint, received love and grew peacefully.

    The inevitable sh between the two sharply contrasting backgrounds is bound to happen. Especially, the psychological changes in Jin, who has be crooked in his own way, are the most important.

    <i>In the main story, Lily teased Jin that he was a really disobedient child in the old days.</i>

    It couldnt be helped. Jin was a devil born from the rape of a human woman by Belzebub of gluttony.

    Parental affection couldnt exist, especially since it was an unwanted pregnancy and, on top of that, from a demon. As a result, Jin suffered severe abuse from his mother since he was young.

    If he had been a human child, he probably wouldnt have survived the abuse and would have lost his life. The robust physique characteristic of demons manifested from a young age.

    <i>I should portray a sense of true salvation</i>

    Even now and in my past life, I was a fantasy writer. I naturally focused more on adventure than romance.

    While there are works in the fantasy adventure genre that depict emotions well,pared to those works, mine werecking in various ways.

    I paused my writing for a moment and opened the desk drawer. Instead of the manuscript for Xenons Biography, there was the draft of Cherrys work, Once Again, the Red Sunset.

    I kept it because if Cherry keeps it, there might be an unfortunate situation. The torn and patched draft was also here. It symbolizes her dreams, hopes, and scars, so I n to keep it as much as possible. If a slumpes, I will show her this draft to stimte and help her.

    <i>Doesnt Cherry write romance well?</i>

    Although only the first volume has been released, Cherrys psychological descriptions were truly outstanding. If Xenons Biography captivates with an exciting development, Cherrys work captivates with detailed psychological descriptions.

    In reality, most of the praise for her work revolves around her excellent psychological portrayal.

    The characteristic of a regression work is like the finest ingredient in cooking. Depending on how it is prepared, it can either be a masterpiece or a failure.

    Finally, the type of dish varies depending on how it is cooked. In other words, if I want more detailed psychological descriptions, its better to seek help from her.

    <i>Of course, shell listen, but</i>

    It feels like receiving this for free goes against my conscience. Judging by Cherrys behavior, she seems to be acting as if shell give me everything.

    So, I also feel the need to repay her, but Im unsure of what kind of repayment is appropriate. She seems to have everything despite her family situation.

    For now, I should talk to Cherry about it when we meet tomorrow, and for now, it seems better to write whateveres to mind.

    Wouldnt my mother like this the most?

    Since she liked Jin and Lilys rtionship so much, she would really enjoy the spin-off.

    But the problem is the 20th volume. As mentioned before, a big twist is revealed in the 20th volume: Gluttony is actually Jins biological father. Jin hears this fact and copses mentally, revealing everything until hes on the verge of a breakdown.

    Lily arriveste, and Jin is already subdued by Gluttony, mentally and emotionally devastated. Gluttony, having deduced Jin and Lilys rtionship, maliciouslyughs and delivers the final blow.

    While Lily screams while witnessing it in real-time, Jins heart is pierced by Gluttony.

    <i>Should I release it after Mothers postpartum care?</i>

    It might be quite shocking. Of course, Jin wont die immediately, as hell make a surprise appearance as the final boss, but unfortunately, the volume ends at that scene.

    I n to use the forbidden technique known as early-stage severance perforation once again.

    <i>Ill just have to take a few hits on the back of my neck and itll be over.</i>

    I shrugged my shoulders and continued typing.

    ******

    While Isaac was diligently writing a prequel for demons, in the Michelle Territory, news of not only the Luminouss Temple but also the Moras Temple being erected has spread. Since then, the Michelle Territory has be much busier than before.

    Naturally, the workload of Baron Hawk has also increased exponentially. The ce where both the Luminous and Mora Temples are simultaneously erected has attracted attention from all quarters, as such a phenomenon was unprecedented anywhere in the world.

    Already gaining attention due to the exhibition, the situation exploded when the news spread. From Hawks perspective, the development of the territory was a positive thing, but as the overtime increased proportionally, fatigue did not dissipate.

    As a formermander of the knights, he was robust, but if it were someone else, they might have copsed from exhaustion long ago.

    Sigh

    How about taking a break for a bit?

    In the study of the Michelle Manor, sitting at the desk, Hawk rubbed his eyes and sighed, expressing his exhaustion. Anna, concerned, suggested he take a break. The development of the territory is good news for the owner of the Michelle Manor, but whats most important to her is the health of her family.

    From the first meeting until now, after decades have passed, her burning passion towards Hawk has not cooled down, making her even more worrisome.

    You dont have to worry about me. Its just that Im a bit tired.

    Thats exactly what worries me. I know how robust your body is, and seeing you tired concerns me.

    In response to his loving wifes concern, Hawk let out a wry smile. Every word she said waspletely urate.

    In his heart, he wanted to push everything aside, but dying work didnt suit Hawks temperament. The habit of preparing in advance had been with him since his days as a knight.

    I should be the one worrying less. It hasnt been that long since Lily was born.

    Why worry? Cardinal Kate blessed us generously. Could there be anything wrong?

    Hawk fell silent after hearing Annas response, left with nothing to say. Indeed, as soon as Kate heard the news of Annas childbirth, she bestowed her blessings upon her. Since the blessing was cast by a cardinal, Anna quickly recovered her health. Not only that, but Kate also imbued Lily with sacred power.

    Thanks to this, both the mother and the child were not just healthy but could even flutter about energetically. All of this was thanks to Kate.

    Thats true. I want to pass the duty to Isaac and go to the child quickly, but

    No, you cant. If you do that, Isaac will have less time to write. Please endure a little longer.

    Anna. Are you on my side, or on Isaacs side?

    Im on our familys side~

    Hawk shook his head with a yful smile as Anna extended her chest and gave a witty reply. It seemed that he couldnt win a verbal battle against Anna.

    Deciding to take a break and spend some intimate time with Anna, he rose from his seat. Anna, in response, approached him with a gentle smile and hugged his arm.

    So, lets go see Lily. At this rate, she might not recognize her Dads face.

    But hasnt it only been a short time since she was born?

    Her eyes have been open for a long time.

    Hawk looked at Anna, who exuded youthfulness, audacity, and beauty, with an affectionate gaze. Anna, in turn, responded to his gaze, creating a sweet and charming atmosphere.

    Both of them were beyond the age of adolescence, yet they boasted a passionate love reminiscent of young couples. Thanks to this love, ater, Lily, was born.

    I hope the kidse soon. They havent even seen Lilys face yet.

    I agree with that.

    It would be nice if Isaac also released a side story. I dont know what kind of gift he received, but Im really looking forward to a book every two weeks.

    It seems that what Anna was most looking forward to is Xenons Biography. If Isaac heard this, he might feel disappointed, but she truly loves her family more than anyone else.

    Suddenly, a funny thought crossed his mind. It was about the prequel that Isaac is releasing for the demons, featuring Jin and Lily. Currently, Anna was eagerly anticipating that prequel as an avid fan. To the extent that, on asion, she jokingly asked Isaac when Jin and Lilys story will continue.

    As soon as this thought came to Hawks mind, he asked Anna.

    More than that, Anna. Do you like the romance between Jin and Lily?

    Of course. It seems like their passionate feelings are even transmitted to me. How could I not like it?

    Well What if. Just what if they

    Stop right there.

    Did she sense what kind of question he was about to ask? Anna cut him off with a tone not as cheerful as before, but rather significantly lowered.

    Even Hawk seemed slightly startled by that voice. It was a voice and an atmosphere that could tell the cold north wind to go away.

    Meanwhile, Anna continued to speak with a still cheerful face.

    Isaac probably wouldnt do that, but if, really, truly, hypothetically, he were to tear those two apart

    I might seriously consider excluding them from the family. Of course, such a thing will never happen. Hoho.

    Following that, she emphasized once again.

    Right?

    Uh, yes. Thats right.

    Hawk answered with a somewhat uneasy expression.<hr>

    Trantors note:

    Its me guys!

    Sorry for the long break but I got seriously burned out and then started ying games on my back burner Long story short Baldurs Gate 3 is amazing and I have finally some motivation to resume so riding on it Ill trante a lot next couple days. Great to be back!

 Chapter 250: Vacation Again (2)

    Chapter 250: Vacation Again (2)

    The long-awaited vacation has finally arrived. For freshmen, its a break like a refreshing rain after a drought, while for sophomores, its a period of ordinary rest. The fact that the vacation is approaching also means that theres about a week left until the exhibition. I wanted to hurry and arrive at the territory to see my family.

    I should also check how things are progressing in the territory. Just hearing bits of news brought to mind the image of my fathers tired appearance. Still, since the territory is steadily developing, theres a lot to look forward to. The Michelle territory, which was originally just a quiet rural area, is now growing into a city of culture.

    First, with the help of Cecily, Ill teleport straight to the Michelle territory. However, I asked for the opinions of those around me first. Marie and Rina n to visit officially after thorough preparation, but others have different circumstances.

    First is Leona. Surprisingly, she told me shes going separately. When I asked for the reason, she said she wants to spend some quiet time with her mother, whom she hasnt seen in a long time. So, during the carriage ride to the Michelle territory, they n to have various conversations. Understanding her heartfelt desire, I agreed.

    Instead, I covered the carriage fare for her journey to make sure its afortable trip. Meeting family after a long time should be a rxed and pleasant conversation.

    Leona is a student who has to work part-time throughout the vacation to sustain herself for the next semester. When I offered to cover the expenses, she happily agreed, bouncing around with joy.

    While the money was important, the more significant part was the time she dedicated to a harmonious rtionship with her mother. Calling me hubby with a voice full of charm was just an added bonus.

    Leonas turn was over now, and the remaining one was Cherry. Although she said she would attend the exhibition, I wonder how she prepared.

    If Cherrys family, the Roseberry family, finds out about this, it could lead to trouble, so its better to pass on that information. In this situation, its best if she justes without revealing too much.

    Currently, Cherry is publicly known as an acquaintance of Xenon, under the pseudonym Mary. Introducing her to my family wont be difficult since they already know about it, but it requires some preparation.

    With her cherry blossom-colored hair attracting attention, wearing a dress would draw even more eyes. However, wearing a robe would be more suspicious.

    Although the chances of Cherrys parents attending the exhibition are very low, rumors have a way of spreading slowly.

    If someone among the nobles recognizes Cherrys pink hair and mentions it, the situation will be veryplicated.

    Given the awkward circumstances, I asked for help from those around me. Ideally, I would like to change only the pink hair.

    The solution to this problem was surprisingly simple, as Cecily suggested.

    Why not use magical dye?

    Is that possible with magic?

    Yeah, you can even change eye color if you want.

    ording to her exnation, before the publication of Xenons Biography, some demons considered disguise essential toe out of Helium. ck hair and blood-red eyes like features were distinctive characteristics unique to demons, and even if horns were covered, they were easily noticed because of these features.

    As a result, disguise magic also developed, allowing a variety of color changes. It would be a great help for Cherry.

    Thank you so much. Magic is truly amazing.

    If youre grateful you know? Ill be expecting it in two months.

    Was she really serious? Cecily gave me a mischievous smile and a wink, making me look somewhat troubled.

    She is usually yful, but considering her recent actions towards me, its not just a joke. It seems that Arwens reincarnation statement and Volume 19 have brought about a lot of changes in her feelings.

    Anyway, with Cecilys help, Cherry was able to change her pink hair and eyes, to apletely ordinary brown. Cherry looked at her now brown hair and eyes with a curious gaze. Seeing curiosity in her usually somber eyes somehow made me proud. With this change, she could also enjoy the exhibition without any worries.

    However, with naturally outstanding beauty and noticeablerge bust, wherever she goes, shes likely to catch peoples eyes. Moreover, Im currently in a situation where Ive been nominated by Hiriya. Perhaps during the exhibition, I may not have time to pay attention to her. Although Id like to show her around, the situation is not quite favorable.

    Even though Rina assured me that she would take care of it, I have no idea how things are progressing. To restrain Hiriya, Leort and Rina might also nominate me.

    Considering these aspects, I exined it to Cherry. Maybe I wont be able to go around with her, but Ill try to be with her as much as possible, but it might be difficult due to circumstances.

    Cherrys response to my question was

    Yes.

    Is that it?

    What more do you need? Its your request, senior.

    No. Dont you think its irresponsible? Im the one who invited you to the exhibition.

    Is there a problem with following your request, senior?

    I was wrong. Ourmunication waspletely off. Even a yes-man wouldnt give such an answer.

    If I ordered her to die, she seemed ready to end her life. The dark, sunken eyes add credibility to that hypothesis.

    Although I wanted to ask her right away, I postponed it forter. Whats important now is introducing Cherry to my parents.

    I suggested teleporting together with Cecily, but surprisingly, she vehemently refused, saying she needed to buy a new dress.

    The originally brought dress was a pink dress that suited her hair, but now it had changed to brown, so she replied that she needed a dress to match it. If I only see things like this, she is not a doll who obediently follows my words but a person with autonomy. In many ways, she is strangely unique

    If you ask me to, Ille wearing it as it is. If you want, as I mentioned before, even naked

    Thats enough.

    A bit too much. Her screw was loose. Besides Adelias case, Cherry, given her extreme nature, made me realize how important the family environment is.

    Anyway, the conversation with acquaintances was over, whats left is Adelia. Considering Adelias personality, she had prepared in advance, so it was over as soon as we met up.

    The travel naturally relied on Cecilys help. Teleportation is always amazing. With a blink of an eye, you are instantly transported to another location.

    Ille back in a week, so see you then.

    Ill be preparing hard.

    Isnt there anything to do before that?

    Before Cecily left, I didnt forget to give her a light kiss. Soon after Cecily left, only Adelia and I remained at the entrance of the territory.

    Adelia was looking at us kissing with envy in her eyes, but whether she thought she hid it well or didnt know, she didnt say anything.

    Honestly, with curving lips and sky-blue eyes filled with envy, it would be stranger if I didnt notice. I confirmed her reaction and chuckled.

    Jealous?

    W-What are you talking about! Who said Im jealous

    At first, Adelia was flustered, but soon her voice softened. Seeing her blushing face and the way she yfully pouted at me, it seemed like she wanted something unconsciously.

    With mischievousness still lingering, I smiled and whispered close to her ear.

    I can do it if you want.

    Hey!

    Adelia twitched like a fish for a moment, then sat down on the floor. It seemed like her legs momentarily lost strength. If my reflexes were sharper, I would have grabbed her hand to prevent her from falling, but unfortunately, I didnt have that ability at the moment.

    I did my best to grab her hand and help her up. Adelia, who was still a bit dazed, stood up with my assistance.

    That was really embarrassing.

    Adelia muttered timidly while brushing off the dirt on her buttocks. Despite her tough expression, her face, as red as it could be, revealed her true feelings. I chuckled softly, observing her dissatisfaction.

    asionally, in moments like this, Adelia felt more like a younger sister than someone I should be protective of. The more she expressed affection, the more apparent it became that she was starving for love.

    Just you wait. Since I endure this every day, it looks like youre underestimating me, huh?

    But you look cute.

    Adelia, who tried to counterattack, ended up receiving only a counter and was gradually sinking. She tightly closed her eyes, wanting to hide any reaction, but her flushed face, as if about to burst, ruthlessly betrayed her efforts.

    Finally, when her face turned so red that drops of red liquid would fall if pressed with a finger, her eyes slowly opened. In her watery sky-blue eyes, there was resentment towards me.

    I shrugged my shoulders and moved leisurely. When I took a step, Adelia hesitated for a moment, then adjusted her stride to match mine.

    ncing sideways, I saw her adjusting her steps to match mine with restrained movements. Although she turned her head and grumbled, she naturally adjusted her steps when I shortened mine.

    Regardless, her status as a sturdy escort knight remained unchanged. Perhaps shell also double as a maid in the future.

    <i>Come to think of it, can a maid attend the academy as well?</i>

    About a year ago, I visited a clothing store with Nicole to purchase formal wear. There, I coincidentally met Jackson, with whom rtions were not good, and I remember a maid following him around.

    Maybe Adelia will be like that someday. Imagining Adelia in a maid outfit walking beside me, I felt a strange sensation.

    <i>I want to see her wear it soon.</i>

    Adelia, wearing a maid outfit, emitting a certain charm. Even now, she is exuding a sufficient amount of unexpected allure, but if she were to showcase more charm here

    A-again. Are you having strange thoughts again? You pervert.

    Could she feel my gaze like that? Adelia pointed at my face, using me while covering her own face with her hands.

    Her face was still flushed, but I was more concerned about the fact that my inner thoughts were exposed. Surprised, I asked,

    How did you know?

    With a face like that, how could I not tell?

    Hmm

    I mumbled in response and touched my face. I wondered if it was that obvious.

    Not just family, but also Marie and Cecily, and now Adelia as well. People closely connected to me can read my inner thoughts. Although I might not be bad at controlling my expressions, Im curious about how they know.

    How did you know?

    I just felt it. Its a kind of intuition.

    Adelia, like Marie, seems to have exceptional intuition. The difference between them might be whether they can grasp the other persons sincerity. However, I dont particrly care. While its a bit embarrassing that my inner thoughts were exposed, I can now confidently speak about it.

    Yes, youre right. I was having strange thoughts about how good you would look in a maid outfit.

    It was a question she hadnt even thought about. Adelia blinked her eyes without any embarrassment and then lowered her head.

    It seemed like she was checking her own figure. Indeed, her height was on the taller side for a woman, so maybe she should consider getting a custom-made outfit.

    However, she didnt seem to have any aversion to wearing a maid uniform, as she made a vague, nonchnt response, not showing any difort.

    Well, I dont really know. Are there specific clothes for exclusive maids, not just regr maids?

    Well, since Noona has to also be a bodyguard

    As I pondered various thoughts, a vivid image began to form in my mind. A skirt that barely covered the thighs, not reaching the ankles for convenience. Specially made garters or garter belts for immediate use in unexpected situations.

    Thinking that Adelia would wear such clothes

    It would suit you really well.

    Really? Honestly, I think a maid outfit doesnt match my face and body as much as a butlers

    No, it must be a maid. No, it has to be a maid.

    Originally, she wasnt the type to put a lot of thought into her attire. However, Adelias maid outfit was something I couldnt give up.

    If this were Earth, she might have vehemently refused. But this was a fantasy world. Adelia had noints about wearing a maid uniform.

    Look at her now. Even though she initially showed a surprised reaction when I emphasized it, isnt she nodding in agreement now? Seeing that, I couldnt help but smile with satisfaction.

    <i>This really is a fantasy world.</i>

    Once again, I was thankful for being born in this world.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 251: Vacation Again (3)

    Chapter 251: Vacation Again (3)

    Entering the territory while imagining Adelia dressed in a maid outfit, I could see with my own eyes that quite a lot had changed. Even before the start of the semester, our territory was already developing, but now it had be something akin to a city.

    Especially noticeable were the humans who hade with support from the Minerva Empire, as well as the frequent appearances of demons. I heard that they came with diplomatic support from Helium. Given that Xenons birthce, where an exhibition is scheduled every year, it was somewhat natural for Helium to dispatch personnel.

    With skills rivaling dwarves and using magic as if it were a tool, demons constructed buildings at an extraordinary pace. It was as if theborers from my favorite game in a past life were working diligently.

    Let me ask you one thing. How does this work?

    Oh, this? Well, you see

    However, it didnt mean that humans only regarded demons with admiration. Humans, having built civilizations second only to elves, were not inferior to others in architectural technology, even if they couldnt use magic.

    Just look at the imperial pce and the scenery of the capital of the Minerva Empire not far away. Although their magical abilities might becking, humans have achieved a valuable civilization over centuries.

    Due to this, excluding magic, humans were ahead in technological prowess. It felt strange to see a human who seemed like a supervisor passing on know-how to demons.

    <i>But is hanging a pen on the ear the same everywhere, regardless of time and ce?</i>

    People who oversee both humans and demons seem to have pens hanging from their ears. And not just any pen, but a magic pen like the one I use. It seems like a gift from the demon side, perhaps suggesting the supervisors use a pen instead of a quill. It may appear like nothing, but it can easily serve as evidence of harmony.

    Just a few years ago, humans despised demons, and now they are working together to build structures in our territory. Xenons Biography has truly changed the world.

    Moreover, demons were only guests at exhibitions until a year ago. I remember meeting a demon who was dating a human woman at that time, and Cecily was impressed by their rtionship.

    Returning to the present, we were now collectively building a cultural city. The fact that demons are coborating with other races to achieve something is already changing the world.

    Before the semester, it wasnt like this. The influence of the exhibition is indeed remarkable.

    Yeah.

    Adelia also seemed to share simr sentiments as she looked around the territory with a curious gaze.

    The cultural city is more like a city for tourism. Various creations inspired by Xenons Biography were disyed throughout the streets, providing diverse attractions.

    For artists who value their honor, having many people view their works was advantageous. Therefore, the Michelle territory was like a haven for artists.

    Thanks to the artists, the territory has attracted more tourists and residents, creating a mutually beneficial rtionship.

    Theres a temple here.

    Its simr to the one in the capital.

    Andstly, the temple. As reported in the newspaper, a colossal temple stood proudly in the center of the territory, emitting an imposing presence. It boasted overwhelming grandeur simr to the Luminous Temple in the capital, making it impossible to pass by without notice, right in the heart of the territory.

    Our territory was nothing but vast fields, a ruralnd, so we were fortunate. If it were another city, there might not have been a ce to build a temple.

    <i>Then, over there</i>

    I shifted my gaze to the empty space across the Luminous Temple. Due to the nature of the temple, regtions dictate that shops or regr buildings should not be erected nearby. If Luminous were to descend upon the newly established temple, its sanctity would spread to the surroundings, and other buildings would absorb that sanctity.

    Who would dare build a structure next to a temple that exudes both majesty and solemnity at the same time? However, across from the Luminous Temple, the foundation for construction was steadily beingid.

    Naturally

    Is Moras temple going to be erected there?

    Probably.

    Amazing. The twin sibling gods temple in one territory. It truly shows that the Minerva Empire is deliberately pushing and supporting this.

    As Adelia mentioned, across from the Luminouss Temple, a Moras Temple was scheduled to be built, supported by Helium. It seems that the construction has temporarily paused due to the uing exhibition.

    Even if they are demons,pleting the temple within a week is somewhat unreasonable. Building a structure for the deity they worship is something that cannot be done haphazardly and is likely not eptable. So, for now, they will enjoy the exhibition, and it seems that the construction will proceed after the exhibition is over. Perhaps it will bepleted within the vacation period.

    Then, will our cutie be in charge of the territory where the temples of Luminous and Mora are erected?

    I dont know. My brother might take on the role in the middle. He said he would stay in the military, but you know, peoples ns dont always work out. Maybe hell receive it afterpleting his military service.

    Originally, the session of the family headship can be decided directly by the family head, but there is an implicit understanding that the eldest son inherits the position. The eldest son is usually the oldest and has experienced various tasks alongside the father, so he is thought to have more wisdom.

    Although there are cases where a daughter or a younger son inherits the family headship, it is notmon. Noble women usually marry, and younger sons mostly pursue their own affairs.

    Of course, if I reveal my true identity, the story may change. If my father appoints me as the family head, Dave will likely be in a simr position. Perhaps influenced by my father, our family dislikes politics, excluding my mother. They might all dly pass it over to me.

    And I, dreaming of bing a historian, should dy it as much as possible. At least I want to travel the world.

    Well, if thats your wish, theres nothing we can do. Lord Hawk might feel a bit sad when he hears about it.

    For now, wouldnt it be better for father to handle the work? Being a former knightmander, he must have considerable political influence.

    The Navy Knights focus mainly onbat as they are close to the special forces, but my father is a figure who has risen to the position ofmander. If we were topare it to my past life, hes not just a captain, but a colonel, and moreover, abatant who directly engages in field battles.

    Why are there some crazy colonels who, even asionally, refuse to be promoted to fieldmanders? Roughly speaking, it can be seen as such a position. Its unreasonable to say that such a personcks political power. If they make a mistake, they could cut off supplies and more from higher-ups, but political power is not a choice but a necessity.

    The reason my father dislikes politics might be rooted in this. Especially in my fathers generation, the barbarians were rampant, and supplies were essential, not to mention the shortage of personnel.

    So for now, my father will continue to handle it. What do I know about the economy? Meeting higher-ups is much better done by my father.

    Thats true.

    Having such conversations, I passed through the lively territory and moved my steps towards the mansion. During the move to the territory, some of the residents recognized me and greeted me warmly. I also smiled and greeted them kindly. asionally, a naive child would run up, but their parents sternly restrained them.

    Adelia also stopped chatting momentarily and assumed a vignt posture as the number of people increased, preparing to draw her sword at any moment.

    The people in our territory are all kind-hearted individuals, and there was no need for caution. However, her attitude of fulfilling her duties resonated with me, so I just let it be.

    Before long, we passed through the bustling town and arrived at the entrance of the mansion. The guards at the gate greeted me briefly upon seeing my face and opened the door.

    Returning home is always a refreshing and joyful experience. My family, whom I longed to see, always weed me with sunny smiles.

    The true essence of home is something that only those who have been away from their families for a long time can feel. There is a reason why those who live in distant ces often suffer from homesickness.

    <i>I miss them so much.</i>

    Furthermore, the anticipation grew as a new family member was born. ording to the letter from my mother, it was a small and lovely younger sister with features simr to my father, possessing the same reddish-brown hair.

    Moreover, although it was a distant future event, Lily is expected to grow into a beautiful and charming woman. Last time when Mora yfully reversed my gender, she said Lily would be very simr to that.

    In the worlds age standards, she was too young to be my younger sister but more like a daughter. If I were to go out with Lily right now, people would probably mistake her for my child.

    Nevertheless, shes cute, so its okay. With expectations in my heart, I passed through the wide-open gate. As I entered the mansion after the gate, the face I longed to see came into view.

    Wee back, Isaac.

    Despite having gone throughte childbirth, my mother, Anna, weed me with a kindness and beauty that rivaled that of a maiden. It seemed she had already received news of my arrival, as she greeted me warmly as soon as I opened the door.

    I momentarily appreciated her weing face, only to discover a bundle nestled in her arms. Something was stirring inside, and my mother, in a familiar posture, held itfortably.

    Hello, Mother. By the way, what are you holding right now?

    Hehe.

    When I cautiously inquired, my mother smiled gently and approached me slowly. I, too, approached with anticipation. Adelia, who was by my side, followed with a curious expression. Subsequently, my mother extended the bundle she was holding securely.

    And inside it

    UuUuu.

    It was Lily, my newly born sister, with golden eyes wide open. Although only two months old, she emitted an indescribable charm with her rich red hair andrge pupils. Cuteness, charm, and finally, an overwhelming loveliness that melted the heart. Just looking at her made a bright smile naturally appear.

    Squee

    Lily alternated her gaze between me and Adelia, then started sucking on her own fingers. They say babies start doing that around two months old, and it seems to be true.

    By the way, how can someone be so adorable? Just like they say, a healthy tree shows its vitality from its leaves, and Lilys beauty was no exception.

    Can she support her neck on her own yet?

    Not yet. But shes working hard now, so she might be able to do it on her own soon.

    Gyaoo~

    While my mother and I were talking, Lily cooed and made a cute sound. Of course, both Adelia and I couldnt help butugh at that sound.

    Ah, this really feels like healing. I almost touched Lilys face without washing my hands, but managed to stop myself just in time.

    I should wash my hands first. And while Im at it, I should greet Dad in the study.

    Ill wash my hands first.

    Sure. Mom will be waiting in the room. Dame Cross, make sure to wash up ande back.

    Yes, I understand.

    Ah, alright.

    Before leaving, I didnt forget to look at Lily, who was cooing. No, I looked at her two or three times before finally taking my steps.

    I want to touch those chubby cheeks and feel those tiny hands as soon as possible. Of course, I have to hold that little body in my arms.

    Above all, what I most want to do is present her my index finger. More precisely, Lily grabbing my index finger.

    How ecstatic it would be if Lily held my finger tightly with her small hands. I can imagine how my face looks even without looking in the mirror. It will undoubtedly be a bit awkward.

    Actually, it was a wish I wanted to try if I ever had a niece. In my past life, I couldnt fulfill it because I was an orphaned child with no rtives, but I was able to achieve it after being reborn.

    After parting ways with Adelia and heading to the bedroom to wash my hands, I unexpectedly met someone. The reason for the construction of the Luminous Temple in our territory, Cardinal Kate.

    She was wearing the characteristic tight nuns habit instead of armor. Her body was already outstanding, and now, unlike before, there was even a strange aura.

    In addition, the scent of lc that stung my nose. The lc scent from my body became familiar, but not so for Kates.

    Originally, lc scent didnte from her. However, after just a few months of parting, she was emitting a strong fragrance.

    What on earth happened during that time? Along with that, her holy aura was greatly emanating, so just meeting her made my mind go slightly nk.

    Hello, Sir Isaac. Its been a while.

    After drawing the holy symbol, Kate bowed her head gracefully and greeted me warmly. I quickly regained myposure in response to her greeting.

    Oh, yes. Hello, Ms. Kate. Its been a while. Have you been well?

    Thanks to the protection of Luminous and your presence, Ive been doing well.

    The fanatical aspect was there from the beginning, so lets assume thats the case, but I dont understand the meaning of thetter part. What does it matter that I exist?

    With that meaning, Kate blinked her eyes and opened her mouth with apassionate smile.

    Thanks to the advice you gave me, I was able to eradicate all the parasites that had taken root in Xavier. Im truly grateful.

    Oh, well

    Is she talking about the spoiler incident? I scratched the back of my neck, avoiding eye contact. Theres not much to say about that.

    I have learned it through Luminous, and I was going to release it through my book anyway. So, I indirectly provided advice using a proverb from my past life, allowing Kate to figure out the meaning on her own.

    Kate just uncovered the meaning of that proverb and solved the problem on her own.

    Anyway, lets move on. Even though Kates gaze was a bit ufortable, its more important to address what Im curious about first.

    By the way, why is Miss Kate here in our mansion?

    Lord Michelle has been gracious. He said I could stay at the mansion for a while.

    I see.

    Well, considering that she even erected a temple, this level of generosity was probably standard.

    Then, is Miss Kate participating in the exhibition too?

    Yes. To prevent this sacrednd from being defiled by annoying devil worshippers, I will pray to Luminous and bestow blessings on the entirend. That way, the sacred festival can proceed even more safely.

    A response came containing Kates intensity and fanatical aspect simultaneously. I was barely able to suppress the slight dizziness that came after hearing that.

    Anyway, if blessings were bestowed as she ims, the exhibition will proceed much more safely. I dont know what misconception she has, but Ill just overlook it for now since I dont know what that misconception is.

    In my heart, Id like to talk more with Kate, but Lily takes precedence now. With that in mind, I concluded the conversation and greeted her.

    Well, I hope its an enjoyable exhibition. I have a brief matter to attend to, so Ill go first.

    Alright. Im always ready, so feel free toe by whenever you have time.

    She drew the symbol of respect once again and spoke to me with reverence.

    The light that will save the world.

    What kind of misconception is she having, exactly?<hr>

    Trantors note:

    Prepare for the most wholesome chapter ever. You have been warned.

    Chapter fixed.

 Chapter 252: Vacation Again (4)

    Chapter 252: Vacation Again (4)

    After the unexpected encounter with Kate, I returned to my room to clean my hands. Returning to my room instead of the dormitory was a refreshing change, but meeting Lily was the priority. Therefore, after washing my hands, which I usually didnt spend more than 30 seconds on, meticulously for over 3 minutes, I walked straight to the lounge where Lily was waiting.

    Perhaps Adelia would not only change her clothes but also thoroughly clean herself, so it might take a while. Until then, it seemed like a good idea to have a conversation with my mother.

    Im back.

    Youre back?

    Upon arriving at the lounge, mother greeted me. However, Lily, who was there just a moment ago, was nowhere to be seen.

    Wondering where she might be, I nced around, and suddenly, a white crib that hadnt been visible before caught my eye.

    It turned out Lily was there. As I took a step towards it, Lily, with wide-open eyes, was wriggling inside the crib.

    My little sister, always cute no matter when. From the red hair to the golden eyes, she inherited everything.

    Gently, I extended my index finger towards Lilys wide-open hands.

    Swish-

    Lily, with a coo, reached out her hand and grabbed the tip of my finger with her tiny hand.

    Why are you so small? The size difference is expected between a grown adult and a newborn baby, but it was enough to be harmful to the heart.

    Ooo.

    The cooing, once again harmful to the heart, was an added bonus. I smiled at Lilys determined grip on my hand, as if she wouldnt let go no matter what.

    I had finally achieved the wish I had longed for so much. All that remained was for Lily to call me oppa (older brother).

    At what age do children typically start speaking? It varies from person to person, but generally, Ive heard that most children start talking around the age of 3. Some say they have a moment when they awaken tonguage.

    It might be said that we have to wait at least three more years, but babies naturally grow up in the blink of an eye. Before you know it, theyll start crawling, and with another blink, theyll be walking energetically.

    I slowly withdrew the hand that had been tightly held by Lily, looking into her golden eyes. As I did so, Lilys hand, which had been holding mine, naturally loosened, and she brought it to her mouth.

    Her golden eyes, filled with intense curiosity, were looking at me intently. It seemed like Father and Mother were used to seeing our faces frequently, but I was not.

    Mother, smiling softly at the two of us, spoke affectionately to Lily.

    Lily, do you see? This is your second brother, Isaac. Hes also a world-famous Xenons Biography writer.

    Aaa.

    Whether she understood or not, she responded with a coo. Hearing that sound, Mother and I both burst intoughter.

    Then, surprisingly, Lily also smiled brightly. It seems to be true that babies have a habit of smiling when they see their parents smiles. Going through the expected heartache was just part of the process. The pure smile of a baby seems to have an incredible power, almost enough to melt ones heart rather than causing pain.

    Imagine being born and finding out your older brother is a famous Xenons Biography writer. Wonder how your mom feels about it.

    Yeah, really.

    I deeply empathized with the mothers words. In my past life, having a famous novel is one thing, but being born into a family where someone has reached the pinnacle in that field is a whole other. However, surprisingly, most people dont show it off much. It might be partly because they are already so famous, but they generally dont pay much attention to it.

    Well, aside from the fact that the child is still very young, most parents are not active in their field after the child grows up. So, from the childs perspective, they are just an ordinary family. If you neglect this aspect, there is a high possibility that the child may go down the wrong path.

    So, I should probably be like that too. When Lily has a sense of reason, Ill probably have revealed my identity, and I n to diligently y the role of an older brother.

    Uung

    It had been quite a while since Lily woke up from her nap. After making a sleepy sound, Lily slowly began to close her eyes. Itsmon for babies to spend most of their day sleeping until they sleep through the night. Its fortunate that I arrived during her awake hours.

    Anyway, Lily seems to be tired, so I should stop here. Its a shame that Adelia couldnt see her like this.

    Ring-

    When Lily tried to fall asleep, mother rang the bell, calling for a maid. Well, more precisely, its not a maid but a head maid.

    Before long, the summoned head maid entered the lounge. Unlike my mother, who exuded beautyparable to that of a maiden despite being past middle age, the head maid at her age had deep wrinkles on her face, fitting her years.

    The head maid, who started living with us when my father received a noble rank, had taken care of me even in my childhood. Now, she holds the position of the head maid.

    Well then, Ill leave it to you, Dana.

    Yes, understood.

    The head maid bowed politely in response to the mothers request and left the room. Although I wanted to see Lily a bit more, I couldnt help but feel regret since sleep was crucial for the child.

    Once the head maid left with Lily, only my mother and I remained in the lounge. While gazing at the spot where the head maid had been, I spoke to my mother.

    Did the head maid return to her position as a head maid?

    No, its not that. Im gradually getting older, so I dont engage much in social activities aside from tea time. Thats why we take turns taking care of Lily.

    I think mom is still young enough to engage in social activities though?

    This little.

    Mother smiled happily, cing her hand on her mouth. It seems like she took it as a joke, but its not a joke; its the truth.

    Who would think that she, looking at that face, is a middle-aged woman who raised three grown-up siblings? Theres no sign of aging to be found, not even a trace.

    Perhaps its because of her good genes or maybe she absorbed all of fathers mana. Considering how Marie and Cecilys skin glowed every time we slept, the possibility was very high.

    Lets think about how Lily was born in the first ce. Even on the first night with Marie, she generously gave me thest remaining contraceptive pill.

    Anyway, youve safely returned home. By the way, Adelia seems to have gone through various things in the meantime.

    Well yes. Just a while ago, I met Miss Kate.

    There were so many people that even your mother got a bit dizzy. Since it seems like we have a lot to talk about, sit for a moment. Your father is currently busy with work, so it might be better to meet himter.

    Is he really that busy?

    Dont say such things. Hes busyining about you every day.

    How much does hein about me? In fact, most of fathers work is a result of things that happened because of me, so I cant really argue.

    Although I want to help, Im ignorant when ites to his work. I should learn little by little during the vacation, even if its for the sake of the future.

    Following mothers instructions, I settled on the sofa in the lounge. Theres still some time before Adelia arrives.

    I nned to bring up Xenons Biography until then. Fortunately, even fresh fruit was prepared, as if ready in advance.

    Mother, eagerly slicing into the tempting red apple. She enjoys cutting it herself rather than relying on a servant, even on ordinary days.

    I picked up a piece of fruit that Mother had cut and put it in my mouth using a fork. The sweet juice spread throughout my mouth.

    So many things have happened, and I dont know where to start. Its even hard to organize.

    You can do it however you like, Mother.

    Well then Kate. How did you meet Inquisitor Kate? Looks like she knows your identity as well.

    Its nothing special. Lord Luminous gave her an ambiguous oracle.

    Not just an oracle, but the strong scent of lcs emanating from my body yed a role. It wasnt an artificial perfume, but the natural fragrance of lcs, so Kate noticed it faster.

    After that, there were requests for my seed and such, but fortunately, those were smoothly handled. Perhaps due to Kates extensive knowledge nurtured under the thorough management of the organization, her sexual knowledge was devastating.

    Mother, after listening to what happened between Kate and me, pondered for a moment and then smiled faintly. It seems a bit awkward after hearing it firsthand.

    So, there were circumstances. No wonder there was a reason you mentioned such things without hesitation.

    Did she also say such things to Mother?

    She said something simr. That Xenon is practically the same as light. Therefore, spreading your seed far and wide will brighten the world, she said.

    What?

    I momentarily stopped trying to put the fruit in my mouth and looked at my mother with a bewildered expression. I wondered if I had misheard what I heard just a moment ago.

    However, my mother, after seeing my expression, calmly smiled and continued to slice the fruit leisurely.

    It seems you heard correctly. Just as you nt seeds in the ground for nts to grow, youre supposed to spread your seeds throughout the world. Thats the only way the world can be filled with light.

    At first, I thought she might be a bit entric after hearing that. But I didnt expect there to be such circumstances.

    Is it not strange to say things like that, regardless of the circumstances?

    I burst into nervousughter. I had just muttered about being the light that would save the world earlier, and now I was saying such things.

    In my heart, I wanted to open Kates head like a lid and see what she was thinking.

    But you can understand, cant you? At first, I thought she wanted to turn our son into someone worse than trash. Youre enough of a scoundrel now.

    Mother?

    Why are you like this? Should I list them one by one if its too difficult for you? The Young Duchess of Requilis, the beloved of the Princess of Helium. The daughter of the chieftain you mentioned in the letter, a knight escort. Lastly, Kate and the junior you discovered this time. At least these women have feelings for you beyond mere liking.

    Oh, and the Elven Queen might be included as well. She has received a lot of help from you, after all.

    Mother checked me thoroughly. She inserted a dagger into my heart with a smiling face. If Nicole physically tortured me, my mother mentally beat me. I wanted to protest, but if I do that, Ill be the only one to look pitiful, so its better to just shut my mouth.

    I should eat some fruit.

    Anyway, lets quickly move on from the matter about Kate. If I keep talking, Ill only make things difficult for myself.

    Lets just skip that part for now. Whats important right now is not that.

    Its incredibly important, and youre the only one who doesnt know. Does our Isaac have a hobby of collecting princesses?

    Mother.

    Hehe.

    As I looked at my mother, who was eating fruit with aplex expression, she smiled like a young girl. How can she say the same thing as Nicole? Maybe this is also gic.

    I sighed as I looked at my mother eating fruit with a smile. I had a strong premonition that this might be a lifelong joke.

    Meanwhile, my mother picked up a piece of fruit and slowly started peeling the skin.

    Lets skip what you want for now and talk about Xenons Biography. What kind of gift did you receive from the demons that made your work speed up?

    Ill tell you thatter. Gartz will bring it soon.

    The typewriter cannot be left in the dormitory, and its too big to carry around. So, I asked Gartz like a delivery driver. Maybe it will arrive around this evening. I asked him to deliver it to me at that time.

    Its exciting. I wonder what kind of item it is that has significantly increased the work speed. Thanks to it, I can enjoy Xenons Biography a bit faster. This mom is happy.

    Oh, by the way, did you receive the side story that I sent by mail? Did you read it?

    Just before the vacation started, Ipleted all of the side story and sent it to the mansion. By now, they should have arrived at the publishing house, but

    Oh, I forgot to tell you. It seems sending it to the publishing house will have difficulties for a while.

    What? Why?

    I received unexpected news from my mother. At the same time, I became worried because thest time the head of the publishing house was attacked by a devil worshiper. Im concerned if something worse than that has happened.

    Of course, its not a big problem to sign a contract with another publishing house. However, the trust built up with the current publishing house over time was very strong. Musk, the CEO, stood firm even when pressured by elf elders who received support from the Council of Elders, not just human nobles.

    Hes someone hard to find, and even in situations like now, it would be troublesome if something happened.

    Thats the thing. They say thepany is relocating.

    To where?

    To our territory.

    What?

    What is this again? Thepany that was doing well is moving to our territory.

    As I looked at her with an expression ofplete confusion, my mother exined the situation with her characteristic calm smile.

    As you know, the publishers CEO was attacked by devil worshippers.

    I know about that.

    But it seems the CEO thought that not only he but also others might be harmed. So, he nned to move thepany to our territory, where the temple is being built. I heard that they will even help the families of the employees move.

    Thats going to cost a lot of money

    I expressed deep concern. The current value of our Michelle territorysnd was skyrocketing.

    Not only are temples dedicated to the twin sibling deities being built, but also a huge event like the Xenon Exhibition is held in the area every year.

    Moreover, it was a territory with great potential from the beginning, not just for development but also to keep my father bound. Naturally, thend value could only be high.

    Im worried that taking care of the families of the employees might be a bit difficult, even with the considerable profit from Xenons Biography.

    However, my mother, unlike such concerns, casually opened her mouth with a shrug of her shoulders.

    Well, the CEO didnt seem to care much about that, right? People can live with money, but you cant buy a human life with money.

    So, it might be difficult to deliver manuscripts during the construction of the building. Instead, it will probably bepleted quickly. Cardinal Kate promised to help from their side.

    That CEO. Seriously, he has an amazing ability to smell money. Its a relief that hes not a noble, but if he were, he would have wielded immense wealth.

    While I was silently chuckling to myself about it, my mother, who had been slicing fruit, paused and gently set the knife down. After ncing around to double-check if anyone was listening, she cautiously asked me in a hushed voice.

    So, I read the spin-off, you know.

    You read that? Dont read it.

    Yeah. How could I resist the curiosity? Its the side story of Jin and Lilys past!

    Squelch

    What the I blinked as a strange sound reached my ears. When I shifted my gaze, an unbelievable scene unfolded before me  my mothers fingertips digging into the fruit.

    I could understand the excitement and the force she put into it, but aside from that, it was undoubtedly an extraordinary sight for her fingers to be delving into a tough fruit.

    You dont know how much Im looking forward to it after reading. I hope Jin and Lily continue, and get together soon.

    Jins chest was pierced in the 20th volume, I couldnt bring myself to say those words. Because

    Grip!

    Just imagining it made me afraid, as Mothers fingers gradually invaded the inside of the fruit.

    Ive seen some people in my past life split apples with one hand, but piercing an apple with fingers is something Ive never seen before.

    Simple brute strength. Mother mercilessly ughtered the fruit with pure brute strength, without the power of mana.

    Crack!

    Our fruit valiantly met its demise. Not just scattered juice, but it seemed to be shattered into pieces everywhere.

    The juice sshed on my cheek, showing how strongly she squeezed it.

    Oh my. I didnt even realize the strength

    Just wait a moment.

    After ruthlessly brushing off the destroyed fruit from her hand, my mother stood up. I looked at the shattered fruit mess even when she stood up.

    Why does that feel like my future? Im deeply worried that after the 20th volume, my chest might be pierced.

    There must be a reason why Father chose Mother.

    Indeed, beside the male lion, the female lion fits the best.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 253: Vacation Again (5)

    Chapter 253: Vacation Again (5)

    While carefully collecting scattered fruit pieces around me, I had one certainty. The reason my father met my mother was undoubtedly based on her formidable strength.

    Even for an ordinary adult, let alone a trained adult man, crushing fruit barehanded is extremely difficult. Again, I emphasize, not cutting but crushing.

    Its challenging for even the most skilled experts to make fruit burst out as if it were crushed by some press. Is it possible in a fantasy world? From what Ive heard, my mother has never engaged in any training. ording to my father, she was a simple country girl.

    The hypothesis that my mother was influenced while sharing affection with my father seems the most usible, but I didnt bother to inquire. The most urgent matter was the 20th volume of Xenons Biography.

    If I release the 20th volume without modifying the story, that fruit could be an allegory for my future. However, I cant change the story like that. In the 20th volume, Jin is pierced through the chest by Beelzebub, but he doesntpletely die. It serves as a foundation for the verymon awakening cliche.

    Why? Its a story where another presence within awakens in a moment of crisis and saves the protagonist. Especially since Jin is a hybrid of human and demon, different from other demons, I scattered hints throughout the Xenons Biography. So, Jin wont die right away.

    Although whether I can survive until the 21st volume is questionable. If my mother decides to target me, taking a brief refuge might not be a bad choice.

    What are you thinking about?

    Suddenly, my mother, who had washed her hands and sat back down, asked me a question. While gazing at the fruit pieces I had carefully gathered, I quietly opened my mouth.

    I almost spilled the contents of the 20th volume that were in my mind, but I managed to suppress it.

    I didnt know you were this strong, Mom. How can you burst fruit with just one hand?

    Its just the basics.

    If thats basic, Im in big trouble.

    My not-so-serious joke made my mother cover her mouth with her hand and smile gracefully.

    Im just kidding. Where I lived, there werent many people, so everyone helped with all kinds of work, regardless of gender. I had to do everything from milking cows to carrying hunted animals. Oh, I even moved a bear once.

    Didnt you like writing when you were young?

    Thats separate from work.

    Although she said that, talent doesnt change. Some people work hard until they die, and their strength remains the same, since simply doing manualbor doesnt increase strength.

    Perhaps Nicoles innate strength was not inherited from my Father.

    I, too, underwent a bted transformation. Despite receiving only basic knight training, my stamina was exceptional.

    Knock knock

    Its Adelia. May Ie in?

    Around the time when I was dwelling on mothers past and talents, Adelia knocked on the door. It seemed like she had freshened herself up and changed into clean clothes.

    When mother permitted her to enter, Adelia, dressed casually, revealed herself. Despite changing clothes, she still wore a shirt and leather pants. It seemed she hadnt given much thought to what to wear, probably because she didnt expect to meet my mother.

    Come in. Sit next to Isaac.

    Yes. Understood.

    Adelia moved in ordance with mothers instructions. I observed her expression as she approached. Her face seemed slightly tense, probably anticipating what the conversation might entail. It was evident from her tightly sealed lips.

    I had provided enough exnation to mother, and Adelia had spoken as well, but it was inevitable for her to feel nervous. Even though she imed to be satisfied just by watching from a distance, mothers perspective might differ. Especially for Adelia, the biggest obstacle was none other than her status.

    I feared that revealing Adelias true identity would lead to trouble. Sometimes, its better not to know, and I did it to avoid burdening Adelia. I was the author of Xenons Biography.

    And Adelia loved me not because she loved Xenon, but because she held feelings for a person named Isaac.

    Tick tock

    Ive heard the story. You want to be Isaacs concubine and his exclusive maid at the same time?

    When Adelia sat down next to me, my mother calmly began slicing fruit and went straight to the point. Adelia, though momentarily taken aback by the question, nodded heavily and answered.

    Yes.

    Have you also received permission from Marie and Princess Cecily?

    Yes.

    Alright. Then, take good care of our Isaac.

    Yes. About that um, yes?

    Adelia replied confused, not expecting such an easy pass. She had no choice but to inquire. Mother easily epted it, making the tense atmosphere feel foolishly unnecessary.

    Why are you making that expression? Youve already got permission from Marie and Princess Cecily, whats so difficult about it?

    No, its just that, Madam. As you know

    That youre a royal bastard from the Kingdom of Ters? Our family doesnt care about such things. My husband was amoner whoter became a noble, and I, too, became a noble after marrying him. Since youve already confirmed your feelings for each other, theres nothing I can say or do.

    In response to Mothers rxed answer, Adelia, still stammering, continued with more questions to satisfy her curiosity.

    But someday, there wille a day when a big decision has to be made, right?

    The day wille when she has to make a big decision. Judging by the fact that I havent heard those words before, it seems like it was something that came up in a personal conversation with my mother.

    Upon hearing the question, my mother shifted her gaze to me and smiled faintly. Then, she neatly ced sliced fruits onto a te.

    I feel like youve already made a decision, havent you? If the Ters Kingdom asks you toe back, will you go?

    No. I absolutely swear that wont happen. I realized that just because we share the same blood doesnt mean were all family.

    Adelia grimaced at the thought, as if she felt repulsed even imagining it. She had already let go of any lingering feelings through her sparring with Hiriya. Besides, even if I revealed that I was Xenon, she wouldnt return to her biological family. I had promised to make sure of that.

    Thats settled then. What more do you need? Make sure to excel in your maid sses, and dont forget the duties of a guardian knight. Ill leave the education to Dana, so study hard starting tomorrow.

    Adelia, unable to grasp what to do in the conversation flowing like a snake over a wall, wore an expression of confusion. It was a perplexing situation even for me. When I picked up a piece of fruit with a fork, Adelia cautiously spoke.

    Um Lady Baroness.

    Yeah, speak up.

    Is it really possible? I have nothing like those two do

    Adelia lowered herself, using Marie and Cecily as examples. However, at the same time, it was realistic. Unlike the mentioned two, she only had a trained body.

    Marie is a daughter of Duke Requilis, and Cecily is both the princess of Helium and the next demon king. From Adelias perspective, she must feel endlessly in. Thats probably why she asked such a question.

    In response to the question that contained deep meaning, mother answered with a characteristic warm smile.

    Even if you dont have much, you can still help Isaac. Our Isaac is smart, but his body is rtively weak.

    Its not that weak, though.

    Keep your mouth shut. Learn to read the atmosphere.

    I tried to intervene to lighten the mood, but ended up getting scolded. I should just eat some fruit.

    But Princess Cecily can also help Isaac.

    But that child isnt with Isaac every day, is she?

    Instead of Cecily, a knight dispatched from Helium protects me. However, Adelia doesnt know this fact, so lets move on.

    But you are different. As a dedicated maid, you can watch over Isaac closely. Moreover, you can protect him right away in case of an emergency. Why do you say you have nothing?

    Dont lower yourself too much. Its not that you have nothing, you just dont know what you have. Just remember that.

    Yes.

    Adelia choked up in response to mothers warm kindness. I lowered my head slightly and examined Adelias face.

    Tears were on the brink of falling as moisture gathered in her sharp sky-blue eyes. Despite her outward cheerfulness, she was a delicate and tender person on the inside.

    It was a characteristic shared by many who had endured deep wounds. Adelia had carried countless scars in her heart since childhood, and even a slight touch could trigger tears.

    <i>I havent revealed everything yet, but</i>

    While Adelia was calming her emotions, I exchanged nces with mother. Mother just smiled and nodded, indicating that it was enough for now.

    Even if I revealed that I was Xenon, it didnt seem to matter. I pondered over it while idly picking at the fruit.

    From the current situation, it was evident that Adelia had no intention of returning to the Kingdom of Ters. I could be sure of that.

    She had fallen for me, and with mothers approval, there was no longer any reason to hesitate. This would likely remain the same even after I disclosed my true identity. If anything, being cherished by someone like Xenon might make her feel a sense of superiority.

    However, its just my opinion, and considering Adelias personality, as I mentioned earlier, she might find it burdensome. The status of Xenons Biography is soaring as if it would pierce through the sky.

    So, if I dont want her to feel burdened

    <i>Theres no choice but to make it official.</i>

    I must stamp the proof of my ownership on it. If that happens, Adelia should be able to relieve some of the burden little by little.

    Of course, it wont be possible right away. Theres also the issue of the exhibition, and during the vacation, Marie and Cecily will be teaming up, leaving little room for Adelia to intervene.

    If one of them were to yield, it might work. However, their greed for me is so overwhelming that its not an easy task. Even if I want to persuade them, it seems difficult even toe up with something to say.

    While I was silently contemting useless thoughts, my mother spoke to Adelia.

    Then its better to start taking maid lessons from today. Youll need to schedule knight training too. And n your working hours.

    Huuh. Um, isnt a personal maid supposed to be by ones side from morning to night?

    Huh? What are you talking about? Even for a personal maid, there are strict working hours. Usually starts from 7 in the morning until dinner time. There are also breaks for personal meals, so it wont be too difficult.

    But, but in the books, it says they work through the night

    At Adelias bombshell statement, my mother blinked her eyes a couple of times, then tilted her head with an expression of confusion, wondering where she got such knowledge.

    Adelia, too, shifted her gaze towards me, perhaps sensing something strange from the reaction. Why are you looking at me? You self-taught from the book you received from Marie, right? Despite my feelings, Adelia spoke quietly with a skeptical tone.

    Oh, no? In the book, it said to take the night shift to relieve the owners fatigue. The owner should be very satisfied

    Hmm Isaac.

    Mother, exhaling a sigh filled withplex feelings, called me. In response, I awkwardly smiled and replied.

    Yes, Mother.

    Wait outside until I call you again.

    Following Mothers instructions, I silently got up from my seat and went outside. It seemed like the intention was to instillmon sense and manners in Adelia.

    During this time, Adelia looked increasingly ufortable, as if wondering if she had done something wrong. She resembled a golden retriever on the verge of being scolded by its owner. Still, I ignored it because it was necessary.

    After a while outside, Mother instructed me toe back inside. Upon entering, I immediately checked Adelias condition.

    Adelia noona, are you okay?

    Not really, huh. Adelia, with both hands buried in her face and her head bowed deeply, caught my eye.

    Along with that, her ears were flushed red. I dont need to see her face to know how it looks.

    Even though it was incorrect knowledge, she even said she would listen to my night requests, so the embarrassment must be overwhelming. Shes someone with a refreshing personality, but in moments like this, she subtly shows a clumsy side, adding a charming twist.

    By the way, why did Marie rmend that book to you?

    Probably because of Maries personality, she wanted to tease Adelia noona. But since Noona doesnt know her well

    That could be it. We should talk about it when we meetter.

    What are we talking about?

    In response to my question, my mother, still looking at Adelia who couldnt lift her head, smiled broadly.

    She rmended a really good book.

    Ugh

    This was the first decisive blow.

    So, Noona, when will you listen to my night requests?

    Ugh You

    With this, I delivered the second decisive blow.

    Theres nothing cuter than Adelia being embarrassed.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 254: Noble (1)

    Chapter 254: Noble (1)

    The issue of Adelias maid conversion was important, but there are still many matters left unresolved, piled up like a mountain. Leona and her mother are scheduled to visit the estate soon, and Cherry, who has disguised herself, will also be visiting shortly.

    Leona is aware of information about Adelia, and Cherry is closely rted to my identity. Therefore, I intentionally excluded stories rted to Cherry. Although I provided a rough exnation in the letter, its much better to hear directly from the individuals involved than to read it.

    I exined in detail to my mother, seeking her opinion on how to proceed in the future. Both of my parents are aware that Leona is a beastwoman. Especially my father, having experienced conflicts with beastmen in the border areas during his active duty, witnessed hisrades falling to the savage beastmen with his own eyes.

    Naturally, there is bound to be resentment towards them. As mentioned before, there is a deep concern that my father might vehemently oppose it. Although the whole situation hase about weirdly, Leonas affection towards me is sincere. She passionately rubs her face as if she has truly be a cat, and even her tail sways.

    The incidents arising from cultural differences between humans and beastmen dont bother those around us. To the extent that others expressed that they see Leona not as apetitor but as a pet. This is a shared opinion between Marie and Cecily.

    And then, as if indifferent to the exnation, mother opened her mouth.

    Dont worry about that. Both I and your dad dont pay much attention to it.

    Even Dad, Mom?

    Yeah. At first, he frowned a bit, but he respected your choice.

    Unexpectedly, even Dad responded calmly. It seems I worried for nothing, and it kinda made me feel disappointed.

    But the child ising just with her name, right? Being the daughter of the third wife, she has nothing, right?

    Yes. She said the other wives, except the first one, are spoils of war.

    Is there anything that child can help you with?

    Well

    I heard my mothers question and thought deeply. Leona is known not only among students but also among professors for her excellent reputation, as she is dedicated to her studies.

    Her intellect is extraordinary, and although she may be stern, she is also eloquent. Ive heard that she even had a debate with a professorst time, although she ended up losing. However, the professor highly praised her curiosity and gave her a perfect score.

    Because of this, professors are making efforts to bring Leona in as their assistant. However, Professor Elena, who is in charge of history, seems indifferent. In her freshman year, she couldnt adapt due to theplex political situation of human society and beastmen, but by the second year, she expressed her talents and abilities without reservation.

    Her reputation within the academy is really good. You could say she has a promising future as a schr.

    A schr What kind of schr does she want to be?

    Im not sure about that. Leonas goal is solely to graduate from the academy.

    Leona, in order to make her mother happy, entered the Halo Academy while hiding her true identity. Her sole goal is to obtain a graduation certificate from the Halo Academy.

    If she only needs the certificate for graduation, theres no need for her to enter a specific department; she just has toplete the courses until the fourth year.

    Not aiming to be a schr?

    Yes. She told me that shes just going to get the graduation certificate to make her mother happy.

    A rare dutiful daughter. Hmmm

    After hearing my story, my mother picked up a neatly cut piece of fruit and put it in her mouth. After a few thoughtful moments, she shifted her gaze to Adelia.

    Adelias face is still red from the recent incident. It seems shes too embarrassed to even lift her head properly.

    Well then, Leona, how about assigning that girl, too, to maid duties?

    As if she had juste up with a good idea after staring intently at Adelia for a while, my mother opened her mouth.

    I widened my eyes at her words.

    What? What are you talking about? You want Leona to do maid work, too?

    Wouldnt that be the best? I am a person with outstanding abilities, enough to employ a woman who graduated from the Halo Academy as a maid! Its something to show off about, isnt it?

    Is that so? I tilted my head in response to my mothers suggestion, which seemed to make sense but carried a subtle nuance.

    I vaguely recall hearing a simr story in my past life. I cant remember the details, but it involved a method frequently employed by wealthy individuals obsessed with honor.

    Furthermore, even in this world, there exists a certain level of educational elitism. The difference between schrs who have graduated from the Halo Academy and those who havent is quite significant.

    However, the method my mother proposed seems to take a considerable amount of time, so it might be best to put it on hold for the time being. I should also consult with Leona; her opinion matters the most after all.

    Alright, I understand. Ill ask Leona about it, and we can take our time to think it over

    Thats a good idea. And Adelia?

    Yes, yes?

    Adelia, startled by mothers call, raised her head with wide, sky-blue eyes filled with surprise.

    Ill talk to Dana, the head maid. Starting tomorrow, go to her for education. Since training may be necessary, I will inform my husband as well.

    Thank you, Lady Baroness.

    Dont mention it. Instead, promise me. Promise that youll stay by Isaacs side no matter what happens.

    Was it the sincerity and kindness in mothers question that resonated in her heart?

    As soon as Adelia heard her mothers request, she hesitated for a moment, then clenched the fist she had ced on her thigh tightly.

    At the same time, her expression changed infinitely serious. The maiden who had been embarrassed just a moment ago disappeared without a trace, and only a resolute knight remained.

    However, regardless of the atmosphere, she seemed to be unsure, opening and closing her mouth repeatedly. Despite her usually carefree demeanor, this revealed the delicate side of her inner self.

    Grab-

    To alleviate her burden even a little, I ced my hand on her fist, which was resting on her thigh. As I did so, Adelia looked at me with surprise.

    Without saying a word, I gently smiled and nodded, causing Adelias tightly clenched fist to loosen.

    Eventually, holding our hands that were previously closed, we shared warmth with each other. Adelias hands were calloused and tough from rigorous training, rough and hard.

    In response to my reassurance, Adelia gained confidence, and the corners of her mouth curled up, showing a confident smile.

    Of course,dy baroness.

    Finally opening her mouth, Adelia held my hand tightly as if she no longer felt the need to hide.

    Whatever happens, I will protect Isaac.

    A determination so firm that it couldnt be broken. In response to those resolute words, Mother nodded with a satisfied smile.

    Upon hearing Adelias decision, I smiled contentedly. She had all the qualities, but shecked the courage to take a step forward. One might say shecked ambition.

    I hope today serves as an opportunity for her to gather courage and a bit of ambition. Adelia deserves to be loved by someone.

    I understand your feelings well. Then

    Mother checked Adelias expression, then, with a p of her hands, spoke cheerfully.

    Shall we go measure for the dress now?

    What?

    Adelia replied with a puzzled voice to the unexpected suggestion. The serious atmosphere seemed to once again quietly fade away.

    Nevertheless, she still tightly held onto my hand, trying not to let go. It seemed she was unaware, so I left it alone.

    You are Isaacs exclusive maid, right? Especially since Adelia is tall and has a good figure, measurements must be taken for sure.

    Oh, I see. I understand.

    Next Isaac?

    When Adelia was making a bewildered expression, mother called me this time.

    Without much thought, I faced her and answered.

    Yes, mother.

    Do you have any specific design in mind?

    Design?

    Yes, design. Exclusive maids can order the attire their masters desire.

    Is that so? I dont know much about maids, so Im not sure if its true or false.

    If you see a persons expression, you can understand their intentions, but my mother always has a smiling face. Every time we talk, she makes that expression. I wonder if theres a reason for it.

    Adelia? Adelia is someone who dedicates herself only to martial arts, to the point of not even knowing politenguage. Even now, shes reacting with a bewildered face, as if questioning if this is right.

    So, it means I can say exactly what I want about her attire. I cautiously opened my mouth while ncing at Adelia.

    Can I show itter in a drawing? Its difficult to exin it here as it emphasizes practicality.

    Of course. Even your mom is curious.

    Adelia couldnt join in our conversation and sat quietly in the corner. She blinked her eyes like a big cat, only making eye movements.

    While talking with my mother, I smiled inwardly. Even as an exclusive maid, there must be conventional clothing. However, seeing that mother suggesting this, it means I can go with what I want. In that case, I should.

    Adelia noona.

    Uh, yeah?

    Noona, will you wear any clothes, no matter what?

    Adelia rolled her sky-blue eyes and answered in a hesitant voice.

    Yeah, of course. As long as its not weird

    It wont be weird at all. As I mentioned earlier, itll be practical andfortable.

    Then, okay

    She sent a reluctant gaze, but epted. Since she gave permission herself, all thats left is submitting the design.

    <i>I look forward to it.</i>

    I hope the day when Adelia wears the maid outfites quickly.

    *****

    The maid incident with Adelia was resolved smoothly, but work still piled up like a mountain. Not only can I not publish the side story until the publisherpletely moves to our territory, but I also have to prepare for the exhibition.

    In that sense, I moved to the study to help my father with his work, but

    Whats all this?

    Documents.

    As soon as I saw the stack of documents piled high on my fathers desk, I couldnt help but panic. It was stacked so high that it reached my eye level.

    No matter how much progress has been made and even with the construction of the new temple, isnt this too much paperwork? I watched my father, who was wearing sses and meticulously reading and signing the documents.

    From the perfectionistic tendencies that have been carried on since his days as themander, they were still being disyed now. One could suggest just quickly signing them and being done with it. However, the problem is that each document is very important.

    The buildings that are currently under construction, as well as the tariffsing from other countries, are all matters to be concerned about. Its not just one or two things.

    Of course, all of this is because of Xenons Biography and the exhibition. Originally, the territory that should have developed yearster was rapidly growing due to the exhibition.

    The meaning of nned developmentter implies that personnel appointments will also start from that time. In other words, all document processing has been handled by my father.

    Didnt they say they dispatched personnel from the imperial pce?

    They did, to this extent. More than half of these are approval documents.

    My father answered without even lifting his head in response to my question. He was so busy that his hands never rested.

    In a world where evenputers have not been invented, not to mention calctors, the importance of documents goes without saying. Probably because people calcte manually, there are more than a few cases where mistakes ur.

    As a result, professions like ountants belong to the highest level of talent. However, until just a few months ago, our territory was nothing more than a rural backwater. Although support from the imperial pce was provided, its inevitably insufficient.

    Dont just stare, do you have any intention of helping Father?

    Do I have the authority? You mentioned approval documents.

    No, you dont. If it were up to me, I would want to pass on the job to you right now.

    I wonder how difficult the work is for him to say such a thing. Just looking at the piled-up documents would make you nauseous, and it must be dreadful to be in a position where you have to approve them.

    In the end, my father briefly stopped and took off his sses. Massaging his temples to express fatigue was an added touch.

    So, what brings you here?

    I thought there might be something I could help with.

    Theres plenty to do. Weing future guests and inspecting the estate. That alone is sufficient.

    Like thest exhibition?

    If its something like that, its easy. Just like thest exhibition.

    But that was aplete mistake.

    Yes. And youll also have to y the role of a guide. Not only for the Ters royal family but also for our empire.

    Excuse me?

    As I was getting confused by the news I heard for the first time, my father continued with an indifferent tone.

    Moreover, theres beenmunication from Helium and Alvenheim. They want to enjoy this exhibition together, so theyre asking for guidance.

    My son.

    With aplex expression, my father asked me, who was staring nkly.

    What on earth have you been up to?

    ..

    Even Grand Inquisitor Kate, what did you do to make your old man so troubled?

    I was just overwhelmingly sorry.<hr>

    Trantors note:

    identally posted previous chapter again. Fixed.

 Chapter 255: Noble (2)

    Chapter 255: Noble (2)

    After hearing not justints but harsh criticism from my father, I was not only troubled by my conscience but also taken aback. Although I had requested Rina to handle the situation delicately, she had already warned me that the chances of sess were slim, so I was prepared for it.

    However, look at the current oue. Not only did I get a request for guidance from the Empire, but now Helium and Alvenheim have been added to the mix. In fact, theres no issue with Cecily. I had informed her about the situation between me and Hiriya, so she would have requested it to protect me.

    The problem lies with Alvenheim, namely, Arwen. I never informed Arwen about the situation, yet an official request for guidance has arrived. I wondered if Cecily had subtly informed her, but she had no reason to do so, especially considering Cecilys usual disdain towards Arwen.

    So, theres only one possibility left. Arwen genuinely requested guidance from me for pure reasons. In other words, unlike the previous exhibition, she is nning to visit our territory officially. Arwens attendance at the exhibition should be expected to have tremendous repercussions, especially since she is the only connection to Xenon, excluding the publisher Musk.

    Musk, being just an ordinary publisher, can be potentially pressured. However, what he desires the most is money, and Xenons Biography brings in profits. So, there is no reason for him to reveal it to others. Even if threatened, heughed it off and utilized the formidable backing of Xenons Biography.

    I, too, hinted at a desire for a friendly connection through a letter, as I found his charisma and resourcefulness appealing.

    Because of this, it is difficult to interfere with or persuade Musk. What he desires most he gets through Xenons Biography, and interfering was challenging with Xenon as a reliable supporter.

    However, Arwens situation was slightly different. She is the queen of Alvenheim, in other words, a ruler of a nation. Due to the nature of the crowded exhibitions, Arwen is bound to be bothered. In running a country, diplomacy takes up more than half of the work unless its an istionist nation.

    Since Arwen is known as a link to Xenon, she will probably be willing topromise quite a lot with me rather than apply additional pressure. Its obvious that she will go to great lengths to appear good to me.

    <i>I wonder how Hiriya will react.</i>

    Will Hiriya not care, or will she anxiously make an effort to look good?

    Even if guidance was requested at the kingdom level, it wont be a chaotic rush. Each country will probably send one representative.

    Thinking deeply and then turning to my tired father, I asked.

    Do we know who ising from Helium and Alvenheim? And from the Empire and the Kingdom?

    For now, Princess Rina from our empire, and Princess Hiriya from the Ters Kingdom.

    So far, it went as I expected. However, what my father said next surprised me.

    And for a reason that your help is also needed during the exhibition, the empire only requested for 2 hours.

    2 hours?

    Yes. So you dont have to worry about losing your time.

    Upon hearing those words, I couldnt help but think that Rina handled the situation well. Since the Minerva Empire had shown consideration for me, the other side had no choice but to follow suit.

    Its what they call image-making. Honestly, even if Rina bossed me around as she pleased, no one around us would say anything. Rina was the princess of the empire, and I was the second son of a baron. Only on the surface, of course. But in such a world, things like that would pass without muchment.

    But if they start showing consideration, theres a high chance it will have a positive impact on their image, showing an image of a royal who cares about others.

    On the other hand, what about those who dont? Their image will likely decrease, especially if they are in a rival rtionship with the Minerva Empire, like the Ters Kingdom.

    Watching Rinas wise handling of the situation, I smiled inwardly and spoke.

    Thats fortunate. By the way, are they the only ones who asked to be guided?

    For now, yes. However, although I said 2 hours, its expected to be over 4 hours in reality. Its challenging to bring everyone at once for various reasons.

    As my father said, bringing everyone along was practically difficult. It could escte into an argument and cause other problems.

    However, Rina and Hiriya must always apany me. If Hiriya does anything unnecessary, Rina will have to faithfully y the role of a shield.

    Above all, there is one crucial aspect remaining. That is Maries choice.

    Marie is engaged to me publicly, and the situation has been official since the first night. In reality, it wasnt just an engagement, but practically a half-marriage.

    Therefore, Marie can also y the role of a guide, but it all depends on Maries choice.

    Originally, Marie despised politics, but perhaps she would willingly step forward to help me. I n to ask her about it when she visits our mansionter.

    Alright. We should prepare in advance.

    Before that, let me ask one thing. Even if its different in other countries, Im curious why the Ters Kingdom requested you as a guide.

    Come to think of it, I havent exined the situation to my father yet. Its tooplicated to fit in a letter.

    Its also an embarrassing story to bring up. Its almost like a plot from a chaotic drama.

    The incident that urred due to Hiriyas inferiorityplex towards Adelia, dragging me into an annoying situation.

    So, this is how it happened

    I slowly exined the events that had urred. At first, my father calmly epted the fact that Adelia was a bastard child of the Ters Kingdom.

    As the story continued, his expression subtly changed. By the end, when the conclusion was reached, his expression was one of utter disbelief.

    Honestly, even from the perspective of the parties involved, its hard to understand, but how perplexing must it be for those who are listening. Father blinked his brightly shining golden eyes and soon let out a bitterugh.

    Well, its such amon story that its dull.

    Is this amon story?

    Do you happen to know the saying if I cant have it, Ill break it?

    How does Father know those words? When I made a puzzled expression, Father waved his hand as if it were nothing.

    Its a kind of proverb that oftenes up in the melodramas among the nobility. Using people for revenge is a verymon thing.

    But its quiteplicated when it actually happens to you. Especially considering that theyre not just an ordinary noble but royalty. It must be quite a headache.

    Father seemed genuinely concerned, and clicked his tongue. Originally, he could have received the title of a Count, but deliberately chose to be a Baron, so he must be well aware of the dark side of the nobility.

    If thats the case, there might be an appropriate solution. I asked Father with a slightly hopeful tone.

    Is there any suitable solution then?

    There isnt.

    Its not because your old man is ipetent; its because there really isnt. The only way is for you to be close to Princess Hiriya

    Father swallowed the words and shrugged his shoulders.

    It means its just impossible. Hiriya harbors feelings of inferiority towards Adelia, having suffered humiliation in the duel, reaching an irreparable situation.

    Adelia, with a magnanimous personality, would ept an apology from Hiriya, but the probability of that happening was close to zero.

    Of course, excluding this, there is only one way left. Father must know this as well, considering it as the veryst resort.

    If she really crosses the line, you have to reveal it.

    So far, Hiriya hasnt crossed the line. asionally, she may have stepped on the line, but she didnt tantly cross it. If there were rumors about her taking away a man with an engaged woman, Hiriyas image would have plummeted.

    Moreover, her father, King Friedrich of the Ters Kingdom, is known as a romanticist even to the public. From Friedrichs perspective, he would desperately prevent Hiriya from crossing the line. Otherwise, it would not only affect him but also deal a significant blow to the kingdoms image.

    So, be a bit more restrained with women. I didnt raise you like that.

    IIm not being unrestrained.

    Lets see. The daughter of Duke Requilis and the princess of Helium

    Ill take my leave now. Thank you for your hard work.

    Before Father called each name like Mother, I hurriedly left the study. Although I felt Fathers gaze from behind, I deliberately ignored it.

    It was good toe out of the study, but once outside, there was nothing particr to do. Since Gartz had not yet brought the typewriter, it was difficult to write, and it was ambiguous to read a book.

    However, meeting Kate and having a conversation seemed like it would only bring strange words, so I immediately gave up.

    <i>Should I go and inspect the territory?</i>

    Since I had taken on the role of a guide, it wasnt a bad choice to take a look around the territory. It might even allow me to carefully examine the parts I didnt know.

    After making the decision, I moved towards the main gate. Currently, Adelia was probably being scrutinized by Mother, so theres no need to go find her.

    If I submit the maid uniform design today, it should be fine. With a light heart, I went outside to inspect the territory.

    Squeak-

    Opening the main gate and stepping outside, the sun was shining brightly in the sky. Judging by the intense sunlight, it seemed to be around noon.

    Our territory has distinct seasons, so when its hot, its annoyingly hot, and when its cold, its dreadfully cold. In other words, it wasnt scorching sunlight but just warm.

    Theres no things like sunscreen here, so the only way to avoid the sunlight is with a wide-brimmed hat or an umbre.

    However, theres not no way at all. If you protect your skin with mana and divine power, you can prevent your skin from burning due to ultraviolet rays.

    <i>But you cant stop the heat.</i>

    I cursed at my damn hair. Already long and heavy, it felt even more ufortable with the added heat. Fortunately, the humidity wasnt too high, a small blessing in the midst of misery. Better than sweltering heat like a steamer, for sure.

    I shielded my eyes from the sun and surveyed the territory that was flourishing under my rule. Originally the size of a small vige, it had grown into a city over time.

    The dwellings of the original residents, initially simple huts, werepletely torn down and rebuilt. The size of the only cksmiths shop had increased, and the number of shops had expanded. Above all, the most significant increase was in the inns.

    A cultural city, in other words, a city for tourism, relies heavily on visitors. The demand for inns was essential as tourism grew. Lastly, infrastructure couldnt be ignored. Especially in a tourist city, prioritizing security and hygiene is crucial.

    Helium has promised support in areas like hygiene, so that issue will be resolved soon. The same goes for security.

    With two temples being built, it might seem amusing to discuss security, but even minor crimes should not be overlooked. As exhibitions begin and tourists flock, theres a natural increase in petty crimes like pickpocketing.

    <i>The problem is that its difficult to prevent it</i>

    Preventing minor crimes depends more on civic awareness than security. Moreover, skilled thieves may seize the opportunity during the exhibition.

    I walked along the peaceful street, jotting down some improvement points that came to mind in my notebook. I still regrly used the magic pen I received from my father.

    Ehem. Ehem.

    Yes?

    As I diligently recorded in the notebook, I heard someone coughing up ahead. I paused my hand ying with the pen and raised my head. Perhaps because the person was shorter than me, there was no need to lift my head too much.

    First and foremost, what caught my eye was his physique. It wasnt a physique gained through training but rather a well-fed and well-slept body. Next was his rugged appearance, coupled with somewhat extravagant clothing that gave off a luxurious vibe. Apologies for saying this, but it somehow reminded me of a pig in various ways.

    I waited silently, covering the notebook, for the man who appeared out of nowhere. Since he seemed to have some business, he should be the one to start the conversation.

    Eventually, the middle-aged man, despite his greedy appearance, politely sped his hands and inquired in a courteous tone.

    Excuse me. Are you by any chance from the House of Michelle?

    Yes. Im Isaac Ducker Michelle, the youngest son of the Michelle family.

    Although he seemed like amoner due to his courteous manners, he appeared wealthy at first nce. From the beginning, his demeanor was unusual.

    After hearing my introduction, the middle-aged man nodded and spoke with politenguage.

    Its an honor to meet a member of the Michelle family. My name is Musk Greed. I run a small publishing house, though it may be insignificant.

    Ah.

    After hearing his introduction, I let out a small exmation. The name Musk was one that I couldnt not know. He is the head of the publishingpany that signed Xenons Biography and copyright contracts, and has been the one protecting my identity so far. I heard that the publishingpany was moving to our territory, and it seems it was nearby.

    <i>He unexpectedly has a shady CEO-like image.</i>

    This is the first time Ive met Musk in person. Moreover, thanks to him protecting my identity, I havent been exposed, so I cant help but feel favorably towards him. With a truly pleased expression, I reached out my hand. It was a handshake request containing various meanings, including gratitude.

    So, youre Musk. Nice to meet you.

    Im honored to meet you too.

    Musk also smiled for business purposes and epted my handshake. Despite its thickness, the texture was soft, perhaps due to good maintenance.

    After finishing the handshake, we continued with misceneous conversations. By the way, the question of how he knew that I was a member of the Michelle family was skipped. With red hair and golden eyes, its hard not to know.

    By the way, Mr. Musk, what brought you to call me?

    Hehehe. Its nothing special. Just

    After mumbling, Musk cautiously and skillfully asked me in a careful voice.

    Im here at this territory for the first time, could I ask for guidance?<hr>

    Trantors note:

    Just tranted the single longest chapter so far and of course its nsfw. Also chapters 269 and 270 are first adult ones in quite a while so

    If you want to read ahead up to 15 chapters and read new nsfw chapters now or just support me check my Ko-fi! Thank you for all your support and love having yall around!

    Whose turn do you think its this time?

 Chapter 256: Noble (3)

    Chapter 256: Noble (3)

    Amoner asking a noble for guidance might seem strange. It coulde across as rude or make one question the sanity of the person making the request. However, this was only on the surface. Though the conversation was brief, it contained many underlying meanings.

    Musk extended a handshake hinting that he knew who I was.

    Think of it as a meeting between business partners. Musk, mistakenly thinking my father is Xenon, likely assumed that I, as his son, would be aware of who he is. Its a risky gamble, more significant than it appears. But given the substantial return, Musk initiated the conversation.

    Above all, Musk diligently built a trusting rtionship by upholding his faith in Xenons Biography. Ironically, its challenging for me to find someoneparable to Musk on my side.

    Musk probably knew this, and that might be why he took the gamble. While Im uncertain about his perspective on Xenons Biography, at least it doesnt seem like he reveres it to a level of worship.

    Well, maybe in a different sense of worship. Since Xenons Biography was pouring money that one couldnt earn in a lifetime.

    Anyway, in the umted trust between Musk and me, social status didnt pose any issues. Finding someone as remarkable as Musk would be difficult for me, and Musk probably wont find a masterpiece like Xenons Biography either.

    A mutually beneficial business rtionship where both parties gain advantages without crossing any lines.

    Ill provide some guidance, but to be honest, I dont know our territory well either. I recently returned as an academy student, so it hasnt been long.

    Hahaha. Thats fine. Honestly, I used guidance as an excuse, I just wanted to have a casual chat.

    The request for guidance was just a pretext, in reality, it was an opportunity for conversation. Although he had met my father before, this was our first encounter.

    Now, exploring various parts of the territory and getting to know each other through casual conversations was a priority.

    But are you okay physically? I heard you were ambushed by devil worshippers

    Haha. Im fine now. Just in case, I always carry emergency potions with me.

    Seeing himugh heartily in response indicates that hes doing well. If I thought about it, Musk was both a beneficiary and a victim. However, like a seasoned merchant, he showedposure. Upon hearing my question, Musk, with a grin, subtly asked.

    By the way, how did you know about that? I clearly sent a letter

    Though he tried to muddle his words out of concern that someone might be listening, it was clear what he meant. He sent a letter for sure, but how could I, who was at the academy, know about it?

    As mentioned earlier, Musk mistakenly thinks I am not Xenon but my father, the author of Xenons Biography. After all, father brought the draft of the first volume to the publishing house, and since then, he had a messenger take care of things. Its only natural for him to think this way.

    Continuing to misunderstand like that is not a problem, but Musk is one of the trustworthy people. Moreover, even if he mistook me for my father, it would only add an unnecessary step, so theres no problem even if its revealed.

    Without answering, I just gave a slight smile. Musk, noticing the various meanings in my smile, widened his eyes slightly and soon burst into heartyughter.

    Hahaha. So, thats how it is. Surprising, isnt it?

    Whats surprising? Because Im too young?

    That too, but I didnt expect you to tell me so straightforwardly. Can I take it as a sign that you trust me that much?

    I just smiled in response to the question that mixed jokes and sincerity. ording to Rina, Musk was caught not only making minor mistakes but also facing tax evasion charges.

    Thats why I trust him even more. People are generally trustworthy when they are moderately clean and moderately corrupt. If too clean, they be stubborn and difficult to build trust with, and on the other hand, if too corrupt, they betray as easily as eating breakfast.

    Moreover, Musk endured pressure even from the nobles of Alvenheim, who received the backing of the Council of Elders, but he kept his mouth shut until the end.

    This judgment alsoes from the idea that you cant kill the goose thatys the golden egg.

    On the other hand, if I consistentlyy golden eggs, Musk will never betray me.

    Haha

    Musk wiped his nose when I just smiled without saying anything, looking a bit puzzled. It seems like he really threw it as a joke judging by his reaction.

    Before the atmosphere could be awkward, I asked another question. The most urgent matter is his publishingpany. Even if the manuscript for Xenons Biography waspleted, its meaningless if the publishing house isnt operational.

    By the way, when is thepany nning to relocate?

    I apologize, but it might take some time. The building itself is nearlyplete with the help of the Guilds power, but the staff is still in the process of preparation.

    So, when do you expect thepanys operations to resume smoothly?

    It will probably take around two weeks, give or take. Its not just about moving thepany, we also need to relocate the staffs residences. Honestly, the Guilds assistance has made it faster, otherwise, it would have taken much longer.

    As expected, since the original location of the publishing house was in the capital. The distance between the capital and our territory is rtively short. However, in this world, there are no cars, let alone trains. In other words, the heavy luggage can only be moved by carts and carriages.

    Due to this, there are almost no people who move their residences, in other words, very few people go through the process of moving. Most tend to settle in one area, and unless they are adventurers, they rarely venture outside.

    Considering this societal context, Musks decision can be considered quite unconventional. Fortunately, the relocation distance is short, but the expenses must be enormous. However, he took it on for the sake of his employees.

    It must have cost quite a bit. Are you okay with the expenses?

    Compared to what weve earned so far, its like a drop in the bucket.

    The answer that came back made me feel like a fool. Well,pared to the money made from Xenons Biography, it indeed would be like a drop in the bucket.

    As I asked with an embarrassed expression, Musk let out his characteristic wide smile. Suddenly, with the mention of money, I became curious about how much I had earned from Xenons Biography.

    Just in case, Ive been worried about being tracked down, so Ive entrusted the safekeeping of money to the publishingpany so far.

    I got some of it after revealing my identity to Leort and Rina, and receiving cooperation after the hiatus incident, but still, I dont know the details.

    I started Xenons Biography not for the purpose of making money but purely as a hobby. The one thing for sure is that I can y, eat, and live for the rest of my life.

    If not the exact amount, I wanted to hear it metaphorically. Its a globally spread book, so I wondered how much it sold.

    Excuse me, may I ask just one thing?

    Feel free to ask anything.

    How much did you make?

    It might have been a somewhat straightforward question for a merchant selling goods. Musk hesitated at my question, then awkwardly smiled.

    Considering its Xenons Biography, the profits must be enormous. However, if he hesitated, there must be something involved.

    What could it be? I silently waited for Musks answer.

    After a while, Musk cleared his throat and quietly opened his mouth.

    Well its difficult to answer.

    Whats difficult about it?

    The pie is so big that it wont fit into my mouth. How can I eat it all in one bite?

    Ah.

    After hearing his response, I nodded as if I understood. In other words, it meant that due to its imposing amount, even calctions were difficult.

    But is this person really amoner? Metaphorically speaking, he was as elegant and polished as any noble. Perhaps dealing with people on a regr basis and even facing the pressure from nobility has naturally honed his eloquence.

    Anyway, I discovered that the profits generated from Xenons Biography were unimaginably massive. It wasnt just popr to the empire, but globally.

    Ah. Just in case you were wondering, the profits are beingpletely conveyed, so you dont need to worry.

    It seemed Musk thought I might have unnecessary suspicions based on the metaphor earlier and tried to put me at ease. I stared at him expressionlessly.

    I had heard about this from Rina as well. Even if Musk engaged in tax evasion, he never took a single coin from the ieing to our family. Despite being meticulous about the money tied to the contract, he strangely turned a blind eye to irritating aspects like taxes, portraying an oddly corrupt persona. In fact, looking at the fines he incurred for tax evasion, it was more of a clever tactic than anything else.

    He was a person I found likable in many ways. As a merchant, he possessed impable virtues, and he wasnt foolish enough to kill the golden goose thatid the egg.

    Since I had earned so much money, even if he took a little away, it wouldnt be noticeable. It wouldnt matter to take some crumbs from the pie he mentioned earlier.

    Its interesting. Taking a few crumbs wouldnt be noticed.

    Haha.

    When I asked with a puzzled nuance, Muskughed again.

    Afterwards, he took on a somewhat dignified posture while giving a slight cough to clear his throat.

    Sorry, but I enjoy making money. Taking advantage of the client is not the way of a merchant. You have to keep your promises.

    Someone like that avoiding paying taxes

    Oh, that was just a little loophole. You know that, seeing how smoothly it came out, right?

    Up to this point, I could tell what kind of person he was. However, with the following remarks, I realized one more thing.

    And if you want to take advantage, you have to do it through a legitimate contract.

    What do you mean by a legitimate method?

    Naturally, through a contract.

    It was fortunate that he wasnt a noble. If he were, he would have swindled more than just one or two people. Nevertheless, he is someone who doesnt take lightly to joking even with a partner who clearly brings in money. This indicates a sense of responsibility, as it could also bring harm to oneself. Even if it werent for Xenons Biography, its certain that he would seed. Above all, holding onto Xenons Biography until the end and not letting go of it was a sign of true skill.

    Its often said that dealing with matters between people is the most exhausting, so meeting Musk, who thoroughly defends against that, was one of the great strokes of luck.

    Meeting Mr. Musk among so many people was fortunate.

    The meeting was truly fortunate.

    Do you happen to have any desires or wishes?

    I extended a courtesy to Musk. Whether it was his experience with devil worshipers or the significant amount spent to relocate to our territory due to Xenons Biography.

    Feeling a bit apologetic as a writer, I thought it was a small request I could fulfill. It was also something I owed to the person who had built a trusting rtionship with me over time.

    However, Musks thoughts seemed a bit different. He shook his head gracefully and replied politely.

    Thank you for the offer, but Ill pass. As it is now, its sufficient.

    Well understood. If you ever need anything, feel free to ask.

    There might be people who listened to our conversation and harbored some suspicions. However, if they knew the true identities of Musk and me, those doubts would be dispelled.

    Musk is the publisher who signed a contract for Xenons Biography, and I am the son of the family whose territory the publishing house is expecting toe to.

    Since it was a meeting between the son of a family and the publisher, not between the author of Xenons Biography and the publisher, there is no need to delve deeply into suspicions.

    Today has truly been an informative time. Thank you for granting my request.

    Thats what I wanted to say. I must say again that Im really fortunate to get to know Mr. Musk.

    Haha. Youre putting gold on my face. I dont know how to thank you enough.

    Through various conversations, the time for each of us to part ways hade without us realizing it. I needed to inspect the territory, and Musk had to look into the situation of hispany and employees.

    Nevertheless, we had gained what we needed from each other, so there was no loss. In fact, I had learned a lot about Musk, which was a gain.

    By any chance, Mr. Isaac, do you have someone who has promised you a future?

    Yes, I do. Several, actually.

    I said, vaguely avoiding specifics.

    His expression conveyed genuine disappointment as he sighed.

    Thats truly regrettable. I had thought of introducing my daughter to you.

    I appreciate the sentiment, but if that were to happen, it would be quite awkward for me in many ways

    I couldnt risk provoking my fiance any further. I swallowed that thought too. Musk, sensing my firm stance, immediately gave up and nodded in understanding.

    By the way, they say daughters often resemble their fathers, but surely not to the point of being exactly alike. As I pondered this, Musk, seemingly aware of my thoughts, looked at me directly.

    Hahaha. My daughter is beautiful and graceful, unlike me.

    Was my expression so revealing? Musk chuckled lightly as I fumbled with my words, then rummaged through his pocket. Finally, he pulled out a small piece of paper and showed it to me.

    I could tell that the identity of that paper was a photo. Although you might wonder about the presence of photos in this era, this too is a magical item invented in Alvenheim.

    Being elves who value tradition and records, they invented things like cameras long ago. The problem is that the price is outrageously high.

    Anyway, moving on, I examined the figures standing side by side in the photo. Musk, the patriarch, was seated in the center, with two women and two men standing on either side. It seems the men are sons, and the women are likely his wife and daughter

    <i>No. Does this make sense?</i>

    I alternated between the people in the photo and the current Musk. The woman presumed to be his daughter was a definite beauty even by my standards. However, more shocking than that was Musk himself. The Musk in the photo (presumed) had a sleek jaw, sharp eyes, and, most notably, thick caterpir-like eyebrows. In contrast, look at him now.

    While some features remained,yers of plump flesh have neatly buried them. Can a person change so drastically with just gaining some weight?

    As if reading my thoughts, Musk opened his mouth with his characteristic fuzzy smile.

    Ive gained some weight recently. I used to be quite the handsome fellow back in the day. I even met my wife during that time.

    Um Im really sorry, but do you have any thoughts about going back to that time?

    Even back then, I was so popr that my wife had a hard time. But look at me now. Dont you think its better to gain weight and block it?

    It seemed like boasting, but seeing the person in the photo, it doesnt seem like baseless pride at all. Moreover, now that he has be a lightning-rich man, there are probably many people trying to take advantage of him.

    Internally feeling awkward, I handed the photo to Musk. Musk carefully stored the photo in his embrace and gave me advice that was more like a warning.

    So, Mr. Isaac, be careful. The moment you turn your eyes away from your fiance to another woman, the return will be not doubled but squared.

    And the tears of a fiance are calcted as an irreparable debt. Please keep that in mind.

    It was advice filled with deep rooted wisdom, very much in the manner of a seasoned trader.

    <i>At least fortunately, I havent umted any debt.</i>

    Thanks to that, I felt the need to treat Marie even better.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 257: Three Dwarves Will Come (1)

    Chapter 257: Three Dwarves Will Come (1)

    After meeting Mr.Musk and receiving not advice, but rather unconventional counsel, my tasks remain unchanged. I continued to inspect various parts of the territory, identifying any problematic areas and meticulously recording them in my notebook.

    As a result, the day after meeting Musk, I embarked on another territory inspection. With Cecily and Gartz yet to arrive, and unable to write, there was also the purpose of filling the time avable.

    Moreover, as the size of the territory expanded, undoubtedly there will be many overlooked aspects. Despite the support from Helium and the Empire, its still better to see with my own eyes.

    I didnt expect peculiar activities in the za where the temple stands, but the builders are also human. And humans always make mistakes.

    Above all, developing our territory into a cultural city, specialized in tourism, is the goal. However, putting all our efforts into one thing isnt wise. If a pandemic or war breaks out, our economic power will converge to zero. There may not be any warsing during this current peaceful era, but pandemics pose many problems.

    The main focus should undoubtedly be on devil worshippers. With their special powers, they can even raise the undead, making it easy to cause a pandemic. Fortunately, we have a temple, and Helium will support the instation of water and sewage systems, but preventing the spread of the pandemic from the beginning is crucial.

    <i>Sometimes in novels there are mines near the protagonists territory.</i>

    Suddenly such useless fantasy cliche came to my mind. Although the development has not been properlypleted yet, its not entirely impossible, but its just a far-fetched imagination.

    Right now, we should focus on the uing exhibition, which is right in front of us. The exhibition held once a year has a significant impact on our territory.

    Even though it has only been held once before and feels chaotic in various ways, it will gradually stabilize over time. Moreover, the significance of the Xenon Exhibition is a culture that anyone can participate in. The ultimate goal is for anyone to confidently showcase their own work without fear.

    Opportunities may arise for talents that have not yet bloomed like Cherry, and naturally, there will be chances to make ones name known. As always, as Ive said, for artists, the most important thing is not money but their name, their reputation. The Xenon Exhibition can be considered a kind of gateway.

    Given the grand theme of Xenons Biography and the opportunity to showcase ones work to the public ording to that theme, it can be seen as a chance for a kind of secondary creation or parody.

    <i>Its about honing the basics.</i>

    Before I became a writer in my past life, I serialized parody works. Although if I were to see them now, they would be aplete mess, too embarrassing to show anyone.

    However, as time passed, I established my own style, and the grammar, which was a mess at first, gradually improved. The Xenon Exhibition will also y a simr role.

    <i>The problem is that even the veterans get tired.</i>

    By the way, the veterans are naturally famous people like the Matrics Troupe or the Lyres Orchestra. Especially the Matrics Troupes directing is at an absurd level, so rtively, they have no choice but to shine.

    Even if the director is a demon, when they infused magic into a performance, who can really best them?

    <i>They should be making movies, not performances.</i>

    But thats impossible. This time also, a coboration between the Matrics Troupe and the Lyres Orchestra was scheduled. Although I havent met them personally yet, my father received contact through a letter in advance.

    Besides them, performances of other groups were also nned, but its all the same in them making imitation works.

    I finished inspecting all of the territory with both anticipation and concern.

    Although I noticed construction sites here and there, at the current pace, it seems possible toplete all construction before the exhibition. Furthermore, even after the exhibition ends, the works of artists will remain intact on our territory. Even now, the works cedst year were being exhibited.

    <i>Hold up. Should we organize a contest?</i>

    It was a sudden idea that urred to me while looking at the works exhibited in our territory. Since artworks were gathered together, it wouldnt be a bad idea to host a contest. It could be a decent idea since there will be not only renowned artists but also people visiting for their dreams.

    Moreover, the ultimate goal of the Xenon Exhibition is a shared culture. The right to vote will naturally be given to everyone.

    Lastly, the most important thing is the name. To prevent a halo effect, well conceal the names to avoid bias towards already famous individuals. If that happens, fair and equal voting could be achieved.

    What if artiststerin about something unreasonable? A letter from Xenon will fly their way.

    <i>I should tell Father.</i>

    Although its a somewhat impromptu event, surprisingly, it seemed fine. Just watching the exhibition felt a bit dull.

    I recorded the event in my notebook while scribbling with a pen. Since Father is busy, Ill probably have to establish the event myself.

    Isaac!

    Hmm?

    As I was absorbed in contemting the event, a familiar womans voice reached my ears. I nced away from my notebook in the direction of the sound.

    As soon as I turned my head, a smile involuntarily spread across my face at the sight of the familiar face. There was a girl approaching with hair as white as snow, fluttering around her, much like the snowkes.

    I didnt know when she arrived, but there was Marie, dressed in a dress as white as her hair, not the kind one would wear to an exhibition, but rather an outing dress. Nevertheless, her radiance couldnt be concealed.

    With a swish, Marie came running, grabbing the hem of her dress, and embraced me, stretching out her arms. As we hugged, her warmth and her unique scent enveloped me.

    For a while, we held each other like long-lost lovers. It had only been three days since we parted at the beginning of the vacation, but seeing each other was still a joyous asion.

    Eventually, Marie, who had been enjoying being in my arms, lifted her head slightly and faced me. I returned her gaze, smiling softly at her beautiful face.

    When did you arrive?

    Just a moment ago. I heard from Mother that you went out to inspect the estate, so I came straight here.

    What if something happened when you came alone? Its dangerous.

    Our estate was rtively safepared to other ces, but Marie herself was the problem. She was too beautiful for her own good.

    It wasnt just because she was my fiance; beauties with such distinctive appearances as Marie tended to attract attention wherever they went. With her noble demeanor, she drew eyes even without intentionallymitting any crimes, but there was always the possibility.

    Marie, with her characteristic soft smile in response to my worried question, just hugged me tightly without answering. It was her way of avoiding the question while asking me to just look at her.

    Though I tried to resist her cuteness, I gently hugged her back. It had been a year since we started dating, but our love hadnt shown any signs of cooling off.

    <i>Honestly, just looking at her face can make my love re up.</i>

    Theres a saying that goes, If a woman is pretty, its like winning the triple crown of beauty. While its true that men benefit from being handsome, it holds more weight for women.

    And look at Marie now. Shes perfect not only in appearance but also in figure, personality, and evenpatibility. There isnt a single w. Naturally, love is bound to bloom in such a structure. Even if other women surround me, I can guarantee that my feelings for Marie will never change.

    As my first woman, I n to repay her ordingly.

    Ahh this. The strong scent of lcs and Isaacs firm chest I missed this feeling.

    Its only been three days since west met, hasnt it?

    Three days have passed. Thats quite a long time. I get mentally exhausted if I dont see Isaac even for a day. Can you fill that void?

    Marie asked me with a sunny smile. I dont need to exin what she means by filling the void.

    I chuckled at her expression, gently stroking her hair as white as snow, and replied,

    Alright. But be careful and take someone else along.

    Of course.

    Marie nodded vigorously in response to my answer. She was usually a confident and strong-willed woman, but in front of me, she transformed into someone submissive.

    It wasnt just Marie; it seemed like other women behaved simrly. Despite being independent women with no room for submission, they all looked at me with obedience.

    I had to make sure they didnt feel discriminated against. For now, though, Marie was alone, so I focused on her.

    I lightly kissed her and slowly held her hand. On her left ring finger was the ring I had given her on ourst anniversary.

    Are you going to keep wearing this ring?

    Yeah. Even after we get married?

    Then I guess Ill have to gift you earrings or a ne at the wedding.

    Id love anything as long as its from Isaac!

    How does she manage to say such lovely things? Her confident response warmed my heart as we walked together.

    From now on, it was a survey of our future territory with my future spouse.

    Our rtionship was well-known among the residents, so they looked at us with pleased expressions. Marie was naturally beautiful, and the residents opinions of her were favorable.

    Its so different from winter break. There are even demons; its fascinating.

    Marie, who visited our territory for the first time after the break, wandered around with an expression of wonder. Yet, she held onto my hand tightly, as if afraid of losing me.

    Even I, the son of a noble, couldnt see many things, but how about Marie? I opened my mouth while looking at the bustling territory.

    I was surprised too. I didnt expect things to change so much in just a few months.

    Isnt it possible that with the establishment of temples of Luminous and Mora, your influence might surpass the capital?

    Thats not likely. Even though they mayck in culture, the capital will still hold more substantial influence.

    Xenons Biography is not a prophecy, and all those ridiculous rumors about Xenon being a regressive are nonsense; theyll return to normal once the dust settles. Moreover, even with support from the royal family, its almost impossible to surpass the capital. The Minerva Empire has been building up its strength since the racial war, so theres noparison.

    What were doing in our territory is just paddling when the wateres in. Although its difficult that the water pours in so hard its difficult to paddle.

    On the other hand, culture doesnt umte overnight due to its nature. As time passes, some values rise while others fall. There are many uncertainties.

    Do you think the value of Xenons Biography will fall?

    I have nothing to say about that.

    From the salvation of the demons, contamination of the World Trees roots, to even the worshipers of devils. Rather than declining, the value of Xenons Biography is skyrocketing.

    I suppose this wont change even after I die. I hope my descendants wont start wars over my inheritance.

    Oh, by the way, when will Adeliass education end today? I wanted to meet her, but shes been undergoing education, so I couldnt.

    Marie suddenly asked when Adelias education would be finished. Its only natural that shes interested, considering shes allowed Adelia to be my woman.

    Upon hearing her question, I thought carefully about Adelia. Currently, shes diligently receiving maid training under the tutge of the head maid. Being a personal maid rather than an ordinary one, it takes a bit more time to learn. Plus, theres also her training as a bodyguard in martial arts.

    Adelia spends her days much like my father, buried in paperwork. Especially since maid training involves more mental anguish than physical, even a day of learning leaves her exhausted.

    Perhaps around dinner time? We have plenty of time anyway, so meeting then should work. But what did you want to talk about?

    Well theres something. A serious conversation between women who share the same man? Cecily will probablye soon too, but I wanted to speak first.

    What could she want to talk about? Marie averted her eyes, fidgeting nervously.

    It seemed like she wanted to discuss something unfinished due to her studies, but seeing as she left me out, there must be something else.

    For a moment, I felt puzzled by Maries clumsy demeanor, but knowing their personalities, I decided to overlook it for now. Neither Marie nor Cecily ever disyed a rude attitude toward Adelia. Now, lets focus on the exhibition

    My lord! Lord Isaac!

    Yes?

    At the moment when Marie was about to ignore what I said, someone shouted my name. Upon hearing this, both Marie and I turned our heads.

    When I looked, I saw a guard who usually handled security in the vige running hastily. He was one of the local nobles who had led the militia even before the territory began to develop.

    Whats going on, Mr. Michael?

    Pant pant Sorry. Its just that theres amotion at the entrance to the territory.

    Amotion?

    I chuckled at the report of amotion. How urgent must it have been for him toe running to report to me? If it was a violent conflict, they would have taken measures first and then reported to meter.

    While I was thinking about that, the guard, Michael, reported to me with an appeal.

    Three dwarves are causing a ruckus at the entrance to the territory with a strange carriage. They im that this is also rted to Xenons Biography, but I cant believe it.

    A strange carriage?

    Yes. A carriage made entirely of steel that moves on its own. It looked dangerous, so I prohibited entry for the time being.

    ?

    What? Isnt that a car? I chuckled and decided to see it with my own eyes.

    Marie seemed equally curious, as she tightly held onto my hand and followed along.

    As we headed towards the entrance to the territory, we could see that there were even more people crowded there than elsewhere.

    Its not dangerous, Im telling you! How many times do I have to say it for you to understand?!

    Its just a carriage powered by a magic engine! It has speed control and stop functions too!

    Amidst the buzz, we could hear distinct, sturdy voices. Judging by the shouts, they seemed to be the voices of dwarves that Michael mentioned earlier.

    As soon as Marie and I heard the sound, we pushed through the crowd and moved towards the entrance where the dwarves were waiting. Just in case we missed it, I didnt forget to tightly hold onto Maries hand.

    By the time we finally navigated through the crowd and reached the entrance to the territory, the situation Michael mentioned earlier came into clear view.

    Geez. Humans have too many unnecessary suspicions. Its just a carriage that moves automatically. Why block us from entering?

    Thats because its dangerous. The exhibition is just around the corner, and we cant allow such risky items to be brought in.

    Well take full responsibility! Why cant you trust peoples words?

    A dwarf sitting in the drivers seat no, behind the steering wheel, and two dwarves sitting in the back seat.

    Externally, it looked like an ordinary carriage, but as Michael described earlier, there were no visible horses at all.

    There was just a strange device attached behind the passenger seats, vibrating and making loud noises.

    Whether it was powered by mana or not, there was no sign of foul smoke or anything like that.

    <i>Could that also be considered a piece of fanart?</i>

    A fantasy car appeared.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 258: Three Dwarves Will Come (2)

    Chapter 258: Three Dwarves Will Come (2)

    I am interested not only in world history but also in various other histories. While I may not express as deep an interest as I do in world history, I at least superficially research the parts that catch my attention.

    And among the inventions representing the Industrial Revolution are the steam lotive and the steam engine. Although Im not an engineer and dont know well how steam engines work, I do know the events through which they were invented.

    The steam engine didnt suddenly appear out of nowhere; rather, advanced technological capabilities were gradually umted, and the first invention was the steam pump. However, the steam pump of that time had extremely low efficiency and quickly declined. This led to the emergence of a new steam engine.

    Of course, even this new version was hardly used except in mines due to its serious ws. While it had clear drawbacks, in the first ce it was nearly impossible to manually remove cold water from deep mines. In this sense, James Watt, by improving such steam engines and widely distributing them, deserves to be called the father of the Industrial Revolution.

    With just one steam engine, human civilization rapidly advanced, heralding the beginning of a new era. And the first automobile was powered by a steam engine, appearing before the invention of the steam lotive.

    Undoubtedly revolutionary to people at the time, it unfortunately caused the worlds first traffic ident because itcked brakes.

    For this reason, the inventor was sentenced to two years in prison, and the adoption of steam cars took a different turn. Fortunately, amidst this misfortune, the king recognized his merit and granted him a reward.

    Following various improvements, steam power remained the sole source of propulsion until the 19th century, gradually fading into history with the advancement of internalbustion engines and the increasing demand for automobiles.

    Though quickly overshadowed, unlike steam lotives, which are hailed as representatives of the Industrial Revolution, one could argue that the history of automobiles also intertwines with steam engines.

    Seeing how horse-drawn carriages were still useful during World War II, it took a considerable amount of time for theirmercialization, mainly due to the poor conditions of roads, contrasting with the pre-existing rail tracks for steam lotives.

    Moreover, they were obscenely expensive. Even modern cars are not only pricey but also heavily taxed, so one can only imagine how it was back then. It was a luxury item reserved for the nobility.

    Regardless, lets move past the history lesson and return to the world Im currently living in.

    About six months have passed since the news of Ains inventing the magical engine in the Dwarven kingdom of Makina. At the time, I remember being quite bewildered by the consecutive incidents of explosions during testing.

    Although it was quite perplexing at the time, upon closer inspection, its not entirely surprising for dwarves to invent magical engines. Dwarves inherently enjoy creating things, and consequently, mining industries have greatly flourished to obtain minerals.

    Naturally, pumps would have been invented to remove water umting in mines. Thus, it wouldnt have been much of a stretch to improve upon these pumps and create magical engines, considering their history of innovation.

    Its just that nobody had thought of it until then. Xenons Biography was merely an inspiration, nothing more.

    Theres a question that arises here. If I knew so well, why didnt I mention such historical facts in Xenons Biography? If I had, wouldnt it have been invented sooner?

    I will answer that question here. I really didnt know how to make it.

    Until recently, before the prophetic incidents began to burst one after another, Xenons Biography was nothing but a novel that came out of my imagination.

    The appearance of the steam lotive was also just fitting for the characteristics of the dwarves, not something I inserted with any purpose.

    From societal culture and incongruent scientific and technological capabilities to the inspiration gained from Xenons Biography, and finally, the distinctive creativity of dwarves.

    The above elements formed a synergistic triad, giving birth to the Magical Engine.

    And the automobile, now proudly showing its presence in front of my eyes, is one of the results.

    Hahaha! I owe you for this. I almost had to spend the night outside, whats up with that?

    Ah. Yes

    I responded with a sense of mncholy as I looked at the brown-bearded dwarfughing heartily in front of me.

    True to dwarven nature, he was short and stout, with a thick beard, but his shoulders spread wide and his arms were particrly muscr.

    Dwarves naturally love creating, to the point of adoring it, so they were generally cksmiths.

    The reason people call high quality items Dwarf-likees from here. The problem lies in the greed that arose after experiencing the taste of money during the racial war, but it was worth it.

    You said you were the son of the lord here, didnt you? I heard something like that earlier.

    A dwarf with a brown beard confidently asked while resting his hand on his waist. Speaking casually from the first meeting may seem rude on the surface, but thats how their culture is.

    Dwarves worship Harte, the goddess of life and nature. The culture of equality under nature prevails among them. Although there is a king who rules over Makina, they are regarded separately. Its not like they spit out casualnguage from the first meeting either. In official situations, they politely use honorifics.

    So when a dwarf with a brown beard spoke casually to me, it was a sign of gratitude and friendliness. Since I helped him in the scuffle at the entrance to the territory, its natural to feel grateful.

    I was somewhat familiar with dwarf culture, so I didnt feel particrly offended or anything. Above all, the dwarf race itself exudes cheerfulness, giving joy to those who see them.

    Instead, as the son of a lord, I should show courtesy. I greeted them ording to etiquette.

    Yes. I am Isaac Ducker Michelle, the youngest son of the Michelle family.

    I am Isaacs fiance and the eldest daughter of the Duke of Requilis, Marie Hausen Requilis.

    Standing by my side, Marie also elegantly greeted, lifting the hem of her dress slightly. The noteworthy point here is that she mentioned my fiance status first. For her, emphasizing that she is my fiance rather than the daughter of the Requilis Duchy was important.

    Ah, I see. Both of you have somewhat peculiar faces, but you make a good couple!

    Of course, dwarves dont know about such things. By the way, dwarves aesthetic sense, precisely in terms of appearance, is the opposite of humans and elves. Additionally, they do not lie.

    Therefore, if a dwarf says someone is ugly, you should just take it as apliment. From the perspective of the listener, it might sound harsh, but its inevitable due to the racial characteristics.

    Fortunately, Marie didnt get upset, just awkwardly chuckled upon remembering about the dwarven traits. It might feel ambiguous as it walks the line betweenpliment and insult.

    My name is Ains Martenson. You might have heard of me, the inventor of the magical engine.

    As expected, the name of the brown-bearded dwarf was Ains. The surname Martenson, meaning son of Marten, as anticipated, was very simr to Norse culture.

    Then, Ains called out to other dwarves behind him to introduce them.

    Seeing the short and stout dwarves running over was somewhatical, but it would be rude to burst outughing, so I barely held it in.

    <i>But are my eyes ying tricks on me? Why are they all so</i>

    They looked simr. Not just vaguely, but all of them had strikingly simr faces, so I blinked a few times.

    The only saving grace was that each had a different color of beard. Upon closer inspection, their appearances differed slightly, making it not too difficult to distinguish them.

    Most notably, one of the dwarves was bald. With a full beard but apletely bald head, it was very easy to tell them apart.

    Nice to meet you, ugly human. My name is Handy Depison. Im the friend of this idiot here.

    A dwarf, simr to Ains but with a lighter-colored beard, greeted us sternly. Despite his rough tone, there was a warmth in his face contrasting with his brash manner of speaking.

    Moreover, judging by the fact that he called Ains an idiot, it seems like theyre close acquaintances.

    Greetings, young man. Its a pleasure to meet you. My name is Gias Bartson. I want to express my gratitude for your assistance.

    Lastly, the bald one. Yep. Lets just call him the bald dwarf.

    Although I dont know if hes aware of human culture like the other two, he politely greeted us.

    Hey. Why are you suddenly using formalnguage? It sounds like youre about to throw up.

    Shut up. You should learn to respect the cultures of other races. You bald-headed idiots.

    Of course, theres none of that in front of friends. I chuckled weakly at Ainss clear rebuttal to Handys remark.

    Whether this way or that, the dwarves were still bursting with personality. It might even be difficult to find people like them.

    I weed their greetings, then got straight to the point. Their invention, the car, was first and foremost.

    I sincerely wee you to the Michelle estate, dwarves. Is that also brought for the exhibition?

    Yes. Of course. Thanks to the steam lotive mentioned in Xenons Biography, we were able to reveal it to the world.

    Ains answered my question with his thick arms crossed, solemnly. Confidence in his own creation was evident.

    Hes talking as if he developed everything on his own, huh? I made the braking system and the speed conversion device, didnt I?

    I also added the directional control and mana storage function. The guy who only developed the shell talks too much.

    Of course, two other dwarves strongly objected. Ains, however, seemed to have nothing to say on that matter and just scratched his head with a puzzled expression.

    By the way, it seems that the car had brakes and gears. The first steam car from my past life didnt have those, which caused the first traffic ident.

    The design seems to be like they just took the part of the carriage where the horse leads and separated it. Instead, everything needed for the drivers seat is there.

    As I was marveling at the car, Marie seemed to be curious too and asked with an interested expression.

    Can I ride it once? Im curious about how it feels.

    Of course. Would you like to drive it?

    Me?

    I was unexpectedly encouraged to drive. Perplexed, I pointed at myself with my finger and asked back.

    Ains nodded at that gesture and even confirmed it.

    Yeah. Since you helped us, its only fair we show some kindness. Driving itself isnt difficult; you can easily do it with just some exnation.

    Um

    As I listened to his exnation, I shifted my gaze to the car. Interfering with the dwarves cultural creations is a kind of favor.

    So, I didnt really mind being treated casually. The biggest problem was that I know what a car is.

    Above all, in my past life, I was whats known as a sunday driver, someone who had a license but never actually drove. I knew what a car was, so instead of excitement, I felt fear.

    Just give it a try once. I want to see Isaac driving too.

    Marie said, nudging me from the side.

    Seeing the anticipation in her blue eyes, I couldnt refuse when she looked at me like that. With a sigh, I reluctantly agreed, pretending to give in.

    Alright. But Ill move slowly, so keep that in mind.

    Okay!

    And Mr. Ains, please help from the side.

    I dont want my masterpiece to be ruined either.

    Fortunately, the ce where the car was parked was far from the town and the streets, making it a good spot for driving. It was such a conspicuous thing that there was no other choice.

    Eventually, Marie settled in the backseat, or rather, the part with the roof if we were to call it a carriage, and I nted myself in the drivers seat. Despite being a Sunday driver, there was still a faint sense of familiarity sitting in the drivers seat, which felt strange.

    From a distance, I hadnt noticed, but as the dwarves mentioned, everything was there. Not just the steering wheel, but also the elerator and brakes below.

    The problem was

    My legs dont fit in.

    Oh. Sorry. It must seem small for humans.

    It was built based on dwarves, so it didnt amodate my leg length. Although its possible to squeeze in, driving was out of the question. Eventually, driving was left to Ains, and I had no choice but to sit in the passenger seat like Marie. Fortunately, the ceiling was high enough forfortable seating.

    Hummm

    As I sat facing Marie, noisy sounds began to emanate from behind us.

    Curious about the noise, I turned around and saw a strange object installed there.

    It was small and not buzzing, but vibrating like a cell phone.

    Thats the magical engine, Ains true masterpiece.

    Exined the bald dwarf, Gias, from beneath the carriage. It seemed like that was the engine of the car.

    But then how were the brakes, transmission, steering, and battery made?

    All of those are contained within this. It was a bit of a challenge to miniaturize them. However, the transmission device is still iplete

    I had to board after hearing his words to the end.

    Not being able to control the speed freely and having to rely on preset configurations is a w.

    Wooom!

    If I had known that, I would have anticipated the sudden eleration from the first ride.

    Eek!

    Ugh!

    With a sudden start, both Marie and I screamed in surprise. And if theres a sudden start, of course, thew of inertia follows suit.

    As a reaction, my body involuntarily leaned towards Marie for a moment. Thankfully, I desperately grasped onto bnce and narrowly avoided a collision.

    Instead, I collided with an eco-friendly airbag. Honestly, Maries chest airbag is much better than getting a face full of it.

    Its not as cushy as Cecilys, but Maries chest is sizable enough to absorb the impact.

    Momentarily distracted by the softness, I quickly pulled away and adjusted my posture.

    Marie, on the other hand, is covering her chest with both arms, her face flushed from the sudden turn of events. She seems flustered by thepletely unexpected situation, though shes seen it all before.

    Are you okay? Im not as big as Cecily, so

    Typical of Marie to be embarrassed but still manage to say what needs to be said. She soon regained herposure and asked me.

    Nodding in response to her question, I coughed lightly. Then, I jokingly threw ament.

    It seems like theyve grown sincest time?

    Pervert.

    Marie blushed bashfully at my joke. As I nced at her, Iined to Ains, who was driving.

    Mr. Ains! You should warn us if it suddenly starts like this!

    Sorry! Sorry! I forgot to adjust the velocity conversion device and started off like that! Ill be more careful from now on!

    Ains immediately apologized, perhaps realizing his mistake. I epted his apology, and Marie and I began to enjoy the feeling of our first ride.

    As expected from something crafted by dwarves, the ride was quitefortable. Moreover, the windows were open, making it easy to look around.

    Its really amazing. How does it move without making a sound?

    Yeah.

    In my past life, I had ridden not only cars but also airnes. To me, magic was far more fascinating than anything else.

    I wondered if someday in this world, airnes rather than cars would be invented. And if so, when?

    Airnes were invented after steam lotives and about a centuryter by the Wright brothers. In other words, it could take at least 100 years.But with the ability of magic, perhaps it could be elerated.

    Ill just stick to writing books.

    How is it? Isnt it great?

    Its amazing.

    Hahaha! This is the power of magical engines!

    Today, I learned about the potential of dwarves.

    *****

    And that evening, I learned one more characteristic of the dwarf race.

    An ident?

    Yeah. Apparently, they had a crash while driving drunk.

    In such cases do you have any suggestions on what to do?

    Characteristic of the dwarf race: They really enjoy drinking.

    <i>The worlds first traffic ident and the worlds first drunk driving</i>

    Its going to leave a mark in history, isnt it?<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 259: Eventful (1)

    Chapter 259: Eventful (1)

    In my past life drunk driving was almost akin to attempted murder, but in this world, there wasnt even proper trafficw, let alone drunk drivingws. Even the only means of transportation, a carriage, was merely taxed; the driver being drunk wasnt considered a problem.

    Furthermore, given that society is as it is, the perspective on alcohol consumption is both lenient and strict, and post-drinking crimes are simr. Even if onemits a crime while drunk, the focus is solely on that crime, rather than addressing the issue of drinking itself.

    For example, lets say a person who drank heavily suddenly assaulted someone in a fit of rage. Thew focuses solely on the assault, disregarding the issue of alcohol consumption as an exception.

    Consequently, itsmon to joke that one would wake up in jail after sobering up from drinking. In other words, it implies that its extremely difficult to impose punishment for drunk driving, andpensation for damages is considered a rtively appropriate penalty.

    Ains himself seemed to acknowledge his wrongdoing willingly, but the problem was that he was severely short of money. This was the case for other dwarves as well. This led to a difficult situation, but the solution was quite simple. It was to deploy Ains and three other dwarves to the construction site. It was a time whenbor was needed, and dwarves could be trusted, so the situation was smoothly resolved.

    Instead, it was decided that the car would be kept under our familys supervision until the end of the exhibition. It was ced in the mansions yard to prevent any potential theft.

    Thus, a tumultuous day passed, and the next morning dawned.

    Isaac~

    Ah, Cecily Noona.

    As the morning sun rose, Cecily arrived at our mansion. As always, she was apanied by her bodyguard, Gartz, who silently nodded his head upon seeing me.

    Gartz was dressed in ordinary attire as he had always been seen so far, but Cecily, as expected, did not disappoint. She wore the ck dress I had seen in Helium, which not only exposed her shoulders but also revealed about half of herrge chest, adorned with frills.

    It expressed both sexiness and sensuality while wlessly revealing Cecilys seductive charm. Although we were already intimately acquainted, every time Cecily wore such a provocative dress, it felt like going back to the first time we met.

    It meant there was nowhere else to look.

    Moreover, Marie, who wore a modest dress with almost no exposure at this exhibition, made theparison even more apparent. However, its not to say that Marie was inferior to Cecily; they both had distinct characteristics.

    While Cecily exuded sexiness and sensuality, Marie disyed innocence and purity, much like the color of her hair.

    In reality, both Marie and Cecily had their ways of captivating attention, but lets move on from that.

    You cameter than I expected. Was something going on?

    Yeah. I had to upgrade the typewriter, and there was someone I had to meet.

    Someone you had to meet?

    I raised an eyebrow. If it was someone the princess of Helium had to meet, then surely it was someone significant.

    And the person Cecily mentioned was enough to surprise me slightly.

    Yeah. Have you heard of Scar? The director of the Matrics Troupe.

    Of course, I know him. Did you meet him?

    In fact, since thest exhibition, hes been supported at a national level. And he was preparing arge project for this exhibition. Youll probably be surprised when you see it.

    What kind of project could it be that made Cecily so confident? If it were someone else, I might not have been as curious, but since it was Cecily who mentioned it, it only heightened my curiosity.

    Considering her nonchnt reaction to ordinary magic, there must be an extraordinary performance awaiting us.

    If Isaac desires, I can show it right away. You are the creator, so youre entitled to that.

    No, its okay. Its not fun to see it beforehand. Unless its a trailer.

    I still vividly remember it. Arge scythe suddenly emerging from behind the devilized mage and swiftly capturing them.

    From then on, the Matrics Troupe, which had shown remarkable ys, lived up to its reputation by presenting a performance worthy of it.

    Combined with the sophisticated music of the Lyrus Ensemble, it was truly outstanding.

    Theyll show the trailer on the day of the exhibition, just like thest one.

    Im looking forward to it. Can you tell me what the story is this time? Is it still about Sacran?

    At my question, Cecily chuckled and shook her head. It was surprising since Sacrans story had left the deepest impression on the demons.

    Seeing my puzzled expression, Cecily exined the story.

    No, its about Kyir and Alicia this time. Well, you could say it revolves around the 11th volume.

    Ah. Did they depict Kyirs death as well?

    Thats also surprising. Kyirs death is a well-known scene, portraying the tragedy that urred due to the difference in lifespans.

    While the demons empathized deeply due to their long lifespans like the elves, it didnt attract much attention from demons as it was a story between humans and elves.

    Moreover, Scar was a demon, so its unexpected that he would turn that story into a performance.

    Yeah. By the way, I only saw the trailer, but it was still incredibly impressive. It made me realize what kind of result you can get when you give time and budget to a master craftsman.

    Now Im even more curious hearing you talk about it.

    You can look forward to this exhibition. I guarantee it.

    It was even more anticipated now that shes guaranteed it. While chatting with Cecily, I headed to the guest room.

    She didnt have any luggage, but being escorted was customary.

    Did Marie arrive first?

    Yeah. She went to see Lily.

    Oh right. By now, Lily must have been born. I cant wait to see her.

    Although Lily had only been born for two months, she was already extremely popr. Marie went crazy over how cute she was as soon as she saw her.

    Meanwhile, there was an unusual atmosphere as she nced at me subtly. After seeing Lily, it felt like something had slightly shifted.

    Im a little afraid that Cecily might be like that too. Especially since she openly dered it after Volume 19, her chances are much higher than Maries.

    Did she feel my gaze? Cecily asked me with a beautiful smile.

    Why are you staring at me like that?

    Because youre so beautiful, noona.

    Hehe.

    Cecily smiled softly, seeming to be in a better mood from my praise, as I noticed her cheeks slightly reddening.

    After escorting Cecily to the guest room, I asked Gartz to bring the typewriter to my bedroom. Specifically, to the safe he had given me as a gift during the previous exhibition.

    I trusted Gartz enough to permit ess to my bedroom. After assigning Cecily a room, we moved to the lounge.

    Since were both going to sleep in one bed anyway, why dont we just stay together in your room?

    Sorry. Marie has already taken over. Besides, Marie and I are officially engaged, you know.

    Hmm.

    Was my response dissatisfactory? Cecily stared nkly at me for a moment before lowering her gaze.

    Then, gently cing her hand on her neatly rounded belly, she whispered softly enough for me to hear.

    Should I really cut in line? Im jealous every time I hear it.

    Uh.

    It sounded more like a seriousment than a joke, so I hurriedly nudged her. Cecilys jealousy towards Marie seemed to be growing day by day.

    More urately, it seemed to be her desire for my child. It seemed that she was unwilling to yield to anything other than having a child.

    This was a problem that even Marie couldnt yield to, so it was a headache in many ways. Ill have to mediate as much as possible.

    Aww, so adorable.

    Really cute, isnt she?

    Yes. Absolutely lovely.

    Of course, this was a valid concern only until she saw Lily. Just like Marie, Cecily also showed a loving reaction as soon as she saw Lily, who was bumbling in the cradle.

    Mother nodded with a pleased expression at Cecilys reaction, while Marie nodded in full empathy.

    Just like Cecily, who showed a strong reaction, Lily was also staring at her with wide-open eyes as soon as she saw her. Putting her fingers in her mouth and sucking on them was an added bonus.

    Normally, Lily should be sleeping, but luckily for her, Cecily arrived just when Lily woke up. Thanks to that, Lily also got to meet two new big sisters at the same time.

    Ooo.

    Lily reached out her arms while babbling, perhaps intrigued by the horns on Cecilys head. Cecily responded to her request by gently lowering her head.

    Then, Lily grabbed Cecilys horns with a firm grip. Allowing someone to touch their horns is a sign of love, but its also used as a gesture of affection.

    When I grab the horns, I can hold them all in one hand, but Lilys grip shows a clear size difference. Lily also seemed to confirm Cecilys affection as she burst into giggles. It was a killer smile that melted away all the umted fatigue at once.

    Haaam

    However, babies being babies, not long after, Lily began to yawn loudly and her eyes started to droop. The hand that was holding Cecilys horns also naturally fell away.

    Mother, who had been watching Lily with a pleased expression by her side, took her out of the cradle and went out of the room as soon as she checked on Lily rubbing her eyes.

    Although the brief healing time ended too soon, there were still plenty of stories to be told. The women, including myself, sat down on the sofa and began chatting.

    Thanks to Mothers thoughtful preparation of snacks beforehand, there was no chance of feeling hungry.

    Come to think of it, where did Adelia go?

    Shes currently undergoing maid training. If you want to meet her, you can do so in the evening.

    When will the actual activities start then?

    I heard she can start working from the beginning of the exhibition.

    Custom-made maid uniform was prepared for Adelia. However, the nanny exined that she wouldnt wear a maid uniform everywhere.

    She would wear maid uniforms within the mansion, but wear neat formal wear when going out, like the attire worn by casino dealers.

    If Adelia were an ordinary maid, she would wear a maid uniform everywhere, but she also serves as a bodyguard. If shes apanying a bodyguard, naturally, she cant be easily approached.

    Furthermore, the nanny exined that since exclusive maids indirectly represent the dignity of the household, they should wear formal attire when going out.

    Its a bit disappointing, but Adelia should be satisfied with just wearing the maid uniform.

    Oh, by the way, I should add that I requested the design of the maid uniform. I vividly remember the nanny looking at me with a subtle gaze as she saw the drawing.

    It was like she was saying, Youre a man too, huh. Im looking forward to seeing Adelia wear it soon.

    Then lets talk about itter.

    Huh? What do you mean?

    We made an agreement during the vacation about what Marie would wear. Remember?

    As expected, Cecily. You catch on fast.

    Cecily sought approval, and Marie nodded satisfactorily. It seemed there had been some sort of conversation between them as per Maries previous mention.

    The focus of that conversation was undoubtedly Adelia. I was curious about what they were talking about, but I figured they wouldnt give me a clear answer if I asked, so I let it go.

    Whats important now is the uing exhibition, right in front of us. Since Cecily had just arrived, it was an appropriate time to bring up the subject.

    Noona also asked me for guidance, didnt she?

    Yeah. Rina asked me before. She said you got tangled up with some strange woman, didnt she?

    It was that nosy princess. How could she do that to a man whos already engaged?

    Marie grumbled with rare animosity.

    People closely rted to me knew about the events between me, Adelia, and Hiriya. It was somewhat natural for Mari eto react like this.

    Especially Hiriya, unlike the women who genuinely showed affection for me, was using me as a means of revenge. Its only natural that she would seem resentful.

    Furthermore, not only did she use her power to make things difficult for me, but I am currently officially engaged to Marie. Regardless of me being Xenon, its practically a diplomatic insult.

    Among the nobility, dirty politicse and go, but at least one must protect the nobility of ones own country. If they are constantly subjected to mistreatment without any response, what will the nobles of our own country think?

    In reality, its nothing short of going to extremes for Hiriya to outwit Adelia. If my betrothed were not a daughter of the Requilis family but an ordinary noblewoman, she would have forced the issue even if it meant coercion.

    However, once actions at the national level are initiated, they cant be this petty. Moreover, without a suitable pretext at hand, the likelihood of the Ters Kingdom doing anything suspicious is very low.

    At this point, we need to make it clear. Isaacs official betrothed is none other than me. In that sense, can we go together?

    Since youre the betrothed, its possible. But youll lose your time and also have to engage in politics, is that okay?

    We just need to contain the Ters Kingdom. The rest is just friends hanging out. Right, Cecily?

    Marie nodded her head and sought agreement from Cecily, who was sitting to my right, with a confident expression.

    However, Cecily showed a somewhat ambiguous attitude upon hearing her question. When Marie looked at her with a puzzled expression, Cecily spoke up.

    Well, thats true but Im a bit concerned about Alvenheim.

    The Elven Queen? Are you talking about Queen Arwen?

    Yeah.

    Why? Has she also requested guidance from Isaac?

    Yeah.

    Upon reflection, I realized I hadnt informed Marie of that fact. Although it was announced that Alvenheim would be attending the exhibition, she privately requested the guidance.

    So, its not strange that Marie doesnt know, but Cecily seems to have vaguely guessed. She was the person who had met Arwen after me most frequently.

    Oh, I forgot to mention it. Arwen also asked me for guidance.

    Oh? Cecily, did you know too?

    I predicted it since Alvenheim announced participation in the exhibition. Since that person also has feelings for Isaac.

    What?

    ?

    With the sudden bombshell deration, not only Marie but even I looked at Cecily in great astonishment. Especially, I gave her a puzzled look as if asking what she meant by that.

    Cecily, on the other hand, shrugged her shoulders as if she couldnt understand it herself. And she casually threw another bombshell.

    You didnt know? She was showing it tantly, though.

    Isaac?

    Marie called me with a chilly voice, full of suspicion. At the same time, emitting a cold aura.

    But its unfair to me. Its true that Arwen has shown favor towards me on regr asions, but it wasnt clear whether its romantic or just as a friend.

    Even when Cecily and she had a grand confrontation, it was Arwen who was extremely embarrassed after makingmunist-like remarks, and even after saying that, she was ashamed to death.

    I said that, but its not an entirely imusible story. During the high-profile theft incident, I showed some tolerance as my ownpromise, and further, I dissolved the elders council, which was a stumbling block, so to speak.

    As I carefully reconsidered each aspect, there seemed to be ample room for Arwen to harbor rational affection toward me. The issue lies in theck of a clear catalyst.

    Its not like with Marie and Adelia, where they fell for the person themself, nor is it because Im Xenon, like with Cecily and Kate.

    Its not even a cultural sh, like what happened with Leona. With Arwen, I cant even pinpoint where it all began.

    Why?

    Thats the only question that arises from these reasons. Right now, thats all thates to my mind.

    It was as if Cecily could see into my heart, as she blinked her crimson eyes and raised her gaze. It seems shes also slowly retracing her steps after hearing my doubts.

    I wish shed tell me quickly. Marie beside me was ring at me as if shes about to kill me, and I felt suffocated.

    After a while, Cecily spoke up about the possible catalyst shes specting about.

    Well theres only one likely thing. That youre Xenon.

    Just that?

    And the question the queen asked you before she left?

    If its the question she asked me its probably about being the reincarnation. But I have no idea how thats relevant at all.

    Arwen seems to be under some misconception about me and she developed feelings for me, and I cant predict which way the exhibition will go from now on. But one thing is for sure.

    Ha. Seriously. Is it because our Isaac is so popr that its be a hassle?

    Nicoles words were right. She said he would even seduce the Elven Queen, and that might actually be true. Maybe the prophet wasnt Isaac but Nicole.

    It seems Ill be squeezed by Marie for a while. Even now, while speaking with subdued anger, she was tightly gripping my thigh.

    It might be better to give up the lower half of my body to relieve her anger.

    Oh my. Can I join in too? Isaac is being too irritating. Actually, it was Queen Arwen who misunderstood on her own, but its still true that he caused it, right?

    Noona?

    Shh. Isaac, youre the culprit now. So close your mouth and quietly wait for night to fall. If youre really scared, Ill personally take you to Lady Moras temple.

    Mr. Musk, please set up the publishing house as soon as possible. Otherwise, I might be sucked dry.

    Thus, Im subjected to a joint attack from Marie and Cecily until the exhibition begins.

    Hello, Saint Isaac. Luminous has instructed you to seek blessings from them.

    Thank you.

    Whether it was a joke or sincerity, Luminous sent Kate to bless me. Still, thanks to the divine power and physical training Ive received so far, I will only be slightly tired and not really on the verge of death. As I felt the sacred energy seeping into my body and let out a long yawn, Kate, who had been gathering her hands and solemnly blessing, opened her mouth.

    Come to think of it, the energy of Lady Marie and Cecily has been getting stronger recently. Have you perhaps bestowed your seed upon them?

    Yes. Thats correct.

    As expected. Youre splendid. Please continue to spread the seed of light widely. If you wish, you can even use my body. You are the light that will save the world.

    Who is this person trying to kill?

    It was an exhibition that showed strong gs from the beginning. And

    Hello

    Oh, youvee.

    Cherry visited the mansion just before the exhibition began, timely as ever.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 260: Eventful (2)

    Chapter 260: Eventful (2)

    Just before the exhibition began, Cherry arrived at our mansion. Since I had informed people in advance that she would being, we were able to wee her into the mansion without any difficulty.

    Cherry was still in the form transformed by Cecilys magic, but her attire was more modest, resembling a youngdys. She wore a summer brown dress thatplemented her current brown hair, with both arms exposed and the skirt falling gracefully to her knees. Despite wearing a in dress, her overall appearance felt noble and elegant, thanks to her inherently supportive features.

    Most notably, of course, was her chest, which naturally stood out due to its size, almost matching Cecilys. It was a part of her that couldnt be helped, in a sense.

    Still, she was beautiful. As I looked at Cherry, who was fidgeting with her hands neatly sped together, I sincerelyplimented her.

    You look good.

    Hehe.

    Cherry giggled bashfully at mypliment. Although her pupils still remained dark, they seemed much brighter than before.

    In fact, for her, attending the Xenon exhibition was almost like gambling. If she were caught, there would undoubtedly be an uproar in the Roseberry family.

    Although she received a disguise spell from Cecily, she couldnt change her appearance entirely. Upon closer inspection, Cherrys unique characteristics were evident throughout.

    From her slightly downturned eyes to her overall puppy-like impression, especially her dead pupils, was her most distinctive feature.

    <i>But they probably wont notice easily.</i>

    Just as people remember me as the redhead, Cherry would likely be remembered the same way. Even if I were to disguise myself like Cherry, there would be plenty of people who wouldnt recognize me.

    So, Ill do my best to help Cherry enjoy this exhibition as much as possible. It might be tough at first due to my role as a guide, but if I get some free time, Ill be sure to apany Cherry right away.

    <i>Leona said shell handle things on her own</i>

    By the way, Leona has decided to enjoy the exhibition with her mother. Also I felt too busy for her to ask that, or something like that.

    Despite being the one who invited her, feeling sorry, I decided topensate with money and various conveniences including attendance to the performances. The vivid image of her jumping around happily as soon as she received the money was clear in my mind.

    At that moment, Leonas mother sharply rebuked, asking if she was being too materialistic. Leona herself seemed embarrassed, sticking out her tongue and scratching her head.

    Anyway, the matter regarding Leona was easily resolved, and the remaining issue was Cherry. Since Ill have to guide her in the future, I need someone to apany her.

    Ill wait.

    What?

    Ill wait until youe to find me, Senior.

    Just as I was about to mention that there was someone suitable for the task, Cherry blurted out that she would wait first. I could only stare nkly upon hearing her words.

    To wait for me at the mansion without even seeing the exhibited works. I couldnt fathom the meaning at all.

    Was she really going to wait for me at the mansion until I had free time, or was there another meaning mixed in?

    Blinking in bewilderment at Cherrys words, which revealed nothing of her inner thoughts, I cautiously asked.

    Where?

    Anywhere is fine if its where the senior tells me to.

    Even if I tell you to wait at the mansion, will you wait?

    Yes.

    Oh my goodness. I covered my face with one hand in the overwhelming confusion.

    Ive always known that Im at the center of the ident for Cherry. But dealing with it is quite frustrating.

    Honestly, waiting at the mansion is the most realistic and eptable option. Anyway, the role of the guide will only be effective until lunchtime, and personal time will be given to me afterward.

    Also, the highlight performance will take ce after dinner, so it can be considered apromise in its own way.

    <i>Is it really okay</i>

    I looked at Cherry with aplicated expression. Cherry blinked slowly as I stared silently, then tilted her head.

    I feel eerie at her reaction, like a doll without any emotions.

    Anyway, I invited her to the exhibition, so leaving her like this is definitely not a good idea. Finally, I sighed and opened my mouth.

    Until I find you, explore the exhibition. If theres anything dangerous, immediately ask for help from the guards. Understand?

    Yes.

    Im urging you not to go to remote areas under any circumstances. And also

    Out of concern for potentially encountering something unpleasant, I had earnestly advised Cherry. Whether Cherry was actually listening to me or just staring nkly, I couldnt tell, but she remained silent, only blinking her eyes.

    Its true that I feel uneasy about various things, but I cant forgive leaving her at the mansion abandoned. For the sake of her motivation, its a good idea to participate in the exhibition. Thats why I invited Cherry in the first ce.

    Finally, just as my admonishment was almost finished, Cherry unexpectedly spoke up.

    Oh, by the way, Senior.

    Yeah?

    Did you know that my father is alsoing to the exhibition?

    What?

    I widened my eyes as Cherry revealed an unexpected fact. When she mentioned father, it implied that the Roseberry family wasing. The Roseberry family, being a viscount family, wielded considerable influence even within the Minerva Empire. Attending the exhibition to cultivate connections wasnt out of the ordinary.

    It seemed they were putting aside any resentment regarding the Xenon affair and attending for political reasons. Its unexpected yet not entirely surprising.

    However, one question arises unrted to that.

    Did he inform you through a letter?

    Yes.

    And he said he wouldnt bring you?

    Yes.

    Well, thats odd.

    Does everyone have a trash-like father? But when I see only her father lurking around, does that mean mother doesnt attend?

    Your mother?

    She passed away a long time ago.

    Sorry.

    I said something unnecessary. Trying to avoid mentioning family matters as much as possible only ended up causing a major disaster.

    To quickly move past the situation that sank in an instant, I hurriedly changed the subject.

    Does the Viscount of Roseberry also have pink hair like you?

    Yes.

    Hmm

    I wonder what kind of person he is. The Roseberry family is a philosophical one, so why did such an unlikely philosopher emerge from it?

    The more you delve into philosophy, the more it humbles people. Once you understand the meaning of the ancient saying Know thyself, youll quickly be humble.

    But the Viscount of Roseberry not only failed to support Cherrys dream but cruelly trampled on it. Its a serious w for a philosopher tomit such actions.

    Alright, I understand. Try to avoid him as much as possible. Since you mentioned having pink hair, itll stand out.

    Yes.

    Then Ill be on my way. If anything happens, be sure to request help from the guards! Got it?

    Yes.

    The stiff responses from that doll-like figure, when will they ever end? I nced worryingly at Cherry, with her dark, uncertain eyes.

    Cherry, as if unaware of my feelings, blinked slowly once again and then smiled.

    <i>I wonder if this is how it feels to watch a child by the riverside</i>

    Cherry, who until just a few months ago had lost all zest for life, couldnt be helped but worried about. Only after urging Cherry again did I manage to move my steps towards the main gate. As I reached the main gate, I saw some very familiar faces.

    Youre here?

    Marie, wearing a white dress that perfectly matched her style.

    A littlete, arent you?

    Adelia, impably dressed in attire befitting a casino. Both of them exuded their own charm.

    Marie was Marie, but Adelia especially suited her clothes well. Unlike when she usually wore just a shirt and leather pants, she now gave off an air of elegance.

    I smiled as I looked at them. I didnt know what would happen in the future, but I didnt feel particrly ufortable.

    Rina will probably cover for Hiriya well, and Cecily and Arwen have a fairly close rtionship in their own way.

    Cecily went first, right?

    Yeah. Shes probably meeting Queen Arwen by now, right?

    Really? Where did Rina say she was?

    Shell be waiting in the center of the vige. Probably Princess Hiriya will be there too?

    As soon as Marie mentioned Hiriya, Adelia nced at me. When our eyes met, Adelia smiled lightly and nodded her head.

    It was as if she was indicating that everything was fine, that she was okay. As soon as I confirmed that sign, I casually asked.

    Well then, please take care today, noona.

    In response to my question, Adelia answered confidently as if to reassure me not to worry.

    No. It was exactly at that moment when she was about to answer.

    Of course she has to do that. Me and Cecily will have to take care of you as well today.

    Maries voice flowed by like water. It was clearly audible since she spoke right next to us.

    It almost passed by too naturally, but it didnt take long for me to realize the meaning behind her words.

    When I shifted my gaze to her, I could see Marie smiling sinisterly. Furthermore, her blue eyes were directed towards Adelia, not me.

    Following that gaze and looking at Adelia

    The self-assured smile had vanished from Adelias face, and in its ce, I could see her blushing like a tomato, her lips trembling as if caught in a wave.

    I couldnt grasp the conversation that went on between Marie, Cecily, and Adelia. However, observing their reactions, I harbored a certain conviction.

    <i>Is she really conceding?</i>

    In many ways, it was a moment where my anticipation for the night ahead intensified.

    *****

    Meanwhile, it was time for Isaac and hispanions to just step out of the mansion. Princess Rina of the Minerva Empire was quietly waiting for Isaac, who would now take on the role of a guide.

    Where she was waiting was at the center of the town, and although I didnt know when, a fountain was installed in the center at some point. Fitting the ambition of the Minerva Empire to develop the Michelle territory into a cultural city, even the fountain revealed an artistic aspect.

    In fact, it could be considered quite impolite for a noble who took on the role of a guide to make the princess wait. However, since it was Rina who had asked for the guidance role, she had noints.

    Above all, there was currently someoneI had to keep an eye on, so she had no choice but to wait for Isaac.

    Youreter than I thought.

    And that someone was standing confidently right next to Rina at that moment. At the familiar voice, Rina twitched at her side.

    Unlike Rina, who was holding out her parasol, Hiriya, dressed in uniform, was standing with her arms crossed, as if it wasnt too hot.

    Hiriyas well-built body suited the uniform quite well. Still, Hiriyas charming appearance couldnt be hidden. Rina nced up and down at the grumbling Hiriya before quietly speaking up.

    Were here earlier than scheduled. How about a little patience?

    If it werent for you, I would have gone there myself.

    With Rinas clear response, Hiriya sharply looked at her with piercing eyes. Rina shrugged her shoulders lightly at that gaze. If it werent for Rina asking Isaac for guidance, Hiriya would have gone straight to the mansion. But Rinas intervention thwarted Hiriyas ns. Rina found such a helpless Hiriya amusing and lightly teased in her elegant voice,

    You shouldnt mess with a man who has a fiance. Especially if hes the son-inw of the Requilis Duke.

    Hmph.

    Hiriya had nothing to say at this point, just snorted, offering no further retort. Rinas words were all too true.

    Hiriya, in her desperate attempt to snatch Isaac, whom Adelia loves, spared no means or methods, but unexpectedly, the scale grewrger.

    After cooling her head slowly, she realized she had overstepped her bounds, but it was toote to retract. It wasnt her original goal in the first ce.

    However, that doesnt mean she doesnt have any doubts at all. Hiriya threw that doubt to Rina.

    But whats so special about that red-haired guy? Even if the Duke Requilis is just a Duke on the surface, there must still be some authority.

    Rina didnt respond immediately. No, to be precise, her response was dyed as she organized her thoughts. As Hiriya questioned, Duke Requilis was a business partner of the royal family. Even if his power might becking, his authority was undeniable, preventing other nobles from meddling casually.

    Therefore, the engagement was no different. If Isaac were the groom, it would be understandable, but its Marieing into the Michelle family. Of course, it could be somewhat understood since the eldest son Kay will inherit the Duchy instead of Marie.

    However, the Michelle family is a Barony, iparable to a duchy, falling into apletely different category. Hence, its natural for Princess Hiriya to have doubts.

    Even if theres justification, interference from the royal family would be sensed with just a little digging. Considering Isaacs true identity, these unnatural matters would be instantly understood.

    However, Rina has no intention of going there. The difference between knowing and not knowing can make a significant difference. Even if nothing else, revealing that Isaac is Xenon to the Ters Kingdom must be avoided. Fortunately, there was a suitable story, so Rina had nothing to be flustered about.

    Thats because the territory of Isaacs family, the Michelle family, is being transformed into a city for Xenon. The engagement itself was only a year ago, so it hasnt been long.

    Is that so?

    Thats right. So, what about giving up? Its not ideal for diplomatic issues to escte just because of a petty grudge, right?

    She hasnt forgotten to provoke in the middle. Its a political technique she learned.

    Hiriya realized the meaning contained in Rinas words and squirmed under her gaze. She wanted to burst out angrily, but there were too many people watching.

    Hmph. Can I just sit still when someone as insignificant as a bastard child is causing trouble? And Ive even been insulted?

    You should have been nice to her from long ago. Even if she is an illegitimate child, family is family, right?

    Ridiculous. A bastard is ultimately just a lowly subordinate. Are you any different?

    Sorry, but my father doesnt like family conflicts.

    Currently, Rinas only sibling is Leort. The Emperor only had Rinas mother and hasnt touched another woman since.

    From the beginning, the Emperor himself ascended through family conflict, and seems to be blocking it at its source due to trauma. Even when his subordinates ask him to produce heirs, he firmly draws the line.

    So Rinas words essentially mean that she isnt like her royal family. Its giving with one hand and taking away with the other.

    I always feel it, but Im still unlucky.

    Thanks for thepliment. Oh, theres something Im curious about, can I ask?

    What is it?

    Rina shifted her gaze and met Hirias eyes. Blue eyes and sky-blue eyes stared at each other.

    What will the Ters Kingdom do when Xenons identity is revealed?

    What?

    When Xenons identity is revealed, what stance will your kingdom take? Will there be a marriage proposal as expected?

    Upon hearing Rinas question, Hiriyas lower eyelid twitched. It might sound quite abrupt, but it was a question directed at herself.

    If Xenon were to reveal his identity, they would spare no effort to connect with him. Among various methods, marriage was the most effective. In other words, it was akin to asking if she would willingly marry Xenon. It was a question directed not at anyone else but Hiriya herself.

    Hiriya discerned the meaning embedded in Rinas words and chuckled softly. It seemed like a provocation, but she chose not to dwell on it anymore.

    Well, it would be Lara who would be connected, not me. I might even end up marrying that Isaac fellow.

    Dream big. Besides that? What about assistance from the Ters Kingdom?

    Naturally, they would offer all support. Position, honor, money, andstly, a woman. They would provide everything they could.

    Hmm

    Upon hearing her words, Rina chuckled softly and muttered under her breath.

    Whats the point for someone who already has everything

    What did you say?

    Cheer up. Ill support you wholeheartedly.

    Then what about you guys? What will you do to help?

    In response to Hiriyas question, Rina shrugged casually and replied.

    Well see?<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 261: Eventful (3)

    Chapter 261: Eventful (3)

    Apanied by Marie and Adelia, we headed towards the center of the vige, Rina and Hiriya were waiting as expected. Seeing no knights around them, it seemed as though they were observing from a distance.

    As usual, Hiriya was dressed in uniform, firmly disying her status, while Rina, true to her imperial princess status, was adorned in a morous dress and jewelry.

    Her golden hair, long and flowing,plemented the blue dress and contrasting with the extravagance, the dress seemed more suited for outings, with a rtively short skirt length.

    Instead, her attire subtly revealed her cleavage, entuating Rinas ample bosom. While not as ample as Cecilys, Rina could still be considered quiterge.

    Perhaps she wille wearing an even more extravagant dress than the one shes wearing now when the performance begins. Nheless, in my opinion, the current attire was much better.

    I alternated my gaze between Rina and Hiriya before approaching them and respectfully bowing my head.

    Im sorry. Im a bitte.

    Its okay. We got here early.

    I thought Id fall asleep waiting.

    Afterward, I fulfilled my role as a guide as nned. Though I was tasked with guiding, there wasnt much to it in reality. It simply involved wandering around and engaging in idle chatter.

    If it werent for Hiriya, I would have spokenfortably without using honorifics, but I had no choice but to use them. This applied not only to me but also to Marie.

    While there are many inconveniences, Lena faithfully fulfills her role as a shield. If it werent for Lena, perhaps troublesome situations wouldnt have arisen.

    Since Hiriya couldnt openly bully Adelia, she silently surveyed various ces in the territory. asionally, she nced at Adelia, but that was it. Despite receiving Hiriyas sharp gaze, Adelia also diligently performed her duties.

    Even the seating arrangement was arranged so that Hiriya couldnt touch her recklessly.. Even if she wanted to scheme, she can only quietly ept guidance or instruction from Rinas side.

    Whats that building? Its muchrger in scale than other ces.

    Oh. Its the publishing house that will be relocating to our territory this time. I heard that the employees will also move in a week.

    Hmm. The only publishing house contracted with Xenons Biography

    However, Rina didnt outright block all questions. She only blocked questions with impure intentions; she didnt block those rted to the exhibition.

    Hiriya nced discreetly at the conspicuouslyrge publishing house building. It was a rare solemn expression for her, with curiosity gleaming in her sky-blue eyes.

    Naturally, curiosity arose since it was the only publishing house contracted with Xenons Biography. She then turned her gaze to me and asked.

    Have you met the CEO?

    Yes.

    What kind of person is he?

    He was someone who knew how to keep trust.

    Hiriya nodded in response to my immediate answer. She shifted her gaze back to the publishing house and spoke in her characteristic gruff voice.

    It seems like this estate has been blessed by the gods every time I look at it. From Xenons birthce to the establishment of the temples and now a publishing house There cant possibly be such coincidences. Its intriguing.

    Although she said it casually, her words struck a chord. With just the merit of being Xenons birthce, an exhibition was held here, and further, temples and a publishing house were established.

    To Hiriya, it might seem like mere coincidences upon coincidences, but I had a hand in turning the tide with my letters. Thanks to them, my father remains buried in documents.

    But if I remain silent here, Hiriya will begin to doubt. Recognizing a simr line of thought, Rina quickly spoke up.

    Our empire is also flourishing. Among the many countries, Xenon was born in our empire. If things continue like this, cant we surpass Ters as a cultural powerhouse?

    Even with Lenas subtle provocation, Hiriya chuckled and responded as if she didnt care.

    Hah, impossible. Its true that many artistse to our empire because of Xenons reputation. But the problem is, theres no evidence yet that Xenon is a citizen of your empire. Culture should inherently have evidence from ones own country. Performances, music, sculptures, literature, and so on. Most of the culture in the Minerva Empire is essentially based on our Ters.

    If you go by that logic, then the origin of culture is the elves, but does that mean all culture belongs to the elves?

    Just because the roots are the same doesnt mean all branches are identical, nor does it mean every branch bears fruit.

    The conversation between the two further engraved the animosity and rivalry between the Minerva Empire and the Ters Kingdom.

    Since Rina was young, she had been involved in politics steadily, so she knew that Hiriya, who was naturally blunt, wasnt to be taken lightly. Even now, Rina remained silent, perhaps with nothing to say.

    Above all, the most potent weapon in verbalbat is a fact. As Hiriya exined, much of the Minerva Empires culture originated from or was heavily influenced by the Ters Kingdom.

    The reason can be understood through history. Even during the racial war, the Ters Kingdom existed and wielded significant influence, so much so that it could be considered the center of the Human Alliance.

    However, due to mishandled aftermath, they had to witness the birth of the Minerva Empire. They even suffered defeats in diplomacy, allowing the Minerva Empire to acquire arger territory.

    However, its because of this influence that the culture of the Minerva Empire is a mixture of Ters Kingdoms culture. Despite their formidable military power, they couldnt easily conquer the Ters Kingdom, primarily for this reason.

    When Ters Kingdom changes history to suit their narrative and presents it as facts, itpletely erases any justification from the Minerva Empires perspective. The reason they fiercely cling to their own culture was also rooted here.

    And even if Xenon were a citizen of the Minerva Empire, there would still be many issues. Should Helium just sit still, let alone Xavier? The problem is that their reputation has grown too high.

    Rina listened to Hiriyas additional exnation and smirked silently. Her bright blue eyes containedplexity and unease.

    From the perspective of the Empire, including Rina, this was a dialogue that must not be overlooked. However, its like trying to catch a whale with a fishing rod, let alone a.

    In short, its not just a fish but a whale that far exceeds the size of the ship. Its not about the other sides choice, but mine.

    <i>Anyway, I wont go to the Ters Kingdom.</i>

    Theck of integrity of the Ters Kingdom is something I confirmed a long time ago. Id say the Minerva Empire is much better.

    I responded with a smile, as if to reassure Rina not to worry, despite her anxious gaze. As Rina confirmed my expression and seemed to rx, her wavering gaze gradually settled.

    Even amid this, Hiriyas words didnt cease. It was strangely captivating, not just idle chatter but rather a very realistic conversation.

    Furthermore, we shouldnt exclude the possibility of Xenon rejecting everything. Even though the exhibition is being held in Michelle Territory, the ultimate purpose of the exhibition is culture that everyone can enjoy. Its unrealistic to think that someone with such aspirations would align with one side or the other.

    So, Princess Hiriya, what are your thoughts? How can we ensure Xenonsfortable living without favoring one side?

    Marie, perhaps intrigued by Hiriyas exnation, posed a question. Anything that affected me as her fianc would undoubtedly affect her as well.

    Marie, who knew my desire for afortable life better than anyone else, wasnt out of line in asking such a question. It was both pertinent to the current situation and appropriate.

    Hiriya nced at Marie after hearing her question, then responded as if it were inconsequential.

    The solution is very simple. Either ept everything or reject everything. Thats all.

    Helium will praise Xenon as a savior whether they ept or not, so it doesnt matter much. Nevertheless, theyll make an effort to repay the favor.

    Thats already underway. Cecily has even been my lover for a long time.

    As soon as I heard the response, I nced at Maries expression. Although her face was round and smiling, I noticed a slight twitch under her eyes.

    In addition, she strongly pinched my thigh with her hand so that the person next to me could not see it. She doesnt seem to care at all that Adelia was behind us.

    I had already anticipated it, but even Hiriyao, who didnt know my identity, seemed taken aback by such words.

    In fact, epting everything would be the best way, and it would be much better from Xenons perspective. Its fair to each other, and conflicts are less likely to ur.

    The problem was that Hiriya went a step further. She was saying such things because she really didnt know anything.

    Even here, it would be enough to further provoke Maries anger. However, I couldnt express it openly, so I just tried to calm down inwardly.

    It seems like Im not going to sleepfortably tonight. I quietly grabbed Maries hand that was pinching my thigh, suppressing a hollowugh inside. It was a sign to stop asking any further questions, as it might arouse suspicion from Hiriya.

    Meanwhile, Rina, after carefully listening to Hiriyas words and seeminglying up with an interesting thought, smiled elegantly and said,.

    Didnt you say earlier that the Ters Kingdom would support everything? It seems a bit different from what you said earlier.

    I said that under the assumption that our kingdom is chosen. Of course, the probability of that happening tends towards zero.

    Then

    Rina hesitated for a moment before shing me a smirk. There was a mischievous glint in her blue eyes, one that hinted at reasons unknown.

    Just as I started to feel a slight unease from that mischievous glint, Rina threw a bombshell at Hiriya.

    If Xenon wanted you, would you be willing to marry him willingly?

    What?

    Rina?

    In response to Rinas question, both Hiriya and I, along with Marie, looked at her with surprise. Even Adelia behind us seemed taken aback.

    I couldnt fathom what intentionsy behind such a question. I had no intention whatsoever of marrying Hiriya. No, even before that, I had no intention of getting involved with the Ters Kingdom, which had previously mistreated Adelia. epting their royalty, with their wed characters, would only tire me out.

    Surely Rina must have been aware of this fact, so why would she ask such a question? I momentarily suppressed my confusion and observed the situation ahead.

    Before long, I could grasp Rinas intentions. Hiriya, after ncing around cautiously, spoke in a very careful tone.

    Thats not very appealing. I have no intention of being sold like an item.

    Even if Xenon wants it?

    I already said earlier, its not just me, theres also Lara. And as for me

    Hiriya trailed off, shing me a smirk and pursing her lips. I nodded in understanding at her response.

    Rina meticulously built up her offense and delivered a proper blow to Hiriya. Currently, Hiriya was brooding over me, who has a fianc, with feeble thoughts of revenge.

    But just a moment ago, Hiriya himself said this: Xenon will be granted whatever they desire at the kingdom level.

    In other words, if Xenon desires Hiriya, she must go withoutint. In that case, revenge will naturally be unattainable. As for the part about Xenon? Hiriya waspletely unaware. From her perspective, its a moment of choosing one of two options, a dilemma.

    Will she forsake feeble revenge and go to Xenon, or will she oppose Xenons will? Its mere spection, but its been a well-known fact for a long time that Xenon is a man. Even from the perspective of the Ters Kingdom, they must send Hiriya instead of Lara for a sort of courtesy.

    <i>So, thats how politics work.</i>

    Hiriyas throwing of the gauntlet was the biggest issue, but Rina was making apt use of it. Whats fortunate amidst Hiriyas misfortune was that theres no one to listen.

    However, Rina presented a kind of practical choice, to choose one and give up the other. Shes directly relieving me of the troublesome part at present. This not only benefits me but also Adelia.

    Whys that? Is it because you suspect Xenon might be an old sage? Theres also the term regressor, so he might be a handsome and young man.

    Well, youWould you willingly go?

    If he desires it, I will go willingly. If its for the empire, I can sacrifice this body. After all, I was born for that purpose.

    Our Rina really knows how to twist words. Seeing the upright and proud Hiriya struggling like that, she looked so impressive. There might have been a difference in knowing and not knowing, but the likelihood of Rina saying such words even without knowing Im Xenon is very high.

    Considering the current situation andparing it with Hiriyas words, she found the contradiction and took advantage of it in the negotiation. I cant help but think its remarkable. All the umted dislike towards her was disappearing, reced by a steadily growing fondness.

    Suddenly, her voyeuristic tendencies came to my mind, but lets overlook that. Personal preferences should be respected.

    So, whats your answer?

    Let me think about it.

    Its good to think. Think about whats best for the Ters Kingdom. Xenon might even fall for you by chance.

    As Rina spoke, she gave me a meaningful look. I respond with a wry smile and a gesture of denial.

    Objectively speaking, Hiriya fails in both beauty and character. Moreover, theres also Adelia to consider.

    As I indicated denial, I suddenly thought of Adelia and nced back. What reaction is she showing now? Since Adelia was also an ardent fan of Xenons Biography, shes bound to react. And sure enough, I saw a subdued Adelia before me. Like a puppy drenched in rain, she looked crestfallen.

    In terms of family matters, shecks a considerable amount of self-esteem. Its not strange for her to show such reactions.

    <i>I dont need to worry about it.</i>

    I want to quickly reveal my identity to Adelia. What kind of reaction will she show?

    Adelia, who had been slightly tilting her head down as if she felt my gaze, lifted her head and met my eyes. Doubt was evident in her vivid sky-blue irises.

    I responded with a smirk while looking into those eyes. In return, Adelia blushed, then cleared her throat and adopted a dignified expression.

    Shes trying to hide her emotions as shes on duty, but its obvious. She was effortlessly expressing her own charm.

    I enjoyed our conversation today. Lets meet again next time.

    Lets make sure to meet again.

    I enjoyed it too.

    Exactly two hours passed, and Rina and Hiriya left on their way. Now, only Cecily and Arwen remained.

    Cecily and Arwens guidance was scheduled to continue after lunchtime. So, for now, its free time.

    Marie, Adelia, and I toured the exhibition with a more rxed mindset than before. Various artworks were disyed like the previous exhibition, delighting our eyes.

    It would be great if it continued until lunchtime, but with such arge-scale event, various incidents were inevitable.

    Especially, the incident we have been worrying about happening now was somewhat expected. That is

    Hey? Isaac. Look over there.

    Huh?

    You see that guy with the pink hair over there.

    Despite a strict instruction not to cross paths with him.

    Isnt that the girl in front of him Cherry, by any chance?

    Whether it was Cherrys meeting with her father or not, the pink hair stood out so much that it was easily noticed.

    As soon as I confirmed the direction Marie pointed to, I moved my feet with the thought that something serious was going on. Marie and Adelia followed behind me.

    You still havente to your senses! I told you to read philosophical books instead of wasting time on such trifling writings!

    Get on the carriage right away and return to the mansion! Excluding philosophical books from today, reading books will be prohibited altogether!

    As we got closer, themotion of the man presumed to be the Count Roseberry became louder. Cherry, standing in front of him, remained silent with her head bowed.

    No matter how you look at it, causing a scene in a crowded ce isnt quite appropriate. I approached them and subtly intervened.

    Excuse me.

    Hmm?

    When I intervened, Count Roseberry turned his gaze to me with a displeased expression.

    The same goes for Cherry. Cherry slowly raised her lowered head to look at me with eyes as deep and dark as an abyss, the same ones I saw at the beginning of the semester.

    May I inquire as to whats the matter?

    I asked the Count with a friendly smile. In response, Count Roseberry squinted one eye and bluntly retorted.

    Who are you?

    Ah, my apologies for not introducing myself earlier. My name is Isaac Ducker Michelle. And

    I continued, looking at Cherry kindly,

    Im her senior at the Academy.

    Upon hearing this, Count Roseberry twitched his lower eyelid and pointed at Cherry, with none other than his index finger. For a moment, feeling ufortable with the treatment akin to handling an object rather than a daughter, Count Roseberry asked me.

    Do you know that this child is Cherry?

    Of course.

    I replied, meeting Count Roseberrys gaze squarely.

    Because I helped her.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 262: Double-edged Sword (1)

    Chapter 262: Double-edged Sword (1)

    Philosophy holds a very important position in civilization. It is perhaps the literature that can be considered the most fundamental of the fundamentals.

    Science, logic, politics, ideology, religion,nguage, psychology, and so on. By delving into the essence of why? it deepens human knowledge and insight even further.

    If there were no philosophy, humanity would not have cultivated civilization properly, let alone nations. Even if civilization were cultivated, without dealing with philosophy, one should not expect development.

    However, philosophy does not always show positive effects. The greatest example is Hitler, the protagonist of the Second World War, who has been simmering like a broth for so long.

    Hitlers brutal and inhumane philosophy was surprisingly influenced by the famous Nietzsche. Not only that, but Stalin of the Soviet Union also originated from the father ofmunism, Marx.

    Thus, philosophy is like a double-edged sword and undeniably has a significant impact on the development of civilization. It is a clear fact that even Earth, which has developed for centuries, would decline without philosophy.

    There is no need to mention the importance of philosophy in this world. Especially for the sages, magicians, and clergy, philosophy exerts a tremendous influence.

    The enlightenment that coulde out in any novel was closely rted to philosophy. Even without these, philosophy upies a significant portion in this world that is actively developing.

    In that sense, the philosopher aristocracy of the Minerva Empire, the Count of Rosebury, wields great influence in the empire.

    Like many other nobles, the House of Rosebury did not have a strong military or financial power, but he made significant contributions to the development of the empire. Establishing the foundation of the country through profound philosophy was the basic, but the greatest achievement is undoubtedly the significant reduction in the disparity and gap between nobility andmoners.

    To put it bluntly, if my father was born a hundred years ago, he might not even have be a knight, let alone a baron. Thats how prevalent discrimination againstmoners was in the past Minerva Empire society.

    However, naturally, there are those who harbor resentment as a result. Starting from the question of Why philosophy? it was inevitable to contend with things that are taken for granted and things one must inevitably fight against.

    Simply put, it means there are many enemies around. Philosophers are generally deemed unlucky due to their strong eloquence and logical reasoning.

    Even the famous Socrates was considered unlucky by the citizens of Athens, as he kept bombarding people with philosophical questions left and right. In fact, Socrates is known for osting people from all walks of life with countless philosophical questions.

    Anyway, because of these reasons, the Count of Roseburys family was like the dukes of Requilis, possessing only authority without power. They have been able to maintain their authority until now because there was no benefit in attacking them.

    However, old wine eventually sours. Philosophy never decays by its very nature, but people do.

    In particr, the House of Rosebury was famous for frequent internal divisions, which led him to start avoiding conflict altogether.

    Furthermore, like the examples of Hitler or Stalin, adopting the wrong philosophy tends to lead to arrogance. A philosopher steeped in arrogance is no different from outright disregarding the fundamentals of philosophy.

    Above all, theres no rule stating that philosophers excel in educating their children. Especially if the parents have adopted a wed philosophy, its even more so.

    Your ordered drinks are ready.

    The attendant stated professionally as they served each ordered beverage one by one. In front of me was an Americano with ice swirling in it.

    In front of others were coffee and tea emitting strong aromas respectively. As I gazed at these drinks, I slowly lifted my head.

    Next to me was Cherry, who still had brown hair through disguise, and opposite to her, a middle-aged man with impressive pink hair

    One might question why a man has pink hair, but thats an unavoidable inheritance. Just as my hair is red, this man also has his reasons for pink hair. Furthermore, one cant treat pink hair lightly, considering his position.

    The middle-aged mans name is Letici Blossom Roseberry.

    Despite the drinks being served, Letici merely gave me a stern look and didnt take any action. Unlike his hair, his blue eyes held intense hostility.

    Simrly, I faced him calmly without any reaction. Cherry, seated between us, also remained silent, just asposed as us.

    We were currently in a caf newly established in the developing Michelle Territory, and it was a caf equipped with soundproofing. Currently in the room were Count Letici, Cherry, and finally, myself. I had asked Marie and Adelia for a moment and requested them to wait outside.

    Marie readily epted the offer to have a private conversation with Adelia, and as it was my instruction, Adelia followed without a word ofint. The result is what it is now.

    tter

    In the room where silence settled like a dead mouse, Count Letici finally raised his teacup. I observed his actions closely.

    His hands, slightly wrinkled with age, showed prominent veins. Underneath his white vestments, a sturdy physique not concealed by knightly armor caught my eye. Despite being rumored to belong to a philosophical lineage, there was nock of the demeanor of a knight at first nce. Perhaps he undergoes separate training.

    Moreover, despite his rosy hair, his beard was neatly groomed, and even his hairstyle was tidy, fitting the moniker of a middle-aged gentleman.

    As I carefully dissected his impression, Count Letici brought the coffee to his lips, the steam rising enticingly.

    After a sip, he savored the taste before quietly setting down the cup.

    tter

    So, you invited Cherry here?

    A weighty question followed immediately after he set down the cup. Starting straight with the point, as we had exchanged pleasantries during our first meeting.

    Count Letici, a nobleman by birthright, could address me informally, but his manner of speech was dignified.

    When I heard the question, I nced at Cherry. Despite the drink being served, she showed no reaction whatsoever.

    Just like a sinner, she bowed her head deeply and remained silent. I wanted to know her expression, but it was difficult to do so. Perhaps she thought unnecessarily that I was bothered because of her. Given Cherrys extremely low self-esteem, it was highly likely considering her personality.

    Turning my gaze away from Cherry, I faced Count Letici and confidently replied without any hesitation.

    Yes. Thats correct.

    For what reason?

    Because Cherry wanted to experience a wider range of cultures.

    This is the truth. Cherry is currently emerging as a new star in the literary world under the pen name Mary. A romance fantasy blended with drama, along with the fresh theme of reincarnation. Her books were gaining poprity among female readers.

    But unlike me, who has memories of my past life, Cherry is a resident of this world. Despite having excellent material, she is likely to encounter obstacles, such as a slump, soon.

    In order to alleviate that slump even a little and to create better works than now, I invited her to the exhibition. The difference between hearing and seeing was like night and day.

    Count Letici frowned as soon as she heard me, then spoke with a voice full of dissatisfaction.

    On what grounds do you have?

    Oh, its a typical question from a typical old-fashioned father. I smiled slyly, as I had anticipated this question enough.

    If a bird wants to fly in the sky, shouldnt we help it instead of hindering it?

    With a smile on my face, I confidently retorted as Count Letici raised an eyebrow. It was a look that said, Look at this guy.

    In the meantime, I lifted a cup and took a sip. Despite the warm weather, drinking an iced Americano somehow made things better.

    As for why there was ice, lets just say its another bit of magic woven into everyday life.

    You make an interesting point. Yes, indeed. As you say, a bird must soar through the skies by pping its wings, not swim in the river.

    Count Letici remarked quietly until the clinking sound was heard, then he attacked. I couldnt help but chuckle inwardly at his words.

    It seems Count Letici has no idea what talents his own daughter possesses. There must have been a reason why he tore up and even trampled Cherrys manuscript.

    Is he really fit to be called a philosopher? Perhaps he harbored misguided beliefs.

    Well then, Ill have to understand each detail one by one. Facing Count Leticis clear eyes, I opened my mouth.

    As you say, my lord, its true that a bird cannot swim. However, Count, as you can see from observing a duck, just because its a bird doesnt mean it cant swim. In fact, there are species that must swim.

    Nevertheless, that doesnt change the fact that even ducks must fly by pping their wings. Depending on the timing and the season, they must fly up and move to different ces.

    The words of Count Letici were correct. Roseberry is a philosophical lineage, and it is undeniable that Cherry should also receive philosophical education.

    However, the problem lies in the excessive manner of it all. If Count Letici had respected Cherrys dreams, it would have been different, but its his fault for crushing them all.

    With a smirk on my lips, I maintained the lifted corners of my mouth and directed a question to Count Letici across from me.

    Well then, Ill ask just one question. If you were to remove a ducks legs to force it to p its wings, what would be of that ducks future?

    Well

    Count Leticis mouth closed, as if he was at a loss for words. Before he could respond, I firmly stated,

    It would die.

    Whether its a bird or any other animal, including humans, the same applies. If you sacrifice one thing to enforce another, you can never lead a normal life. Society calls thisck of flexibility.

    It might seem incredibly impolite to say this to someone youve just met, especially to a noble higher than oneself. However, I had a solid backing behind me, not Xenons Biography but the formidable Duke Requilis. Xenons Biography was to be used as thest resort.

    Seeing no response from Count Letici, I moved on to the next topic. After all, the initiative always lied on my side.

    Whether he is someone with whommunication is possible or just an old-fashioned stickler was the key point. Nevertheless, since he is also a philosopher, he must have some inkling of the situation Cherry is facing through my words.

    He recognized his own daughter even though she disguised herself with brown hair. It cannot be said that hecks interest; rather, it is because of excessive concern that the child has been ruined.

    What made him like this? I cautiously questioned him with a more careful attitude.

    Lord Roseberry, you must know that Cherry loves novels. However, you have trampled on Cherrys dream to the point where recovery seems impossible.

    Im curious about the reason behind it.

    Before that

    Count Letici quietly opened his mouth and sharply interrogated me with sharp eyes.

    What are you trying to do?

    I dont understand what you mean.

    I know very well who you are. Youre famous as the son-inw of the Requilis Duke.

    Im not the Dukes son-inw, its Marie whoes to my family. Well, superficially, its natural for me to go to the Dukes family.

    I had no intention of correcting him, so I nodded my head. Then Count Letici spoke with a heavier voice than before.

    I dont understand why such a person would take an interest in our daughter. What reason do you have for approaching my daughter?

    Its not that I approached her, its Cherry who approached me. But there were too many awkward points to mention this.

    Cherry confirmed that I was Xenon through her unique reasoning ability. I wanted to keep it secret until the end, but I had to reveal my identity because I was afraid Cherry mightmit suicide.

    So its understandable that Count Letici might misunderstand. Perhaps he might think Im a womanizer, even though I have a fiance.

    I pondered how to respond and nced at Cherry. She was still bowing her head and doing nothing.

    <i>I dont know what shes thinking.</i>

    For now, lets put Cherry aside and focus on the conversation with Count Letici. I faced him and revealed a half-true, half-false story.

    I happened to read Cherrys writing. It was really a series of coincidences.

    And that writing was really interesting. As fascinating as the Xenon saga.

    Swish-

    Perhaps because the story was rted to her own writing. Cherry, who had maintained a defensive posture, slowly raised her head.

    Her eyes were still deep and dark like an abyss, but they were much better than before. Since they were so dark, even a slight difference in brightness was evident.

    When Count Letici also responded to Cherry, he twitched his eyebrows. For some reason, there was a palpable difort in his reaction.

    As I confirmed the contrasting reactions of the two of them, I continued,

    Cherrys writing is as concise as Xenons Biography, but with a warm tone

    Enough. Thats enough. I think I have a rough idea of whats going on.

    Count Letici interrupted before I could finish my sentence. I could do nothing but close my mouth and wait for him to speak.

    Count Letici stared at me in silence for a while before smirking at Cherry. It seemed like he was about to say something rted to her. After a while, Count Letici, whose mouth had been tightly shut, finally spoke.

    How much do you know about philosophy?

    Philosophy, you say?

    Yes. Philosophy.

    What a strange question. I responded by shrugging as if I had no clue about the purpose of the question.

    Although I wanted to answer, I probably know less than you, my lord, I refrained from saying it aloud because I felt something was off.

    Count Letici chuckled as if to say, I see, then began exining with a hint of condescension.

    Philosophy fundamentally explores something specific. Since the Minerva Empire was founded, our family has delved into philosophy to support the foundation of our nation.

    I have reached where I am now through the philosophy and spirit of inquiry shown by my ancestors. And I have realized that although there is no predetermined path in philosophy, one must at least follow the recognized path.

    What nonsense is that? Isnt it just a typical narrow-minded attitude? Its often mentioned, but theres not only a prescribed path in philosophy but also no universally epted path.

    Why? Because resolving the fundamental question of why? is the basic principle of philosophy. Whether its through scientific validation, logical validation, or societal validation, it doesnt matter.

    Philosophy alone epasses numerous thoughts and beliefs. And thoughts and beliefs are difficult to break, unless facing significant events. However, this is a wed and deeply misguided philosophy. Philosophy is about questioning the obvious, affirming or negating it, and fighting decisively to prove it.

    Are you saying you would make Cherry walk down that epted path, even if it means her legs might break?

    I would call that a sacrifice. Even if her legs break, she will undoubtedly get back up.

    Not much of an answer. No, its just a typical narrow-mindedness. Its clear to see when someone confidently says such things in front of their daughter.

    In fact, this is amon type of parent even in my past life. Parents who oppress with misguided education methods, disregarding their childs will. The childs future is as clear as day; theyll either escape and be independent or go astray. In the worst case, they sumb to the pressure of their parents andmit suicide. Cherry had reached the point just before.

    Realizing roughly what situation it was, I nodded. The Count seemed to have judged that I had understood and smiled.

    It seems you understand. Now, if youve got it, please keep away from my daughter. Dont put any strange ideas into her head.

    Count, may I dare to ask just one question?

    Go ahead Hmm?

    Count Letici initially looked bewildered when I interrupted, then, seeing my smiling face, he wore a second expression of confusion.

    Even though no words could reach a stickler like him, Count Letici was a philosopher. So, from now on, he should be able to understand the meaning behind my words.

    I looked at him, seeming troubled, and then with a gentle smile of courtesy, I spoke.

    Do you understand the meaning of homicide, Count?

    Are you questioning me?

    Im d you understand. Homicide, as you think, is when one person kills another, in other words, its murder. Then, what about this?

    Continuing to gaze at the cherry, I continued speaking.

    Its when someone, unable to ovee the oppression around them, takes their own life. Would this be considered suicide?

    Once again, I looked at Count Letici and concluded my question.

    Or is it homicide?

    Hmm

    Count Letiche listened to my question, pondered deeply, and then voiced his thoughts.

    It may vary depending on the degree and circumstances of oppression it could be considered homicide.

    Why is that?

    When people are pushed to their mental limits, they often view death as an escape. Human minds are not so resilient.

    I suspected as much.

    With a smirk, I delivered the final blow.

    You almost became a murderer, Count. Fortunately, that wasnt the case.

    As I spoke, Cherry, who had been quietly observing, slowly regained herposure.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 263: Double-edged Sword (2)

    Chapter 263: Double-edged Sword (2)

    Murder with words.

    A saying that metaphorically refers to stabbing ones opponent in the vital point with sharp words. It means that a persons words can always be a weapon.

    Commonly referred to as a verbal jab or factual violence, this proverb emphasizes the immense power inherent in human speech. If maximized, it canpletely ruin someones life.

    In this way, human speech harbors terrifying potential. The one who skillfully maniptes words possesses the power to crush anothers ego, gently pushing them into their own trap, revealing their true character.

    This concept is applicable in everyday life as well. While being eloquent may often invite usations of arrogance, it depends on how one wields their words.

    Moreover, the message I conveyed to Count Letici aligned with the concept of murder with words. If Letici had imed suicide was just that, it would have led to a long and convoluted argument. However, his response to the homicide question left no room for suchplexity, making things much easier.

    In my past life, parents like Count Letici were widespread. They belong to the ss frequently seen in countries like South Korea, India, and China, where there is an abnormally high emphasis on education.

    Everyone has a limit to what they can endure, and if they cannot withstand that limit, they break down physically and mentally. And the end result is stepping into the escape route called death.

    Towards such children, people tend to not me the child but rather the parents. They criticize, pointing fingers, saying, You pushed the child like that, you punished them.

    Parents, when faced with such criticism, oftene up with simr excuses. I didnt know the child would have such a hard time. I only did this because I wanted the child to do well.

    Of course, if you carefully consider their words, theyre not entirely wrong. Parents have experienced more events and have had more reflections than their children, undoubtedly.

    But its ridiculous. Parents are meant to guide their children along the right path, not manipte them like puppets. The difference between these two roles should be clearly understood, and it vividly demonstrates how challenging the role of a parent can be.

    Parents must guide their children along the right path while preventing them from going astray, but this doesnt mean controlling and suppressing them. It can be asserted that there are no parents who can do all of this at once.

    Especially if adolescents are emotionally crushed without even properly forming their personalities like Cherry, their future is undoubtedly bleak.

    Even though there may seem to be immediate effects, living with depression and self-loathing is prevalent, and as adults, there is often no difference from their childhood state.

    In that sense, Count Letici can be seen as severelycking in parental qualities. Embracing twisted philosophies, he governed his childrens education ording to his own whims and even went so far as to manipte them like puppets.

    He falls just short of being called an attempted murderer who almost drove a promising child to suicide.

    Count Leticis expression turned nk when I mentioned that he almost became an attempted murderer while wearing a bright smile. It was as if he didnt quite understand what he had just heard, his face containing a myriad ofplex meanings.

    Even as I maintained my smile while looking at his face, though he may have misunderstood the philosophy, Count Leticis intellect was sharp. He would surely understand the implications of what I just said.

    And sure enough, Count Letici initially looked shocked but then gradually turned his head to the side. Naturally, sitting beside him was his estranged daughter, Cherry.

    Cherry?

    Do you really

    Count Leticis voice trembled slightly, as if he had been greatly shocked. Nevertheless, Cherry didnt even turn her head, expressing reluctance toe closer by subtly shifting her hips. Though it was an indirect expression, it could be seen as an extreme reactioning from Cherry.

    If a child receives proper education, they dont openly dislike their parents. Moreover, in cases where their personality hasnt properly developed like Cherry, they often end up bing mere puppets. However, after meeting me and publishing her own book, shes slowly but surely forming her personality. If it were someone else, they wouldve just sat still.

    <i>Its a bit daunting to be stared at so intently.</i>

    Even now, while shifting her buttocks, she was staring at me intensely. In her dark eyes, the light flickered on and off like a discharged battery.

    I found myself wearing aplex expression as I alternated between the shocked Count Letici and the rejecting Cherry.

    Its regrettable, but the rift between them is as vast as an uncrossable river. Itll take a long time for their rtionship to mend, if it ever does. Perhaps it might even be worse than before. Just because theyre rted by blood doesnt mean theyre automatically family, as in the case of Adelia.

    This isnt a problem I can solve, so I cant offer any advice. However, I am confident that I can make Count Letici realize his mistakes.

    In the midst of the suddenly heavy atmosphere, I spoke up.

    Just a moment ago, you mentioned, Count, that while philosophy may not have a defined path, there is a recognized one. However, even that recognized path isnt allowed for children. You see parents as stems and philosophy as roots.

    But thats not it. Parents should fulfill the role of roots, not stems. Children are the ones who receive nutrients from the roots and grow; they are the stems, branches, leaves, flowers, and fruits. Those fruits fall back to the ground and create new nts. Theres no recognized path for human growth. If there were, humanity wouldnt have progressed as it has.

    Count Letici listened to me and turned his gaze away from Cherry to look at me. Perhaps it was such a big shock that he couldnt say anything and just sat there speechless.

    Ironically, this situation works in my favor. If he had yelled like any other old-fashioned person, it wouldnt have been as easy.

    Still, the sincerity of his love for Cherry is genuine. If he had thought of Cherry as a mere tool, he wouldnt have reacted like this.

    They say too much of anything is bad, andbining excessive love with wed philosophy has led to this tragedy.

    Continuously trampling on something that doesnt please you before it even has a chance to sprout. Count, you mercilessly trampled on Cherry before she could sprout her philosophical stem. In the end, it didnt even have a chance to grow, and it rotted away.

    What do you know?

    Me?

    How much had he managed to recover from the shock? Count Letici asked me in a lowered voice.

    Then he hesitated for a moment as if he didnt want to continue and reprimanded me with a tone that seemed to resist, driven by pitiful pride.

    Why are you saying such things? What do you know about Cherry?

    Is it pride in appearance, or words stemming from the wretchedness of being a father?

    It could be both. As I mentioned before, Count Leticis love for Cherry is genuine.

    He probably wants to deny it. His beloved daughter almostmitted suicide because of his misguided beliefs.

    People tend to dislike being confronted with factual violence, even if its out of pride. Count Letici might have been spared from insults only because hes a noble.

    This could be considered quite polite. Despite being in the wrong, he has the basic manners of a philosopher.

    And I have enough logical prowess to dissect his words head-on. It was a famous phrase from my past life, so I remember it vividly.

    I dont know.

    You dont know?

    No. Im just Cherrys senior, not her family like Count Letici. I know what Cherry dreams of, but dont know what foods she likes, what clothes she prefers, what colors she likes, and so on. I know nothing.

    Then why

    Before Count Letici could continue, I cut him off and firmly stated,

    Thats why I can ept it.

    Being curious about who Cherry is leads to delving deeper and understanding what she truly desires. Its not about awkwardly insisting that this is right, but rather supporting each individuals personality and dreams.

    I know that I know nothing. Its one of the greatest realizations achieved by the philosopher Socrates.

    People tend to be arrogant about what they know. However, just as the deeper a well gets, the darker it bes beyond measurement, knowledge is not much different. Even someone as knowledgeable in history as myself is merely an amateurpared to Elena and Cindy. Furthermore, even Elena is currently igniting her passion for history, which she herself does not know much about.

    The same goes for people. Since we know nothing about who that person is or what they like, we can ept it as their unique personality.

    Count. Earlier, you asked what philosophy is, right? I believe that even that question, with no clear answer, is philosophy in itself.

    The essence of philosophy starts from Why? So

    The merciless fact-based violence was over. Its time to politely make a request.

    Before making the request, I nced at Cherry to check her condition. Now her light haspletely returned, and vitality could be felt from her.

    And holding both hands tightly, it seems like she had some expectations. I dont know what shes expecting, but I have to say something.

    Confused, I faced Count Letici and politely made the request.

    Please support Cherrys dream, Count.

    Just once. Even just once is fine. Please wait until Cherry, that child, sprouts and blooms.

    I bowed politely while making the request. I dont know what expression Count Letici is making, but I will wait until he speaks.

    To the Count, it might be somewhat hard to understand. No matter how coincidental our encounter may have been, I am merely a third party.

    Theres no need to engage in arguments with Count Letici, bearing the risk, especially when the returns from such risks are uncertain.

    Why?

    Youre just a senior from Cherrys academy Why go this far?

    The situation unfolded as expected. However, the tone was different from before.

    Theres a part where I could infer Count Leticis psychological change and also the intention to respect me. It seems that he has already made up his mind. In response, I slowly raised my bowed head. In his blue shining eyes, there was confusion and questioning.

    Although I wished to reveal myself as Xenon, its not the right time yet. Eventually, hell realize it naturally once he finds out that Cherry wrote a book.

    Above all, I had already prepared an appropriate response for such a situation.

    I diverted my gaze from the bewildered Count Letici and looked at Cherry. She was holding her hands tightly, her expression full of anticipation.

    With a smile directed at Cherry, I sincerely replied.

    Cherrys writing is too fascinating. It would be a waste to let it rot away

    Honestly.

    I think its such a waste.

    Its not just a loss but rather a cultural loss.

    *****

    Since then, the situation has be quite uncertain. Count Letici listened to me and said he needed to think about it, excusing himself for a moment to leave the room.

    Well, he must have a lot to think about. Perhaps hell just go back to his family without looking back. From Count Leticis perspective, his firmly held philosophy has crumbled right over his head. There might be nothing as agonizing as having ones beliefs shattered.

    Still, what worries me a bit is whether hell officially protest for being insulted in his honor. Lets hope hes not someone with a grudge and pettiness.

    Anyway, since Count Letici left, its just Cherry and me left. The coffee left untouched by Count Letici was sitting there all alone.

    Thank you.

    As I silently gaze at the coffee, Cherrys frail voice pierces through my ears. As soon as I hear her voice, I shift my gaze.

    When I shift my gaze, I see Cherry staring at me, her hands tightly sped together. Her eyes were still cloudy and unclear.

    Still, its much better than being gloomy.

    Whats there to thank for? Its a problem well have to solve someday.

    I replied as I took a sip of thepletely melted iced Americano. This wasnt just empty words; it was a situation wed have to confront sooner orter.

    Now its just a matter of whether wings will be attached to Cherrys back ording to Count Leticis choice or whether she will have to face even greater hardships. I hope its the former.

    <i>Im not particrly fond of revealing my identity.</i>

    For Count Letici, it would be a perplexing situation. Having been subjected to a barrage of factual violence, with Xenon being the adversary. Maybe its because its Xenon, I thought, he might just let it slide. I hope only strange situations dont arise.

    I slowly set down the teacup and looked at Cherry. In front of her was a cup of ck tea, untouched until now. I was just about to suggest she drank it, hoping shed take a moment to rx from now on.

    Senior.

    You too, would you like some tea Huh?

    Senior, is there something you want from me?

    A somewhat unexpected question flowed from Cherrys lips. I was momentarily taken aback by her question, and what followed next left me astonished.

    Cherrys eyes gradually gradually began to brighten. Along with this, the disguise magic that Cecily had cast began to dissipate, and her brown hair slowly returned to its pink hue.

    Returning to her original appearance doesnt hold much significance. After all, there was nothing to hide after exposing her identity to Count Letici.

    However, the vigor that had been absent from her dark eyes was returning, which was rather unsettling. Surely, it signifies a significant psychological change.

    I met her pink eyes, which shone like a light bulb with a fresh battery, and spoke with a trembling voice.

    Um Anything in particr? Just wish youd keep bringing books regrly?

    Other than that?

    Other than that

    If you wish, I can give you everything I have.

    What?

    What a bizarre and absurd thing to say. Looking at Cherry in confusion, something seemed off.

    Beyond brightness, it shone with radiance. Life was sprouting in those eyes that were gloomy just a moment ago. No, they appeared contradictory shining darkly. Theres no other way to describe her eyes than with that paradoxical phrase.

    What do you need? My body? Or my heart? Tell me what you desire. If you want me to roam the streets naked right now, its fine, and if you order me to die, Ill dly do it. And

    Wait, wait a moment.

    I hurriedly stopped Cherry, who was getting increasingly overheated. Even if her switch was flipped, it seemed like she had pressed down too hard on the elerator suddenly.

    I roughly understand why shes acting like this, but its too much. I knew her way of thinking always leaned heavily towards me, but this felt like an esction.

    Lets stop here for now. Like a well-trained dog, Cherry obediently closed her mouth when I intervened by extending my hand.

    However, seeing the upward-turned corners of her mouth that seemed like they might tear and her eyes filled with ecstasy, one could never call it normal.

    Whew Cherry.

    Yes, Senior.

    Do you have something you want from me then?

    Lets change the subject first. It felt like I was seeing the insanity of a relentless wheel that showed no sign of stopping.

    And as if to prove my prediction correct, Cherry provided an answer that made my jaw drop.

    Please dont discard me.

    At the same time, her eyes, which had been shining darkly, sank deep like an abyss. Her voice also echoed endlessly, expressing her psyche in an instant.

    I couldnt close my gaping mouth in the face of Cherrys state, which seemed even more serious than before. Cherry seemed like she would do anything if it were truly mymand.

    And thats whats even scarier. This wasnt a rtionship between a senior and a junior, but more like a master and a ve.

    Even Cecily and Kate werent this extreme. If Cecilys devotion and Kates fanaticism were to mix thoroughly, wouldnt it create a dreadful hybrid like this?

    Ill do anything

    Cherrys bted adolescence.

    Please dont abandon me.

    It twisted to the point of no return.

    Okay?

    The epiphany came back all at once.<hr>

    Trantors note:

    It was almost wholesome But props to the author for depicting this rather well.

    If you find yourself in a simrly difficult situation please contact your local suicide prevention line, a teraphist or someone close to you. Your life is important.

    Love to you all.

 Chapter 264: Soft Power (1)

    Chapter 264: Soft Power (1)

    Cherrys switch had beenpletely turned on, but the exhibition wasnt over yet. There was plenty of time until evening, which could be called the highlight, and, above all, I had to guide after lunch.

    Therefore, after lunch time, I asked Cherry for an understanding. My work wasnt done yet, so she should just wander around here and there. After all, she could rx now that her identity had been revealed.

    Lastly, I promised to find her after the guidance was over, but Cherrys response was indifferent.

    You wont abandon me, will you?

    Please promise me that youll definitely find me.

    Why would I abandon you? I dislike it when people I know end their lives by suicide, and if its because of my actions, Ill carry guilt for the rest of my life.

    As time passed, lunchtime ended, and I headed to the meeting ce for the guidance in the afternoon. From lunchtime onwards, the guidance would be for Cecily and Arwen.

    Of course, unlike the time with Hiriya, I wouldnt just formally guide them, but we would just hang together, chatting and sightseeing, and that would be the end of it.

    But that didnt mean I could let my guard down. As I had seen before, Cecily and Arwen were strangely pr opposites. It seemed like they didnt have much issue with each other, but they were subtly checking each other.

    Moreover, Cecilys perception of Arwen was not favorable due to the recent incident of the manuscript theft. Especially when recalling the grand confrontation they had in the dormitory.

    Despite many points of unease, it remains unchanged that both of them still enjoy Xenons Biography, so there shouldnt be any trouble.

    Youre here?

    Oh! Come quickly.

    As lunchtime ended and I headed to the meeting ce on time, as expected, Cecily and Arwen were already waiting.

    Cecily was wearing a ck dress that partially exposed her chest, just like what I saw earlier. Arwen, on the other hand, was wearing a dress that fully disyed her strengths.

    Thats the silver dress that particrly emphasizes the hips. Befitting an attire worn by a queen, it wasnt dull at all, with borate patterns drawn all over the dress. Even below the hips, the white thighs were clearly visible, entuating the sexiness. Its a dress that seems to have been chosen to strengthen her pluses.

    Cecily focused on the upper body, while Arwen focused on the lower body.

    As they unabashedly disyed each others strengths, it naturally felt majestic. Starting from their races, then their respective image colors, and finally their individual strengths.

    How can there be so many differences from one to ten? I felt amazed but tried my best to control my expression to avoid showing it.

    Finally, as I approached them, I noticed the escorts guarding each of them.

    Naturally, Gartz was guarding Cecily , while surprisingly, a familiar face I knew was standing beside Arwen.

    Oh? Could it be Mr. Keir?

    Its been a while.

    When I arrived in Alvenheim, I met an elf named Keir. Like thest time I saw him, he was a handsome man with typical elven features and a charming smile that left an impression.

    He was unforgettable because of the vivid memory of him casually dismissing the immigration officer who had refused Cecilys entry for absurd reasons.

    Wasnt Mr. Keir originally the immigration supervisor?

    I got cut off.

    The phrase got cut off sounded odd. I nced at Arwen, then asked for an exnation.

    Arwen seemed equally surprised, coughed awkwardly, and then nced at Keir.

    With a hint of amusement in his eyes, Keir chuckled lightly as if it were a joke before exining properly.

    I apologize. It was a joke. Queen Arwen appointed me as her guardian knight. Bringing a familiar face along seemed like a good idea, didnt it?

    I see.

    As you may know, Arwens usual guard was a Dark Elf, Siris. But this arrangement is more of a trade-off between Arwen and the Dark Elves.

    While Arwens strength is formidable, her choice of guardian knights speaks volumes about her realm.

    Especially at events like exhibitions, where she meets numerous people, having guards around is essential.

    Please take good care of our queen.

    Dont worry. Mr. Keir, please enjoy the exhibition to your hearts content.

    Thank you for your hospitality.

    Keir politely bowed his head ording to the etiquette of Alvenheim before departing. Simrly, Gartz also nodded briefly and moved along.

    Although the two guards had departed, they would likely still be watching us from not too far away. I alternated my gaze between the two women who remained after the guards had left.

    <i>Honestly, they dont need guards.</i>

    Cecily was an intimidating force without needing any exnation, and while Arwens strength wasnt certain, her deep understanding of magic would likely make her formidable.

    But regardless of what might happen, they would likely handle everything within their capabilities. After all, if anything were to ur, it would be our opponents pleading for their lives in the first ce.

    Hello, Queen Arwen. Its been a while.

    Marie greeted Arwen politely as soon as the guards left.

    Arwen responded to Maries greeting while wearing a subtle expression. It was unclear what she was thinking, but it was certainly enigmatic.

    The reason for this was none other than Maries expression. Her face disyed a bright smile, but her eyes didnt quite match.

    It was as if she was scrutinizing the other person, quickly scanning Arwen up and down as if assessing her.

    It seems that she became guarded after hearing that Arwen may have affection for me.

    Then Maries gaze stopped at a particr ce, which was Arwens wide hips. I didnt notice it when west met, but now, with her wearing a dress, they couldnt help but stand out.

    Observing Arwens face and hips alternately, Marieplimented her with a gentle smile.

    Youre truly beautiful. Queen Arwen, you possess a different kind of beauty from Princess Cecily.

    T-Thank you.

    Arwen seemed slightly taken aback by Maries somewhat directpliment. However, judging from her blushing face and the way her lips curled up, it wasnt unpleasant; quite the opposite.

    A different kind of beauty from Cecily must refer to her lower body. Its a metaphor often used among nobles when praising ones figure.

    By the way, some impolite nobles mightment on someones potential to raise children well or bear them, which is nothing short of sexual harassment.

    As I watched the two womenplimenting each other, I nced back discreetly. Adelia was observing them with a pensive expression.

    For her, the idea of Marie and Arwen being on good terms was likely news. Still, she doesnt look entirely bewildered, probably because Marie was a nobles daughter with amanding personality. She might just brush it off as expected behavior.

    But may I ask who the person behind is?

    At that moment, conveniently enough, Arwen gestured towards Adelia and asked her question. As a result, all eyes turned towards Adelia at the back.

    In response, Adelia politely nodded and calmly replied.

    Sir Isaacs guardian knight

    She hesitated momentarily, about to say guardian knight out of habit, but quickly corrected herself.

    I mean, I am Isaacs personal maid, Adelia Cross. It is an honor to meet the Queen of Alvenheim.

    A personal maid

    Arwen nced at me after hearing Adelias introduction. It was a look of surprise upon hearing the term personal maid instead of just an ordinary maid, as it is almost equivalent to a secretary. Arwen looked at me, as if asking if Adelia knows my identity. After all, a personal maid always assists their master whenever they work.

    To prevent this, I shook my head subtly. Although there had been a few slips so far, Adelia hadnt properly caught on yet.

    Arwen, who understood the implication, nodded her head and introduced herself as Adelia had done, in her own dignified yet aged tone.

    Im sure you know, but my name is Arwen Elodia. I am the queen ruling Alvenheim.

    In response to Arwens introduction, Adelia once again ced her hand over her chest and courteously greeted her.

    They finished their greetings like this, and all that was left was guidance. It was less like guidance than just attending an exhibition.

    Adelia was standing behind me, and the walking arrangements didnt hold much significance. Marie and Cecily always stuck by my side, but Arwen, well

    Wow! What an amazing sculpture! It looks like it coulde to life any moment with just a bit of mana!

    This painting seems to depict Kyir and Elisha. It was truly heartbreaking when Kyir died.

    It looks like theres a performance going on over there. Would you like to go together?

    We were busy having fun. We were touring around, looking at artworks and performances scattered throughout the estate.

    The queens formality had vanishedpletely, leaving behind only a girl visiting an amusement park. With her petite stature, she seemed even cuter.

    I wanted to maintain courtesy, but judging from Arwens expression, it seemed unnecessary. She herself didnt seem to care.

    Youve been through a lottely, havent you?

    Yeah, I have.

    Through Cecilys words, Arwen was expressing her desire to release all the stress she had umted so far through this exhibition.

    The disappearance of the Council of Elders into the annals of history, the turmoil caused by Fierens final act of defianceit all weighed heavily on Arwen.

    From the high-profile theft incident, the issue of mixed blood, the Council of Elders, and finally, my (Xenons) connection with her.

    These incidents erupted one after another in a short period of time, and there was hardly any ce to relieve stress. Although she was the queen of a country, Arwen was ultimately just one person with clear ups and downs in life. It didnt seem too bad to just run around and have fun like this.

    I heard earlier that many nobles are sticking around trying to connect with you, Your Majesty?

    Im struggling even here.

    Hearing Maries words, Arwen seems genuinely upset. I thought I really ought to help Arwen rx with as much sincerity as possible.

    Nom nom nom.

    Is it delicious?

    Of course it is!

    Seeing Arwen happily munching on skewers, a smile naturally spread across my face. I barely managed to suppress the urge to pat her on the head.

    I really want to ask where Siris is, whether shes okay, in a friendly manner, but Adelia was right behind me, so its awkward to do so.

    Instead, I have to ask indirectly. After finishing the skewers and seeing Arwens satisfied expression, I asked her subtly:

    Your Majesty. May I ask you something?

    If its your question, Ill answer anything.

    As Your Majesty knows, thanks to the gift from the demons, Xenons efficiency has increased dramatically. I wonder what gift the elves, who dislike the demons, would give.

    Flinch-

    In response to my question, Arwen visibly flinched. At the same time, Cecily and Marie also looked at Arwen with curious expressions.

    As everyone probably knows, Elves despise dealings with demons. They are a race whose every aspect stands in stark opposition, starting from their very nature.

    So, just as the demons did, the Elves would likely give me a gift. Especially Arwen, who is known externally as a link to Xenon, would know what kind of gift it is.

    However, Arwens reaction was a bit unusual. After hesitating for a moment, her pale face suddenly turned red.

    Adding to that, she seemed reluctant to meet my gaze. I became even more curious about what the gift could be.

    Um, its embarrassing to say it now.

    Embarrassing?

    Yeah, thats right. But just know that its a gift of Alvenheim itself. And not only me, but all the people of Alvenheim desire to gift it.

    Alvenheim itself I felt puzzled after hearing Arwens answer.

    Even though its abstract, its too abstract of an exnation for anything toe to mind. However, seeing Arwen so embarrassed, there must be a deep connection between her and it

    <i>Could it be?</i>

    It feels like lightning shing through my mind. If Elvenmunism permeated all of Alvenheim, then it was entirely possible.

    The characteristics of elves who do not want to lose to the demons and have a deep sense ofmunity, as well as Arwens embarrassed reaction with both hands on her chest.

    When all of these werebined, there is one expected gift. It couldnt be said outright because Adelia is behind.

    As soon as the thought crossed my mind, I immediately checked the reactions of others. Adelia wouldnt think anything, so I just needed to check with Marie and Cecily. First, Marie.

    It seems like an amazing gift.

    As expected, she noticed, her expression showing amazement. Along with that, the strength of the arms intertwined with mine increased even more.

    Hmm. I heard the sound of my life going to hell from here. Next, lets check Cecily.

    Unexpectedly, Cecily was smiling without any thoughts apparent. But I could tell.

    Shes definitely telepathically talking to Arwen. Sometimes, seeing Arwen would flinch sporadically, so it seemed like a reasonable deduction.

    Decisively, Cecily was halfway giving me a sideways nce. While nodding her head, it seems like she got convinced, even though I dont know what conversation went on.

    One thing was sure.

    <i>Shit.</i>

    It was fucked up from the beginning, but now its even more fucked up. In a way, it can be said that it is a truly amazing life to see such resultse from just one series.

    As I wasughing with a detached mind, someone spoke in the awkward atmosphere.

    Oh. Your Majesty.

    Hmm?

    Will Your Majesty be attending the performance tonight?

    It was Cecily. She asked Arwen while focusing attention with a p of her hands.

    Arwen, still blushing her ears and face, blinked her silver-gray eyes and replied quietly.

    Of course. The coboration between the Matrics Troupe and the Rirus Orchestra cannot be missed.

    Are there artists like Director Scar in Alvenheim? Artists who use magic for their performances?

    There arent. Even if there were, there are no elves who use magic in performances.

    I see.

    After hearing Arwens response, Cecily nodded confidently and continued in her assured voice.

    Perhaps based on this exhibition, the cultural prowess of our Helium might surpass Alvenheims.

    What?

    Arwens gaze slightly hardened at the clear provocation. Culture is undoubtedly one of the undeniable strengths of Alvenheim.

    The Kingdom of Ters may im to be a cultural powerhouse, but considering Alvenheim as the origin of culture, Its only natural that there would be difort.

    Marie and I observed with intrigued faces.

    As I had heard it at the mansion, Cecily confidently mentioned having established a project on a national scale for this exhibition.

    At the heart of this project lies the Matrics Troupe, with full support extended to Director Scar.

    It was a moment when I couldnt help but wonder about its true nature, and it seemed like Cecily wanted to indirectly provoke Arwen.

    Thinking back, Cecily does seem to harbor a strange sense of rivalry towards Arwen.

    Just imagine. Instead of showing the stage in real-time like a performance, we select and showcase only the most splendid and remarkable scenes. And transcending the stage environment, we vividly show events urring on various terrains to people. Do you think something like this is possible for elves?

    Yes. Its possible. Ive seen it countless times in my past life.

    As I listened to Cecilys elegant exnation, I couldnt help but wonder if it was what I had anticipated.

    In the meantime, Cecily ced her hand confidently on her ample chest and continued speaking with determination.

    Weve made it possible in Helium. Bybining the polished culture and magic weve cultivated, weve created another culture. We intend to showcase that through this exhibition.

    Eventually, she concluded as if making a deration.

    We are nning to give another gift to Xenon.

    Cecilys words were essentially the will of Helium. In fact, it was no different from what Helium had said.

    They intend to demonstrate a cultural prowess one step higher than Alvenheims. Of course, Alvenheim wouldnt take kindly to this.

    Arwen responded with a wry smile.

    That sounds exciting.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 265: Soft Power (2)

    Chapter 265: Soft Power (2)

    The highlight of the exhibition, the performance, will start precisely at 8 p.m. The previous exhibition only had a makeshift stage and was held outdoors, but now proper buildings were neatly erected.

    Thanks to the extensive support from the Minerva Empire the scale was quiterge. ording to what I heard from my father, it can amodate up to about ten thousand people.

    I wondered if I would be able to properly see the performance, but considering some of the performances Ive seen in my past life, its not entirely impossible. I even heard that they provide binocrs for those with poor eyesight or for those seated in the back rows if they want them.

    Even in my past life, binocrs were quite expensive, so how were they here where scientific technology is less developed? Fortunately, lenses, including sses, have been developed and can exist, but if not, it would have been a headache.

    But theres no avoiding the fact that they are terribly expensive. Even with lenses, they have to be made by hand without the help of machines, so the price of portable binocrs is so high that it makes you tremble.

    The Minerva Empire is giving away those binocrs for free. Its typical of a country overflowing with money, or rather, one thatpensates for everything with money.

    Of course, since theyre expensive, theyve ced one at each seat and secured them with magic to prevent casual theft. By the way, they received assistance from demons for the magic.

    They said if anyone tries to extract or take away the binocrs secretly, an rm will sound, so theres no need to worry about theft.

    All thats left is for many people to watch the performances prepared. They exined thatmoners can watch the performance on the first floor, while nobles can enjoy it from the second floor.

    My family, friends, and I will be seated in the front row of the suitable second floor. The rest of the VIPs will find their own seats.

    How impressive will it be?

    Cecily was so confident, I wonder just how amazing the performance will be. Since its a coboration between the Matrics Troupe and the Rirus Orchestra, as with the previous exhibition, expectations were high.

    Moreover, the more I listen to her exnations, the more memories from my past life surfaced. It was one of humanitys most popr cultures across the world.

    If special effects including explosions are handled by magic, and even recording is reced by magic, then nothing seems impossible to produce. Especially considering there are numerous instances where performances rival movies, even within the confined environment of a stage, like with the Matrics Troupe.

    However, it should never bepared to my previous life. In my past life, decades of umted expertise enabled the creation of various masterpieces and this was their first attempt with Heliumsprehensive support.

    Comparing the cultural zenith of Earth to the culture of this world, which has only just begun to bloom, would be truly a cruel act.

    So lets watch the performance with an appreciative mindset. Guiding Cecily and Arwen was the priority for now.

    Well, Ill look forward to the performance tonight.

    It will probably be a performance you wont forget for a lifetime.

    It was 6 p.m., and the sun was gradually disappearing beyond the horizon. Arwen left to handle dinner arrangements.

    I suggested having dinner together at the mansion, but she politely declined, shaking her head. She insisted that if she went, it would definitely create an awkward situation.

    I wanted to ask if there would be any awkwardness since we were already acquainted and even banished the Elders, but Arwens attitude was so stubborn that I had no choice but to withdraw.

    As I made my way to the mansion to arrange dinner, I unexpectedly encountered familiar faces.

    Isaac!

    Huh?

    My siblings, Dave and Nicole, dressed neatly in Navy Knight uniforms, had arrived. It seemed like they were on vacation.

    As soon as I saw them, I approached with a bright smile. Both of them not only had good looks but also had well-built bodies, clearly benefiting from their military training.

    When did you arrive?

    We got here about 2 hours ago. Have you been well? Our youngest has grown so much since Ist saw you.

    Dave ruffled my hair with a cool smile, as if impressed, as he often did. Thest time I met him was at the previous exhibition.

    Considering how much Ive grown in the past year, it must have been quite a surprise for Dave. I smiled brightly, basking in the affectionate touch of my older brother.

    Although Lily is in the picture now, Ive always received unconditional love from my older siblings.

    Dave, having often treated me like a kid just like Nicole, has fostered a strong bond between us as siblings.

    Lets skip over the dynamics between Dave and Nicole. Theyre just typical siblings.

    Ive been good, thanks. And its Lily whos the youngest, not me.

    Oh, right. My mistake.

    Both of you came?

    Yeah. Its only been a year, but so much has changed. I momentarily questioned if this was our territory.

    I shared the stories between siblings that we missed out on. Nicole looked healthy, her once injured arm now fully healed.

    Especially as Nicole and I conversed, she kept ncing behind intermittently. It seemed she was locking eyes with Adelia.

    Following her gaze, I noticed Adelia brightly smiling back, clearly expressing her joy at reuniting with her close friend.

    When ites down to it, Nicole must be a precious treasure to Adelia. She brought light into her lonely life and even led her to a loving partner.

    However, Isaac. What kind of gift did you receive from the demons Ugh!!

    Dave almost blurted out something strange in the middle, but Nicole stopped him just in time. Pretending it was an ident, she forcefully stomped on Daves foot.

    Naturally, Dave red at Nicole with a look that said, What the heck are you doing? From his clueless perspective, he must have been infuriated and baffled.

    Without saying a word, Nicole cleared her throat and nced at me, subtly initiating conversation.

    Lets leave the retaliation forter. Dinner preparation has just finished.

    Fine, I got it.

    Hey, could you tell me why you stepped on my foot earlier?

    Dont act clueless. When will you ever learn to pick up on cues?

    Youre dodging the question again. You brute. Orc.

    Wanna fight?

    Hmm. As always, they seem like a harmonious pair of siblings. I put their argument aside and headed towards where dinner was being served with the group.

    While Marie and Cecily could sit at the table for dinner, Adelia, being the personal maid, had to take care of her duties separately.

    Since it was a matter I couldnt handle due to job constraints, I had no choice but to let her go. Adelia left without any particrints, temporarily leaving her ce to attend to dinner preparations.

    Normally, she should be standing behind me even during dinner, but whether it was my fathers directive or not, only our family members were dining together, including Marie and Cecily.

    So, any issues in the border zely?

    There havent been any major issues. Elf scouts have been less active recently, and although there have been some sightings of barbarians, its not anything significant.

    Even if the elf scouts have been more engaged with Alvenheim recently, its still wise to be cautious about the barbarians. Anything else?

    Nothing else to report, really.

    The recent lives of Dave and Nicole have been quite peaceful with nothing particrly special happening. Despite the typical grumbling of a soldier, these are things that a father can easily overlook.

    However, from the perspective of parents, there are a few concerns. Among them, one prominent issue was their romantic rtionships. Parents always wish for their children to find a partner, regardless of their upation.

    Although Dave and Nicole followed our fathers footsteps into the military, marriage can be seen as essentiallypulsory. This is simply the nature of the times, unavoidable as it may be.

    Moreover, theres no need to worry about career interruptions, especially for women. In units like the Navy Knights where each individuals contribution is vital, support is provided to facilitate their swift return.

    The feasibility of this system isrgely due to the formidable economic power of the Minerva Empire.

    Its good to work hard, but finding a partner is also important. Have you perhaps found someone you like?

    Uh

    Um

    In response to their mothers gentle inquiry, Dave and Nicole both rolled their eyes in unison, without either of them willing to speak first.

    The sight of golden eyes, so much like our fathers, rolling round and round, was striking. It seems neither of them have any interest at all.

    Finally, the siblings nced at their mother and replied simultaneously.

    None.

    Then followed a long and tedious sermon. No matter how uninterested they might be, they should produce offspring for the future, shouldnt they? At our age, we should be seeing grandchildren and so on.

    Look at Isaac. Hes already married to two women, yet you all have none. Your mother is truly worried.

    Maybe our youngest is just strange? How could we ever outdo Xenon in the first ce?

    Mom, Isaac is just a womanizer, thats all. If he cant charm a woman with that face, that would be even weirder.

    I knew my turn woulde, but I didnt expect it to be like this. I listened with one ear and let it all slip away, focusing silently on my meal.

    <i>I hope the performance starts soon.</i>

    Even amidst such thoughts, the conversation didnt cease. In fact, even Marie and Cecily, who were sitting beside me, joined in.

    Well, Isaac is a special case. But you know whats interesting? Both I and Adelia fell for him before knowing he was Xenon. Adelia still doesnt know, even now.

    And Leona said shes attracted to him because of the beastmen culture, right?

    Wow our youngest, or should I say our third, has some skills. Can you tell your older brother how you managed that?

    What skills? Hes just a womanizer. Is there any woman he cant charm with that face?

    Save me.

    *****

    After the peaceful and harmonious dinner ended, we headed straight to the theater where a magnificent stage awaited us.

    Originally, the n was for the whole family to go together, but my father had to stay behind due to remaining paperwork, and my mother insisted on staying to watch over Lily.

    Although I was disappointed that we couldnt all go together to the performance, which only happens once a year, Cecilys words helped me to feel relieved for a moment.

    Dont worry. The performance isnt just for today; its scheduled to run for several days.

    Several days?

    Yeah. The motto of the Xenon Exhibition is a culture that everyone can enjoy. But it wouldnt be right if some people couldnt enjoy it.

    It seemed like it was recorded on video, so they could show it anytime. I thanked her and headed to the theater with a much lighter heart.

    Unlike the hastily constructed outdoor setup from a year ago, the theater was now a meticulously built structure, reflecting the Minerva Empires determination not to be outdone by the Ters Kingdom.

    How many craftsmen poured their sweat into building this structure? Its hard to even imagine, just seeing its majestic and unmatched appearance.

    It definitely feels like the Minerva Empire spared no expense on this. One cant help but wonder how advanced their culture must be to erect such a building.

    Chatterchatter

    As I stepped inside the building, the buzz of people was already audible. Though there were separate paths for nobles, the sheer number of people made the noise audible even here.

    The auditorium can amodate around ten thousand people. However, its known that the number of attendees at the exhibition far exceeded that.

    Even the inns built for this asion were reportedly overflowing, causing headaches. Its inevitable since there are overwhelmingly moremoners reading Xenons Biography than nobles.

    Still, if Cecilys word holds, there shouldnt be any problem in hosting performances for multiple days. The performances are indeed the highlight and the alpha and omega of the Xenon exhibition.

    In essence, the exhibitionsts for several days. Condensing it into a single day would be quite tight on time.

    In a world where teleportation isnt utilized, it could take days or even over a month to travel across countries.

    In that sense, extending the exhibition for several days means providing opportunities to many people, which might not be a bad thing.

    <i>Father must have worked hard.</i>

    Thinking about the expanding scale of the exhibition, I searched for a seat. The enclosed building was brightly lit, probably by magic.

    Thanks to that, it wasnt difficult to find a seat, and as soon as I arrived, I could see familiar faces.

    <i>Theyve arrived early.</i>

    The nobles of the Minerva Empire and the royal family of the Ters Kingdom. Like me, they were seated in the front row of the second floor, chatting amongst themselves.

    Among them, I locked eyes with Leort, exchanging a brief nod before he returned to their own conversations.

    Are those binocrs?

    Yeah. Give them a try.

    While we were ying with the binocrs arranged at each seat, time passed quickly.

    The performance seemed about to begin, as the light illuminating the interior of the building gradually dimmed, enveloping us in darkness.

    As the darkness settled, the murmurs of the crowd grew louder.

    <i>Come to think of it, they didnt light any candles, how are they illuminating the building?</i>

    Could this too be magic? I couldnt fathom how much budget had been allocated for just one building.

    Eventually, the audience, sensing the beginning of the performance, began to quiet down little by little untilplete silence fell.

    [Just once]

    Suddenly, the voice of a dignified middle-aged man filled the building.

    [If only I could see her smile just once]

    Boom!

    An image filled the front view, no, it wasnt just an image.

    [Elisha]

    The movie began to y.<hr>

    Trantors note:

    If anyone has a novelpia ount with age authorization, please contact me on discord: ghost0261

    Need some help with getting some raws. Thanks~

 Chapter 266: Soft Power (3)

    Chapter 266: Soft Power (3)

    Movies are one of the most universally popr cultures in the world. Unlike written works orics, they stimte the imagination by literally showing recorded visuals to people.

    However, just because it¡¯s a movie doesn¡¯t mean it necessarily depicts stories that onlye from imagination. While most are fictional tales, there are also many movies based on true stories.

    Movies that maximize people¡¯s imagination and visual effects have be an indispensable part of civilization.

    Even when various items and media, including television, emerged, the movie market did not disappear but merely hesitated.

    Movies not only symbolize the golden age of culture but can also serve as a true fusion of culture and science, indicating the progress of technology.

    Moreover, various famous works like Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, 007, Marvel, and many others, when transformed into movies, also delight people¡¯s eyes.

    However, there¡¯s no guarantee that it will always seed. This is inevitable because everyone¡¯s imagination varies, and movie directors are distinctly different from the original creators.

    As a result, it¡¯s not umon for unfamiliar elements, which were absent in the original work, to appear and either puzzle or even ruin the experience for fans.

    Naturally, the original creators would feel saddened by this. On the other hand, there are also cases where ordinary novels orics are adapted into films and gain recognitionter on. This truly demonstrates the difference in the director¡¯s capabilities.Though it¡¯s been long-winded, the movies I watched in my past life often featured scientific exaggerations, making the impossible seem possible. Whether it was giant monsters roaming city streets, a genius billionaire donning a steel suit to be a hero, or embarking on various adventures in space, these were all within the realm of CG ¡°science¡± and were beyond the reach of magic.

    While it¡¯s possible to depict fantasy medieval worlds on Earth, it¡¯s nearly impossible to urately portray Earth in the world I currently inhabit. However, what about depicting a fantasy world? Especially if one possesses the ability to substitute CG with magic?

    In fact, there¡¯s no need for CG at all. Just follow the script provided by the director and fight ordingly. Sprinkle in some magical effects here and there to enhance the spectacle.

    [Why don¡¯t you give up? I¡¯m an elf, and you¡¯re an old human now. Even now, giving up is¡­]

    [Elisha, even after 30 years, you¡¯re still beautiful. The reason I can¡¯t give up on you is precisely because of this. So please, smile for me one more time, so I can depart peacefully.]

    In a scene filling the stage front, a beautiful elf and an aging man engaged in a tender conversation.

    When the elf woman spoke, she was illuminated, and when the man spoke, he was illuminated, focusing on each other¡¯s expressions. Until the angle was adjusted to see both faces at the same time.

    Is it because it¡¯s the first time they¡¯re filming? They seem to be putting a lot of effort into each angle. It¡¯s even so immersive that I end up smirking rather than admiring it.

    <i>¡®They say a master and a pervert are just one sheet of paper apart¡­¡¯</i>

    Along with that, even an OST that seemed to express the affectionate rtionship between the two. As expected of the musicposed directly by the Rirus Orchestra.

    The visual beauty was perfect, and even the sound is at a perfect level. However, ording to Cecily¡¯s words, the end of this performance, no, the end of the movie, is Kair¡¯s death.

    There¡¯s still plenty of time left. It means that the quality was not at all inferiorpared to my past life, so instead of getting bored, I just focused.

    Above all, it¡¯s in color, not ck and white. Although asionally, it showed a strange imbnce due to the existence of magic.

    <i>¡®Is culture less developed because of magic? Or what.¡¯</i>

    I silently pondered the question while focusing on the movie. As soon as the movie started, the concert hall fell into silence, as if movie etiquette was automatically created.

    If someone coughed here, the gazes around would pour out immediately.

    Sometimes the whining of an immature child was heard, but it was quickly suppressed by the parents. Otherwise, they would leave the theater altogether.

    [If Ie back¡¤¡¤¡¤]

    [¡­]

    [No. I¡¯ll talkter.]

    Now the highlight was approaching gradually. Along with this, the urge to eat popcorn and c arised.

    If the movie ends, should I secretly ask Cecily? Anyway, since she¡¯s already kinda convinced that I¡¯m a reincarnator, there¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t do.

    Anyway, even if it¡¯s about Kair, how did they manage to cast an elf actor? They said it was a project conducted secretly in Helium, so it seems they managed to persuade an elf somehow.

    Unless they used magic or makeup. Just like what I did to Cherry.

    [Long time no see, master.]

    [You¡­!]

    Finally, Kair¡¯s former disciple, Envy, appeared. Before facing Envy head-on, Kair infiltrated the demon¡¯s base and demonstrated his power as a messenger of the gods, which was a bonus.

    And Envy¡¯s appearance¡­ it¡¯s just as I imagined it, as described in the novel.

    Unlike Xenon, who had ordinary colors with brown hair and brown eyes, he was a man with blonde hair with a stoic face.

    [Did you fall into the hands of devils? Why are you here?]

    [I didn¡¯te to talk about the past, master.]

    Starting with Envy rushing in without even answering Kair¡¯s confused question, a spectacr battle scene unfolded.

    Envy, much stronger than Kair had expected, thanks to the power of the devil. And since he could even use magic, Kair began to struggle.

    However, the battle style of Envy was all based on Kair¡¯s teachings. Kair meticulously strategized each move through decades of experience and expertise.

    ng!

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±

    Just as the Matrics Troupe disyed astonishing choreography in real-time, the movie also brilliantly showcased its strengths. Whenever Kair and Envy shed their swords, subtle shockwaves urred, shattering the surrounding environment, or a missed strike cleanly cleaved through rocks.

    Whenbined with the intense performance of the Rirus Orchestra, which seemed to heighten the tension of the battle, it became impossible to look away.

    As I mentioned earlier, the difference between a master and a pervert is as thin as a paper. And giving time and budget to such a person clearly demonstrates what kind of result will emerge.

    <i>¡®Wait a minute. But are they really fighting?¡¯</i>

    Even if they use magic to substitute for CG, wouldn¡¯t that kind of production be difficult? Nevertheless, since during the previous exhibition, there was an extra who appeared to have been pierced by Sakran, it seems they researched separately.

    The reason I¡¯m saying this is because Kair severed one arm of Envy with his experience and skill. This was also in the original work.

    However, such a strike was soon overshadowed as Envy¡¯s arm regenerated immediately, emitting ck blood akin to a symbol of the devil, not red blood.

    This scene serves as evidence that Envy is closer to a devil than a human, a moment that his master could not help butment.

    [What happened? You weren¡¯t like this before.]

    [Do I need a reason to hate the world?]

    [You became a devil to destroy the world all because of such reasons? Pitiful! Envy!]

    By the way, the real name of Envy is Beelzebub. Originally, the devil symbolizing Envy was Leviathan, but I modified it because there was a monster with that name.

    Kair continued to struggle, but here, the worst match-up appeared. That is none other than ¡®youth¡¯ itself.

    Envy is originally young and vigorous, empowered by the devil¡¯s power, but Kair is nearly a hundred years old, which can be considered the limit of human lifespan.

    It was only due to strength that transcended the human category that he could maintain his youth to some extent, but he could not break the limit itself.

    Moreover, Envy possesses regenerative abilities bestowed by the devil¡¯s power, making it practically impossible to win in a fight.

    In the end¡­

    [Farewell, Mr. Kair.]

    Swoosh!

    His chest was pierced by the disciple¡¯s sword that he himself had grown. As the sword pierced his chest, bright red blood spurted out from Kair¡¯s.

    ¡°No¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    As Kair was pierced by the sword, pitiful reactions sporadically erupt in the auditorium. The development itself was so dramatically executed that even the original author, myself, would flinch.

    [Groan¡­ Cough! Cough!]

    Kair was spewing blood continuously from his mouth. The disciple knelt down and nced indifferently at the master trying to cross over to the afterlife.

    Kair, who had essentially raised him as an orphan, what could be going through his mind? Envy harbored quiteplex emotions, not yet described in the original work.

    However, there exists a hint of affection towards the master, refraining from disrespecting the corpse. Instead, the disciple directly went to Alvenheim to deliver Kair¡¯s body.

    [Ah¡­]

    Whether expressing Kair¡¯s fading consciousness or his vision gradually blurring. The blurred vision turned dark, soon engulfed inplete darkness.

    In such darkness, Kair¡¯s tender voice echoed faintly.

    [Just once¡­ if only I could see her smile just once¡­]

    In the original story, Kair¡¯s life ends here. Subsequently, Envy ces Kair¡¯s corpse in Alvenheim, starting the next volume.

    However, strangely, the dimmed vision slowly brightens again. As if a sleeping person was opening their eyes, the eyelids repeated opening and closing.

    [Iyr! Kai¡­ r!]

    As the vision brightened, a voice filled with mncholy resonated throughout the auditorium. It¡¯s uncertain whose voice it was, but it¡¯s definitely a woman¡¯s.

    Eventually, as the eyelids fully opened, what became visible was a bright flower field and Kair lying in that flower field. And¡­

    [Kair! Are you awake now?]

    The beautiful face of a woman full of liveliness. A striking elf with elongated ears and bright green eyes, Elisha. Adorned with a crown made of flowers on her head, she had the ¡°smile¡± Kair desires.

    [Hurry, let¡¯s go over there! There are even prettier flowers over there!]

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    This scene felt familiar, and I realized it through that line. This isn¡¯t the main story but one of the beautiful memories of Kair and Elisha from a ¡®prequel.¡¯ It was the happiest time for the two, a moment when they confirmed their love. Finally, the beginning of all this tragedy.

    Kair, the owner of the view, either confused by sudden old memories or realizing that ¡°the dead have no words,¡± remained silent.

    Following only Elisha¡¯s guidance, he slowly moved his steps towards where the bright light shines. The hand held with Elisha¡¯s belonged not to a wrinkled old man but to a vigorous young man.

    [Did you like it when I smiled, Kair? Want to see it once more?]

    At Elisha¡¯s words, Kair¡¯s gaze shifted towards her. Until herst breath, Elisha wore the smile Kair longed for.

    As he reaches out towards that smile.

    Crack!

    Instead of darkness, a bright light filled the screen.

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    The movie has ended. However, no one hastily pped.

    Even the description of feeling dumbfounded falls short of describing the directing and quality that left me speechless. Especially the directing that connects to the prequel at the end was a techniquemonly seen even in my past life.

    It¡¯s like the story of the ¡°Lamp of Spirits,¡± showing the most beautiful memories just before death. How much character research must have been done to present such impressive directing?

    As the movie ended and the lights around me began toe on, I found myself raising my hand as if entranced.

    p, p, p¡­

    The sound of my apuse echoed through the quiet theater.

    p, p, p, p, p!!

    Soon, thunderous apuse filled the theater.

    The first work heralding the golden age of culture has revealed itself to the world.

    And¡­

    <i>¡®When will the next episodee out?¡¯</i>

    Now, I¡¯ve be the one waiting.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 267: Support Fire (1)

    Chapter 267: Support Fire (1)

    The world¡¯s first movie presented by the Matrics Troupe ended with sess.

    The splendid direction and acting of the actors, which can be called the identity of the Matrics Troupebined with the sound effects and OST by the Rirus Orchestra. The y showcased at the previous exhibitionbined all of the above to create a masterpiece, but the movie shown today reached its pinnacle.

    What kind of knowledge must be in the mind of Director Scar to present such extraordinary creativity to the audience, rivaling that of the Earth? Especially, the recollection shown in the final part leaves no doubt about Scar¡¯s genius. While amon clich¨¦ from my past life, there¡¯s nothing like that here.

    Even with experience as a theater director, this is Scar¡¯s first attempt at filmmaking. Furthermore, it clearly demonstrates the differences between theater and film. For Helium, Scar is an indispensable talent and artist who can never be given up on.

    Judging by the support he receives, one can roughly estimate how exceptional his abilities and potential are.

    In any case, the world¡¯s first movie concluded sessfully, andstly, just like at the previous exhibition, both actors and directors appeared on stage. And one could notice something amazing: the actor who yed Elisha was actually an elf. It wasn¡¯t makeup or magic.

    Even more astonishing was the revtion that the actor who yed Kair was actually in a rtionship with Elisha. They exined that his old appearance was transformed through magic.

    ¡®They really put in the effort.¡¯

    The scale of Matrics Troupe has grown several timesrger than the previous exhibition. While the fact that the director is a demon was shocking, it didn¡¯t hold much significance. Rather, there has been a significant increase in those who aspire to be actors and enter Matrics Troupe. It has expanded the scope of art.

    Above all, Skar is also keeping a close eye on the exhibition. Everyone may know, but at the exhibition, not only Matrics Troupe¡¯s one but also other ys are presented.

    While not boasting the insane energy of The Matrics Troupe, some ys are quite excellent. ys, by their nature, highlight the acting skills of the actors, so for The Matrics Troupe, it¡¯s a kind of litmus test.

    ¡°Is there anyone who wants to ask a question? There¡¯s still time, so I¡¯ll take questions.¡±

    After a lengthy exnation, Director Scar¡¯s question time followed. At the same time, many people on the first floor raised their hands.

    Perhaps the nobles didn¡¯t raise their hands to maintain their dignity; there were few who did. Of course, I was among those few.

    As I raised my hand, I could feel various gazes pouring in around me. From the imperial nobles to the royalty of the Ters Kingdom.

    Forget about the nobility for now. Resolving my curiosity is the priority.

    ¡°Um¡­ the gentleman with the red hair over there? Please ask your question. We¡¯ll amplify your voice with magic, so just speak as you normally would.¡±

    I¡¯ve disliked my noticeable red hair so far, but today, I was d for it. As Scar extended his hand, I rxed my throat and opened my mouth.

    ¡°Aah. Ah.¡±

    As if using magic, my voice became louder as the microphone echoed. I marveled at the boundlessness of magic for a moment before speaking again.

    Firstly, I praised Scar and the troupe with variouspliments, saying it was truly a great movie, with directing reminiscent of The Matrics Troupe, etc. I uplifted the mood of Scar and the troupe with my diverse praises.

    And finally, I threw out the question I truly wanted to ask.

    ¡°So, about that, could you tell me when the next installment will be released? Of course, I understand that it takes a long time to produce. But I can¡¯t help but anticipate it because it¡¯s such a fantastic movie.¡±

    ¡°The next installment¡­ By the way, could you tell me what exactly the gentleman meant by the ¡®movie¡¯ you mentioned?¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    Come to think of it, he referred to it as an extension of the y, not a movie. I inadvertently called it a movie too.

    It¡¯s hard to just brush it off as a slip of the tongue. Especially since I casually referred to it as a movie earlier.

    Before correcting myself, I nced sideways with a sense of unease. And there it was.

    Cecily, with a meaningful smile, was looking straight at me. Upon seeing that smile, I felt a chill and immediately looked ahead.

    ¡°Haha¡­ I think I just had a momentarypse of thought. I apologize.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. ¡®Movie¡¯¡­ it has a nice ring to it. Anyway, I¡¯ll answer your question. After Kair¡¯s death, it leads into Xenon¡¯s confession, and further, it goes into the full-fledged invasion of the devils. But to resolve all of this requires not just manpower but also refining. Above all, the devil invasion is not a battle but a war.¡±

    As Skar exined, after Kair¡¯s death, the devil invasion follows. It¡¯s on a scale that can be called a war, not just a battle, making it impossible to film in a short period.

    Actors, direction, know-how, and so on. It may be a sessful first leap, but everything is in a state without any experience.

    Skar¡¯s exnation was that it would be better not to do it at all rather than bring about a failure that would tarnish the Xenon¡¯s Biography, after having just taken a first sessful step.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like we¡¯re not doing it at all. It¡¯s embarrassing to say this to you all, but this y is essentially a test. You could say it¡¯s a kind of prototype. If Xenon allows it, we n to produce it slowly from volume one.¡±

    Shut up and take the letter with my permission. As soon as I heard his words, I looked at Cecily.

    She seemed to ask why I was looking at her, and she shrugged her shoulders casually, still smiling ambiguously. After savoring her reaction, I subtly grabbed her hand and nodded my head, implying ¡®please take care.¡¯

    The reason why the Matrics Theater can produce movies is because of Helium¡¯s endless support. No matter how much it¡¯s called the Matrix Theater, without money, nothing can be done.

    Cecilyughed at my pathetic(?) request and put her lips to my ear. Then, with a voice full of color, she mentioned one word.

    ¡°Seed.¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    With that single word, I instantly understood what she wanted. Therefore, I had to deeply consider it. Even though she might usually joke about it, Cecily was sincere this time. However, I had no intention of hurting Marie¡¯s feelings because of my personal desires.

    I just have to endure a little. When I smirked meaningfully as if to say it was impossible, Cecily shrugged her shoulders as if she had expected it.

    In fact, the temptation to want the seed is highly likely to be a joke. Usually, I¡¯m the type to grant all my requests.

    After my question, various questions about Scar poured in. They ranged from how the battle scenes were created to whether there had been direct encounters with Xenon, to how actors were cast, and so on.

    What intrigued me the most was the casting of actors, especially for other races. While it might be understandable for humans or demons, the question of how they would cast actors for other races was of utmost interest.

    Scar seemed to be somewhat hesitant, scratching his head and taking a somewhat ambiguous stance on this issue.

    ¡°Well, to be honest, I personally handled the casting of Elisha¡¯s actor. Moreover, currently, Alvenheim is actively engaging with the surrounding regions through Queen Arwen¡¯s policies. We¡¯d like to cast them if possible, but¡­ perhaps Alvenheim might produce its own y separately.¡±

    It was a highly credible story. Who is the current director of the Matrics Troupe? A demon who receives abundant support from Helium.

    From Alvenheim¡¯s perspective, they might take the stance that if even demons are producing ys, why can¡¯t we! Scar might be feeling awkward because he knows that.

    However, what should be kept in mind is that the race doesn¡¯t matter. What matters is solely the director¡¯s ability itself.

    Whether it¡¯s a demon or an elf, if there¡¯s a director aspetent as Scar, a masterpiece will be born, and conversely, if not, it will be a flop.

    <i>¡®I hope Arwen will behave well¡­¡¯</i>

    I shifted my gaze to where Arwen was sitting. She was seated a little apart. It was probably to avoid suspicions of being too close privately. If it were revealed that Arwen and I were close in private, suspicions about Xenon would naturally arise. So, she was currently seated next to her bodyguard, Kayr.

    It seems like they were exchanging brief opinions. I believed that Arwer, as a very wise queen, would take measures to prevent any strange incidents from urring.

    ¡°As for me, I was the director of the Matrics Troupe, Scar. Sincerely thank you to all of you who watched over our stage, and I hope you enjoy the remainder of the exhibition. Thank you!¡±

    After numerous rounds of questioning, the greetings from Matrics Troupe continued. Both I and the people in the audience responded enthusiastically with apuse.

    I should write a letter tonight and give them permission. I hope the movie about the invasion of Alvenheim, or rather, the devil invasion of Elvenheim, happens soon, but that¡¯ll take a while. For now, it¡¯s important to gradually adapt each volume into a movie and gain experience.

    ¡°That was such an amazing y, wasn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Do you think we can see it again tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°You think others besides you would think that? Even so, since it¡¯s going to be here for a few more days, we might be able to see it again at least once.¡±

    After the movie ended, we returned to the mansion with our group. Even as we left, most people remained in their seats, still immersed in the afterglow.

    Not only the plot of the movie, but the recollection technique shown at the end must have lingered in people¡¯s minds. Even I, a human from Earth, was still thinking about it, so how much more so for the people here.

    With various opinions about the movie, we made our way back to the mansion. I n to make sure my parents watch it when we get there.

    ¡°Did Adelia enjoy it too?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ ah. Yes. It was really enjoyable.¡±

    Adelia, who suddenly changed from casual speech to formal speech without even realizing it herself. Her startled expression was quite adorable, but it felt rather stiff.

    ¡°You can speakfortably. It¡¯s just us here.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. It feels a bit awkward when you do that, though.¡±

    Nicole, who was walking alongside her, disyed intimacy by cing her hand on Adelia¡¯s shoulder. Adelia speaking formally to Nicole would have been quite awkward too.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. For now¡­ because I¡¯m still on duty.¡±

    ¡°Well, if that¡¯s how you feel. But you¡¯ll go back to informal speech after work, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Adelia was my exclusive maid, and normally her working hours end after dinner. But for events like today, there¡¯s indefinite overtime.

    By the way, exclusive maids also receive additional overtime pay. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s considered overtime or what, but anyway, the longer the hours, the more money they make.

    Maybe her monthly sry would amount to roughly 80 gold. In Korean won, it¡¯s about 8 million, and it¡¯s said to be close to 100 million annually.

    Expensive? That¡¯s absurd. Adelia is a top talent who even serves as a martial arts instructor at the academy. This sry is actually on the cheaper side.

    ¡°Dave, how much is your sry right now?¡±

    ¡°Me? Well, the base is roughly 100 gold, but with all the bonuses included, it easily exceeds 150.¡±

    ¡°And how about you, Nicole?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m still an apprentice, so it¡¯s 70 gold. But practically, it¡¯s over 100 gold.¡±

    Whenparing the sries of my older brother and sister who joined the Navy Knights, it¡¯s clear how much cheaper it is. Adelia is a talented individual with skills equal to Nicole¡¯s.

    Moreover, through my father¡¯s training, her skills are improving day by day, so her value will naturally increase.

    I¡¯m willingly epting the loss just to keep her by my side. As I thought about it, I looked at Adelia¡¯s face.

    When Adelia and I made eye contact, she blushed and silently lowered her head. She radiates her own charm with abination of dignity and cuteness.

    So, we arrived at the mansion, chatting amicably. Dave and Nicole were the first to return to their rooms to get rid of their ufortable uniforms.

    At that moment, I was about to return to my room to unwind.

    ¡°Adelia noona. You haven¡¯t forgotten our promise, have you?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Marie called Adelia, mentioning the ¡®promise¡¯. Looking at Adelia, her face seemed to be turning red in an instant.

    ¡°I guess I have to help with this. Isaac and Marie go in first.¡±

    Not only Marie but also Cecily. She winked and shed her mischievous smile, sping her hands together.

    Clearly, they are all deeply involved. Come to think of it, I know they left the room earlier in the morning to have a private conversation.

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    On the other hand, Adelia remained silent, only mumbling with her lips. It was a forced reaction, trying to hide her embarrassment while ncing at me.

    Meanwhile, Cecily dragged Adelia¡¯s arm and disappeared somewhere. Her face was filled with a smile as if she found it amusing.

    With Adelia and Cecily gone, only Marie and I remained. I looked at Marie with a puzzled expression.

    Marie sighed as she looked at my face and muttered.

    ¡°Sigh. Really¡­ where else in the world can you find a good-natured and kind-hearteddy like me?¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Never mind. You should go wash up and wait in the bedroom. I have something to do separately for a moment.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ okay.¡±

    There were several suspicious circumstances, but for now, I let them slide. After all, the night was long.

    And that night¡­

    ¡°Good evening, Young Master. Has today been a pleasant day for you?¡±

    ¡°¡­Noona?¡±

    Completely unexpected.

    ¡°You must have had a tiring and difficult day again. It¡¯s the duty of a devoted maid to relieve that fatigue.¡±

    In a truly peculiar form.

    ¡°Oh, tonight, I¡¯ll personally¡­ p-p-provide you with¡­ night-time¡­ services¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll make arrangements.¡±

    She approached me.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 268: Support Fire (2)

    Chapter 268: Support Fire (2)

    Before midnight struck, that is, before the exhibition began in earnest, there was a conversation.

    ¡°Why did you call me?¡±

    Adelia sat in her seat, looking somewhat detedpared to her usual confident self. Her sky-blue eyes rolled from side to side, and her broad shoulders, a result of her training, seemed narrower.

    It wasn¡¯t the same terror she felt when meeting her rtives, including Hiriya, but it was a behavior clearly showing she was cautious. Moreover, sitting stiffly with her fists on her thighs, she appeared somewhat like a rag doll.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be too tense, unni. Someone might think we¡¯re bullying you.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Just rx.¡±

    The two women sitting opposite Adelia, Marie and Cecily, spoke in turn. Despite wearing casual clothes before the exhibition began, they still exuded their own charm.

    The shining white hair contrasts sharply with the ck hair, showing distinct personalities.

    Adelia, who thought she fell short in appearance and personalitypared to them, naturally felt inferior.

    Especially since they are Isaac¡¯s lovers, whereas she will enter as either a concubine or a personal maid in the future.

    Although she is a bastard child, having lived in the Ters Kingdom, she has keenly observed the ecology of the nobility with her own eyes.

    Her biological father, King Friedrich, did not have concubines, so the conflicts were rtively low, but she clearly understood her low status.

    Above all, Adelia, who grew up under harsh persecution just because she was a bastard from a past mistake, couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious.

    ¡°But¡­ Lady and Princess are Isaac¡¯s official lovers? His wifes? Anyway, you¡¯re in that position, right? But I¡­¡±

    ¡°Well, does Isaac really care about that? Doesn¡¯t he treat everyone fairly?¡±

    ¡°At least he won¡¯t discriminate. Isaac is subtly sensitive to people¡¯s hearts.¡±

    The two women, who understood what Adelia was worried about,forted her as they exchanged words.

    They are women who usually spend time with Isaac and can even see through his mind, revealing their innermost thoughts.

    Isaac doesn¡¯t care about social status and prefers horizontal rtionships over vertical ones.

    Going further, he detests the act of pressing someone down with power and hierarchy, as Rina and Leort once did, which ended in their embarrassment.

    Fortunately, their rtionship has improved. Anyway Isaac always desires an egalitarian rtionship.

    ¡°Still¡­ I¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah, forget it. Let¡¯s talk about something else, okay?¡±

    Despite Adelia¡¯s persistence, Marie brushed it off. As someone who, like Isaac, prefers egalitarian rtionships, such conversations were frustrating for her.

    Of course, she¡¯s aware of her status as a noblewoman. While it¡¯s natural formoners to address her formally, if that person is Isaac¡¯s woman, the situation changes. Furthermore, after learning about Adelia¡¯s tragic past, Marie hoped she¡¯ll find a bit more happiness. Adelia was a rare trustworthy person in the world.

    Several other factors also made it possible for Adelia to be epted as Isaac¡¯s woman. Remembering that Marie was the one who first proposed the maid idea gives a rough idea of what she might be thinking.

    ¡°¡­Yes. So, what did you call me here to talk about?¡±

    Adelia nodded hesitantly at Marie¡¯s blunt words and got to the point. She was visibly diminished, devoid of confidence.

    Seeing her like this, Marie cast a sharp nce at her before turning to look at Cecily sitting beside her. Cecily happened to turn her head at that moment.

    Their blue and amber eyes met, and without a word, they both smiled softly, knowing who would speak first.

    It was a smile seemingly tinged with a sinister cunning, as if concealing a plot.

    Soon, the two women shifted their gaze forward, and Marie was the first to open her mouth, bringing up the main topic.

    ¡°Unni. When are you going to do it?¡±

    ¡°What? What do you mean¡­¡±

    ¡°When are you going to have your first night with Isaac?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Wasn¡¯t that a bit too straightforward? At the blunt question, Adelia¡¯s sky-blue eyes widened.

    Her pupils shook as if an earthquake had hit, and her cheeks began to flush red.

    ¡°Why are you so flustered? Didn¡¯t you expect this?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. It¡¯s just¡­ I¡¯ve been thinking about it¡­¡±

    Unable to continue her words, Adelia fumbled in response to Cecily¡¯s question.

    She had been thinking that since she became Isaac¡¯s lover, they would naturally have their first night together. After all, they had already engaged in intimate and lingering kisses before. If they didn¡¯t proceed, it would seem odd.

    But, she had merely been ¡®thinking¡¯ about it. She had concluded that there was no ce for her to intervene where the other two women were present.

    Fortunately, she had met a good person and had connected with a man she loved, but she kept in mind the intention to protect him from behind, not by his side.

    ¡°¡­How could I think of intervening when you¡¯re all here?¡±

    With great effort, she calmed her racing heart and expressed her true feelings. Her voice, barely above a whisper, and her lowered head seemed to speak for her heart.

    Marie and Cecily were there, wondering how they would intervene. Wasn¡¯t it because of theirpassionate hearts that they had be Isaac¡¯s women?

    Marie and Cecily nodded as if acknowledging all the meanings contained in the confession. This, too, was expected.

    ¡°So, if we were to concede?¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°If we were to concede, what would you do, Unni?¡±

    Following Marie¡¯s suggestion, Cecily spoke next.

    ¡°Surely you wouldn¡¯t refuse even if we were to concede to that extent, would you?¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    Whether she was speechless or found it hard toprehend, Adelia blinked her eyes alternately at the two women.

    Their smiling faces seemed genuine, not mere jest, which made it even more iprehensible.

    Why? Why were they treating her so well, a mere concubine? They had nothingcking, rather they were exceptional women.

    Had that thought been fully expressed on her face? Marie, with her characteristic chuckling smile, then spoke up.

    ¡°Unni, you¡¯re really cute. Howe your face reveals all your thoughts? You¡¯re just like Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes? No, I mean¡­ um¡­¡±

    ¡°Never mind. Unni, stop beating around the bush and do as we say. Understand?¡±

    ¡°Now you can be honest, right?¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    In the end, Adelia had no choice but to ept the offer meekly. It was like crossing over a snake fence, but deep down, she also harbored some expectations.

    One¡¯s desires aren¡¯t truly concealed by hiding. So, let¡¯s be a little greedy, just a little.

    With this in mind, she somewhat alleviated her hesitation and looked straight into their eyes.

    ¡°So¡­ what should I do? I don¡¯t know anything¡­¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ first of all¡­¡±

    Upon Adelia¡¯s courageous question, Marie pondered deeply and then made a suggestion.

    ¡°Perhaps we should start with your attire?¡±

    ******

    I nkly stared at Adelia, who appeared for the night shift. Sitting on the bed, she naturally looked up at me from below, a perspective brought about by her posture.

    Currently, she¡¯s wearing a maid uniform, one that conspicuously exposes her shoulders and corbones. Moreover, the skirt is so short that it barely covers half of her thighs.

    Perhaps ording to Cecily¡¯s advice or her own desire, she even has a white garter belt on. She¡¯s truly showcasing what it means to be a sexy maid.

    It¡¯s quite radical for Adelia, who usually appears modest. It¡¯s a different kind of radicalpared to Cecily. Not the dignified knight shown in the morning, but solely a maid for the night shift. The contrasting allure between the two situations excited my heart.

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    Adelia and I stared at each other silently for a while. Adelia looked embarrassed and avoided my gaze, but there was a subtle anticipation on her face.

    Now I understand why Marie and Cecily took her with them. It must not have been easy for her to concede, but it seems Adelia made her own decision.

    Well, I should respond to that decision. It¡¯s not like I was panicking with this, having dealt with countless nighttime encounters¡­

    <i>¡®¡­Still, it¡¯s inevitable to feel nervous.¡¯</i>

    Unlike Marie and Cecily, who have been lively so far, Adelia was different. I¡¯m not some guy who can easily charm a woman, so it¡¯s natural to feel tense.

    Moreover, Adelia seems to be preparing to rise above her past pain. I could easily break those wings if I¡¯m not careful.

    So, I have to handle this delicately, but she has already entered my bedroom, wearing not ordinary clothes but the maid uniform I designed. It¡¯s certain.

    ¡­Though Cecily might have altered it to be more revealing than originally designed. Mine wasn¡¯t designed to be that revealing.

    ¡°¡­Noona.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes, Young master.¡±

    ¡°Do you want to sit next to me for now?¡±

    In the midst of this awkward atmosphere, I gestured to the seat beside me. Adelia swallowed nervously and then moved cautiously.

    The movement I saw wasn¡¯t careful but rather creaky, like rusty machinery. It seemed to signify the level of tension she was under.

    Excessive tension isn¡¯t good during the first time. From now on, I n to ease that tension. The most important thing for a woman on the first night is none other than the atmosphere.

    I¡¯ve learned through experience that half the battle is won with the right atmosphere.

    ¡°Did Marie and Cecily concede?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±

    Adelia nodded in agreement to my question. The light from the smallmp illuminated her face.

    Adelia had neatly gathered her thighs and ced both hands on them. She seemed embarrassed, unable to raise her head.

    Cute. The contrast between knight Adelia during the day and main Adelia at night made her cuteness even more pronounced.

    I slowly reached out and held her hand. As I did, Adelia trembled noticeably and stiffened.

    Then she firmly grasped my hand without pulling away, as if she never wanted to let go.

    Brush-

    Gently, I ran my fingers through her hair with my other hand. She flinched at first but soon calmed down.

    Adelia¡¯s face seemed redder than before as I continued to caress her head. Each of these reactions exuded charm.

    Now that she¡¯s going to be my woman, I handled her delicately, like fragile artwork.

    ¡°Mmm, mmm.¡±

    For a while, Adelia enjoyed my petting, making happy sounds, and pressed her face against my shoulder. Seeing her body¡¯s trembling slightly ceasing, it was a sign that she was rxing. I gently stroked her cheek as we shared each other¡¯s warmth. I could feel the pounding of her excited heart from here.

    ¡°Noona.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not holding onto any regrets now, right?¡±

    Regrets, she must havepletely let them go. Coming to my bedroomte at night in such daring attire.

    But this isn¡¯t me answering; it¡¯s Adelia answering herself. Has she really detached herself from her blood ties, which she desired so much? They were the family she longed for, yet she was elegantly cast aside, and even Hiriya, whom she loved, is trying to take away.

    Even the remaining regrets are falling away, why would Adelia¡­

    ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t have any.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Because my family is¡­ right here.¡±

    Adelia replied softly, her voice moist. I smiled at her response.

    Until recently, there was arge nail driven into Adelia¡¯s heart. Even if the nail could be removed, the hole would remain, inevitable as it was.

    I will fill that hole and, furthermore, paint it in a new color so that even scars cannot be found.

    ¡°Noona.¡±

    ¡°Yes. What is it?¡±

    ¡°What kind of person would you like me to be? Would you like me to be an ordinary person? Or¡­¡±

    I hesitated for a moment, then gently turned and faced Adelia.

    Adelia, too, was staring straight at me with her now blurry sky-blue eyes.

    ¡°Would you like me to be incredibly famous? For example¡­¡±

    The manuscript hidden carefully in the deskes to mind. A decisive evidence that I am Xenon.

    ¡°Xenon, perhaps?¡±

    If she wants, I¡¯ll dly show her. There¡¯s nothing I wouldn¡¯t show her, even my body.

    Perhaps Adelia had expected it as well. Just knowing that I am Xenon would make her realize why Cecily became my lover in an instant.

    Moreover, I hinted at some circumstances through the exhibition. Looking back, there were several suspicious situations.

    To such a question, Adelia replied¡­

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Her answer really caught me off guard. I expected her to be surprised or at least some reaction equivalent to it, but this is beyond my expectations.

    Upon seeing my expression of surprise, Adelia leaned her face against my chest.

    Then, she opened her mouth with a soothing voice, using the rhythm of my heartbeat as if it were music.

    It wasn¡¯t her usual firm and confident voice, but a voice filled with love and affection.

    ¡°Whether you are Lord Isaac, Sir Xenon or the emperor¡¯s hidden child, it doesn¡¯t matter to me. I only think of how you¡¯ve treated me all this time.¡±

    ¡°¡­Even if the Kingdom of Ters might cause trouble?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. If you really were Sir Xenon, even the Kingdom of Ters wouldn¡¯t dare to disrespect you. And even if not, it¡¯s fine either way. I just like you for who you are.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°But if you¡¯re Sir Xenon, can I at least get your autograph? I¡¯m a huge fan of Xenon¡¯s Biography.¡±

    Is she getting lost in her role? Adelia continued to speak politely even though I¡¯ve given her permission to speak informally.

    Still, her sincerity got through properly. Just like Marie, Adelia doesn¡¯t care whether I¡¯m Xenon or not.

    She just loves the person, yearning for affection. Because of this, my feelings toward her only grew stronger.

    Let me give her an unforgettable, beautiful memory. With firm determination, I gently removed Adelia, who had rested her face against my chest.

    Adelia looked at me with a puzzled expression as if to ask why. Her sky-blue eyes shone brightly even in the dim light.

    ¡°Noona.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re really lovely, Noona.¡±

    ¡°Huh¡­what?¡±

    Adelia¡¯s question was left unfinished as I abruptly silenced her with a surprise kiss.

    For a moment, she seemed startled, giving my chest a slight push, but soon shepletely surrendered. I could feel the tension draining from her body.

    ¡°Um¡­ mmm¡­ mwah.¡±

    Sweet and sticky kisses followed, and the awkwardness dissipated, reced by a growing heat.

    Unlike me, who was quite adept, Adelia seemed a bit clumsy. She tried to match me somehow, but it was stillcking.

    That¡¯s why it was more satisfying. Her slightly clumsy attempts suited her, and she would improve with practice.

    ¡°Mwah¡­ haa¡­¡±

    After a long, lingering kiss, Adelia and I parted our lips simultaneously, as if neither wanted to be the first to let go.

    A thin silver thread connected our lips, adding to the peculiar sensation.

    ¡°Haah¡­ haah¡­¡±

    I observed Adelia¡¯s reaction after the kiss ended. Her eyes were just half open, and she was exhaling deeply.

    Although I felt like justying her down on the bed, it wasn¡¯t time yet. She came here for a ¡°night service,¡± so I should act ordingly.

    With that in mind, I gently caressed her cheek and spoke in a low, seductive voice,

    ¡°Now, can I want to receive the night service?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes¡­¡±

    Adelia rose from her seat as if enchanted by my question. Perhaps her legs were weak from the kiss, as she stumbled a bit.

    I reached out to where she had been sitting all this while. And there it was. Ever so slightly, it was damp. She seemed as excited as I was.

    As I ran my hand over the bedsheet, a sound came from the front. The rustle of clothes being removed, the sound of fabrics brushing against each other.

    Shifting my gaze forward, I couldn¡¯t help but gasp at the beauty that unfolded before me.

    Wearing strapless lingerie and a white garter belt to match her maid outfit, she exuded a sexiness that rivaled Cecily¡¯s. But what added to it was the clearly defined abs on her stomach, giving off a healthy aura. From the well-toned thighs and firm hips to the rounded buttocks, everything was there, showcasing the essence of vitality.

    ¡°T, then¡­¡±

    Adelia blushed and slowly knelt down. Naturally, my gaze followed hers downwards.

    Then, she swallowed nervously and reached out her hands. Her hands were aimed precisely at my waist.

    I was currently wearing only a robe, and even that was loosely tied, revealing my well-toned upper bodypletely.

    However, since I was wearing underwear, I could tell where her hands were heading.

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤Gulp.¡±

    Adelia finally grabbed onto my underwear and swallowed nervously once again. It was truly adorable how she looked at me.

    Seeing her like that, I nodded in permission. Lifting my hips slightly was just an added bonus to help her.

    ¡°From now on¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    Adelia, with lips trembling with gratitude(?), spoke.

    ¡°I will listen¡¤¡¤¡¤ to your orders.¡±

    Slowly, very slowly, she pulled her hands downward.<hr>

    Trantors note:

    WARNING. Next 2 chapters are NSFW.

 Chapter 269: Night Sevice 18+ (1)

    Chapter 269: Night Sevice 18+ (1)

    WARNING! THIS 2 CHAPTERS ARE NSFW!

    Isaac watched Adelia slowly undressing her underwear. He had noticed it before, but Adelia had an amazing figure when undressed. Despite her usually carefree personality and good proportions, I hadn¡¯t paid much attention to her body until I saw her abs.

    Even though she was a bastard, Adelia was of royal descent. Moreover, she had maximized her body¡¯s potential through training. With volumeparable to Marie¡¯s and a slim waistline, her hips below formed an excellent bnce.

    Especially notable were her abs. Women naturally struggle to build muscles, and maintaining abs is particrly demanding. However, Adelia¡¯s abs were clearly defined.

    With all thesebined, attention was drawn to her figure. It was hard to look away once she removed her maid uniform.

    Naturally, Isaac had a reaction underneath his lower garment. He felt a stirring even during their passionate kisses, but it intensified after Adelia undressed.

    Furthermore, unlike others, Adelia chose to follow a concept of ¡®serving¡¯, even as a virgin with no male experience. Was it due to the excitement from bridging that gap? Isaac¡¯s arousal only heightened as Adelia undressed him.

    Finally, as Adelia¡¯s touch removed his underwearpletely¡ª

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    A prodigious member,rger than life, sprung out like a spring before Adelia¡¯s eyes. It was Isaac¡¯s imposing member that boasted overwhelming majesty even before he matured. Currently, it has grown slightlyrger than before.

    The length cutting across Adelia¡¯s face was thick enough to barely grasp with one hand. An object of that size stood upright without the slightest bend. As Isaac¡¯s difort at suppressing his own erection dissipated, he observed Adelia¡¯s reaction.

    She must have receivedprehensive sex education, but encountering something of this size must be a first. Currently, her sky-blue pupils trembled uncontrobly, revealing her bewilderment. It seemed quite shocking as she was subtly gasping for breath. In fact, other women disyed simr reactions.

    ¡°T-This is¡­¡±

    In reality, Adelia felt more perplexed than embarrassed as she looked at Isaac¡¯s imposing penis filling her field of vision. It¡¯s too big. She had heard from Marie and Cecily, but facing it was an even greater shock.

    It was long enough to cover the entire face when standing vertically and thick enough to obscure all vision when ced horizontally. Could it really fit inside? For Adelia, who had no prior experience with men, Isaac¡¯s possession was truly a cultural shock.

    ¡°You¡¯re just going to stare?¡±

    ¡°Y-yes?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing if you keep staring.¡±

    Adelia opened and closed her mouth repeatedly, unable to shake off the shock, when Isaac finally spoke.

    Adelia, taken aback, lifted her head to find Isaac looking down at her with a soft smile. Come to think of it, she remembered hearing from Marie and Cecily that Isaac bes quite mischievous when doing night duty.

    She was advised to somehow not get entangled in his pace and to maintain her own pace in order to endure the longer nights. Well, she heard that if it¡¯s burdensome, she could just leave it to Isaac. Still, Adelia wanted to stay up for Isaac somehow.

    ¡°Um, sorry. Then¡­¡±

    Gulp¡ª

    After swallowing hard, Adelia extended both hands towards Isaac¡¯s belongings.

    ¡°I-I¡¯ll start.¡±

    Snap¡ª

    As Adelia gently wrapped her hands around the pir, Isaac¡¯s penis jerked once again, bing much firmer than before. Isaac let out a strange groan, slightly tilting his upper body backward.

    He stretched his arms back to fix them in ce and looked up at the ceiling. He always felt that when someone else, especially a woman he loved, touched his thing, it brought an immense pleasure.

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s really warm¡­¡±

    Swoosh¡ªSweep¡ªSwoosh¡ª

    Adelia admired the warmth emanating from the shaft as she wrapped her hands around it and moved them up and down in a reciprocating motion. It was not only hot but boasted a solidity akin to rock, enough to make its veins bulge with excitement, indicating genuine enthusiasm.

    She nced upward at the pir for a moment, as if fascinated, then nced back down. Isaac asionally emitted a delighted moan as if savoring Adelia¡¯s touch.

    Her beloved man was getting excited by her efforts. This fact further excited Adelia and gave her the courage to move on to the next step.

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    She opened her small mouth as wide as possible, enveloping therge ns within. This, too, was one of the skills she had acquired from other women. Adelia felt no difort in putting his genitals in her mouth. Her actions were an act of service, so she should never consider it dirty.

    <i>¡®It, it¡¯s too big¡­¡¯</i>

    Nevertheless, she couldn¡¯t help feeling overwhelmed by the size; even though she only took the ns into her mouth, it feltpletely filled.

    How did Cecily manage to take it all in her mouth? To do so, she must have used her throat as well.

    In that sense, Adelia decided not to rush and take it slow. Cecily might be a subus, but Marie, who was also human, said it was difficult to take it deep.

    ¡°Mm, slurp, chuup.¡±

    Adelia stimted Isaac¡¯s penis diligently, licking the ns with her tongue or sucking on it like ice cream.

    With both hands, she swept the pir up and down. asionally, she even licked the pir after removing his tip from her mouth.

    ¡°Slurp. Squelch. Mmm.¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    Isaac let out a surprised moan mixed with excitement at Adelia¡¯s unexpectedly skillful service. He thought she was modestly capable, but for some reason, he felt even more blood rushing than before.

    She had often been captivated by Marie and Cecilia, so perhaps she had learned from them. Otherwise, it would be difficult to meticulously grasp his weak spots.

    Whether it was rolling her tongue inside her mouth with his penis, licking the pir like ice cream, or just inserting it into her mouth and moving her face up and down.

    It¡¯s insane. And since it was Adelia who was serving him, the excitement was even more intense.

    In response, Isaac lowered his head and grabbed Adelia¡¯s head while she was serving.

    At that moment, when Adelia looked up with a puzzled expression.

    ¡°What!?¡±

    Isaac suddenly pulled Adelia¡¯s head firmly.

    Originally, Isaac¡¯s object only went as far as the ns, but it dug even deeper into her mouth, and Adelia¡¯s eyes widened.

    But even then, it only went halfway, and Isaac didn¡¯t force it in, reaching only to her uv.

    ¡°Sorry, Noona.¡±

    ¡°Ugh. Mmm.¡±

    ¡°Just do your best up to here.¡±

    Isaac gently released Adelia¡¯s head from his grip. Adelia, now relieved, quickly removed Isaac¡¯s penis from her mouth and coughed softly. It was a close call.

    Initially startled by his actions, it didn¡¯t take long for Adelia to realize what it meant.

    <i>¡®Oh, he¡¯s excited¡­¡¯</i>

    The women who had rtionships with him told her. Isaac tended to be aggressive when properly excited.

    In other words, he was pleased with her actions. Adelia felt a mix of excitement and a fluttering sensation in her lower abdomen.

    Driven by that feeling, she discreetly ced her hand on her crotch, and couldn¡¯t help but startle when she realized how soaked it was. Adelia, just like Isaac, was at the peak of excitement.

    ¡°Mmm. Chuwp. Chwup.¡±

    Adelia resumed servicing him with his member in her mouth, pushing as far as Isaac desired.

    With one hand, she quickly explored his shaft, and with the other, she gently caressed the soaked fabric underneath. Pleasure, not just excitement, was gradually approaching.

    ¡°Chup. Chuwp. Slurp.¡±

    ¡°No, noona¡­!¡±

    How long had Adelia¡¯s service continued? Isaac, sensing the impending climax, eagerly called out to Adelia.

    At the same time, as Adelia felt Isaac¡¯s member swelling, she swiftly withdrew it from her mouth and swiftly ran her tongue along the shaft.

    Her tongue protruded from her mouth, as if beckoning for more inside, her mouth gaping wide. Excited by this sight, Isaac finally ejacted, releasing his semen.

    Squelch! Squelch! Squelch!

    Semen poured out in three separate bursts. The first two went directly into Adelia¡¯s mouth, but the third sttered across her entire face.

    Closing her eyes, Adelia swallowed the semen that entered her mouth. It tasted slightly salty, but not unbearable.

    On the contrary, as it belonged to the man she loved, she feltpelled to consume every drop. She meticulously wiped off the ejacte from her face with her hands, then put it into her mouth.

    As she faithfully adhered to the concept of service, Isaac felt his chest pounding as he presented his member to her.

    His penis remained stiff and erect without faltering. Adelia¡¯s eyes gleamed as she opened her mouth wide.

    ¡°Chomp. Chup. Slurp.¡±

    Adelia swept her head forward, neatly clearing away the remaining semen.

    Isaac¡¯s member, previously soiled with semen, was now clean, covered entirely with Adelia¡¯s saliva.

    ¡°Are you satisfied, my lord?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Adelia now spoke without hesitation. Judging by the slight rxation in her eyes, it seems she¡¯s fully immersed in her role.

    So, I must stay true to that concept. But since Adelia is a virgin experiencing her first time, I had no intention of just receiving service. Rather, it¡¯s up to me to show consideration.

    Isaac reached out and gently stroked Adelia¡¯s head, as if praising her.

    ¡°I was truly satisfied. You did well.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Then¡­¡±

    Adelia slowly rose from her seat and began to remove each piece of her underwear. When she took off her bra, revealing herrge breasts maintaining a pretty shape, it was clear she possessed a volumeparable to Marie¡¯s.

    As she then removed her panties, one could vividly see the long silver thread connecting them. Seeing her underwear soaked, it was apparent she was as excited as she seemed.

    Isaac nced at Adelia¡¯s face while admiring her neatly trimmed brown bush. She seemed embarrassed as she became fully naked, covering her chest with her arms. Seeing her embarrassed expression made him feel even more aroused. Her face will surely be dyed with pleasure in the near future.

    Swish¡ª

    Isaac rose from the bed, lifting his hips from the mattress. Adelia quietly watched him stand up.

    The two stood side by side without wearing a single piece of clothing. Adelia nced at Isaac¡¯s handsome face and then nced down below.

    As if boasting of his vigor, his manhood stood proudly erect. Before long, thatrge object would pierce into her below.

    ording to Maria and Cecily¡¯s words, although it might be a little painful at first, surrendering to Isaac would soon turn into pleasure. But her role was that of service, not surrendering to him¡­

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    Without Adelia having a chance to ponder, Isaac took action first. He ced his hand on her discreet region.

    With Isaac¡¯s assertive touch, Adelia trembled and let out a strange moan. But the problem was, this wasn¡¯t the end.

    ¡°Ah! Wait¡­! Ahh!¡±

    ¡°Seems like my Noona has be quite moist, hasn¡¯t she?¡±

    Adelia held onto Isaac¡¯s arm, trembling. Was his words sounding like sweet temptation just a misconception?

    Even though she wanted to tell him to stop, pleasure drowned out any protests. Adelia leaned on Isaac¡¯s shoulder, surrendering herself to his touch.

    <i>¡®I should¡­ be serving¡­¡¯</i>

    ¡°Ah¡­!¡±

    For a moment, as Isaac¡¯s lips met Adelia¡¯s neck, she let out a soft, muffled moan. The kiss, starting from her neck, slowly descended to her chest, reaching her taut nipples.

    ¡°Ah! Hnng!¡±

    As Isaac targeted her breasts and nipples, Adelia wrapped her arms around his head, releasing a blissful moan soaked in pleasure.

    Meanwhile, Isaac¡¯s caresses on her intimate area didn¡¯t cease, which drove Adelia even crazier. Being an adult, she was well aware of self-pleasure. She had indulged in it many times, often fantasizing about her beloved Isaac.

    But now, with Isaac directly caressing her, the excitement surged back twofold. The sensation of someone else doing it for her was entirely different.

    Squelch! Squelch! Squelch!

    Before she knew it, Isaac hadid Adelia on the bed, continuing his caresses. Though he had experience with other women, each person had their own vulnerabilities. Marie became vulnerable all over when aroused, while Cecily was sensitive around her breasts and neck. Then what about Adelia¡­

    ¡°Ah! Wait, just a moment¡­¡±

    Here it was. Isaac sensed Adelia¡¯s response exploding the moment he licked her belly.

    Adelia¡¯s weakness was her abdomen. So, he carefully adjusted his posture to be able to simultaneously attack her belly and lower part of the body by moving his body subtly.

    Then, he explored her belly, adorned with sharp abdominal muscles, with his mouth, while caressing her chest with one hand and teasing her lower parts with the other. It wasn¡¯t just about touching the chest, but also gently stroking the curved waistline and buttocks. He utilized every possible caress he could.

    ¡°Ugh¡­! Ahh¡­!¡±

    Adelia tried to endure by biting her lips tightly, but it was a futile attempt. Isaac was already an experienced veteran with many experiences, while she was just on her first day. As she had heard from Marie and Cecily, surrendering her body to Isaac left her unable to keep her mind clear. She wanted to be engulfed in the pleasure that surged relentlessly.

    As the long and sweet caresses continued, Isaac moved on to the next stage.

    Instead of gently teasing her lower parts with his hands, he began to work on them freely with his mouth and tongue.

    Slurp--

    ¡°Uhhhh!!¡±

    As his tongue intruded into her private area, Adelia¡¯s waist bent like a bow and she convulsed. At the same time, liquids poured out from her lower parts. Although it didn¡¯t gush out like a fountain but flowed steadily like tap water, this alone indicated that Adelia had reached her peak.

    However, Isaac didn¡¯t stop and continued to roll his tongue inside. Every time he did so, Adelia¡¯s body twitched and her thighs trembled as if in convulsions, but he forcibly spread them apart with his hands.

    ¡°Ughhh¡­!!¡±

    Squirm¡­

    Adelia, who had finally reached climax, spurted out her love juices like a fountain. Her body, which had been tense like a bow, momentarily stiffened and then rxed weakly.

    Isaac roughly wiped off the love juices sttered on his face with his hand and lifted his head. As he lifted his head, he noticed Adelia, who was gasping for breath due to the climax.

    Watching her chest rise and fall repeatedly indicates that she thoroughly enjoyed the climax. The pleasure from someone else¡¯s touch alone brings a different kind of excitement.

    But this is not the end. Isaac reminded her of their concept once again and whispered into her ear.

    ¡°Surely, it won¡¯t end here, right? The night is still young.¡±

    ¡°Haa¡­ Haa¡­ Yes¡­¡±

    Although she had lost strength in her body from reaching climax, it didn¡¯t mean her stamina was depleted. Adelia heard Isaac¡¯s words and got up, still panting.

    In the meantime, Isaacyfortably on the bed and proudly disyed his erect member. By looking at the leisurely standing shaft, Adelia could understand what was desired.

    Adelia, with her blurry sky-blue eyes, looked at the towering manhood and then crawled towards it.

    ¡°Mmm¡­ Ah!¡±

    After taking it fully into her mouth and sucking it sweetly for a bit, she slowly began to climb on top.

    A woman riding on top of a man,monly known as the ¡°riding position¡±. It¡¯s a position akin to riding a horse, hence the attached name.

    As it was her first night, it felt inappropriate in many ways, but Isaac acted to ensure that she faithfully fulfilled her role. That¡¯s what he liked more.

    Gradually, Adelia lifted her hips and aimed the penis urately at the entrance of her vagina, which was already moist with arousal, so it would go in smoothly.

    She felt nervous. From now on, she would bepletely connected with the man she loved. As this thought lingered in her mind, Adelia swallowed hard.

    Gradually¡­

    ¡°Ah¡­! Haah¡­¡±

    As their genitals touched each other, she felt the entrance to her vagina gradually opening. Adelia bit her lip and pushed it in deeper.

    Isaac had been watching quietly all this time. In his heart, he wanted to grab her waist and pull her down, but he restrained himself because she was in the dominant position, not the submissive one.

    The pain was momentary. After that, there would only be stimuli tainted with lust.

    And Adelia, who had received years of knight training, knew that fact well. More precisely, she knew that pain was momentary.

    With determination, she forcefully lowered her hips.

    Thud!

    ¡°!!¡±

    Not even a scream came out, let alone a moan. Adelia, gritting her teeth, vividly felt the object filling her lower abdomen.

    It was certain that her buttocks were touching Isaac¡¯s stomach. But what was even more surprising was¡­

    <i>¡®I¡­ I like it too much¡­¡¯</i>

    Pleasure surged like a tidal wave, rather than pain. Though there was a slight sting upon entry, it was nothingpared to the pain endured through knight training.

    As Adelia savored the aftermath of pleasure, Isaac, lying beneath her, couldn¡¯t help but be astonished for a different reason.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s all in?¡¯</i>

    He expected Adelia wouldn¡¯t be able to take all of him like Marie at first.

    But whether it was due to her taller stature or unexpectedly wide hips, she had taken all of him. Even the sensation of her cervix being pushed aside was astonishing enough on its own.

    Considering how even Cecily had to be coerced into taking him fully, one could say Adelia¡¯s vaginal depth was quite substantial. It meant that unless it was Isaac¡¯s size or more, it would be difficult for her to derive pleasure.

    Moaning in pleasure, Adelia slowly raised her hips. As she did, Isaac¡¯s erect member, throbbing with excitement, gradually came into view.

    And just as the tip of his ns peeked out, Adelia forcefully lowered her hips once again.

    Thud!

    ¡°Ahh!!¡±

    Just one round trip. Yet Adelia jolted her head up, her body trembling violently.

    It felt like an addictive pleasure. Is this what they meant by once you taste it, you can¡¯t forget, just as Marie and Cecily told her?

    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±

    Adelia instinctively moved her hips back and forth, oblivious to the smile forming on her lips. This, too, brought a different kind of pleasure.

    But there¡¯s one thing left that¡¯s most important. She lowered her raised head to look at Isaac lying beneath her.

    Isaac, holding onto Adelia¡¯s waist, was enjoying the pleasure she¡¯s giving him. His face shows both innocence and sexiness.

    How can someone be so cute and lovely? Adelia felt a subtle switch turning on in her chest.

    It didn¡¯t take long for her to realize that it was desire toward her partner.

    As if determined to receive all the love she hadn¡¯t received due to an unfortunate home environment, Adelia moved her waist brilliantly, rendering the notion of a first experience meaningless.

    Thump! Thump! Thud!

    ¡°Ah! Isaac! Isaac!¡±

    ¡°Nngh¡­ Noona¡­¡±

    ¡°I love you! I really love you! Ugh!!¡±

    Adelia,pletely forgetting her role, keeps shouting that she loves him endlessly. Her face ispletely flushed, and her waist movements are far from ordinary.

    From the beautifully defined abs to the swayingrge chest, there¡¯s nothing that wasn¡¯t stimting.

    Why is it that women who spend their first night with him all seem to adapt so quickly?

    Isaac was momentarily bewildered, but he focused on Adelia for the moment. Since she was already riding the rhythm, it wasn¡¯t difficult to keep up with the beat.

    Thump!

    ¡°Ah! Ahh!¡±

    As Isaac synced his movements with hers and bounced his hips, Adelia¡¯s moans grew louder than before. Nevertheless, the hip action continued without pause. Isaac smiled at the tight grip of her virgin pussy. It didn¡¯t matter who was pleasuring whom anymore.

    Thump! Thump! Squelch!

    ¡°Haah! Uhh! Aah!¡±

    As Isaac began to match the rhythm, Adelia felt the climax approaching. It was an iparable, tremendous climax unlike any before.

    Isaac also foresaw the tightening of her pussy. So, there was only one thing left: to exploit her weak point.

    Due to the presence of the uterus in women¡¯s anatomy, the lower abdomen naturally protrudes. Especially when the abs are toned, it bes even more prominent. Adelia was no exception, and currently, Isaac¡¯s cock was fully filling her lower belly.

    So, if he were to press firmly on this vulnerable lower belly¡­

    ¡°Huuuah?!¡±

    At the peak, it was inevitable. When Adelia felt Isaac press against her lower abdomen, she let out a primal scream. However, that scream didn¡¯tst long. The current transmitted from below rose and reached her brain. It didn¡¯t take long for her to realize it was climaxing.

    ¡°Aaaah!!¡±

    Push!

    Adelia burst with pleasure that had been building up in her chest all at once. As she did, tears poured from her eyes.

    The first climax obtained through their first night. It was enough to make Adelia¡¯s body curl forward.

    As Adelia wrapped herself around Isaac, he moved his hand from her waist to her face, holding it to meet her gaze. In her pleasure-induced daze, her cloudy sky-blue eyes caught his sight.

    A face intoxicated with pleasure. Not the face of a knight or a maid, but a woman lost in sex.

    ¡°Hoo¡­ Ugh? Chup. Haah.¡±

    As Isaac kissed her, Adelia moved her tongue even in her daze. Lips met and tongues explored each otherzily.

    Seeing her hips move back and forth, it was clear she still had a long way to go.

    So Isaac ced his hand on Adelia¡¯s enticing buttocks and thrust his hips.

    Squelch!

    ¡°Ung! Umm. Chup. Mm.¡±

    When Isaac flicked his waist, Adelia, who was startled, did not stop kissing. She continued, sweeping her hair that had fallen forward behind her ear.

    It seemed as if she was determined to receive the affection she had not received from her close family, without thinking of letting go.

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    After a long, long kiss time, their lips parted. The thin silver thread between them was also severed with a snap.

    Isaac smiled as he looked down at Adelia from above. How could he leave such a lovely woman alone?

    ¡°Noona.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±

    ¡°I love you.¡±

    At the word ¡°love,¡± Adelia blushed like a newly blossomed flower and avoided eye contact.

    For Adelia, who grew up in an unfortunate family environment, psychological stability was more important than physical rtionships.

    ¡°Are you familiar with it now?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ I love it.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll take the lead now.¡±

    Saying so, Isaac slowly raised his upper body andid Adelia down. Her lower abdomen was still filled with Isaac.

    Following that, Adeliay down on the bed and Isaac climbed on top of her, but in the opposite direction, not in a dominant position.

    ¡°Mmm, haa¡­¡±

    After Isaac kissed the bashful Adelia intimately, he pushed his upper body back.

    All that remained now was to sow his own seed. He continued to exert force on his still-inserted penis.

    As Isaac applied more force, Adelia felt the object filling her vagina bing harder. Judging by its increasing size, it seemed to be starting gradually.

    Thrust!

    ¡°Uhnn!¡±

    Initially, he thrust strongly once.

    Thrust! Thrust! Thrust!

    Next, he performed a merciless back-and-forth motion.

    ¡°Ahng! Haang! Aeng!¡±

    Adelia moaned in an exited voice. Whenever Isaac thrust his hips, her ample chest shook.

    Unlike when she was in a dominant position earlier, Isaac¡¯s penis stimted a different spot. Although only the position had changed, Adelia seemed on the verge of reaching climax in no time.

    ¡°Uhng! Aung! Haang!¡±

    Furthermore, Isaac did not forget to tease her breasts or kiss her neck like he had done with other women. He also did not neglect to caress.

    Adelia had an especially well defined abs, but her buttocks were also extremely alluring. Should we call it apple hips? If Cecily naturally possessed a voluptuous body, Adelia¡¯s was a result of rigorous training.

    With such a woman writhing beneath him, an irresistible excitement surged within Isaac. Consequently, he pressed his body against Adelia¡¯s and vigorously moved his waist.

    p! p! p!

    ¡°Ah! Isaac! I, I¡­¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    Of course, Adelia also received a signal from Isaac. He elerated his waist movement, while Adelia embraced him with her arms and legs.

    Gradually bing one, the two simultaneously reached climax.

    Squelch! Squelch! Squelch!

    ¡°Aaaaaah!!¡±

    As Isaac ejacted refreshingly, Adelia also reached climax. Her arms and legs that wrapped around him exerted more force, tightly squeezing Isaac¡¯s body.

    Like squeezing toothpaste, Isaac also released much more semen under her pressure than before.

    ¡°Haah¡­ Haah¡­¡±

    ¡°Phew¡­¡±

    After a moment, they exhaled deeply while entwined with each other. It felt like they had just engaged in a battle, exhausted physically.

    Isaac slowly withdrew the inserted object. As soon as it was out, Adelia¡¯s fluids gushed forth.

    Just witnessing that scene made his blood rush and caused an erection. Along with his previous training, it was due to a formidable divine power.

    ¡°Noona.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ haa¡­¡±

    ¡°Are you still able to?¡±

    As Adelia heard this question, she opened her eyes slightly, as if to show she too was still in good health, with Isaac¡¯s object standing tall.

    Come to think of it, they had said something about him being a beast only at night. This, too, was information obtained from Marie and Cecilia.

    ¡°Still¡­ can¡­¡±

    Although she had already climaxed several times, she was a knight, even holding the position of martial arts instructor.

    She was confident in her stamina. Even now, she was only a little tired; physically, there was no problem.

    ¡°I can do more¡­!¡±

    Adelia smiled sincerely with joy. The opportunities with Isaac were plentiful and overflowing.

    The night was long, and there was plenty of time. Even if time was running short, it didn¡¯t matter. Because there was always the next day. Adelia rolled over in bed. Then, she raised her hips and spread her vagina with both hands, as fresh white semen spilled out.

    ¡°Please, put it in. My lord¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    By the way, these lewd poses and words were among the pieces of advice Cecily had given her. A situation optimized to stimte Isaac. Isaac, who was unaware of this fact, grabbed Adelia¡¯s tempting hips with both hands, swallowing his saliva as he did so. Then, he aimed precisely at her vagina entrance and thrust in.

    Squelch!!

    ¡°Ah!!¡±

    The night was very long.

    Squelch! Squelch!

    ¡°Noona! Noona!¡±

    ¡°Ah! Ah! Isaac!¡±

    Their time together was also long.

    ¡°One more time¡­ Just one more time¡­ Ah!¡±

    Adelia¡¯s night of passion showed no sign of ending.<hr>

    Trantors note:

    Holy¡­ The longest chapter so far in the whole novel, and of course it¡¯s a sex chapter¡­

 Chapter 270: Night Sevice 18+ (2)

    Chapter 270: Night Sevice 18+ (2)

    Isaac and Adelia¡¯s passionate night extended into the early hours of the morning, much like other women before them. Consequently, both of them fervently explored each other until the bed was soaked with various secretions.

    Adelia, perhaps releasing all the pent-up sexual desire she had umted, straddled Isaac and vigorously moved her hips.

    Squelch! Squelch! Squelch!

    ¡°Ah! More! Keep thrusting! Ah!¡±

    As Adelia vigorously moved her hips up and down, Isaac¡¯s penis repeatedly emerged and disappeared. Despite the stark difference from their initial pration, Isaac eagerly reciprocated with a wry smile.

    Somehow, it turned from a service to just ordinary sex, but oddly enough, it was more satisfying. Given Isaac¡¯s considerate nature, merely receiving wasn¡¯t fulfilling enough for him. He made efforts to ensure the woman experienced pleasure equal to, if not greater than, his own.

    Whether this sentiment was conveyed or their bodies simply ignited, Adelia indulged in his love to the fullest.

    ¡°Kiss! Kiss me! Mmm! Smooch!¡±

    While others may engage in mutual give and take, Adelia was solely focused on attacking. She even requested Isaac to continue during their breaks, leaving practically no time to rest.

    This was the fundamental difference between Adelia and other women. Starting with the basic hardware; there¡¯s a difference. While Marie and Cecily would rest in bed if they were fatigued, Adelia begged Isaac to continue, even if it meant sacrificing that time.

    When reaching climax, her body would momentarily weaken to the point of immobility, but she quickly recovered and resumed. Although it was somewhat difficult to understand her recovery, she was not a magician but a knight, with practicalbat experience.

    Perhaps it was a way of replenishing stamina with mana. Isaac silently spected while vigorously moving his waist.

    Squeeze! Throb! Squelch!

    ¡°Ah! Oh! Yes! So good!¡±

    Adelia, thoroughly enjoying the dominance, didn¡¯t consider descending from Isaac¡¯s top. Sometimes they would change positions, but that was when she was on defense; the offense always concluded with her in control.

    asionally, they would face each other, but even then, Adelia took the lead. She reached climax before Isaac could do anything, so there was no physical strain.

    When her throat got dry, she resolved it with the water prepared in advance. However, as the night extended into dawn, even that water was emptied.

    <i>¡®How long will this go on?¡¯</i>

    As Isaac pondered, Adelia¡¯s body stiffened, trembling slightly. Judging by her jaw dropping, it seemed she had reached climax once again.

    Even when Isaac was lying down with an erection, Adelia knew exactly what to do without him needing to give any instructions. But as she became more skilled, the pleasure increased and they found themselves climaxing more often.

    Perhaps because of this, Adelia¡¯s lower abdomen was noticeably swollen. She couldn¡¯t even remember how many times they had climaxed with such force.

    Fortunately, there was divine power involved; otherwise, who knows what might have happened. He might have turned into a skeleton.

    While Marie and Cecily were giving him time to recharge, Adelia, with her iron-like stamina, didn¡¯t even give herself a moment¡¯s rest.

    ¡°Hah. Hah. Mmm. Ahh. Ugh.¡±

    Another thing about Adelia was that once she reached climax, she always had to kiss to ease her passion. Even now, she was passionately kissing Isaac¡¯s face while wrapping her arms around him.

    As if trying topensate for the love she didn¡¯t receive from her family, Adelia loved kissing more than anything else. Each time they kissed, she trembled with pleasure, reaching a small climax. Yet, despite that, she skillfully moved her hips back and forth, showing that she was fully immersed.

    ¡°Whew. Isaac¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Noona?¡±

    ¡°I love you.¡±

    Adelia hugged Isaac with hearts in her sky blue eyes. Isaac also gently moved her waist, taking her into his arms.

    If it were any other woman, she would have at least taken out the penis and rested, but Adelia preferred to rest with it inserted. Revealing her desire not to miss a moment, Isaac followed suit withoutint.

    Squish, squish¡­

    ¡°Hmm¡­ Ahh¡­ Oh¡­¡±

    Adelia moaned softly as she moved her hips back and forth. Isaac sucked on her breasts to make her feel more, as Adelia¡¯s moans grew louder and the movement of her hips gradually intensified.

    Squelch¡­

    ¡°Huh!¡±

    As the ns pressed against the cervix, Adelia¡¯s body trembled. Judging by the asional convulsions, she seemed to be approaching climax, albeit weakly.

    Her body had be sensitized through dozens of rounds of intercourse. Even the slightest touch on her sweaty lower abdomen made her tremble.

    Amidst all this, with no intention of stopping, Isaac found himself in a dilemma. ncing outside, he realized it wasn¡¯t dawn but morning. Summer, due to its climatic characteristics, saw the sun rise early, yet Adelia was still lively.

    Isaac momentarily stopped thinking about when it would end, focusing instead on Adelia as she changed her position. Currently, Adelia had her legs bent as if doing squats, clearly disying their intertwined genitals.

    ¡°Haah. Haah. This¡­ will be thest¡­¡±

    ¡°Thest?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ I¡¯m in pain now¡­ It feels tough¡­¡±

    As soon as Isaac heard Adelia mention being in pain, he carefully examined her vulva. It was difficult to confirm due to them being connected, but it seemed swollen given that she was in pain.

    Indeed, it would be strange if it wasn¡¯t swollen considering they hadn¡¯t taken proper rest and had been pounding away relentlessly.

    Moreover, he couldn¡¯t help but think it was remarkable. Even Marie and Cecilia had their stamina depleted before getting swollen, but Adelia was the opposite.

    Squish! Squish! Squeak!

    ¡°Ah! Ah! Hng!¡±

    Adelia began to move her hips in a squatting position. The swollen area became conspicuous along with moans soaked in pleasure.

    Seeing Adelia¡¯s flesh shake due to therge phallus¡­ an uncontroble excitement surged.

    Since this was going to be thest time anyway, Isaac lifted his upper body and faced her. And he tightly embraced Adelia.

    ¡°Huh? Wh-uh!!¡±

    Before Adelia could even react, their lips collided. As their lips touched, Adelia instinctively stuck out her tongue.

    Chup! Slurp! Slurp!

    Up top, their tongues intertwined, while down below, their genitals joined together, delivering intense stimtion. Adelia felt a much greater wave of pleasure crashing over her than before, closing her eyes tightly. It wasn¡¯t just her; Isaac felt it too.

    Before long, the two embraced each other without a word, reaching their final climax.

    Squelch! Squelch!

    ¡°Ugh!! Uwaaaah!!¡±

    As Adelia¡¯s womb, already filled to the brim, was flooded with semen, she reached her peak, stretching her legs forward.

    As the semen surged into her vagina, her love juices sprayed out, and her tongue slipped out of her mouth.

    ¡°Ugh¡­ Ugh¡­ Ahhh¡­¡±

    As Adelia¡¯s body rxed back, Isaac carefully withdrew. After lying her down on the bed, he removed the penis he had inserted.

    Plop!

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    Perhaps due to keeping the insertion for too long, Adelia shivered as she heard the sound of a cork being removed.

    Because of the countless releases, Isaac didn¡¯t immediately be erect again, unlike the first time. He thought it was over.

    Splosh! Splosh! Splosh!

    Until he witnessed the sight of the semen that had umted in Adelia¡¯s womb pouring out like a waterfall.

    Her slightly swollen lower abdomen began to gradually dete as well. It was truly an embarrassing sight.

    Feeling his own arousal intensify once again, Isaac slowly approached Adelia. Despite the circumstances, there seemed to be some lingering divine power.

    Thud!

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    Adelia, who had been focusing solely on her attacks throughout the night and early morning, was almost depleted of energy, surrendering herself to the peak of exhaustion.

    However, when Isaac unexpectedly inserted himself, she jerked in surprise, slowly lifting her head.

    Gradually, as she met Isaac¡¯s gently curved gaze, she realized one thing.

    It wasn¡¯t over yet. Even if she ended, Isaac didn¡¯t.

    ¡®Attack¡¯ and ¡®defense¡¯ show a clear difference in stamina.

    ¡°Ah, Isaac?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, Noona.¡±

    Isaac chuckled softly, whispering into Adelia¡¯s ear.

    ¡°Now it¡¯s my turn to attack.¡±

    ¡°W-Wait. Ah!¡±

    The exchange of offense and defense continued, and their first night together extended until morning.

    ******

    Isaac and Adelia¡¯s affair didn¡¯t end until the next morning, not even when it was time for breakfast. Adelia was already satisfied, but due to Isaac¡¯s meddling, she almost fainted, enduring until nearly copsing.

    Fortunately, the duration of the contraceptive pill was longer than expected, thankfully sparing Adelia from a longer ordeal that could have almost led to pregnancy. Moreover, since both Marie and Cecily were willing to yield to Adelia for a while, they didn¡¯t interfere much. That was the biggest reason their affair couldst long.

    However, skipping meals was inevitable. Though Anna offered to handle meal delivery herself, Marie wanted to assess the situation first. It might be embarrassing for Anna if she walked in on an awkward situation. It was better for Marie, who had the most involvement with Isaac, to gauge the situation first.

    Knock, knock, knock¡­

    ¡°Isaac. It¡¯s me. Can Ie in?¡±

    Marie knocked on the door, but there was no immediate response. Only a quiet silence returned.

    Is he asleep? Marie wondered, tilting her head. Then, Isaac¡¯s voice came from inside.

    [Y-yes,e in.]

    It was a slightly trembling voice, but it must have been her imagination. Without any suspicion, Marie opened the door and entered.

    As soon as she opened the door, along with the intense heat, a stimting smell filled her senses. It circted throughout the entire room, although she couldn¡¯t tell how long it had been lingering.

    Suppressing her suddenly racing heart, Marie looked around to find where Isaac was. He wasn¡¯t on the roughly made bed, so the only remaining ce was¡­

    ¡°Huh? What¡¯s this? Where¡¯s Adelia-unnie?¡±

    It was a desk. Isaac was sitting at the desk, typing away since the morning. However, Adelia, whom he had spent the first night with, was nowhere to be found. Isaac awkwardly replied.

    ¡°She, uh, went to take a shower just now.¡±

    ¡°Really? Hmmm¡­¡±

    Marie narrowed her eyes and nced sharply at Isaac. His expression was suspicious to anyone who saw it. His lips were trembling, and his expression seemed forced, as if he was trying to hide something. Adelia¡¯s absence was also too suspicious.

    Chup. Slurp.

    (TL: Nah, no wae)

    ¡°Huh? What was that sound?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear a sound just now?¡±

    ¡°I, I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Suspicious. Too suspicious. Isaac had a truthful personality, but even when he lied, it showed on his face. His demeanor seemed like he was hiding something from everyone. Marie looked at Isaac with a doubtful expression, then shrugged her shoulders.

    What could he be hiding? Anyway, she had a different purpose.

    ¡°Alright. By the way, what about dinner? When are you going to have dinner?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll bring it now. Adelia-noona is tired.¡±

    ¡°Can she walk?¡±

    ¡°She can.¡±

    ¡°Must be because she¡¯s a knight. I need to improve my stamina too. Well then, I¡¯ll go check.¡±

    Marie said that and left the room. Isaac just waved goodbye to her as she left.

    And right after that.

    ¡°Ugh¡­! Noona¡­¡±

    ¡°Mmm. Mmm.¡±

    Isaac looked bewildered as he watched Adelia ravish his penis under the desk.

    No matter what he said, Adelia was relentless in her oral efforts. With one hand, she traversed the shaft to make sure no part was left unattended.

    Even though she was not naked, but dressed neatly in a maid outfit, Isaac was filled with immense excitement.

    ¡°Noona!¡±

    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±

    Slurp! Slurp! Slurp!

    As the signal of climax approached, Isaac grabbed her head and released coolly. Adelia didn¡¯t turn away despite the thick semen pouring into her mouth.

    As Isaac rxed his grip on Adelia¡¯s face, she slowly withdrew the penis from her mouth. She didn¡¯t forget to suck strongly enough to make her cheeks hollow in.

    Slurp!

    Finally, Isaac¡¯srge object came out of Adelia¡¯s mouth. While Isaac gasped at the sight, Adelia closed her eyes and savored the semen in her mouth.

    Gulp~

    After swallowing the semen in her mouth, Adelia opened her mouth. As if to prove she had finished it all, her mouth was impably clean.

    Isaac looked at Adelia, who wassciviously licking her lips, with aplicated expression. This was another action Adelia did on her own, calling it ¡°midnight service¡±.

    Hiding under the desk to perform a service on her lord¡¯s penis was a situation Isaac was experiencing for the first time.

    ¡°How was my service, my lord?¡±

    Adelia grabbed the limp penis with one hand and licked the shaft with her tongue. Not a dignified knight, but a vepletely immersed in servitude and pleasure.

    Isaac smirked at the sight and gently stroked her head. What did it matter if she was a pervert or a knight?

    ¡°It was excellent.¡±

    Now she was his woman.

    At Isaac¡¯s praise, Adelia smiled happily, kissed him on the cheek, and her kissing made the penis rise again.

    ¡°Then until the meal arrives¡­¡±

    The service of the personal maid continued.

    ¡°I¡¯ll serve you ?¡±

    It didn¡¯t stop even into the morning.<hr>

    Trantors note:

    Hello there! Check out my new novel which I tranted in it¡¯s entirety!

    It¡¯s called: I Became The Heroine¡¯s Terminally Ill Older SisterGenres: Romance, Fantasy, Yuri

 Chapter 271: Run Away (1)

    Chapter 271: Run Away (1)

    The night with Adelia wasn¡¯t just a night, it stretched beyond the night into the morning.

    Fortunately, she had focused solely on attacking and neglected defense, so I wasn¡¯t in danger of copsing from exhaustion. Up until then, I had thought this would be the end.

    Adelia finished tidying up and even showered before reluctantly putting on her maid uniform. Somehow, she managed to hide under my desk, sneaking her way into it.

    I too had no choice but to figure out what she wanted andply. I followed her as she wore the maid uniform, as if enchanted.

    There was even a crisis when Marie came into the bedroom, but luckily, we managed to get through it sensibly.

    ¡°Well, do you believe that I¡¯m Xenon now?¡±

    ¡°I-It wasn¡¯t a lie¡­¡±

    ¡°Why would I lie to my Noona?¡±

    Anyway, after the first night extended into the morning, I presented evidence to her that I was Xenon.

    Starting from the manuscript, the letters exchanged with the publisher, and finally, the stack of love letters.

    She seemed bewildered by the evidence I presented, her sky-blue eyes shaking as if an earthquake had struck.

    ¡°Well?¡±

    ¡°W-Well, I don¡¯t know¡­ It¡¯s still¡­¡±

    Adelia¡¯s demeanor, finding it difficult to ept, left me momentarily pondering. How could I exin things to her in a way that would resonate? How could I speak to her without causing difort and instead evoke a bright smile?

    After much consideration, I managed to find the right words. It was closely tied to her personal history yet did not excessively trigger trauma.

    Still gently stroking Adelia¡¯s dazed head, I spoke. As I did, Adelia looked at me as if entranced.

    ¡°What about this? The Ters Kingdom, which you longed for. Even that kingdom must bow down to me.¡±

    ¡°Ters¡­ Kingdom¡­?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Though I haven¡¯t revealed my true identity as Xenon yet, someday when I do, instead of you clinging to the Ters Kingdom, they will be the ones clinging to you. The choice will be solely ours. Do you see the picture now?¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    Perhaps it was the gentle stirring and release of trauma. Adelia¡¯s smile started to undte like waves. To be hanging from the opposite end of where she once hung¡ªit couldn¡¯t get more thrilling than this, especially for those who had inflicted deep trauma.

    As Adelia formed a mysterious smile, I moved my hand from her head to gently stroke her cheek. Then, with a sweet voice, I dered.

    ¡°So, Noona, you should focus on me, not the Kingdom of Ters. You¡¯re my personal maid. Got it?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ Yes, I understand, My Lord.¡±

    ¡°Like Marie before, you came to me before even knowing I was Xenon. So, I¡¯ll do my best to support you in return. So, shouldn¡¯t you not look back with regrets?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter now. My body and soul belong to you, My Lord.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    That was quite a statement. I almost lost control and almost sumbed to excitement, but I managed to restrain myself.

    ¡°Well then, if you need service, feel free to call me anytime.¡±

    Kiss!

    Adelia¡¯s surprise kiss, which almost made me lose control of my senses, continued. Normally, I would have kissed her first, but this time it came from Adelia.

    Her taking the initiative means she haspletely opened her heart. As soon as I realized the meaning behind it, I gave her a deep kiss in return.

    Adelia, now seeming like she won¡¯t hide her feelings anymore, also responded with a kiss. It¡¯s her own way of saying that she won¡¯t cling to the past and will create a new family.

    ¡°Now go and rest. Noona must be very tired.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh well. I won¡¯t leave until you fall asleep, Noona.¡±

    After that, Adelia slept all day, caught in a bted aftermath.

    Even Adelia, with her mighty stamina, was bound to easily copse if she only focused on attacking without regting her pace.

    In the end, she couldn¡¯t resist the overwhelming drowsiness and fell asleep wearing her maid outfit. I quietly waited until she drifted off to sleep. She looked too adorable, so I amused myself by poking her cheek or stroking her hair to keep herpany.

    As mentioned earlier, Adelia had a charming gap. Just by changing her clothes, she transitions from elegance to cuteness, even her personality changes. This extends not only to daily life but also to nighttime. Initially, she was embarrassed, but once ustomed, shefortably lounged on top of me without any reservations.

    Night and day, it suits Adelia perfectly. Perhaps the personality she disyed at night reflects her true self.

    Due to a dreadful family environment, she was emotionally shaken, but Adelia is more than deserving of love, more than anyone.

    Having grown up without receiving such love, it¡¯s natural for her to seek affection, especially craving kisses when her true personality emerges. I epted it all and fulfilled her desires.

    <i>¡®By the way, it¡¯s fortunate a temple is being built in the territory.¡¯</i>

    During the vacation, I¡¯ll spend time harmoniously with Marie, Cecily, and Adelia. Perhaps Marie and Cecily, in a gesture of concession, might further elevate Adelia¡¯s importance.

    Since it¡¯s the first night and I didn¡¯t dictate the pace, it was manageable, but if Adelia gradually bes ustomed, it might be challenging to handle.

    Still, Adelia is patient and has a resilient personality, so such urrences will be infrequent. One might say she¡¯s rechargeable.

    Not only for Adelia but also for other women, I intend to maintain my holy power consistently.

    Today, while having sex with Adelia, I felt anxious that I might be sucked dry if I wasn¡¯t careful. It¡¯s not even unlikely that women might outnumber men here.

    <i>¡®I should write more diligently.¡¯</i>

    I gently stroked Adelia¡¯s sleeping head for a while before getting up from bed. Tonight¡¯s event might be over, but the exhibition wasn¡¯tpletely finished.

    As Cecily mentioned, the movie will be shown at the venue for a few more days, and the judging of the anonymous artworks disyed at the exhibition isn¡¯t finished either.

    Like a proverb that says, ¡°Even if you poop, people will p when you¡¯re famous,¡± fame has a tremendous impact, so it¡¯s better to exclude the fame factor. It might seem unfair to some, but at least it should be ¡®fair¡¯ to everyone. At least it¡¯s better to exclude fame at the Xenon Exhibition.

    <i>¡®Shall I visit the temple today?¡¯</i>

    Kate was currently settling in there since the temple was built. She¡¯ll probablye out to greet me if I head there.

    I have to visit the temple anyway to fill up on holy power, and it¡¯s essential to have a conversation with the Luminous Church while we¡¯re at it.

    Mora¡¯s temple should bepleted within a fortnight, so I can go then.

    <i>¡®No, perhaps it¡¯s quicker to escape to Helium before that?¡¯</i>

    The 20th volume was nned to be released along with the side story. Originally, the side story would have been released much earlier, but as you know, the publisher¡¯s relocation to our territory dyed it a bit.

    However, upon closer reflection, it may be advantageous for both the side story and the 20th volume to be released simultaneously. The shock from the climax of Volume 20 will hit twice as hard.

    As Jin¡¯s heart is pierced by Gluttony, recollection of parts from the side story will sh by. Will readers not be amazed at this scene?

    <i>¡®It¡¯s quite good, isn¡¯t it?¡¯</i>

    Carefully, I returned to my bedroom, making sure Adelia didn¡¯t wake up. Although I wanted to stay by her side, there were things that needed to be done.

    Finally back in my room, silence greeted me. There was no warmth or scent lingering from the passionate night, and the bed was neatly made. It seemed like someone had tidied up while I was taking Adelia to her room.

    <i>¡®Was it another maid?¡¯</i>

    That¡¯s probably the most likely possibility. I nced at the bed, the same one as before our lovemaking, before turning my attention to the desk.

    As soon as I sat down at the desk, memories of the ¡°service¡± I received from Adelia shed through my mind, but I quickly shook them off. What¡¯s important now is the development of the content in Volume 20. I¡¯ve already written about half of it, but adding flesh to it here will greatly enhance itspleteness.

    Tap, tap, tap¡­

    Thanks to my holy power, even if I stay up for a night, my mind remains clear. It means I can continue writing steadily without losing concentration.

    Although I¡¯m a bit tired, I¡¯m far from being too tired to disrupt my focus. It¡¯s better to endure and stick to my regr sleep schedule than to constantly shift between day and night.

    Tap, tap, tap¡­

    The sound of knocking that broke my concentration entered my ears. I tore my eyes away from the typewriter and shifted my gaze towards the door.

    ¡°Isaac. Can Ie in?¡±

    Judging from the yful tone, it¡¯s definitely Cecily. I wonder what she¡¯s here for.

    ¡°Come in.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for letting me.¡±

    With my permission, Cecily slowly opened the door and stepped inside. She¡¯s wearing a ck dress that tightly wraps around her body, unlike the dress she wore to the exhibition.

    Although the dress was made of light, airy material, it failed to conceal Cecily¡¯s ample chest. Finding clothes that fit her must be challenging.

    I briefly nce at her inted chest and then shift my gaze towards her face.

    Judging from her cheerful smile, it seems she hase for a reason.

    ¡°What brings you here?¡±

    ¡°Just wondering what you¡¯re up to, so I came by~¡±

    Cecily hopped over like a rabbit and settled beside me. She seems to be in high spirits, perhaps because of something good that happened.

    I chuckled briefly and discreetly slid the manuscript I had already printed to a different spot. No matter who she is, I have no intention of showing her the manuscript.

    Cecily protruded her lips in a pout, but when I gently touched her horn, she quickly softened.

    Indeed, Cecily needed nothing else but to have her horn touched to ease her anger.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Marie?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s with Lily right now.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to look after her?¡±

    ¡°Well, in a year, I¡¯ll be able to see Isaac¡¯s child as much as I want. Gotta save my energy.¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    Saying that, Cecily licked her lips with her tongue, then gently stroked her lower belly with one hand.

    I couldn¡¯t help feeling uneasy at her reaction, like a wild beast eyeing its prey.

    If it were a joke, I would have dismissed it, but considering Cecily¡¯s recent behavior, it seemed genuine.

    I strongly felt that we would eventually have to have a serious conversation.

    ¡°Phew¡­ Noona. Whatever you think of me¡­¡±

    ¡°I know too. But Isaac is someone who came from a different world, right? Isn¡¯t this a gift or grace from God?¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    What is this woman imagining on her own? I looked at Cecily with a bewildered expression.

    However, Cecily¡¯s reaction was somewhat unusual, as she wasn¡¯t just holding hands and making an ecstatic expression.

    The two pupils sparkled like rubies, and there was a faint blush on her cheeks. The reaction seemed familiar from somewhere, but who was it?

    Ah, yes. Kate. It¡¯s very simr to when Kate showed her adoration towards me.

    ¡°Even if you deny it, it¡¯s okay. Either way, you¡¯re the savior of our demon race. Once this fact spreads, it will surely be recorded in the history of Helium. The gods showed mercy to the demons and bestowed grace, which was none other than the saint who came from another dimension.¡±

    ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t that a bit far-fetched? It¡¯s not some kind of myth.¡±

    ¡°Originally, grand ¡®histories¡¯ tend to be exaggeratedly recorded. Myths are no exception.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t deny that what you¡¯re saying makes sense.¡±

    I chuckled softly, wearing an expression that said I had nothing to say. Actually, it was quite understandable for Cecily to have such a reaction.

    If I were in my past life, I would have dismissed it as nonsense, but this is a world where three gods¡ªMora, Luminous, and Harte¡ªexist.

    Moreover, there are also ¡®demons¡¯ presumed to havee from another dimension. Even if the gods showed mercy and bestowed grace, it¡¯s a setting that doesn¡¯tck for inadequacy.

    <i>¡®Wait a minute. If Kate learns about this¡­¡¯</i>

    If Cecily is like this, how much worse could Kate be? She¡¯s already pleading with me to spread the ¡¯seed of light¡¯, saying that I am the light that will save the world. If it gets worse from here¡­

    To make matters worse, the reason I ended up here in the first ce was due to the mistake of a devil worshiper.

    With that one mistake, the gods preserved my memory intact, reincarnated me, and that gave rise to Xenon¡¯s Biography that led to this moment¡­

    <i>¡®When you think about it, the plot is ridiculous.¡¯</i>

    The development seemed ridiculously smooth yet messy at the same time. If I were to write a novel on this topic, I could knock out a chapter in no time.

    Even though I will reveal that I am Xenon, it seemed like I should hide the fact that I was a reincarnator as much as possible.

    Just with Xenon¡¯s Biography, I¡¯ve progressed the world¡¯s science and culture by a step.

    In this situation, I couldn¡¯t even guess what kind of impact a World War II novel would have.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you have something on your mind, Saint?¡±

    ¡°Oh, a bit.¡±

    Whether she was joking or not, Cecily was busy teasing me. Cecily giggled like a prankster when I made a face.

    ¡°Sorry. But Isaac is the only person I love most in the world. I just want you to know that. No matter how many women you have.¡±

    ¡°Arwen too?¡±

    Mentioning Arwen, who was interested in me, made Cecily look noticeably flustered.

    Then, she reluctantly smiled ambiguously and replied with difficulty.

    ¡°¡­I guess I have to think about the little elf queen. But will you ept Queen Arwen?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t an evasive answer anymore. Now, I really don¡¯t know.

    It¡¯s certain that Arwen also harbors rational affection for me. But I can¡¯t understand why. Even though I don¡¯t know what conversations took ce within Alvenheim, it¡¯s clear that elvenmunism has emerged.

    It¡¯s so clear that it was too bright. If I had realized the power of culture was this great, maybe I would have be a historian instead of writing. Suddenly, I had such thoughts.

    ¡®Still¡­¡¯

    I turned my head and faced Cecily. As Cecily and I met eyes, she smiled brightly, revealing a happy smile. If I had be a historian, I wouldn¡¯t have seen such a smile, and perhaps the demons would have been persecuted until now. Although tired, I have no regrets. That¡¯s what I think.

    Slowly reaching out, I gently stroked Cecily¡¯s cheek, then slowly moved upwards, cupping the horns that began to turn red. As I touched the horn, Cecily also brought her face as if enjoying the feeling. It was like a cat being affectionate.

    ¡°Oh, by the way, Noona, could I ask for one thing?¡±

    ¡°Anything Isaac asks for.¡±

    ¡°In about a month, there¡¯s a n to release both the side story and the 20th volume simultaneously. I want to visit Helium for a moment then.¡±

    ¡°Why Helium?¡±

    With a bitter smile at Cecily¡¯s question, I told the truth.

    ¡°Otherwise, I feel like I¡¯ll be beaten to death by my mother.

    *****

    The Xenon Exhibition ended with great sess. Thanks to the greatly expanded attractions and improved infrastructure of the venuepared to the previous exhibition, it drew much attention.

    Various artworks were disyed, catering not only to renowned artists but also to those nurturing artistic dreams.

    At first nce, it might seem like any other exhibition, but what¡¯s striking here is the absence of names. To be precise, the uniqueness of the exhibitiony in showcasing artworks without revealing the artists¡¯ names until the very end.

    As a result, visitors were able to focus more on the artworks rather than the names, and furthermore, it led to the discovery of some exceptionally talented artists with great potential.

    [Rules that suit a culture enjoyed by everyone.]

    [Even if not entirely fair, it still is.]

    [Extending a helping hand to allow seedlings hidden in the shadow of masters to see the light.]

    [Masters were surprisingly satisfied without any notableints.]

    Surprisingly, even the sensitive giants of the art world, who usually value their names highly, were not only satisfied but also pleased. This was because the Xenon Exhibition had a clear ¡°theme.¡±

    Choosing a theme is often the most challenging aspect for artists when selecting their works. Just as excellent ingredients are essential for cooking delicious food, a theme is crucial for art as well.

    Even if you¡¯re given delicious ingredients, if you burn them all, they just be food waste. In other words, the Xenon Exhibition emphasizes the importance of fundamentals.

    In that sense, while masters can create masterpieces even with their eyes closed, rookies oftenck those fundamentals. Even if you create your own new path, basics are always crucial. Creations made without fundamentals are nothing but monstrosities.

    [Matrics Troupe. Introducing a New Paradigm in Theater!]

    [A fresh technique of showing pre-recorded ys to the audience rather than performing in real-time.]

    [The performance of the Matrics Troupe, along with the melodious music of the Rirus Orchestra, resulted in a masterpiece that will never be seen again in the world.]

    Naturally, the films of Matrics Troupe also attracted global attention. This time, the Matrics Troupe presented a performance that exceeded the expectations.

    While there were concerns about whether theater would decline, those concerns were quickly dispelled. Theater has its own vor, and movies have theirs. The unique merit of being able to see actors¡¯ performances in real-time greatly influenced theater.

    Amidst the warm and fluctuating sentiments, a letter that captured the world¡¯s attention arrived at the publishing house.

    [Matrics Troupe should start production on the next installment immediately.]

    It was a letter from Xenon, or Isaac. The above summary briefly captures the lengthy contents of the letter, indicating how satisfied he was.

    Because of this, the Matrics Troupe once again began production with the support of Helium. As I mentioned before, since we are producing from the first installment, people held high expectations in their hearts. However, there was one country that couldn¡¯t be left out¡­

    [Alvenheim. We will help too.]

    [Although our pride may suffer, we will coborate for a better work.]

    It was Alvenheim. Surprisingly, they chose ¡®cooperation¡¯ overpetition. Until recently, elves persecuted demons like other races, but they were still inwardly wary.

    While not as profound as elves, demons had developed their magic more in terms of diversity. In short, elves, who had secretly regarded demons as enemies, were the first to bow their heads.

    [We will produce the Devil Invasion Part.]

    [We can create a work not inferior to Matrics Troupe¡¯s current work.]

    But it was still unthinkable. Alvenheim immediatelyunched into political attacks. However, it¡¯s somewhat ambiguous to call it political attacks. In order to produce the Demon Invasion Part, cooperation from Alvenheim was necessary no matter what.

    No matter how capable one is of disguising with magic, there are limits. Moreover, since it was not a battle but a war, elf magic was not a choice but a necessity.

    The Matrics Troupe knew this, and so did the sponsors at Helium, which only added to the dilemma. Sarkran¡¯s sacrifice was one thing, but should they hand over the Elf part to the Elves?

    It was a moment of dilemma in many ways. Eventually, the debate subsided with a promise to consult. But there was something even more important.

    [This time, both the side story and the main story will be released simultaneously.]

    [Following Xenon¡¯s advice, it¡¯s rmended to read the side story before the main story.]

    [The side story tells the backstory of Jin and Lily.]

    It was out. Not just the side story, but even the 20th volume. People were ecstatic about Xenon¡¯s Biography, especially since two new books were released simultaneously.

    Helium, in particr, showed the most fervent response, because Xenon had asked the publishers to release it first in Helium. It was seen as a repayment for the gift the demons had givenst time. However, there was one true goal¡­

    ¡°Nooo! This can¡¯t be!¡±

    It was all about stalling for time. The 20th volume was released, precisely the next day.

    ¡°Isaac! Isaac, where is he?!¡±

    The echoes of Anna¡¯s cries reverberated through the halls of the Michelle Manor.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 272: Run Away (2)

    Chapter 272: Run Away (2)

    Before the side story and the 20th volume were released simultaneously, Xenon (Isaac) mentioned this through a letter. He urged readers to read the side story first and then the 20th volume. He imed that reading the side story first would not only make the 20th volume more enjoyable but also provide a different shock.

    Readers, following Xenon¡¯s advice, began to slowly read the side story without any suspicion. Especially since the side story was the past story of Jin and Lily, which people had been anticipating, they held even greater expectations.

    How bright of a story would it be? How did Jin and Lilye to possess the yearning for each other? These were some of the questions they had.

    However, as soon as they reached the beginning of the side story, all such thoughts vanished. Jin¡¯s unfortunate past, which was beyond words to express, was gradually revealed. Once again, it must be emphasized that in Xenon¡¯s Biography, the demons are still being persecuted.

    Furthermore, as will be revealed in the 20th volume, Jin, due to his origins, was even abused by his birth mother, and humans pointed fingers at him. As a result, he not onlycked a normal environment for growth but also struggled to live day by day. At home, he faced harsh abuse from his mother, and outside, he was pelted with stones by passing people. Notmitting suicide was considered remarkable in itself.

    [Extreme, but a story that could very well happen in reality.]

    As the above evaluation suggests, there were numerous situations simr to those before Xenon¡¯s Biography emerged. Rather than living under the protection of Helium, these demons ended up living outside by chance.

    ording to some schrs, demons born outside of Helium were more likely to be devils than those born within Helium. Surprisingly, Jin¡¯s tragic past was a highly realistic situation. Of course, readers were already immersed in it before they even knew, rendering the research results meaningless.

    Nheless, Jin¡¯s past was so miserable that it was almost indescribable, and his psyche was not just sad but incredibly dark. No one reached out a helping hand, and in reality, there wasn¡¯t even an adult to protect the frail child. Such an environment was highly conducive to another devil being born. Indeed, there were even exnations that Jin¡¯s mind was extremely distorted, causing readers to feel uneasy.

    [Hello? Who are you? You¡¯re really unusually good-looking.]

    Fortunately, a kind and warm touch was extended to the young Jin. As everyone expected, Lily would eventually be revered as a saint. However, perhaps due to the wounds inflicted during abuse, Jin firmly rejected Lily¡¯s outstretched hand. Instead, he rejected her and sent scornful nces, fearing that she might someday point fingers and throw stones at him. The deep-rooted distrust towards people showed no signs of disappearing anytime soon.

    [Do you want some bread? I bought this.]

    [Why are you so scruffy? Go wash up.]

    [Are you a demon? Can I touch your horns?]

    Furthermore, there were times when Lily, perhaps due to the innocence of a child, unintentionally caused hurt as well.

    Whenever Jin felt annoyed, he would send a re mixed with irritation andpletely ignore her.

    [Do you not have parents? Where are they?]

    [Fuck off.]

    Jin even cursed at her, telling her to leave because Lily identally touched a nerve..

    People held suspicions about that. Since their rtionship was so bad, how could they make such a romantic and tender story? What did Lily do to impress Jin and voluntarily be her shadow? The side story had only one volume, and Jin and Lily¡¯s sharp confrontation continued for a third of it.

    In fact, it was a situation where Jin was unterally pushing Lily away and Lily was timidly following her, but it was never boring.Rather, reader eagerly anticipated when this front would end and eagerly flipped through the pages.

    And just as they reached exactly half a volume, the moment when Lily¡¯s efforts paid off was approaching.

    [Why are you chasing after me like this? I¡¯m a demon. The kind of demon that humans hate.]

    [So what if you¡¯re a demon? We¡¯re all just people. Oh, could I touch your horn before that? I¡¯m curious how it feels.]

    [¡­]

    [Can I?]

    This answer promptly revealed Lily¡¯s unique personality, which tossed away discrimination, as if it to prove she was a saintess to be.

    With a single line Jin¡¯s heart slowly began to open towards Lily, albeit in limited ways, and they often found themselves sticking together in various situations. Lily showered Jin with unconditional affection, and though Jin felt burdened by the affection he was receiving for the first time in his life, he reluctantly epted it while secretly smiling.

    However, there was one fact that Jin was unaware of. Lily, destined to be a future saint, had been endowed with divine power from a young age due to her sacred lineage and was under the protection of the church. Naturally, from the perspective of the church protecting her, they could only view Jin with a less favorable eye, especially considering he was of demonic descent.

    Having grown up enduring severe abuse and being treated as an outcast, Jin sensed this atmosphere and distanced himself from Lily once again. At the time, he didn¡¯t fully realize it, but Jin had sacrificed himself for Lily for the first time in his life, fearing that his presence might harm her.

    As a result, their rtionship drifted apart again, and due to pressure from the church, Lily¡¯s contact with Jin diminished.

    However, ending the side story like this leaves much to be desired. This is where a decisive event urs, leading Jin to make a crucial decision regarding his loyalty towards Lily.

    It turns out that there was a n within the church to assassinate Jin, who was a thorn in their side. Lily happened to overhear this conversation.

    Furthermore, Jin¡¯s mother had died due to the aftermath of being assaulted by the sin of gluttony, Belzebub. Despite being a trash parent who abused a young child, Jin couldn¡¯t abandon his feelings as a blood rtive and personally made her grave.

    As usual, filled with a desperate hunger, he sneaked out for some food. Jin encountered Lily, whom he hadn¡¯t recently met, just before going outside.

    Well, if you¡¯ve gotten this far, you can probably guess what kind of situation has unfolded.

    The Church aiming to kill Jin, and Lily, who embraced Jin with open arms to protect him. Just this alone was enough to conclude their poignant past. Especially Jin¡¯s monologue at the end of the final act touched the hearts of the readers deeply.

    [Where there is light, there is also shadow. To protect the brightest light, I will be the most despicable shadow.]

    Jin¡¯s extreme spirit of sacrifice has been consistent since the past.

    Through the side story, readerse to understand clearly why Jin blindly pledged loyalty to Lily and furthermore, why he couldn¡¯t express his true feelings to her.

    [Light and shadow always go together. However, they can never truly be one.]

    [Jin¡¯s self-esteem always tailored to Lily.]

    [Lily looked back, but Jin always turned away, making it difficult to face each other.]

    With the past history that has been veiledingpletely to light, there was a flood of praise. Lily showed actions befitting the title of ¡°saint¡±, while Jin obtained a new identity as a ¡°shadow¡±.

    However, that doesn¡¯t mean the support for them has stopped. On the contrary, the desire for their story to continue has grown even stronger than before. With such feelings in mind after reading the 20th volume¡­

    [Xenon is clearly a devil in human disguise. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t toy with human hearts.]

    [Surely they won¡¯t actually kill Jin? Right in front of Lily?]

    [It¡¯s surprising that Jin¡¯s biological father is Gluttony, but why?]

    The shock came back amplified and struck the readers right in the back of their heads. Of course, in order to set up the awakening nned for the next volume, he wouldn¡¯t actually kill anyone for real.

    But for the readers who knew nothing, it felt like their hearts were being torn apart. If it were Earth, they might have thought, ¡®Well, they¡¯re not really going to edie like this, are they? Are they really going to kill off this character?¡¯ and shrugged it off nonchntly.

    But in this world, there were hardly any genre novels like Xenon¡¯s Biography. Whether it was a cliche or a g or whatever else, Xenon¡¯s Biography was entirely unprecedented.

    At least Cherry¡¯s novel, ¡°Red Sunset,¡± was there, but only one had been released so far. Above all, with characters like Kyir and Elisha setting a precedent, the readers¡¯ anxiety only intensified.

    As a result¡­

    ¡°Send the letter quickly! Tell me if Jin is really dead!!¡±

    ¡°They can¡¯t really be nning to kill him, can they?! Helium is in an uproar too, right?! It¡¯s going to be a disaster!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve drawn so many pictures for them! CEO,e out quickly! If Xenon sees my drawings, surely he¡¯ll change his mind!¡±

    Readers were causing a scene in front of the publisher¡¯s office. The noteworthy point here is about the races.

    A year ago, during the hiatus crisis, only humans gathered, but now at the entrance of the publishing house, demons mixed in among humans. The romance between Jin and Lily has gained tremendous traction among the demons, making it a crucial matter.

    Lilith, who lost her beloved and turned into a devil of the Seven Deadly Sins along with Jin were inextricably drawing demons to them. Thanks to these charming characters, the perception of demons as pure men of romance has been established, making Jin¡¯s actions understandably sensitive.

    Moreover, setting up a sweet romantic subplot in the side story only to deliver a cold blow in the main story understandably made everyone angry. As a result, like a coboration between humans and demons at the exhibition, they gathered in front of the publishing house, raising their voices together at the 20th volume.

    Even if they asionally showed excessive behavior, they ultimately remained amicable, most often thanks to the demons. No matter how angry they got, demons were a species of ¡®restraint,¡¯ so they naturally thought rationally and could prevent crossing the line.

    ¡°No. I don¡¯t know anything, so why are they bothering me?¡±

    ¡°Because the only other connection Xenon has is with Queen Arwen.¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    Of course, from the perspective of the publisher, Musk, this was absurd. He simply receives and publishes manuscripts, yet every time, he faces the aftermath. If it weren¡¯t for the connection, such a situation wouldn¡¯t have urred. However, ever since it became known that they were corresponding, things have been like this.

    Especially this time, it was even worse. Since Jin, one of the beloved characters, died in front of Lily.

    Whether he truly dies or not will only be known when the next volume is released, but that could be dyed until then.

    <i>¡®This would be awkward even from Xenon¡¯s perspective¡­¡¯</i>

    If Jin dies, it¡¯s a problem; if he lives, it¡¯s still a problem. Because that was a spoiler.

    There¡¯s only one way to resolve this. That is to quickly release the next volume.

    Since it was said that a new volume would be out in a month, we can wait until then. But for now, we need to calm down the protesters in front of the publishing house.

    ¡°Hey, Matthew.¡±

    ¡°Yes, boss.¡±

    ¡°At least provide some food for those protesters over there. Let¡¯s also show that we¡¯re in the same boat.¡±

    Thus, with Musk¡¯s wise n, the ruckus at the publishing house calmed down a bit.

    ¡°Honey! Let¡¯s go to Helium right away! Hurry!¡±

    ¡°Do you know how far Helium is? It would take at least two months by carriage.¡±

    ¡°Just ask someone up there! Don¡¯t you know anyone?¡±

    ¡°But¡­ wouldn¡¯t it be tough? Teleportation devices require at least the approval of the Royals.¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    Anna, Isaac¡¯s mother, who was a passionate fan of Jin and Lily, was pondering on how to head to Helium.

    It was for this reason that they went to Helium before releasing the 20th volume. Even with Marie and Adelia in tow, so Anna had no suspicions whatsoever.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we just leave it alone? Isaac must have gone to Helium because he thought you¡¯d react this way.¡±

    ¡°But we need to know if Jin really dies!¡±

    ¡°What if Jin really does die? Would you really disown him from the family?¡±

    ¡°No, but¡­ I¡¯m anxious. I wish I could shake off this unease.¡±

    Hawk scratched his nose as he watched Anna¡¯s agitation. It wasn¡¯t just her; others were showing simr reactions. That¡¯s how staggering the shock delivered by the ending of the 20th volume was. Just seeing the protests in front of the publisher¡¯s office indicated the magnitude of the situation.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you usually prefer not knowing?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the type who feels relieved after knowing the ending.¡±

    Most people dislike spoilers, but Anna seemed to be the opposite type. Does she find relief in knowing spoilers?

    At this rate, it seemed like she wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep at night. She wanted to find Isaac quickly to hear directly from him what happened to Jin and ease this anxiety.

    Hawk crossed his arms, unable to stand Anna¡¯s restless demeanor. He wanted to fulfill his beloved wife¡¯s request, but realistically, it was impossible. At the very least, it meant they would need to use teleportation, which required permission from the royalty and would take several days.

    Meanwhile, the likelihood of the next volumeing out soon was high, making anything they did futile.

    ¡°First, I¡¯ll think about it. Just wait a bit.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, dear. As expected, there¡¯s only you.¡±

    ¡°Hmm. Hmm.¡±

    Hawk felt embarrassed as Anna hugged him tightly and thanked him. He hadn¡¯t told her, but there was one appropriate way.

    That was to find the summoning stone presumed to be on Isaac¡¯s bedroom desk. Specifically, it was not Siris¡¯s summoning stone but Gartz¡¯s. Gartz was always on standby to modify the typewriter to Isaac¡¯s taste. Additionally, he was tasked with promptly repairing any breakdowns, a weighty(?) duty.

    Because of this, it was highly likely that a summoning stone was ced in the bedroom. Gartz was both guarding Cecily and serving as Isaac¡¯s contact.

    <i>¡®This needs to be said at the right time.¡¯</i>

    If he told Anna this fact right away, Gartz would be summoned without any preparation. At least Isaac should be given time to escape, right?

    While preparing for the arrival of the unexpected, Isaac¡­

    ¡°So, son-inw. Does Jin really die?¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    Instead of Anna, the question was directed to his mother-inw and Cecily¡¯s mother, Aisillia.

    <i>¡®He doesn¡¯t die¡­¡¯</i>

    Just endure it for a month.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 273: Isaacâ€™s Imagination (1)

    Chapter 273: Isaac¡¯s Imagination (1)

    The reason I left just before releasing the 20th volume was exactly as expected¡ªit was because of my mother.

    Given my mother¡¯s extraordinary affection for the Jin-Lily couple, if she were to see the ending of Volume 20, it would undoubtedly cause an uproar. It was as if watching a video of fireworks flying up.

    I hurriedly fled to avoid the possibility of my head bursting like a fruit.

    She might have asked if Jin really did die. I tend to avoid spoilers even with close acquaintances if possible. I once identally spoiled something for Cecily and it caused her great disappointment. Since then, I¡¯ve kept my mouth shut.

    My current task is not to sumb to pressure from my mother, but to write Volume 21. The reason I fled to Helium was also for a morefortable life.

    Of course, I didn¡¯t go to Helium alone. Marie, who was supposed to spend the entire vacation at the mansion, and even Adelia, came along.

    We might stay at the pce in Helium for about a week. But until then, writing Volume 21 is the priority.

    ¡°So, son-inw, is Jin really going to die?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    It¡¯s like escaping from a lion only to find oneself in a tiger¡¯s den. I froze at Aisillia¡¯s question.

    Immediately, I could feel the countless gazes pouring toward me. The eyes of those seated at the table, including the King of Helium, Descal.

    Currently, our group, including myself, was enjoying a tranquil break in the pce. This gathering was arranged to introduce Marie and Adelia to Cecily¡¯s parents and to get to know each other.

    Cecily dly agreed to this idea, allowing us to have a peaceful teatime¡ªuntil the inevitable question arose.

    <i>¡®He¡¯s not dead, but¡­¡¯</i>

    I couldn¡¯t help butugh at Aisillia¡¯s question. I wanted to say Jin¡¯s not dead, but saying it would cause Volume 21 to have less impact. Volume 21 discusses the inner workings of demons, which are deeply rted to darkness. It¡¯s one of the very famous clich¨¦s from my past life.

    In moments of crisis, hidden powers within oneself surges out, a kind of ¡®outburst¡¯ or ¡®awakening¡¯ clich¨¦. Demons fight against the evil within themselves, and if they lose, they be devils and turn their surroundings into chaos. This wasn¡¯t just a setting, but also reality.

    To prevent this, demons consider ¡®restraint¡¯ a virtue, and even if they asionally sumb to desire, they never turn into devils. However, there are moments when such restraintpletely copses. Like losing a lover in despair, or situations where life is hanging by a thread, like in Volume 20.

    Just as there¡¯s a metaphor for the breaking of rationality, the awakening event shown in Volume 21 is also one of those moments.

    ¡°Ahem. Ahem. Aisilia, please refrain from such questions. Our son-inw must have his own reasons.¡±

    As if feeling awkward, Descal shed a strained smile. The astute elder, quick to catch on, intervened. Fortunately, he had some consideration¡­

    ¡°Still, since you mentioned it, I¡¯m curious. Can you tell just us?¡±

    Both of them seemed alike, like a married couple they were. In their matching crimson eyes, there was a deep curiosity. Naturally, they would have doubts since it involved demons. I shifted my gaze to the right.

    Turning right, even Cecily had her red eyes wide with anticipation. They definitely were rted.

    Lastly, shifting my gaze to the left, despite the different hues, I found blue-eyed gazes focused on me, just as I expected: Marie and Adelia.

    From my perspective, it¡¯s equally awkward and amusing how they all make simr expressions. But as I mentioned earlier, I have no intention of revealing anything. So, I feignedposure and raised the coffee cup, steam rising.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t tell you. It might be quite important, you see.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Then we¡¯ll just have to wait for the next volume.¡±

    Not only my father-inw, but even the mother-inw sitting next to me openly expressed their disappointment. Sipping their coffee, I nced around, and others seemed to share the sentiment.

    The ending of the 20th volume is the hot topic of discussion. ording to thetest news, just like during the hiatus, there are protests outside the publishing house.

    To be precise, it¡¯s not protests but rather fans flocking and questioning whether it¡¯s true.

    ¡°It seems like it¡¯s something quite important if your¡¯re not telling us, huh?¡±

    During a quiet moment of sipping coffee, Cecily, who was sitting to my right, asked me in a somewhat casual tone. Judging by her demeanor, it seemed like she was trying to suss me out. Cecily had an excellent ability to grasp people¡¯s intentions, as if she could read minds.

    However, it was only to a certain extent, as it was difficult to distinguish between truth and lies when they were appropriately mixed. In other words, there was no fear of being exposed if one maintained silence or spoke ambiguously.

    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t like that, I would have spoken, wouldn¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true too. I¡¯ll bet that he won¡¯t die.¡±

    Cecily shrugged as if brushing it off. In fact, the fact that Jin doesn¡¯t die is somewhat predictable.

    Because Jin still has too many plotlines and clues left. For readers who examine carefully rather than just immerse themselves, it¡¯s evident that Jin won¡¯t die. It¡¯s a world where the concepts of clich¨¦s and gs haven¡¯t been properly established, let alone created. It¡¯s understandable to be confused.

    ¡°By the way, I was really surprised when Jin¡¯s biological father turned out to be Gluttony. I had some expectations, but I didn¡¯t expect it to be true.¡±

    ¡°That part I can fully empathize with. In fact, ever since that was revealed, Jin¡¯s defeat has been obvious. Mental strength ys a significant role in battles.¡±

    ¡°The fact that Jin¡¯s horns arerger than those of other demons and that the concentration of ck mana is also higher were also plot hooks.¡±

    Also Jin¡¯s biological father, Beelzebub of Gluttony, has been revealed. Although somewhat obscured by Jin¡¯s death, this revtion also came as a shock to readers.

    Jin, in his quest to overthrow Helium and Pandemonium in Xenon¡¯s Biography, tracks down Beelzebub¡¯s whereabouts and confronts him. However, he is overwhelmed by the shocking revtion of Beelzebub¡¯s true nature, preventing a proper fight from taking ce.

    If it weren¡¯t for the revtion of his true nature, Lily might have joinedter and forced Beelzebub to retreat. But even if that were the case, it would still be a problem. Beelzebub is dangerous not only due to his strength but also simply because of his existence. He must be killed by any means necessary.

    Initially, he intended to scatter ck mana throughout Pandemonium to turn all demons into devils. Due to the danger involved, he must be dealt with quickly.

    ¡°But even Gluttony¡¯s n gave me chills. Trying to scatter ck mana throughout Pandemonium to turn all demons into devils¡­¡±

    At that moment, Aisilia brought up the rted topic. Her reaction indicated that the mere thought gave her chills.

    This part was backed by research results, not just spection. There¡¯s a paperparing the current generation of demons with the first generation. What would happen if the current generation of demons were exposed to the ck mana that the first generation demons possessed?

    While the current ck mana has turned into ¡®pure darkness¡¯, the first generation demons were filled with all sorts of filthy and wicked energy.

    Especially in the current generation, demons fundamentally consider ¡®restraint¡¯ as a virtue, which makes them vulnerable in many ways. There are research findings suggesting that the reason for the appearance of the demonic cycle is also due to these customs. It¡¯s said that suppressing desires too much can manifest as physiological phenomena.

    ¡°It¡¯s definitely a realistic story. If the existence of devil worshippers hadn¡¯t surfaced, they would have actually acted on it.¡±

    ¡°Thanks to that, people became more vignt. Furthermore, they became even more restrained, vowing not to be swayed by dark mana.¡±

    ¡°Is this a prophecy, perhaps?¡±

    Cecily smiled at me with a grin. Her smile is one thing, but Descal and Aisillia nodded as if in agreement, as if convinced.

    As the wicked n of Beelzebub was revealed, the world, especially Helium, was shocked beyond measure. It was a n that was too realistic, yet too ambitious. Fortunately, it didn¡¯t hit the jackpot again, but it¡¯s still quite burdensome.

    Already being treated as a savior by the demons, it seems that this tendency has be even stronger. Now it¡¯s not just respect but worship.

    ¡°I keep thinking, I can¡¯t believe our savior is bing our son-inw.¡±

    ¡°Is it just Mom? I bet Marie and Adelia feel the same way.¡±

    As the mother and daughter exchanged words, Marie and Adelia¡¯s reactions were quite interesting.

    Marie seemed proud, stretching her chest out with a self-assured attitude, while Adelia showed a shy response. Adelia came as my bodyguard, but now she was sitting next to me as my woman.

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll be the one having the child first.¡±

    ¡°Cecily, you! Again!¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you just concede once? It seems like I won¡¯t be able to wait until graduation.¡±

    ¡°No. Even if I don¡¯t know about anything else, I absolutely can¡¯t concede when ites to the child.¡±

    Once again, their fight began. I couldn¡¯t even say anything; it was like watching cats and foxes fight.

    Our golden retriever (Adelia) was just watching with interest. That sight was really cute.

    Descal and Aisillia were also just watching without any particr intervention, seeming to silently support their daughter while acknowledging Marie as the first wife.

    Especially, regardless of how many women I had, they weren¡¯t particrly concerned. They considered me the savior of the demon race, so it might be natural.

    Honestly, I wasn¡¯t sure if it was appropriate to introduce Marie and Adelia, but the conversation flowed smoothly.

    ¡°Then, will the son-inw be staying in Helium for the time being?¡±

    Aisillia asked me amidst the heartwarming atmosphere. Her gentle smile identical to Cecily¡¯s.

    For now, the n is to stay in Helium. Unless there¡¯s a natural disaster, I¡¯ll finish the 21st volume here.

    ¡°Yes. I think I¡¯ll stay until the 21st volume is written.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good. Then, when you finish writing it¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    With a nod of her head, Aisillia expressed disappointment when I firmly refused. Nevertheless, her reaction showed she expected it. Moreover, seeing her promptly move on indicates that she, too, knew she had overstepped.

    ¡°Well then, we¡¯ll make sure to show the utmost hospitality from our side of Helium.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your hospitality.¡±

    ¡°Thanks? What thanks? The favor we¡¯ve received from you is beyond repayment in a lifetime.¡±

    I offered an embarrassed smile at his gratitude. It¡¯s a bit embarrassing, given that the King of Helium had just shown me favor.

    Knock knock knock¡ª

    During our peaceful teatime, someone knocked on the door. At the sound of the knock, all our eyes turned towards the door.

    We had made it clear not to disturb us during teatime, so who could be knocking on the door? Just showing up like this was rming. Nevertheless, there was a knock.

    Unless it was something extremely urgent, there was no reason for someone toe in. With a puzzled expression, Descal spoke up.

    ¡°Who is it? We¡¯ve made it clear not to disturb.¡±

    [I apologize, Your Majesty. I have important news to deliver.]

    A voice sounded from beyond the door. It seems like a situation where the king must be informed directly.

    Descal, sensing that something was amiss, stood up and headed towards the door. It seemed safer to go out and check for himself rather than showing us from outside. The current situation was suspicious enough just by showing it.

    Soon enough, as the door opened, Descal began to hear the urgent whispers being ryed through the door slot. My gaze, as well as those of others, naturally turned in that direction. After finishing the whispers and all the conversation that followed, Descal slowly closed the door. He remained still for a while, lost in thought.

    ¡°Hey. What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Aisillia asked with concern, prompting Descal to turn his head. His red eyes bore aplex mix of worry and other emotions.

    As the atmosphere grew more serious, and no one seemed willing to speak up, Descal¡¯s gaze shifted. Not to anyone else, but directly to me. Then, in a voiceden withplexity, he spoke up.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, really. Just¡­ surprising.¡±

    ¡°Surprising?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Descal approached me and tapped my shoulder lightly.

    ¡°I¡¯m really grateful.¡±

    Why the sudden change?

    ¡°As expected, you are definitely a blessing given to us by Lady Mora.¡±

    Just because I wrote a few lines.

    *****

    At a simr time, in the Luminous Temple of Michelle¡¯s Territory.

    Kate, a cardinal of the Luminous church was resolving her amodation at the temple.

    However devoted she may be to venerating Isaac as a saint, she never forgot her true calling and faithfully carried it out.

    That calling, as everyone knows, was tobat heresy and devils. She promptly sets out on missions whenever duty calls as the grand inquisitor.

    Though she resides here due to a special event like an exhibition, she¡¯s always prepared to move whenever duty beckons.

    The same goes for Xenon¡¯s Biography, as the 20th volume was revealed to the world.

    Kate has firmly established Xenon¡¯s Biography as prophecy, gradually tightening the noose around the necks of devil worshippers based on the contents of each new volume.

    ¡°So, even this content was true.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Though the n itself was abandoned due to risk, it seems it was indeed formted.¡±

    Upon hearing the ¡°urgent message¡± conveyed by her followers, she nodded in agreement. At the same time, her heart began to race.

    It was just as she had expected. Beelzebub¡¯s sinister n, detailed in the 20th volume.

    So, in essence, there existed a sinister n to cover the entire Pandeum(Helium¡¯s actual capital) in dark mana, turning all demons into devils. Even though some devil worshippers within feared conflict with demons and discarded the n, devil worshippers weren¡¯t solelyposed of humans.

    Long ago, there were extremist demons who, oppressed by Xavier, rampaged and eventually joined hands with devil worshippers to seek revenge on the world.

    This intel was unearthed not by Xavier, but by the Helium organization known as ¡°Reapers.¡± The Reapers¡¯ main objective is to find sce for their kin transformed into devils and sometimes engage in espionage.

    They obtained information about a n identical to the one revealed in the 20th volume. Currently, this information has also been passed on to Xavier, with whom they¡¯re coborating.

    ¡°So, we nearly missed this n because it was formted so long ago?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It was nned 300 years ago, making it difficult to find any documentation. Particrly coincidental is its simrity to the time when devil summoning was practiced. If they had been summoned, they would have executed it immediately.¡±

    ¡°Is there a chance of it being implemented again?¡±

    ¡°Very high. The original n dictates that failure only propels one closer to sess.¡±

    Kate smirked bitterly. Now, only failure remains, as Xenon¡¯s Biography has thwarted their sinister n.

    The realism of Xenon¡¯s Biography has made Helium¡¯s demons increasingly vignt. Should any residents go missing, regardless of age or gender, they would unite to find them.

    Recalling the spoiler incident, Kate quietly closed her eyes, sensing the distortion of the devil worshippers¡¯ ns.

    All of this is thanks to Isaac¡¯s Xenon¡¯s Biography. Kate felt her heart pounding as she ced her hand on her chest. It felt like the world was filled with light every time his scripture was released.

    <i>¡®I want to receive the seed as soon as possible, but¡­¡¯</i>

    I shouldn¡¯t interrupt. I have to focus on my main job right now.

    With that, Kate slowly opened her eyes and looked at the disciple in front of her. Though they were merciful blue eyes, she had a momentary illusion that they were burning like a zing fire.

    ¡°Understood. So what did they say in Helium?¡±

    ¡°They n to announce it officially first. Eliminating people¡¯s anxietypletely is the priority.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Meanwhile, when the preparations within the Luminous Church were being made.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m really not a regressor or anything like that, right?¡¯</i>

    [No, you¡¯re not. It¡¯s just an incident arising from cultural differences.]

    <i>¡®But there¡¯s been more than just one or two incidents like that. I¡¯m really not, right?¡¯</i>

    [If you are a resident of this world, I will give you my godhood.]

    Isaac ran to Mora and once again doubted himself.<hr>

    Trantors note:

    I finally did the smart thing and tranted ahead. Now that I have around 30~ chapters of backlog there¡¯s gonna be daily uploads for at least a month.

 Chapter 274: Isaacâ€™s Imagination (2)

    Chapter 274: Isaac¡¯s Imagination (2)

    ¡®Once is chance, twice is coincidence, three times is fate¡¯, so they say. But even that¡¯s just talk; from the fourth or fifth time onward, it¡¯s just destiny.

    Encountering various cultures in my past life has endowed me with boundless imagination, which I channel into writing my novel. The problem is that what happens in my novel could happen in a fantasy world, and I¡¯m living in a fantasy world now.

    The reason why things explode whenever a new book is released might be because of this. Moreover, because I¡¯m meticulously adhering to the realism standards of this world, the impact has greatly increased.

    If I had written a martial arts novel first, people would have just marveled, and none of this would have happened. Besides, I don¡¯t know much about martial arts, so I couldn¡¯t write it even if I tried.

    What if I were to write a martial arts novel now? Perhaps they¡¯d say there¡¯s a new continent across the sea.

    In this situation, I can¡¯t help but doubt myself. Although I¡¯ve already received Luminous¡¯s confirmation, every time this happens, I wonder if the gods are lying.

    Of course, gods don¡¯t lie. At the very least, they reveal only the truth although ambiguously.

    This applies even when conversing with gods. If you can directly converse with a god, that god is almost on par with a sage.

    If such a god were to fall into corruption due to their own lies, it could also greatly harm their own sanctity, so they hardly ever lie.

    Above all, gods have the ability to glimpse into the future. They know better than anyone when to lie and when not to.

    [You are not a regressor. We said that your¡¯s is a soul from another dimension, right? Why do you keep doubting it?]

    <i>¡®How could I not doubt it in this situation?¡¯</i>

    [It¡¯s because of the cultural difference. It¡¯d be different if you wrote about wars originating from Earth, but you¡¯re writing fantasy novels based on your standards. As I said earlier, if this is a lie, I¡¯ll give you my godhood.]

    After the unexpected bingo, something I had never even thought of, I made time to visit the Mora Temple. Mora was pleased with my sudden visit, but as I probed, she kindly exined everything, albeit grumbling a bit.

    She insisted that all the incidents that urred rted to Xenon¡¯s Biography, even risking her own divinity, were mere coincidences in reality. I am definitely not a regressor or a prophet.

    Most importantly, the reason my soul transcended dimensions and came here was not due to the intervention of gods but rather a mistake of a devil worshiper. Firmly drawing the line even betting her own divinity, I had nothing to say. I was just frustrated with the consecutive jackpots happening right now.

    [It might be difficult to ept or understand. But as you know, Earth is centuries ahead of our world in terms of civilization. Especially in terms of scientific and cultural advancements, it¡¯s at a much higher level. Imagine throwing a lighter to primitive beings who haven¡¯t discovered fire yet. That¡¯s how big of a cultural shock it would be.]

    <i>¡®Isn¡¯t that an exaggerated exnation?¡¯</i>

    [It¡¯s a bit exaggerated, but it¡¯s about that scale. Especially since you incorporated realism into Xenon¡¯s Biography, right? The problem is that it¡¯s too realistic. The contamination of the roots of the World Tree became the detonator. And reality itself is stranger than fiction, isn¡¯t it?]

    <i>¡®After hearing that, I¡¯m speechless.¡¯</i>

    Mora¡¯s words echoed that reality is more like a movie, a novel, and the incidents themselves. This is a saying that even applies in a world inundated with cultural media pouring out on Earth.

    However, the problem is that all sorts of bizarre incidents happen with every piece of writing I produce. I let out a deep sigh.

    I¡¯ve practically given up on why these incidents ur, but confiding in Mora was just me wanting to vent somewhere.

    The beings who understood my situation best were the gods. When you think about it, wouldn¡¯t they be the least bothered by the current situation?

    [Right? It¡¯s actually great, isn¡¯t it?]

    <i>¡®Excuse me?¡¯</i>

    [From our perspective, beyond just being a blessing in disguise, your existence is luck itself. You may have received some k from the gods of Earth, but with just your existence alone, you¡¯ve not only brought peace to our world but also propelled its progress. In your world¡¯snguage, you could say cost-effectiveness? Efficiency? Anyway, something like that is excellent!]

    <i>¡®¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¯</i>

    It¡¯s always on my mind, but unlike Luminous, Mora¡¯s demeanor is somewhat lighter. Each of those light-hearted remarks still exudes dignity, making the feeling even more peculiar.

    Sometimes she seems like a naive girl, yet endlessly gentle to children, like an older sister. It¡¯s a clear contrast to the refined Luminous.

    <i>¡®Fine, efficiency, but where did you learn the term ¡®cost-effectiveness¡¯?¡¯</i>

    [We¡¯ve learned a bit about Earth since you came here. It¡¯s a word we picked up there.]

    <i>¡®Cost-effectiveness¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¯</i>

    It¡¯s not self-praise, however, I, as a person, am indeed the epitome of cost-effectiveness.

    Firstly, I¡¯m just an ordinary human, neither demon nor elf, with almost no ambition for power. Moreover, I don¡¯t even harbor ideologies that could pose a threat to the gods.

    Merely with one piece of writing, not only did I save the demons but also advanced the world¡¯s culture, so finding a better cost-performance ratio than this might be difficult.

    [No ambition for power, no ideologies threatening us, and no desire for honor. Truly a pumpkin rolled from a patch! Do you understand why we find you charming?]

    <i>¡®So, to sum it up¡­¡¯</i>

    I pondered deeply upon thepliments, which were not exactlypliments. While the phrase ¡®a pumpkin rolled from a patch¡¯ seemed fitting, it still needed rification.

    <i>¡®The devil worshiper who was threatening this world made a mistake in summoning and the soul on Earth died, and the soul came here to resolve the situation?¡¯</i>

    [That¡¯s right?]

    <i>¡®But then, that soul, as mentioned earlier, has no interest whatsoever in power, ideologies, or honor, and is simply someone who writes as a pure hobby? Yet, their writing has propelled peace and progress in this world?¡¯</i>

    [That¡¯s also correct?]

    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, but how many dimensions are there? Specifically,s where humanity resides, like Earth.¡¯

    [Beyond the units humanity can count?]

    <i>¡®In that case, it¡¯s only natural for me to have doubts!¡¯</i>

    Upon closer scrutiny, it¡¯s not just nonsensical; it¡¯s almost in the realm of impossibility.

    Even if we were to consider the probability of 1 in 8 million of winning the lottery, breaking through that probability is akin to finding a needle in a haystack.

    How incredibly unlucky must one be to defy those odds ande here, piercing through all those probabilities?

    It would probably be much more likely to say I wrote it under the constraint of regressing but losing all my memories.

    [Don¡¯t get too excited, dear. It¡¯s only because of some foolish act by a devil worshiper, youring here was all a coincidence. But if you still can¡¯t believe it, it can¡¯t be helped, but just know that we haven¡¯t lied to you about anything.]

    <i>¡®¡­I got too excited. I¡¯m sorry.¡¯</i>

    I found myself in a situation where I can¡¯t get used to it, even though I tried to. Every time something happens, the gazes of those around me who used to be friendly gradually turn strange.

    Surprisingly, Marie, with her simple personality, can just brush it off, but Cecily is the problem. The gazes directed at me have exceeded the level of affection due to the situation that has exploded this time.

    Should I say that Kate is just a step above? Although her unique demanding personality remains, it¡¯s not easy now that it¡¯sbined with a love bordering on worship.

    To make matters worse, it¡¯s an event closely rted to the demons. Even though it¡¯s been discarded, it was a wicked and heinous n that could have destroyed Helium in one fell swoop.

    It¡¯s chaos even in Helium when this fact is disclosed. First and foremost, it¡¯s a given that all citizens will join forces to search for the missing persons.

    Besides, they started saying that gifts must be prepared for Xenon, statues must be erected for him, and so on. Just stepping outside, I can hear anxious voices.

    [Since it¡¯se to this, why not enjoy it?]

    <i>¡®Even if I want to enjoy it, it¡¯s hard because of the pressure.¡¯</i>

    It¡¯s terrifyingly burdensome to be famous to the point of almost being worshiped, unlike if it were just ordinary fame.

    Just slightly deviating from here will have a terrifying bacsh.

    If ites out that all of this is just a coincidence, I can¡¯t even imagine the kind of reaction that wille back around.

    [No need to worry about that. You have the incredible merit of being a ¡®reincarnator¡¯. After all, we did summon you here, didn¡¯t we? If you use that well, everything will make sense.]

    <i>¡®But wouldn¡¯t lying be necessary then? Some people might doubt my existence¡­¡¯</i>

    [Us bringing you here is the truth. So, don¡¯t worry at all; just keep writing as you are. Got it?]

    Mora¡¯s encouragement slightly lightened the burden on my heart. Knowing that the gods were watching over me reassured me.

    I still can¡¯t believe all of this is just a coincidence, but since Mora staked her own divinity on it, I guess I have to believe now.

    ¡®Alright. Thank you so much for listening to myints.¡¯

    [It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s our duty to listen to the grievances of my beloved children. Anything else you need? Maybe some divine power?]

    <i>¡®I¡¯ll take the divine power. And may I ask one more thing?¡¯</i>

    [Ask away, whatever it is.]

    I¡¯m currently writing Volume 21 in Helium. However, I abruptly halted my work like lightning striking out of nowhere and came straight to Mora¡¯s temple.

    While part of it was to vent my frustrations, it was also to find out about the future, simr to the spoiler incidentst time.

    It¡¯s better to be struck by lightning under overcast skies than in the dry heavens like this. It¡¯s a kind of preparation.

    I have no intention to change the contents of Volume 21 anyway. In fact, because Xenon¡¯s Biography itself is well-structured, it¡¯s difficult to make modifications.

    <i>¡®There is one thing in the current Volume 21 that is closely rted to demons. It¡¯s a setting where when one¡¯s life is in danger, their inner evil takes over and fights instead.¡¯</i>

    [Hmm.]

    <i>¡®I was wondering if something simr actually happened.¡¯</i>

    The Pandemonium upheaval n mentioned in Volume 20 was created 300 years ago, but it still was an event that almost happened in reality as well. Starting from the contamination of the World Tree roots, there have been countless incidents until now.

    So I asked a simr question like I did to Luminous in regards to corrupt priests.

    And the answer that came back then was ¡®Yes¡¯. I can¡¯t describe to you how surprised everyone was at that moment. Even when I told Kate about this fact by quoting a proverb, she handled it on her own. I heard that it was resolved in the form of ¡®divine punishment¡¯, where a chandelier fell on the clergyman¡¯s head.

    From the reader¡¯s perspective, it felt like being spoiled unexpectedly in real life, so I personally named it ¡°Spoiler Incident.¡±

    So I asked the question about whether the demonization of Jin in Volume 21 would be simr.

    [Oh. That? There are simr things. More precisely, it¡¯s like bing a demon when your life is in danger.]

    <i>¡®Are there any demons among the demon race who maintain their sanity even after bing devils? I heard that all the hardliners among the demons have undergone devilization.¡¯</i>

    [Does that include demons who are driven by vengeance and rage but still think? If that¡¯s the case, then yes, that can happen.]

    <i>¡®Um¡­¡¯</i>

    I listened to Mora¡¯s words and pondered deeply. Although there are many ambiguous corners, the militant faction of the demons stands in contrast to Helium.

    Long ago, some demons barely escaped the massacre perpetrated by Xavier, now harboring des of vengeance. Currently, there are indications of some aligning with devil worshippers, a force that Reapers are tirelessly pursuing.

    Though their numbers are few, each individual wields formidable power due to embracing the strength of devils. Currently in hiding, their actions remain unknown to all, even posing difficulties for Helium to find clues, causing frustration.

    <i>¡®Well, what about this scenario? Instead of restraining inner evil, they fully surrender to it, harnessing it as their own power.¡¯</i>

    [In that case, it doesn¡¯t exist. Considering demons have only ¡®restrained¡¯ inner evil so far, you can infer there¡¯s no demon attempting to ¡®control¡¯ it.]

    Then I guess I can write morefortably. Even when Jin turns into a demon, Lily¡¯s presence is even greater for him, so he manages to return to his original form.

    As if reflecting the will not to be a demon, I added a scene where he breaks the demon¡¯s hallmark, the ¡®horns,¡¯ by himself.

    In reality, it¡¯s known that demons grow horns due to ck mana. But in literature, demons all possess horns, which became their hallmark.

    <i>¡®Then it¡¯s fine. There¡¯s no such person in reality. Even the hardliners are treated as devils.¡¯</i>

    [Hmm¡­ Not really. Not now.]

    ¡®¡­Not now?¡¯

    Something felt off. As soon as I heard Mora¡¯s ambiguous remark, I narrowed one eye.

    Wasn¡¯t she implying that it might not ur in reality right away, but it could in the future? But Mora either had no intention to exin or simply diverted the topic.

    [That¡¯s not the important thing now, is it? A great danger is looming in the near future.]

    <i>¡®What? What do you mean?¡¯</i>

    Her attempt to change the subject seemed suspicious. Hearing about a significant danger approaching in the near future was startling to me. Up until now, the crises seemed trivial. But when Mora spoke, the gravity of it felt different.

    Tense, I waited for Mora¡¯s next words. But she opened her mouth with a mischievous tone.

    [There¡¯s actually a really good way to ovee this crisis¡­ but I¡¯m afraid you might refuse.]

    <i>¡®¡­Another strange thing, isn¡¯t it?¡¯</i>

    [That¡¯s why I don¡¯t like people who catch on quickly. Anyway, if you want to escape,e to my temple exactly three days from now. Got it?]

    It felt unsettling, but since it was an oracle, I had to listen. Although I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what the future had in store.

    <i>¡®Mora?¡¯</i>

    [Yeah?]

    <i>¡®I trust you, Mora.¡¯</i>

    [Of course. Just trust me.]

    It made me even more suspicious.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 275: Isaacâ€™s Imagination (3)

    Chapter 275: Isaac¡¯s Imagination (3)

    Life in the Helium¡¯s Pce was almost identical tost winter vacation, except for the addition of Marie and Adelia to the group. asionally, Marie expressed curiosity about life in Helium and sometimes went outside, but mostly, we lived within the pce. When I was busy with work, Marie, out of consideration, would wander around Helium with Cecily without bothering me. Thanks to that, I had plenty of alone time.

    Well, that doesn¡¯t mean I was always alone. My reliable personal maid, Adelia, was always by my side. Adelia wore a regr maid uniform instead of the one she wore during the nighttime. However, her skirt was still short, and she wore a garter belt, adding to her sexiness. No matter when I saw her, Adelia¡¯s maid uniform suited her really well.

    In addition to her height, her good figure also contributed to this, but considering her usual reliable image, you can imagine what kind of feeling it gives off. Outside, she¡¯s a sturdy escort knight, inside, a dedicated maid. Adelia embodies the gap moe perfectly.

    However, that doesn¡¯t mean it affects my concentration. Excluding rest time, I continued writing without even giving her a nce. Adelia also had the same mindset of faithfully fulfilling her duties, so she just stood by quietly without any other action.

    ¡°Young master. Your posture is off.¡±

    ¡°Ah, thank you.¡±

    Of course, asionally she would correct my posture or give me a massage. She never forgot to provide appropriate support.

    Until now, because I had been writing alone, there were some habits that I didn¡¯t even realize I had. Adelia meticulously helped fix these.

    The massage was the same. No matter how good the chair is, if you sit for a long time or your posture is strange, it strains your muscles. It¡¯s probably because my concentration and stamina are exceptionally high that Adelia noticed these bad habits.

    ¡°As I told you. Keep your back straight, both arms on the desk. And¡­¡±

    But habits are habits for a reason. They aren¡¯t easily fixed in one go, which is why they¡¯re called habits.

    Whenever I did something out of habit, Adelia would bombard me with nagging. It didn¡¯t feel bad as I heard simr things during our training sessions. Rather, it shows that she cares about me, so I can ept it dly.

    ¡°Noona.¡±

    ¡°Your focus is good, but¡­ Yes?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you talk casually when it¡¯s just the two of us?¡±

    However, perhaps it is because of her personality of strictly following the rules, or perhaps because she learned it during maid training, she uses honorifics even when it¡¯s just the two of us.

    It couldn¡¯t be helped when there were others around, as it also asserted my authority and there might be others listening, but it wasn¡¯t necessary when it was just the two of us like now. After all, unless they were acquaintances, no one else was going toe, and they already knew she was my woman.

    In that sense, I subtly requested, but Adelia was firm.

    ¡°No. It¡¯s work hours.¡±

    ¡°Do you know what it means to have no flexibility?¡±

    ¡°I do. But we must separate work and personal¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    Adelia paused as she spoke and looked at my face without continuing. I simply said nothing and stared intently at her face.

    Then, it seemed like Adelia¡¯s face turned slightly red, and she cleared her throat before quietly speaking up.

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤Okay. If that¡¯s what you want, I can¡¯t help it.¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    Why did she suddenly change the subject? I briefly wondered, but since it was a positive response for me, I let it pass.

    Honestly, we had been on a sister-brother basis until then, and now that our rtionship had progressed to involve our bodies as well, it felt awkward to use honorifics.

    It feels like we¡¯ve be closer only to drift apart again. I always feel it, but words seem to carry various powers within them.

    ¡°Isaac, writing Xenon¡¯s Biography is important, but what¡¯s most crucial is your health. If you keep up these bad habits, you¡¯ll definitely run into problemster.¡±

    Of course, just because she stopped talking formally doesn¡¯t mean the nagging stopped altogether. Due to the crumbling of boundaries that had been set during working hours, she blurted out in frustration.

    Following her nagging, I stretched every hour to loosen up.

    Everyone probably knows this, but once you get engrossed in something, it¡¯s very hard to snap out of it. I do have a strong stamina, but whether it¡¯s because of my ignorance or not, I couldn¡¯t feel my body getting tired.

    ¡°Regr hydration is essential. Your skin is dry, probably because you¡¯re not drinking enough water.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t really feel thirsty, though.¡±

    ¡°Feeling thirsty is a sign that your body is already very dehydrated. Just by consistently drinking water, half of your health problems would be solved.¡±

    She¡¯s definitely the type you¡¯d call knowledgeable due to her background in martial arts. Adelia is the one who takes full responsibility for my health, at least physically.

    She even took the time to prepare fruits for me and brought various healthy foods herself. She took care of me diligently.

    It¡¯s amazing that she managed to bring all this despite being in a pce in Helium rather than our mansion.

    Thanks to her, I didn¡¯t have any room for boredom, and with breaks every hour, I never had a moment where my writing was interrupted.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s see¡­ for now, Gluttony is subdued by Jin¡­¡¯</i>

    I looked at the hologram disy while munching on the apple-like fruit Adelia had given me. The hologram, naturally, was formed from the typewriter.

    The overall theme of Volume 21 revolves around Jin¡¯s awakening andpletely controlling the evil within him. It unfolds with Jin, awakened,pletely subduing Gluttony.

    Fortunately, due to his love for Lily, he returns to his original form, but Jin is a first-generation demon born between a devil and a human. With the power of love, his rationality returns, but his body bes closer to a devil than a human. Additionally, I will add that sometimes his ¡®inner evil wriggles¡¯.

    With just this setup, the likelihood of Jin absorbing the soul of Diablo and ultimately being born as the final boss is established. The ck mana possessed by devils, unlike demons, has a slimy nature and sticks well, like slime. Utilizing this characteristic, Jin absorbs the soul of Diablo.

    <i>¡®With this, Wrath, Lust, and Gluttony die, leaving behind¡­¡¯</i>

    The remaining Seven Deadly Sins are Pride, Envy, Sloth, and Greed. Here, sloth is the ¡®vessel¡¯ for containing Diablo¡¯s soul, and the dwarf responsible for ¡®greed¡¯ creates that vessel. The character who fits the clich¨¦ of a mad scientist is the dwarf. He bes crazy out of greed to create a creation surpassing God.

    However, this will be the content to appear in thetter part, and the character scheduled to appear after Gluttony is Envy. Envy is someone who is both Kair¡¯s disciple and his executioner but, for some reason, has fallen and became a devil.

    I¡¯ve roughly established what kind of setting leads to his corruption, but the key is how to develop it. The psychology of Envy was thatplicated.

    <i>¡®Although it¡¯s a setting of being a bastard child of a kingdom¡­¡¯ </i>

    As soon as the setting of being a bastard child came to mind, I smiled at Adelia. She tilted her head with a yful expression, as if asking me what I wanted to say. Her sky-blue eyes were filled with affection and interest towards me.

    <i>¡®Should I just deviate from the original story?¡¯ </i>

    Actually, there¡¯s another setting rted to Envy besides this one. Firstly, the setting of being a discarded bastard child of the kingdom, and just themon, pathetic viin.

    ording to the originally established setting, Envy can be seen as Xenon¡¯s perfect antithesis. He received the same teachings from Kair, but unlike Xenon, Envy viewed the world with a negative outlook.

    Moreover, unlike the inherently good Xenon, Envy is strong in his vanity. Because of that, Envy only uses the teachings received from Kair in a bad way, and eventually turns into a devil by doing things that shouldn¡¯t be done as a human. Without any self-reflection, Envy only envies while ming the world for not leaving him alone, a naturally pathetic viin.

    But after recent ovepping events and watching the movie at the exhibition, my heart was gradually swaying. Rather than being a naturally pathetic viin, he would be a corrupted person because the world doesn¡¯t leave him alone. With the addition of the setting of being a bastard child, it¡¯s perfect.

    <i>¡®Then it¡¯s a bit pitiful, but¡­¡¯</i>

    I glimpsed at Adelia again. Superficially, she might not seem that pretty, but inside, she¡¯s someone marked with countless scars. A year ago, she was abandoned by her family right in front of my eyes, and, thanks to Hiriya¡¯s pathetic pride, she was almost taken away from me.

    Luckily, Rina yed the role of a shield appropriately, but if I were not Xenon but just an ordinary nobleman, I would have lost her without a fight. And the Envy newly established within Xenon¡¯s Biography will experience all these tragedies.

    Born as a royal bastard child, growing up in an unfortunate family environment, meeting a woman who could heal those wounds, only to be taken away by a greedy brother.

    Unlike Xenon, who transcended his race and connected with Mary, everything was taken from him. He could truly be called a perfect antithesis.

    <i>¡®Ugh¡­¡¯</i>

    Just imagining it was dreadful. Even I, being like this, would resent the world for it. Or maybe I would have ended my life. Thanks to such a past, it fits very well with the emotion of ¡®Envy¡¯ and is highly realistic.

    Especially considering that Adelia almost went through such a thing. If I were to carry on with this setting, it could cause trouble for the Ters Kingdom, but then again, Hiriya might be suspicious. Especially since this part touches Adelia¡¯s trauma directly, it wasn¡¯t just ufortable.

    ¡°Noona.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ I just have one thing to ask, is that okay?¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    As she was the motivation for Envy, I directly sought permission from Adelia. Adelia¡¯s doubtful expression vanished slightly as I cautiously broached the subject. Then, she furrowed her delicate brow for a while, lost in thought. I waited silently for her to speak.

    After about 30 seconds, Adelia maintained her furrowed brow and nced at me before slowly opening her tightly closed mouth.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter?¡±

    ¡°As expected, it¡¯s no¡¤¡¤¡¤ What?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡±

    Adelia, who easily epted despite her deep involvement, made me look at her with a nk expression.

    Whether she found my expression amusing or not, Adelia approached me with a faint smile.

    Hug--

    ¡°What if we put it in the book? There won¡¯t be such things anymore, right? You¡¯re not really going to Hiriya, are you? Like putting foreshadowing in your book?¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯d rather bite my tongue.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Yeah. If you go to Hiriya, I¡¯ll bite my tongue and die too.¡±

    She spoke to me with an affectionate voice as she embraced me. However, the contents within were anything butforting. Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that what¡¯s triggering Adelia¡¯s trauma is quite potent, regardless of the content.

    Moreover, people in the world won¡¯t just sit still, especially considering how the contents of the book are being treated like scripture. Perhaps the gaze towards the illegitimate children could worsen, or it could be the opposite. Criticism towards the Ters Kingdom, which served as the motivation, might also arise.

    It could enhance thepleteness of the characters, but it also means uncertainty about what might happen.

    <i>¡®Honestly, I¡¯d like to ask Mora to see the future, but¡­¡¯</i>

    So far, I¡¯ve been able to know the future with the divine power I¡¯ve gained. However, the divine power spent to predict the future is terrifying. Even Kate, who is said to have received god¡¯s grace, received a vague oracle to find me. It¡¯s not just me; even a prophet would find predicting the future difficult.

    Furthermore, the situation demands that even that divine power be saved for the night¡¯s work. Like needing arge seawall to stop a big wave, the setting of Envy will bring a big storm, making even predictions difficult.

    If things continue this way, there¡¯s a high chance that Ters Kingdom, or more precisely, the Hiriya, will figure out my identity.

    <i>¡®Honestly, there¡¯s nothing to be afraid of?¡¯</i>

    So what should I do? They have no interest whatsoever. My interest lies with Adelia. With joy in her eptance, I embraced her.

    Adelia pulled me closer, murmuring, and nestled against me with a sigh. A subtle tension began to flow between us.

    ¡°There might be some unpleasant talk about illegitimate children. Are you okay with that?¡±

    While Adelia was taken aback, I sought confirmation from her once again. This needed to be asked and answered more than once. Even in her daze, she looked at me and let out a smallugh. An irresistible smile.

    Then, she slowly leaned forward, lightly kissed my lips, and responded with a confident smile.

    ¡°Have you ever thought about the fact that I am a bastard child while being with me?¡±

    ¡°Hardly.¡±

    ¡°Likewise, I¡¯ve never realized I was a bastard while being with you. I¡¯m just your exclusive maid and Isaac¡¯s concubine.¡±

    How does she manage to choose such beautiful words? Adelia, even if she wasn¡¯t with me, is a woman worthy of love.

    However, she couldn¡¯t emit that charm due to being confined to thebel of illegitimacy. But as the suppressed chains loosen, her inherent charm shined through.

    In response, I gently smiled and caressed her cheek.

    ¡°Noona.¡±

    ¡°Yes, tell me.¡±

    ¡°I want to receive affection tonight too, is that okay?¡±

    At that question, Adelia¡¯s sky-blue eyes widened, and blushing, she answered.

    With a shy yet affectionate voice full of coquetry.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    A more intricately woven story was beginning to take shape.

    *****

    At that moment, while Isaac was enjoying his blissful daily life in the pce of Helium¡­

    ¡°Hello. Excuse me, but are you Lord Gartz Bk?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ That¡¯s my name, but why would the mother of a benefactor like yourself¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m looking for my son. Excuse me, but as Isaac¡¯s mother, there are some matters I need to confirm, so I summoned you. Could you bring me to Helium where Isaac is?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Anna, who found Gartz¡¯s summoning document in Isaac¡¯s room, reluctantly summoned Gartz.

    <i>¡®Why do I always get into these situations¡­¡¯</i>

    Gartz felt the greatest crisis of his life.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 276: I Will Choose Death (1)

    Chapter 276: I Will Choose Death (1)

    Life in Helium passed smoothly, and the promised three days also quickly flew by. The day when the danger Mora had warned me about approached. I¡¯m not sure exactly what crisis is looming, as Mora didn¡¯t directly mention it, but because I don¡¯t know, I n to visit the temple.

    To kill two birds with one stone, I¡¯ll also replenish my divine power. These days I¡¯ve been spending hot nights with Adelia, kind of like we¡¯re on a honeymoon.

    During this vacation, Marie and Cecily seemed to be conceding, as they didn¡¯t even make any particr interference.

    Instead, asionally, there were frequent instances where the two would look at me with intense gazes, as if their patience was running thin. It seemed like they needed to be appeased soon.

    Perhaps because I might have to deal with all three of them simultaneously, I nned to take full advantage of this opportunity. There¡¯s still a chance that Marie and Cecily might try to entice Adelia.

    However, the main focus of the visit to the Mora Temple was undoubtedly conversation.

    Luminous is simr, but Mora has a particr tendency to cherish me, possibly because I saved the race she cherishes, the demons. She expressed joy at seeing me every day and having her temple erected in the Michelle Territory, where we can often meet.

    She also mentioned that the concentration of divine power had increased several times since the demon¡¯s salvation through Xenon¡¯s Biography, so it was probably because of this.

    <i>¡®So, what crisis prompted you to summon me here?¡¯</i>

    [I wouldn¡¯t want to spoil the fun by telling you in advance~]

    As soon as I asked the question, Mora responded in a typical Mora-like manner. It feels like Loki from Norse mythology would give exactly that kind of answer.

    In truth, it¡¯s not like I didn¡¯t anticipate this situation. Surely Mora had her own agenda, asking to see me three dayster.

    However, it¡¯s the fact that gods don¡¯t lie to their cherished believers that bothers me. The prophecy of a crisis seems to be limited to me alone. So, all in all, it might not be that big of a deal. With that in mind, I muttered inwardly and then spoke up.

    <i>¡®Alright. I¡¯ll go away now.¡¯</i>

    [Oops! Sorry! I won¡¯t joke around anymore!]

    When I really tried to leave, Mora urgently tried to stop me. She should have done that earlier.

    As I listened to her pleading, I reluctantly opened my eyes that I had shut in determination. Concentrating, Mora¡¯s voice echoed in my mind.

    [I just wanted to talk to you¡­ hee hee¡­]

    <i>¡®Pretending to be pitiful won¡¯t work.¡¯</i>

    [Ugh. You¡¯re getting more wicked the longer we¡¯re apart.]

    <i>¡®Thanks to whom?¡¯</i>

    [Is this attitude appropriate in front of the goddess of darkness and rest?]

    <i>¡®If you harm me, as I saidst time, I¡¯ll depict you as secretly a devil.¡¯</i>

    [Sorry.]

    Simply by overhearing our conversation, one might think I¡¯m an impious person daring to curse at a god. However, all of this can be seen as Mora¡¯s coquetry or jest.

    No matter what empty words I utter, one flick from Mora¡¯s finger could end my life.

    She, who can foresee the future, can discern that describing them as devils was a lie.

    To the gods, including Mora, am I not just an adorable little pet?

    A responsible owner would shower endless love and affection on their cherished pet, not trample or torment them.

    In that sense, Luminous, Mora, and Harte could never be called evil gods. They are very benevolent gods in my view, who kindly amodate pets throwing tantrums or being mischievous. However, kindness should not be mistaken for weakness. Just as pet owners sternly correct their pets when they misbehave, the gods do the same.

    <i>¡®Everyone is nice, but I hope Harte doesn¡¯t get sick.¡¯</i>

    [Mom says her back has been bothering hertely. There might be an earthquake soon. So, be careful.]

    Harte, as mentioned earlier, is the goddess of life and nature. Being a nature goddess, she also oversees natural disasters. If she bes angry, volcanoes erupt, and if she identally gets hurt, earthquakes ur¡ªtruly a goddess intertwined with nature.

    Although there hasn¡¯t been a natural disaster catastrophic enough to cause a nation¡¯s downfall recently, historical records show terrible cmities causing countries to copse.

    [If the poption increases and science advances, the frequency of natural disasters will increase as well. Like your Earth.]

    <i>¡®Does Earth have a nature god like Harte?¡¯</i>

    [Of course. There¡¯s never a ce where humanity exists without a nature god. Earth is precisely a where humanity naturally evolved.]

    <i>¡®But isn¡¯t Earth struggling now due to global warming?¡¯</i>

    [Definitely struggling. In human terms, the heat isn¡¯t going down, only steadily rising. The increase in the frequency of natural disasters is also due to this rising heat.]

    When conversing with the gods, interesting stories pour out. In my past life, I was an atheist, so their stories feel just like another fantasy. However, being an atheist also means there are parts I don¡¯t understand.

    That is precisely the gods of Earth mentioned by them. This means, in other words, that transcendent beings like them also exist on Earth. However, apart from myths and books, the gods have never directly spoken to humanity. There were ¡®sages¡¯ like Jesus or Buddha who existed, but whether there are gods is unknown.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s puzzling. Why don¡¯t the gods of Earth directlymunicate with humanity?¡¯</i>

    [There are manyplex reasons for that. Firstly, there are so many gods, numbering in the hundreds, that if one starts, they¡¯ll all follow suit. Unless there¡¯s considerable chaos, it¡¯s very rare for the gods of Earth to directlymunicate with humanity.]

    <i>¡®What do you mean by considerable chaos?¡¯</i>

    [Like when holes open up in other dimensions due to a demon invasion and all sorts of monsterse flooding in? But Earth¡¯s dimension is so robust due to the abundance of gods that such incidents are almost nonexistent.]

    Hunter genre, huh? But I wonder if I breached that sturdy defense and reincarnated here. Suddenly, I¡¯m curious about why the devil worshiper who summoned me pierced through Earth¡¯s dimension to summon a devil.

    If it went as nned, wouldn¡¯t it have caused a major incident akin to the events in Xenon¡¯s Biography? Whether it¡¯s a stroke of luck or a karmic retribution, the heads of the devil worshipers are probably exploding due to my arrival.

    <i>¡®But is it okay for you to just tell me such stories?¡¯</i>

    [We have no problem with you using this as material. On the contrary, it¡¯s perfect for advancing the culture of this world.]

    <i>¡®Hmm¡­¡¯</i>

    Indeed, instead of a World War II novel nned after Xenon¡¯s Biography, I was nning to delve into simr stories in a sequel. But that¡¯s a distant future, so let¡¯s move on and get back to the main point.

    <i>¡®Got it. By the way, the story took a sudden turn, but when is the crisis you mentioned going to ur?¡¯</i>

    [In about 3¡­]

    <i>¡¯30 minutes?¡¯</i>

    Thirty minutes seems both insufficient and yet sufficient time to prepare. Moreover, Mora will respond promptly, so there shouldn¡¯t be a problem¡­

    [¡­minutes?]

    <i>¡®Excuse me?¡¯</i>

    [Three minutes left.]

    How devilish! Rather than being flustered by the revtion that the impending crisis is only three minutes away, I felt more bewildered than anything else. Could it be that all this chatter until now was just to stall for time? Even such rational doubts crossed my mind.

    [Heh.]

    Right. Seeing herugh like that after reading my mind, it¡¯s clear.

    For a moment, I was at a loss, my mouth hanging open in disbelief. But then, I started to brainstorm ways to deal with the impending crisis. However, whether I act to address it or not, shouldn¡¯t I know what the crisis actually is? So, I hurriedly asked Mora.

    <i>¡®Can you tell me what the crisis is? Since there¡¯s only three minutes left, you should be able to tell me.¡¯</i>

    [To be honest, it¡¯s not that big of a deal. Just your mother showing up at the temple, that¡¯s all.]

    <i>¡®Excuse me?¡¯</i>

    No. How did she show up? Did she perhaps rummage through my room looking for Gartz¡¯s summoning circle? It¡¯s a usible story. But just in case, I locked the drawer containing the summoning circle and kept the key in the safe. So, it would be very difficult for my mother to break through that.

    [Oh, that? She just tore the lock off with sheer strength.]

    <i>¡®Wait, does that mean my mother is some descendant of a hero or something?¡¯</i>

    [No, nothing like that. She just grew stronger over time while being with your father. You¡¯re even starting to develop your own talents, albeit a bitte.]

    Mora alluded to divine power and an excellent mentor, Adelia, but my growth still seemed unreasonable. Even when I received basic knight training, the standards were too high, although I was praised for my potential.

    Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to go at it all night during my first night with Marie. Anyway, let¡¯s move on from our family¡¯s talents for now; the priority is to get out of this crisis. If mother truly reached Helium through Gartz, it wouldn¡¯t be long before she realized I¡¯m here. I remember visiting the temple with Cecily.

    [Do you want to hear a really good idea I have?]

    <i>¡®What is it?¡¯</i>

    As I pondered how to ovee the current situation, Mora asked me with a subtle voice.

    She chuckled mischievously before replying with an expectant tone.

    [How about opening your eyes and looking at the mirror?]

    <i>¡®¡­No way.¡¯</i>

    This situation feels like d¨¦j¨¤ vu, like I¡¯ve experienced it before. Have I?

    Without hesitation, I opened my eyes and turned towards the mirror. In each private worship room, there¡¯s a full-length mirror to check your appearance.

    And sure enough, when I looked at my reflection in the mirror, all I could do was sigh.

    <i>¡®Oh, please¡­¡¯</i>

    In the mirror stands a stunning beauty with a bun on her head, a woman who could be called divine if she let her hair down. It¡¯s the grown-up version of my adorable little sister, Lily, but with the appearance I would have if I were a woman.

    I don¡¯t know about anything else, but I can¡¯t help but think that myrge breasts are just too much. They make me seriously ponder if there¡¯s anyone bigger than Cecily and Cherry.

    I¡¯d rather choose death.

    I closed my eyes tightly while looking at a beauty that truly fits the description of ¡°needlessly beautiful¡± reflected in the mirror.

    [If you go out like this, even your mother won¡¯t recognize you¡­ Ouch!]

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    Just as I was about to reproach Mora with a sigh, her scream suddenly echoed in my mind. It was a scream as if she had been struck by something, and sure enough, Mora¡¯s tantrum immediately reverberated in my head.

    [Jeez, why hit me! That hurts! Can¡¯t I even joke around? ¡­Fine! Fine! I won¡¯t do it if he doesn¡¯t want me to! I¡¯ll change something else instead of gender! Seriously¡­]

    It seems she had a proper quarrel with either Luminous or Harte. Honestly, she really crossed the line.

    After grumbling for a while, she quietly spoke to me with a voice full of disappointment.

    [Mom told me not to do that. I guess it¡¯s like neutering a pet on Earth, but I don¡¯t really understand.]

    <i>¡®Phew!¡¯</i>

    Quite an apt analogy, Harte.

    I always feel this, but they truly are gods with remarkable human aspects. Usually, when we think of gods, we imagine entities devoid of any human qualities, pursuing only their own interests, akin to sociopaths. However, they are incrediblypassionate.

    But that doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re easy to deal with. As Harte¡¯s metaphor went, to the gods, humanity might be nothing more than small and cute pets.

    <i>¡®So, what are you going to do now? If it¡¯s too much trouble, you don¡¯t have to help. It¡¯s just a small crisis, it¡¯ll pass on its own.¡¯</i>

    [No, I said I¡¯d help, so I¡¯ll help until the end. Let¡¯s see¡­ Yeah. Okay, this seems good. Want to look in the mirror?]

    Following Mora¡¯s instruction to look in the mirror, I cautiously opened my eyes and turned my gaze towards the mirror.

    And¡­

    <i>¡®Oh?¡¯</i>

    I couldn¡¯t help but be surprised at the somewhat familiar yet entirely different image reflected back at me.

    With this, it¡¯s possible that even my mother wouldn¡¯t recognize me.

    *****

    ¡°Hello, Your Highness. You¡¯re still as beautiful as ever.¡±

    ¡°Hello, Mother. You¡¯re beautiful too.¡±

    Meanwhile, outside the temple, Cecily, who had been waiting, was in the midst of greeting Anna, Isaac¡¯s mother. They exchanged pleasantries with smiles, but Cecily couldn¡¯t help but feel inwardly surprised. She hadn¡¯t even dreamed that Anna woulde here.

    When she first heard the situation from Gartz, she nned to gently soothe and send her back. Despite the shock of Jin¡¯s death, she cannot stand in Isaac¡¯s way.

    ¡°It¡¯s my first time visiting Helium, and everything here¡¯s so beautiful here. So, I ended up dying my visit to the temple. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no need to apologize. Hearing Mother praise our country makes me unsure of what to do.¡±

    But when Anna arrived in Helium, the situation took a turn. Anna fell head over heels for the beautiful scenery of Helium. Finding Isaac was one thing, but a new goal of Helium tourism was born, making it difficult to send her back willingly.

    For Cecily, Isaac was the most important person, but Anna was also important as Isaac¡¯s mother, making it difficult to handle firmly.

    Moreover, after praising her beloved homnd, Helium, Cecily¡¯s defenses had already crumbled.

    ¡°Dame Cross is here, but where is Marie?¡±

    ¡°Marie is staying at the pce right now. If Mother wishes, I can allow you to enter the pce.¡±

    ¡°No, thank you. I also have my pride. I just came to check if Isaac is doing well, so I¡¯ll be going back soon.¡±

    Although the atmosphere seemed cordial on the surface, Gartz, who had brought Anna here, felt like he was on the verge of death.

    He couldn¡¯t refuse the request of the benefactor¡¯s mother, but if he did it, he might hear something unpleasant from Isaac.

    In Gartz¡¯s perspective, it¡¯s an undeniable situation tangled in confusion. All he can hope for is Isaac¡¯s leniency.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t scold Isaac when you meet him. Okay?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Your Highness. I don¡¯t think he¡¯d dare harm Jin. He was just annoyingly reckless to visit Helium as if fleeing. It was disappointing for me as his mother that he only went with his daughters-inw instead of us.¡±

    ¡°I understand that feeling.¡±

    Step step-

    At that moment, the sound of someone walking in the temple reached their ears. All those waiting outside the temple turned their gaze towards the entrance.

    Isaac entered the temple for worship, and although many people hade and gone, now only Isaac remained. This was information they knew because they had calcted it, a fact also shared with Anna by Cecily.

    Therefore, the approaching person must be Isaac¡­

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    There was no denying the puzzled expressions on their faces. The person walking out of the temple was someonepletely unknown to them.

    With long hair tied back like a woman and a refined appearance, one could easily mistake them for a woman at first nce.

    However, with sturdy shoulders and a sleek yet robust physique, it¡¯s clear that he¡¯s a man. Up to this point, Isaac fits the bill.

    But looking at his face changes the story. He looks unmistakably like Isaac, but the coloration ispletely different.

    With jet-ck hair, exclusive to demons, and eyes as red as blood. Finally, there were even ck horns on his head.

    Unlike Gartz, whose horns grow like sheep¡¯s horns and Cecily, whose horns stretch straight up, his horns protrude slightly, but they¡¯re small.

    An aura and appearance that could captivate countless hearts. And to top it off, a ck suit that seems tailored to fit him perfectly.

    With the appearance of a demon whocks nothing, Isaac¡¯s acquaintances were dumbfounded for their own reasons.

    Cecily questioned the existence of a horned demon without ck mana, Adelia pondered the whereabouts of Isaac, and Anna took interest in the demon who possessed a charmparable to Hawks.

    Finally, Gartz¡­ had no particr thoughts. Instead, like Adelia, he wondered where Isaac had gone.

    As the demon from the temple approached them, Cecily spoke up as soon as she caught the scent of ¡°peaches¡± emanating from him.

    ¡°Just a moment. You there, sir.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    The demon male looked at Cecily with a questioning expression. Cecily, meeting his red eyes with her own crimson ones, politely asked,

    ¡°Have you happened to see a red-haired gentleman inside? His eyes are golden.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯m sorry, but I haven¡¯t seen anyone like that.¡±

    The man passed by without saying anything. As he passed, there was a feeling as if the thick scent of peaches filled the air.

    So, could Isaac still be inside? For her, that demon seemed too suspicious. Above all, not a trace of the ck mana characteristic of demons could be sensed from him. In other words¡­

    <i>¡®¡­Mora must be ying tricks again.¡¯</i>

    That demon was definitely Isaac. Cecily could be confident, having suffered from Mora¡¯s tricks before. He might be disguised to avoid Anna, but the disguise fit too well. She watched the demon and Isaac moving away.

    Originally, Isaac had a warm atmosphere, but just changing the color seemed to make him ooze with eroticism. It seemed odd to call a man erotic, but whatever.

    The question now was whether to y along with his act or to speak up. Cecily, despite acting better than usual, already understood every detail. Naturally, she had to struggle to hide theughter welling up inside. Even stopping her lips from trembling was difficult.

    Looking at others, he seemed to have no idea who Isaac was¡­

    ¡°Hmm¡­ This is odd. Just a moment, Isaac?¡±

    Anna¡¯s calling of Isaac was so natural.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    The demon, or rather Isaac, who had slightly eased his tension, turned back with an air of foolishness.

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤Pfft!¡±

    Hahaha!

    Eventually, Cecily couldn¡¯t hold back the burst ofughter. No matter how much he changed his appearance or the atmosphere, Isaac was still Isaac. Full of gaps and overflowing with foolishness, truly someone who shouldn¡¯t let their guard down for even a moment.

    <i>¡®Oh, goodness¡­¡¯</i>

    He was so lovable it was maddening.<hr>

    Trantors note:

    Forgot to upload before going to sleep

 Chapter 277: I Will Choose Death (2)

    Chapter 277: I Will Choose Death (2)

    My mother immediately recognized me when I was disguised, and there was no particr reason for it. She just instinctively sensed it as soon as she saw me disguised.

    With Mora¡¯s help, I even grew horns, but since there wasn¡¯t a big change in my physique, it was meaningless in front of my mother.

    However, considering that I was the one who first yed the prank, she pretended not to notice me on purpose until she called my name to punish me.

    Unfortunately, I was already feeling relieved at that time, so I had no choice but to automatically turn around.

    You can see from my behavior up until now that even though I maintain a poker face on the outside, there are many tangled and stubborn parts.

    I guess it¡¯s the reason why people around me tell me to practice managing my expressions.

    Anyway, the reason for disguising myself even with Mora¡¯s help disappeared. Since everyone already knows that I¡¯m Isaac, there¡¯s no point in disguising myself.

    However, Mora said it wouldst for a week. In other words, if Harte hadn¡¯t intervened, I might have had to live as a woman for a week.

    I expressed gratitude to Harte once again for the disturbing fact. If I had really turned into a woman, it would have been a disaster.

    After a series of events, I returned to the pce still transformed into a demon. Mother with us.

    Cecily seemingly had already transmitted the news through magic, as people in the pce just gave me curious looks, but there was no significant difference from before.

    ¡°Do you know how surprised I was when I first saw you? If only the face was a little different, I wouldn¡¯t have recognized you, right? Did you guys notice?¡±

    ¡°I knew right away because I noticed he didn¡¯t have ck mana. Mother.¡±

    ¡°And Dame Cross?¡±

    ¡°I also¡­ immediately noticed it was the young master. Wouldn¡¯t it be stranger not to know?¡±

    Somehow, Mother ended up visiting Helium, even the pce, but Cecily began to wee her with sincerity. Coming without any notice is clearly rude. However, Mother never intended to visit the pce in the first ce.

    The invitation to the pce was from Cecily. Although it¡¯s impromptu, she holds that much authority as a princess of Helium. Since she¡¯s her husband¡¯s mother, they can overlook this level of impropriety. Thanks to it, an interesting event unfolded, so I guess she¡¯s somewhat satisfied.

    Seeing my mother enjoying tea time contentedly right now, I was more amused than upset.

    ¡°But Isaac, is there anything bothering you?¡±

    I thought everything had been smoothly overlooked, but Marie, who was sitting beside me, suddenly asked a question.

    As Marie wasn¡¯t present at the time of the incident, she was startled when she saw my changed appearance.

    Fortunately, thanks to her ability to grasp the situation from those around her, it didn¡¯t take her long to ept it was me.

    <i>¡®Is it actually better?¡¯</i>

    With apletely different atmosphere and appearance than usual, and already handsome as it is, I even receivedpliments that I looked even better.

    Even others, not just Marie, agreed on this point. While living like this might not be bad, I find my original appearance much morefortable.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing ufortable about it, why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°I heard that Lady Mora is good at ying pranks. I was wondering if she did something strange to you.¡±

    Pranks¡­ Before she transformed me into a demon, she once tried to turn me into a woman.

    Luckily, her mother¡¯s Harte¡¯s ¡®Back Smash(?)¡¯ stopped her in her tracks.

    However,I haven¡¯t changed much since my transformation into a demon. Even my horns are more of an ornament and can be removed, so the only thing that has changed is my appearance.

    That and the scent of my body. I now smell like peaches instead of lcs, thanks to Mora¡¯s holy power.

    It was a natural scent, much stronger than the peachy scent I sometimes smelled on Cecily, a testament to Mora¡¯s love.

    ¡°Ah. I forgot about that. I¡¯ve been pranked by Mora once before.¡±

    Cecily interrupted Marie¡¯s question, and the story of her own victimization drew the attention of the others, including Marie.

    I¡¯d heard it from Mora herself, that she¡¯d lost all the fat on her chest, her pride and symbol.

    It was a prank, but Cecily was so depressed that even Mora quickly gave it back.

    ¡°You were pranked? How?¡±

    ¡°My breasts were like cliffs. I couldn¡¯t feel anything.¡±

    At the same time, all eyes turn to Cecily¡¯s chest. Every single one of them was filled with wonder.

    It¡¯s hard to believe that such argeyer of fat was gone.

    But Marie was a girl who always thinks out of the box. She shes Cecily a wry grin, as if she¡¯s had an idea.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it the other way around? It was supposed to be a cliff, but with Mora¡¯s help¡ª¡°

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not, I got it from my mom, don¡¯t be ridiculous.¡±

    I haven¡¯t seen Cecily cringe like that in a long time. It must mean Marie¡¯s attack worked.

    Marie giggled mischievously as if she knew it. Cecily, her face slightly flushed, looked exasperated, but she quickly changed the subject by asking me a question.

    ¡°So, Isaac, you need toe and see what¡¯s different. You know what I mean?¡±

    ¡°For our sake, you better go.¡±

    I think I got the gist of it. Even Adelia had a simr look on her face, even if she didn¡¯t say it.

    It¡¯s probably not a joke, as it¡¯s deeply connected to their night activities. Given Mora¡¯s yful nature, it¡¯s not out of the question.

    I headed to the restroom for a quick check. To be honest, I was a little uneasy after Cecily¡¯s example.

    Luckily, nothing has changed. Mora had really only changed her appearance since Harte¡¯s scolding.

    The horns on my head are a bit annoying, but they don¡¯t interfere with daily life. I slowly picked at my reflection in the mirror, then turned back to my seat.

    ¡°What do you think? Has anything changed?¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t change where we were concerned, did you?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not, you have nothing to worry about.¡±

    The three women were relieved to hear my assurance, and judging by their reactions, they were genuinely worried.

    I felt a little embarrassed, not to mention a little ridiculous, because they weren¡¯t the only ones there, my mother was too.

    But Mother just smiled and lifted her teacup gracefully and drank her tea.

    ¡°I think every time I look at him, my little Isaac seems to have a lot of women¡¯s affections, which is curious, since his brother and sister have no interest in the opposite sex.¡±

    ¡°Maybe he takes after his father?¡±

    ¡°Well, your dad also found your mom, so maybe you take after him.¡±

    ¡°Me?¡±

    I blinked at the suggestion that I looked like my father. In my eyes, he was the epitome of a pure man, with only one eye on Mother.

    He still loves her so much that when Lily was born, you can see what a match made in heaven they were.

    Look at me, on the other hand. I already have three women I¡¯ve slept with, and I¡¯m dating them all at the same time.

    In that sense, it would be rude to say that I resemble my father that way. At least in my eyes, my father is the epitome of devotion.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you heard, but your dad was just as popr as you. Think about it. He was amoner who rose to the rank of captain of the Navy Knights, and he was handsome in a manly way, like a knight from a fairy tale, so how could he not be popr with women?¡±

    ¡°¡ªYou don¡¯t mean to tell me I have a half-brother or something?¡±

    My mother waved her hand in denial at my anxious question.

    ¡°It was only in his youth when he was wilder, but then he got older and more responsible. And then he met me.¡±

    From the stories I¡¯ve heard, it sounds like my father¡¯s life was just as tumultuous as mine.

    I don¡¯t know much about his past, but I¡¯ve heard the story of how he and my mother met. I don¡¯t know the details, but they fell in love with each other.

    Moreover, my mother was the one who helped him heal from PTSD while he was serving as a Knight Commander. Father¡¯s love for her has been unbroken since his time in the military.

    Moreover, he said that he was given a barcy and a territory because he disliked the politics of the nobility.

    Still, the fact that they both love each other so passionately despite their advanced age is enough to say that they are a match made in heaven.

    I stared at my mother, whose face melted at the thought of my father, and suddenly realized I had a question.

    ¡°Is my father the first man you ever loved and thest?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Have you ever been asked out by any other men?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but I turned them all down, because they were all weaker than your mom. On the other hand, look at your father. What a dashing, handsome knight he is.¡±

    ¡°¡ª ¡ª¡°

    You¡¯re right on the money, but how strong does a man have to be to be strong by Mother¡¯s standards?

    She can crush fruit to pieces with just her hands. I had to wonder how they first met.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s not like she killed a bear with her fists or something like in a cartoon somewhere, right?¡¯</i>

    This is a fantasy world, so it¡¯s not impossible. In any case, I don¡¯t have to worry about the future, because I¡¯m going to live in harmony until my natural death.

    I suppose that¡¯s why the gods reincarnated me into House Mishelle, so let¡¯s thank them again.

    ¡°So, Isaac, don¡¯t be discriminating in your love life. And keep up the exercise, because it may increase in the future.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not really thinking of increasing it¡ª¡°

    ¡°Let¡¯s see. Let¡¯s count¡ª¡°

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re sorry, then show our daughters-inw love and affection. Love is not something that can be divided, but it can be quenched, like drinking water when you¡¯re thirsty. If you respond with indifference, their thirst will be even worse.¡±

    My mother¡¯s nagging was also based on her concern and affection for me. I listened to her words in silence.

    My mother was not wrong. She was right: indifference is worse than bullying, and humans are affection-craving animals.

    We can feel discriminated against, but we can never feel indifferent. In fact, feeling discriminated against is a sign of not caring.

    This advice was not only relevant to me, but also to others in the room, so it got everyone¡¯s attention.

    She spoke slowly and thoughtfully, with her trademark soft-spoken, thoughtful tone. Her words had the power to hold a person¡¯s attention.

    ¡°So you will understand if Isaac has more women in his life. Right?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I took that into consideration when I chose to spend a night with Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Me too. Being the woman of the savior who saved the demons, I¡¯ve been linked to a man who deserves it.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind either. I just like him, so¡ª¡°

    My mother¡¯s ability to control the mood kept the conversation flowing. There was no room for me to interrupt.

    Still, I¡¯m satisfied, so let¡¯s drink tea at my leisure. I picked up the teacup and took a sip of the sweet-smelling tea.

    ¡°Ah, yes, indeed. Isaac?

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Cecily, who was giggling in the middle of my tea, called my name. I put down my teacup and looked at her as if I had something to say.

    As soon as she made eye contact with me, she stared at me, blushed slightly, and coughed loudly, loudly.

    I was scratching my head at that reaction, and then Cecily asked me.

    ¡°You¡¯re sure nothing¡¯s changed, are you, like, shrunken or something?¡±

    ¡°No. I even checked myself in the bathroom earlier.¡±

    ¡°Really? We¡¯re checking tonight?¡±

    ¡°No, really.¡±

    ¡°Hmmm. That¡¯s weird.¡±

    What¡¯s wrong? Cecily¡¯s question was met with questioning nces, including from me.

    She took those stares in stride and exined what she had noticed.

    ¡°Because when Mora ys a prank on you, it doesn¡¯t stop there. You can tell by the way your hair stayed long even after you cut it.¡±

    True to Cecily¡¯s word, my hair shows no signs of getting shorter. Even if I cut it, it always grows back at some point.

    I¡¯d practically given up on it, but now that I think about it, this is also Mora¡¯s preference.

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised Isaac was disguised, because she¡¯s not the kind of person who would y such a mundane prank.¡±

    ¡°Cecily, aren¡¯t you going to lose your boobs again?¡±

    Marie asked. She¡¯s gotten a pretty good idea of what kind of goddess Mora is from their conversation so far.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you think, but I got them back right away.¡±

    ¡°Did they get any bigge¨C sorry.¡±

    Cecily¡¯s red eyes pierced Marie¡¯s as she tried to y a prank.

    Marie apologized as soon as she caught the stare, then turned her head away and began to distract herself.

    Cecily continued speaking with a sigh, just as I was silentlyughing inside at the unusual situation.

    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m just saying out of concern, Lady Mora isn¡¯t someone who ys such petty jokes.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡±

    Since Cecily had also experienced being pranked by Mora before, she likely answered those questions based on that experience.

    In fact, before turning into a demon, she had tried to give me a sex change. If it weren¡¯t for Harte¡¯s dissuasion, I would have had to actually experience it.

    I took a sip of tea and thought carefully, thinking it should be okay to say this much. After all, it¡¯s in the past, so there shouldn¡¯t be any problem.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that nothing happened before that. Before turning me into a demon, she showed me a different appearance.¡±

    ¡°A different appearance?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. She tried to change me into a woman. Fortunately, Harte dissuaded her¡­¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but stop in the middle of my sentence. Because of the gazes pouring onto me right now.

    It¡¯s not just one, but a variety of colorful ones, all focusing on me at once, which was quite embarrassing.

    Themonality among them all was a deep curiosity. So, I couldn¡¯t help but stutter and fumble with my words with a bewildered expression.

    ¡°Why, what is it? Why are you looking at me like that?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a bit¡­¡±

    As Marie, who was looking at me, slowly turned her head to look at Cecily.

    ¡°Curious, perhaps? How about Adelia-unni, you too?¡±

    Cecily, who received the baton from Marie, now directed her gaze at Adelia.

    ¡°How about you, Madam?¡±

    Caught off guard by that look, Adelia hesitated and then timidly deferred to my mother.

    Finally, Mother pierced me with her eyes and then grinned before speaking.

    ¡°Shall we return to the temple?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I would rather choose death.

    Perhaps noticing the determination in my expression, Mother waved her hand dismissively.

    ¡°Just kidding, just kidding. Even if I¡¯m curious, if Isaac dislikes it, there¡¯s nothing we can do. Can you at least tell me something?¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°About appearance, dear. Considering how much you rejected it, I¡¯m sure Mora would have told me how you would change, right?¡±

    She did tell me. Very kindly, through the reflection in the full-length mirror. What would happen if I was a woman and how Lily will grow up.

    Should I bring it up? But seeing those faces filled with anticipation makes it difficult to refuse.

    After much deliberation, I reluctantly began to exin, exhaling deeply.

    ¡°Even though things have changed, it¡¯s nothing major. Compared to Nicole, my height has decreased a bit, and my hair has turned red. That¡¯s about it.¡±

    ¡°And your figure? How¡¯s your figure?¡±

    ¡°My figure¡­ well¡­¡±

    When asked about my physique, I instinctively nced at Cecily. More precisely, towards her chest area, boasting an overwhelming presence.

    Should I say it¡¯s evenrger than that? Should I not? Cecily herself is already of an incredible size, so if I say it¡¯s even bigger than that, it might not be easily believed.

    Still, being inherently unable to lie, I blurted it out as it was in my mind.

    ¡°What¡¯s for sure is that a certain part seems to berger than Cecily Noona¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°Oh my. Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Oh,e on. Don¡¯t joke. Even though I might not know someone as big as me, have you ever seen someone bigger than me?¡±

    It was a reaction of disbelief not only from Mother but also from Cecily. However, Marie seemed to have slightly different thoughts.

    She seemed to be pondering something deeply before getting up from her seat and approaching Cecily. Mary needed to get up from her seat because she was sitting to my left, while Cecily was on my right.

    Cecily also looked puzzled as Marie got up and approached her. Soon after, when Marie gestured to borrow her ear, Cecily lent it without any suspicion.

    ¡°Oh, I see.¡±

    Then Cecily nodded as if she had realized something. Although I didn¡¯t know what was said, her face showed conviction, as if she had been persuaded of something.

    Marie didn¡¯t stop there and whispered something to Adelia as well. Upon hearing it, Adelia showed a convincing reaction too. Although I didn¡¯t know what was said, it seemed like Cecily and even Adelia were being given attention to a certain aspect, so I could roughly guess what was said.

    ¡°Oh my, oh my.¡±

    ¡°How about that? Quite convincing, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a story with high credibility.¡±

    Even Mother showed an interesting reaction in the end.

    However, unlike the others, Mother justughed like a girl and didn¡¯t look at any particr spot.

    I silently observed their reactions while sipping my coffee. At the same time, I made a firm decision.

    <i>¡®I shouldn¡¯t mention it¡¯s simr to Lily¡¯s future appearance.¡¯</i>

    If I do, I might truly have to choose death then.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mother.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t ask about the truth about Jin¡¯s death, so can¡¯t you just change once? It¡¯s a mother¡¯s request.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not dead.¡±

    And if I were to choose death, I might as well spoil it.

    <i>¡®For now.¡¯</i>

    For now, the extension of life was sessful, and thanks to it, the cheerful atmosphere continued until tea time was over.

    ¡°No way! Today is my turn! Why are you suddenly changing it?¡±

    ¡°Well, seeing the changed Isaac made me change my mind. How can I stay still after seeing Isaac like this?¡±

    However, a fierce battle ensued at night. Originally, today was supposed to be Marie¡¯s turn. But whether it was because my changed appearance had caught Cecily¡¯s fancy or not, she attempted to hijack the turn.

    It seemed that my transformed appearance into a demon pleased her so much that her inner desires writhed or something of that sort. Due to this reason, I was inevitably caught between Cecily and Marie, being pushed and pulled here and there with both arms.

    ¡°Adelia-unni! Can you please help too? Don¡¯t you think Cecily is being too selfish?¡±

    Marie requested support from Adelia with a sense of injustice. Adelia, who had spent a warm night with me yesterday, was inclined to yield today. However, Adelia didn¡¯t know what to do either, especially bing particrly timid in such situations, she could only stammer.

    ¡°Um¡­ Both of you, please calm down. The young master seems to be in trouble.¡±

    ¡°What would you do, Adelia-unni? Don¡¯t you feel unfair?¡±

    ¡°W-well, that¡¯s true, but¡­¡±

    Life in Helium continued peacefully.

    ¡°Well, we can¡¯t help it. We have to do it together. Adelia, please join too.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Noona?¡±

    ¡°Isaac is a public good, so we should share fairly. It seems like you¡¯ve received plenty of blessings from Mora, even the scent of peaches. It must be hard to endure alone, right?¡±

    Indeed.

    ¡°Well¡­ It¡¯s annoying, but it definitely makes sense. Even for the sake of distributing energy, it¡¯s better that way.¡±

    ¡°Marie?¡±

    ¡°Why are you making that face? This is all because of you, so you have to bear it. Adelia-unni, don¡¯t you think so too?¡±

    ¡°I, I¡­¡±

    ¡°As thedy of the house, Imand you to participate. Don¡¯t you want to be closer to us?¡±

    ¡°¡­Alright.¡±

    And thus, a truly peaceful (squeezed out) summer vacation continued.

    *****

    At that moment, Gartz, who apanied Isaac¡¯s mother, Anna¡­

    ¡°Lord Bk will surely feel unjust. It¡¯s a request from the benefactor¡¯s mother, how can he refuse? But he should receive punishment for making the benefactor ufortable. Don¡¯t you agree?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±

    ¡°Then, hand over the signed copies. Let it be the means of punishment.¡±

    Was in the midst of receiving a disciplinary action that wasn¡¯t a disciplinary action.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 278: I Guess (1)

    Chapter 278: I Guess (1)

    Helium¡¯s daily life continued unchanged. Isaac continued his writing while enjoying dates with his beloved women, and the rest of the peoplepleted their tasks as well.

    However, there was an incident where Anna faced Cecily¡¯s parents, urging her to urge Isaac to marry her. Even if she wanted to, all she could do was reprimand her son for being a yboy.

    But unbeknownst to Isaac, Cecily is actually the crown princess scheduled to be the future queen of Helium. At first nce, she might seem like an ordinary(?) princess. But considering the future of Helium, her potential is immeasurable.

    Before Xenon¡¯s Biography, Helium was like a frog in a well, but after its appearance, the situationpletely changed. With the power of demons rivaling that of Alvenheim, and the umtion of scientific and magical abilities built from scratch.

    Although the discrimination that hadsted for hundreds of years had notpletely disappeared, Helium¡¯s potential in diplomacy is so formidable that major powers are all wary of it.

    However, as they take their first steps in diplomacy, they face many difficulties due to their inexperience. Descal was still diligentlyying the foundation.

    In this sense, Cecily, who will ascend to the throne of Helium in the future, is preparing to rise with that foundation as her support. Considering the long lifespan characteristic of her race, it¡¯s uncertain when that day wille, but even taking that into ount, Cecily¡¯s position is one to be looked up to.

    Although Isaac is the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography, even a scoundrel like him should feel guilty for coveting the princess.

    Politically, gaining such a strong ally was indeed reassuring. However, as a mother with a yboy son, Anna felt deeply ashamed. I will have to apologize not only to Cecily, but also to her parents.Fortunately, Descal and Aisilia could understand that part and even expressed gratitude, saying they were d they could be family members with a benefactor who saved the demons.

    Isaac? Isaac just watched with his golden eyes wide open. He smiled once but then fell silent, sensing Anna¡¯s impending scolding.

    Nevertheless, the matchmaking ceremony proceeded smoothly without any hups, and Isaac continued with his daily life in Helium.

    Anna, instead of immediately returning to the mansion, began to wander around Helium, exploring various ces she hadn¡¯t visited before, apanied by Cecily, the princess and her second daughter-inw. She willinglyplied with her mother-inw¡¯s request and provided detailed information about Helium¡¯sndmarks and specialties.

    Knock, knock.

    ¡°Isaac? Are you in?¡±

    Cecily, who had returned to the pce after enjoying shopping with her mother-inw, lightly knocked on the door of the room where Isaac resided. She wanted to chat about what happened today, but also because she often came to him several times a day.

    Just seeing Isaac¡¯s face made all her worries disappear, and instead, a feeling of excitement bubbled up inside her.

    And the purpose of this visit is thetter. Cecily¡¯s heart fluttered at the thought of seeing Isaac¡¯s face. Just his presence alone warmed her heart, as her love for Isaac had turned blindly obsessive.

    The inner evil that the demons could not detach from waspletely imperceptible, making her seem like an ordinary human.

    Perhaps it was because the recent evil cycle was gradually approaching, or for some other reason, but instead of feeling the inner evil, her desire for him seemed to intensify.

    The sound of footsteps appeared behind the door, and the door quietly opened. So well maintained that not even themon creak of hinges was heard.

    ¡°Who is it¡­ Your Highness?¡±

    ¡°Hello, Adelia.¡±

    As the door opened, Cecily came face to face with the expected figure. Adelia, Isaac¡¯s personal maid and the newly epted woman. Cecily smiled faintly at her, dressed in a maid¡¯s uniform that suited her so well.

    A woman who had fallen for Isaac himself, not for his achievements, just like Marie. That aspect of her was what Cecily liked the most.

    ¡°Is Isaac still working now?¡±

    ¡°No. He¡¯s been taking a nap since a little while ago.¡±

    ¡°A nap?¡±

    Cecily¡¯s eyes widened at the response that Isaac was napping. But soon enough, she could understand. It was normal tock sleep after such an intense night. Especially when she had dealt with not just one but three opponents.

    On the other hand, Isaac¡¯s women had enough satisfaction to fall into a deep sleep, making it possible for them to return to their normal routines.

    ¡°May Ie in for a moment?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Adele opened the door wide to allow Cecily to enter. Cecily expressed her thanks politely and stepped inside. As soon as she entered, the thick scent of peaches greeted her nose.

    The scent of peaches emanating from him came from the sanctity of Mora. She closed her eyes, inhaling deeply of Isaac¡¯s scent before opening them again.

    Once she opened her eyes, her gaze shifted towards the bed where Isaac was napping. This room resembled a bedroom due to its guest room structure. And, lo and behold, there was Isaac, still in his demonic form, not properly dressed or covered with a nket.

    He still retained the appearance of a demon due to Mora¡¯s mischief, but it didn¡¯t matter to Cecily. His appearance was the same, after all. Instead, she found herself even more drawn to the changed image and atmosphere. That didn¡¯t mean she disliked the demonic aspect, though.

    It¡¯s as if warmth haspletely reced any sense of danger. This too could be due to the evil cycle, but just seeing him sleeping made her heart flutter. Untying his hair that he had tied up, Isaac curled up like a shrimp to sleep. He usually showed a mature side, but at times like this, he seemed just like a child.

    ¡°Adelia.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡°You must be tired too, Adelia.¡±

    Cecily asked Adelia, driven by her desire to see Isaac sleeping peacefully.

    Adelia wasn¡¯tpletely unaware, so she quickly understood the underlying meaning of Cecily¡¯s question.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Even though the response was sharp, Cecily didn¡¯t wipe her smile. She already knew how sharp Adelia¡¯s personality could be. And also how it softened in front of Isaac. During the day, she would hang on every word of Isaac, while at night, a beast seemed to emerge.

    Night is said to be the time when human naturees to the fore, and perhaps Adelia¡¯s nature is that of a beast. More precisely, a wounded beast.

    Cecily shrugged at her response, showing an indifferent attitude.

    ¡°I¡¯ll watch over Isaac. You go back to the bedroom and rest for a while.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡±

    ¡°After all the stuff around yesterday, you¡¯re not tired?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Adelia firmly shut her mouth in response to Cecily¡¯s question. At the same time, a blush spread across her otherwise pale face.

    Cecily smiled knowingly at Adelia, seeing through her facade just like Isaac. In terms of sheer hardware, Adelia was the strongest. And she had boldly demonstrated that prowessst night. Adelia¡¯s contribution to Isaac taking a nap now was substantial.

    However, Adelia had also disyed her instincts without reservation, so despite appearing fine outwardly, she must have been exhausted inside.

    ¡°If Isaac wakes up, I¡¯ll exin everything. So you can rest for a while.¡±

    ¡°No, I couldn¡¯t possibly¡­¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be okay?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Adelia kept her mouth shut in response to Cecily¡¯s earnest plea. Her crimson eyes shimmered with a stubborn light.

    Normally, a personal maid should stay by her master¡¯s side, and Adelia strictly adhered to that rule. But Cecily¡¯s request changed the game. Her power made even Adelia feel insignificant, and considering their hierarchy, Adelia had no choice but to reluctantly ept.

    ¡°¡­Alright. But I hope you won¡¯t disturb Master¡¯s nap.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. When it¡¯s my turn next, I¡¯ll call for you, Adelia.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Adelia cleared her throat nervously at Cecily¡¯s yful suggestion before slowly making her way out of the room. Even as she moved towards the door, she didn¡¯t forget to be cautious in case Isaac woke up.

    Eventually, only Isaac and Cecily remained in the guest room where Isaac resided. Marie was currently out shopping with Anna, so there was no need to worry about anyone interrupting.

    <i>¡®Cute.¡¯ </i>

    Cecily thought to herself as she looked at the sleeping Isaac with moist eyes.

    He was the savior of the demons, the man she had formed a bond with, and someone who could suppress the evil within her just with his presence alone.

    Although he vehemently denied being a regressor or a prophet, after the altercation with Arwen, some of his secrets had been revealed.

    Even if he wasn¡¯t a regressor or prophet, it was certain that he came from another world. Perhaps because of such a secret, he was able to write a work like Xenon¡¯s Biography, which despite its controversial content and initial bacsh, persisted and had almost be like a scripture.

    Some critics even said that his works had pushed civilization of this world ahead by a generation, a statement that wasn¡¯t far from the truth.

    <i>¡®What world did youe from?¡¯</i>

    Cecily reached out and gently caressed Isaac¡¯s soft cheek. The sensation, as soft as a baby¡¯s skin, traveled through her hand.

    From what world did Isaace to redeem the demons? Was he truly sent from the future with the power of the gods, or did hee from apletely different world?

    Regardless of what he was, it didn¡¯t matter to Cecily. All she needed to do was love Isaac.

    <i>¡®In this light, I must be truly fortunate.¡¯</i>

    Thanks to Isaac, she had the opportunity to spread her wings as a genius in the world of demons and even formed a bond with him. Even though the limit of his lifespan was clear, it didn¡¯t matter. She would cherish this moment rather than regret it.

    A sudden thought crossed her mind: What would she have been like if Isaac hadn¡¯te into her life? Perhaps she would have lived like a bird trapped in a cage, spending her life confined in Helium without even the chance to enter the Academy.

    Feeling her love and devotion to Isaac deepen, Cecily brought her face closer to his.

    A light but sweet kiss. Isaac, deep in slumber, didn¡¯t feel it, but Cecily felt ecstasy from the sensation on her lips.

    An urge to take advantage of Isaac¡¯s vulnerable state rose within her, but she barely managed to suppress it. Despite being exhausted fromst night¡¯s battle, Isaac was still tirelessly working on his writing. His stamina was truly remarkable.

    <i>¡®I wonder how much he¡¯s written by now.¡¯</i>

    As thoughts of writing crossed her mind, Cecily naturally thought of manuscripts. She turned her head to nce at Isaac¡¯s desk.

    On the desk, as she had expected, along with a typewriter, there were stacks of manuscript paper piled up. 21st volume of a manuscript that everyone in the world was eagerly awaiting. ording to Isaac, he would send them to the publisher within a week.

    It was astonishing yet understandable how his writing speed had doubled since the invention of the typewriter. Isaac¡¯s world was filled with inventions like typewriters. Seeing how he even requested modifications to suit his preferences, it was clear.

    <i>¡®¡­Should I take a peek?¡¯</i>

    Realizing that the manuscript of the 21st volume was right in front of her, Cecily nced at Isaac. Currently, he was sleeping soundly,pletely unaware.

    The death of Jin, which urred at the end of the twentieth volume, had shocked Cecily as well. Fortunately, Isaac had assured her that Jin was not truly dead, which eased her worries.

    However, this raised questions. Jin, even as a first-generation demon with remarkable regenerative abilities, should have died instantly if his chest were pierced.

    As a demon with deep knowledge of magic, Cecily couldn¡¯t understand how Jin could survive such an injury.

    <i>¡®¡­Just a quick look.¡¯</i>

    Cecily, aware that if caught, Isaac would be furious, took precautions by casting soundproofing magic to ensure her actions went unnoticed while he was in deep sleep.

    Silently and cautiously, like a child sneaking through their parents¡¯ wallet, Cecily approached the desk. Even as she sat down at the desk, Isaac continued to breathe evenly with his eyes closed.

    As she reached for the manuscript, Cecily wrestled with conflicting feelings. Her mind screamed that she shouldn¡¯t do this, but her body was determined. She was desperate to know how Jin had escaped death.

    Suddenly, thoughts of Arwen, who had once sneaked into Isaac¡¯s dormitory and glimpsed at manuscripts without permission, crossed Cecily¡¯s mind. The Elven Queen had likely felt just like this¡ªunable to resist the temptation of Xenon¡¯s Biography manuscript right in front of her.

    If it hadn¡¯t been for the contents directly rted to Jin¡¯s resurrection, Cecily might have exercised restraint. But with such pivotal details at stake, it was hard to resist.

    Perhaps it was rted to the demons somehow. The likelihood was high.

    <i>¡®Hopefully, I won¡¯t get caught.¡¯ </i>

    Cecily thought as she remained vignt until she had the manuscript in her hands. Isaac, still lost in his dreams, remained oblivious.

    With a sense of relief, Cecily looked at the first page of Xenon¡¯s Biography, Volume 21:

    [To be the most despicable darkness, to protect the brightest light.]

    From the very first sentence, Cecily sensed something was amiss. This famous line was Jin¡¯s monologue when he pledged his loyalty to Lily¡ªthe epitome of his sacrificial spirit, stating that if Lily were the light, he would be her shadow.

    Thanks to this line, Jin¡¯s poprity skyrocketed. However, at the end of Volume 20, he was ruthlessly killed off. Well, to be precise, it would be more fitting to say that death was looming over him.

    As Cecily read through the first sentence, her heart raced with anticipation, slowly absorbing the text. And¡­

    <i>¡®Wha,what is this?!¡¯</i>

    However, as the story unfolded, her feelings shifted from anticipation to astonishment and beyond.

    Despite her vast experiences, Cecily couldn¡¯t help but be shocked by the content of Volume 21. Its implications went far beyond just herself¡ªit would have a significant impact on the entire demon race.

    It overturned the virtue and essential principle of ¡°restraint¡± that demons had adhered to for so long and introduced a new ideology of ¡°control,¡± where one didn¡¯t restrain their inner darkness but rather embraced it with their own power¡ªa highly heretical concept for the current demon society.

    If this were to be published in its current state, even in Helium, where Isaac was revered as a saint, there would undoubtedly be opposition. Itpletely undermined the beliefs that demons had built up over time, inviting a wave of negativity.

    <i>¡®But¡­¡¯</i>

    Cecily regained herposure and steadily continued reading through the contents. While the notion of embracing one¡¯s inner evil was shocking, upon closer examination, the credibility overflowed.

    For demons, inner evil was an inseparable force, akin to a shadow, and arguably the true origin of demons themselves. Demons feared and ¡°submitted¡± to their inner evil. However, what if demons were to embrace their inner evil instead?

    There would undoubtedly be many voices opposing this on ideological grounds, but could it not elevate the potential of demons even further? Rather than demons being separated from their inner evil, could it not lead to the birth of true ¡°demons¡± in the real sense?

    Most importantly, considering it was from Xenon¡¯s Biography, could it not be possible in reality for demons?

    <i>¡®¡­Isaac.¡¯</i>

    Cecily nced at Isaac, who was currently too preupied in dreand to spare any attention. If it were any other book besides Xenon¡¯s Biography, it would likely be dismissed outright. However, it was none other than Xenon¡¯s Biography. Isaac must have included a story that was feasibly achievable. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have mentioned it at all.

    <i>¡®Come to think of it, Lilith¡­¡¯</i>

    Easily overlooked, but Lilith, despite losing her beloved and bing one of the Seven Deadly Sins, miraculously maintained her ¡°reason.¡± Typically, when a demon bes a devil, they have a tendency to indiscriminately destroy their surroundings. However, Lilith clearly maintained her rationality.

    Although she hadpletely turned into a devil, after reading Volume 21, it would be revealed that she had undoubtedly conquered the evil within herself.

    It¡¯s possible. It¡¯s not impossible. A new thought emerged slowly within Cecily¡¯s heart, not ¡®restraint¡¯ but ¡®control¡¯.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s clear you came from a different world after all.¡¯ </i>

    She smiled and calmly put down the manuscript. There was no need to read further. What she needed immediately was her own efforts. Xenon¡¯s Biography was definitely a prophecy.

    <i>¡®Please wait a moment. My savior.¡¯ </i>

    Cecily had something to do. She gave Isaac, who was sleeping soundly, a yful smile, and slowly approached him.

    <i>¡®A bird is safest in its cage.¡¯ </i>

    But a bird is not born to die in its cage. To soar in a broader world, it must shed its cage.

    This was also a passage from Volume 21. By gaining ¡®courage¡¯ rather than ¡®fear¡¯, onepletely subjugates the evil within.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    What a beautiful and brilliant story this is. Cecily looked down at Isaac with a strange breath. Just like in the story, if she thought of Isaac in a moment of crisis, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult to subjugate the evil within.

    No. It would be inevitable. Because Xenon¡¯s Biography must have been a true story.

    <i>¡®You really are¡­¡¯</i>

    It feels like I¡¯m going crazy because he¡¯s so adorable. She had a feeling that she could aplish anything with him by her side.

    ¡°I love you.¡±

    Cecily confessed her feelings once again and kissed Isaac on the forehead.

    As time passed, the next day arrived.

    ¡°Huh? Cecily noona is going into seclusion?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. For some reason, she told everyone not to disturb her.¡±

    ¡°??¡±

    Isaac harbored doubts upon hearing Cecily¡¯s inexplicable news.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 279: I Guess (2)

    Chapter 279: I Guess (2)

    Cecily entered into a training that seemed inexplicable, with a strong emphasis on not letting anyone else know about it. The scope included not only me but also her parents.

    It could be seen as a kind of secretive training asionally seen in martial arts novels. However, the problem lies in not knowing the reason at all. Typically, one enters into secretive training to gain enlightenment or to pursue it, but it didn¡¯t add up.

    Up until now, Cecily had been either spending time with me or guiding my mother around Helium, with no significant process to gain enlightenment. What enlightenment could she possibly have gained to dive into secretive training? Even Descal and Aisilia seemed puzzled.

    ¡°So, how long do you think it¡¯ll take?¡±

    ¡°Cecily says she¡¯ll be done within a week¡­ But with these kinds of training, it¡¯s often hard to tell as time passes unnoticed.¡±

    ¡°It should be done before school starts, right?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    As I answered Marie¡¯s question, I didn¡¯t stop typing on the typewriter. Marie was currently hugging me tightly from behind in a back hug, but it wasn¡¯t at all distracting. Instead, the soft sensation of her chest pressing against me seemed to enhance my focus, and her fragrance stimted my brain.

    Because this close attachment was an expression of Marie¡¯s affection, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to be harsh about it. Moreover, since I was sitting on Marie¡¯s thighs, there was no risk of information leaking out.¡°But isn¡¯t it heavy?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a bit heavy, but I¡¯m okay.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t guys usually not sit on girls¡¯ thighs like this?¡±

    ¡°Well, if I sat on top, you¡¯d probably poke me, so this works.¡±

    By ¡°poking,¡± I clearly meant jabbing her with my manhood. Indeed, it would be difficult to resist when a beautiful woman like Marie sits on my thighs.

    Even as Adelia was watching us with her eyes wide open, she was only watching us with an envious gaze.

    By the way, although Marie said she was okay, I might actually be heavy, so I was exerting extra effort on my buttocks and legs. It was like sitting on a slightly transparent chair.

    Thanks to this, I was able to relieve some of Marie¡¯s burden and she could freely express acts of affection, such as pressing her cheek against my broad back or sniffing around.

    ¡°Hmm~ Peach scent is really nice. Lc fragrance was good too, but peach isn¡¯t bad either.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s from Lord Isaac, then anything would be good, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°As expected of Adelia-Unni. You understand me well. Would you like to sit here too?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll pass.¡±

    Even as the two women chatted, my work didn¡¯t stop. The current 21st volume was nearing itspletion.

    After epting the evil within himself and defeating Gluttony by bing a proper devil, Jin¡¯s reason was fully restored with Lily¡¯s help just before he would have be a demon.

    Sakrans earlier famous quote, ¡°Do not fear bing a devil to protect your loved ones,¡± became a kind of foreshadowing.

    <i>¡®To demons, the evil within oneself is no different from another self¡­¡¯</i>

    When Gluttony is about to overwhelm Jin, he engages in a struggle within himself. Gluttony is merely a sacrifice of the awakened Jin, and the real enemy is the evil within.

    For demons, the evil within oneself is inseparable, like a shadow. Demons have only restrained the evil within themselves so far, never considering control In that sense, I¡¯m anticipating some bacsh even in Helium once the 21st volume is released.

    Will ite true again? Don¡¯t worry. I heard it directly from Mora. While there are demons driven by rage and hatred, there hasn¡¯t been a case where someone remained sane.

    Of course, there¡¯s still some unease. As everyone knows, Xenon¡¯s Biography is currently treated like scripture or prophecy. There might be demons who may try to control their inner evil after reading the 21st volume.

    Before its release, I¡¯ll subtly mention this to Descal or Cecily. I¡¯ll show them the manuscript first. If there are demons who try to emte after reading the 21st volume, please stop them at all costs.

    Jin¡¯s case in Xenon¡¯s Biography is unique; not every demon can control their inner evil. It could potentially cause social turmoil in Helium, simr to the Alvenheim¡¯s half-blood incident. It must be addressed without fail.

    <i>¡®Devil transformationpletely reverses a demon¡¯s appearance¡­¡¯</i>

    While everyone knows that the biggest characteristic of demons is their dark hair like the night sky, blood-red eyes, and horns, inner evilpletely overturns this image.

    With white hair, ck sclera, blue irises, skin so pale it looks bluish and even ck nails. Moreover, instead of ck like demons, the horns arepletely dyed with evil, making it with a blood-red color.

    As a devil, the horns are muchrger, and even bat-like wings are attached, making it truly a demonic appearance.

    As a devil, while the overall color imagery is ¡®white,¡¯ which is a dark image butpletely opposite to demons who represent darkness (?).

    With a sweep of my hand--, I finished all the descriptions and nced back. As I described, there¡¯s Marie, who fits the description of ¡®white,¡¯ pressing her cheek against my back. Perhaps adding some elements from Marie as she is now wouldplete the image of a devil as I imagine it.

    However, Marie looked so innocent that she might just seem like a mischievous imp rather than a devi;.

    ¡°Marie.¡±

    ¡°Hmm? What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. Just calling you.¡±

    Calling her an imp is a bit of an understatement for such a lovely woman.

    I chuckled and started typing on the typewriter again. When Marie saw me typing, she leaned her cheek against my broad back.

    She must have started to feel my weight because this time she ced my legs between hers instead of putting me on her thighs. The chair itself was spacious enough to allow for this position.

    As Marie¡¯s cuteness increased, I felt warmer inside. It seemed to oddly improve my concentration as well.

    <i>¡®First, Gluttony exits the stage here, leaving Envy to make an entrance¡­¡¯</i>

    As soon as the newly established Envy¡¯s setting came to mind, I smirked at Adelia. She was standing still, waiting for mymand, seemingly without any pain in her legs.

    Every time I see her in a maid uniform, I don¡¯t just get my mouth watering¡­ it felt different.

    She dly allowed her own story to be used as inspiration, and Envy is a character trait that differs from her, with a more extreme nature. In fact, anyone who has experienced such tragedies sessively would likely be extreme.

    Envy was simr to Wrath in some ces. While revenge was the goal, there¡¯s also a noticeable worldly-wise aspect to her personality.

    Adelia, who always shows a bright side while suppressing her emotional wounds, disys apletely opposite temperament.

    ¡°Is there something you¡¯d like to say?¡±

    Did I stare too obviously? Adelia asked me with a puzzled expression, tilting her head.

    Each of her actions is so charming that my heart naturally flutters. Surely, Marie doesn¡¯t feel this fluttering too, does she?

    ¡°Hmph.¡±

    Looks like she did. Marie¡¯s hug became even stronger, confirming it.

    Can jealousy be this cute and lovely? I gently took Marie¡¯s hand, as if to reassure her, and spoke.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Just had something on my mind.¡±

    ¡°You probably thought something like ¡®Adelia looks pretty¡¯. It¡¯s so obvious.¡±

    It seems our little jealousy-prone Marie is really acting up. However, as this is amon urrence, Adelia just smiled wryly, showing no signs of being flustered.

    As more women join me, Marie¡¯s jealousy seems to grow day by day. But this, too, can be considered part of Marie¡¯s charm.

    Just by her tightly embracing me like an anguished cat, I can tell she won¡¯t let me go like this. Even if she says nothing, she¡¯s the woman who loves me the most in the world.

    ¡°Marie.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know even if I don¡¯t say it?¡±

    ¡°Hmph.¡±

    She discreetly lets out a snort. But when she leans her face against my back without a word, it seems like my feelings have been conveyed.

    ¡°Do you like the maid¡¯s outfit that much?¡±

    ¡°Why are you suddenly bringing that up?¡±

    ¡°If you like it, I¡¯d willingly wear it too. You don¡¯t think I couldn¡¯t pull it off, do you?¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    It¡¯s kind of appealing.

    ¡°Seeing your heart race, I guess I got the right answer. Alright then. I appreciate your efforts. For the beloved husband of youngdy Requilis, Marie Hausen Requilis will reluctantly wear it.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s really no need for that, though.¡±

    ¡°So, you don¡¯t want to?¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤I don¡¯t dislike it.¡±

    Because of such behavior, I sometimes forget that she¡¯s a youngdy of a Requilis duchy. I felt this from our first meeting, but she has a personality that is far from authority and elitism.

    Thanks to that, she became my first woman. I weakly smiled and indulged her antics.

    ¡°If Cecilyes out, I should convince her too. Will Adelia also join in?¡±

    ¡°If mdy wishes.¡±

    ¡°Do we really have to do that?¡±

    As if surprised by my question, Marie chuckled yfully.

    ¡°I want to see Isaac struggling too. Besides, it¡¯s getting too difficult for me to handle alone.¡±

    ¡°How about building up your stamina?¡±

    ¡°It would be much quicker for your strength to increase than mine, wouldn¡¯t it? I¡¯m not a wild horse like Adelia, how could Ipete?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    As soon as she heard the metaphor of a wild horse, Adelia coughed and turned her head. It seemed like she remembered herself, who used to run wild like a beast during the night.

    Whether Marie had resigned herself or adapted, it seemed like she didn¡¯t mind me mingling with other women.

    After all, considering my position, she must have felt that she couldn¡¯t monopolize me. Even though she confessed before she even knew I was a Xenon. Suddenly I felt a pang of guilt.

    I held her hand without saying a word, and perhaps she sensed my feelings too. As Marie buried her face in my back, she quietly began to speak.

    ¡°Now I can understand what you¡¯re thinking just by listening to your heartbeat. I always say this, but as long as you love me, my feelings won¡¯t change, nor will I ever be hurt. Even if the number of women increases. You understand, right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll love you without reservation.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­ Isaac. Can I ask you for one thing?¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    If it¡¯s her request, I¡¯m willing to fulfill it. With that meaning in mind, I responded immediately.

    Then, with a slightly expectant tone, Marie said what she wanted.

    ¡°After graduating from the academy, we¡¯ll get married, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°At that time, I¡¯ll wear a wedding dress too, won¡¯t I?¡±

    A wedding dress, which can be called the flower of marriage. As soon as I heard those words, I understood what she wanted.

    Marie was truly sincere about our marriage. I also vowed to do my best for the ceremony.

    With a gentle smile, as if to reassure her.

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t there a craftsman named Zelt? The one who made the dress you wore at the gathering a year ago.¡±

    ¡°Huh, really? You remembered that?¡±

    Marie¡¯s bewildered question followed. There was a time a year ago during the freshman wee party when she had boasted casually.

    ¡°I remembered because you looked so beautiful back then.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t just empty words, it¡¯s real. I vividly remembered that time, down to the ponytail hairstyle she had.

    Marie seemed moved by my words, as she remained silent for a while before tightly embracing me. Then, in a voice slightly moistened with emotion, she spoke softly.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m lucky to have met Isaac.¡±

    I smiled warmly without saying anything in response. At the same time, I nced at Adelia.

    She, standing in front of us, seemed to share a simr sentiment as Marie, as she wore a happy smile.

    <i>¡®I wonder if Cecily feels the same way?¡¯</i>

    Our happy everyday life continued steadily.

    *****

    Demons, like elves, have vastly superior basic specspared to humans. This includes not only physical conditions but also the ability to freely wield magic.

    Being able to use magic freely implies adept mana control. Furthermore, with the existence of ¡®ck mana,¡¯ which is more potent than regr mana, if we focus solely on destructive power, it reaches unmatched levels.

    Thanks to this formidable force, demons can only train in heavily fortified locations to avoid unintended destruction. Releasing power incorrectly under the guise of experimentation could lead to catastrophic results beyond mere surroundings crumbling.

    Because of this, buildings erected by demons boast terrifying durability without exception. Even ordinary structures are inherently reinforced, with magic embedded within, but royal pces are another level altogether.

    It¡¯s no exaggeration to say that even if a massive meteor were to crash onto the pce, it would remain intact if intercepted properly.

    Not only does the pce itself have incredible durability, but its interior is no different. In preparation for any eventuality, underground training grounds and personal training areas have been installed deep below, withyers of magic added to allow the wielder to unleash their power freely.

    In other words, they remain unfazed even if someone causes chaos, or even if they were to transform into a devil, provided they are trained to the level of an ordinary knight.

    ¡°Haaa¡­¡±

    Resembling a scene of devastation caused by natural disaster, the training grounds werepletely demolished.

    At the center, a woman let out a trembling breath. The area around her was ravaged as if dozens of bombs had exploded.

    The ground was pockmarked with deep craters, and the walls were deeply gouged as if sliced by something.

    What about the ceiling? Like the ground, it was riddled with holes, with fragments falling steadily.

    Despite being reinforced and protected by defensive magic, the training ground was so severely damaged that recovery seemed almost impossible.

    <i>Flutter¡ª</i>

    At that moment, something ck that had been enveloping the woman unfurled widely. It resembled bat wings but was darker in color.

    What could only be seen in literature, and what can only be seen when a demon is fully transformed into a devil.

    A woman with devil wings revealed herself in the depths of the training ground beneath the Helium Pce.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough¡­¡±

    As she looked at the unmistakable symbol of devils, her wings, she wore a heated smile. And like her wings, her appearance was markedly different from the typical demon.

    Where there should have been white sclera, it was filled with ck, and her horns far exceeded the typical demon¡¯s.

    Even symptoms that should only be visible during devil transformation, like her horns being entirely filled with red, were present.

    Though unmistakably a demon, the woman began to show apletely different aspect from those typical of demons.

    ¡°Ohh¡­! He was right! How¡­ How is this possible¡­!¡±

    The woman openly expressed her joy, tightly sping her hands together. While she outwardly appeared as a true devil, strangely, she maintained her ¡®reason.¡¯

    A devilized demon bes a creature without reason. This is an undeniable fact, one that all races, not just demons, are aware of.

    Yet despite bing a devil, she clearly retained her sanity. Something that shouldn¡¯t have happened, or more urately, something impossible, had urred.

    But the surprises didn¡¯t end there. As she briefly marveled at her transformed form, her wings,rge enough to cover her entire body, gradually turned into ck particles. Along with this, her horns, now covered in red, began to shrink bit by bit.

    Gradually, as the wingspletely disappeared and the horns returned to their normal size, the woman slowly opened her eyes.

    As she opened her eyes, the white sclera, previously filled with ck, returned to its original state. The blood-red irises still expressed a presence.

    The identity of the woman who had just transformed into a devil moments ago was none other than Princess Cecily Drat Aisillia Vin of Helium.

    Having just experienced an unbelievable reality, she spread her hands out.

    For some reason, despite the calluses from sword training, her hands were beautifully smooth. But that wasn¡¯t all.

    <i>¡®Somehow, my chest seemsrger¡­¡¯</i>

    Had she awakened her devil ancestry, making the subus blood even thicker? For some reason, her figure seemed to have improved.

    Even though she hadn¡¯t checked with a full-body mirror, the change was so noticeable that there was no need.

    To test if she was truly rational, she closed her eyes firmly. First, she focused on the inner evil she had been restraining.

    <i>¡®¡­I don¡¯t feel anything.¡¯</i>

    There was no feeling at all. No trace of the source of evil that had tormented her during the demonic cycles.

    Cecily, with her unwavering devotion for the one she loves, hadpletely subdued the inner evil like a hero in a book.

    Initially, she doubted if it was possible, but she had indeed achieved it.

    ¡°Haaa¡­¡±

    Cecily exhaled a warm breath, feeling a newfound sense of energy within her. She even entertained negative thoughts just in case, but she felt no trace of evil within her.

    Now, all that remained was to wait. With an excited heart, she began to move but then became aware of her attire.

    Though it had been an inner struggle, the aftermath had manifested outwardly¡ªher clothes weren¡¯t just torn; they were shredded beyond repair. If she returned to Isaac like this, she would surely be met with suspicion.

    That wouldn¡¯t do. When Volume 21 is released and Helium falls into chaos, that¡¯s when she must step forward.

    Demons shouldn¡¯t fear their inner evil, but must strive to ovee it. She should step forward just like Arwen confessed to being a hybrid during the hybrid crisis. She must show herself as well.

    <i>¡®How can I ever repay this kindness?¡¯</i>

    Cecily thought of Isaac, who had made all this possible, as she moved forward. Her feelings for Isaac seemed to deepen to the point where she could live as his concubine for the rest of her life if he wished.

    <i>¡®I want to bear Isaac¡¯s child soon.¡¯</i>

    With a strangely intensified desire, Cecily gently stroked her abdomen and returned with light steps.

    It had been only three days since she had started her training.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 280: I Guess (3)

    Chapter 280: I Guess (3)

    Three days had passed since Cecily began her closed-door training, and the training that was expected tost for a week had already ended.

    It was quite a rough training, and ording to what I¡¯ve heard, the training ground was nearly half-destroyed to the point where it needed aplete overhaul.

    Due to the ck mana, even simple magic wielded by demons is incredibly powerful. Therefore, I heard the buildings are designed to be very sturdy.

    Even simple buildings are as solid as city walls, so one can only imagine how strong the training grounds for royalty are. Yet, such a training ground was half-destroyed.

    I wonder what kind of enlightenment she achieved, but since it¡¯s an intensely personal matter, I have no intention of asking.

    What¡¯s important now is to show the manuscript to Descal and Cecily. The manuscript for volume 21 isplete except for the final proofreading.

    I could finish the proofreading while Cecily was washing up and changing clothes, so I proceeded with the work with a rxed mind.

    The n is to show the manuscript to Cecily first, rather than Descal. The reason for this is that Descal doesn¡¯t have the time.

    I may forget this asionally, but Descal is the King of Helium. Helium is currently very busy, with no spare time to lose. Of course, if I requested a meeting, he woulde running, but I don¡¯t want to go that far. So, I n to meet with Cecily first, who has more free time.

    However, even if I show her the manuscript, I have no intention of changing the story. It is only to discuss how much time is needed for any necessary adjustments. Given the recent clear precedent of the Alvenheim half-blood incident, it¡¯s essential to be cautious.

    <i>Knock knock knock</i>

    ¡°Isaac. It¡¯s me. Can Ie in?¡±

    While I was reviewing and proofreading for typos, Cecily knocked on the door. I had told her toe whenever she was free, and it seems she came right away.

    As soon as I heard the knock, I silently looked at Adelia. As soon as Adelia met my gaze, she nodded and headed towards the door.

    Creak¡ª

    As soon as Adelia saw that the person at the door was Cecily, she opened the door wide. I lifted my head to see Cecily, who had appeared for the first time in three days.

    She was wearing the usual ck dress she always wore at the pce. A dress that was so revealing at the chest that I didn¡¯t know where to look.

    ¡°Then, have a good time.¡±

    Adelia, who had opened the door wide, bowed slightly and left the room. This was something I had arranged in advance.

    Soon, only Cecily and I were left in the bedroom. Normally, one might think we were left alone to do something inappropriate. But today, I really called Cecily to discuss matters without any lewd intentions.

    <i>Tap tap tap-</i>

    As soon as Cecily and I were alone in the room, she slowly approached me. The clear sound of her shoes reached my ears.

    As she came closer, I paused from organizing the manuscript and looked back at Cecily, sensing something odd. She was smiling, the same yful yet seductive smile she always showed when looking at me.

    However, the atmosphere was different. Besides the allure, her aura felt stronger. I had felt something simr half a year ago when she entered her evil cycle and we spent the first night.

    ¡°Why did you call me?¡±

    While I was staring at her nkly, Cecily had already approached close enough to be in front of my nose.

    She bent down slightly to meet my eyes, perhaps deliberately. This exposed her deep cleavage, capturing my gaze. I blinked in momentary embarrassment.

    Maybe it was my imagination, but it seemedrger than three days ago.

    Her ck dress, clearly custom-made, struggled to contain her size, with a bit of flesh peeking out. Just three days ago, it fit snugly, but now it seemed to be bursting at the seams.

    ¡°Isaac?¡±

    ¡°Oh, sorry. Ahem.¡±

    I almost made a mistake. Or perhaps I already had. At Cecily¡¯s call, I quickly gathered my wits and cleared my throat.

    My face felt slightly warm from the embarrassment. Her entire aura had changed so much over the past three days.

    What kind of training had she undergone to enhance her beauty and figure so much? Usually, strength increases with training, not appearance.

    Humans noticeably slow down aging, but Cecily is a demon, a race inherently far from aging.

    ¡°Um¡­ Noona?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°You look even prettier than before. What kind of training did you do over the past three days?¡±

    Unable to contain my curiosity, I asked her directly. The change was beyond myprehension. Cecily smiled warmly at my question and replied in a gentle voice.

    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you, Isaac.¡±

    ¡°¡­Because of me?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    I felt even more puzzled. I hadn¡¯t done anything. Unless she meant squeezing me like toothpaste every night, which she hadn¡¯t.

    She had entered closed-door training and instructed that no one be allowed in. We couldn¡¯t have had any contact over the past three days.

    As I tilted my head in confusion, Cecily smiled faintly and snapped her fingers lightly.

    When she snapped her fingers, a chair materialized out of thin air with a ¡°pop¡± sound. It seemed she had summoned a chair using spatial magic.

    ¡°Let¡¯s move past this part. So why did you call me?¡±

    Cecily asked as she gracefully sat in the chair she had summoned, her beautiful smile still on her face.

    While I wondered about her noticeably different aura, I handed her the organized manuscript. After all, the prettier she bes, the more I benefit. I certainly don¡¯t dislike it. Cecily being my woman remains unchanged.

    ¡°Here. This.¡±

    ¡°This is¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the manuscript for the uing Volume 21.¡±

    ¡°The manuscript?¡±

    Cecily¡¯s eyes widened in surprise when I mentioned the manuscript for Volume 21. Her red eyes darted between me and the manuscript on the desk, as if to confirm its authenticity. I expected this reaction.

    Cecily knows well that I dislike anyone sneaking a look at my manuscripts. Now, people may treat it as a prophecy and holy scripture, but Xenon¡¯s Biography originally started as a hobby.

    So, someone sneaking a peek at my manuscript feels like someone intruding on my private pastime. No one would appreciate that.

    However, if a close acquaintance earnestly requests, I¡¯m willing to show the manuscript. At least they respect my boundaries, so it¡¯s not too difficult to amodate.

    Anyway, moving on, I looked directly into Cecily¡¯s wide eyes and spoke.

    ¡°Yes. You know about that incident, right? The Alvenheim half-blood incident.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I know. I even watched the speech with you.¡±

    ¡°An eventparable to that might happen. If Volume 21 gets released.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Despite my serious warning, Cecily continued to smile. It was the same bright smile she always gave me. Her unexpected reaction puzzled me. I wondered if she didn¡¯t grasp the gravity, but that couldn¡¯t be true.

    Cecily is intelligent and, as a princess of a nation, she has outstanding political insight.

    One of the main reasons the demons are so united is due to their social characteristics.

    Before Xenon¡¯s Biography was published, the demons were steadily building their own civilization, waiting for the day they could spread their wings. Although there were moments when cracks almost appeared, they never faced major social upheavals.

    Therefore, an incident simr to the Alvenheim incident urring in Helium should be taken very seriously.

    Demons uphold restraint as a virtue and a fundamental belief, but the development in Volume 21 stands inplete opposition to this.

    <i>¡®Is she not grasping the seriousness because she hasn¡¯t read it?¡¯</i>

    That might be the case. I looked at the smiling Cecily with curiosity and gestured for her to read the manuscript. Taking the hint, she reached out and picked up the manuscript.

    It was only now that I noticed how clean her hands were, as delicate as jade. They should have been calloused from sword training, but they were now like the hands of someone who had never held a sword.

    <i>¡®Did she really achieve enlightenment?¡¯</i>

    Sometimes in stories, enlightenment leads to shedding old skin for new or even rejuvenation. This isn¡¯t just a fictional trope but something that exists in this world too, a verified phenomenon my father had told me about.

    Maybe Cecily had experienced something simr, which would exin her enhanced allure andrger bust.

    The only mystery was where she gained this enlightenment. Given her proficiency in both magic and martial arts, she must have achieved it somehow.

    <i>Swish¡ª</i>

    Cecily began reading the manuscript from the first page. It starts with a shback of Jin and Lily¡¯s past. As death approaches, their life shes before their eyes, leading to an encounter with their inner demon.

    Jin had restrained his inner demon because of Lily, but as death nears, it emerges. Though his consciousness fades, he doesn¡¯tpletely lose control of his body.

    His determination to protect Lily allows him to defeat Gluttony. The real challenge begins after that.

    <i>¡®This is where it all starts.¡¯</i>

    Jin confronts his true enemy: his inner devil, a mirror image with opposite colors. Unlike other demons, Jin is a first-generation hybrid of human and devil, making his inner devil exceptionally strong.

    However, Jinpletely subdues it through his love and dedication to Lily, even when it spews the vilest insults, suggesting she would go to another man.

    Jin endures and fully subdues his inner devil, regaining his sanity and control over his demonic powers.

    <i>¡®After that, he can use his demonic powers freely, but¡­¡¯</i>

    Let¡¯s skip that for now. The important issue is the societal upheaval that Volume 21 might cause in Helium.

    ¡°Indeed¡­ as you said, it contains some quite significant issues.¡±

    ¡°Right¡­?¡±

    After some time, Cecily gave her feedback after reading about half of the manuscript. I was once again baffled.

    Why wasn¡¯t she surprised? Before reading, it might have been understandable, but now she had read half of it.

    Her expression wasn¡¯t serious at all; she was smiling brightly as if she had found something amusing. There was no sign of seriousness, just pure yfulness.

    ¡°¡­Noona?¡±

    ¡°Yes? Why?¡±

    When I called her carefully, Cecily looked up from the manuscript and at me. She neatly organized the half-read manuscript, indirectly indicating that there was no need to read further.

    Come to think of it, was Cecily always this fast at speed reading? While it varies from person to person, this was exceptionally fast.

    Just when I was feeling dizzy and almost losing my mind over the iprehensible situation, Cecily spoke up.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Did you call me?¡±

    ¡°I have a serious question. Isaac, you¡¯re really not from the future, right? Or are you someone from another world like Queen Arwen mentionedst time?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Rather than being taken aback by the sudden question, I was more puzzled. I blinked and stared nkly at Cecily. She smiled, seemingly satisfied without needing my answer, and slowly stood up from her seat.

    Naturally, my gaze followed her upward, watching what she would do next.

    <i>p!</i>

    As soon as she stood up, Cecily elegantly pped her hands. Upon pping, a translucent barrier spread out from her. The barrier widened, eventually enveloping the entire bedroom.

    It seemed to be a soundproof barrier, and the moment I saw her suggestive expression, I understood what she wanted, causing me to smile wryly. After three days of ascetic training, it¡¯s no wonder she has built up some tension.

    I had noticed her allure seemed stronger than before, and this seemed to be the reason.

    However, now was not the right time. At least wait until nighttime, it wasn¡¯t appropriate for such an important moment.

    ¡°Noona I understand how you feel, but even so, now is¡­¡±

    ¡°My inner devil whispered to me. It said Isaac doesn¡¯t love me. It said I would suffer in the distant future and struggle, so why love him?¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    What was she talking about? I blinked as soon as I heard her story. This wasn¡¯t the story of Jin from Xenon¡¯s Biography. It was Cecily¡¯s story.

    The problem was that this wasn¡¯t the end. With a bewildered expression, I slowly raised my head.

    ¡°It even went as far as to say all of Isaac¡¯s love for me is a lie. Just like in the description from Xenon¡¯s Biography, it was a version of me with opposite colors and traits that said this. At first, it tormented me, stirring up my desires, making my chest feel like it was being torn apart. It didn¡¯t take long to realize that the source of that desire was my obsession with Isaac.¡±

    As Cecily spoke, a gradual transformation began. The most noticeable change was her horns, which started to grow significantly. Originally small and decorative, they now extended to the length of her face, turning from ck to a deep red.

    What is this?

    ¡°But I rebutted the inner devil, or rather, her. I said that even if I grieve, I won¡¯t regret it. Like I told you, I won¡¯t regret loving you, Isaac. Having possessiveness means that I truly love you.¡±

    This was already shocking enough, but there was more. Just like the description in the book, Cecily¡¯s sclera turned ck,monly known as ¡°reverse eyes.¡± This physical trait is often seen in demons deeply tainted by evil or demons that have lost to their inner darkness.

    What the hell? Is this a joke?

    ¡°It was truly¡­ an intense battle beyond description. I had no idea how strong my inner devil was since none of our kind had ever faced it before. This was true for me as well. But after reading your manuscript, my perspective changed.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Whoosh!

    To top it all off, wings sprouted from her back. Darker than a bat¡¯s wings, these demonic wings unfolded fully. Herrger horns, reverse eyes, and now the wide-spread wings all matched the depiction of a demon in ancient texts. Yet, Cecily maintainedplete control of her sanity.

    As I gaped at Cecily transforming into a devil in real-time, she brought one hand to her mouth and smiled. Whether it was the manifestation of her subus blood or just the allure of her dramatically changed appearance, the sight of her wings made my face heat up and my heart race.

    Quietly folding her wings, Cecily said.

    ¡°I can, and we all can, subdue our inner devils. We can face our fears without being afraid and have the courage to confront them.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Thud.

    With those words, Cecily suddenly climbed onto the desk. Each movement exuded dense, lingering sensuality. She then slowly approached me, extending her hand to gently caress my cheek. The touch was soft and warm, unlike the roughness expected from someone who wielded a sword.

    Her transformation was mesmerizing, and I felt a mix of astonishment and confusion as her hand tenderly stroked my face.

    ¡°I apologize for sneaking a look at your manuscript. I couldn¡¯t resist my curiosity. But you know, I have a grievance with you too.¡±

    Cecily said as her hand, which had been caressing my cheek, moved down to touch my lips. Her other hand reached up to rest on my head. She gently pulled me closer, burying my face in herrge chest.

    Although I often did this every night, the emotions resonating in my chest now were on apletely different level. More than anything, even though we hadn¡¯t yet started the main event, I felt my strength being drained from me, making it seem like she had truly be a subus.

    ¡°And you still say you¡¯re not a prophet? Don¡¯t be ridiculous. Isaac, you¡¯re definitely a saint sent by the gods to save this world. Cardinal Kate wasn¡¯t talking nonsense.¡±

    No, that¡¯s not it. You¡¯re just imposing your interpretation on me.

    I wanted to say those words out loud, but it seemed that the manifestation of her subus blood was affecting me, leaving my mind hazy¡­ no, actually, it was bing clearer.

    Despite Cecily¡¯s overwhelming allure, I had the holy power given to me by Mora, which I was using to defend myself. However, I still couldn¡¯t speak because my face was buried in her soft, pillow-like chest, effectively muffling me.

    ¡°As the rumors suggest, you must have restrictions preventing you from speaking, right? Isn¡¯t that so?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    No, that¡¯s not it. Could you please let me out of this soft prison?

    As a man, it felt good, but it was also stifling. It was sofortable that I felt like I could fall asleep right there. But Cecily, already immersed in the atmosphere, continued speaking without realizing this.

    ¡°I understand what you¡¯re thinking, Isaac. I¡¯ll discuss this with my father. There might be a public address in a few days.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°But before that¡­¡±

    Cecily trailed off and then leaned in close to my ear, whispering seductively.

    ¡°Can we relieve some of this built-up tension first? If possible, I¡¯d like to do it in this state. That woman kept provoking my desires. It¡¯s hard to hold back until night.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Is that okay?¡±

    What followed was an intense and chaotic session.

    Without exaggeration, if it weren¡¯t for my holy power, I might have met a blissful end right there in bed.

    *****

    The day after Cecily¡¯s demonic transformation incident, I immediately went to find Mora.

    <i>¡®You said there wasn¡¯t anything!!¡¯</i>

    [There wasn¡¯t, right?]

    <i>¡®You said there definitely wasn¡¯t!¡¯</i>

    [I did, right?]

    <i>¡®Then what was that yesterday?!¡¯</i>

    [Surprise! But you know, there¡¯s no such thing as ¡°definitely¡±!]

    <i>¡®¡­ ¡­¡¯</i>

    [Sorry for joking around. But we¡¯re in this together, okay? Don¡¯t be too harsh. I¡¯m serious.]

    This kind of misunderstanding was beyond frustrating.

    Trantors note:

    I finally bought a chatGPT4 subscription and the difference is staggering¡­

 Chapter 281: I Guess (4)

    Chapter 281: I Guess (4)

    Everyone must have often heard this phrase on the inte: ¡®It was there, but now it¡¯s gone.¡¯ (TL: doesn¡¯t trante well¡­)

    This phrase is often used to describe something that clearly existed but suddenly disappeared, a truly absurd situation. However, the opposite situation can be equally disconcerting. Both end up making you look like a liar.

    I am currently experiencing such a situation. I am facing an utterly unreasonable situation where something that definitely wasn¡¯t there now exists.

    In the soon-to-be-released 21st volume of Xenon¡¯s Biography, there¡¯s a concept called devil transformation of the demon race. Specifically, it¡¯s about oveing inner evil to be aplete being.

    Do you remember the ¡°fusion¡± shown by the two elf heroes during the demon invasion of Alvenheim, or rather, Alvenheim, in Xenon¡¯s Biography? Back then, the concept of unification was entirely my imagination. It was a setting that emerged from the thought, ¡®Wouldn¡¯t this be possible in a fantasy world?¡¯

    But now, it turns out that it¡¯s a forbidden magic, so dangerous that it has been lost. There¡¯s even a movement to theorize the processes exhibited during unification. This alone is quite bewildering, but this is clearly a setting¡ªno, magic¡ªthat ¡®existed¡¯.

    There is a significant difference between something that has precedent and something that sets a precedent.

    Contamination of the World Tree¡¯s roots, the existence of devil worshippers, Helium¡¯s reaper organization, elf¡¯s fusion, the fallen archbishop, etc. There have been numerous incidents since the release of Xenon¡¯s Biography, but none set a precedent.

    [How do you exin the magic engine?]<i>¡®That¡¯s something that existed on Earth as well. Considering the existence of the pump, it wouldn¡¯t have taken long to invent it.¡¯</i>

    As I said, the magic engine, in other words, the steam engine, exists even on Earth. Still, it¡¯s no less surprising.

    However, devil transformation¡ªdemons subjugating their inner devil¡ªhas no precedent. There have been cases where theypletely lose their reason and go on a rampage after being engulfed by evil, but never maintaining their reason, as Cecily showed me.

    Above all, more than the devil transformation itself, there¡¯s one thing I can¡¯t understand.

    <i>¡®How can it be exactly the same as what I described? This doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡¯</i>

    Cecily told me that the inner devil was the exact opposite in color from the demons in Xenon¡¯s Biography. Unlike the ck-haired, red-eyed demons, the inner devil had white hair and blue eyes, with sclera stained ck.

    Even Cecily¡¯s appearance in her devil form was exactly as described in the book. No matter how much cultural differences exist, this level of coincidence feels like the universe is conspiring against me.

    So I went to Mora and questioned her. I asked if this made any sense, if I was truly a regressor without even realizing it myself.

    This incident goes beyond crossing the line, it was an unprecedented event, often referred to as ¡°forced misunderstanding.¡±

    [I understand what you¡¯re saying. But inner evil is just a mental image that resides in the mind.]

    <i>¡®A mental image?¡¯</i>

    [Yes. Try to imagine what I look like in your mind. You¡¯ve read a lot of mythology books, haven¡¯t you?]

    Despite the unexpected suggestion from Mora, I obediently followed her instructions.

    ording to the mythology books I had read, Mora is a beautiful woman with ck hair and blue eyes.

    Additionally, she has a yful beauty, with a face that suits a mischievous and cheerful smile.

    [In reality, I¡¯m a bit prettier, but I¡¯ll let that slide.]

    Ah, I see. So she can even see the imagined image.

    [Anyway, can you see my image in your mind as you imagine it?]

    <i>¡®Yes</i>.¡¯

    [That¡¯s what a mental image is. It¡¯s the projection of the image you have in your mind. The same goes for the inner devil.]

    <i>¡®If that¡¯s the case¡­¡¯</i>

    [It means that Cecily¡¯s inner devil changes ording to her imagination.]

    Cecily confessed to me that she had taken a peek at the manuscript out of curiosity while I was taking a nap.

    After that, she entered secluded training, which matches the timing perfectly. And if Mora¡¯s exnation is correct, an inner devil is manifested through imagination¡­

    <i>¡®No matter what, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that it¡¯s forced.¡¯</i>

    [This was all done by her, not me. I did nothing wrong.]

    <i>¡®You said there won¡¯t be anything wrong!¡¯</i>

    [I said there is nothing wrong for now, not that there is nothing wrong at all.]

    Am I imagining the conversation going in circles? I rubbed my face dry, struggling to ept the situation.

    I¡¯ll discuss it with Descal, but the shock he will receive will be much stronger than mine. Furthermore, Cecily will reveal her devilization to the public in a speech following the release of volume 21.

    Just as Arwen confessed her mixed-blood status during the mixed-blood incident, Cecily will show her devilization to the people.

    I¡¯m at a loss for what to do in this situation that is far from what I had anticipated.

    [There¡¯s no need to overthink it. As I said before, there will be no threats to you or those you love in the near future.]

    <i>¡®You saidst time that there would be a crisis for me!¡¯</i>

    [That was a personal crisis. The crisis mentioned by my brother and me is one that could threaten your very future.]

    The gods possess the power to glimpse into the future. They can use this ability to inform their cherished followers when a crisis is approaching.

    However, depending on the level of divine power, they might deliver ambiguous prophecies or tell it directly, as they did with me.

    The severity of the crisis also varies, so it is by no means omnipotent.

    Nevertheless, I was relieved to know that there is no immediate threat to the safety of myself and those I love.

    This means that even if Cecily¡¯s speech greatly impacts Helium, it won¡¯t have any adverse effects on her.

    [As I mentioned before, just knowing the future can significantly impact it. Considering that, I am informing you of the future.]

    <i>¡®You¡¯re talking about the time paradox, right?¡¯</i>

    [Is that what it¡¯s called on Earth? You¡¯re probably right. Out of countless ¡®choices,¡¯ one is selected and informed to your current self. That choice creates a branch of the future, leading to events urring. We call that ¡®fate.¡¯]

    <i>¡®¡­It¡¯splicated.¡¯</i>

    It¡¯s strange to try to understand a transcendent being like Mora as a mere mortal. Even in my past life, the time paradox was full of contradictions, making it difficult toprehend.

    While I might understand space, even in mythology, ¡®time¡¯ is known to be a force that only gods can barely manage.

    No matter how much a god can turn back, slow down, or elerate time, they cannot stop ¡®the flow of time¡¯ itself.

    <i>¡®Anyway, there won¡¯t be any problem if Cecily Noona demonstrates devilization in front of people, right?¡¯</i>

    [No problem. The demons will actually be delighted. Demons are always anxious because they know they are like ticking time bombs. The very fact that the inner devil can bepletely eradicated is remarkable. Cecily will set a clear precedent.]

    Demons are a cursed race from birth. For demons, the inner devil is the root cause of their tragic lives.

    This made it difficult for them to express emotions properly, and they were somewhat reluctant to meet other races. This continued even after theunch of Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    Fortunately, the situation has significantly improved since the exhibition, and now they are often seen mingling warmly with other races.

    However, they are still well aware that they are like ticking time bombs.

    Living a life feeling emotions like ordinary humans, free from the inner devil¡ªthis is a lifelong desire for demons.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m curious about what kind of speech Cecily Noona will give.¡¯</i>

    And Cecily willpletely fulfill that desire through her speech.

    However, it is likely to be quite different from Arwen¡¯s speech. Devilization is fine, but the timing is crucial.

    The nobles of Helium, as well as the citizens, will be curious about when, where, and how Cecily suppressed her inner devil.

    This is the key point. How this question is addressed will determine whether the speech ends sessfully or leaves a lingering sense of dissatisfaction.

    Arwen was a half-breed herself, and I helped her, but there¡¯s not much I can do for this speech in Helium.

    [You don¡¯t need to worry about that. It¡¯ll be an interesting situation.]

    <i>¡®¡­Mora?¡¯</i>

    Luminous didn¡¯t say anything, but Mora¡¯s words make me very uneasy. Especially because there¡¯s a clear precedent set by my mother¡¯s visit to Helium.

    But should I have expected it? Mora again passed it off nonchntly, as if she had no intention of exining.

    [Even if I tell you, nothing will change. So, I won¡¯t say anything.]

    <i>¡®¡­Do as you please.¡¯</i>

    I don¡¯t even have the energy to respond anymore. While it¡¯s true she cares about me, her yful nature is even worse than Cecily¡¯s, making her difficult to deal with.

    I sighed deeply inwardly and spoke to Mora in a somewhat tired tone.

    <i>¡®How many more times do I have to go through this? We¡¯re at the point where self-fulfilling prophecies are urring.¡¯</i>

    [It might happen once or twice more, I guess?]

    <i>¡®So you can¡¯t be certain either, Mora?¡¯</i>

    [The future changes based on your choices. But don¡¯t worry, nothing threatening will happen, just some troublesome things.]

    <i>¡®That¡¯s a relief, at least.¡¯</i>

    So I just have to live with the flow. I sighed again.

    I could overlook the chaos that breaks out, but this is the first time a self-fulfilling chaos is happening, and it seems my mental state is copsing.

    While venting my frustrations to Mora seems to help my mental state recover a bit, there¡¯s still a problem left.

    That¡¯s the fact that Cecily has concluded that I¡¯m a reincarnated person. It¡¯s like the saying, ¡®A cow catches a mouse while backing up,¡¯ she suspected despite herself and realized I¡¯m a reincarnator.

    She had been vaguely suspicious since Arwen¡¯s remarks, but this incident has confirmed itpletely.

    Of course, it¡¯s not that it¡¯s awkward or ufortable. I had intended to eventually reveal to my family that I¡¯m reincarnated.

    But it¡¯s burdensome. Even without going far, Kate almost worships me, and Cecily has be simrly excessive.

    Saying I¡¯m a saint who came from another dimension to save the demons, that the gods had to exert themselves for me to cross over, and so on.

    It¡¯s a mix of half-truths and exaggerations, making it tricky to reveal the truth easily.

    [Why don¡¯t you just tell them? It¡¯s going to be hard to deny it anyway.]

    <i>¡®I n to tell Cecily Noona first. For the others, I¡¯ll slowlyy the groundwork.¡¯</i>

    [What about that child Arwen?]

    <i>¡®Does Arwen also think I¡¯m a reincarnator?¡¯</i>

    [Hmm¡­ It¡¯s a bitplicated with her. Do you know about parallel worlds?]

    Why is she suddenly talking about parallel worlds?

    [That child thinks you came over from a world where a hero like Xenon didn¡¯t exist, from such a world. She believes you experienced all the stories of the Elf Queen and Kair, and Xenon and Mary.]

    <i>¡®No, that¡¯s ridiculous¡­¡¯</i>

    [Think carefully about the kindness you¡¯ve shown her so far. I wonder if she¡¯s mistaken or not.]

    Is she being sarcastic or teasing me? Anyway, the fact that Arwen is thinking like that leaves me at a loss for words. Perhaps it¡¯s the synergy of my heightened status in various ways, Arwen¡¯s misconception, and the hint of reincarnation.

    Moreover, since Arwen is the queen of Alvenheim, she must be even more immersed in it. It¡¯s not entirely impossible.

    I felt a throbbing headacheing on and let out a smallugh inwardly. They say giving up makes things easier, so it might be best to write without any thoughts from now on.

    <i>¡®Haa¡­ Alright. Giving up would be easier.¡¯</i>

    [Good thinking. You know that stress is the root of all illnesses, right?]

    <i>¡®Of course, I know. Ah, there¡¯s one thing I¡¯m curious about. Can I ask?¡¯</i>

    [Ask anything.]

    <i>¡®I¡¯m curious about what changes ur when a demon like Cecily defeats their inner devil.¡¯</i>

    [That depends on which demon¡¯s descendant it is. In her case, being a subus descendant, her body and aura be more seductive. She also transforms into a body specialized for absorbing energy. Do you understand what I mean?]

    Of course, I do. Yesterday, I was thoroughly drained while being with Cecily.

    It¡¯s embarrassing to say, but Cecily¡¯s evolved inside significantlypared to before. To exaggerate a bit, it feels like a 3-minute curry.

    Additionally, her stamina and desires are as strong as during her period of the evil cycle. If I hadn¡¯t received divine power in advance, I would have slept all day.

    <i>¡®So, does that mean it will be like that every day¡­?¡¯</i>

    [Not exactly. Conquering the inner devil means gaining its power. The desire is just part of that power.]

    <i>¡®Does her period of evil cycle proceed the same as before?¡¯</i>

    [Most things are the same. Except for maintaining rationality when bing a devil.]

    I was scared that Cecily might be in heat every day, but I¡¯m relieved. If that were the case, Mora would have given a serious warning.

    I sighed in relief inwardly and slowly nned for the future.

    Not that there¡¯s much to n, other than Cecily¡¯s uing speech.

    I can graduallyy the groundwork to reveal that I¡¯m a reincarnator. It would be strange to suddenly dere, ¡°I¡¯m a reincarnator.¡±

    After that, while having various conversations with Mora, it was time to receive divine power and return.

    [Oh, by the way. A piece of advice: a major turning point ising soon. It will be quite an important one for you.]

    <i>¡®A turning point?¡¯</i>

    [Yes. A turning point ising, and the future will change based on the choice you make.]

    <i>¡®Is it a bad future?¡¯</i>

    In response to my anxious question, Mora answered in a rarely serious voice.

    [You will both struggle a bit. There won¡¯t be any danger, but you will be very busy.]

    <i>¡®Can you tell me when it will be?¡¯</i>

    Then she replied.

    [In a month.]

    It wasn¡¯t far into the future.<hr>

    Trantors note:

    The next arc, after helium, is FIRE

 Chapter 282: Bombshell Statement (1)

    Chapter 282: Bombshell Statement (1)

    It has been a week since I heard Mora¡¯s prophecy that I would face a crossroads in a month. This past week felt both short and long, unlike any other week.

    First, as nned, I discussed the 21st volume with Helium¡¯s king, Descal. Not alone, but with Cecily.

    From just hearing this, you can roughly guess what situation unfolded. I could clearly see Descal, who was usuallyposed, disying a variety of expressions.

    For reference, not only Descal but also Aisilia was present, and she fainted, screaming as if she had seen a horror movie, reacting as if she had seen something she shouldn¡¯t have.

    Well, it¡¯s more surprising if she didn¡¯t react when she witnessed her beloved daughter suddenly turning into a devil in real-time.

    Fortunately, Cecily had set up a thick soundproof barrier in advance, and I calmly exined everything, so they gradually regained theirposure.

    At first, they had a look of disbelief, but after confirming that she was fully rational, they had no choice but to ept it.

    Anyway, since they are deeply connected with Cecily, they must take action. They nned to give the speech a week after the 21st volume was released.

    Since it wasn¡¯t a personal matter but a national one, the Academy would likely grant permission for an extended leave. Royals like Cecily are symbolic by their very existence, something the Academy understands well.¡°Look, son-inw, are you really a prophet?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡±

    It was natural for Descal and Aisilia to suspect me of being a prophet. I somehow managed to gloss over this part.

    What¡¯s left is to see the release of the 21st volume and the speech Cecily will give in Helium.

    This is something I have more than 80% stake in, so I subtly suggested to Cecily.

    I asked if I could help with her uing speech, just as I had written a speech for Arwen.

    But Cecily shook her head and politely refused with a clear smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I can¡¯t always rely on help.¡±

    ¡°Are you really okay?¡±

    ¡°Yes. There are things I¡¯ve wanted to say when our demon race finally saw the light. I want to say those.¡±

    Hearing this, I realized once again that Cecily is the princess of the demon race.

    Since she stood above her people and harbored a mindset for the demons more than anyone else, the content of her speech itself didn¡¯t matter.

    The most important thing is that her heart is properly conveyed. And sincerity is the best way to deliver one¡¯s heart.

    Moreover, while Arwen faced unexpected social turmoil, Cecily is preparing for a well-anticipated future. This does not mean that Arwen¡¯s abilities are inferior to Cecily¡¯s. As seen before, Arwen¡¯s speech skills alone are outstanding.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Thank you so much. For being born into this world.¡±

    Her red eyes, filled with affection, looked at me. Half-closed eyes and slightly curved lips radiated a subtle charm. I silently stared at her beauty, which seemed to epass all the beauty of the world, and then I chuckled.

    Thanking me for being born is quite a profound statement. She must be thinking of me as a reincarnator to say something like that.

    Now, I don¡¯t have the energy or the thought to deny it. I reached out as I looked at Cecily lying on the bed. At first, I touched her face, then moved up to caress her horns. Her horns, gradually turning red.

    When I touched her horns, Cecily closed her eyes to feel the sensation. Although there are no sensory organs in the horns themselves, the act of touching them gives demons a great sense offort.

    ¡°Noona.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Contrary to what you think, I was really a nobody. Or rather, I used to be. I was nothing more than a stone rolling on the street.¡±

    I answered in the past tense, talking about my previous life, not the world I live in now. When I brought up my past life, Cecily rested her face on my chest, listening intently. Because of the close contact, I could feel a soft sensation against my arm.

    We¡¯ve already mixed bodies, so there¡¯s nothing to be embarrassed about. I continued speaking while stroking her horns and beautiful hair.

    ¡°This is not me being humble or lying. I wasn¡¯t as physically strong or as much of a leader as Xenon, nor did I have the will to sacrifice myself for someone like Jin. I was an utterly ordinary person, busyughing and ying outside.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m not as great as you think I am.¡±

    The memories of my past life are deeply rooted. Even though I¡¯ve somewhat adapted now, those memories create a sense of disparity.

    I was a in writer in my previous life, but in this world, I¡¯m praised as a great literary figure. It¡¯s almost like a light novel story.

    This is why I remain humble and don¡¯t easily reveal myself as Xenon. Themon sense from my past life as an ordinary citizen is still deeply ingrained in me, creating a subtle gap.

    ¡°So, having many women¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    ¡°Was polygamy epted?¡±

    At that point, I had nothing to say. We all know that, except for unique cases like in the Middle East, most countries only allow monogamy.

    But look at me now. I¡¯ve already spent the first night with three women, and I can¡¯t even guess how many more will join in the future.

    ¡°Is that not the case?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Reading my expression, Cecily gave me a knowing smile, confirming her suspicion. I had no response to that, so I just smiled bitterly.

    Maybe I have an inherent womanizer trait that was hidden before.

    With Marie, we started dating because we liked each other. In Cecily¡¯s case, she pleaded so earnestly that I couldn¡¯t refuse. And after the second time, the third was easy. Adelia also liked me as a person, so even Marie epted her easily.

    Leona also became my wife due to cultural differences, but she doesn¡¯t seem to mind much. It feels more like she¡¯s seeing me as a pet rather than a husband.

    Of course, I have to consider that the social culture here is entirely different from my previous life. This is a hierarchical society with royalty and nobility, whereas my past life was a society where everyone was equal.

    Despite this, the reason I could ept multiple women, even with my clear memories of my past life, is that I¡¯ve fully adapted to this world.

    <i>¡®Adapted, my foot.¡¯</i>

    It¡¯s just that my hidden womanizer nature has surfaced. With no other exnation, I just stroked Cecily¡¯s hair. She didn¡¯t seem to mind, smiling lightly and snuggling closer to me.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Noona.¡±

    ¡°No matter what happens, I¡¯ll stay by your side. It may not be enough to repay the kindness you¡¯ve shown our demon race, but at least, as Xenon¡¯s woman, I won¡¯t becking.¡±

    Notcking was an understatement. I looked at Cecily¡¯s face as she spoke with devotion, almost loyalty. Seeing her resting against my chest with her eyes closed, I couldn¡¯t help but find her adorable.

    Lately, Cecily has been openly expressing her affection, which has been increasing Marie¡¯s jealousy day by day. Fortunately, we¡¯re in Helium, otherwise, if we were at the academy, bad rumors would undoubtedly spread.

    <i>¡®I need to do my best too.¡¯</i>

    For now, I¡¯ll give my best to Cecily, but I¡¯ll never show favoritism. If any of my women feel neglected, it would be my fault.

    Not just Cecily, but Marie, Adelia, andstly Leona. These three women have also formed rtionships with me.

    Hmm. No matter how I think about it, I need to keep writing diligently. The problem is, the story is about to reach its conclusion.

    After finishing Xenon¡¯s Biography, I nned to write a novel rted to World War II. However, I wonder if that novel will generate as much divine power as Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    While Xenon¡¯s Biography is more like a hopeful (?) epic, the theme of World War II is ¡®gray.¡¯

    <i>¡®Will divine power significantly increase if it contributes to scientific or cultural development?¡¯</i>

    There were the self-fulfilling incidents in Xenon¡¯s Biography that granted me divine power. However, I¡¯m unsure about scientific and cultural advancement.

    If the World War II novel is published, the possibility of another divine power surge is close to zero, but instead, scientific technology will advance significantly.

    Eins has already invented not just the magic engine but also the automobile. The foundation of the industrial revolution is already solidly in ce.

    I don¡¯t know when magic lotives will appear, but World War II will act as a propent for scientific development. The dwarves will probably create something strange again, but that¡¯s not my concern.

    While I was lost in thought, Cecily began to breathe evenly, indicating she had fallen asleep, resting her face on my chest with a look of utmost peace. I watched her sleeping face and smiled softly. It¡¯s always striking how beautiful people look even when they¡¯re asleep.

    <i>¡®But what does Mora mean by a choiceing in a month?¡¯</i>

    I thought as I gently stroked Cecily¡¯s hair. Mora had given me a rare, serious prophecy. She kindly exined that no matter what choice I make, it will open up a path of hardship, even if there is no immediate danger.

    <i>¡®The most likely scenario is¡­¡¯</i>

    I shifted my gaze to Cecily¡¯s horns. They were mostly red, indicating that her ¡®fertile period¡¯ was approaching. Demons, like elves, have a fertile period every six months.

    However, since she has conquered her inner devil, her desires won¡¯t explode during this period. Unless I foolishly fail to use contraception, the chances of Cecily getting pregnant are extremely low.

    <i>¡®Could it be that contraception will fail?¡¯</i>

    Contraception in this world is not as foolproof as in my previous life. If my past life had a 99% sess rate, this world is around 97%.

    You might think that a mere 2% difference is insignificant, but considering the frequency of my rtions with my lovers, it¡¯s quite a high probability.

    Don¡¯t understand? Imagine rolling a die and getting the same number three times in a row. It¡¯s a 1 in 216 chance.

    You might think it¡¯s overreacting about pregnancy, but looking at the tension between Marie and Cecily so far, you can somewhat understand my concern. If Cecily gets pregnant first, it will cause a major upheaval. Moreover, it will greatly impact her life at the academy.

    I hope this isn¡¯t the case, but the high possibility is making me anxious.

    <i>¡®If it¡¯s not that, then¡­¡¯</i>

    I couldn¡¯t quite grasp what kind of choice I have to make. I stared up at the dark ceiling and slowly closed my eyes.

    For now, I¡¯ll think about the uing speech and focus on writing the 22nd volume. That¡¯s the conclusion I¡¯ve reached.

    Oh, and I also need to make sure to use birth control.

    <i>¡®¡­No.¡¯</i>

    I¡¯m already paying the price for my choices. I nced at Cecily again.

    Her skin was glowing and taut even in the darkness, as if she was thoroughly satisfied with today.

    It¡¯s not just Cecily, the other women were the same. Marie is starting to shine with beauty, like a flower in full bloom, and Adelia¡¯s characteristic smile has be even prettier.

    Meanwhile, I¡¯ve be a body that can¡¯t survive without divine power. Even though I receive it daily, it¡¯s still just as exhausting.

    <i>¡®¡­I should work out more too.¡¯</i>

    The thought of asking my father for physical training suddenly crossed my mind.

    Anyway, as the summer vacation spent in Helium ended, the academy¡¯s opening day arrived.

    [In the midst of readers¡¯ worries, concerns, and expectations, Xenon¡¯s Biography Volume 21 has been released! But its content¡­]

    Xenon¡¯s Biography Volume 21 also made its appearance in the public eye. As soon as Volume 21 was released, readers hurried to check on Jin¡¯s condition.

    At the end of Volume 20, Jin had his chest pierced by Gluttony. In fact, it wasn¡¯t just pierced; arge hole was made, enough to see the background behind him.

    A wound that would be fatal not just to ordinary humans but even to much stronger demons. With trembling hands, readers turned the pages.

    Could Jin really be dead? If he dies, what will happen to Lily?

    No way. He can¡¯t die, right? No matter what, he¡¯s part of the protagonist¡¯s side.

    But Kyir died as soon as the side story was released. Ah, that¡¯s true, but still, Jin¡­

    As seen from the abovements, a wide range of reactions poured in. The biggest concern for readers was whether Jin would survive.

    And as Jinpletely subdued his inner demon and regained his sanity, readers breathed a sigh of relief, but it also caused a huge stir.

    [Is it really possible for a demon to subdue their inner devil?]

    [Even if it¡¯s possible, wouldn¡¯t they have to live their whole life as a devil?]

    [No matter how much it¡¯s Xenon¡¯s Biography, the risk is too high. Demons should never try this.]

    The theory of not suppressing the inner devil but subduing and ¡®controlling¡¯ it. This theory shocked not only demons but other races as well.

    On the surface, demons have horns and many are handsome and beautiful, but their most significant feature is their inner devil.

    A darkness that turns them into devils if they experience tragedy or despair. That is the essence and identity of demons.

    Since the founding of Helium, demons have upheld self-restraint as a creed, but Xenon¡¯s Biography contains content thatpletely denies that creed.

    Even the demons of Helium, who revere Xenon as a saint, had to reluctantly admit¡­ This was a bit much

    [Look at Lilith. She became a devil and a member of the Seven Deadly Sins, yet she maintained her sanity.]

    [In fact, if you look at her end, you can see that she never forgot her beloved.]

    [If one bes a devil, they might initially go on a rampage, but perhaps with a certain trigger, they can maintain their sanity?]

    However, the setting of Lilith, a high-ranking devil, which had been overlooked until now, began to receive renewed attention, and the story began to change.

    Lilith is a devilized demon who maintained her sanity while acting under the orders of Diablos.

    As a result, readers couldn¡¯t help but be impressed. Especially with Sakran¡¯sst words serving as foreshadowing for Jin¡¯s devilization, creating a synergy.

    While chaos and understanding repeated themselves and people spent bewildering days, Helium officially announced a statement.

    [A week from today, we will conduct a nationwide address.]

    [We have things to show and inform everyone about, which will be closely rted to Xenon.]

    [It will be a significant day proving that we are not devils.]

    Helium¡¯s nationwide address not only invited its citizens but also foreign dignitaries. This announcement alone caused another uproar.

    Where is Helium? It¡¯s a nation that had been semi-forced into istion until now but only recently began to see the light of day through Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    Although it hasn¡¯t been determined whether it¡¯s a powerful country or just an ordinary one, everyone knows it has great potential.

    Most importantly, Helium has never officially invited foreign dignitaries before. This is essentially the first time.

    For other countries, it was an opportunity to gauge the size of Helium, while for Helium, it was a tform to freely express their intentions.

    While the world was buzzing with excitement, Isaac¡­

    ¡°Huh? What?¡±

    Realized something as he read the newspaper about Lilith, who maintains her sanity even as a devil.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think about this when I wrote it.¡±

    It was a setting error.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 283: Bombshell Statement (2)

    Chapter 283: Bombshell Statement (2)

    As you can tell from my clumsy and often bumbling demeanor, I tend to make a lot of mistakes.

    More precisely, I¡¯m terrible at lying. ording to others, my true feelings are always visible in my expressions and eyes.

    So, I¡¯ve mostly stopped lying, but I still make a lot of mistakes. Many of these mistakes have snowballed into bigger issues.

    In that sense, Lilith is a result of one of my mistakes. Originally, she shouldn¡¯t remember her past lover at all, her new memories should overwrite the old ones.

    From the moment she joined Diablos¡¯ ranks, she was supposed to be reborn under a new name, regaining all her memories only at the very end.

    The very fact that she remembers her ¡°name¡± is proof that she¡¯s maintaining her sanity.

    <i>¡®But what¡¯s done is done¡­¡¯</i>

    Technically, it¡¯s a clear setting error, but after Volume 21 was released, there was a strange phenomenon where Lilith started being re-evaluated.

    There was even a hypothesis, quite baffling to me as the author, that Lilith might have subdued her inner devil out of revenge.This unexpected development not only improved the work¡¯s overall quality but also unraveled unforeseen foreshadowing.

    I had no intention of exining this, so I kept my mouth shut, and the positive reviews kept pouring in.

    However, the most significant event triggered by the release of Volume 21 was undoubtedly rted to Helium.

    The scene where Jin subdues his inner devil gave demons both hope and doubt.

    Because of this, the announcement of a speech in Helium garnered everyone¡¯s attention.

    Especially since this was the first time in history that Helium invited foreign dignitaries for a nationwide address. Naturally, all eyes were on them.

    This event might even attract more attention than the mixed-blood incident in Alvenheim.

    Of course, the Minerva Empire ns to send dignitaries as well. Not only Leort and Rina but also Duke Requilis will attend.

    The different approachpared to the speech in Alvenheim is due to the different national circumstances.

    Both countries were conducting nationwide addresses, but while Alvenheim has had active exchanges under Arwen¡¯s rule, this is Helium¡¯s very first time.

    Although it¡¯s a nationwide address, it signifies something like a bird taking flight from its cage.

    Moreover, unlike Alvenheim, Helium has been semi-forced into istion. Due to recent diplomatic efforts, neither side knows much about the other.

    All that¡¯s known is that the Xenon exhibition showcased the superior culture of the demons, almost nothing else has been confirmed.

    As a result, foreign dignitaries were bound to flock to Helium to assess its potential.

    Some came to evaluate Helium¡¯s capabilities, others to understand its ideology, and some to see if it¡¯s truly as gloomy as rumored.

    With various motives and goals, nobles from many countries headed to Helium, including the Minerva Empire, the Kingdom of Ters, the Republic of Velua, and other smaller nations.

    Although Queen Arwen of Alvenheim sent a representative due to state affairs, it¡¯s still a significant event.

    ¡°Isaac, you¡¯re impressive every time I see you.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Every time you publish a book, the whole world gets stirred up. Starting with Alvenheim, then Xavier, and now Helium. Is our empire next?¡±

    Before the speech began, I arrived in Helium early with Cecily¡¯s help, and I heard Rina¡¯s question, making me smile wryly.

    It¡¯s understandable that Rina thinks this way since every time I release a new book, a specific country goes into an uproar.

    Also, I understand why she pinpointed Alvenheim as the starting point instead of Helium.

    Rina is referring to the ideology that shakes the very foundation of a country.

    Even though the perception of demons haspletely changed, their ideology has not. The same goes for other countries.

    However, in Alvenheim, the mixed-blood issue surfaced, and in Xavier, the existence of a corrupt cardinal fractured national significance.

    Now it¡¯s Helium. Due to the contents of Volume 21, Helium¡¯s foundational beliefs are being shaken.

    ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯m not sure.¡±

    So, I answered thoughtlessly. I genuinely don¡¯t know anything about it.

    While the incident in Alvenheim waspletely unexpected, preparations can be made in advance for the situations in Xavier and Helium.

    In that sense, I predict that the next focus will be the Kingdom of Ters, not the Minerva Empire.

    Although Volume 21 ended ambiguously due to a failure in pacing, Volume 22 will delve into the full-blown revenge of Envy.

    Perhaps then, the Kingdom of Ters will be pricked and step back, especially Hiriya.

    Of course, this is just a prediction and not certain. I¡¯m no prophet, so how could I know?

    ¡°Your acting skills have improved since Ist saw you. Keep it up like that.¡±

    I genuinely didn¡¯t know, but Rina seemed satisfied with my response, even if it was due to some misunderstanding on her part.

    As I stared at Rina with a puzzled expression, I shifted my gaze forward. Ahead, I saw a crowd of people gathered together.

    These weren¡¯t just demons, but dignitaries from all over the world. Among them, I could see not only humans but also other races.

    The dazzling array of colors was almost overwhelming, but witnessing such a scene in Helium felt quite novel.

    ¡°Helium must be pretty nervous. It¡¯s the first time they¡¯ve invited so many guests since their founding.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this your first time in Helium too, Rina?¡±

    Marie, standing beside me, questioned Rina¡¯s assessment.

    Given their statuses, they should be using formalnguage, but neither seemed to mind.

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s my first time. I wanted toe before, but I¡¯ve been too busy with the empire¡¯s affairs. In fact, I had to carve out time to attend this speech.¡±

    ¡°Busy?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Thanks to someone.¡±

    Rina smiled brightly at Marie¡¯s question, then nced at me. There was a faint hint of resentment in her smile, making me smile awkwardly in response.

    She is the princess of the empire, wielding immense power and authority, second only to the emperor and Leorte.

    Because of all the various incidents sparked by Xenon¡¯s Biography, she has been extremely busy.

    I¡¯ve heard that she was swamped with work and the exhibition. Fortunately, unlike other countries, the Minerva Empire hasn¡¯t faced any major crises.

    Considering how Arwen from Alvenheim had to work non-stop during the mixed-blood incident, Rina¡¯s situation seemsparatively better.

    ¡°Isaac and I have been busy ying in Helium~ Being a princess isn¡¯t all it¡¯s cracked up to be, huh?¡±

    Marie teased Rina with a yful expression, aware of the situation.

    Although she would eventually have to deal with political battles when she marries me, her situation would be much better than Rina¡¯s.

    Her brother, Kay, will inherit the title of Duke of Requilis, and once I reveal myself as Xenon, our future will be bright.

    Our status is already elevated to the point where, as long as I don¡¯t do anything outrageous, political attacks will be futile. Furthermore, I have strong allies by my side.

    Marie¡¯s yful teasinges from knowing she has this support.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Rina made a face as if she wanted to punch Marie for her teasing.

    However, given her past mistakes and my presence beside her, she restrained herself.

    Although it wouldn¡¯t matter much if she didsh out, Rina has had a rough time due to the hiatus incident and finds it difficult to treat me carelessly.

    Rina sighed deeply, shook her head, and spoke in a resigned tone.

    ¡°Yeah, I envy you. Some of us are ving away at work while others are just having fun with their boyfriend¡­¡±

    ¡°Hehe.¡±

    Marie, thinking she had sessfully jabbed at Rina, clung to my arm andughed brightly. She seemed like a yful child, but her cuteness made me simply pat her head affectionately.

    Furthermore, this conversation itself was a sign that Marie and Rina had grown closer.

    In the past, they would have ignored each other or Marie would have openly shown her dislike.

    Knowing this, Rina just gave a small smile at Marie without showing any signs of displeasure.

    ¡°Let¡¯s move forward. It looks like the speech is about to start.¡±

    I pointed ahead, mediating between the two women. The za was already crowded with people.

    Like in Alvenheim, Helium¡¯s nobles sat at the front, and the dignitaries¡¯ seats were a bit further back.

    ¡°Adelia noona, you can sit over there.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Adelia, who had been quietly standing guard, returned to her seat. Once we were seated, a strange sensation spread through my body.

    It was the same feeling I had during Arwen¡¯s speech. Call it d¨¦j¨¤ vu, but it was a vivid reminder that I was in a foreignnd.

    Helium, although familiar due to frequent visits, is a country inhabited by non-humans.

    I looked around carefully to see if I recognized anyone.

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Then, I locked eyes with a pair of light blue eyes. It was the second princess of the Kingdom of Ters, Hiriya.

    She red at me with her characteristic sharp gaze, then nced back and forth between me and Adelia, who was sitting far away.

    Judging by her displeased expression, she still harbored ill feelings towards Adelia.

    I wondered how narrow-minded one could be to hold onto such a grudge. At times like this, even Rina from the past seemed more reasonable.

    <i>¡®When will she give up?¡¯</i>

    I gave Hiriya a slight nod and then shifted my gaze elsewhere, continuing to look for familiar faces.

    With Helium¡¯s first opening after being semi-forced into istion, more dignitaries were present than at the Alvenheim speech.

    Among them was an unexpected figure.

    <i>¡®Ka-Kate?¡¯</i>

    It was Kate, a cardinal of the Luminous Order and the person who personally brought judgment upon the corrupt clergyman.

    I didn¡¯t know when she had arrived in Helium, but she was seated in the dignitaries¡¯ section with her holy knights in tow.

    In essence, this indirectly implies that Xavier wants to trade with Helium.

    However, given Xavier¡¯s history of massacring demons in a fit of fanaticism, their rtionship with Helium is bound to be strained.

    Even now, Helium¡¯s nobles are casting meaningful nces at Kate.

    <i>¡®It must be that important.¡¯</i>

    For Helium, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to not only leap but soar towards the world. It¡¯s also a chance for the entire race to evolve.

    In this sense, Cecily¡¯s speech could be a historic oration that changes the future, or it might just be an average address.

    Having seen various historical records, I knew her speech had to be great.

    The pressure is immense, but no one knows when such an opportunity wille again.

    Hoping fervently that she delivers a speech aspelling as Arwen¡¯s, I waited silently.

    Though I wasn¡¯t the one giving the speech, my heart pounded with nervous anticipation.

    ¡°Hey, is that¡­¡±

    ¡°Seems like it.¡±

    ¡°That woman is Princess Cecily.¡±

    As I waited quietly, murmurs from the front reached my ears.

    Judging by the mention of Cecily¡¯s name, it seemed she had made her appearance. I craned my neck like a meerkat.

    Though she hadn¡¯t yet stepped onto the podium, I could see Cecily ascending slowly.

    Instead of her usual revealing ck dress, she wore a simple red dress.

    Since it was a speech and not a social event, she seemed to have opted for a more modest attire.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    As soon as Cecily appeared on the podium, the buzzing za fell silent.

    Not just the demons but also the guests from afar focused their attention on her. Eyes of various colors, not just red, gazed at her.

    I heard asional praises about her beauty, but I didn¡¯t pay much attention.

    How much time passed like that, I couldn¡¯t tell. Cecily looked around the audience and then locked eyes with me.

    She smiled brightly, cleared her throat a few times, and then began to speak quietly.

    [Hello. Dear citizens and esteemed guests from farawaynds visiting Helium. My name is Cecily Drat Aisilia Vin. I am the princess of Helium, the sanctuary of demons, and¡­]

    For some reason, I was reminded of her first entrance ceremony speech. Back then, her speech was really¡­

    [The benefactor of Demons, Xenon¡¯s, woman.]

    It was incredibly good¡­ What?

    ¡°What?¡±

    What did she say?<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 284: Bombshell Statement (3)

    Chapter 284: Bombshell Statement (3)

    Because of the voice amplification magic, Cecily¡¯s voice echoes throughout the entire za. Five seconds after dropping an unexpected statement, a dead silence falls over the za.

    It is quite literally a bombshell. Unlike when Arwen revealed her mixed-blood status, which caused mere ripples on a quietke, this was a sign of a massive tidal wave.

    ¡°What¡­ did she say?¡±

    ¡°Xenon¡¯s woman?¡±

    ¡°Hey, did I hear that right?¡±

    The unexpected bombshell of calling herself Xenon¡¯s woman stirred the entire venue into an uproar.

    Musk and Arwen are the only ones who know Xenon¡¯s true identity. This is what people firmly believed until now. However, that belief was shattered by Cecily¡¯s statement just now. No longer just one or two, but now a third person knows.

    Moreover, the fact that Cecily mentioned being Xenon¡¯s ¡®woman¡¯ holds apletely different weight than the people previously mentioned.

    ¡°What, what is she thinking?¡±¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Marie, sitting next to me, is so shocked that her mouth is agape. Cecily¡¯s bombshell statement has left a significant impact. To be someone¡¯s woman means to be officially dating that person, which is what most people would think.

    In other words, Cecily just publicly dered in front of everyone that she is dating Xenon, or in other words, me. I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s thinking, but her actions arepletely different from the usual Cecily.

    ¡°Is it true?¡±

    ¡°No way¡­ could it be? Considering she¡¯s a demon princess, it might be possible.¡±

    ¡°Then really¡­¡±

    ¡°Is that why demons were portrayed so favorably?¡±

    The murmuring of the crowd grows louder, and the opinions exchanged be more diverse. Initially skeptical, people start to believe it as theypare it to the depiction of demons in Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    However, the shock of the bombshell, like a tactical nuclear weapon, still lingered. The atmosphere is still filled with disbelief.

    Cecily seemed to notice the reaction, and she slowly scanned the audience. Although it¡¯s hard to see clearly from this distance, she wore a confident smile.

    <i>¡®She wouldn¡¯t say this without thinking¡­¡¯</i>

    If she was going to say something like this, she should have discussed it with me beforehand.

    Saying such things without any discussion could not only affect me but especially deteriorate my rtionship with Marie.

    Currently, at the academy, Marie and I are officially dating, while I¡¯m secretly dating Cecily.

    Although there are times when I hang out with Marie and other acquaintances, there are hardly any instances where Cecily and I openly wander around together.

    Therefore, even though Cecily saying such things wouldn¡¯t narrow down the suspect, it still makes me uneasy. I decided to keep calm and watch what she would say.

    [You all must have been surprised. It must have been shocking to suddenly hear that I¡¯m Xenon¡¯s woman. But please stay calm and listen to me until the end.]

    Cecily continued her speech, maintaining her unique, seductive voice. Thanks to her words, themotion subsided. It seemed she threw such a bombshell statement to grab maximum attention, and I became curious about how she would resolve this.

    [Before Xenon¡¯s Biography appeared to the world, we demons had to live in hiding. Inside Helium, we couldugh, chat, get angry, and enjoy ourselves just like other races. But the world¡¯s gaze was cruel. Not only did they see us as devils, but in the past, this perception led to terrible tragedies.]

    The terrible tragedy that the demons suffered in the past. Anyone with a bit of historical interest would know what event she was referring to. It was a massacre caused by humans driven mad with fanaticism.

    It wasn¡¯t like the Beastman massacre that urred during the race wars but a historical fact that happened before that.

    The Holy Kingdom of Xavier massacred the demons, iming topletely eradicate the seeds of devils, in the so-called ¡®Root Uprooting.¡¯

    The phrase might sound awkward, but the content is extremely atrocious. Moreover, knowing the history and looking back at that name would be chilling.

    ¡°Ahem.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    Xavier¡¯s representatives in the VIP seats reacted awkwardly, perhaps realizing that Cecily¡¯s speech was targeting them. Even though she openly ridiculed them like that, they have nothing to say. Because the recent scandal of the corrupted cardinal has just erupted.

    Currently, Xavier is being held together by Kate¡¯s leadership; if she had also abandoned the Luminous Order, it would have been a major incident where their roots werepletely uprooted.

    They have little say, and with Cecily delivering historical facts so forcefully, they can¡¯t say anything. That doesn¡¯t mean she¡¯s being rude. She¡¯s not openly mocking them but rather pointing out the tragedies they have faced.

    [We demons are a race born from tragedy. Every day, we have to fight the devils hidden deep within our hearts, and sometimes it¡¯s unbearably painful. But we also have loved ones and people to protect. For their sake, we suppressed the evil within us. To protect our loved ones.]

    [This hasn¡¯t changed even after Xenon¡¯s Biography came to light. Thanks to him, we demons have stepped into a brighter world, but the fundamental problem remains. Just as no living being knows their future, we demons always face the risk of being consumed by our inner devils. This isn¡¯t just your opinion, we demons think the same way.]

    [However, thanks to the sincere depiction in Xenon¡¯s Biography, we demons could finally stand as individuals rather than devils. Just like me, enrolling in Minerva Empire¡¯s Halo Academy and actively interacting with neighboring countries. Moreover, we showcased the strength of Helium¡¯s culture at the exhibition.]

    [Nheless, our true enemy still lies within. Like the n of Gluttony depicted in Xenon¡¯s Biography, there is a chance that the inner devil could turn all Helium demons into true devils. Such a terrible tragedy won¡¯t happen again thanks to our benefactor, but the fundamental problem hasn¡¯t been solved. Yet, unbeknownst to us, the answer was already present in Xenon¡¯s Biography.]

    [Lilith, who appears in Xenon¡¯s Biography, is a woman who became a devil due to a tragic past and is responsible for Lust among the Seven Deadly Sins.]

    That¡¯s a setting error. I could only smile wryly as I listened to Cecily¡¯s speech. I wish I could confess in a letter that it¡¯s a setting error, but readers praise it as a wonderful foreshadowing, so I can¡¯t.

    I¡¯m not even sure they¡¯d believe me if I denied it. For now, let¡¯s just let it slide as it¡¯s better this way.

    [Lilith became a devil after losing her beloved, but surprisingly, she maintained her sanity. It¡¯s normal for demons who became such to lose their reason and be monsters consumed by rage and despair, but she didn¡¯t. People might naturally assume this because she switched sides, but this alone signifies a significant change for our demons.]

    [Since then, Jin has subdued his inner devil and made it his power, and with Lilith¡¯s description being rediscovered, Helium has be noisy again. There¡¯s a division between those who believe they can subdue their inner devil and those who think it¡¯s impossible no matter what. It¡¯s an internal conflict with the fate of Helium at stake, so neither side is willing to concede.]

    As Cecily mentioned, Helium may seem peaceful on the surface, but it is quite tumultuous.

    Unlike Alvenheim or Animers, Helium has rarely fallen into political turmoil, and the current situation has significant implications beyond politics.

    This is not just about the fate of a nation but the entire race. With the release of Volume 21, a new ¡®ideology¡¯ has emerged, posing various risks.

    Will Cecily choose ¡®moderation¡¯ or ¡®control¡¯? This issue is the crux of her speech and will determine the future of not just Helium but the demons as a whole.

    [I, Cecily Drat Isilia Vin, will¡­ follow the benefactor¡¯s prophecy.]

    And Cecily chose ¡®control¡¯ over ¡®moderation,¡¯ which had been maintained since the founding of Helium. While other races might not understand, within Helium, this could lead to the formation of a massive political opposition.

    As if to reflect this situation, the nobles of Helium in the front seats were whispering among themselves. Some even crossed their legs, full of discontent.

    In this increasingly serious atmosphere, I wondered how Cecily would navigate through this. If the speech ended like this, it could be seen as a colossal failure.

    Instead of preventing division, Cecily¡¯s position could be jeopardized. What was she thinking, dropping such a bombshell from the start?

    [You probably do not understand. What does what I said have to do with being Xenon¡¯s woman, and furthermore, why did I choose control?]

    Despite the uneasy atmosphere, Cecily did not lose her confident smile. Her face brightened as if to indicate she was approaching the climax.

    Eventually, she slowly scanned the audience whose attention was fixed on her and then made direct eye contact with me.

    Her red eyes, filled with love, affection, warmth, and kindness. As soon as I met her gaze, I understood her intentions.

    [And this is¡­]

    Cecily, who had trailed off, slowly closed her eyes.

    [My answer.]

    p!

    From her back, demon wings spread wide. Simultaneously, the horns on her head began to grow and turn red.

    The ability she gained bypletely subduing her inner evil, demonization. Literally epting the full power of a demon and bing one.

    ¡°What, what is this?!¡±

    ¡°Th-th-th-this¡­!¡±

    ¡°A, a devil? Is the princess a devil?!¡±

    As expected, Cecily¡¯s devilization elicited a predictable reaction. Her devilization was known only to me, her father-inw, and mother-inw.

    ¡°Isaac?! What¡¯s going on?! How did this happen?!¡±

    Therefore, it was not surprising that Marie, sitting next to me, was shocked. I should probably pretend to be surprised as well¡­

    ¡°Hurry up and exin! How did this happen?!¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­ this is a bit¡­¡±

    Can you let go of me so I can speak properly? I understand she¡¯s shocked, but it¡¯s hard to talk when she¡¯s grabbing me by the cor and shaking me like this.

    I needed to act somehow, but it was difficult due to Marie¡¯s intense reaction.

    In the meantime, I tried to check the reactions of others. Generally, people were beyond surprised and almost in shock, with the most extreme reactionsing from the Xavier¡¯s side.

    I couldn¡¯t hear well because of the surrounding noise, but I caught snippets like ¡°We must eliminate her quickly,¡± and ¡°This is a serious matter.¡± The clergy were pleading with Kate.

    However, Kate remained firmly seated, calmly telling them to rx.

    I always thought she had quite a formidable personality.

    [You must all be shocked. Anyone can see that my current appearance is that of a devil. But look at me. I am looking at you with my own eyes, and I am maintaining perfect sanity.]

    Cecily¡¯s voice, clear despite the chaos, seemed even more seductive than usual, perhaps due to her devilization. As a result, people gradually regained theirposure and focused on her. However, judging by their expressions, they still appeared uneasy.

    That was understandable, given that a devilized demon was before them. Even after the publication of Xenon¡¯s Biography, there were asional reports of devilized demons causing trouble.

    As the noisy square gradually quieted down and calm returned, Cecily began to exin immediately.

    [Look at me. I have wings of a devil, my sclera has turned ck, and my horns have grownrge. I look indistinguishable from a demon. However, I am clearly maintaining my sanity. Doesn¡¯t this remind you of someone?]

    ¡°¡­Lilith?¡±

    Someone answered Cecily¡¯s question as if entranced. Though the voice was small, it was loud enough in the now-quiet square.

    Nodding, Cecily continued confidently, maintaining her demonized state.

    [Yes, that¡¯s right. The reason I introduced myself as Xenon¡¯s woman, the reason I chose control over moderation. I have directly shown you this reason.]

    So that¡¯s what it meant. Cecily did not mean that she was Xenon¡¯s woman in the way everyone thought.

    Many incidents had urred, but none involved real-life inspirations for characters appearing. However, with Cecily showing her devilization, the story changed. People would now im that there were real-life inspirations for the characters!

    The decisive evidence was Cecily herself, who revealed herself as Xenon¡¯s woman for this reason.

    <i>¡®She really used her head well.¡¯</i>

    When Cecily said she was Xenon¡¯s woman, she was referring to being the inspiration for a character in Xenon¡¯s Biography. In other words, she was dering herself as the person Xenon based a character on!

    This deration had a high chance of being epted because of the significance of Xenon¡¯s Biography and the fact that she demonstrated devilization.

    Furthermore, the social culture of this world is more rudimentary than that of Earth. Therefore, as long as the front and back of the story are usible, everything will be epted.

    The possibility of a lie? Ask the gods. The gods would side with Cecily.

    Why? Because Cecily didn¡¯t lie. Saying she is Xenon¡¯s woman means she is my woman, so there is no lie.

    Of course, they might ask if Cecily knows Xenon. However, even Kate received a vague oracle to find me, so there¡¯s no way the gods would provide a clear oracle.

    Society, politics, ideology, and the truth of the matter. Cecily has captured every possible rabbit.

    She didn¡¯t consult with me separately because of this confidence. I can let this slide.

    <i>¡®¡­ By the way, she¡¯s essentially made Xenon¡¯s Biography into a holy scripture.¡¯</i>

    This part makes me smile wryly. I am willing to tolerate this since she informed me about her demonization.

    In three days, all sorts of articles will emerge. I can vividly hear the increase in my father¡¯s workload from here.

    [I, Cecily Drat Aisilia Vin, princess of Helium and Xenon¡¯s woman, dere. Our demon race no longer needs to fear the inner devil. There is no reason to fear our darkness to protect our loved ones. As I have just shown, we no longer need to be confined in a cage. Birds are safest in a cage, but they are not born to die there.]

    As she said this, Cecily slowly released her devilization. The rity of her returning to her original form elicited gasps from the surroundings.

    The mere act of undoing her devilization proved her words were true.

    [Our demon race now has only the future to move forward to. Lastly, we will soar high into the sky with our wings. Even if they are not pure white angel wings, we will fly with these wings stained with pure darkness. Thank you.]

    With those words, Cecily bowed politely and stepped down from the podium.

    As she descended, the square was enveloped in a heavy silence¡­

    <i>p p p</i>

    Starting with my apuse.

    <i>p p p p p!</i>

    The square was soon filled with thunderous apuse and cheers.

    The demons, in particr, were more enthusiastic than anyone else, which was understandable given Cecily¡¯s speech.

    It could indeed be a day of liberation, freeing them from the fate that had tormented them until now.

    It will take a long time and effort to remove the shackles that bound them like ves, but the mere possibility was akin to salvation for the demons.

    ¡°Princess Cecily! Thank you!!¡±

    ¡°Blessings to the princess and Xenon!!¡±

    ¡°Xenon! Thank you so much!!¡±

    Oh, how embarrassing. Mixed in with the praises for Cecily were also praises directed at me, making my face heat up.

    Amidst the roaring apuse, I cleared my throat, blushing at the praise I heard.

    I wanted to cool down the heat on my face, but it wasn¡¯t easy. I needed to get out of here.

    ¡°Marie. We should get up and¡­¡±

    Just as I was about to call Marie, I suddenly felt a piercing gaze from another direction.

    As I turned my gaze, I couldn¡¯t help but flinch in surprise.

    Hiriya was staring at me without any change in her expression.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I met her gaze silently, then quickly turned my head without even greeting her.

    For some reason, I felt chills all over my body. Surely she wasn¡¯t watching me throughout the speech.

    <i>¡®¡­No way, right?¡¯</i>

    Hiriya wouldn¡¯t give me that much attention.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 285: Bombshell Statement (4)

    Chapter 285: Bombshell Statement (4)

    Even though Cecily¡¯s speech, which was like a tactical nuclear strike, had ended, the fervor in the square showed no signs of dying down.

    For now, the nobles and I were engaging in conversations, much like during the speech in Alvenheim, to strengthen ourworks.

    Most of the discussion centered around Cecily¡¯s speech and specting on how the future politicalndscape might change.

    Given the clear evidence that the shackles binding the demons could be removed, it was a troubling development for other countries.

    The demons were already several steps ahead in magic and culture. While the elves could match them in magic, culturally, it was a different story.

    With the potential to break free from their restraints, Helium¡¯s influence would continue to grow.

    However, this didn¡¯t mean that Helium would have the upper hand. While showcasing potential was good, it also meant giving time to potential enemies.

    Thanks to Descalying a solid foundation, Cecily wouldn¡¯t immediately face all kinds of political attacks as soon as she ascended to the throne of the Demon King.

    Nevertheless, it was an optimal situation for strengthening their internal affairs. No matter how much Cecily had subdued her inner devil, it would not be an easy path.I expected a directive to be issued soon, especially since demons have a ¡°little devil¡± adolescence.

    From the perspective of demon parents, it was the most dangerous time in raising a child, fraught with challenges as the child would be rebellious and their inner devil would run rampant.

    It was already tough, and if the children decided to subdue their inner devil, it would be an additional headache for the parents.

    Thinking briefly about the increased difficulty for demon parents, I shifted my gaze to the citizens of Helium who had watched Cecily¡¯s speech.

    O light we found in the twilight!

    We shall never falter. Farewell to our shadow!

    Let us move forward toward the light once more!

    With their arms around each other¡¯s shoulders, they were singing Helium¡¯s national anthem passionately. Cecily¡¯s speech had given the demons not just empty hope but a solid conviction.

    Cecily had kindly demonstrated the process of subduing one¡¯s inner devil, leaving no room for hesitation.

    Now, what remains is for them to make a significant leap forward, not as demons but as part of humanity.

    The inner devil that had confined them since birth was no longer something to be feared but something that could be ovee.

    Though there would be many incidents and idents with plenty of talk and issues, I believed they would manage well.

    <i>¡®Not that I have to worry about my identity being exposed¡­¡¯</i>

    As I conversed with nobles who approached to strengthen their connection with Marie and me, I nced in another direction.

    The person I was looking at was neither Rina nor Leort but Hiriya.

    As usual, she was impably dressed in her uniform, talking to a noble who had approached her, but she asionally nced this way.

    I didn¡¯t understand why Hiriya showed such great interest in me, but the most usible reason was my identity.

    Perhaps due to her insignificant desire for revenge against Adelia, she had been watching me even during Cecily¡¯s speech.

    <i>¡®There¡¯s nothing to hint at my identity¡­ hmm¡­¡¯</i>

    Cecily had called herself Xenon¡¯s woman, but that was merely to say she was the person who inspired a character.

    Some high-ranking nobles might question her, asking if she really has no rtionship with Xenon. However, as I said before, Cecily didn¡¯t lie. Even if they asked the gods, they would answer affirmatively.

    Hiriya has no leverage. The only option was when Cecily looked at me, and Hiriya happened to look at both of us simultaneously.

    Even so, there¡¯s no certainty that Cecily was precisely looking at me.

    <i>¡®I need to be cautious.¡¯</i>

    I should avoid Hiriya for a while. If she approaches, I must find a way to evade her.

    To do that, I need to spend more time with Marie.

    Since Cecily will be busy with state affairs and unable toe to the academy, I will naturally have more time with Marie.

    Moreover, given my duties as an assistant, it will be difficult for Hiriya to find me unless she actively searches.

    ¡°But do you really think Princess Cecily is Xenon¡¯s woman?¡±

    As I was lost in thought, someone¡¯s question caught my attention. I looked ahead.

    The person who asked had wavy blonde hair and striking blue eyes.

    Objectively, she was quite beautiful, but with Marie beside me, she didn¡¯t particrly stand out.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯m not sure. It could be used for propaganda¡­¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we hear from Xenon first?¡±

    ¡°Yes, we can judge based on what Xenon says. If Xenon denies it, then Princess Cecily would have lied in front of everyone.¡±

    Listening to the conversation, I realized I needed to write a letter.

    There¡¯s no lie in the fact that Cecily was the model for Lust, Lilith. Her seductive appearance, aura, and even her fighting style were all inspired by Cecily.

    Since she was indeed the model, it was the undeniable truth.

    However, I still need to write a letter for Cecily. It needs to be carefully written to support her im.

    ¡°But do you really think Princess Cecily is Xenon¡¯s woman?¡±

    Of course, there are always skeptics. One man crossed his arms and expressed doubt.

    Yes, not everyone would believe Cecily¡¯s speech entirely. There would definitely be people investigating further.

    Although she didn¡¯t lie, the subtle truths within those words would arouse suspicion.

    Cecily isn¡¯t foolish, so she must have anticipated this, but it doesn¡¯t change the fact that she¡¯ll have a tough time ahead.

    ¡°If that were the case, she would have shown solid evidence instead of just making a deration.¡±

    ¡°Evidence like what?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ there are many possibilities, but the most convincing would be¡­¡±

    ¡°A child?¡±

    Flinch

    When such a clear piece of evidence was mentioned, Marie¡¯s body flinched noticeably. I could feel it vividly since we were holding hands.

    I had been with Cecily numerous times, but we had always used contraception diligently, so there was no risk of an ident.

    Despite theck of solid evidence, Cecily had provided a definitive one by showing her devilization.

    She had dered that she was the person who inspired Lilith and that she could subdue her inner devil.

    Although it could be seen as wordy or deception, let¡¯smend Cecily for her excellent rhetoric and eloquence.

    After the brief meeting with the nobles, Marie and I moved to a different location. While we were relocating, Adelia, who had been watching from a distance, also returned.

    Since we couldn¡¯t enter Helium¡¯s pce, we nned to stay at a noble-exclusive inn for now.

    ¡°Hmph. Xenon¡¯s woman, huh¡­ She¡¯s outright advertising it.¡±

    As soon as we entered the inn to rest, Marie grumbled. The inn was noble-exclusive and had spaces designed for couples, so it was soundproof.

    This meant Marie¡¯s grumbling wouldn¡¯t be heard outside. Hearing her grumble made me smile wryly.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it fine since she was vague about it?¡±

    ¡°It might be fine for you, but not for me. This is practically a deration of war against me. I need to make it clear that I am Isaac¡¯s first. It seems she¡¯s been getting boldertely, and this must be why.¡±

    Saying that, Marie began to take off her dress. Adelia stood by to help her undress more easily.

    The dress was formal, so without help, it was hard to put on and take off.

    Although Adelia had fumbled at first, she had be more adept during the vacation and now assisted more smoothly.

    ¡°You have something to say to Cecily too, right?¡±

    ¡°A bit, yes. I should talk to her about acting without consulting me.¡±

    Even though there was a n, her statement about being Xenon¡¯s woman was as impactful as a tactical nuclear bomb, full of potential problems.

    If it had gone slightly wrong, her demonization could have ruined everything¡ªa tremendous gamble.

    Also, making such a deration without consulting me could have adverse effects.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be too hard on her. Cecily must have had her reasons. And also¡­¡±

    <i>Tap</i>

    As I changed intofortable clothes, I gently ced my hand on Marie¡¯s delicate shoulder.

    Then, bringing my mouth close to her ear, I whispered softly.

    ¡°Even if I reveal that I am Xenon, I will say you are my first.¡±

    ¡°¡­You better keep that promise.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    As I gently pulled my face away from her ear, I saw Marie¡¯s face turning red like snow-white rice cake. Her bashful reaction was so adorable that I almost proceeded with the main event, but I managed to hold back.

    With Adelia present, it would be awkward to proceed here, and with dinner time approaching, I couldn¡¯t afford to dirty myself.

    <i>¡®My father-inw is nearby too¡­¡¯</i>

    Though I hadn¡¯t met him yet, Marie¡¯s father and my father-inw, Duke Requilis, was also here.

    He was of a much higher rank than us, so he was probably still conversing with other nobles.

    While my father-inw was working hard, it felt wrong to fool around with his daughter like ayabout.

    You might ask if I disregarded Descal while at the pce. Descal actually encouraged me to spend time with Cecily, not worrying about him.

    From his perspective, I am a treasure bestowed by the gods, so whatever I do, he wouldn¡¯t mind and would even support me.

    He even personally provided ¡®dessert¡¯ when I spent my first night with Cecily, so there¡¯s no need for further exnation.

    <i>Knock knock knock</i>

    [Isaac, it¡¯s me. Can Ie in?]

    While Marie and I were changing intofortable clothes, a familiar voice came from outside the door.

    It wasn¡¯t Rina¡¯s but Cecily¡¯s voice. The women, including me, looked at the door in surprise upon hearing her voice.

    Why was she here when she should be busy after the speech? Did she have something to say?

    Though I was puzzled, I gestured to Adelia to open the door. Adelia promptly walked to the door with disciplined steps.

    <i>Click</i>

    As soon as the door opened, Cecily appeared in the same outfit she wore during the speech. Since Gartz was not with her, it seemed she came alone.

    There was no fear of being discovered. She probably used invisibility magic or teleportation to get here.

    Cecily thanked Adelia for opening the door and slowly approached us.

    She had a happy smile on her face and walked with very light steps.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    When Cecily stood in front of Marie and me, I asked with a curious tone. Adelia stood by the door, observing the situation.

    Cecily, still smiling, looked back and forth between Marie and me before opening her red lips.

    ¡°Were you surprised by the speech? You must have been quite shocked. I said those things without consulting you.¡±

    ¡°Of course I was surprised. Saying you¡¯re Xenon¡¯s woman, don¡¯t you think that was a bit much, even for you?¡±

    As soon as Cecily brought up the expected topic, Marie crossed her arms and responded curtly, as if she had been waiting for this moment. I felt simrly but remained silent, staring at Cecily.

    Cecily looked at the two of us with a deep gaze, then bowed her head low, a clear sign of an apology.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    ¡°I admit that I acted out of selfishness. I didn¡¯t consult you because I didn¡¯t want to reveal my own ugly desires.¡±

    ¡°Ugly desires?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Then, Cecily straightened up and gave a bitter smile, one starkly different from the happy one she had worn earlier¡ªa sad smile.

    ¡°At first nce, it seems like it wouldn¡¯t harm Isaac, but that¡¯s just a possibility. There will be people trying to dig into my past, avoiding Helium¡¯s eyes. That could endanger Isaac.¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    ¡°So I said those things and even transformed into a devil to ensure the focus remained solely on me.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because if I had consulted Isaac, he would have undoubtedly told me not to worry about it.¡±

    Cecily knows me so well. Indeed, had she discussed it with me, I would likely have given my approval without hesitation.

    Perhaps it¡¯s a sense of guilt. Maybe she feels like she¡¯s only been taking from me and giving nothing in return.

    As much as she knows me, I know her. Her devotion to me has always been strong.

    ¡°And by gaining the devilization ability, I came to understand my true desires. The ugly desires I mentioned earlier.¡±

    ¡°Desires?¡±

    ¡°Yes. To push Marie away and stand by Isaac¡¯s side. Though it was my inner devil whispering to me, in reality, it was my repressed desire.¡±

    Hearing this, my eyes widened slightly, but at the same time, I understood.

    As I grew closer to Cecily, I sensed her jealousy towards Marie.

    She had joked about wanting to bear my child first, about the struggle for the primary wife¡¯s position never ending.

    Though she had said these things in jest, there was undoubtedly some truth in them she wasn¡¯t aware of.

    Facing her true feelings while subduing her inner devil must have made her feel disgusted with herself.

    She was allowed to stay by my side because of my choice and Marie¡¯s mercy, yet she harbored ungrateful and selfish thoughts.

    Not discussing it with me and dropping such a bombshell was likely an attempt to distance herself from me to some extent.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I told you. Because now that I¡¯ve faced my true feelings, I no longer¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, please. Stop saying such nonsense.¡±

    As Cecily seemed ready to make another bombshell statement, Marie interrupted her, full of irritation. I turned my gaze to see Marie¡¯s face, filled with dissatisfaction.

    Cecily, startled by the interruption, looked at Marie with her wide, red eyes.

    ¡°You¡¯re not seriously suggesting, after everything we¡¯ve been through, that you¡¯re going to leave because of that, are you?¡±

    ¡°Well, kind of, but¡­ Marie, I wanted to push you away and¡­¡±

    ¡°Ugh, this is frustrating. You should have said it like this during your speech! ¡®My inner devil whispered to me, but that was my true feeling. The courage to face that truth¡­¡¯¡±

    Marie mimicked Cecily¡¯s speech tone, delivering an exaggerated, humorous rendition. She continued without pause, clearly frustrated. As her impromptu speech ended, she turned to Cecily and asked,

    ¡°Are you saying you¡¯re going to stay away from Isaac?¡±

    ¡°I have to. If someone sees me sticking close to Isaac¡­¡±

    ¡°Huff¡­ Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t ept Cecily without considering this, did you?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    This is where Marie¡¯s dignity as the main wife shines through. I answered without any hesitation.

    In the future, Cecily won¡¯t be able to stay close to me because of political reasons. If anyone sees us together, they will definitely be suspicious.

    When distance grows, hearts naturally grow apart. Even though she¡¯s acquired demonization, she won¡¯t turn into a demon from the pain of heartbreak.

    From Cecily¡¯s perspective, watching me from afar seemed like the best option. But from Marie¡¯s and my perspective, it¡¯s incredibly foolish.

    ¡°Noona.¡±

    ¡°Y-yes?¡±

    ¡°You were nning to stay away from me just because of that?¡±

    I made it clear, word by word, that I had no intention of letting her go.

    I¡¯m willing to face any political attack or challenge. It¡¯s my fault for not realizing her feelings sooner.

    Moreover, even if it¡¯s selfish, Cecily wants to be by my side. This is her undeniable truth.

    ¡°I can never let you go. If you leave, I wille to you. Understand?¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    As I dered this with firm determination, Cecily¡¯s red eyes began to fill with tears.

    Given that Cecily had only recently acquired her devilization powers, she was currently very emotionally unstable. This likely drove her to make such choices and confess to us.

    Though her rational mind insisted she should leave my side, she truly wanted to stay close. These conflicting desires had left her deeply confused.

    ¡°Sniff¡­¡±

    Finally, Cecily started to cry. Without saying a word, I embraced her small shoulders and gently patted her back.

    As Iforted her, she clung to me tightly, as if she never wanted to let go.

    Her horns pricked my chest, causing a slight sting, but mentioning it now would only spoil the moment.

    ¡°Sigh. A princess crying like this.¡±

    Marie remarked, looking at the back of Cecily¡¯s head with an exasperated expression.

    When our eyes met, Marie shrugged her shoulders, disying her characteristic nonchnce.

    Then, she leaned close to Cecily¡¯s ear and, to lighten the mood, made a yful remark.

    ¡°So don¡¯t even think about taking the main wife¡¯s position, okay? And I¡¯ll be the first to have Isaac¡¯s child, got it?¡±

    Cecily immediately responded.

    ¡°N-no way¡­¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ be first¡­¡±

    Her sobbing made her words hard to understand, but being close, I caught them.

    Marie¡¯s reaction was¡­

    ¡°You little¡­!¡±

    She was incredulous.

    Thus, this situation, which strengthened our bond with Cecily, came to an end.

    [The Queen of Alvenheim. If Helium¡¯s princess is the model for Lilith, then Elisha¡¯s model is herself.]

    Another bombshell revtion came from an unexpected source.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 286: Impersonation (1)

    Chapter 286: Impersonation (1)

    After Cecily¡¯s speech, there was one concern that everyone had. It¡¯s easy to talk, but who can easily ovee the evil within themselves?

    People call the demons a cursed race because they cannot ovee this inner evil. So is that really possible?

    In fact, all of the above statements are true. Even Cecily, who is set to be the next Demon King, dedicated three days to subdue her inner evil.

    As a result, the training ground, which was designed to be sturdy, was almost half-destroyed, and in fully epting it, her desires were also satisfied.

    Conquering the inner evil is thus very exhausting and dangerous, but it is worth reconsidering.

    First, let¡¯s take a closer look at the inner evil. Inner evil is something that demons harbor deep within their hearts from the moment they are born, akin to the remnants of devils.

    When demons experience intense emotional changes, the inner evil amplifies and they turn into devils. This principle is widely known today.

    This is an undeniable fact, but it is important to note that actual cases of demons turning into devils are extremely rare.

    Is it possible for someone to transform into a devil just from being annoyed or having a verbal argument? If that were the case, Helium would have already copsed or turned into a den of devils.Moreover, over generations, thanks to the divine power of Mora, the phenomenon of inner evil constantly tormenting demons has almost disappeared.

    Therefore, unless they experience a truly horrific tragedy, such as losing a family member or a loved one right before their eyes, they do not turn into devils.

    This means that the premise of forcibly drawing out and subduing the inner evil is hardly tenable.

    While it is possible to directly feel the inner evil stirring during a demonic cycle, amplifying it is extremely challenging.

    As Mora mentioned, inner evil can only be directly confronted if one can look into their own mind, their own heart.

    Naturally, achieving this state requires meditation, the virtue of ¡®temperance¡¯ that has been upheld until now, and a long period of time.

    Adolescent demons, those entering the little devil phase, made a fuss about conquering their inner evil without knowing anything, but it was meaningless.

    Inner evil has been diluted by Mora¡¯s divine power for centuries, so you can¡¯t even confront it with such a mere mindset, only intense emotional changes hold the key.

    Of course, even so, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that parents¡¯ difficulty in raising their children remains high. Also, I realized that Cecily¡¯s feelings for me were much stronger than I had anticipated.

    Anyway, Cecily¡¯s speech was a form of strengthening unity, giving demons the hope that ¡°they can do it.¡±

    The demons, who were already very united, became even stronger and gained confidence that they, too, could seed.

    It might turn into extreme behavior or superiorityplex like some party in a past life, but currently, the demons are closer to confidence than arrogance, so it¡¯s not an immediate concern.

    <i>¡®But why did Arwen say that?¡¯</i>

    The day after Cecily¡¯s speech. After returning to the academy with Helium¡¯s help, I repeatedly mulled over Arwen¡¯s words that were in the newspaper.

    She said that if Cecily is the motif for Lilith, then herself is the motif for Elysia.

    As everyone knows, Elysia is the queen of elves in Xenon¡¯s Biography and the lover of Kair.

    She is constantly restrained by the council and eventually suffers a mental breakdown without even properly confessing to her beloved human man, Kair.

    If we look closely, it¡¯s not wrong to say she was the motif. The council was based on the elder council, and I depicted Elysia based on what I heard from people around me.

    Moreover, in Xenon¡¯s Biography, a racial war broke out and even dark elves were exiled.

    Since the novel is based on reality, it¡¯s not entirely nonsense to say it was based on a motif.

    However, the story itself, as well as the characters or organizations, came from my imagination.

    It¡¯s ambiguous whether to say it was based on a motif or not.

    <i>¡®Should I take it as a form of restraint?¡¯</i>

    Currently, Helium¡¯s stock is skyrocketing day by day. The perception of Helium had already been improving, and Cecily¡¯s speech added wings to it.

    From the elves¡¯ perspective, it makes sense to make such remarks to check the demons, who are now their equals.

    Moreover, it¡¯s awkward to write a letter iming she lied because it¡¯s an undeniable fact that she served as motifs, and Arwen has rational feelings for me.

    Furthermore, there are plenty of elements for Arwen to misunderstand. First, she mistakenly believes I came from another, simr world, but without heroes like in Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    In such a world, a character and story based on herself appear? In this era I live in, rather than on Earth, she would firmly believe it.

    Even during the manuscript theft incident and the mixed-race crisis, I showed her goodwill. There are many reasons for her to be mistaken.

    <i>¡®If that¡¯s the case, shouldn¡¯t she also know who Kair is?¡¯</i>

    Cecily and Arwen. Though both women differ from birth to upbringing, they share amon trait.

    They not only project themselves onto the characters in the book but also consider it a predetermined future event.

    If that¡¯s the case, it would be natural to find their respective lovers, but while Arwen might not know, Cecily believes it to be me.

    Perhaps Arwen, considering her behavior so far, might also think of me as Kair.

    However, unlike Lilith, whose past is vaguely revealed, Elysia shared a past with Kair.

    Especially since Kair, despite losing due to the ¡®weakened strong¡¯ clich¨¦, possessed top-level martial skills even by the standards of Xenon¡¯s Biography¡¯s world.

    But what about me? Even though I have divine power, I¡¯m just a human with a disgustingly strong physical body.

    Although my physical talents inherited from my father are finally showing, I have never properly learned martial arts, so I can¡¯t utilize them.

    <i>¡®Still, it would be useful for propaganda.¡¯</i>

    This world¡¯s social culture is close to the medieval era, but seeing newspapers published daily, it possesses a culture beyond the Renaissance.

    As I mentioned several times, if sessful propaganda is achieved thanks to this unbnced civilization by my standards, the nation¡¯s unity will be further strengthened.

    Especially if it is deeply associated with Xenon¡¯s Biography, which is revered as a holy scripture, the effect will be doubly powerful.

    <i>¡®Though I don¡¯t mind being used politically now¡­¡¯</i>

    I thought so as I opened the newspaper. As soon as I opened it, heated debates on various topics were ongoing.

    A few months ago, I was reluctant to let Xenon¡¯s Biography be used politically, but now it didn¡¯t bother me at all.

    Even I was currently writing letters for the Xenon Exhibition and our territory¡¯s sake, so it would be hypocritical to hesitate.

    [The number of Mora Church devotees is increasing day by day.]

    [Due to the potential of Helium and the existence of the fallen cardinal in Xavier¡­]

    [Luminous gives warriors vitality, and Mora offers them rest.]

    [For those who have experienced terrible trauma, believing in Mora¡­]

    Especially, Helium has gained far more than expected through this recent speech. The most significant factor is ¡®religion,¡¯ beyond just the racial aspects.

    Helium has made Mora its state religion, and like Xavier, most of its citizens are devoted to Mora.

    From Xavier¡¯s perspective, they should keep Helium, which corresponds to them, in check, but the situation isn¡¯t favorable.

    A few months ago, it was revealed that a corrupted cardinal actually existed, leading to a significant increase in clergy questioning Xavier.

    Until now, Mora, as a god of darkness opposing the light and worshiped by demons, was shunned by humans, but that is no longer the case.

    As seen in the newspaper, the number of humans beginning to believe in Mora is gradually increasing.

    There is now in this world that mandates belief in a specific religion, so it¡¯s possible to believe in both Luminous and Mora simultaneously.

    Especially, there are rumors spreading that Mora¡¯s divine power is beneficial for soldiers or warriors suffering from PTSD, like my father.

    <i>¡®Is it like receiving Luminous¡¯s blessing when going into battle and Mora¡¯s blessing when suffering mentally?¡¯</i>

    Anyway, with a significant number of humans starting to show faith in Mora, the influence will grow.

    Perhaps, in the distant future, ideological conflicts called ¡®religious wars¡¯ might arise, but Alvenheim won¡¯t stand idly by.

    Alvenheim experienced the pain of the Dark Elves, who had the same roots, breaking away due to their own mistakes.

    Really, Cecily¡¯s speech has triggered a rapid change in the world. What was I doing in the meantime? What else but writing.

    Just because the world changes doesn¡¯t mean my work changes. While writing the 22nd volume of Xenon¡¯s Biography, I¡¯m also writing letters to clear up misunderstandings.

    Fortunately, the current world is more focused on theplex political situation than on Xenon.

    Sometimes there are articles iming that all these events are influenced by Xenon¡¯s Biography, but I¡¯ve seen them so often that they no longer affect me.

    <i>¡®The only thing I¡¯m worried about is Hiriya¡­¡¯</i>

    While looking at the newspaper, I thought of Adelia, who returned to the academy as a guard knight instead of a personal maid.

    Originally, she could have returned with the authority of a personal maid, but a personal maid must always assist the person they serve.

    This is not a right but a ¡®duty¡¯ designated by the Empire, so I cannot refuse. Moreover, Marie would be very ufortable with me sharing a room with Adelia.

    So now she has returned as a guard knight and is living a life no different from before.

    <i>¡®So far, there hasn¡¯t been any significant movement.¡¯</i>

    I vividly remember Hiriya¡¯s gaze piercing through me during the speech. It was clearly a knowing look.

    It¡¯s frustrating because I¡¯m confused about what she realized. Given her personality, I thought she would ask directly, but there have been no signs of that.

    For now, I¡¯m managing to avoid her, but if she bes certain, she will approach me.

    She might even target Adelia instead of me, to try to fuck over us both.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s just write volume 22 for now.¡¯</i>

    I tossed the newspaper aside and walked over to my desk. On the desk was the typewriter that Gartz had helped move beforehand.

    Thanks to Adelia¡¯s assistance during the break, I could focus and take breaks every hour.

    If I stretched and loosened my body during each break, my work speed increased even more.

    Even now, having returned to the academy and not long into writing the 22nd volume, I¡¯ve already reached a quarter of the pages.

    ¡®The Battle of Envy seems to be going on for quite a while.¡¯

    Originally, the character of Envy was a petty viin, but after Adelia¡¯s permission, it evolved into a more three-dimensional antagonist.

    An anti-thesis to the protagonist, Xenon, with a past that anyone could sympathize with.

    Above all, the character embodies the sin of ¡°Envy¡± perfectly, with a bitter roar directed at the world and Xenon. All these elementse together to create an excellent character.

    <i>¡®At this rate, Envy could be the true protagonist of this arc.¡¯</i>

    It seemed like a pretty good twist. The clich¨¦ of the final boss bing the true protagonist has been shown before through Sakran.

    Readers might vaguely realize that Envy is the true protagonist when they see his end.

    It would be perfect to include a representative quote for Envy. In my past life, there¡¯s a character who fits Envy¡¯s persona well.

    He lost everything, including his family, to the gods, and in his burning quest for revenge, he ends up ughtering the gods¡ªan enraged god-yer.

    [Behold! Wilhelm! And Kesta! Your family has returned! I will turn this kingdom to ashes!]

    This was Envy¡¯s first roar, delivered in a heated voice, after usually showing no emotional changes.

    Envy¡¯s hatred towards his kin is far stronger than Satan¡¯s. He would go so far as to destroy the world to kill his family.

    At first nce, this might seem more fitting for ¡°wrath¡± than ¡°Envy.¡± Readers will likely think the same.

    Handling this well will once again prove my capability. It also means that the character of Envy is three-dimensional.

    <i>¡®If Hiriya approaches me after the release of volume 22¡­¡¯</i>

    She would havepletely decided that I am Xenon. She is currently in the stage of suspicion, but once volume 22 is released, she will be certain.

    I have no idea what will happen after that, but as Mora told me. I will face a critical choice.

    No matter what choice I make, it will be a difficult path. I need to prepare for it from now on.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s about time¡­¡¯</i>

    It¡¯s time to reveal it. I chuckled as I typed.

    <i>¡®For now, let¡¯s just watch the chaotic situation unfold.¡¯</i>

    There¡¯s a saying: watching a fire across the river is the most enjoyable sight.

    Furthermore, I, Xenon, am currently in the eye of the storm. The surroundings are in chaos, but I alone remain calm.

    <i>¡®What kind of news wille out next?¡¯</i>

    Such thoughts crossed my mind for a few days.

    [Breaking News! A human man iming to be the real-life inspiration for Kair has appeared in Alvenheim¡­!]

    The world is vast.

    [Adventurers and mercenaries renowned by name are calling themselves Kair¡­]

    [They are currently courting Alvenheim¡¯s queen, Arwen.]

    [Not just one, but several have appeared, bing a new headache for Alvenheim¡­]

    [Could one of them truly be Kair?]

    Once again, I realized just how many crazy people there are out there.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 287: Impersonation (2)

    Chapter 287: Impersonation (2)

    The world is vast, and there are many crazy people. It¡¯s the same wherever people live. Therefore, even in this world I live in, there are many crazy people.

    It might sound like a ridiculous syllogism, but it¡¯s a logic that actually holds true. There are all sorts of madmen in the world.

    Especially in this world,pared to Earth, you often witness people engaging in bizarre behaviors. The security in ces like the Michelle territory and Halo Academy is quite good, so you don¡¯t see it often, but if you go to a blind spot, you¡¯ll understand what I mean. Theft and pickpocketing aremon, and violent incidents in taverns ur almost daily, with asional murders.

    Unlike in my previous life, this world is a fantasy world, meaning unique powers like mana exist. Not everyone can wield mana, but those who can have much more power than ordinary people. Fortunately, it¡¯s almost impossible to wield such power recklessly in the face of the grand order of w,¡¯ but given the nature of this society, many such acts are overlooked.

    People who have made a name for themselves, especially adventurers or mercenaries, often have terrible personalities. You might ask what the difference is between an adventurer and a mercenary. An adventurer is not affiliated with a guild, while a mercenary is part of a mercenary guild. To put it simply, an adventurer is a frencer, whereas a mercenary is literally a mercenary.

    Adventurers have more freedom since they are frencers, but they earn less than mercenaries for the same job. This is because a mercenary¡¯s aplishments are recorded if theyplete a task, but an adventurer¡¯s skills are judged based only on rumors, which makes their reliability lower.

    However, even this is a matter of personal preference. For both adventurers and mercenaries, theirbat skills, experience, and the knowledge they possess are crucial.

    Even in a world without the inte, rumors rted to these professions spread quickly. Even if bad rumors circte, most people won¡¯t avoid them if they still do their job well.

    The job performance is what matters. Even if their personality is terrible, as long as theyplete the task, the client is satisfied.Especially in a society not as developed as my previous life, except for the upper ss, there are quite a few peoplecking moral integrity.

    So, even if bad rumors spread,pleting a request sessfully will naturally elevate their honor. Particrly, if they are given a ¡®title,¡¯ their honor soars.

    Just like my father is called the ¡®Red Lion¡¯ and Kate is known as the ¡®Blue me,¡¯ there are many titles going around.

    At least titles like my father¡¯s and Kate¡¯s sound cool, but if you dig a bit deeper, there are plenty of bizarre nicknames. I¡¯d mention some, but there are too many, so let¡¯s move on.

    These titles clearly showcase a person¡¯s reputation, so those who have them consider it an honor.

    In any case, these factorsbined have given adventurers, especially mercenaries, a reputation for being reliable but not people you¡¯d want to get close to.

    Did someonemit a bizarre act that seems like a lie? It might be a hasty generalization, but it¡¯s usually a mercenary who did it.

    [Currently, the number of people in Alvenheim iming to be the inspiration for Kair and engaging in disputes and violence is increasing¡­]

    [Among them are the Blue Ghost, the Hyena, and the Phantom of Mesos. Notable adventurers and mercenaries are included.]

    Just like the recent news I heard. People iming to be the inspiration for Kair, crossing over to Alvenheim, and seeking out Arwen.

    As everyone knows, Elysia¡¯s lover in Xenon¡¯s Biography is the human male Kair. Their love story between a human and an elf, ending in tragedy, is as popr as the main storyline.

    Their story is so popr that it was even made into a movie by the Matrics Theatre Troupe.

    Given that Arwen dered herself the inspiration for Elysia, it was only natural for people to wonder if there might be a human man who could be the inspiration for Kair.

    Cecily¡¯s disy of her devil transformation had already opened up the ¡®possibility,¡¯ and Arwen stamped it with a resounding seal of approval.

    The problem is that while the lover of the character modeled after Cecily, Lilith, remains unknown, Elysia¡¯s lover, Kair, is well-defined.

    People¡¯s logic is probably: rather than choosing someone whose whereabouts are uncertain, pick someone more definite. That¡¯s the thinking of the crazies in the news.

    <i>¡®With the invention of the mana engine¡­¡¯</i>

    Imposters¡ªit¡¯s an ambiguous term, but let¡¯s call them that. The reason these imposters have been so vocal is not just about being motifs butrgely due to the existence of the mana engine.

    The difference between something that exists and something vaguely imed as a motif is clear. While cases like Cecily and Arwen are uncertain, the mana engine exists.

    With the mana engine, which everyone thought impossible, bing a reality, Cecily and Arwen dering themselves as the inspirations for characters was also readily believed.

    If this were Earth, it could be analyzed scientifically, but here, there¡¯s no such thing. People just go, ¡°Oh? Really?¡± and believe it outright.

    Because of this, some imposters might genuinely believe they are Kair. In fact, most of them probably do.

    What kind of crazy person would loudly im to be the lover of the Elf Queen just to gain some recognition? Even scammers know how to cover their tracks, but these imposters are sincere.

    ¡°There used to be someone who pretended to be Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Such a crazy fucker existed?¡±

    We gathered at a cafe to discuss the current situation. When Marie mentioned an old incident, Cecily¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.

    Cecily, who usually speaks so gracefully, was shocked enough to utter harsh words without hesitation.

    Meanwhile, Rina, who knew about the incident, sipped her tea calmly.

    Adelia also sat quietly, listening with an intrigued expression.

    ¡°Yes. About a year ago, there was a guy who went around pretending to be Xenon. Boldly, he even came to our family to ask for support. We quickly realized and punished him.¡±

    ¡°A year ago¡­ that was well before the World Tree root contamination.¡±

    ¡°Yes. If he had impersonated now instead of then, he would have been dragged away for sphemy.¡±

    ¡°Dragged away? He would have deserved divine punishment.¡±

    Listening to Marie and Cecily¡¯s conversation, I wanted to say something but held back. It genuinely seemed like that could happen.

    If someone impersonated me, Cecily might personally take care of it.

    Of course, themon folk might deal with the imposter before she even gives the order. The gods might not turn a blind eye either.

    I weakly smiled and turned my head away from their conversation. On the other side, Rina was elegantly sipping her tea without saying a word.

    I was curious about what Rina thought of the current situation, just as much as Cecily.

    ¡°Rina.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°What do you think about the current situation?¡±

    <i>Clink¡ª</i>

    As soon as the question left my mouth, Rina set down her teacup. Simultaneously, everyone¡¯s gaze shifted towards her.

    Lina seemed to think for a moment, lightly tapping her cheek with her fingers before smiling and speaking.

    ¡°It seems like an amusing situation.¡±

    ¡°You think so too?¡±

    As soon as Rina spoke, Cecily nodded in agreement.

    Indeed, from the perspective of an outsider, it is a funny situation.

    Alvenheim made the announcement to keep Helium and Cecily in check, but instead, unexpected imposters have swarmed in.

    For Alvenheim and Arwen, it¡¯s as if numerous leeches havetched on.

    Trying to get rid of them seems difficult, and epting them would only cause more trouble, especially from those with poor reputations.

    ¡°It will be hard to shake them off easily. Even imposters have some sense, they wouldn¡¯t shout that they are the inspiration for Kair without reason.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it difficult because of their appearance?¡±

    ¡°Have you everpared the appearance of Elysia in Xenon¡¯s Biography to Queen Arwen?¡±

    Marie blinked as she looked up, then nodded in understanding after a moment.

    Even if she epted it, Elysia and Arwen¡¯s appearances are just too different.

    Elysia, unlike Arwen, is a pure-blooded elf ording to the setting, which makes her superior not only in height but also in physique.

    On the other hand, Arwen only has a great body (especially her hips) and is not tall at all, not even slightly above average. Rather, she is slightly shorter than average.

    Unlike Arwen, who looks like a cute girl, Elysia is mature and intellectual. There is a difference even in their appearances.

    Nevertheless, the reason Arwen can say she was the inspiration for Elysia is because their situations were very simr.

    ¡°Because of that, some adventurers or mercenaries who seem to be a bit strong visited. As you heard, they are people with at least a high rank.¡±

    ¡°Are those people as strong as my father?¡±

    Since they are said to be of high rank, I wonder how strong they are. Roughly speaking, since they are among the top ten, they should be as strong as my father.

    However, as soon as Rina heard my question, she looked at me with a face as if she heard something crazy, squinting one eye.

    That reaction wasn¡¯t just from Rina but also from Marie and Adelia. They all had expressions asking if I was serious.

    Cecily, who doesn¡¯t know much about my father, just stared nkly.

    ¡°Hoo¡­ Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Even with the help of the army, your father is the first ¡®human¡¯ in the history of the Minerva Empire to y a dragon alone. Do you understand what I mean?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Honestly, I don¡¯t really understand. It seems like dragons in this world are more than just disasters, unlike those in media who are frequently exterminated.

    Then just how strong is my father? While I was deep in thought, Marie helped me out.

    ¡°Rina is right. Father-inw is more fitting as an inspiration for Kair than those who boast in Alvenheim now. If father-inw were an adventurer or mercenary, his credibility would have increased even more.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying there are no adventurers or mercenaries as strong as father?¡±

    ¡°If there were, the country would have moved to recruit them. They are as powerful as the elfmander. Also, the ages of the impersonators range from their 20s to 50s. They firmly believe that their future selves will be as strong as Kair. With acent thought of ¡®maybe it¡¯s me?¡¯.¡±

    Arrogance and delusionbined to produce numerous impersonators. Confidence can be a good driving force to improve skills, but arrogance has the opposite effect.

    The impersonators currently have a baseless belief in their abilities, along with delusion.

    I can vividly see Arwen holding her head and feeling dizzy. I wonder how she will react.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Will you help?¡±

    As I was anticipating Arwen¡¯s reaction, Cecily asked me in a subtle voice. The gaze of the others also turned to me.

    While enduring the various gazes, I pondered how to answer Cecily¡¯s question.

    To be honest, there¡¯s almost nothing I can do to help. If anything, I could write a letter.

    A single letter could resolve everything, but it would cause issues with the aftermath. If Kair is fake, people might also question if Elysia and Lilith are fake.

    Moreover, always helping out like this wouldn¡¯t be good for Arwen. She is already known for her connection with Xenon.

    If I were to write a letter, there¡¯s a high possibility that they would say I lied for Arwen¡¯s sake, which is ridiculous.

    More importantly, Arwen would feel sorry for bothering me every time and it could have a negative impact on her growth.

    ¡°We have to watch and wait for now. I can¡¯t always help.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve thought it through. It¡¯s a bit of a tricky issue, so it¡¯s better to wait until Alvenheim makes a move.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take note of that.¡±

    Three days passed after Rina¡¯s words.

    [Alvenheim, Queen Arwen is a gift for the saint, Xenon. Do not even think of taking her away.]

    Alvenheim made a bold move.

    ¡°What will you do now?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Alvenheim says they¡¯re giving Queen Arwen as a gift.¡±

    In response to my question, Rina spoke with a trembling voice.

    ¡°¡­This isn¡¯t just the queen¡¯s personal statement, right? It¡¯s the stance of the entire nation? Including the people?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It says ¡®from all the people of Alvenheim¡¯.¡±

    ¡°¡­Are they collectively insane?¡±

    They were intoxicated by elf-stylemunism.<hr>

    Trantors note:

    Yesterday¡¯s chapter, my bad

 Chapter 288: Impersonation (3)

    Chapter 288: Impersonation (3)

    ¡°Haaa¡­¡±

    While Isaac and hispanions were still bewildered by the elf-stylemunism, Arwen, the queen of Alvenheim and the person at the center of the incident, let out a frustrated sigh at the unresolved situation.

    Having finished a meeting with her advisors, where they coordinated their opinions, she was now alone in her office, with no one to witness her powerless reaction.

    When sitting on the throne, she had to present a strict and dignified image, so this was one of the few times she could show her vulnerable side.

    One was when she was alone like now, and the other was when she was with Isaac.

    More precisely, this was her true nature. She had never shown her true self even in front of her dark elf bodyguard, Siris.

    Isaac was someone Arwen feltfortable dealing with, allowing her to express herself not as a queen but as her true self.

    <i>¡®How did things end up like this¡­¡¯</i>

    Currently, she was troubled by the recent incident in Alvenheim, the Kair impersonation incident.If Cecily¡¯s inspiration was Lilith, then Elisha¡¯s inspiration was herself. This statement contained both the intention to check the rapidly growing Helium and her own personal interest.

    From the queen¡¯s standpoint, the growth of Helium had to be slowed down somehow. Otherwise, it would remain Alvenheim¡¯s most dangerous rival.

    Originally, she had underestimated Helium, but after experiencing their cultural prowess showcased at the exhibition, her thoughts changed.

    If things continued as they were, Helium would experience a terrifying growth rate and rise to be a superpowerparable to Alvenheim.

    History has proven what results can ur when people unite with their leader¡¯s intentions. During the race war, humans did so, while Alvenheim was busy with internal divisions. Despite the benefits, just having the people believe in their leader is a difficult task.

    <i>¡®This is a public matter, so it can¡¯t be helped.¡¯</i>

    She wasn¡¯tforting herself but clearly distinguishing between public and private matters. Though she heldpassion for the demon race, who were cursed from birth, Arwen was a wise leader.

    Even if the demon race is pitiable, one must still be cautious where caution is due.

    Despite the hups after the race wars, Alvenheim has secured its position as a powerful hegemonic nation.

    Moreover, they have ousted the stagnant elders, who were so obsolete they were practically turning into fossil fuel, and are now experiencing a growth spurt.

    ¡°Do these fuckers think Kair is someone to be taken lightly?¡±

    Being alone in her office, Arwen did not hesitate to speak harshly. Her delicate brows furrowed in displeasure.

    Thinking about the events that have transpired in less than two years, and now this current incident, she felt a surge of irritation.

    Although her statement was politically and personally motivated, she never imagined it would result in this.

    Not just one, but dozens of people, adventurers, or mercenaries with notable reputations in human society, flocked in.

    Not only do they insist that they are the real Kair, but they also frequently brawl at every opportunity, making it a headache.

    <i>¡®This is an insult to Kair.¡¯</i>

    The tragic romance between Elisha and Kair is one of Arwen¡¯s favorite stories.

    As an elf queen and a half-blood herself, she could deeply empathize with it.

    In Xenon¡¯s Biography, Kair is a gentleman, kind, and considerate.

    A pure-hearted man who looked at only one woman until his dying breath, with a somewhat quirky personality but overall an exemry human being.

    Comparing him to the trash outside iming to be Kair is an insult.

    <i>¡®At least no one is iming to be Xenon.¡¯</i>

    If they did, Xavier himself would have personally intervened. If it were false, they would be dragged away for sphemy.

    Arwen wished divine punishment upon those iming to be Kair, but it was a bitplicated.

    The mindset of those iming to be Kair was the problem. They truly believed themselves to be Kair.

    Of course, their intentions were filled with impurity. Unable to contain her curiosity, she once approached them in disguise.

    Even when they were staging protests or fighting amongst themselves on the streets, it was bearable. I just thought, how little do these idiots have to do to resort to such antics? But things changed after the evening.

    To be sure, I had Siris tail them, and it turned out they were spouting all sorts of obscene talk, with most of them looking for a quick score.

    As soon as I heard that, I wanted to banish them all out of sheer rage, but politicalplications made it difficult.

    <i>¡®Fortunately, the people took care of it themselves.¡¯</i>

    Arwen¡¯s seething anger subsided as she recalled how her people had taken matters into their own hands, bringing a serene expression to her face.

    The impersonators of Kair had crossed the line multiple times, earning the ire of the citizens of Alvenheim.

    More importantly, the elves had decided to send Arwen to Xenon as a gift to avoid being outdone by the demon race.

    Because the citizens of Alvenheim, not Arwen herself, had expressed this stance, the impersonators were now hesitant.

    <i>¡®Isaac must have been¡­ a bit flustered, right?¡¯</i>

    The announcement dering that Arwen was a gift for Xenon and warning others not to take her had stirred the world, but Arwen was satisfied.

    She had always nned to make such an announcement, and the impersonators had provided the perfect opportunity.

    Moreover, it wasn¡¯t Arwen but the people of Alvenheim who had made the statement, making it all the more meaningful.

    <i>¡®Anyway, Kair isn¡¯t those fools but Isaac.¡¯</i>

    Arwen was under a significant misconception, but considering her situation, it was an understandable one.

    Despite the major mistakes she had made, Isaac had shown kindness to Arwen and even resolved the mixed-race issue.

    He had even given Rain a suspended sentence instead of a real punishment during the manuscript theft incident.

    Isaac might be a thoughtful and kind person, but I realized something after the not-quite-battle with Cecilyst time.

    Isaac came to this world from another one, and the world he lived in is simr to the one described in Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    To be precise, it¡¯s an alternate form of this world that ceased to exist, a ¡®future¡¯ that vanished.

    <i>¡®I understand now why he deniesing back from the future without hesitation. It¡¯s not a lie.¡¯</i>

    At first, I thought there was a ¡®restriction¡¯ preventing him from speaking. But in retrospect, Isaac never lied.

    To exin this, we need to delve deeply into the truth that even gods find difficult to handle: ¡®time.¡¯

    Let¡¯s say someone came back from the future to the past. Then, they start changing things one by one in the past, which has now be the ¡®present.¡¯

    Can we still call the future they came from the future? A future that has already changed too much?

    It was a once-famous theory, but it was buried due to itsplexity and the fear that it might challenge the ce of gods.

    Not an artificially erased theory like the Dark Elf expulsion incident or forbidden magic ¡®fusion¡¯, but one tooplex and fearsome even for elves, thus abandoned.

    But if we apply this theory to Isaac, it fits astonishingly well.

    Of course, for him, it is the future, but he used the above theory to cleverly avoid the truth. Even the gods would take his side.

    In other words, Isaac is a returnee who has experienced all the incidents and idents in Xenon¡¯s Biography and came back.

    After much logical deduction, Arwen reached this conclusion. If Isaac heard it, he¡¯d probably think she was writing a soap opera by herself.

    <i>¡®The future has changed quite a lot, though¡­¡¯</i>

    Arwen recalled the women by Isaac¡¯s side. Women who are in no way inferior to her and even surpass her in some aspects.

    She wanted to abandon her duties in Alvenheim and run to Isaac, but her work was too taxing.

    Elisha in the book must have felt simrly. However, unlike her, Arwen would never experience a tragedy.

    The Council of Elders, who constantly kept her in check, had exited the stage of history, and the people were actively urging her to marry.

    Everything was perfect. The only thing left was to expel the greedy impersonators.

    After that, she could go to Isaac, exin the situation, and use the excuse of ¡®I had no choice¡¯ to embrace him.

    Thinking about embracing him made her blush, but no one could stop her from letting her imagination run wild.

    <i>Knock knock knock</i>

    [Your Majesty. It¡¯s Keir. May Ie in?]

    That person just appeared.

    Arwen quicklyposed herself as Keir, recently appointed as a bodyguard, knocked on the door.

    She couldn¡¯t show this unsightly appearance to anyone except Isaac. So she shook her head quickly.

    ¡°Ahem. Come in.¡±

    Arwen cleared her throat and granted entry.

    As soon as she gave permission, Keir carefully opened the door and entered.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°I have urgent news to report.¡±

    ¡°Are those people causing trouble again?¡±

    Arwen¡¯s beautiful face crumpled in displeasure. Since the impersonators had arrived in Alvenheim, there hadn¡¯t been a single day of peace.

    Not only were the impersonators deluded, but they also coveted Arwen¡¯s status and appearance.

    Having revealed herself once, their obsession grew stronger, leading to frequent conflicts with the people of Alvenheim.

    ¡°They should know by now. Not only did I, but also the people like you dered with one heart and one mind that I, Arwen Elydia, am a gift for Xenon.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I understand. I agree as well. But the problem is¡­¡±

    Keir hesitated, unsure whether to continue, then sighed deeply.

    He gave a bitter smile, as if dealing with a headache, and looked at Arwen before speaking.

    ¡°It¡¯s not those guys, but another one who has crossed the line.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Again, the world is vast.

    ¡°Now, it¡¯s not someone iming to be Kair, but someone calling themselves Xenon.¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    There are more crazy people than expected.

    Arwen¡¯s silver-gray eyes widened, then blinked in disbelief at Keir¡¯s report.

    Pretending to be Xenon instead of Kair was truly crossing the line, no matter how many lives they had.

    More surprised than angry, she stammered as she asked Keir for confirmation.

    ¡°Is¡­ is that really true? Not Kair, but Xenon?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Even without asking Luminous, it¡¯s 100% a lie¡­ You know that, right?¡±

    Keir subtly hinted to Arwen with a cautious tone. It was a piece of advice, indicating that things would get moreplicated.

    As soon as Arwen received the question, her mind raced. Despite the warnings not to cross the line, the impersonators had dared to do so.

    Exile them as they are? Even if exiled, their voice will echo around the world, and impersonators will spring up everywhere.

    The best way is to take them to the temple for verification, but will theyply?

    Moreover, they are impersonating not ¡®author¡¯ Xenon, but the ¡®hero¡¯ Xenon from Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    Not only Arwen, but others would also know this, making it all the more absurd.

    It¡¯s not a new suicide method, so how bold must they be to impersonate Xenon? Did they covet his position that much?

    ¡°¡­Can you tell me what they said?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re going around saying they¡¯ll make you happier than Kair and asking to marry them. They also said they¡¯re going to be a hero, so treat them ordingly.¡±

    ¡°What kind of idiot¡­¡±

    Arwen stifled the urge to call them god-like fools. She patted her chest to calm herself before barely speaking.

    ¡°¡­Just tell me their name and characteristics.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ve listed their name as Xenon on their entry application. Should I call them that?¡±

    ¡°Just call them a fake.¡±

    Xenon, my foot. They¡¯re a counterfeit.

    Keir shrugged at her words and continued slowly.

    ¡°Understood. By human standards, he¡¯s just turned 17, and he¡¯s been boasting about being Xenon in the mercenary guild. So, it¡¯s highly likely that his real name is Xenon.¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s said to have quite strong skills for his young age and is very talented. Probably because of this¡­¡±

    Arwen sighed, realizing what was going on.

    <i>¡®What an immature human¡­¡¯</i>

    *****

    Meanwhile, around the same time at the Temple of Luminous.

    ¡°Someone in Alvenheim is iming to be Xenon?¡±

    ¡°ording to the news we¡¯ve received, yes. Will you go?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Kate, who had received the news faster than anyone else, smiled brightly at the messenger¡¯s question.

    ¡°I¡¯d love to see what kind of madman daresmit such sphemy.¡±

    She said this with a truly chilling smile.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 289: Blasphemy (1)

    Chapter 289: sphemy (1)

    A young man, who firmly believed himself to be Xenon (the fake), wore a mesmerized expression as he gazed at the woman who appeared without any sign. Her hair captured the essence of a golden in, and her eyes shone like the blue sky embracing that in.

    She was dressed in the ¡®white¡¯ nun¡¯s habit, the symbol of the Luminous Church, but it was inadequate to conceal the curves of her body. Just standing there, she exuded holiness and a faint lc fragrance.

    Her purity andpassion were such that one might fear sullying her by mere touch. Her gentle smile dispelled all ill feelings harbored in the hearts of those who saw it. If Lily, the saint from Xenon¡¯s Biography, appeared in the world, would she feel like this? Her presence was worthy of being called a saint.

    Thus, Xenon was rendered speechless and could only stare nkly, even as the woman called to him. He hadn¡¯t felt this level of beauty even when he saw the elf woman who called herself Sophia.

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    In the meantime, the elf woman, who had been held by him, urgently shook off his hand and fled from the spot. She was also bewildered by the sudden appearance of the cleric but prioritized distancing herself from the imposter.

    However, Xenon couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the cleric, even as the elf woman shook off his hand and fled.

    He had met countless beauties and had interesting rtionships, but none were as beautiful as the woman before his eyes. How beautiful, holy, and pure she was. An ordinary person would have been stunned and unable to collect their thoughts.

    But not Xenon. When the lc fragrance invaded his nose, he quickly regained hisposure.¡°Ahem. Ahem. Excuse me, but who are you?¡±

    Xenon quickly turned his head to hide his flushing face and asked the question.

    He was busy trying to suppress his pounding heart. Even though he had met many beauties, he had never felt like this. Was this really destiny?

    <i>¡®Could that woman be¡­?¡¯ </i>

    Xenon cleared his throat and nced at the woman in front of him. At the same time, he recalled the description of Lily¡¯s appearance from Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    Lily was described as a woman with snow-white hair and golden eyes, fitting the meaning of her name, ¡®Lily.¡¯

    Her physique perfectly matched the description. Her height was above average, and her beautiful figure couldn¡¯t be hidden even by the pure white nun¡¯s habit.

    This is the woman. This woman is definitely Lily, the saint from Xenon¡¯s Biography. The man concluded this firmly.

    The dark feelings that had disappeared until just a moment ago began to stir again, and a smile that contrasted with the pure white woman spread across his face.

    ¡°Ah. I apologize. My name is Kate Louise Angelica. I am a follower of Luminous, the god of light and hope.¡±

    In response to Xenon¡¯s question, the woman, Kate, bowed her head politely and greeted him.

    Perhaps because the nun¡¯s habit clung to her body, her ample chest became more prominent as she bent over.

    There was no exposure, but why did it feel so provocative? Xenon¡¯s heart pounded even more at the subtle sensuality emanating from Kate.

    But the luststed only a moment, as he was shocked upon hearing her name.

    <i>¡®If she¡¯s Kate, then surely¡­¡¯</i>

    Kate Louise Angelica. This name was not as famous as Xenon¡¯s, but it was renowned worldwide.

    A few months ago, there was the scandal of the fallen cardinal that shocked not only Xavier but the entire world.

    The person who resolved that incident and now holds the greatest fame and power in Xavier is this woman. She is currently dragging the faltering Xavier forward by the scruff of its neck, and ording to rumors, she holds a position equal to the Pope.

    Originally, the Luminous Church didn¡¯t have a title like ¡®Saint,¡¯ but due to Kate¡¯s significant contributions, there are moves to create one. She is a devout follower of Luminous, revered as the next Pope or Saint.

    Unlike Lily, who had nobat abilities, Kate is a versatile figure who excels in both strength and faith. She is truly an all-around beauty with no shorings.

    Xenon¡¯s heart pounded furiously as the famous figure he had only known through newspapers and rumors appeared right in front of him.

    ¡°Cardinal Kate¡­ I have heard much about you. You are the Grand Inquisitor who drove out the fallen cardinal and personally dealt with the devil worshippers. I¡¯ve heard you are the most proactive cleric in purifying the world.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. But I am far from beingparable to Him.¡±

    ¡°Him?¡±

    Xenon tilted his head in confusion, suspecting she meant Luminous. When he showed his puzzlement, Kate smiled even more warmly and spoke.

    ¡°I only clean up the trash that defiles the light. There is only one who bestows light upon the world. You know who I mean, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    Xenon nodded as if he had just realized, but soon a wave of displeasure washed over him, causing his expression to sour.

    The person she referred to, even without asking, was the writer Xenon. Xenon prided himself on his intellect and quick thinking. This only made him angrier.

    Why did she respect the writer Xenon and not him? After all, the person the writer used as a model was him. From his name, birth, and even his achievements.

    The writer¡¯s works were destined to reflect his own aplishments, so why did she revere the writer instead of him?

    The man who firmly believed himself to be Xenon expressed his dissatisfaction to Kate.

    ¡°You mentioned earlier that you came looking for someone named Xenon.¡±

    ¡°Yes, because of a bothersome rumor.¡±

    Despite Xenon¡¯s condescending tone, Kate¡¯s smile did not waver. In fact, her tone became subtly rougher, but Xenon continued speaking without regard for it.

    ¡°Well, you¡¯vee to the right ce. I am the Xenon you¡¯re looking for. And just to add, I¡¯m not that writer, but the real Xenon.¡±

    ¡°¡­Writer?¡±

    At the word ¡®writer,¡¯ a term belittling the author, Kate¡¯s smiling lips lowered slightly before curling back up. It was so brief that Xenon (fake) did not notice it.

    At this moment, he only thought of recruiting Kate as an ally, for she was the true saint. As for the coupling with Jin? That could be addressedter. Besides, it was only a motif, there was no proof they were actual lovers.

    By this logic, he fit the role and was the embodiment of consistency. However, his mind couldn¡¯t dwell on that. Because he was the protagonist. The story in the book was all his story. Therefore, whatever he did would be forgiven. Who would dare refuse the words of the hero destined to save the world?

    ¡°You weren¡¯t looking for that writer Xenon, were you? You came looking for me, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes, that¡¯s correct. After confirming it in person, it seems you are not impersonating him.¡±

    ¡°Why would I impersonate? I am the real Xenon. Comparing me to such fakes is an insult.¡±

    Maintaining his characteristic arrogant attitude, Xenon slowly walked towards Kate. The closer he got, the stronger the lc fragrance and the epassing holiness became.

    I want her. Like Lily from Xenon¡¯s Biography, he wanted to recruit Kate as an ally and embark on an adventure with her. The elf woman he had just held had long disappeared from his mind.

    This attraction¡ªthis is the first time he felt such a pull during his travels. This must be true destiny.

    With a smile full of selfish intent, Xenon stood confidently before Kate. He had felt it from a distance, but up close, her looks and figure were truly exceptional. Even in her nun¡¯s habit, her body was clearly visible. Could she have worn such an outfit for him, specifically to find him?

    Caught in his own delusions, Xenon took a deep breath to calm the rising excitement and looked at Kate¡¯s face. Her saintly smile, which warmed his heart, was directed solely at him.

    Slowly, without even trying to control his sinister thoughts, Xenon reached out his hand. His hand aimed for Kate¡¯s pale cheek,pletely unblemished. From now on, he would stain it with his own color. He would make her entirely his own. After all, he was Xenon, the hero destined to save the world.

    Without realizing the vile desire growing within him, just before his hand touched Kate¡¯s cheek¡­

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    Kate, with the same smiling face, coldly pped his hand away. Despite the firmness of her action, her smile remained unchanged. Naturally, Xenon was stunned. He had been certain she would allow his touch, so he never imagined she would reject him so outright.

    In the meantime, Kate dusted off her hand as if it had been sullied by his touch, and then she spoke calmly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think of touching my body.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°My body belongs to Him. I have an obligation to remain pure until He embraces me.¡±

    As soon as Xenon heard those words, his brows furrowed deeply.

    A body meant for Him. In other words, not for the imposter but for the writer, Xenon.

    Moreover, maintaining her purity until she was embraced implied that she considered him dirty.

    Why? Surely being embraced by a hero destined to save the world was better than some mere writer.

    At least in his mind, this situation was iprehensible. What did heckpared to that guy?

    ¡°¡­Kate.¡±

    ¡°Please address me as Cardinal.¡±

    ¡°Ha, really.¡±

    Xenon was at a loss.

    Now, she even refused to be called by her name. Xenon let out a chuckle, filled with disbelief, and then faced her squarely. Kate still wore her kind smile, which only served to infuriate him more.

    ¡°Are you kidding me right now? You reject even the slightest touch from me, the real Xenon?¡±

    ¡°I acknowledge that you are Xenon, but do not ce yourself on the same level as Him.¡±

    ¡°This is ridiculous. If you think about it, all of that guy¡¯s achievements are thanks to me.¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    Kate¡¯s usually calm demeanor cracked at that statement, her smile fading and her blue eyes filling with confusion. The onlookers, who had been watching from a distance, also shared her bewilderment.

    ¡°Think about it. The writer you revere took inspiration from me to create Xenon¡¯s Biography. Understand?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°From the look on your face, it seems you don¡¯t get it. Let me break it down for you. Using me as the model, Xenon¡¯s Biography came into existence. So, everything that guy achieved is because of me.¡±

    His point was this: the author created Xenon¡¯s Biography based on him, therefore all the aplishments attributed to the book¡¯s Xenon were essentially his. Thus, he deserved the same, if not greater, recognition than the author.

    To anyone listening, this sounded like nonsense or sophistry, but Xenon (the impostor) believed it fervently. His name, birth, and talentsbined to form this grand delusion.

    ¡°In essence, that guy stole the credit for what I¡¯m destined to achieve in the future. The feats in Xenon¡¯s Biography are actually my future achievements.¡±

    <i>Swoosh¡ª</i>

    Perhaps caught off guard by his tant absurdity, Kate momentarily lost herposure, allowing physical contact. Xenon¡¯s filthy hand brushed her cheek, not with a tender touch but with an unpleasant, sticky sensation.

    Yet, before fully registering the repulsive touch, Kate gazed nkly at the man in front of her.

    Standing at nearly the same height, their eyes met directly. Unlike someone with passionately shining red hair and someone with sparkling golden eyes, this man had neither.

    All he had was a hideous appearance, a sphemer who soiled the name of Xenon. With a nk expression, Kate grabbed the hand that was touching her cheek.

    Xenon¡¯s sly smile grew wider, but it was short-lived.

    <i>Crunch!</i>

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Wha¡­?¡±

    Kate grasped his hand tightly, muttering softly before shouting with righteous anger.

    ¡°You sphemer!¡±

    <i>Crack!</i>

    With a cry filled with rage, shepletely crushed his hand. Her grip was powerful enough to crush a rock into sand, and squeezing that sand would produce water droplets. A human hand, especially one belonging to a physically weak man, was no match.

    <i>Crunch, crunch!</i>

    ¡°Aaaargh!¡±

    The pain of his hand being utterly shattered and mangled into something unrecognizable made Xenon scream in agony. The hand Kate held was now so disfigured that it was hard to tell it had ever been a hand, blood flowing out like juice from a fruit.

    Kate paid no mind to the blood staining her hand. Her priority was to punish the sphemer before her. The man, unable to bear the pain, knelt and screamed in torment.

    ¡°How dare a wretch like you spheme Him! How dare you reach out your filthy hand to the light He spreads!¡±

    Xenon couldn¡¯t hear Kate¡¯s scolding. If she had simply cut off his hand, the pain might have been less, but having his handpletely crushed was excruciating beyond words.

    ¡°Y-you¡­ You won¡¯t get away with this¡­!¡±

    Xenon managed to choke out between screams.

    Kate looked down at him with a mixture of pity and contempt.

    ¡°Your arrogance has led you to this. Know your ce, sphemer.¡±

    With that, she let go of his destroyed hand, letting him copse fully onto the ground, writhing in pain. She stepped back, her expression returning to one of serene calm, though her eyes still burned with righteous fury.

    His bones were ground to powder, and the flesh and muscles protecting them were torn to shreds. Xenon, unable to endure the excruciating pain, fell to his knees.

    <i>Riiiip!</i>

    Like tearing paper, Kate removed the now meaningless hand from his wrist. The flesh and bone up to his wrist had turned to dust, so it took little effort to detach it. Yet, this act required considerable strength, showcasing just how powerful she was.

    ¡°Aaaargh! Aaargh!¡±

    Now, clutching his wrist, the imposter screamed pitifully. Blood flowed freely from his wrist, like an open faucet. Left untreated, he would surely die from blood loss.

    Kate looked down at him with disdain, then silently extended her hand.

    <i>Shhh¡ª</i>

    Golden light, almost divine, emanated from her hand and flowed into the imposter. This was the sacred power of the clergy, a manifestation of divine will, known as holy power.

    Although the holy power of the Luminous Church was typically white, Kate¡¯s was so potent it shone with a brilliant golden hue,parable to the Pope or Isaac.

    The effect was nothing short of miraculous.

    ¡°Ugh¡­ Wh-what¡­?¡±

    The imposter, shaking and clutching his wrist, watched in stunned disbelief as the ¡®miracle¡¯ unfolded before him. The golden light slowly permeated his wrist, astonishingly causing it to ¡®regenerate.¡¯

    To reiterate, it was ¡®regeneration,¡¯ not just ¡®healing.¡¯ Healing would merely stop the bleeding, but regeneration transcended that, restoring what was lost.

    ¡°Wh-what is this¡­?¡±

    He muttered, bewildered, as his hand began to reform, bones knitting together and flesh reappearing where it had been obliterated.

    Kate¡¯s face remained serene, but her eyes bore into him with a mix of righteousness and judgment.

    ¡°You will remember this pain and the mercy granted to you, sphemer. This is the powerparable to the true Xenon, whom you dared to insult.¡±

    The imposter¡¯s screams turned to whimpers as his hand was restored, leaving him weak and trembling on the ground, faced with the reality of his folly and the might of true divine power.

    The part above his wrist that should not exist, the hand that had been brutally torn and crushed, was regenerating.

    Like a seed sprouting and growing into a stem, eventually blossoming into a flower, his hand was slowly but surely reforming at the wrist.

    Once the hand was fully regenerated, the imposter stared in bewilderment at the miraculous sight, when Kate spoke in a stern voice.

    ¡°In the name of Luminous, I dere to you: Your name may be Xenon, but that is only a name. The achievements of that name do not belong to you.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°If you dare to insult him again with your mouth¡­¡±

    Kate flicked her blood-stained hand a few times, her voice firm as she dered.

    ¡°I will personally change your name to something else. Under the name of Luminous, I will help you be reborn.¡±

    ¡°I-I am Xenon. I am the real Xenon! What do you know!!¡±

    Apparently, her warning had been insufficient. As the imposter yelled in defiance, Kate¡¯s gaze grew even colder as she looked down at him.

    What kind of Xenon is this? If he had even a fraction of the character of the Xenon in the book, she might have considered supporting him to some extent.

    But here stood someone unworthy in both character and skill, a parasite sullying the name of Xenon.

    If devil worshippers were filth that harmed the world, then this imposter was a vermin tainting the name of light.

    They might appear simr, but while devil worshippers required immediate execution, this imposter couldn¡¯t be left unchecked.

    Kate sighed, brought her hands together, and prayed softly.

    ¡°Luminous, please grant me the strength to make this foolish one repent.¡±

    ¡°You bitch¡­!¡±

    However, he had chosen the wrong opponent. No matter how exceptional his skills were, could he possiblypare to the ¡®Grand Inquisitor¡¯?

    Kate easily evaded his charge with a slight twist of her body and tripped him, causing him to lose bnce.

    <i>Thud!</i>

    ¡°Argh!¡±

    The impostor pretending to be Xenon fell disgracefully once again. He immediately tried to get up but failed in his attempt.

    <i>Clench!!</i>

    ¡°Ahhh!!¡±

    Kate grabbed his hair roughly, causing excruciating pain as if his hair would be ripped out, and the fake Xenon struggled fiercely in response.

    But resisting was all in vain. The more he struggled, the more intense the pain became due to her overwhelming strength.

    Although he responded fiercely, insisting that he was Xenon and that he couldn¡¯t be defeated like this¡­

    ¡°One hand wasn¡¯t enough, was it?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Kate¡¯s deadly smile quickly silenced him.

    The incident in Alvenheim Square concluded in this manner, and no one dared to call themselves Xenon anymore.

    Where that person went, only he and Kate knew.

    With this, all the impostors iming to be Kair also disappeared, and the diplomatic dispute between Alvenheim and Xavier was neatly resolved.

    Isaac, who only learned about the situation through the newspapers, responded with¡­

    ¡°It¡¯s be mysterious.¡±

    He recalled a certain country from his previous life.

    *****

    After reforming the man who had tarnished Xenon¡¯s name, Kate headed to the shower room to clean herself.

    Interrogation had always been her specialty, so reforming a lunatic who insisted he was Xenon wasn¡¯t difficult for her.

    Could she possibly wrongfully use an innocent person? There was no need to worry. If there had been any sin, Luminous himself would have scolded her directly.

    But this time, he hadn¡¯t. This implied tacit approval from Luminous as well as the other gods.

    If Xenon¡¯s name were tarnished, it would be problematic for the gods who supported him. Therefore, such impostors had to be eliminated promptly.

    <i>Shhhh¡ª</i>

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    While cleaning herself thoroughly in the shower, Kate looked at her reflection in the mirror.

    Although her face was sttered with blood and it had hardened due to the ¡®interrogation¡¯ just now, she wasn¡¯t concerned about the blood.

    What she cared about was the cheek that the vermin who defiled Xenon¡¯s name had touched.

    Her cheek waspletely clean, with no blood on it. However, she gently rubbed her cheek with her hand.

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤Dirty.¡±

    <i>Scratch¡ª</i>

    Kate stopped rubbing her cheek and started scratching it with her fingernail. Her once delicate expression was nowpletely distorted, and her merciful smile had vanished without a trace.

    ¡°Dirty. Dirty. Dirty. Dirty. Dirty.¡±

    <i>Scratch¡ª Scratch¡ª Scratch¡ª Scratch¡ª</i>

    Muttering in a voice filled with madness, Kate began to scratch her cheek vigorously.

    Scratches appeared on her white skin from her fingernails, and soon beads of blood started to form.

    It was a bizarre behavior that could by no means be considered normal. The light in her once bright and intelligent eyes was slowly fading.

    <i>¡®It won¡¯t get clean.¡¯</i>

    Because of her frantic scratching, her skin was torn and blood started to flow. But she wasn¡¯t concerned about the blood or the wounds.

    The body that was kept clean for him had been defiled because of that vermin.

    Of course, he would say it didn¡¯t matter if she was defiled. But that would be a disrespect and an insult to him.

    He is the saint who spreads light across this world, the light itself that will save the world. How could anyone insult him?

    Kate, with her eyes void of light, scratched her cheek madly for a long time, then a man¡¯s face shed in her mind.

    <i>¡®¡­I want to see him.¡¯</i>

    She wanted to purify her defiled body through his touch.

    She wanted to repay the grace she received from him.

    She wanted to receive his seed and spread the light widely in this world.

    <i>¡®Please¡­¡¯</i>

    Purify me.

    Kate stopped scratching her cheek. With her divine power, she could easily heal the wounds on her cheek, but she didn¡¯t.

    It was a symbol that she had been defiled. Only he could remove it.

    Until then, she would leave the wound. She would personally go to him, confess her sins, and beg for forgiveness.

    <i>¡®And quickly receive the seed¡­¡¯</i>

    Kate gently smiled and ced her hand on her lower abdomen. A small room where new light would someday be born.

    Although her turn had not yete, just imagining it brought a peculiar thrill.

    She had already decided on the name. Lily, the same name as his sister and the saintess in Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    ¡°Haa¡­¡±

    Receiving the water pouring from the showerhead, Kate let out an excited moan.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 290: Blasphemy (2)

    Chapter 290: sphemy (2)

    A young man, who firmly believed himself to be Xenon (the fake), wore a mesmerized expression as he gazed at the woman who appeared without any sign. Her hair captured the essence of a golden in, and her eyes shone like the blue sky embracing that in.

    She was dressed in the ¡®white¡¯ nun¡¯s habit, the symbol of the Luminous Church, but it was inadequate to conceal the curves of her body. Just standing there, she exuded holiness and a faint lc fragrance.

    Her purity andpassion were such that one might fear sullying her by mere touch. Her gentle smile dispelled all ill feelings harbored in the hearts of those who saw it. If Lily, the saint from Xenon¡¯s Biography, appeared in the world, would she feel like this? Her presence was worthy of being called a saint.

    Thus, Xenon was rendered speechless and could only stare nkly, even as the woman called to him. He hadn¡¯t felt this level of beauty even when he saw the elf woman who called herself Sophia.

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    In the meantime, the elf woman, who had been held by him, urgently shook off his hand and fled from the spot. She was also bewildered by the sudden appearance of the cleric but prioritized distancing herself from the imposter.

    However, Xenon couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the cleric, even as the elf woman shook off his hand and fled.

    He had met countless beauties and had interesting rtionships, but none were as beautiful as the woman before his eyes. How beautiful, holy, and pure she was. An ordinary person would have been stunned and unable to collect their thoughts.

    But not Xenon. When the lc fragrance invaded his nose, he quickly regained hisposure.¡°Ahem. Ahem. Excuse me, but who are you?¡±

    Xenon quickly turned his head to hide his flushing face and asked the question.

    He was busy trying to suppress his pounding heart. Even though he had met many beauties, he had never felt like this. Was this really destiny?

    <i>¡®Could that woman be¡­?¡¯ </i>

    Xenon cleared his throat and nced at the woman in front of him. At the same time, he recalled the description of Lily¡¯s appearance from Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    Lily was described as a woman with snow-white hair and golden eyes, fitting the meaning of her name, ¡®Lily.¡¯

    Her physique perfectly matched the description. Her height was above average, and her beautiful figure couldn¡¯t be hidden even by the pure white nun¡¯s habit.

    This is the woman. This woman is definitely Lily, the saint from Xenon¡¯s Biography. The man concluded this firmly.

    The dark feelings that had disappeared until just a moment ago began to stir again, and a smile that contrasted with the pure white woman spread across his face.

    ¡°Ah. I apologize. My name is Kate Louise Angelica. I am a follower of Luminous, the god of light and hope.¡±

    In response to Xenon¡¯s question, the woman, Kate, bowed her head politely and greeted him.

    Perhaps because the nun¡¯s habit clung to her body, her ample chest became more prominent as she bent over.

    There was no exposure, but why did it feel so provocative? Xenon¡¯s heart pounded even more at the subtle sensuality emanating from Kate.

    But the luststed only a moment, as he was shocked upon hearing her name.

    <i>¡®If she¡¯s Kate, then surely¡­¡¯</i>

    Kate Louise Angelica. This name was not as famous as Xenon¡¯s, but it was renowned worldwide.

    A few months ago, there was the scandal of the fallen cardinal that shocked not only Xavier but the entire world.

    The person who resolved that incident and now holds the greatest fame and power in Xavier is this woman. She is currently dragging the faltering Xavier forward by the scruff of its neck, and ording to rumors, she holds a position equal to the Pope.

    Originally, the Luminous Church didn¡¯t have a title like ¡®Saint,¡¯ but due to Kate¡¯s significant contributions, there are moves to create one. She is a devout follower of Luminous, revered as the next Pope or Saint.

    Unlike Lily, who had nobat abilities, Kate is a versatile figure who excels in both strength and faith. She is truly an all-around beauty with no shorings.

    Xenon¡¯s heart pounded furiously as the famous figure he had only known through newspapers and rumors appeared right in front of him.

    ¡°Cardinal Kate¡­ I have heard much about you. You are the Grand Inquisitor who drove out the fallen cardinal and personally dealt with the devil worshippers. I¡¯ve heard you are the most proactive cleric in purifying the world.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. But I am far from beingparable to Him.¡±

    ¡°Him?¡±

    Xenon tilted his head in confusion, suspecting she meant Luminous. When he showed his puzzlement, Kate smiled even more warmly and spoke.

    ¡°I only clean up the trash that defiles the light. There is only one who bestows light upon the world. You know who I mean, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    Xenon nodded as if he had just realized, but soon a wave of displeasure washed over him, causing his expression to sour.

    The person she referred to, even without asking, was the writer Xenon. Xenon prided himself on his intellect and quick thinking. This only made him angrier.

    Why did she respect the writer Xenon and not him? After all, the person the writer used as a model was him. From his name, birth, and even his achievements.

    The writer¡¯s works were destined to reflect his own aplishments, so why did she revere the writer instead of him?

    The man who firmly believed himself to be Xenon expressed his dissatisfaction to Kate.

    ¡°You mentioned earlier that you came looking for someone named Xenon.¡±

    ¡°Yes, because of a bothersome rumor.¡±

    Despite Xenon¡¯s condescending tone, Kate¡¯s smile did not waver. In fact, her tone became subtly rougher, but Xenon continued speaking without regard for it.

    ¡°Well, you¡¯vee to the right ce. I am the Xenon you¡¯re looking for. And just to add, I¡¯m not that writer, but the real Xenon.¡±

    ¡°¡­Writer?¡±

    At the word ¡®writer,¡¯ a term belittling the author, Kate¡¯s smiling lips lowered slightly before curling back up. It was so brief that Xenon (fake) did not notice it.

    At this moment, he only thought of recruiting Kate as an ally, for she was the true saint. As for the coupling with Jin? That could be addressedter. Besides, it was only a motif, there was no proof they were actual lovers.

    By this logic, he fit the role and was the embodiment of consistency. However, his mind couldn¡¯t dwell on that. Because he was the protagonist. The story in the book was all his story. Therefore, whatever he did would be forgiven. Who would dare refuse the words of the hero destined to save the world?

    ¡°You weren¡¯t looking for that writer Xenon, were you? You came looking for me, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes, that¡¯s correct. After confirming it in person, it seems you are not impersonating him.¡±

    ¡°Why would I impersonate? I am the real Xenon. Comparing me to such fakes is an insult.¡±

    Maintaining his characteristic arrogant attitude, Xenon slowly walked towards Kate. The closer he got, the stronger the lc fragrance and the epassing holiness became.

    I want her. Like Lily from Xenon¡¯s Biography, he wanted to recruit Kate as an ally and embark on an adventure with her. The elf woman he had just held had long disappeared from his mind.

    This attraction¡ªthis is the first time he felt such a pull during his travels. This must be true destiny.

    With a smile full of selfish intent, Xenon stood confidently before Kate. He had felt it from a distance, but up close, her looks and figure were truly exceptional. Even in her nun¡¯s habit, her body was clearly visible. Could she have worn such an outfit for him, specifically to find him?

    Caught in his own delusions, Xenon took a deep breath to calm the rising excitement and looked at Kate¡¯s face. Her saintly smile, which warmed his heart, was directed solely at him.

    Slowly, without even trying to control his sinister thoughts, Xenon reached out his hand. His hand aimed for Kate¡¯s pale cheek,pletely unblemished. From now on, he would stain it with his own color. He would make her entirely his own. After all, he was Xenon, the hero destined to save the world.

    Without realizing the vile desire growing within him, just before his hand touched Kate¡¯s cheek¡­

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    Kate, with the same smiling face, coldly pped his hand away. Despite the firmness of her action, her smile remained unchanged. Naturally, Xenon was stunned. He had been certain she would allow his touch, so he never imagined she would reject him so outright.

    In the meantime, Kate dusted off her hand as if it had been sullied by his touch, and then she spoke calmly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think of touching my body.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°My body belongs to Him. I have an obligation to remain pure until He embraces me.¡±

    As soon as Xenon heard those words, his brows furrowed deeply.

    A body meant for Him. In other words, not for the imposter but for the writer, Xenon.

    Moreover, maintaining her purity until she was embraced implied that she considered him dirty.

    Why? Surely being embraced by a hero destined to save the world was better than some mere writer.

    At least in his mind, this situation was iprehensible. What did heckpared to that guy?

    ¡°¡­Kate.¡±

    ¡°Please address me as Cardinal.¡±

    ¡°Ha, really.¡±

    Xenon was at a loss.

    Now, she even refused to be called by her name. Xenon let out a chuckle, filled with disbelief, and then faced her squarely. Kate still wore her kind smile, which only served to infuriate him more.

    ¡°Are you kidding me right now? You reject even the slightest touch from me, the real Xenon?¡±

    ¡°I acknowledge that you are Xenon, but do not ce yourself on the same level as Him.¡±

    ¡°This is ridiculous. If you think about it, all of that guy¡¯s achievements are thanks to me.¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    Kate¡¯s usually calm demeanor cracked at that statement, her smile fading and her blue eyes filling with confusion. The onlookers, who had been watching from a distance, also shared her bewilderment.

    ¡°Think about it. The writer you revere took inspiration from me to create Xenon¡¯s Biography. Understand?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°From the look on your face, it seems you don¡¯t get it. Let me break it down for you. Using me as the model, Xenon¡¯s Biography came into existence. So, everything that guy achieved is because of me.¡±

    His point was this: the author created Xenon¡¯s Biography based on him, therefore all the aplishments attributed to the book¡¯s Xenon were essentially his. Thus, he deserved the same, if not greater, recognition than the author.

    To anyone listening, this sounded like nonsense or sophistry, but Xenon (the impostor) believed it fervently. His name, birth, and talentsbined to form this grand delusion.

    ¡°In essence, that guy stole the credit for what I¡¯m destined to achieve in the future. The feats in Xenon¡¯s Biography are actually my future achievements.¡±

    <i>Swoosh¡ª</i>

    Perhaps caught off guard by his tant absurdity, Kate momentarily lost herposure, allowing physical contact. Xenon¡¯s filthy hand brushed her cheek, not with a tender touch but with an unpleasant, sticky sensation.

    Yet, before fully registering the repulsive touch, Kate gazed nkly at the man in front of her.

    Standing at nearly the same height, their eyes met directly. Unlike someone with passionately shining red hair and someone with sparkling golden eyes, this man had neither.

    All he had was a hideous appearance, a sphemer who soiled the name of Xenon. With a nk expression, Kate grabbed the hand that was touching her cheek.

    Xenon¡¯s sly smile grew wider, but it was short-lived.

    <i>Crunch!</i>

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Wha¡­?¡±

    Kate grasped his hand tightly, muttering softly before shouting with righteous anger.

    ¡°You sphemer!¡±

    <i>Crack!</i>

    With a cry filled with rage, shepletely crushed his hand. Her grip was powerful enough to crush a rock into sand, and squeezing that sand would produce water droplets. A human hand, especially one belonging to a physically weak man, was no match.

    <i>Crunch, crunch!</i>

    ¡°Aaaargh!¡±

    The pain of his hand being utterly shattered and mangled into something unrecognizable made Xenon scream in agony. The hand Kate held was now so disfigured that it was hard to tell it had ever been a hand, blood flowing out like juice from a fruit.

    Kate paid no mind to the blood staining her hand. Her priority was to punish the sphemer before her. The man, unable to bear the pain, knelt and screamed in torment.

    ¡°How dare a wretch like you spheme Him! How dare you reach out your filthy hand to the light He spreads!¡±

    Xenon couldn¡¯t hear Kate¡¯s scolding. If she had simply cut off his hand, the pain might have been less, but having his handpletely crushed was excruciating beyond words.

    ¡°Y-you¡­ You won¡¯t get away with this¡­!¡±

    Xenon managed to choke out between screams.

    Kate looked down at him with a mixture of pity and contempt.

    ¡°Your arrogance has led you to this. Know your ce, sphemer.¡±

    With that, she let go of his destroyed hand, letting him copse fully onto the ground, writhing in pain. She stepped back, her expression returning to one of serene calm, though her eyes still burned with righteous fury.

    His bones were ground to powder, and the flesh and muscles protecting them were torn to shreds. Xenon, unable to endure the excruciating pain, fell to his knees.

    <i>Riiiip!</i>

    Like tearing paper, Kate removed the now meaningless hand from his wrist. The flesh and bone up to his wrist had turned to dust, so it took little effort to detach it. Yet, this act required considerable strength, showcasing just how powerful she was.

    ¡°Aaaargh! Aaargh!¡±

    Now, clutching his wrist, the imposter screamed pitifully. Blood flowed freely from his wrist, like an open faucet. Left untreated, he would surely die from blood loss.

    Kate looked down at him with disdain, then silently extended her hand.

    <i>Shhh¡ª</i>

    Golden light, almost divine, emanated from her hand and flowed into the imposter. This was the sacred power of the clergy, a manifestation of divine will, known as holy power.

    Although the holy power of the Luminous Church was typically white, Kate¡¯s was so potent it shone with a brilliant golden hue,parable to the Pope or Isaac.

    The effect was nothing short of miraculous.

    ¡°Ugh¡­ Wh-what¡­?¡±

    The imposter, shaking and clutching his wrist, watched in stunned disbelief as the ¡®miracle¡¯ unfolded before him. The golden light slowly permeated his wrist, astonishingly causing it to ¡®regenerate.¡¯

    To reiterate, it was ¡®regeneration,¡¯ not just ¡®healing.¡¯ Healing would merely stop the bleeding, but regeneration transcended that, restoring what was lost.

    ¡°Wh-what is this¡­?¡±

    He muttered, bewildered, as his hand began to reform, bones knitting together and flesh reappearing where it had been obliterated.

    Kate¡¯s face remained serene, but her eyes bore into him with a mix of righteousness and judgment.

    ¡°You will remember this pain and the mercy granted to you, sphemer. This is the powerparable to the true Xenon, whom you dared to insult.¡±

    The imposter¡¯s screams turned to whimpers as his hand was restored, leaving him weak and trembling on the ground, faced with the reality of his folly and the might of true divine power.

    The part above his wrist that should not exist, the hand that had been brutally torn and crushed, was regenerating.

    Like a seed sprouting and growing into a stem, eventually blossoming into a flower, his hand was slowly but surely reforming at the wrist.

    Once the hand was fully regenerated, the imposter stared in bewilderment at the miraculous sight, when Kate spoke in a stern voice.

    ¡°In the name of Luminous, I dere to you: Your name may be Xenon, but that is only a name. The achievements of that name do not belong to you.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°If you dare to insult him again with your mouth¡­¡±

    Kate flicked her blood-stained hand a few times, her voice firm as she dered.

    ¡°I will personally change your name to something else. Under the name of Luminous, I will help you be reborn.¡±

    ¡°I-I am Xenon. I am the real Xenon! What do you know!!¡±

    Apparently, her warning had been insufficient. As the imposter yelled in defiance, Kate¡¯s gaze grew even colder as she looked down at him.

    What kind of Xenon is this? If he had even a fraction of the character of the Xenon in the book, she might have considered supporting him to some extent.

    But here stood someone unworthy in both character and skill, a parasite sullying the name of Xenon.

    If devil worshippers were filth that harmed the world, then this imposter was a vermin tainting the name of light.

    They might appear simr, but while devil worshippers required immediate execution, this imposter couldn¡¯t be left unchecked.

    Kate sighed, brought her hands together, and prayed softly.

    ¡°Luminous, please grant me the strength to make this foolish one repent.¡±

    ¡°You bitch¡­!¡±

    However, he had chosen the wrong opponent. No matter how exceptional his skills were, could he possiblypare to the ¡®Grand Inquisitor¡¯?

    Kate easily evaded his charge with a slight twist of her body and tripped him, causing him to lose bnce.

    <i>Thud!</i>

    ¡°Argh!¡±

    The impostor pretending to be Xenon fell disgracefully once again. He immediately tried to get up but failed in his attempt.

    <i>Clench!!</i>

    ¡°Ahhh!!¡±

    Kate grabbed his hair roughly, causing excruciating pain as if his hair would be ripped out, and the fake Xenon struggled fiercely in response.

    But resisting was all in vain. The more he struggled, the more intense the pain became due to her overwhelming strength.

    Although he responded fiercely, insisting that he was Xenon and that he couldn¡¯t be defeated like this¡­

    ¡°One hand wasn¡¯t enough, was it?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Kate¡¯s deadly smile quickly silenced him.

    The incident in Alvenheim Square concluded in this manner, and no one dared to call themselves Xenon anymore.

    Where that person went, only he and Kate knew.

    With this, all the impostors iming to be Kair also disappeared, and the diplomatic dispute between Alvenheim and Xavier was neatly resolved.

    Isaac, who only learned about the situation through the newspapers, responded with¡­

    ¡°It¡¯s be mysterious.¡±

    He recalled a certain country from his previous life.

    *****

    After reforming the man who had tarnished Xenon¡¯s name, Kate headed to the shower room to clean herself.

    Interrogation had always been her specialty, so reforming a lunatic who insisted he was Xenon wasn¡¯t difficult for her.

    Could she possibly wrongfully use an innocent person? There was no need to worry. If there had been any sin, Luminous himself would have scolded her directly.

    But this time, he hadn¡¯t. This implied tacit approval from Luminous as well as the other gods.

    If Xenon¡¯s name were tarnished, it would be problematic for the gods who supported him. Therefore, such impostors had to be eliminated promptly.

    <i>Shhhh¡ª</i>

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    While cleaning herself thoroughly in the shower, Kate looked at her reflection in the mirror.

    Although her face was sttered with blood and it had hardened due to the ¡®interrogation¡¯ just now, she wasn¡¯t concerned about the blood.

    What she cared about was the cheek that the vermin who defiled Xenon¡¯s name had touched.

    Her cheek waspletely clean, with no blood on it. However, she gently rubbed her cheek with her hand.

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤Dirty.¡±

    <i>Scratch¡ª</i>

    Kate stopped rubbing her cheek and started scratching it with her fingernail. Her once delicate expression was nowpletely distorted, and her merciful smile had vanished without a trace.

    ¡°Dirty. Dirty. Dirty. Dirty. Dirty.¡±

    <i>Scratch¡ª Scratch¡ª Scratch¡ª Scratch¡ª</i>

    Muttering in a voice filled with madness, Kate began to scratch her cheek vigorously.

    Scratches appeared on her white skin from her fingernails, and soon beads of blood started to form.

    It was a bizarre behavior that could by no means be considered normal. The light in her once bright and intelligent eyes was slowly fading.

    <i>¡®It won¡¯t get clean.¡¯</i>

    Because of her frantic scratching, her skin was torn and blood started to flow. But she wasn¡¯t concerned about the blood or the wounds.

    The body that was kept clean for him had been defiled because of that vermin.

    Of course, he would say it didn¡¯t matter if she was defiled. But that would be a disrespect and an insult to him.

    He is the saint who spreads light across this world, the light itself that will save the world. How could anyone insult him?

    Kate, with her eyes void of light, scratched her cheek madly for a long time, then a man¡¯s face shed in her mind.

    <i>¡®¡­I want to see him.¡¯</i>

    She wanted to purify her defiled body through his touch.

    She wanted to repay the grace she received from him.

    She wanted to receive his seed and spread the light widely in this world.

    <i>¡®Please¡­¡¯</i>

    Purify me.

    Kate stopped scratching her cheek. With her divine power, she could easily heal the wounds on her cheek, but she didn¡¯t.

    It was a symbol that she had been defiled. Only he could remove it.

    Until then, she would leave the wound. She would personally go to him, confess her sins, and beg for forgiveness.

    <i>¡®And quickly receive the seed¡­¡¯</i>

    Kate gently smiled and ced her hand on her lower abdomen. A small room where new light would someday be born.

    Although her turn had not yete, just imagining it brought a peculiar thrill.

    She had already decided on the name. Lily, the same name as his sister and the saintess in Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    ¡°Haa¡­¡±

    Receiving the water pouring from the showerhead, Kate let out an excited moan.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 291: Suspicion (1)

    Chapter 291: Suspicion (1)

    Because of the sudden appearance of imposters, things got a bit noisy for a while, but they soon disappeared as time passed.

    ording to the newspapers and the rumors I vaguely heard, Kate and Xavier took swift action.

    I heard from Marie that Kate herself ¡°reformed¡± the guy who was boasting around, iming to be Xenon from Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    Of course, people whose real names are Xenon or Kair, or even the names of other characters, are exceptions. Such people tend to keep quiet and live peacefully.

    For adventurers or mercenaries, they can just use an alias. If there happens to be someone with a past simr to a character by pure coincidence, Xavier will handle it.

    Anyway, the issue of impersonation, which emerged as a new problem in Alvenheim, waspletely resolved over time.

    By the way, it was none other than Xavier and the Luminous Church who directly handled this, and if they hadn¡¯t, they would have faced a lot of criticism.

    The organization was already unstable due to the unprecedented incident of the corrupted cardinal, and it would have worsened.

    Impersonation, by its very existence, can tarnish the reputation of Xenon¡¯s Biography. Just think about the attention when Kair impersonators appeared.If it had been left unattended, various imposters would have sprung up everywhere, making proper action difficult.

    However, with Kate, who currently boasted a strong position, stepping forward and shouting ¡°sphemy,¡± they soon disappeared.

    ording to rumors, Kate not only broke the hand of the man impersonating Xenon but also dragged him by his hair.

    This is just a rumor, so it might be a bit exaggerated. Even for someone as fanatical as Kate, she wouldn¡¯t be that extreme.

    Surely, she wouldn¡¯t break someone¡¯s hand and drag him in front of people. It¡¯s not like she¡¯s dealing with a devil worshiper.

    ¡°Isaac, could you hand me file number 2 over there?¡±

    ¡°Here you go.¡±

    ¡°Thanks. Oh, and while you¡¯re at it, could you also look into the Stavirk case? It seems to be closely rted to devil worshipers.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Anyway, after Cecily¡¯s speech and Arwen¡¯s announcement, followed by the impersonation incident, things returned to a rtively uneventful routine.

    Xenon¡¯s Biography is important, but I shouldn¡¯t neglect my studies. Especially sincest semester, I¡¯ve been increasingly busy assisting Elena.

    Sometimes, while studying history, youe across events that don¡¯t add up and seem suspicious. Recently, Elena has been focusing intensively on these events.

    Usually, without any records, it would just be puzzling, and we¡¯d move on. But if a devil worshiper was involved, it changes everything.

    Elena¡¯s schrly zeal, naturally inclined to academics, was overflowing with enthusiasm for this.

    As a result, I¡¯m starting to suffer.

    Cindy was helping too, but she has her own research topics, so I¡¯m struggling alone.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ What could devil worshipers gain from the Stavirk Independence War? Isaac, what do you think?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    I recalled the Stavirk incident upon hearing Elena¡¯s question. The Stavirk Independence War took ce a hundred years ago in the Stavirk region of the Minerva Empire.

    Strictly speaking, it can be seen as an independence war of a minority group. The independence of minority groups is a type of warmonly seen on Earth in my previous life.

    Even now, they im independence whenever they get a chance, remaining a headache for the Minerva Empire and having a strained rtionship with the empire¡¯s citizens.

    However, from the Minerva Empire¡¯s perspective, they can never give up the Stavirk region.

    Geopolitically, it¡¯s identical to the Korean Penins. Surrounded by the sea on three sides and connected to the continent at the top, it¡¯s a natural fortress.

    Moreover, right below the Stavirk region lies the Minerva Empire¡¯s arch-enemy, the Ters Kingdom.

    For the Minerva Empire, it¡¯s a strategically critical area they can never abandon.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s normal.¡±

    ¡°Normal? On what grounds? The Minerva Empire wasn¡¯t putting much pressure on them.¡±

    As Elena pointed out, the Minerva Empire had never discriminated against or pressured the Stavirk region. In fact, it was the opposite.

    The Minerva Empire is diligently investing in the Stavirk region, backed by its formidable economic power.

    The problem is that the Stavirk region is not only self-sufficient but also its people are exceptionally skilled.

    Although not as much as the dwarves, their technological prowess is remarkably advanced, and their unity is equally impressive.

    Especially, being surrounded by the sea on three sides, their shipbuilding skills are considered to be a step ahead of the dwarves.

    This is why the Minerva Empire cannot give up the Stavirk region and why the Stavirk people desire independence.

    ¡°Humans have a very unique duality: they love forming societies but also dream of self-sufficiency. Otherwise, humans would have only one nation, like other species.¡±

    ¡°Go on.¡±

    ¡°Stavirk is the same. Although it was annexed by the Minerva Empire due to the race war, which was a turning point in history, they must have always harbored dreams of independence. In fact, the justification for independence has existed not just a hundred years ago but continuously since the race war. They simply didn¡¯t have a figure like Hick, who founded Animers, to lead the establishment of their own country.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Elena listened to my exnation and seemed to be deep in thought, stroking her chin.

    To an elf like her, the Stavirk Independence War, or rather the human spirit of independence, must seem unique.

    As evidenced by my asional teasing about ¡°Elven Communism,¡± elves have a strong tendency towards collectivism.

    However, they also have the peculiar trait of fracturing when faced with crisis situations, like during the race war.

    Fortunately, thanks to Arwen¡¯s wise politics, they are gradually uniting, but it remains a potential source of instability.

    ¡°So, is that why the race war happened?¡±

    Cindy, who had been listening to our conversation, asked in her characteristically tired voice.

    Her prominent dark circles and her messy bun were still there, but since earning her degree, she seemed more rxed and her face looked less strained than before.

    ¡°In a way, that¡¯s true. The race war was when humanity¡¯s desire to be recognized as a single race outside the influence of elves truly came to light. The Stavirk Independence War is likely the same.¡±

    ¡°Humans are really hard to understand. So, the Stavirk independence has no connection to the devil worshipers?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t say there¡¯s no connection at all. If Stavirk gains independence, the situation will be extremelyplex. Devil worshipers could take advantage of that chaos to be more active.¡±

    ¡°Can you exin that?¡±

    It seemed like a pretty interesting hypothesis for a schr. Elena and even Cindy, who had been listening intently, looked at me with sparkling eyes.

    Although I felt a bit flustered, exining it wasn¡¯t too difficult. After all, I had lived in such a country.

    As I exined what I knew, Elena and Cindy¡¯s eyes sparkled even more.

    The topic was not only highly usible but also had the potential to be a major turning point in history, which exined their deep interest.

    ¡°So, what do you think will happen if the Minerva Empire suppresses it by force?¡±

    ¡°Can I swear?¡±

    ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    ¡°It will be a fucking mess.¡±

    It would be like the U.S. struggling in Vietnam and Afghanistan, or Russia¡¯s invasion of Ukraine.

    Unless there is a verypelling justification, the Minerva Empire wouldn¡¯t be foolish enough to push Stavirk with military force.

    Fortunately, the Minerva Empire is currently producing wise rulers, much like Rome during its golden age.

    Leort, who is set to be the next emperor, also has considerable abilities, so there¡¯s no need to worry.

    ¡°So, if Stavirk gains independence, it would be beneficial for the devil worshipers too, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The mastermind behind it could even be a devil worshiper. It¡¯s not impossible, considering that a cardinal of the Luminous Church was a devil worshiper.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for the great hypothesis. I feel like I understand humans a bit better now. I¡¯m d I chose you as my assistant.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re grateful, could you assign more assistants? It¡¯s tough doing all the research alone.¡±

    Researching helps with my history studies, but it¡¯s undeniably tough. Elena¡¯sb alone is like a library, and sometimes I need to visit other professors. It¡¯s not just a matter of asking to borrow materials¡ªoften, they ask for favors in return.

    Thanks to this, my knowledge grows daily, but the physical toll is unavoidable.

    Perhaps understanding my hardships, Elena nodded at myint and spoke.

    ¡°Actually, we have someone who applied to be an assistant. Do you know Leona?¡±

    ¡°Leona? The girl with the dark brown hair?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but be surprised when Elena nodded. As far as I know Leona¡¯s goal is just to get a diploma.

    The academy grants a diploma after four years of study, regardless of the department, so why would she join the history department¡­?

    <i>¡®¡­It¡¯s because of me.¡¯</i>

    That¡¯s very likely. She¡¯s probably joining the history department to spend more time with me.

    Personally, I don¡¯t mind having another assistant (or rather, a co-worker), but I wondered if she was okay with it.

    There¡¯s no need for her to join a department she¡¯s not interested in just because of me. I should probably talk to herter.

    ¡°She has a good academic zeal and grades. She seems quite interested in history. She may not be aspetent as you, but she won¡¯t be a burden.¡±

    ¡°If you think she¡¯s okay, Professor. Is there anyone else?¡±

    ¡°There are a few students I¡¯m keeping an eye on, but nothing definite yet.¡±

    Elena said this as she took notes on the hypothesis I had just exined.

    Her handwriting, while not elegant, was neat and clear, befitting a schr.

    While she was taking notes, I settled into the sofa to read.

    I didn¡¯t have many sses left for the day, so I nned to pass the time until 5 PM.

    ¡°By the way, Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re really not Xenon, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Elena asked casually while writing. I couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly at her question.

    Last semester, Elena saw Cherry clinging to me, and since then, she¡¯s been secretly suspicious. I¡¯ve been denying it all along, but once someone starts doubting, they¡¯ll start interpreting every action through that lens.

    The small incident Cherry caused has been putting pressure on me, but I can handle it smoothly for now.

    ¡°If I were Xenon, what would you do?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d ask you to tell me what the future history looks like. I¡¯d use that information to write a thesis.¡±

    ¡°Well, with those intentions, I definitely wouldn¡¯t tell you.¡±

    ¡°Then there¡¯s nothing I can do about it.¡±

    Elena didn¡¯t seem to mind and just shrugged, not pressing the matter further. Cindy had no interest from the beginning.

    This is why I can trust them¡ªthey¡¯re natural schrs with little interest in anything but history.

    However, it¡¯s hard to deny that Elena genuinely wants to take advantage of any historical insights for her thesis. Her request for an exnation about Stavirk earlier was a clear indication.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be heading out now.¡±

    ¡°Okay. See you tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Bye¡­¡±

    As soon as it hit 5 PM, I received Elena¡¯s indifferent farewell and Cindy¡¯snguid goodbye, and headed back to my dormitory.

    A lot of incidents had urred before and after the academy opened, but now things have settled into a quiet routine.

    Moreover, the impersonation incident, although indirectly rted to me, had little direct impact.

    Thanks to that, I¡¯ve been able to work on writing Volume 22 without any issues, and there haven¡¯t been any notable incidents recently.

    Except for the fact that the ¡°crossroads¡± Mora mentioned are slowly approaching.

    <i>¡®Hiriya has been quiet too. What kind of choice am I supposed to make?¡¯</i>

    With these questions weighing heavily on my mind, I returned to my dormitory.

    *****

    As Isaac was returning to his dormitory with a puzzled mind, a woman was cautiously trailing behind him.

    She hid intermittently to avoid detection, demonstrating considerable skill in her actions. Even the passersby did not suspect her, proving that she had done this multiple times before.

    <i>Click</i>

    The woman watched as Isaac opened the dormitory door and went inside. Once he was inside, she fully revealed herself from her hiding spot.

    Her hair and eyes were as blue as the sky, and despite her stern expression, her natural beauty could not be concealed. Her tall, slender figure and the body that even her uniform couldn¡¯t hide made her stand out.

    She was Hiriya, the second princess of the Ters Kingdom and the half-sister of Adelia. Since the beginning of the semester, she had been investigating Isaac. She even skipped sses under reasonable excuses to ensure there were no adverse effects.

    <i>¡®So far, nothing unusual¡­¡¯</i>

    Hiriya gazed at the dormitory Isaac had entered with her characteristic impassive expression.

    Although her sky-blue hair was quite conspicuous, she was disguised with a magical item, so she felt secure. To others, she appeared to have ordinary brown hair and eyes. She couldn¡¯t change her beautiful features, so she left them as they were.

    However, changing her hair alone significantly altered her appearance, and given that her sky-blue hair was a symbol of the Ters royal family, the importance of her disguise was undeniable.

    <i>¡®That guy is definitely hiding something.¡¯</i>

    Hiriya kept her eyes fixed on the dormitory, ring intently. She began to suspect Isaac during the exhibition. Despite the need to protect their own nobles, the Minerva Empire¡¯s excessive protection of Isaac had been notable.

    The rtionship between the Minerva Empire and the Ters Kingdom was like oil and water¡ªnever truly mixing. However, this did not prevent marriages. On the contrary, despite personal emotions, international rtions were inherentlyplex and subtle.

    If Isaac, a mere baron¡¯s son, were to enter into an arranged marriage with herself, a princess, the Minerva Empire would ultimately be the one to benefit.

    Of course, it could be that Isaac is being protected because he is engaged to the Lady of the Requilis family. However, the suspicion remained unshakable.

    She even thought that perhaps his engagement to the Requilis family was because Isaac had something valuable.

    <i>¡®A guy who has nothing but his looks, what could it be?¡¯</i>

    From Hiriya¡¯s perspective, Isaac¡¯s appearance was indeed quite impressive. His rarebination of fiery red hair and golden eyes was striking enough to make even the rumor that Lady Marie of the Requilis family married him for his looks usible.

    But that was merely a jest, there had to be something more. She just didn¡¯t know what it was yet.

    <i>¡®And during Cecily¡¯s speech in Helium¡­¡¯</i>

    She recalled the speech in Helium where Princess Cecily had unmistakably made eye contact with Isaac. Not just once, but three times. Even if his red hair was noticeable, making eye contact three times was unusual.

    It could have been a coincidence, but given the circumstances she had observed so far, it didn¡¯t seem like one.

    Isaac had something she didn¡¯t know. She was sure of that.

    And the most usible theory was¡­

    <i>¡® Isaac Ducker Michelle is Xenon.¡¯</i>

    This single hypothesis exined the Minerva Empire¡¯s protective actions and Cecily¡¯s reaction during the speech.

    However, there was ack of evidence. It was possible that Isaac¡¯s father, Hawk, could be Xenon instead.

    Moreover, she only had circumstantial evidence, which was not sufficient.

    It could be a case of the Minerva Empire¡¯s image-making, or perhaps they had exchanged nces simply because his red hair stood out.

    <i>¡®I need to get solid evidence first.¡¯</i>

    She had seen Isaac, Rina, Maria, and Cecily together countless times.

    ording to rumors, this group had been together since their first year.

    Even that was suspicious, but she needed more concrete evidence.

    <i>¡®If he really is Xenon¡­¡¯</i>

    Hiriya briefly entertained the thought but quickly shook her head. At the same time, she denied it, thinking it could never be true.

    Anyway, her ultimate goal was to take Isaac away from that wretched illegitimate child. Whether Isaac was Xenon or not didn¡¯t matter to her.

    <i>¡®But what if he really is Xenon?¡¯</i>

    She forcibly suppressed the anxiety that was beginning to sprout in her heart.

    Though she didn¡¯t consciously realize it, her sky-blue eyes, fixed on the dormitory, were starting to tremble.

    Once the seed of suspicion is nted, it grows vigorously, just like anxiety.

    If Isaac truly was Xenon, it could endanger not only herself but also the entire Ters Kingdom.

    Hiriya stood there for a while, gazing at the dormitory, before taking a deep breath and turning away. She nned to go back and clear her head.

    <i>¡®It can¡¯t be true.¡¯</i>

    As she left with such thoughts, another figure emerged as soon as Hiriya disappeared.

    A woman with pink hair and eyes, reminiscent of cherry blossoms.

    ¡°¡­What is this?¡±

    Cherry tilted her head and murmured softly.

    ¡°Could it be a stalker?¡±

    It was a bit hypocritical for her to say that.<hr>

    Trantors note:

    I just noticed I posted chapter 290 as 289, I¡¯m really sorry about it(fixed now). Fortunately it was somewhat of a filler but I still fucked up. I¡¯m posting an extra chapter for that.

 Chapter 292: Suspicion (2)

    Chapter 292: Suspicion (2)

    Just a few days ago, things were noisy with imposters and whatnot, but now everything has quieted down. In other words, life has returned to its peaceful routine.

    And when ordinary life repeats, time flies. Thanks to the typewriter, Volume 22 of Xenon¡¯s Biography was already in its final stages.

    After proofreading and sending it to the publisher, the writing of Volume 22 will beplete. It finished so quickly that I considered starting on Volume 23 right away, but I decided to take a short break instead.

    Even if I take a break, it usually just means spending time with friends. By the way, Cecily was still absent.

    She¡¯s still managing internal affairs in Helium and might have to skip this entire semester.

    Fortunately, Halo Academy understands this. They have a policy that allows students to avoid failing for one semester if unavoidable circumstances arise.

    In special cases like Helium¡¯s, they might even allow a year.

    Although it felt a bit empty without Cecily at the academy, we kept in touch through Gartz.

    I was enjoying the leisurely routine of the academy and was looking forward to a rxing weekend.¡°198¡­ 199¡­ 200! Stop!¡±

    In a secluded corner of the public training ground, with the lingering heat of summer still in the air, I released the tension in my arms as soon as I heard Adelia¡¯s call to stop.

    The hard feel of the stone under my chest was fully conveyed, and a sense offort spread through my body. I felt like closing my eyes and sleeping right there.

    ¡°Rest for 30 seconds, then do another 200 reps.¡±

    However, Adelia¡¯s ruthless words from behind brought me back to reality.

    Without turning my head, Iined to Adelia, who was perched on my back.

    ¡°Can¡¯t I rest a bit longer?¡±

    ¡°No. Stop whining.¡±

    Adelia responded in a strict voice, showing no leniency when it came to managing my physical condition.

    Even now, those weren¡¯t ordinary push-ups. I have to repeat them with her on my back.

    As a trained knight, Adelia has a lot of muscle, making her weight above average. She estimated it to be around 75 kg.

    Considering her height is exactly 173 cm and the average weight for that height is about 60 kg, it means her muscle mass is enormous.

    Even a simple push-up bes incredibly intense with Adelia on my back. This can¡¯t be mitigated with holy power.

    Holy power is more suited for support, not direct enhancement. My growth depends purely on my effort.

    ¡°Noona.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°You built your body through sheer effort without any holy power, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Her confident response shows that Adelia¡¯s true talent lies in her hard work and reflection.

    She doesn¡¯t just charge ahead mindlessly but thinks about the most effective methods, implements them, and sees the results.

    If the results aren¡¯t satisfactory, she revises her theories and practices again. This endless cycle gave birth to the person Adelia is today.

    ¡°As you know, unlike my other siblings, I didn¡¯t have proper support. I had to do this to catch up.¡±

    Adelia spoke with a slightly bitter tone while still perched on my back. I held back my words for a moment.

    As she said, the Ters royal family provided only the basic necessities, leaving everything else for Adelia to handle.

    Even her swordsmanship was taught in secret by a knight, who waster demoted when discovered.

    The more I heard about Adelia¡¯s hardships, the more I questioned how the Ters Kingdom managed its affairs, but it¡¯s not umon for capability andpassion to be inversely rted in people.

    Maybe they believed in a noble duty to care for the popce. This was likely the most usible exnation.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m okay with it, though.¡¯</i>

    I can feel the growth I¡¯ve achieved recently thanks to Adelia. A month ago, it was impossible to do push-ups with her on my back.

    But with Adelia¡¯s passionate guidance and support, I¡¯ve made rapid progress.

    In addition, when she takes care of the maid duties, she keeps track of my breaks so I can get out of the zone, which is great.

    She might be an insignificant illegitimate child to the Ters royal family, but to me, Adelia is a pumpkin that rolled in on a vine.

    ¡°But look at you, trying to ck off. Hurry up before I add another set.¡±

    Of course, she remained a strict teacher. It¡¯s beneficial to finish quickly since it¡¯s 200 push-ups per set.

    Although the training was conducted in a public training ground where it was noticeable, no one paid attention.

    At first, a few people nced over, but they quickly lost interest, thinking it was just a trainer and a trainee situation.

    They are too busy with their own training to have the leisure to look.

    There are plenty of fit and attractive people around, so there¡¯s no reason to particrly look at us.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Have you ever thought about learning martial arts?¡±

    While I was doing push-ups, Adelia subtly threw a question at me.

    Given her serious tone, it was definitely not a joke. She was sincere.

    I continued doing push-ups while thinking deeply about the question.

    ¡°Um¡­ Not really? I¡¯ve learned basic self-defense from my father, so I¡¯m fine, but martial arts don¡¯t particrly interest me. I don¡¯t have the time to learn it either.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Is my body that good?¡±

    Although it was a somewhat ambiguous expression, Adelia would understand. Instead, I sensed her flinch for a moment.

    Then she smoothed over the awkwardness with a hollowugh and answered my question.

    ¡°It¡¯s not just good. Even though you have divine power, it¡¯s difficult to get in such good shape in a short period of time. You definitely have talent.¡±

    Although Adeliaplimented me, I wasn¡¯t particrly interested. As I mentioned earlier, I don¡¯t have the time to learn martial arts when writing Xenon¡¯s Biography is already hard enough.

    In a way, it¡¯s like nting potatoes in fertile soil. Still, my decision was firm.

    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m not interested at the moment. Besides, even if my body is in good shape, that doesn¡¯t mean I have a talent for swordsmanship.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to wield a sword or spear. There are weapons like axes or maces that are all about swinging. I can show you some basic grappling techniques and methods. It¡¯s a form of self-defense too.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll consider it. For now, let¡¯s just finish this.¡±

    Martial arts or not, exercise is the priority right now. Adelia seemed to understand that and quietly helped me.

    ¡°We¡¯re done for today. You can go in and rest now.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for the hard work. Oh, by the way, Noona.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Marie said she¡¯d give you some time tonight.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I smiled as I spoke, and Adelia blinked a couple of times.

    Then, her face noticeably reddened, and she turned her head, coughing awkwardly before replying quietly.

    ¡°¡­I will be waiting.¡±

    Adelia, speaking in a formal tone now, disyed the demeanor of a dedicated maid rather than a bodyguard.

    I gently stroked her cheek before getting ready to head back to the dorm. A shower at the dorm would be the final task.

    Even though I¡¯d sweat again soon, maintaining cleanliness is always important.

    Being clean is far better than feeling grimy, no matter how annoying the process might be. With this thought in mind, I headed back to the dorm.

    Unlike Marie or Cecily, Adelia doesn¡¯t express herself outwardly, so she¡¯s likely been holding things in for a while.

    Given how much I exerted myself just now, I expect I¡¯ll have a hard time getting up tomorrow.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    As I was finishing a refreshing shower, anticipating another intense night, I noticed an envelope that hadn¡¯t been there when I arrived earlier. Ity conspicuously on the front doorstep.

    The dormitory door had a slot for mail, so asionally letters or packages would be left there. Most of the time, they were letters from home or manuscripts for Xenon¡¯s Biography, and sometimes notifications.

    <i>¡®Could it be from Mother?¡¯</i>

    Recently, I¡¯ve also been exchanging letters with Cecily, so it was quite likely from her. Unless something happened at home, there wouldn¡¯t be much reason to send a letter.

    Drying my unnecessarily long hair with a towel, I picked up the letter.

    It was a in white envelope, something you could see anywhere. Unlike the borate stationery Cecily or my mother used, this one was quite ordinary.

    <i>¡®Who could this be from?¡¯</i>

    Could it be a love letter? I dismissed the thought as I carefully opened the envelope.

    Inside, there was only a single sheet of paper. With growing curiosity, I unfolded the letter.

    And then¡­

    [Are you Xenon?]

    The neatly written question made me blink in surprise.

    <i>¡®¡­Hiriya?¡¯</i>

    There¡¯s only one person who would do something like this, even if Icked concrete evidence.

    <i>¡®But what does she expect me to do?¡¯</i>

    I was unsure how to respond to this.

    *****

    <i>¡®This should do it.¡¯</i>

    A little while ago, while Isaac was cleaning himself up, Hiriya slipped the letter into his dormitory mailbox and quickly left the area.

    In her disguise, there was no worry about being recognized, and she wore sses to further obscure her features.

    <i>¡®Why is that guy so diligent?¡¯</i>

    As she walked away from the dormitory, she recalled Isaac¡¯s daily routine, which she had observed over the past few days.

    Isaac¡¯s routine was that of a model student. Except for asional meetings with Marie or Adelia, he spent most of his time holed up in theb.

    Even when he left theb, he always headed to the library and then returned to theb.

    He was the epitome of a schr, but that wasn¡¯t what Hiriya was interested in. She wanted to understand his exact rtionship with Cecily.

    However, Cecily was currently absent due to internal affairs in Helium. Rumor had it that she might take a leave of absence for the entire semester.

    This situation made Hiriya even more anxious. She needed to find out if Isaac was Xenon, and this dy was already causing issues.

    Her goal wasn¡¯t to prove that Isaac was Xenon, but to find out if he was or wasn¡¯t.

    <i>¡®If he sees the letter, he¡¯ll react.¡¯</i>

    If he wasn¡¯t Xenon, he would behave as usual. If he was Xenon, there would be some change in his behavior.

    Her initial goal was to observe this reaction. She could n her next steps slowly after that.

    If Isaac wasn¡¯t Xenon, she could proceed with her original n to take him away. But if he truly was Xenon¡­

    <i>¡®No, it can¡¯t be.¡¯</i>

    Hiriya shook her head vigorously. If he really was Xenon, she would be in serious trouble.

    One thing she had realized while following him was that his rtionship with Adelia had deepened.

    Even if he wasn¡¯t Xenon, as long as he had the approval of Marie from the Requilis ducal family, it wouldn¡¯t matter. The problem was the opposite. Isaac likely knew theplex situation between Adelia and the Ters royal family. If he truly was Xenon, then what?

    <i>¡®Ters Kingdom would be thoroughly isted.¡¯</i>

    The moment they touched Xenon, Helium and the Luminous Church would intervene directly, and even Alvenheim might take action.

    That had to be prevented at all costs. As reckless as Hiriya might be, she had somemon sense and understanding of diplomacy.

    Although she became a knight to avoid being sold off into marriage, she knew enough about foreign rtions.

    <i>¡®Using Adelia might help mitigate the situation somewhat¡­¡¯</i>

    As Hiriya was walking, sorting out herplicated thoughts step by step, she suddenly collided with someone.

    <i>Thud</i>

    ¡°Ouch!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Perhaps it was because she was walking with her eyes downcast. A passerby bumped into Hiriya.

    Despite the collision, Hiriya remained standing while the person she bumped into fell to the ground.

    The person was rubbing their backside and groaning, indicating they had fallen quite hard.

    <i>¡®Pink?¡¯</i>

    Interestingly, the person Hiriya had collided with had pink hair.

    It was a rare cherry blossom color, much like Isaac¡¯s red hair, known to be very umon.

    Normally, seeing the pink hair would have made Hiriya try to guess which family the person belonged to, but she was too preupied to think about it.

    ¡°Tch. Get up.¡±

    Hiriya clicked her tongue and extended her hand to help the person up.

    Since she was the one distracted and caused the collision, it was only right to help.

    The pink-haired woman took her hand and slowly stood up.

    ¡°Th-Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going.¡±

    Hiriya wasn¡¯t one to talk, but she said it out of pride.

    Despite her minimal courtesy, the passerby didn¡¯t say a word and brushed past her swiftly. Hiriya¡¯s eye twitched slightly, but she only grumbled inwardly and resumed her steps without dy.

    When they had put some distance between them, the pink-haired woman, Cherry, muttered to herself as she watched Hiriya¡¯s figure disappear.

    <i>¡®She really is a stalker.¡¯</i>

    Cherry, the woman with pink hair, had seen Hiriya following Isaac before. Last time, it was pure luck that she hadn¡¯t been caught, but now she was observing from a distance just to be sure.

    Luckily, the stalker seemedpletely unaware that she was being followed herself and hadn¡¯t noticed Cherry¡¯s presence.

    <i>¡®I need to let him know right away.¡¯</i>

    As soon as Cherry confirmed the stalker, she didn¡¯t hesitate for a moment and headed straight for Isaac¡¯s dormitory.

    Once she arrived at the front door of the dormitory, she raised her hand and knocked lightly.

    <i>Knock knock knock</i>

    ¡°Senior Isaac, it¡¯s Cherry. I have something to talk about¡­¡±<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 293: On Top of the Runner (3)

    When I received the letter, I had a hunch it was Hiriya¡¯s doing. Cherry¡¯s visit and the information she shared confirmed my suspicions. Hiriya was currently investigating whether I was Xenon.

    ording to Cherry, there was a woman following me with brown hair and eyes, wearing sses that didn¡¯t suit her, and dressed inly. But I knew immediately it was Hiriya.

    Given the circumstances and her recent behavior, there were few others who would send me such a letter. Despite my clumsy and somewhat naive exterior, I was able to piece things together before anyone could dig too deep.

    Other than Marie, those who figured out my identity had done so because they investigated thoroughly, it wasn¡¯t something easily discernible. Unlike some, I didn¡¯t have a broadwork of connections.

    I preferred deep rtionships with a few rather than superficial ones with many. This trait, although a disadvantage for a noble where connections are crucial, was mitigated by my ¡®abilities.¡¯

    Regardless, Hiriya¡¯s new interest in me was neither good nor bad. Honestly, I didn¡¯t care much. If she discovered my identity, she would likely tread carefully. If she decided I wasn¡¯t Xenon, she would continue her usual behavior. Both scenarios had their pros and cons.

    If she believed I was Xenon, Hiriya personally wouldn¡¯t be able to do much, but if the kingdom got involved, it would be a different story. They might provoke the Minerva Empire or have some high-ranking official intervene.

    Adelia, who was like a thorn in their side, could be a slight nuisance, but they might tolerate it for the nation¡¯s benefit. They likely viewed Adelia as a concubine or spoils of war anyway.

    The wildcard here was Marie, my fianc¨¦e and a member of the Requilis ducal family. There was already intense scrutiny andpetition, if my identity were revealed, the Ters Kingdom would likely be even more aggressive.As I pondered these possibilities, I realized that I had to be cautious in my actions and responses. Hiriya¡¯s suspicions, whether they led to confirmation or dismissal, would dictate a lot of my future interactions and strategies.

    Of course, I¡¯d reject everything they proposed, but it wouldn¡¯t stop at just being a nuisance; the situation would getplicated. This is the scenario if Hiriya realizes I¡¯m Xenon.

    If she decides I¡¯m not, things will proceed much more smoothly. Knowing your enemy and yourself means you won¡¯t be defeated in a hundred battles, as the saying goes. It would unfold simrly to the Senate incident.

    Given Hiriya¡¯s personality, if she thinks I don¡¯t have backing, she will likely harass me more persistently. Adelia might also get caught in the crossfire.

    But, just like with the Council situation, I could use this to make the Ters Kingdom pay dearly.

    However, this requires me to reveal my true identity in front of everyone. The consequences of that are well known.

    Either way, since Hiriya started suspecting me, it¡¯s been a hassle. This is likely the choice Mora mentioned.

    Should I let Hiriya realize I¡¯m Xenon, or should I act as if nothing is different and maintain my usual routine?

    Moreover, Cherry¡¯s testimony about being stalked makes it difficult to even meet with Rina to discuss and coordinate.

    To make matters worse, Rina is currently busy dealing with Cecily¡¯s speech, Arwen¡¯s announcement, and the impersonation incident.

    Especially with the recent rapid growth of Helium and the counteractions from Alvenheim, she¡¯s fully upied with her duties as a princess.

    In other words, the only person I can realistically discuss things with face-to-face is Marie. Additionally, Hiriya believes her stalking has gone unnoticed.

    <i>¡®What a headache.¡¯</i>

    Using this to my advantage is a headache, and ignoring it might make Hiriya realize something¡¯s up.

    Since I don¡¯t know when, where, or how she¡¯s stalking me, I need to be cautious in everything I do.

    For now, pretending not to notice and focusing on my studies while keeping her confused seems like the best n.

    ¡°<i>Nom nom nom</i>.¡±

    ¡°Is it good?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    First, I should take care of Leona, who will be working with me as an assistant.

    Since the exhibition, we hadn¡¯t had much contact, so I thought it was time to meet up.

    As expected, as soon as I invited her to the cafeteria, she eagerly ordered a T-bone steak and started eating it with great gusto.

    If she had been born on Earth, she would have made a fantastic mukbang star. Watching her eat is enough to make me feel full.

    ¡°<i>Crunch. Munch.</i>¡°

    Leona chewed on the meat and even the bones, her ears perking up happily as she smiled, making me smile too.

    But looking at the stack of tes on the table turns my smile into an awkward one.

    It¡¯s a good thing no one else is watching, I can¡¯t even imagine how the staff would react if they saw this.

    Leona, however, paid no mind and waved her tail cheerfully.

    ¡°Ahh, that was delicious.¡±

    Leona leaned back in her chair with a satisfied expression after finishing her fifth te of steak.

    Seeing the steak sauce still smeared around her mouth, it¡¯s clear she¡¯spletely full.

    I chuckled, stood up, and wiped her mouth with a napkin.

    ¡°After eating, you should wipe your mouth with a napkin.¡±

    ¡°Oh, sorry.¡±

    As I wiped her mouth, she obediently followed my hand. Moments like these make her feel like a pet.

    It¡¯s been a few months since she dered her intent to be my wife in front of Marie, but Marie doesn¡¯t see Leona as a petitor.¡¯

    Unlike Cecily and Adelia, Marie seems to view Leona more like a cute pet.

    I shouldn¡¯t think this way, but it really does feel like Leona is more of a trophy, raising doubts about whether this is right.

    <i>¡®Leona¡¯s mother didn¡¯t look too happy either.¡¯</i>

    As I wiped Leona¡¯s mouth, I recalled her mother from the exhibition visit.

    Leona¡¯s mother looked almost identical to Leona, only without the ears and tail.

    While Leona was cheerful and a bit yful, her mother had a very kind and graceful demeanor.

    Leona¡¯s father, the former chieftain, must have epted her mother for her virtuous and wise image.

    <i>¡®To think that a daughter raised with such care would end up with a nobleman¡­¡¯</i>

    The chieftain¡¯s wife had authority as a wife but all the power was concentrated in the chieftain.

    Of course, there¡¯s a saying that men rule the world, but women rule the men. If a woman is politically adept, she can wield considerable influence.

    Leona¡¯s mother was no exception. Even though she was human, her outstanding wisdom earned her respect among the beastmen.

    If she hadcked that wisdom, her life would have been tough, especially given the beastmen¡¯s distrust of humans after the genocide during the race war.

    Leona, who was raised with such care, was entering not as a main wife but as a concubine, which must have been troubling.

    Her mother was also a concubine, not a main wife, so she likely felt uneasy about it.

    <i>¡®When should I tell her I¡¯m Xenon?¡¯</i>

    Back at the table, I looked into Leona¡¯s sparkling golden eyes as she waited patiently.

    Her swaying tail and perky animal ears gave off an undeniable animalistic charm.

    Originally, I intended to reveal my identity as Xenon to Leona too, but after meeting her mother, I decided to postpone it.

    Even if it was a cultural misunderstanding, proceeding without addressing it felt off.

    Marie, Cecily, and Adelia were with me because they genuinely liked me for who I am, but Leona seemed to ept it just because of her culture.

    ¡°Why are you staring at me like that?¡±

    After a while of just looking at each other, Leona blinked and spoke.

    Her tone was characteristically cynical, but it was her way of genuinely asking why I was staring.

    That¡¯s just how she talks. However, when I touch her, she turns into a cuddly cat, rubbing her face against me and showing affection. That¡¯s Leona¡¯s charm.

    I gazed at her, charmed by her animal-like ears, which were really attractive to me as a beastman, and responded with a weak smile.

    ¡°Noona.¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    ¡°It might be a little annoying, but I¡¯ll ask again. Do you really not regret bing my wife?¡±

    ¡°Again, again, with that question. As I said before, this is a beastman¡¯s culture¡­¡±

    ¡°Even considering your mother?¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    As soon as I mentioned her mother, Leona froze, her mouth half-open as if she was about to answer.

    Everyone knows that Leona is a devoted daughter. The reason she¡¯s trying to graduate from the academy while hiding her identity is to make her mother happy.

    But when ites to her father, there¡¯s almost nothing, almost a strangeck of mention. This implies she hardly has any affection for her biological father.

    In beastman culture, males dominating females is taken for granted, and they even consider their offspring as rewards.

    Their behavior and culture, in many ways, fit the term ¡®beast,¡¯ and it¡¯s why humans, including myself, find it hard to understand them.

    Think about it, there¡¯s even an insult that says ¡®beast-like guy.¡¯ It shows how hard it is for us to understand each other.

    ¡°¡­Can I be honest?¡±

    After hearing my question, Leona showed a hint of hesitation before cautiously opening her mouth to speak.

    I nodded, gesturing for her to continue. Her usual confident and cynical tone was absent, making me even more interested.

    Then she let out a deep sigh, revealing herplex emotions, and began to talk about what had happened.

    ¡°¡­During the exhibition, my mother said that there¡¯s no need to strictly follow the beastman culture. If I want to live a life that¡¯s neither purely beastman nor human, that¡¯s fine, but at least my mother prefers the human way of life.¡±

    ¡°Why does she feel that way?¡±

    ¡°Because my mother is human.¡±

    A concise and instantly understandable answer without the need for lengthy exnations. Beastmen and humans can intermingle, but their cultures remain ipatible.

    To beastmen, human culture might seem annoyingly meticulous, while humans might view beastman culture as barbaric.

    Culture forms simple yetplex rtionships, and in the worst cases, it can lead to war.

    Even I consider beastman culture barbaric, so it¡¯s no surprise that other humans would think the same.

    My past life¡¯s memories allow me to ¡®understand,¡¯ but for other humans, understanding would be even more challenging.

    ¡°Besides, my father¡­ I can¡¯t even say he was a good father, even in passing. He was an excellent ruler, but he had little interest in his children. Especially me, since I¡¯m a half-breed and not very attractive.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? You¡¯re incredibly beautiful.¡±

    ¡°I-I was speaking from a beastman¡¯s perspective!¡±

    When I casuallyplimented her appearance, Leona blushed and hastily raised her voice. She looks cute even when she¡¯s flustered.

    ¡°¡­Anyway, my mother suggested reconsidering everything once more. She might visit the academy soon. She was busy spending time with me during the exhibition.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ what do you think?¡±

    ¡°¡­Honestly, I¡¯m not sure. I want to follow my mother¡¯s advice, but I like you. It¡¯s not just one or two women, the fact that you can manage several implies you have the strength and ability. But my mother doesn¡¯t seem to want that.¡±

    That¡¯s likely true. If she were a concubine of a noble, it would be a different story.

    Materially, there would be nock, and she wouldn¡¯t risk dying a lonely death. What her mother probably worries about is ¡®politics.¡¯

    Strictly speaking, it could be described as a love-rted conflict. Her mother probably went through simr experiences herself.

    Parents naturally want their children to lead better lives than they did. So, it¡¯s only natural that her mother would want her only daughter to marry a man she loves genuinely, without any worries.

    It¡¯s a problem that¡¯s bothplex and simple. This is something that needs to be discussed not with Leona, but with her mother.

    ¡°Alright, I understand for now. Then it can¡¯t be helped.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s best to put things on hold for the time being. First, meeting with your mother should be the priority.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±

    Leona looked genuinely disappointed with my decision. Not only did her ears droop, but her wagging tail also hung limply.

    Her reaction made it clear that she liked me. However, it was a necessary step to reassure her mother.

    Considering her filial piety, there¡¯s no other way. Any wrong move could strain the harmonious rtionship between mother and daughter.

    ¡°¡­Alright. I¡¯ll try my best to convince my mother as well.¡±

    Fortunately, Leona nodded, epting my decision. It seems she usually follows anything rted to her mother, definitely a sign of a devoted daughter.

    ¡°Thank you. Just to make sure there¡¯s no misunderstanding, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like you. Quite the opposite, actually.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Honestly, hardly any man could refuse a beautiful woman like you.¡±

    ¡°Hehe.¡±

    When Iplimented her beauty, her ears perked up and her tail wagged again.

    I resolved to persuade her mother, even more determined to touch those ears and tail freely.

    ¡°Oh, by the way, Leona.¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    ¡°You said you¡¯reing to the history department as a teaching assistant after this semester, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Is that because of me?¡±

    Leona nodded at my question, then replied with a bright smile.

    ¡°Yes! That way, I¡¯ll have more time to spend with you.¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    ¡°Do you¡­ not like it?¡±

    Her ears and tail drooped again. I immediately denied it.

    ¡°No, I actually like it. I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡±

    ¡°Great!¡±

    How could she be so adorable? I resolved to persuade her mother no matter what.

    *****

    Meanwhile, at the same time, in a different ce.

    ¡°So, why did you call me here?¡±

    Isaac¡¯s lover and fianc¨¦e, Marie, asked curtly as she looked at the woman sitting across from her.

    The woman opposite her, Hiriya, responded in her characteristically blunt voice.

    ¡°I have something I want to ask you.¡±

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 294: On Top of the Runner (1)

    Chapter 294: On Top of the Runner (1)

    Marie Hausen Requilis, the eldest daughter of Duke Requilis, and Isaac¡¯s fianc¨¦e, as ¡°officially¡± known.

    The rtionship between the daughter of a ducal house and the son of a baron¡¯s house might raise eyebrows, questioning why a woman of Marie¡¯s stature would marry rather than bring in a husband by proxy.

    Even though her older brother, Kay, is confirmed to inherit the family head position, making the engagement somewhat understandable, it¡¯s still curious why it had to be Isaac.

    The Duke Requilis household, being a solid partner of the imperial family, held immense prestige if not direct power. Through strategic marriage, they could have secured significant benefits, so it¡¯s perplexing from an outsider¡¯s perspective why Marie would marry into a mere baron¡¯s house.

    However, this is only a surface-level observation. A deeper look reveals a more understandable motive: securing Isaac¡¯s father, Hawk Ducker Michelle, known as the Red Lion. Despite the military¡¯s assistance, he is a hero who subdued a rampaging dragon, making him a critical asset for the empire.

    Notably, Hawk shows little interest in the ¡®honor¡¯ that soldiers usually hold dear andcks political ambitions. Currently, due to personal reasons, he retired early and enjoys a peaceful, secluded life.

    From the perspective of the high-ranking officials, while this seems ideal, it also indicates that Hawk holds no strong attachment to the empire.

    If someone as formidable as Hawk were to align with another power, it would be a severe blow to the empire, potentially leading to severe consequences.

    Considering his early retirement, it¡¯s likely he still maintains his skills. Hence, it would make sense for the empire to enlist the help of the Duke Requilis household, a close business partner, to secure him. Sending a royal like Rina would be excessive, so they sent Marie instead.Though this is just spection, it¡¯s a highly convincing hypothesis that everyone seems to ept.

    Of course, all these theories are wrong. In truth, Marie and Isaac are together simply because they love each other. In fact, it was Marie who confessed first, not Isaac.

    Even before Isaac revealed his true identity, their rtionship had already blossomed, making their deepening bond only natural. They were already famous within the academy as a perfect match.

    There were even risqu¨¦ rumors about them frequently holding hands and entering inns together, but the two main characters paid no mind to such gossip. In fact, they had no intention of denying the truth.

    Their rtionship was well-known, so what if someone decided to intrude? And not just any ordinary noble, but a foreign royal showing deep interest in one of them? It might seem like an entertaining drama from an outsider¡¯s perspective, but for those involved, it was an intolerable nuisance.

    Worse, it could escte into a serious diplomatic incident since Marie and Isaac were officially engaged. If the goal was to steal Isaac rather than make her a concubine, it would be a very grave situation.

    Fortunately, for now, it was just a rumor, with no one certain of its truth. It was too absurd and far-fetched to be easily believed.

    ¡°So, why did you call me here?¡±

    Marie, feeling more than just annoyed, asked bluntly. She crossed her arms and red at the person across from her, making no effort to hide her displeasure. Her piercing gaze and hostile demeanor made it obvious that she was in a foul mood, even to someone unfamiliar with the situation.

    ¡°I have something I want to ask you.¡±

    Hiriya, receiving Marie¡¯s intense re, replied bluntly. She had not disguised herself as she did when stalking Isaac, her sky-blue hair and eyes were fully visible.

    Marie narrowed her eyes at Hiriya. She was so irritated that she felt like pping her.

    As Isaac¡¯s lover and fianc¨¦e, Marie was fully aware of the atrocities Hiriya had beenmitting. While Hiriya showed some restraint in her presence, the situation changed drastically when Isaac was alone.

    She would openly attempt to touch Isaac or create an intimate atmosphere, making it clear she was serious about her intentions.

    Even though Cecily acted like a sly fox, Adelia subtly expressed her feelings, and many other women clung to Isaac, Marie had always been tolerant. She understood that these women wouldn¡¯t give up no matter what she said.

    So, she had resigned herself to the situation, but the sky-blue-haired beauty in front of her, Hiriya, was another story entirely.

    It didn¡¯t matter that Hiriya was a royal from the rival Terse Kingdom, what mattered was that Hiriya was using Isaac for her personal revenge. Marie had long since closely monitored the rtionship between Adelia and Hiriya, and the events that had transpired between them, through Isaac.

    To Marie, Hiriya was nothing more than a despicable woman. Though she sometimes called Cecily a ¡®foxy bitch¡¯ in jest, she had never been as genuinely hostile as she was toward Hiriya. As a result, Marie¡¯s feelings toward her were already at their worst, and now she had sought her out separately.

    Marie decided to listen to what nonsense Hiriya had to say, but if it was as expected, she would leave without hesitation.

    ¡°You said you have something to ask?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s rted to Isaac, I won¡¯t answer.¡±

    Although she was polite due to the royal connection, her words wereced with clear hostility. It was evident that no good words were forting.

    Hiriya, not being entirely foolish, showed no outward reaction. However, she was also not above ignoring Marie¡¯s demands.

    ¡°Sorry, but I need to ask for my own personal curiosity.¡±

    ¡°Hah. So, the Ters royals ignore refusals, do they?¡±

    Marie barely managed to restrain herself from cursing Hiriya¡¯s upbringing, feeling it was an act that crossed a line.

    If Marie retaliated in kind, it would only provide more justification for Hiriya¡¯s actions. In politics, justification is crucial, but strength is equally important.

    Despite Hiriya¡¯s provocation, it was wise for Marie to watch her words, considering the clear disparity in power and rank.

    ¡°It¡¯s a very important matter, so I hope you understand.¡±

    ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s hear what you have to say.¡±

    Marie sighed in frustration but reluctantly agreed. If it turned out to be a pointless discussion, she was ready to leave abruptly.

    Before diving into her main topic, Hiriya decided to irritate Marie subtly, hoping to find a chink in her armor. Knowing that Marie, as Isaac¡¯s fianc¨¦e, would have more insight into his preferences, Hiriya maintained a poker face and spoke calmly.

    ¡°As Isaac¡¯s fianc¨¦e, you must know what he likes.¡±

    ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°I want to give him a gift. Do you know what he likes?¡±

    At this question, Marie raised an eyebrow, thinking, ¡®This bitch?¡¯

    In Marie¡¯s mind, Hiriya had downgraded from being a mere nuisance to a full-blown adversary. She nearly lost herposure but managed to hold it together.

    Hiriya had almost no interaction with Marie prior to this. This meeting was practically their first.

    Yet, Hiriya¡¯s approach felt like a direct missile attack, more a deration of war than a conversation starter. Marie felt less anger and more disbelief at her brazenness.

    At the same time, a sense of unease crept in. Hiriya¡¯s motives were unclear, making it difficult to understand why she would make such provocativements to Isaac¡¯s fianc¨¦e. Nevertheless, Marie decided to respond.

    ¡°¡­Princess Hiriya, you know that I am Isaac¡¯s lover and fianc¨¦e.¡±

    ¡°I do.¡±

    ¡°Then why are you so interested in my fianc¨¦?¡±

    Marie already knew the answer. Hiriya was seeking revenge against Adelia for some perceived slight.

    However, this was a profound humiliation for Hiriya, so she would refrain from mentioning it explicitly unless directly provoked. She would be careful not to give Marie any leverage.

    Meanwhile, Hiriya, observing Marie¡¯s evident difort, responded in her usual monotone.

    ¡°Because he¡¯s handsome.¡±

    ¡°¡­Excuse me?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s my type. That¡¯s all I can say.¡±

    Marie was taken aback by the seemingly straightforward answer. She was sincere. Marie possessed an instinctive ability, almost like mind-reading, that allowed her to sense others¡¯ true intentions.

    This was why she had confessed to Isaac¡ªbecause of his genuine behavior. Despite any hidden motives, when it came to love, Hiriya was being honest.

    This realization left Marie both surprised and irritated. At least the part about Isaac being her type was sincere.

    <i>¡®Damn his good looks¡­¡¯</i>

    The fact that it made sense only added to her annoyance. Marie tried hard to maintain herposure.

    Even when Isaac was a young penguin with a height barely surpassing 170 cm, she thought he was handsome. However, hisck of a traditionally masculine physique meant he wasn¡¯t particrly popr. Interest was primarily in his striking red hair and golden eyes.

    As time passed and his body developed, his beauty truly blossomed. Especially after receiving holy power, he began to emit a lc scent that acted as a pheromone, increasing his poprity even more.

    Fortunately, by then, Isaac¡¯s engagement to Marie had been officially announced, so it was manageable. Otherwise, there would have been many women like Hiriya pursuing him.

    ¡°¡­Your type?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Is that all?¡±

    ¡°I also like his considerate nature.¡±

    Marie felt like she was going to lose her mind. Hiriya¡¯s answers, devoid of any deceit, left her feeling frustrated.

    As expected of a princess, even one who is also a knight, Hiriya skillfully spoke only the truth. There was no slight reaction or tremor in her expression, and her tone remainedpletely calm. Marie knew that continuing like this wouldn¡¯t yield any advantage, so she swiftly went on the offensive.

    ¡°No special purpose, then?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    This seemed more difficult for Hiriya to answer, so she responded with silence instead. Silence meant affirmation. Marie clicked her tongue inwardly, thinking, ¡®Of course.¡¯

    Hiriya may have liked Isaac¡¯s face and personality, but it was clear she didn¡¯t harbor romantic feelings for him. His looks were merely an added bonus.

    ¡°Princess Hiriya, as Isaac¡¯s fianc¨¦e, I know well what kind of person his bodyguard is and what rtionship you have with her.¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    ¡°But meddling for the sake of petty revenge¡­ don¡¯t you think it¡¯s quite narrow-minded for someone in your position?¡±

    Marie decided to go for a blunt truth bomb, having nothing more to hide. Hiriya narrowed her eyes at Marie¡¯s words, showing her difort. Adelia was like a trigger for her, but she needed to endure it to get what she wanted. This level of provocation was expected when she decided to meet with Marie.

    Hiriya took a slow breath and finally spoke in her characteristically blunt manner.

    ¡°That¡¯s none of your concern. It¡¯s not what I want right now.¡±

    ¡°Then what do you want? I thought you came here to ask me to give up my engagement, but I¡¯m surprised.¡±

    Marie, despite her dislike for the masked politeness of social gatherings, was not weak in rhetoric. Her indirect jabs demonstrated her status as the daughter of a ducal house.

    Hiriya almost lost her temper but managed to hold back. She couldn¡¯t afford to get angry before achieving her goal. She continued to stare intently at Marie, who still had her arms crossed, and asked in a husky voice.

    ¡°How much do you really know about your fianc¨¦?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve already spent our first night together.¡±

    Marie¡¯s reply was blunt and contained a provocative undertone, visibly unsettling Hiriya, who was not used to such directness. However, that wasn¡¯t the kind of information Hiriya was after. She suppressed the flush rising to her cheeks with a cough.

    ¡°¡­That¡¯s not what I meant. I was asking how much you know about him, nothing more, nothing less.¡±

    ¡°Are you implying you know more about Isaac than I do? If so, that¡¯s a bit disappointing.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­¡±

    Hiriya seized the opportunity, her sky-blue eyes gleaming with intensity as she asked directly.

    ¡°Do you know that he¡¯s deeply connected to Xenon?¡±

    Hiriya boldly opened Pandora¡¯s box, but¡­

    ¡°What?¡±

    Marie¡¯s pretty face contorted in confusion, as if she had just heard something bizarre.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    Her reaction showed that she had never heard anything like this before.

    ¡°That¡¯s just ridiculous.¡±

    Marie¡¯s counter was both sharp and dismissive.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 295: On Top of the Runner (2)

    Chapter 295: On Top of the Runner (2)

    There is a saying: ¡°y a rigged Go-Stop game.¡±

    It refers to the act of pretending to know nothing to deceive someone, making them look like a fool.

    It is often used as ng in cases of match-fixing or fraud, but sometimes friends use it yfully in everyday life.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s a good thing I knew in advance.¡¯</i>

    Marie, who had received a question from Hiriya, is also one of the participants in the rigged Go-Stop game.

    Naturally, the one being deceived is Hiriya, sitting across from her. She currently had a nk expression after hearing her response.

    Marie almost let out augh at his expression but managed to suppress it. This was a moment when her acting skills, honed in social gatherings, were fully put to use.

    The reason Marie could respond nonchntly was none other than thanks to Isaac.

    After noticing Hiriya¡¯s stalking through Cherry, Isaac personally informed Marie, who had no trouble meeting him privately.If he had met Cecily or Rina separately, Hiriya would have noticed immediately, but fortunately, they were currently absent due to state affairs.

    The stage was appropriately set, and she had full knowledge of the opponent¡¯s hand. What remained depended on her actions.

    After discussing with Isaac, they concluded that revealing his identity would be akin to exposing their strongest card, so they decided to keep it hidden for now.

    The card they held was undoubtedly strong enough that the country itself would have to intervene. However, there was no need to reveal it.

    Hiriya would spend time his way, and Isaac would buy time his way.

    Even if Hiriya couldn¡¯t bear it and jumped to her own conclusions, it wouldn¡¯t matter, as they had long prepared countermeasures.

    <i>¡®We need to see how theye at us first.¡¯</i>

    As Isaac¡¯s reliable fianc¨¦e, Marie had long decided to handle the political aspects.

    Although she was a member of the Requilis Duchy, she was neither a princess of a country like Cecily nor directly assisting like Adelia. Because of this, Marie had harbored subtle emotions of inferiority in her heart, but it was now proving to be quite helpful in situations like this.

    Unlike Cecily and Rina, she was publicly dered as Isaac¡¯s fianc¨¦e, so it didn¡¯t matter where or when they met.

    In situations where it is difficult for Isaac to meet with others, like now, it would be much easier if she yed the intermediary role.

    <i>¡®What on earth is this woman up to?¡¯</i>

    Marie looked at Hiriya, who was lost in thought after her response. She had shown all her cards, and now it was crucial to see how he would react.

    The key question was whether she would act as usual, be more suspicious, ore to her own conclusions.

    Even if she jumped to conclusions, there were two possible oues, but the real issue was whether Hiriya would act as an individual or as royalty.

    If she acted individually, any scenario would result in the best oue. Even if Isaac¡¯s identity was discovered, they could simply silence her through negotiation (or ckmail).

    If she acted as royalty, the current situation would likely repeat multiple times. Her petty vengefulness, unbefitting of royalty, would continually annoy Isaac.

    The only way to resolve this situation would be through dialogue and persuasion. Otherwise, they would have to find a weakness of Hiriya¡¯s and use it as leverage for negotiation.

    However, these solutions only applied to Hiriya as an individual. If she acted in her capacity as royalty, the situation would be even moreplicated.

    Revealing Isaac as Xenon? The Kingdom of Ters would never keep the secret and would use all sorts of nonsense to harass Isaac.

    Hiding Isaac¡¯s identity as Xenon? This would prompt Hiriya to be even more proactive, worsening the situation into a diplomatic dispute.

    <i>¡®But she¡¯s really messed with the wrong person.¡¯</i>

    Marie snorted internally as she watched Hiriya, still deep in thought. The man she loved was not just an ordinary great writer but Xenon.

    A few months ago, if they had messed with him, they might have just faced endless criticism. But now, he was almost deified.

    It¡¯s no exaggeration to say that one wrong move could literally obliterate the entire country; he wasn¡¯t just a powder keg but akin to a hydrogen bomb.

    ¡°¡­Really?¡±

    After a long contemtion, Hiriya looked at Marie and asked cautiously. There was still doubt in her eyes.

    However, doubt is a process one must go through to reach certainty. Marie decided to turn that doubt into certainty.

    ¡°Yes. Isaac being Xenon, you need to say something that makes sense. What made you think that?¡±

    ¡°If you intend to deceive me, you should stop.¡±

    ¡°If he were really Xenon, wouldn¡¯t I have threatened Princess Hiriya instead. How dare you stand against Xenon? Can the kingdom of Ters fight the world alone?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Hiriya kept her mouth shut at Marie¡¯s sincere response. The doubt in her sky-blue eyes gradually faded.

    However, a trace of doubt still lingered. Her expression suggested she hadn¡¯t reached a conclusion yet.

    Eventually, Hiriya stared at Marie and asked again in her characteristic husky voice.

    ¡°Then why is Princess Rina protecting him?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Rina tends to cover for him asionally. Especially at the exhibition, it was particrly noticeable.¡±

    It¡¯s understandable that Cecily identally made eye contact with Isaac during Helium¡¯s speech. But Rina¡¯s case is different.

    The story that Hiriya is trying to take Isaac hasn¡¯t even surfaced as a rumor yet. She also strives to dy unnecessary gossip as much as possible.

    In other words, only those involved with Isaac know about the current situation, and Marie is connected to the royal family as she is from the House of Requilis.

    However, to believe in a fact that hasn¡¯t even surfaced as a rumor and for royalty to directly protect Isaac? It¡¯s excessive, even for business partners.

    Resolving all these questions might lead to certainty. Hiriya fixed her sharp gaze on Marie.

    ¡°Um¡­ it¡¯s a bit difficult to say¡­¡±

    There it is. She¡¯s caught. Hiriya smiled at Marie¡¯s flustered reaction.

    Yes, it¡¯s suspicious no matter how you look at it for royalty to personally protect him. Even if it was to elevate the status of the ducal house, it¡¯s overly protective.

    Of course, it¡¯s possible Marie begged for some help and had it handled somehow. But that¡¯s highly unlikely, so let¡¯s exclude that possibility.

    After pondering for a while, Marie nced at Hiriya and, as if she had no other choice, let out a deep sigh.

    ¡°Sigh¡­ I really shouldn¡¯t be telling you this¡­ But before that, there¡¯s no proof Isaac is Xenon, so why are you so insistent on prying?¡±

    ¡°Because there are many circumstances that only make sense if that¡¯s the case. It¡¯s odd for ady of the House of Requilis to marry into a mere baron¡¯s family.¡±

    ¡°I confessed to him myself! We got engaged after dating.¡±

    ¡°Enough, just tell me the reason.¡±

    Such a rude woman. Marie cursed Hiriya inwardly but reluctantly began to speak.

    ¡°Do you know about the border area of the Minerva Empire? It borders Alvenheim but is practically awless zone.¡±

    ¡°Are you talking about the northern region?¡±

    ¡°You know it well.¡±

    ¡°Of course I do. It¡¯s an area that used to be rampant with monsters and savages until a few decades ago. How could I not know?¡±

    The Minerva Empire, with its vast territory, has a much wider border than other countries. The reason its military strength has to be strong is that it requires arger border guard.

    Fortunately, the empire has the economic power to support its military, otherwise, it would have had to abandon its territory and sumb to foreign invasions.

    Especially the northern region Hiriya mentioned is notorious for its extreme cold, powerful monsters, and the presence of ¡®savages.¡¯

    It¡¯s also where the Navy Knights, known as the strongest order in the empire, are mainly stationed. Although it has be more peaceful recently, it still harbors many dangers.

    ¡°Then, do you know about the Red Lion?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard of its fame. It¡¯s known as the key yer in the Askanal incident. But it¡¯s still just a rumor, so I don¡¯t believe itpletely.¡±

    ¡°What if the Red Lion actually exists?¡±

    ¡°If such a thing were¡­ wait a moment.¡±

    Hiriya paused in the middle of her response, staring at Marie as if asking if she was serious.

    Marie, maintaining a confident expression, casually tucked her hair behind her ear and began to speak.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, Princess. The Red Lion exists, and he is none other than Isaac¡¯s father and my father-inw.¡±

    ¡°Stop making such absurd ims. Why would someone as significant as the Red Lion not be paraded as a national hero?¡±

    Hiriya¡¯s question was entirely reasonable. The importance of military power in showcasing a nation¡¯s strength cannot be overstated.

    In this world, unlike Earth, the military power of a single individual can greatly influence the overall national power.

    Just look at how Alvenheim, despite losing the racial war, still holds a hegemonic status, or how Helium has risen as a formidable contender.

    If someone as powerful as the Red Lion, who is rumored to have subdued a rampaging dragon and pacified a chaotic border region, truly existed, they would be the face of the military. The nation would proudly proim to the world that they possess a warrior as formidable as the Elven Commander.

    This single act of promotion would undoubtedly strengthen the Minerva Empire¡¯s national power, reducing the means by which other nations could challenge it.

    However, not showcasing such a figure was beyond Hiriya¡¯sprehension.

    As a princess, she only knew of the Red Lion through urban legends and rumors, so it was unimaginable how little other nations might know.

    Though it must be noted that the kingdom of Ters has had no direct military conflicts with the Minerva Empire.

    In contrast, Albenheim, sharing a border with the Minerva Empire and having frequent military skirmishes, is well aware of the Red Lion¡¯s reputation.

    When Isaac visited Albenheim, it was not surprising that Keir, upon seeing his red hair and golden eyes, was reminded of Hawk.

    ¡°That¡¯s because our empire¡¯s military strength doesn¡¯t solely rely on the Red Lion. He remains an incredibly powerful asset, but he prefers to stay low-key.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s nonsense. Politics isn¡¯t that simple.¡±

    ¡°The Red Lion changes the equation.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Marie¡¯s clear and concise retort left Hiriya without words. The reputation and power of Hawk, the Red Lion and Isaac¡¯s father, were undeniably formidable.

    And as Marie said, the Minerva Empire is not so weak as to rely solely on Hawk. They have countless soldiers who could be the face of their military.

    Their rtive cultural deficiency is the only drawback. The reason the kingdom of Ters can rival the Minerva Empire is because of its rich culture.

    ¡°Anyway, the reason Princess Rina is protecting Isaac is precisely because of my father-inw. If, by any chance, he harbors any dissatisfaction with the empire, it would be troublesome for them.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you understand now?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Hiriya had no choice but to ept it. She nodded, not realizing she had been taken in by Marie¡¯s skillful persuasion.

    Yet, still unable topletely dispel her doubts, she asked again.

    ¡°Is he truly not Xenon?¡±

    ¡°Of course not.¡±

    ¡°Can you say the same in front of Luminous?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Luminous would surely forgive this little lie. Hiriya leaned back slowly, reassured by Marie¡¯s unwavering response.

    The suspicion that had clouded her sky-blue eyes gradually faded, leaving only a sense of certainty.

    After a while, she smiled slightly, a crooked grin forming on her lips.

    <i>¡®How dare you confuse me¡­¡¯</i>

    Despite her annoyance, she found herself increasingly intrigued. His appearance had already passed her standards, and his background was nothing short of impressive.

    Marrying Isaac would mean the formidable Red Lion would no longer be a threat, and she could also satisfy her desire for revenge against Adelia.

    It was truly killing two birds with one stone. Hiriya began to carefully formte her n.

    First, it was crucial to create a ¡®justification¡¯ for bringing Isaac into the kingdom of Ters. On her home turf, even the imperial royalty would be powerless.

    She needed to make Isaacmit some transgression against her. For that to happen¡­

    <i>¡®Adelia. I¡¯ll have to use that bastard child.¡¯</i>

    As Hiriya openly plotted her sinister scheme,

    <i>¡®Walking right into the mes of hell.¡¯</i>

    Marie clicked her tongue inwardly, mocking Hiriya¡¯s arrogance.

    <i>¡®Why did he have to be so handsome? I¡¯m going to have to bite into him today.¡¯</i>

    She decided that looking at Isaac¡¯s face was the only way to alleviate her foul mood.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 296: Explosion (1)

    Chapter 296: Explosion (1)

    The news that Hiriya had met with Marie reached me shortly afterward. Marie herself grumbled about it to me.

    For a moment, I was worried that something bad might have happened, but fortunately, my concerns were unfounded, and things unfolded as expected.

    Especially when the subject of my father came up, Hiriya seemed to ept it all too easily. The Red Lion¡¯s reputation appeared to be even more formidable than I had anticipated.

    In any case, Marie exined that Hiriya left with a sinister smile, though what schemes she might be plotting remain unclear.

    Since she¡¯s nowpletely dismissed the suspicion that I am Xenon, it won¡¯t be long before she approaches me directly. She might even try to ensnare Adelia.

    To prevent this, Marie advised me to always keep Adelia by my side. With Hiriya having discarded her doubts about me being Xenon, she might resort to more aggressive tactics.

    Though I have no idea when this might happen, given Hiriya¡¯s devious nature, she could approach me on an unexpected day.

    The bigger issue is Adelia, not Hiriya. Knowing Adelia, she might feel like a burden.

    Even though Hiriya is no real threat to me as Xenon, Adelia might think she¡¯s a hindrance and try to leave.To prevent this, I need to keep Adelia close to me. Fortunately, the academy regtions allow for a bodyguard to stay with a student under special circumstances.

    In other words, Adelia will be staying with me in my dormitory from now on, instead of her own.

    Given this situation, I thought it would be better to request her official status as my personal maid, and I¡¯ve already applied to the academy. The administrative office is known for its quick processing, so the approval shoulde through within two days.

    It¡¯s a strange feeling, having my fianc¨¦e live separately while Adelia, who is practically my concubine, stays in the same room with me.

    Even though Marie understood the situation, she couldn¡¯t help but feel jealous, and she acted out during our date.

    ¡°<i>Chomp!</i>¡°

    ¡°Ack!¡±

    She yfully bit my cheek. This was one of her usual affectionate gestures, but today, perhaps due to umted stress from recent events, it hurt more than usual.

    ¡°Ouch, ouch. What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m trying to make you less handsome! <i>Chomp!</i>¡°

    ¡°Ack!¡±

    Marie kept insisting that this whole mess happened because I was too good-looking. If I were a bit less attractive, Hiriya wouldn¡¯t have taken an interest in me, she argued.

    I wanted to protest, but I knew it would only lead to more biting, so I reluctantly agreed.

    She bit me harder, asking if I was admitting to it. What was I supposed to do? Still, she was so cute that I let it slide.

    After finishing our date and smoothing things over with Marie, I headed to the dormitory to inform Adelia of the news.

    I also wanted to see Cherry, but since everything wasn¡¯tpletely resolved yet, I nned to meet her slowly. I even sent her a letter to avoid her feeling neglected.

    <i>¡®She was the key yer in this whole ordeal.¡¯</i>

    Though initially doubtful, Cherry helped turn my suspicions into certainty. She had practically exposed all of Hiriya¡¯s ns. If everything goes well, I intend to give her a small gift.

    Knowing her, she¡¯d be happy with anything I gave her, but I¡¯m not that inconsiderate.

    As I pondered what kind of gift to get her, I made my way to Adelia¡¯s dormitory.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t believe my eyes at the sight before me. Even from a distance, I spotted a color reminiscent of the sky.

    Standing there was a familiar woman with light brown hair. Both were of simr height, making their eye level the same.

    What the hell. Why is she here again? Doesn¡¯t she have anything better to do?

    Cursing inwardly, I hurried my steps. I never expected Hiriya toe looking for Adelia so soon.

    At the same time, I felt relieved. If I had dyed even a bit, I wouldn¡¯t have witnessed this situation.

    ¡°Adelia Noona!¡±

    ¡°?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Shouting loudly to catch their attention, both women turned their heads simultaneously, just as I expected.

    As soon as I made eye contact with them, I moved even faster. As I got closer, the sky-haired beauty, Hiriya, gave me an enigmatic smile.

    Was it just my imagination, or did that smile seem particrly unsettling? First things first, I needed to understand the situation.

    Contrary to my worries, Adelia was in her workout clothes. It seemed she had been exercising when Hiriya called her out.

    ¡°Isaac?¡±

    Adelia¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, clearly not expecting me to appear. Her sky-blue eyes were filled with confusion.

    What on earth were they talking about to make her look like that? I did my best to stay calm as I looked at Hiriya.

    Hiriya maintained a confident stance, her demeanor smug. The urge to punch her was strong, but I suppressed it.

    ¡°Princess Hiriya, what business do you have with my bodyguard?¡±

    Despite maintaining myposure, I couldn¡¯t keep my voice from lowering. My regard for Hiriya had hit rock bottom long ago.

    Hiriya, however, just kept smiling, whatever she was thinking.

    ¡°How timely, a handsome prince has arrived. Don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Ignoring my question, she made a bizarre statement, openly mocking Adelia. I couldn¡¯t help but frown.

    Adelia, usually brimming with confidence, looked visibly unsettled by the situation. Her eyes darted nervously between Hiriya and me, looking pitifully distressed.

    She knows that I am Xenon, but she seems to be restraining herself as much as possible to avoid causing any harm to me.

    She probably would have endured and hid it even if Hiriya hit her.

    <i>¡®I was careless.¡¯</i>

    Because of the long-standing feud between Adelia and Hiriya, my identity is destined to be revealed eventually. Even if I persist in denying it until the end, Adelia will face difficult situations like she is now.

    Of course, the main issue is not my careless handling but Hiriya¡¯s recklessness.

    Who could have known that she would charge like a cavalry the moment she was sure? Even if personalities differ, Hiriya¡¯s persistence is hardly befitting royalty.

    She¡¯s just arge person full of arrogance and a sense of superiority.

    Rina and Leort, who treated me with gentlemanly respect, were being reevaluated in this moment.

    ¡°Isaac Ducker Michelle.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°I will give you one more chance. Be the prince consort of the Kingdom of Ters.¡±

    Was she no longer thinking of hiding it? Hiriya dered boldly in front of Adelia.

    At first, I frowned, thinking what kind of nonsense this was, but Hiriya indeed told me to be the prince consort.

    Prince consort means the king¡¯s son-inw, that is, her husband.

    Ignoring the existence of my fianc¨¦e Marie, Hiriya crossed the line.

    ¡°¡­Could you please repeat that? I must have misheard because it doesn¡¯t seem like something royalty would say.¡±

    ¡°Even your slyness is starting to seem cute. I¡¯ll say it again as you wish. Break off your engagement with your fianc¨¦e and be the prince consort of the Kingdom of Ters.¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    There was no need for confirmation, but Hiriya, the princess, kindly repeated it. I felt anger rising in my chest for a moment, but then I sighed in inexplicable frustration.

    Adelia couldn¡¯t even intervene in this situation, just rolling her eyes, while Hiriya was wearing an irritating smile.

    I understand why she is saying this in front of Adelia and not Marie. Her ultimate goal is to take revenge on Adelia, who humiliated her.

    Marriage to me is just part of that n. If Adelia follows me to the end, she will undoubtedly torment her out of my sight, and if not, that alone is enough.

    This situation arose because it¡¯s well known that Adelia loves me.

    If she were having a secret affair like Cecily, it might be different, but Adelia openly volunteered to be my bodyguard. It¡¯s a situation that naturally raises suspicion.

    <i>¡®But does the Kingdom of Ters really provide such poor family education? I am genuinely curious.¡¯</i>

    A princess of a kingdom wanting to marry a baron¡¯s family with no particr merit. If this fact spreads, there will be bacsh even within the Kingdom of Ters.

    Especially from King Friedrich of the Kingdom of Ters, who will be furious. Furthermore, if he learns of Hiriya¡¯s true intentions, he might copse from the shock.

    Why would she take such a reckless action, no matter how foolish and blinded by revenge she is?

    For now, let¡¯s put aside theplicated thoughts and answer first. My head is already throbbing.

    ¡°¡­Princess Hiriya.¡±

    ¡°Speak.¡±

    ¡°Are youplicating things just because of that revenge?¡±

    ¡°Revenge? I don¡¯t know about that. I¡¯m just rmending it because I like you. Nothing more, nothing less.¡±

    Bullshit. This is the most fitting description for Hiriya right now.

    Even Adelia, who was trembling like a drenched puppy, is looking at her with a ¡®What the hell is this person?¡¯ expression.

    It¡¯s ridiculous for the woman who traumatized her as a child and is now trying to take away the man she loves to say such things.

    ¡°¡­Adelia Noona.¡±

    ¡°Uh, yes?¡±

    ¡°Can you tell me what you talked about with Princess Hiriya while I was gone?¡±

    Asking Hiriya would likely yield strange answers, so it¡¯s better to ask the person directly. With this judgment, I directed the question to Adelia.

    Upon hearing my question, Adelia seemed to ponder for a moment before looking at Hiriya instead of me. Hiriya, by now, had her arms crossed, exuding confidence.

    But within that stance is a silent threat, challenging her to speak if she dares.

    I want tofort her and say she doesn¡¯t need to worry. The problem is that, given Adelia¡¯s personality, she¡¯s likely to remain silent.

    <i>Nod</i>

    I responded with a silent nod. I can¡¯t speak openly, so it¡¯s my way of saying it¡¯s okay.

    Fortunately, Adelia seemed to gain confidence from my gesture, tapping her chest a couple of times and letting out a sigh.

    Then, with her sky-blue eyes that had turned sharp, she looked at Hiriya and began to speak in a calm voice.

    ¡°¡­She told me to leave.¡±

    ¡°To leave?¡±

    ¡°Yes. She said she can¡¯t stand the sight of a worthless being like me next to you and told me not to think about staying close to you anymore.¡±

    Adelia replied politely, probably because I was watching, and her response contained exactly what I had anticipated.

    How petty and malicious can a person be? How simple and predictable can someone be?

    No matter how much someone is obsessed with revenge, they are not usually this simple. Typically, they meticulously n and gradually break their target down.

    Maybe this is a preliminary move to provoke me. That seems more likely.

    ¡°¡­You¡¯re just as thoughtless and talkative as your mother.¡±

    Hiriya spoke in a chilling voice, probably not expecting Adelia to respond. Mentioning her mother made Adelia flinch visibly.

    But only for a moment, as she fixed her gaze on Hiriya with resolute, shining eyes. It was clear that she wasn¡¯t going to back down.

    Hiriya, facing Adelia¡¯s defiant stare, merely clicked her tongue and said nothing more. This is where I needed to step in.

    ¡°Princess Hiriya. As I have repeatedly said, I have no intention whatsoever of marrying you. This is not only for my fianc¨¦e but also for my bodyguard.¡±

    ¡°For your bodyguard¡­ That¡¯s strange. If youe to the Kingdom of Ters, I can provide someone far morepetent than this woman.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not aboutpetence. It¡¯s just¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you have slept with this lowly woman?¡±

    Hiriya interrupted, cutting in sharply. It was like an unexpected blow that hit right in the gut, delivering a powerful counterattack.

    I flinched and fell silent, unable to hide my shocked expression. Adelia was simrly affected.

    If you think about it carefully, it¡¯s a hypothesis one could easilye up with. Moreover, Hiriya has shown a particr interest in Adelia, so this was probably within her expectations.

    However, all I¡¯ve done is give her more ammunition. Sure enough, Hiriya¡¯s lips curled into a wicked smile before she burst into loudughter.

    ¡°Hahahahahaha! This is amusing, truly amusing! Hahaha!¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    ¡°¡­What¡¯s so amusing?¡±

    I asked while ncing around. My red hair alone was enough to draw attention, and with Hiriya here as well, passersby were naturally curious.

    Moreover, Hiriya is a princess of the Kingdom of Ters. Just being seen with her would spark all kinds of rumors, and right now, she was with me.

    ¡°Look over there. Isn¡¯t that the red-haired boy engaged to Lady Requilis?¡±

    ¡°It is. But Princess Hiriya is with him too?¡±

    ¡°What on earth is going on?¡±

    Our presence together was already attracting attention, and Hiriya¡¯sughter only drew more eyes.

    It was a situation beyond retrieval. I frowned and turned my gaze back to Hiriya.

    Still chuckling, she muttered disdainfully.

    ¡°They say you can¡¯t deny your blood. Just like mother, just like child.¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    ¡°Are you going to repeat what she said? That you don¡¯t care about yourself, but at least raise your child in a warm ce. That it¡¯s your child, so please raise them decently.¡±

    Was that what Adelia¡¯s mother said when she went to see Friedrich? As everyone knows, Adelia¡¯s birth mother was a prostitute.

    But it seems she decided she couldn¡¯t raise her daughter in a brothel, so she went directly to Friedrich. However, Friedrich epted Adelia but coldly turned her mother away.

    The whereabouts of Adelia¡¯s birth mother are still unknown, but it was said to be a cold winter with falling snow, making it likely that she died. The mortality rate for prostitutes was very high in those times.

    In other words, Hiriya was delivering a barrage of insults at a nearly unforgivable level. Moreover, her words were sure to strike at the core of Adelia¡¯s deepest pain.

    ncing at Adelia, I saw a side of her I had never seen before. Her fists were clenched tightly and trembling, her sky-blue eyes bloodshot with anger.

    I exhaled deeply and spoke to Hiriya in a calm voice, trying to de-escte the situation.

    ¡°¡­Please stop, Princess. Adelia Noona is someone I chose personally. My fianc¨¦e has approved of this as well.¡±

    ¡°Oh. That¡¯s an interesting story. Did she finally realize her ce after desperately trying to gain a royal title?¡±

    ¡°Princess.¡±

    ¡°Yes, know your ce. It¡¯s better than trying to be the king¡¯s concubine like someone else¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡­!¡±

    Adelia couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. She clenched her teeth and raised her arm.

    Even with her strong patience, she couldn¡¯t tolerate someone insulting her mother. Hitting at her core pain rather than just a trauma.

    Just as Adelia¡¯s hand was about to swing and p Hiriya¡¯s cheek.

    <i>Grab!</i>

    ¡°Calm down, Noona.¡±

    ¡°Ah, Isaac. But¡­¡±

    I managed to stop her by grabbing her arm. Adelia looked at me and Hiriya with a mix of surprise and anger.

    She couldn¡¯tprehend it. If she had acted on her momentary rage, the situation could have gotten dangerouslyplicated.

    She might even feel guilty. I slowly lowered her arm, signaling her to calm down.

    ¡°Princess.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°You started this, Princess.¡±

    If Adelia were to hit Hiriya, she would bear the responsibility. But if I¡­

    <i>p!!!</i>

    ¡­hit Hiriya, it¡¯s a different story. I would bear the responsibility.

    With a resounding p, Hiriya¡¯s head snapped to the side, and a heavy silence fell over the scene.

    I could hear the gasps of the onlookers, but it didn¡¯t matter. The die had been cast.

    Hiriya touched her rapidly swelling cheek and stared at me, disbelief evident in her eyes.

    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll tell you.¡±

    I don¡¯t know if this is the critical moment Mora spoke of, but¡­

    ¡°I am Xenon.¡±

    At least, Hiriya needed to know.

    ¡°You bitch.¡±

    You¡¯re done for now.<hr>

    Trantors note:

    HOLY SHIEEET~~~ It¡¯s going down~~~

 Chapter 297: Explosion (1)

    Chapter 297: Explosion (1)

    ¡°What on earth were you thinking when you did that?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    It had been exactly two weeks since I had delivered that satisfying p to Hiriya¡¯s cheek.

    In response to Rina¡¯s question, I answered in a brusque voice. Currently, Rina and I were heading towards the teleportation device installed in the royal pce.

    As you might have guessed, we were scheduled to depart for the Kingdom of Ters.

    Not only did I p a princess in full view of numerous onlookers, but I was also being dragged away almost like a criminal.

    No matter how much Hiriya insulted Adelia, the moment Iid a hand on her, the game was over.

    After all, I was merely the son of a baron¡¯s family, while Hiriya was a princess.

    In my previous life, I had often seen power being used to suppress wrongdoings, and in a ce where titles existed, it was bound to be even worse. If anything, it would be more severe.¡°Things are hectic now, but if there had been time, it could have been resolved. Taking away a man already engaged makes no sense, even to us. If we had waited a little longer, someone from the Kingdom of Ters might have stopped it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just a possibility. Should Adelia Noona have tolerated being insulted about her parents?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s that, but¡­ <i>Sigh</i>. Hiriya probably wanted this to happen. What do we do now¡­¡±

    Rina, rubbing her forehead as if the thought alone gave her a headache, was clearly more troubled than I was. For her, it was like a bolt from the blue, and she was in a more difficult position.

    I felt a pang of guilt and gave a bitter smile, recalling the incident from two weeks ago. Specifically, right after I pped Hiriya.

    With a crisp, clear sound, Hiriya¡¯s head turned to the left, and a deathly silence fell over the area, apanied by a few gasps.

    After that, I dered to Hiriya, loud enough for only her to hear, that I was Xenon. Naturally, her reaction was one of utter bewilderment.

    It was immensely satisfying to see Hiriya touching her cheek with a bewildered expression, but the problem was that there were too many witnesses.

    Hiriya couldn¡¯t just let it slide, so she officially lodged aint, prompting a response from the startled Minerva Empire.

    ¡°By the way, this is a personal issue. Why do you have to go too?¡±

    I asked Rina, who seemed troubled. As I pointed out, this was a personal matter, and the Minerva Empire could have chosen to ignore it.

    It¡¯s amon tactic in politics, known as cutting off a problematic branch. And it¡¯s quite fitting in this situation.

    Even though a noble from our country made a mistake, this is strictly a personal issue. There¡¯s no need for the royal family to get involved.

    Moreover, the Michelle family doesn¡¯t belong to any particr faction. Even though the Minerva Empire appears peaceful on the surface, it is divided into two main factions.

    There¡¯s the royal family and the Duke of Requilis, which include Rina and Marie. Then there are the nobles of the count rank, who currently wield the most power.

    In actual history, counts often wield more practical power than dukes or marquises, except for margraves who essentiallymand armies.

    In this scenario, the Michelle family doesn¡¯t belong to either side and lives independently.

    ¡°You¡¯re engaged to Marie. In essence, you¡¯re allied with us.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t the counts be the ones keeping us in check? There hasn¡¯t been any trouble so far.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re probably just watching for now. The moment you and Marie get married and we grant you a title, there will be countless checks. However, it¡¯s tricky to curb the Michelle territory as it¡¯s developing into a rare cultural city within the empire.¡±

    Even as a cultural city, it would be difficult to curb because of my father¡¯s presence. Once they realize my father is the Red Lion, they¡¯ll be more cautious.

    Especially since my father¡¯s prestige in the military during his active duty was higher than most knights. Touching him is akin to challenging the entire military.

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    ¡°How does someone who ¡®gets it¡¯ p a princess? Do you know how shocked we were? When I first heard it, I thought it was someone else, not you.¡±

    Rina¡¯s uncharacteristic grumbling showed she was genuinely surprised. After all, I¡¯m not the type to p anyone, let alone a princess from another country.

    The more serious issue is that Princess Hiriya¡¯s presence at the academy is for diplomatic exchanges with the empire. There were even rumors that she was there for a potential marriage with Leort.

    Sending a princess with full goodwill, only for some baron¡¯s son, who hasn¡¯t even inherited a title, to p her?

    This is a matter that could turn not just Ters, but even Minerva upside down. Both the Kingdom of Ters and the Minerva Empire have grounds to hold me ountable for my actions.

    However, seeing that only Rina, the highest authority, is with me, and no one else, it¡¯s clear this is a case of cutting off the problem. Although Adelia and other bodyguards are apanying us, it doesn¡¯t hold much significance.

    If I weren¡¯t Xenon, I would have no defense against an immediate execution in the Kingdom of Ters. In the worst-case scenario, it could even lead to war.

    An insult and assault on a leader is an excellent pretext for conflict.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Can you handle the consequences? Judging by what you brought, it seems you¡¯ve made up your mind.¡±

    Rina gestured towards my hand with her chin. In my hand was a parcel containing the manuscript of Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    As she suggested, I had already made a firm decision when I revealed my identity to Hiriya. However, I need to gauge how to proceed depending on the situation.

    When I told Hiriya, I made sure no one else could hear. At this point, only Hiriya knows my identity.

    Even after getting pped, she didn¡¯t confront me but fled. It was a scene that could easily make her seem like a tragic heroine, drawing even more attention.

    Regardless, the turning point will depend on whether Hiriya has told her family about it. If the Ters royalty reacts harshly¡­

    <i>¡®No, I hit her first, so it¡¯s unavoidable.¡¯</i>

    It would be inevitable for them to react aggressively. This is something to be considered, so it¡¯s best to wait and see.

    Bringing the draft is a precaution in case I¡¯m cornered or if they respond unreasonably.

    Even though I pped the princess, a reasonable person would consider the circumstances.

    However, given their likely denial of Adelia¡¯s existence, the chance of them responding harshly is ¡®very¡¯ high. The draft is not just insurance; it¡¯s also a weapon.

    ¡°I¡¯ve made my decision. But if the Ters royal family imposes a reasonable punishment, I¡¯m willing to overlook it.¡±

    ¡°To what extent?¡±

    ¡°Enough for me to bow my head? Anyway¡­¡±

    I paused and looked around. We were currently in the waiting room of the teleportation facility.

    The teleportation device requires mutual interaction to activate, but for some reason, likely a dy on the Ters Kingdom¡¯s part, it¡¯s taking longer than expected.

    So, it was just Rina and me in the waiting room. However, I wasn¡¯t sure if the room was soundproofed.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about soundproofing.¡±

    ¡°Thanks. I already told Princess Hiriya in a fit of anger that I¡¯m Xenon. I¡¯m not sure if she¡¯ll believe me, though.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ I see. We¡¯ll find out once we get there. From what I¡¯ve heard, the Ters Kingdom is quite taken aback as well. They¡¯ll probably want to hear the full story.¡±

    <i>Knock knock knock</i>

    As soon as Rina finished speaking, there was a knock at the door. Even though the room was soundproof, it seemed everything was ready.

    Without hesitation, we both stood up. To lighten the mood, I decided to crack a joke.

    ¡°If I reveal that I¡¯m Xenon, what will you do?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll marry you. It¡¯s not just my decision; Father will insist on it. You expected that, right?¡±

    Rina replied with a wink, maintaining a calm demeanor. However, while she seemedposed on the outside, the idea of being used as a ¡®tool¡¯ wasn¡¯t something she¡¯d wee.

    From what I¡¯ve observed, Rina is self-driven and proactive, unlike most women of this era. She is too talented to be used merely as a pawn in a political marriage.

    ¡°If you want, we can keep it tonic. You can just take the title.¡±

    ¡°Why not? I don¡¯t have anyone else I fancy, so being with you works for me too. And¡­¡±

    Rina trailed off, her expression turning thoughtful. Her cheeks started to blush faintly, likely lost in her own thoughts again. Given her tendency to spy on and fantasize about my rtionships with other women, she was probably daydreaming.

    ¡°¡­I can see it.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Nothing, forget it.¡±

    With a mysterious smile on her reddened face, Rina continued in her characteristic elegant tone.

    ¡°At least, to my eyes, there¡¯s no one as exceptional as you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re serious?¡±

    ¡°I am.¡±

    ¡°No ulterior motives?¡±

    ¡°¡­None at all?¡±

    Although her response was dyed, I decided to let it slide.

    *****

    The Kingdom of Ters is unmistakably synonymous with ¡®culture¡¯. It¡¯s often called the cultural nation because of its formidable cultural power.

    There¡¯s a reason why most people, even elves, refer to the Kingdom of Ters as the cultural powerhouse.

    While Alvenheim is considered the cradle of all civilization, the Kingdom of Ters is the first nation where humans established their own civilization.

    One must ponder the scope of ¡®culture¡¯. Culture epasses various aspects such asnguage, customs, religion, academia, arts, institutions, history, technology, and more. Given the diversity of these categories, even schrs differ in their interpretations.

    In this context, the Kingdom of Ters, or more precisely its precursor state, is where human culture originated.

    Unlike Earth, where humanity spread across the globe creating diverse civilizations, this world has the presence of monsters.

    For ancient humans, who couldn¡¯t use mana, monsters were walking disasters. Lower-tier monsters like goblins, gnolls, and orcs could be managed with bare hands, but they hit a wall with ogres.

    Due to these chronic issues, humans chose ¡®safety¡¯ over exploration and only defended their established civilizations without thinking of venturing out.

    However, the narrative changed as culture and faith emerged, technology and science developed, and humans learned to wield mana.

    Monsters, once considered disasters, became manageable threats. Society progressed, leading to internal conflicts within civilizations.

    This era saw ¡®exiles¡¯ or ¡®pioneers¡¯ breaking away from established civilizations to form new ones, eventually leading to the birth of numerous nations.

    Despite this, aspects like clothing, customs, religion, and technology retained simrities because they originated from the same cultural seed.

    Through events like the devil war, the emergence of demon race, and racial war, a vast amount of time has passed. Yet, schrs unanimously agree that the Kingdom of Ters is unparalleled culturally and symbolically as the birthce of human culture. It is where humans, much like elves, found their pride.

    Alvenheim, the starting point of all civilizations, can also be seen as a cultural nation. However, the Kingdom of Ters stands out because there are more human nations than those of other races.

    Thus, while its symbolism is undeniable, the Kingdom of Ters has continually advanced its culture, improving the quality of life for its citizens.

    Even the militarily powerful Minerva Empire can¡¯t easily subjugate the Kingdom of Ters, knowing full well that any forced domination would face fierce resistance from its citizens.

    To gradually undermine Ters, they have been nurturing numerous talents, including artists, and leveraging economic power to lure away these talents. However, the culture of Ters remains robust.

    There was an incident, such as the Jairos Revolution, where Ters¡¯s culture nearly crumbled due to internal missteps, but fortunately, it was managed well for now.

    However, since the Jairos Revolution urred during the reign of the previous king, it hasn¡¯t beenpletely resolved.

    Although the issue might seem fixed, like a nail removed from wood leaving a hole and causing surrounding cracks, lingering instability remained within Ters.

    Currently, what Ters fears most is none other than Xenon¡¯s Biography. This work surpasses cultural significance, and Ters is making every effort to secure it.

    If Xenon were to be lured away by another country, especially the Minerva Empire, it could not only be a disaster but significantly increase the chances of an invasion.

    As of now, Xenon¡¯s Biography has infiltrated so deeply that it¡¯s harder to find someone who hasn¡¯t read it, and prominent artists are even showcasing rted works in exhibitions.

    An empire that crumbles from external attacks can rise again, but one that copses from within has no chance of recovery.

    Having learned this harsh truth from the Jairos Revolution, the Kingdom of Ters sees securing Xenon as an indispensable choice.

    And the person who nearly jeopardized this effort and risked the downfall of the kingdom was none other than¡­

    <i>¡®It can¡¯t be. It just can¡¯t be. How could someone like that¡­¡¯</i>

    Princess Hiriya, the second princess of the Kingdom of Ters, who was pped by the furious Isaac.

    Since her return to Ters, Hiriya has confined herself to her room, refusing toe out.

    This was because Isaac¡¯s words, as he pped her, kept echoing in her mind all day long.

    More than the derogatory term, it was his angry deration that he was Xenon.

    In less than a day, the certainty she clung to shattered and fell apart in her mind.

    <i>¡®What if he really is Xenon? No, that can¡¯t be. There¡¯s no proof that that redhead is Xenon. But if he said it to my face, there¡¯s a high chance it¡¯s true, right?¡¯</i>

    The swelling on her cheek had long subsided, but over the two weeks, Hiriya¡¯s appearance had rapidly deteriorated.

    Despite eating properly and receiving care from her maids, Hiriya¡¯s mind remained preupied with thoughts about Isaac and his potential identity as Xenon.

    No matter how well she was taken care of, it was pointless if she couldn¡¯t sleep properly. This was evidenced by the dark circles under her eyes.

    While she could cover them with makeup she detested, it wouldn¡¯t make much of a difference.

    <i>¡®Please, let it not be true. If it is, I¡­¡¯</i>

    Hiriya bit her nails anxiously. If Isaac truly was Xenon, both she and the Kingdom of Ters would be in grave danger.

    One letter from Isaac could incite significant unrest among the people of Ters, potentially leading to an event even more catastrophic than the Jairos Revolution.

    If that happened, the kingdom would gradually crumble from within, while the Minerva Empire would slowly devour the divided remnants.

    Terrifying. Catastrophic. Completely doomed. Her mind was filled with all sorts of negative thoughts.

    <i>¡®Should I have told them?¡¯</i>

    She hadn¡¯t informed her family about the possibility of Isaac being Xenon. She only exined the circumstances leading to her p.

    Naturally, her family, excluding Lara, vowed to make Isaac pay dearly. If things continued this way, they might severely insult and threaten him.

    If an enraged Isaac then revealed himself as Xenon and provided proof¡­

    <i>Knock knock knock</i>

    ¡°Princess Hiriya, the guests have arrived at the pce.¡±

    While imagining the worst-case scenarios, a maid quietly delivered the news, knocking on the door.

    Startled, Hiriya lifted her head from beneath the covers.

    The stress of the past weeks was evident, with dark circles deeply etched under her eyes.

    ¡°They¡¯ve arrived? Did you say they just arrived?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Also, the Crown Prince has instructed you to attend the uing trial.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I understand. I¡¯ll be out shortly.¡±

    ¡°Do you need help with your makeup?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll do it myself ande out.¡±

    Hiriya hurriedly covered her dark circles, hoping that would be enough. Without even straightening her clothes, she leapt out of bed.

    <i>¡®Please, let it not be true¡­¡¯</i>

    Is this what it feels like to walk willingly into hellfire?

    <i>¡®If it really is true¡­¡¯</i>

    If Isaac truly is Xenon.

    <i>¡®¡­Then I¡¯ll have to sacrifice myself.¡¯</i>

    She was willing to be his ything if it meant saving her kingdom.<hr>

    Trantors note:

    Bitch, he not interested in that

 Chapter 298: Explosion (1)

    Chapter 298: Explosion (1)

    The Minerva Empire and the Kingdom of Ters are often at each other¡¯s throats, but they aren¡¯t outright enemies.

    It¡¯s more urate to say they are in a state of rivalry. There are asional gestures of goodwill, such as sending Hiriya to transfer to Halo Academy.

    As a result, the teleportation facility is located near the royal pce, unlike Alvenheim. This means there¡¯s no need for the hassle of going through customs, one can directly teleport to the pce.

    Additionally, this matter will be handled in a trial format within the pce. I¡¯ve heard that not only the involved parties but also numerous nobles will attend.

    After all, it¡¯s a significant issue when a princess of the realm has been struck. I expected this much, but I was surprised by what Rina said.

    ¡°There will be nobles defending you too. Notably, Count Camar.¡±

    ¡°Count Camar?¡±

    ¡°Yes. But it¡¯s not for your sake, it¡¯s to attack the royal family. It would be good if you could use that to your advantage, but it¡¯s best to keep your mouth shut. You¡¯re not experienced with this, and it shows on your face.¡±

    I nodded at Rina¡¯s words, not sure if they were advice or a warning. As she suggested, keeping silent might not be a bad idea.Besides, this situation isn¡¯t entirely against me since Hiriya also holds some me. However, there¡¯s something else that concerns me.

    As I conversed with Rina, I nced back. Behind us, Adelia and other bodyguards were following with disciplined steps. The bodyguards looked indifferent, but Adelia¡¯s face seemed somewhat gloomy.

    She probably thinks I¡¯m suffering because of her. It¡¯s obvious without needing to see.

    <i>¡®There¡¯s no need for her to worry.¡¯</i>

    Even as we followed the guide to a private room, Adelia¡¯s expression didn¡¯t improve.

    I too couldn¡¯t rx and take in the royal pce, feeling stifled by the awkward atmosphere and unable to speak.

    Despite the guide exining things ahead, it all went in one ear and out the other. I was more worried about the guide recognizing Adelia.

    <i>¡®No, they must have recognized her.¡¯</i>

    The guide would know that the royal family treats Adelia as non-existent. So, even if they recognized her, they probably couldn¡¯t acknowledge it openly.

    Given the wrinkles on his face, it was clear the guide had extensive experience in the royal pce. In situations like this, it¡¯s best to feign ignorance.

    ¡°Then, please enjoy your time here.¡±

    Finally, we entered the guest room, and I found myself alone with Adelia. The room, befitting the royal pce, wasvishly decorated.

    It wasn¡¯t just a simple guest room, it had a bed and was almost like a bedroom. The room was more spacious than expected.

    This indicated that the Kingdom of Ters was still treating me as a guest rather than a criminal.

    While it was undeniable that I had pped Hiriya, their treatment suggested they were willing to hear my side of the story.

    Otherwise, it could simply be for show. Either way, royalty and nobles prioritize maintaining decorum.

    However, the same nobles who treated Adelia poorly disyed a curious duality.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    As I marveled at the room, Adelia, who had been fidgeting behind me, spoke quietly.

    When I turned around, puzzled, Adelia looked as if she was about to burst into tears.

    She bit her lip, trying to hold back her tears, which made her look both endearing and pitiable.

    ¡°Sorry for what?¡±

    ¡°For causing all this¡­ If it weren¡¯t for me¡­¡±

    Adelia, who had been bottling up her emotions for two weeks, began to sob. Her sky-blue eyes filled with tears.

    She tried to hold back, but the tears streamed down her face, which she hurriedly wiped away.

    On the outside, Adelia appeared strong, but inside, she was very fragile. She must have been tormenting herself with guilt the entire way here.

    Adelia, with her fragile mental state, needed gentle handling, especially after breaking down.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to me yourself. It¡¯s not your fault at all, Noona. They were the ones who provoked first.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    ¡°There you go again, saying that. As I¡¯ve told you many times, Noona, all you need to do is stay by my side. Should I give you a hug?¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    As I opened my arms and gently offered, the hesitant Adelia finally embraced me tightly. As I patted her back to reassure her, her sobbing gradually subsided.

    She may look like a golden retriever, but her personality is extremely timid for her size. Perhaps that¡¯s what makes her even cuter.

    <i>Knock knock knock</i>

    While I wasforting Adelia for a while, someone knocked on the door. As soon as the knock was heard, Adelia, who seemed to have calmed down, gently pulled away from my embrace.

    At this time of day, except for Rina, there¡¯s no one else who would visit. It¡¯s certainly not likely to be Hiriya.

    Adelia, knowing this, roughly wiped her tears and walked towards the door to open it.

    ¡°Ahem. Who is it?¡±

    ¡°Oh. Adelia Unnie? That sounds like Adelia Unnie¡¯s voice.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    The voice of a very young girl from outside reached us inside. Adelia also reacted with surprise as soon as she heard the voice.

    Could it be someone they know? While Adelia was momentarily frozen, I quietly approached and asked the girl beyond the door.

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Lara! But who is this speaking?¡±

    ¡°Lara?¡±

    With a puzzled expression, I looked at Adelia, who identified herself as Lara. I¡¯ve heard the name before, but I couldn¡¯t remember who it was.

    Seeing my expression, Adelia responded with aplex and subtle look, different from when she faced Hyria.

    ¡°¡­She¡¯s my youngest sister. My much younger sister.¡±

    ¡°Unnie, open the door. I want to see your face, it¡¯s been a long time.¡±

    Lara¡¯s whining from outside reached us inside. If we left her out there, it might attract attention, so it¡¯s best to let her in for now. When I nodded in agreement, Adelia skillfully opened the door. As the door swung wide open, Lara appeared.

    <i>¡®A doll?¡¯</i>

    As soon as the door opened, an adorable doll-like figure appeared. She had sky-blue hair and sky-blue eyes, practically the symbols of the Ters royal family. Her bangs were cut straight across, and her long hair reached down to her waist, gleaming as if reflecting light.

    Overall, she had finely detailed features, but herrge eyes and chubby cheeks were the most noticeable. She was a girl who seemed to hold great promise for the future, and I couldn¡¯t help but be impressed.

    ¡°Oh! Hello! I am Lara von Kurchers, the third princess of the Ters Kingdom!¡±

    Lara, seemingly not expecting to see me, hurriedly greeted me as soon as she saw me. She grabbed the ends of her dress with both hands and bowed her head. Her voice was still high-pitched, indicating she hadn¡¯t reached puberty yet. I returned her greeting with proper etiquette.

    ¡°Hello, Princess Lara. I am Isaac Ducker Michelle of the Minerva Empire. It is an honor to meet you, Princess.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m pleased to meet you too, Sir Isaac! But¡­¡±

    After cheerfully greeting me, Lara looked back and forth between Adelia and me, tilting her head in confusion.

    ¡°Why are you with Adelia Unnie, Sir Isaac?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ someone might see us, so why don¡¯t youe inside?¡±

    Unlike the crown prince Laos and the princess Hiriya, Lara seemed to like Adelia. Come to think of it, even at the exhibition a year ago, Lara didn¡¯t stay away from Adelia.

    I remember she was stopped by Hiriya when she tried to run out. The memory was so vivid that it came back clearly. After checking once again if anyone was watching, I let Lara in. As she passed through the door, Lara bowed her head and expressed her thanks.

    Her polite gesture made me wonder if she had been educated in the same household as Hiriya, who would have just ignored me and walked past.

    ¡°Unnie, have you been well?¡±

    ¡°Uh, yes¡­ Have you been well too, Lara?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m about to enter the academy soon!¡±

    ¡°Is it already time for that?¡±

    ¡°In two years!¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    While I closed the door, Lara and Adelia started chatting. Unlike the awkward Adelia, Lara chatted away like ark. It was only natural to question whether this girl was truly of the same royal lineage as Hiriya. Or perhaps Lara waspletely unaware that Adelia was an illegitimate child.

    I approached them, putting away my doubts one by one. As I got closer, the chattering Lara mentioned me.

    ¡°But Unnie, what¡¯s your rtionship with Sir Isaac? I heard from my brother that you decided to live in the Empire¡­¡±

    ¡°Dame Cross is currently serving as my personal maid, Princess. She is also acting as a bodyguard.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see.¡±

    Lara quickly epted my exnation. She didn¡¯t seem to mind what Adelia was doing.

    However, just because she epted it didn¡¯t mean she had noints.

    ¡°Then you should have at least written to me. I was waiting all this time. Is it so hard to write a letter, Unnie?¡±

    ¡°Well, uh¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve been so busytely that I haven¡¯t had the time to write.¡±

    Adelia was at a loss, trying to deal with Lara¡¯sints. It felt like watching an older sister who is busy with work and her much younger sibling waiting for her.

    However, there was a slight falsehood in Adelia¡¯s answer, as all her letters would have been blocked anyway. But Lara seemedpletely unaware of this fact. In a cautious voice, I asked her a question.

    ¡°Excuse me, Princess Lara. Could you please tell me how old you are?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m 15 years old.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    So she¡¯s a much younger sibling. Being bornte and receiving plenty of love must be why she has such a cheerful personality.

    However, the remarkable thing is not just her bright and cheerful nature but the fact that she doesn¡¯t avoid Adelia, despite her being an illegitimate child. Surely, she must have heard endless warnings to stay away from Adelia and not to associate with an illegitimate child.

    With that thought, I nced at Adelia and, in a very cautious voice, asked another question.

    ¡°Princess, do you know anything about Dame Cross¡¯s birth?¡±

    As soon as I asked, Lara blinked herrge eyes and answered.

    ¡°You mean that Adell Unnie doesn¡¯t have a mother? Or that she has a different mother?¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    Like her doll-like appearance, she innocently delivered a harsh truth. Adelia looked at Lara with a bewildered expression, more surprised than angry.

    Although I wasn¡¯t sure what she had heard, her way of answering indicated that she had some understanding of Adelia¡¯s background.

    Meanwhile, Lara stood beside Adelia, grabbing her hem, and spoke in her distinct, clear voice.

    ¡°What does it matter? I just like you, Unnie.¡±

    ¡°Then haven¡¯t you heard strange things from your other siblings?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that I shouldn¡¯t get close to Adelia Unnie. I don¡¯t understand why. Adelia Unnie is such a good person. Even if she has a different mother, she has the same father, right?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ um¡­¡±

    Her logic left me dumbfounded.

    I wasn¡¯t sure if it was because she was still only 15 andcked discernment, or if she simply had a more enlightened perspectivepared to others.

    However, upon further thought, it was clear that Lara was an exception. Unlike the other Ters royals who either openly treated Adelia as a scapegoat or ignored her, Lara didn¡¯t seem to mind.

    Lara was the conscience of the Ters royal family. That was my first impression of her, which allowed me to feel relieved.

    ¡°Princess Lara, what do you like about Dame Cross?¡±

    ¡°I just like her! Where else can you find someone as pretty and kind as Unnie? Oh, please don¡¯t tell my other siblings. I¡¯ll get scolded.¡±

    ¡°I see. Then you must have been very disappointed when Dame Cross left.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but I¡¯m d I can see her face like this now!¡±

    The more I talked with Lara, the more Adelia¡¯s face lit up with happiness. No matter how old she got, to an older sister, her younger sibling would always be a child.

    Perhaps the reason Adelia could endure her hellish life in the pce was because of Lara¡¯s presence. Lara didn¡¯t care about Adelia¡¯s birth and only saw the person she was, making her an angel.

    <i>¡®But does Lara not know why I¡¯m here?¡¯</i>

    By previous life standards, 15 years old is a teenage and protected age, but this world is different.

    People have different personalities, but even at 15, they know what they need to know and develop a sense of awareness during puberty.

    Just as Rina and Marie had been involved in social circles and entered the political world from a young age, Lara likely followed a simr path. However, judging by her current behavior, she seemed to be nothing more than a naive young girl.

    Being a much younger daughter, she was likely raised with great care and affection, making her unaware of the outside world¡¯s harsh realities.

    ¡°Sir Isaac, how long do you n to stay in the Ters Kingdom? I hope you can stay for a long time¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you want to spend time with Dame Cross?¡±

    ¡°Oh, was I too obvious? Yes! I want to be with Unnie!¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ to be honest, I¡¯m not sure how long I¡¯ll be staying.¡±

    I truly don¡¯t know, as there is a n to confront them with a sharp dispute. It¡¯s uncertain if they¡¯ll believe I brought the original manuscript, and I have no idea how the trial will proceed. They might drag things out with absurd excuses to wear me down. Predicting anything is difficult.

    ¡°Oh no. Does that mean you could leave as early as tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s uncertain, but it¡¯s possible.¡±

    ¡°I see. It can¡¯t be helped then. I¡¯ll just have to y with Adelia Unnie until then.¡±

    ¡°Ha ha.¡±

    Lara¡¯s cute determination made me smile naturally. I wished other royals and nobles had such a conscience.

    Of course, it didn¡¯t take long to realize that was a futile hope.

    ¡°How dare you strike the noble face of the princess! He must be executed immediately!¡±

    ¡°Indeed! What was he thinking, not even inheriting a title yet!¡±

    ¡°Seeing that scoundrel, I can understand theck of dignity in the Minerva Empire.¡±

    I haven¡¯t even said a word yet, you bastards.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 299: Trial (1)

    Chapter 299: Trial (1)

    In this world, trials are generally handled by the local leader or the church. Cases that go to the church are ones where there is truly no solution, so the leader typically takes care of everything.

    The current situation is no different. Given that this is an unprecedented case where a princess of a kingdom was struck, the judge is naturally the king.

    There are no separatewyers or prosecutors, the audience acts as both, voicing their opinions. In other words, apart from Rina, I have no allies.

    Someone might defend me to check the king¡¯s power, but I can¡¯t trust anyone lightly. It¡¯s no wonder Rina advised me to keep my mouth shut and stay quiet. If I open my mouth, the other side will just hurl insults at me.

    Moreover, the Ters royal family is politically very stable despite their terrible family dynamics. Even though the major event of the Jairos Revolution happened a few decades ago, it was King Friedrich who quelled that chaos.

    Even though there are forces like Count Kamar that keep him in check, they are not enough to be my allies. They will use me to achieve their goals.

    So at first, I followed Rina¡¯s advice and kept my mouth tightly shut¡­

    ¡°How dare you strike the noble face of the princess! He must be executed immediately!¡±

    ¡°Indeed! What was he thinking, not having even inherited a title yet!¡±¡°Seeing that scoundrel, I can understand theck of dignity in the Minerva Empire!¡±

    As soon as I sat down, numerous nobles hurled insults at me. They didn¡¯t just insult me, it was enough to make anyone feel dizzy.

    I hadn¡¯t even said a word yet, and they were already calling for my execution, shouting things like, ¡®How dare you strike Hiriya¡¯s cheek?¡¯ It felt like I was hearing every insult I could possibly hear in my life right here. Even if I wanted to let it go in one ear and out the other, the words just lodged in my ears.

    <i>¡®I didn¡¯t evenmit murder.¡¯</i>

    I almost let out augh at the absurdity. Most of the nobles hurling insults at me were either closely connected to the royal family or seizing this opportunity to align themselves with them.

    I wondered if they even knew about the atrocities Hiriya hadmitted. It would be interesting to see their reactions if they learned about Hiriya¡¯s misdeeds.

    <i>¡®Adelia Noona¡­¡¯</i>

    I tried to ignore the stream of insults and turned my head to the side. Adelia, who attended as my personal maid, was currently standing behind me. It was her first time in such a situation, and her sky-blue eyes were trembling slightly. Although she tried to appear calm, she was sweating nervously.

    Finally, Rina, who attended as my defender, was sitting next to me. She was frowning in displeasure at the barrage of insults being thrown at us.

    ¡°Enough!!¡±

    A loud shout quelled the noisy courtroom(?). The room fell silent instantly at themanding voice that echoed around. The owner of that voice was the middle-aged man opposite me, seated not on a chair at my eye level but on a higher one.

    His sky-blue eyes gleamed fiercely, and his neatly trimmed sky-blue beard added to his dignified appearance. He was King Friedrich of the Ters Kingdom, Hiriya and Adelia¡¯s father. He would be acting as the judge in the uing trial and was publicly known as a romantic, a true gentleman.

    However, from my perspective, he was the worst kind of father, neglecting his illegitimate daughter Adelia to the point of pretending she didn¡¯t exist.

    Naturally, I had a terrible first impression of him and anticipated a tough trial ahead. Friedrich was Hiriya¡¯s father before he was the king of Ters.

    ¡°State your name.¡±

    Friedrich addressed me in a solemn voice. Since he didn¡¯t call me ¡®criminal,¡¯ it seemed he was maintaining a neutral stance, at least for now. Following hismand, I stood up. As I did so, I didn¡¯t forget to take note of several key figures in the room.

    First, Hiriya, who had been pped by me, was sitting slightly to the side, along with her brother, the crown prince Laos. Lara was absent, perhaps because they deemed it unnecessary to show her, or maybe they were trying to shield her from the darker aspects of the situation.

    <i>¡®If only they thought of Adelia that way.¡¯</i>

    If they had cared even a little for Adelia, this mess wouldn¡¯t have happened. Though, in that case, I might not have met her.

    I grumbled internally as I stood confidently and looked around. It seemed the audience was filled with their own people, judging by their sharp res.

    Eventually, I faced King Friedrich directly, feeling his piercing gaze freeze me in ce.

    ¡°Renowned King of the Ters Kingdom¡­¡±

    ¡°No need for ttery, just state your name.¡±

    Well, that¡¯s a relief. I didn¡¯t want to do that either.

    I nodded slightly in gratitude for Friedrich¡¯s consideration and stated my name.

    ¡°My name is Isaac Ducker Michelle, the second son of Baron Michelle of the Minerva Empire.¡±

    ¡°Isaac Ducker Michelle¡­ I see. Your red hair is very distinctive.¡±

    I hear that often. Normally, I would have made such a remark, but remembering Rina¡¯s advice, I refrained from adding anything further.

    Then Friedrich ordered me to sit, and as I took my seat, he addressed me in his characteristic stern voice.

    ¡°You must know why you are here, and why you are in the Ters royal pce.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Then let me ask. Is it true that you struck my beloved ¡®second¡¯ daughter, Hiriya, the second princess of the Ters Kingdom?¡±

    As expected. Even with Adelia present, he emphasized ¡®second¡¯ daughter, effectively treating her as nonexistent. In the past, such trauma would have made her flee, but now Adelia stood firmly behind me.

    I couldn¡¯t betray her trust. I hesitated slightly before answering the question.

    ¡°Yes, that is correct.¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, there is no need to hear more!¡±

    ¡°The criminal has confessed, what more do we need?¡±

    As soon as I admitted my guilt, the hyenas pounced, seizing the opportunity.

    Even if I wanted to remember each face, it was hard to do so with such a variety of appearances. However, I could identify a few who had been raising their voices since earlier. Especially that guy with the mustache, I must remember him.

    ¡°Order! Order! We haven¡¯t heard the full story yet!¡±

    Then, a deep voice hurriedly intervened from the audience, calming the situation. The man had dark blue hair that shimmered with a hint of blue rather than pitch-ck like a demon. That must be Count Kamar, the leader of the faction currently opposing King Friedrich.

    As much as he intended to use me, I needed to use him as well.

    ¡°It seems like there¡¯s aplex situation involved here. How about we listen to it at least once?¡±

    ¡°Count Kamar, are you implying that the princess might be at fault too?¡±

    ¡°We won¡¯t know until we hear it. Logically, no one in their right mind would p someone without reason.¡±

    Thanks to Count Kamar, the courtroom that was about to erupt into chaos quieted down again. However, the piercing gazes of the nobles towards me remained.

    If I were a noble of the Ters Kingdom, it might be different, but being from the Minerva Empire, they showed extreme hostility. Even if there were internal enemies, an external threat, especially one perceived as a significant danger, always unified them.

    Fortunately, Count Kamar was taking a rational stance, or else I might have been dragged away without a chance to defend myself.

    ¡°Count Kamar has a point. Then let me ask you. Why did you strike my daughter?¡±

    King Friedrich asked calmly. He likely knew the background, but the other nobles didn¡¯t, so he asked the question.

    Before answering, I nced in Hiriya¡¯s direction. Coincidentally or not, she was also looking at me. As soon as our eyes met, she quickly looked away, but I saw it. The dark circles that makeup couldn¡¯t hide. Her previously arrogant demeanor was gone, reced by a reaction of fear and trembling.

    I don¡¯t know how that attitude will affect this trial, but for now, it¡¯s more important to discuss the background and circumstances.

    ¡°Let me exin on her behalf. The truth is¡­¡±

    However, this is the moment when Rina should step forward. Her speaking directly will not only lend more credibility and strength but also prevent other nobles from acting recklessly.

    If someone dares to shout at her? That would only give them a pretext, so even Friedrich would have to stay silent.

    Rina¡¯s presence is practically representing the stance of the Minerva Empire. Furthermore, just her being here signals that this isn¡¯t just a simple scapegoat situation.

    ¡°¡­What? Is that true?¡±

    ¡°Did Princess Hiriya really pursue a man who already had a fianc¨¦e?¡±

    ¡°For what reason?¡±

    As Rina¡¯s defense concluded, the hall was filled not withmotion but with murmurs. The nobles¡¯ faces show signs of confusion and bewilderment.

    It¡¯s understandable since Hiriya¡¯s act of trying to take a man with a fianc¨¦e is a serious offense. They must have realized that it was Hiriya¡¯s side that initiated the problem. Of course, pping someone cannot be justified, but one must remember this is the medieval era.

    In this world, ¡®honor¡¯ is paramount, and even a small scandal can significantly tarnish someone¡¯s reputation. Especially if the person in question is not an ordinary noble but a princess?

    Such rumors typically spread among the nobility, but if, by any chance, they reach themon people, it could escte uncontrobly.

    Well, if distorted appropriately, Hiriya could be made to look like a pitiable woman. It¡¯s questionable whether Friedrich would resort to such tactics.

    ¡°Hm¡­ Hiriya.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±

    ¡°Is what Princess Rina said true?¡±

    After hearing Rina¡¯s defense, Friedrich posed a question to Hiriya. Hiriya, who had been lowering her head in fear, quickly looked up at his words.

    She nced at me once after raising her head, and as soon as our eyes met, she immediately averted her gaze again.

    She then pounded her chest, took a deep breath, and responded in a trembling but audible voice.

    ¡°¡­Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡±

    The hall began to buzz again as soon as Hiriya admitted it. With her acknowledgment, the atmosphere started to tilt in our favor¡­

    ¡°Father, may I say a word?¡±

    Then, the man sitting next to Hiriya, Laos, raised his hand slightly, requesting to speak. His request instantly quieted the buzzing in the hall, and all eyes turned to him.

    Rina and I also turned to look at him. His stern appearance, resembling Friedrich, and the corners of his mouth slightly turned up gave an impression of dignity. On the surface, he appeared to model the image of a noble gentleman like Leort, but his smile seemed slightly uneasy.

    ¡°Speak.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. As Princess Rina mentioned, Hiriya showed a deep interest in Young Lord Michelle and even courted him. However, I think it is excessive to p a woman just because her advances were persistent. Do you all believe this is right? Don¡¯t you think Young Lord Michelle¡¯s response was too extreme?¡±

    That bastard? Listening to Laos¡¯s exnation, I was bbergasted and widened my eyes in disbelief. The absurdity of his argument was so clear that it yed vividly in my mind, as if reason itself was waving goodbye and walking away.

    His sophistry made no sense from my perspective. Who was it that insulted Adelia first? He¡¯s leaving out the most crucial detail, which is absolutely infuriating.

    ¡°Wait a moment. In that case¡­¡±

    I was about to speak urgently when Rina grabbed my wrist under the table, stopping me. I looked at her with an expression that asked what she was doing, and she looked back at me with a firm expression.

    She then nced around and whispered so only I could hear.

    ¡°I know what you want to say, but try not to mention Sir Cross.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because, no doubt, the Ters royal family will treat Sir Cross¡¯s existence as ¡®nonexistent.¡¯ The reason they¡¯re not handling this matter privately and are gathering an audience is likely because of this.¡±

    After listening to Rina¡¯s exnation, I understood. Even if I reveal Adelia¡¯s background now, these people won¡¯t believe it.

    Moreover, King Friedrich is known as a faithful man who doesn¡¯t keep concubines and only has eyes for one woman. For a king, the importance of having descendants is well-known, and his devotion is quite unusual.

    So if I reveal that Adelia is Friedrich¡¯s hidden daughter here? It would be seen as an insult to the king, and my head would likely roll for it.

    <i>¡®These bastards?¡¯</i>

    This makes me even angrier. They¡¯re not only driving someone into the abyss but also trying to erase their very existence.

    ¡°True, it was excessive. No matter what, pping someone is¡­¡±

    ¡°And to p ady¡¯s face, it¡¯s clear he has a terrible character.¡±

    ¡°He was always like that, it seems.¡±

    Due to Laos¡¯s political maneuvering, the perception was shifting towards me being a scoundrel all along. People were siding with Hiriya, and Laos¡¯s words, on the surface, seemed reasonable.

    ¡°Ahem, ahem. Everyone. Just a moment, let me¡­¡±

    ¡°Rina.¡±

    ¡°Hear me ou¡­ huh?¡±

    I stopped Rina just before she began her defense. She looked at me with wide eyes. I shrugged with a mysterious smile, and she mped her mouth shut. She probably guessed the decision I had made.

    As she stepped back, I slowly stood up. Countless eyes turned to me as I rose. I took in the audience, including King Friedrich, and then turned my gaze to Laos.

    Laos, with his arms crossed, looked rxed, as if daring me to speak.

    On the other hand, Hiriya, seemingly afraid, kept looking back and forth between me and Laos. Her previously arrogant demeanor hadpletely vanished.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    When I looked at Adelia, she gave me an apologetic smile and nodded, indicating she respected my decision.

    <i>¡®Is this the turning point?¡¯</i>

    This moment would determine whether I¡¯d remain a viin who lost control and pped Hiriya, or whether I¡¯d take responsibility for the consequences of what was toe.

    It aligned perfectly with the timing Mora had mentioned. It had been less than a month since I pped Hiriya, but now a month had passed. I took a deep breath and looked King Friedrich straight in the eyes.

    ¡°Your Majesty Friedrich, and everyone else, I swear to the gods that what I¡¯m about to say is the absolute truth without a single lie.¡±

    ¡°No need to involve Luminous. We¡¯ll handle it before then.¡±

    Friedrich responded in a curt tone, implying that I might be executed before I could reveal the truth. Exactly what I wanted. If I were to be executed, the Ters Kingdom would be on a fast track to ruin.

    With a smile hidden inside, I began to reveal the ¡®crucial details¡¯ Laos had omitted, one by one.

    ¡°It is true that I pped Princess Hiriya. However, she not only insulted my bodyguard but also hurled unforgivable insults at my biological mother, calling her a prostitute.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Is that true?¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    My testimony threw the audience into confusion again. However, Friedrich and Laos remained unfazed. It seemed, as Rina had mentioned, they intended to treat Adelia as if she didn¡¯t exist.

    ¡°You probably can¡¯t understand why Princess Hiriya and my bodyguard, Dame Cross, had such a conflict. But if you learn who my bodyguard truly is, the story will change.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that sounds interesting. Could you tell us who this woman is?¡±

    Laos taunted me sarcastically. I gave him a fierce re before turning to face Friedrich.

    ¡°The woman Hiriya insulted is Adelia, my bodyguard and the hidden daughter of King Friedrich. She has been a loyal knight, and the nder thrown at her was unbearable. If you truly value justice, you¡¯ll hear the whole truth and not dismiss this as mere usations.¡±

    The hall went silent. Everyone, including King Friedrich, was taken aback by my bold deration. I could feel the tension rising, and I knew the next moments would determine our fate.

    He gestured for me to speak, clearly anticipating what I was about to say.

    So, I responded, for now, in the way they wanted.

    ¡°My bodyguard, Adelia Cross, is the child of His Majesty, King Friedrich D¨¹kard von Kurchers of the Ters Kingdom, and¡­¡±

    I continued, shifting my gaze to where Laos and Hiriya were seated.

    ¡°She is also the half-sibling of Crown Prince Laos, Princess Hiriya, and Princess Lara.¡±

    As soon as I finished speaking, a dead silence fell over the hall. It was an expected reaction.

    After all, Friedrich is known for his unwavering loyalty, with four children to prove it. But suddenly, out of nowhere, an illegitimate child appears?

    ¡°Hahaha! What nonsense!¡±

    ¡°Are you out of your mind? What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Turns out he¡¯s not just violent, butpletely insane!¡±

    Of course, they wouldn¡¯t believe me. Even non-royals would find this hard to believe. Despite the mockingughter filling the hall, I continued to look straight at Friedrich.

    He had a smug smile, confident that he had won. If I were to be dragged away as an example for insulting the king, it would indeed be my loss. But I still had a trump card to y.

    ¡°Silence!!¡±

    Friedrich¡¯s roar silenced the room instantly, though I could still hear someone chuckling here and there. Then, Friedrich rested his chin on his hand, adopting a lofty posture as he looked back and forth between Adelia and me.

    ¡°So, you im that this bodyguard is my child?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen this woman before. Do you have any proof that she is my child? Resemnce alone won¡¯t be enough.¡±

    King Friedrich had preemptively dismissed even the only evidence¡ªAdelia¡¯s sky-blue eyes¡ªwith his denial. I could only sigh at his shamelessness.

    But I had to endure. Revealing everything now would be hasty and poorly timed. I needed to build up steadily and wait for Friedrich and Laos to create an appropriate pretext.

    ¡°Are you really going to deny it?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°I understand. Then, may I ask what you think about the part where my bodyguard was insulted?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Friedrich stroked his well-groomed beard, pondering. Even if Adelia¡¯s background was dismissed, Hiriya¡¯s insult, especially such a vile one, couldn¡¯t be overlooked. Regardless of the era, such insults are unforgivable verbal violence. It¡¯s a known fact that heated insults can escte into fatal conflicts.

    In this context, Hiriya¡¯s insult warranted a p. But here lies the problem.

    ¡°We should hear Hiriya¡¯s side of the story. Hiriya.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Father.¡±

    Hiriya, who had been sitting like a mouse, raised her head slowly. She looked at me, flinching as if she had seen a monster. What on earth is she thinking?

    Anyway, she stood up slowly to face Friedrich. Despite her makeup, her face looked noticeably haggard over the past few days.

    ¡°Oh dear¡­ what happened to the princess¡­¡±

    ¡°She was rejected and even pped.¡±

    ¡°How pitiful.¡±

    She seemed like a tragic heroine straight out of a drama, drawing sympathetic reactions from the nobles, especially the noblewomen. They also cast hostile nces my way, but I was indifferent to such looks by now.

    Rejected, they say? I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at such nonsense.

    ¡°Is what he said true? That you insulted his bodyguard?¡±

    ¡°Th-that¡­¡±

    Hiriya started to speak but kept ncing at me. She was probably worried because I had revealed myself as Xenon when I pped her.

    Would the Ters royal family follow their prearranged script, or would there be an unexpected turn of events? I, along with everyone else, waited for her response. After a few seconds of apparent gathering of courage, she finally spoke.

    ¡°I did not insult her. We just had a verbal argument¡­¡±

    ¡°An argument? What was it about?¡±

    ¡°I just told her that we should get along and that the person she serves might change¡­¡±

    Wow. I¡¯m impressed. While still as oblivious as ever, she¡¯s managed to paint herself as a lovestruck woman. Moreover, by outright denying Adelia¡¯s existence, she¡¯s making it easy for the audience to believe her.

    ¡°Princess Hiriya, do you swear to Luminous that what you¡¯re saying is true?¡±

    Rina, seemingly outraged, pressed Hiriya in a somewhat heated tone. Hiriya flinched, possibly because of her own guilt or her acting. Rina then turned to Adelia, who was standing behind her, and asked in a graceful yet authoritative voice.

    ¡°Sir Cross, is what Princess Hiriya said true? Please, do not feel pressured and only speak the truth.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Under Rina¡¯s prompting, Adelia looked at me with a slightly hardened expression. I responded with a nod, indicating she should speak. She had nothing to fear. Having her existence denied once again, she was likely boiling with anger rather than feeling hesitant.

    ¡°Absolutely not. Princess Hiriya told me, ¡®How can a woman with no standing be by his side? Your mother is a prostitute, and you have no right to be near him.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Did she really say such harsh words?¡±

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t seem to be lying¡­¡±

    ¡°Nonsense! That must be another fabricated story!¡±

    The Ters royal family had built such a strong image that many were reluctant to believe Adelia¡¯s testimony.

    If they believed in Adelia¡¯s birth, they might ept it, but they probably wouldn¡¯t. This was also thanks to the image King Friedrich had built.

    Even though she swore to the gods, such oaths only hold weight in sanctuaries or temples, they have no significance in this trial. It¡¯s akin to a defendant or witness swearing an oath to the judge in any other court.

    ¡°Everyone, silence! We need to hear what this knight has to say. I will ask the questions this time.¡±

    The person calming the now chaotic courtroom was none other than Count Kamar, whom I had been keeping an eye on. Apparently, Count Kamar had considerable influence among the nobles, as his words quickly silenced the audience. He then let out a long sigh and asked Adelia in a dignified voice.

    ¡°Adelia Cross, is it? I will ask you this. Are you absolutely certain there is not a single lie in what you just said?¡±

    ¡°I swear to Luminous, it is true.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ Was there any minor conflict before this?¡±

    Unfortunately, Count Kamar also seemed to doubt Adelia¡¯s lineage. This was understandable, as believing too hastily could lead to severe bacsh. Adelia nced at Hiriya at the mention of a minor conflict. Then, with a frustrated sigh, she answered in a troubled voice.

    ¡°¡­We sparred before. And I won.¡±

    ¡°How did you win?¡±

    ¡°I believe not giving my all would be an insult to the royal family.¡±

    Her testimony carried various implications. It subtly undermined Hiriya¡¯s skills while portraying her as petty. It was the best answer Adelia could give, adding some usibility aside from her lineage im.

    ¡°Such arrogance¡­ She must have cheated!¡±

    ¡°How embarrassed Princess Hiriya must have been. She probably wanted to show her best in front of the man she likes.¡±

    ¡°But insulting someone over that? It¡¯s unlike Princess Hiriya.¡±

    ¡°Is there more to this story?¡±

    People tend to favor their own kind, and as the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together. The audience didn¡¯t easily believe Adelia¡¯s reasonable words. Instead, they were busy disparaging her orforting Hiriya.

    Despite Rina¡¯s earnest defense, theck of a decisive ¡°evidence¡± meant we were making no real progress. It¡¯s understandable why Rina couldn¡¯t directly mention Adelia¡¯s lineage¡ªthe risk was too high.

    Such an usation was a significant taboo among royals, and worsening rtions between the two countries would benefit no one.

    ¡°But if that bodyguard really is King Friedrich¡¯s child¡­¡±

    ¡°It makes sense, but it¡¯s also ridiculous. Don¡¯t we all know how much he and the queen love each other?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, he¡¯s been so restrained since Princess Lara.¡±

    ¡°But if it¡¯s not true, then there¡¯s no exnation for all this¡­¡±

    Fortunately, the seeds of doubt I had sown earlier were beginning to take root. The audience was starting to suspect that the entire incident might indeed be rted to Adelia¡¯s lineage.

    However, the Ters royal family wouldn¡¯t let this slide. Friedrich, sensing the growing suspicion about his rtionship with Adelia, roared out in anger.

    ¡°Everyone, silence! I can no longer tolerate this! Are you daring to defame me and the queen?¡±

    The courtroom, which had been buzzing, fell into immediate silence. Insulting the king was a grave crime, punishable by death. This outburst gave Friedrich more leverage to pressure me. He red at me with intense eyes and spoke in a cold voice.

    ¡°Your words are tarnishing my honor. While there may be a reason for pping Hiriya, using that knight of being my blood is something I cannot tolerate.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I would like to know what basis you have for such a im. This might be yourst chance to speak.¡±

    It was essentially a choice between losing my head or my tongue. While it might seem like an abuse of royal authority, it was a strategic move. If things continued like this, the situation could turn against him, so he was preemptively shutting it down. Rumors and suspicions, once started, grow uncontrobly.

    As the majority of eyes focused on me following Friedrich¡¯s words, I scanned the room. There were looks of curiosity, concern, anger, and reproach.

    Various expressions were focused on me. I stood up and spoke loudly enough for everyone to hear.

    ¡°Your Highness Friedrich, let me rify that I have no intention of ndering you.¡±

    ¡°After spouting such nonsense, you im you have no intention to nder? That¡¯s ridiculous.¡±

    It was Laos, not Friedrich, who sneered. Friedrich nodded in agreement.

    It was as if they intended not just to make a fool out of someone, but to erase their existence entirely. Adelia does not deserve such treatment.

    Not only is she exceptional in her abilities and talents, but she also possesses outstanding beauty despite not taking much care of herself. She is a woman who deserves to be loved by other men, even if not by me, and she is my family.

    I took a long breath in and out, then faced Friedrich directly and spoke slowly.

    ¡°¡­Your Highness Friedrich, I repeat, I have no intention to nder you. I only speak the truth.¡±

    ¡°There is no need to hear more. Guards, seize that vile man immediately¡­¡±

    ¡°What if.¡±

    I cut Friedrich off with a firm voice before he could finish his sentence. Then, with a sharp re and a voice that seemed to suppress anger, I continued.

    ¡°What if Xenon¡¯s Biography also contains the same story?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Even if a simr story appears in the uing Xenon¡¯s Biography, will you still deny it?¡±

    Friedrich looked at me with a mixture of confusion and absurdity. The same went for everyone else.

    It must have been perplexing for Xenon¡¯s Biography toe up out of nowhere. But Xenon¡¯s Biography is currently treated as a prophetic or holy book.

    Especially since it is known to depict situations that could be the ¡®future¡¯. In other words, I am asking if he will still deny it if a simr situation arises in Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    Coincidentally, the contents are described in Volume 22 of Xenon¡¯s Biography. There is no bluffing to deceive the other party.

    ¡°If a story in Xenon¡¯s Biography describes someone born as a royal bastard who endures severe abuse and contempt, manages to find a beloved partner only to have them taken away, would you really pretend not to know?¡±

    ¡°Ha! How could you possibly know that?¡±

    ¡°Who are you to speak as if you were Xenon himself?¡±

    ¡°Are you not afraid of the gods? This man must be punished immediately for sphemy!¡±

    The expected reactions burst out one after another. Currently, the name Xenon is deified not only by demons but also by many people.

    The nobles of the Kingdom of Ters are no different. With their pride as a cultural powerhouse, Xenon is something they must never lose and must never be tampered with.

    Naturally, they would be furious seeing such a figure used so carelessly. They might even think I¡¯m insane, an impudent fool who doesn¡¯t know his ce.

    ¡°Can you take responsibility for those words? Your statements will shake not just you but your family and the empire.¡±

    Friedrich, thinking my remarks foolish, scoffed andughed openly. From his perspective, it must seem like I¡¯m walking straight into hell.

    I turned my gaze away from him and looked at Rina and Adelia. Rina shrugged as if to say do as you please, and Adelia wore a sad smile.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen countless fools who risk their lives just to protect a single woman. It¡¯s truly foolish to walk the path of ruin yourself.¡±

    ¡°Just a single woman? Did you say just? Dame Cross is practically family to me. Unlike some, I can trust her enough to keep her by my side regardless of status.¡±

    ¡°Speak no more. If Xenon were to witness this situation, he would shout in anger. Are you not afraid of the gods? The world is much broader and crueler than you think.¡±

    Friedrich, speaking as a king and an adult, offered sincere advice. Though it was half mocking, he might have said it out of pity.

    ¡°What is there to fear?¡±

    Contrary to his expectations, I am not afraid at all.

    ¡°Who dares to judge me?¡±

    There is no ¡®person¡¯ who can judge me.

    ¡°I have not spoken a single lie, so even the gods cannot punish me.¡±

    The ¡®gods¡¯ are fully supporting me and genuinely cheering for my future.

    ¡°You probably won¡¯t believe a word I say. No, you¡¯ll think I¡¯m a madman.¡±

    As I easily withstood the many gazes shot towards me, I approached Laos, holding the draft I had prepared in advance.

    ¡°But at this very moment, it is not I who am wrong, but all of you.¡±

    Then, cing the draft on the desk where Laos and Hiriya were seated,

    ¡°I have not lied at all.¡±

    I dered confidently.

    ¡°As proof,¡±

    No longer,

    ¡°I will show you that I am Xenon.¡±

    There is no reason to hide it.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 300: Trial (2)

    Chapter 300: Trial (2)

    Many people will be shocked by my reveal. They might ask why I didn¡¯t reveal my identity sooner if this was going to happen.

    The same goes for the Minerva Empire. They might wonder why we are taking such a low profile when we have nothing to envy from the Kingdom of Ters, except in terms of culture.

    Even if my family background is solid and my father is renowned as the Red Lion, pping a princess is a different matter.

    If the Minerva Empire were to take a hard stance, the Kingdom of Ters would only be more united, and other countries would also criticize us.

    Cecily of Helium, Arwen of Alvenheim, and Kate of Xavier. Even though these three know my true identity, they cannot openly defend me.

    This is because, officially, only Arwen knows my identity, and if they were to defend me, it would raise suspicions.

    As the saying goes, public and private matters must be clearly distinguished. The images of the Minerva Empire and the Kingdom of Ters are neither particrly good nor bad.

    They have a rtionship that can cooperate or confront each other if their interests align. No matter how close the rtionships formed in the academy, the internationalmunity is cold.

    We don¡¯t need to look far to recall how World War I broke out. As I have repeatedly mentioned, the Minerva Empire and the Kingdom of Teres are arch-enemies.Therefore, the reason the Empire is taking a low profile is essentially an unspoken expression of wanting to resolve this internally.

    Even though the Minerva Empire has strong military power, a full-scale war would result in significant losses, and the Empire also needs to consider the Stavirk region.

    If a war leads to Stavirk dering independence, it would be a major headache. Essentially, it¡¯s a precarious situation.

    However, if I reveal that I am Xenon, the above situations be irrelevant. There will be no need to worry as all attention will be focused on me, and it will be resolved easily.

    In a way, I¡¯m using my honor and status to exert pressure, but the Kingdom of Ters started this in the first ce.

    Acting emotionally? My personality has always been this way. Usually, I¡¯m stoic, but I get emotional when certain things are touched upon.

    Especially the trauma of losing my parents in an ident in my previous life is deeply embedded within me. The reason I haven¡¯t revealed my identity until now is because of my family, not myself.

    I don¡¯t mind being criticized, but I cannot tolerate anyone touching my ¡®family¡¯ or those rted to my family.

    And Adelia is not only a woman who has been intimate with me but also family. I can no longer allow her to be humiliated. Even if a difficult future awaits, isn¡¯t it necessary to take responsibility and see it through to the end?

    From now on, instead of hiding my identity for my family, I will protect them under the name of Xenon. This is the choice I make at this crossroads.

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    When I revealed that I am Xenon, and even made what was practically a threat, Laos¡¯s reaction was quite a sight. He looked at me as if I had truly lost my mind, yet there was a hint of doubt in his expression. He still didn¡¯t fully believe it.

    I stared silently at Laos before shifting my gaze to the side. Hiriya turned pale as soon as I revealed that I was Xenon. She couldn¡¯t even lift her head properly and was trembling like a frightened puppy.

    Unlike Laos and the others, who had no prior context, Hiriya had been suspecting that I was Xenon. Her suspicions had been ayed thanks to Cherry¡¯s information and Marie¡¯s skillful handling, but they began to resurface the moment I pped her.

    And now, the seeds of suspicion have grown and are about to bear flowers and fruit.

    ¡°What did that guy just say?¡±

    ¡°He said he would prove that he is Xenon?¡±

    ¡°Hahaha! He must have truly lost his mind! How dare he impersonate Xenon?¡±

    ¡°The gods will punish you!!¡±

    Despite the careful buildup, the audience responded with ridicule instead of shock or horror.

    Well, that¡¯s the expected reaction. Many people who have impersonated characters from Xenon¡¯s Biography have been dragged away or severely punished.

    Most importantly, I confidently revealed that I am not the character Xenon, but the ¡®author¡¯ Xenon. If it were an impersonation, being dragged away and executed for sphemy would be well-deserved.

    Ignoring the pouring criticism and insults, I looked at Laos. He was staring at me with a conflicted expression.

    ¡°¡­Are you truly not afraid of the wrath of the gods?¡±

    He still seemed skeptical. However, unlike before, when he was confident and arrogant, his voice was now extremely serious.

    His sky-blue eyes nced at the draft I ced on the desk.

    ¡°Why should I be afraid? As I said earlier, I have only spoken the truth. It¡¯s just that you did not believe it.¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    ¡°Of course, it doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t believe me. You can ignore this and throw me into prison, and I will willingly ept it. But if you are concerned about what might happen next, take a look at what is inside.¡±

    I answered in a soft voice, having calmed my earlier surge of emotions. Laos still couldn¡¯t hide his suspicion despite my words.

    He might think it¡¯s a bluff or a trick. Revealing myself as the author Xenon is akin to gambling with my life.

    No matter how insane someone might be, they wouldn¡¯t risk their life on such a matter. This is why Laos hesitated.

    He alternated his gaze between my face and the draft on the desk before ncing behind me. I turned my head to follow his gaze.

    Unlike the other nobles, King Friedrich had noticed something unusual. He was staring at me with a furrowed brow.

    Judging by the serious expression and his hand stroking his chin, he instinctively knew that my words were not empty.

    Then, Friedrich nodded, giving a silent affirmation, prompting Laos to open the envelope containing the draft.

    <i>Riiip!</i>

    As Laos opened the envelope, sensing the gravity of the situation, the audience that had been hurling insults gradually fell silent.

    When he pulled out the contents, I turned my attention to where I had originally been sitting, towards Adelia and Rina.

    Adelia had aplex expression, possibly feeling responsible for the situation, while Rina shrugged as soon as our eyes met.

    It meant that the matter was now out of her hands and I had to handle it. I epted this and looked back at Laos.

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    Laos¡¯s sky-blue eyes darted left and right as he read. He was currently reading the draft of Volume 1 of Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    The draft, once stolen but somehow recovered and now revered as a holy text.

    However, I don¡¯t expect Laos or the royal family of Ters to believe itpletely, despite the significance of the draft. Unlike Hiriya, they received this revtion suddenly, with no prior hints or signs. Instead of fully believing, their suspicion will likely grow stronger.

    ¡°¡­Is this it? Is this the proof that you are Xenon?¡±

    As expected. Though his voice trembled slightly, Laos did not definitively dere me as Xenon.

    But the budding seed of doubt in his mind is enough. That seed of doubt will gradually grow, gnawing away at him.

    I nodded with a gentle smile in response to his question. His gaze shifted to behind me, likely exchanging opinions with Friedrich through eye contact. I did not bother to look back, focusing solely on Laos.

    ¡°Is this insufficient?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a possibility it¡¯s fabricated. As embarrassing as it is to admit, I¡¯m not good with emotions. There¡¯s a chance this is a well-crafted forgery.¡±

    ¡°If you wish, I can show you more. Or we can go to the temple for verification.¡±

    ¡°Putting that aside, what does you being Xenon have to do with the current situation? Are you asking us to recognize that woman as kin?¡±

    Laos started using the honorific ¡°you¡± instead of ¡°you (informal),¡± indicating that the seed of doubt had indeed taken root in his mind.

    Moreover, his point was valid. The current situation and my identity as Xenon are not entirely unrted.

    Even though the perception of illegitimate children is low, denying Adelia¡¯s existence outright is uneptable.

    But that doesn¡¯t mean I will hand her over. I¡¯ve already achieved half of my goal.

    ¡°No. Even without asking, the situation will unfold as it should. As I mentioned earlier, if a simr event appears in Xenon¡¯s Biography, everyone here will begin to doubt.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t prefer to beg for acknowledgment.¡±

    It¡¯s as I said. If I were not Xenon, these people would never recognize Adelia as part of their family until their dying day.

    Using the authority and reputation of Xenon to pressure them would only amount to forcing them to bow in submission. Even if they imed to ept her as family, they would never genuinely do so. I can guarantee that.

    ¡°The die has already been cast. If what I say is true, everyone will understand the reason behind this situation. Even if they don¡¯t, they will harbor doubts. Regardless of whether I reveal my identity, I have already achieved what I wanted.¡±

    Everything I exined is true. I witnessed it all with my own eyes, and Hiriya tried to seduce me for a nonsensical revenge.

    If one doesn¡¯t know the full context, it might seem like Hiriya, blinded by love,mitted a wrongful act, making her appear as a tragic heroine.

    But the mere existence of Adelia transforms it into a petty and vindictive revenge.

    The only reason all of this can be understood is because Adelia is an ¡°illegitimate child.¡± Illegitimate children are generally unwee everywhere and have historicallymitted numerous bizarre acts.

    However, the reasons for such behavior are usually simple: they want attention and love from their parents or siblings. They want at least their existence to be acknowledged, even if they can¡¯t be epted as family.

    The inability to fulfill this basic need often leads to illegitimate children bing twisted. Adelia enduring it quietly is a very unusual case.

    Moreover, considering Adelia¡¯s miserable past, it¡¯s almost a miracle she didn¡¯tmit suicide.

    ¡°Nevertheless, the reason I revealed that I am Xenon is that I didn¡¯t want to waste time rotting in prison. More importantly, it¡¯s the most effective card I have. And to give the Kingdom of Ters a choice.¡±

    ¡°A choice?¡±

    ¡°Yes, a choice. Will you dere me innocent or guilty?¡±

    In my previous life, even if I had made crude remarks, assault wouldn¡¯t have been recognized as self-defense. But here, it¡¯s slightly different.

    Insulting someone, especially one¡¯s parents, is considered the gravest insult across all times and ces, and in severe cases, it can justify taking a life.

    This doesn¡¯t depend on social ss. For example, if a noble insulted amoner¡¯s parents and themoner retaliated with violence, it could be considered self-defense if there were clear evidence or witnesses.

    Most would side with the noble out of fear of repercussions, but thew itself recognizes the justification.

    ¡°If you acknowledge that Princess Hiriya insulted my guard, the trial will end here. If you are certain she did not, then I will ept the judgment passed on me.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°What will you do?¡±

    I am indirectly asking them to acknowledge Adelia¡¯s birth.

    If they admit it, the honor of the royal family of Ters will be tarnished. If they deny it, they can maintain their honor but will have to deal with the consequences.

    Honor or national interest, whatever choice they make, the Kingdom of Ters will experience a rift.

    It¡¯s true that Adelia is an illegitimate child of the royal family of Ters, and it¡¯s true that I am Xenon. I have nothing to lose.

    From the moment they outright denied Adelia¡¯s existence, they fell into a self-contradiction.

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    While they were contemting, I exchanged nces with Adelia. Although I had already told her that this situation might unfold, it didn¡¯t mean I wasn¡¯t sorry.

    Fortunately, Adelia seemed to have fullye to terms with it, as she only gave a wry smile and nodded slightly when our eyes met.

    Whether the royal family of Ters acknowledges her or not, she expressed that she would remain my dedicated maid and family. It seemed she had let go of any lingering regrets.

    ¡°Is it really true? Is that woman His Highness Friedrich¡¯s blood?¡±

    ¡°Judging by her sky-blue eyes, it seems certain¡­¡±

    ¡°You should say something that makes sense. The rtionship between His Highness and Her Majesty the Queen is well known to be very good.¡±

    Even the audience, the nobles, were skeptical. Even Count Kamar, who had been defending me, showed hesitation to trustpletely.

    I have done my part. Now, it all depends on what choice they make.

    They are probably running all kinds of scenarios in their heads. Deciding whether I am Xenon or not is difficult enough, and now they also have to consider Adelia.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°Why are you defending that woman?¡±

    While I was patiently waiting for an answer, Laos asked me a question. His face showed a look of iprehension.

    I blinked at his confusion, then smiled and answered clearly. Honestly, there is no grand reason.

    ¡°Because she likes me, and I like her.¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    ¡°Rather than standing by, it¡¯s better to take responsibility. Emotional wounds are not easily healed.¡±

    Through this incident, I can give Adelia a firm sense of trust. There is no stronger bond than trust tied with love.

    Even if I have to go through hardships, I will never allow my people to get hurt. This is the choice and decision I have made.

    Laos listened to my answer, his lips twitching slightly as he nced at Hiriya. She still kept her head down, silent like a guilty person.

    By now, Laos must have realized that I am truly Xenon. For the sake of national interest, they should ept Adelia¡¯s existence, but¡­

    ¡°No.¡±

    Not Laos.

    ¡°That lowly wench is not my child.¡±

    The King of the Kingdom of Ters, Friedrich, ultimately denied Adelia¡¯s existence.

    I turned around to face him as his words pierced my ears.

    A stubborn and resolute gaze met mine. It was clear he would not yield an inch.

    His expression showed a resolute determination not to abandon the ¡®honor¡¯ he had built as a ¡®king.¡¯

    True to a king who lives and dies by honor in this era, King Friedrich chose definite honor over uncertain national interest.

    Even if it meant outright denying the clear blemish in front of him.

    Though I had expected it, given my memories of my past life, it was still a difficult decision to ept.

    ¡°¡­Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°Even if you are Xenon, my choice remains unchanged.¡±

    ¡°Just for that bit of honor?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Friedrich answered with silence instead of words. Silence was another form of affirmation.

    I couldn¡¯t understand it, but I could ept it. This was the kind of world we lived in.

    I let out a long,plicated sigh and looked at Adelia. Her head hung low, her body trembling intermittently.

    Even though she had anticipated this situation, hearing it aloud must have been a tremendous shock. She seemed to be struggling to hold back her tears.

    ¡°¡­In that case, Your Highness Friedrich, I will announce something to you. And to everyone else as well.¡±

    I took a deep breath, looking around the room, and then spoke clearly in a low, firm voice.

    ¡°From now on, Xenon¡¯s Biography will no longer be avable in the Kingdom of Teres.¡±

    I would strip them of the culture they so coveted.

    ¡°I will never again empower the Kingdom of Ters.¡±

    While empowering their rival, the Minerva Empire.

    ¡°Everyone here will begin to doubt Your Highness.¡±

    I firmly warned about what was toe.

    Xenon¡¯s Biography Volume 22 is set to be released soon in the Minerva Empire. Shortly after, it will also be released in the Kingdom of Ters.

    This means that from Volume 23 onwards, it will not be avable. Of course, it will circte in the ck market, but that is not my concern.

    ¡°Your Highness Friedrich.¡±

    ¡°Speak.¡±

    ¡°You are indeed a wise king. You mended the rift caused by the Jairos Revolution and maintained an excellent external image. However¡­¡±

    I swallowed my anger several times before finally speaking in front of him.

    ¡°To me, you seem like an unprepared person who denies and avoids responsibility for your own mistakes and faults.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    <i>Crack!</i>

    At my sharp critique, Friedrich¡¯s hands clenched tightly. Judging by how the armrests were nearly crushed, I had hit his nerve.

    Outwardly, it might seem like an insult to the king. But he cannot do anything.

    By denying Adelia, he hasn¡¯t fully confirmed it, but he must harbor suspicions that I am Xenon. That doubt is enough.

    Internally, the honor he painstakingly built will slowly crumble, while externally, the suspension of Xenon¡¯s Biography and the ensuing disputes among the nobles will create turmoil.

    King Friedrich made the worst possible choice among the ones avable to him.

    All for the sake of his pride.

    ¡°Now then¡­¡±

    I slowly scanned the now silent audience and, with a characteristic smile, spoke up.

    ¡°Could you please tell me what judgment you will pass on me?¡±<hr>

    Trantors note:

    Damn, the novel really got spicyst few chapters

    We reached chapter 300!

 Chapter 301: Trial (3)

    Chapter 301: Trial (3)

    The verdict was delivered. Regardless of me being Xenon, this incident was triggered by me pping Hiriya.

    However, after revealing my identity, the cause was also attributed to Hiriya. The remaining judgment was left for the Minerva Empire to handle.

    It seems Friedrich realized he couldn¡¯t go too far due to Adelia¡¯s birth and my not-so-subtle spoilers. The seed of doubt nted in his heart will gradually grow and start to bind him. The moment Xenon¡¯s Biography Volume 22 is published, that tendril will begin to tighten around his neck.

    Until then, I probably won¡¯t be able to leisurely attend the academy. Even though it¡¯s still in the suspicion phase, revealing my identity means rumors will gradually spread outside.

    Once a newspaper with connections to the nobility picks up on the rumor, the real game begins. This trial was just the prelude or a teaser.

    As tense as I am, the royal family of Ters will also be on edge. They might think it was just a bluff during the trial, but in the future, I will solidify it with a stamp.

    For now, I will wait until the rumor starts to spread and my name is mentioned in the newspapers.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±¡°Thank you. Really.¡±

    After the trial ended and before returning to the Minerva Empire, Adelia thanked me as Iy on the bed for a brief rest in the guest room.

    I lifted my head slightly, seeing Adelia looking at me with a warm smile.

    A mixture of emotions¡ªaffection, gratitude, and apology. However, her affection for me was unmistakable.

    Despite being denied once again during the trial, she remained steadfast without breaking down like before.

    I smiled at her growth, seeing that she had shaken off her trauma even though there might still be lingering regrets.

    ¡°Noona, could youe here for a moment?¡±

    When I motioned for her toe closer, Adelia slowly walked over, her face still adorned with a loving smile.

    When she finally came close enough, I pulled her arm, bringing her into my embrace. Adelia, perhaps expecting this, didn¡¯t let out a shrill scream and instead nestled gently.

    ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? I will always be on your side until the end.¡±

    ¡°Still, thank you. Meeting Nicole and then you was the greatest fortune of my life. It feels like all my past misfortunes were meant to lead me to you.¡±

    ¡°And I found the knight who will dedicate their life to me.¡±

    We shared each other¡¯s warmth for a long time, exchanging emotional connection.

    The atmosphere was not suggestive but purely healing as we hugged.

    ¡°Haah¡­¡±

    Adelia let out a satisfied, drowsy sigh, and I smiled contentedly, patting her back as if tofort a child.

    The trial is over, but it¡¯s not truly the end. As the culture flourishes with Xenon¡¯s Biography, the Kingdom of Ters is gradually heading into a dark age.

    A kingdom that is attacked from the outside can rebuild, but a kingdom that crumbles from within cannot recover.

    In the process, they mightsh out at Adelia or me in their desperation.

    Additionally, the benefits gained from hiding my identity so far will disappear, and troublesome matters, especially direct threats like devil worshipers, may arise.

    But it¡¯s okay. I have strong allies like Adelia. They will never breach my defenses.

    <i>Knock knock knock</i>

    I¡¯m not sure how long we held each other, but as soon as we heard the knock, we separated instinctively.

    Although I¡¯d love to go further, we are in the Kingdom of Ters. No matter how strong the desire, there are times when you must hold back.

    Adelia reluctantly pulled away from me and moved to open the door.

    <i>Knock knock knock!!</i>

    Someone is impatient. Who could it be? Could it be Lara?

    Even though I only met her once, she genuinely liked Adelia, so it¡¯s quite possible.

    Regardless of the other royals, as thest conscience of the Ters royal family, I nned to treat her kindly.

    ¡°Who is it?¡±

    ¡°Ah, Adelia¡­?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    But the voice that came from outside was not Lara. Even though the voice was a bit choked, it was unmistakably Hiriya.

    Why did shee to my guest room while I was resting? While Adelia looked at me with a perplexed expression, I got up from the bed and walked towards the door.

    I opened the door wide, revealing Hiriya standing there. Unlike when I saw her at the academy, she was now as withdrawn as a frightened squirrel.

    Her slender build made her appear tall, almost as tall as Adelia, so she didn¡¯t seem small, but not now.

    The confident and arrogant demeanor was gone, leaving only a trembling small animal.

    I saw her during the trial, but seeing her up close made it hard to believe she was the same person.

    ¡°¡­Princess Hiriya?¡±

    ¡°I, I¡­¡±

    When I called her, she stuttered. Realizing that leaving her there might attract unwanted attention, I decided to bring her inside.

    As Hiriya entered, Adelia watched her with an indifferent gaze.

    Hiriya, on the other hand, couldn¡¯t meet Adelia¡¯s eyes and actively avoided her gaze.

    The situation was reversed in many ways. What could Hiriya want to say to me?

    I was more than a little curious.

    ¡°Please, have a seat¡­¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me¡­ what?¡±

    Before I could even offer her a seat at the table, Hiriya apologized. I turned to see her bowing her head deeply.

    Her sky-blue hair fell like a curtain, obscuring her expression, but her trembling body made it clear.

    Hiriya was terrified. And she fully believed that I was Xenon.

    I stared at the back of her head for a moment, then looked over at Adelia.

    Adelia seemed equally surprised by Hiriya¡¯s sudden apology. Her expression showed how unexpected this was.

    ¡°Princess Hiriya.¡±

    ¡°Y-yes.¡±

    ¡°First, please lift your head.¡±

    At my words, Hiriya slowly lifted her head. As she did, I could clearly see her expression.

    Her trembling lips and sky-blue eyes quivered as if an earthquake had struck them, with cold sweat running down her cheeks.

    She was exhibiting extreme anxiety, much like Adelia had when she first met the Ters royal family at the exhibition a year ago.

    In contrast, Adelia appearedpletely calm, with an expression that seemed devoid of any particr thoughts¡ªjust a sense of curiosity.

    I looked at the pitiably trembling Hiriya and, smiling slyly, spoke nonchntly.

    ¡°Why are you shaking so much? Anyone would think I¡¯m going to eat you.¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. I dared to presume¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tremble. Please look at me directly, Princess Hiriya.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    At my ¡®kind¡¯ request, Hiriya stopped mid-sentence and looked directly at me. Although her gaze wavered asionally, she tried to follow my request.

    Her usual confidence hadpletely vanished, making her seem like a different person.

    Hiriya wasn¡¯t ignorant of her position. It was because she understood it all too well that her demeanor had changed so drastically.

    ¡°Princess.¡±

    ¡°Y-yes.¡±

    ¡°Did you dislike Adelia that much?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    At my question, Hiriya¡¯s gaze shifted to Adelia. Adelia, upon meeting her eyes, had aplex expression.

    She had longed for her family but was rejected and ended up forming a new family with me.

    Now, one of those family members had thrown away all pride and was apologizing. It was a mix of new emotions and inevitableplexity.

    ¡°What Adelia needed wasn¡¯t a throne, power, or wealth. She only needed familial affection. But you, Princess Hiriya, and the royal family gave her nothing but abuse and insults. Do you understand what that means?¡±

    ¡°I-I will do anything! From now on, I will call her sister¡­ no, sister Adelia! Please forgive me¡­!¡±

    My words weren¡¯t finished yet, but Hiriya, kneeling, began to beg desperately.

    But I have no intention of forgiving her. If Adelia hadn¡¯t be my woman, if I wasn¡¯t Xenon, Hiriya wouldn¡¯t have changed.

    I knelt down to meet Hiriya¡¯s eyes as she knelt and begged pathetically.

    ¡°Lady Hiriya. If I weren¡¯t Xenon, would you still be begging like this?¡±

    ¡°<i>Hic</i>¡­ <i>sob</i>¡­¡±

    ¡°If you had treated Adelia even slightly as family, would this have happened?¡±

    ¡°Please¡­¡±

    Hiriya didn¡¯t answer my question, only sobbing. In some ways, she could be seen as an incredibly unlucky case.

    But that doesn¡¯t mean I can forgive her. Even if the kind Adelia were to forgive her¡­

    <i>¡®¡­That won¡¯t happen.¡¯</i>

    I nced at Adelia, just in case. She was looking down at Hiriya with a disgusted expression.

    The term ¡°sister¡± was something she had longed to hear. But it meant nothing now because if this situation hadn¡¯t arisen, Hiriya would have never recognized Adelia as family.

    It¡¯s only natural that any remaining feelings would fall away. Moreover, given that her existence was tantly denied in the trial just moments ago, she must feel disgusted.

    To be honest, I have no intention of forgiving Hiriya. More urately, I simply have no thoughts about it.

    My frustration eased the moment I pped her and revealed my identity, and the Kingdom of Teres will face a period of stagnation.

    ¡°You must pay the price for touching my family, Princess Hiriya. Because of the ball you started rolling, I had to reveal my identity, which has resulted in significant loss. Just the Kingdom of Ters going into a dark age isn¡¯t enough.¡±

    ¡°No, please! Please, just let me live!¡±

    Maybe it¡¯s because of the Jairos Revolution a few decades ago, where the pirs of the nation were shaken. Hiriya, recalling the revolution, shouted urgently in fear.

    Frankly, it¡¯s not strange if a revolution were to ur. The Kingdom of Ters has strong cohesion. This is a great strength as a nation but can also be a poison.

    When the people of Ters encounter my letters and the uing Xenon¡¯s Biography Volume 22, how will they react?

    What path will the Kingdom of Ters take if I publicly reveal my identity to everyone?

    In the worst-case scenario, as Hiriya fears, the kingdom could crumble from within and walk the path of destruction. Nobles who have been keeping the royal family in check could rise to power, and another royal family might emerge.

    Change of the royal authority. Or a revolution.

    This is the future Hiriya fears the most, as her own safety is at stake.

    ¡°I-I¡¯ll be a ve if you want! I don¡¯t mind being a ything! If you don¡¯t believe me, I-I¡¯ll do it right now¡­!¡±

    Hiriya, gripped by severe anxiety, began to hastily undress with trembling hands. Since she was wearing a uniform rather than a dress, it was easy for her to remove it on her own.

    As I moved to stop her in my panic, Adelia, who couldn¡¯t watch any longer, intervened first.

    ¡°Stop it, Princess Hiriya.¡±

    ¡°S-sister¡­ no, Adelia¡­¡±

    ¡°I am not your sister. I am merely Isaac¡¯s loyal personal maid. I have no further ties to the royal family of Ters.¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    Realizing instinctively that there was no way out, tears began to form in Hiriya¡¯s eyes. She should have behaved better from the start.

    I looked at Hiriya, who was trying everything she could to earn forgiveness, with a disdainful gaze and spoke in a gentle voice.

    ¡°Princess Hiriya, I don¡¯t need your body. I¡¯m not someone who chases after women, and besides, I already have a far superior woman by my side.¡±

    Sure, Hiriya is objectively a beautiful woman. But the goodwill she had built up waspletely shattered, and I have no ns to ept her.

    There is one condition, though: if she were to be Adelia¡¯s ve instead of mine, I wouldn¡¯t mind. She would then endure the same abuse and insults Adelia suffered in her childhood.

    And even if Hiriya doesn¡¯t want it, it¡¯s inevitable that the Ters royal family will send someone in the future. Whether it¡¯s Hiriya or Lara, it will be one of them.

    In that case, it¡¯s better to ept Lara. She is thest remaining conscience of the Ters royal family, and it would be troubling if that conscience disappeared without knowing anything.

    More importantly, Lara is the only person who treated Adelia as family. Seeing that they still maintain a good rtionship, Lara must be protected at least.

    ¡°So, Princess, I don¡¯t need you. Even if you force your way in, it will be very difficult for you.¡±

    ¡°I-I can endure it.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°Just like Adelia endured?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Hiriya, saying things she doesn¡¯t mean to desperately cling to any lifeline. Herck of hesitation only makes it more repulsive.

    Hiriya should never have given such a positive answer. If she understood even a fraction of the pain Adelia went through, she wouldn¡¯t have said such things.

    You can¡¯t change people. Even though she¡¯s clinging to me, her deep-seated selfishness remains unchanged.

    She is a potential threat, likely to betray me if it means securing her own safety.

    <i>Swish</i>

    Suppressing my inner thoughts, I smiled and ced my hand on Hiriya¡¯s cheek.

    Thinking she had received approval, her expression began to soften.

    Her lips were still trembling, but her relief was evident.

    ¡°¡­Princess Hiriya.¡±

    ¡°Y-yes!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡±

    ¡°What¡­?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡±

    Perhaps she hadn¡¯t expected a negative response. Hiriya looked at me with a bewildered expression.

    Even so, my hand continued to gently stroke her cheek. As if telling her to wake up from this dream, to be satisfied with this moment.

    ¡°If you had understood even a little of the pain Adelia endured, if you had even a little empathy, you wouldn¡¯t have given such an answer. Adelia endured it all, not just as a knight but as a woman. When you used sparring as an excuse to beat her, when you insulted her parents in front of her, when you almost took the man she loved right before her eyes, and even when I pped you and came to the Kingdom of Ters!¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    When I shouted, Hiriya flinched violently. Fear and terror were etched in her trembling eyes, and herplexion grew increasingly pale.

    ¡°She med herself, saying it was her fault, and apologized sincerely. Even though it wasn¡¯t her fault, she punished herself. But what about you, Princess? It¡¯s different, isn¡¯t it? Despite making a mistake, you answered only to save yourself without an ounce of empathy.¡±

    The Ters Royal Family is endlessly kind to ¡®their people,¡¯ acting as parents, siblings, and family. However, they ignore those who fall out of favor, like Adelia.

    They only think of their satisfaction and benefits, capable of bing more malicious because they aren¡¯t without skill. How did Adelia manage to hold on in such a household? How did a conscience like Lara¡¯se to be born in such a ce?

    I wonder if Olivia, the first princess who married into the Bellua Republic, has a simr personality. Even if it¡¯s not because of me, the future of the Ters Kingdom looks incredibly bleak.

    ¡°You said you wanted forgiveness, right? Then continue living. Live quietly, enduring all kinds of contempt, just like Adelia did. The Ters Kingdom, known as a cultural nation, won¡¯t copse over something like this. King Friedrich is a capable and wise ruler. But people won¡¯t look at you kindly.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­uh¡­¡±

    Perhaps imagining a bleak future, tears formed at the corners of Hiriya¡¯s eyes, running down her cheeks, revealing her regret.

    Will Hiriya be able to endure it, or will she run away like Adelia did? I hope the dayes when she can genuinely apologize to Adelia. By now, Hiriya must have deep-seated trauma like Adelia.

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­sorry¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m really¡­sorry¡­¡±

    Hiriya bowed her head deeply, even kneeling as she pleaded once more. A princess of a nation, beyond just kneeling, was now prostrated.

    To that princess, I responded with a smile that could be seen as cruel.

    ¡°No.¡±

    Endure it with all your might.

    ¡°Just endure it.¡±

    It¡¯s the small ball you started rolling.<hr>

    Trantors note:

    It seems our softboy Isaac CAN go cruel when he wants to huh¡­

 Chapter 302: Rice Cake (1)

    Chapter 302: Rice Cake (1)

    Returning to the Minerva Empire went smoothly, almost too smoothly to believe. It felt so easy that I wondered if it was really happening.

    In some novels, you often see the clich¨¦ of an unidentified assassinunching a surprise attack before the protagonist can return home. Considering I revealed my identity as Xenon and insulted the king, I thought something might happen along the way, but maybe I¡¯ve just read too many novels.

    Besides, there is a teleportation device at our disposal, and if I were attacked, the Minerva Empire would have protested strongly. Moreover, I wasn¡¯t alone, I had Rina with me, so the Ters Kingdom couldn¡¯t act recklessly.

    Anyway, after returning to the Minerva Empire and Halo Academy, I waited for the disciplinary actions I would face.

    <i>¡®But will Hiriyae to the academy?¡¯</i>

    The rumor that I pped Hiriya had already spread throughout the academy. It would be more surprising if it hadn¡¯t, given how many people witnessed it.

    Normally, rumors get exaggerated, but public opinion is surprisingly favorable. While pping her can¡¯t be justified, there¡¯s a general sentiment that Hiriya was also at fault.

    Among the professors, my image is quite decent, and among the students, it¡¯s not bad either. I¡¯m just the redhead who stands out. However, since not many people know me well, I¡¯m slightly worried about the various rumors that might be circting.

    Rina said she¡¯d handle things well, but rumors tend to get distorted in strange ways. Besides, it¡¯s uncertain whether Hiriya will return to the academy. Before we left, Hiriya¡¯s mental state was already shattered. Would shee back to the academy?Hiriya originally transferred to Halo Academy to improve rtions with the Minerva Empire, but that reason is nowpletely gone. It doesn¡¯t matter whether shees back or not; I have other things to focus on now.

    ¡°You really stirred things up. It¡¯s going toplicate things on our side as well.¡±

    ¡°It had to be done sooner orter. And from the Empire¡¯s standpoint, it worked out well without you having to lift a finger, right?¡±

    ¡°Maybe. It¡¯s good that the Ters Kingdom is copsing on its own, but we also need to think about the aftermath. I don¡¯t think Ters will fall immediately. Being a cultural powerhouse, they¡¯ll somehow manage to survive.¡±

    As Rina said, what I need to worry about most are the uing events. Though I¡¯ve revealed my identity, that only concerns the Ters Kingdom, and for now, it¡¯s still at the stage of suspicion.

    However, with the release of Xenon¡¯s Biography Volume 22 just a day away, it won¡¯t take long for suspicions to turn into certainty. I¡¯ve already indirectly spoiled the contents of Volume 22, so the nobles present at the trial are likely half-convinced that I am Xenon.

    Of course, if the nobles band together or if Friedrich exerts pressure, they might be able to prevent the rumors from spreading outside. There¡¯s a slim possibility since power can only be wielded if the country remains stable, and the situation could destabilize the nation.

    But will not a single person out of all those people say a word? I highly doubt that. Until then, I can just wait quietly or continue my studies. Meanwhile, I¡¯ll also be working on Volume 23 of Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    For reference, Volume 23 will continue the battle between Xenon and Envy, and from then on, the grand storyline about ¡®Pride¡¯ will gradually unfold.

    <i>¡®Should I make some adaptations?¡¯</i>

    By the time I reveal the plotline about Pride, my identity might also be disclosed. I¡¯m not sure if I should write it, especially since it¡¯s closely linked to ¡®mythology.¡¯

    Elves, in particr, might react sensitively. It won¡¯t be unpleasant but rather a boost to their pride,monly known as a ¡°hype¡± moment.

    <i>¡®The ancestors of the Elves were angels who served beside God. However, aftermitting a grave sin, they lost their wings and fell to the earthly realm.¡¯</i>

    This is a legend passed down through mythology. The ancestor of the Elves, an angel, rebelled in the ¡®Celestial Realm,¡¯ the world of the gods, lost their wings, and fell. However, this myth contradicts many aspects of the Elves. When Elves introduce themselves, they always mention that they are a race chosen by God.

    Many schrs say that even though they rebelled against God, they were still the most beloved angels, which is why they were blessed.

    However, I have a slightly different idea. Specifically, I n to add a deep, hidden backstory to it.

    <i>¡®The ancestors of the Elves were not banished to the earthly realm for their sins, but instead, they tore off their own wings and willingly became mortals. They did this to make the earthly realm a warmer ce.¡¯</i>

    This reinterpretation not only changes the origin of the Elves but also alters the flow of mythology significantly. It could be considered a hidden history, much like the dark elves.

    As someone who has delved deeply into the history and mythology of this world, this is one of the hypotheses I can present, and it¡¯s a clich¨¦ I¡¯ve encountered often in my past life.

    An immortal who abandoned their powers and authority to be mortal in order to protect the world. Such cases usually feature characters who be allies to the protagonist.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s a good idea, but¡­¡¯</i>

    I scribbled on my notebook with a magical pen, organizing the plot. This revtion is nned for Volume 24, not 23. Volume 23 is entirely filled with the battle against Envy, so there¡¯s not much to worry about except highlighting Envy¡¯s miserable life.

    The battle Xenon faces against Envy will be depicted as one of the most desperate, second only to the final boss, Jin.

    <i>¡®Is it okay to touch mythology?¡¯</i>

    So far, I¡¯ve created several significant twists, but I haven¡¯t dared to touch the realm of mythology. In a world where gods like Luminous, Mora, and Harte exist, mythology is not something to be tampered with lightly.

    However, nothing makes ¡®Pride¡¯ morepelling than this setting. Pride, ording to the setup, despises their ancestors for bing mortals and believes they were foolish. Pride harbors ambitions to regain wings and bring down the celestial realm to rule the world, oblivious to the destruction it will bring.

    Moreover, instead of the white wings of an angel, Pride will possess ck wings like a demon.

    <i>¡®The gods haven¡¯t said anything¡­¡¯</i>

    At least it should be okay. If there were any issues, they would have warned me directly.

    With that thought, I felt more at ease crafting the plot. What if it causes another upheaval? Well, I¡¯ll just have to ept it. Honestly, I gave up after Cecily¡¯s devilization.

    Besides, the idea of ancestors tearing off their wings to be mortals could bring a profound realization to the normally arrogant Elves.

    If it¡¯s a good idea, then there won¡¯t be any negative impact. That¡¯s my judgment.

    <i>¡®By the way, should I give Elena and Cindy a heads-up?¡¯</i>

    Elena and Cindy are the closest to me in the academy, next to my close acquaintances. The knowledge they¡¯ve shared with me has been valuable material for Xenon¡¯s Biography. The news that I might be Xenon will soon start spreading, and it wouldn¡¯t be polite not to tell them.

    Since I n to make an announcement in front of everyone anyway, telling just them beforehand isn¡¯t a bad choice. I made up my mind, and now all that was left was to act. I put away the notebook with the organized plot and took out the draft.

    This draft is the proof that I am Xenon. Although they didn¡¯t believe me during the trial, Elena would likely believe me right away. Feeling a bit nervous, I made my way to Elena¡¯sb. Since I hadn¡¯t received any disciplinary action yet, it was okay to move around.

    When I revealed my identity to Elena and Cindy, who were busy researching in theb¡­

    ¡°Actually, we kind of expected it.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°We suspected it ever since that pink-haired girl came to you. And your reactions whenever I asked questions were always suspicious. But I didn¡¯t think it was really true.¡±

    Their reaction was incredibly anticlimactic. Cindy didn¡¯t even react properly and just flopped around. When I asked if they weren¡¯t surprised, Elena gave an answer that was very typical of her.

    ¡°It would be a lie to say we¡¯re not surprised. But, how should I put it¡­¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve spent so much time together¡­ it¡¯s just kind of fascinating¡­¡±

    ¡°Cindy¡¯s right. If I hadn¡¯t known you at all, it would be different. It¡¯s like finding out that a colleague you¡¯ve been working with is actually a royal or something.¡±

    I think I understand what they mean. Their ordinary reactions made me chuckle despite myself.

    ¡°Can you tell me what¡¯s going to happen in the future?¡±

    ¡°To write a paper?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Aw, you can¡¯t do that for us?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a prophet.¡±

    ¡°Tsk, some friend you are.¡±

    I felt a bit deted for hiding it, but I also felt more at ease.

    A few dayster, when Xenon¡¯s Biography Volume 22 was released to the world:

    [Shocking! Count Camar of the Terse Kingdom: I know who Xenon is!]

    [Xenon¡¯s true identity is none other than a noble from the Minerva Empire, from a family known for their red hair¡­]

    [Is his im true? As everyone¡¯s attention focuses, the Minerva Empire¡­]

    The seed I had nted began to sprout.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 303: Rice Cake (2)

    Chapter 303: Rice Cake (2)

    Rumors began to spread from the Kingdom of Ters, rumors about Xenon¡¯s identity that spread like wildfire.

    A nobleman, not anonymously but one of high rank, that of a count of great influence in that country, risked his name to provide this information. It was a gamble that could severely damage his reputation or cause him to be vilified for deceit.

    Yet, Count Kamar had ample reason to make such revtions. He maintained neutrality during the trial, and although he was cautious, he did not disparage me. Compared to other nobles, he holds a minimal degree of favor, and he has an escape route: he can shift the me onto me.

    The idea that the kingdom might be shaken? Perhaps he has ns to secretly rece the royal power ormit acts of simr magnitude based on that instability.

    Of course, this is akin to a coup d¡¯¨¦tat, so it¡¯s purely spective and not something I need to ponder. Frankly, whether it¡¯s a coup or not, if the state is on the brink of turmoil, any wise leader should address that first.

    In any case, the news that Count Kamar revealed through the newspaper is roughly as follows:

    [Xenon is from the Minerva Empire.]

    [Xenon is not a sage, but possesses wisdomparable to a sage.]

    [Xenon is a man with red hair and golden eyes.]Although these three clues seem scant, there are very few people in this world with red hair. Moreover, mentioning golden eyes and his origin narrows it down significantly. However, I don¡¯t know where the im about wisdomparable to a sage came from. Perhaps it¡¯s to imply that he has met me in person.

    Nevertheless, it¡¯s not aplete lie, so I just need to wait until the bait fully takes hold.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Hmmmmm¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­Why?¡±

    Three days have passed since the rumors spread to the Minerva Empire and Halo Academy.

    I had gotten used to others staring at me, but it was still unsettling when Leona stared at me intensely. Leona and I were scheduled to work together as assistants, which meant we met more frequently than before.

    Today was no different. I had met her to treat her to her favorite steak and have a chat, but she just kept staring at me like now.

    She would look at me while taking a bite of steak, chew on the bones while looking at me, and lick the remaining sauce with her tongue while looking at me.

    ¡°Red hair¡­ golden eyes¡­ hmm¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Wisdomparable to a sage¡­ that seems to fit too¡­¡±

    If you¡¯re that curious, why don¡¯t you just ask directly? I realized what Leona was suspicious about and let out a dryugh. She is known as a studious person who only focuses on her studies, but in reality, she is quite interested in worldly affairs.

    I heard that she reads the same newspaper I subscribe to. Even though she is the third wife¡¯s daughter, it would be odd if she had no interest in politics.

    Despite Leona¡¯s suspicious gaze, I leisurely opened my mouth to speak.

    ¡°Why? Are you curious if I¡¯m Xenon?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. The description in the newspaper fits you perfectly.¡±

    Leona answered while chewing on her steak. With her animal ears and tail fully visible, she looked truly adorable. I couldn¡¯t help but smile weakly at Leona, who looked just like a pet. As I rested my chin on my hand, Leona swallowed her steak and spoke.

    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? You should finish your steak too.¡±

    ¡°You look so cute eating so heartily.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Everyone knows that Leona is particrly weak topliments about her appearance. Even now, as Iplimented her cuteness, her face turned red, and her ears perked up and twitched. Her tail wagged back and forth, openly expressing her happiness.

    <i>¡®Come to think of it, she is really bad at hiding her emotions.¡¯</i>

    Although Leona presents a cynical personality on the outside, she bes very honest the moment her ears and tail are visible.

    Perhaps the pressure to hide her true identity has made her personality harsher. Unlike me, Leona has to suppress her actual personality, so in a way, she has it worse than I do.

    People need to express their desires or show their true selves to maintain mental health. For Leona, eating steak with me is her way of relieving stress.

    ¡°By the way, what would you do if I were Xenon?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°I asked, what would you do if I were Xenon?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t really thought about it.¡±

    Judging by her nk expression, she seemed to be sincere. After all, unlike others, Leona is connected to me due to that custom. The real issue isn¡¯t her but her mother. I can¡¯t predict what stance her mother would take.

    Even though she¡¯s the third wife, it doesn¡¯t mean shecks political insight. Although I¡¯ve never met her, I remember Leona proudly mentioning her mother¡¯s wisdom.

    I don¡¯t know how that wisdom will manifest, but it¡¯s highly likely she will try to separate Leona from me. Leona herself told me that her mother isn¡¯t happy about her bing my wife.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t your mother disapprove of our rtionship?¡±

    ¡°She does. But I like you.¡±

    ¡°In what way?¡±

    ¡°Everything except your face.¡±

    ¡°What¡­?¡±

    I was about to ept it until I heard ¡°everything except your face¡± and couldn¡¯t help but be taken aback. It¡¯s embarrassing to say this about myself, but objectively speaking, I¡¯m quite handsome.

    Even by the standards of the elves, who are considered the epitome of beauty, I am considered attractive. Not to mention my rare red hair and golden eyes.

    Leona seemed puzzled by my reaction but then understood and exined.

    ¡°To be precise, it¡¯s from a beastfolk¡¯s perspective. From our perspective, you look like a female, which isn¡¯t considered an attractive look for males. Besides, you don¡¯t look like my brother or Jinai, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°But don¡¯t worry, I like your red hair and eyes. It¡¯s just that I¡¯m still more ustomed to beastfolk culture than human culture.¡±

    Surely, beauty standards differ across cultures, so I can understand Leona¡¯s reaction. Nevertheless, I¡¯m still a bit stunned.

    ¡°Uh¡­ Isaac?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t dislike me, right?¡±

    While I was still trying to recover from the shock, Leona asked in a cautious voice. As soon as I heard that question, I snapped back to reality. She had asked me the same question before. Back then, I had told her that it was quite the opposite. However, it seemed she still couldn¡¯t shake off her doubts.

    ¡°Of course not. Like I said before, what man would refuse a beautiful woman like you?¡±

    ¡°Then when will we mate?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ mate?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    The word ¡°mate¡± made my mind reel. Just like humans, beastfolk ce a lot of significance on mating, or in other words, sexual rtions. It¡¯s an act where the male marks the female as his own, a form of branding.

    In the somewhat primitive culture of the beastfolk, this is seen as the most effective way to assert dominance over a female. In other words, Leona wants me to assert my dominance over her. This brought up a lot of thoughts.

    ¡°See? You hesitate to answer because you don¡¯t want to dominate me.¡±

    ¡°Loving someone doesn¡¯t mean dominating them. That¡¯s not love, that¡¯s possessiveness.¡±

    ¡°Then what do I have to do for you to take me?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°What do I have to do for you to like me and, further, for us to mate? I¡¯ll do whatever it takes.¡±

    Leona spoke seriously, without a hint of joking. She had calmly set down the knife and fork she had been using to voraciously eat her steak.

    I met her endlessly serious gaze with a wry smile. How could I persuade her? While I was deep in thought, Leona¡¯s ears perked up. This reaction only happened when she had a good idea. Seeing her tail stand up too, it seemed she had thought of a clever solution.

    ¡°Yeah! This method will work!¡±

    ¡°What method?¡±

    Given that Leona¡¯s way of thinking was entirely different from mine, I felt uneasy. Her golden eyes sparkled with excitement as she exined her idea.

    ¡°If owning me feels awkward, why not make it so you want to own me?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Make you feel possessive about me. What do you think? Isn¡¯t it a good idea?¡±

    Typical of beastfolk, her simple and direct solution left me feeling dizzy. At the same time, I was puzzled. Why did she choose me over any other man?

    Despite the cultural differences, I had indirectly signaled my struggles multiple times, yet she never gave up. Even her mother disapproved, making it all the more perplexing.

    ¡°Does it really have to be me? There are other better men¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re Xenon, right? Is there anyone better than you, man or person?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I knew you would say that. Just watch. I¡¯ll follow you to the end, even if I have to bite your balls.¡±

    Leona dered boldly, grinning so widely that her fangs showed. Why did I suddenly picture a lioness biting a lion¡¯s testicles? I let out a dryugh and shook my head. It seemed she was not one to give up easily.

    ¡°So, what will you do to make me feel possessive? I¡¯m curious.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll think about that slowly.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ Can I ask one favor?¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    I wanted to see it at least once. I hesitated a little, then cautiously asked Leona.

    ¡°Stand up for a moment.¡±

    With a puzzled expression, Leona obediently stood up, her tail swaying, reflecting her emotions. I looked at her unique and beautiful features and then cleared my throat.

    It was embarrassing to say it out loud, but since Leona had already dered her intentions, it should be fine. After a moment of hesitation, I stood up as well. Facing her directly, I voiced my request.

    ¡°First, raise your hands¡­¡±

    ¡°Raise my hands.¡±

    ¡°And act like you¡¯re showing your ws.¡±

    ¡°Like this?¡±

    Leona followed my words, making a threatening gesture like a beast showing its ws. I added the final touch.

    ¡°And roar like ¡®Raaawr!¡¯ showing your fangs.¡±

    ¡°Raaawr!¡±

    The impact of her actions couldn¡¯t be ignored. She took it seriously, but to me, it looked like a big cat trying to be cute. If she was this adorable and lovable ¡®pet,¡¯ maybe it was eptable.

    She already viewed herself as my possession. I suppressed the growing possessiveness inside me and cleared my throat again. Any more and I might start making strange requests.

    ¡°¡­That¡¯s enough. This will do.¡±

    ¡°Really? Do you feel possessive?¡±

    ¡°A little.¡±

    ¡°Raaawr!!¡±

    Pleased with my honest answer, Leona repeated the same action without me asking.

    Seeing my reluctant expression, Leona also seemed a bit embarrassed. She stuck out her tongue and scratched her head.

    ¡°Hehe, maybe that wasn¡¯t the best idea?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I suppressed the urge to pull on her protruding tongue. After revealing my identity to Leona, a few days passed.

    [Isaac. Return to the estate immediately upon seeing this letter.]

    A message came from my father.

    [Everyone is mistaking me for Xenon. Forget about your studies ande back quickly.]

    I couldn¡¯t help butugh at the contents of the letter.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 304: Rice Cake (3)

    Chapter 304: Rice Cake (3)

    Isaac¡¯s father, Hawk Ducker Michelle, has led a life full of ups and downspared to others.

    Born as the child of ordinary peasants, he disyed remarkable prowess from a young age and caught the eye of a noble, bing a knight.

    While it is rtivelymon formoners to be knights in the Minerva Empire, the martial feats he umted were far from ordinary.

    He was the central figure in the dragon subjugation known as the Ascanal Incident and defended the border region against frequent incursions by barbarian beastfolk and elven scouts for over a decade.

    Each of Hawk¡¯s achievements significantly impacted the Minerva Empire, particrly his defense of the border region, which was acknowledged even by the royal family.

    Before his assignment, the border was frequently overrun by barbarian invasions, causing substantial damage.

    Moreover, the fact that he withstood a massive offensive by the barbarian beastfolk alone warranted his ennoblement. However, perhaps due to living a life of constant battle, his active duty period was significantly shorter than that of other knights.

    Knights typically do not retire unless they sustain severe injuries. In fact, as long as they deem themselves fit, they can serve until their death.

    Unlike Earth, where aging inevitably affects physical capabilities, this world is a fantasy realm where ¡°mana¡± exists.Mana not only prevents aging but also enhances physical abilities, making it a valuable asset for professions like knighthood. Even if the body ages, decades of rigorous mana training canpensate. This is why there are many so-called ¡°elderly warriors,¡± and the Minerva Empire holds its military personnel in high regard.

    Despite this unique culture, Hawk retired at an early age due to none other than his ¡®heart¡¯.

    Think about it. Comrades whoughed and talked excitedly turned into cold corpses overnight, and even if they are barbarian beastfolk, you still have to kill people. If this repeats every day, can a sane person endure it?

    This was the state of the border region where Hawk served. The reason he became a knightmander at a young age was because all hisrades and superiors had died.

    Even after bing a knightmander, this tragedy continued. Only an extraordinary person could endure such an extreme environment without going mad.

    Fortunately, Hawk silently endured this environment and continued fighting. He met a lovely woman, married her, and continued his duty, eventually repelling the barbarian¡¯s all-out assault and training sessors to take over.

    Finally, he was awarded the title of count by the Imperial Family but declined it, epting only a barony because he didn¡¯t want any more mental torment.

    Hawk¡¯s life was nothing short of remarkable, worthy of a ce in history. However, he refused to have his name widely known for the sake of a peaceful life.

    The Empire, eager to use his fame, respected his wishes due to their high regard for military personnel. Thus, Hawk ended his illustrious and brutal military career and lived a peaceful life.

    His eldest son, Dave, and eldest daughter, Nicole, followed in his footsteps and joined the Navy Knights, while his youngest daughter, Lily, was undeniably adorable. His second son, Isaac, was both his greatest pride and, paradoxically, his biggest headache.

    Why would he call his son a troublemaker despite being proud of him? Especially when his son is Xenon? Hawk even told Isaac he could use him as a shield, and he meant it literally.

    The problem arose when Isaac¡¯s fame grew too much. At the time, he was only considered a great writer worthy of historical note. This alone was impressive, but now? Now he is treated like a living scripture.

    The impact of being a renowned author versus a prophet or a reincarnator writing a biography is vastly different. The shield would not only be pierced by the spear but shattered.

    While having a sessful son is wonderful, Isaac¡¯s fame has grown so immense that it¡¯s beyond what can be contained.

    Isaac¡¯s fame far surpasses the aplishments Hawk achieved during his active duty. Instead of Hawk being the shield, it¡¯s Isaac who must be the shield to protect the family. So what happens if Hawk suddenly bes the shield in such a situation?

    ¡°Lord! Are you really Xenon?!¡±

    ¡°Just tell us once! If it¡¯s not true, say so! If it is, just say yes!¡±

    ¡°Baron! Why did you kill Kair?!¡±

    It¡¯s chaos, of course.

    Currently, the front gate of the Michelle estate was swarmed with a massive crowd. Men and women of all ages, mostlymoners who read the news, have gathered.

    Most of them are residents of the Michelle territory. A few people began gathering at the gate after reading the newspaper, and within days, the crowd became uncountable.

    Fortunately, the guards at the gate are barely managing to control the situation, but it¡¯s just that¡ªcontrol. If the crowd decided to force their way in, they could easily break through.

    Given the situation outside, can the interior of the estate be peaceful?

    ¡°Are you really going to deny it? All the evidence points to Baron Michelle.¡±

    ¡°Currently, the Michelle estate is evolving from a sanctuary to a holy site. Do you n to lie in a ce protected by the gods?¡±

    ¡°If not you, then who is Xenon?¡±

    Not at all. Hawk was busy dealing with nobles who havee from who knows where. While the protestingmoners outside might be somewhat manageable, visits from nobles cannot be ignored. Refusing to see them would only confirm their suspicions, which must be avoided at all costs.

    Seated at a table for receiving guests, Hawk looked at the assembled nobles, cleared his throat, and began to speak.

    ¡°¡­What makes you think I am Xenon?¡±

    ¡°Red hair and golden eyes.¡±

    ¡°Your rich experience as a knight, which you must have used to describe the battle scenes in Xenon¡¯s Biography.¡±

    ¡°Transforming a barren city into a cultural hub shows wisdom akin to a sage.¡±

    The nobles answered Hawk¡¯s question in unison, much to his dismay.

    Both Dave and Isaac share the red hair and golden eyes, not just Hawk. Let¡¯s exclude Lily since she¡¯s still a newborn.

    As for the rich experiences of a knight reflected in Xenon¡¯s Biography, that¡¯s because Hawk shared those experiences with Isaac. There are even battle tactics in the biography that Hawk himself didn¡¯t know.

    While Hawk experienced significant events during his active duty, many incidents in the biography were beyond his experiences. Most of the content was Isaac¡¯s creation, with Hawk merely advising on uracy.

    Lastly, transforming a barrennd into a cultural city is a misconception. The Imperial Family did most of the work, while Hawk merely signed off on the paperwork. These factors created a perfect storm leading everyone to mistake Hawk for Xenon.

    ¡°Huuu¡­ Contrary to your beliefs, I am not Xenon. So please, go home for today.¡±

    ¡°Very well. But we hope for a better answer next time.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t want to upset Xenon, so we¡¯ll take our leave.¡±

    ¡°But can I ask one thing before we go? Why did Kair have to die¡­¡±

    The noble who asked thest question was dragged out by another noble. Despite being dragged away, he desperately wanted an answer. Hawk sighed deeply, looking up at the ceiling, feeling like a storm had just passed. It felt like a bolt from the blue. Life was going on as usual, and then this happened.

    <i>¡®Isaac is not a thoughtless kid¡­¡¯</i>

    Hawk already knew about the incident where Isaac pped Hiriya. Rina had informed him, just in case. This current situation seems to stem from that incident, but without knowing the details, Hawk felt frustrated.

    <i>¡®There are definitely things I don¡¯t know.¡¯</i>

    For now, Hawk is dutifully ying the role of the shield as Isaac requested. His priority is to calm the estate until Isaac arrives.

    Hawk hurriedly rose from his seat, hoping for Isaac¡¯s swift arrival.

    While he had managed to send the nobles away, his duties were far from over. There was still a mountain of work to be done, and he couldn¡¯t afford to dy it just because he was tired.

    Moreover, the townspeople were still gathered outside, shouting in groups, and he needed to calm them down first.

    <i>¡®What on earth are you thinking, my son?¡¯</i>

    *****

    Just as Hawk was dealing with the nobles, someone else in the Michelle estate was facing a simr situation. That person was none other than Musk Grid, the publisher of Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    Enjoying his previously peaceful life, he suddenly found himself in a difficult position due to the revtion of Xenon¡¯s identity.

    ¡°Is it true that Xenon has red hair and golden eyes?¡±

    ¡°If you just tell us, I¡¯ll give you all this money!¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no point in hiding it anymore now that it¡¯s out!¡±

    Musk found himself surrounded by nobles and wealthy individuals trying to tempt him with sweet words and bribes. Deep down, he wanted to take the money and be done with it.

    This situation was vastly different from before. Previously, there had been no solid information about Xenon¡¯s identity, so he could firmly refuse, maintaining his integrity.

    However, the current circumstances were more delicate. Unlike Hawk and Isaac¡¯s other acquaintances, Musk had no clue what had triggered this situation.

    Technically, he had seen the newspaper, but he was unaware of the events leading to its spread. For him, it was truly a bolt from the blue.

    <i>¡®Should I say it or not?¡¯</i>

    Musk scanned the faces of the nobles who had barged into his office, feeling a nervous smile creeping onto his face. ording to the newspaper, Xenon¡¯s identity was almost revealed, but not conclusively.

    Most people now believed Hawk to be Xenon. If Musk confirmed this, it might improve the situation immediately, but he had no idea how Isaac¡¯s side would react. He felt trapped and close to tears.

    ¡°Sorry, but could you wait a bit longer? Xenon¡¯s letter will arrive soon, and this is making things difficult.¡±

    ¡°When exactly is this lettering?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you just say yes or no?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you just confirm or deny it now that it¡¯s almost revealed?¡±

    These guys can¡¯t even wait. It¡¯s only been a few days since the news broke.

    Suppressing the urge to vent his frustration, Musk responded with a forced smile.

    As the saying goes, no one spits in a smiling face. The people pressuring Musk reluctantly started to back off. Or at least, they were about to.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    ¡°Sir! A letter from Xenon has arrived!¡±

    Musk¡¯s loyal subordinate and secretary, Matthew, arrived holding Xenon¡¯s letter. All eyes, including Musk¡¯s, turned towards him.

    ¡°Quickly, hand it over!¡±

    Matthew, realizing the gravity of his sudden announcement, looked momentarily regretful but quickly recovered thanks to Musk¡¯s quick decision. Matthew handed the letter to Musk, enduring the intense stares.

    Musk, in turn, slowly opened the letter. The short time between the news breaking and the letter arriving didn¡¯t matter now.

    <i>Tear¡ª</i>

    ¡°What does it say?¡±

    ¡°Tell us quickly!¡±

    Hold on, you impatient fools. I just started reading.

    Musk frowned at their impatience but was relieved that they didn¡¯t forcibly snatch the letter. He began to read the letter slowly, starting with the usual brief introduction. Then came the unexpected content¡­

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me Count Kamar was wrong?¡±

    Musk¡¯s startled reaction piqued everyone¡¯s interest. Some were so tense that they stayed silent with their lips tightly sealed. Musk blinked at the letter, then looked up, meeting their gazes.

    ¡°¡­He¡¯sing.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯sing?¡±

    ¡°Who? Xenon?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    The small spark lit by Hiriya had grown into a giant meteor.

    ¡°Exactly one week from now, based on the current time.¡±

    It was now headed straight for the Michelle estate.

    ¡°He will reveal himself at the theater.¡±

    The announcementnded like a meteor, shaking the Michelle estate to its core.

    *****

    Meanwhile, at around the same time in Alvenheim.

    ¡°Do you think the rumors are true? If they are, it really narrows things down.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not certain yet. But I hope it¡¯s true. We need to present the queen to Xenon soon.¡±

    ¡°Me too. We can¡¯t lose to those demonkin.¡±

    As rumors about Xenon¡¯s identity spread, the elves began to stir. Most were curious about Xenon¡¯s true identity, but there was also a significant interest in Arwen.

    The entire poption had agreed that once Xenon¡¯s identity was revealed, they would offer Arwen as a gift. Having been overshadowed by the demonkin until now, the elves were determined this time.

    No matter how great a gift they presented, it couldn¡¯tpare to offering their queen, who was virtually synonymous with Alvenheim.

    While the public opinion in Alvenheim was united with one heart and mind, Arwen was¡­

    <i>¡®What should I do? What should I do? What should I do?¡¯</i>

    ¡­surprisingly, very flustered.

    <i>¡®What should I wear then? This is my first time. I¡¯ve never done this before. There¡¯s nothing about this in the books. Wait, did Kair and Elisha have a rtionship? There were no descriptions of that.¡¯</i>

    Drinking her kimchi soup, figuratively speaking.

    <i>¡®Isaac won¡¯t dislike me, right? He won¡¯tpare me to that fat girl, will he? I¡¯m confident about my lower body¡­ Ugh. No, there¡¯s nothing for me to worry about.¡¯</i>

    She was worrying about a very advanced ¡®future¡¯ all by herself.<hr>

    Trantors note:

    Back home from a little trip. Uploads resume.

    3 Chapters now

 Chapter 305: Rice Cake (4)

    Chapter 305: Rice Cake (4)

    Up until now, I could never get used to the world going into an uproar over a single letter from me. It was burdensome and the reactions often far exceeded what I thought my value warranted.

    Though I constantly reminded myself to get used to it, the weight on my shoulders remained heavy. Apart from specific situations, I didn¡¯t have a particrly high tolerance for stress.

    Moreover, being in the eye of the storm, my life remained peacefully busy while chaos swirled around me. I would check the newspapers to see if there were any interesting reactions or wonder if another absurd situation had arisen. Even if it did, my response was usually just one of disbelief.

    But this time was different. I had to step out of the eye of the storm and walk directly into it. The worth I had cultivated through my serial, ¡°Xenon¡¯s Biography,¡± had transcended that of a mere great writer¡ªit had reached a near-divine level.

    Slightly exaggerating, one could say that a single word from me could turn an entire nation upside down.

    The sacrifice of Sakran and the demonization incident had Helium.

    The world tree¡¯s corruption and the mixed-blood issue had Alvenheim.

    Lastly, the fallen cardinal incident had Xavier.

    These aplishments, achieved through ¡°Xenon¡¯s Biography,¡± were enough to influence entire nations. With a single statement from me, people would march without questioning the context. The Kingdom of Ters could very well face such a fate.Walking into such a storm was terrifying, yet ironically, I felt as if I were merely going for a stroll. I should be nervous, but instead, I felt an odd sense of calm. Perhaps it was because my identity had already been revealed in the Kingdom of Ters. It was a truth that had toe out eventually, and hiding it any longer could lead to even more ridiculous misconceptions.

    With the stakes already piled high, if it were toe out that this was all a bubble, the bacsh would be severe. Moreover, given the events in the Kingdom of Ters, it¡¯s only a matter of time before my identity is fully exposed.

    Count Kamar had tested the waters by informing the newspaper, and it was already half true, cing my father in a very awkward position.

    To manage the situation, I sent a letter. Not through Siris, who acted as a messenger between Arwen and me, but through Gartz.

    Siris was not a true errand runner, whereas Gartz would dly help with any request I made, allowing me some peace of mind.

    In the midst of the uproar, the most notable news was the gathering of world leaders in the Myshal estate:

    [Xenon, who remained hidden amidst the turmoil, is finally revealing his true identity?]

    [In less than two years, a figure who changed the course of the era. Revealing his identity at the Michelle estate¡­]

    [World leaders begin to gather at the Michelle estate.]

    The official announcements included leaders from Helium, Alvenheim, Belua, and some smaller nations. The Minerva Empire, the Kingdom of Ters, and Machina, along with Animers, sent representatives instead of their leaders.

    This was significant because sending a representative indicated that the person would likely be the next ruler, so it couldn¡¯t be taken lightly.

    Predictably, conspiracy theories started to emerge:

    [Why is Xenon, who has been silent until now, revealing his identity?]

    [Is it a coboration between the Minerva Empire and the Kingdom of Ters?]

    [Could it be a n by devil worshippers?]

    These theories were not surprising. For a third party, the situation unfolding was ripe for spection. It wasn¡¯t just a partial reveal but something that seemed to fall out of the sky, naturally inciting suspicion.

    The absence of some world leaders and the presence of their representatives also contributed to these theories. Despite the security in the Michelle estate, arge-scale attack by devil worshippers could still throw the world into chaos.

    As I contemted the swirling rumors and the impending storm, I steeled myself for what was toe. Whether I liked it or not, I was at the center of this maelstrom, and it was time to face it head-on.

    Of course, not only is there Luminous, but also Mora¡¯s temple, making the probability close to zero, but there is always an ¡®if¡¯ in the world. The gathering of such notable figures in a developing territory like this started to make me feel a creeping fear.

    [Xavier Papal State. ¡®Evil¡¯, not darkness, will never be allowed to enter.]

    [Many clergy, including Cardinal Kate, began to gather in the Michelle territory¡­]

    [Not only the Luminous Church but also the Mora Church joined in. We know the dark ces better¡­]

    And shortly after, I received news thatpletely dispelled such conspiracy theories.

    The Luminous and Mora Churches promised to join forces to prevent any incidents.

    Unlike the other two orders, the Harte Church has no hierarchy and is not standardized, so there was no news from them, but it was widely believed that they wouldn¡¯t just stand by.

    Thus, with just my announcement, arge-scale event worthy of history books was aplished. Strangely enough, it didn¡¯t feel burdensome.

    Instead, I felt relieved at the thought of being able to clear up my emotional knots. The only thing that made me a bit nervous was how I would reveal it.

    This feeling persisted even when I returned to the mansion. Outside, it was hectic with weing distinguished guests, but inside, it was quiet¡­

    ¡°How about this outfit? Won¡¯t this do?¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t a simple white t-shirt and dress pants be enough?¡±

    ¡°How could you say such a reckless thing! Do you know how many people will be looking at you from now on!¡±

    ¡­No, they were very busy choosing my outfit. I smiled bitterly as I watched my mother and the other women eagerly picking out my clothes.

    Not only Marie and Adelia, but even Cecily, who had rushed to the mansion upon hearing the news, was choosing clothes.

    Originally, I nned to dress simply, but my mother insisted that this would leave a bad impression. She said that wearing simple clothes to an official event would be seen as disrespectful.

    Although I¡¯ve met people as equals until now, even these small details carry significant meaning.

    ¡°If you had known, you should have told us in advance! And you should have nned at least a month ahead. Are you even thinking?¡±

    My mother scolded me as she chose my clothes. Not only my mother but also the other women, including Adelia, nodded in agreement.

    Feeling embarrassed by their reactions, I scratched my head. I had thought that a week¡¯s notice would be enough, but it turned out to be insufficient.

    The reason I chose the venue to be a theater hall was because I nned to simply reveal my identity and then say what I wanted, rather than giving a formal speech.

    ¡°Do you have ns for after that? Things will get much moreplicated.¡±

    Marie, who was helping me with my outfit like the other women, asked about my future ns. I nodded in response to her question.

    Once I reveal my identity and it is confirmed as the truth, I will be busier than ever.

    At the very least, the nation will assign bodyguards to protect me, and devil worshipers might pose threats.

    Political attacks will alsoe without hesitation. I am prepared for these things.

    ¡°Yes. First of all¡­¡±

    I paused and looked at Marie, who was diligently helping me with my outfit.

    She was so engrossed in her work that she didn¡¯t realize I was staring at her.

    ¡°We should n our wedding first, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±

    Marie was so shocked by my statement that she stopped what she was doing and stared at me with wide eyes.

    Her wide, surprised blue eyes were so adorable that I wanted to give her a big hug. I smiled faintly at Marie, who was still in shock, and then nced around.

    My mother was still busy picking out clothes, not paying much attention to what I was saying. Adelia was doing the same. However, there was one exception: Cecily.

    When I mentioned the wedding, Cecily froze in ce. As I had expected, it was not something she could easily ignore.

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t the n to get married after you graduated from the academy?¡±

    My mother asked casually as she organized the clothes. I responded while Marie was still in a daze.

    ¡°That was the original n, but I think it will be difficult. Someone like Princess Hiriya might try to interfere, and Marie could be in danger. It¡¯s much better to have the wedding soon and live together.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, I see. That does make sense. But rather than rushing, you should wait until things have settled down a bit. It will be chaotic for about six months, so having the wedding a yearter might be better.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±

    I didn¡¯t forget to nce at Cecily while I answered. Although she had resumed picking out my clothes, her mind was probably in turmoil. Despite her calm demeanor, Cecily¡¯s desire for me was as strong as Marie¡¯s.

    She had often provocatively imed she would be the first to have a child with me, and even made bold statementsst time.

    Given her strong feelings, it was understandable that she would be bitter about me marrying Marie first. It was only natural for her to feel disappointed, even if she knew it was the right thing to do.

    Since polygamy is allowed, having multiple wedding ceremonies isn¡¯t an issue. In fact, skipping the ceremony and treating it like a mere contract would fail to build trust.

    In other words, a wedding ceremony is akin to stamping a seal on a contract. Even in an arranged marriage, a wedding ceremony is essential.

    ¡°Marie, are you happy?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Oh, yes! Of course, I¡¯m happy! Hehe, a wedding. A wedding.¡±

    Marie¡¯s face lit up as I made a firm statement about the wedding. If I mentioned having children right now, she might melt with joy.

    I patted her on the head and then looked at Cecily. She seemed a bit down, so I spoke to her.

    ¡°What about you, Noona?¡±

    ¡°Huh? What?¡±

    ¡°When do you think we should have our wedding?¡±

    To cheer her up, I asked about her wedding schedule.

    Cecily blinked in surprise but then broke into a joyous smile.

    ¡°Let¡¯s have it right now! The dress I¡¯m picking now can be my wedding dress, right?¡±

    ¡°Hey! You can¡¯t be serious!¡±

    ¡°Hehe.¡±

    Her yful spirit knows no bounds. Watching them bicker made me smile warmly. Seeing them argue about who would have a child first and how weddings and children are separate matters was oddlyforting.

    I wondered how adorable their children would be. It seems I¡¯ve finallye to terms with everything.

    ¡°By the way, Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Besides the daughters-inw here, do you have any other brides-to-be?¡±

    ¡°Why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°If there are more, it might be better to drop out of the academy. If you¡¯re getting married every six months, will you have time to study?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I was at a loss for words. Even with a minimum of two brides, adding more would make my schedule as tight as my mother predicted.

    ¡°<i>Sigh</i>. Did you do this without thinking again? Adelia.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Baroness.¡±

    ¡°From now on, you will manage Isaac¡¯s schedule on a yearly basis. Otherwise, this kind of thing will keep happening.¡±

    ¡°I will keep that in mind.¡±

    ¡°By the way, don¡¯t you want to have a wedding? Even as a concubine, you can still have a ceremony.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I must decline. This is more than enough for me.¡±

    Thus, another busy day passed.

    ¡°What should I say first?¡±

    ¡°Just speak in a way that feelsfortable for you.¡±

    The day of reckoning had arrived.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 306: I am (1)

    Chapter 306: I am (1)

    Transportation in this world is very underdeveloped. There¡¯s not even a hint of airnes, and trains are just entering the development stage, leaving carriages as the primary means of travel.

    Even carriages are very expensive to use, given that horses, as strategic assets, naturallymand high prices. Thus, the one week I had allotted for people to travel was an insufficient amount of time for thoseing from other countries.

    Even though there are teleportation facilities, they can only be used under limited circumstances and only allow movement from capital to capital.

    This means the timeframe I proposed effectively limited attendance to high-ranking nobles who could afford the journey. Despite this, many nobles saw this event as an opportunity to expand theirworks and attended, as did manymoners.

    Since there are far moremoners than nobles, it was only natural that most of the attendees weremoners. As a result, Michelle territory was teeming with people,parable to the exhibition.

    Some took this opportunity to bring and showcase their own artworks, though there were no official performances or ys¡ªjust people touring Michelle territory.

    Even so, the number of nobles seemed to be higher in proportion. The difference in clothing made it easy to distinguish between nobles andmoners. Of course, this observation might still be skewed, as many people likely stayed in inns due to the sheer volume of attendees.

    Nobles were more interested in this event thanmoners. The reason was simple:moners had little interest in who Xenon was. More precisely, they were less interested, falling into two main categories: those who, like Cecily or Kate, saw me as the savior of the era, and those who loved the works themselves.

    It¡¯s easy to distinguish between zealots and fans, but upon closer inspection, the line is very thin. This asionally led to arguments and even fights between the two groups. On the other hand, nobles could not remain purely as fans. Once entangled with me, they would get caught up in all sorts of rumors and gain power ordingly.

    You don¡¯t have to look far to understand the situation¡ªjust consider Arwen and Musk. Both of them have had a hard time solely because of their association with Xenon.

    The reason why so many nobles are attending this event is mostly political. Despite all the talk about being a saint or a chosen one by the gods, in the end, I am still just a person.

    Some areing to see if they can gain anything from this event, while others might be attending out of genuine interest. This shows how significant the name Xenon is in this world.

    ¡°Hello, Isaac. Have you been well?¡±

    ¡°Oh, Kate.¡±

    I was in the waiting room of the concert hall where the event was to take ce, nervously watching the time tick by, when I encountered a familiar face. Kate, who would y a very important role today, was there. As always, she was dressed in her white nun¡¯s habit and greeted me with a gentle smile.

    Thanks to the magic and technology of the demons, the waiting room was brightly lit. However, it couldn¡¯tpare to the golden, wheat-like glow of Kate¡¯s hair.

    ¡°Did Luminous really give permission?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Luminous said he would dly grant your request.¡±

    Kate nodded and gave a satisfying answer to my question. This is why Kate¡¯s role today is crucial. Even if I stood on stage and revealed my identity, would people believe me outright? I doubt it.

    They would likely think Xenon had appointed a spokesperson. From the perspective of someone outside the Ters royal family, this event might seem too sudden.

    But if Kate vouched for me, it would be a different story. As a cardinal, Kate wields significant influence within the Xavier Papal State.

    If Kate wanted to, she could temporarily dere the concert hall as a divine sanctuary.

    ¡°But is it really possible? To dere a temporary sanctuary?¡±

    I asked out of curiosity. It sounded straightforward, but logically, Kate¡¯s im seemed imusible. After all, the only ces where gods can exert direct influence are temples.

    ¡°For me, it is possible.¡±

    ¡°For how long?¡±

    ¡°Ten minutes in most ces. Here, about thirty minutes. This territory is unique because it is blessed by two gods.¡±

    Kate replied nonchntly. It reminded me of how exceptional her abilities are and why she has received divine favor. Although she might have unconventional views, her unwavering faith in Luminous is clear.

    <i>¡®I should include this in the book.¡¯</i>

    It¡¯s a technique that would suit Lily, the character hailed as a saint, perfectly. Unlike other skills, it¡¯s also feasible in reality, leaving no room for doubt. Moreover, when a sanctuary is dered, it¡¯s as if the god is directly watching, so no one would daremit any wrongdoing.

    This is why I can confidently stand on stage. Additionally, I have a protective spell that Cecily cast on me. While it might not deceive the eyes of a god, it means that even if a devil worshiper somehow manages to attack, I would be unharmed.

    ¡°But Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Are you really nning to go out dressed like that?¡±

    Kate asked with a puzzled expression. I looked down at my attire in response to her question. Despite all the frantic preparations, my outfit was quite simple.

    My outfit was in,cking any mboyant decorations. It was a simple red ceremonial coat, paired with an ordinary white shirt that could easily be found in any store.

    Although you could call it a sleek look, to the people here¡ªespecially the nobles¡ªit was a rather unimpressive attire. I remembered how the women had vehemently opposed my decision to wear this outfit.

    ¡°Yes. People are here to see me, not my clothes. This will do just fine.¡±

    ¡°Isaac, you are indeed a modest person.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a polite way to put it. More bluntly, it means I don¡¯t know how to spend money like a noble.¡±

    Kate was right. I often heard that I was modest, but in reality, I simply didn¡¯t know how to spend money. My expenses were minimal, limited to a few sheets of manuscript paper.

    Even my magical pen and typewriter were gifts, leaving me with little reason to spend. I did splurge a bit when giving gifts to loved ones, but even then, I wasn¡¯t extravagant.

    ¡°Do you prefer modest people, Kate?¡±

    ¡°I like people who spread light in this world, like you, Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Haha. You¡¯re ttering me.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not ttery, it¡¯s the truth. So, when will you give me the seed of light?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting whenever you¡¯re ready.¡±

    I cleared my throat, a bit ufortable with Kate¡¯s unwavering determination.

    ¡°Ahem. By the way, Kate, has anything unusual happened to you recently?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ you have a scratch on your face.¡±

    Trying to change the subject, I mentioned the thing that had been bothering me since earlier. There was a noticeable scratch on Kate¡¯s cheek. Whether it was from an animal or self-inflicted, it was a significant mark on her otherwise wless skin. I hesitated to bring it up, not wanting to create an awkward situation, but I couldn¡¯t ignore it any longer.

    ¡°Oh¡­ this¡­¡±

    Kate looked flustered as soon as I asked. She slowly raised her hand to cover the scratch on her cheek.

    Even though Kate has a fanatical side, she¡¯s still a woman who would feel uneasy about a scar on her face. But something seemed off. Kate could easily heal such a wound, so why did she leave it untreated?

    Moreover, as a high inquisitor, she is tasked with directly dealing with heretics and demon worshipers. A scar of this nature on Kate likely means something dangerous happened, and I couldn¡¯t help but worry.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Kate?¡±

    ¡°May I borrow your hand for a moment?¡±

    Kate, who had hesitated to speak, cautiously requested. Her blue eyes were filled with a mixture of emotions, almost a plea. Puzzled but willing toply, I offered my hand. Kate gently touched it as if handling a delicate artifact, then grasped it firmly.

    A golden light began to emanate as soon as our hands touched. It radiated warmth and a sense of divinity, the holy power that only clergy can manifest. This divine energy started to flow into my hand.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Could you please use this hand to touch my wound?¡±

    In the midst of this peculiar situation, Kate made her request. I looked up to meet her eyes. She seemed both tense and imploring, a look that was impossible to refuse. Not that I had any reason to refuse.

    I extended my hand, now imbued with divine power, toward Kate¡¯s cheek. I hesitated momentarily but then gently touched her cheek. As soon as I did, Kate closed her eyes slowly, savoring the touch.

    <i>Hwaaaaa</i>

    As my hand touched her cheek, the golden light intensified, and to my astonishment, the wound on her cheek began to disappear. The scar healedpletely, restoring her skin to its wless state.

    I knew that divine power had healing properties, but witnessing it firsthand was astonishing.

    ¡°Haah¡­¡±

    ¡°Is it over?¡±

    I asked quietly as Kate let out a soft, excited sigh once the wound waspletely healed.

    Kate gently held the hand I had ced on her cheek and slowly opened her eyes. Her blue eyes, now glistening with moisture, sparkled in the light.

    ¡°Thank you, Isaac.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything¡­¡±

    ¡°No, you did. This feeling of beingpletely cleansed of any impurity.¡±

    She said in a voice dripping with sweetness.

    ¡°This is something only you can do, Isaac. Thank you so much.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    It felt like a strange switch had been flipped.

    *****

    As the scheduled time approached, the concert hall began to fill with a sea of people. Those already seated and those trying to find a ce. All of them came to find out who Xenon is.

    Just like the previous exhibition, countless people from all over the world gathered, which meant there were many things to pay attention to.

    If it were a social gathering instead of a concert hall, the bustling atmosphere would have been even stronger. The reason for choosing a concert hall as the venue was that there was no need to wander around and everything would end just by sitting in a seat.

    ¡°Did they intentionally only give a week? The rumors would spread quickly anyway.¡±

    Leort voiced his opinion while looking at the stage where Xenon¡¯s identity would be revealed. Normally, suchrge-scale events should be scheduled for at least a month, but for some reason, the period was very short.

    Moreover, the time it takes for news to spread worldwide should be considered. Given that, a week is tight unless you are a high-ranking noble.

    ¡°Maybe they just sent the message for only those who coulde. If they extended the time, there would be even more people.¡±

    Rina, sitting next to Leort, offered her opinion. Leort nodded as if he agreed. In reality, Isaac set the duration to a week without much thought, but they had no idea about that.

    ¡°But Rina, are you really okay with it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, brother. His personality isn¡¯t bad and he looks good, doesn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t matter if it was just a marriage of convenience, but¡­¡±

    As expected, the conversation between the siblings was about an arranged marriage. The moment Isaac reveals his identity, Rina has no choice but to enter an arranged marriage. Although Isaac is engaged to Marie, the imperial family would have to ¡®present¡¯ Rina as well.

    But if that happens, rtionships will get tangled. Officially, Rina should be the principal wife, but in fact, Marie is. Of course, considering Xenon¡¯s status, they have toply with his wishes, but human feelings don¡¯t work that easily.

    ¡°As I have repeatedly told you, I am okay. Besides, I had been thinking about it from the beginning, so I don¡¯t even have any special feelings now. Wouldn¡¯t it be easier to think that I¡¯m just going to a good man?¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s what you think, I won¡¯t say anything, but rtionships between men and women¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough. Before saying things like that, don¡¯t you think you should consider yourself first, brother? Princess Hiriya is already done for, so you should look for another.¡±

    Rina¡¯s counterattack left Leort with nothing to say, making him smile bitterly. As she pointed out, he also urgently needed to find a partner.

    Originally, Princess Hiriya was a candidate, but as everyone knows, it ended the moment Isaac pped her. Since then, they¡¯ve been searching domestically and internationally for a suitable bride, but it¡¯s not as easy as it sounds.

    ¡°And it would be better if you did it before I get married. Otherwise, it will be too difficult to find a candidate because your standards will be too high.¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯ll find someone myself, so stop nagging.¡±

    If Rina marries first, Leort¡¯s wife¡¯s brother-inw will be Xenon. Under such conditions, who would readily propose? Leort looked around after calming Rina. Almost all the faces were familiar, but a few were different.

    Especially Descal, the King of Helium, known to the public as the ¡®Demon King¡¯. Currently, Descal is seated next to his queen, Aisilia. Cecily is also with them, chatting amicably, likely because Isaac is absent.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s going to be noisy for a while.¡¯</i>

    Leort knew through Rina that Cecily was dating Isaac. And that would undoubtedly turn into a significant storm in the future. The same goes for the Kingdom of Ters. From the perspective of the Minerva Empire, the Kingdom of Ters self-destructing was beneficial, but the aftermath was a concern.

    Once a storm passes, only calm follows, but the uing storm is more than just a storm.

    <i>¡®I need to start arranging the security personnel.¡¯</i>

    While Leort was mentally assessing Isaac¡¯s security team, he suddenly heard murmuring from the crowd.

    ¡°Huh? Who is that?¡±

    ¡°Someone¡¯s going up on the stage?¡±

    ¡°Could it be?¡±

    As he quickly shifted his gaze to the stage, he saw a man with red hair confidently walking up.

    It¡¯s finally starting. Leort smiled in anticipation as he focused on the man.

    In the meantime, the handsome young man with red hair, Isaac, confidently stood at the center of the stage and faced the crowd directly.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    As soon as Isaac stood there confidently, the murmuring quickly died down. Once the murmuring subsided, Isaac nced around briefly and cleared his throat to prepare his voice.

    ¡°Hello, everyone.¡±

    And very quietly,

    ¡°My name is Isaac Ducker Michelle.¡±

    In a calm voice,

    ¡°I am Xenon, the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography.¡±

    He dropped the bombshell right from the start.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 307: Isaac (1)

    Chapter 307: Isaac (1)

    The concert hall was filled with silence for a while after I dropped the tactical nuke from the start. I savored that silence with a smile. Thanks to Cecily¡¯s voice amplification magic, there wouldn¡¯t be a single person who didn¡¯t hear me.

    Therefore, everyone must have heard that I am Xenon, the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography. It¡¯s not strange that there¡¯s no immediate reaction, just quietness. It¡¯s hard to believe right away. Unlike during the trial, there was no buildup, I revealed it straight away.

    Because of this, they would be more bewildered than surprised. Even with Count Kamar¡¯s testimony, my appearance is far from what they imagined Xenon to be. It was because of a preconceived notion. The world had freely built countless images of Xenon, but most of them directly linked to a ¡®sage.¡¯

    Naturally, a sage is expected to be an old man with more knowledge and experience than others. Certainly not a fresh young man like me. Over time, various spections, such as being a regressor or a prophet, floated around, but the image of the sage never disappeared.

    ¡°¡­Is it true? Is that man really Xenon?¡±

    ¡°He seems to have sent a representative. Or not?¡±

    ¡°He has red hair and golden eyes, but¡­ so does Baron Michelle.¡±

    ¡°Is he really that young?¡±

    As expected, the reactions unfolded as predicted. The people sitting on the first floor, mostlymoners, epted it more readily, but the nobles on the second floor were skeptical. It¡¯s only natural that they doubt I¡¯m Xenon. It would be strange if they didn¡¯t.That¡¯s why I had asked Kate for help in such a scenario. As the murmuring in the hall grew louder, I maintained my smile and spoke.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s difficult for everyone to believe my words. I understand your feelings. Therefore, I asked a special guest to help. Cardinal Kate?¡±

    At my call, Kate, who had been hiding behind the stage curtain, gradually revealed herself. Her appearance instantly silenced the murmuring.

    Her very presence radiated a divine aura, and her radiant appearance shone brilliantly. As everyone¡¯s attention focused on her, Kate walked gracefully to my side and gave a slight nod. Then, she turned forward, gently sping her hands together, and began her work.

    ¡°Light.¡±

    Unlike other clerics, her incantation was simple. However, because it was Kate, even that one word carried immense power.

    <i>Phaaat!</i>

    With that word, a burst of golden light erupted, a disy of Kate¡¯s radiant holy power, iparable to what I had seen backstage. Ordinary clerics¡¯ holy power is white, but those with exceptionally deep faith like Kate have a golden glow.

    I¡¯ve heard that even cardinals find it difficult to emit a golden light as dazzling as Kate¡¯s. In terms of holy power alone, she is nearly as powerful as the Pope.

    As I and the others quietly observed, Kate gathered her holy power and proceeded to the next step.

    ¡°Bless this ce!¡±

    With arms wide open, Kate released the golden light she had gathered. The already bright concert hall seemed to grow even brighter as the golden light spread. It wasn¡¯t just an impression, it actually brightened.

    The light she dispersed seeped into the ceiling and every corner of the building, like fireflies delicately lighting up the grass, like a Christmas tree glowing in various colors.

    It was a deration of sanctuary, something only a few clerics with pure faith could achieve. The spectacle was unparalleled, like something out of a fantasy world, and it was a scene that would remain vividly in memory.

    ¡°It is done.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ it¡¯s finished?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Kate¡¯s words brought me back to reality, otherwise, I might have forgotten that I was standing on stage. I thanked her and turned to face the audience.

    The audience, like me, was admiring the golden light that adorned every corner of the concert hall. Even without understanding the power behind it, the sheer beauty of the phenomenon was like an art piece, evoking natural awe.

    ¡°What Cardinal Kate just did is simple. It temporarily turns this building into something akin to a temple.¡±

    ¡°This ce is like a temple now?¡±

    ¡°Is that even possible?¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s Cardinal Kate, maybe¡­¡±

    Reactions were prized here as well. Some, including the nobles, were astonished, while the majority, includingmoners, simply epted it. This disparity likely stems more from differing levels of interest rather than education.

    Even I don¡¯t fully grasp the difficulty of what Kate did, so I just think it¡¯s impressive.

    With the deration of the sanctuarypleted, I looked around at the now murmuring audience and began to speak again. I made sure to project my voice with enough power to keep their focus.

    ¡°Therefore, I dere here that I will never lie from now on. If I do lie, the gods themselves will punish me. Will you believe my words now?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Experiencing something so extraordinary left the audience in stunned silence. Silence often implies agreement, and considering it was Cardinal Kate who dered the sanctuary, they had no choice but to believe.

    With the groundwork perfectlyid, I scanned the eyes fixed on me. There were familiar faces, but also many I wasn¡¯t particrly pleased to see. Most, however, were strangers. These people would now learn the truth I had hidden for so long. Feeling a strange mixture of excitement and anxiety, I took a deep breath.

    Even a simple public announcement made me this nervous. How do those who perform on stage handle such tension? I found myself newly admiring stage performers and artists.

    <i>¡®This is the end of it.¡¯</i>

    Hiding my identity had brought countless benefits. For one, it kept me safe from unknown threats, including devil worshippers. But those benefits end today. As Cecily mentioned in her speech, a bird is not born to die in a cage.

    With that thought, I prepared to reveal the truth to the gathered audience, feeling a sense of closure and a readiness to embrace whateveres next.

    The future is bound to be filled with many challenges and surprises, but as long as I can foresee and prepare for them, there should be no problems. I looked around the audience once more and spoke in a quiet yet firm voice.

    ¡°Many of you must be surprised. Wasn¡¯t Xenon supposed to be an elderly sage? Or someone who returned from the future or a prophet? Wouldn¡¯t that make him more of a cleric?¡±

    Indeed, among the countless spections, the image of a sage was the most prevalent, followed by that of a cleric. It ismon knowledge that unless one has deep faith and direct help from the gods, prophecy is impossible.

    However, contrary to everyone¡¯s expectations, I revealed myself as a very ordinary noble. My father¡¯s remarkable history aside, that is an exception.

    ¡°Not at all. I am neither a sage nor a person from the future or a prophet. The work ¡®Xenon¡¯s Biography¡¯ came solely from my imagination. Please keep that in mind. I am not as extraordinary as you might think.¡±

    This is not humility, it¡¯s the truth. I¡¯m not extraordinary, except for the vivid memories of my past life. I didn¡¯t mention that, though, as it would inevitably lead to the belief that I received divine blessings. The gods would likely understand and overlook this omission to prevent confusion.

    Next, I needed to address how I knew about the various ¡®this-why-this¡¯ events. Starting with the contamination of the World Tree¡¯s roots, which was the origin of these incidents. I turned my head in another direction at the thought of that event.

    There sat Arwen, looking demure. When our eyes met, she flinched slightly, then smiled shyly and bowed her head. Arwen, who had always struck me as cute, seemed even more so today. There was no trace of her queenly dignity, just a bashful young girl.

    ¡°Some of you might wonder, ¡®How did he know about the contamination of the World Tree¡¯s roots and the devil worshippers?¡¯ The truth is, both can be somewhat inferred by delving a bit deeper into history and mythology. The devils drove this world to the brink of destruction, but thanks to the World Tree gifted by Goddess Harte, they were repelled. In other words, the World Tree is the divine treasure that devils would aim to destroy first. While the direct investigation revealed that the contamination was a remnant of the devil war, do you think the devils would have left it untouched?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not. As for the devil worshippers¡­ I believe ourcency and dulled judgment during times of peace yed arger role than history itself. The devil war is not just a myth but an actual event that happened in the past. History tends to repeat itself, yet we chose to forget it.¡±

    Even if you don¡¯t know about the World Tree, the issue of devil worshippers would have been noticed if you had paid a little attention. It¡¯s just that the cunningness of devil worshippers, which has continued for hundreds of years, has covered it all up.

    As we saw with the incident of the fallen cardinal, it¡¯s no exaggeration to say that devil worshippers already dominate the entire underworld. Although Cardinal Bach has died and Xavier has proimed a holy war, steadily sweeping them up, the reality is that it¡¯s still far from enough.

    ¡°Other incidents are simr, but some parts are truly coincidental. Like the forbidden elf magic of fusion, or the Helium¡¯s death squad Reaper, and so on. Honestly¡­ there¡¯s nothing more to say. It all just came from my mind.¡±

    Some of the coincidences were too imusible to fabricate, so they could only be dismissed as coincidences. Still, it seems to be believed because a sanctuary has been dered.

    Honestly, if the sanctuary hadn¡¯t been dered, most people wouldn¡¯t have believed it. Each of these coincidences is an event that could shake the foundation of the country, so who would believe it¡¯s just a coincidence?

    ¡°It¡¯s the same with the demons. I¡¯ve only heard about what kind of people demons are, I¡¯ve never met them personally. Therefore, I had no preconceptions and could write stories like Sakran. Above all, if demons were truly evil, they would have drawn their swords long ago. But demons, despite being persecuted by everyone, endured and strived to see the light. I really liked this aspect, so I wrote such a story. There is no other reason. Those who strive to achieve light are beautiful in their existence and will.¡±

    I didn¡¯t forget to praise the demons. Cecily sps her hands tightly and looks at me with a blissful expression at my praise.

    Though it¡¯s a slightly burdensome gaze, it¡¯s okay since she is happy. In reality, demons are such a race, so it¡¯s not a lie.

    ¡°Then many people will wonder. Why did you write Xenon¡¯s Biography? What was your purpose in writing such a work?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I will say it here. Xenon¡¯s Biography started purely as a hobby. I had no intention of spreading any particr ideology or theory, nor did I seek fame. I just started writing with the hope that everyone here would enjoy it.¡±

    As everyone knows, Xenon¡¯s Biography started purely as a hobby.

    Enduring the physical onught of beloved partners has be half a duty, but the essence itself hasn¡¯t changed. Of course, the first work I wrote upon being reincarnated holds significant meaning. Completing it would be both refreshing and bittersweet, yet liberating.

    ¡°So I hope you all read Xenon¡¯s Biography with joy. It¡¯s quite rming that incidents from Xenon¡¯s Biography ur in reality, but I hope you don¡¯t feel afraid because of that. I don¡¯t want anything but for you to enjoy it.¡±

    This is the unvarnished truth. Whenever Xenon¡¯s Biography is released, people look forward more to what incidents will ur rather than the story itself. As a writer, it¡¯s an ambiguous situation whether to like it or not, but it¡¯s equally ufortable. Attention is diverted to strange ces rather than praises for the work.

    It¡¯s certainly good that Xenon¡¯s Biography helped save the world from crises. But treating it like a sacred text is burdensome for me. Above all, seeing cases like Cecily¡¯s devilization, where non-existent events are created, even I have be fearful.

    ¡°Some people might think after hearing me: If you¡¯re so scared, why don¡¯t you just stop writing? If the current situation is burdensome, why not put down the pen?¡±

    Indeed, I had such thoughts at times. Focusing on history and bing a schr rather than a writer wasn¡¯t a bad idea. However, that thought didn¡¯tst long and was thrown in the trash. Why?

    ¡°Everyone, I love writing.¡±

    I love writing stories.

    ¡°I like showing my writings to you all and having you read them.¡±

    I want many people to see the stories in my imagination.

    This innate writer¡¯s spirit, which existed even in my previous life, hasn¡¯t changed even after being reincarnated.

    ¡°Calling my writing a prophecy or a scripture is fine. What I want is simple: for you to truly enjoy reading my stories. Creating amon culture that transcends gender, race, and ss. Writing stories that everyone can enjoy, as seen at the exhibition.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°That alone satisfies me. I don¡¯t need fame, ideology, power, or wealth. Just your reactions to my writing fill me up.¡±

    The reason I didn¡¯t put down my pen despite feeling burdened: because countless people, including those present here, are reading my stories.

    For the sake of those people, I will never put down my pen. Even if someone threatens me to stop writing, I won¡¯t sumb, and even if my hands are cut off, I will use my mouth or feet to write.

    My resolute and modest determination seemed to be conveyed, as no one voiced any objections. That¡¯s because they must have realized that I have no selfish desires.

    As I nced around the room filled with golden light, I smiled gently. Now, there¡¯s only one thing left to do.

    ¡°Once again, let me introduce myself. My name is Isaac Ducker Michelle.¡±

    My name is Isaac Ducker Michelle.

    ¡°In this world.¡±

    In this fantasy world.

    ¡°I¡¯m the writer who writes about things that could happen in this world.¡±

    Writing fantasy novels.

    ¡°The author of Xenon¡¯s Biography, I am Xenon.¡±

    An ordinary writer.

    ¡°I will continue to work hard and write.¡±<hr>

    Trantors note:

    For some reason this chapter made me feel emotional¡­

 Chapter 308: Isaac (2)

    Chapter 308: Isaac (2)

    My modest introduction, neither shy nor elegant despite the scale, can be seen as simple in a good way or unimpressive in a bad way. It¡¯s a gathering not only ofmoners but of dignitaries from all over the world.

    In terms of my previous life, it¡¯s akin to a meeting of the president and key ministers. Moreover, these people have authority and power far exceeding that of a president.

    Unlike a president, their words can influence an entire country and even have a significant impact on the world.

    While Kate¡¯s deration of the sanctuary marked a grand beginning, my subsequent introduction was as ordinary as it could be. Honestly, they could have put a good speaker in my ce, and the proceedings would have gone smoothly. That¡¯s how monotonous it was.

    So, should it be considered a failure? That¡¯s a bit ambiguous. There¡¯s still the question time, which can be considered the most important part after the introduction.

    No one would expect to gather people and then dismiss them in less than 10 minutes. So, to buy time and take questions, I had a Q&A session. With Kate extending the sanctuary intermittently, there¡¯s no risk of incidents.

    However, during the Q&A session, the nobles were moved to the waiting room. Although I would have preferred to have the Q&A session with themoners, it was to maintain the nobles¡¯ dignity.

    While I mentioned during my introduction that I hoped everyone would enjoy it together, reality and ideals are distinctly different. I¡¯m not so naive as to confuse the two.

    No one could object to my words, but there might be some who were inwardly dissatisfied. After all, I wanted Xenon¡¯s Biography to be read by everyone regardless of age, gender, race, or ss, but I didn¡¯t mention interpersonal rtions. Moreover, the nobles gathered here are not just any nobles but kings or those of equivalent status in their respective countries. Even as Xenon, I must observe basic courtesy. When in Rome, do as the Romans do; it¡¯s better to treat nobles as nobles.

    The waiting room was already fully prepared and as spacious as the area where the social gathering took ce. That¡¯s why they moved there. Now, my task is to answer the questions from themoners one by one. Without the nobles, themoners were free to ask questions without any burden.

    By the way, there was no need for a voice amplification spell. Kate had already set things up when she dered the sanctuary. While magic produces the desired results throughplex forms like programming, divine power just requires prayer to work.

    Of course, this doesn¡¯t mean that magic is inferior to prayer¡ªabsolutely not. It¡¯s just that Kate has an abnormally strong divine power.

    ¡°So, how did youe up with the steam lotive? Did that alsoe from your mind?¡±

    ¡°I just thought it would be convenient to have something like that. But I never dreamed it would actually be invented.¡±

    ¡°Are you really not a person from the future?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. I just have a bit of a vivid imagination, nothing more.¡±

    I was already in a difficult position with a tough question right from the start. Even after answering, the person who asked the question didn¡¯t seem entirely convinced. Still, since the sanctuary was dered, it would be hard to call it a lie. Besides, I¡¯m a noble before I am Xenon. It means they can¡¯t treat me carelessly.

    I smoothly moved on and took the next question. Since it was one question per person, the process went smoothly. asionally, non-human races appeared among the questioners, each with unique questions. For example, an elf who looked like a schr asked¡­

    ¡°Xenon, you seem to have a deep understanding of magic. Could you possibly give me some advice?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t know the first thing about magic, sir.¡±

    ¡°But in the book, it was described in great detail. Especially the motion-recognition magic that Mary demonstrated¡ªit became a huge topic in Alvenheim. How do you exin that?¡±

    ¡°Motion¡­ what?¡±

    ¡°Motion-recognition magic. It¡¯s a theory where magic is activated with simple motions. Weren¡¯t you the first to think of this theory? Associating frequently used or efficient spells with specific gestures so that performing them immediately triggers the magic. If this also came from your mind, you should at least know the basic principles, right?¡±

    How would I know that, sir? I really don¡¯t know anything. I responded with an awkwardugh.

    I had forgotten, but thanks to the elf¡¯s question, I was vividly reminded that this is a fantasy world. The stories that seem possible only in a fantasy world have a high chance of actually happening here, including battles and magic.

    Especially if someone like the elf schr who asked me the question has a high level of curiosity, they will make every effort to find out.

    ¡°Hmm. I see. It seems to be a difficult question to answer.¡±

    However, the elf schr nodded in understanding, as if he had reached some conclusion on his own.

    Worried that myck of knowledge might have been exposed, I quickly moved on to the next question. The elf schr¡¯s question was particrly challenging, but other people¡¯s questions were more straightforward.

    ¡°May I ask why you chose a human as the protagonist? Is it because you, Xenon, are also human?¡±

    ¡°Partly, but I also see humans as a peculiar race. They have a tenacity that doesn¡¯t give in, even if they kneel. I liked that tenacity, so I made a human the protagonist. Next person?¡±

    ¡°Why did you kill off Kair?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    There were a few unusual questions, but I managed to handle them smoothly. However, crises always seem to arise.

    Just like the elf schr asked me a difficult question about magic, this time a demon woman posed a challenging question to me.

    ¡°How did you know that one could ovee their inner evil? For hundreds of years, we demons have never thought of that.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s only impossible because you think it¡¯s impossible. Also, Xenon¡¯s Biography is a novel where impossible things can be made possible. I didn¡¯t expect Princess Cecily to actually do it, though.¡±

    ¡°May I ask what your rtionship with Princess Cecily is? I heard you both attend the same academy¡­¡±

    ¡°Sorry, but it¡¯s one question per person.¡±

    Luckily, I was able to deflect it decisively. The demon woman looked disappointed at my firm response, but it didn¡¯t matter.

    After a series of straightforward questions, I was beginning to feel at ease. Just as we were nearing the end, the next person to ask a question was a beastman. He had a face that resembled a dog overall.

    Unlike Leona, he seemed to be a pureblood, not a hybrid, as he had more animalistic features. Intrigued, I gestured for him to speak.

    ¡°Please, go ahead.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. In Xenon¡¯s Biography, you have distinctly portrayed the strengths and weaknesses of each race. This is a very personal question, but what are your thoughts on us beastmen?¡±

    ¡°Beastmen?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯d like an honest answer, without any pretense.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    An interesting question that also points out a w in Xenon¡¯s Biography. Indeed, the depiction of beastmen in the book is somewhatckingpared to elves or demons.

    The characters themselves are certainly appealing, but the depiction of ¡°beastmen¡± as a race has been somewhat inadequate.

    Elves are portrayed as arrogant but justified by their pride and skills.

    Demons hold a sense of pride in fighting their inner evil.

    Dwarves, while seemingly skilled with their hands,ck creativity, as shown in the steam engine episode.

    Lastly, humans. Since Xenon is the protagonist, humans disy far more strengths and weaknessespared to other races.

    Humans are a paradoxical race, with clear distinctions between good and evil, yet their actions often blur these lines depending on their interests. The protagonist, Xenon, is clearly depicted as good, but with ample exnation provided throughout.

    On the other hand, beastmen¡­ While their presence is not minimal, they are mainly depicted as a bold race that clings to tradition.

    Although Satan from the Seven Deadly Sins had an impressive end, it suited the character of ¡®Wrath¡¯ and not the beastmen. Can it be said that this fully exins the charm of beastmen? I don¡¯t think so, just as the questioner implied.

    ¡°My thoughts on beastmen¡­ Ah, before that, what is your upation?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a warrior.¡±

    A warrior, meaning a soldier. It goes to show that you shouldn¡¯t judge a person by their appearance. Despite his gentle, puppy-like face, he possesses great strength. I took a moment to gather my thoughts and then shared my view on beastmen.

    ¡°My view on beastmen is this: a race that suppresses their instincts for survival.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Founding King Hick managed to establish a civilization amidst human oppression and massacres. However, the moment a country and civilization are established, barbarism must be abandoned. For beastmen, barbarism directly corrtes withbativeness. This is why each beastman is called a warrior¡ªbecause of their fighting spirit. Throughbat, they prove their worth and freely express their instincts.¡±

    Conversely, as civilization and society progress, the position of beastmen will diminish. However, no one knows how long this process will take.

    Look at the past life. Even in the modern era of the industrial revolution, military might was paramount. Imperialism spread worldwide, and the number of countries suffering from colonization increased. Of course, this led to the rise of Nazis and Hitler, resulting in World War II, but it also marked the end of imperialism.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to say more, but¡­ it seems it would lead to unpleasant topics, so I¡¯ll stop here. Is this answer sufficient?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it is.¡±

    Although unspoken, it won¡¯t be long before beastmen show their teeth. Their poption is steadily increasing, while humans no longer disy the same unity as before.

    Especially given the pressing need for food among beastmen, they will inevitably engage in conquest wars. History has proven this, so it is an event bound to happen someday.

    And I n to write about this in another novel, as a sequel to Xenon¡¯s Biography and to expand the world-building further.

    ¡°Next person?¡±

    I took thest question.

    ¡°When will Jin and Lily get together?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    It was the hardest question to answer.

    With that unexpectedly difficult question session finally over, I returned to the waiting room where the royalty and nobles were gathered.

    ¡°Xe-Xenon!¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    A familiar voice pierced my ears. An urgent cry filled with sobs.

    Turning my head, I saw a very familiar woman running towards me in a hurry from a distance.

    The woman, with a haggard face, was none other than Hiriya. Her previous beauty had somewhat faded, but she exuded a decadent charm. With tears welling up in the corners of her eyes, she looked like a tragic heroine.

    Of course, none of that mattered as she charged towards me like a bull, causing quite a bit of rm. Even the people around were so surprised that they couldn¡¯t react.

    If things continued as they were, Hiriya would have reached me, but¡­

    ¡°Stop right there.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t Kate, who had been by my side, but Adelia, who appeared from somewhere and boldly stood in front of me.

    As my personal maid, it¡¯s not strange for her to protect me, but her silent appearance was a bit surprising. Could she have improved her skills in such a short time? During the Q&A session, she had been hidden but nearby, guarding me.

    ¡°Sister?¡±

    Hiriya, seeing Adelia blocking her path, widened her eyes in shock and nced at me.

    Adelia, in a business-like tone, instructed Hiriya. I couldn¡¯t see her face, but she was likely expressionless.

    ¡°Do not approach Isaac any further.¡±

    ¡°Please, just once¡­ Just give me one chance! If not, then I¡¯ll really¡­¡±

    I didn¡¯t know the details, but here was a princess pleading with her older sister, a bodyguard, and being calmly rebuffed.

    In this situation, which anyone could see wasplicated, various gazes focused on us. Although I was slightly displeased with Hiriya for creating such a strange atmosphere from the beginning, fortunately, someone stepped in to restrain her.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Hiriya.¡±

    Hiriya¡¯s older brother and the crown prince of the Kingdom of Ters, Laos. He ced his hand firmly on her shoulder with a stern face.

    Hiriya looked at him with a bewildered expression when he touched her shoulder. Laos gave her a look of disappointment before shifting his gaze to me, standing behind Adelia, and our eyes met.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    We exchanged silent nces for a moment. Laos then quietly and politely spoke, his lips barely moving.

    ¡°My sister has caused trouble. I apologize. Hiriya.¡±

    ¡°No, no! No! Xenon! I¡¯ll do anything, please show mercy¡­¡±

    Hiriya struggled, but Laos dragged her away faster than she could resist. I stared nkly at their retreating figures and then looked around.

    Everyone was watching me with curious expressions, a natural reaction since more people didn¡¯t know the situation than those who did. I gave a sheepish smile and bowed my head to them. The situation was awkward, but I had to do what needed to be done.

    ¡°Hello, everyone.¡±

    Now, only one thing remained.

    ¡°I am Isaac Ducker Michelle, the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography.¡±

    It¡¯s time to build connections.

    ¡°Nice to meet you all.¡±

    ¡­Though honestly, it might not mean much.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 309: Isaac (3)

    Chapter 309: Isaac (3)

    This world, or more precisely, this, is smallerpared to Earth. This is something I heard directly from the gods. However, considering that 70% of Earth is covered by oceans and this world is not, its actual size might rival that of Earth.

    There are major nations like the Minerva Empire, the Kingdom of Ters, Helium, Alvenheim, Animers, Machina, the Papal State Xavier, and the Duchy of Belua. In addition to these, there are other small andrge countries, but the total number is significantly fewerpared to Earth.

    (TL: I just checked and realized I mistranted ¡®Duchy of Belua¡¯ as ¡®Republic¡¯. My bad.)

    The reason for the small number of nations, despite the absence of modernization, is the ¡®monsters¡¯ and the harsh ¡®natural environment.¡¯ Even the elves, blessed by the gods, cannot ovee the monsters and the environment.

    True to a fantasy world, there are many ces where humans cannot live: volcanic regions, areas with constant blizzards like Antarctica, and environments where not a single de of grass grows.

    There are still unexplored regions, but they are currently upied by monsters, and habitable areas are very limited. Thus, the small number of nations is not surprising. As a result, the number of people gathered in the waiting room is neitherrge nor small.

    If several centuries were to pass, the number might increase significantly, but that¡¯s a story for the distant future. For now, the priority is to build connections with the people gathered here. Although I have already established many connections, it¡¯s good to maintain appearances.

    Furthermore, among the gathered people, there are dignitaries whom I do not know.

    ¡°Nice to meet you. My name is Gith Hal Berano.¡±The man in front of me had a robust presence,parable to Musk, and sported dark blond hair and a beard. His appearance was charismatic and gave off a strangely friendly impression, fitting for a king. If he were a bit more casual, one might mistake him for Musk¡¯s brother.

    I greeted him briefly and looked at the woman beside him. More intriguing than the man was the woman who seemed to be his consort. She had sky-blue hair and eyes, simr to King Friedrich, but unlike Hiriya, she exuded a kind and gentle aura.

    ¡°Hello. I am Olivia Hal Berano, Duchess of the Duchy of Belua. It is an honor to meet you, Xenon.¡±

    The woman with sky-blue hair greeted me with proper etiquette. Unlike some, her demeanor exuded natural elegance and grace, truly fitting for a dignitary.

    As everyone might have guessed, this woman is the eldest daughter of King Friedrich and the first princess of the Kingdom of Ters.

    I heard that Gith fell in love with Olivia at first sight. After persistently courting her, they finally ended up together. Initially, Olivia found Gith bothersome, but she soon recognized his qualities and married him. Although it was partially a political marriage, there were many rumors about their blissful rtionship.

    ¡°Nice to meet you. As you know, I am Isaac Ducker Michelle, the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography. I would appreciate it if you called me Isaac rather than Xenon.¡±

    ¡°It is an honor to meet the esteemed guests from the Duchy of Belua. I am Marie Hausen Requilis, the eldest daughter of the Duke of Requilis and Isaac¡¯s fianc¨¦e.¡±

    After I introduced myself, Marie, who stood by my side as my fianc¨¦e, bowed gracefully. Publicly announced as my fianc¨¦e, she could stand confidently in such settings.

    She must feel a thrill inwardly. Until now, she was known as the fianc¨¦e of Isaac, not Xenon, but the situation has changed today. While most people here are familiar faces, meeting new people brings an indescribable excitement.

    ¡°Nice to meet you, Lady Requilis. Both you and Isaac are truly beautiful. You two look great together.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. You are also very beautiful, Duchess Olivia.¡±

    ¡°But how did you and Isaac meet, Lady Marie?¡±

    The expected question came from Olivia. On the surface, it might seem that the Minerva Empire arranged for Marie to be with me to keep me tied to them. This is what she and others unfamiliar with the situation would think. However, this is not the case at all.

    I held Marie by the waist and pulled her close to me. This was to disy and confirm our affection.

    ¡°Many people think that the Empire assigned Marie to me to keep me here, but that¡¯s not true at all. Marie confessed to me before she even knew who I was.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Olivia, and even Gith, widened their eyes in surprise and looked at Marie. I nced at Marie and saw her blushing with embarrassment. The way she subtly moved closer to me confirmed it.

    She was so adorable that I wanted to nibble on her, but with so many people watching, I had to restrain myself.

    ¡°Yes. I revealed my identity shortly after that. But even if she knew who I was, Marie wouldn¡¯t have cared. Right?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    Marie, blushing, held onto my arm. Unlike her usual bold demeanor, she changed when she openly showed affection. Olivia watched our rtionship with a pleased smile before asking another question.

    ¡°So, what made you confess to Isaac, Lady Marie? I¡¯m curious about this.¡±

    ¡°Obviously, his looks. I live off admiring him every day.¡±

    Her straightforwardness is also something I like. Olivia was taken aback by Marie¡¯s candid response, then looked at my face intently before nodding.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ I can¡¯t disagree. Still, I think my husband is the most handsome.¡±

    ¡°Haha. I was quite handsome in my youth.¡±

    ¡°Say that after losing some weight.¡±

    Our conversation with the representatives of the Duchy of Belua, including Olivia, proceeded without any issues. Sensitive topics were avoided, and Olivia did not mention Adelia, who was by my side. It wasn¡¯t a matter of ignoring her like the previous Ters royalty but rather avoiding potentially awkward situations.

    Considering Hiriya had just cried and begged earlier, they must have noticed something. However, the reason I could treat her kindly was due to Adelia¡¯s opinion.

    Adelia had mentioned that Olivia treated her like an older sister should during her time in the Kingdom of Ters. Although it was only for a brief three months, she providedfortparable to Lara.

    If Olivia hadn¡¯t be the consort of the Duchy of Belua, perhaps she could have alleviated some of Adelia¡¯s trauma.

    ¡°The Duchy of Belua has benefited greatly from Xenon¡¯s Biography, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Our treasury is so full right now that we¡¯re struggling to decide where to spend it.¡±

    As Gith¡¯s joyful response indicated, the Duchy of Belua had gained significant financial benefits,parable to the publishing house.

    Olivia cleared her throat to give a hint, but it was impossible to stop Gith, who was already immersed in happiness. The Duchy of Belua was originally known as a neutral country with a well-developedmercial sector. Its strategic location was unparalleled.

    It was the only region where humans, dwarves, beastmen, and elves could alle together. Although its territory was smaller than other countries, its importance exceeded that of the previously mentioned Stavirk region. It was a strategic stronghold and a transportation hub.

    In an era where nations could easily justify conquest wars, the fact that the Duchy of Belua could maintain its neutrality speaks volumes about Gith¡¯s governance. If the magic lotive is invented, the Duchy of Belua would likely be the first to have it installed.

    For Xenon¡¯s Biography to reach far and wide, it needs to pass through the Duchy of Belua, making them a potential solid partner like Musk.

    ¡°I look forward to our continued cooperation.¡±

    ¡°The pleasure is mine. I would love to introduce my children, but they are still quite young.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. They can meet my childrenter.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s excellent news. Hahaha.¡±

    The problem is I don¡¯t know how many children I will have. They don¡¯t yet know that I have more women in my life besides Marie. Even if they suspected it, they wouldn¡¯t mention it openly to avoid making things awkward.

    As our conversation with the Duchy of Belua was winding down, Olivia shifted her gaze from Marie and me to Adelia. The moment their eyes met, Adelia flinched briefly but then offered a vague smile and bowed her head. Olivia also gave a brief nod in return before addressing me.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yes, please go ahead.¡±

    ¡°You have an excellent bodyguard by your side. It¡¯s very reassuring to see.¡±

    Her words were tinged with both regret and pride. Upon hearing them, I immediately looked at Marie instead of Adelia. As everyone knows, Marie has a natural ability to discern people¡¯s true intentions. In other words, she could tell if Olivia¡¯s words were sincere or not.

    And then, she made eye contact with me and slowly nodded.

    This confirmed it. Olivia, like Lara, treated Adelia with humanity.

    Thanks to that, I could also treat her kindly.

    ¡°Thank you. As you said, Lady Olivia, Dame Cross is a trustworthy person. Both as a person and as a knight.¡±

    ¡°That¡­¡±

    Olivia hesitated, opening her mouth as if to say something but then closed it again. Soon, she gave a bitter smile and shook her head.

    ¡°I look forward to working with you, Sir Isaac.¡±

    Olivia¡¯s greeting carried various meanings. Whether it was aimed at me or Adelia, I nodded in acknowledgment.

    Thus ended the conversation with the Duchy of Belua, and we moved on to the next.

    ¡°Huh? You all are¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while. No, it¡¯s been a long time.¡±

    Surprisingly, the next people who approached were none other than the beastmen. And they were beastmen I was familiar with.

    One was Balkan Lions, Leona¡¯s half-brother and a lion beastman. The other was Jinai Crochukar, a hyena beastman.

    This event was for the representatives of each nation, and seeing these two meant¡­

    ¡°Could it be that you became the great chieftain?¡±

    ¡°Thanks to someone, yes. Hahaha.¡±

    Jinai responded to my question with a hollowugh. At his pointed remark, Balkan red at her sharply from the side.

    To think Jinai would actually be the great chieftain was an ufortable situation, but it was a foreseeable development.

    Currently, Animers needed a wise king, not a strong one. Although Jinai used her cunning in a negative way, she was still a sufficient role model for a king.

    However, I never imagined she would ovee all the opposition and be the great chieftain.

    ¡°Honestly, at first, I never thought this woman would be the great chieftain. But considering it was none other than Xenon¡¯s advice, it makes sense.¡±

    Balkan, who had been ring at Jinai, spoke to me. His tone was polite and respectful, quite different from before, and it felt somewhat awkward since he was Leona¡¯s brother.

    I scratched my head awkwardly, and Jinai grumbled to herself. It wasn¡¯t rude, she was literally grumbling to herself. The problem was, everyone could hear her.

    ¡°With Xenon¡¯s advice, I couldn¡¯t help but be the great chieftain. Now, I have no way out, and I don¡¯t know what to do.¡±

    ¡°If you want toin, do it outside.¡±

    Surprisingly, even Balkan was speaking formally to Jinai. There had been a lot of ups and downs, but it seemed Jinai¡¯s wisdom had been proven. I couldn¡¯t help but smile at the oddly fitting chemistry between the two and asked about their recent activities.

    ¡°How¡¯s Animers these days? Is everything going well as I suggested?¡±

    ¡°There are objections, but many beastmen agree because it¡¯s the onlypetition where they can show their fighting spirit. It¡¯s rare to have an opportunity to unleash the most important instinct for a beastman all at once.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. What else?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s tough because it¡¯s all muscle-heads. Picking officials based on strength alone is why the country was in such a state. No wonder it was so easily taken advantage of.¡±

    ¡°Ahem. Ahem.¡±

    Even though Jinai was openly criticizing, Balkan only cleared his throat and didn¡¯t offer any excuses. It seemed everything Jinai said was true.

    Still, with Animers only looking towards a future of development, there didn¡¯t seem to be much to worry about. Jinai, despite everything, could be trusted to do what needed to be done.

    ¡°By the way, forgive me, but what about Leona¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah, ah. That¡¯s a personal matter. Don¡¯t bring it up here.¡±

    Even now, look at this. When Balkan tried to carelessly bring up a highly sensitive topic, Jinai urgently stopped her. If they were to discuss it privately, it would be one thing, but bringing it up in a crowd like this would onlyplicate matters. This alone was proof of Jinai¡¯s exceptional wisdom.

    ¡°Well then, I look forward to working with you.¡±

    ¡°I look forward to working with you as well.¡±

    With that, the conversation with Animers concluded. Next up¡­

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while. Have you been well?¡±

    It was Queen Arwen of Alvenheim¡¯s turn. Unlike others, she maintained her characteristic mature tone instead of speaking formally.

    It feltfortable that even Arwen didn¡¯t use formalnguage, as it would have been awkward otherwise. Besides, as an elf known for her arrogance, nobody else would care much about it.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while. I¡¯ve been well. How about you, Arwen?¡±

    I contemted whether to use formal speech but decided to speak casually. Unlike others, Arwen and Musk originally knew my true identity. Hence, there was no issue in speaking informally to show our usual familiarity.

    Arwen responded to my friendly greeting with a smile.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been busy every day, but thinking about meeting you kept me going. Meeting you today feels like all my hardships are melting away.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ really?¡±

    Arwen¡¯s response wasden with clear intention. As soon as I heard her response, I checked on Marie. Marie was smiling brightly, but I knew that smile was meant to hide her true feelings.

    It¡¯s only natural to be cautious, knowing that Arwen has a romantic interest in me.

    ¡°Has everything been okay?¡±

    ¡°Yes, everything¡¯s fine. Alvenheim is gradually stabilizing, and the elves are uniting as one. It¡¯s all thanks to you.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything special. I just helped a little.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of which¡­¡±

    Arwen paused briefly, looking around. Although a few people were ncing at our conversation, most were busyworking.

    For some reason, she blushed and spoke in a cautious voice.

    ¡°I have a gift for you. It¡¯s not just from me but from all the people of Alvenheim.¡±

    ¡°Ah, the gift you mentioned before?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    While asking, I nced at her guard, Keir. It seemed he had been officially appointed as Arwen¡¯s personal guard.

    Keir, upon making eye contact with me, coughed and looked away, silently indicating he couldn¡¯t reveal anything. Meanwhile, Arwen blushed and responded in an embarrassed voice.

    ¡°If you¡¯re curious about what the gift is,e to Alvenheim. Just don¡¯t forget to send a message beforeing.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ Not today?¡±

    ¡°Today? No, absolutely not!¡±

    What kind of gift could it be that would cause the queen to abandon herposure and vehemently refuse? I looked at Arwen with a puzzled expression.

    Perhaps due to her outburst, the attention towards us was bing noticeable, especially from Cecily¡¯s direction. If this continued, strange rumors might spread, so I needed to take control.

    ¡°Alright. When I have the time, I¡¯ll visit Alvenheim. It shouldn¡¯t take too long.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ okay. Sorry for causing trouble.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­ Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    Arwen called out to me, hesitating and ncing around. She seemed unsure and was gauging the situation. While I was pondering this, she spoke in a voice as quiet as a whisper.

    ¡°¡­do you?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°What color¡­ do you like?¡±

    Arwen¡¯s sudden question about my favorite color caught me off guard. I raised an eyebrow in confusion. Regardless, Arwen seemed to be lost in her own thoughts, covering her face with her hands.

    Not wanting to cause any misunderstandings, I quickly responded, especially since I did have a favorite color.

    ¡°If I had to pick, I¡¯d say red?¡±

    ¡°¡­That¡¯s just like you. Got it.¡±

    ¡°Is it rted to the gift?¡±

    Arwen couldn¡¯t meet my gaze and answered softly.

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±

    What on earth could this gift be?

    Anyway, that ended my conversation with Arwen.

    <i>Ouch!</i>

    ¡°Why did you pinch me?¡±

    ¡°Humph. You don¡¯t need to know.¡±

    Marie pinched my side.

    ¡°A gift, huh¡­ Can elves really be that provocative? God¡¯s chosen, my foot¡­¡±

    It seemed Marie had figured out the nature of the gift Arwen mentioned.<hr>

    Trantors note:

    Just as I started to think he¡¯s a bit cool, he goes dense again¡­

 Chapter 310: Isaac (4)

    Chapter 310: Isaac (4)

    After my conversation with Arwen, the rest of theworking passed without incident. Most of the faces were familiar, making it awkward to pretend to be friendly. If no one was watching, we might have chatted freely, or I might have felt more out of ce.

    The most challenging part was dealing with Cecily. Her usual yful nature was in full force, iming she didn¡¯t know I was Xenon, and now she understood why I spoke so well at the academy, among other things.

    While Marie, Arwen, and a few others gave her disapproving looks, Cecily remained unfazed, continuing her teasing.

    However, I didn¡¯t forget to drop hints for my uing announcement. Cecily looked at me with eyes full of affection, saying she would never forget this favor. Anyone perceptive enough would realize that Cecily had romantic feelings for me and that she was likely to make a bold move soon.

    Given the good reason of repaying a favor, people would see it as natural for Cecily to marry me. Since Descal was still in good health, if we got engaged, we¡¯d likely live together for a while.

    But when the time came for her to inherit the throne, she might leave. The catch is that this could be hundreds of years away, as Descal is still young by demon standards.

    While there might be a push for a quick session to promote generational change, I doubt Cecily would go along with that. She would probably be too busy clinging to me until she became queen, and that life would start the moment our engagement was announced.

    ¡°Sir Isaac, regarding the writer Mary, whom you cherish. When do you n to introduce her to us?¡±

    Cecily, continuing our friendly conversation, suddenly asked about Cherry. This piqued the interest of others, who turned their attention to me. Mary, as you know, is Cherry¡¯s pen name, and she is a rising star following ¡°Xenon¡¯s Biography.¡± She almost got her start stifled, but I managed to save this talent.Currently, I have the drafts for two volumes ready, but due to recent busy schedules, I haven¡¯t been able to help much.

    ¡°I n to introduce her when she feels ready. We need to respect her wishes since she¡¯s quite shy.¡±

    ¡°I see. Have you all read the works written by Mary?¡±

    ¡°Of course! ¡®Xenon¡¯s Biography¡¯ is great, but I also enjoyed ¡®Once Again at the Red Sunset¡¯.¡±

    ¡°The story about turning back time to achieve one¡¯s desires was really fascinating. Her writing skill is as excellent as Xenon noticed.¡±

    ¡°But the second volume ising out sote. I can¡¯t wait to read it.¡±

    As expected with romance novels, it¡¯s quite popr among women. Although men show some interest due to the time-travel aspect, it¡¯s not as strong as the women¡¯s enthusiasm.

    I didn¡¯t feel bad about the conversation shifting to another work while I was present. In fact, I too wished Cherry¡¯s work would be published soon.

    ¡°The second volume will be out soon. It¡¯s just a matter of sending it to the publisher, so please be patient.¡±

    ¡°Really? That¡¯s a relief.¡±

    ¡°This is the normal pace. ¡®Xenon¡¯s Biography¡¯ was released unusually quickly.¡±

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it because of a gift from the demons that the writing speed increased? What kind of gift was it?¡±

    During the conversation, someone mentioned the masterpiece typewriter gifted by Helium. When the subject came up, I nced at Cecily. Her pride was evident as she lifted her head high.

    Despite the development of printing technology, this world still has professional scribes due to the imbnce in their technology. Thus, a single typewriter could revolutionize the printing industry, making it a historically significant invention.

    ¡°It was indeed a fantastic gift. It made me realize how advanced demon technology is. Can you believe that pressing a button with a letter engraved on it prints that letter on paper?¡±

    ¡°No way. Is that possible?¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be magic?¡±

    ¡°Even with magic, you¡¯d need a certain level of technology, wouldn¡¯t you?¡±

    As the admiration for the typewriter grew, Cecily¡¯s pride swelled even more. She crossed her arms, which highlighted her ample chest even more.

    Cecily easily brushed off personalpliments, but praises directed at the demons made her happier thanpliments about herself.

    However, there was someone who grew increasingly displeased with the ongoing praise for the demons, and that was Arwen, who stood a little distance away from me.

    She was currently conversing with Rina but asionally nced in our direction, indicating that she was eavesdropping on our conversation. Her long ears twitched, making it clear she was listening. Considering the topic had shifted to race, it was natural for her to be concerned.

    ¡°People used to think of demons as monsters before ¡®Xenon¡¯s Biography¡¯ was published, but now they seem just as admirable as the elves. They have a certain noble quality.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true, but aren¡¯t elves more elegant? They were the first to establish civilization and are the origin of everything. The inventions from Helium could easily have been made by the elves.¡±

    ¡°I agree with that.¡±

    Somehow, a debate that had been a hot topic among humans recently emerged. It was akin to the age-old tiger vs. lion debate but in this world, it was elf vs. demon.

    Despite the presence of Helium¡¯s royalty and Alvenheim¡¯s queen, the humans engaged in this discussion, oblivious to the potential diplomatic implications.

    Fortunately, I managed to keep the discussion from bing too heated. Nevertheless, I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that I needed to tread carefully. This wasn¡¯t just any gathering; a single careless word could lead to serious diplomatic consequences.

    Previously, when Cecily and Arwen had a grand confrontation, it was a personal duel. But here, in an official setting, it could turn into a significant diplomatic issue.

    Thus, those involved in the debate were mindful to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each race moderately. This was tolerable, but the problem was my presence.

    ¡°Sir Isaac, what do you think?¡±

    ¡°About what?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m curious whether you think the elves or demons are superior.¡±

    I faced the man who had dared to ask the question. His face was unfamiliar, but his sun-kissed bronze skin and silver eyes were striking. Additionally, he had a tattoo resembling an Egyptian symbol on his right eye, and his gaze was devoid of any malice.

    He genuinely wanted to know my opinion. Whatever I said would be epted, but the challengey in the presence of the highest authorities of each race here. Both Cecily and Arwen were watching me with eager expressions.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m d I anticipated this to some extent.¡¯</i>

    This situation was predictable. ¡°Xenon¡¯s Biography¡± depicted not just humans but also other races. It¡¯s natural for readers to have such questions, and there was no malice behind it, just pure curiosity. I had also prepared an answer for such a situation.

    ¡°May I ask your name?¡±

    ¡°I am As Band Saera from the Stavirk region.¡±

    As expected, he was from Stavirk, known for its bronze-skinned people and silver eyes. This region is a minority group and a current headache for the Minerva Empire.

    Known for their craftsmanship second only to the dwarves and their mastery of fire, they are often called the Fire People. I nced at Rina while meeting As¡¯s silver gaze.

    Historically, minority groups striving for independence often face oppression from their governments. This phenomenon ismon on Earth as well. As the princess of the Empire, Rina naturally wouldn¡¯t view As favorably. She was already narrowing her eyes at him.

    <i>¡®He¡¯s risking his life by being here.¡¯</i>

    He likely intended to forge ties with me for political leverage. Once connected to me, it would be difficult for the Empire to send assassins his way.

    The Empire would need to maintain a good image with me, and news of As¡¯s assassination would tarnish that image, making the Empire¡¯s actions highly scrutinized.

    Of course, that¡¯s the Empire¡¯s concern and doesn¡¯t affect me. Since As¡¯s question was genuinely curious, it was important to answer sincerely.

    ¡°First of all, As, you asked the wrong question. In my opinion, it¡¯s hard to determine whether elves or demons are superior. The difference lies in their development patterns. Demons progress slowly and steadily, while elves remain stagnant for a period and then experience rapid growth.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I think I understand what you mean.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Demons, aside from the risk of bing devils, haven¡¯t made significant mistakes unlike the elves.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t be sure yet. Remember, Helium has only just begun engaging in diplomacy. On the other hand, elves, despite their internal conflicts, have always been a dominant power.¡±

    This seemed to appease both parties. Cecily looked satisfied, and Arwen nodded slightly, seemingly appreciating the fairparison.

    After my response, the struggle for supremacy between the elves and demons did not cease. I quietly slipped away from the scene and moved to another ce. Staying any longer would not benefit me, and the time for disbanding was approaching.

    It¡¯s a social gathering without even prepared drinks to uplift the mood. There are still many issues to resolve, and I can¡¯t waste any more time.

    ¡°It must have been very difficult to answer, but you did well.¡±

    Marie, who always stayed by my side, praised me in an admiring tone. When I looked at her, I saw a smile on her face. Seeing her smile, a mix of satisfaction and pride, I responded with a smile as well. I didn¡¯t forget to ruffle her hair as a sign of affection.

    Marie also seemed to be in a good mood with my disy of affection, and she snuggled up closer, smiling.

    <i>¡®There¡¯s no threat from the devil worshipers¡­ soon I¡¯ll have to disband them.¡¯</i>

    Although I hadn¡¯t mentioned it to anyone, I had been secretly worried about signs of devil worshipers. For them, this would be the perfect opportunity to target me, but targeting me now would be the same as throwing away their lives.

    Of course, there might be some crazy enough to attack even at the cost of their lives. But so far, no such signs had appeared. The entire performance hall, including the waiting room, had been dered a sanctuary by Kate, guaranteeing safety equivalent to a temple.

    If devil worshipers were to invade, lightning would strike down on them immediately. More importantly, they might threaten my family and those around me instead of targeting me directly. I nned to thoroughly prepare for this possibility.

    ¡°Will it be busy at the academy as well?¡±

    ¡°Not only will it be busy, but you¡¯ll also have to be surrounded by guards.¡±

    Marie and I entered the break room for a moment of rest. When I sighed andined, Marie responded clearly. As my mother had said before, life at the academy could be not just difficult but nearly impossible.

    First of all, there¡¯s the issue of my wedding with Marie, and on top of that, news about my connections with many women, including Cecily, will burst out.

    Just imagining the schedule gives me a headache, but since I decided to take responsibility for it, there¡¯s no problem. I¡¯m just worried about what kind of incidents might ur during the process.

    ¡°Marie.¡±

    ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡±

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll do well in the future?¡±

    When I voiced this concern, Marie¡¯s response was a masterpiece.

    ¡°If you¡¯re feeling uneasy, do you want to touch my chest?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I wondered if Cecily¡¯s yful nature had rubbed off on her. Marie spoke mischievously and leaned her face against my shoulder. I chuckled at the unconventionalfort and gently stroked her hair.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t mind if more womene into your life. It seems to be your nature.¡±

    Marie¡¯s words pierced my heart, but sadly, I couldn¡¯t refute them. When I stopped stroking her hair, Marie turned her head to look at me directly. I also turned my head to face Marie¡¯s beautiful face, her blue eyes shining brightly.

    ¡°Just promise me one thing. I alwayse first, and if my requests are reasonable, you¡¯ll grant them. I¡¯ll makepromises too, alright?¡±

    ¡°Of course, that¡¯s a given. Were you feeling uneasy?¡±

    ¡°A little. Queen Arwen and Rina mighte too, and they¡¯re all more impressive and outstanding than I am. It made me a bit anxious. Even Adelia is stronger than me.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    As Marie revealed her inner feelings, I looked at Adelia, who was guarding us. At my gaze, she bowed her head slightly and quietly left the break room.

    Even though we had to keep guards for safety, the sanctuary deration still held.

    Even without Adelia, the likelihood of something happening is close to zero. Relieved, I spoke to Marie.

    ¡°Marie, as I¡¯ve repeatedly mentioned, you are the most special woman to me. You were the first girl I befriended after I was born, and the one who confessed to me first. Despite being a noblewoman of a duchy, you have a down-to-earth personality. And you have a rather obstinate nature as well.¡±

    ¡°Could you leave out thest part? I¡¯m not that obstinate.¡±

    ¡°Shall I rece it with a cat-like then?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the same thing¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s cuter.¡±

    When I called her cute, Marie¡¯s face instantly turned as red as a ripe persimmon. This is Marie¡¯s charm and the reason I love her.

    She appears easygoing yet sometimes shows a fragile side, asionally whines like a child, and at other times disys mature traits.

    Her actions are diverse, but every single one is filled with endearing qualities. This is why I can¡¯t help but love her and why I want to spend my life with her.

    There is no one in the world as cute, beautiful, and lovable as Marie.

    ¡°Then it¡¯s a promise, right? Luminous is watching us, so no backing out?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Heehee.¡±

    Seemingly reassured by my words, Marie spread her arms and hugged me tightly. A sweet scent filled my nose, and a soft sensation transmitted to my skin.

    Though my mischievous inner self threatened to emerge, I held it back, deciding to let it out at night. I gently hugged Marie with a soft smile.

    ¡°Marie.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s continue to take care of each other. And, I love you.¡±

    A heartfelt confession to a lifelong partner. In response to that confession, Marie poured her heart out in return.

    ¡°I love you too, Isaac. Never leave me, okay?¡±

    ¡°That will never happen. Even if I leave, it will be together with you.¡±

    ¡°What if the world tries to separate us?¡±

    Why ask?

    ¡°I¡¯ll stitch that world back together.¡±

    Even if devil worshippers threaten us.

    ¡°No matter what happens.¡±

    Even if unforeseen events ur.

    ¡°I won¡¯t be separated from you.¡±

    I won¡¯t be separated from my loved ones.

    *****

    About three days have passed since Xenon¡¯s identity was revealed.

    Until now, there have been many spections about Xenon¡¯s identity, such as being a sage or a future person. But all these spections were put to rest¡­

    [Xenon¡¯s Biography is a story that came from his mind. Who would believe that?]

    [What if he experienced another world and couldn¡¯t perceive it due to ¡®constraints¡¯? That seems more realistic¡­]

    [Saying it came from his mind means he experienced that world. Xenon never lied.]

    [There are definitely ¡®constraints¡¯ ced on Xenon! He must be a regressor who came from the future¡­]

    ¡­but it did not end the suspicions. Instead, the doubts only grew stronger.

    ¡°Seriously, why won¡¯t they believe me? The bigger problem is that this isn¡¯t the end.¡±

    [Breaking news. Xenon¡¯s Biography Volume 23 will not be published in the Kingdom of Ters! Is this reliable news?]

    [Citizens of the Kingdom of Ters are confused by the unexpected news¡­]

    [ording to news from a noble of the Kingdom of Ters, it is closely rted to the recently released Volume 22¡­]

    [The royal family of the Kingdom of Ters remains silent. What is happening to them?]

    Expected chaos hase to the Kingdom of Ters.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 311

    Chapter 311

    Before discussing the situation in the Kingdom of Ters, there are parts that many people might find puzzling.

    Xenon¡¯s Biography was a cultural phenomenon enjoyed by people of all ages, races, and sses. This was something Isaac mentioned at the time of its release.

    However,paring this statement with the rumors slowly spreading in the Kingdom of Ters, there is a discrepancy.

    Although Isaac did not directly announce it, very unsettling rumors are gradually emerging in the Kingdom of Ters.

    [Xenon¡¯s Biography Volume 23 will not be released in the Kingdom of Ters, and no new volumes will be released thereafter.]

    For the citizens of the Kingdom of Ters, this is not just a bolt from the blue, but a catastrophic event.

    Not only themon people who have been joyfully reading it but also artists who attend exhibitions are passionate about Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    It is not just because of the title ¡°Cultural Nation,¡± but because the majority genuinely enjoy it.

    Above all, Xenon¡¯s Biography significantly boosts the cultural influence of not only the Minerva Empire but also the Kingdom of Ters.The reason for this is the Xenon Exhibition. There is no better ce for unknown artists to showcase their talents.

    No matter how talented an artist is, if they do not get the spotlight, they fade away.

    The Xenon Exhibition helps these artists shine and blossom.

    Through this process, many artists who previouslycked attention have started to emerge.

    Surprisingly, the biggest beneficiary of this is not the Minerva Empire but the Kingdom of Ters.

    Not all artists, like those in Helium, focus solely on Xenon¡¯s Biography. There are countless other fields to create in.

    The Kingdom of Ters was aware of this, so even when they lost the right to host the exhibition, they only licked their lips in disappointment and maintained a rtively calm stance.

    [Citizens of the Kingdom of Ters are currently in chaos¡­ Themoners¡¯ delegation is demanding an exnation from the upper echelons.]

    [The upper echelons im they do not know what is happening, but the rumors have already spread widely¡­]

    However, when it was announced that Xenon¡¯s Biography would no longer be released in the Kingdom of Ters, they could not help but be shocked.

    More precisely, it is not the upper echelons of the Kingdom of Ters, but themoners who are most affected. Besides being called a cultural nation, they are just readers of Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    Xenon¡¯s Biography is so famous that it is harder to find someone who hasn¡¯t read it than someone who has. It is considered a must-read not only in the Kingdom of Ters but also in other countries. This has been true even before it became a sacred text.

    It¡¯s fundamentally interesting and captivating, making it easy for both nobles andmoners to read.

    As previously mentioned, books in this world are oftenposed of very difficult andplex words, making it challenging formoners to read.

    It is worth noting that the illiteracy rate is surprisingly low. Alongside academies, which are not quite fitting for the times, paper-making techniques have significantly advanced.

    The biggest problem is theck of books suitable for the ¡®middle¡¯ level. While paper-making has advanced, resulting in collections of fairy tales and other stories, there are no books suitable for intermediate readers.

    Once past the basics, there are only books akin to English SAT preparation guides, requiring readers to solve problems as they read.

    Consequently, many people turn to essays or diaries written by explorers or adventurers, but those are not quite suitable as they are in diary format.

    For these reasons, Xenon¡¯s Biography has be incredibly popr, loved by countless people, almost to the point of addiction.

    Let¡¯s recall what happened a year ago during the sudden hiatus incident.

    Not only didmoners raise their voices and gather in front of the publishing house, but the fallout from Isaac¡¯s letter almost reached the royal family.

    It was a situationparable to the Prohibition era in the United States.

    Fortunately, it turned into an opportunity for the Xenon Exhibition to be held, but it could have sparked a second Jairos Revolution.

    And now¡­

    ¡°Exin what is going on! Why is Xenon¡¯s Biography not being published only in our country?!¡±

    ¡°Is it because Xenon is from the Minerva Empire?¡±

    ¡°Come out and exin! We¡¯ve been waiting day by day for the next volume, and yet no one seems to know what¡¯s going on?¡±

    Currently, in the Kingdom of Ters, the sparks of another revolution were gradually beginning to ignite.

    In the Kingdom of Ters, there exists a very peculiar culture wheremoners can ¡®directly¡¯ raise their voices against the nobility.

    By direct voice, it means harsh criticism, excluding insults. In other countries, this would likely result in imprisonment for contempt or even execution.

    But in the Kingdom of Ters, this is possible. The ¡®delegation¡¯ directly represents the voice of themoners and delivers harsh criticisms to the nobility regarding their policies.

    The reason this is possible is due to the ¡®Jairos Revolution¡¯ that urred several decades ago. Although the revolution itself ended in failure, let¡¯s reconsider why it is still recorded as a ¡®revolution¡¯.

    Before the revolution, nobles could act tyrannically without any repercussions, but that is no longer the case.

    If they make even a small mistake, another revolution might ur, so why would they risk acting tyrannically?

    This holds true even now. Upon hearing the rumor that Xenon¡¯s Biography would no longer be published, themoners¡¯ delegation was rmed and went to the nobles.

    Just as there is a delegation for themoners, there is, of course, a delegation for the nobles.

    Typically, they meet once a month at a specific institution to exchange opinions face-to-face. Today happens to be that day.

    ¡°We¡¯ve told you several times, but we are also unaware of the details. That being said, wouldn¡¯t it be better to ask Xenon directly about this matter?¡±

    One of the noble representatives said in a calm voice to themoners¡¯ delegation.

    Indeed, his point was valid, as it would be much better to ask Xenon, or rather Isaac, directly about this issue.

    Raising their voices here wouldn¡¯t yield any results.

    <i>¡®Although we know the reason¡­¡¯</i>

    However, despite their words, the speaking noble, along with most of the noble delegation, knew the reason.

    Most of the delegates seated here were present during Isaac¡¯s trial.

    Initially, they tried to manipte public opinion to take down Isaac, but once his true identity was revealed, the situation turned 180 degrees.

    Moreover, they are in a situation where they have learned even the disgraceful secrets that the royal family of Ters wanted to hide so badly, leaving them unable to take any action.

    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous! Xenon is a kind person who wants everyone to enjoy Xenon¡¯s Biography without discrimination! It doesn¡¯t make sense to exclude only our Kingdom of Ters!¡±

    Amoner countered the noble¡¯s argument with another valid argument, causing the room to be noisy again.

    The mediator among the delegations tried to calm things down, but it was to no avail.

    The rumor has been circting for a week starting today. In a world without the inte, rumors spread slowly, but once they spread properly, they grow uncontrobly.

    There is no way to confirm the truth. Once a spark ignites, it gradually spreads and turns into a massive fire.

    ¡°Would you believe it if Xenon himself said he banned the sale only in our country?!¡±

    Eventually, a noble, unable to bear it any longer, revealed the truth, but¡­

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense like a passing dog meowing! Who would believe that? Xenon banning sales only in our country? Why?¡±

    ¡°Exactly. There must be a reason why it¡¯s not being sold only in our country, so why do you im to know nothing about it?¡±

    ¡°Exactly. Tell us the reason! If it makes sense, we will back down quietly!¡±

    It was like digging their own grave. The noble who made the statement could only receive harsh res from their fellow nobles.

    In this way, the Kingdom of Ters, or more precisely, the upper echelons, are in a precarious situation.

    They could buy time by feigning ignorance, but if Xenon¡¯s Biography is truly not published, it would lead to a revolution.

    Some might question whether a revolution could really break out just because Xenon¡¯s Biography is not sold.

    The Jairos Revolution ys a part here too. The reason for the Jairos Revolution was the suppression of art frommoners.

    To exin in detail, it was more like ¡®censorship¡¯ than suppression. Nobles had freedom in their artistic pursuits, whilemoners were heavily restricted.

    If anyone proceeded with dissatisfaction, they would be thrown in jail immediately, and especially if they engaged in ¡®satire,¡¯ they would be executed.

    In other words, ¡®censorship¡¯ is both the most sensitive issue and a weapon for the people of the Kingdom of Ters. When those in power attempt to impose censorship, it¡¯s an opportunity for the people to raise their voices.

    ¡°Is it really because Xenon is from the Minerva Empire, as the rumors suggest? If that¡¯s the case, you know what might happen!¡±

    An elderly man shouted in a raspy voice. The noble representatives noticeably shrank at his outcry.

    The Jairos Revolution urred 40 years ago. The old man is a living witness to the revolution and carries the most weight in this room.

    His words hold more gravity than those of others.

    <i>¡®Damn it¡­ What a mess.¡¯</i>

    The noble representative frowned at the old man¡¯s outcry but found himself at a loss for words. No, he had plenty to say, but he couldn¡¯t say it.

    To convince them, he would have to reveal everything that happened at the trial. That might slightly tarnish Isaac¡¯s reputation.

    But doing so would be a desperate move and cause greater damage to the Kingdom of Ters.

    Moreover, Isaac had a legitimate reason: protecting his bodyguard, a very romantic justification.

    Either way, the Kingdom of Ters is facing the worst possible situation.

    And there¡¯s one more thing.

    ¡°ording to the rumors, it¡¯s deeply rted to Volume 22. The main content of Volume 22 reveals the tragic past of Envy and a story of revenge. How do you exin this?¡±

    ¡°Could it be that our Majesty¡­ No, it¡¯s better to skip this topic.¡±

    ¡°This is a sensitive matter¡­¡±

    The image of Friedrich, which had been meticulously built up, was slowly being eroded. For now, it¡¯s just suspicion, but even suspicion can be dangerous.

    Themoners¡¯ delegation is already showing signs of caution at the mention of this topic. After all, challenging the king is a gamble even for them.

    Thus, the discussion kept going in circles, but conversely, if the truthes out, it would mean the end of the Kingdom of Ters.

    No matter what Isaac is thinking, he¡¯s currently walking a very fine line.

    <i>¡®Please let this pass peacefully¡­¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®If we can just get through today, we can buy another month.¡¯</i>

    The nobles are desperately hoping that this time will pass without incident. If today¡¯s meeting ends without a hitch, they¡¯ll gain another month.

    During that time, they can think as hard as they can ande up with a solution.

    As the discussions kept going around in circles without any progress, a very hot piece of bad news came to their ears.

    The bad news was none other than a letter from Xenon, or Isaac.

    The letter, as usual, was polite and courteous, and to summarize, it roughly said this:

    [As I¡¯ve mentioned, I want a culture that everyone enjoys. If that culture is disliked, isn¡¯t it a problem with that country?]

    For those who knew the situation, the reaction might be, ¡®This guy?¡¯ to such a sly letter.

    ¡°Look at this! Xenon says our country is the problem!¡±

    ¡°Quickly tell us the reason! If not, we¡¯ll storm the pce ourselves!¡±

    ¡°Do you want a taste of revolution?!¡±

    For the Kingdom of Ters, it was like pouring gasoline on a fire.

    ¡°We¡¯ll give you a week. If you can¡¯t convince us in that time¡­¡±

    Just as Isaac was before.

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll make sure to make you speak up ourselves!¡±

    The Kingdom of Ters is now at a crossroads.<hr>

    Trantors note:

    For some reason I can¡¯t ess the novelpia site rn, so no titles until it works again

 Chapter 312

    Chapter 312

    The incidents in the Kingdom of Ters have been reaching my ears continuously. I received updates in real-time through newspapers without needing to hear it from others.

    Although the events urred in a distant country, the news spread to the Minerva Empire through various newspapers within just two days.

    I¡¯ve always thought this fantasy world is full of strange and wondrous things. Given the era, these developments seem impossible, yet they happen.

    While I¡¯m concerned that this could be used for propaganda and media maniption in the future, that¡¯s not a pressing issue right now. Let¡¯s focus on the current situation in the Kingdom of Ters.

    The situation was already soaked in gasoline, and my letter served as the spark, causing everything to burst into mes.

    The upper echelons were hastily trying to contain the fire, but it¡¯s a futile effort. Moreover, to properly extinguish the fire, they would have to reveal all the royal family¡¯s dirty secrets.

    Can¡¯t they just ignore it? That would be an ignorant statement, showing ack of understanding of the Kingdom of Ters.

    The Kingdom of Ters currently exhibits a peculiar social structure, somewhere between a monarchy and a republic.

    There is a king who oversees most policies, but if there is strong opposition from the people, he cannot push through.If there is a legitimate reason, he might forcefully push through, but the aftermath would have to be handled by the king and the nobles.

    This is possible because, during the Jairos Revolution, themoners realized that although individually they are weak, together they are as strong as those in power.

    Furthermore, with the existence of the academy, one-third of the knights aremoners, and needless to say, the majority of the soldiers aremoners as well.

    Thanks to this peculiar structure, there was no major bloodshed during the revolution. In fact, it turned out well, as it allowed the Kingdom of Ters to advance its system one step further.

    If the Kingdom of Ters had imposed even harsher measures after the revolution, it would have ended up like the French Revolution.

    Anyway, the Kingdom of Ters now stands at a crossroads, just as it did decades ago. Friedrich and the royal family must either reveal the whole truth or continue to hide it.

    Even if they try to keep it hidden, they can¡¯t because too many nobles were present during the trial. Silencing them is impossible, and one of them might expose everything to save themselves.

    Moreover, the nobles of the Kingdom of Ters include Count Kamar, who has frequently checked the royal family and provided me with unintentional help.

    I don¡¯t know his true intentions either. If a revolution breaks out, he would think of his safety first.

    Furthermore, if a revolution urs and many nobles, including the king, are sent to the guillotine like in the French Revolution, it would significantly impact other countries as well.

    In other words, the Minerva Empire can¡¯t just sit back and enjoy the show. Military intervention would be quite tricky.

    Amidst thisplicated situation, I, who was genuinely watching with interest¡­

    ¡°How much did you say in total?¡±

    ¡°Even after all taxes¡­ it¡¯s close to what I just mentioned.¡±

    ¡°Is this even possible?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the best-selling book in the world, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    I was calcting money. To be precise, calcting the earnings from Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    Originally, it was money that had been set aside due to the risk of my identity being exposed. Later, with the help of Leort and Rina, I started to withdraw it little by little, and even that was arge amount by my standards.

    If I withdrew it all at once, someone would surely be suspicious. In fact, there were people who noticed the movements and attempted to track it.

    But look now. Despite being just a ¡®fraction,¡¯ neatly stacked gold bars were lined up.

    Gold has always been a symbol of wealth and the essence of ¡®money.¡¯ Even if a country¡¯s economy copses, the value of gold remains absolute.

    And in front of me, these gold bars are radiating a brilliant light.

    <i>¡®They say even the gold coins are only gold-ted¡­¡¯</i>

    Themon currency of this world is gold-ted, but these are all pure gold. The value is unimaginable.

    I blinked and nced to the side. My lovely fianc¨¦e, Marie, stood there with her mouth wide open in shock.

    Coming from the only duchy in the Empire, she must have a lot of funds, but it¡¯s probably her first time seeing gold bars piled up like this. It¡¯s understandable why she¡¯s so stunned.

    Adelia, standing behind us, was no different. She had a bewildered expression, unable to maintain herposure.

    <i>¡®But this is just a fraction?¡¯</i>

    The issue is that this is just a fraction. Even one gold bar is quite heavy, so I¡¯ve only brought a small portion.

    The remaining gold bars must be stacking up in the underground vault by now. It¡¯s such arge amount that it will take several days toplete.

    Additionally, the personnel assigned to the underground vault and the vault itself need to be overhauled. This part will likely be handled directly by demons or elves.

    Given the quantity, the security will probably rival that of a coin mint. In the future, many thieves will attempt to break into our mansion.

    <i>¡®I have more to think about than I initially realized.¡¯</i>

    It turns out, I don¡¯t just need to be wary of devil worshippers. As I endlessly stared at the shimmering gold bars, I shifted my gaze forward.

    In front of me sat Musk, the publisher¡¯s president and a trustworthy business partner, smiling broadly.

    Since all the gold bars in front of me are the profits from selling Xenon¡¯s Biography, it¡¯s not surprising that he visited our mansion.

    Also, since I announced that I am Xenon, we need to discuss our future ns.

    ¡°Mr. Musk?¡±

    ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to hear about your ns for the future¡­¡±

    With a smile still on his face, Musk replied.

    ¡°Mr. Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve now earned enough money to buy a building in the capital.¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    What an oundish statement. Just as I thought that, Musk continued.

    ¡°Oh! Now we have enough money to buy horses.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Somehow, I get the image of a billionaire buying a Lamborghini just by praying. It¡¯s the same thing Musk is implying now.

    For reference, horses are several times more expensive than buildings. Since automobiles like tanks haven¡¯t been properly invented yet, they are strategic assets.

    Anyway, what Musk is showing me is this: Even if I do nothing, Xenon¡¯s Biography continues to sell like hotcakes.

    As I realized this and gave a wry smile, Musk spoke to me in a voice brimming with happiness.

    ¡°Xenon¡¯s Biography is still being sold worldwide. And this won¡¯t change even if Mr. Isaac reveals his identity. In fact, there¡¯s no n. The pressure that used to be on me will now be on you, Mr. Isaac, and I¡¯ll just continue selling books as I always have.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ I see. It seems I asked a pointless question.¡±

    ¡°Not at all. May I ask you one question?¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    Musk sped his hands together and hesitated slightly at my question. His face still had a smile, but his hesitation piqued my interest.

    He then looked at me cautiously and asked in a very careful voice.

    ¡°How much time is left until thepletion of Xenon¡¯s Biography¡­ That¡¯s the most sensitive issue.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    I immediately understood the question. As the publisher, it¡¯s the most critical issue for him and deeply connected to me.

    Moreover, Xenon¡¯s Biography is gradually approaching its conclusion. In Volume 23, the battle with Envy ends, and starting from Volume 24, the counterattack begins in earnest.

    During the counterattack, Pride will reveal the truth rted to the ancestors of the elves. I anticipate that this will cause quite a stir.

    Anyway, it is certain that the conclusion of Xenon¡¯s Biography is approaching. After roughly calcting in my head, I spoke.

    Given the political issues and the wedding, it won¡¯t be as fast as expected.

    ¡°Probably¡­ it will bepleted within six months at thetest. Only the final arc remains.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ I see.¡±

    At the answer of six months at thetest, Musk wiped the smile off his face and adopted a serious expression.

    Xenon¡¯s Biography is like an inexhaustible well for him, but he can¡¯t rely on just one work forever.

    He had actually nned to hold a writing contest. Although Cherry¡¯s work is there, it can¡¯t be expected to have the same impact as Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    Being a person whose mind works quickly when ites to money, he must have thought about what to do after Xenon¡¯s Biography ends. Still, the uncertainty is inevitable.

    ¡°Are you going to ask me to dy the ending a bit?¡±

    So I probed. What kind of answer would Musk give?

    In my previous life, there was a rather notorious bad habit in the Japanese manga industry. They would try to prolong popr series to artificially boost sales.

    It is particrly famous that when the creator of Dragon Ball announced its conclusion, the Minister of Culture personally visited him.

    Of course, that visit was due to variousplex reasons, and there were many instances where unexpectedly popr works were extended for long runs.

    As a result, many works were ruined. Would Musk react the same way?

    ¡°No? Oh, no. Absolutely not.¡±

    ¡°Why not? If I decide to extend it a bit, it would be very beneficial for you, Mr. Musk.¡±

    But Musk gave an unexpected answer. Looking at Marie sitting next to me, she also had a surprised expression.

    Despite appearances, is he truly someone who doesn¡¯t cross the line? As my regard for him increased, he spoke again.

    ¡°Xenon¡¯s Biography will continue to sell steadily for the next 10 years. Of course, it will sell less than it does now.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s simple. The poption will continue to grow, and Xenon¡¯s Biography will sell in proportion to that. So, there¡¯s no need to ruin the work¡¯s quality by extending it unnecessarily.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    I corrected myself. Musk is truly someone with a keen eye for money.

    As he said, the poption is steadily increasing, and Xenon¡¯s Biography will sell ordingly.

    A child is born to a couple, the child grows up, bes independent, and forms their own family. In that process, they will likely buy Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    It¡¯s not just an ordinary novel but is revered almost like a sacred text. Considering that the Bible sold nearly 4 billion copies in my past life, it¡¯s easy to understand.

    <i>¡®What a scary person.¡¯</i>

    So, was the writing contest really just an insurance n? Or did he not expect Xenon¡¯s Biography to sell this much?

    As I restrained my curiosity to delve into his mind, I gave a small chuckle.

    ¡°I was worried for nothing. So, why did you ask about thepletion?¡±

    ¡°So that I can at least be prepared. Speaking of which, do you have any thoughts on your next work¡­?¡±

    So this was his main objective. Musk mentioned the next work in a more cautious tone than before.

    Seeing his sped hands fidgeting, it was clear he was quite curious. And it wasn¡¯t just him.

    Even Marie and Adelia, standing behind me, were showing interest.

    And I had already prepared an answer for this.

    ¡°I do have one. However, it¡¯s not a hopeful adventure story like Xenon¡¯s Biography. It¡¯s deeply rted to war.¡±

    ¡°War¡­ That sounds very profound. Could you give me a brief idea of what it¡¯s about? Ah, not that it would affect our contract. If it¡¯s a book by Mr. Isaac, we¡¯ll definitely sign a contract.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­ Mr. Musk.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    I faced Musk and quietly began to speak.

    ¡°Mr. Musk, what do you think about a world without mana?¡±

    ¡°A world¡­ without mana?¡±

    ¡°Yes. And one more thing. It might be a dangerous thought, but what if gods cannot directly exercise their power in that world?¡±

    ¡°¡­Would such a world even exist?¡±

    Yes, it does. Because Ie from that.

    Musk, as well as everyone else, looked at me as if he¡¯d heard somethingpletely absurd. He must think my story isn¡¯t just strange but impossible.

    But I have no intention of exining further here. Although I¡¯m tempted, I have to hold back for the sake of the impact.

    ¡°I¡¯m nning to write about such a world. A world without mana, where something else has developed instead. What do you think?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t imagine it at all.¡±

    ¡°What are you nning to write?¡±

    Marie was the next to ask, filled with curiosity. I responded with a subtle smile.

    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be fun if I told you in advance. If I had to give a hint, it would involve something simr to a steam lotive.¡±

    ¡°¡­I always wonder what goes on in your head. Are you really not from another world?¡±

    Marie¡¯s sharp question made me feel a bit uneasy. I just shrugged my shoulders at her question.

    Anyway, now that I¡¯ve mentioned the next work, there¡¯s only one thing left to address.

    ¡°But Mr. Isaac, are you really nning not to sell Xenon¡¯s Biography in the Kingdom of Ters?¡±

    This was the most important and sensitive issue for Musk. The Kingdom of Ters is a crucial market.

    As the nation prides itself on being a cultural hub, the Kingdom of Ters has purchased arge quantity of Xenon¡¯s Biography. Even with import taxes due to it being a foreign product, it sells like hotcakes.

    Given that it constitutes a significant portion of the revenue, it must be a painful loss for Musk. However, he doesn¡¯t know theplex circumstances between the Kingdom of Ters and me.

    Instead, he¡¯s very perceptive and didn¡¯t bother to bring up that part.

    ¡°Yes. Due toplicated circumstances that I can¡¯t exin, I n to maintain my current stance.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ I understand. In that case, it can¡¯t be helped.¡±

    Even now, as soon as I mentionedplicated circumstances, he quickly shifted the topic.

    Honestly, he could have been curious, but his character is extraordinary. I wonder what it would have been like if someone like him were a noble.

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll take my leave now. May I visit often in the future?¡±

    ¡°Of course. I look forward to it. Ah, and¡­¡±

    Before he left, I picked up one of the gold bars from the pile.

    Being pure gold, it was quite heavy.

    ¡°Take this with you. You¡¯ve worked hard.¡±

    ¡°Hahaha. It¡¯s okay.¡±

    ¡°No, please take it.¡±

    ¡°Really, it¡¯s fine.¡±

    Up to this point, I thought he was refusing out of politeness.

    ¡°I don¡¯t take small change.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    This man is something else.

    *****

    About three days passed since then.

    ¡°The royal family of Ters ising to our mansion?¡±

    ¡°Yes. They should be at the Imperial Pce in the capital by now.¡±

    The royal family of Ters was visiting our mansion.

    ¡°Did King Friedriche too?¡±

    ¡°No, I heard the queen came instead.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    As expected, the king seems to have a hard time getting out and about.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 313

    Chapter 313

    Even though I criticized King Friedrich for being reluctant to leave his seat, that¡¯s actually a perfectly normal reaction.

    At the time of the announcement, Descal and Arwen from Helium and Alvenheim participated, but this is because they are demons and elves.

    They have the ability to protect themselves, so they can move around freely. If necessary, they can simply teleport away for a quick escape.

    On the other hand, human kings generally have weaker physical strength and, unlike other races, have shorter lifespans and age faster.

    Therefore, they must travel with a powerful escort force, and it¡¯s obvious how strong that force needs to be.

    If by any chance a violent conflict were to ur, the king¡¯s safety would be in great danger. Hence, it is very rare for a king to leave his throne.

    This doesn¡¯t change even if I¡¯m Xenon. There¡¯s also the risk of the worst rumor spreading that Xenon was threatened.

    In fact, just sending the queen is quite a bold move. Especially since King Friedrich is known for being a devoted husband, the queen holds significant power.

    Her name is Maria Dukeard von Kurchers. Although their marriage was arranged, their rtionship is so good that it is well-known throughout the kingdom.The fact that Friedrich has not taken any concubines apart from Maria shows his affection for her. Moreover, they have four children.

    Despite clear evidence, Friedrich¡¯s persistent denial of Adelia¡¯s existence was likely due to his affection for Maria.

    ¡°Did Queen Maria ever trouble you, Noona?¡±

    Before meeting the royal family of Ters who hade to our mansion, I asked Adelia.

    As Adelia was tidying my hair, she paused as soon as I asked the question.

    Her expression in the mirror was ambiguous. She seemed to be thinking about how to exin it.

    After organizing her thoughts, she resumedbing my long hair and began to speak.

    ¡°She didn¡¯t exactly trouble me. But she did give me a lot of pointed looks. The stepmother must have had a hard time, too.¡±

    Adelia, ever the kind-hearted person, gave a gentle response. Reflecting on her words, something piqued my curiosity, so I asked again.

    ¡°By the way, stepmother? Do you call the queen ¡®stepmother,¡¯ Noona?¡±

    ¡°Yes, she said it was okay. She never directly troubled me and even educated me.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Usually, stepmothers have a negative image across cultures and times. It¡¯s inevitable, as who could truly love someone else¡¯s child as their own?

    Moreover, inheritance issues make it even more ufortable to be close. If someone genuinely loves a stepchild, they can be considered truly magnanimous.

    Additionally, if an illegitimate child outshines one¡¯s own, the natural human response is often jealousy and mistreatment.

    The fact that Maria didn¡¯t mistreat Adelia speaks volumes about her character.

    ¡°Did she know you wanted to be royalty?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but she warned me against it if possible. She advised me that even if we became one family, it would only bring me hardship. She suggested that bing a knight and living a decent life, even if not part of the family, might be a better choice.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a person of great character.¡±

    ¡°Yes, in fact, our rtionship was more like that of a teacher and student rather than mother and child. I treated her that way too.¡±

    Adelia¡¯s mood seemed to lift as she spoke, her reflection in the mirror showing a gentle smile.

    If Queen Maria had a poor character, Olivia or Lara, with their strong sense of justice, might not have existed.

    Thus, while Adelia has had her struggles, Maria seems to be the greatest victim. Her only ¡®crime¡¯ was loving her husband.

    Friedrich, while certainly a good husband, refuses to acknowledge his past mistakes. As a result, the sparks of revolution have ignited in the Kingdom of Ters.

    Had he acknowledged even a little and recognized Adelia, this situation might not have arisen. I can¡¯t understand why his honor is worth all this trouble.

    Is honor really more important than the country? Even if he¡¯s an exemry king, hisck of character is deeply disappointing.

    ¡°So, you¡¯lle with me, right, Noona?¡±

    ¡°¡­ Can Ie along too?¡±

    ¡°Of course. The conversation won¡¯t proceed without you. Plus, Marie isn¡¯t here right now, and handling this alone is a bit daunting.¡±

    Currently, Marie has returned to the academy. Even though she could stay at the mansion as Xenon¡¯s fianc¨¦e, she chose to go back.

    She said she wanted to enjoy the newlywed life after the wedding. Although she liked waking up to see my face every day, she wanted to save that forter.

    If we had known earlier that the royal family of Ters wasing to our mansion, she would have stayed. Unfortunately, the news came the day after she returned.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to be nervous. You just need to answer a few questions.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who¡¯s nervous?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve even given harsh words to King Friedrich, so why would I be nervous?¡±

    I¡¯m serious. Since revealing that I¡¯m Xenon, I fear nothing.

    ¡­ Except for my mother, who will be livid after reading the ending. Not just her, but many fans might cause an uproar.

    When Kair died, there was a procession of mournersing to our estate, so imagine the reaction to Jin¡¯s death.

    Even if a letter can calm things down, it will be difficult to mend the fans¡¯ broken hearts.

    <i>¡®Maybe I should write a side story just in case.¡¯</i>

    It will be an alternate universe story, unlike the Kair and Jin side stories, and not canon.

    It¡¯s definitely not because I¡¯m afraid of my mother. Even though there was an incident when she came to Helium in person during Jin¡¯s awakening! I¡¯m not scared at all.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Your body is shaking. Are you nervous?¡±

    ¡°No?¡±

    To be honest, I am a little scared.

    *****

    While Adelia was helping me get ready, the royal family of Ters arrived at the mansion. They arrived earlier than expected, so Adelia was busy moving around.

    Although I¡¯m in a position of authority in this situation, the visitor is not an ordinary noble but the queen, the second most powerful person after the king.

    When meeting someone for the first time, the first impression is crucial. I didn¡¯t want to make a bad impression, so I acted quickly.

    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. I am Maria Dukeard von Kurchers, the Queen of the Kingdom of Ters and consort of King Friedrich. It¡¯s an honor to meet the esteemed Xenon.¡±

    As soon as I entered the parlor, a woman stood up and greeted me. Her greeting was full of elegance and nobility, and her voice conveyed wisdom and grace.

    With long, dark brown hair that was richer in color than Adelia¡¯s, and blue eyes that shone with sharpness, she looked every bit the queen.

    Her beauty was wless, without a trace of wrinkles, likely due to consistent care, and her demeanor exuded maturity.

    Her name, as mentioned, was Maria, Queen of Ters and consort of King Friedrich.

    Unlike most queens who would adorn themselves with borate dresses and jewelry, Maria wore a dress with a tasteful blend of blue and navy, showcasing her innate nobility.

    ¡°Hello! I am Lara Dukeard von Kurchers, the Third Princess of the Kingdom of Ters! It¡¯s an honor to meet Xenon!¡±

    Beside her, Princess Lara, whom I had met before, hurriedly greeted me. Judging by her actions and expressions, she seemed quite flustered.

    It¡¯s no wonder she was surprised, as the person who visited the pcest time was Xenon. I smiled politely and greeted them.

    ¡°Thank you for making the long journey. As you know, my name is Isaac Ducker Michelle, the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography, Xenon. It¡¯s an honor to meet you all. And this is¡­¡±

    I paused and nced at Adelia standing behind me. The others followed my gaze to her.

    Adelia exchanged nces with each person, then bowed her head and greeted them in her characteristic husky voice.

    ¡°I am Adelia Cross, Isaac¡¯s personal maid. It is an honor to meet the lights of the Kingdom of Ters.¡±

    Maria responded with a graceful smile and nodded. Lara, beside her, hesitated for a moment before raising her hand and giving a gentle wave.

    For Lara, Adelia was like an older sister, so the situation was undoubtedlyplex for her. This wasn¡¯t because Lara was young but because of the circumstances.

    Maria seemed to understand this and didn¡¯t press the matter, allowing it to pass with kindness.

    ¡°Though we have prepared little, I hope you can restfortably.¡±

    ¡°Not at all. In fact, this atmosphere puts my mind at ease.¡±

    Maria¡¯s response to my offer was one of genuine appreciation. I couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly at her words.

    Although our mansion¡¯s parlor was by no means inferiorpared to others, Maria and Lara were royalty. They must have visited ces far more luxurious and splendid than this.

    In my heart, I would have preferred to have this conversation in the pce¡¯s reception room, but they had suggested this venue first.

    ¡°Do you find the tea to your liking?¡±

    ¡°Itpares very well to what we drink in the pce. Is this Murmangul tea?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Our estate may be modest, but we grow high-quality Murmangul.¡±

    ¡°Modest? You are too humble.¡±

    Initially, our conversation was light and superficial. Jumping straight to the main topic would have been premature since we knew so little about each other.

    We exchanged various stories to create a good first impression and ease into more serious matters.

    The main topic was too serious, involving the very existence of a nation, so it was essential to lighten the mood.

    Queen Maria¡¯s internal turmoil must be intense at this moment. I felt sympathy for her.

    ¡°So, Adelia Unni, when did you be Xenon¡¯s personal maid?¡±

    As we continued our pleasant conversation, Lara, who had been quietly watching Adelia, asked a question.

    When the clear voice cut in, the conversation between the queen and me naturally ceased, and our attention turned to her.

    Meanwhile, Adelia, who was asked the question, flinched slightly and then began to look at me for guidance. I nodded to indicate it was okay.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t been Isaac¡¯s personal maid for long.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to be a knight?¡±

    ¡°I am also serving as a bodyguard. The primary duty of a personal maid is to assist the master, which naturally includes protection.¡±

    ¡°Then when can you visit our pce¡­¡±

    ¡°Lara.¡±

    Just as Lara was about to ask another question, Queen Maria interrupted. Although she only called her name, it carried a tone of strictness.

    Lara promptly closed her mouth and started ncing around nervously.

    Her behavior was typical for her age, bringing a smile to my face. However, Queen Maria didn¡¯t seem to find it amusing.

    ¡°I apologize on behalf of my daughter. I am truly sorry.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s only natural to be curious at her age.¡±

    From what Adelia told me, Lara, being the youngest, was raised with plenty of love, which sometimes made her a bit clueless.

    Still, it wasn¡¯t problematic, and it showed how much she liked Adelia.

    As I watched Lara sulk under her mother¡¯s reprimand, I brought up another topic. It concerned Hiriya, who had initially prompted our discussion.

    ¡°But what about the others, particrly Princess Hiriya? She didn¡¯t seem well thest time I saw her.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Hiriya is doing better than before. There¡¯s no need for you to worry, Xenon.¡±

    The pause in her response indicated that her condition might be simr or worse than before. I nodded in understanding.

    With the sparks of revolution igniting again, the pressure on Hiriya must be unimaginable.

    Though this is the result I aimed for, I want to prevent any extreme actions. I hoped she could have been present here today.

    I wanted to p her one more time. Even if it didn¡¯t alleviate the pressure, it might provide some sce.

    ¡°¡­Speaking of Hiriya, Xenon.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    While I was lost in thought, Queen Maria called out to me. I looked up at her, seeing a serious expression on her face.

    It seemed we were about to get to the main topic. I adjusted my posture to listen attentively and focused on what she had to say.

    Lara, too, seemed to grasp the gravity of the situation, falling silent and nervously ncing around.

    As a heavy silence filled the room, Queen Maria finally spoke.

    ¡°Would you consider forgiving Hiriya¡¯s sins¡­¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    I anticipated the question, so I could answer firmly. Cutting her off mid-sentence was undoubtedly rude.

    However, it was necessary to firmly assert my position, as I was in the position of power.

    Maria seemed to expect this response, remaining calm andposed.

    ¡°¡­I understand. Let¡¯s move on to another question then.¡±

    ¡°I will answer any question sincerely.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. I will get straight to the point.¡±

    Queen Maria looked directly at me as she spoke.

    ¡°Xenon, you must be aware of the current situation in our kingdom. It¡¯s no exaggeration to say that it¡¯s the greatest crisis since the Jairos Revolution.¡±

    ¡°I am aware.¡±

    ¡°This situation is a result of your decisions¡­ but the root cause lies with us. We do not deny this. However, I wonder if you might consider showing mercy.¡±

    ¡°Mercy¡­¡±

    I pondered over her request for mercy, not leniency, but mercy. Coming from the queen herself, this was a weighty plea.

    Even though the words seem simr, the meaning and power they carry are vastly different.

    Queen Maria humbled herself. Although she had reason to do so, she didn¡¯t let her honor as a queen get in the way. This was a stark contrast to Friedrich, who had only chased honor and made things worse.

    ¡°I apologize.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°This matter is no longer in my hands.¡±

    Despite her attitude, I had no intention of reversing my decision. As I said, the situation had already left my control.

    If the royal family of Ters had revealed the whole truth, they might have seeded in quelling the unrest. But they hadn¡¯t, and that was the problem.

    The deadline mentioned by themoners¡¯ representatives was one week, and now there were only three days left.

    ¡°¡­I understand Xenon¡¯s decision. May I make one request?¡±

    Recognizing my firmness, Queen Maria didn¡¯t argue further and retreated gracefully. It seemed she had anticipated this oue.

    Anyway, she had a request, so I had to listen. I nodded to indicate that she could proceed, and Maria ced her hand on Lara¡¯s shoulder.

    As Lara looked at her mother with a puzzled expression, Maria made a rather surprising request.

    ¡°I would like you to take care of Lara until all this is over.¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°Mother?¡±

    Both Lara and I looked at Maria in shock. Adelia, too, was surprised by the sudden request.

    While everyone was taken aback, Maria spoke with aplicated smile.

    ¡°This request has no political implications. As you know, the Kingdom of Ters is in a crisis, and Lara is still young. Could you look after her until the situation stabilizes?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°With Adelia here, I believe Lara will feel at ease. That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking.¡±

    Indeed, if a revolution were to break out, the royal family, including Lara, would be in great danger.

    It truly felt like a situation where they might face the guillotine, just like in the French Revolution. Maria¡¯s request to entrust Lara to me was to ensure her safety in such unpredictable times.

    Moreover, with Adelia, who was close to Lara, she wouldn¡¯t feel lonely.

    Perhaps that¡¯s why they brought only Lara and not others. Maria had foreseen this situation.

    ¡°¡­Queen Maria.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Please, go ahead.¡±

    ¡°What do you n to do?¡±

    Maria¡¯s purpose wasn¡¯t to seek forgiveness from me. She came only to entrust Lara.

    So, what is her true intention? In this precarious situation for the Kingdom of Ters, what does she intend to do?

    As the situation became more confusing, Queen Maria smiled gently and spoke in a soft voice.

    ¡°I will return and do what needs to be done.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°If the spark grows into arge fire, only ashes will remain, but if it is extinguished quickly, the ashes can serve as fertilizer. This is true for people as well, people grow through their mistakes. I hope my husband realizes his mistakes and grows.¡±

    ¡°What if King Friedrich does not change?¡±

    ¡°If I cannot change the one I love, it means my capacity is limited. I have no intention of ming him.¡±

    Such a person should have been the king. Listening to Queen Maria, I felt genuinely sorry.

    However, because someone like her is the queen, King Friedrich might change. If he doesn¡¯t, it means the person himself is beyond help.

    ¡°I understand, Queen Maria. I will ept your request.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your mercy.¡±

    ¡°Is there anything else you would like to say?¡±

    At my question, Queen Maria¡¯s gaze shifted. Not towards me, but towards Adelia.

    She then gazed at Adelia with a deep, lingering look for a while before turning her attention back to me.

    ¡°I have nothing more to say.¡±

    Three days remain.

    ¡°What can I, a mere bystander, say?¡±

    Our mansion has gained another guest, albeit an uninvited one.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 314

    Chapter 314

    Queen Maria left Lara in my care and immediately returned to the Kingdom of Ters. I suggested she rests for a day before departing, but she declined, saying time was of the essence.

    As I watched her departing figure heading back to the vtile situation in Ters, I couldn¡¯t help but feel bitter. She ended up in trouble because she met the wrong man, despite being a person of great character.

    If King Friedrich had gracefully admitted his mistakes, Queen Maria wouldn¡¯t be in this predicament. That doesn¡¯t mean she¡¯s wless, though.

    As she mentioned, shemitted mistakes by being a bystander. She might have pitied Adelia, but she didn¡¯t directly intervene.

    Moreover, she watched from a distance even though she knew her children were bullying Adelia. Regardless of the circumstances, her inaction was a mistake.

    As mentioned in our conversation, the Kingdom of Ters is already beyond my control. The future will depend on Friedrich¡¯s choices.

    It seems Queen Maria will try to persuade Friedrich, but whether she can break his stubbornness is the key. Friedrich was the one who confirmed the kill in front of everyone.

    This experience made me reflect on many things. I wielded power for Adelia¡¯s sake, but is it right that even people like Queen Maria should suffer as a result?

    King Friedrich is indeed a devoted family man who showered his family with love. Adelia was just excluded from that affection.Originally, I was in a position of watching from a distance, but I realized that careless actions with the pen can cause unintended harm to innocent people.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s like how someone¡¯s tweet can make stock prices soar or plummet.¡¯</i>

    As someone once said, ¡°Social media is a waste of life,¡± I should avoid sending letters unless absolutely necessary.

    Unless it¡¯s a special case like now, overusing them could lead to bacsh and harm those around me.

    But while I¡¯ve realized my actions, I will still keep an eye on the Kingdom of Ters. As Queen Maria mentioned, if they get through this well, the kingdom will grow stronger.

    King Friedrich, despite his wed character, has been an effective ruler and enjoys good reputation among the people. The only reason this mess happened was because he touched the sensitive issue of ¡®censorship¡¯.

    If he temporarily sets aside his honor and clearly admits his mistakes, the people will likely understand. Even if he gets criticized, the state needs to exist for him to maintain his throne.

    ¡°Xenon.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Princess Lara. What is it?¡±

    First, I need to take care of the conscience of the Kingdom of Ters (Lara). I looked puzzled as Lara asked her question with her bright blue eyes wide open.

    I pondered for a moment on what her question implied but soon understood her meaning.

    ¡°My real name is Isaac. Xenon is my pen name as a writer. I would appreciate it if you called me by my real name, Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Can I call you Isaac?¡±

    ¡°Whatever isfortable for you, Princess.¡±

    ¡°Then, how about Isaac Oppa?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    I was momentarily speechless, caught off guard by her calling me Oppa. Lara seized the opportunity to smile brightly and spoke with a friendly tone.

    ¡°I¡¯ll speakfortably, so you should do the same.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ okay, I understand.¡±

    ¡°Can you drop the formal speech and just call mefortably?¡±

    ¡°¡­Alright.¡±

    When I epted without hesitation, Lara beamed with joy, her white teeth showing, clearly pleased. She exuded the air of a youngest child who was raised with plenty of love.

    In a way, she seemed a bit naive, but it wasn¡¯t bothersome and rather endearing.

    Moreover, it seemed that Lara didn¡¯t fully understand ¡®Xenon¡¯ yet. To be precise, she didn¡¯t grasp the power that the name Xenon held.

    To Lara, Xenon might simply be a writer of enjoyable novels. I bent down slightly to meet Lara¡¯s eye level.

    ¡°Lara, do you read Xenon¡¯s Biography?¡±

    ¡°Of course! I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anyone in our country who hasn¡¯t read it!¡±

    ¡°Do you know how famous Xenon¡¯s Biography is?¡±

    ¡°Since many people read it, it must be really famous, right?¡±

    Lara answered, cing her index finger on her cheek. I gave an ambiguous smile at her response.

    Royalty and nobility like Lara receive various education from a young age to maintain their dignity.

    So, even at 15, she should disy maturity, but she showed none of it. This means she was likely pampered and treated with utmost care by those around her.

    Or it could simply be her natural personality. Either way, since she was close to Adelia, it didn¡¯t matter to me.

    ¡°Oppa, who did you inherit that hair from?¡±

    ¡°I inherited it from my father.¡±

    ¡°Can I touch it once? I¡¯ve never seen red hair before.¡±

    Thanks to her personality, we quickly becamefortable with each other. She showed the most interest in my red hair.

    Her chirping like ark was endearing. She was truly adorable.

    Lara yed with my hair, marveling sincerely.

    ¡°It¡¯s really soft. Who takes care of your hair, Oppa? Is it Adelia? She used to brush my hair a lot when I was younger.¡±

    ¡°Really? No wonder she¡¯s good at brushing hair. Then Adelia will brush your hair starting tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Did you hear that, Adelia? You have to brush my hair from tomorrow!¡±

    Lara nodded vigorously and spoke to Adelia with a tone full of expectation. It was very impressive.

    Adelia couldn¡¯t resist Lara¡¯s earnest gaze and smiled wryly as she nodded. Lara beamed with happiness.

    She must really like Adelia. As Lara continued to y with my hair, I asked her,

    ¡°Do you like Adelia that much?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Everyone else was too busy to y with me, but Adelia always did. She read me books, walked with me in the pce gardens¡­ She yed with me a lot.¡±

    There was a reason she followed Adelia so devotedly. I nced at Adelia upon hearing her response.

    Adelia smiled too, perhaps reminiscing about the few happy memories in the otherwise hellish life at the pce.

    Her affection wasn¡¯t limited to just Lara, she showed it to everyone. Even without looking far, she poured her affection on Hiriya as well.

    It only resulted in brutal humiliation due to Hiriya¡¯s inferiorityplex. And Laos, from what I heard, disliked Adelia from the beginning.

    ¡°But Isaac Oppa, are you secretly a royal like Adelia?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Why do you ask that suddenly?¡±

    ¡°It just seems like it. You have red hair and golden eyes. Plus, you¡¯re prettier than me.¡±

    Though I¡¯ve been called handsome many times, being called pretty is a first. Still, apliment is apliment, and I didn¡¯t take it negatively.

    ¡°I got my looks from my mother.¡±

    ¡°Oh, really? Anyway, you¡¯re not a hidden royal, right?¡±

    ¡°Definitely not. My father was promoted frommoner to noble.¡±

    Though I said that, I sometimes wonder if there¡¯s more to it. While I don¡¯t think I¡¯m a hidden royal, I do specte that we might be descendants of a hero.

    This is mainly due to my family¡¯s extraordinary strength. Our physical abilities are far above average.

    My father is one of the top three strongest in the empire, and Dave and Nicole are skilled enough to join the Navy Knights.

    Even I, who was considered the least talented, have grown impressively with just basic training after ate growth spurt.

    Of course, I have overwhelming divine power, but even considering that, my physical stats are still remarkable.

    <i>¡®As for my mother, well¡­¡¯</i>

    Let¡¯s skip discussing my mother. Like father, like son; it¡¯s not surprising that my mother¡¯s strength is considerable. If she were weak, it would have been hard for her to endure the nights.

    Anyway, I haven¡¯t neglected to investigate the origin of our red hair. It¡¯s extremely rare, as our family seems to be the only ones with it.

    If we were descendants of a specific ethnic group, it would make sense, but there¡¯s no such connection. There¡¯s no mention of red hair in books or even in the descriptions from the wars that produced numerous heroes.

    <i>¡®Grandfather was said to be strong too. Is there really something to this?¡¯</i>

    The martial arts and physical training my father taught us came from my grandfather, whom I¡¯ve never met. Over time, my father passed down these skills to my siblings and me.

    What¡¯s more, unlike most knights who wield swords, our family uniquely specializes in using ¡®battle axes.¡¯

    Given our inherent strength, this makes sense, but it¡¯s still an unusual choice of weapon. Even Nicole, who appears delicate, can carry around a boulder.

    Thinking about all this gives me a lot of inspiration. The idea of a people whose records werepletely erased for some reason is fascinating. It would be a lie to say it doesn¡¯t pique my interest.

    After all, even the ¡®fusion¡¯ of elves was recently rediscovered after being erased from records due to its dangers.

    Of course, I won¡¯t add this to Xenon¡¯s Biography right now; it would be better suited for a sequel. Adding it now risksplicating the story.

    ¡°So, are you satisfied with the exnation? My family and I are just ordinary nobles.¡±

    ¡°I see. I thought you would know since you¡¯re Xenon.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know everything. Contrary to what people say, I¡¯m neither a sage nor a prophet. I¡¯m just a regr writer.¡±

    ¡°A regr writer who makes prophecies and saves the world? Mom said lying is bad.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Lara, either full of energy or brimming with curiosity, continued to ask numerous questions. I answered each one diligently.

    As we spent time together, evening approached. It seemed like a good point to end the conversation, as we needed to prepare dinner and provide Lara with some indoor clothes.

    ¡°Let¡¯s stop here for now. We need to get ready for dinner and find some clothes for Lara. Do we have suitable clothes for her?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll check and see.¡±

    ¡°Alright. Thanks for that.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Isaac Oppa.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    Just as I was about to stand up, Lara called my name. I turned to look at her, and she gazed at me with sparkling eyes.

    ¡°Can I sleep with Adelia tonight? I really want to sleep with her since it¡¯s been a while.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    I pondered for a moment, seeing the deep affection Lara had for Adelia in her request. Adelia¡¯s work hours were almost over, so if I gave permission, she would likely agree.

    I looked at Adelia to see if she was okay with it. If she was fine, I¡¯d allow it.

    Surprisingly, Adelia seemed hesitant. Normally, she would have nodded, but now she appeared a bit restless.

    Seeing this, I realized the situation. At least for tonight, it wasn¡¯t possible.

    The reason was simple. Until yesterday, Marie had been here, but now she was gone. In other words, this was Adelia¡¯s chance to have me to herself for a while.

    Even if she couldn¡¯t express this directly, her actions showed it.

    ¡°Sorry, but I don¡¯t think it will work tonight.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    Lara looked more puzzled than disappointed. I replied, not forgetting to wink yfully.

    ¡°Because tonight, she¡¯s nning to sleep with Oppa.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    Adelia blushed and cleared her throat at my response.

    ¡°Oh my¡­¡±

    Even though Lara was young, she had apparently received proper education on such matters, as she covered her mouth with her hands.

    Time passed since then.

    [King Friedrich¡¯s Shocking Confession: ¡°I Have a Hidden Child.¡±]

    Queen Maria¡¯s persuasion worked, and Friedrich set aside his honor.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 315

    Chapter 315

    Sometimes, you¡¯ve probably heard the saying, ¡°Honor doesn¡¯t put food on the table.¡± This is often said to people who create trouble or are stubborn because they can¡¯t let go of their honor.

    But despite the frustration, it¡¯s true that honor can provide sustenance. Honor can be interpreted in various ways, but it mostly rtes to one¡¯s image.

    Just as first impressionsst, an image, once formed, stays in people¡¯s minds for a long time. This image is crucial, especially for celebrities and broadcasters in my past life.

    If one¡¯s honor is damaged and their image is tarnished, the loss is immeasurable. They could immediately lose their source of ie, and in severe cases, it could lead to social ostracization.

    Even in this world, which is close to medieval, it¡¯s no different. Regardless of how honor is embellished, fundamentally, it rtes to one¡¯s image.

    Sometimes people prioritize practicality or financial gain over honor, but even these people have basic honor, even if they¡¯re not aware of it.

    No matter how much they pursue gold, they still live within the w¡¯s¡± boundaries. If theymit crimes, practicality and wealth are meaningless as they head straight to prison.

    People abide by thew for this reason. Committing a crime leads to inevitable criticism from those around, naturally tarnishing one¡¯s image.

    This applies not only to crimes but also to morally wrong actions. Nobles often lose power not just because of a power struggle but because they¡¯vemitted actions that tarnished their honor.You don¡¯t have to look far¡ªjust look at my father and me. My father, despite being a baron, is a powerful force openly supported by the empire, and as for me, there¡¯s no need to borate.

    Had my father not been the Red Lion but an ordinary knight, and had I not been Xenon, we would have remained a very ordinary noble family. This shows how much can be gained through honor.

    Thus, honor can greatly benefit society and is, in some ways, the foundation that sustains a country. Especially for those protecting the nation¡ªthe ¡°soldiers¡±¡ªhonor is more precious than life.

    This isn¡¯t just a metaphor; it¡¯s factual because soldiers risk their ¡°lives¡± for their job. Many people live and die for honor, but few explicitly risk their lives to protect it like soldiers do.

    This is why Minerva¡¯s uniquew, which forces those who insult soldiers to enlist, exists¡ªto make them realize that honor isn¡¯t something to be trifled with.

    However, as shown by Friedrich¡¯s example, there are times when one must set aside their honor. In fact, from my study of history in my past life, Friedrich¡¯s case is mild.

    There¡¯s a very fitting example of what happens when one clings to honor too tightly: war.

    In my previous life, the world saw two global wars because European countries couldn¡¯t set aside their honor. Simrly, in this world, the racial war broke out for simr reasons.

    Therefore, it¡¯s crucial to know when to let go of honor and not to stubbornly cling to it.

    In this regard, Friedrich¡¯s choice can be seen as the right one. If he had held onto his honor, a second Jairos Revolution might have erupted.

    [King Friedrich personally confessed his past mistakes to the representatives of themoners.]

    [Unable to ovee his youthful impulses, he had an affair with a woman other than Queen Maria¡­]

    [He acknowledged the child but did not ept them as family, treating them with neglect and disdain¡­]

    It seems Queen Maria¡¯s persuasion worked, as Friedrich confessed all his wrongdoings.

    Just from what I read in the newspaper, it was surprising how detailed his confession was.

    Although he didn¡¯t mention any names, anyone with a bit of knowledge about the situation could figure out who he was referring to.

    This made me suspect whether they were nning to use Adelia for political purposes. If that were the case, I would act immediately.

    [Count Kamar: If you think pushing the responsibility onto others will solve the problem, step down from the throne yourself. Our Kingdom of Ters must seek a different system moving forward.]

    [The people of our Kingdom of Ters are enlightened. They know how to think and act for themselves,ing together to raise their voices. They know their own strength well.]

    [Is the current system truly fitting for our Kingdom of Ters? Shouldn¡¯t we, at the very least, adopt a minimal electoral system like Alvenheim, if not bloodline session?]

    Following this, Count Kamar revealed his true intentions. Surprisingly, he mentioned the concept of ¡®voting.¡¯

    Even in Alvenheim, voting rights are not granted tomoners. Yet, he suggested that evenmoners should have the right to vote.

    Strictly speaking, it would be granted to the representatives of themoners. It¡¯s a step closer to democracy, though it still has ambiguous aspects.

    Nheless, it remains a groundbreaking statement. Moreover, given the near-revolutionary situation, his reasoning is perfectly justified.

    Nobles arepelled to act out of fear of revolution, andmoners have realized they too hold ¡®power.¡¯

    This situation resembles a peculiar blend of the Holy Roman Empire¡¯s electoral system and a republic¡¯s voting rights, with a touch of Athenian democracy.

    As expected from a cultural nation, they seem poised to evolve further by learning from this incident.

    Of course, the crisis hasn¡¯t been fully resolved. Friedrich must endure the torrent of criticism following his confession.

    [King Friedrich is not a romanticist, but merely an ordinary king.]

    [The biggest victim is, in fact, Queen Maria.]

    However, because he is a king and not just an ordinary noble, the criticism was surprisingly mild. Nheless, even mild criticism takes considerable courage.

    Given King Friedrich¡¯s generally positive image, mostmoners seemed to react with, ¡°Is that all?¡±

    Although his mistake was serious, the idea that a revolution almost happened over this felt somewhat anticlimactic. The scandal ballooned into an unnecessarilyrge issue simply because the king couldn¡¯t control his lower urges.

    Consequently, the me shifted towards Xenon¡ªtowards me. What does Friedrich¡¯s illegitimate child have to do with Xenon?

    To rify, I sent a kind letter exining everything.

    [The illegitimate child King Friedrich mentioned is currently serving as my loyal personal maid. And¡­(omitted)¡­this situation unfolded due to my petty desire for revenge. I apologize to the citizens of the Kingdom of Ters who almost suffered because of my actions.]

    Once the full story was revealed through my letter, people finally understood. While this might have tarnished my honor a bit, it was the right thing to do.

    Surprisingly, fewer people criticized me than expected. Many saw a more human side of me and appreciated that I had emotions just like anyone else.

    Moreover, the royal family of Ters was already facing a barrage of criticism, so the me directed at me was minimal.

    <i>¡®So, what did they think of me before this?¡¯</i>

    Surely, they didn¡¯t see me as a mere writing machine. Anyway, I¡¯m d things seem to have settled down well.

    With the announcement that Xenon¡¯s Biography would be released as scheduled, the people of the Kingdom of Ters were overjoyed. Just as the long-running incident seemed to being to a close¡­

    ¡°What? Father¡­ I mean, King Friedrich abdicated?¡±

    ¡°Yes, instead, Queen Consort Maria has taken the throne. We should call her Queen Maria from now on.¡±

    ¡°That happened¡­¡±

    Surprisingly, news came that Friedrich had abdicated and handed the throne to Maria.

    Both Adelia and I were stunned by this news. While I had expected him to set aside his honor, I hadn¡¯t anticipated he would abdicate the throne.

    The throne isn¡¯t something to be taken lightly, it¡¯s the leadership of an entire nation. Especially in the Kingdom of Ters, which espouses a monarchy, the king¡¯s power is immense.

    The fact that he handed the throne to the queen is extraordinary. I stared at the newspaper in disbelief and fell into deep thought.

    <i>¡®Is it to prevent Count Kamar from gaining power?¡¯</i>

    Currently, Count Kamar was pushing for a form of democratization. If this actually happens, it¡¯s clear he would be the next ruler.

    Additionally, unlike some royals who directly tormented Friedrich and Adelia, Queen Maria is undeniably a ¡®victim.¡¯

    Moreover, Queen Maria not only refrained from tormenting Adelia but also secretly supported her. Supporting a child not of her blood speaks to her magnanimous nature.

    Thus, transferring the throne to Queen Maria could potentially stabilize the current situation, but it¡¯s not easy for someone to relinquish power.

    What could have prompted Friedrich to abdicate? From my perspective, receiving the news through the newspaper, it¡¯s a baffling choice.

    ¡°Father handed the throne to Mother?¡±

    Lara, who had been listening to our conversation while munching on cookies, chimed in. Incidentally, Adelia had baked the cookies herself.

    Although her first attempt resulted in something akin to charcoal, her skills have improved over time. Today¡¯s batch was unfortunately too salty.

    I nced at Lara, who had interjected, and informed her of the truth.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s strange. Why give it to Mother instead of Brother Laos? <i>Yum yum</i>.¡±

    Lara, eating the cookies with gusto, voiced her confusion. As she pointed out, it¡¯s puzzling why Friedrich handed the throne to Maria instead of Laos.

    Though Queen Maria¡¯s family came from a humble noble house, they would now rise to at least the rank of a countess or higher. Furthermore, Friedrich transferred the throne swiftly, likely without internal consultation, despite the inevitable opposition.

    I couldn¡¯t help but question Friedrich¡¯s actions, which were difficult to understand.

    ¡°Isaac Oppa, take a look at this.¡±

    ¡°Huh? What is it?¡±

    ¡°Read this part of the newspaper.¡±

    Just as I was about to get lost in thought, Lara pointed out a section with her finger. I turned my gaze to it.

    [Is it possible that Xenon orchestrated all this to further advance the Kingdom of Ters? Perhaps to remindmoners of their power¡­]

    [Granting voting rights tomoners gives them ¡®qualifications.¡¯ The boundaries between nobles andmoners are gradually being blurred.]

    [Other nations are wary of Count Kamar¡¯s mention of ¡®voting¡¯ and are trying to understand Xenon¡¯s intentions behind all this¡­]

    What nonsense is this? Is this some kind of conspiracy theory? Iughed dryly as I read the article Lara pointed out.

    People interpret dreams better than they are, so it¡¯s better to give up on understanding these theories. Let them think what they want.

    ¡°Oppa, did you really do this for¡­¡±

    ¡°Not at all. I just wanted to protect Adelia. There¡¯s no grand reason behind it.¡±

    ¡°If you say so.¡±

    She didn¡¯t seem convinced, but I decided to let it go. Trying to exin further would only tire me out, and I doubted she would believe me anyway.

    As I watched Lara nibbling on cookies, I chuckled wryly and then looked up. Across from me, Adelia was sitting neatly, gazing at me.

    When I smiled, Adelia responded with a gentle smile and a nod. Although it wasn¡¯t her usual confident smile, just seeing her smile was enough.

    ¡°Adelia.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Are you okay now?¡±

    Adelia answered my question.

    ¡°I¡¯m happy. Truly.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s all that matters.¡±

    If Adelia hadpletely let go of her regrets, that was enough for me.

    Seeing us like this seemed to warm Lara¡¯s heart, and she casually dropped a bombshell while munching on her cookies.

    ¡°So, when will Oppa and Unnie have a baby?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°I thought babies were made when you sleep in the same bed?¡±

    This mischievous child.

    *****

    Several days had passed since King Friedrich abdicated in favor of Queen Maria.

    During this time, as we couldn¡¯t understand Friedrich¡¯s true intentions, we continued with our usual daily routines.

    ¡°¡­ Who did you say ising this time?¡±

    ¡°King Friedrich ising with Princess Hiriya. It seems they areing to apologize.¡±

    Friedrich and Hiriya were scheduled to visit our estate.

    ¡°And what about Crown Prince Laos?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about him.¡±

    It appeared Crown Prince Laos would not be apanying them.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 316

    Chapter 316

    The mansion became extremely busy with the news that Friedrich, now the Grand Duke, would be visiting. It was even more noticeable than when Queen Maria visited.

    The employees were busy tidying up every corner of the mansion since this morning, and I was no exception. I couldn¡¯t do anything properly because I had to get ready since early morning.

    After all, even though he has handed over the throne, Friedrich was once a king. The transition might not have beenpleted properly, so his authority would still be fully maintained.

    Therefore, it wasn¡¯t just me; Adelia had the hardest time. She is my personal maid and also Friedrich¡¯s hidden illegitimate child. This fact became known to everyone through a letter.

    My mother also suggested that we might as well dress up since things turned out this way, but Adelia vehemently refused. She said it was fine to wear a maid¡¯s uniform, but she would never wear a dress.

    Even Nicole wears a dress for official events, so I asked why she didn¡¯t like it, and she said it reminded her of her past, making her feel ufortable.

    When I asked what she meant, she said she once wore a dress in the pce and heard people gossiping that she was pretending to be royalty despite being just a half-breed.

    Since then, she avoided dresses and said it was one of the decisive reasons she became a knight.

    Hearing about her unfortunate past, my mother had no choice but to step back. Instead, Adelia received a simple makeup.In fact, she was so naturally beautiful that she didn¡¯t need much makeup. Just a simple cream to give her skin a glossy look was enough.

    Unlike Cecily or Rina, who had strong impressions, Adelia¡¯s in and puppy-like appearance suited even this minimal makeup.

    ¡°Are you nervous?¡±

    ¡°It would be a lie to say I¡¯m not nervous, right?¡±

    After all the preparations were done, Adelia and I waited in the bedroom for a while. Currently, Friedrich and Hiriya were talking to Lara, who has been staying at our house as a guest.

    Since it seemed like they might be discussing something serious, we nned to let them finish their conversation first before joining in.

    Like Queen Maria, now the reigning queen, Lara was also innocent. Honestly, the mere fact that this situation arose is unfair to Lara.

    ¡°Noona, what do you think Friedrich is going to say?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t know either.¡±

    About 20 minutes had passed since Friedrich and Hiriya arrived at our mansion. Adelia and I were discussing what might happen next in the bedroom.

    The most important point was why Friedrich came to the mansion and why he handed over the throne to Queen Maria.

    I was curious about why Laos didn¡¯te, but it didn¡¯t interest me as much. With Lara already at our mansion, if Laos also came, there would be no one left in the Kingdom of Teres.

    The transition wasn¡¯t fullypleted yet, so it made sense not to leave Maria alone. This was something understandable.

    ¡°Why did hee? He could have just stayed still¡­¡±

    Adelia murmured in a timid voice, fidgeting with her sped hands. The usual confidence she exuded waspletely gone.

    Friedrich was the source of her trauma. I recalled her facing her family a year ago.

    Even just looking at them made her break out in a cold sweat and show extreme anxiety. If her siblings caused her that much distress, Friedrich must have been even worse.

    During the trial, Friedrich outright denied Adelia¡¯s existence. Even though it was expected, it must have deeply wounded Adelia¡¯s heart.

    <i>¡®Honestly, it¡¯s a bit infuriating.¡¯</i>

    I can understand Friedrich¡¯s position. As a king, if his honor and dignity were tarnished, lurking hyenas would pounce on him.

    However, if he had set aside his honor for a moment and humbly admitted his mistake, the situation might have changed, even if just slightly.

    He made mistakes in his youthful recklessness, but at least he could have shown that he was someone who took ¡®responsibility.¡¯

    For high-ranking nobles like Friedrich, ¡®responsibility¡¯ is extremely important. There are countless people who stubbornly deny everything until their downfall.

    In that sense, even though Friedrich barely managed to escape the pit of ruin, the resentment remains unchanged. If I weren¡¯t Xenon, the situation would have favored Friedrich, and he wouldn¡¯t have acknowledged Adelia¡¯s existence at all.

    It means that the situation cannot be viewed positively from any angle.

    ¡°Why now¡­ It would have been better if he didn¡¯te at all, so why¡­¡±

    Adelia murmured, her thoughts seemingly aligning with mine. I looked at her troubled expression and silently took her hand.

    When I held her hand, Adelia flinched and slowly lifted her bowed head to look at me.

    I smiled as if to say everything would be fine, and Adelia responded with an embarrassed smile.

    ¡°Now that the situation has reversed, you can say what you want to say, Noona. Okay?¡±

    ¡°I know, but¡­ when I meet him, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to speak. <i>Sigh</i>¡­¡±

    Adelia let out a frustrated sigh. Her sky-blue eyes were clouded with worry.

    I gently wrapped my arm around her shoulders to help her feel more secure. Patting her back to reassure her was a bonus.

    Noticing myforting gesture, Adelia chuckled softly and spoke to me.

    ¡°Are youforting me?¡±

    ¡°What else would I be doing? If you really want, I can do something else too.¡±

    ¡°Honestly¡­ You¡¯re so different from my first impression of you. I didn¡¯t know you could be so sly. Does Nicole know?¡±

    ¡°Rather than sly, how about calling me warm-hearted?¡±

    ¡°If you couldn¡¯t even speak, you wouldn¡¯t be so annoying. But still, thank you.¡±

    Despite her words, Adelia subtly moved her hips closer to me. Even though she spoke that way, she preferred emotional closeness with me the most.

    So, I moved the arm that was around her shoulder to gently hold her head, slowly pulling her closer until our foreheads touched.

    Even without deep physical intimacy like making love or kissing, Adelia was satisfied. For her, the most important thing was to wash away the stained wounds of her past.

    After keeping our foreheads together for a while, we simultaneously pulled away. Then, looking into her sky-blue eyes, I spoke.

    ¡°Shall we go now?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    We held hands until we got up from the bed, but once we stepped out of the bedroom, we let go. For a moment, Adelia¡¯s face showed a deep sense of regret, but she quickly shifted into her role as a maid. She wore her characteristic calm smile, a practiced expression.

    She had received so much training from the head maid to master that expression. She onceined that she would rather do physical work than endure the mental stress of this. But that¡¯s in the past now. She performs her maid duties perfectly and acts as a reliable shield protecting me when we go out.

    In addition to this, she continues to receive martial arts training from my father, improving her skills day by day.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m d Adelia is my bodyguard.¡¯</i>

    Since revealing I am Xenon, many bodyguards are bound to be around me, but Adelia alone is sufficient. It would be incredibly awkward with anyone else.

    I nced back at Adelia, who was quietly following me, and then approached the drawing room where Friedrich and Hiriya were waiting. Standing confidently before the drawing room door, the same one where we had met with Queen Maria, I paused for a moment before knocking gently.

    <i>Knock knock knock</i>

    ¡°This is Isaac Ducker Michelle. May Ie in?¡±

    I spoke in a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft, ensuring it was heard inside. Lara would probably greet us soon.

    <i>Creak</i>

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re both here?¡±

    As expected, the door opened, and Lara greeted us with a bright face. I responded with a smile to her ever-innocent demeanor.

    She then turned around once and fully opened the door for us to enter. Normally, this task would be done by an employee, but since it was a confidential conversation, she handled it.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be going now. Goodbye, Father, and Hiriya Unnie. I¡¯m leaving!¡±

    Lara gave a brief farewell and quickly disappeared. I nced at the firmly closed door and then shifted my gaze.

    As expected, Friedrich and Hiriya were sitting side by side. Friedrich met my gaze calmly, while Hiriya immediately looked down as if she hadmitted a sin when our eyes met.

    <i>¡®But their condition seems a bit¡­¡¯</i>

    Friedrich also looked somewhat tired, but he was in better shapepared to Hiriya. She looked utterly haggard.

    Her dark circles, which couldn¡¯t be concealed even with makeup, hung down like they could skip rope, and the noble and dignified demeanor she once had was nowhere to be seen. Her once proud shoulders were now hunched. She looked like Adelia had a year ago when was suffering from anxiety.

    I had somewhat expected this, but seeing it in person made me realize it was worse than I had thought.

    <i>¡®First, I should sit down.¡¯</i>

    This and that, but now is now. After making eye contact with them, I looked at Adelia.

    Adelia understood my intent and moved cautiously. As she moved, I also walked towards the distinguished guests visiting our mansion.

    The closer we got, the more Hiriya trembled. However, Friedrich calmed her down somewhat by holding her hand.

    ¡°Nice to meet you, your maje¡­ no, Grand Duke. As you know, my name is Isaac Ducker Michelle. I am the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography.¡±

    ¡°I am Adelia Cross, the master¡¯s personal maid.¡±

    We didn¡¯t forget to greet them politely before sitting down. I almost called him ¡°Your Majesty¡± by mistake but managed to change it just in time.

    ¡°I am Friedrich Dukeard von Kurchers. It is an honor to meet the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography.¡±

    ¡°I-I am Hiriya Dukeard von Kurchers, the second princess of the Kingdom of Ters¡­¡±

    Unlike Friedrich, who introduced himself inly, Hiriya stammered and barely managed to greet us. From a distance, I couldn¡¯t tell, but up close, I noticed she was sweating and herplexion was pale, possibly from nervousness.

    I wondered if she might faint at this rate, as her condition was far from good, to put it mildly.

    ¡°Have you been well?¡±

    Since they couldn¡¯t lead the conversation, I brought up a topic first. It was a somewhat pointed question, but it was intentional. Given the current low level of goodwill, it was unlikely that I¡¯d say anything nice. They probably couldn¡¯t respond much either.

    Friedrich seemed to understand my intentions and gave a bitter smile at the difficult question.

    ¡°As you said, there have been many events. I realized once again the power that the people hold and how insignificant honor can be. Countless thoughts crossed my mind every day.¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    Friedrich began to speak like a sage who had achieved enlightenment. I listened to his story while ncing at Adelia, who was sitting beside me. Although she appeared calm on the outside, her fists on herp were clenched tightly. She probably found his words contemptible.

    As I mentioned before, if I weren¡¯t Xenon, things might have turned out like in Xenon¡¯s Biography, like with Envy. She would have been crushed by the immense power of authority, losing the man she loved right before her eyes without being able to resist.

    Of course, Marie would have been a strong supporter, but the situation would have been much moreplicated than it is now.

    ¡°My wife told me that people stake their lives on their name and sometimes need to let go of that honor.¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I gave up the throne. If I couldn¡¯t let go of the honor of being a king, it was better to give up the throne entirely. Thanks to that, I realized a lot¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I need to interrupt.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t stand to hear any more of his lengthy excuses. Friedrich had certainly grown. This was an undeniable fact.

    If I weren¡¯t Xenon, none of this would have happened? That¡¯s just a hypothetical and therefore meaningless. What¡¯s important now is the present. Friedrich has realized his mistakes and haspletely let go of his honor.

    However, he still hasn¡¯t tied up all the loose ends. I didn¡¯t bring Friedrich and Hirya here just to hear such pitiful words.

    ¡°Grand Duke Friedrich, what is the reason for your visit to our mansion? Surely you¡¯re not here to acknowledge Adelia as family now, are you?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not. Even if I did, I doubt that child would ept it.¡±

    ¡°I will never go back. No matter what proposal you make.¡±

    When Friedrich cautiously brought up the topic, Adelia replied with a voice that seemed to suppress her anger. Hiriya, who had been silent, flinched at Adelia¡¯s subtle fury.

    ¡°I am Adelia Cross, Isaac¡¯s personal maid. Don¡¯t even think about passing on that contemptible surname to me.¡±

    ¡°You heard her, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±

    At Adelia¡¯s firm resolve, Friedrich nodded with a bitter expression.

    ¡°Just so you know, if you have any thoughts of using her¡­¡±

    ¡°I have no such intentions. I handed the throne over to my wife to prevent that very scenario. My wife and Adelia areplete strangers with no blood rtion.¡±

    ¡°Even that stranger treated me well, but you all¡­!¡±

    Adelia, who had been harboring much pent-up resentment, was on the verge of exploding. Her eyes were wide open, and her tightly clenched fists trembled. Though she didn¡¯t fully erupt, her feelings were undoubtedly conveyed. I held her arm to help her temper her emotions.

    Meanwhile, Friedrich remained calm under her intense re, but Hiriya was not. She let out a high-pitched scream and shook violently.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry! I don¡¯t expect any mercy, just please spare my life¡­!¡±

    ¡°No one is taking your life.¡±

    It seemed the revolution had left asting fear. I responded with a look of disbelief and then turned my attention back to Friedrich.

    He blinked slowly, and as soon as our eyes met, he quietly began to speak.

    ¡°So, I came here to say this, albeit btedly.¡±

    With those words, Friedrich pushed his chair back and slowly stood up. As he stood, both Adelia and I turned our attention to him. He then walked over to stand beside Adelia, looking at her face for a while. Adelia red at him with a face full ofplex emotions.

    While a strange tension filled the air between the father and daughter¡ª

    Friedrich slowly knelt down.

    ¡°I apologize.¡±

    He bowed his head, expressing his apology in a calm voice. Even though he had abdicated, this was an act ofpletely casting away his pride as a former king. Just kneeling was enough to tear his honor to shreds, yet he even pressed his forehead to the ground.

    ¡°I sincerely apologize for causing trouble by failing to abandon that one piece of honor.¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    ¡°And¡­¡±

    Friedrich slowly lifted his face.

    <i>Thud!!</i>

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    He struck his forehead forcefully against the floor, making a loud noise that echoed through the drawing room. If his previous apology was from the position of a ¡°king,¡± this one was as Adelia¡¯s ¡°biological father.¡±

    Moreover, the forceful bow emphasized the sincerity of his apology as her father.

    ¡°I am sorry for treating you so coldly to protect that wretched honor. And I am sorry for never acknowledging you as my child. I regret it all.¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t ask for forgiveness. But, I felt that if I didn¡¯t take this chance, I might never have it again. So I came to you despite the rudeness.¡±

    Adelia looked silently at Friedrich, who had bowed his head to the ground in front of her. I wanted to see her expression, but I couldn¡¯t as she had turned her head away.

    However, judging by her trembling body, it seemed she couldn¡¯t contain her overwhelming emotions. Honestly, I would have felt the same way.

    For a long time, heavy silence filled the room. It felt like an hour had passed, but only ten minutes had gone by. During those ten minutes, Friedrich remained bowed, waiting for Adelia to speak.

    About five minutester.

    ¡°It¡¯s too¡­te.¡±

    Adelia finally spoke, her voice heavy with a mixture of sadness and anger. Despite her words, Friedrich did not lift his head.

    ¡°I just wanted something ordinary. Even if you couldn¡¯t call me your daughter directly, I just wanted to live a normal life. I wanted tough and talk like other children, and to be loved by adults.¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    ¡°But you didn¡¯t allow that. You didn¡¯t do it, not even until the end. Couldn¡¯t let go of that wretched honor? No. Even without that honor, you would never have acknowledged me. You didn¡¯t give me even a shred of the ¡®affection¡¯ that others gave me. I will never forgive you.¡±

    Bitterness can be resolved. But if it hardens, it¡¯s impossible to break it apart without shattering the emotions entirely.

    That¡¯s exactly where Adelia stands. Though I am here to support her now, her hardened wounds continue to torment her heart.

    The sharp edges of her pain cruelly gouge at her soul, and each gouge leaves another scar. Friedrich¡¯s apology does nothing but add to Adelia¡¯s wounds. It might tie up loose ends, but it won¡¯t break her bitterness.

    However, it serves perfectly to sever any lingering attachment.

    ¡°Now that we¡¯ve tied up loose ends, disappear from my sight. Don¡¯te to me again, and don¡¯t even think of approaching Isaac. I will live my life as Adelia Cross. Not as a princess of the Kingdom of Ters, but as Isaac Ducker Michelle¡¯s personal maid.¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    ¡°And if, just if, you ever cause harm to Isaac¡­¡±

    Adelia clenched her fists tightly and muttered, her voice filled with all the pent-up anger inside her.

    ¡°I will be the sword of revenge and pierce your hearts.¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    ¡°Like Envy in Xenon¡¯s Biography, I will cut off your heads and turn the kingdom to ashes, no matter what. So please¡­¡±

    Her voice choked up, and she paused for a moment before finally managing to continue.

    ¡°Please¡­ don¡¯t appear before me. Father.¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    ¡°Even though our rtionship is worse than strangers, even though you are the one who created my terrible past, I don¡¯t want to kill my own blood. So¡­¡±

    The lingering attachment that had tormented Adelia¡­

    ¡°Go. Now.¡±

    pletely broke away today.<hr>

    Trantors note:

    My stockpile of chapters run out but I will try to still upload daily, although there may be an off day every now and then, at least until I have some time to mass trante again.

 Chapter 317

    Chapter 317

    With the bted apology from the royal family of Ters over, Adelia¡¯s face brightened considerably. She exuded an unmistakable air of happiness, as if she had finally let go of her lingering regrets.

    Friedrich¡¯s apology had an impact, but perhaps Hiriya¡¯s was the most significant. The clear sound of a p echoed in the drawing room as Adelia struck her cheek cleanly.

    The amusing part was that she hit the exact same spot I had hit before. Along with the p, Adelia¡¯s words remained vividly in my mind.

    ¡°If you do that again, I¡¯ll hit the other side. Keep that in mind.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes! I understand, Unnie! I absolutely will!¡±

    Hiriya, holding her cheek that was starting to swell, had a relieved expression. She probably felt that she had finally settled all her burdens.

    Of course, even though she had settled things, I could still reduce her to a wreck at any time, so she didn¡¯t take any further actions. If she had anymon sense, she wouldn¡¯t act out again.

    Though I could have made her a ve or worse, Adelia didn¡¯t want that, so we let her go. I¡¯m not the kind of person to go that far either.

    Honestly, keeping her as a ve would be useless unless there was some purpose for her. As a knight, her skills were inferior to Adelia¡¯s, and she would just be a waste of resources.In any case, we concluded things with Friedrich and Hiriya, and the only one left was Laos, but Adelia refused to see him.

    ¡°Why bother? I don¡¯t even want to see his face, so he can just get lost.¡±

    That was exactly what she said. pping Laos wouldn¡¯t have been satisfying, and she didn¡¯t want any further ties with the royal family.

    However, she did say she would dly allow Lara to visit. It was a small act of mercy, showing thest bit of her conscience.

    Having ended our bitter ties with the royal family of Ters, we returned to our peaceful daily life. Returning to our routine meant I handled the remaining tasks while Adelia, as always, assisted me.

    ¡°<i>Sigh</i>. When will I ever finish reading all this?¡±

    The problem was that there was so much it made me want to curse. I sighed at the pile of letters stacked high on my desk.

    The contents of these letters are fan letters and greetings from famous families, among various other types of correspondence. Naturally, these letters were sent to Xenon, which is to say, to me.

    Originally, they would have gone to the publishing house, but after revealing my identity, they starteding directly to the mansion.

    Moreover, unlike before when I maintained an air of mystery, now that people know who Xenon is, the volume of letters has increased significantly. Reading all of this makes me nauseous, and the problem is, this isn¡¯t even the end of it.

    ¡°Wow. This drawing is really well done!¡±

    ¡°Who drew it?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ Bernado Helinka? Do you know who that is?¡±

    ¡°No idea.¡±

    Not only letters but also packages containing various items started arriving at the mansion inrge quantities. Just the visible amount was enough to make meugh in disbelief, and the problem is, this isn¡¯t even all of it.

    All the letters and packages that have made it to my room have already been ¡®inspected.¡¯ In other words, there are still many more that haven¡¯t been checked yet.

    Since my identity was revealed, there is a risk of devil worshippers attempting an attack, so everything is inspected one by one. This is handled meticulously by wizards sent from the royal pce, Helium, and Alvenheim.

    They are particrly thorough with packages; if there¡¯s any sign of magic, they immediately set it aside. If there¡¯s any explosive magic, it could endanger the entire mansion.

    So, while I¡¯m only checking the ones that have been cleared, the sheer volume was still daunting.

    <i>¡®I wonder when I¡¯ll be able to go back to the academy.¡¯</i>

    After revealing my identity, the academy began to make amodations for me. Even royalty can only take a maximum of one year off, but I have been granted unlimited leave.

    The academy sees this as a golden opportunity to boast that Xenon is an alumnus, an unprecedented honor. They wouldn¡¯t miss this chance.

    They even said that if I wanted, they could let me graduate anytime and even offer me a faculty position.

    However, I firmly refused as it felt too shameless, and I have a lot to learn under Elena. Moreover, unlike the professors, I don¡¯t have much knowledge.

    Think about why professors are professors. At the very least, they are experts in their fields and have presented numerous papers. They are monsters in their own right.

    Even though I have the experience of a previous life, my knowledge of this world is far from sufficient. Perhaps if it were an honorary position.

    ¡°Show me. I want to see how well it¡¯s drawn.¡±

    ¡°Here you go.¡±

    Adelia, who had been inspecting it for safety, handed me the drawing. Although I¡¯ve seen many works at exhibitions, this is the first time a drawing has been sent to the mansion.

    You might ask what I¡¯ve been doing until now, but as I said, it takes time to inspect everything. We can¡¯t afford to overlook even a 0.001% chance of danger.

    So today, we received this mountain of fan letters and packages. The problem is, this is only what¡¯s been sorted so far, so more will likely keeping.

    Just thinking about it makes me dizzy, but let¡¯s take a look at the drawing first.

    ¡°It¡¯s Jin and Lily, right?¡±

    The drawing Adelia showed me was of the popr couple Jin and Lily from Xenon¡¯s Biography. Lily was standing at the front with her hands sped in prayer, while Jin stood behind her.

    The drawing perfectly captures Jin and Lily¡¯s rtionship. Especially striking is Jin¡¯s willingness to be the shadow for Lily¡¯s light.

    Although the era makes the art style different from the illustrations of my past life, it¡¯s still a work created for me, a fan art. Moreover, theposition itself is excellent, fully capturing the watercolor¡¯s unique emotional touch.

    ¡°I should ask Mother or Marie about thister. Come to think of it, I don¡¯t have any connections with other artists.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ Isaac, look at this one too.¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    As I was thinking it wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to meet some great artists someday, Adelia handed me another drawing. Her face was slightly flushed with admiration as she passed it to me. Curiously, I took the drawing without suspicion.

    And as I looked at the drawing, I couldn¡¯t help but blink in surprise.

    ¡°¡­This is Lilith, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    It¡¯s fan art of Lilith, who embodies lust. Given her character, the depiction is boldly revealing, almost to the point of being scantily d.

    The drawing is tantalizing, with Lilith¡¯s wings strategically covering only the most intimate areas, making it even more provocative. Given that Lilith¡¯s motif is Cecily, I can¡¯t help but see her in the artwork.

    The quality is so high that I¡¯m worried Helium mighte to confiscate it. It seemed to push Cecily¡¯s sexiness to its limits.

    Before my imagination went any further, I ced the drawing on the desk. While I¡¯ve seen Cecily in person, this artwork is quite stimting in many ways.

    <i>¡®There¡¯s likely to be more explicit contenting¡­¡¯</i>

    The issue is that there are nned erotic scenes between Xenon and Mary. Before reiming Alvenheim from the demons, they reaffirm their love, potentially for thest time.

    This scenario doesn¡¯t just apply to the main characters, but also to Jin and Lily. Such situations aremon on actual battlefields, so it¡¯s notcking in usibility.

    The challenge lies in whether to depict my experiences directly or use metaphorical expressions to describe them subtly.

    <i>¡®Marie was okay with it, but¡­¡¯</i>

    Recalling the first night with Marie helped with the psychological portrayal, but writing out the actual scene would be too intense and explicit. Even though it was both of our first experiences, it was as wild as animals in heat. I never knew I had that level of stamina.

    It¡¯s no secret that since then, Marie has been insatiable, and I¡¯ve been at her mercy daily. We¡¯ve even agreed that it¡¯s fine to include our sex life in the book, but implementing it poses various difficulties.

    <i>¡®Drawing it is fine. The problem is the youth or children who might see it.¡¯</i>

    I can overlook the erotic-level drawings. Although a bit embarrassing, it¡¯s just a drawing and doesn¡¯t directly depict me and Marie.

    However, the readers¡¯ age range is a concern. Xenon¡¯s Biography is read by people of all ages. This means that not only adults but also younger readers are engaged with the book. While nobles are required to receive sex education, it¡¯s different formoners, as seen in Kate¡¯s case.

    Those living in cities might have ess to higher education, but the majority are in rural areas. For instance, even the Michelle estate, right next to the capital, was a quiet countryside before its development.

    Although some major estates have achieved urbanizationparable to the capital, the number is still very small. Naturally, the quality of education is also lower.

    <i>¡®Even on Earth, with its highly developed culture, there are still people who arepletely ignorant or misguided. It¡¯s probably even worse here.¡¯</i>

    Sometimes people make mistakes because they acquire incorrect sexual knowledge from pornography or erotic books. It¡¯s no different here.

    Erotic stories? Expecting anything like that is unrealistic in a ce where even simple texts are made difficult like English SATs.

    Erotic literature itself emerged after the French Revolution to discredit royalty and nobility, so it¡¯s not historically appropriate here.

    Given all these considerations, it¡¯s a deeply troublesome situation. I n to introduce and develop these themes after the main battle with Envy in Volume 23, flowering them in Volume 24.

    Originally, I intended to reveal the hidden origins of the elves in Volume 24, but due to ack of coherence, I postponed it. I¡¯ll just drop some hints and leave it at that.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s something that is bound to be seen in human psychology. I have to write with that in mind.¡¯</i>

    Some might scoff at the need for such deep contemtion over a single scene. Honestly, I¡¯d love to describe everything that happened on our first night.

    The problem is that people worldwide, not just from one country, will read it. Even in my previous life, I¡¯ve seen such scenes but never written one myself.

    This means I have to capture exactly what I saw and felt in this context. And I have to do it for two different scenes.

    I nced at the erotic-level drawing and then shifted my gaze. Looking around, I saw Adelia opening mail and examining another drawing.

    ¡°Noona.¡±

    ¡°Hmm? Did you call me?¡±

    When I called her, Adelia blinked her sky-blue eyes and looked at me. Come to think of it, our first night together was just as intense as with Marie.

    Strange thoughts briefly crossed my mind, but I suppressed them. Right now, the priority is to decide how to write these scenes.

    It would be more efficient to tackle the most challenging scene first and then write the main story. So, I asked Adelia,

    ¡°Noona, how old were you when you entered the pce?¡±

    ¡°I think I was around 12 years old. Yes, about that.¡±

    ¡°Did you receive any sex education before that?¡±

    ¡°Sex education?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Adelia blushed slightly at my question, feeling a bit embarrassed. However, she noticed I was serious and cleared her throat before answering quietly.

    ¡°As you know, my mother was a prostitute. So, she taught me in a somewhat practical way.¡±

    ¡°Practical, as in¡­?¡±

    ¡°How to please a man more. She focused solely on physical pleasure without any emotional connection.¡±

    ¡°So, back then, during night service¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going to get scolded.¡±

    When I made a cheeky joke, Adelia chided me. Thanks to havingpletely moved past her past, she can now handle these provocative conversations without issue.

    I smiled lightly and dropped the joke, returning to the main topic.

    ¡°Do you know howmoners receive sex education?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s varied. There are academies, butmoners who receive education before that usuallye from very wealthy families. Most of the time, it¡¯s taught by their parents.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡±

    Not every estate has schools or academies, and education before adulthood is mostly the responsibility of the parents. Each family¡¯s way of life differs, so it¡¯s not standardized.

    ¡°But why are you asking about this?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because there¡¯s going to be a love scene at the end of Volume 24. Xenon and Mary, as well as Jin and Lily.¡±

    ¡°What? They¡¯re finally getting together? Finally?¡±

    Adelia¡¯s eyes widened in surprise when I mentioned the scene. She even walked up to me quickly, her expression showing she was eager to know if I was serious. I had almost forgotten that Adelia was a fan of Jin and Lily.

    She felt that Jin, who had a miserable and gloomy childhood, was a reflection of herself. Even being abandoned by his biological father was the same.

    As a result, she got along well with my mother.

    ¡°Uh¡­ Yes. As the story heads towards its conclusion, there should be events like this, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°Oh! Finally¡­¡±

    Adelia, moved as she sped her hands together. Is it just an illusion, or does she somehow resemble my mother?

    Adelia, who looked expectantly at me with an eager expression, spoke as I stood there with a puzzled look on my face.

    ¡°Is that what you¡¯ve been worried about? Just write it down straightforwardly.¡±

    ¡°But someone might copy it. We need to make sure incorrect information doesn¡¯t spread.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ Yeah, it would be a bit awkward if we wrote down exactly what we did.¡±

    ¡°Right?¡±

    More than that, there¡¯s one person in particr I¡¯m most concerned about.

    ¡°We don¡¯t want to instill weird ideas in a perfectly normal person, right? We need to prevent that as much as possible.¡±

    *****

    Meanwhile, around the same time, at the Luminous Temple in the Michelle Estate.

    ¡°Achoo!¡±

    Kate, who was praying devoutly as usual, suddenly let out a sneeze.

    [What¡¯s the matter, my child?]

    <i>¡®Ah, it¡¯s nothing. My nose just suddenly felt itchy¡­¡¯</i>

    Kate, who can nowmunicate directly with Luminous just like Isaac.

    <i>¡®So, Luminous, when will I be able to receive his light?¡¯</i>

    [¡­It might be soon.]

    <i>¡®Really?¡¯</i>

    [It depends on how you take it.]

    <i>¡®Ah!¡¯</i>

    She couldn¡¯t contain her joy upon receiving Luminous¡¯s oracle-like message.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 318: Education (2)

    Chapter 318: Education (2)

    If I¡¯m pondering over a scene that will appear at the end of volume 24, it means that volume 23 has already been released.

    The main plot of volume 23 revolves around the final showdown between Envy and Xenon in a kingdom on the brink of destruction. Throughout, numerous arguments and logical exchanges take ce.

    Envy justifies his own revenge while acknowledging his misdeeds, and Xenon views Envy not with anger but with pity. Despite both being taught under the same sky by the same mentor, they ended up withpletely opposite fates.

    One is destined to bring about the world¡¯s ruin, while the other is destined to save it.

    The contrast between their situations is stark, yet ironically, Xenon understands Envy¡¯s motivations. Xenon recognizes that he, too, could have ended up like Envy, being his perfect arch-enemy.

    However, understanding the pain doesn¡¯t equate to empathizing with it. To be precise, Xenon chose not to empathize. Despite Envy¡¯s heart-wrenching circumstances, the fact that hemitted evil acts remains unchanged.

    Thus, Envy and Xenon face each other. Their meeting ce is the audience chamber. The chamber, stained with blood from Envy¡¯s massacre, sees Envy himself seated on the throne after ughtering his kin with his own hands.

    To his right lies his father¡¯s severed head, and to his left, the head of the brother who took his beloved. The beloved, who ended her own life, is seated on the queen¡¯s throne. Envy calmly awaits Xenon in this grisly scene.

    Crafting that scene took immense effort. I aimed to convey the feeling of approaching a king while also evoking the sense of confronting a dungeon¡¯s master. In the end, Envy dered himself ¡®king¡¯, even though the kingdom was on the verge of being reduced to ashes by demons.Thus began a light debate between the two. Realizing that they could not reach an understanding, they moved into a full-scale battle. Particrly, the words Envy spoke to Xenon just before the battle stuck in the minds of many:

    [I didn¡¯t choose to be born into this world. I didn¡¯t choose to have such parents. I didn¡¯t choose to live this kind of life. I never wanted to be born into this world.]

    These words echo the miserable life of Envy and represent the feelings of illegitimate children who still suffer. The perception of them is so low that it¡¯s considered natural for illegitimate children to be abandoned at birth because they could cause discord and significant turmoil in families.

    Of course, there are some noble-minded individuals who take responsibility for their illegitimate children, but they are very few. Most consider them a ¡®blemish¡¯ and discard them mercilessly. In extreme cases, assassins are sent to cleanly remove them.

    As Envy mentioned, illegitimate children are forced to live unwanted lives, perfectly fitting the case of a victim turned perpetrator. If they had been helped to live like human beings, they would never have be like this.

    [Friedrich,uded as a romanticist by the public, had his ws. It¡¯s no different for other royalty or nobility.]

    [If they couldn¡¯t control their lower bodies, they should at least take responsibility for the children.]

    [Historically, there have been many cases simr to Envy¡¯s.]

    [If a devil invasion actually urred, there would be countless people who would be like Envy.]

    As a result, interest in illegitimate children has significantly increased. The tragic past of Envy,bined with the reality of Friedrich, has brought this issue to the forefront. Although the perception of illegitimate children was abysmally low, it has be clear that they are ¡®victims¡¯ rather than ¡®potential perpetrators.¡¯

    [After Friedrich¡¯s shocking confession, more people are revealing that they are illegitimate children of nobles¡­]

    [I¡¯m not asking for responsibility. I just want to live like a human being.]

    This topic being covered in ¡°Xenon¡¯s Biography¡± has had a significant impact in reality. Many people havee forward to confess the secrets of their birth, reminiscent of the mixed-blood situation in Alvenheim.

    The percentage of nobles is about 0.01% to 0.3% of the total poption. It seems small, but remember that the human poption alone is in the billions.

    [Nobles denying their children and people insisting on temple verification. What is the truth?]

    [It¡¯s the same formoners. Desire is equal among all genders and ages.]

    [Unlike human nations, Alvenheim and Helium are quiet¡­ The same goes for Animers and Makina.]

    Elves naturally have a more reserved nature and less sexual desirepared to humans, and as known, demons have immense self-control.

    Dwarves are the same. They are a peculiar race that would rather touch steel than engage in sexual rtions. Beastmen¡­ let¡¯s skip them. Their instincts as beasts and their culture are far removed from the concept of illegitimate children.

    Thus, the issue of illegitimate children began to be primarily addressed in human nations. Borrowing the name of a famous incident from a previous life, it was almost ¡®Illegitimate Children MeToo.¡¯

    In reality, the issue of illegitimate children was spreading unknowingly, but ¡°Xenon¡¯s Biography¡± acted as fuel, causing it to surge into a massive firestorm¡­ or rather, it didn¡¯t. Just as with the MeToo movement from a previous life, as time passed, more and more innocent people started to appear.

    People began to exploit ¡°Xenon¡¯s Biography¡± as a shield, leading to an increase in those wrongfully entangled in the issue, gradually diluting its significance.

    Fortunately, the temple allowed for the truth to be discerned, but the mental damage incurred couldn¡¯t be undone. The issue of illegitimate children is undoubtedly a social problem that needs addressing, but those exploiting it are no different.

    [An incident that fully revealed human baseness and deceit.]

    [Without the presence of gods, how could we have discerned the truth?]

    [If you can stand proudly before the gods, reveal your birth.]

    The number of temple visitors increased as a side effect. No matter how much a mortal pleads, a god never lies. Thus, this MeToo incident will be remembered as a social movement where only the honest were acknowledged. It also serves as a suitable case for studying human depravity and psychology, with many schrs expected to publish papers on it.

    As a storm passed through the world and calm began to return, I, who was pondering a scene in my mansion¡­

    ¡°To Jin, Lily is more than a savior. So how about treating her with a mindset of serving the savior?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. And since Jin has acquired devilization, he must be stronger. He should treat her like delicate ssware.¡±

    ¡°Is it more tension or anticipation? I was tense.¡±

    ¡°I was excited. We should consider this too.¡±

    Listening to Cecily and Adelia¡¯s opinions, I quietly took notes. Their ideas aligned perfectly, keeping my hands busy. This all started because I had Gartz bring Cecily to ask for her opinion on a sex scene. Not only Cecily but also Marie from the academy was here.

    Originally, I nned to write it as I pleased, but on second thought, psychological depiction was important, so I called them in.

    Even though I understand a man¡¯s heart well, I don¡¯t fully grasp a woman¡¯s heart. Despite being a portrayal of raw instinct, psychological descriptions are necessary for adult scenes.

    <i>¡®I didn¡¯t expect their opinions to align so well.¡¯</i>

    Adelia focused on Jin¡¯s troubled childhood, while Cecily concentrated on the fact that Jin was a persecuted demon. Thanks to their insights, I was able to write Jin and Lily¡¯s scene without much trouble. However, the biggest issue arose: the ¡®length.¡¯

    ¡°Their scene is much longer than the protagonists¡¯ scenes.¡±

    Mariemented with a bewildered expression as she watched silently. As you might know, I consulted Marie for the scenes between Xenon and Mary. However, our first night together was somewhat intense, so I toned it down a bit. There were too many explicit parts to write openly.

    Marie strongly agreed with this. When it came time to write it down, she got embarrassed and asked me to handle it first. But the real issue emerged with Jin and Lily¡¯s scene. The length was too much. By writing each part meticulously, it became much longer than originally nned.

    It¡¯s a bit short to be a standalone volume but too long to append to another. The problem arose from including detailed psychological aspects as supplementary elements.

    ¡°Since it¡¯se to this, why don¡¯t we add more to Xenon and Mary¡¯s scenes andbine them?¡±

    Cecily, who caused the problem, suggested awkwardly with a faint smile. Adelia, beside her, also smiled faintly but seemed to agree inwardly. Marie looked at them with a hollowugh and then turned her gaze to me, the final decision-maker.

    ¡°What are you going to do, Isaac?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    I pondered as I looked at the stack of manuscripts. It was hard work restraining my desires while writing them. You might wonder why I put so much effort into writing a single scene, but there¡¯s no explicit adult literature in this world.

    As I mentioned before, I intend to sell it for adults, but children and teenagers who are highly curious about sex might also read it. To prevent any issues, I had no choice but to think deeply about it.

    Just describing it as ¡®they shared a night together¡¯ and moving on? Would the readers be satisfied with that, especially when they¡¯ve been eagerly waiting for this scene? Absolutely not. Moreover, this is the most crucial part of the characters¡¯ rtionship, so it can¡¯t be glossed over.

    ¡°While I can manage the length¡­ to do that, I¡¯d need to include psychological descriptions for Xenon and Mary as well. But Mary is an elf, right? Even though there¡¯s no formal ritual due to the war, I know nothing about elven sexual practices¡­¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ that¡¯s true.¡±

    Another issue is Mary¡¯s (the elf) psychology. While Jin is fine thanks to Cecily¡¯s advice, I don¡¯t understand the mind of an elf. Elves, with their temperate dispositions, regard sexual rtions as a kind of ¡®ritual¡¯. This is why their birth rate is extremely low.

    I can¡¯t even ask my acquaintances about it. Although Elena and Cindy are mypanions, they¡¯re not the type I can ask about such things.

    <i>¡®Arwen is¡­¡¯</i>

    There¡¯s Arwen, but I¡¯m too embarrassed to ask her. I know she has romantic feelings for me, but regardless, how could I suddenly ask her what she thinks about the first night? Even if it¡¯s for ¡°Xenon¡¯s Biography,¡± it might make things awkward.

    ¡°Just ask her.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Ask who?¡±

    ¡°Ask Queen Arwen. You¡¯ll end up with her sooner orter anyway.¡±

    ¡°¡­..¡±

    It seems our dear Marie doesn¡¯t mind. Whether she¡¯s half given up or simply epted it, she no longer cares who I¡¯m with. As I looked at her in astonishment, she shrugged her shoulders and joked.

    ¡°Why are you making that face? It¡¯s pointless to be jealous at this point. So stop worrying about me and just ask her. I¡¯m curious too.¡±

    ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m serious. I¡¯ll do anything if it helps you.¡±

    From the look on her face, she seemed to mean it. I stared into Marie¡¯s blue eyes before shifting my gaze elsewhere.

    Others seemed to agree with Marie¡¯s opinion, nodding or responding with silence. For a moment, I felt the urge to ask for Arwen¡¯s opinion as well, but she would probably consent anyway.

    ¡°¡­So, should I really call her?¡±

    I nced around nervously as I pulled a summoning scroll from my desk drawer. The scroll, of course, was for summoning Siris.

    When I received yet another affirmative response, I hesitated a few times before tearing the scroll. It had been a while since Ist summoned Siris, so I wondered if she would respond.

    A short whileter¡­

    ¡°W-what did you say? F-first night? Suddenly?¡±

    Arwen asked back, her silver-gray eyes wide in surprise. Her face was deeply flushed, and her long, elven ears twitched aimlessly up and down.

    <i>¡®¡­She¡¯s adorable.¡¯</i>

    She looked truly adorable.<hr>

    Trantors note:

    Chapter titles are back!

 Chapter 319: Education (3)

    Chapter 319: Education (3)

    Since Isaac¡¯s true identity was revealed, Arwen¡¯s schedule had only gotten busier. Knowing Xenon¡¯s identity was a title that had faded, but her close rtionship with him remained unchanged.

    In fact, Arwen had revealed her close friendship with Isaac in front of everyone during the small social gathering. Despite the formal setting where they maintained decorum, the attendees were high-ranking politicians with keen observational skills and sharp psychological insights.

    On the other hand, Isaac, who was debuting in such a social event, struggled to manage his expressions. Despite Marie¡¯s best efforts to support him, his inexperience was evident. Nevertheless, Isaac interacted with Arwen as if they were truly close friends, engaging in seamless conversation and even exchanging jokes.

    Moreover, the head of the Elder Council, Fieren, had made a desperate statement during his final outburst, iming that Xenon, or rather Isaac, was Arwen¡¯s lover and had even left her speeches.

    Whether or not they were lovers was beside the point, the key detail was that Isaac had directly helped Arwen by writing her speeches. This was a direct involvement, unlike the more ambiguous assistance he provided to the demons through ¡°Xenon¡¯s Biography.¡±

    This implied that Isaac was close enough to lend his wisdom to Arwen. If it weren¡¯t for Marie being his fianc¨¦e, rumors about them being a couple would have spread. Everyone who needed to know was aware of Arwen¡¯s romantic feelings for Isaac, but they kept quiet to avoid unnecessary confusion.

    Regardless, since Isaac¡¯s confession, Arwen had been incredibly busy. While she was used to the overwhelming workload, it was the ¡®gift¡¯ that was the real issue. She wanted to present herself as a gift from Alvenheim, but as time passed, it became increasingly dyed.

    The timing was one thing, but above all, she was embarrassed. It was practically a public deration of love in front of everyone.

    Confessing to a man who already has a fianc¨¦e? Can she handle the bacsh? Especially considering that it¡¯s Xenon.She can. In fact, it¡¯s what she desires. Alvenheim would do anything for their benefactor. Won¡¯t the throne be left vacant? No worries about that either.

    She can use her powerful magic tomute back and forth. She can handle her duties in Alvenheim and live a sweet married life at Isaac¡¯s mansion.

    Currently, she¡¯s workingte nights, but if she manages her responsibilities carefully, such a lifestyle isn¡¯t entirely impossible. The dy is only because Arwen keeps postponing her confession.

    The delegation was also urging her, asking why she was even hesitating. If she continues like this, won¡¯t they fall behind the demons? Why hesitate when they need to check the rising Helium?

    However, once they understood her feelings, they left the choice to her. The elves¡¯ characteristic rxed nature, with their near-thousand-year lifespans, also yed a part.

    As time passed endlessly, Arwen kept watching for the right moment but continued to hesitate. What if it causes problems for Isaac? Would he feel burdened? What if he¡¯s not interested in her? There are other beautiful women around him, maybe even more beautiful than herself, should she even try to intrude?

    The queen who upheld her philosophy and implemented policies despite the Elder Council¡¯s opposition. The wise ruler who, after the race war, once again made Alvenheim a dominant nation. Though supported by ¡°Xenon¡¯s Biography,¡± she was integrating the dark elves with the elves.

    ¡°Your Majesty, Lord Isaac wishes to meet with you¡­¡±

    ¡°I will go at once!¡±

    But even she was just a regr woman in front of her love interest.

    ¡°But Your Majesty, you still have work to do¡­¡±

    ¡°What could be more important than a call from Xenon? I will go immediately!¡±

    Arwen¡¯s statement was undeniably true. No matter how esteemed she was as the Queen of Alvenheim, she couldn¡¯tpare to Isaac.

    Let¡¯s recall once more what happened after receiving just one letter from Isaac. We don¡¯t have to look far, just consider the Kingdom of Ters. So it¡¯s not strange at all for Arwen to drop everything and head to Isaac¡¯s mansion. Even those assisting her with her duties could understand, though they couldn¡¯t openly express their displeasure.

    ¡°What should I wear? No, before that, do you know why he called me?¡±

    Arwen asked, flustered, while pondering why Isaac had summoned her.

    Isaac knew she was busy, so he wouldn¡¯t call her unless it was something important. What could it be?

    Siris, quietly watching the excited Arwen, finally spoke.

    ¡°It¡¯s rted to ¡®Xenon¡¯s Biography.¡¯ He said he¡¯d exin the details directly.¡±

    ¡°¡®Xenon¡¯s Biography?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Hearing it was rted to ¡®Xenon¡¯s Biography¡¯ and not something personal, Arwen felt curious. It didn¡¯t seem like a private matter. Nheless, meeting him privately after a long time meant she needed to prepare.

    ¡°Tell Isaac I wille soon. Is it urgent?¡±

    ¡°No, he said you cane at your convenience.¡±

    ¡°Alright. Tell him I¡¯ll be there shortly.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    With that, Siris cloaked herself in invisibility. She would soon teleport to Isaac¡¯s mansion.

    Arwen watched her disappear and used her magic to confirm her absence. She was gone. No trace of Siris, even after several checks.

    ¡°¡­She won¡¯t be in any strange ces, right?¡±

    Confident that Siris had fully vanished, Arwen began to check her outfit. She wore a silver dress with a side slit, the same one Isaac hadplimented her onst time. It entuated her slender waist and the curves of her hips, something she knew would please his eyes.

    If any other man looked at her with a lecherous gaze, Arwen would have just ignored it, but with Isaac, it was different. Just imagining it made her feel a thrilling excitement, her heart pounding with the thought that he saw her as a woman, not just a friend.

    <i>¡®There¡¯s no going back now.¡¯</i>

    Arwen was certain that Isaac came from another world. Even during his public speech, he had omitted mentioning his origin from another world. This unique aspect made him special to her. Whatever experiences he had in that other world must have been unimaginable for a mortal.

    And those experiences were likely all woven into ¡°Xenon¡¯s Biography.¡± The idea that these stories emerged from his mind hinted at the existence of the ¡®constraints¡¯ he had only spected about.

    ¡°Phew. This isn¡¯t the time for daydreaming.¡±

    Arwen lightly pped her cheeks to snap herself out of it. Whether he was truly Xenon from the book or Kair, it didn¡¯t matter anymore. What mattered most was her feelings for Isaac.

    His kindness, his considerate actions, and finally, his handsome face, even by elven standards. Though this was a minor point, it still added to his appeal.

    ¡°I should be fine like this. Maybe I should use some perfume, just in case?¡±

    Although she took longer than initially nned, Arwen, brimming with anticipation, headed to Isaac¡¯s mansion. Since the meeting was rted to ¡°Xenon¡¯s Biography,¡± there wouldn¡¯t be much personal conversation, but just seeing his face was enough. With her life filled with endless overtime work, this alone was a significant source of healing for her.

    Upon arriving at Isaac¡¯s mansion and meeting her crush¡­

    ¡°How do elves usually spend their first night together?¡±

    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±

    She was momentarily stunned by the unexpected and somewhat provocative question. Did she hear that correctly?

    ¡°W-what did you say? F-first night? Suddenly?¡±

    Arwen stammered, her silver-gray eyes wide with surprise.

    Arwen¡¯s face turned crimson in an instant, and her long elven ears twitched aimlessly up and down. Isaac, thinking her reaction was adorable, gave a sheepish smile, understanding her feelings.

    Jumping straight to asking about the first night had been a mistake. In his attempt to figure out how to ask the question, he had caused this awkward situation.

    ¡°Sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to phrase it that way. I hope you don¡¯t misunderstand. I¡¯m genuinely curious for a pure reason.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Your Majesty. He might have spoken clumsily, but it¡¯s genuinely rted to ¡®Xenon¡¯s Biography¡¯.¡±

    Marie chimed in, casting a sharp nce at Isaac.

    Finally, Arwen managed to calm her racing heart. She almost misunderstood the situation entirely.

    ¡°Oh, I see¡­ Is that really true?¡±

    ¡°It is. I¡¯m nning to include such a scene near the end of Volume 24 of ¡®Xenon¡¯s Biography.¡¯ Between Xenon and Mary, and also between Jin and Lily.¡±

    ¡°Oh! Are they finally going to get together?¡±

    Arwen¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment at Isaac¡¯s exnation. Her face was still red, but this time from a different kind of surprise. Isaac nodded and handed her a portion of the manuscript he had prepared. Of course, he only gave her the part describing the situation just before the main event.

    ¡°It¡¯s true. The reason I asked you is¡­ I can get help from Cecily for the demons, but I don¡¯t know much about elves. Among the elves I know, you¡¯re the one I¡¯m mostfortable with.¡±

    The phrase ¡°mostfortable with¡± transformed in Arwen¡¯s mind into something more personal, like ¡°mostfortable person.¡± Hearing this, her heart started pounding as she gazed at Isaac in a daze. Her silver-gray eyes glistened with moisture, and she gently sped her hands together.

    It was the expression of a woman in love, clear to anyone. Seeing this, Cecily quickly intervened.

    ¡°Ahem. So, Arwen, we hope you can help. I know a bit about elves, but not in detail.¡±

    ¡°Uh, yes. I understand. But you should know, I¡¯m a half-elf, not pure-blood. While I embody elven culture, my way of thinking is simr to humans.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s even better. As you know, Mary wandered human society in disguise. And with her quirky personality, she¡¯s quite simr to you.¡±

    Thisment gave Arwen another misinterpretation. She heard it as aparison between herself and Mary, thinking Isaac might see her in a romantic light simr to Mary.

    While I won¡¯t exin exactly what it was, it¡¯s important to note that Arwen¡¯s heart skipped a beat momentarily. She swallowed hard to calm her nerves. Despite feeling like her mind was racing, she knew she had to exin.

    Only then would things be easierter. With eyes that seemed to spin from the tension, Arwen slowly began her exnation.

    ¡°So, should I exin it now?¡±

    ¡°Whenever you¡¯refortable,¡± Isaac replied.

    ¡°Alright. <i>Ahem. Ahem</i>.¡±

    Arwen cleared her throat again to steady her racing heart. She knew she would stutter if she started speaking immediately. When everyone¡¯s eyes were on her, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly.

    <i>¡®If I were to have my first night¡­¡¯</i>

    Maybe her thoughts were too heated. Instead of imagining an elf ustomed to human society, she pictured her own first night. She smiled unknowingly and began to speak softly.

    ¡°As you all might know, the most important thing to an elf is their ears. Long ears are more precious than life itself to an elf. They must never be touched by anyone other than a loved one.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Isaac noted down her words, likening it to the demons¡¯ horns but understanding the subtle differences. He knew this much from general knowledge, but the ¡®ritual¡¯ aspect was what concerned him most.

    ¡°So, considering sexual rtions as a ritual, can it be done without it?¡±

    ¡°It can. The ritual is mostly about maintaining bodily cleanliness. In Alvenheim, couples on their first night are given ¡®dew.¡¯ It¡¯s a liquid diluted with the World Tree¡¯s dew. They apply it to their bodies and then share their love.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ The World Tree has been destroyed, but if we say Mary secretly brought some, it should be fine. Is it just regr water?¡±

    Isaac continued to take notes in his notebook as he asked, realizing that this was information he hadn¡¯t known before and was d he asked Arwen.

    ¡°It¡¯s not just ordinary water, it has a bit of viscosity. How it¡¯s used¡­ depends on the couple.¡±

    She hesitated briefly, but Isaac understood what she was getting at. The viscosity suggested it was simr to a gel. As they continued to discuss and outline the scene, Arwen added more details.

    ¡°They apply it to each other¡¯s bodies, confirm their feelings for each other, and then embrace. While doing this, they gently touch each other¡¯s ears and whisper words of love.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ Is there anything to be cautious about?¡±

    ¡°The most important thing is to avoid injuring the ears. Some humans bite with their teeth, but it varies from person to person. I¡¯m fine with it.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡®I¡¯m fine with it?¡¯ Isaac and the others felt a bit uneasy at her statement. It seemed she wasn¡¯t fully aware, lost in her daydreams with her eyes closed.

    While it was a bit odd, Isaac decided to move on. He blinked and then quietly asked.

    ¡°Got it. Whates next? Do they pray to the gods?¡±

    ¡°Praying isn¡¯t a bad idea. Celebrating the first night with someone as wonderful and loving as Xenon would be¡­ truly joyful. Having him touch my ears with those hands would be so¡­¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ excuse me, Lady Arwen?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    Sensing something was off, Cecily interrupted. Arwen opened her eyes, looking at her with a puzzled expression. Cecily scratched her cheek, feeling awkward but knowing she had to address it to prevent any misunderstanding.

    ¡°Did you, by any chance, project yourself onto Mary?¡±

    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±

    ¡°It seemed like you were describing your own feelings¡­ so I just wanted to check.¡±

    And then her gaze went straight to Isaac. Isaac was also looking at her with vacant eyes.

    At the same time, the scene that she had only imagined in her head quickly changed. The man who was Xenon became Isaac, and the woman who was Mary became herself.

    If you think about it, everything she had just said was basically talking about her ideal first night.

    ¡°¡­!!¡±

    Realizing this, Arwen¡¯s ears perked up high.

    ¡°Huaaa¡­¡±

    She melted away, bing limp like ice cream.<hr>

    Trantors note:

    Arwen sure loves to self-destruct~ It¡¯s adorable tho, so it¡¯s okay~

 Chapter 320: Education (4)

    Chapter 320: Education (4)

    There is a word called ¡®ck history¡¯ (???). It refers to a past that is embarrassing to speak about or experiences that one feels ufortable even acknowledging.

    There was no word to rece ¡®ck history¡¯ in my previous life, so it was a term I used quite frequently. There¡¯s nothing else that so sinctly refers to a past one wishes to erase.

    Why do I mention this? Because our cute elf queen has just updated her ¡®ck history¡¯ once again. It was an education, sure, but it was an education heavily spiced with her own personal desires. Unintentionally, her innermost thoughts werepletely revealed.

    How should the dew of the World Tree be applied, how should the first night be spent, and so on. Compared to her previous statement about elvenmunism, this was even more intense. If there had been a mouse hole, she would have crawled into it.

    Honestly, she essentially revealed her ideal first night to me. Who wouldn¡¯t be embarrassed by that? Moreover, Arwen has a romantic interest in me. If it were me, I would not only hide but run away. And I would never show my face to that person again.

    ¡°Excuse me.¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    ¡°Arwen?¡±

    That¡¯s what Arwen is doing now. Havingpletely melted from Cecily¡¯s heavy dose of truth. Fortunately, she didn¡¯t teleport away but crammed herself into the small space under the desk. As you know, it¡¯s the desk I use to write Xenon¡¯s Biography. She looked around for a ce to hide and chose here.The space itself was spacious enough, and since Arwen¡¯s frame was small, it wasn¡¯t a tight fit. It was a bit big to be called a mouse hole, but it was sufficient.

    ¡°Um¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    I scratched my head as I watched Arwen, who, like thest time she made the elvenmunism statement, was not showing me her face. It was cute, like a child showing only their back, and it felt like something she would do.

    Especially, Arwen¡¯s best feature, her back line, was a delightful sight for my eyes. From her slender waist to her attractive hip line, it was mesmerizing. Moreover, the dress she was wearing this time had slits on the sides, fully showcasing her charm.

    But that¡¯s that, and this is this. I called Arwen, who had her face buried between her knees, once again.

    ¡°Arwen? Can you answer me?¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    Although I asked in a gentle voice, Arwen remained unmoved. Instead, she buried her face even deeper between her legs. Smiling bitterly, I looked around.

    Marie, Cecily, and Adelia each had different expressions. Marie had her arms crossed, raising one corner of her mouth as if amused, Cecily looked somewhat disdainful, and Adelia had a wry smile.

    With each of them showing different reactions, I gave another awkward smile and turned my gaze back to Arwen. Leaving her like this wasn¡¯t right, and more importantly, now that I knew her true feelings, there was no need to back off.

    <i>Poke poke</i>

    ¡°Eeek¡­!¡±

    So, I pressed my finger into the exposed side of her dress. Since it was a direct touch and not through the fabric, Arwen flinched noticeably.

    <i>Thud!</i>

    ¡°Ouch!¡±

    And then she banged her head on the desk. I looked at Arwen, who was holding her head and crying out, with a sympathetic gaze. Outwardly, she was a wise and charismatic queen, but right now, she seemed more like a helpless child.

    While that might be part of her charm, I needed to clear up the misunderstanding for our conversation to proceed.

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s talk face to face. I know you¡¯re embarrassed, so don¡¯t just show me your back.¡±

    Maybe because it was something I said in a situation where she was fully alert, Arwen started to slowly turn around, gently rubbing her head.

    I don¡¯t know why she doesn¡¯t juste out from under the desk, but it seems shecked the courage due to updating her ¡®ck history.¡¯ It¡¯s always something I think about, but it seems the position really does shape the person.

    ¡°Are you feeling a bit calmer now?¡±

    ¡°¡­A little.¡±

    Arwen answered while turning her head, seemingly having no intention ofing out from under the desk. Her flushed face and twitching ears conveyed her emotions well. She asionally nced at me, but she didn¡¯t seem to have the courage to meet my eyes directly.

    I wondered if it was okay to continue the conversation like this, but thinking it through, I knew it wasn¡¯t. So, I extended my hand.

    ¡°Don¡¯t stay there;e out. We have a lot to talk about.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Arwen alternated between looking at my extended hand and my face before cautiously reaching out. After hesitating a few times, she gently ced her hand in mine.

    It was only now that I realized Arwen¡¯s hands were as small as her petite frame. However, her hands were elegant and beautiful. I hadn¡¯t noticed before since I had never held her hand.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve shown you such disgrace. I¡¯m really sorry.¡±

    Arwen quietly apologized as she emerged from under the desk, though she still couldn¡¯t meet my eyes.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s¡­ understandable.¡±

    ¡°Your answer seems a bit dyed?¡±

    Marie, who had been silently observing, interjected, having noticed that my wordscked sincerity. She had an uncanny ability to discern the true meaning behind people¡¯s words, leaving me without an excuse. She was right, after all.

    The only saving grace was that Arwen didn¡¯t crawl back under the desk. I red at Marie for her tactless remark and then turned my attention back to Arwen. Regardless of age or gender, people deeply in love often act irrationally. When facing the person they love, they may be flustered or make mistakes in their speech.

    There¡¯s a reason why lovesickness exists and why some people die from it. Love is an emotion that easily breaks a person¡¯s heart. Just like Arwen right now. I looked at Arwen, who was clutching the hem of her dress and shyly avoiding my gaze.

    Her silver-gray hair and eyes resembled the Milky Way in the night sky. She had the beautiful appearance typical of an elf, often called the embodiment of beauty. In contrast to Cecily¡¯s mature image, Arwen had a youthful appearance and a petite frame, but with a surprisingly well-proportioned figure.

    ¡°Arwen.¡±

    ¡°¡­Speak.¡±

    ¡°Shall we talk for a moment? Not about education, but something else.¡±

    I felt I needed to hear Arwen¡¯s true feelings at least once. At my suggestion, Arwen looked up and then gazed at the other women instead of me. Everyone knew what that look meant. Following Arwen¡¯s gaze, I turned my head as well.

    ¡°Cecily, you expected this, right?¡±

    ¡°It would be strange if I didn¡¯t. What about you, Adelia?¡±

    ¡°I will follow whatever Young Master decides.¡±

    ¡°You heard them?¡±

    Marie, having heard everyone¡¯s opinions, handed the decision-making power back to me. Whether she had given up or had beenpliant since I revealed myself as Xenon, I wasn¡¯t sure. But thanks to their consideration and concession, I could make a choice. I turned my gaze back to Arwen.

    Arwen seemed to have noticed something from the reactions and looked directly at me. Her tightly pressed lips and her brightly shining silver-gray eyes were incredibly adorable. I smiled softly and spoke to her in a slightly cautious voice.

    ¡°Arwen.¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes, speak.¡±

    ¡°You might have heard during the presentation, but I¡¯m not as great a person as you think. Even if your hypothesis is correct, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that I¡¯m an ordinary person.¡±

    It feels like a deception, but it¡¯s not a lie. As Arwen suspects, I am indeed someone from another world. But in that world, I was like a rolling stone. An author who endlessly wrote novels, deeply affected by the shock of my parents¡¯ idental death.

    Of course, there¡¯s almost no chance my past life will be revealed, but if it somehow gets out? What kind of reaction would there be? This goes not just for me but for others as well. Currently, misconceptions are piling up, and this coulde back to haunt me.

    ¡°S-So, is what I¡¯m thinking correct? Really?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    Contrary to my expectations, Arwen seemed fixated on a peculiar part of my words. The moment she heard me, her silver-gray eyes began to sparkle. Unsure of how to respond, I hesitantly nodded.

    After all, with Cecily present, I couldn¡¯t lie. Though I wouldn¡¯t disclose the details, even this felt like shedding ayer of protection.

    ¡°Yes, but that¡¯s all I can say.¡±

    ¡°I knew it¡­ So, it¡¯s not a ¡®restriction¡¯ but more like a ¡®rebound¡¯ side effect. Even simple teleportation causes a rebound depending on the distance, so if it¡¯s to that extent¡­¡±

    Perhaps because she¡¯s well-versed in magic, Arwen, upon hearing my ambiguous response, started diving into her imagination. The thought of having to exin not only the restrictions but now also the rebound was daunting.

    ¡°What do you mean? Rebound? Can¡¯t elves and demons use magic freely?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true, but there¡¯s no such thing as no rebound. For example, if you push a boulder with your bare hands, it strains your muscles. It¡¯s simr to that.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I get it now.¡±

    Marie and Cecily were chatting away beside me, but I let their conversation go in one ear and out the other. Arwen was far more important at that moment. I cleared my throat to change the atmosphere. Startled, Arwen snapped out of her theoretical musings.

    ¡°Ahem. Ahem. I apologize for showing such disgrace again.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Anyway, Arwen.¡±

    Now, to the main point. I looked directly at Arwen and asked in a soft, gentle voice.

    ¡°Why do you like me?¡±

    In response to my question, she gave a bright, cheerful smile and replied.

    ¡°There are too many reasons to choose just one.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    I was rendered speechless. This was the first time I had seen Arwen smile so innocently and brightly.

    Feeling embarrassed, I gently rubbed the back of my neck beforeposing myself. There was only one thing left to do.

    ¡°Then¡­¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to say it. Actually, I prefer if you don¡¯t.¡±

    Just before I could ept her, Arwen shook her head and stopped me from speaking. She had made her feelings so obvious before, yet now she didn¡¯t want me to say anything. I raised an eyebrow, puzzled by her sudden change.

    In the meantime, Arwen slowly reached out and gently held my hands, softly squeezing them. She then looked at me with a bright smile and shyly confessed her feelings.

    ¡°Can you wait a little until I gather the courage? When that timees, I¡¯ll bring the gift I mentioned before.¡±

    ¡°Is that really necessary?¡±

    ¡°It is, at least for me. Until now, I¡¯ve only received from you, so please allow me to give meaning to this too.¡±

    Although her face looked like it was about to melt from embarrassment, her voice was firm. It seemed I had to take a step back here. I nodded in agreement, and Arwen¡¯s smile became even brighter. I wondered what kind of event she was preparing that required such effort.

    ¡°Oh. Is there a specific time you have in mind? I can adjust to your preferred time.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ can you give me about a month? There¡¯s someone else I need to deal with first.¡±

    ¡°Is it a woman?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Her intuition was spot on. As she guessed, I was nning to resolve things with Leona, specifically with her mother. Marie had told me that Leona was urgently looking for me. Her mother was likely at the academy too.

    ¡°I thought so. Well, it¡¯s natural for a hero who saved the world to have many women around him. Have you heard of ¡®heroic lechery¡¯?¡±

    ¡°I know what it means, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a fitting title for me¡­¡±

    ¡°You lie so shamelessly, Xenon! Just look at us!¡±

    Just as I was about to reject the title I couldn¡¯t ept, Cecily, filled with mischief, shouted loud enough for everyone to hear.

    ¡­I can¡¯t deny it now. Hearing her shout, I stiffened up. On the other hand, Arwen let out a faintugh as if she found it amusing. It seemed she didn¡¯t mind having more women around me.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Just being with you is enough for me. Anyway, this conversation has gone on for quite a while. I¡¯m sorry if I haven¡¯t been much help, as I believe you called me for assistance.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Thanks to you, I now know what I need to do moving forward. It doesn¡¯t necessarily have to be about Xenon¡¯s Biography.¡±

    ¡°¡­That mischievous nature of yours hasn¡¯t changed.¡±

    Arwen seemed to realize who my words were targeting. Her face instantly turned red, and she looked so adorable that I wanted to pinch her cheeks.

    ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll be off. Let¡¯s meet exactly one month and fifteen days from today. You can look forward to the gift prepared in Alvenheim.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be looking forward to it.¡±

    ¡°Wait a minute, Isaac.¡±

    Just as things were about to wrap up, Marie slowly walked towards us. Come to think of it, there was still a hurdle left.

    Arwen looked at her with a puzzled expression, while Marie also stared at her intently. The two women stared at each other for a while. In the tense atmosphere, Marie was the first to speak.

    ¡°You might have finished talking with Isaac, but our conversation isn¡¯t over, is it? You shouldn¡¯t think you can just brush this off.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ Th-That¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°Alright! Shall we go? Cecily and Adelia, youe along too.¡±

    And so, Arwen was dragged to another room. I had no idea what they were going to talk about, but I hoped they wouldn¡¯t be too harsh.

    How much time passed after that?

    ¡°I-I¡¯ll be going now!¡±

    Arwen left the mansion as if she were fleeing. Just before leaving, she alternated between looking at my face and something below it.

    Seeing her leave in such a hurry made me curious, so I asked Marie what they talked about¡­

    ¡°We just gave her a ¡®preview.¡¯ That¡¯s really all.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    ¡°We were fine, but it seemed like it would be really tough for the queen.¡±

    All I got was a vague answer that didn¡¯t really rify anything.

    *****

    Time passed, and when volumes 24 and 24.5 were released.

    [The identity of the book released alongside volume 24 is¡­ none other than A Beautiful Night of Love.]

    [Explicit and detailed psychological depictions of both parties.]

    [It must be based on Xenon¡¯s own experiences. However, isn¡¯t the content a bit too explicit¡­?]

    ¡°Oh, right.¡±

    I forgot to bribe the media.<hr>

    Trantors note:

    <i>¡®I forgot to bribe the media.¡¯ </i>This dude.

 Chapter 321: Opening (1)

    Chapter 321: Opening (1)

    Before we begin, let¡¯s briefly explore the sexual culture of this world. Unlike Earth, this world contains mana and magic, and even different races and gods exist here. As a result, despite resembling the medieval era, various differences be apparent in many areas.

    For example, having power and fame can earn you treatment akin to nobility, or inventions like refrigerators and magic engines exist despite not fitting the era. These peculiar differences highlight how the culture here differs significantly from Earth¡¯s.

    One of the most notable differences is in sexual culture, as mentioned earlier. In this world, everyone is considered an adult at the age of 17, equivalent to a high school freshman in South Korea.

    Unless in special cases, individuals inherit their parents¡¯ trade and eventually marry apatible partner. Nobles, who are required to attend the academy, tend to marryter, although they often get engaged early on.

    So, how do people in this world be aware of ¡®sex¡¯? Women might begin to understand it through the significant event of their first menstruation, but what about men?

    It¡¯s driven by ¡®instinct,¡¯ ingrained at the gic level. Simple interactions with someone they¡¯re attracted to can make their heart race or cause physical reactions.

    If they seek advice from their parents about these new feelings, their parents, being experienced, will kindly exin everything step by step. Alternatively, they might learn through certain incidents, such as identally seeing a naked person of the opposite sex, witnessing a sexual act, or viewing erotic artwork. These various experiences are not socially problematic; they¡¯re considered natural human instincts.

    But what if Xenon¡¯s Biography, regarded as a holy book, depicted the beautiful first night between a man and a woman? It¡¯s worth noting that Xenon¡¯s Biography is rated for all ages. It¡¯s a book that not only saved the world but also significantly improved people¡¯s literacy skills.

    A fascinating and somewhat provocative story that, once you get into it, you can¡¯t put down. A book that everyone must read thoroughly, even without someone else¡¯s rmendation. How would people react if a scene of love between a man and a woman appeared in such a book?[Explicitly depicted first night of a man and a woman. Xenon and Mary¡¯s first night was elegant, while Jin and Lily¡¯s was sublime.]

    [Main and supporting characters finallying together. Readers¡¯ reactions are enthusiastic.]

    [The end of the story is starting toe into view.]

    Critics, focusing only on the story itself, showed calm reactions. No matter how provocative the content, the flow of the story was what mattered to them.

    However, what truly matters is the public¡¯s reaction. Ideally, the media should have been bribed, but I forgot and released it as it was. Specifically, it was released as volume 24.5, but the media tantly reported it as an adult version.

    [Explosive reactions with some expressing concerns. Although an age restriction was imposedter, the books already sold remained out there¡­]

    [To parents: Please ensure that the newly released side story does note into your children¡¯s hands.]

    [While the scene was necessary, there will be men and women who try to emte it.]

    As a result, many expressed concerns. Even though it was Xenon¡¯s Biography, the ¡®first night¡¯ was a sensitive topic for them. Let¡¯s recall that asionally, there are virgins who sacrifice their purity to pay off taxes or debts. It¡¯s a subject treated with great caution religiously, and ¡®lust¡¯ is one of the sins.

    Although their knowledge and culture regarding this topic are less advanced than Earth¡¯s, they instinctively understand the need to handle it carefully.

    [Parents¡¯ struggles: After secretly reading the adult version, children began asking various questions.]

    [The problem is not the children who have awakened to sex but those who haven¡¯t. Their untainted innocence makes them more vulnerable.]

    [Fortunately, sexual crimes haven¡¯t surged¡­ If anything, they seem to have decreased due to new ways to relieve desires.]

    As time went on, more and more news started to emerge. Fortunately, sexual crimes didn¡¯t increase, possibly due to the new means of relieving desires through the adult version. Instead, the opposite effect appeared.

    Even the clergy do not consider masturbation a sin, let alone a crime. The gods themselves consoled people, viewing it as a natural instinct. Considering it a sin would be akin to rejecting the gods.

    Of course, many children secretly read the adult version and awakened to sexuality, causing trouble for their parents. This was somewhat expected, so I can overlook it. It¡¯s my fault for not bribing the media in the first ce, so I should apologize.

    Anyway, although there was a slight stir, it didn¡¯t seem to cause major social upheaval¡­

    [Couples on their first night should definitely read and follow this.]

    ¡­But what¡¯s this? I blinked as I stared at the newspaper headline.

    [Both partners are eager on their first night. However, men should be patient, and women need time to rx.]

    [Although sensitive areas differ from person to person, there aremon areas as depicted in Xenon¡¯s Biography.]

    [The process is important, but the ending is more so. If you truly love each other, embrace and feel each other¡¯s warmth.]

    [Following the book¡¯s instructions will suffice for the first night. Even beyond the first night, following it can lead to greater pleasure¡­]

    Really? I¡¯ve never seen an erotic story treated as a teaching tool before. I couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    Following the detailed descriptions in Xenon¡¯s Biography is apparently enough to ensure a sessful first night. This is absurd on many levels. However, it¡¯s somewhat understandable. There probably wasn¡¯t any other detailed description of a first night like in volume 24.5.

    In this world, sexual knowledge is mostly passed down orally. That alone must have been insufficient.

    Of course, my experiencebined with the most ideal methods made it challenging to follow exactly.

    <i>¡®If it was helpful, then¡­ well¡­¡¯</i>

    I thought about how it would contribute to the birth rate and the harmony between couples.

    [Could we have just one more book¡­ not about the first night, but after bing more ustomed to it¡­]

    No. I have no ns to write more. Although there was a hint of desperation, I have no intention of adding more scenes. If I ever did, it would be in a post-war side story. The scenes were critical turning points in the storyline, so I had to write them.

    Besides, Xenon¡¯s Biography allows for secondary creations. Volume 24.5 will inevitably be adapted into illustrations, which should satisfy some of their desires.

    [Writing in such detail implies experience. This could be proof that Xenon is from the future.]

    [Xenon has a fianc¨¦e, yet oddly knows a lot about elven and demon sexual culture.]

    [Heroic lechery. Could there be a more fitting term?]

    These people. They skipped all the context and jumped straight to baseless usations.

    As everyone knows, even after confessing my true identity, people are still convinced that I¡¯m a prophet or someone who has returned from the future.

    They believe that even if these stories came from my mind, I forgot all the details due to some restriction. They think my reactions are because I¡¯ve experienced things beyond what an ordinary person can imagine.

    So, they¡¯re now specting again, using volumes 24 and 24.5 as evidence. But contrary to what they think, all the erotic scenes are based on my personal experiences.

    I held out the newspaper and showed it to the women beside me. Up until now, Marie, Cecily, and Adelia had been reading the newspaper together.

    ¡°Look at this. No matter what I say, they don¡¯t believe me. They¡¯ve been nitpicking about this kind of stuff.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    ¡°Now you understand how I feel, right?¡±

    The fact that such articles were being published was actually beneficial to me. It could clear up some of the misunderstandings that people had.

    Cecily knew that I came from another world but mistakenly thought it was a parallel world rather than apletely different one. Although I didn¡¯t intend to clear up her misunderstanding, I felt I should at least rify that it wasn¡¯t about that.

    ¡°Well, it must be frustrating. Even if you deny it, these people won¡¯t believe you. I can understand a bit.¡±

    Fortunately, my persuasion seemed to work as Cecily nodded and gave me the response I was hoping for. With my identity revealed, if simr articles were toe out in the future, other people¡¯s misunderstandings could be cleared up¡­

    ¡°Well, I understand.¡±

    ¡­But why does Marie always have to spoil things? I felt my hopes crumble as I turned my gaze to her. She had a finger to her cheek, pondering, and sensing that the attention was on her, she quietly spoke.

    ¡°Isaac was skilled when he was with me. He did just as described in Xenon¡¯s Biography. And I even fainted.¡±

    ¡°Skilled?¡±

    ¡°Yes. My mother told me that men usually rush on the first night and don¡¯t consider the woman. But Isaac wasn¡¯t like that, was he?¡±

    ¡°Now that you mention it¡­¡±

    ¡°I experienced the same.¡±

    With Marie¡¯s credible statement, Cecily and Adelia each gave affirmative responses. They both looked at me simultaneously.

    I was left speechless, unable to say anything. The basics were widely spread on the inte¡­

    <i>¡®¡­Ah.¡¯</i>

    That was the problem. Following all that information from my previous life hade back to haunt me, both in Xenon¡¯s Biography and now.

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Why were you so good at it? I¡¯m your first woman, right? You didn¡¯t secretly meet other women, did you¡­?¡±

    ¡°No, really. You are my first woman. I swear to the gods.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ It¡¯s more suspicious because you¡¯re not lying. Where did you learn all that?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    I didn¡¯t learn it, I saw it. But I couldn¡¯t bring myself to say that out loud.

    *****

    When the first nights of the main and supporting characters in Xenon¡¯s Biography caused a great stir, a woman was kneeling in prayer. Before her stood a statue of Luminous, firmly in ce. It emanated a golden aura, suggesting it was imbued with divine power.

    The woman, praying with her hands neatly sped and in a reverent posture, was none other than Cardinal Kate.

    As always, her devoutness was evident as she prayed, but this time something was different. Her usually serene expression was reced by one of anguish. Her slightly furrowed brows and sorrowful eyes made this clear.

    [You are troubled, my beloved child.]

    Luminous, with his characteristic gentle and warm voice, addressed her. He already sensed the nature of her troubles but knew the importance of letting her voice them herself. True value of confession lies in expressing it willingly.

    Upon hearing Luminous¡¯s question, Kate bowed her head slightly and spoke.

    <i>¡®Lord Luminous, I havemitted a sin.¡¯</i>

    To her surprise, Kate confessed to havingmitted a sin. Her voice, filled with guilt, became noticeably quieter. As a cardinal, and the most influential figure in Xavier, her confession was shocking.

    Luminous paused briefly after hearing her confession, then spoke quietly.

    [What sin have youmitted?]

    <i>¡®I read the holy scripture published by Lord Isaac. And then¡­¡¯</i>

    Kate hesitated for a moment before finally confessing her sin.

    <i>¡®I harbored desires towards Lord Isaac that I should not have.¡¯</i>

    [¡­ ¡­ ]

    It was the most natural sin for a cleric who had awakened to such feelings toote.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 322: Opening (2)

    Chapter 322: Opening (2)

    Grand Inquisitor Kate Louise Angelica. Her life can be likened to a train running on wellid tracks. As a child, her vige was attacked by bandits, and she lost her parents, but she was rescued and entrusted to a temple. The temple doubled as an orphanage, and most of the children raised there pursued careers rted to the clergy.

    This alone would have set her on a certain path, but Kate¡¯s case was different. Like one blessed by Luminous, her divine power was unparalleledpared to others. As seen with Isaac, divine power can be used in various ways, but it is directly rted to ¡®growth.¡¯

    The reason Kate could secure the position of Grand Inquisitor at a young age is because of this. Did anyone harbor dissatisfaction along the way? None. Who would dare hold a grudge against someone directly blessed by Luminous? Instead, the number of people who revered and followed her grew.

    There were no issues with her capabilities either. The number of devil worshippers Kate had crushed was countless. Herbat prowess was well known, earning her the title ¡®Blue me.¡¯

    Moreover, she possessed a sharp mind. Devil worshippers, who usually stayed hidden, found themselves dragged out and beaten by Kate herself. Her prowess in both martial and intellectual fields,bined with her devout faith and the temple¡¯s care of her appearance, made her a true embodiment of a well-rounded individual.

    However, perhaps due to always running on the tracksid by the church, Kate had a significant yet seemingly minor w. Sheckedmon sense regarding sexual matters. It wasn¡¯t just pure ignorance, like a child¡¯s innocence, but rather a skewed understanding.

    Take, for example, the monthly ¡®days.¡¯ Being human, it was natural for her to experience her first menstruation. When she saw the unexpected flow of blood and rushed to the priest in shock, the priest, though flustered, calmly exined.

    <i>¡®Congrattions, Kate. You have now be an adult.¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve¡­ be an adult?¡¯</i><i>¡®Yes. This blood is just a natural part of bing an adult. There¡¯s no need to be ashamed or surprised.¡¯</i>

    Afterwards, the priest began to teach her about the female body, one step at a time.

    She was taught about menstruation, how to manage it, and how to maintain cleanliness. This was all well and good, but the next question Kate asked was quite awkward.

    <i>¡®Can I have a baby too?¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®Yes, you can.¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®How are babies born?¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®¡­¡¯</i>

    The number one most difficult question for any parent to answer: How are babies born?

    The priest in charge found it hard to answer but managed toe up with a response.

    <i>¡®Well¡­ If you receive a man¡¯s seed, you can have a baby. But! This is only possible with a man you love. Understand?¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®Then what is love?¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®That¡¯s a difficult question to answer. It¡¯s something you¡¯lle to understand as you grow. Given that you are blessed by Luminous, when you find someone you love, he will be happy for you too.¡¯</i>

    That was the end of the education. The priest believed that Kate would naturallye to understand these things over time.

    This turned out to be a misjudgment that might have never been realized. The church treated her not as a ¡®person¡¯ but as a devout ¡®follower¡¯ of Luminous.

    Moreover, Kate herself, realizing she was blessed by Luminous, intensified her devotion. Her almost obsessive faith was dangerous in many ways, but considering that the Luminous church had once caused a significant incident, they were careful to exercise restraint.

    Due to this precarious bncing act, even Luminous couldn¡¯t directly confront her. As a result, she ascended to the position of Cardinal at a young age, bing a ¡®clergy¡¯ figure perfected in martial prowess.

    The church was entirely unaware of Kate¡¯sck ofmon sense. Blessed by Luminous, she was an object of admiration and reverence, upying an untouchable position. Who would dare to correct her?

    Sometimes, people were captivated by her beauty and background, but Kate always politely declined their advances with a smile. Her body and soul were entirely devoted to Luminous, and she firmly believed that serving him was serving herself.

    Therefore, some priests, unable to contain their curiosity, asked her:

    <i>¡®Cardinal Kate, do you n to marry?¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®I will marry the man chosen by Lord Luminous.¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®¡­Is there such a person?¡¯</i>

    Yes, there was. It was the young man Isaac Ducker Michelle, the author of Xenon¡¯s Biography. At first, Kate was uncertain, but as time went on, she became convinced. This man was the one chosen by Luminous, the single beam of light to save the world and purify it.

    So she directly approached Isaac and asked him to give her his seed, but for some reason, Isaac steadfastly refused. This left her puzzled. Countless men had courted her, so why was he refusing? Did he not like her?

    But judging by his reactions, it wasn¡¯t that he disliked her. He simply seemed burdened and found her request odd. As time passed and Xenon¡¯s Biography continued to shine brighter, Kate¡¯s desire grew stronger.

    Just as he spread light everywhere, she also wanted to receive his light. Noting that there were already women who seemed to have received his light, Kate waited quietly.

    It was simr to a ¡®baptism¡¯ bestowed by Luminous. So, she decided to receive it with a devout heart, ensuring that her body remained pure as she awaited the day she would receive his seed. That was her n.

    Until she read the newly published Xenon¡¯s Biography, Kate had never consciously acknowledged her own ¡®desires.¡¯ The first night when the main and supporting characters confirm their feelings and truly be one. Kate, being of legal age, was able to read volume 24.5.

    <i>¡®I harbored desires towards Lord Isaac that I should not have.¡¯</i>

    And she realized it toote. Volume 24.5, with its explicit depiction of lovers¡¯ beautiful first night, shattered Kate¡¯s understanding of sexuality. But it wasn¡¯t just the content; it was a particr line that disrupted her deeply held beliefs.

    [I want to have your child.]

    This was said by Lily as she gently caressed Jin¡¯s face. Jin, hearing those words, turned into a beast and passionately embraced Lily. The desire to have a child. That line echoed in Kate¡¯s mind.

    For a woman to have a child, a man¡¯s seed is absolutely necessary. But why did men and women embrace each other naked for this? And why did reading this make her think of Isaac¡¯s face? Could this really be the process of receiving the seed?

    Volume 24.5 was a major stimulus and a thrilling experience for Kate, who had always led a nd and simple life. Like an innocent child ignorant of sex, she knew she shouldn¡¯t be reading it, but she read every word thoroughly¡­

    And for the first time in her life, she pleasured herself. She had no idea what it meant, only that it happened.

    The ¡®instinct¡¯ ingrained in her genes had awakened.

    <i>¡®While thinking of him, I touched myself like a beast. Even though I knew it was wrong, I couldn¡¯t stop my hands.¡¯</i>

    [¡­ ¡­]

    <i>¡®Will he forgive me? For harboring such impure thoughts? For tainting myself, not by someone else, but by my own actions?¡¯</i>

    As a result of this series of events, Kate began her confession. She was utterly devastated.

    Even if she didn¡¯t fully understand the acts described in volume 24.5, simply desiring Isaac was a sin to her.

    Even though it was supposed to be about a man and a woman sharing love, the desire for ¡®pleasure¡¯ was the first thing to emerge. And the target of that pleasure was none other than Isaac, a man she should revere like Luminous, yet she harbored feelings she shouldn¡¯t have.

    [¡­ ¡­]

    Luminous, understanding Kate¡¯s feelings deeply, found it difficult to respond. Her desires were natural human emotions. Moreover, although she was unaware, she was already deeply infatuated with Isaac. This could be called love.

    Although her near-fanatical devotion obscured it, the expression of ¡®love¡¯ can be used in various ways. There is the love between parents and children, love between lovers, love between friends, and love between a deity and their followers.

    Originally, Kate¡¯s feelings for Isaac were simr to her feelings for Luminous. The key point here is that Luminous is an elusive transcendent being, whereas Isaac is a human. This single difference confused her heart. Volume 24.5 caused her emotions to erupt into the form of desire.

    This is also why she felt sinful. She considered truly loving Isaac to be a sin. The church¡¯s misguidance and her unique faithbined to shake her identity.

    [Don¡¯t worry, my child. The feelings you harbor are not a sin.]

    <i>¡®But I¡­¡¯</i>

    [That feeling is ¡®love.¡¯ It is the most fragile yet strongest emotion a person can have.]

    Therefore, Luminous began to gently exin to the troubled Kate. Her clear eyes blinked in surprise. Such a conversation would have been impossible with another believer, but her recently increased divine power made it possible.

    Of course, she couldn¡¯t foresee the future directly like Isaac, but ¡®counseling¡¯ was possible.

    [Feeling desire for him, wanting to possess him, these are all natural. There¡¯s no need to me yourself.]

    <i>¡®This feeling¡­ is love?¡¯</i>

    [Yes. You might not have realized it, but you¡¯ve loved Isaac for a long time. Doesn¡¯t your heart race or do you feel happy when you think of his face?]

    Listening to Luminous¡¯s kind voice, Kate thought deeply. Indeed, she often felt that way.

    When a fake Xenon touched her cheekst time, she thought of Isaac. All she could think about was meeting him and purifying her tainted body. Although she didn¡¯t feel her heart race when they first met, over time, her feelings turned into something akin to fanaticism.

    <i>¡®This is¡­ love¡­¡¯</i>

    [Yes. So there¡¯s no need to worry too much. It¡¯s an emotion every human will inevitably feel.]

    <i>¡®Then the act I didst night¡­ Is it not dirty?¡¯</i>

    [¡­]

    Luminous was momentarily at a loss for words. Kate was referring to masturbation. Still, since it was a natural act, he managed to respond with some difficulty.

    [That¡¯s correct. It¡¯s an act to resolve your desires.]

    <i>¡®But what if I can¡¯t satisfy my desires no matter how much I do it¡­?¡¯</i>

    [¡­]

    Once again, Luminous was speechless. Even a transcendent being who could glimpse the future couldn¡¯t solve everything. The emotions Kate was experiencing were no different. Ideally, he wanted to exin everything to her, but as he mentioned earlier, he knew the future.

    Luminous¡¯s sincere wish was to derive the best oue from countless possible scenarios. The problem was Kate¡¯s mindset. She felt sinful, but she had no sense of ¡®shame¡¯ or ¡¯embarrassment.¡¯

    In other words, a misstep here couldpletely distort her understanding of sex. That was something Luminous desperately needed to avoid.

    [¡­You don¡¯t need to worry about that either.]

    So, Luminous silently apologized to Isaac, who was probably at his mansion. The best solution Luminous could offer was¡­

    [The one you love dearly will help you with everything.]

    ¡­to pass the problem to Isaac. If Isaac had heard this, he would have definitely screamed, regardless of whether he really was a god or not.

    A god without a shred of responsibility, how could he just pass on such a difficult issue? Luminous vividly felt the future unfolding in his mind and gently consoled her.

    [Even the most beautiful emotion, love, can turn into an illness if it festers. It¡¯s best to confess your feelings to Isaac.]

    <i>¡®Should I also confess my desires?¡¯</i>

    [You should ask the women around Isaac about that. They will be your great allies. Listen to their advice.]

    This was true. Women would generally understand such issues better than men. Moreover, Isaac¡¯spanions were aware of Kate¡¯s ignorance regarding sex. At least, this would prevent the situation from getting more tangled.

    <i>¡®I see. I understand.¡¯</i>

    [Do you feel better now?]

    <i>¡®I¡¯m not sure yet. I think I need to meet him to know.¡¯</i>

    [Remember, you don¡¯t need to feel guilty. You just want to receive his seed, right?]

    <i>¡®¡­¡¯</i>

    [Hmm?]

    Wait, that¡¯s not right. Luminous was momentarily flustered. The future changes in real time, this is a truth he knew even before the Xenon¡¯s Biography incident. But in less than a second, the future had changed. It was a minor change, but significant for Kate.

    He called out to her in a slightly anxious tone.

    [Child?]

    <i>¡®Not just¡­ the seed.¡¯</i>

    [Hmm?]

    Kate slowly raised her head and shyly confessed.

    <i>¡®Is it okay if it¡¯s not just for the seed?¡¯</i>

    [¡­ ¡­]

    <i>¡®Is it okay to also experience the acts and pleasures described in the scripture?¡¯</i>

    It¡¯s okay in the sense that it¡¯s natural for men and women to share pleasure through intimacy. But Kate was different. She wasn¡¯t just focused on the seed, she was also fixated on the pleasure that woulde from the act.

    The once pure cleric had now awakened to something else entirely.

    <i>¡®Please answer me, Lord Luminous. Is it eptable to seek the emotions and pleasures that I can only obtain through him and no one else?¡¯</i>

    After much deliberation, Luminous responded in a very strained voice.

    [¡­It is eptable.]

    <i>¡®Thank you, Lord Luminous.¡¯</i>

    At his answer, Kate¡¯s lips curved into a deep smile. Already, her lower abdomen tingled with anticipation for the day she would receive his seed.

    <i>¡®Oh, Lord Isaac¡­ please, hurry and¡­¡¯</i>

    [¡­ ¡­]

    Luminous witnessed his beloved devotee being overtaken by lust in real-time.

    *****

    The very next day.

    <i>¡®Lord Luminous.¡¯</i>

    <i>[I¡¯m sorry.]</i>

    <i>¡®Do you think an apology is enough?¡¯</i>

    Isaac, who had just gone through amotion, came to confront Luminous.<hr>

    Trantors note:

    Luminous really just yeeted that hot potato at him lololol

 Chapter 323: Opening (3)

    Chapter 323: Opening (3)

    I had expected Kate toe looking for me even before the release. People with ambiguous knowledge are always the most dangerous, and Kate¡¯s understanding of sexuality was no exception.

    She would be shocked by volume 24.5, consult with Luminous, and thene to me. My n was simple: I would calmly hand her over to the women. They were aware of Kate¡¯s devastatingck of knowledge about sex and would use this opportunity to teach her properly.

    They would exin the significance of such acts as a person, what true purity meant as taught by the church, and why it was important not to misuse her body, even for the sake of Luminous or me. I hoped this would help her see me differently and perhaps even temper her fanaticism, improving our rtionship.

    At least, that¡¯s what I thought.

    ¡°Lord Isaac, I have a request.¡±

    ¡°Yes, please go ahead.¡±

    ¡°Please spend the first night with me tonight.¡±

    ¡°Understo¡­ What?¡±

    Until Kate, with an uncharacteristically flushed face, made her request. It seems ¡°no backing down¡± was the phrase of the moment.Ignoring my and everyone¡¯s astonishment, she ced her hand on her chest, closed her eyes, and spoke in a voice that seemed to be calming her excitement.

    ¡°After reading the holy scripture, I felt desires for you, Isaac. I felt guilty for harboring such desires and pleaded to Luminous. But Luminous told me it was alright, that I had onlye to realize itte. He also told me that my feelings for you are ¡®love.¡¯¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Thanks to that, I realized. I love you, Isaac, and my desires are also part of that love. The acts described in the scripture are acts of love, and they will bring me greater pleasure than when I pleasured myself. Just the act of receiving your seed holds immense significance.¡±

    Then she opened her eyes and looked directly at me. There was madness and desire in her gaze, but strangely, it didn¡¯t feel sordid or repulsive.

    It was clear I needed to handle this carefully.

    Despite beingpletely colored by ¡®lust,¡¯ her purity remained intact. It was this purity, now tainted by lust, that made her seem fallen in another sense. What kind of conversation had transpired to change her so drastically? I was utterly bewildered.

    It¡¯s not as if she had be a different person; Kate¡¯s characteristic innocence remained. It was just colored by something different.

    ¡°So, Isaac, I ask you. Please spend the first night with me. I need to know beforehand to receive your seed more easily in the future.¡±

    ¡°¡­Is that really your only purpose?¡±

    A lust-driven Kate aroused suspicion. In the past, I might have just thought she was a bit naive and let it pass. But now she knew the ¡®methods.¡¯ However, she only understood the methods and not what they symbolized or meant.

    In other words, it¡¯s not her knowledge that¡¯s the problem but her ¡®perception.¡¯ Let¡¯s think about how terrifying a fanatic can be. They are monsters who believe that anything is permissible for the sake of their god.

    Fortunately, Kate wasn¡¯t entirely like that, but still¡­

    ¡°Yes. And Isaac, you can also experience pleasure. Luminous told me that it¡¯s okay for the man I love to feel that pleasure.¡±

    ¡°Oh my¡­¡±

    She was simplycking. I held my head, feeling dizzy. Kate¡¯s words weren¡¯t wrong.

    The pleasure that loving couples derive from sexual rtions is a natural sensation. Luminous probably meant it in that sense, but Kate was the problem. From the beginning, she considered receiving my seed to be a sacred act.

    Moreover, Kate, as a cardinal managed by the church, had lived a celibate life. They sayte awakenings are the scariest, and she was a prime example of that. Combined with her unique devotion, she had be an unpredictable individual.

    Realizing her feelings for me as love, she was charging forward like a runaway train.

    ¡°¡­Wait a moment, Cardinal Kate. Can we talk?¡±

    Finally, Marie, unable to watch any longer, called out to Kate.

    Kate turned her gaze towards Mari. Marie sighed at the sight of Kate¡¯s seemingly innocent yet lustful face. It was a sigh filled withplex emotions.

    Afterwards, she pondered on how to exin and then quietly opened her mouth.

    ¡°Cardinal Kate, have you now learned how babies are made?¡±

    ¡°I learned it through the scriptures.¡±

    ¡°Did you not feel embarrassed or think it was shameless while reading it?¡±

    Even the most open-minded person has a hint of embarrassment, as Marie¡¯s question implied. This is a basic human emotion.

    It can happen when one¡¯s intimate parts are exposed due to a mistake or when they are inadvertently exposed to a certain atmosphere, and so on.

    I wonder if Kate feels such emotions too.

    ¡°Why would it be embarrassing? Lord Luminous said it was natural.¡±

    She doesn¡¯t! I became convinced and pped my forehead.

    Once again, Kate hadn¡¯t changed at all. She was simply colored by different hues.

    She would carry out allmands for Luminous and would even sacrifice her life for me, the clergyman.

    A new desire called ¡®lust¡¯ was just added to thisrge canvas, but the base itself remained unchanged.

    ¡°¡­¡­.Then, Cardinal Kate, do you have such feelings for any man other than Isaac?¡±

    This was not Marie¡¯s question, but Cecily¡¯s. Her question was filled with curiosity, as she shared many simrities with Kate.

    She considered me both the savior of the demons and a grace bestowed by the gods.

    Now, she treats me as myself, but everyone knows she still thinks that way inwardly.

    Even though I felt burdened by such feelings, I epted them gracefully. Unlike Kate, she didn¡¯t openly worship me.

    ¡°That¡¯s an excessive question, Princess Cecily. My body is only permitted for Lord Luminous and Sir Isaac. No one else can defile it.¡±

    ¡°Lord Luminous aside, why Isaac?¡±

    ¡°Because he is the one who will spread light in this world, a saint blessed not only by Lord Luminous but also by the gods.¡±

    Kate answered with a crumpled expression, seemingly offended. She frowned as if she didn¡¯t even want to imagine it.

    Now that I think about it, didn¡¯t she make me touch her cheek with my hand during the identity announcement? At that time, Kate had a look as if something dirty was being washed away.

    Cecily thought for a moment after hearing Kate¡¯s answer, then nodded and asked her next question.

    ¡°Then, what if, by some chance, another saint who aplishes feats simr to Isaac appears? What would you do then? Surely¡­¡±

    ¡°Princess Cecily, when do you think a saint like Sir Isaac will appear again?¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    For once, Kate presented a highly persuasive argument. Cecily¡¯s mouth shut like a m at that single point.

    And rightly so, since my achievements have changed the entire world and made it safe from the dangers of the demon war.

    Kate red coldly at her for a moment, then turned her gaze back to me.

    As soon as our eyes met, the cold expression vanished. Only the flushed face of a maiden awaiting her first night remained.

    Then she ced her hand on her chest and, with a mixture of anticipation and excitement, dered.

    ¡°I swear to Sir Isaac. My body is entirely yours.¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to give me your seed right away. I can wait. However, I judge that we need to perform the act to make it easier to receive your seed, so I request once again.¡±

    ¡°<i>Sigh</i>¡­¡­¡±

    How did she end up like this? I rubbed my face dryly in frustration.

    It¡¯s so typical of Kate to make such a request out of the blue. She hasn¡¯t changed at all.

    The problem is that she has awakened toote. My first thought is to reject her.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, Kate. Not yet.¡±

    ¡°When you say ¡®not yet¡¯¡­¡±

    ¡°There are others besides you¡­¡±

    I was embarrassed to say this, but I had no choice because it was Kate. It¡¯s better to tell her to wait for her turn rather than making various excuses.

    Kate, upon hearing my answer, seemed disappointed but nodded in understanding.

    ¡°I see. If only I had known a little earlier¡­ It¡¯s a bit regretful.¡±

    If you had known a little earlier, I would have already withered away. As soon as I thought of that, I felt a chill run down my spine.

    Now that I think about it, Kate is a cardinal. She is a cleric with the strongest influence and favored by Luminous.

    She has possessed a high level of divine power since birth. What would happen if I had intercourse with such a person?

    It¡¯s not an exaggeration to say that it would be like doing it with someone who possesses the stamina of both Adelia and Cecily at her peak during her cycle.

    Moreover, she has strong recovery abilities based on her immense divine power¡­

    <i>¡®¡­I¡¯m really screwed, aren¡¯t I?¡¯</i>

    I nced at Kate while seriously pondering. She was still waiting quietly, her face flushed with anticipation.

    In erotic novels or light novels, most of the saints depicted quickly fall into corruption. Afterward, their saintly imagepletely disappears, and they are reborn as subi.

    Could Kate be one of those cases? And she even wants it herself, not being forced.

    <i>¡®But what kind of teaching method led her to be so unhinged like this?¡¯</i>

    So I asked Luminous directly. What kind of teachings turned Kate into a saint in a different sense?

    I had Kate stay at the mansion for a while and went to the temple alone.

    <i>¡®Lord Luminous.¡¯</i>

    [I¡¯m sorry.]

    <i>¡®Is ¡°sorry¡± enough for this?¡¯</i>

    After hearing the whole story, I had to argue. If you¡¯re going to teach, teach properly. I don¡¯t understand why you made it even worse.

    Of course, Luminous also felt a bit of unfairness in this. The direct cause of Kate¡¯s condition lies with the church.

    If the church had taught her in more detail and restrained her piety a bit more, her beliefs wouldn¡¯t have be so twisted.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s say I loaded the bullet¡­ no, drew the bowstring. At the very least, Lord Luminous, you should have adjusted it to hit the target urately.¡¯</i>

    [That¡¯s right.]

    <i>¡®But the arrow flew in apletely wrong direction, and now you¡¯ve even passed the bow onto me?¡¯</i>

    [¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤]

    Luminous couldn¡¯t respond to my detailed grievances. Honestly, it¡¯s okay that the arrow flew in the wrong direction.

    The act of passing the bow to me, in other words, dumping the already tainted Kate onto me, was the main point here.

    At the very least, if they had taught her what not to do, it would have been different. But they handed her over because it was too troublesome to exin everything in detail.

    That¡¯s why I¡¯m so irritated. Though I do have some responsibility in this, and Luminous also has some unfairness in the situation, that¡¯s why I only argued. Otherwise, I would have been much angrier.

    <i>¡®Sigh¡­ Lord Luminous.¡¯</i>

    [Speak.]

    <i>¡®Honestly, if Kate and I were to be together, it would benefit you as well, wouldn¡¯t it?¡¯</i>

    [I can¡¯t deny that.]

    A child born between Kate and me would grow up to be a wonderful clergyman. Bing a cardinal would be a given.

    If the number of clergy increases and their quality improves, it would significantly impact the gods. And the gods could bestow even greater divine power upon them.

    It¡¯s practically a virtuous cycle. That¡¯s why Kate was so insistent on getting the seed from the beginning.

    I sighed deeply, then ran my hand down my face and quietly spoke.

    <i>¡®¡­Since things have already turned out this way, I won¡¯t say much. But please give me as much divine power as possible, because I might really wither away.¡¯</i>

    [Speaking of which¡­]

    <i>¡®What? Don¡¯t tell me you can¡¯t give it to me?¡¯</i>

    If so, I would really die. Not just Kate, but Leona and Arwen are also scheduled.

    Especially Leona, who has robust hardware as a beastman, and if it coincides with her mating season, who knows what will happen.

    [It¡¯s quite the opposite. I can give you much more divine power than before. This applies not only to me but also to Mora.]

    <i>¡®Why?¡¯</i>

    Luminous answered my question with a voice filled with inexplicable satisfaction.

    [It¡¯s also thanks to your book. The poption is expected to increase. This means there will be more children for us to bless.]

    <i>¡®Was it really true? I couldn¡¯t believe it.¡¯</i>

    [Of course. Just following it increases satisfaction, and naturally, the bond between lovers and married couples would strengthen. You don¡¯t have to look far, you can see it around you.]

    <i>¡®¡­¡­Seriously?¡¯</i>

    Two peoplee to mind when thinking about who might be nearby. The ones who were most passionate when Marie and I had our first night.

    [You might see another sibling soon. I won¡¯t say more.]

    <i>¡®Aigoo¡­¡¯</i>

    I could only genuinely sigh. No wonder Father looked more exhausted.

    So, after finishing my conversation with Luminous and returning to the mansion, it happened.

    ¡°So, the confirmed ones so far are me, Cecily, Adelia, Arwen, and Kate. Five people, right?¡±

    ¡°What about Leona?¡±

    ¡°She isn¡¯tpletely confirmed yet. Let¡¯s include her as a maybe. So then¡­¡±

    ¡°Include Cherry as well. So the remaining ones are Leona, Rina, and Cherry.¡±

    ¡°Even if we do it once a day, the cycle is too long. We wouldn¡¯t even do it once a week?¡±

    The women, except for Kate, were huddled together, making a n that wasn¡¯t quite a n.

    It seemed like they were arranging the schedule for nights with me, including those who hadn¡¯t been confirmed yet.

    ¡°This won¡¯t work. Exclude me. Since I¡¯m the main wife, I can do as I please, right?¡±

    ¡°Wow¡­ You¡¯re only saying you¡¯re the main wife at times like this. Isn¡¯t that too much?¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re upset, you should have confessed to Isaac first.¡±

    ¡°Tch.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ Aren¡¯t you going to ask for my opinion?¡±

    When I asked timidly,

    ¡°The guilty public good should stay out of it. Just focus on exercising if you don¡¯t want to wither away.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    I only got a counterattack from Marie.

    This is quite sad.

    ¡°Don¡¯t pretend to be sad. It¡¯s your own fault, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    It was truly my own fault, so I had nothing to say.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 324: Opening (4)

    A storm ensued due to Kate awakening to her sexuality, but fortunately, it passed without much trouble.

    This was partly because Kate conceded and agreed to wait her turn. There was no resistance from the other women.

    In fact, it wasn¡¯t just my fault but also Luminous¡¯ who pulled the trigger, so it¡¯s hard to me anyone. It was fortunate that for me, who would dare to challenge a god?

    Of course, as a result, I couldn¡¯t avoid being treated as a public good for a while. I thought they were joking, but it turned out to be true.

    Marie was especially harsh. She was already agitated because of Arwen, and Kate¡¯s sudden intrusion made her jealousy explode.

    She expressed her jealousy and affection by biting my neck hard enough to leave teeth marks, giving me hickeys, or asionally nibbling on my cheeks.

    I humbly epted these expressions of her love and jealousy. The fact that it ended at this showed Marie¡¯s considerable tolerance.

    In any case, all of Kate¡¯s sexual concerns were resolved, and we returned to our normal routine. At that time, more people had arrived, so I spent my days reading fan letters and opening gifts.

    However, there were still countless tasks remaining. Most notably, there was Leona at the academy.ording to Marie, she was eagerly looking for me. I heard that her mother had also arrived at the academy.

    If I left things as they were, it could hurt Leona¡¯s feelings, and her mother might view me negatively.

    Knowing that I¡¯m Xenon should count for something, but to gain her favor, I must go there.

    With that in mind, I contacted the empire to inform them of my return to the academy. It was better to give advance notice rather than causing a fuss by showing up unannounced.

    How did I inform them? I contacted them through the wizard dispatched to our mansion. Although not capable of teleportation, small items could be sent and received.

    Thinking that the wizard was almost omnipotent, if not entirely, I received a reply. The first concern was about the dormitory.

    The academy ostensibly promotes equality, but that¡¯s not entirely true. It¡¯s more about ¡®fairness¡¯ than equality.

    Although each student is assigned one dormitory room, security and protection vary slightly ording to status.

    There¡¯s not much difference up to the count level, but from the marquess level up, they are assigned to dormitories with strict security. For royalty like Leort and Rina, the level is different altogether.

    Though it¡¯s highly unlikely, what if, just what if, someone manages to infiltrate? If they manage to harm the royal family?

    The academy¡¯s honor would be tarnished, and there would be international chaos. Especially, the Ters Kingdom would be under suspicion.

    To prevent such incidents, students of royal status and above are assigned to dormitories with double or triple security measures. This applies to students from other countries as well.

    <i>¡®I wonder if Hiriya wille to the academy?¡¯</i>

    I¡¯m quite curious about that. It would be interesting if she continues her studies here.

    Anyway, the dormitory assignment went smoothly. They¡¯ll probably add extra guards as well.

    Speaking of guards, the next issue is rted to them. There¡¯s a significant challenge here.

    Adelia, being my personal maid, will naturally stay by my side, so there¡¯s no issue there. The problem is whom to assign and how many.

    I prefer to travel with a small entourage, but that¡¯s difficult. With the real threat of devil worshippers, it would be akin to courting death.

    I can¡¯t move around quietly either. This red hair makes me stand out wherever I go.

    However, using disguise magic could help mask my appearance to some extent. Many people around me are skilled in magic, so it¡¯s a usible idea.

    Especially the ¡®Reapers¡¯ who will be dispatched from Helium will be a great help. They will cut off all potential dangers around me rather than providing direct protection.

    <i>¡®It wouldn¡¯t hurt to give Gartz an autograph while I¡¯m at it.¡¯</i>

    I feel a bit sorry for him, but let¡¯s move on. Since I¡¯ve received a lot of help from him, including the typewriter, I can give him as many autographs as he wants.

    Anyway, I only have one request. I don¡¯t mind being noticeable, but I don¡¯t want it to be too excessive.

    It¡¯s called the Streisand effect. No matter how famous Xenon is, having too many guards could backfire.

    This means I need the elite of the elite as my guards, but would such forces just be sitting idle?

    In a world where ¡®people¡¯ are weapons and military assets themselves, it¡¯s inevitable to have many concerns.

    Of course, the Empire isn¡¯t foolish and has considered this. They anticipated this issue andpleted the personnel selection a long time ago.

    However, theplication arose from an unexpected ce. Other countries, apart from the Minerva Empire, also expressed their intent to dispatch their own guards.

    With the involvement of international politics, the Empire must have been facing a headache.

    Thus, apart from Adelia, there were no other personnel who could directly guard me.

    I have no doubts about Adelia¡¯s abilities, but my concern is for her safety.

    The fortunate part is that Marie is a full citizen of the Empire, which means the Empire is directly protecting her. This is the reason nothing has happened so far.

    The problem lies with me. I was considering dying my return to the academy due to this dilemma.

    ¡°Then, wouldn¡¯t it be fine if I acted as your guard until then?¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°I am not affiliated with any country, and I am loyal only to Lord Luminous and you, Sir Isaac.¡±

    While I was pondering over the unexpected problem, I heard someone¡¯s voice. I looked up to see who it was.

    It was Kate, who must havee to our mansion without my noticing. She was smiling at me.

    ¡°When did youe¡­ No, before that, how did you know about my dilemma?¡±

    ¡°Lord Luminous informed me. He said you might need me. I heard about the guard issue from someone else.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    This person¡­ I wanted to say something but ended up letting out a dryugh as I looked at Kate¡¯s face.

    It seemed that Luminous had noticed my dilemma and sent her, unlikest time.

    <i>¡®Fortunately, her eyes are normal.¡¯</i>

    I gazed intently at Kate¡¯s eyes. They were normal now, unlike that time.

    Back then, her eyes seemed sticky yet mixed with Kate¡¯s unique purity.

    Fortunately, she seemed calm now, but you never know. She might request my seed at any moment.

    Anyway, let¡¯s move on from this and get back to the issue of the guards.

    ¡°¡­So, you are saying you will act as my guard, Kate?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    I nced at Adelia upon hearing that Kate would be my guard. She seemed uneasy, possibly because she saw Kate as an unexpectedpetitor.

    Additionally, Adelia even cleared her throat. However, Adelia is not just a simple guard knight but my dedicated maid who assists me to the end, so there shouldn¡¯t be any ovep.

    I carefully considered Kate¡¯s offer to act as my guard. Since it was Luminous who sent her, other countries would likely ept it.

    Of course, this needs to be practical as well.

    <i>¡®Combat ability¡­¡¯</i>

    Considering she¡¯s the person who¡¯s been smashing the heads of devil worshippers, questioning this is absurd. Let¡¯s skip this part.

    Secondly, political neutrality. Xavier, along with the Duchy of Belua, maintains neutrality, so there¡¯s no issue here.

    Lastly, justification. Kate holds the highest rank as the Grand Inquisitor in Xavier, making her overqualified to be a guard knight.

    However, if she is guarding me, the situation is different. With the threat of devil worshippers, there¡¯s no better guard than her.

    Moreover, she can temporarily dere a ¡®Sanctuary,¡¯ making her an ideal candidate for this role.

    In summary, she is perfect in every way, with nothingcking or concerning, making her the ideal guard knight.

    ¡°¡­It seems fine. Indeed, there are hardly any individuals as qualified as Kate. I will ept the offer.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°But keep in mind that you are not a dedicated maid like Adelia. When I enter the dormitory, you cannot enter without my permission. Understood?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡±

    Why was there a dy in her response? And she even pursed her lips, openly showing her disappointment.

    Surely, she won¡¯t sneak into my dormitory unable to control her desires. Even Kate would be crossing a line if she did that.

    I hoped her patience was much stronger than I anticipated as I quietly spoke.

    ¡°Have you already informed the church about this?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t, but it won¡¯t matter.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°Whatever I ask for, they grant.¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    ¡°Besides, since Sir Isaac has given permission, they will dly ept it.¡±

    Does she have no idea how much influence she wields within Xavier?

    It¡¯s doubtful because, apart from her devotion to Luminous, Kate doesn¡¯t care about anything else.

    She dealt with the corrupt Cardinal Bark because he sullied the name of Luminous, nothing more, nothing less.

    If there¡¯s anyone in Xavier with the most freedom, it¡¯s probably Kate. If she desired, she could have be the Pope.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s a huge relief she¡¯s on my side.¡¯</i>

    If she were an enemy, it would have been troublesome. I sighed with relief, then a question urred to me, so I asked Kate.

    ¡°But is it alright for you to neglect your main duties? There are still demon worshippers out there.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not something to worry about.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°Just as insects are drawn to sweet fruit, those vermin will alsoe after you, Sir Isaac. Even the hidden ones wille out targeting you.¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    ¡°I can protect you, exterminate the vermin, and be ready to receive the seed anytime. Isn¡¯t that excellent?¡±

    I would have agreed if she hadn¡¯t mentioned thest part.

    I let out a dryugh and shook my head. Regardless, I couldn¡¯t deny that I now had a reliable shield.

    With that, I stood up and extended my hand forward, signaling a handshake to signify our cooperation.

    ¡°Then, please take care of me, Kate.¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    Even as I offered my hand for a handshake, Kate just stared nkly at it. Her gaze shifted between my face and my hand.

    Rather than feeling embarrassed, I looked at Kate with curiosity.

    <i>Gulp</i>

    Why is she suddenly swallowing?

    ¡°<i>Haa</i>¡­ <i>Haa</i>¡­¡±

    What¡¯s with those perverted breaths? And why is her face red?

    As I subtly withdrew my hand, sensing that her switch had somehow turned on, Kate suddenly grabbed my hand with a somewhat urgent expression.

    Not with one hand but with both, and she began to squeeze it rather ufortably.

    Even though I tried to pull my hand away in embarrassment, she refused to let go. Instead, she greeted me while holding on.

    ¡°Oh, please take care of me, Sir Isaac¡­¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ Yes.¡±

    ¡°Sir Isaac¡¯s hand¡­ it¡¯s really soft. One day, with this hand¡­¡±

    Feeling increasingly rmed, I forcibly pulled my hand away. It seemed dangerous to leave it like this.

    As I pulled my hand away, Kate briefly showed a disappointed expression, then brought her hands close to her face.

    And then¡­

    ¡°<i>Ssss</i>¡­ <i>Haa</i>¡­¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    She inhaled deeply, like a drug addict inhaling deeply, with an exhtion that sounded vaguely erotic.

    I stared at Kate with a bewildered expression. She caressed her face with both hands for a while before lowering one hand.

    Neck, corbone, chest, and stomach, finally reaching¡­

    ¡°J-Just a moment¡­ Excuse me.¡±

    Did she finallye to her senses? Kate hurriedly fled just as her hand was about to reach a dangerous ce.

    I stared nkly at her retreating figure, then looked at my hand.

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s not like I¡¯m catnip.¡±

    Even physical contact with Kate seems risky. At least, it wasn¡¯t this severe before she awakened.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. Human catnip.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    I decided to ignore Adelia¡¯s blunt but true statement.

    With the guard issue resolved, I prepared to depart for the academy.

    ¡°¡­Kate?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Sir Isaac. Please speak.¡±

    ¡°¡­Never mind.¡±

    I ended up with the most dangerous ticking time bomb by my side.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 325: Changed Life (1)

    Chapter 325: Changed Life (1)

    Like leaving a fish in the care of a cat. It means entrusting something important to someone unreliable. That¡¯s my current situation.

    The bigger problem is that the fish isn¡¯t something else, it¡¯s me. Moreover, I can¡¯t get rid of the cat. I must keep it by my side.

    At least I have a loyal dog protecting me, diligently guarding me without leaving my side.

    The cat won¡¯t always try to steal the fish, except under certain circumstances. Now that I know I¡¯m like human catnip, I¡¯ll have to avoid physical contact as much as possible.

    By now, it¡¯s clear: Kate is the cat, I¡¯m the fish, and Adelia is the dog.

    Until each country sorts out the guard issues, temporary knights are protecting me. Though temporary, there¡¯s no one as reliable and suitable as Kate.

    Even though she holds the position of Grand Inquisitor, since I¡¯m the one being guarded, it¡¯s not excessive. She¡¯s also the biggest threat to devil worshippers.

    Moreover, the Luminous Church, which maintains a globally neutral stance, ensures there are no political entanglements.

    Xavier? They are very busy after the Cardinal Bark incident, having dered a holy war. They are still fervently purging devil worshippers.Anyway, there¡¯s no one more suitable as a guard knight than Kate. When I informed my other acquaintances, they were surprised but understanding.

    So, the next step is to depart for the academy. I had informed the academy in advance, so they should be somewhat prepared.

    ¡°Greetings, everyone. I am Gartz Bk, and I will be assisting Sir Isaac.¡±

    Before that, I didn¡¯t forget to introduce the loyal AS¡­ no, the guard knight dispatched from Helium, Gartz.

    Originally, he was Cecily¡¯s guard knight, but after the typewriter gift, he was assigned to me.

    Strictly speaking, he is the leader of the guard team dispatched from Helium. I will receive updates regarding Helium through him.

    I greeted Gartz lightly and introduced him to the group.

    ¡°Gartz will teleport us to the academy. I could ask Cecily, but we have our pride, right?¡±

    Adelia, being pre-informed, was unfazed, but Kate was not.

    She looked at Gartz intently and then, with her characteristic gentle smile, bowed her head.

    ¡°Nice to meet you. My name is Kate Louise Angelica. I am a faithful servant of Lord Luminous. It is an honor to meet a child of Lady Mora.¡±

    Most demons worship Mora, and Gartz is no exception.

    There are many sensitivities around religion, but if Kate greeted him like this, there should be no problems.

    Moreover, Kate didn¡¯t mention her ranks, such as Cardinal or Grand Inquisitor. It was an unspoken indication to treat herfortably.

    ¡°So you are the famous Cardinal Kate. I have heard much about your reputation.¡±

    ¡°You tter me. Compared to Sir Isaac, I am still far from being worthy.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to disagree. Still, it is reassuring to know that our benefactor has a reliable shield.¡±

    Gartz said this and began preparing for teleportation. While it might be quick for one person, transporting multiple people takes some time.

    Cecily, on the other hand, doesn¡¯t need this, she can easily move arge group with a simple spell.

    It¡¯s not that Gartzcks skill. Cecily is just extraordinarily powerful. Besides, Gartz excels more in martial arts than in magic.

    As I quietly watched Gartz prepare, I nced to the side. Kate was waiting with her usual serene expression.

    ¡°Kate.¡±

    ¡°Yes, please speak.¡±

    ¡°What did you think of demons before Xenon¡¯s Biography was published?¡±

    I asked out of curiosity. Xavier had a history of massacring demons in the past.

    Since then, they have been extremely wary of fanaticism, but they still regarded demons as devils.

    Although this view has softened considerably now, I wondered if Kate held a simr perspective.

    Hearing my question, Kate blinked her blue eyes and then responded with a gentle smile.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t care.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t care?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I only follow the revtions of Lord Luminous. If anyone posed a threat to Him, I would strike them down, no matter who they were.¡±

    I¡¯m not sure whether to say she¡¯s closed-minded or open-minded in a different way.

    Still, it was a very Kate-like answer. I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.

    ¡°All preparations areplete.¡±

    We were ready to head to the academy. As soon as I heard Gartz¡¯s words, I turned my attention back.

    I won¡¯t say that I hope nothing happens. Saying such a thing now would mean I have no sense of reality.

    Instead, I hope that at least the things I worry about don¡¯t happen. While I can handle annoying incidents, I don¡¯t want anyone around me to get hurt.

    <i>¡®Please.¡¯</i>

    Even if not happiness, I hope at least peace continues.

    *****

    Correction: I¡¯ll add ¡°not overwhelming¡± to the list.

    I couldn¡¯t help but gape at the sight before me.

    The ce Gartz¡¯s teleport had transported us to was the main gate of the academy. Standing there, I looked toward the entrance.

    ¡°¡­What a grand reception.¡±

    Like Adelia¡¯s incredulous reaction, the scene beyond the gate was astonishing.

    Both sides of the path were swarming with people, with knights forming a human barrier instead of using ropes.

    The only relief was that there wasn¡¯t a red carpet. However, the fact remained that I had to pass through there.

    <i>¡®Even Leort and Rina didn¡¯t get this kind of treatment.¡¯</i>

    Recalling the entrance ceremony, even though people had gathered for Rina and Leort, it wasn¡¯t to this extent.

    Why are they going to such lengths to wee me instead of their own royalty? Although my prestige isn¡¯t limited to the Minerva Empire, it¡¯s still understandable.

    Is it too much? What if someone, like a devil worshiper, managed to sneak in and harm me?

    Thinking this way, I could see their reasoning, but it was still overwhelming. And I had to walk through there.

    ¡°¡­Gartz?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but as you know, magic use is strictly prohibited inside the academy, except in certain areas.¡±

    When I quietly called Gartz, he brought bad news. Now that I think about it, I recall there being such a regtion.

    This meant I had no choice but to walk down that path. I had given the academy advance notice to avoid startling them, but this was the result.

    <i>¡®Next time, I¡¯ll juste secretly.¡¯</i>

    Even if my red hair makes me noticeable, there¡¯s no need for such a grand ¡°reception.¡±

    I should askter if it¡¯s possible to teleport directly to the dormitory.

    After Gartz left, only Adelia and Kate remained by my side. We had to pass through that crowd together.

    I sighed deeply as I looked at the crowd gathered on both sides of the path created by the knights.

    ¡°¡­I feel nauseous.¡±

    ¡°And yet, you made your identity public?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s different from this.¡±

    There¡¯s a saying, ¡°If you can¡¯t avoid it, enjoy it.¡± If I can¡¯t pass through there, I won¡¯t be able to reach the dormitory.

    So, I decided to take a deep breath and get it over with. I took a deep breath again to calm my pounding heart.

    ¡°Hoo¡­ Kate.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Do you feel overwhelmed or anything like that?¡±

    ¡°Not at all.¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    I wanted to peek into Kate¡¯s mind at least once. Surely, her mind is filled with nothing but thoughts of Luminous.

    Iughed helplessly, then looked at the academy¡¯s main gate and started walking slowly.

    As I said before, just once. If I get through this once, there will be no more problems.

    ¡°Is that really him?¡±

    ¡°Yes, with red hair and golden eyes. It¡¯s definitely Xenon.¡±

    ¡°It really is.¡±

    ¡°Is he a prophet or someone from the future? He said he wasn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Who would believe that? If there were books predicting the future, would you dismiss them all as coincidences? The rumors must be true that the gods have ced some restrictions on him. Otherwise, it doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±

    I once thought like that too. As I walked along the path the academy had kindly made for me, I overheard variousments.

    Just listening to them made me blush with embarrassment, making it hard to hold my head up.

    How did celebrities in my previous life handle this kind of pressure while walking the red carpet? I can understand why panic disorders ur.

    ¡°He¡¯s handsome and has a great physique. I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s Xenon¡­ I wish he would hold me just once.¡±

    ¡°Stop it. His fianc¨¦e is Lady Marie. Do you think he would pay any attention to you?¡±

    ¡°I heard he¡¯s also close to Princess Cecily and Princess Rina? Many people have seen them together.¡±

    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s more into women than we thought?¡±

    Even if I didn¡¯t want to, the stories about me kept reaching my ears. It wouldn¡¯t take much for my everyday life at the academy to be the subject of rumors.

    The problem is that, while Rina isn¡¯t my lover, Cecily undeniably is. It hasn¡¯t been officially announced yet, but annoying issues will arise soon.

    Moreover, with Arwen nning to confess, I can foresee how people will evaluate me.

    As someone mentioned, I might be seen as a womanizer who is unexpectedly fond of women. The future looks very clear.

    ¡°The brown-haired woman next to him. Is she the one¡­?¡±

    ¡°The illegitimate child of the Ters royal family?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t she the reason Princess Hiriya got pped?¡±

    ¡°Shh! Keep it down. What if you get on her bad side?¡±

    It seems the rumors about Adelia have also spread widely. This reaction was expected the moment I pped Hiriya.

    I nced sideways to see Adelia walking silently with a calm expression. Her disciplined stride was very impressive, befitting a knight.

    However, she seemed slightly tense, focusing on guarding me rather than reacting to the surroundings.

    ¡°And that person is¡­¡±

    ¡°Is that Cardinal Kate? Judging by her appearance, it certainly looks like her¡­¡±

    ¡°Is she also acting as his guard?¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯ve heard that Cardinal Kate is the most suitable.¡±

    Lastly, there was the reaction to Kate. Since the news of Kate bing my guard hadn¡¯t spread yet, people were busy specting.

    As I listened to the murmurs around me, I kept my eyes straight ahead. But one question arose.

    <i>¡®Where does this path lead?¡¯</i>

    My original n was simple: meet with the academy principal before being assigned a new dormitory.

    I nned to discuss my future schedule at the academy through a conversation with him. But I wasn¡¯t sure where this path would lead.

    Halo Academy is quiterge, thanks to the Empire¡¯svish spending. There¡¯s even a bustling shopping district within the academy and plenty of facilities.

    The only constion is that the dormitories and lecture halls are close. However, the department buildings are quite far from the dormitories.

    The administrative building where the principal stays is ridiculously far from the main gate. I worry that this path might lead there.

    ¡°Xenon! Xenon!¡±

    ¡°Hey! Catch that guy!¡±

    <i>Crash!</i>

    As I was walking aimlessly, amotion pierced my ears.

    At the same time, Adelia reached out her arm to protect me.

    I turned my gaze to the source of the disturbance and saw a somewhat surprising scene.

    A strange man was being restrained by knights, struggling on the ground.

    Given therge crowd, it¡¯s no surprise that there would be gaps. This man probably broke through one of those gaps but was quickly subdued.

    ¡°I just want to talk to you once!¡±

    ¡°Take him away quickly!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been reading Xenon¡¯s Biography since it was first published! So just once¡­!!¡±

    I don¡¯t know how he managed to break through, but even as he was being dragged away by the knights, the man pleaded with me.

    Looking closely, I noticed he was holding a book tightly, which I easily deduced to be Xenon¡¯s Biography.

    I silently watched him being dragged away and then quietly asked Kate.

    ¡°Kate, can you instinctively tell who is a devil worshiper?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Devil worshippers possess an indescribable filth. Unless they are exceptions like Cardinal Bark, I can sense their vile nature.¡±

    ¡°And what about that man?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t feel anything from him.¡±

    In that case, it¡¯s fine. I called out to the knights dragging the man away.

    ¡°Excuse me.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Can you bring that man here for a moment?¡±

    The knights looked puzzled at my request. When I nodded to indicate it was okay, they seemed to hesitate.

    If they didn¡¯t take him away and something happened, they would be responsible, yet they couldn¡¯t simply ignore my words.

    However, I had two reliable guards. Especially with Kate personally testifying that he wasn¡¯t a devil worshiper.

    And I¡¯m not a fool. I nned to keep a reasonable distance just in case.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, bring him here. I¡¯ll keep my distance.¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤Understood.¡±

    Eventually, the knights brought the man in front of me. I hadn¡¯t noticed while he was being dragged away, but up close, he looked surprisingly normal.

    He seemed to be in his early to mid-twenties, with skin that was nicely tanned, suggesting he spent a lot of time under the sun.

    Lastly, there was the book he was holding tightly. Before the man could speak, I pointed to the book and said,

    ¡°Is that book Xenon¡¯s Biography by any chance?¡±

    ¡°Pardon? Yes?¡±

    The man widened his eyes in surprise. It seemed that meeting me in person made him nervous.

    ¡°I asked if that book is Xenon¡¯s Biography.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes! It is!¡±

    ¡°Was it necessary to rush towards me like that? You could have put your life in danger.¡±

    It¡¯s no exaggeration to say that his life was indeed at risk. He could have been branded a threat and disappeared without a trace.

    However, the man, undeterred by such concerns, eximed with sparkling eyes.

    He stuttered slightly, probably due to nervousness, but it wasn¡¯t too bothersome.

    ¡°Of course! Xenon¡¯s Biography is worth that risk!¡±

    ¡°Is that all?¡±

    ¡°Yes!! It¡¯s thanks to this book that I learned to read and even got to experience the wider world!¡±

    ¡°Are you perhaps an adventurer?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am!¡±

    So, he¡¯s an adventurer. Now that I look closely, I can see small scars on his face.

    It seemed that the number of people taking up adventurer-rted jobs had increased because of Xenon¡¯s Biography, and this man was one of them.

    ¡°Xenon¡¯s Biography and reality must bepletely different¡­¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if they¡¯re different! It¡¯s the driving force of my life!¡±

    As I confirmed these reactions one by one, I realized that this person was a true fan.

    I shook my head at his recklessness, then smiled gently and spoke.

    ¡°But it was dangerous, wasn¡¯t it? Don¡¯t do this again. Understand?¡±

    ¡°I will remember!¡±

    ¡°And give me the book.¡±

    ¡°Yes! I will¡­ uh?¡±

    The man, who had been cheerful and energetic, now looked puzzled when I asked for the book. Seeing his face, I repeated myself.

    ¡°Give me the book. Didn¡¯t you bring it for me to sign?¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ that¡¯s not it.¡±

    ¡°Then why?¡±

    ¡°I brought it to show you how much I love Xenon¡¯s Biography. I¡¯ve memorized all of Volume 1.¡±

    He scratched his head and smiled like a boy. He was more extraordinary than I had initially thought.

    Regardless, he was still my fan, so I extended my hand. Perhaps understanding my intention, he hesitated before handing over the book.

    The book was in terrible condition from being read so many times. It was worn out, and there were finger marks in various ces.

    I flipped to the first page of the book and pulled out the magical pen my father had given me from my pocket.

    <i>Scribble ScribbleScribble</i>

    I then elegantly moved my hand to sign the book and handed it back to the man. He took the book with a bewildered expression.

    ¡°Please continue to read it a lot. Thank you.¡±

    After a simple greeting, I moved on. I heard the man¡¯s voice shouting in gratitude behind me, but I ignored it.

    ¡°You say you don¡¯t like attention.¡±

    Adelia, who had watched the whole process, remarked bluntly. I shrugged and joked.

    ¡°I like getting attention from fans. They¡¯re the ones who read my book.¡±

    ¡°Good excuse.¡±

    ¡°Would you like an autograph too?¡±

    ¡°No thanks. I already have something better.¡±

    We continued walking forward while making small talk.

    Iter found out that the man who got my autograph was quite a famous adventurer. There was a reason he had broken through the knights.

    ¡°Spreading light again today, I see. Wonderful.¡±

    ¡°Kate, if you want an autograph, just let me know. I¡¯ll give it to you anytime.¡±

    ¡°The seed, you mean?¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    ¡°Just kidding.¡±

    It didn¡¯t sound like a joke.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 326: Changed Life (2)

    The path, whose destination I didn¡¯t know, thankfully had an end. At the end waited none other than the principal of Halo Academy.

    Aside from the entrance ceremony, I had never seen him before, and this was the first time we were face to face.

    He must have quickly arranged the knights as soon as he heard I wasing. The knights dispatched to the academy, the security personnel, were all under the principal¡¯s jurisdiction.

    The person who created the path almost like a red carpet was the principal. Though it was one of the rare experiences in my life, I could understand the situation.

    ¡°Please have a seat here, Sir Xenon.¡±

    And so, I arrived at the principal¡¯s office. Following the principal¡¯s guidance, I sat down on the guest sofa.

    My guards, Adelia and Kate, also took their seats on either side. While sitting down, I didn¡¯t forget to look around.

    As expected of the principal¡¯s office, some luxury items caught my eye, but it wasn¡¯t excessive. It seemed appropriate for someone of the principal¡¯s rank.

    It¡¯s a private office for personal work, so unnecessary clutter wasn¡¯t needed.More striking than the luxury items were the portraits of the previous principals. Since Halo Academy was established rtively recently, there weren¡¯t many portraits.

    On the other hand, the Ters Academy in the Kingdom of Ters, a cultural nation, was established over 100 years ago.

    <i>¡®Indeed, they have a lot of money.¡¯</i>

    While history and time can¡¯t be bought with money, most other things can.

    What if I were included in this? The Kingdom of Ters, despite its reputation, might gradually enter a period of decline.

    Of course, with Maria currently on the throne, the future is uncertain. I also have no ill feelings toward her.

    ¡°Please, help yourself, though it isn¡¯t much.¡±

    While I was looking around, the principal appeared with refreshments. I turned my attention to the refreshments ced on the table.

    There were cookies to soothe a bored pte and steaming coffee. I wasn¡¯t sure what ingredients were used, but it was distinctly different from what you find in a caf¨¦.

    ¡°This coffee is made from beans from the Basos region. The unique aroma is exquisite.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    I took a sip of the coffee after hearing his exnation. To be honest, I didn¡¯t know what was so special about it, but I drank it anyway.

    I could certainly tell it was different from ordinary coffee. Even without added sugar, it had a blend of sweetness and acidity.

    Additionally, the rich caffeine aroma filled my nose, making me feel refreshed.

    ¡°It feels like my mind is clearing up.¡±

    ¡°Right?¡±

    The principal responded with a smile to my impression. I took another sip and observed his face.

    He had a clean-shaven head that looked cool, a well-groomed gray beard, and crow¡¯s feet around his eyes with a robust build simr to a musketeer.

    Overall, he looked like an older man working in a pawnshop, someone who would cut the offered price in half.

    His name was Richard Nelson Girid. His rank was baron, and his administrative abilities were well-known throughout the empire. This was something I had heard from Rina.

    As his appearance suggested, he was not a person skilled inbat.

    <i>¡®He needs to establish a foundation first.¡¯</i>

    As mentioned before, Halo Academy was established not long ago. Therefore, they must have ced someone with exceptional administrative skills in the principal¡¯s position.

    Moreover, Richard maintained political neutrality. Considering the academy¡¯s nature, they had no choice but to appoint someone neutral.

    Of course, things might change once he steps down from the principal position, but that¡¯s not my concern right now.

    ¡°So, is the dormitory issue all resolved?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Princess Rina will be arriving shortly.¡±

    I nodded while drinking my coffee. As expected, it seemed Rina would be handling the dormitory tour.

    There¡¯s no one more suitable than Rina to guide me through the dormitory. Still, having a princess personally show me around underscored my unique position.

    So, how should I navigate my life at the academy going forward? This was precisely why I wanted to meet the principal.

    ¡°How will my daily life be handled? I¡¯d like to graduate if possible.¡±

    Even as Xenon, I¡¯m fundamentally a student who loves history. Thus, I want to major in history under Elena¡¯s guidance.

    But I also know that this might be difficult. It could even negatively impact Elena and Cindy.

    If it would harm them, I¡¯m prepared to give up, albeit reluctantly.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ Can I be frank with you?¡±

    The principal seemed to find the decision quite challenging, sping his hands together as he quietly asked. I immediately gave a positive response.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°If you can manage it, continuing your studies is possible. However, the likelihood of unforeseen incidents urring will increase.¡±

    ¡°Are you referring to issues rted to devil worshippers?¡±

    So, it is that issue. It¡¯s the biggest problem currently looming over me, even though nothing has happened yet.

    Even if they don¡¯t target me directly, they could go after those around me. Elena and Cindy, in particr, are schrs, not warriors.

    But contrary to my expectations, Richard was concerned about a different aspect.

    ¡°No. You don¡¯t need to worry about that. You¡¯ve been studying under Professor Elena, correct?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Professor Elena, while specializing in history, also has a background in archaeology. She has traveled the world extensively.¡±

    ¡°With Cindy?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    So, she¡¯s like Indiana Jones. But from the principal¡¯s words, it seems I don¡¯t need to worry about Elena and Cindy.

    Having explored the world, they should at least be able to take care of themselves. Moreover, being elves, they can likely use basic magic.

    ¡°So, what issues will I need to handle?¡±

    ¡°Very trivial ones. Things like stalkers, or missing items. Especially, even a scrap of paper you casually discard will be taken by someone. At worst, even a strand of your hair might be taken.¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    Why does Cherrye to mind when I hear that? She was the one who confirmed I was Xenon just from my handwriting and a strand of hair.

    Of course, at that time, Cherry was in a serious state, practically halfway to confessing. Nheless, her obsession was quite formidable.

    If more people like that appeared here? As the principal said, I would have to handle it all.

    It could be worse than Cherry, as she didn¡¯t cause me direct harm. In fact, she¡¯s now working diligently as a co-author.

    ¡°If you can still manage to deal with such issues, you may attend sses. However, please understand that preventing all such incidents is practically impossible.¡±

    ¡°¡­I understand. Hearing this, I realize such incidents could indeed ur. Thank you. Has anyone else experienced simr incidents?¡±

    ¡°Many. Particrly, it often happens to royalty and high-ranking nobles. Recently, it happened to Prince Leort.¡±

    ¡°Prince Leort?¡±

    I widened my eyes in surprise. I hadn¡¯t heard of such incidents from Lina either.

    Looking to the side, I saw Adelia was also surprised. As a teaching assistant, she would have heard various rumors, but she seemed unaware of this one, indicating it must have happened very recently.

    The principal, noticing our reactions, nodded and spoke in a rather serious tone.

    ¡°While Prince Leort¡¯s personal belongings were not stolen, items he used were taken. For example, the utensils he used in the dining hall or the teacups he used in the caf¨¦. The prince noticed something was off and quickly took action.¡±

    ¡°Did they catch the culprit?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The culprit¡¯s name is Sophia in Berdo. She had apparently been infatuated with Prince Leort. She has since been expelled and sent back to her family.¡±

    The name sounds vaguely familiar, but I¡¯m not sure. In any case, if it happened to Leort, it could easily happen to me as well.

    No, it will probably be worse. Unlike Leort, I¡¯m clumsy and tend to leave things lying around.

    If I leave an item somewhere even for a ¡®moment,¡¯ it will likely disappear. Especially if that item is a notebook for my writings, the situation could be serious.

    ¡°¡­This is more troublesome than I thought.¡±

    ¡°Yes. You¡¯ll need to be more cautious in your daily life than usual. Just that alone can increase stress, which is why I expressed my concern.¡±

    ¡°<i>Sigh</i>¡­ I understand. I will think about this gradually, but for now, I will continue my studies. I think that would be best.¡±

    ¡°I will respect your decision, Sir Xenon. If you change your mind, feel free toe to me anytime. Oh, and¡­¡±

    It seemed the principal had something else to say. His demeanor changed to one of great caution.

    He sped his hands together and hesitated to speak. I waited patiently to see what he had to say.

    ¡°This may be an impertinent question, but do you have any ns to share your knowledge, Sir Xenon?¡±

    ¡°My knowledge?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°About future events?¡±

    At first, I thought the principal was asking because he considered me a reincarnator or a prophet.

    However, I quickly realized that was a wrong assumption.

    ¡°No, no, not at all. I was simply wondering if you could teach the students how to write.¡±

    ¡°How to write? You meanposition?¡±

    ¡°Yes. If it was an inappropriate question, I apologize.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to apologize¡­¡±

    I wasn¡¯t bothered at all. In fact, I felt a bit ttered.

    It seemed the principal regarded my writing techniques as a kind of secret skill, akin to the secret techniques martial artists pass down to their disciples.

    But there¡¯s no secret technique, writing is just about mastering the basics. It just takes time to refine it and develop one¡¯s own style.

    <i>¡®Come to think of it¡­¡¯</i>

    I recalled the books published in this world. While the techniques of papermaking and printing were as advanced as those on Earth, the quality of writing was oftencking.

    For example, writing excessively long sentences without breaks, repeating words, or using unnecessary phrases.

    This was simr to web novels from my previous life. A strong foundation in the basics is essential before one can delve into literary fiction or web novels.

    Cherry was an exceptional case. She had a natural talent for writing, to the extent of creating her own unique style.

    <i>¡®Is he suggesting I establish a creative writing department?¡¯</i>

    It¡¯s not a bad idea. However, realistically, it would be very challenging.

    If I established it, the lecture hall would be overflowing, and my personal time would be significantly reduced. This is something to considerter.

    ¡°It¡¯s a good idea, but I¡¯ll have to decline. Not because I don¡¯t want to teach, but because I don¡¯t have the time.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ I understand. I apologize for overstepping.¡±

    ¡°No need to apologize. Your suggestion actually makes me happy. If I be more ustomed to my schedule, I¡¯ll consider it.¡±

    <i>Knock knock knock</i>

    ¡°Principal Richard, it¡¯s Rina. May Ie in?¡±

    Just as I finished speaking, Rina arrived with impable timing. As I stood up, my guards and the principal stood up as well.

    Now, all that¡¯s left is to head to the dormitory where I¡¯ll be staying. I thanked the principal.

    ¡°Thank you for your advice.¡±

    ¡°The pleasure is mine. If you ever decide to take up the offer, feel free toe to me.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Honestly, it¡¯s an appealing option. While I might not have the capacity to be a full professor, I could certainly teach someone, like I did Cindy.

    <i>¡®And as for the stalker problem¡­¡¯</i>

    That¡¯s something I need to think about gradually.

    <i>¡®I should probably tell everyone not to mess with the pink-haired girl.¡¯</i>

    Let¡¯s make an exception for Cherry. Like with Hiriya, she might end up being a stalker who helps me.

    <i>¡®But why does Cherry only follow me?¡¯</i>

    It might be a good idea to have a counseling session with her soon.

    <i>¡®And I still need to find Leona¡­¡¯</i>

    There were still too many things left to resolve.

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 327: Changed Life (3)

    Chapter 327: Changed Life (3)

    After the conversation with the principal, we followed Rina¡¯s lead to the dormitory where I would be staying.

    On the way to the dormitory, there were no other guards besides Adelia and Kate. However, we frequently saw personnel patrolling and keeping watch around us.

    I was relieved that they didn¡¯t create a path like at the main gate, but a curious thought crossed my mind.

    ¡°Rina.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    Rina, who was walking ahead, turned back with a curious expression when I called her. I looked at her face in silence for a moment.

    As always, I thought Rina¡¯s beauty was as dazzling as Marie¡¯s.

    Her serene blue eyes, like a calmke, her golden hair reflecting the sunlight, her eyes that held a blend of innocence and maturity, and her straight nose. Lastly, her pink lips.

    She radiated a unique elegance that made her even more captivating.<i>¡®Is Rina reallying to me as well?¡¯</i>

    That thought crossed my mind briefly, but it wasn¡¯t important right now. I quickly brushed it aside and spoke.

    ¡°You might think this is a silly question, but don¡¯t you have any bodyguards?¡±

    ¡°Bodyguards?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Even if not bodyguards, shouldn¡¯t you at least have attendants?¡±

    This had been on my mind for a while. Previously, she always moved with us, so she probably didn¡¯t bring any bodyguards or attendants.

    But in this situation, she should have bodyguards. Currently, besides Adelia and Kate, there¡¯s no one else with us.

    As I mentioned earlier, there were only knights patrolling around. Knowing my personality, Rina¡¯s consideration was likely the best she could offer, but it still raised questions.

    Lina blinked slowly at my question before responding.

    ¡°Right now, I¡¯m attending the academy. Attendants are only with me when I¡¯m in the pce. The policy is that for academic matters, not official duties, we handle things ourselves.¡±

    ¡°Policy?¡±

    ¡°Yes. After bing an adult, our royal family has a principle that we should handle things on our own without relying on others¡¯ help. So, I don¡¯t have attendants, although I do have bodyguards. Of course, it would be different if I returned to the pce.¡±

    It was the first time I had heard this, but it made sense. Rina is indeed the type to solve things herself rather than delegating to others.

    Her direct apology during the hiatus announcement without sending someone else is evidence of that.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it inconvenient?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a bit lonely without someone to talk to, but that will change now with you and Marie moving into the dormitory. Oh, by the way, are you going to live in the same dormitory as Marie?¡±

    ¡°She wants to live together after the wedding.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ really?¡±

    For some reason, Rina seemed disappointed. I raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

    ¡°Why are you disappointed? Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡±

    ¡°No, no! I¡¯m not a pervert, okay? Do you think my mind only goes there?¡±

    I hadn¡¯t even said anything yet, but Rina vehemently denied it. I looked at her with an incredulous expression.

    I only hinted at it, and she had self-destructed on her own.

    ¡°Ahem. Anyway, do you have any questions about the dormitory?¡±

    Seeing my skeptical look, Rina awkwardly changed the subject.

    I wanted to dig deeper, but there were people listening around us, so I let it go.

    Besides, I did have some questions.

    ¡°Even if Adelia is staying in the same room as me, I¡¯m curious about where Kate will be staying.¡±

    ¡°I also wish to stay in Isaac¡¯s room¡­¡±

    ¡°No, you can¡¯t.¡±

    Kate had subtly requested to stay with me, but I tly refused. It was already like leaving a fish with a cat.

    Living together would be like putting the fish directly into the cat¡¯s mouth.

    Kate pouted when I refused her outright. Her expression stayed the same, which made her look rather cute.

    ¡°Cardinal Kate, wouldn¡¯t it be better for you to stay at the temple rather than in the dormitory? I think that would be the best.¡±

    ¡°That would be fine, but not right now. We never know when those filthy devil worshippers might threaten Isaac. I need to stay as close as possible.¡±

    Kate¡¯s reasoning was sound. Rina seemed to agree, nodding her head.

    ¡°Okay. Then we¡¯ll assign you to the room next to his¡­¡±

    Rina trailed off mid-sentence, thinking deeply for a moment before looking at us cautiously.

    I started to worry that there might not be any avable rooms left in the dormitory, but Rina then spoke in a careful tone.

    ¡°¡­On second thought, there aren¡¯t many suitable rooms avable. Cardinal Kate will be assigned a room one space away from Isaac. Isaac needs to be in a room close to Marie.¡±

    ¡°What room is Marie in?¡±

    ¡°Room 4. Leort and I are in rooms 1 and 2, respectively. Room 3 was originally used by Princess Hiriya, but it has been left vacant.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Has she returned?¡±

    ¡°Notpletely. Her condition isn¡¯t very good, so she¡¯s gone to recuperate.¡±

    Given her near-broken state, recovery is essential. Especially since her body is her most valuable asset as a warrior, she needs thorough care.

    If I move into Room 3, Kate will naturally be assigned a room one space away.

    Hearing Lina¡¯s words, Kate seemed to think deeply before addressing her.

    ¡°Princess Rina.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°I sense a hint of something sinister in your words. Is it just my imagination?¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    Kate, with an innocent expression, asked Rina if she felt something odd in her words. Rina couldn¡¯t respond immediately.

    Honestly, it¡¯s a bit funny that Kate would ask such a question. Having awakened to her sexuality, Kate was quite cunning in her own way.

    I listened quietly to their conversation before directing a question to Rina.

    ¡°Rina.¡±

    ¡°Y-yes?¡±

    ¡°You can let someone else into the dormitory, right? Adelia is my personal maid, so she¡¯ll be staying with me.¡±

    ¡°Dame Cross?¡±

    Rina seemed momentarily confused, turning her head toward Adelia. Adelia bowed her head in greeting when their eyes met.

    Rina stared at Adelia for a moment before eximing, as if she had just realized.

    ¡°Oh! That¡¯s right, Dame Cross is here!¡±

    Rina seemed genuinely happy about the idea of me living with Adelia, smiling brightly for some reason. But soon, her expression froze.

    Knowing I was suspicious, her reaction only solidified my doubts.

    Seeing her stop in her tracks, it was clear. When she halted, we all followed suit.

    <i>Swish</i>

    Rina then turned her head slowly, cautiously looking at me. Her usual elegant demeanor was gone, reced by a child caught red-handed.

    I chuckled at her and put a hand on her shoulder.

    I felt Rina flinch vividly as I did.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It happens. I understand. Everyone has their own tastes.¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    ¡°So, is this the ¡®sinister¡¯ feeling Kate was talking about?¡±

    Rina couldn¡¯t respond. She probably wished she could disappear into a hole right then.

    I patted her shoulder a few times, signaling that it was all right. It was a moment of realization that Rina, too, was human, with her own quirks, despite being an elegant princess.

    ¡°Are you going to stay still forever?¡±

    ¡°¡­Please don¡¯t tell anyone. I beg you.¡±

    Rina¡¯s face turned bright red as she spoke softly, unable to meet my eyes. I found her embarrassed demeanor quite endearing.

    Luckily, only we knew about her preferences. Thanks to the guards, there were no other people around.

    <i>¡®Though it seems like quite a few people already know¡­¡¯</i>

    I didn¡¯t voice this thought. People¡¯s preferences should be respected.

    ¡°Princess Rina, there¡¯s no need to be so embarrassed. As Lord Luminous said, feeling sexual desire for someone like Isaac is perfectly natural. I felt the same way.¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    ¡°So, there¡¯s no need to suffer in silence.¡±

    Of course, Kate, with her oblivious tendencies, didn¡¯t understand the concept of discretion. She probably thought she was offeringfort by sharing her own experience.

    Kate¡¯s words were like driving a nail into Rina, who was already on the verge of breaking down.

    As soon as I heard her, I looked at Rina to gauge her reaction. I couldn¡¯t see her face because she was facing away, but I could see her ears turning bright red through her hair. It was very noticeable.

    <i>¡®She¡¯s earning herself a new embarrassing memory.¡¯</i>

    In my mind, Rina¡¯s elegance was gradually fading away.

    (TL: A fucking execution LMAO~)

    *****

    Following Rina, who had just earned herself a new chapter of dark history, we arrived at the dormitory. At first nce, it looked like an ordinary dormitory.

    However, the exterior was deceiving. From the entrance, armed knights were guarding the ce, patrolling the area at regr intervals.

    The patrols included not only knights but also mages and well-trained guard dogs. The security was like that of a fortress, fitting for a VIP residence.

    The interior was no different. Surveince magic was installed in the hallways, and even the simple doors had security measures.

    It was simr to the door locks I often saw in my previous life. While ordinary dormitories used keys, the VIP ones required crystal orbs.

    These crystal orbs acted as key cards and were difficult to reissue, so I was advised not to lose them.

    ¡°¡­If you have any questions, feel free to ask.¡±

    Rina, who couldn¡¯t even meet my gaze anymore, said this before hastily leaving. Understanding her situation, I gave her a simple wave and entered the dormitory.

    Before entering, she gave me a strange look, but I chose to ignore it. Right now, it was best to give her time to collect herself.

    Meanwhile, I decided to explore the dormitory¡¯s interior. My belongings would arrive soon, so I nned to look around until then.

    ¡°This is more like a vi than a dormitory.¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    As Adelia remarked in awe, the sight was vastly different from the dormitory I used to live in.

    The floor was marble, and there was a small chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

    A bit away from the entrance was arge bed, big enough for at least three people.

    Unlike the single-room student dormitories, this one had several rooms. As I looked around the living room, I picked one of the many rooms to check out.

    ¡°There¡¯s even a training room?¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Surprisingly, there was a personal training room equipped with various exercise machines. It seemed I wouldn¡¯t need to go to the training grounds unless I wanted to do cardio workouts.

    Even just with the visible equipment, I could handle 90% of my training needs. While Adelia examined each piece of equipment, I explored the other rooms.

    <i>¡®Adelia can stay in this room.¡¯</i>

    There was a room set up for attendants. It wasn¡¯t small, it was about the size of the dormitory I used to live in.

    Additionally, there were rooms for office work,undry, and more. Despite being a VIP dormitory, it seemed excessive.

    <i>¡®This really is a vi.¡¯</i>

    It wasn¡¯t just like a vi, it truly was one. There was even a kitchen, so with the right ingredients, I could prepare meals.

    Theck of windows to view the outside was a downside, but it was understandable for security purposes.

    Until now, I hadn¡¯t felt much difference in treatment after revealing my identity, but the dormitory made it very clear.

    <i>Buzz</i>

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    As I was looking around the rooms, I suddenly heard a strange noise. It came from the entrance.

    Particles of light began to gather in the empty space next to the entrance. I watched the scene in amazement.

    The particles slowly began to form a shape and soon materialized into a solid object.

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤Is this teleportation?¡±

    What was happening before my eyes was teleportation, a top-tier magic that defies spatial constraints.

    Though Cecily and Gartz used it frequently, making it seem a bit less impressive, having a teleportation device installed in a personal dormitory was astonishing.

    Of course, given the space, it could only handle simple objects. But even that was impressive.

    Consider the enormous cost of installing such a device, as opposed to having a mage cast the spell each time.

    <i>Swish</i>

    I inspected the items transported through the teleportation device. It likely contained the typewriter and manuscripts.

    As expected, when I opened the box, familiar items came into view, along with a small letter.

    Setting everything else aside, I decided to read the letter first. It seemed to be from home.

    [To my dear Isaac. If you¡¯re reading this letter, it means the teleportation has been used. Each dormitory has fixed coordinates, so you can send items anytime you need to.]

    As expected, it was a letter from my mother. ording to the letter, the dormitory¡¯s teleportation system has fixed coordinates, allowing items to be sent at any time.

    Previously, sending and receiving letters took several days, but now that time would be greatly reduced.

    <i>¡®How much money did they spend on this?¡¯</i>

    I looked at the letter and then at the space where the teleportation had just urred. It was impressive, even by the empire¡¯s standards.

    Nevertheless, this provided me with incredible convenience, which I intended to use fully.

    [However, it¡¯s difficult to send things back to the estate from your end. The coordinates for the estate haven¡¯t been properly established yet. So, for now, please send items through Sir Bk. I don¡¯t know what kind of life you¡¯ll lead from now on, but your mother always supports you. With love, your mother.]

    A short but loving letter from my mother. I read the final part with a gentle smile.

    [P.S. Since you¡¯re still in the adjustment period, take your time with Xenon¡¯s Biography. Your mother can wait.]

    Though she said that, she loves Xenon¡¯s Biography more than anyone else. She probably meant I should adapt quickly and start writing again.

    Of course, once the adjustment period is over, I n to pick up the pen again. It shouldn¡¯t take long.

    ¡®So, the only thing left is to adjust?¡¯

    Barely two days had passed since I thought that.

    ¡°¡­So, what exactly happened?¡±

    ¡°We caught a student who was constantly following you, Sir Isaac. She was apprehended based on a report from another student.¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    A guard who had been watching over me had brought someone in. The problem was¡­

    ¡°Hehe¡­¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    That person wasn¡¯t Cherry, but Leona.

    ¡°What should we do?¡±

    ¡°¡­Just let her be.¡±

    It was an unexpected twist, to say the least.<hr>

    Trantors note:

    New league in poe just deleted a week from my life

 Chapter 328: Leona (1)

    Chapter 328: Leona (1)

    It wasn¡¯t Cherry but Leona who had been reported as a stalker. Whoever reported her, Leona was now in front of me, apprehended by the knights.

    The fact that they brought her to me instead of handling it themselves suggested they wanted me to decide her punishment.

    Actually, it was fortunate that Leona was the first to be caught. If it had been someone else, I would have reprimanded them harshly, and Leona, caughtter, would have faced a simr punishment.

    Luckily, Leona was someone I knew, and we already had ns. It was my fault for not reaching out to her sooner.

    So, I exined the situation to the knights. I told them she was a friend I had arranged to meet, but I had forgotten. Being Xenon, she couldn¡¯t approach me freely and had to loiter around.

    Since I was telling the truth, the knights released Leona. This mishap was my responsibility to resolve.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I should have paid more attention to you.¡±

    Although the issue was resolved, my mistake remained. I bowed my head and sincerely apologized.

    Leona, despite her strong physique, was rubbing her shoulder, likely from the forceful apprehension.Her identity could have been exposed, and she might not have been able to attend the academy properly. I had almostmitted an unforgivable error.

    ¡°Huh? No, it¡¯s okay. I was a bit startled, but I¡¯m fine. I should have waited quietly instead of approaching recklessly.¡±

    Leona waved her hand dismissively, indicating she was fine.

    ¡°If you really feel sorry, treat me to a steak sometime. Okay?¡±

    She was quite bold. I chuckled at Leona, who grinned yfully.

    Her tail wagged cheerfully, showing she was genuinely okay.

    We were currently in my new dormitory. Unlike the student dormitories, the VIP dormitories allowed entry to others with the owner¡¯s permission.

    ¡°I¡¯ll treat you to as much steak as you want. Want to go now?¡±

    ¡°Not right now. I just had a meal with my mother.¡±

    Now that I think about it, Marie mentioned that Leona¡¯s mother was also at the academy, waiting to meet me.

    To finalize things properly, I needed to meet Leona¡¯s mother, even if it was just an informal meeting. Otherwise, the matter would remain unresolved.

    As I stared at Leona, who was smiling slyly, I returned a gentle smile and asked,

    ¡°How has life at the academy been? No problems, right?¡±

    ¡°It was chaotic. After the news spread that you were Xenon, that was all anyone talked about for a while.¡±

    ¡°Anything else?¡±

    ¡°I mostly studied, so I¡¯m not sure. Oh! When Marie arrived, people flocked to her, but they all got knocked back by her guards. The security was tight.¡±

    Marie had mentioned this as well. It was expected, but she had a tiring time for a while.

    I listened to Leona¡¯s updates, then sped my hands together. After some hesitation, I asked her in a cautious voice,

    ¡°Is your mother still firm in her decision?¡±

    As everyone knows, Leona¡¯s mother wasn¡¯t keen on Leona bing my wife.

    She wished for Leona¡¯s genuine happiness, wanting her to follow her personal feelings rather than cultural obligations.

    ¡°Yes. She was already firm, but after you revealed your identity, she became even more resolute.¡±

    Upon hearing my question, Leona¡¯s wagging tail stopped, and she spoke gloomily. Her ears, which had been perked up, drooped down.

    It seemed the situation had worsened rather than improved. I slowly nodded.

    Honestly, I thought that revealing I was Xenon would make Leona¡¯s mother more likely to give her blessing, but that wasn¡¯t the case.

    As the third wife of the chieftain and the only human, she must have had a tumultuous life.

    Better to live a normal life than to be protected by a massive shield. That was my guess.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ I guess I¡¯ll have to meet her in person to understand.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s part of it, but she also said this: If I be your wife, how will that benefit you?¡±

    ¡°She said that?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Leona nodded with a dejected expression when I asked in surprise. I crossed my arms and thought for a moment.

    As a parent, it¡¯s something she shouldn¡¯t have said, but it was also a direct statement meant to make her realize the reality.

    In truth, Leona had very little to offer me in terms of benefit. At most, petting her head helped relieve my stress.

    However, her mother made a significant mistake. Just making that statement contradicted her desire for Leona¡¯s personal happiness.

    <i>¡®I can use this to my advantage.¡¯</i>

    It seemed maternal instincts led to that mistake. It was clear she genuinely wanted Leona to find true happiness.

    So, I just needed to respond with sincerity. I reached out to the depressed Leona.

    <i>Swish</i>

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤Huh?¡±

    When I ced my hand on her head, Leona¡¯s ears perked up, and she looked at me. I smiled gently, looking into her golden eyes simr to mine.

    <i>Pat pat</i>

    ¡°Mrrr¡­¡±

    Without saying anything, I petted her head, and Leona made a cute sound. Her ears, which had been upright, rxed and drooped to the side, making it easier to pet her.

    She truly was like a lion, but being from the feline family, she even purred softly. It was hard to believe that she was considered unattractive by other beastkin.

    For a long time, I petted her head, yed with her ears, pinched her cheeks, and did everything a beastkin would love.

    Beastkin have a high frequency and importance of physical affectionpared to other races. Just like how felines groom their young and canines nip each other¡¯s cheeks.

    While grooming is well-known, the cheek-nipping by canines might seem strange, but it holds special significance.

    It¡¯s a sign of trust, indicating, ¡°I will never harm you.¡± Sometimes you might see a big dog gently biting a smaller animal¡¯s head and then letting go.

    <i>Swish</i>

    ¡°Uh?¡±

    Then something surprising happened. As I was petting her, Leona¡¯s tail, which had been swaying, wrapped around my arm.

    While the affectionate behaviors I mentioned earlier apply to family, this particr act is reserved strictly for a partner.

    Allowing someone to touch your tail or wrapping your tail around someone¡¯s body. It was surprising.

    Leona genuinely liked me. Her tail wrapping around my arm while she was immersed in my touch confirmed it.

    ¡°<i>Purr. Purr. Purr</i>.¡±

    Perhaps she wasn¡¯t aware of what she was doing. Leona pushed her head forward, asking for more pets.

    She kept inching closer until she eventually got up and slowly moved to my side.

    I was taken aback for a moment, but when she sat on myp and leaned into me, I held her without saying a word.

    ¡°Ahem. Ahem.¡±

    Adelia cleared her throat and quietly left the room when she saw Leona and I showing affection. The unnecessary throat-clearing was probably a silent signal to keep things in check.

    I let out a small chuckle but continued the physical affection with Leona. She seemed more starved for attention and affection than I realized.

    <i>¡®Well, the stress must be immense.¡¯</i>

    She probably doesn¡¯t get many chances to show her true self. Having to hide her identity while navigating a dangerous tightrope is something I¡¯ve experienced.

    Unlike me, who can now freely reveal my identity, Leona still has to hide hers.

    Thinking about this, an idea came to mind, and I spoke up.

    ¡°Leona.¡±

    ¡°<i>Purr</i>. <i>Purr</i>.¡±

    ¡°Leona?¡±

    ¡°<i>Purr</i>. Hmm?¡±

    Leona, with a loving expression, was nuzzling her face against my chest. She lifted her head when I called her name.

    I resisted the urge to touch her perky ears. How could they be so addictive?

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it hard to keep hiding your identity?¡±

    ¡°It would be a lie to say it¡¯s not.¡±

    ¡°Then, shall I help you?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Leona¡¯s eyes widened at the offer of help. I felt the grip of her tail around my hand loosen.

    I met Leona¡¯s puzzled expression and spoke softly.

    ¡°I can help you so you won¡¯t have to hide your identity anymore.¡±

    ¡°How¡­ how would you do that?¡±

    ¡°You know Cain from Xenon¡¯s Biography, right?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯d be weird if I didn¡¯t.¡±

    Cain was the brother of Wrath, Satan, and the character who dismantled the old traditions of his nation to be the new chieftain.

    Born physically weak, he stabilized the country politically with his extraordinary intellect.

    ¡°If I reveal that Cain¡¯s inspiration was you, wouldn¡¯t everyone ept it?¡±

    Readers already firmly believe that Lilith was inspired by Cecily and Elisha by Arwen.

    Because of this, readers often wonder who inspired other characters.

    This has led to impostors causing trouble, but Kate¡¯s efforts have dealt with them.

    So, if I spread the word that Kind¡¯s inspiration was Leona, she wouldn¡¯t have to hide her identity.

    Leona thought deeply about my suggestion, then tilted her head and responded.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t really appeal to me.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t appeal to you?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. It would feel like I¡¯m just relying on your help.¡±

    At first, I didn¡¯t understand, but knowing Leona¡¯s personality, it made sense.

    By hiding her identity and enrolling in the academy, it¡¯s clear that Leona is somewhat independent and proactive.

    Unlike her current affectionate demeanor, Leona is quite fierce and cynical towards others. This indicates she has a strong sense of pride.

    ¡°My mother hates politics. Right now, Jinai is the chieftain, but there are still internal dissatisfactions. It means that Animers could use me. If it¡¯s revealed that I¡¯m the inspiration for Cain, what do you think will happen?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ You have a point. I hadn¡¯t thought about that. We should put this idea on hold.¡±

    ¡°Good decision. Besides, I¡¯m not that ufortable right now. If I hadn¡¯t met you, I¡¯d be even more stressed. I prefer things as they are now.¡±

    With that, Leona hugged me tightly. The pressure conveyed through her embrace was unique, given her beastkin strength.

    I responded by patting her head again, causing her to make happy sounds.

    Then, she started licking my neck, a grooming behavior indicating that her instinct had taken over.

    If I hadn¡¯t experienced this before, I would have been startled. But knowing Leona¡¯s patterns, I stayed still.

    It wasn¡¯t unpleasant. Who would dislike being groomed by a beautiful woman who likes them? I didn¡¯t find it dirty at all.

    ¡°Leona.¡±

    ¡°<i>Lick</i>. Hmm?¡±

    ¡°Could I meet your mother tomorrow?¡±

    The final hurdle was Leona¡¯s mother. To win her approval, I needed to seed in our conversation.

    Originally, I had reluctantly epted this because of beastkin culture, but now those feelings had vanished.

    Who could refuse such a cute and lovely girl? If she left, it would leave a significant scar on my heart.

    ¡°It¡¯s possible, but could we have steak first?¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m already hungry.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just have a meal with your mother?¡±

    When I asked in disbelief, Leonaughed awkwardly and gave a ridiculous excuse.

    ¡°I have a separate stomach for steak¡­¡±

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    ¡°Hehe.¡±

    The roaring lion was gone, reced by a kitten chirping for food.<hr>

    Trantors note:

    Hi everyone, it¡¯s been a while!

    What I initially intended to be a short break ended up taking almost a month due to life stuff but I finally have some leeway to trante and go back to my lifestyle before the break.

    Also there will be daily releases for about a month! then about 5/week.

    Good to be back!

 Chapter 329: Leona (2)

    Chapter 329: Leona (2)

    The informal meeting with Leona¡¯s mother was scheduled for the weekend. Since Leona was also a student and had to focus on her studies, that was the only avable time.

    As expected, the meeting ce was my dormitory. Ideally, I would have preferred a quiet restaurant, but that wasn¡¯t feasible.

    The moment I step outside, I would attract all kinds of attention.

    While I could disguise myself with the help of others, I didn¡¯t see the need for that. It didn¡¯t seem worth the effort for such a meeting.

    So, I waited outside for her mother to arrive. Leona, who had met me beforehand, was waiting quietly by my side.

    ¡°Do you usually dress like that on weekends?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I don¡¯t wear my uniform all the time.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that outfit a bit too breezy?¡±

    I looked at Leona¡¯s rather revealing outfit. The current weather was a hot summer day.So, wearing breathable and cool clothes was expected, but Leona¡¯s attire was quite noticeable.

    A short sleeveless top paired with short brown shorts, showing her midriff with a cropped tee.

    Although it¡¯s a somewhat modern outfit, with training clothes beingmon, it wasn¡¯t anything out of the ordinary. It was just new to see the ¡®model student¡¯ Leona in such clothes.

    Thanks to this, her figure was fully revealed, making for a nice visual treat. I nced at her, enjoying the ice cream I had bought her.

    Even in her school uniform, I could tell, but her body was surprisingly voluptuous. She had a well-proportioned figure with curves in all the right ces.

    <i>¡®Come to think of it, beastkin are generally known for having good figures, right?¡¯</i>

    Specifically, they have exceptional physical characteristics. Leona, with her seemingly slender frame, weighed over 80kg due to her muscles.

    Additionally, their species is characterized by high fertility andrge babies by human standards. This naturally leads torger breasts and hips.

    The difference from demons is that while demons follow a survival of the fittest principle, for beastkin, it¡¯s simply ingrained in their genes.

    Even Jinai, the new chieftain, was taller than me, which shows how exceptional the physical attributes of beastkin are.

    <i>¡®Yet, humans hunted these beastkin mercilessly.¡¯</i>

    It¡¯s hard to fathom how such a thing was possible. However, under the guise of civilization, such barbarity was justified.

    I watched Leona munching on the ice cream cone and called her quietly.

    ¡°Leona.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    Leona, who was chewing on the cone, turned to look at me. Her blue eyes, not the usual golden ones, stared directly at me.

    She had hidden her ears and tail, and I wondered how she managed to hide her tail. Maybe it was coiled up inside those short shorts.

    ¡°Why did you call me?¡±

    ¡°Just felt like it.¡±

    ¡°How boring. But this ice cream is really good.¡±

    Leona licked her lips, clearly enjoying the ice cream I bought her. I smiled at the sight.

    Ice cream is an expensive treat in this world. Even though magic exists, it¡¯s not essible tomoners.

    Even if they used freezing magic, the maintenance cost would be outrageous. Hence, ice cream is a luxury enjoyed by nobles or the wealthy.

    ¡°If you want, I can buy more for you.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes. But if you eat too much, you might get a stomach ache, so you have to eat in moderation.¡±

    ¡°Awesome.¡±

    But I have more than enough money. I have a mountain of gold bars at home, so this kind of indulgence is fine.

    Even I love ice cream, so there¡¯s no reason to be frugal about it.

    I watched Leona, who was genuinely happy, with a warm feeling. I extended my hand but then retracted it, realizing we were outside.

    Although there were no people around at the moment, one can never be too careful. As the headmaster warned, there might be stalkers I was unaware of.

    The same goes for devil worshippers. While having Kate as a reliable shield is reassuring, we would be vulnerable if something happened to her.

    <i>¡®There¡¯s a lot to be mindful of.¡¯</i>

    Of course, given Kate¡¯s personality, she wouldn¡¯t think of leaving my side. I looked at the steadfast figures of Adelia and Kate guarding ahead of me.

    Behind us was the entrance to the dormitory, with guards posted, so there were no issues there. All that remained was to wait for Leona¡¯s mother.

    After some time had passed,

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Isaac. Our second meeting since the exhibition.¡±

    I had my second meeting with Lucia, Leona¡¯s mother and the third wife of the previous chieftain.

    She looked very much like Leona, with the same striking blue eyes and golden hair, though Lucia¡¯s was a more muted shade.

    While Leona¡¯s hair resembled a lion¡¯s mane, Lucia¡¯s was a calm, straight flow, giving her a wise and serene appearance.

    She greeted me politely, and I reciprocated with equal respect.

    ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you, Mother Lucia. Has it been two months since the exhibition? I hope you¡¯ve been well.¡±

    ¡°As long as my daughter is well, that¡¯s enough for me.¡±

    Lucia answered with a warm smile. Even from what Leona had mentioned, it was clear she deeply loved her daughter.

    This made me more nervous. How would Lucia challenge me?

    Mentioning the misstep Leona had spoken of might suffice to ovee this, but Lucia had be the chieftain¡¯s wife in Animers purely because of her wisdom.

    While she didn¡¯t wield significant power herself, considering the culture of the beastkin, it¡¯s undeniable she was a great asset to the chieftain.

    ¡°Shall we go inside?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    As we moved to enter, the guards at the door opened it without a word.

    They were known to be discreet, so there was no concern about rumors spreading. Even if they did, facing it head-on would suffice.

    After this, Kate returned to her room, and Adelia left briefly to prepare some simple refreshments in the kitchen.

    ¡°By the way, I was quite surprised. To think that Isaac is actually Xenon¡­ I spent some time pondering whether it was true or false when I heard the news.¡±

    Seated, Lucia spoke in a calm voice. I maintained my smile and replied to her.

    ¡°It might be hard to believe, but I am indeed Xenon. I¡¯m not a prophet or someone from the future, though.¡±

    ¡°Given your achievements, it would be hard to deny it. I myself believe it.¡±

    ¡°Just to be clear, I absolutely am not.¡±

    Luciaughed softly, covering her mouth with her hand. If judged solely by this, she seemed like an ordinary woman.

    However, those well-versed in politics often carry a metaphorical knife within. As I took a bite of the cookie Adelia had prepared, I observed Lucia.

    The rich vor and aroma of the cookie filled my mouth, and without hesitation, Lucia also picked one up.

    And Leona¡­

    ¡°<i>Munch munch munch munch</i>.¡±

    ¡°Is it good?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Leona had already revealed her ears and tail and was eating happily. I took the opportunity to gently stroke her head.

    Her ears drooped to the sides, and her tail wagged, expressing her pleasure.

    If she had no affection for me or if someone else had petted her, she would have rejected it fiercely. This showed the strong bond between us.

    ¡°¡­You seem to have a good rtionship, just as I heard.¡±

    Lucia, having observed our interaction, spoke in a slightly subdued voice. There was a hint ofplexity in her tone.

    Leaving the busy-eating Leona for a moment, I turned to Lucia. While my smile remained, her face mirrored theplexity of her voice.

    ¡°Yes, as you can see, Leona and I have a very close rtionship. It started by chance, but as we helped each other, it naturally grew this way.¡±

    ¡°Leona has told me. She said it was you who resolved the political turmoil within Animers. Initially, I was skeptical, but understanding your true identity rified things.¡±

    ¡°Contrary to what you might think, I am not particrly wise.¡±

    ¡°Your humility is excessive. Then, let me ask just one thing.¡±

    It seemed she was finally getting to the main point. This was her original purpose, so I leaned slightly forward.

    As Lucia¡¯s words trailed off and the atmosphere grew heavier, Leona subtly put down her cookie. I used a napkin to wipe the crumbs off her mouth. Her ears twitched, but she entrusted herself to my touch.

    Lucia, watching us with a curious gaze, then looked directly at me and spoke.

    ¡°Isaac, do you like Leona? As a woman, not just out of obligation?¡±

    Anticipating this question, I answered without hesitation.

    ¡°Yes, I do.¡±

    ¡°Not because you feel ¡®obliged¡¯ by the beastkin culture?¡±

    Lucia emphasized the term ¡®obliged.¡¯ This is the crux of the issue. If Leona hadn¡¯t been influenced by beastkin culture, she might not have chosen to be my wife.

    Initially, I had no such feelings. I helped Leona and mediated the conflicts within Animers purely out of goodwill.

    The cultural obligations caused this situation and led to much hesitation, but that¡¯s no longer the case.

    ¡°At first, it was like that. I was quite taken aback when I heard she wanted to be my wife suddenly. I already had a fianc¨¦e at that time.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard from Leona that you don¡¯t just have one fianc¨¦e. She mentioned bing your third wife. The second wife is a princess from Helium, correct?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡±

    As I answered, I nced at Adelia. She is not only my personal maid but also one of my women. Leona knew this but chose not to mention it, as bringing it up might onlyplicate the situation.

    ¡°But I don¡¯t think they will be the only ones. I expect more women wille into Isaac¡¯s life soon.¡±

    ¡°¡­Why do you think that?¡±

    ¡°Because that¡¯s politics and the world we live in. When a central figure emerges, others naturally gravitate towards them. This is the world as I¡¯ve experienced it.¡±

    Lucia urately grasped the political dynamics. Such an insight is not something an ordinary person would easily conceive.

    While I was left speechless by her prediction, Lucia continued to speak calmly.

    ¡°I felt it at Animers. A person with power, especially a male¡­ no, no.¡±

    She quickly corrected herself after a brief slip of the tongue.

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s natural for women to be attracted to men with power. This applies not just to beastmen, but to all races. Especially you, Xenon, who has bestowed blessings upon each race. You saved the demons, rescued the World Tree from danger, and further exposed the existence of devil worshippers hiding in the shadows. There¡¯s no one in this world who can surpass you in power.¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    ¡°Leona may have formed a bond with you before knowing your true identity, but¡­ I¡¯m worried. Living as a powerless concubine, being treated as a ¡®prize¡¯ and living passively, needing to prove your ¡®usefulness¡¯ to avoid being discarded. I want to prevent that.¡±

    Lucia indirectly expressed her own troubled life. Leona and I listened to her story in silence.

    She then looked at Leona with sorrowful eyes and spoke gently.

    ¡°Leona¡¯s father, the previous great chieftain of Animers, was a man deeply ingrained in the culture of the beastmen. He treated me as a third wife and regarded even the birth of Leona as a ¡®prize¡¯. I wanted to avoid passing that mindset onto my daughter¡­ but I only half seeded.¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    ¡°I want Leona to be treated as a person, not as a ¡®prize¡¯. When I heard that Lord Isaac had refused, I was rather pleased. At least he seems to know how to treat people like people. So, I will say this to you, Lord Isaac.¡±

    After a long speech, she slowly took a deep breath, opened her eyes wide, and said what she wanted to say to me.

    ¡°Leona will not be of much help to you, Lord Isaac. She might even be a hindrance.¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t oppose your choice, Lord Isaac. My daughter also likes you, so as a parent, I must ept that.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate that, but¡­ Mother Lucia.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Please go ahead.¡±

    Lucia won¡¯t stop Leona froming to me. She just wants to understand what kind of person I am.

    So, I sped my hands together and smiled. There is a very fitting thing to say in this situation.

    ¡°My Noona once asked me this: Do you want to be a scoundrel or a piece of trash?¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°And I decided to be a scoundrel.¡±

    It was a resolution I made when I epted Adelia.

    ¡°Rather than being a piece of trash that hurts women¡¯s hearts, I¡¯d rather be a scoundrel who epts one woman after another.¡±

    Better to be a scoundrel than a piece of trash. It¡¯s an inevitable phenomenon now that the water has already been spilled and my identity as Xenon has been revealed.

    However, I will never cause harm. I repeat, I am not that kind of trash.

    ¡°Leona is the same. I will never hurt her feelings.¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    ¡°I will act ording to my heart, not based on usefulness.¡±

    Hearing my answer, did Lucia realize something? She opened her mouth slightly and stared nkly before lowering her head. Just before she lowered her head, I caught a glimpse of her face breaking into a smile.

    ¡°Pfft¡­¡±

    As soon as she lowered her head, Lucia trembled slightly, trying to suppress herughter. I patiently waited until she hadughed enough.

    Finally, Lucia looked up at me, still covering her mouth with her fist. Judging by the tears in the corners of her eyes, she must have found it quite amusing.

    ¡°Really¡­¡±

    The words that followed from Lucia¡¯s mouth were:

    ¡°Lord Isaac, you are truly an incorrigible scoundrel. I should have realized it sooner.¡±

    It was apliment, albeit a backhanded one. I shrugged and responded yfully to herpliment.

    ¡°Thank you for the praise.¡±

    ¡°Then, won¡¯t it be difficult for you, Lord Isaac?¡±

    The biggest problem is exactly that. It¡¯s hard for me to handle.

    With a slightly ambiguous smile, I opened my mouth.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m working hard on my writing.¡±

    I don¡¯t want to die young.<hr>

    Trantors note:

    Immediately forgot to upload KEKW

    3 chapters tomorrow

 Chapter 330: Leona (3)

    Chapter 330: Leona (3)

    After my deration of being a scoundrel, Lucia began to reveal her true feelings one by one.

    What she was worried about was me discriminating against Leona and only showing affection to other women. She didn¡¯t care how many women I embraced, as long as Leona wasn¡¯t lonely and didn¡¯t regret choosing me.

    It seems that, as the third wife of the previous great chieftain and being human, she received less affection. Given that beastmen are known for having many children, it¡¯s telling that she only had Leona.

    It was fortunate that Leona maintained good rtionships with her other siblings; otherwise, her life would have been quite difficult.

    ¡°But Mother Lucia, how did youe to be connected with the previous great chieftain?¡±

    This was the part I was most curious about. What kind of wisdom did she lend to be the chieftain¡¯s wife? As you know, humans and beastmen have very poor rtions.

    The racial war 300 years ago and the current situation still reflect this. Although the rivalry between elves and demons is gradually increasing, humans and beastmen have been at each other¡¯s throats for ages.

    Dwarves, well¡­ as long as they get to sell their weapons, they don¡¯t care much. They do have close rtions with humans due to humans¡¯ reliance on tools.

    In any case, for Lucia to be the wife of the previous great chieftain in such circumstances meant she provided considerable help. Even from the beastmen¡¯s perspective, Leona is considered unattractive, so one can only imagine how Lucia, a human, must have been perceived. My curiosity was piqued.¡°There wasn¡¯t much advice to give. Animers was continuously developing at the time. I merely emphasized the importance of food. Other than that, nothing. In times of drought, they rely on shamanistic rituals, but how long can Lady Harte continue to support them? So, I advised focusing on food preservation. It just so happened that the following year, there was a severe drought.¡±

    ¡°Even that alone would be sufficient. Beastmen consume several times more food than humans.¡±

    As I said this, I nced at Leona. No need to be subtle anymore, Leona was happily devouring the cookies Adelia had baked. Judging by her wagging tail, the cookies were to her liking. I poured milk into her empty cup, telling her to eat slowly.

    Lucia elegantly smiled as she watched our affectionate scene and shared some information.

    ¡°It¡¯s surprising that Leona likes it so much. Her taste is quite picky, inherited from the beastmen side.¡±

    ¡°Picky?¡±

    ¡°Yes. You know that among the beastmen, there are carnivores and herbivores, right?¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°For some reason, carnivorous beastmen have duller taste, whereas herbivorous beastmen have a more sensitive pte.¡±

    I nodded. It was information I had heard somewhere before. It might be because the distribution of taste cells is different. In any case, it means Leona¡¯s taste is closer to that of a carnivore.

    There was a reason she loved steak smothered in seasoning. The academy¡¯s meals are rather nd, so it must have felt like chewing rubber to her.

    The same goes for the cookies she¡¯s eating now. With chunks of chocte embedded, she can enjoy both the sweetness and the savory taste at the same time.

    ¡°That¡¯s useful information. If she lives in the mansion, we must exclude vegetablespletely.¡±

    ¡°Huh? What did you say?¡±

    Leona, too focused on eating to hear our conversation, blinked and asked. Her blue eyes had already returned to their golden color. It seems her eye color changes only when she shows her true nature. I patted Leona¡¯s head, finding her more cute than fierce.

    ¡°Is it tasty?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s incredibly tasty! Could you make more?¡±

    I silently looked at Adelia, meeting Leona¡¯s sparkling eyes. It wasn¡¯t me who made them, it was Adelia who baked them.

    Adelia seemed pleased and went straight back to the kitchen. The peaceful atmosphere brought a satisfied smile to my face.

    However, aside from the mood, there¡¯s still something to be cautious about. Leona is going to be my wife, which means she is at a higher risk of exposure to devil worshippers.

    However, unlike Marie, it has not been officially announced, so it might not pose an immediate threat. But they could still attack just because she is an associate.

    ¡°Mother Lucia.¡±

    ¡°Yes, please speak.¡±

    ¡°If you wish, we can provide amodations for you to stay in our territory.¡±

    ¡°I would be grateful for that.¡±

    Lucia epted my offer without any suspicion. Currently, she resides in a small vige near the capital. She doesn¡¯t have much to pack, and with support from our family, she could livefortably.

    She wouldn¡¯t be in danger from demon worshippers either. With not only the Temple of Luminous but also the Temple of Mora established, who would dare to intrude?

    Furthermore, with Helium and Alvenheim also sending personnel, it would be impossible for anyone to infiltrate.

    ¡°Leona¡­¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about Leona. Despite appearances, she is strong.¡±

    ¡°Strong?¡±

    I looked at Leona in surprise as Lucia vouched for her strength. Leona raised her nose proudly, wearing a smug expression.

    I knew she had the formidable physical abilities unique to beastmen, but many beastmen live ordinary lives without leveraging those abilities. Seeing my questioning look, Leona confidently spoke up, her tail wagging behind her.

    ¡°Our Lion n undergoes rigorous training from a young age. And because I¡¯m a hybrid, I had to work even harder to be recognized.¡±

    ¡°Then how strong are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. After being recognized by the n and growing to a certain extent, I only focused on studying. I still do basic physical training, though.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    I considered whether Leona could be used as a guard. However, this was a suggestion to consider for the distant future. She is still a student, and soon she will be an assistant for a historical exploration with me. She has already caught the eye of Professor Elena.

    There¡¯s no need for her to have a guard. Instead, it might be better for her to stay fit just in case.

    Of course, if she loosens up at the academy, it will draw attention, so I n to do it intermittently during each vacation.

    <i>¡®I also need to start building my own strength.¡¯</i>

    Adelia and Kate are reliable bodyguards, but I can¡¯t always rely on them. Devil worshippers won¡¯t try to break through the bodyguards but will certainly try to lure me out. Rushing in recklessly would only lead to a senseless death. However, I shouldn¡¯t rule out the possibility of a suicide attack.

    ¡°Alright. It¡¯s not something we need to think about immediately, so let¡¯s put it off for now. Leona, just focus on your studies. Understood?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°So, that¡¯s it for devil worshippers. Is there anything else we should be cautious about? Not just threats, but lifestyle habits or anything like that would be helpful to know in advance.¡±

    Everyone has their own preferences and sore points, and there are often things that are hard to understand. Just as I had difficulty understanding beastmen culture, lifestyle differences can be stark.

    It¡¯s better to know these things in advance to make living together easier in the future.

    ¡°Leona is a hybrid, so her lifestyle is simr to humans. Unlike the past, she¡¯s now focused on her studies and isn¡¯t aggressive. The only thing might be fur care?¡±

    ¡°Fur care?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Unlike other species, beastmen have a lot of fur on their bodies. Depending on the season, their fur can either be very thick or shed a lot. It seems like it¡¯s shedding season now. Do you have a brush?¡±

    Lucia paused her exnation to look for a brush. I nced at Adelia, who promptly went to find one. She returned with a brush and handed it to me as Lucia continued.

    ¡°Try brushing Leona¡¯s hair.¡±

    ¡°Should I untie her hair?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Leona usually wore her hair in a ponytail. Following Lucia¡¯s instructions, I untied her hair.

    As soon as I untied her hair, her abundant chestnut brown hair cascaded down like a waterfall. I hadn¡¯t realized how long her hair was since she always wore it in a ponytail. And it was quite coarse, which is characteristic of lion beastmen.

    <i>Brush</i>

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    ¡°It falls out a lot, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    As Lucia said, just one brush stroke resulted in a handful of hairing out. With a sense of disbelief, I brushed her hair a few more times, and an incredible amount of hair got caught in the brush. It¡¯s like a cat shedding fur.

    ¡°It¡¯s called molting, a trait specific to beastmen. The hair grows back as much as it falls out, but the problem is therge amount of hair that sheds. You¡¯ll need to manage it well.¡±

    ¡°That, I see. But it¡¯s not a major concern.¡±

    ¡°Molting is manageable, but the biggest concern is the¡­ estrus period.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­You roughly know what it is, right?¡±

    Of course, I do. Leona had mentioned it confidently without any shame, so who wouldn¡¯t know?

    Like a human menstrual cycle, beastmen have an estrus period about once a month, during which their instincts are hard to control.

    I listened to Lucia and then looked at Leona, who tilted her head, seemingly indifferent.

    ¡°Is there anything specific to watch out for during that period?¡±

    ¡°Not really, but it will be very challenging. The physical strength of beastmen is extremely difficult for humans to handle. Fortunately, Leona is a hybrid, so it¡¯s less intense, but you should be well-prepared. The bigger issue is that we don¡¯t know much beyond that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it. But before that¡­ Leona?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°When was yourst estrus period?¡±

    This is the most crucial part. Now that we have Lucia¡¯s approval, there¡¯s no reason to dy further. I had nned to proceed after resolving my rtionship with Adelia, but it was dyed because I needed Lucia¡¯s permission.

    Leona blinked her golden eyes at my question, then ced her index finger on her chin. Looking upward, she quietly replied.

    ¡°Maybe¡­ about a week ago? Around that time.¡±

    ¡°Then there¡¯s about three weeks left?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Do you need anything?¡±

    ¡°No, nothing.¡±

    I need to be prepared. I don¡¯t know how strong Leona¡¯s stamina is, but it will undoubtedly be a tough challenge.

    On top of all this, I have to meet with other women, and there is the huge variable of Arwen. In the worst-case scenario, Arwen¡¯s gift and Leona¡¯s heat period will coincide. It¡¯s a situation where I can¡¯t avoid either one.

    <i>¡®¡­Come to think of it, there¡¯s Kate too?¡¯</i>

    Including Kate, the lustful priestess who has awakened to desire. Kate enters a state of arousal just by holding hands, which is quite troublesome. Recently, Marie teased me half-jokingly, calling me a public resource, but now I think it wasn¡¯t a joke.

    ¡°Really? Then that¡¯s a relief. I¡¯ll be looking forward to it.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ there¡¯s no need to look forward to it¡­¡±

    ¡°Why? Are you scared?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    This girl! Leona¡¯s remark, which struck directly at my male pride, made me raise an eyebrow.

    I looked at Leona, who had a mischievous smile, with one corner of her mouth turned up in a cute expression. There was a hint of mockery beneath that smile.

    I let out a helplessugh at her smile. Even though Lucia was right in front of me, I couldn¡¯t let this slide.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see how long that smilests. Just wait three weeks.¡±

    ¡°Mm. Mm. That¡¯s more like the male I chose. I¡¯ll be fully prepared too, so just let me know anytime.¡±

    Leona nodded with her arms crossed. Seeing her like that somehow sparked a desire for conquest within me. She once said she would make me possessive, and she¡¯s following through with it.

    I looked at Leona with a smile, then noticed her wagging tail. I¡¯d always wanted to grab that tail, and now seemed like a good time.

    <i>Squeeze!</i>

    ¡°Eeek?!¡±

    As I grabbed her tail suddenly, Leona was startled. Like a cat with its fur standing on end, her hair amusingly puffed up.

    As expected, her reaction was quite delightful. I chuckled as I fiddled with Leona¡¯s stiffened tail.

    ¡°Now that you¡¯re my wife, it¡¯s okay if I touch it, right?¡±

    ¡°Uh, well¡­ that¡¯s true, but¡­¡±

    Leona, who had been so confident, was now blushing with embarrassment. She looked at me with a flushed face and then turned her head to Lucia. While ying with Leona¡¯s tail, I also nced at Lucia. She, watching our little skit with a strangely reddened face, cleared her throat.

    Then, as if she remembered something, she opened her mouth with one eye closed.

    ¡°Uh¡­ Sir Isaac? There¡¯s something I forgot to mention.¡±

    ¡°Is it about beastmen¡¯s tails? I heard that married couples can touch them.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re aware, then it¡¯s fine, but¡­ please refrain from such pranks. It could startle her, and she might scratch you.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Hearing this, I let go of Leona¡¯s tail. She then red at me with a pouty expression.

    <i>Swoosh, swoosh</i>

    ¡°¡­Purr.¡±

    I immediately patted her head, and Leona purred in her characteristic way. With permission granted, she now even leaned her head on my shoulder.

    Smiling at her adorable pet-like demeanor, I turned to Lucia and spoke.

    ¡°Mother Lucia.¡±

    ¡°Yes, please go ahead.¡±

    ¡°I will definitely make Leona happy.¡±

    Perhaps my deration pleased her.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Lucia bowed her head in gratitude. I also bowed in return and then called Leona.

    ¡°Leona.¡±

    ¡°<i>Purr</i>. Yes?¡±

    ¡°Is there anything you want?¡±

    ¡°Meat!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    I¡¯m d I¡¯ve made a lot of money.

    *****

    After epting Leona, I moved ording to schedule. Of course, this schedule included the release of the 25th volume of ¡®Xenon¡¯s Biography¡¯. Although the release was dyed due to my recent busy schedule, the readers waited patiently.

    And then¡­

    [The ancestors of the elves were not exiled, but they tore off their own wings and descended!]

    [The truth revealed in Xenon¡¯s Biography. Could this be true?]

    [Considering the characteristics of the elves blessed by the gods, it seems highly credible¡­]

    As expected, the reaction was explosive. The hypothesis that the ancestors of the elves were not banished but tore off their own wings and descended to the ground.

    From my perspective, it was just a clich¨¦ borrowed from my past life, but it coincidentally matched many aspects, leading numerous schrs to engage in heated debates.

    However, since it was deeply rted to mythology, many people directly questioned the gods. I was among them.

    Even if chaos ensued, it didn¡¯t matter much, but I was personally curious.

    [What do you think?]

    <i>¡®Honestly, the idea that they tore off their own wings and descended seems more convincing.¡¯</i>

    [Then let¡¯s go with that.]

    <i>¡®Pardon?¡¯</i>

    What on earth is he talking about?<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 331: Book 25 (1)

    Chapter 331: Book 25 (1)

    Even when I write stories that could be usible, I base them on history, ensuring thorough research. The continuous uproar caused by ¡®possible¡¯ stories is understandable to some extent.

    The problem is that all these stories turned out to be true, and I ended up facing baseless usations, such as after Cecily¡¯s devilization. So, I wrote freely with a detached mindset.

    However, ¡®myth¡¯ is a bit different. Myth is, as the word suggests, a myth and is an ancient story beyond the imagination of mortals. Greek and Roman myths, Norse myths, the Book of Revtion, and so on.

    Myth is the first philosophy and the oldest philosophy that has been passed down toter generations. It has been interpreted in various ways and used in numerous creative works.

    Of course, this exnation is limited to the myths of my past life. Myth is just folklore and not ¡®history¡¯ that actually existed. On the other hand, the myths of this world are closer to ¡®history.¡¯

    The past of Luminous, the God of Light, and Mora, the Goddess of Darkness, is recorded, as is their mother, Harte, the Goddess of Nature. Although there is room for various interpretations like in my past life, their history is clearly real.

    Thus, denying the myth is equivalent to denying their very existence. However, because it is such ancient history, schrs often have differing opinions. This is simr to actual history. History is objective but is recorded subjectively, and myths are no different.

    In that sense, let¡¯s examine the origins of each race, specifically the elves. Elves are a race blessed by the gods, with immense potential from birth. They can freely use magic and have several times higher mana affinity than other races. Truly living up to the phrase ¡®blessed by the gods,¡¯ they established the first civilization in a world overrun by monsters.

    So, how did the origin of the elvese to be? Unlike the demons, whose origin is the devils, the origin of the elves is the angels. Known for their white wings and beautiful appearance, angels, ording to myth, serve by the side of the gods and sometimes be mighty warriors on the front lines.However, as expected from a myth, there are no records of angels ever appearing, even when digging into the past. Even during the 3000-year Demon War, angels did not appear, instead, the gods helped directly and indirectly.

    So if the origin of the elves is angels, why do they not exist? The reason is also contained in the myth. They were all banished to the earth for rebelling against the gods. It seems that no matter how pure and innocent the angels were, they still coveted divine power. This could be seen as a very human trait.

    Thus, they lost their proud and symbolic wings and fell to the earth, bing a new race¡ªthe elves. It¡¯s a myth that suits the prideful nature of the elves, which is why the majority of people firmly believe in it.

    <i>¡®Did they really tear off their own wings and descend to the earth?¡¯</i>

    However, hearing Luminous¡¯s non-denial made my head spin. It was hard to grasp what the correct myth was when he suggested going with that version. Surely, a god wouldn¡¯t lie, so what did he mean by saying that?

    [I cannot give you a definitive answer.]

    <i>¡®Why not?¡¯</i>

    [Because both are true.]

    <i>¡®¡­Excuse me?¡¯</i>

    What an absurd statement. He said that both the rebellion and tearing off their wings were true. Luminous, sensing my bewilderment, continued in his uniquely graceful voice.

    [It is true that the angels rebelled against us. However, all the angels who led the rebellion were destroyed.]

    <i>¡®Then what about the remaining angels¡­¡¯</i>

    [They tore off their own wings and descended to the earth. We tried to stop them, but they refused, seeing it as a punishment for themselves. They fell to the earth to make it more prosperous and to purify thend that was almost tainted by their siblings¡¯ greed.]

    <i>¡®Oh¡­¡¯</i>

    Hearing it directly from a god certainly made it sound more majestic¡­ but why is this true? I was momentarily impressed but then left utterly astonished.

    As I always say, Luminous and Mora never lie. If they were to lie, their divinity would be significantly diminished. Even if the worst oue is inevitable, they must not lie.

    <i>¡®You¡¯re not lying, right?¡¯</i>

    [I¡¯m not.]

    Still, I can¡¯t help but be suspicious. Then why is there only a record in the myth that the angels were banished?

    Sensing my doubt, Luminous exined in a gentle voice.

    [That¡¯s simple. To the eyes of mortals, it had to appear that way. All the angels who tore off their wings and descended to the earth lost their memories. They only remember falling from the sky.]

    <i>¡®Oh, I think I¡¯ve seen something like that.¡¯</i>

    The angels who fell to the earth were the first ¡®mortals.¡¯ Back then, there were no other races, only elves and monsters. They might have been simr to the humans of my past life. The difference was their incredibly long lifespan and their much greater abilitiespared to the first humans.

    As time passed, various races emerged, and the elves, who had increased their numbers, established the first civilization. Due to their 1,000-year lifespan, they increased their poption slowly while other races evolved.

    [However, the mission remained deeply embedded in their hearts despite the passage of time. Make the world they observe better. That was the punishment for the sin theymitted and the price of their pride.]

    <i>¡®That¡¯s truly elf-like¡­ wait a minute.¡¯</i>

    That¡¯s exactly what I wrote in the 25th volume. I was so startled that I flinched visibly.

    In the meantime, Luminous chuckled lightly in a voice filled with satisfaction.

    [It¡¯s a truly wonderful phrase. Whether they actually had such a mission or not, it makes sense given theirck of interest in ¡®domination.¡¯]

    <i>¡®But isn¡¯t it reckless to handle myths written by mere mortals so carelessly?¡¯</i>

    [It seems more honorable that way. Besides, myths are written by you mortals, not by me. I have no authority over them.]

    <i>¡®You said that denying myths would bring divine punishment.¡¯</i>

    [That¡¯s because it would be akin to denying our very existence. As you know, history is subjective, isn¡¯t it? Myths are no different.]

    Hmm. As expected of a god, no argument works against him. Each of his points is so logical that I can¡¯t find a way to counter them.

    Of course, if a myth werepletely nonsensical, the gods, including Luminous, would immediately deny it. But I am different. In a way, it¡¯s true that ¡®this is why it happened¡¯. It¡¯s half true, but the problem is that it¡¯s a ¡®hidden history.¡¯

    Moreover, exining why the elves received the gods¡¯ blessings could cause a significant stir.

    <i>¡®¡­They won¡¯t actually grow wings like Lucifer, will they?¡¯</i>

    After pondering for a while, I asked about my biggest concern. While volume 25 exins the origin of the elves alongside the prelude to war, volume 26 features Lucifer appearing with wings. Although his wings are not white as in the myths but rather ck as if painted with ck ink, they are still wings.

    The reason for my worry is Cecily¡¯s demonization. The level of ¡®this is why it happened¡¯ has reached a point where it feels like directly creating fiction, which is quite terrifying.

    Lucifer, with his spread wings, deres that he will elevate the elves back to angels and ascend to overthrow the gods.

    [You don¡¯t need to worry about that. Unlike demons, whose blood and mana are mixed with devils power, elves do not have such traits. Moreover, wings are a ¡®body(??)¡¯ part granted only to transcendents like us.]

    By ¡®body (??),¡¯ he means the physical form of a god. In other words, as mortals, we can never have wings. Fortunately, the Lucifer in the book obtained his wings through a kind of loophole, and even that was only partially sessful.

    <i>¡®Then, is there no possibility for a mortal to be a transcendent?¡¯</i>

    [It¡¯s virtually impossible. There is an extremely slim chance for someone to be a transcendent, but at least in our world, it has never happened. Although it was moremon on Earth, where you lived.]

    <i>¡®It wasmon on Earth?¡¯</i>

    [Yes. The most notable examples would be Buddha and Jesus.]

    His answer made immediate sense. I didn¡¯t know that Buddha and Jesus actually existed on Earth.

    Anyway, unless one aplishes achievements or gains enlightenmentparable to those figures, bing a transcendent is impossible. This information alone is sufficient.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ll also get some good material out of this.¡¯</i>

    A mortal who achieves great deeds and attains enlightenment to be a transcendent. It reminds me of the ¡®immortals¡¯ often seen in martial arts novels, which might be a simr concept.

    After getting various confirmations from Luminous, I felt somewhat relieved. However, I couldn¡¯t afford to becent. Just like Cecily¡¯s devilization, there was a case where something was forcefully made even though Mora said it wouldn¡¯t happen.

    Of course, it¡¯s somewhat understandable that Mora was speaking based on the situation at that time. Still, it doesn¡¯t hurt to be cautious.

    [Even if you are cautious, what can you do? Just ept whatever happens.]

    <i>¡®You¡¯re harsh. But you¡¯ll still grant me divine power, right?¡¯</i>

    [Of course. By the way, would you consider bing my official follower¡­]

    Just as Luminous was about to subtly bring up his request, Mora¡¯s voice suddenly echoed in my mind, cutting him off.

    [Hey! How dare you¡­]

    Mora¡¯s voice abruptly interrupted, and the connection was severed simultaneously. I immediately opened my eyes and looked ahead. The statue, which should have been glowing with a golden light, was now dark.

    It seemed that Luminous had quickly disconnected as soon as Mora tried to intervene. As Luminous had mentioned before, trying to connect with both him and Mora simultaneously would strain my mind.

    <i>¡®But surprisingly, I feel okay¡­¡¯</i>

    <i>Drip</i>

    As soon as I had that thought, I felt something flowing from my nose. Wiping it with the back of my hand, I saw that it was bright red blood, like paint smeared on my hand. Even though itsted less than a second, it meant my brain had been strained.

    <i>¡®¡­It seems I really am just an ordinary person.¡¯</i>

    First, I needed to find some tissues.

    About an hourter.

    ¡°Ugh¡­ <i>Cough, cough</i>.¡±

    ¡°Are you alright? Why do you have a fever all of a sudden? What happened?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Except for visiting the temple, I didn¡¯t do anything¡­¡±

    ¡°Could it be because of stress?¡±

    In a short time, my fever had rapidly increased, and I started groaning in pain. This must be what they call being possessed by a holy spirit.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve never been sick until now¡­¡¯</i>

    I have aplished something greater than dealing with devil worshippers.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 332: Book 25 (2)

    Chapter 332: Book 25 (2)

    Compared to my family, my physical growth was slower, but I was far from being ¡®weak.¡¯ I had never experienced a dangerously high fever, nor did I suffer from minor illnesses.

    Although this world has divine power, it stillcks advanced medical science, making it vulnerable to diseases. I¡¯ve heard that there was a time when the empire was threatened by a gue.

    The concept of ¡®hygiene¡¯ was understood early on, but biological sciencesg behind. However, aside from my mother, my family is generally healthy. Neither Dave, Nicole, nor my father have ever been seriously ill.

    In fact, my father, due to his profession, often got injured by cold weapons or beastmen¡¯s ws, exposing him to tetanus and other diseases. When he asionally trains shirtless, his upper body is covered in scars, the most notable being w marks from a beast.

    Of course, as the captain of the Navy Knights, he would have had ess to medical supplies. But the border areas where he served were literal frontlines. In my previous life, they could bepared to Iraq, Afghanistan, Ukraine, or even Stalingrad¡ªhellish ces where soldiers were constantly being swept away.

    Even with a solid supply line, such ces oftencked sufficient supplies, including medicine. Despite this, my father never contracted tetanus or even a mild cold. In such entrenched battlefields, more people die slowly from disease and poor hygiene than from fighting.

    Whether it¡¯s due to inheriting a hero¡¯s bloodline, our family¡¯s physical constitution is exceptionally strongpared to others, in terms of immunity and potential. Even as my body grew robustly, I never fell ill. Furthermore, now that I receive plenty of divine power, I¡¯m even further from being sick.

    ¡°<i>Cough, cough.</i> Ugh¡­¡±

    But today, I have to retract that statement. After simultaneously connecting with Luminous and Mora at the temple, I copsed as soon as I returned to the dormitory. Within less than an hour, my fever spiked rapidly, leaving me unable to move. The persistent cough that hurt my throat was a bonus.Perhaps because I haven¡¯t been sick since reincarnating, this feels even more painful.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    In a situation where even moving a finger was difficult, a beautiful voice pierced my ears. Struggling, I opened my eyes and turned my head.

    Her hair as white as snow and her eyes as blue as sapphires. If she had wings on her back, she would truly look like an angel. I forced a smile as I looked at my fianc¨¦e, Marie, who was looking at me with a worried expression.

    Despite feeling dizzy as if someone was messing with my head and my body burning like a furnace, I managed to smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s tough, but I¡¯m¡­ <i>cough!</i>¡°

    I tried to say I was fine, but a cough burst out. I had coughed so much that my throat was sore.

    <i>Swoosh</i>

    After finishing the bout of coughing, something was ced on my forehead. The cold sensation spread across my feverish forehead. Struggling, I opened my eyes and shifted my gaze to see Adelia in her maid uniform. It seemed she had ced a wet towel on my forehead to try to lower my fever with dedication and effort.

    She was also looking at me with her sky-blue eyes full of concern. Her love for me was unrivaled, making her even more distressed.

    Unfortunately, this fever wouldn¡¯t go down easily. It wasn¡¯t a simple fever caused by illness.

    ¡°Is he really okay?¡±

    Marie asked again about my condition, but this time she directed the question to someone else, not me. The person she asked wasn¡¯t Adelia, who was nursing me, but Kate, who had rushed over as soon as she heard I was ill. She had looked as if the world had copsed when she saw me lying in bed, suffering.

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s just ¡®divine fever¡¯ caused by the sh of divine powers from Luminous and Mora. It¡¯s definitely not an illness.¡±

    Being a priestess, Kate had diagnosed my condition faster than anyone else. The diagnosis was divine fever. It¡¯s simr to the spiritual afflictions that shamans experience.

    However, here, divine fever urs when one receives an excessive amount of divine power.

    Even during divine revtions, not everyone receives them; only specific devotees, like priestesses, do. If an ordinary priest receives a revtion, they will suffer from divine fever. Even the Pope or Cardinals can receive revtions without much trouble, but even they sometimes receive vague revtions.

    In other words, it is extremely rare for someone to have direct conversations and even be able to foresee the future like me.

    ¡°I also suffered from divine fever when Luminous bestowed his grace upon me. The traces of it remain on my body as stigmata.¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯ve heard about that. Don¡¯t the incarnations also have stigmata?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct. However, that doesn¡¯t mean I am an incarnation. An incarnation is literally when the gods borrow a mortal¡¯s body to perform powers and miracles. Other than during the Devil War, there have been no recorded instances of incarnations.¡±

    As Kate exined, incarnations only manifest when the world is on the brink of destruction. Historically, they have only appeared during the Devil War.

    I wanted to say something in response to her exnation, but I was too exhausted to do so and could only listen quietly. Even sleeping was difficult because of my dizziness.

    ¡°Isaac mentioned that the divine powers of Luminous and Mora collided. What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s simple. For some unknown reason, Isaac managed to connect with both of them simultaneously. It¡¯s hard enough to handle one deity, let alone two at the same time, so it¡¯s no wonder he is suffering from divine fever.¡±

    ¡°Both at the same time¡­¡±

    ¡°If it weren¡¯t Isaac, any other person would have been consumed by holy fire. They probably wouldn¡¯t even feel the pain.¡±

    Would the fire be so quick that it would be painless? Burns are one of the most painful injuries, so not feeling pain seems impossible¡­

    ¡°Before that, their mind would copse, leaving them in a vegetative state. They wouldn¡¯t feel pain because they¡¯d be incapable of it.¡±

    That¡¯s truly frightening. I ended up like this in less than a second. No wonder I had nosebleeds and dizziness.

    Kate¡¯s terrifying exnation gave me chills. If Luminous had dyed disconnecting even a bit longer, I can¡¯t imagine what would have happened. Passing out would have been preferable.

    ¡°Then, will he recover?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry. Although the divine powers of Luminous and Mora repel each other, they are descendants of Harte. Soon, they will gradually merge and stabilize.¡±

    ¡°Thank goodness¡­¡±

    Marie sighed in relief at Kate¡¯s exnation. ncing to the side, I saw Adelia also had a simr expression of relief.

    So, the only remaining question is whether to inform others about my current condition or keep it a secret. While I can handle all my basic needs within the dormitory, I cannot participate in any external activities. If my condition were to leak out, it would cause an enormousmotion, which is a bit concerning.

    ¡°Uh¡­ Kate.¡±

    ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡±

    ¡°When will I recover from this? <i>Cough</i>.¡±

    I asked with difficulty. Given the severe fever and body aches, I didn¡¯t expect a quick recovery. To make matters worse, I was also experiencing a sore throat, one of the symptoms of the flu. I hope it doesn¡¯t get to the point where I start coughing up blood.

    Kate pondered my question for a moment, then tilted her head as she replied.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I recovered in three days, but in your case, it¡¯s a mix of divine powers from Luminous and Mora¡­¡±

    ¡°Three days? That long?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry. I was in so much pain that I fainted, and three days just passed by.¡±

    I wish she wouldn¡¯t talk about it with a smile. I was about to voice that thought, but the pain made me swallow it back down. Still, it seems that fainting might be the best option for now, given how intense the pain is.

    <i>¡®Once I recover¡­¡¯</i>

    I¡¯ll have to go to the temple and confront Luminous. More than confronting, I¡¯ll demand an exnation. Actually, Mora¡¯s interference caused more problems, but since Luminous provided the opportunity, both are to me.

    Perhaps they were scolded by Harte likest time. After all, their mistake nearly cost them a devoted follower.

    But for now, the important issue is whether to inform others about my condition.

    ¡°So, should I¡­ <i>cough</i>¡­ inform others about my illness?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s decide based on your condition. If you¡¯re still the same tomorrow, we¡¯ll have to let people know. It¡¯s better than disappearing without a trace.¡±

    ¡°Before that, what you need is absolute rest. Don¡¯t even think about getting out of bed for the time being.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­¡±

    I smiled faintly at their concern. My body felt hot enough to make me faint at any moment, but their genuine love and care made me feel a little more at ease.

    Through my past life, I know well that being alone when you¡¯re sick is the most sorrowful thing. The memories of feeling depressed because there was no one toin to about my pain are deeply etched in my mind.

    I wish I could reach out and touch their faces. The problem is, I don¡¯t even have the strength to move a single finger.

    <i>¡®After I sleep¡­¡¯</i>

    I¡¯ll probably feel better. I slowly closed my eyes, feeling my consciousness fade rather than the usual sleepiness. If I sleep deeply and wake up, I¡¯ll probably feel better. As Kate mentioned, it might be better to faint for a few days until I fully recover.

    <i>Rumble rumble rumble¡ª</i>

    ¡°Huh? What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Something is vibrating¡­¡±

    Just as I was about to fall asleep, a sudden vibration urred.

    <i>Rumble, rumble, rumble!</i>

    If only it weren¡¯t an earthquake.

    ¡°What, what is this? Why is this happening all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°I-it¡¯s an earthquake! Quickly, we need to protect young master!¡±

    Marie and Adelia, in a panic, fumbled around helplessly, unable to do anything in the face of the sudden quake. They tried their best to protect me, but I was unable to move a single finger.

    Moreover, they had never experienced an earthquake before and didn¡¯t know how to respond, focusing only on shielding me.

    <i>Rumble, rumble¡ª</i>

    Fortunately, the earthquakested less than ten seconds before subsiding.

    It seemed to be a light aftershock, but there were still some puzzling aspects.

    In the nearly 500-year history of the Minerva Empire¡¯s capital, earthquakes have been extremely rare.

    <i>¡®Could it be that Harte is angry¡­¡¯</i>

    Luminous and Mora had exined before that Harte, the goddess of nature, could cause natural disasters based on her emotional state. The recent earthquake felt like ¡®anger.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t at the level of a volcanic eruption, which would signify ¡®rage,¡¯ but more like mild anger.

    I chuckled at the memory of Mora being scolded by Hirtst time. I couldn¡¯t help but imagine the twin siblings kneeling side by side, getting scolded by Hirt.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ll have to ask about itter¡­¡¯</i>

    For now, I just wanted to sleep. As soon as the earthquake stopped, I quietly closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.

    Unlike Kate, who had fainted for three days, I only slept all day and woke up feeling better the next day. However, I experienced mild dehydration from sweating excessively.

    Thankfully, thanks to the people taking care of me by my side, I was able to recover quickly. After being diagnosed again by Kate, I immediately headed to Luminous¡¯s temple.

    Of course, it was partly to question him about the recent events and also because I had some curious questions.

    <i>¡®Don¡¯t you have something to say to me?¡¯</i>

    [¡­I apologize.]

    <i>¡®The earthquake yesterday was because Harte was angry, right?¡¯</i>

    [Mora and I were kneeling side by side, getting scolded.]

    So it was true.

    *****

    After the release of Volume 25, which country experienced the biggest reaction? Schrs of anthropology and theology would certainly cause amotion regardless of the nation. However, it was undoubtedly Alvenheim, or more precisely, the elven race itself, that faced a significant upheaval.

    Originally, the myth surrounding the origin of the elves involved banishment due to pride, but Xenon¡¯s Biographypletely overturned this narrative. Instead of being banished, the elves tore off their own wings to make the world a better ce¡ªa deeply self-sacrificial and righteous mindset.

    This new interpretation also exined the elves¡¯ characteristic pride and why they were blessed by the gods. There were concerns that this could lead to increased nationalism and a resurgence of arrogance simr to the period before the race wars.

    The newly established myth from Xenon¡¯s Biography was enough to instill a sense of pride. The old myth, which depicted the elves as banished, was negative in many ways. Although it had always seemed somewhat contradictory, people had believed in it firmly.

    But now, there¡¯s a new, impressive myth: the elves were not banished; they tore off their own wings and descended. Even schrs, after several analyses, nodded in agreement, and the gods did not object in any way. If it were apletely unfounded myth, the gods would have directly refuted it.

    Since myths are more sensitive than regr history, their silence implied tacit approval. In other words, the act of tearing off their wings and descending was indeed true.

    [There was a reason we were blessed by the gods!]

    [We are not banished! We are descendants of the great angels!]

    Consequently, such voices began to grow louder within Alvenheim. If things had continued without any restraint, many problems could have arisen, but¡­

    [Have you truly learned nothing from the race wars?]

    [Distinguish clearly between arrogance and pride.]

    [Our greatest enemy is none other than our own pride.]

    Arwen¡¯s warnings like the above helped to gradually quell the mes. Her words were undeniably correct.

    However, even Arwen could do nothing about the pride instilled in the elves. That pride, or sense of superiority, was something even Arwen, being an elf herself, couldn¡¯tpletely escape.

    Although she was a half-blood rather than a pureblood, she was practically the same as a pureblood. Elven traits manifest at least up to a quarter of their lineage.

    Just as Cecily¡¯s devilization followed the myth, Arwen wondered if she might also grow wings ording to the myth¡­

    ¡°It¡¯s not happening. I give up.¡±

    After several attempts with no sign of wings or any change, she quickly gave up. The myth had changed, but unlike the devilization described in Xenon¡¯s Biography, it didn¡¯t mention anything about growing wings.

    Unless the next volume features Lucifer with wings, a myth is just a myth. So, she let go of that idea and focused on state affairs. Being a half-blood made it easier for her to give up.

    <i>Knock, knock, knock¡ª</i>

    At that moment, Arwen heard someone knocking on the office door. Without lifting her head, she spoke.

    ¡°Come in.¡±

    With Arwen¡¯s characteristic tone granting permission, the door opened cautiously, and an elf appeared. It was Keir, the bodyguard and chief secretary Arwen had selected. He stood quietly, waiting for her to lift her head.

    ¡°So, what brings you here?¡±

    Arwen asked as she put down her quill. Given the busy situation caused by the hidden elven myth revealed in Volume 25, she intended to handle things quickly.

    Keir, meeting Arwen¡¯s silver-gray eyes, cleared his throat before speaking in a gentle voice.

    ¡°The item you requested has arrived.¡±

    With those words,

    ¡°Is this really true!¡±

    Arwen jumped up from her seat, shouting loudly. Her silver-gray eyes were wide open, and her expression was filled with surprise.

    Keir, watching Arwen¡¯s reaction in real-time, gave a subtle smile and nodded in affirmation.

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s on its way here right now.¡±

    ¡°Ah, understood. Finally¡­!¡±

    Arwen sped her hands together at her chest, her face filled with anticipation, like a child receiving a new toy. Seeing her reaction, Keir smiled softly before his expression turned curious.

    ¡°But what kind of item requires such materials? Silk made from the cocoons of silkworms that fed on the leaves of the World Tree? It¡¯s hard to imagine what it could be.¡±

    ¡°Th-that doesn¡¯t matter! More importantly¡­! Ahem.¡±

    For some reason, Arwen¡¯s face turned red. She hastily cleared her throat to change the subject.

    After calming herself by tapping her chest, she gave Keir a resolute look and issued her instructions.

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s time to make the announcement.¡±

    ¡°Announcement?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Only one task remained.

    ¡°It¡¯s time to give Xenon a gift.¡±

    It was time to give Isaac a special gift.<hr>

    Trantors note:

 Chapter 333: Book 25 (3)

    Chapter 333: Book 25 (3)

    Although I spent a day in vain due to the unexpected divine fever, it didn¡¯t cause any significant disruption to my daily routine.

    In fact, Luminous apologized sincerely and promised to be more careful in the future, granting me an abundance of divine power.

    Thanks to that, I feltpletely healthy and energetic, a stark contrast to the previous day when I felt like I was dying from the fever. I felt no fatigue, and others were even concerned about how energetic I was.

    Anyway, after returning to my daily routine, the first thing I had to do was visit Elena¡¯s researchb. I intended to continue attending the academy, but I didn¡¯t want to continue in a way that inconvenienced those around me.

    So if Elena found it difficult to continue working with me, I nned to resign from the assistant position, even if I felt regretful about it. It would be better to return to being a student and attend her lectures.

    ¡°Not at all? Why would I do that?¡±

    But Elena¡¯s reaction was one ofplete iprehension. Her light green eyes behind her sses were filled with curiosity. Cindy, who was quietly reading a book beside her, had a simr reaction. Her eyes were still dark and weary, but they now held a question.

    Seeing their reactions, I spoke in a hesitant voice.

    ¡°I might cause you trouble. And there¡¯s also the threat from devil worshippers¡­¡±¡°Let theme. I¡¯d like to catch one and do some research.¡±

    Elena answered confidently, and Cindy nodded in agreement. I looked at them, initially bewildered, but then I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.

    Come to think of it, the headmaster mentioned that Elena and Cindy were once explorers who traveled the world. They likely possess enough strength to protect themselves, so it¡¯s not something I need to worry about.

    ¡°Besides, I can¡¯t miss this opportunity. Being the professor who taught Xenon¡ªmy reputation is going to soar.¡±

    ¡°Was that your original goal?¡±

    ¡°Half of it, maybe? The other half is that it¡¯s hard to find someone as capable as you. While Leona is going to join as an assistant, the more, the merrier, right?¡±

    ¡°With you around, organizing papers and documents won¡¯t be a problem¡­¡±

    Elena and Cindy each stated what they wanted. Especially Cindy, who has been writing various papers with my help inposition.

    I am helping them and living a life not much different from that of a graduate student. Sitill, regarding history, I have much to learn from them.

    ¡°I understand your thoughts. So, should I continue working as an assistant?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s up to you. If you decide to leave, we can¡¯t stop you. Just make sure to tell us if any major event is going to happen in the future.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡±

    ¡°Or you could inform us about forgotten histories or significant events, like the newly interpreted myth of the elves.¡±

    I gave a wry smile at the half-joking suggestion. Elena nced at my face and then smiled faintly.

    It seems she doesn¡¯t want to miss out on the big catch. After all, opportunities to legally exploit Xenon¡¯s knowledge are rare.

    Anyway, it seems settled that I¡¯ll continue as an assistant. Now, there¡¯s one more thing left: introducing my bodyguards.

    Since I n to bring Adelia and Kate along to sses in the future, it¡¯s best to familiarize them now.

    ¡°This is Adelia Cross, Isaac¡¯s loyal servant. Please take care of her.¡±

    Adelia introduced herself first. She was dressed infortable clothes suitable for activities, not her usual maid uniform.

    Although the maid outfit suits her, with her figure, she can pull off anything. If the maid outfitbined sexiness and cuteness, right now she looked dignified.

    ¡°Adelia Cross¡­ You used to be a teaching assistant in the liberal arts department, right? I¡¯ve heard of you. You were considered one of the most promising talents along with a student named Nicole.¡±

    Elena said, pushing up her sses that had slightly slipped down. It seems that Adelia¡¯s reputation is not limited to the liberal arts department alone.

    This is also true for Nicole. Given that even a literature professor, who is far from martial arts, knows about her, it is likely that the entire academy was aware of them.

    Adelia responded to her words modestly with her characteristic husky voice.

    ¡°You¡¯re too kind. Nicole was a more outstanding student than I was.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ I understand. I look forward to working with you. And¡­¡±

    Elena¡¯s gaze shifted sideways. There stood Kate, dressed in a white nun¡¯s habit, with a gentle smile.

    ¡°Is that Cardinal Kate?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am Kate Louise Angelica, serving under Luminous and Isaac.¡±

    ¡°I have heard of your great name. Not only did you expel the fallen cardinal, but I¡¯ve also heard rumors that you might be the next pope¡­¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me who expelled that worm, but Lord Isaac. I merely acted ording to his will.¡±

    As expected, Kate is relentless towards those associated with devils. Her tone is exceedingly polite, but her words are chilling.

    Elena, hearing Kate¡¯s somewhat fierce words, looked slightly taken aback. Cindy blinked her eyes with her characteristic weary expression.

    Regardless, Kate continued speaking with a saintly smile.

    ¡°And I have no intention of bing the pope. My duty is to strike down the evil that pollutes the world and to protect Lord Isaac, who spreads the light.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ I see. Understood. My name is Elena Heavensinger. I am a professor of history at Halo Academy.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Cindy Skywalker¡­ I look forward to working with you¡­¡±

    Following Elena, Cindy introduced herself in an utterly exhausted tone. Her voice alone sounded extremely tired.

    Perhaps it was Cindy¡¯s voice and condition that caught Kate¡¯s attention. She stared at Cindy for a moment and then slowly walked over to her.

    Cindy, meanwhile, blinked her eyes and looked at Kate with a puzzled expression, not making any moves.

    ¡°Did you say your name was Cindy?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    ¡°Could you please hold out your hand for a moment?¡±

    ¡°My hand?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    At Kate¡¯s sudden request, Cindy looked at her with a curious gaze. Kate waited silently for her response.

    Eventually, Cindy cautiously extended her hand, indicating her consent. Although her face looked somewhat worn due to severeck of sleep, her hand was white and delicate.

    As Cindy extended her hand, Kate gently ced her own hand on Cindy¡¯s palm. As the two beautiful hands ovepped, a delicate atmosphere began to form.

    <i>Shaaa¡ª</i>

    From Kate¡¯s hand, a golden halo of light began to emanate and soon transferred to Cindy¡¯s hand. It then gradually flowed up her arm, eventually enveloping her entire body.

    Having seen this phenomenon a few times before, I wasn¡¯t surprised, but Cindy, witnessing it for the first time, looked astonished with wide eyes.

    Elena, who was also watching, had the same reaction, her light green eyes widened in surprise.

    <i>Sssss¡ª</i>

    The golden light that had been wrapping around Cindy¡¯s body began to slowly fade. As it dimmed, it was only natural to check if there were any changes in her appearance.

    And I quickly noticed the difference. First of all, the dark circles under Cindy¡¯s eyes, which were practically her trademark, hadpletely disappeared.

    The light returned to her face, which had been marred by fatigue, and her skin looked much more firm and resilient than before. Although it was unmistakably Cindy¡¯s appearance, she seemed like apletely different person.

    ¡°Your condition was quite deteriorated due tock of sleep. Have you been unable to sleep at night?¡±

    Kate, who had quickly restored Cindy¡¯s condition, asked with a gentle smile. Cindy looked at her in bewilderment.

    ¡°Well¡­ yes. For some reason, I¡¯m scared at night¡­¡±

    Cindy replied in a shaky voice. Although her mind was clear, it seemed difficult to change the speech pattern she had developed over the years.

    Indeed, if it¡¯s hard to change ingrained habits, how much harder would it be to alter one¡¯s manner of speaking? I thought it was somehow fortunate that her unique characteristic remained intact.

    ¡°You seem to be sensitive to even the slightest sounds.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ it seems to be a stress-rted illness you acquired during your exploration with Professor Elena. While I can improve your condition, it would be better to consult Mora for this area.¡±

    So, it wasn¡¯t just that she was buried in papers and research every day; she simply couldn¡¯t sleep. I had overlooked the fact that post-traumatic stress isn¡¯t something only soldiers like my father can suffer from.

    If I had paid even a little attention, I might have been able to help her earlier. I realized I had dismissed her as merely a colleague with a unique personality.

    ¡°¡­How do you feel now?¡±

    ¡°I feel like I could fly. I think I could stay up for several nights and still be fine.¡±

    In response to Elena¡¯s cautious question, Cindy smiled brightly and looked at her own hands. She seemed like a different person just by losing the dark circles under her eyes.

    Although herment about staying up for several nights didn¡¯t sound entirely positive, it clearly indicated how good she felt.

    Hearing her words, Elena made a subtle expression and spoke in an admiring tone.

    ¡°Even after visiting the temple, I never felt any better¡­ I guess it¡¯s different with a cardinal.¡±

    ¡°This is nothing. If you want more, you can ask Lord Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Isaac? Are you saying you¡¯re a clergyman?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Why is she pointing to me all of a sudden? I¡¯m someone who only knows how to receive, not use these powers.

    While both Elena and I were bewildered, Kate spoke with a warm smile.

    ¡°Lord Isaac is the one who spreads light in this world. Elena, you may not know, but there are already people who have received light from Lord Isaac. Not only his fianc¨¦e, Lady Marie, but also the princess of Helium, andstly, the knight here, Lady Adelia.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Ah, right.

    This woman, she may have been by my side all this time, but she has zero social skills.

    Specifically, she has a peculiar focus and can¡¯t distinguish between what should and shouldn¡¯t be said.

    ¡°So if you both wish, he can nt the seed¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡±

    So, I hurriedly covered Kate¡¯s mouth. I¡¯ve worked hard to make a good impression; it would be meaningless if she ruined it.

    But what I overlooked was that by doing this, I had covered her mouth with my own hand.

    Looking at Kate, wondering if it could be true¡­

    ¡°<i>Sniff</i>. <i>Sniff</i>. Ha¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Lord Isaac¡¯s hand scent¡­ Ah. I shouldn¡¯t be doing this¡­¡±

    She sniffed on her own and her face quickly turned red. Her eyes, now looking intoxicated, were a bonus.

    I sighed deeply at the thought of managing Kate, who was difficult in many ways, and then slowly removed my hand.

    ¡°Ah, Lord Isaac? I¡¯m sorry but¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll wait here until you return, so please go quickly.¡±

    ¡°T-thank you.¡±

    And so, with a somewhat urgent expression, Kate left theb. She probably returned to her quarters to have some alone time.

    Considering that just holding hands with her can make her as aroused as Cecily in heat, covering her mouth must have made it worse. That¡¯s what I was thinking.

    ¡°She¡­ is quite a unique person.¡±

    Elena spoke, trying to break the awkward atmosphere with a positive spin. Cindy, on the other hand, was busy checking her own condition.

    Adelia¡­ just stood there calmly, as if she was used to it. However, she did clear her throat with a solemn expression, suggesting she was a bit embarrassed too.

    Naturally, the embarrassment fell on me. Covering my face with one hand, I spoke sincerely.

    ¡°Thank you for putting it that way¡­ Please forget everything Kate said earlier.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I may not look like it, but I¡¯m married.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    This was news to me. As I looked at her with a surprised expression, Elena tilted her head and questioned.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? The reason I sometimes go back to Alvenheim is to see my husband. I also do some research while I¡¯m there.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that.¡±

    ¡°Really? Well, now you know.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Fortunately, it seemed like my activities as a history assistant would continue smoothly.<hr>

    Trantors note:

    Sorry for the dy, but I picked up a new series and will be uploading it soon!

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 334: Legal Stalking (1)

    Chapter 334: Legal Stalking (1)

    Now that my conversation with Elena is over, the only thing left is the ss schedule.

    As you know, Elena¡¯s sses are quite numerous.

    First-year literature sses are just the basics, and in the second year, her lectures expand beyond the Literature Department to include the Undered Studies as well.

    The tasks I perform during these sses are limited to assisting Elena or engaging in discussions with the students, but even those can be mentally exhausting.

    After all, there isn¡¯t just one ss¡ªthere are multiple.

    In other words, I have to prepare myself for a barrage of questions every time I step into a lecture.

    On top of that, since my identity has been revealed, it¡¯s only natural for the intensity to increase.

    So, I braced myself and entered the lecture.

    ¡°Before asking questions, let me make this clear: any personal stories or unrted remarks will immediately result in a penalty. Please stick strictly to lecture-rted questions during ss.¡±¡°¡±¡±Ah¡­.¡±¡±¡±

    However, Elena preemptively blocked any issues.

    Her firm warning left most of the students visibly disappointed.

    Although I expected my role as a teaching assistant to be more challenging, her considerate gesture made me feel nothing but gratitude.

    I nodded deeply in appreciation, and Elena responded with a gentle smile.

    Then, she adjusted her sses, signaling it was time for the ss to officially begin.

    Ah, by the way, Adelia was standing next to me, while Kate stood near the door, ready to act if anything were to happen.

    Thanks to their presence, I felt at ease to focus on the ss.

    ¡°History is always open to interpretation from various perspectives.

    A person celebrated as a hero by some may be recorded as a ruthless butcher by others. For example, take Jace Miracha from the Tribal Wars.

    While the elves remember him as a dishonorable viin whocked integrity, humans revere him as a hero.

    Thus, while history itself might appear objective, it often lends itself to subjective interpretations depending on the context¡­¡±

    Thanks to Elena¡¯s forewarning, the lecture proceeded smoothly.

    asionally, or rather tantly, a few students stared at me, but I ignored them all.

    Surely, they must have many things they want to say, but losing marks for it would be too great a loss.

    Even more so since Elena is known among students for being generous with grades, and her exams are based on an absolute grading system rather than a rtive one, making it practically a gift of a lecture.

    That said, receiving deductions would still be a bitter mistake, so the students exercised patience.

    ¡®Except for one.¡¯

    I made eye contact with a student who had been ring at me intently since earlier.

    Her sinister gaze remained as unsettling as ever, but her strikingly vivid pink eyes stood out.

    As everyone might have guessed, it was Cherry.

    She wasn¡¯t focusing on the ss at all, wasting time staring only at me.

    Her pink hair had grown longer since thest time I saw her, and her expression seemed brighter too.

    ¨C If not for those unnervingly grim eyes.

    Moreover, her unique aura seemed to create a slight distance between her and the other students around her.

    With her looks alone, Cherry should have been incredibly popr among her peers, but her presence seemed to dominate everything else.

    ¡®But¡­¡¯

    If I wasn¡¯t mistaken, her chest seemedrger than thest time I saw her.

    And no, I¡¯m not being a pervert¡ªit was a noticeable difference.

    Her uniform, which already struggled to contain her like Cecily¡¯s, now seemed on the verge of giving up entirely.

    It was so tight that the buttons looked ready to pop off any second.

    If her uniform were personified, it might only be able to choke out a helpless gasp.

    Cherry, who usually pays attention to her attire, seemed to be growing rapidly, judging by the state of her uniform.

    Admirable growth, to say the least.

    ¡°Ahem. Ahem.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Adelia, noticing my gaze, cleared her throat to snap me back to focus.

    Only then did I manage to redirect my attention back to the lecture.

    Still, it was hard to ignore Cherry.

    Sitting right in the front row, she continued to watch me with unwavering focus.

    What concerned me more was the students sitting beside her, who were subtly keeping their distance.

    As I¡¯ve said before, Cherry is incredibly beautiful with an excellent figure and an impressive background.

    Yet, no one seemed interested in her, and some even appeared uneasy.

    I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if there had been some issue with her rtionships.

    She does have a gloomy demeanor, but her charm more than makes up for it.

    ¡®Did something happen while I was away?¡¯

    Anyway, I nned to meet with Cherry separatelyter, so I could take my time figuring it out.

    For now, I had to send the manuscripts she hadn¡¯t delivered yet to the publisher.

    Since only the first volume had been published and the second hadn¡¯t been released, I wondered how much material had piled up in the meantime.

    I couldn¡¯t help but feel a little excited.

    Of course, I wasn¡¯t expecting too much, as I still didn¡¯t know Cherry¡¯s writing speed.

    I had heard, however, that she hadpleted the manuscript for the second volume.

    It was only my busyness that dyed its submission.

    While assisting Elena¡¯s lecture, I began nning my next steps.

    ¡°Professor, may I ask a question?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Your name is¡­?¡±

    ¡°My name is Hasir Kellik.¡±

    ¡°Ah, Hasir. Go ahead.¡±

    During the lecture, a student with slightly curly blonde hair and deep blue eyes stood up to ask a question.

    He briefly nced at me before voicing his curiosity.

    ¡°You mentioned that history is objective but can be interpreted subjectively. Doesn¡¯t that also mean records different from the original history might exist?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡±

    ¡°Then, to uncover such histories, even those unknown to their participants, what steps should one take?¡±

    It was quite a sharp question.

    And I immediately realized that it was aimed at me.

    As soon as Hasir posed the question, all eyes in the room turned toward me.

    Even Elena¡¯s gaze settled on me, making me feel rather ufortable.

    There wasn¡¯t much I could say in response, though, since Hasir¡¯s question itself was an excellent one.

    It perfectly embodied the mindset of a schr.

    The issue was my presence in this lecture hall. After some thought, Elena began to exin.

    ¡°That¡¯s a fascinating question. But uncovering such histories often involves taking great risks.

    History is written by the victors, but that doesn¡¯t mean the records of the defeated vanish entirely. If history is lost or erased entirely, it¡¯s usually because someone powerful intentionally made it so.

    For example, the reinterpreted myths of the elves remain myths¡ªopen to diverse interpretations¡ªbut they were not erased.¡±

    ¡°Can you provide an example?¡±

    ¡°The most representative examples would be the exile of the dark elves and the forbidden magic of fusion.¡±

    Hidden histories are called hidden for a reason.

    They are stories that must not be revealed¡ªones that could shake the very foundations of nations and races.

    The dark elf exile, like the Tribal Wars, was a tragedy born of elven arrogance, and fusion was a dangerous magic that was ultimately discarded.

    ¡°However, even more dangerous than hidden history is the act of distorting the flow of history.¡±

    ¡°Distorting history, you say?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Recently, demon worshippers who dominated the dark world were known for such acts. They even had a fallen cardinal among them¡­¡±

    While speaking, Elena nced toward Kate by the door.

    Fortunately, Kate seemed uninterested and remained impassive.

    ¡°Ahem. Ahem. They had the power to rewrite history. If you dig deep enough into history, you¡¯ll find inconsistencies¡ªthings that don¡¯t quite add up.

    For instance, nobles or heroes who seemed fine suddenlymitting suicide or being imprisoned for treason.

    If you¡¯re willing to take on the mission of unraveling such mysteries and saving the world, I won¡¯t stop you. But¡­ it will put your life at considerable risk.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    The atmosphere instantly turned heavy following Elena¡¯s exnation.

    Having a living witness present certainly made it hit home.

    Of course, I¡¯ve never been directly threatened by demon worshippers before.

    But if I let my guard down, they would undoubtedly pounce immediately.

    Completely.

    Until the demon worshippers are eradicated, I¡¯ll have to live my entire life under threat.

    ¡°Well, I can give some advice, at least. Don¡¯t you think so, Isaac?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know anything.¡±

    The real trick is that I genuinely don¡¯t know anything. The frustrating part is that no one believes that.

    Elena seemed to take my response as a joke, letting out a faintugh.

    As expected, she didn¡¯t believe me.

    ¡°Come on, just some light advice will do. I asked for advice, not a glimpse into the future.¡±

    ¡°Phew¡­¡±

    I let out a sigh tinged withplexity.

    Thankfully, I had anticipated this to some extent, so I wasn¡¯t flustered.

    I slowly scanned the students in the lecture hall.

    Most of them were looking at me with bright, eager eyes.

    Except for one.

    Cherry was the only one whose eyes were devoid of any light. Instead, she reced it with a smile.

    ¡®¡­This is scary.¡¯

    Her eyes were dead, but her lips were smiling¡ªit was chilling.

    Could this be why her peers avoided her?

    Regardless, I had to speak.

    Feeling awkward under the students¡¯ gaze, I scratched my head.

    Honestly, the so-called advice I could give wasn¡¯t anything special.

    ¡°As Professor Elena said, uncovering hidden history is like walking an unknown path where nothing is visible.

    There¡¯s no telling what kind of records you¡¯ll find; it could be something trivial.

    In the worst-case scenario, it could be a truth you¡¯re better off not knowing.¡±

    Not that it applies to me.

    I didn¡¯t exactly tread an unknown path¡ªit¡¯s more like I pulled the imagination in my head into reality.

    It just so happened that everything aligned perfectly and became the present.

    I didn¡¯t dig into history separately. I simply relied on my vivid imagination.

    ¡°Even so, if you¡¯re determined to walk that path, I won¡¯t stop you.

    Research is a schr¡¯s fundamental duty. However, I must emphasize this point: once you start, it¡¯s difficult to get out.¡±

    It¡¯s true.

    Schrs are often used of being obsessed or entric for a reason.

    Most schrs dive into their field because they love it, sometimes going to extremes to gain knowledge.

    I¡¯m no different. Although The Xenon Chronicles is a fictional tale, it was based on the history of this world.

    Mixing in various clich¨¦s I encountered in my past life led to the current situation.

    ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as truly hidden history. If any of you be schrs in the future and study a specific field, countless discoveries will emerge. That¡¯s what it means to be a schr.¡±

    ¡°Then how did you uncover the truth, Lord Xenon?¡±

    One student interjected. However, I had no intention of answering.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    To be precise, I couldn¡¯t. I made it clear when I revealed my identity.

    I stated that every story in The Xenon Chronicles came from my imagination and that all of this was a coincidence.

    The student who asked the question didn¡¯t seem to believe me.

    It¡¯s up to them whether they believe or not, but I couldn¡¯t help but give a wry smile.

    ¡°That¡¯s a difficult question to answer. Would you believe me if I said I simply wrote down the stories in my head?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll pass on answering. This is all I¡¯ll say. Thank you.¡±

    The sudden deration of the session¡¯s end startled the students, but they quickly responded with enthusiastic apuse that almost hurt my ears.

    I bowed politely in response to the apuse.

    I¡¯m gradually getting used to these awkward situations.

    ¡°Well then, let¡¯s end the ss here for today. Great job, everyone.¡±

    After Elena announced the end of the lecture, the students began to rise from their seats.

    I stayed put, nning to leave with Elena.

    As I casually met the eyes of each student, my gaze eventuallynded on Cherry.

    She made no move to leave her seat and was just staring at me.

    For some reason, her gaze felt burdensome, making me give an awkward smile as I waved my hand lightly.

    Finally, she responded.

    Grin¡ª

    It was that same creepy smile I¡¯d seen earlier.

    Even though she was smiling, it didn¡¯t feel like a smile at all.

    ¡®What¡­ why does this feel even worse than before?¡¯

    Later, in a different ss¡­

    ¡°¡­Cherry?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you attend the history lecture earlier?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t ignore Cherry sitting in the front row again.

    ¡°I wanted to see you, senior¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°You said you wouldn¡¯t abandon me¡­¡±

    This is my fault.

 Chapter 335: Legal Stalking (2)

    Chapter 335: Legal Stalking (2)

    Once a damaged mind breaks, it cannot be fixed.

    Looking at soldiers suffering from PTSD or certain individuals, it¡¯s clear what that means.

    Just as physical wounds leave scars when not treated promptly or when healed poorly, the same applies to the mind.

    Especially if scars are etched onto the mind, they won¡¯t disappear unless fully covered.

    While some relief can be found through something like Mora instead of Luminous, if it bes part of one¡¯s ¡®personality,¡¯ there¡¯s no saving it.

    This also applies to Cherry.

    She¡¯s someone who has already fallen into despair and barely wed her way out.

    Her crushed dreams were nurtured once again, and the fundamental issue¡ªthe pressure from Count Letish¡ªwas resolved.

    There¡¯s nothing binding her anymore.The problem now is her self-esteem, which hit rock bottom and has only slightly risen.

    During the exhibition, she told me:

    ¡°I¡¯ll do anything, just please don¡¯t abandon me.¡±

    A phrase that instantly conveyed her psyche and her feelings toward me.

    I couldn¡¯t ignore Cherry¡¯s desperate plea, so I epted her with an open heart. Fortunately, Marie and the other women didn¡¯t mind much.

    But perhaps because I¡¯ve been so busy, since I pped Hiriya on the cheek, my interactions with Cherry have naturally decreased.

    This has understandably made her feel more insecure.

    Currently, Cherry is like a piece of porcin that was shattered and carefully glued back together.

    One drop to the floor, and it will shatter irreparably.

    And I¡¯m the one holding that porcin delicately.

    A single mistake, and it¡¯s as though her life depends on it.

    She¡¯s even been auditing every ss I attend.

    At least the symptoms aren¡¯t severe yet, thankfully.

    If it worsens, she might resort to self-harm to grab attention.

    ¡°Does it taste good?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡­¡­¡±

    To discuss future ns and retrieve her manuscript, I decided to meet her separately.

    Of course, I finished all my sses first.

    We¡¯re currently at a caf¨¦ we¡¯ve often visited before.

    Visiting a caf¨¦ isn¡¯t an issue since academy bodyguards follow me wherever I go.

    Not direct escorts like Adelia and Kate, but other guards.

    They¡¯re probably checking for suspicious individuals outside the caf¨¦ right now.

    And with a Reaper dispatched from Helium, like Gartz, observing from afar, I feel reassured.

    ¡°What were you doing while I was away?¡±

    I took a sip of coffee with a round ice cube floating in it and asked Cherry.

    With all the sugar I added, the sweetness lingered more than the bitterness.

    In the meantime, Cherry slowly raised her lowered head in response to my question.

    Her eyes remain as dark as ever.

    Is there no way to fix that gaze?

    I wonder if it¡¯s because Count Leticia shattered her self-esteem or if she¡¯s always been this way.

    ¡°¡­I was just waiting for you, senpai.¡±

    Cherry¡¯s pink lips, which had been tightly closed, opened.

    Her response was filled with such a deep sense of apology that it stabbed at my heart.

    I wanted to make excuses about being busy recently, but it felt too petty, so I didn¡¯t say anything.

    What I need to do now is apologize.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t make any excuses. No matter how busy I was, I should have paid attention to you¡­¡±

    ¡°I-It¡¯s okay. I understand.¡±

    Cherry, startled, waved both hands as if my sincerity reached her.

    Even with her gloomy eyes, she could make such expressions.

    She¡¯s somehow cute.

    ¡°Even if you drift away, senpai, I can just follow behind. Hehe¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Cherry said that with a goofy smile.

    If it were anyone else, it might¡¯ve sounded like a confession, buting from Cherry, it sounded eerie.

    As if she were confidently dering her intent to stalk me.

    I quickly scanned my surroundings after hearing her words.

    First, Adelia.

    Surprisingly, she was looking at Cherry with a face full of sympathy and pity.

    I¡¯d already told her who Cherry was and her circumstances.

    Since learning about her tragic family history, Adelia must feel a sense of kinship.

    Perhaps that¡¯s why she¡¯s genuinely feeling sorry for Cherry rather than being wary.

    ¡®And Kate¡­¡¯

    I then shifted my gaze to Kate.

    Unlike Adelia, I hadn¡¯t told her much about Cherry, and she seemed indifferent, wearing a calm expression.

    Maybe she didn¡¯t sense anything unusual.

    The act of stalking itself is a problem, but Cherry¡¯s feelings for me are pure.

    ¡®¡­It is pure, right?¡¯

    It should be.

    If it weren¡¯t, she would¡¯ve done something outrageous by now.

    The real issue is her extremely low self-esteem, but she still harbors purity in her heart.

    The real viin here is Count Leticia, who almost tainted that purity with a strange hue.

    ¡®I wonder what that man is up to these days.¡¯

    Now that I¡¯ve revealed I¡¯m Xenon, he must have figured out Cherry¡¯s identity as well.

    It¡¯d be strange if he didn¡¯t notice, considering how much I protected her.

    However, he hasn¡¯t pressured Cherry, nor has he approached me.

    Maybe my brutal honesty had asting impact, as he seems to respect Cherry¡¯s autonomy now.

    ¡°Hmm. Cherry?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Please, go ahead¡­¡±

    ¡°How far have you written in the manuscript?¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn

    For now, I decided to set aside the stalking issue and address her work first.

    Cherry¡¯s debut novel, Crimson Sunset, is the next big trend following The Xenon Chronicles.

    It made a stormy debut months ago but hasn¡¯t released any volumes in recent months because I¡¯ve been too busy.

    But that¡¯s going to change now.

    I n to give her the attention I couldn¡¯t before and make future ns as well.

    With Cherry¡¯s personality, even if her identity isn¡¯t revealed, it¡¯s now known that she¡¯s my coborator, so no one will mess with her easily.

    ¡°I¡¯ve finished up to volume three and written about half of volume four¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fast.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t just ttery; she was genuinely quick.

    She reminds me of myself before receiving a typewriter.

    As everyone knows, books in this world are handwritten, making it almost impossible to release one per month.

    Moreover, Cherry is a student, and as a first-year, her schedule must be hectic.

    Even I released new volumes only every two to three months during my first year.

    ¡°By the way, are you eating well?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Well, she wouldn¡¯t be growing that much in the chest area if she weren¡¯t eating properly.

    As soon as I nced at her well-developed figure, I nodded in understanding.

    ¡°Are you getting enough sleep?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Even though her eyesck vitality, she doesn¡¯t have dark circles like Cindy.

    Her skin is also pale and radiant, showing no signs of fatigue.

    ¡°How about studying?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not failing, at least.¡±

    It might sound a bit smug, but as long as she¡¯s not failing, studying isn¡¯t necessary.

    Especially since she¡¯s making a living as an author and has even gained fame.

    Everything about her writing is perfect.

    Given that she wrote two volumes in such a short time, it makes sense.

    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. Nothing bad has happened while I was gone, right?¡±

    ¡°Just that you weren¡¯t here, senpai.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Other than that, everything¡¯s been great. Hehe.¡±

    I¡¯m sorry.

    So please don¡¯t smile at me like that with such an expression.

    As guilt piled up in my chest, I awkwardly smiled back.

    Meeting Cherry sooner rather thanter was definitely the right decision.

    ¡°Isaac, could I speak with Cherry for a moment?¡±

    As I was rubbing my face in frustration, Kate made a request.

    Lowering my hands, I turned to look at her.

    Kate maintained her usual gentle expression. It seemed she had picked up on something from our conversation.

    ¡°Yes. Please go ahead.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. You said your name was Cherry, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ I¡¯m Cherry Blossom Rosemary.¡±

    ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Kate Louise Angelica, a loyal servant of Lord Luminous. By any chance, do you also have feelings for Sir Isaac?¡±

    Kate dove straight to the point immediately after introductions.

    Whatever Cherry¡¯s circumstances or identity were, Kate didn¡¯t seem to care in the slightest.

    As Kate bulldozed past any buildup, Cherry blinked slowly.

    That slow blink of hers was either a sign of interest or confusion.

    In this case, it clearly meant she was startled by Kate¡¯s question.

    She blinked again, even slower this time, before speaking softly.

    ¡°Yes¡­ I do like him¡­¡±

    ¡°I thought as much. In that case¡­¡±

    ¡°If you start spouting weird nonsense to Cherry, I¡¯ll send you back to Savior.¡±

    I quickly cut Kate off before she could start her usual talk about seeds.

    The embarrassment I¡¯d felt after she brought that up with Elena and Cindy was still fresh in my memory.

    But contrary to my expectations, Kate shook her head.

    It seemed she wasn¡¯t about to go down the ¡°seed¡± route this time and had another topic in mind.

    ¡°That¡¯s not it. Sir Isaac is a man of great generosity.

    Lady Rosemary, you might not know, but Sir Isaac has weed not just his fianc¨¦e, but also the Princess of Helium and even Lord Cross, who is currently by his side.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    How could she dress up the word ¡°womanizer¡± so elegantly?

    Hearing it from Kate somehow made it sound mystifying.

    Even though I knew exactly what she meant, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit flustered.

    I just avoided Adelia¡¯s sharp gaze by looking away.

    While I struggled to process Kate¡¯s words, she continued speaking without pause, saying only what she wanted to.

    ¡°However, Lady Rosemary, you seem to be hovering around him rather than approaching directly. Sir Isaac seems to have an interest in you as well.¡±

    She trailed off, but her meaning was clear enough.

    Stop lurking like a stalker and step forward confidently.

    It¡¯s obvious he¡¯ll ept you, so why not just make a move already? T

    hat¡¯s essentially what Kate was telling Cherry.

    And Cherry¡­

    ¡°Someone like me?¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    ¡°How could I possibly?¡±

    Cherry¡¯s response startled not just Kate, but also Adelia and me.

    What was even more concerning was that Cherry genuinely seemed confused, tilting her head as if she truly didn¡¯t understand.

    ¡°As long as Sir Isaac doesn¡¯t abandon me, that¡¯s more than enough. Like a pine caterpir eating only pine needles, I have no intention of asking for more.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care if he uses my body as he pleases or enves me. It¡¯s far better than being abandoned. Being abandoned is worse than death.¡±

    While everyone else was at a loss for words, Cherry smiled faintly.

    It was a smile so genuine that it made her look even gloomier.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be content with this.¡±

    No one dared to speak.

    No, it was more like no one could. Cherry¡¯s mental state was that severe.

    I could understand why, given how her self-esteem had already hit rock bottom and barely managed to climb back up.

    The problem was that I had be her ¡°center.¡±

    This showed all too well how people with low self-esteem operate.

    They base their worth entirely on someone else, rather than themselves.

    This wasn¡¯t something even Mora could fix.

    Short ofpletely destroying her personality, it would be impossible to restore her mind.

    Even for a normal person, her words would have been impossible to respond to. Yet¡­

    ¡°So, to Lady Rosemary¡ªor rather, Cherry¡ªSir Isaac is light itself?¡±

    Our dear Kate waspletely oblivious, or perhaps she understood all too well. Either way, she made such a remark.

    And if that wasn¡¯t enough, Cherry fully agreed, nodding emphatically and sping her hands together as if in prayer.

    ¡°Yes. He is my light, my hope, and the one I wish to give everything to. He helped me realize my shattered dreams and even granted me true freedom.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful. But you need to build a little more confidence. Why not try getting closer to him?¡±

    ¡°If you get too close to light, you¡¯ll go blind. So I¡¯ll just watch from afar.¡±

    The two of them had a conversation that was iprehensible to me.

    Their words flowed naturally as if they were on the same wavelength, leaving mepletely out of the loop.

    Kate, slightly off-key as always, tried to persuade Cherry to regain her self-esteem, while Cherry firmly rejected the idea.

    The two seemed caught in an infinite loop.

    And yet, I remained the central figure in this mess.

    I had no idea what was even happening anymore.

    ¡°It seems youck faith. Cherry¡­ may I call you that?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Your Eminence. You may call me whatever you like.¡±

    ¡°Then, I must help you build confidence. Until then, feel free to continue following Sir Isaac.¡±

    Kate outright encouraged stalking.

    Dumbfounded, I confronted her.

    ¡°And what about my opinion?¡±

    ¡°Are you going to reject her?¡±

    If I said no, she¡¯d probably break downpletely.

    I nced at Cherry, whose pleading eyes silently begged me not to reject her.

    Unable to refuse, I sighed and shook my head. Kate smiled brightly at my reluctant eptance.

    ¡®Why does this feel like everything¡¯s falling perfectly into ce¡­?¡¯

    What a bizarrebination.

 Chapter 336: Legal Stalking (3)

    Chapter 336: Legal Stalking (3)

    The meeting between Cherry and Kate felt almost like a nuclear fusion about to happen.

    It¡¯s impossible not to think of the saying, ¡°opposites attract.¡±

    I even found myself wondering if the two of them might conspire together and try something against me.

    Fortunately, the chances of that happening were quite low.

    As terrifying as their madness could be, it wasn¡¯t directed at me.

    Kate, while prone to getting aroused even from holding hands, had a strong professional ethic

    otherwise. Cherry, on the other hand, was so crushed in self-esteem that she wouldn¡¯t even think ofing near me.

    Above all, if they ever did try something, the other women around would surely deliver punishment themselves, so I could rx.

    ¡°Cherry, how did youe to know Isaac? I heard it was through something like a Mary Sue situation.¡±¡°Before that, we were exchanging letters. And then, by coincidence, a strand of your hair was in one of the letters¡­ Plus, the handwriting was exactly the same.¡±

    ¡°Ah, so it was a giveaway.¡±

    No, don¡¯t ept that exnation! I only approached her as a way to save someone, in and simple.

    Watching Kate nod as though she understood, I let out a dryugh.

    This is exactly why people with criminal tendencies could never predict the thought process of someone like her.

    ¡°And you, Cardinal, how did you know?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    ¡°You can just call me Kate. In my case, Lord Luminous directly delivered an oracle. That¡¯s how I ended up meeting him.¡±

    ¡°I see. So, do you also like Isaac?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I love Isaac, who spreads light and hope throughout the world, just like Lord Luminous.¡±

    It was a nice confession, buting from Kate, it sounded oddly ominous.

    There was an undertone of madness that I couldn¡¯t quite shake off.

    It was pure, yes¡ªbut in a disturbing, twisted kind of way.

    After all, I¡¯d dealt with a crazed cardinal with simr purity before.

    Cherry, hearing Kate¡¯s words, nodded and then gazed intently at me.

    Her dark eyes were the same as always, but now they held a faint sadness.

    Even with her self-esteem in tatters, Cherry wasn¡¯t immune to jealousy.

    In situations like this, though, she was more likely to me herself than anyone else.

    Just as I opened my mouth to cheer her up, Kate spoke first.

    ¡°Perhaps I¡¯m in a simr position as Cherry. I, too, am waiting for Isaac¡¯s choice.¡±

    ¡°Choice¡­?¡±

    ¡°Yes, choice. If Isaac chooses me, then I can bear his seed¡ª¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s stop there.¡±

    The moment the conversation started to drift into dangerous territory, I cut it off.

    Staying around Kate too long made me feel like a cult leader.

    Letting out a deep sigh, I nced to the side at Cherry and Kate, whose dynamic felt like a nuclear reaction waiting to happen.

    Beside them, Adelia¡¯s lips were trembling as if holding backughter.

    If Mari had witnessed this, she would have been seething.

    ¡°Sis.¡±

    ¡°Hmm? What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°¡­Nothing.¡±

    It felt too awkward to ask if she found this amusing.

    Unlike Mari, Adelia was observing from a safe distance, unaffected by the precarious positioning of her status.

    Maybe Adelia had the most peace of mind among us.

    I wasn¡¯t someone who discriminated in love, and I¡¯d already freed her from past burdens.

    Watching her stifleughter so hard that even her nose twitched, I cast her a bitter nce before turning forward.

    Since the conversation seemed to have ended, I decided to ask something that had been on my mind.

    ¡°Cherry, are you nning to continue living like this?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll keep following you, Senpai.¡±

    Cherry casually confessed her intent to keep stalking me.

    I froze for a moment but quickly regained myposure.

    Though I felt bad for her, it wasn¡¯t going to be possible to keep stalking me anymore.

    Not because it was a crime, but because of issues rted to her safety.

    If it were before I revealed my identity, it might have been fine.

    But now, with demon worshippers lurking around, it was a different story.

    There was no telling when or how they might pose a threat.

    ¡°Cherry, can I be honest with you?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Following me might not be possible anymore.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    Cherry¡¯s eyes widened in response to my frank words, and her small mouth opened slightly.

    At the same time, her eyes darkened, like a deep abyss.

    Sensing danger if I left this unattended, I hastily opened my mouth again.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want you around. It¡¯s that you could be in danger. I¡¯m Zenon, remember?

    The one who¡¯s dealt a major blow to the demon worshippers. You understand what that means, right?¡±

    ¡°Do you mean I could be in danger just for being close to you?¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re likely to go for those around you first rather than targeting you directly?¡±

    Cherry tilted her head slightly, offering her take.

    And she was right¡ªtargeting those around me was the most likely strategy.

    Without any formal writing training, Cherry was smart enough to write things that revealed her sharp intellect.

    ¡°Exactly. That¡¯s why, instead of following me, it might be better to stay by my side.¡±

    ¡°¡­Are you saying I might be a burden to you?¡±

    ¡°Wait, no!¡±

    That wasn¡¯t what I meant! Seeing Cherry¡¯s eyes grow darker, I froze.

    What I had intended as a request for her to stay near me had failed to consider her fragile self-esteem.

    From her perspective, it likely sounded like she was just a hindrance.

    She might even be thinking that if she were attacked by demon worshippers, it would only bring harm to me.

    For someone like her, it wouldn¡¯t be strange to believe it would be better for her to disappear altogether.

    Panicked, I quickly tried to clear up the misunderstanding.

    ¡°That¡¯s not it at all! Why would you be a burden to me? If anything, it¡¯s the opposite.¡±

    ¡°Opposite¡­?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m a fan of your writing, you know? Even though I¡¯ve been too busy to show ittely, I¡¯ve been looking forward to seeing how your story turns out.¡±

    This wasn¡¯t a lie¡ªI genuinely enjoyed her writing. Her debut piece, Crimson Sunset, was precisely my type of novel.

    If I hadn¡¯t been so busy, I might have even acted as her manager, helping her refine her work.

    It wasn¡¯t an excuse, just the truth¡ªI hadn¡¯t had the bandwidth to focus on her.

    ¡°Hehe¡­¡±

    Hearing my sincerity, Cherry smiled bashfully.

    It wasn¡¯t the eerie grin she had before but a warm, genuine smile that even softened her gaze.

    Relieved, I sighed internally.

    If there was one thing that could boost her self-esteem, it was her dream¡ªwriting.

    However, the problem wasn¡¯t entirely resolved.

    Though she¡¯d sessfully stalked me without getting caught, the dangers around us made things too precarious.

    ¡°Cherry.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Are you really not willing to stay by my side?¡±

    So I asked her outright.

    If she cared for me, being by my side would be much safer.

    But Cherry, firm in her resolve, shook her head.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t think someone like me has a ce by your side.¡±

    ¡°And what if I forced you to stay by my side?¡±

    ¡°Huh¡­?¡±

    That caught her off guard. Blinking slowly, she looked at me, startled.

    Her pale cheeks flushed softly, as though she had just entertained a rosy fantasy.

    Seeing the gap in herposure, I decided to push forward before she could regain her footing.

    ¡°You said earlier that you¡¯d do whatever I asked, right? You¡¯d even give me your body or be my ve.¡±

    ¡°T-that¡¯s true, but¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to be in danger. That¡¯s why I need you by my side. Will you still refuse?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Cherry hesitated, clearly conflicted.

    The thought of standing beside me might have been unthinkable, but my request had shifted the dynamics.

    She was likely experiencing a deep internal struggle.

    I stayed quiet, waiting for her answer.

    ¡°Mari will probably understand to some extent, right?¡±

    I wasn¡¯t asking Cherry to spend the night with me.

    My concern was entirely for her safety.

    Though she had feelings for me, and things could potentially develop further, that wasn¡¯t my immediate focus.

    So, how long would her deliberation take?

    ¡°Sorry.¡±

    It seemed the current situation was difficult, as Cherry expressed her refusal.

    Her voice carried a hint of deep regret, as if she felt the same disappointment.

    ¡°Not yet¡­ I don¡¯t think it¡¯s the right time yet.¡±

    ¡°Not yet?¡±

    ¡°Yes. But I promise I¡¯ll never cause any trouble for you, senior. I¡¯m not the type of person who stands out anyway¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­Not the type who stands out?¡±

    That wasn¡¯t me speaking¡ªit was Adelia¡¯s muttering.

    I also understood how she felt.

    Cherry¡¯s hair and eyes, resembling cherry blossoms, were striking.

    Though her subdued gaze could be seen as a drawback, she was overall a radiant beauty.

    Moreover, her figure, which the school uniform couldn¡¯t entirely conceal, was enough to evoke desire from men and jealousy from women.

    Just as my red hair makes me noticeable from a distance, Cherry¡¯s appearance was impossible to ignore.

    Her background also stood out¡ªshe hailed from the Roseberry family, known for their philosophical pursuits.

    People were bound to approach her for that alone, which made the situation peculiar.

    Yet, iming she wasn¡¯t someone who stood out seemed to stem from her low self-esteem andck of self-awareness.

    ¡°Cherry¡­ do you really think so? That you¡¯re not someone who stands out?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ Other than you, senior, no one approaches me or talks to me.¡±

    ¡°What about group projects? Surely there must have been group activities?¡±

    ¡°They included me, but they didn¡¯t assign me any roles. Just my name.¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t understand it.

    Cherry, a beautyparable to Cecily, and yet no one paid attention to her?

    Even Adelia seemed confused, her expression matching mine.

    How did Cherry be so overlooked?

    Setting that aside for now, it seemed best to share my thoughts.

    ¡°Alright, I understand. But if anything suspicious or dangerous happens, let me know immediately. That¡¯s the only way I can protect you. Got it?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Oh, by the way, this might be a sensitive topic, but could you tell me what happened with Count Leticia?¡±

    ¡°They didn¡¯t say much. Just suggested I try reading books other than philosophy.¡±

    That was a relief.

    It seemed the blunt truth I delivered to Count Leticia had a positive effect.

    ¡°Your manuscript is in your dorm, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Should I bring it?¡±

    ¡°No, take your time. You¡¯ll be following me around tomorrow anyway, won¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    She didn¡¯t even deny it. I should probably notify others not to report a girl with cherry blossom-colored hair and eyes.

    It was a bit funny to call it ¡°legal stalking,¡± but I decided to wait quietly until she grew more confident.

    ¡°Let¡¯s wrap up here¡­ Kate, do you have anything to say to Cherry? Other than the seed stuff.¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Adel, anything from you?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°Alright, then that¡¯s it¡ªoh, wait, Cherry. Did you happen to report Leona?¡±

    The memory of Leona being dragged before me recently came to mind.

    She had been wandering around my area, likely looking for me, and someone had reported her.

    Normally, she would have been punished immediately, but as it was her first offense, she ended up in front of me instead.

    That incident had turned into an opportunity for a productive conversation with Lucia.

    Given the circumstances, it was reasonable to suspect Cherry was the one who reported her.

    Even if she had, I wouldn¡¯t scold her.

    Leona and Cherry weren¡¯t even acquaintances at the time. I intended to introduce them graduallyter.

    ¡°Leona¡­ The girl with brown hair?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°She didn¡¯t seem like a bad person. I left her alone because she appeared to know you, senior.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    So someone else must have reported her.

    It wasn¡¯t worth worrying about, so I quickly moved on.

    ¡°Um¡­ senior.¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s just¡­ one thing¡­ just one thing I¡¯d like to ask. Is that okay?¡±

    Just as I was about to wrap up the conversation, Cherry hesitantly made a request, her face flushed with embarrassment.

    My curiosity was piqued, as she rarely asked me for anything.

    Finally, after some hesitation, Cherry spoke.

    ¡°A strand of your hair¡­¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Or maybe a fingernail¡­ if that¡¯s possible¡­¡±

    Cherry was Cherry, after all. Some things never change, and I was oddly relieved by that.

    ¡°Oh, and if possible, I¡¯d like one too,¡± Kate chimed in.

    ¡°Kate, why you?¡±

    ¡°To make a charm, of course.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    These people were a peculiar mix of terrifying and entric.

    ¡°Cherry, have you ever held Sir Isaac¡¯s hand before?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It was so soft andforting.¡±

    ¡°By any chance, did your lower stomach feel strange or tingly afterward?¡±

    ¡°Huh? How did you know?¡±

    ¡°So it wasn¡¯t just me¡­¡±

    Stop. Just stop, you people.

 Chapter 337: Safety insensitivity (1)

    Chapter 337: Safety insensitivity (1)

    Kate and Cherry.

    Like Marvel¡¯s Thanos and DC¡¯s Joker, they¡¯re abination rivaling nuclear fusion.

    One is too bright, and the other is too dark.

    The one thing they have inmon is that both have incredibly low self-esteem.

    It¡¯s easy to see that Cherry has a dangerously low sense of self-worth, but it¡¯s surprising for Kate.

    However, with a closer look, you¡¯ll notice it too.

    From her past words and actions, it¡¯s clear that Kate would even give up her life if ordered by Luminous or me.

    She has never once prioritized herself.

    Of course, Luminous is a god who personally bestowed blessings, so it¡¯s understandable to revere him.The problem is that her reverence is so extreme it erodes her self-esteem.

    Even if I advised her to live her own life, Kate would undoubtedly reply: that living for Luminous and me is the same as living for herself.

    Perhaps that¡¯s why she gets along so well with Cherry.

    In a way, Kate could be seen as an energetic version of Cherry.

    Like light and darkness, they¡¯re opposites, but they share a strange simrity.

    If Kate hadn¡¯t been a guard knight, perhaps she and Cherry would have spent more time together.

    Considering they had no friends to begin with, this might actually be for the best.

    asionally, when there¡¯s some downtime, Kate might invite Cherry to her dorm for a chat.

    Looking at this duo, one might think there couldn¡¯t be a more dangerous pair¡ªbut they¡¯re not truly a threat.

    Unless there¡¯s a series of catastrophic mistakes akin to Chernobyl or Imit a grave error, no disaster will unfold.

    ¡®As long as we do what needs to be done until then.¡¯

    With familiar keystrokes, I continued typing, working on the 26th volume of The Chronicles of Xenon.

    There had been too many loose ends to tie up, causing some dys.

    But after my meeting with Cherry, apart from my teaching assistant duties, I¡¯d have free time.

    Since Elena discovered my true identity, I¡¯ve had more free time than before.

    That doesn¡¯t mean I take my duties as a teaching assistant lightly.

    I do have a conscience, and being Xenon isn¡¯t an excuse to ck off.

    Still, I¡¯m not entirely used to the mix of awe and curiosity directed at me every time I teach, especially during second-year sses¡ªMari¡¯s ss in particr.

    One of their ssmates turned out to be Xenon.

    If someone who didn¡¯t know the context heard that, they¡¯d probably dismiss it as nonsense.

    It¡¯s that unbelievable.

    ¡®That Jackson guy was quite amusing, though.¡¯

    I paused my typing for a moment, recalling what had happened earlier¡ªspecifically, how quiet Jackson had beentely.

    If you don¡¯t remember, Jackson made a humiliating impression upon enrolling by hitting on Rina and Cecily, only to be harshly rejected.

    When those same girls began showing interest in me, he picked unnecessary fights and even made absurd remarks during events.

    One infamous im was that Lily would end up with Xenon, not Jin.

    Hearing such nonsense in front of the original creator himself naturally made me furious, and I calmly put him in his ce.

    His face turned red as he fled.

    ¡®And then came the group project¡­¡¯

    Mari, Rina, Cecily, and Jackson.

    That lineup alone is enough to evoke strong feelings.

    I almost got stuck dealing with the mess caused by a certain troublemaker, but Jackson truly bore the brunt of it.

    Honestly, the first three weren¡¯t the type to properly contribute to a group project.

    Mari might manage to some extent, but Rina¡¯s a princess, and Cecily is a demon just beginning to assimte into human society.

    From what I know, Jackson was thoroughly disillusioned back then.

    ¡®Now he doesn¡¯t even make eye contact.¡¯

    Time passed, and after my identity was revealed, Jackson¡¯s reaction during my first second-year ss was quite entertaining.

    When I deliberately nced at him, he quickly averted his gaze.

    Watching him do everything possible to avoid eye contact was amusing.

    It made me think about teasing him, but I quickly abandoned the idea.

    It felt petty, and there hadn¡¯t been any significant interaction between us since the group project.

    Besides, there¡¯s no way Jackson would dare provoke me.

    The moment he does, he¡¯s done for, and he knows it.

    I also heard that while he¡¯s still arrogant, he¡¯s stopped hitting on women.

    They say he learned life¡¯s harsh lessons during that group project.

    ¡®Speaking of which, I¡¯m curious about A¡¯s situation.¡¯

    A was the troublemaker during that group project, even earning a scolding from me and being called a ¡°wench.¡±

    Coming from a military family herself, she had made disrespectful remarks about soldiers, showing apleteck of awareness.

    As punishment, she wasn¡¯t made a knight but amon soldier.

    I have no idea how she¡¯s doing now, but by imperialw, even members of high-ranking families must serve for two years.

    That means she has about six months left before her discharge.

    I haven¡¯t cared enough to follow up, but maybe I¡¯ll ask Dave or Nicole about her.

    ¡®Not much has changed, really.¡¯

    I haven¡¯t attended every ss yet, but almost everything remains the same.

    I continue my teaching assistant duties as usual and write The Chronicles of Xenon whenever I find time.

    The only difference is that I now have more time to write.

    Other than that, there¡¯s nothing significant.

    I let my thoughts wander for a moment and nced down.

    The holographic screen disyed everything I had typed.

    As mentioned before, the 26th volume of The Chronicles of Xenon revolves around the battle against Lucifer, representing pride.

    Although only half-formed, Lucifer spreads his wings and sets foot on the path of transcendence.

    While I¡¯ve mapped out the entire battle with Lucifer, what concerns me more is whates afterward.

    Starting with Wrath, followed by Gluttony, Lust, Envy, and now Pride¡ªthe Seven Deadly Sins will have been defeated by the 26th volume.

    This leaves Greed and Sloth. In this story, Greed is a dwarf, while Sloth serves as the vessel for the soul of the archdemon Diabolus.

    As for their names: Greed is Mammon, and Sloth is Belphegor.

    ¡®Mammon¡¯s character is modeled entirely after a dwarf.¡¯

    Mammon, representing Greed, turned to the demon side for a simple reason.

    Once someone gets a taste of money, it¡¯s hard to turn back, and Mammon exemplifies this perfectly.

    During the racial wars, the dwarves amassed enormous wealth.

    Their craftsmanship, whether for weapons or construction, was unmatched.

    However, this also led to a negative stereotype: dwarves would make any weapon for the right price.

    Though dwarves are naturally inclined toward crafting, it inevitably requires money.

    As one unfortunate inventor once said, the most important things in creation are budget and time.

    Without one or the other, it¡¯s impossible to produce quality results.

    This is why dwarves have an exceptional sense of money management.

    asionally, this obsession creates friction.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it telling that Machina is the most hated nation among merchants?

    The Dwarf Empire might guarantee quality, but their trading practices are extremely rigid.¡±

    ¡®And their pride in their creations is unmatched.¡¯

    Mammon can be described as a being that embodies the extremes of greed and creative passion among the Seven Deadly Sins.

    His magnum opus was none other than Sloth.

    A vessel capable of containing the soul of a transcendent being¡ªjust that one creation was enough to spark the desire of any dwarf.

    However, as with all things, excessive greed can be toxic.

    Mammon¡¯s end was tragic, as he was fated to be consumed by his own creation, Sloth.

    As the name suggests, Sloth never moves on its own. But when it absorbs Diabolos¡¯s soul, it slowly begins to awaken.

    The first words it utters upon awakening are ¡°I¡¯m hungry,¡± leading it to devour Greed, who was standing nearby.

    ¡®Up to this point, everything works fine. It¡¯s whates next that¡¯s the real challenge¡­¡¯

    Although the story¡¯s end is approaching, ironically, the critical details of Jin¡¯s transformation into the true final boss are still underdeveloped.

    As I¡¯ve said before, the final boss of The Chronicles of Xenon isn¡¯t Diabolos¡ªit¡¯s Jin.

    Diabolos is more of a decoy boss.

    To prevent Diabolos¡¯s soul from scattering into the world, Jin absorbs it.

    In doing so, he consumes the soul of his own father, much like Gluttony devours souls.

    ¡®But I need apelling justification for Jin to absorb Sloth. Something solid and convincing.¡¯

    The decoy final boss battle is straightforward: the protagonist and their party fight Sloth, which holds Diabolos¡¯s soul.

    That¡¯s the end.

    The fight will be deliberately anticlimacticpared to the previous battles, but it¡¯s a necessary setup for the twist that follows.

    That means I need a solid justification for Jin¡¯s transformation into the final boss.

    ¡®Honestly, who else but Lily could serve this purpose?¡¯

    Lily falls after being struck by a critical attack from Diabolos.

    This causes her to be afflicted with a fatal curse.

    The curse ensures her inevitable death unless Diabolos¡¯s soul ispletely destroyed.

    No, that alone isn¡¯t enough.

    Knowing Lily, she¡¯d willingly sacrifice herself, so it has to be something more malicious.

    For instance¡­ perhaps the Seed of a Demon.

    If the Demon Seed were to germinate, she wouldn¡¯t just be a demon; she¡¯d transform into a full-fledged devil.

    It¡¯s only because Lily is a saint that she hasn¡¯t sumbed already.

    If it were anyone else, they¡¯d have turned into a devil long ago.

    ¡®The reason it¡¯s incurable is because the curse stems from a demon as powerful as a god.¡¯

    Hmm.

    Yes, this justification works. It¡¯s a story that would shred the readers¡¯ emotions to pieces.

    Excited, I jotted down my ideas in my notebook instead of on the typewriter.

    However, this will inevitably dy thepletion of the story.

    Jin will now roam the world in search of Diabolos¡¯s soul, while Xenon and Mary take care of Lily.

    Eventually, after much deliberation, Xenon and Mary, following Lily¡¯s request, will pursue Jin.

    Jin, anticipating their actions, will leave messages for them along the way.

    After a long journey, Xenon and Mary will finally reach¡­

    ¡®Where should it be?¡¯

    I can¡¯t decide.

    I also need to exin how Jin tracked down Diabolos.

    If Sloth were still intact, it¡¯d make sense, but since the vessel is destroyed, Diabolos¡¯s soul would be wandering the world.

    The method of tracking it down is crucial.

    Fortunately, there¡¯s someone perfect for this task.

    ¡®I should ask Luminous directly.¡¯

    I¡¯ll need to consult the gods.

    After all, Luminous, who experienced the Demon War, should know something.

    After finishing my rough notes, I stretched and turned to Adelia, who was standing behind me.

    ¡°Adel, what time is it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s half past three in the afternoon.¡±

    ¡°Dinner is still a long way off, huh.¡±

    Though dinner was hours away, I was feeling peckish. I licked my lips and asked Adelia.

    ¡°Are there any cookies left?¡±

    ¡°No. We¡¯re out of ingredients, and we¡¯ll need to buy more milk as well.¡±

    ¡°Really? Then let¡¯s go together.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ll go alone. What if something happens while we¡¯re out? Besides, we¡¯ll need to bring Kate along too.¡±

    When I suggested going with her, Adelia immediately refused.

    She knew that if I went, the need for additional protection would double.

    Not to mention, if I went out, Kate would also have to apany us, which would be mentally taxing for everyone.

    Who knows when, where, or how demon worshippers might strike?

    Even if it¡¯s not demon worshippers, venturing outside would expose me to all kinds of dangers.

    ¡°It¡¯s just down the street. Can¡¯t I go?¡±

    ¡°No. If you need something, just tell me. I¡¯ll handle it.¡±

    ¡°I know, but¡­¡±

    Adelia might be my personal maid, but I don¡¯t want to treat her like a servant.

    After all, she¡¯s a woman I¡¯ve shared intimate moments with.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Commanding her for trivial tasks feels wrong.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you in danger too?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the same risk, but guarding you is more stressful. I have to focus on protecting you, not myself.¡±

    ¡°Fine¡­ Just be careful, then.¡±

    ¡°I will. Meanwhile, stay put. Don¡¯t open the door for anyone, no matter what. Got it?¡±

    I¡¯m not a child, but the way she talks sounds like a parent scolding their kid.

    After seeing Adelia off to buy cookie ingredients and milk, I threw myself onto the bed.

    ¡®But are demon worshippers really after me?¡¯

    As time passed, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder.

 Chapter 338: Safety insensitivity (2)

    Chapter 338: Safety insensitivity (2)

    Time flies quickly when life bes repetitive.

    This remained true even after I revealed my true identity.

    Before I knew it, the weekend had arrived.

    People are creatures of adaptation, and the attention directed at me had somewhat be a familiar circumstance.

    Given my striking red hair and noticeable appearance, I¡¯ve always attracted stares wherever I went.

    Confessing my identity didn¡¯t change that.

    If anything, the only difference is that the gazes I receive now seem to hold a sense of wonder, as if people are seeing a celebrity in person.

    Especially when I go out, it¡¯s be necessary to have Adelia and Kate apany me.

    The two of them are striking beauties in their own right, and with me added to the mix, it¡¯s impossible not to draw attention.What¡¯s more, Kate is not only as well-known as I am, but she also exudes a sacred aura wherever she goes.

    During the first week, we endured countless stares, but by the weekend, most people seemed to ept it as normal.

    However, this only applied to those who were already attending the academy. There were still people who came specifically because of the rumors.

    The fact that I, a student, am enrolled at Halo Academy has spread far and wide, and I don¡¯t have ns to go anywhere until the holidays.

    This has led toplications¡ªnot only from ordinary people but even from those of dubious identity showing up to see me.

    Some have even attempted to climb over the academy walls, keeping the security guards exceptionally busy.

    The Empire, concerned about this situation, has reportedly dispatched knights to assist.

    Fortunately, the academy strictly requires proof of identity for entry.

    If a student wishes to bring someone in, they must apany them.

    So far, there have been no reports of any dangerous individuals infiltrating the academy, but it¡¯s never a bad idea to stay cautious.

    After all, even a high-ranking member of the demon-worshippers turned out to be a cardinal.

    This means the possibility exists that someone affiliated with the academy could be connected to demon-worshippers.

    Currently, Kate and the Luminous Order are conducting arge-scale investigation, with the Mora Order providing covert support.

    However, perhaps because only a week has passed¡ªor maybe because there truly isn¡¯t anything to find¡ªnothing noteworthy hase up.

    asionally, suspicious individuals are detained briefly for questioning, but most are simply curious onlookers trying to catch a glimpse of me.

    With the exception of Cherry, who seems to have an uncanny knack for avoiding detection.

    ¡®It¡¯s amazing she hasn¡¯t been caught even once.¡¯

    Despite her conspicuous appearance, Cherry hasn¡¯t been reported even once.

    From the moment she trailed Hiriya, I couldn¡¯t help but think she might truly have a gift for this sort of thing.

    Time flowed, and the weekend arrived with an abundance of leisure.

    Normally, I¡¯d either train with Adelia or go on dates with mypanions, but I skipped all that this weekend.

    You never know what could happen while we¡¯re all together, so for now, we¡¯ve decided to err on the side of caution.

    Besides, it¡¯s midterm season, and Cecily has been busy assisting Descal with managing national affairs, making it a challenging time.

    ¡°Whoosh!¡±

    ¡°Ahh!¡±

    ¡°Adel must feel lucky. No need to worry about others since it¡¯s just the two of us.¡±

    I yfully teased Adelia, wrapping her in a back hug as she stood dressed in workout clothes.

    She flinched noticeably at the unexpected ambush.

    Even through her workout gear, I could feel her firm, well-toned muscles.

    Adelia never lets her physique suffer, always training diligently after work.

    ¡°You startled me! And for the record, I¡¯m working, not ying. There¡¯s a difference.¡±

    ¡°But you don¡¯t hate it, do you?¡±

    ¡°Well, no, I don¡¯t.¡±

    Though she initially tried to maintain a professional demeanor, Adelia couldn¡¯t entirely suppress her true feelings.

    Watching her cheeks redden, I smiled softly.

    She always presents a strong and dependable image, but moments like this reveal her endearing side.

    Despite her words, she doesn¡¯t strictly separate business and personal matters.

    In the dormitory, the boundaries blur entirely, and whenever our eyes meet, a subtle tension fills the air.

    When the atmosphere bes more intimate, things quickly escte.

    When Mari and Cecily are around, we manage to restrain ourselves, but without them, there¡¯s no one to stop us.

    It feels like being a fox ruling the kingdom in the absence of lions and tigers.

    Though in Adelia¡¯s case, she¡¯s more of a puppy than a fox.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s the n for today? We used to just train in the shared practice hall.¡±

    ¡°We can use the equipment inside for strength training. The problem is cardio¡­¡±

    Adelia, still caught in my back hug, appeared lost in thought.

    She had likely grown used to my yful antics.

    ¡°We could just go for a run outside.¡±

    ¡°No way. I¡¯d rather skip it entirely than do that.¡±

    Adelia firmly rejected my suggestion.

    Even after a week back at the academy, her cautious nature hadn¡¯t wavered.

    While her vignce wasmendable, it did make things a bit frustrating.

    Most of the academy staff, as well as the Luminous Order from the Empire, have already conducted thorough investigations, and the Mora Order continues to investigate covertly.

    Even with Helium¡¯s resources, including Gartz¡¯s personnel, aiding in the effort, the likelihood of any incident urring within the academy is extremely low.

    We¡¯d only be out for about an hour for a run, so the chance of anything happening during that time is practically nonexistent.

    ¡°Then how about asking Kate to join us?¡±

    ¡°Kate?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, we could train together with her.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Adding Kate to the mix seemed like a solid insurance policy, ensuring my safety.

    Adelia pondered my suggestion, her expression conflicted.

    Kate is a reliable shield for me, much like Adelia.

    Despite potential risks, her presence provides a strong sense of security.

    ¡°Do we really need to? She¡¯d agree if you asked, but isn¡¯t it unnecessary?¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Adelia¡¯s question made sense¡ªafter all, it¡¯s the weekend. Asking for Kate¡¯s help could be an imposition on her personal time.

    While she¡¯d undoubtedly agree if I requested, everyone deserves their own routine, and disrupting hers might cause irritation.

    ¡°I feel like it¡¯s important to keep up with exercise for the future. Skipping even one day makes me uneasy.¡±

    ¡°Uneasy?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Opportunities like this to build stamina don¡¯te often, and someone once said it won¡¯t be long before I¡¯m shared as public property.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Adelia didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry at my self-deprecating remark.

    While it sounded like a joke, it wasn¡¯t entirely untrue.

    When everything settles down, it¡¯s inevitable that I¡¯ll be the target of unrestrained attention.

    First in line will be Cecily, who¡¯s currently tied up with Helium¡¯s state affairs alongside Descal.

    What will happen when her work is done?

    No doubt, she¡¯ll rush to me like an untamed horse.

    And Cecily isn¡¯t the only one.

    ¡°There¡¯s no harm in growing stronger. Holy power elerates growth, you know? That¡¯s why pdins can build their strength through prayer. The more holy power umtes, the greater the potential for growth.¡±

    ¡°True.¡±

    ¡°And I need to keep converting my holy power into stamina whenever I get the chance. If I keep putting it off, it¡¯ll be like pouring water into a bottomless jar.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Although Adelia seemed to understand my reasoning, it was clear she still found it hard to fully ept.

    She understood it in theory but struggled to reconcile it emotionally.

    She imed to be a follower of Luminous, but unlike a devoted priest, she wasn¡¯t entirely faithful.

    Instead, her focus had always been on martial arts.

    It was natural that such things would be difficult for her to understand.

    So, I exined it in simpler terms to make it clearer.

    ¡°I might wither away.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not lying; I really could wither away. Ick stamina. My strength is fine, but I absolutely need to increase my endurance.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go right now. Does Ms. Kate even have workout clothes?¡±

    She was quickly convinced. Judging by the faint smile, though, she might have taken it as half a joke.

    The problem is, it¡¯s not a joke¡ªit¡¯s a future that Luminous personally revealed.

    I can¡¯t exin how flustered I was when silence was all I could manage in response.

    Fortunately, thanks to The Chronicles of Xenon, my divine power isn¡¯t running dry.

    But the fact that even that might not be enough is astonishing.

    ¡®Handling one person a day probably won¡¯t cut it¡­¡¯

    I might have to handle more than one person daily.

    After all, human desires differ from person to person.

    Besides, unlike men, women¡¯s desires often grow stronger with age.

    All of this is an investment for the future.

    ¡°Exercise?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Do you exercise, Ms. Kate?¡±

    ¡°No, not at all.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    When I called Kate over, I discovered a surprising fact¡ªKate doesn¡¯t exercise at all.

    Her response was very much that of a devout believer: she¡¯d rather spend time praying to Luminous than exercising.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a Grand Inquisitor, Ms. Kate?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°With that white armor and heavy mace I sawst time¡­!¡±

    ¡°I go around punishing filthy demon worshipers.¡±

    How? Naturally, my gaze and Adelia¡¯s both shifted to Kate¡¯s arms.

    It was the weekend, and Kate had just left the dormitory in casual clothes, revealing her slender arms.

    Her arms looked so fragile that it seemed she had never lifted anything heavy in her life.

    Her overall figure was far from muscr.

    At a nce, she appeared simr to Mari in build.

    Although divine power can enhance strength and stamina, it¡¯s generally inefficient, so basic training is usually part of the routine.

    ¡°You¡¯ve at least exercised at some point in your life, right?¡±

    ¡°Not entirely. I did receive some training while living in the Order. I think it was the same training the Holy Knights undergo.¡±

    ¡°And after that?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t exercised at all. I didn¡¯t feel the need to.¡±

    What is with this person? How did she even rise to the position of Grand Inquisitor?

    Finding Kate¡¯s words hard to believe, I raised an eyebrow.

    Oblivious to my thoughts, Kate stood there with a nk expression.

    ¡°Um¡­ Cardinal Kate? Pardon me, but may I examine your body?¡±

    Adelia, sharing my skepticism, asked cautiously. Even though she had never sparred with Kate, this was too hard to believe.

    Kate nodded in agreement, likely because it was Adelia who asked.

    ¡°Um¡­ Cardinal Kate?¡±

    ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡±

    ¡°This might be¡­ a bit rude, but¡­¡±

    Adelia seemed reluctant, but she gently pressed Kate¡¯s arm and confirmed what I suspected¡ªher arms were surprisingly soft.

    It was enough for Adelia to sincerely suggest:

    ¡°Cardinal Kate, it seems you should exercise on weekends. Even though you¡¯ve received divine blessings, your body¡­ needs work.¡±

    This was clear proof that Kate¡¯s divine power and its application were on an entirely different level.

    A single application of strength enhancement was enough to make her far stronger than a Holy Knight with decades of training.

    But what about when she can¡¯t use divine power?

    At that point, Kate is just an ordinary woman.

    If such a situation were to arise, it could spell disaster.

    Her position as Grand Inquisitor had blinded us to these facts.

    Thankfully, we caught it now, or else there could have been dire consequences.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to spend the time praying instead of exercising?¡±

    ¡°That might work for you, Cardinal Kate. But focusing on just one thing isn¡¯t a good strategy.

    A clear strength can also be a ring weakness. If you can¡¯t utilize that strength, you¡¯ll be nothing more than a scarecrow.¡±

    ¡°¡­I see.¡±

    Adelia¡¯s advice was earnest, her tone serious.

    Kate exchanged nces with her before turning to me, as if leaving the final decision in my hands.

    In the end, it wasn¡¯t a bad idea.

    I needed to exercise anyway, and Kate could improve hercking physical abilities in the process.

    ¡°We might as well work out together. I¡¯ll be acting as your escort anyway.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    ¡°Oh, by the way, Adelia will lend you workout clothes.¡±

    I handed Kate some workout clothes I had prepared in advance.

    They were a bitrge for her since she was shorter than Adelia, but they would suffice.

    Kate soon emerged wearing ck workout clothes.

    We could buy proper shoes outsideter.

    Since she was always seen in her nun¡¯s habit, the sight of Kate in athletic wear felt fresh and novel.

    Her golden hair fell to her chest like ripened wheat, and her awkward blue eyes had an odd charm.

    ¡°How is it? Do the clothes fit?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re a bit loose, but manageable. The chest area feels tight, though.¡±

    She meant no harm, but it was ament that could hurt a woman¡¯s pride.

    I nced at Adelia instinctively.

    She was smiling, but the corners of her mouth were twitching, and her shadowed face added to the effect.

    For the record, Adelia is not small in that regard. In fact, she¡¯s above average.

    It¡¯s just that Kate, blessed with divine power, happens to be more endowed.

    Thinking about it, the women around me all seem to have¡­ noticeable figures.

    ¡®Except for one.¡¯

    I won¡¯t name names¡ªit feels unfair topare.

    Anyway, the weekend strength training began.

    ¡°Ms. Kate, are you okay?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine.¡±

    To my surprise, Kate kept up with Adelia and my routine.

    She seemed to have a solid stamina base despite her appearance.

    ¡°Cardinal Kate, just to check¡ªare you using divine power?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that how this is supposed to be done?¡±

    Not at all.

    From the start, she had been relying entirely on divine power instead of her stamina.

    Normally, you deplete stamina first and use divine power as a backup.

    Whether she learned it wrong or found it more convenient, her approach waspletely off.

    So, we restricted her use of divine power, and then¡­

    ¡°Huff¡­ Huff¡­ Huff¡­¡±

    ¡°Ms. Kate, are you okay?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ Huff¡­ I¡¯m fine¡­¡±

    She didn¡¯t look fine at all.

    Within three minutes, Kate waspletely drained.

    Then, another discovery emerged.

    ¡°Huff¡­ Huff¡­¡±

    ¡°You suddenly seem fine again?¡±

    ¡°I recovered with divine power¡­ Huff.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Her stamina wasn¡¯t exceptional¡ªher regenerative ability was absurdly high.

    ¡®It feels like raising a tiger cub.¡¯

    And thus, another uneventful weekend passed.

 Chapter 339: Safety insensitivity (3)

    Chapter 339: Safety insensitivity (3)

    Kate, with zombie-like regenerative abilities, has absurdly high recovery capabilities but is only at the level of an average person when ites to basic stamina.

    After just five minutes of running, she pants as if she¡¯s about to copse, and even with holy power to aid recovery, she quickly bes breathless again.

    The fascinating thing is that she somehow manages to keep up.

    Cardio workouts aren¡¯t easy.

    Depending on how you approach them, they can be incredibly intense.

    For example, instead of jogging, you could maintain a speed that¡¯s about 80% of your sprinting capacity or elerate your internal mana while running, among other techniques.

    This exins why skilled fighters can battle for three days and nights.

    They rarely go all out from the start, have excellent stamina management, and possess endurance that defies reason.

    Even I can handle vigorous exercise all night long, so I can only imagine how much more capable martial artists must be.With the aid of holy power, I¡¯m confident in endurance-based contests.

    Currently, I¡¯m focused more on improving stamina distribution rather than increasing my overall capacity.

    There¡¯s a limit to what hardware improvements alone can achieve.

    Even with abundant support from the gods through holy power, the oue depends on how you use it.

    Understanding this, I¡¯ve made it a habit to exercise consistently whenever I have time.

    ¡°Haa¡­ haa¡­ ugh¡­¡±

    ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Still, it¡¯s inevitable that Kate, with herck of basic stamina, struggles.

    Despite this, she firmly insists that we don¡¯t need to amodate her.

    Her ridiculous regenerative abilities seem topensate for herck of stamina, allowing her to keep up somehow.

    However, I can¡¯t shake the unease that she might suddenly copse.

    ¡®Clerics are inherently patient, after all¡­¡¯

    Specifically, I mean devoutly religious individuals.

    They typically have far greater patience than the average person, harboring deep faith in their gods alongside their asceticism.

    This is why the Church¡¯s holy knights are treated much better than regr knights.

    They endure arduous tasks withoutint if it¡¯s in line with divine will.

    Moreover, their ability to self-heal even serious injuries is often joked about, highlighting their unmatched versatility.

    Kate¡¯s ability to keep up despite appearing on the verge of copse likely stems from this.

    Normally, a healthy mind resides in a healthy body, but in her case, it¡¯s the opposite.

    Even if her physical condition iscking, her resilient mindset ensures she can grow quickly. I can vouch for that from personal experience.

    ¡°Haah¡­ haah¡­¡±

    However, it seems even holy power can¡¯t prevent her from sweating profusely.

    Her hair and the workout clothes borrowed from Adelia werepletely soaked through.

    A sound mind makes building a sound body an easier task, but overdoing it can harm the body.

    Without a strong physical foundation, mental fortitude only goes so far.

    Pushing oneself excessively leads to physical breakdowns before mental resolve falters.

    Especially now, under the scorching summer sun¡ªnot in the winter¡ªit seems wiser to take a short break. I exchanged a nce with Adelia, who nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Let¡¯s rest here for a bit.¡±

    ¡°Haa¡­ Yes, understood.¡±

    At the deration of a much-needed break, Kate looked visibly relieved.

    No matter how strong her mental fortitude, this was still an intense workout for her.

    While iron bes stronger the more it¡¯s struck, the same doesn¡¯t apply to the human mind.

    A single crack can lead to severe aftereffects, and this principle holds true even for Kate, whose regenerative abilities far surpass others.

    High regeneration doesn¡¯t erase the traces of pain.

    ¡®I still have to worry about her guarding me¡­¡¯

    While Kate caught her breath, I took a moment to survey the surroundings.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Perhaps because we were exercising so openly, a number of onlookers observed us from afar.

    The only saving grace was that none dared approach us.

    They whispered among themselves or looked at us like they were watching celebrities, but none seemed inclined toe closer.

    This was likely due to the guards monitoring the area rather than my personal presence.

    Whenever I leave the academy grounds, news inevitably reaches them.

    Unless I approach someone first, it¡¯s unlikely anyone would dare approach me voluntarily.

    ¡®Even if it feels burdensome, I¡¯ll get used to it.¡¯

    Humans are creatures of adaptation.

    These stares may feel awkward now, but after one or two weeks, I¡¯ll probably be ustomed to them.

    ¡°Phew¡­ I finally feel alive again.¡±

    As I nced around, Kate¡¯s voice caught my attention. Turning to look, I was greeted with quite the scene.

    In an attempt to cool off, Kate had partially removed her top.

    Although she was wearing a breathable T-shirt underneath, it clung to her body from the sweat, outlining her figure.

    While it wasn¡¯t a provocative sight, her physique naturally drew attention.

    It felt like looking at a sculpture¡ªpure admiration rather than anything lustful.

    Perhaps her innate holy aura suppressed any inappropriate thoughts, leaving only the impression that she had a remarkable figure.

    ¡°Is it very tough for you?¡±

    ¡°My body feels tired, but my mind is clear.¡±

    ¡°Kate, your mental and spiritual strength are exceptional. They¡¯re so strong that theypensate for your physical limitations. I haven¡¯t seen a case like yours before, but I believe you¡¯re on the right track.¡±

    Adelia handed Kate a prepared water bottle and offered some advice.

    Despite the heat, Adelia showed no signs of exhaustion, only a faint sheen of sweat.

    Kate epted the bottle and drank cautiously, the water likely feeling like the elixir of life to her at that moment.

    As Adelia mentioned, Kate is a unique case.

    Most people develop their physical abilities first, then train their mental fortitude. She¡¯s walking the exact opposite path.

    ¡°If it gets too hard, let us know anytime. We¡¯ll rest immediately.¡±

    ¡°No, I can¡¯t have you two inconvenienced because of me¡­¡±

    ¡°A guard who can barely stand because of exhaustion is a liability. Understood?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll work harder moving forward.¡±

    With her motivation fully replenished, it looks like Kate will join Adelia and me for intense weekend workouts from now on.

    ¡°The more people you exercise with, the more motivated you be. Honestly, if it weren¡¯t for Adelia, I probably wouldn¡¯t have even left the dormitory.¡±

    After our break time had passed and Kate had taken onest sip of water, I smiled at her and spoke kindly.

    ¡°Shall we start running again?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±

    Her expression remained the same, but the slight dy in her response indicated she was tired. This kind of strain is hard to get used to, after all.

    Watching her show a more human side, I chuckled softly and began to move my legs.

    Soon, Adelia stood beside me, running in step, while Kate followed behind, sweating profusely.

    ¡®Honestly, there doesn¡¯t seem to be much danger here.¡¯

    As we ran, I nced around.

    While taking short breaks might be uncertain, the distance between people shortened noticeably while we were running.

    The academy isrge, but there are just as many people exercising here as there are students like me.

    Because of this, whenever someone ran toward us from the opposite direction, I made a light effort to avoid them.

    Furthermore, bustling areas with frequent traffic weren¡¯t part of our routine.

    In other words, the likelihood of a demon worshipperunching an attack here was very low.

    ¡®As long as I¡¯m careful in crowded areas¡­ a quick errand shouldn¡¯t be a problem, right?¡¯

    It was just for a moment.

    I figured it might be a good time to visit the shop since I needed to buy some parchment anyway.

    For safety, I could ask Adelia for help, but I didn¡¯t want to bother her unnecessarily.

    ¡®Let¡¯s finish running for about 30 more minutes and then¡­¡¯

    Thud¡ª

    ¡°Ugh.¡±

    Was I too distracted by my thoughts? Or did I fail to notice a protruding rock in the path?

    Something caught my foot, and in an instant, my bnce tipped forward.

    At this rate, I was about to kiss the ground.

    Grab!

    But that didn¡¯t happen. The moment my bnce tipped forward, someone grabbed my clothes and stopped me from falling.

    Not just one hand but two.

    Judging by the situation, it had to be Adelia and Kate, both catching me at the same time.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°Are you alright? That startled me.¡±

    As expected.

    While it wasn¡¯t surprising for Adelia, I was a bit taken aback that even the struggling Kate reacted quickly.

    After regaining my bnce with their help, I gave an embarrassed smile. This was just a minor mishap caused by my momentary distraction.

    ¡°Sorry about that. I was lost in thought for a bit.¡±

    ¡°What were you thinking about?¡±

    ¡°Just¡­ stuff.¡±

    I dodged the question, fearing Adelia might scold me if I exined.

    She briefly made a suspicious face but soon ced her hands on her hips and spoke.

    ¡°Let¡¯s take a short break here. It¡¯s about time for a rest anyway. Kate, you agree, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I wholeheartedly agree.¡±

    ¡°Seems like Kate is the one who needs the break more.¡±

    ¡°Embarrassingly enough, I admit I¡¯m not strong enough yet, so I weed the suggestion.¡±

    Kate¡¯s honest admission made Adelia and me chuckle lightly.

    A refreshing breeze blew past, helping to cool us down a bit.

    While Kate received a water bottle from Adelia, I looked around again.

    This area wasn¡¯t crowded; it was mostly used by people exercising.

    The route had few buildings, lined on both sides with tall trees¡ªa peaceful path perfect for walking or jogging.

    These cherry blossom trees, I remembered, became breathtakingly beautiful in spring.

    As I moved slightly away from the group and walked toward a tree, the thought of cherries came to mind.

    It wasn¡¯t odd, considering the cherry blossoms.

    ¡®Come to think of it, weren¡¯t these cherry trees brought here by Cherry¡¯s family?¡¯

    I think so. It¡¯s said that cherry blossom trees of this size only grow in the Roseberry household, Cherry¡¯s family.

    While the others rested, I looked around.

    A few people noticed me during their walks or workouts and appeared startled.

    When I offered them a light nod, they didn¡¯t seem to know how to respond, which I found amusing.

    I might enjoy this reaction more often.

    As the peaceful break went on and we prepared to resume running, suddenly¡ª

    ¡°Ugh¡­!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Out of nowhere, a groan reached my ears from ahead.

    This was a quiet walking path, where only those exercising or strolling were usually present. Naturally, even faint sounds carried clearly.

    Turning toward the source, I was shocked. It was an abrupt, unexpected scene.

    Thud!

    A man copsed, clutching his chest near his heart.

    He didn¡¯t even stagger; he just crumpled to the ground.

    ¡°Ahhh!¡±

    ¡°Someone, help¡­!¡±

    ¡°Is there a priest here?!¡±

    As the man fell, chaos erupted among the bystanders.

    Panic spread, leaving everyone frozen and unsure of what to do.

    Upon witnessing this, I immediately turned to Kate.

    She wore a solemn expression as she approached the man swiftly.

    It looked like a heart attack, but with a priest present, recovery wouldn¡¯t be an issue. After all, Kate was a cardinal.

    Still, I couldn¡¯t help but be curious.

    How would they handle a heart attack here? Would they use holy power to heal it?

    As I took a step forward, suddenly¡ª

    Whizz¡ª

    A sharp sound sliced through the air like something tearing through the wind.

 Chapter 340: Safety insensitivity (4)

    Chapter 340: Safety insensitivity (4)

    I have never been seriously threatened by anyone in my life.

    This includes both my past and current lives.

    Perhaps due to deeply ingrained beliefs from my past life, I also seem to have ack of awareness about safety¡ªa characteristic often attributed to Koreans.

    Above all, the fact that my daily life didn¡¯t change much even after revealing my identity made me optimistic.

    I thought, ¡°Tomorrow will pass like any other day. What will I be doing two days from now? Maybe I¡¯ll start answering people¡¯s questions since I¡¯m getting used to the attention.¡±

    Of course, I am fully aware of my poprity.

    The emotions tied to that poprity are mostly positive, such as admiration, respect, and esteem.

    asionally, very rarely, there were feelings of jealousy or other negative emotions, but none of them ever caused me any harm.

    I understand that people have different thoughts and feelings.However, ¡®murderous intent¡¯ is different.

    It isn¡¯t a positive or negative emotion.

    It is a force that can be unleashed through calction rather than feelings.

    Currently, there is a high probability that a demon worshipper harbors such intent against me.

    Given the relentless extermination they faced after the Xenon Chronicles, it¡¯s likely they are hiding while bearing a grudge.

    Even the cardinal, Bark, one of their leaders, was defeated by Kate, so it¡¯s obvious I would be their top assassination target.

    Yet, Icently went about my usual daily routine.

    While I trusted my escorts, I admit mycency wasrgely due to a mindset of ¡°It couldn¡¯t possibly happen to me.¡±

    Not only Adelia and Kate but also the academy guards and even Reaper, including Gartz, were watching over me from afar.

    Despite this level of security, myck of concern about safety was undeniable, and mycency didn¡¯t change.

    What I didn¡¯t expect was that this woulde back to haunt me as a boomerang so quickly.

    <em>Whizz!</em>

    The sharp sound of something cutting through the air struck my ears.

    I was so distracted by the person copsing from a heart attack that I noticed it toote.

    Could it be an arrow?

    But there was no time to react before the result unfolded.

    <em>Thud!</em>

    ¡°Argh!¡±

    The sound of a projectile striking forcefully and someone screaming in pain pierced my ears.

    It wasn¡¯t me, nor Adelia, who was next to me.

    Nor was it Kate, who was tending to the fallen patient.

    The sound came from directly behind us, not far away.

    ¡®No way¡­¡¯

    I quickly turned my head, my mind spinning withplex thoughts. I feared that the projectile intended for me might have hit someone else.

    It didn¡¯t take long to realize that wasn¡¯t the case.

    At the same time, I also understood that the projectile wasn¡¯t aimed at me.

    And the reason became clear soon enough¡­

    ¡°Grrrk¡­!¡±

    A pained groan echoed from what seemed to be empty space.

    There, in midair, was an arrow lodged in nothingness, with red blood dripping onto the ground.

    Upon closer inspection, the air itself seemed to warp faintly, distinct from the seamless blending of a dark elf.

    It was high-level magic, an invisibility spell specialized for infiltration and assassination.

    While learning it was rtively easy, maintaining it for an extended period was the real challenge.

    Someone had used that magic to follow us unnoticed.

    ¡°Isaac!¡±

    Unlike me, who was still grasping the situation, Adelia acted immediately.

    Though unarmed, she had served as an instructor for the martial arts department alongside Nicole.

    Combined with her rigorous training under her father, subduing an assassin who failed in their ambush was no challenge for her.

    Even if the invisibility prevented precise detection, it no longer mattered.

    The assassin¡¯s invisibility began to fade gradually due to the arrow they had been struck with.

    Like ink diffusing in clear water, the figure of the assant slowly emerged.

    <em>Thwack!</em>

    In the meantime, Adelia delivered a swift kick to their legs.

    The assassin, already reeling from the arrow, couldn¡¯t even respond.

    They lost their bnce and tumbled to the ground, and Adelia quickly pinned them down, pressing on their neck with her knee as she had been trained.

    With such a move, the assassin couldn¡¯t even struggle.

    ¡°Isaac! Are you alright?!¡±

    By the time Adelia had subdued the assassin, Kate rushed over, breathless, from tending to the patient.

    Her expression, filled with urgency, looked as if she might copse at any moment, fearing the worst.

    Fortunately, the worst hadn¡¯t urred, but the situation was still dire.

    I watched Kate running over and responded in a dazed voice.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m fine. But¡­¡±

    ¡°Everyone, step back! Now!¡±

    Before I could finish, Adelia shouted loudly.

    It seemed aimed at the surrounding crowd.

    Themotion from the heart attack had already drawn a crowd, and there was no guarantee there wasn¡¯t another attacker.

    The priority was to get the people to disperse to prevent creating an easy target.

    ¡°Grrr¡­ You bastard¡­¡±

    Meanwhile, the assassin, fully visible now, was ring ferociously despite being subdued.

    I scrutinized the man assumed to be a demon worshipper.

    He looked utterly ordinary, with brown hair, blue eyes, and a hint of stubble.

    His lean, agile physique was fitting for an assassin.

    What caught my attention the most, however, was his race.

    ¡®He¡¯s human?¡¯

    The man was human¡ªneither elf nor demon, just a regr human.

    But I couldn¡¯t understand.

    A human capable of using high-level magic like invisibility would be highly regarded by any nation.

    Even with modern advancements, human magic was far inferior to that of demons or elves.

    Yet this man used magic, and within the academy where magic was forbidden.

    How did he cast magic without being detected?

    How did he even gain ess to the academy in the first ce?

    Amid the chaos of unanswered questions, my head spun.

    If the arrow hadn¡¯t struck him, the consequences could have been catastrophic.

    This was my fault.

    Mycency almost caused a horrific tragedy.

    Unlike the safety of a cage, the world outside was far more dangerous.

    ¡°¡­I sense filthy energy.¡±

    Kate¡¯s voice cut through the confusion, chilling in its tone.

    I quickly gathered my thoughts and saw Kate ring down at the assassin with a terrifying expression.

    Her eyes burned with anger, contempt, and disgust.

    Even I felt a shiver at her gaze; the assassin must have been terrified.

    Yet the man showed no sign of retreat.

    On the contrary, he met Kate¡¯s eyes directly, ring back fiercely.

    ¡°Oh, God, bestow your light upon us.¡±

    Kate uttered a brief prayer while maintaining eye contact with the man.

    Golden light radiated from her, enveloping the area around us.

    A protective barrier formed of divine power.

    Without her permission, no one could enter this space, and demon worshippers wouldn¡¯t even be able to approach it.

    <em>Sizzle.</em>

    ¡°Aaaargh!¡±

    Then, an astonishing phenomenon urred.

    Smoke began to rise from the man¡¯s body inside the barrier.

    It was as if meat was being grilled on a hot, oiled pan.

    The man iled and writhed in agony.

    As I watched, wondering what was happening, Kate sneered coldly.

    ¡°As expected of a filthy demon worshipper. To think your soul rejects the blessing of Lord Luminous. You¡¯re irredeemable trash.¡±

    Demon worshippers are those who sell their souls to demons or are corrupted in exchange for power.

    Naturally, they experience extreme rejection of divine power.

    As a cardinal and a nemesis to such beings, Kate was particrly adept at destroying them.

    Through sacred mes, she could obliterate even their souls.

    Even a simple protective barrier, as now, inflicted immense pain on the demon worshipper.

    I carefully observed the demon worshiper writhing in pain and cautiously asked Kate.

    ¡°Kate, are you certain that person is¡­?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the demon worshiper who sought to take your life, Sir Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Then, what about the person who copsed earlier?¡±

    ¡°There were traces of induced cardiac arrest. I suspect this insect was responsible.¡±

    ¡°That can¡¯t be¡­¡±

    The shock rendered me speechless.

    To think someone would go to such lengths, endangering a life just to target me.

    What crime could that person have possiblymitted?

    As I stood there in stunned silence, my mouth gaping, the demon worshiper continued to let out groans of pain.

    Although the smoke had lessenedpared to earlier, the stench of burning flesh still assaulted my nose.

    ¡°Ughhh¡­!¡±

    Perhaps ustomed to the pain now, the man slowly lifted his head.

    His blue eyes, zing like fierce mes, red with intense fury.

    Was that rage directed at me, or at something else entirely?

    One thing, however, was clear: this man had infiltrated the academy in secret and aimed for my life.

    Even if he hadn¡¯t seeded in harming me, he could have endangered those around me, including myself.

    And¡­ all of this was due to mycency.

    Thanks to this ordeal, I understood that.

    ¡°¡­ What do we do now?¡±

    ¡°This trash knowingly infiltrated the academy. Keeping him alive won¡¯t yield any useful information. So¡­¡±

    ¡°Immediate execution.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. But considering he dared to target Sir Isaac, he won¡¯t die easily. He will be kept alive and taken back to the cult. There, he will experience every pain imaginable for a human.¡±

    At Kate¡¯s chilling response, I couldn¡¯t help but swallow hard.

    Although she usually schemed to seize the seeds, at this moment, she looked every bit the Grand Inquisitor.

    Apparently, even the demon worshiper shared that sentiment, as he broke out in a cold sweat while staring at Kate.

    Meeting his gaze once more, Kate offered a dismissive look as though to say,

    ¡°What are you going to do about it?¡± Her expression was nothing more or less than that of someone staring at a bug she could crush at any moment.

    In response, the demon worshiper gritted his teeth and cried out resolutely.

    ¡°For the Father of All!¡±

    As he shouted, he opened his mouth wide, seemingly intending to bite his tongue.

    <em>Smack!</em>

    ¡°Argh!¡±

    Kate¡¯s foot struck his jaw, thwarting his attempt.

    Bloodied, broken teeth spilled from his mouth, scattering like white corn kernels.

    With a single kick, all his teeth were shattered.

    Witnessing this brutal scene unfold in real-time, I couldn¡¯t help but grimace.

    Although I¡¯d seen violent scenes in movies and other media in my previous life, this was my first time witnessing such brutality in person. Naturally, I felt a deep sense of aversion.

    ¡°What a pity. He couldn¡¯t take his own life. Not that it would¡¯ve mattered; I would¡¯ve revived him anyway.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s next?¡±

    Adelia, who had been holding the demon worshiper in check, asked Kate.

    She was using all her strength to keep him from making any further moves.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    ¡°We¡¯ll just have to wait until they arrive. The patient who copsed from cardiac arrest has stabilized, so there¡¯s no issue.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    ¡°And¡­ Sir Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    Startled by her call, I looked at Kate.

    Unlike when she was dealing with the demon worshiper, she wore a bright expression as she spoke.

    ¡°We should thank the one who fired the arrow. If not for them, things could¡¯ve gotten truly dangerous.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re unharmed, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a relief. No injuries.¡±

    Yes, I wasn¡¯t injured.

    Even though I¡¯d been distracted, Adelia would have noticed right away.

    But if that were the case, she might¡¯ve been hurt instead. In the worst-case scenario, she could¡¯ve lost her life.

    ¡®How¡­ pathetic.¡¯

    I had let my guard down after only a week.

    Demon worshipers are not a distant threat.

    Being in the eye of the storm doesn¡¯t guarantee safety. Even in the eye, the surroundings are devastated.

    I sighed as I looked at the demon worshiper, blood streaming from his mouth.

    From this day forward, I realized that I was never truly safe.

    On the contrary, I was a walking danger.

    ¡®But what did he just say? The Father of All?¡¯

    Could there be something deeper behind this demon worshiper?

    ¡ï¡ï¡ï

    Meanwhile, at a simr time, atop the cherry blossom tree that stretched high along the walking trail.

    ¡°This makes two of them.¡±

    The man watching Isaac from a distance, Gartz, murmured softly as he loaded his crossbow.

    He had been momentarily distracted by a man who had suddenly copsed from a heart attack, which was dangerous.

    However, fortunately, he had acted first, allowing him to avert the crisis.

    At first, he thought the fallen man might be attempting a suicide bombing, but that wasn¡¯t the case at all.

    The man was merely bait, while a filthy demon worshipper had been sneaking up behind him.

    ¡®You should be more careful.¡¯

    Isaac likely had no idea, but the number of demon worshippers targeting him was not one, but two.

    One of them was the demon worshipper currently bound and being dragged away, while the other was an academy staff member.

    Thetter wasn¡¯t aiming to harm Isaac directly but had nned to poison him bycing his drink. That n was set to unfold during his earlier meeting with the principal.

    ¡®That was really close.¡¯

    Thankfully, they managed to notice and stop it in time.

    ording to the report, the poison had been added when the principal left to greet Isaac.

    The staff member¡ªor rather, the demon worshipper¡ªwas dealt with by being forced to resign due to ¡°personal reasons.¡± There was no need to exin what had truly happened.

    ¡®If I report today¡¯s events, will I finally get my signed copy?¡¯

    Gartz still hadn¡¯t received the signed copy he was waiting for.

 Chapter 341: Itâ€™s dangerous outside the blanket (1)

    Chapter 341: It¡¯s dangerous outside the nket (1)

    The demon worshiper who nearly ambushed me was immediately apprehended and taken to the temple.

    There is aw stating that demon worshipers are to be transferred to the temple as soon as their identity is revealed.

    Thus, the ones handling the escort were the Holy Knights.

    Since Kate hadpletely subdued the worshiper, they wouldn¡¯t resort to extreme measures like self-destruction, but caution was still necessary.

    Originally, summary execution was the rule, but an exception was made this time.

    It was because the individual had used magic within the Academy and had concealed their murderous intent until thest moment, which suggested they were no ordinary person.

    Above all, they were sent to assassinate me.

    This meant they likely held a considerable position of trust among the demon worshipers.

    Of course, it could have been a probing attempt, sent despite knowing it wouldn¡¯t work.Word of Kate guarding me must have reached the demon worshipers.

    However, considering they paralyzed a passerby¡¯s heart, it was certain they were skilled. If not for the arrow that flew in mid-attack, I might have been in great danger.

    And so, while the demon worshiper was dragged to the temple, I was promptly escorted back to the dormitory by Academy guards and my personal protectors.

    The fact that a demon worshiper used magic within the Academy, aiming for my life, would undoubtedly be a major topic of discussion.

    ¡°So that¡¯s why you¡¯ve stayed indoors this whole time?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°You even stopped asking Adele to fetch things and started asking others instead?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Three days passed, and I didn¡¯t take a single step outside the dormitory.

    Originally, I would have needed to leave to fulfill my duties as a teaching assistant and assist with Elena¡¯s research, but my perspective changed after being directly threatened by a demon worshiper.

    The world outside the dormitory¡ªor even outside my room¡ªsuddenly felt dangerous.

    The attack reminded me that demon worshipers were not a distant threat but something that could happen anytime, anywhere.

    The thought that the Academy would be a safe haven?

    I threw that notion into the trash the moment the incident urred.

    My very existence could endanger innocent people.

    ¡°You made the right decision. So, are you giving up on graduating from the Academy?¡±

    Marie, who hade to the dormitory because I refused to leave my room, asked me this.

    Although she was supposed to attend sses, her attendance was excused since she was my fianc¨¦e.

    Moreover, after the recent incident, she had all the justification she needed to stay away.

    ¡°No. I¡¯ll graduate from the Academy. This situation happened because I wasn¡¯t cautious enough. I just need to be more careful.¡±

    ¡°Then why aren¡¯t you leaving the dormitory?¡±

    ¡°For peace of mind.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Marie gave me a strange look.

    It was a face that wanted to say something but couldn¡¯t find the right words.

    But I was serious.

    Only three days had passed since the incident, and even stepping outside felt risky.

    After all, an arrow could fly at me the moment I stepped out. Although the chances were low, there was always the ¡°what if.¡±

    For now, I nned to stay inside the dormitory.

    As Marie mentioned earlier, I could ask the guards patrolling the halls to bring me meals and necessities.

    Of course, I didn¡¯t n to stay confined to the dormitory forever. Once the Academy strengthened its security measures, I¡¯d venture outside again.

    Until then, I would only meet people who came to see me.

    By now, word of the incident must have spread, so I expected many visitors soon.

    ¡°At least that¡¯s a relief. Honestly, I was worried. I thought you hadn¡¯t realized what kind of person you are.¡±

    ¡°I was aware. I just thought demon worshipers were a far-off issue.¡±

    I offered a weak excuse. It could be seen as foolishness orcency on my part.

    The deeply ingrained notions from my previous life were partly to me.

    After all, the Minerva Empire¡¯s capital, especially the Academy, was considered highly secure.

    So I couldn¡¯t help but think, ¡°As long as I¡¯m a bit cautious, I¡¯ll be fine.¡± The uneventful week after my return to the Academy only reinforced that belief.

    You could call it stupidity, and I wouldn¡¯t argue. I deserved the criticism.

    I had always known demon worshipers were scum, but since they had never targeted me directly, I had let my guard down.

    Demon worshipers are vile creatures who will do anything to achieve their goals.

    Not only did they target my life, but they nearly killed an innocent bystander.

    This incident alone was enough for me to clearly understand what kind of people they were.

    No matter what their reasons for joining the demon worshipers, they were unforgivable.

    Still, one thing lingered in my mind¡ªthe words the demon worshiper muttered before taking their own life.

    ¡°¡®The Father of All Things¡¯¡­ that part is a little concerning¡­¡±

    I decided to set it aside for now. The priority was figuring out how to return to a normal life.

    The incident had urred at Halo Academy, known for its strict security. How would this affect the Minerva Empire¡¯s reputation?

    Even without reading the newspapers, I could imagine the scene.

    The Academy¡¯s president and higher-ups were likely being dragged through the mud.

    Though they might feel wronged, politics work that way. If you give people a reason, they¡¯ll exploit it.

    Fortunately, with Marie publicly recognized as my fianc¨¦e, the Empire¡¯s position remained stable. Even I had no ns to leave the Empire anytime soon.

    ¡®Things might change if Cecily and Arwen visit.¡¯

    Nibbling on a cookie baked by Adelia, I pondered. Cecily and Arwen were unofficial lovers, unlike Marie.

    Though there were other women, none were officially acknowledged like those two.

    Especially with Arwen, who indirectly hinted at a ¡°gift,¡± I suspected there would be a major development soon.

    ¡®When will that happen?¡¯

    Cecily¡¯s deration seemed imminent, yet things were oddly quiet.

    However, keeping silent was also a strategy.

    Even if they didn¡¯t announce it outright, it wouldn¡¯t be a shock when people eventually found out.

    Thanks to <em>The Chronicles of Xenon</em>, many knew about the salvation of the demon race, and Cecily was set to be the next monarch.

    Helium had already expressed infinite gratitude toward me as a nation. Moreover, during her speech, Cecily dropped a bomb by dering herself ¡°Xenon¡¯s woman.¡±

    That one statement cemented the idea in people¡¯s minds.

    It would be fine even if she openly dated me, as those in the know were already aware.

    ¡®Arwen, though¡­¡¯

    I was curious when Arwen would reveal her ¡°gift.¡± Given the elf¡¯s culture, I had a vague idea of what it might be, but nothing was certain until it was unveiled.

    Though I intended to stay indoors until the Academy bolstered security, I would consider traveling to Alvenheim if she presented her gift.

    ¡°So, when do you think you¡¯ll go out? A week? Or a month?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll be at least a week. I think the Academy would prefer I stay put for now. By the way, how¡¯s Lina? She must be feeling the pressure too.¡±

    ¡°She hasn¡¯t been attending sses. She¡¯s probably busy in meetings right now.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    I nodded. With such an unfortunate incident happening on her watch, Rina must be struggling.

    I felt even more guilty knowing my poor judgment andcency were causing trouble for those around me.

    Resolving to ensure nothing like this ever happened again, I shifted the topic to another matter¡ªone involving Adelia, who had subdued the demon worshiper three days ago.

    ¡°Adel.¡±

    ¡°Yes. What is it?¡±

    With Marie present, Adelia replied formally. She always stood as a reliable shield for me.

    This incident made me realize how much I relied on her protection.

    But what if that shield were to break or be unusable? Though I would take every precaution to prevent such a scenario, nothing in life was guaranteed.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? It¡¯s better to learn how to handle small weapons, not just simple self-defense techniques.

    So that when the momentes when your shield breaks, you¡¯ll at least have the strength to resist.

    If I die, it won¡¯t just make others sad¡ªthey¡¯ll fall into despair. So let¡¯s cultivate the strength to at least ¡®survive¡¯ threats.

    Even if both my hands are cut off, it doesn¡¯t matter. The most important thing is my life.

    More than anything, as long as I survive, I can recover everything through divine power. ording to Luminous, even regression is possible, though only for a short time.

    ¡°So, can you start teaching me from today?¡±

    ¡°¡­It will be very tough.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    ¡°Better than getting hurt or dying.¡±

    Adelia stared at me quietly, her gaze reflecting determination. I met her eyes, which were filled with calm seriousness.

    I wasn¡¯t hoping for the advanced weapon techniques passed down in the family.

    It¡¯s already a bitte for that, and what I need to learn isn¡¯tbat, but self-defense.

    Father is likely busy with his duties, so it seems better to learn from Adelia for now.

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll first consult the Baron and get his permission. That¡¯s the proper procedure.¡±

    ¡°Got it. That¡¯s fine by me.¡±

    Father will surely give his approval.

    There¡¯s no way he¡¯d refuse when his youngest son wants to train in martial arts, even if he¡¯s not a fighter himself.

    Besides,munication through the teleport set up at the dormitory is quick. If all goes well, I might be able to start learning today.

    Afterward, I wrote a letter in elegant cursive and sent it directly to the estate. The reply I received was¡­

    The Baron says he¡¯sing <em>in person</em>.¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    Father¡¯sing in person? I blinked in surprise,pletely unprepared for such an answer.

    Adelia, seemingly just as taken aback, handed me the letter and responded in a daze.

    ¡°He said, if you¡¯re going to learn, it¡¯s better to learn properly.¡±

    ¡°What about you? Does he not trust you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. The letter only says he¡¯sing himself¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Could he just be making an excuse to get out of work?

    ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï

    The news that Isaac was ambushed by demon worshippers spread worldwide in an instant.

    Considering it was none other than Isaac who was nearly attacked, it was only natural for an uproar to follow.

    As expected, the Minerva Empire found itself in deep trouble.

    The Halo Academy, constructed by enticing master craftsmen from the Kingdom of Ters with money, had now exposed its vulnerabilities to the world.

    In such circumstances, the person in the most difficult position was¡­

    ¡°Ugh. These damned bastards¡­¡±

    It was Arwen, who had missed the perfect timing to make her announcement because of the demon worshippers.

    Originally, the announcement was scheduled for today, but due to the attack on Isaac, the n had to be scrapped.

    When she first heard the news, she worried that something had happened to Isaac.

    However, upon hearing he was safe, she felt both relief and irritation.

    Frustration.

    ¡°Ah, I really want to show it already¡­¡±

    With a slightly dejected look, she gazed at the ¡®gift¡¯ carefully nestled inside the box.

    The thought of wearing it and showing it to him made her feel unbearably embarrassed but also filled her with anticipation.

    What kind of reaction would Isaac have? The mere thought made her heart race and her lips twitch.

    ¡°¡­I can¡¯t keep dying this.¡±

    If she kept hesitating, she would miss the timing again. Even if she had to endure criticism, she needed to make the announcement within a week.

    Resolving herself, she closed the box containing the gift with a determined expression.

    Tap, tap¡ª

    Next, she checked to ensure no one was around before lightly tapping the crystal orb on her desk with her fingers.

    The crystal orb was none other than amunication crystal, an item used for long-distancemunication.

    As an elf, and someone of Arwen¡¯s stature, she could have used telepathy, but even she would struggle with the vast distances involved.

    Hence, she used the power of themunication crystal to contact someone far away.

    ¡°Testing, testing. Can you hear me?¡±

    [Yes, I hear you, Your Majesty. What¡¯s the matter?]

    At Arwen¡¯s words, a sultry woman¡¯s voice flowed from the other side of the crystal.

    If Isaac had heard it, he would¡¯ve found the voice not just familiar but intimate.

    After confirming again that no one was around, Arwen cleared her throat with a light cough andposed herself.

    Her face noticeably reddened, and her ears twitched up and down uncontrobly, revealing her emotions at a nce.

    ¡°I¡¯ve¡­ made my decision and contacted you about it.¡±

    [Oh my, finally? But¡­ the timing right now¡­]

    ¡°I know that as well. But I feel it¡¯s no good to keep dying it¡­¡±

    [Hmm¡­ Understood. So, what do you need my help with today?]

    The woman beyond the crystal asked in an intrigued tone.

    Hearing the question, Arwen hesitated for a moment.

    Although this woman often got on her nerves, Arwen had no choice but to set her pride aside and ask for help this time.

    When it came to matters of romance, she was clueless, whereas the woman on the other side of the crystal was leagues ahead.

    Not to mention, that woman had plenty of experience with the man she liked.

    ¡°Can you tell me¡­ what Isaac likes¡­ and what he enjoys?¡±

    [Oh, that¡¯s easy. I¡¯ll share everything with youter, along with a few others. Just wait a little.]

    ¡°I-I¡¯ll be waiting.¡±

    Click¡ª

    The crystal went dark as the connection ended.

    Arwen stared nkly at the dimmed crystal before letting out a long sigh.

    ¡°¡­A gift should make the receiver happy.¡±

    For that, she could set aside her pride without hesitation.

 Chapter 342: Itâ€™s dangerous outside the blanket (2)

    Chapter 342: It¡¯s dangerous outside the nket (2)

    The news that my father would personallye to see me was bewildering at first, but when I delved deeper, it made sense.

    It¡¯s not like I¡¯m a distant rtive¡ªhis own son nearly faced danger because of demon worshippers.

    And now I¡¯ve decided to learn martial arts because of that.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Who could refuse?

    Especially my father, who is naturally inclined to martial arts and enjoys teaching them.

    When I was younger, he gave up on me because I was too frail, but he has consistently practiced martial arts himself.

    All these reasonsbined exin why he rushed to the academy as soon as he heard the news.

    Of course, part of it might be to escape the mountain of paperwork piling up every day, but the bigger reason is his genuine concern.

    Thanks to my steady physical training, I don¡¯t need any extra conditioning.All I need to do is learn martial arts from my father.

    I don¡¯t aim for profound enlightenment or any apanying honor. I just want to be capable of minimal resistance when all my shields are gone.

    ¡°Got it. So, you¡¯re saying I should aim precisely for the vital points to subdue my opponent?¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    But it seemed my father interpreted ¡®resistance¡¯ in apletely different way.

    I widened my eyes at him, standing solemnly with his arms crossed.

    He hade to the academy just one day after sending his reply.

    Thanks to the mage stationed at the mansion, such rapid travel was possible.

    After listening seriously to my story, the first thing he said was that. To me, it sounded like telling a toddler to start running before they could even walk.

    Even though I¡¯m clueless about martial arts, I know how much effort and talent it takes to urately target vital points.

    ¡°Uh¡­ Father? I said resistance, not subjugation.¡±

    ¡°If someone¡¯s targeting you, they¡¯re likely not an easy opponent. Do you really think resistance will be enough?

    It would be more efficient to aim for their vital points to incapacitate or render thempletely powerless, even temporarily.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Coming from someone experienced, his words carried even more weight.

    As my father pointed out, anyone targeting me would be far from ordinary.

    Like the demon worshipper who used magic at the academy, I could be ambushed inpletely unexpected situations.

    Even if the ambush failed, they¡¯d likely possess superior physical prowess, and in the worst-case scenario, there might even be radical demons among them.

    ¡°¡­Fine. So, instead of the family¡¯s traditional martial arts, you¡¯re teaching me self-defense, right?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s far from self-defense. This is strictly militarybat technique. I¡¯d love to teach you the family¡¯s secret techniques, but¡­¡±

    My father gave me a regretful look, his golden eyes shimmering like he was gazing at an unpolished gem.

    I could only offer an awkward smile under that gaze.

    If it were the frail me from the past, maybe, but now, with divine power bolstering me, my physical hardware was on par with a knight¡¯s.

    If I added well-designed software to that, I could undoubtedly be an outstanding knight. However, that¡¯s not my current intention.

    ¡®I¡¯m inherently a writer.¡¯

    I exercise purely to survive and to satisfy the women I¡¯ve been intimate with.

    They say distance dulls feelings; I have to train to fulfill the responsibilities of my choices.

    Beyond that, I¡¯m not inclined toward physical activity.

    To be precise, I¡¯m hesitant about wielding a weapon to harm others.

    The only reason I¡¯m learning martial arts now is the unavoidable issue of demon worshippers. If not for them, I¡¯d have stopped at simple workouts.

    ¡°I¡¯ll learn itter when the opportunity arises. It¡¯d be odd not to, as your son.¡±

    ¡°Alright. To be honest, the secret techniques aren¡¯t much. Just grab a suitable battle axe and swing it. That¡¯s it. Axes are inherently easier to use than swords.¡±

    Easier said than done.

    Watching my father, Dave, and Nicole all this time has taught me just how absurd that im is.

    It¡¯s true that axes are simpler to handle than swords, as my father exined.

    Their weight distribution focuses on the de, restricting their use and simplifying their operation.

    However, that¡¯s only true when used crudely, like a barbarian.

    Our family is different.

    We don¡¯t just wield weapons; we mix in hand-to-hand techniques to confuse the opponent.

    Moreover, the sheer impact of an axe¡¯s powerful strike often forces the opponent to block, which directly leads to victory.

    Even if they manage to block, the blow¡¯s force disrupts their bnce.

    In other words, defending against the axe puts the opponent at a disadvantage. To win, they must evade or deflect every strike while seizing control of the fight.

    If a skilled swordsman embodies ¡°If you don¡¯t know, you¡¯ll get hit,¡± our family demonstrates ¡°Block it, and you¡¯ll die.¡±

    Despite its raw power, the technique isn¡¯t sluggish¡ªit¡¯s quick and precise.

    ¡°Anyway, before I teach you martial arts, remember this one thing. Sir Cross and the escorts will protect you, but if you ever find yourself alone, always run.

    Never think of fighting. Trust your stamina and endurance to escape to the end. That¡¯s the best someone unskilled in martial arts can do.¡±

    ¡°Do you think I can actually escape?¡±

    ¡°Fully escaping might be difficult. But with luck, you might seed, or at least create an opening for a counterattack. Ambushes are effective even against the most skilled opponents.¡±

    Before moving on to practical training, my father offered various pieces of advice.

    Perhaps anticipating the worst scenarios, every word carried the weight of experience.

    Normally, these lessons would be learned through practice rather than words, but circumstances didn¡¯t allow for that.

    If I had known this future awaited me, I¡¯d have started training earlier.

    Who could¡¯ve guessed the ¡°Chronicles of Xenon¡± would gain such poprity? And the future promises even more.

    As I listened quietly, my father began meticulously teaching me about vital points, frommonly known areas to ces even I wasn¡¯t aware of.

    Some spots, if struck properly, could be life-threatening with a single blow.

    A question suddenly arose, so I paused to ask.

    ¡°Father, I have a question.¡±

    ¡°Ask away. You¡¯re free to ask anything.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡±

    Before speaking, I nced at Adelia, who was watching nearby.

    She wasn¡¯t wearing her maid uniform but instead donned athletic clothes for easy movement.

    Marie wasn¡¯t here today, saying she had something to do. When I asked, she mentioned getting a message from Cecily.

    Cecily, upon hearing that I was threatened by demon worshippers, immediately sent a message.

    She wanted to rush over right away but stayed put for the sake of my peace of mind.

    ¡®Even the person who shot the arrow turned out to be Gartz.¡¯

    Anyway, I had to ask my question. Turning my gaze from Adelia back to my father, I voiced it.

    ¡°From what I¡¯ve seen, there seems to be an unspoken rule against targeting a man¡¯s testicles. It seems efficient since even a slight impact there has a big effect.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s an oddly insightful yet understandable question. Just so you know, that area is also a vital point for women. It¡¯s a reproductive organ, so the nerves are concentrated there.¡±

    My father chuckled at my question, adding that the male anatomy¡¯s greater exposure makes it more painful.

    ¡°Targeting that area typically works only in surprise situations. It¡¯s instinctive for people to retreat when their genitals are threatened. Instead, you could exploit that reaction to aim for their eyes.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of which, if there¡¯s dirt around, throw it at their eyes. Temporarily blinding them creates an opening. It¡¯s quite useful.¡±

    My father was truly teaching me survival-oriented techniques. I listened intently, taking careful notes.

    However, no matter how much I heard, there¡¯s no substitute for practice. Without practical application, it¡¯s meaningless.

    Of course, running away without looking back, or throwing dirt into someone¡¯s eyes, are simple enough. What I needed to learn was how to urately strike vital points.

    No matter how skilled an opponent is, a wellnded strike to a vital point can leave them incapacitated, so I must master this.

    ¡°Then, before we move on to practice, Sir Cross.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    At my father¡¯s call, Adelia brought something over, steadily approaching us.

    When I checked the item she carried, it was something familiar¡ªsomething I¡¯d often seen at the mansion.

    ¡°Are we practicing with this?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll teach you the fundamentals of martial arts using this.¡±

    It was a wooden training dummymonly used for martial arts practice.

    At the mansion, we used scarecrows stuffed with straw, but the academy preferred wooden dummies.

    They were not only durable but also quickly receable if broken. I had seen them a few times in themunal training grounds.

    ¡°With this, we¡¯ll learn where the vital points are and how to attack them with each weapon.¡±

    ¡°What about barehanded situations?¡±

    ¡°As I said earlier, in such cases, running is your best option. You can pick up a stone from the ground and throw it or grab a branch to use as an improvised weapon.

    I¡¯ll teach you basic hand-to-handbat as well, but we need to raise your odds of survival as much as possible.¡±

    Martial arts, huh¡­ The thought of learning everything from basic standing strikes to grappling techniques like wrestling makes my head spin.

    Especially wrestling¡ªit¡¯s practically a must. There¡¯s hardly any martial art as practical as wrestling.

    In my past life, and even in this world, knights acquire wrestling as a foundational martial art.

    Sure, there are monsters capable of slicing through rocks and splitting trees thanks to mana, but once they¡¯re on the ground, the game is over.

    That said, due to the inevitable need to close the distance, it¡¯s not often used in realbat. Still, it serves as ast-ditch effort for the worst-case scenario.

    ¡°Before we head into practice, it¡¯s best to decide on your weapon first. Something more for self-defense¡ªperhaps a dagger, a hand axe, or a mace. What do you prefer?¡±

    A dagger seems the most versatile. Each weapon has its clear advantages, but few are as broadly useful as a dagger.

    Just as I was about to say ¡°dagger,¡± my father, realizing he¡¯d overlooked something, changed his stance.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s better to learn them all instead of just one.¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°To be precise, I¡¯ll only teach you dagger and blunt weapon techniques. With those two, you can make use of even a random stick lying around.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    The world outside the nket is dangerous. But one can¡¯t stay hidden under the covers forever.

    ¡°This is all for your own good.¡±

    ¡­¡­¡­Understood.

    The journey to step outside the nket begins today.

    ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï

    Isaac¡¯s training began, and Hawk was the first to teach him how to handle weapons.

    While blunt weapons required nothing more than simple swings, daggers demanded a specific grip technique, making exnations essential.

    The dagger Isaac used wasn¡¯t a real de but a wooden training dagger, ensuring safety. However, the real issuey with Isaac himself.

    In the past, Isaac had only received basic training and had never held a weapon before.

    He was a noble who was more familiar with books and intellectual pursuits than physical training or weaponry.

    But Hawk, having taught both Dave and Nicole, was someone who had learned through trial and error.

    Moreover, teaching daggers¡ªunlike longswords¡ªwas rtively straightforward.

    Thanks to Hawk¡¯s instruction, Isaac quickly grasped the basics and was soon able to practice with a wooden training dummy.

    The core of the training involved repetitive actions designed to ingrain reflexive movements, ensuring that he could respond instantly to sudden ambushes.

    ¡°Is this all you¡¯re nning to teach him?¡±

    Adelia, who had approached Hawk while Isaac was diligently striking the dummy, asked softly.

    From Adelia¡¯s perspective, this level of training was adequate for an ¡°ordinary person,¡± but considering Isaac¡¯s circumstances, it seemed woefully insufficient.

    The skills of the demon worshippers targeting Isaac were no joke.

    Although they had been carelessst time, Isaac hadn¡¯t even been able to sense theming.

    Fortunately, swift follow-up measures had saved him.

    Had the strange creature¡¯s arrow not missed its mark, the situation could have turned dire.

    ¡°This alone won¡¯t cut it. Demon worshippers are not an easy foe. I n to teach him efficiently enough so that he doesn¡¯t be a burden.¡±

    ¡°What do you think of Isaac¡¯s talent, my lord?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps my standards have grown too high, but it¡¯s not great. He inherited decent strength from his mother, but everything else leaves much to be desired.¡±

    Hawk¡¯s eldest son, Dave, inherited all of Hawk¡¯s physical traits, while Nicole, the eldest daughter,bined Hawk¡¯s talents with Anna¡¯s beauty.

    Lastly, Isaac inherited Hawk¡¯s physique, but everything else¡ªhis demeanor and abilities¡ªcame from Anna.

    Of course, even Anna, with her unusual strength, couldn¡¯t be considered ordinary.

    After marrying Hawk, her physical abilities had only grown stronger, making her far from typical.

    One only needed to recall the time she crushed fruit barehanded, without any physical enhancement. Her strength was far from that of an average person.

    However, when it came to martial aptitude, Isaac was no more than an ordinary individual. He couldn¡¯t absorb skills like a sponge, as Xenon, the protagonist of <em>Xenon¡¯s Chronicles</em>, could.

    ¡°Instead, he has focus that canpensate for it. In the worst situations, brains matter more than brawn. As long as he¡¯s properly taught, there shouldn¡¯t be any problems.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡±

    ¡°By the way, that demon worshipper who attacked you¡ªwas he strong?¡±

    At the mention of the demon worshipper, Adelia flinched.

    Although the ambush had caught her off guard, she was well aware of how close Isaac hade to being seriously harmed.

    Wearing an expression of deep regret, she answered.

    ¡°¡­He wasn¡¯t particrly strong. But I failed to detect his presence.¡±

    ¡°Ah, so he must have been specialized in ambush tactics.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Myck of skill caused this¡­¡±

    ¡°No need to me yourself. Use this as an opportunity to improve. In fact, one of the reasons we came here¡ªbesides Isaac¡¯s request¡ªwas to train you as well.¡±

    Adelia nodded silently.

    She had suspected as much after receiving Hawk¡¯s reply.

    Unless demon worshippers waged an open war, they would likely continue sending assassins.

    Although she could protect Isaac, her ability to detect threats wascking.

    To address this shoring, Hawk¡¯s special training was essential.

    ¡°I¡¯ll teach you a detection technique¡ªone that served me well during my active years.¡±

    ¡°What kind of technique is it?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know its name. But it lets you predict when, where, how, who, and what someone will do.

    It¡¯s a power I stumbled upon during my time in service. It¡¯s the reason I survived when all myrades fell at the border.¡±

    If Isaac had heard this, he might have thought, <em>Isn¡¯t that just Observation Haki?</em>

    It was a power that allowed Hawk to sense presences and predict future movements¡ªa seemingly overpowered ability.

    However, Hawk soon exined why he hadn¡¯t taught it earlier.

    ¡°But the problem is the immense mental strain it causes.

    Unless you take proper breaks, the constant use of this ability can take a toll. In my case, I had to keep it active every day during battle, which left me no choice. Even so, I couldn¡¯t save myrades. That¡¯s why I retired early.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re willing, I¡¯ll teach it to you. But if it bes too burdensome¡ª¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡±

    Before Hawk could finish, Adelia interrupted him.

    Hawk closed his mouth and turned his head slowly.

    Her clear, sky-blue eyes were calm like a stillke, devoid of any fear.

    ¡°What could be more painful than letting Isaac die?¡±

    ¡°¡­That¡¯s enough for me.¡±

    Hawk, satisfied with her resolve, patted Adelia on the shoulder a couple of times. With a reliable bodyguard like her, he felt confident in his teaching.

    <em>But still¡­</em>

    Hawk¡¯s gaze shifted back to Isaac, who was engrossed in his training.

    Completely absorbed in his efforts, Isaac seemed oblivious to the conversation happening nearby.

    <em>Did he really write Xenon¡¯s Chronicles just as a hobby?</em>

    Over time, such questions naturally arose.

    Anna had dismissed it without much thought, but Hawk, having experienced much, couldn¡¯t help but wonder.

    If it was all coincidence, why did even the gods seem to elevate Isaac¡¯s reputation?

    Moreover, Isaac had shown a precocious and mature side from a young age.

    Initially, Hawk had dismissed it as quirks of his personality, but upon reflection, certain aspects felt undeniably suspicious.

    <em>He barely left the mansion, yet he knows so much about the world.</em>

    As Isaac¡¯s father, Hawk felt guilty admitting it, but Isaac had almost never ventured outside the estate.

    His social circle was so limited it was practically nonexistent.

    And yet, this recluse managed to craft such a vast and detailed story purely from imagination?

    Even for a bookworm, it was imusible.

    <em>Could he really be someone from the future?</em>

    Hawk¡¯s suspicions deepened.

    <em>And yet, he was oblivious to the demon worshippers. Or¡­ did he draw them in on purpose? To gather information about those who threaten him?</em>

    Though his thoughts wandered in odd directions, they were slowly closing in on the truth.

 Chapter 343: Outside the blanket (1)

    Chapter 343: Outside the nket (1)

    When Isaac was training under Hawk, the world outside his nket was in turmoil.

    Isaac was attacked by a demon worshiper.

    This incident alone made it clear how the situation would unfold.

    The Minerva Empire found itself in a difficult position, while other nations used the incident as a convenient excuse tounch criticisms.

    However, the criticisms were not particrly severe; they could point fingers, but outright condemnation was out of reach.

    The Kingdom of Ters, long hostile toward Minerva, had no room to interfere as Friedrich had recently abdicated.

    Other nations were simrly preupied with their internal matters.

    Although Alvenheim and Helium expressed criticism, their focus was less on the Minerva Empire¡¯s failure and more on the demon worshipers.

    After all, these two nations had to keep an eye on each other more than on Minerva.The harshest criticisms came from the Stavirk region, which constantly demanded independence and used any opportunity to attract attention.

    Despite the international outcry, Isaac himself remained unharmed, and the situation only fueled hostility toward the demon worshipers.

    Among the nations, two were particrly sensitive to the demon worshipers.

    The first was the Saviour Papacy, whose prestige had plummeted due to a corrupt cardinal.

    The second was Helium. Demon worshipers were mostly humans, but their ranks included a mix of various species.

    To be specific, many who dwelled deeply in the shadows were linked to demon worshipers.

    Among them, the radical demons held the greatest influence.

    Like the dark elves of Alvenheim long ago, they had been exiled, harboring ominous goals.

    Their mission: to destroy the world that cast them aside.

    If the world branded them as demons, they would be true demons to bring it to ruin.

    With such intent, they had meticulously nned their actions, but their efforts were thwarted by the sudden appearance of the <em>Chronicles of Xenon</em>.

    Amid this upheaval, there wasn¡¯t much the radical demons¡ªnow demon worshipers¡ªcould do.

    Even attacking Isaac, the author of <em>Chronicles of Xenon</em>, was no simple task.

    After the corrupt cardinal, Bach, met an absurd death, an avnche of evidence was revealed.

    Details about the whereabouts of the key members of the demon worshipers and those colluding with the radical demons came to light.

    Although Helium kept this information discreet, under Cecily¡¯s leadership, purges were underway.

    Anyone associated with the radical demons or demon worshipers was executed on the spot unless they had an undeniable reason to be spared.

    Initially, Cecily¡¯s authority had been modestpared to the current king, Descal.

    However, after a pivotal speech, Descal delegated some of his power to her.

    While Descal focused on diplomacy and external affairs, Cecily meticulously handled internal issues.

    Although it would be a long time before she could be queen, given the circumstances, a capable figure like her was indispensable.

    Consequently, much like Arwen, she was overwhelmed with state affairs daily.

    ¡°I miss Isaac.¡±

    As her longing for Isaac grew, Cecily felt her desire intensify.

    It had been over a week since shest saw his handsome face after his public announcement.

    If she could, she would rush to him, sink her teeth into his beautiful face, and understand why Mari asionally nibbled on him.

    After satisfying her craving, she would embrace him tightly, feeling his warmth and inhaling his distinct scent.

    And naturally, their next destination would be the bed.

    The thought of indulging in their love made her heart race.

    ¡®Meanwhile, Mari and Adelia must be having all the fun with him.¡¯

    Cecily pouted as her thoughts turned envious.

    Instead of desire, jealousy welled up inside her.

    The thought of being stuck with work while the others spent time with Isaac made her blood boil.

    To make matters worse, her work, which she thought would be over quickly, took longer than expected.

    The number of people colluding with the radical demons had been greater than she anticipated.

    Although Helium was founded by moderate demons who valued restraint, time had eroded their beliefs.

    Fortunately, the faith of the demon race itself remained intact, but the rise of a society introduced inevitableplications.

    ¡®I didn¡¯t expect there to be so many.¡¯

    Cecily checked the list of radical demons and demon worshipers she had dealt with so far.

    These were the ones uncovered thanks to the evidence from the capture of Cardinal Bach, individuals who had hidden in the shadows, preparing for rebellion.

    Had these individuals gone unnoticed, they wouldn¡¯t have been mere obstacles but threats capable of shaking Helium¡¯s foundation.

    ¡®Using restraint for such treachery¡­¡¯

    Yet Cecily turned the situation to her advantage.

    She furrowed her elegant brows as she reviewed the list.

    Demons, by nature, had greater patience than other races and were slow to anger.

    Hence, when demons expressed rage, it was widely acknowledged that the other party must have been at fault.

    The radical demons who sided with demon worshipers exploited this to incite rebellion.

    Their timing was set for Descal¡¯s abdication and Cecily¡¯s ascension to the throne.

    Without the <em>Chronicles of Xenon</em>, Helium would have remained isted, and the rebels would have fueled the desire of demons yearning to see the light.

    Had the rebellion seeded, the aftermath was self-evident.

    Cecily would have been overthrown, and¡­

    ¡®Their n would¡¯ve been enacted.¡¯

    The n to corrupt all demons into true demons by defiling their unique ck mana.

    To aplish this, the rebels had to first remove Cecily, whose overwhelming power posed the greatest obstacle.

    They had carefully bided their time, inching toward this goal.

    Given the demons¡¯ long lifespans, they had an abundance of time, patience, and experience to carry out such ns.

    ¡°But it¡¯s all meaningless now.¡±

    Cecily smirked, her smile so enchanting it could captivate any man who saw it.

    The names on the list had all disappeared, reduced to nothing more than droplets of blood on the executioner¡¯s de.

    Despite the chaos after Bach¡¯s death, the ¡®Reaper¡¯ had captured them all.

    However, to avoid public unrest, the announcements would be madeter.

    Whether or not they disclosed the rebels¡¯ ns to demonize the nation, their intent had already been exposed through the <em>Chronicles of Xenon</em>.

    ¡®It¡¯s all thanks to Isaac.¡¯

    He hadn¡¯t just changed the world with a book; he had saved it.

    Could there be another person capable of such a feat?

    Saving the demons alone was enough to win her heart, but saving Helium from the brink of destruction made him a hero in her eyes.

    In truth, the entire demon race of Helium adored Isaac.

    Should he be in danger, countless demons would willinglyy down their lives for him.

    ¡®Thankfully, I met him first as a woman.¡¯

    If another demon woman had discovered his identity, Cecily doubted she¡¯d be by his side now.

    Of course, as the princess of Helium, she could have forced her way into his life.

    But it wouldn¡¯t have been asfortable as it was now.

    Though it had been sheer coincidence that she met Isaac, at times like these, she was grateful for her title as Helium¡¯s princess.

    ¡®That¡¯s why I must protect him. Even at the cost of my life.¡¯

    Cecily¡¯s crimson eyes shone with fierce determination.

    If he were ever in danger, she would shield him with her life.

    If he were to die, she would avenge him before following him into death.

    To protect the man she loved. To safeguard the savior of demons and the world.

    When Cecily heard that Isaac had been attacked by demon worshipers, her fury nearly boiled over, but she restrained herself.

    Now was not the time for anger.

    Someday, after capturing all the demon worshipers, she would mercilessly torture them and throw them to the dogs.

    Her vengeful nature reminded her of Kate.

    The two shared a devotion to Isaac that bordered on reverence.

    The differencey in their feelings¡ªCecily¡¯s love was far more passionate, while Kate¡¯s faith outweighed all else. Yet, their love for Isaac was equally deep.

    Knock, knock, knock¡ª

    Just then, Cecily heard a knock at the door.

    With her detection magic active, she had known for a while that someone was approaching.

    Turning toward the door, she spoke in her signature enchanting voice.

    ¡°Who is it?¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, the guest you mentioned earlier has arrived.¡±

    ¡°Ah, let them in at once.¡±

    Upon hearing that her guest had arrived, Cecily¡¯s expression brightened, and she immediately granted them entry.

    As soon as she spoke, the office door opened, and a figure slowly stepped in.

    The visitor wore a white robe that obscured their face, but their petite frame and the contours of their body suggested they were a woman.

    Cecily watched as the woman approached her and gave a simple gesture.

    At that moment, the previously wide-open door quietly shut.

    When the woman reached the desk, Cecily rested her chin on her inteced fingers and smiled faintly.

    Her crimson eyes held a mix of mischief and endearment.

    ¡°You must have had a hard timeing all this way.¡±

    Cecily greeted her in a gentle, captivating voice.

    Although she spoke formally, her tone was friendly, indicating familiarity with the woman before her.

    At Cecily¡¯s greeting, the woman slowly removed the robe that had been draped over her head.

    As the robe fell away, silvery-gray hair that shimmered faintly cascaded down to her shoulders, and her pointed ears¡ªproof of her elven heritage¡ªcame into view.

    Finally, her silver-gray eyes, shy yet shining like a gxy, revealed the woman¡¯s identity.

    She was Arwen Elodia, queen of Alvenheim and a woman destined to be a significant political rival.

    Yet here she was, in Helium, unofficially standing before Cecily.

    <em>Snap!</em>

    Cecily lightly snapped her fingers, casting a spell.

    A table and two chairs materialized in the center of the office, as if emerging from thin air.

    The table was set with a simple tea service,plete with a freshly brewed pot of tea.

    While Isaac might have looked at such magic with amazement, to an elf like Arwen, it was merely a matter of using tools.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we sit and talk over there?¡± Cecily suggested.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Arwen epted Cecily¡¯s invitation without hesitation. Cecily smiled at her response and stood up slowly.

    The two women took their seats, with Cecily disying a rxed demeanor while Arwen fidgeted awkwardly.

    Though she had visited Helium before for official speeches, it was her first timeing to the royal pce itself.

    The fact that this was an unofficial invitation was her only sce, as it avoided causing a significant stir.

    ¡°This tea is unique to Helium. Like a calming tonic, it¡¯s excellent for soothing the mind.¡±

    ¡°Th-thank you. I¡¯ll drink it well.¡±

    Seemingly nervous, Arwen sipped the tea without even trying to maintain her usual regal poise.

    The dignity she disyed as a queen was nowhere to be found, her actions reminiscent of those she exhibited only in Isaac¡¯s presence.

    And Cecily knew exactly why.

    She understood the reason behind Arwen¡¯s visit to this ce.

    ¡°So, you want me to teach you how to handle your first night together?¡±

    ¡°Pfuh!!¡±

    The bold remark, delivered while Arwen was mid-sip, caused her to spray tea violently.

    Fortunately, none of it hit Cecily¡¯s face, though the surrounding area ended up a mess due to Arwen¡¯s embarrassment.

    <em>Cough! Cough! Cough!</em>

    As she coughed and waved her hand, the dirtied table and her tea-sttered mouth were instantly cleaned by a simple spell¡ªa type allowed even within the royal pce.

    Arwen, her face flushed red, red at Cecily with a voice full of reproach and indignation.

    ¡°Y-you didn¡¯t need to bring that up right away¡­¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s there to be embarrassed about? You¡¯ve swallowed your pride toe all this way for the man you love. I¡¯m more than willing to teach you.¡±

    Indeed, Arwen¡¯s unofficial visit to Helium was for one purpose¡ªto receive ¡°lessons¡± for her first night with Isaac.

    Born a half-elf, Arwen was knowledgeable about human customs, including matters of intimacy, and her understanding was further enhanced by the detailed ounts in <em>The Chronicles of Xenon</em>.

    Though following the descriptions in <em>The Chronicles of Xenon</em> would ensure a sessful first night, Arwen wanted to offer Isaac something truly special.

    For that reason, she sought more in-depth guidance.

    Even Cecily couldn¡¯t help but wonder why Arwen chose her instead of Marie or Adelia. However, Arwen offered a logical reason.

    ¡°I-I was pressed for time. The holy water made from the dew of the World Tree loses its effectiveness quickly¡­ It¡¯s urgent.¡±

    ¡°Holy water?¡±

    Hearing this for the first time, Cecily raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

    Arwen patiently exined the details about the holy water.

    The more Arwen exined, the more Cecily¡¯s expression changed, gradually reflecting her disbelief at hearing something so unexpected.

    When Arwen finished, Cecily finally responded.

    ¡°Queen Arwen.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°You have¡­ quite the bold streak. To think you¡¯d use something like that on your first night.¡±

    Cecily¡¯s unexpected words of admiration turned Arwen¡¯s face an even deeper shade of red.

    From Arwen¡¯s perspective, she had merely conveyed a traditional elven practice, but Cecily seemed to interpret it differently.

    ¡°S-so, is it unusable¡­?¡±

    ¡°No, no. It¡¯s an elven tradition, so I won¡¯t criticize it. Honestly, I¡¯m just a bit envious. If I had something like that¡­¡±

    She trailed off, suppressing the thought that she might have shared even more intimate nights with Isaac if she¡¯d had such a custom.

    Setting that aside, Cecily focused on the present matter¡ªteaching Arwen.

    But before starting, there was something she needed to confirm.

    ¡°Alright, before we begin, Queen Arwen.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°When you and Isaac be a couple, we must ensure one thing: neither of us should fight over him until he returns to the gods. Whether politically or personally.¡±

    Hearing this, Arwen¡¯s expression turned serious.

    Though her flushed face radiated a charming allure, Cecily remained unfazed.

    She continued, her tone sincere and unwavering.

    ¡°Isaac will love us all equally. He has the ability and the heart to do so. But if that bnce falters, it could lead to significant problems.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    ¡°Even so, it won¡¯t be easy. Feelings can¡¯t always be controlled. At some point, you may feel neglected or jealous. That¡¯s when things get dangerous.¡±

    Cecily¡¯s gaze turned somber as she referenced historical examples of rulers who destroyed nations by favoring one partner excessively.

    Though Isaac wasn¡¯t a king, his influence surpassed that of many monarchs.

    His lovers were vital pirs of their respective nations, making bnce crucial.

    ¡°So, don¡¯t try to monopolize Isaac¡¯s love. I¡¯ve learned to let go of such thoughts and treat it as a joke. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll remember that. I¡¯m content just being with him.¡±

    ¡°Good. Since this is a matter of trust, we won¡¯t need a formal vow.¡±

    Cecily¡¯s lips curled into a radiant smile as she rested her chin on her interlocked fingers.

    Her crimson eyes met Arwen¡¯s as the tension in the air grew.

    Then, just as Arwen grew nervous under that gaze, Cecily¡¯s soft, alluring voice broke the silence.

    ¡°Shall we get started? First, about the lingerie you¡¯ll wear on your first night¡­¡±

    ¡°I-I already prepared that long ago!¡±

    ¡°What color is it?¡±

    ¡°R-red.¡±

    Cecily¡¯s eyes widened, and she offered an amused evaluation.

    ¡°Well, I take it back. You¡¯re not bold; you¡¯re daringly sensual. Are all elves like this?¡±

    ¡°S-sensual?!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a joke. Now, let¡¯s move on¡­ Shall we stand? It¡¯s time to teach you how to use your strengths.¡±

    And so began the coboration of demon and elf¡ªa partnership producing a rather unique ¡°gift.¡±

 Chapter 344: Outside the blanket (2)

    Chapter 344: Outside the nket (2)

    Even while learning martial arts, I never stopped writing.

    If I were to stop now, the demon worshippers might grow bolder.

    There are already rumors spreading that I¡¯ve half-retreated into seclusion.

    If I were to stop writing as well, they would undoubtedly attempt another attack.

    Being holed up entirely in my home poses another risk¡ªthe worst-case scenario being a magical bombardment.

    You might think I¡¯m being excessive, but thest attack taught me something: when ites to matters involving demon worshippers, one must always assume the worst.

    These are the same people who paralyzed an innocent person¡¯s heart just to target me.

    If they were willing to do that, they might even summon a meteor to take me down.

    Fortunately, since Cardinal Bark¡¯s death, their power has significantly dwindled. But I can¡¯t let my guard down.I just need to slowly build my strength and continue writing until their influence ispletely eradicated.

    That¡¯s the endgame.

    Moreover, staying confined indoors is quite dangerous in itself.

    While the security in this fantasy world is top-notch, there are plenty of assassins who can render such defenses meaningless.

    Take Rain, for instance¡ªshe effortlessly infiltrated and robbed our mansion.

    To elves and demons, human magic is akin to that of a newborn child.

    As a result, our mansion is currently undergoing renovations, ording to what I heard from my father.

    It¡¯s apparently an unusual coboration between elves and demons.

    The security magic installed in the dormitories is excellent even by their standards, so I¡¯m not too worried, but preparation is still necessary.

    ¡®Why does it feel like the finale is taking longer?¡¯

    It feels like I¡¯m close to wrapping things up, but surprisingly, the story keeps getting longer.

    From volume 26, the full-fledged war began, and the hidden mythology of the elves was revealed.

    From volume 27 onward, Zenon and hispanions face off against Pride.

    However, I can¡¯t help but feel that some parts are rather in, which is disappointing.

    As I kept adding elements here and there, excellent scenes emerged, and the story flowed more smoothly. Since it¡¯s a war arc, the story naturally grew longer.

    ¡®There were plenty of great moments for everyone.¡¯

    I didn¡¯t forget to include iconic scenes fitting for each race.

    It¡¯s a highlight, so it had to be done.

    As the story heads toward its finale, I also made sure to infuse each race with a sense of pride. This isn¡¯t optional¡ªit¡¯s essential.

    Humans showcase their tenacity, elves and demons disy their grand magic, dark elves and demon hunters demonstrate their restrained precision, beastkin perform exhrating charges, and finally, the dwarves¡­

    ¡®Weapons, of course.¡¯

    While having them fight directly is fine, their strong image as craftsmen makes it more fitting for them to create tactical or strategic weapons.

    For example, cannons with powerful firepower, or perhaps golems equipped with artificial intelligence.

    Gunpowder itself already exists in this world.

    Although I¡¯m not well-versed in military affairs, the existence of gunpowder in this era isn¡¯t all that strange.

    While magic, which is seen as a more strategic weapon, somewhat overshadows cannons, gunpowder is still widely used by regr soldiers because it can be mass-produced, unlike magic.

    After all, no matter how much training a knight undergoes, it¡¯s nearly impossible for an ordinary human to defeat a monster¡ªespecially an ogre or something stronger.

    Just as the invention of guns in my past life ced humanity at the top of the food chain, weapons here also y a role in driving monsters out.

    The downside is that people stronger than any weapon are everywhere, but let¡¯s set that aside for now.

    ¡®Golems seem like the perfect choice.¡¯

    When you think of fantasy, golems oftene to mind as strategic weapons.

    asionally, they appear as ancient relics, but that¡¯s not the case in this world.

    Powered by artificial intelligence, they may be expensive to produce, but their performance is top-notch.

    In a world where even steam engines have been invented, creating golems powered by some form of energy shouldn¡¯t be impossible.

    What about the issue of artificial intelligence?

    I¡¯d simply exin it as being powered by magic, simr to Mary¡¯s magic from before, which everyone eagerly dissected for theoretical details.

    ¡®Who cares, anyway?¡¯

    When mechanical civilization advances, the greatest beneficiaries are not the elites but the ordinary citizens who must handle everything manually.

    Although the golems in the book were invented during a war, history shows that wartime often elerates scientific advancement.

    In this world, too, humanity¡¯s science and magic advanced significantly during the racial wars.

    Although demons secretly passed down their magic, humans eventually imed it as their own.

    So, it¡¯s not entirely imusible.

    People will mor to create such devices, iming it as knowledge from the future.

    ¡®The problem is, it really could be used as a war weapon.¡¯

    In the past, I might have felt uneasy about this.

    However, after Zenon¡¯s Chronicles concludes, I n to write a new work based on Earth¡¯s Second World War.

    If I¡¯m going to include all kinds of war weapons in that story, why make a fuss over a mere golem?

    Even if someone actually invents such a thing, it¡¯s ultimately a step toward advancing mechanical civilization.

    Later on, golems could even be used for farming or hunting monsters. I just need to write it with peace of mind.

    ¡®Wait, didn¡¯t Luminous mention that the dwarves wouldter bring tanks?¡¯

    I paused my writing and recalled the events of a past exhibition.

    Among the attendees were three entrics, including Ains, the inventor of the magic engine.

    It wouldn¡¯t be surprising if they, driven by curiosity, invented tanks. Comparing this to Luminous¡¯ prophecy, it seems highly likely.

    ¡®The world is bing more intriguing. And so is this one.¡¯

    This world has always demonstrated unbnced development.

    Despite having refrigerators and air conditioners, steam lotives were considered absurd contraptions.

    It¡¯s likely a cultural preference for magic over technology.

    If advanced science is no different from magic, the reverse must also hold true.

    But upon reflection, the development of machinery seems inevitable.

    Even without my books, this change would have urred eventually.

    The reason lies in the clear limitations of magic. Magic is ¡°all-powerful,¡± but it¡¯s not ¡°omnipotent.¡±

    Luminous once told me directly that I merely elerated what was bound to happen.

    So, I should write freely without concern.

    ¡®But there¡¯s one crucial issue.¡¯

    I twirled my pen and looked at the manuscript I had printed in advance.

    Volume 27 was nearlyplete, but one thing still bothered me.

    That was none other than a name¡ªthe name of the united forces opposing the demons.

    You might wonder, ¡°Since it¡¯s a coalition, can¡¯t we just name it whatever we want?¡± However, this is a war that determines the survival of the world.

    Sometimes, in fantasy media, there are moments where the protagonist shouts, ¡°For XXX!¡± just before charging into battle.

    That single cry elevates the morale of their allies and entire army to its peak, while overwhelming the enemy, who gets swept away by the momentum. It¡¯s the highlight of the scene.

    Such a magnificent moment is included in Volume 27, but the name itself still hasn¡¯t been decided.

    ¡®Even the name Earth is said to have originated from an ancientnguage¡­¡¯

    Here, too, there is a linguistic history spanning over 3,000 years.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Languages have undergone diverse changes over time.

    Although amonnguage is now used as the standard, oldernguages are still asionally employed.

    This isrgely due to the elves and demons, many of whom live nearly a thousand years, with most being over 500 years old.

    Therefore, even if using a dictionary poses no issues, how to incorporate those words is the real challenge.

    Of course, one could simply shout ¡°Charge!¡± and move on without deciding on a name. However, for the sake of impact, it¡¯s essential to finalize one.

    ¡®How did theye up with such cool names fors?¡¯

    When I think ofs thate to mind, all of them have impressive names.

    Since a name can make or break the impression, careful consideration is necessary.

    I tapped my pen on a pre-printed sheet, deep in thought.

    The center of the manuscript paper I had prepared in advance was left nk on purpose.

    It was left empty because I couldn¡¯t think of an appropriate name at the time, and now, even as I near the end, it remains unfinished.

    Honestly, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem to name it after Hirt, the goddess of nature.

    Even if the¡¯s name was decided based on this one detail, there¡¯d be no objections.

    After all, Hirt embodies nature and the entirety of this world.

    Who could possibly dispute that?

    ¡®Then maybe I can modify Hirt¡¯s name slightly¡­!¡¯

    Just as I poured all my deliberations into pressing the pen to the paper¡ª

    <em>Rumble, rumble, rumble-</em>

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    A sudden vibration. I lifted the pen from the paper and looked around.

    It didn¡¯tst even a second, but it was unmistakably an earthquake.

    The same kind of tremor I had felt when I was feverish.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°Isaac, did you feel that too?¡±

    While I stood there in confusion, my father emerged from the training hall.

    He was dressed lightly, having been training Adelia moments ago.

    Judging by his expression, it seemed he had felt the tremor too, so I nodded.

    ¡°Yes, I felt it. It seems to be an earthquake.¡±

    ¡°Hm¡­ I heard there was an earthquake not long ago as well¡­ Alright, then.¡±

    With that briefment, my father returned to the training hall.

    I wished him good luck with his work and picked up the pen again.

    Once more, I began to write the name of the based on Lady Hirt¡­

    <em>Rumble-</em>

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    Was it a sign not to write it? I hesitated and lifted the pen from the paper, just in case.

    The vibration stopped immediately. Just to be sure, I tried putting the pen back to the paper¡­

    <em>RUMBLE, RUMBLE, RUMBLE!</em>

    This time, the tremor shook the dormitory even harder.

    ¡°Isaac! Evacuate immediately!¡±

    ¡°Young Master! Please get outside¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Why was this happening? I couldn¡¯t understand it at all.

    It seemed like I would need to visit the temple soon to get some answers.

    ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï

    About three days passed since then¡­

    [Alvenheim. The gift for Xenon has been prepared.]

    I finally had a reason to leave thefort of my nkets.

 Chapter 345: Outside the blanket (3)

    Chapter 345: Outside the nket (3)

    In Alvenheim, they made a grand announcement that they had prepared a gift for me, but I can vaguely guess what it is.

    Considering the Elven-stylemunism and Arwen¡¯s reaction, it would be strange not to know. Moreover, since she confessed her feelings for me, it¡¯s impossible not to know.

    Alvenheim ns to give me Queen Arwen as a gift.

    They say they can never lose to the demon race, so they will offer their queen to me.

    It might seem a bit too much to give away the king of a country, especially a powerful nation, and some might argue that treating a person as a gift is wrong.

    But that¡¯s just the way things are.

    The tradition of arranged marriages exists, and there are ces where marriage is used as a diplomatic tool.

    Even though Arwen is the queen of Alvenheim, that doesn¡¯t mean she can¡¯t be an object of an arranged marriage.

    In fact, for Arwen, being with me would be a solid shield both personally and politically.It¡¯s like having your cake and eating it too.

    She could maintain her happiness while also gaining a solid diplomatic advantage.

    ¡®But I¡¯m sure she won¡¯t give me the gift right away.¡¯

    A day is long.

    Arwen won¡¯t just hand me the gift without any process.

    She¡¯ll probably spend the whole day on a date and reveal the gift only at night.

    Of course, all of this is just my guess, so I shouldn¡¯t be too sure.

    To confirm, I¡¯ll have to head to Alvenheim.

    It¡¯s dangerous outside the nket, but to receive the gift, I¡¯ll have to go out.

    Alvenheim knows this, so they will surely send the most elite of the elite.

    This much I can predict, but an unexpected condition hase up.

    ¡°I swear. If you want to monopolize me, just say it clearly. I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re making so many excuses. Right, Adele?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I agree.¡±

    I let out a wry smile as I watched Marie and Adelia chatting.

    Right now, I was getting ready by Adelia¡¯s hands.

    The reason they wereining like that is because of the condition Alvenheim had set.

    The gift is exclusively for ¡°Xenon,¡± which means it¡¯s for me, so no one else is allowed toe.

    No need to exin, it¡¯s a state-level deration, and they only want me toe.

    Anyone who doesn¡¯t understand the situation might think it¡¯s natural to receive a gift for an individual, but those around me quickly caught on to Arwen¡¯s intentions.

    When ites time for the gift, Arwen clearly wants to monopolize me, so she¡¯d prefer if no one else came. That¡¯s all it means.

    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t been generous and let me have a few days, the goodwill I¡¯ve built up would havepletely vanished.¡±

    ¡°Have you met Arwen?¡±

    I looked at Marie with a puzzled expression at herint.

    I knew that Cecily and Arwen had been in light contact, but this was the first time hearing about Marie.

    She flinched for a moment before shrugging her shoulders and answering nonchntly.

    ¡°We met at the mansion before, right? She gave me amunication device, saying she¡¯d take good care of me in the future. But, unless it¡¯s something special, we don¡¯t really contact each other.¡±

    ¡°Special matters?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    At my continuous questions,

    Marie rolled her eyes, then met my gaze.

    Her blue eyes were as mysterious as the sea, and I couldn¡¯t figure out what she was thinking.

    Then, she smiled slightly, pinched my cheek, and said sweetly,

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you now. Ask Queen Arwen herselfter. But don¡¯t ask directly. Time it right.¡±

    ¡°What kind of timing?¡±

    ¡°You can ask when the first night conversationes up. You¡¯re going to do it anyway, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    I was taken aback by how confidently she asked, and for a moment, I was left speechless.

    Was Marie the one who got jealous whenever I was involved with other women?

    She seemed to have read my thoughts because she smiled warmly and said,

    ¡°Like I said before, you¡¯re too big for me to handle alone. If I¡¯m going to be pressured from all sides, it¡¯d be better to embrace everyone, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    ¡°Instead! As I¡¯ve mentioned repeatedly, never forget that I¡¯m your number one priority. Even now, I¡¯m just ¡®lending¡¯ you to the queen for a moment, okay?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at her typical Marie response.

    As my fame grew, Marie¡¯s consideration for me also increased in proportion.

    Who wouldn¡¯t love someone like her?

    She has a charm that doesn¡¯t lose to any other woman.

    I gently cupped her cheek and gave her a light kiss.

    That act alone confirmed our affection.

    When I faced her again, I could see her cheek blushing in a youthful way.

    Our me of passion hasn¡¯t died out; it burns steadily.

    ¡°Well, then, take care and don¡¯t make Arwen suffer with your excitement.¡±

    ¡°People would misunderstand if they overheard us.¡±

    ¡°So what? They already know. But before that, kiss Adele goodbye.¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯m fine.¡±

    When the conversation turned suddenly to Adele, she hurriedly shook her head.

    Her face quickly turned bright red, and it was quite cute.

    Still, I thought a kiss before I left wouldn¡¯t hurt.

    After checking my outfit, I gave Adelia a light kiss on the cheek.

    The outfit, a simple red ceremonial robe with intricate golden cross embroidery, looked splendid despite its simplicitypared to other nobles¡¯ attire. I especially liked the golden embroidery.

    I had nned to wear something without the embroidery, but Marie insisted that I change it, and I ended up liking it.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m off now. Alvenheim said they¡¯d send their best, so I won¡¯t have to worry about demon worshipers.¡±

    ¡°Got it. Be careful until then.¡±

    ¡°For now, I¡¯ll stay with Adele. I¡¯ll also try to get closer to Kate.¡±

    Marie showed a cool attitude as I prepared for a date, and possibly even a first night with another woman.

    I smiled softly at her and waved goodbye.

    By the way, my father had left the mansion earlier for work, and Kate had gone to the temple for worship, so I was only saying goodbye to Marie and Adelia.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be off.¡±

    ¡°Take care~ Oh, I almost forgot, here.¡±

    Just before I left, Marie handed me a small vial.

    Inside was a white pill, and I knew exactly what it was.

    Contraceptive pills.

    I stared at the vial, shocked, then looked up at her.

    Marie was grinning, as usual.

    ¡°You never know. I have to stop another woman from having your child before me.¡±

    ¡°¡­You know elves have trouble getting pregnant, right?¡±

    ¡°I know, but just in case. If you¡¯re going to spend the night, you won¡¯t leave the room, right?

    So take it with you. If you don¡¯t take it and Arwen gets pregnant, then be prepared to break up.¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay.¡±

    As expected, Marie was thorough in these matters.

    I hadn¡¯t even thought of it, but she had.

    ¡°Honestly, I had forgotten about it.¡±

    ¡°No?¡±

    ¡°That inability to lie is so adorable. Aww!¡±

    ¡°Aah!¡±

    When will she stop biting my cheek?

    I gently rubbed the spot where I could almost feel the bite mark.

    ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï

    While Isaac was preparing to head towards Alvenheim, the busiest person was Arwen.

    She didn¡¯t really care about the fact that Zenon, or rather Isaac, had chosen her as a gift.

    Politically, it could only elevate her status, and there was a lot of personal selfishness involved.

    Honestly, the selfishness was the biggest factor.

    The political side didn¡¯t matter much to her; she hadn¡¯t even considered it from the start.

    All of this was what the people of Alvenheim wanted, after all.

    They had strongly desired it, so which leader would reject that?

    Although the announcement had been dyed because Arwen was embarrassed, it was done now, so what was the issue?

    ¡°Your Majesty. Before you leave, you must take care of yourself with the World Tree¡¯s spring water.¡±

    ¡°Spray some perfume as well¡­¡±

    ¡°You are the symbol of our Alvenheim, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°You cannot go lightly. Come here.¡±

    Before even spending the first night, Arwen almost copsed.

    She had been so focused on national affairs that she had forgotten the traditional, somewhat old-fashioned customs of the elves.

    Elves valued tradition, and no matter how much of a queen you were, there were things you couldn¡¯t avoid.

    Especially now, when she had to ¡®wrap¡¯ the gift she would send to Isaac properly.

    Although the old elves from the Senate and the likes of Peren had mostly disappeared, the old-fashionedness had not.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    This was not just a worn-out bad habit, but an ancient, passed-down tradition.

    There was no way Arwen, who was a half-blood, could bear such a burden.

    ¡®No wonder the birth rate is so low¡­¡¯

    Thanks to this, she finally understood why the elf birthrate was so low.

    Regardless of gender, every time they performed this act, it was an unavoidable process, so they couldn¡¯t help but be physically exhausted.

    Thankfully, as a queen, she had attendants, but for regr citizens, it would take a long time to do everything themselves.

    For the sake of Alvenheim¡¯s revival, perhaps something should be changed.

    With a sigh, Arwen pondered this unnecessary task.

    ¡®Still, I¡¯m d I did it early.¡¯

    Arwen checked her appearance in the mirror, pleased with how she looked.

    At first nce, nothing seemed very different, but since she usually didn¡¯t decorate herself, she looked better now.

    Normally, if someone like her, who appeared younger, wore makeup, it would be awkward, but now, maturity and cuteness coexisted perfectly.

    A smile brought out the freshness of a young girl, while a soft smile exuded the innocence of a maiden.

    Lastly, the faint scent of perfume stimted the senses.

    The perfume was also made from the World Tree¡¯s dew. Just being near it brought a calming effect.

    Finally, her attire.

    The true ¡®gift¡¯ was prepared forter in the night, but for now, she wore a white dress, a simple one-piece.

    However, her attendants seemed to have figured out Arwen¡¯s strengths, as the design was slightly different.

    One side was closed off, while the other was left open, revealing a clear curve of her hips and exposing her pure white thighs without hesitation.

    There was no garter belt. Only Arwen¡¯s pale thighs were exposed.

    Although she was shorter, her proportions were as good as Cecily¡¯s, exuding a unique charm.

    ¡®It¡¯s embarrassing, but it¡¯s a gift for Isaac, so¡­¡¯

    Even though Arwen usually wore clothes with side slits, she felt embarrassed by today¡¯s outfit. Was it because it was for Isaac?

    She blushed, gazing at herself in the mirror, before turning and walking.

    Her new heels clicked¡ªclick¡ªclick¡ªon the floor.

    She finally arrived at the bed.

    On ity the true ¡®gift¡¯ for Isaac, neatly arranged.

    As she observed the gift carefully, she looked around before clearing her throat.

    Then¡­

    ¡°Dearest, please lower the nket. Then the true gift¡­¡±

    Thud¡ª

    Arwen, unable to finish her sentence, suddenly knelt and pounded the bed with her fist.

    Her face was crimson, and her long ears shook uncontrobly.

    Even after practicing several times, it was still hard for her to speak the words out loud.

    ¡®How did she do it?¡¯

    Suddenly, she remembered Cecily, who had taught her these words.

    She had even described herself as a ¡®dessert.¡¯

    Arwen truly admired how Cecily had managed to say such a vulgar thing in front of Isaac.

    While Arwen was pounding the bed in embarrassment, there was a knock on the door.

    Knock knock knock¡ª

    ¡°Your Majesty, Zenon has arrived.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be right there!¡±

    But first, she had to meet Isaac.

    Everything else could wait.

    Arwen stood up quickly, her face still flushed.

    She didn¡¯t forget to hurriedly ce the gift back in its box.

    It could¡¯ve been a disaster if she had been careless.

    ¡°Where is he now? I¡¯ll go meet him in person.¡±

    ¡°Currently, Isaac is¡­¡±

    Alvenheim¡¯s gift offensive had just begun.

 Chapter 346: Gift (1)

    Chapter 346: Gift (1)

    Visiting Alvenheim for the second time.

    Helium had often visited Alvenheim due to his long-standing friendship with Cecily, but this was not the case for Alvenheim itself.

    Cecily was a princess with fewer restrictions, while Arwen was a queen of a nation.

    Even though Sirius served as a messenger, she was not a ve¡ªshe was, quite literally, a messenger.

    Even now, she would fetch books from the holynd with just a request.

    Thus, visiting Alvenheim as a Zenon, and not as an ordinary person, felt inherently awkward.

    Even Helium, following Cecily or Gartz¡¯s guidance, had never visited as a Zenon¡ªonly once had hee as such.

    That alone was enough to give me aplicated feeling, but Alvenheim added anotheryer of pressure.

    ¡°So¡­ who are you?¡±¡°I am Beatrice Stashiker, former Captain of the Alvenheim Guard. I oversee the Alvenheim Royal Guards.¡±

    A woman with long, glorious blonde hair pushed behind her ear and bright, emerald eyes¡ªglowing as if they contained the aurora¡ªspoke to me.

    Her high, clear voice left a strong impression, with an undertone of warmth. I looked at the elf who had greeted me.

    True to the elven embodiment of beauty, her appearance was strikingly lovely.

    She wore light white leather gloves that entuated her slender figure.

    From the sword at her waist, it seemed she was a practitioner of swordsmanship.

    Judging by her graceful and sophisticated appearance, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if her swordy was just as elegant.

    ¡°And this person¡­?¡±

    ¡°This is Captain Haas Stormhoff. He oversees the Alvenheim Magic Corps.¡±

    A man with smooth, pale green hair tied into a small ponytail greeted me in a polite tone.

    Unlike the elf woman introduced as Beatrice, Haas was wearing a simple robe, giving off a more intellectual vibe, especially with his round sses.

    His soft smile was the kind of thing you wouldn¡¯t expect from someone with such a bold appearance¡ªso much so that, at first, I mistook him for a woman.

    I alternated between looking at the two of them, who had introduced themselves as the captains, and awkwardly greeted them.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. As you might know, my name is Isaac Duker Michelle, also known as the Zenon who is writing the Zenon Chronicles. But¡­ are you two really the captains?¡±

    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s correct.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re in a position that¡¯s too much for us, honestly.¡±

    Beatrice responded confidently, while Haas spoke humbly.

    You could immediately tell their personalities from their answers.

    Rather than feeling confused, I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.

    These two had been the ones escorting me ever since I left for Alvenheim.

    Back then, we were in too much of a hurry, using teleportation to prepare for any possible dangers, so there hadn¡¯t been time for introductions.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    It was only after arriving in Alvenheim that I learned who they were.

    ¡°So the ¡®Captain¡¯ position I know of¡­ it¡¯s the one given to the most capable person in the military, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true, but magic has no end, does it?¡±

    While Beatrice gave a concise answer, Haas always responded humbly.

    I nodded, and inwardly let out a wryugh.

    As I had asked, the position of ¡°Captain¡± in Alvenheim was one held only by those with the highest skill in their respective fields.

    Since this was the military, strength was a given, but one also had to have leadership,mand, political skills, and public favor to be a Captain.

    To understand who they were, I¡¯ll give you an analogy: a regr knight might be a tactical weapon, but once you reach the level of Captain, it¡¯s more like strategic-level warfare.

    As such, the position of Captain was one of enormous prestige, both domestically and internationally.

    To think that they had sent two Captains to escort me¡ªthis was more than enough to make me feel a sense of awe.

    When considering there were only five Captains in Alvenheim, this meant that more than a third of their military power was devoted solely to my escort.

    All for the sake of one simple task: protection.

    ¡®But they all seem so young¡­¡¯

    We had just gone through customs and were resting in a space reserved for guests.

    Once Arwen¡¯s preparations wereplete, we would head straight to the Wigr Drasil.

    We could go to Elodia, where Arwen resides, but I was told we would need to walk slowly, as we wouldn¡¯t meet Arwen immediately.

    Alvenheim, as a nation, had gifts prepared for me, and it was necessary to make a favorable impression with the public.

    I¡¯d heard that Arwen hadn¡¯t personally chosen the gifts, but rather, the citizens had volunteered to do so.

    In many ways, it made me think of Elven-stylemunism.

    I nced at the two Captains again, and as they knew I was a Zenon, their eyes were different.

    One of them had eyes that sparkled like stars, while the other was full of curiosity.

    They weren¡¯t ordinary people, and as Captains, they were even a bit intimidating.

    Moreover, this only made the situation feel even more awkward, and I cautiously spoke up.

    My question might have been a little rude, but I had to resolve my curiosity first.

    ¡°I know this might sound like a foolish or rude question, but may I ask it?¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s a question from a Zenon, I¡¯ll answer anything.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to have a conversation with you.¡±

    Thankfully, I had already built up some goodwill with the elves as a race, so I didn¡¯t expect any issues.

    I collected my thoughts briefly before speaking cautiously.

    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because I¡¯m human, but I find it hard to guess your ages. Given that you¡¯re Captains, you must be quite old¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not as much as you¡¯d think. I¡¯ll be exactly 250 years old next year.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve spent many years, over 650 springs.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    They gave answers that matched their generations.

    Beatrice, being a new generation elf, answered in a straightforward manner, while Haas used the grammar of the older generation.

    The divide between the new and old generation of elves urred 300 years ago during the Race War. Beatrice had never experienced the war, while Haas had.

    I turned to Haas, who seemed more fitting for the history books, and looked at him with wide eyes.

    Elves, like those from a certain manga, maintain their youthful appearance for a long time, with aging slowly starting around the age of 800.

    And while old-generation elves were typically rigid and narrow-minded, Haas didn¡¯t seem that way at all.

    ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s difficult to guess an elf¡¯s age.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not something a Zenon should say.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    What was he saying? I stared at Haas, my eyes wide in confusion, not understanding his words.

    Then, he gave me a gentle smile, which was enough to leave me feeling flustered.

    ¡°You, Zenon, are even harder to guess in age. My body and soul¡¯s age align, but yours do not, do they?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    I was unsure what kind of misconception he had, but to my surprise, he had hit the nail on the head.

    It felt like there was kindness underlying his words.

    Perhaps because I had only dealt with the rigid elders like Peren, I had assumed that older elves would not like me, but it seemed I was wrong.

    Flustered, I rolled my eyes and replied nonchntly, though I couldn¡¯t prevent a drop of sweat from rolling down my cheek.

    ¡°That¡¯s an interesting thought. What made you think that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve lived through hundreds of winters, but it seems like you¡¯ve experienced a broader world than I have.

    Back then, it was just an imagined story, but who else, who would dare think such things?

    You saw demons not as devils but as people, and directly criticized the Senate¡¯s corruption and ipetence.¡±

    Hmm.

    Now I had nothing to say.

    In hindsight, fantasy novels themselves had made significant cultural advancements, and web novels were no exception. Even I had been culturally shocked by ying an intergctic war game in my past life.

    How much more so the people in this world.

    I didn¡¯t refute Haas¡¯s words but instead let out a wry smile.

    Haas, perhaps now convinced, gave a subtle nod while smiling faintly.

    ¡°Then, when we go to Elodia to meet Arwen, could you tell me what we¡¯ll be doing?¡±

    In order to break the awkward atmosphere, I needed a change of topic. I hastily directed my question to Beatrice, not Haas.

    She blinked at my question before raising a smile and answering.

    As I¡¯d sensed earlier, though her voice was pure, there was an underlying boldness to it.

    ¡°Since it¡¯s a gift from Alvenheim, it was prepared on our side, but we will fulfill whatever you wish, Zenon.¡±

    ¡°Is it possible to visit the holynd?¡±

    The holynd was known as the first library, and it held an immense collection of books.

    For a book lover like me, it was truly a ¡®holynd¡¯ in every sense.

    Up until now, books had been supplied through Siris, but now I thought it might be time to confidently enter on my own, so I asked.

    ¡°Of course. Additionally, Her Majesty¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°Hmm. Hmm. Ms. Stashiker?¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    Beatrice almost made a slip of the tongue, but fortunately, Haas stopped her.

    Though I was slightly disappointed, it seemed like it was a secret, so I decided to leave it at that.

    There was also something I was very curious about, though¡ªit¡¯s a famous ¡°sanctuary¡± that even Arwen cannot pass through without permission.

    After looking around cautiously, I asked carefully.

    ¡°Then¡­ may I approach the World Tree?¡±

    ¡°The World Tree¡­ you mean?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    During the Demon War, the Goddess of Nature, Hirth, gave the Elves a seed, which ignited and grew into the sacred tree, the World Tree.

    Anyone with even the slightest bit of evil inside them cannot approach it, and even a single drop of dew from it is a precious elixir ingredient.

    Even after 3,000 years, it continues to grow steadily, and now its scale isrge enough to cover an entire city.

    When I first visited Alvenheim, I heard that it ignored all sense of distance.

    However, without the permission of the priests who guard the World Tree, even Arwen cannot enter or exit.

    I expected it would be difficult, but¡­

    ¡°Of course. The priests would dly grant permission if it¡¯s for you, Zenon-nim.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes. After all, you¡¯re the one who saved the roots of the World Tree from corruption. If they refuse you, the people would never forgive them.¡±

    That¡¯s a relief.

    I had been hoping to see it up close, and it looks like today that wish will be fulfilled.

    Of course, I don¡¯t n to pick up fallen leaves or collect dew from the World Tree.

    I just want to see it once.

    Everyone has a desire to visit a famous tourist spot, right? It¡¯s the same feeling.

    ¡°I¡¯m d. Have you two ever been to the World Tree?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t either.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve visited for research purposes, but I only observed it from afar or picked up leaves that had fallen to the ground. I¡¯ve never approached it closely.¡±

    Even the two formermanders, who are quite experienced, have never been there.

    I didn¡¯t stop there and asked another question.

    ¡°What about other races, excluding Elves?¡±

    ¡°At least in the hundreds of springs I¡¯ve witnessed, none have approached it. Even prominent schrs have never tried. Zenon-nim, you might be the first.¡±

    ¡°The first¡­?¡±

    So, I¡¯m the first among humans. Just imagining it makes my heart race.

    Schrs dream of visiting libraries, of going to sacred ces, but how much more so with the World Tree.

    ¡®But they say there¡¯s a soul dwelling there¡­! I hope it¡¯s not something like a demon being tortured and then blown up, refusing to ept it.¡¯ I suddenly had a humorous thought.

    ¡°Well, it looks like it¡¯s time. We should start heading out soon.¡±

    ¡°Yes. How long does it take to walk to Elodia?¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t take long.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡±

    At that moment, I thought it was all fine.

    ¡°¡­What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°It seems like people have gathered to see Zenon-nim.¡±

    A red carpet¡­ no, a street split apart like Moses¡¯ miracle, I had to see it with my own eyes first.

    It was the same scene I had seen at the academy.

    People were swarming on both sides, and knights were blocking the way to prevent them from getting closer.

    And this wasn¡¯t a special institution like the academy; this was the capital.

    The center of the capital was clearing the path for me.

    Thankfully, I hadn¡¯t revealed myself, so it was calm, but I knew that as soon as I took one step, I could imagine what would happen.

    ¡°Do we really have to pass through there?¡±

    ¡°Yes. This way, the people can see that they are offering gifts to Zenon-nim with their own eyes. You don¡¯t need to worry about attacks.¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it¡­¡±

    It seems like Arwen is trying to embarrass me. But I can¡¯t just ignore it and pass by.

    I squeezed my eyes shut and took a step forward. Then¡­

    ¡°It¡¯s Zenon-nim!¡±

    ¡°Where? Where?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s over there! The one with the red hair!¡±

    ¡°Wow!!!¡±

    With the sound of pping and loud cheers filling my ears, my face inevitably turned red.

    ¡®¡­I¡¯m not made for this.¡¯

    How did those called heroes pass through such paths?

    I¡¯ve always been a homebody, so just walking through this street feels embarrassing.

    ¡°How about waving your hand once?¡±

    ¡°Yeah! Everyone came to see Zenon-nim!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Let¡¯s see, Arwen.

    At that moment, Arwen, who had been waiting in Elodia, suddenly felt a jolt.

    Zzzzt!

    ¡°Huh?!¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. I just suddenly felt a strange jolt¡­¡±

    The sudden feeling of a sharp tingle in her body made her jump in surprise.

    ¡®What is this? Why do I feel¡­¡¯

    It was an odd sensation, and she tilted her head, feeling her face turning red.

 Chapter 347: Gift (2)

    Chapter 347: Gift (2)

    There had been simr situations at the academy, but back then, I was able to endure it.

    At that time, the reaction was closer to the arrival of a famous person, not a hero.

    However, the road to Elodia felt like a hero¡¯s wee, akin to that of a great general.

    All around, voices were singing my praises, and bright white flower petals were scattering from the sky.

    I couldn¡¯t help but feel flustered by the warm reception, but deep down, I also felt embarrassed.

    It had been a long time since I realized just how great an achievement I had aplished.

    Even though it was the result of a series of coincidences, I had saved the world from the Devil Worshiper¡¯s plot.

    Moreover, I had prevented the tragic copse of several nations.

    There have been countless instances where books, like those of Marx in a past life, changed the world, but saving the world itself is extremely rare.I am the hero who achieved that difficult task.

    Still, receiving such fervent attention didn¡¯t sit well with my nature.

    Perhaps it was because of a deeply ingrained tendency from my past life, but I don¡¯t like being in the spotlight.

    To be precise, I don¡¯t mind if the work itself is in the spotlight, but I feel ufortable with drawing attention to myself as a person.

    There¡¯s no need for petty reasons¡ªthis is simply my personality.

    Of course, I had anticipated receiving attention when revealing my true identity, and such hospitality was expected as well.

    But it¡¯s just that, due to my nature, I disliked it.

    So, when I waved my hand courageously, the reaction grew even more enthusiastic, and I felt embarrassed all over again.

    <em>¡°If I go to Helium, it¡¯ll be absolute chaos.¡±</em>

    If Alvenheim is like this, how much greater will the reception be in Helium?

    Having officially visited Alvenheim this time, it won¡¯t be long before Helium sends an invitation as well.

    Especially the demon race, they will likely be even more fervent.

    Even before I was regarded as a prophet, they already considered me their benefactor.

    Unlike Alvenheim, where the nation harbored grudges, the demon race regards me as a saint at the level of their entire species.

    Considering that, I almost felt like this was nothing.

    The demons, without exaggeration, probably worship me as a god.

    ¡°For the hero who saved the world! Salute!¡±

    <em>Chuk!</em>

    Still, isn¡¯t this a bit much?

    As I received the salute from the soldiers guarding Elodia¡¯s gates, I couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly.

    Knights in armor engraved with symbols, shields on their backs, and swords held in both hands.

    Seeing them salute me so gracefully made my face turn red once more.

    ¡°We are the Guardian Corps of Alvenheim. Only the most skilled warriors among us can join this group.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ I see.¡±

    I nodded reluctantly to Beatrice¡¯s exnation.

    It was as if the Navy Order from the Empire hade to greet me directly.

    Alvenheim had clearly put a lot of effort into weing me, from the reception I received from the warlord to this point with the knights.

    It seemed right to offer them at least a littlefort for all their efforts.

    I bowed my head to the Guardian Corps and thanked them.

    ¡°Thank you for your hard work. I appreciate the warm wee.¡±

    ¡°Thank you!!¡±

    Oh wow, that was loud.

    My ears almost popped.

    Despite being a mixed group of both men and women, their gratitude was so loud it felt like it pierced through my eardrums.

    After we passed through the gates, the Guardian Corps saluted again, but I paid little attention, focusing instead on seeing Elodia.

    ¡°Wow¡­¡±

    ¡°How is it? Isn¡¯t it magnificent?¡±

    Just as Has boasted proudly, Elodia, the political institution of Alvenheim, was indeed showing its grandiosity, fitting its reputation.

    Alvenheim had been a republic before the species war.

    They believed that under the care of the gods, rulers were unnecessary.

    Thus, unlike foreign pces, Elodia had the appearance of a temple. It was based on the Olympus Temple, with Roman architecture added on top.

    Moreover, like its exterior, it also served as a temple.

    This was to prevent anyone from doing anything foolish in the presence of the gods.

    <em>¡®But the only ce that¡¯s not under observation is the bedroom, right?¡¯</em>

    I continued to walk toward Elodia, admiring it.

    Despite being built by human hands, it harmonized perfectly with its surroundings, likely because it was crafted by elves.

    The towering trees surrounding the building were like walls, and behind Elodia stood the World Tree, firmly nted.

    As I gazed in awe at the picturesque scene, a beautiful voice suddenly reached my ears.

    ¡°Finally, you¡¯ve arrived.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    I turned toward the familiar voice, momentarily distracted from the World Tree.

    And there she was, an elven woman waiting for me at the main gate.

    ¡°Arwen?¡±

    Arwen was waiting for me at the front gate.

    If I only looked at this, I would have weed her with joy, but she was far from her usual self.

    For one, her outfit. I already knew she preferred clothes that highlighted her strengths.

    This outfit was no different.

    A slim white dress that clung to her body¡ªdifficult to pull off unless one had a perfect figure.

    More than that, the slit along the side of the dress revealed a hint of her pale thigh, adding a delicate touch of sensuality.

    Her slender waist and the curve of her hips made her look more alluring than usual, even though the outfit itself was modest, exposing only one thigh.

    Moreover, the subtle fragrance emanating from her made my heart flutter.

    ¡°Then, we¡¯ll leave you two alone.¡±

    ¡°We hope you have a pleasant time.¡±

    As the atmosphere became somewhat awkward, Beatrice and Has politely excused themselves.

    Though they would retreat for now, they would likely be patrolling nearby, keeping watch.

    Still, it was just me and Arwen left.

    I stared at her, who was unlike usual, with more intensity than I normally would.

    Arwen, embarrassed by my gaze, avoided my eyes and swept her hair behind her ear.

    Her face was slightly flushed.

    With just that one gesture, I knew I had to say this.

    ¡°You look really beautiful. You were always pretty, but you look even more beautiful now.¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    Arwen, shy at my sincerepliment, couldn¡¯t even speak.

    I hadn¡¯t realized it before, but her dress subtly revealed her soft skin.

    What kind of fabric was this, that it seemed almost see-through?

    Thankfully, the important parts were covered, but even so, it was quite tantalizing.

    I slowly walked up to her and stopped right in front of her.

    Arwen didn¡¯t step back and stood there, frozen.

    When a quiet atmosphere settled between us, I reached out and gently ced my hand on her cheek.

    Arwen noticeably flinched at the touch.

    She slowly raised her head and met my gaze.

    Her silver-gray eyes were full of deep affection.

    <em>¡®I¡¯ve decided to be reckless¡­¡¯</em>

    epting Arwen was easier than I had thought.

    It was simply returning the love from someone who cared for me.

    No, returning more than that¡ªrepaying with even greater love.

    This was not just about feelings, but also included a physical connection.

    Then, how should I show my love for Arwen?

    Adelia, emotionally unstable, was enough simply by being near me, and Cecily was simr.

    Marie and Leona didn¡¯t turn away, and I would keep showering them with love.

    But Arwen¡­

    <em>¡®No, this is wrong.¡¯</em>

    Trying to categorize it now was absurd.

    I should first find out what ¡°gift¡± Alvenheim had prepared for me.

    With that, I slowly removed my hand from Arwen¡¯s cheek.

    She let out a soft sound of disappointment.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s the gift you¡¯re going to give me?¡±

    ¡°G-gift? Oh, right.¡±

    Was it because my words made her nervous?

    Arwen began to fluster, looking flustered.

    To the citizens of Alvenheim, she¡¯s a stern, unyielding queen, but in front of me, she became a lovesick fool.

    Can I really think she¡¯s not cute while seeing these two expressions?

    At least, I don¡¯t think I can.

    ¡°Hmm! Hmm! The gift is prepared inside Elodia. If you want it, I can give it to you right now, but¡­¡±

    After saying that, Arwen closed her mouth tightly.

    At the same time, her pale face started turning red as if it might explode.

    I could roughly guess what the gift was, and a faint smile escaped me.

    But it¡¯s a bit too sudden to receive a gift in the middle of the day, and there¡¯s no mood for it either.

    At the very least, we should go on a date, shouldn¡¯t we?

    I spoke to her gently, who couldn¡¯t open her mouth.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll take itter. It¡¯s not urgent, right?¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes, it¡¯s not urgent¡­¡±

    ¡°Then¡­¡±

    I tapped my finger against my lips and hesitated.

    If it were up to me, I would have liked to visit the Holy Land first and then go to the World Tree, but that would take too much time.

    The thing is, I¡¯d probably just end up reading books once we arrive at the Holy Land.

    Since Arwen is like me, a bookworm, there was a high chance she¡¯d read next to me.

    Of course, I¡¯d already read most of the books there since I can go back and forth freely, but I still have a ¡°gift¡± prepared for her here.

    I entrusted it to Siris just in case, but I was nning to give it to Arwen shortly.

    That leaves just one more ce.

    After some thought, I asked Arwen.

    ¡°Can you guide me to the World Tree?¡±

    ¡°Are you saying¡­?¡± The World Tree¡­

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Heading toward the World Tree.

    Arwen turned around after hearing my words.

    When she turned, the World Tree appeared behind a building.

    To approach the World Tree, even Arwen would need permission from a priest.

    Of course, since my achievements are what they are, getting permission is easy.

    But the problem arose from an unexpected ce.

    ¡°Th-That¡­ might be a bit difficult.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Why? Can¡¯t I do it either?¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s you, it might work. But the World Tree is a sacred tree, almost like an incarnation of Hirt-sama. In other words, you need permission from Hirt-sama, not Luminous-sama or Mora-sama.¡±

    I could understand that much. But then why was Arwen troubled?

    Looking at her with a puzzled expression, she smiled faintly and exined.

    ¡°Hirt-sama is the goddess of nature. And nature is the world itself. Unlike other gods, to receive direct permission from Hirt-sama, preparation is required.¡±

    ¡°Preparation?¡±

    ¡°Have you ever seen or heard of priests who received too much divine power and ended up burning up in fever?¡±

    I know that well. Kate went through that, and although the situation was different, I recently experienced it myself.

    I nodded in understanding, and Arwen, seeing that I got it, continued with the exnation.

    ¡°Hirt-sama, being the goddess of nature, responds to prophecies through natural phenomena.

    However, if a prophecy is given directly, the priest might die from it in severe cases.¡±

    ¡°Because they can¡¯t handle the divine power?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Even for us elves, that¡¯s a difficult task. So, to receive permission from Hirt-sama, a waiting period of at least a month is required. That¡¯s why it¡¯s difficult at the moment.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    I hadn¡¯t expected this kind of situation.

    But considering Hirt¡¯s position, it wasn¡¯t so hard to understand.

    She is the mother of the twin siblings, Luminous and Mora, and a goddess who embodies nature itself.

    She is the supreme god of this world, so it makes sense that it wouldn¡¯t be easy to gain permission.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Though a bit disappointed, it¡¯s understandable.

    We have time anyway, so we can take it slow.

    ¡°Alright, then¡­¡±

    Just then, a strong wind suddenly blew.

    Whooosh!

    My red hair and Arwen¡¯s silver-gray hair fluttered wildly in the gust.

    p!

    ¡°Chirp! Chirp!¡± Chirp!

    ¡°Kraaak! Kraak!¡±

    At the same time, arge number of birds flew up energetically from the trees surrounding Elodia.

    I watched them as they flew off into the distance.

    The birds were heading directly toward the World Tree, which was located behind Elodia.

    The direction of the wind and the direction the birds were flying matched. Leaves mixed in the wind confirmed the path.

    It felt as if ¡°nature¡± was guiding me toward the World Tree, as if there was no need for much thought.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    We both stared at the birds flying far away for a while before looking at each other without anyone saying anything first.

    Arwen had a dazed expression on her face, unsure whether she was dreaming or seeing reality.

    I saw her face and shrugged my shoulders before casually speaking.

    ¡°It seems like permission has been granted, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we be able to go?¡±

    Arwen nodded, as if in a daze. Then she murmured quietly.

    ¡°Nature¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    I realized something btedly.

    ¡°Nature¡­ has never responded so directly¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Never before¡­¡±

 Chapter 348: Hirt (1)

    Chapter 348: Hirt (1)

    As expected from the name ¡°Goddess of Nature,¡± Hirt granted me permission through a natural phenomenon.

    The direction of the wind and the birds all took flight at once, heading towards the World Tree.

    It was a scene that seemed like something out of a movie, and I couldn¡¯t help but be genuinely amazed.

    After all, the Goddess of Nature herself had given permission.

    Could her creations really refuse it?

    Naturally, the priests who guarded the World Tree also easily granted permission.

    They, too, had realized Hirt¡¯s will after witnessing the phenomenon earlier, and when I added further exnation, they looked at me with wide eyes in surprise.

    ¡°It¡¯s extremely rare for Hirt to respond in such a way¡ªno, it almost never happens unless it¡¯s the Demon War! Are you not concerned?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of that, so it¡¯s hard to feel anything. But did that happen during the Demon War?¡±As I walked towards the World Tree with Arwen, she eximed excitedly.

    Since I had no idea what the previous event meant, I responded calmly.

    ording to her exnation, Hirt had only responded in that manner when handing over the seed of the World Tree during the Demon War.

    Aside from that, there are records of Hirt aiding humanity by controlling animals, including monsters, to fight against the demons when humanity was in danger.

    I had read about this in books as well.

    ¡®Was it difficult to control all animals?¡¯

    I thought to myself as I overheard Arwen muttering.

    The records stated that Hirt, as the Goddess of Nature, had passed on the World Tree, but aside from that, she hadn¡¯t provided much direct aid.

    As mentioned earlier, she had controlled animals to assist humanity, but this was on a very minimal scale.

    Especially goblins, orcs, ogres, and the like¡ªmonsters considered part of the demonic ranks¡ªhad joined forces with the demons.

    They were even modified to be more horrifying.

    The orcs¡¯ skin turned red and became even more vicious, while goblins¡¯ intelligence, already high, increased, making them more cruel.

    Ogres were the most terrifying; ording to records, they could withstand even the full force of elf magic.

    Fortunately, these creatures are now hard to find in nature, but if you were to encounter them, you¡¯d need to run for your life without hesitation.

    ¡®The Father of All Things¡­¡¯

    Suddenly, I remembered a phrase shouted by a demon worshiper just before theymitted suicide: ¡°The Father of All Things,¡± contrasting with Hirt, the Mother of Nature.

    Though I was on my way to the World Tree and had little time to think deeply, I figured it wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to visit the holy siteter and search for more records.

    If my assumptions were correct, it could be an excellent source for a story.

    Of course, I wouldn¡¯t put it in the Xenon Chronicle but save it for a future work¡­

    <em>Thud! Thud!</em>

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    As I walked, lost in thought, I felt something tap the top of my head.

    I looked up, but there was nothing there¡ªjust a clear blue sky.

    Had I imagined it?

    I blinked and raised my hand over my head. Somethingnded on my index finger.

    ¡°Chirp! Chirp!¡±

    As I lowered my hand, a small, cute sparrow was chirping.

    I was momentarily startled, then smiled gently.

    Is this Hirt¡¯s way of telling me to stop thinking and just go to the World Tree?

    Seeing this adorable bird made my heart feel lighter.

    ¡°A sparrow, huh? They¡¯re usually wary and don¡¯t approach humans.¡±

    As I observed the sparrow tilting its head or fluttering its wings, Arwen spoke from the side.

    She looked at me and the bird alternately, amazed.

    ¡°Do they not approach elves either? I¡¯ve heard elves are friendly with animals.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know where you heard that, but it¡¯s a misconception.

    We¡¯re indeed close to nature, but that doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re particrly friendly with animals. We hunt animals for meat and even set up farms.¡±

    Though elves are often depicted as nature-loving in fantasy settings, this world is slightly different.

    While elves are nature-oriented, they¡¯re not vegetarians.

    They enjoy meat, and they establish farms to meet their food needs.

    They even harm nature sometimes when constructing viges.

    But unlike humans, who expand their numbers indiscriminately, elves pray to Hirt and offer sacrifices to her.

    I think the image of elves as nature-friendly may havee from the belief that they were chosen by the gods.

    ¡°So, do elves nevermunicate with animals? I¡¯ve heard there are druids who do that sometimes.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s a tough question. If you meanmunicating with dogs or cats, yes, you could call that druidism, but raising wild beasts like lions is truly difficult.

    In that sense, beastmen are closer to druids than we are.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    I understood what she meant.

    While it¡¯s possible to raise animals regardless of race,municating with them as if they understood you is difficult for any race, elves included.

    The only exception would be beastmen, as they understand animal instincts and would find it easier to connect with them.

    As I learned various pieces of knowledge from Arwen, I turned my attention back to the sparrow. The moment our eyes met, the sparrow tilted its head.

    ¡°Arwen.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    I pointed to the sparrow and said it resembled her.

    Arwen was taken aback, her face reddening. I wasn¡¯t joking¡ªI genuinely thought it resembled her.

    It had a white body and was small and delicate, just like Arwen.

    It was cute, too.

    ¡°Wh-what do you mean by that? I-I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    ¡°I just think it¡¯s cute. Its behavior is simr to yours.¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    Arwen¡¯s ears twitched up and down, almost like the sparrow was fluttering its wings.

    Seeing Arwen blush so red, I gave a slight smile and raised my hand.

    When I raised my hand, the sparrow pped its wings energetically and flew up.

    <em>p!</em>

    ¡°Chirp! Chirp!¡±

    ¡°¡­Is it not going?¡±

    ¡°Chirp!¡±

    The sparrownded right back on my head. I was a bit bewildered but left it be since it was cute.

    ¡®That¡¯s quite far, huh.¡¯

    I looked ahead, noticing that the World Tree still seemed close, but the road stretched endlessly.

    The path was considered a pilgrimage of sorts, and teleportation magic was strictly forbidden, so we were walking.

    Therefore, the only way to go was around Elodia¡¯s back and keep walking.

    The problem was that the path was incredibly long.

    From the perspective of scale, I knew it would be far, but I never imagined it would feel this distant.

    The area surrounding the World Tree was all vast ins, making it feel even farther.

    Thankfully, I hadpany, so I wasn¡¯t bored.

    I nced at Arwen, who was fanning herself to cool down.

    It seemed like she was starting to calm down, so it seemed like a good time to talk.

    ¡°Arwen.¡±

    ¡°What¡­ what is it?¡±

    Arwen, still flustered from my sudden teasing, trembled as she spoke.

    Her ears were still twitching, betraying her nervousness.

    I smiled warmly at her embarrassment and stretched out my hand.

    When I extended my hand, Arwen looked at me in confusion.

    ¡°Shall we hold hands and walk?¡±

    ¡°W-wha?¡±

    ¡°How about holding hands and walking?¡±

    When I urged her again, Arwen¡¯s face, which had just calmed down, turned bright red again.

    Her pale skin makes it stand out, but it¡¯s kind of funny since she does this often.

    She alternated between looking at my outstretched hand and my face, before cautiously reaching out.

    Her fingers were long and slender, like a well-maintained hand, though small due to her petite frame.

    Despite her small build, there was nothing wrong with the proportions.

    <em>Swish¡ª</em>

    <em>¡°Haa¡­¡±</em>

    Finally, when our hands touched, Arwen exhaled the breath she had been holding.

    She didn¡¯t stop there, though, and even inteced our fingers, feeling the sensation between us.

    Arwen¡¯s hand was soft and tender, like that of a baby.

    Unlike Mari, her hand was also muchrger, covering minepletely.

    ¡°Wow¡­¡±

    Looking at my hand, which covered most of hers, Arwen muttered, impressed.

    Her silver-gray eyes sparkled brightly, like a child who had just found a new toy.

    With her appearance and actions, she felt far younger than me, even though she was much older.

    I could feel her hand squirming in mine, so I smiled quietly and asked,

    ¡°Arwen, have you ever inteced your fingers with another man like this before?¡±

    ¡°I have. With my father, often in human society. My father would always hold my hand and never let go. He said I shouldn¡¯t ever be separated from him. I remember those times.¡±

    ¡°Besides your father?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the first.¡±

    Arwen answered that, then ced her empty hand on the back of mine, not the one still holding my hand.

    Curious about how big my hand was, she gently stroked it, even feeling the raised tendons.

    Unknowingly, her actions were stimting my heart.

    I wanted to take things further here, but since Hirt had asked us toe quickly, I couldn¡¯t dy any longer.

    So, we walked slowly toward the World Tree, hand in hand.

    The cool breeze blew, causing our hair to flutter, and birds, including the wagtail above, chirped in the air.

    <em>Swish¡ª</em>

    The good atmosphere continued until Arwen slowly pressed her body against mine.

    The inteced hands slowly loosened, and she grabbed my arm.

    Without stopping there, she subtly pulled me toward her chest.

    Although not asrge as other women, the sensation of her chest, which was still substantial, reached my arm.

    ¡°¡­My dear.¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t been here¡­ would I have ended up like Elisha from the book? I wonder about that.¡±

    Elisha, as everyone knows, is the Elf Queen from the <em>Chronicles of Xenon</em>.

    She is also Xenon¡¯s mentor and the lover of Kair.

    A couple who met a tragic end without confessing their feelings to each other.

    Rather than being flustered by Arwen¡¯s question, I seriously pondered it.

    <em>¡®It¡¯s not impossible.¡¯</em>

    Thanks to the <em>Chronicles of Xenon</em>, the Second Demon War had been dyed by thousands of years, and all futures were shifting toward a more positive direction.

    Naturally, Arwen¡¯s fate would have changed simrly.

    Especially since she had just ascended as queen, she would have likely faced the Second Demon War.

    She must have gone through difficulties simr to Elisha¡¯s.

    But this was a future where none of that would happen.

    No one knew what would happen to her.

    More than that, I was certainly not a prophet or a time traveler, as she seemed to think.

    It was true that I came from another world, but it was apletely different world unrted to this one.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know either. The future can¡¯t be recklessly predicted. Maybe you¡¯ll end up like Elisha, or maybe you won¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°¡­..¡±

    ¡°Still, what has changed is definitely for the better. The existence of demon worshipers has been exposed, and the corruption of the World Tree¡¯s roots was prevented.¡±

    I said that and looked at Arwen.

    At that moment, she also happened to turn her gaze toward me.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think we no longer need to worry about such things?¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I think you¡¯re right. I mean, we should focus on what¡¯s ahead. Don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°¡­Heh.¡±

    Arwen lightlyughed at my response. Then, she smiled softly and spoke.

    ¡°I think I¡¯ve said something unnecessary. Asking you a question like this makes me feel foolish.¡±

    ¡°Well, have you decided what to do next?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re doing it right now, aren¡¯t we?¡±

    Arwen answered clearly, without hesitation.

    She must have made up her mind.

    In response, I patted her head.

    Her hair, shimmering like the Milky Way, felt pleasant to touch.

    She didn¡¯t seem to mind, pressing her face against my arm to enjoy the warmth.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Her chest pressed even closer to mine, and though it startled me a little, I wasn¡¯t flustered anymore¡ªit had be familiar.

    ¡°I¡¯m d you were born into this world, Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I think so too.¡±

    Though the world was born from the demon worshiper¡¯s mistake, it was still much happier than my past life.

    Plus, while dealing with the demon worshipers, I was connecting with beautiful women, so what more could I want from life?

    We walked slowly toward the World Tree, arm in arm.

    The World Tree had seemed far away, but like all things, the distance between us had gradually closed.

    Before long, we were almost there.

    [Finally, you¡¯ve arrived.]

    As I gazed at the World Tree,rge enough to cover a whole city, a beautiful voice echoed in my head.

    From the sound alone, I could tell it was likely a woman¡¯s voice.

    But who it belonged to was what mattered.

    I looked around in surprise, and once again, the voice rang in my head.

    [Look up.]

    At those words, I slowly raised my head.

    The towering World Tree entered my sight, but what stood out even more was something else.

    Shaa¡ª

    A light that wasn¡¯t too bright nor too dark began to gather in one ce.

    This light slowly took on a form, turning into a <em>figure</em>.

    Arwen and I watched the phenomenon in awe.

    We didn¡¯t know where the light wasing from, but it was clearly surreal.

    Eventually, the figure of light began to fade, revealing its true form.

    The first thing that caught my eye was her hair.

    It sparkled like stars, in a soft green color reminiscent of nature.

    Her eyes, too, were like stars, shining with a beautiful green glow.

    And most importantly¡­

    ¡®¡­She¡¯s huge.¡¯

    Her bust was full, and her body had the perfect proportions.

    The leaves that barely covered her private parts didn¡¯t matter.

    As an transcendent being, I didn¡¯t feel any inappropriate thoughts.

    But her size was another matter.

    She was <em>huge</em>. Really huge.

    I had to look up at her, so she must have been at least 3 meters tall.

    I couldn¡¯t even close my mouth as I stared at the woman.

    Meanwhile, the woman, gazing down at me with her starry eyes, began to squat down.

    It felt like a mountain was shrinking before my eyes.

    When she adjusted her height to be closer to mine, she smiled brightly and spoke.

    ¡°Finally, we meet, Isaac.¡±

 Chapter 349: Hirt (2)

    Chapter 349: Hirt (2)

    When looking at gods depicted in myths, many of them, despite their differences, are often portrayed as ¡°giants.¡±

    After all, nothing conveys overwhelming presence more effectively than sheer physical stature¡ªa presence so imposing that mere mortals wouldn¡¯t dare to look directly.

    Among them, gods of nature, often referred to as creator gods, are the embodiment of nature itself, so their massive size feels inevitable.

    Just think of nature: the towering skies, the vast expanse of the earth, and the unfathomable depths of the seas.

    It¡¯s only natural that Hirt, the goddess of nature in this world, falls within this category as well.

    ¡°Finally, we meet, child.¡±

    Hirt crouched down to meet my gaze, smiling warmly as she greeted me.

    Her eyes sparkled like stars, radiating a deep affection.

    Trembling, I met her gaze, oblivious to the concept of disrespect.Even Luminous and Moramunicated through voices alone, but Hirt had manifested in person.

    Though she barely covered her intimate areas with leaves, there was no trace of lustful thoughts within me.

    Instead, I felt a childlike urge to bury myself in her embrace.

    Even that impulse was subdued under the overwhelming atmosphere she exuded.

    To reiterate, Hirt is the goddess of nature.

    Humanity is but a weak existence before ¡°nature.¡±

    Simply gazing at a mountain inspires awe¡ªhow much more so before the goddess of nature herself?

    I stared nkly at the smiling Hirt before cautiously opening my mouth.

    ¡°¡­Lady Hirt?¡±

    ¡°Yes, dear?¡±

    ¡°Are you really Lady Hirt?¡±

    Some might call it a foolish question, but in my position, you¡¯d understand.

    A god, no less¡ªa goddess of nature akin to a creator deity.

    Unlike Luminous and Mora, whomunicated through voices, Hirt had materialized in front of me.

    How could I not be overwhelmed?

    My confusion left me at a loss for action.

    ¡°Mother of all, revered goddess of nature, Lady Hirt! The descendant of the angels greets you!¡±

    While I was floundering, Arwen took action.

    She had been holding my arm, but at some point, she released it and prostrated herself t on the ground. Her body trembled slightly as an added effect.

    Even as the queen of Alvenheim, she was merely a created being before a god.

    This applied to me as well.

    Even as Xenon, I would be erased with a single word from her.

    Only then did I begin to grasp the situation. Lowering myself to bow, I was stopped by a gentle hand.

    <em>Swish.</em>

    ¡°¡­Lady Hirt?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to force yourself, dear. Besides, you¡¯re not yet familiar with this ce.¡±

    Hirt pressed a finger gently against my head and spoke kindly, her touch radiating warmth.

    She softly stroked my hair, her gestures reminiscent of petting a beloved puppy.

    Her simple action calmed my tense heart, even filling me with a childlike desire for more affection.

    Was this why Leona enjoyed my touch so much? I closed my eyes, smiling.

    ¡°Greetings to the Mother of Nature.¡±

    ¡°My, my.¡±

    ¡°I felt it was only proper to offer a greeting.¡±

    ¡°How sweet,¡± Hirt chuckled warmly at my response.

    She then removed her hand from my head and turned to address Arwen.

    ¡°You may rise as well. There¡¯s no need to feel burdened.¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes¡­!¡±

    It wasn¡¯t an order but a gentle request, yet Arwen slowly raised her head, her tension still visible.

    Hirt, noticing this, smiled softly, attempting to soothe her nerves.

    ¡°Lift your head, dear. There¡¯s no need to be so tense.¡±

    ¡°But¡­still¡­¡±

    ¡°As you know, I am the goddess of nature. And nature does not ¡®willingly¡¯ harm anyone. Even if you were to be impolite, I cannot directly punish you.¡±

    This was a notable difference from Luminous and Mora.

    Unlike the twin sibling gods, Hirt couldn¡¯t summon lightning or mete out divine punishment artificially.

    Even if she could, whether she would do so¡ªor how severe it might be¡ªwas uncertain.

    However, Hirt¡¯s words weren¡¯t meant to condone disrespect; rather, they were her way of encouraging us to feel at ease.

    Perhaps understanding this, Arwen cautiously raised her head, her expression still wary.

    Her tentative movements resembled that of a squirrel.

    Hirt, finding her adorable, smiled as she had before.

    Even though she encouraged us to rx, it was impossible not to maintain some level of decorum before a literal god.

    ¡°You took your timeing here. Was it because you didn¡¯t want to see me?¡±

    Turning away from Arwen, Hirt directed her words at me in a tone that was both gentle and slightly chiding.

    Her voice carried thebined essence of Luminous and Mora.

    With my nerves easing, I responded.

    ¡°Things turned out that way. Unlike the other two, Lady Hirt is quite difficult to meet.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true. Even if you built a temple for me, it wouldn¡¯t have had much effect.¡±

    Seeming to ept my excuse, Hirt nodded.

    Like the other two gods, she had temples, but they held little practical value.

    At most, they served for simple rituals and offered no divine power in return.

    As I mentioned before, invoking Hirt¡¯s aid required using the magical power of rituals, like rain ceremonies. Her temples werergely symbolic.

    ¡°Well, now that we¡¯ve met, none of that matters, does it, child?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, Lady Hirt.¡±

    ¡°So, how is life in this world? While adapting must have been easy, the differences in norms must¡¯ve been quite challenging.¡±

    I started to answer that everything was fine but hesitated, ncing at Arwen.

    Whether intentionally or because she, as a creator goddess, felt no need for discretion, Hirt¡¯s question effectively confirmed that I was from another world.

    This revtion would surely provoke a strong reaction from Arwen, who had already been specting about my origins.

    Unsurprisingly, Arwen¡¯s eyes widened at Hirt¡¯s words, turning to me with shock.

    Her gaze, wide as a rabbit¡¯s, brimmed with astonishment and disbelief.

    ¡°Oh dear, was I not supposed to say that?¡±

    Realizing her slip, Hirt covered her mouth with both hands, her eyes widening in genuine surprise.

    It was clearly a mistake rather than an intentional disclosure.

    But what was said could not be unsaid.

    Since Arwen had already been suspicious, this didn¡¯t change much.

    Moreover, given that I nned to reveal my past life in the future, this early revtion could be considered a minor inconvenience.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. Arwen already had her suspicions.¡±

    ¡°Ah, so it¡¯s true¡­ you¡¯re¡­¡±

    ¡°If you wish, I can turn back time or erase the memory entirely,¡± Hirt offered, embodying her role as a creator goddess.

    But neither option appealed to me, and I shook my head.

    Deciding to proceed with honesty, I looked up at Hirt¡¯srge face and spoke calmly.

    ¡°I¡¯ll decline. Thanks to you and the other two, I¡¯m living a happy life¡ªenjoying honor I never had before and forming bonds with women I love.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful. If you¡¯d been living unhappily, we would¡¯ve had to bear the guilt.¡±

    The events that brought my soul here stemmed from the machinations of demon worshippers.

    ording to Luminous, such acts went against the reincarnation cycle described in Buddhism, causing chaos among Earth¡¯s gods.

    For me, however, it was a blessing in disguise.

    In my past life, I had been an ordinary web novel author living a socially isted existence after losing my parents in an ident.

    Perhaps that history exins why I so readily epted rtionships in this new world.

    ¡°Do you have any questions for me?¡±

    ¡°Do you, Lady Hirt?¡±

    ¡°The reason I met you isn¡¯t anything special. I just wanted to see you once. There¡¯s also something I need to do, but I¡¯ll save that for the end, so feel free to ask me anything.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­¡±

    There is one thing.

    Originally, I had nned to ask Luminous or Mora directly, but since the person is right in front of me, it should be fine.

    ¡°When I was trying to name this world, you, Lord Hirt, stopped me. Why was that?¡±

    Zeno shouted the name of this world to boost the morale of his allies.

    Just as he was about to settle on that one name, Hirt intentionally caused an earthquake.

    At first, I thought it was simply because he was embarrassed, but upon further reflection, that couldn¡¯t have been the reason.

    Causing an earthquake over just one name didn¡¯t add up.

    ¡°That¡¯s our divine rule. Don¡¯t name the world after your own name. Doing so would allow one to monopolize divinity.¡±

    ¡°Even though you¡¯re the Goddess of Nature and the Creator?¡±

    ¡°Exactly because I¡¯m Nature itself. If the power of Nature grows too strong, it bes hard for humans to live. Imagine storms raging every day, lightning pouring down like rain, and volcanoes erupting every time they find a crack. Moreover, because I am Nature itself, I can¡¯t even control it.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    It¡¯s not so much terrifying as it is magnificent.

    So, when divinity consumes Nature, it leads to this. I¡¯ll definitely remember that.

    Upon further reflection, the highest gods in mythology didn¡¯t name the world after themselves either. There was a hidden reason behind that¡ªtruly fascinating.

    I think I now understand why Hirt caused the earthquake on purpose.

    If that name had appeared in Zeno¡¯s story, Hirt would have monopolized divinity.

    I nodded, marveling at the thought. In that case, it¡¯s better for me to create a name myself rather than borrowing from the gods.

    ¡°Do you have any other questions? I¡¯ll answer as much as I can.¡±

    ¡°Is it possible for others like Lord Hirt to incarnate? It seems like you borrowed the power of the World Tree¡­¡±

    ¡°It is possible, but I told them not toe.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn

    ¡°Why?¡±

    I¡¯ve wanted to meet them at least once.

    Especially Mora, because I wonder if she looks like Cecily.

    Hirt smiled gently at my question and answered kindly.

    ¡°You¡¯re fine, but this child might struggle.¡±

    ¡°Are you referring to¡­ her?¡±

    She pointed at Arwen, who looked flustered when she was singled out.

    ¡°You¡¯re not like this child. Even now, you¡¯re sweating coldly, and if your children were to show up, you¡¯d probably faint.¡±

    ¡°Cold sweat? Huh?¡±

    At Hirt¡¯s words, Arwen wiped her cheek with her hand.

    Although she borrowed the power of the World Tree, a god is still a god.

    Unknowingly, she was consuming her spiritual energy, causing the cold sweat to pour.

    If Luminous and Mora had appeared in this state, she would have fainted from the pressure. Thanks to that, I became more aware of how abundant my divinity is.

    ¡°Is there anything else?¡±

    ¡°To talk to Lord Hirt like this, do I have to visit the World Tree every time?¡±

    ¡°That would be the most convenient. You could also possess that child, Leona, but that would be difficult for her.¡±

    ¡°How hard is it?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯ll suffer from fever for an entire week. Once she gets used to it, it won¡¯t be an issue, but that¡¯s not your nature, is it?¡±

    Of course not.

    If Leona would suffer, it would be better for me to visit the World Tree directly.

    ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll make sure to visit often.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to do that. I¡¯ll have my children pass on my will. And since it¡¯s also hard on the World Tree, please be careful.¡±

    It¡¯s amazing that even the World Tree, which drove out the demons, feels burdened.

    Even meeting face-to-face like this is tough.

    But why did Hirt go so far as to incarnate?

    She could have simply conveyed her will with her voice like Luminous and Mora.

    I don¡¯t understand why she took such a risk.

    Just as I was about to express that doubt, Hirt gave a warm smile as though she had read my mind.

    A smile that made my heart feel at ease just by looking at it. It felt almost asfortable as lying on thick soft fur.

    ¡°Child.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Thank you so much for saving our world from crisis.¡±

    Hirt spoke these words and extended both her hands towards me.

    I didn¡¯t react when she took action.

    Then, she supported my backside with one hand and my back with the other, pulling me closer to her face.

    With our faces at the same level, I found myself looking directly at her beautiful face.

    Her eyes, sparkling like stars, seemed to have no depth at all, which made them feel somewhat intimidating.

    It felt as though I was being overwhelmed by the universe itself, and I couldn¡¯t move or do anything.

    Then, Hirt slowly closed her eyes and began to chant quietly.

    [Mother of all, Goddess of Nature, deres¡­]

    Unlike before, Hirt¡¯s voice amplified greatly.

    It didn¡¯t reach my ears, but instead, it seemed to resonate in my mind.

    This was different from what Luminous and Mora had done. Each word felt like a sharp needle driving into my brain.

    It was almost like a hypnotic trance, and by the time my mind began to dull, Hirt continued.

    [You shall receive the pure blessing of Nature.]

    At that moment, Hirt pulled me closer to her face.

    <em>Smooch.</em>

    She kissed me lightly.

    But due to her size, her lips enveloped my entire face.

    The kiss from the Goddess of Nature¡­ it was, how should I put it¡­ strange.

    Although there was contact, there was no lingering sensation afterward.

    But what stood out more than that was the sheer bewilderment.

    I had no idea what Hirt had just done to me.

    ¡°¡­Lord Hirt?¡±

    ¡°Hehe.¡±

    When I asked with a dumbfounded expression, Hirt smiled kindly and stood up, straightening her knee.

    Even though she simply straightened her knee, it exuded a majestic air, as though a great mountain range was rising.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to my children, but it seems this is the only way to stop their fight.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Please continue to work hard for this world.¡±

    <em>Wham!</em>

    Hirt said this and, in the blink of an eye, turned into particles of light, disappearing.

    The light particles rose into the sky before scattering into the air.

    I stared at the scene absentmindedly, then suddenly shifted my gaze to the spot where Hirt had been.

    Where she had been sitting, there was a ¡°seed¡± left behind.

    It wasn¡¯t an ordinary seed. It was muchrger than a grown man¡¯s fist.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Could it be?

 Chapter 350: Hirt (3)

    Chapter 350: Hirt (3)

    The seed that had fallen on the floor where Hirt had vanished.

    It was muchrger than an adult male¡¯s fist, and its appearance was anything but ordinary.

    First, could you believe that the seed sparkled like gold?

    A regr person might not believe it easily.

    Moreover, its size was sorge that it could be mistaken for a fruit rather than a seed.

    It was even solid enough to be used as a hammer.

    In fact, there was a ce where such a description appeared.

    As someone who enjoys mythology and history, there¡¯s no way I wouldn¡¯t know it.

    It was a seed muchrger than an adult man¡¯s fist, shining with the light of gold, and strong enough that not a single scratch would appear even if struck with a stone.The seed of the World Tree that Hirt had given to the elves.

    Every time a description of this seed appeared, it always included the above words.

    In other words, it was highly likely that this seed, which Hirt had presumed to have given me, was also the World Tree¡¯s seed¡­

    ¡®How am I supposed to grow this?¡¯

    In the myths, there are records of nting the seed, but there¡¯s no mention of how it was nurtured.

    It seems like it could be as simple as nting it in the ground and providing water and nutrients, like any other nt, but this one is presumed to be the seed of the World Tree.

    I couldn¡¯t think of it too simply, and the real problem is who will grow it.

    It¡¯s already decided that it will be nted in the Myshal Territory.

    But I had no clue just how immense the impact could be.

    This seed was from the World Tree, which had only appeared in myths.

    That seed had yed a major role in driving out the demons when the World Tree grew, and this happened over 3,000 years ago.

    It was a story that could be considered a distant legend even for the long-lived demons and elves, yet I received that very seed?

    My reputation had already reached such heights that it felt like it had pierced the universe.

    Surely, impossible titles would follow me now.

    When the new edition of the Zenon Chronicles was released, I could somewhat predict it, but the seed of the World Tree was entirely beyond expectation.

    I could only wonder what news would follow.

    ¡®Also, who¡¯s going to grow this?¡¯

    I leaned against the wide trunk of the World Tree, deep in thought.

    It was such a huge issue that even after Hirt vanished, I didn¡¯t return to Elodia.

    Now, I was holding what I presumed to be the World Tree¡¯s seed, which looked suspiciously like a coconut.

    Not a metaphor, but purely in appearance, it resembled a coconut.

    The funny thing was, it shone like gold. And being someone withrge hands, I had to hold it with both hands.

    ¡®Was it meant for me to grow?¡¯

    I lifted my head to look at the World Tree.

    It had grown steadily for 3,000 years into a sacred tree,rge enough to form a city.

    If it grows like this in the Myshal Territory, would it get this big too?

    That would be a problem. Our territory isn¡¯t exactly thatrge.

    Of course, Hirt must have had a n, so the possibility of it growing into something like the current World Tree was low.

    But the World Tree is the World Tree.

    It¡¯s a priceless, one-of-a-kind tree in the world, and if it¡¯s nted in our territory¡­ just imagining it made my head spin.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    I was deep in thought when I felt a gaze from beside me.

    Turning my head, I saw that Arwen had woken up and was now looking at me with her silver-gray eyes.

    She had just woken up, and her gaze was still hazy, though it carried another kind of drowsiness.

    ¡°Did you wake up?¡±

    I greeted her with a warm smile.

    Even her dazed look was irresistibly cute.

    Arwen blinked a few times, then blushed and shyly replied.

    ¡°It seems I¡¯ve caused trouble. Sorry.¡±

    ¡°No, I was resting too, so don¡¯t worry.¡±

    ¡°Ah, ah.¡±

    When I treated her kindly,

    Arwen awkwardly cleared her throat and slowly moved away from me.

    Perhaps she was trying to avoid being a bother, as her shoulder that had been touching mine gradually pulled away.

    But it didn¡¯tst long. I shifted my position to press closer to her.

    ¡°Are you really going to stay like this? Are you embarrassed now?¡±

    ¡°Ah, but you are with Hirt-nim¡­¡±

    Is that all?

    Given that she had received blessings from gods higher than Luminous and Mora, I could understand the reaction.

    Even Kate had been specially cared for by the Order after receiving Luminous¡¯s blessing, but I had received the blessing of the higher deity, the Goddess of Nature.

    More importantly, I had been given the seed of the World Tree directly from her, so the difference in status was natural.

    But all of that was meaningless.

    Even though I received blessings from a god, there was no reason for me to change.

    If anything, I could be bolder. I wrapped my arm around Arwen¡¯s slender waist.

    ¡®She has such a small waist.¡¯

    Her waist was incredibly slender, and feeling it in my arms made it even more apparent.

    Despite that, her hips were mature, which only made the contrast more noticeable.

    ¡°Eeek!¡±

    Surprised by my bold move, Arwen stiffened, and her tension traveled through my arm.

    As she pressed closer to me, I stared directly into her face and spoke.

    ¡°So, now you¡¯re not going toe?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ It¡¯s not that¡­¡±

    ¡°Not that, huh?¡±

    ¡°¡­You¡¯re so mischievous.¡±

    Arwen, who had been using formal speech, murmured in a small voice, her face flushed.

    Even her grumbling was so cute that I couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    I kept my arm around her waist without letting go, and for a while, Arwen¡¯s body remained stiff, but eventually, she rxed.

    Meanwhile, the birds hovered around us or perched on our bodies, creating a picturesque scene.

    ¡°¡­Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Hirt-nim also said it. You¡¯re from another world.¡±

    Arwen asked, looking at the canary perched on her finger.

    Since Hirt had confirmed it directly, I had no intention of denying it.

    I nodded, and she waved her hand lightly, sending the canary flying off.

    The canary soared into the sky and headed towards the World Tree, a ce whose height could not be measured.

    ¡°Then how did youe to this world? I won¡¯t ask what kind of world you came from, but I am curious about how you arrived here.¡±

    ¡°Nothing special. I came here because of the devil worshipers.¡±

    ¡°Devil worshipers?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    At my calm answer, which held no lies, Arwen¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.

    I pped my wings energetically and gave a light tap to the sparrow fluttering in front of me, then began exining roughly.

    ¡°The devil worshipers messed up their summoning, and I ended up suffering greatly because of it. So, the gods called me here.¡±

    ¡°Great suffering¡­ I see¡­¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what our elven queen was thinking now.

    I nced at Arwen, who had a serious look on her face.

    I had refrained from mentioning that I had experienced death, fearing it would make her misunderstand, but now it seemed like that misunderstanding was heading in a strange direction.

    No matter how I exined it, it seemed like she was bound to misunderstand, so I didn¡¯t feel the need to rify further.

    What was important right now was something else.

    I pointed to the seed, which I had carefully kept between my legs, and asked.

    ¡°What should we do with this? Do you know how to grow it?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s urate, since it¡¯s an ancient record, but it says that the clergy grew the World Tree¡¯s seeds. The World Tree grows by absorbing holy power.¡±

    ¡°Holy power¡­ So, if we nt it in our territory, it will just grow on its own?¡±

    ¡°With the Luminous and Mora¡¯s orders now established, thend itself shouldn¡¯t becking.

    The real issue is who will take care of it¡­ Do we have someone we can trust?¡±

    ¡°Well, there is one person¡­¡±

    I could ask Kate, but doing so would create a gap.

    After being directly threatened by the devil worshipers, I couldn¡¯t leave Kate and Adelia¡¯s positions vacant.

    That meant I would have to entrust it to someone else, but aside from my family, I didn¡¯t have anyone in mind who could be trusted.

    However, my father was busy, and my mother couldn¡¯t leave her duties of caring for Lily.

    So, who could I trust¡­?

    ¡®¡­Maybe I should ask Musk.¡¯

    I wouldn¡¯t directly ask Musk to grow it, but rather ask him in a supervisory role¡ªsomeone to ensure no one does anything foolish and that the clergy are doing their job properly.

    Since it was most likely the World Tree¡¯s seed, there shouldn¡¯t be anyone reckless, but still, I would need someone reliable.

    ¡°Let¡¯s think about it slowly for now. It¡¯s not urgent right now, right?¡±

    As I said that, I tightened my arm around Arwen¡¯s waist. Arwen blushed and smiled shyly before nodding.

    ¡°Well¡­ Isaac?¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    ¡°May I ask¡­ when do you n to receive the gift¡­?¡±

    Arwen asked me, seemingly hesitant but gathering courage.

    ¡°I¡¯m ready anytime.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a little too early?¡±

    The sun, which had been high in the sky, was gradually descending, but there was still plenty of time before nightfall.

    During this time, I could visit the sanctuary and read books or give her the ¡°gift¡± I had prepared.

    But it seemed Arwen had a different thought. She shook her head and gave a reason I could understand.

    ¡°It¡¯s because of our elf¡¯s old traditions. Preparing takes up unnecessary time. It will take at least a few hours just for preparations.¡±

    ¡°A few hours? What could take that long?¡±

    ¡°It takes an hour to cleanse oneself at the Spring of Life. Including other small rituals, it will likely take over three hours.¡±

    ¡°Have you finished?¡±

    When I asked, Arwen nodded. So that¡¯s why she had been so tired earlier.

    After thinking for a moment, I made up my mind without dy.

    We had plenty of time.

    More importantly¡­

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    ¡°If¡­ If so¡­!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯lle to receive the gift.¡±

    We had plenty of time, and the night would be long.

    Arwen¡¯s face lit up with a bright expression at my willingness. But that smile didn¡¯tst long.

    <em>Smack!</em>

    I suddenly stole a kiss from her lips.

    Arwen froze, not knowing what had just happened. I smiled at her reaction, stood up, and dusted myself off.

    Just before returning to Elodia, I said with a teasing tone:

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be looking forward to it?¡±

    ¡°Aaaaah¡­¡±

    Before even receiving the gift, Arwen had already copsed in embarrassment.

    ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï

    Since then, the typical elf customs, as Arwen had said, continued in their usual tedious manner.

    They washed for an hour in a ce called the Spring of Life, and after that, a series of trivial customs followed, wasting a whole three hours.

    Thanks to that, I clearly realized why elves had such a low birth rate.

    This is why they end up passing out even before the main event.

    It¡¯s a good thing my physical stamina is stronger than most, or else I would¡¯ve passed out before I even received a proper gift.

    Anyway, I headed to Arwen¡¯s ¡°chamber,¡± where I was supposed to receive a gift, wearing only a gown and underwear¡­

    ¡°Have youe?¡±

    ¡°Wow¡­¡±

    I wonder what the gift is.

    ¡°As you may have guessed¡­¡±

    ¡°I am the Queen of Alvenheim, and the very symbol of Alvenheim itself.¡±

    And how vulgar and lewd the gift will be.

    ¡°In Alvenheim, we will gift you¡­¡±

    Facing Arwen, dressed in red underwear, I realized the gift was truly something outrageous.

    ¡°We will give you¡­ Alvenheim itself.¡±

 Chapter 351: Under the blanket (1)

    Chapter 351: Under the nket (1)

    Isaac stared at Arwen, at what he called his gift.

    He had expected it, but it was more than he could have imagined.

    Red underwear made from the thread of silkworms that feed on the leaves of the World Tree. As if to emphasize that it was a gift, a small ribbon was tied in the center.

    The idea of red underwear alone is provocative, but it¡¯s Arwen who wears it.

    Isaac looked her up and down, exposing most of her bare skin.

    Her breasts are surprisingly voluminous when uncovered, and what lies beneath is more beautiful than anything else.

    The curves are as smooth as if a master had molded them.

    The dizzying pelvic line, which I had noticed before, made it impossible to look away.

    If I remove thatst wrapping, Arwen will spend the first night she¡¯s been longing for. But there¡¯s no need to rush; I can take it slow and leave gradually.¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤You¡¯re beautiful.¡±

    ¡°Th-thank you.¡±

    Arwen replied shyly at Isaac¡¯s sincerepliment.

    She had made up her mind long ago, but now that the situation was upon her, she felt uneasy.

    She had barely said what Cecily had taught her, and she wondered if she could do more.

    She hesitated a moment, then mustered up the courage to face Isaac and lowered her gaze.

    Even though he was wearing only a robe, his cock was soaring through his underwear.

    She could tell from the size alone that it was enormous.

    ¡°Really, on my body¡­?¡±

    Even Cecily, who was not only tall but also had wide hips, struggled to take it all in, so how could she possibly manage?

    Arwen briefly hesitated, then shook her head and pushed the thought away.

    It was wrong to think such thoughts. A gift to a hero who had saved the world.

    She will do as Isaac wishes, as his desires lead her.

    Mmph.

    ¡°Hmph¡ª!¡±

    Isaac reached out and pressed his hand to Arwen¡¯s cheek while she thought that.

    She was so excited that even that small touch was arousing to her.

    Isaac smiled at her cute reaction, then slowly, very slowly, brought his face closer. Arwen closed her eyes tightly as his face came closer.

    Chu-

    At first, it was just a light kiss. But as Isaac¡¯s tongue slipped in, things took a different turn.

    Chup-chup-chup-chup-chup.

    A deep, sticky kiss, tongue tangling with tongue. Unlike Isaac, who was skillful, Arwen stiffened.

    Moreover, due to the height difference, even though Isaac bent down, Arwen had no choice but to stand on tiptoe.

    Still, she could feel her body tingling, and she could feel the dampness below her in real time.

    So this is the excitement Cecily told him about.

    Churup- Chyoo-eup!

    ¡®Uh, what can I do¡ª!¡¯

    It felt like it might end with just the kiss.

    Arwen, feeling a flutter in her lower abdomen, slowly twisted her body.

    Normally, she doesn¡¯t even masturbate when she¡¯s tending to the affairs of state; fighting the Senate has left her little personal time since her ascension to the throne.

    Even Isaac is experienced, so it¡¯s not surprising that she¡¯s feeling it with just a kiss.

    He was even gently touching her ears, and it was driving her crazy.

    ¡°Fuha¡ª!¡±

    After a long, long kiss, their lips parted.

    As their lips parted, a long, silver line of saliva was drawn and then cut off.

    Isaac has plenty of time to rx, but Arwen was panting, her eyes half-lidded.

    Her silvery-gray eyes, which once shone with intelligence, were now a mess,pletely disheveled. She was no longer the queen of a nation, but a woman consumed by lust.

    ¡°Did you like it?¡±

    ¡°Uh, yeah¡­¡±

    ¡°Now, Arwen, would you like to try the holy water that the elves use on the first night?¡±

    Arwen had mentioned itst time.

    Elves use holy water made from the dew of the World Tree on their first night.

    At first I didn¡¯t know what it was for, but as soon as I heard it was slimy and sticky, I realized.

    It¡¯s simr to lube from my previous life. But I don¡¯t know what it does, and I don¡¯t know how to use it.

    ¡°Well, then, lie down on the bed.¡±

    At Arwen¡¯s request, Isaac obediently followed along. Perhaps because it was the queen¡¯s bed, it was a spacious bed for one person to sleep in.

    As hey down on the bed, he had the illusion that he could smell Arwen¡¯s distinctive, fragrant scent.

    Mmm.

    In that state, as he gently closed his eyes, he felt Arwen carefully climbing onto the bed. Isaac quietly waited until she made her next move.

    I wonder how exactly this holy water is used. Is it really what I think it is?

    If that¡¯s the case, it might be somewhat shocking. The elf doing something like that¡ªit¡¯s such a stark contrast.

    Of course, there could be intentions behind it that he doesn¡¯t know about. For now, he just needs to wait quietly.

    ¡°¡ª¡ªgulp.¡±

    Arwen, meanwhile, swallowed hard as she looked at Isaac¡¯s still-gaining momentum.

    Currently, she holds a vial of holy water in her hand. She needs to apply this holy water to Isaac¡¯s thing.

    There are various reasons why this holy water, made by diluting the dew of the World Tree, is applied to a man¡¯s.

    In terms of hygiene, it¡¯s exceptionally effective, and it carries the nobility of nurturing new life.

    Crucially, a woman¡¯s body, unlike a man¡¯s, can be difficult and potentially dangerous to apply it.

    So, after applying a generous amount to the man¡¯s genitals, ce it inside the woman¡¯s pussy to make sure you get enough inside her.

    A tradition that could be considered both very Elvish and very erotic.

    With that, she grasped Isaac¡¯s underwear with trembling hands and slowly pulled it down.

    Isaac lifted his hips slightly to make it easier for Arwen. And¡ª¡ª

    Thud-.

    ¡°Huh!¡±

    Isaac¡¯s thick cock sprang up like a spring. Arwen swallowed hard and squinted as his cock bounced.

    She heard it from the women who had been with him for the sake of education.

    Isaac¡¯s cock was too big to fit inside Arwen.

    And even if it did, it would be a struggle.

    At the time, I thought Cecily was exaggerating, but now I know, she wasn¡¯t exaggerating at all.

    ¡®Oh, this big thing¡­..¡¯

    I wondered if it would hurt, if it would be painful, and if I could swallow it all.

    Just looking at it was enough to make her tingle, but what would it feel like if it came inside¡­.?

    Arwen rubbed her ass absentmindedly, feeling the underwear she¡¯d bought as a gift getting wetter and wetter.

    Isaac watched the scene with only one eye open, then moved his hand away.

    Swoosh.

    ¡°Heeeeuk!¡±

    The next stroke of Arwen¡¯s coveted buttocks elicited a furious response.

    But Isaac didn¡¯t stop teasing her ass.

    ¡®What a deliciously soft ass, I¡¯ve always had my eye on it, and now I can touch it to my heart¡¯s content.¡¯

    Isaac touched and gently squeezed Arwen¡¯s peachy ass. It helped her get even more aroused.

    ¡°Hmph. Hmph. That, that¡ª¡ª¡±

    ¡°Keep doing what you¡¯re doing. Don¡¯t mind me.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, grumpy¡ª¡ª heh.¡±

    Cecily was right. Isaac became grumpy whenever he had sex.

    Arwen felt his touch and looked back at the object.

    It was so big she doubted she could fit in it even if she looked at it again.

    Then she unscrewed the stopper on the bottle of holy water and poured it very slowly into Isaac¡¯s cock.

    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±

    Isaac moaned softly as the slimey holy water poured into his cock.

    The holy water was neither cold nor hot.

    But it had a distinctive stickiness to it that irritated every inch of him.

    This seemed like enough, but it wasn¡¯t enough.

    Arwen doused her own hands with the dwindling holy water, then hesitated a moment before wrapping them around Isaac¡¯s cock.

    ¡®It¡¯s..hot¡­. and hard¡­.¡¯

    It¡¯s just as Cecily told me. It¡¯s as hot and solid as touching a red-hot iron club.

    Arwen swallowed hard again, then moved her small hands carefully.

    ¡°She began to satisfy her curiosity,pletely unaware that Isaac was groaning from the unfamiliar sensations.

    First, ording to the elf tradition, she had him anoint the entire object, which was standing upright, with holy water.¡±

    Starting at the ns, She skimmed up and down the shaft, and finally to the testicles beneath it.

    All of this she had learned from Cecily.

    Because Isaac¡¯s thing was sorge, and Arwen¡¯s hands were small, it took quite a while to get every inch of it.

    Still, Arwen was eager to please Isaac, even getting aroused when he cupped her ass in between.

    ¡°Hah¡­.¡±

    ¡°Hey, is that okay?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. It feels so good.¡±

    ¡°Oh, good, I¡¯m d¡­. hehe.¡±

    Arwen smiled wryly at the fact that her touch was arousing Isaac.

    But she didn¡¯t stop touching him.

    Soon, when she was satisfied that she had covered every inch of him, she stretched and removed her underwear.

    Starting from her bra.

    As she unsped it, a peak emerged,rge enough to hold with one hand. A shy pink nipple at the end of a pure white fruit.

    For a moment, Isaac¡¯s eyes were drawn to the pink nipples, which were much paler in color than the others, but he quickly stopped her when she started to remove her panties.

    ¡°Wait. Are you going to put it right in?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Ho, is it not enough? Ooh, I can give you more if you want.¡±

    Arwen asked shyly.

    Cecily had told her that if she felt wet down there, she should remove her underwear and get ready.

    Then Isaac would take care of it.

    She said she would just have to be still and follow his lead.

    ¡°That¡¯s not good enough.¡±

    ¡°Well, then I¡¯ll have to go back to¡­¡±

    ¡°Not me, Arwen, you.¡±

    ¡°Ahh?!¡±

    Isaac snapped, jerked his upper body up, and shoved Arwen hard, throwing her back onto the bed.

    Arwen let out a renewed scream, and for a moment, the sensation in her chest made her wince.

    ¡°Ah, Isaac? Kyaah!¡±

    Isaac¡¯s tongue began to gently lick her nipple, which was painted pink. At the same time, hisrge hand cupped the other breast.

    Arwen squirmed in panic at the new stimtion, but was restrained.

    Isaac pinned her down with his legs.

    She writhed against the stimtion he offered, but she didn¡¯t resist.

    Below her, his throbbing cock radiating heat and above her, his hands and tongue teasing her breasts.

    ¡°Slurp.. Mmm.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­Haaang¡­ Hmmm¡­¡±

    Isaac sucked on her nipples like a newborn baby, rolling them gently in his hands.

    As the overwhelming pleasure began to surge, Arwen finally realized.

    As Cecily had said, it was enough to leave it in Isaac¡¯s hands. There was no need for her to intervene.

    ¡°Arwen.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­? Mmph! Churp! Chup!¡±

    Arwen turned her head at Isaac¡¯s call, and in an instant, his tongue invaded her mouth.

    Starting with his even teeth, they entwined and twisted like a snake, as if leaving behind a mark.

    But his hands didn¡¯t stop.

    Starting from her breasts, they slid lower, stroking the curve of Arwen¡¯s waist and pelvis.

    Not only that, but his dick was on her stomach, making its presence felt.

    A situation where every part, without distinction of up or down, was being stimted.

    Especially both of his hands.

    He stroked her lower belly, pelvis, and thighs, teasingly hovering near her pussy.

    When they slid further and touched her ass, her back jumped.

    This is what it feels like to be touched by a man, by someone you love.

    Now I understand why Cecily emphasized not losing consciousness. If I surrenderpletely like this, it feels like I would go through the first night without even being aware of it.

    ¡°Chuup. Pwah! Ha ha.¡±

    They pulled away from each other after a long, long kiss. Arwen gasped, feeling like her heart was about to burst.

    Isaac, on the other hand, remained rxed and reached for the holy water she had used. Luckily, there was still half a bottle left.

    Since she used it on him, he should return the favor.

    He poured the sticky holy water into his hand and smeared it on Arwen¡¯s still unconscious body.

    ¡°Hmph!¡±

    The first thing that came to mind was her abdomen, with its prominent breasts and cute navel.

    Then a slender waist and a pelvic line that could be called a treasure.

    Isaac applied the holy water as thoroughly as she had done for him. Arwen couldn¡¯t help but shudder at the slippery, sticky sensation.

    As she closed her eyes and savored Isaac¡¯s touch, his hand slowly began to move toward her pussy.

    ¡°Hmph! Oh, Isaac, that¡¯s where¡­.!¡±

    ¡°Shhh.¡±

    Arwen gasped and tried to raise her upper body, but Isaac pushed her back down.

    As if telling her not to take any action, he even provocatively smiled while cing his index finger to her lips.

    It felt like the tables had been turned, but Arwen had no choice but toply with his demands as if mesmerized.

    If there was an incubus in the texts, she thought, it would be Isaac.

    ¡°Sshhhhhhh.¡±

    ¡°Mmp¡­ Mmph.¡±

    Isaac rode her, running his hands up and down the entire length of her pussy, which was covered by her red underwear.

    He was in no hurry, as if he were giving her a massage, warming her up for eating herter.

    The female body, unlike a man¡¯s, gradually warms up. This is something I¡¯ve learned after countless nights.

    So, when Arwen¡¯s body has heated up enough, that¡¯s when I can enter. Until then, patience is key.

    ¡°Arwen.¡±

    ¡°Hmph¡­?¡±

    Arwen opened her eyes, which she had closed, and turned her head to the side. And then, she was able to see clearly with both eyes.

    His cock, standing tall and strong, having lost none of its strength over time. It had a strange sheen from the holy water.

    ¡®Somehow¡­¡¯

    It looks delicious. His cock looked delicious, like strawberries hardened with rice wine.

    It was an unthinkable idea, but Arwen was so intoxicated by his touch that she couldn¡¯t think straight.

    Above all, it belonged to the man she loved. It¡¯s not dirty, and it¡¯s anointed with holy water, so what¡¯s the problem?

    Besides, Cecily had mentioned that it was one of Isaac¡¯s favorite things to do.

    Arwen stared at the object, her eyes duller than before, and her mouth slowly opened.

    Isaac moved his knees slowly, bringing his cock closer to her face.

    ¡°Mmmph.¡±

    And then Isaac¡¯s cock was in Arwen¡¯s mouth. His cock was in the mouth of the Queen of Alvenheim.

    However, Arwen¡¯s mouth was too small and her posture was such that only the ns would fit.

    ¡°Umm. Mmm. Mmph. Chup.¡±

    ¡°Hah¡­.¡±

    ¡®The stimtion is still enough. In fact, this turns me on more.¡¯

    Isaac paused his hand as Arwen began sucking his cock and looked down at her.

    She held it in her mouth like she was sucking on candy, running her tongue over it gently. It was a disy ofsciviousness unworthy of her position as Queen.

    Were elves really thisscivious? Or was Arwen, a half-breed, an anomaly?

    Whatever the case may be, I have a strong feeling she¡¯s in for a wild first night.

    Isaac gently stroked Arwen¡¯s hair, then resumed his caresses.

    Now that Arwen is as aroused as he is, there¡¯s only one thing left to do.

    Creak-

    ¡°Hmmm!¡±

    Isaac pressed a finger to her pussy, hidden beneath her red underwear. Arwen flinched at the sudden stimtion.

    Nevertheless, she kept one hand on the shaft and her mouth on the ns.

    Seeing her actually sucking on the candy made Isaac even more aroused, and he moved his fingers.

    <em>Chik- chik- tseuk-</em>

    ¡°Hueuk! Heeup! Haang! Euang!¡±

    Isaac poked and prodded with his extended fingers, and Arwen spat out the stuff he¡¯d been holding.

    One hand still gripped the pole, but it didn¡¯t matter much.

    Creak! Creak! Squeak! Crrrrk!

    ¡°Ugh! Ahh! Th-that¡¯s it!! I-I¡­!¡±

    Arwen screams and twists this way and that under Isaac¡¯s relentless thrusts. But no matter how she twisted, she couldn¡¯t get his finger out of her vagina.

    And as if to tell her not to run away from the pleasure, Isaac pressed down harder.

    Chuaaah!

    ¡°Ugh¡­! Hhh¡­!!¡±

    Arwen finally came, a fountain of cum spewing from her vagina. Her back arched like a bow, and she couldn¡¯t even scream.

    This was the first time she had ever orgasmed from a man¡¯s touch, not her own. The pleasure was unspeakable.

    As Arwen shuddered and felt the afterglow, Isaac slipped between her legs.

    Then he peeled off her now inadequate red underwear. It¡¯s a long, thin line of silk that¡¯s already been stretched.

    Soon Arwen¡¯s naked body waspletely exposed. Isaac¡¯s eyes widened at the sight of her pussy.

    ¡®Hairless?¡¯

    Unlike the other women, Arwen had very little hair on her pussy. There are a few strands, but they¡¯re essentially nonexistent.

    There was no sign of waxing, either, which meant it was natural.

    As soon as he realized it, blood started to rush to his object. He was going to insert his cock in this clean entrance.

    The entrance itself should be easy, as it had been liberally coated with holy water and jelly. But¡­

    Poke-

    ¡°Mmph¡­.?¡±

    Arwen, who was savoring the lingering sensation, barely lifted her head as a hard, hot object was ced on her stomach.

    She couldn¡¯t help but widen her eyes. The length of the thing reached just above her navel.

    She knew Isaac¡¯s thing was big, but now that she felt it, it was even bigger than she had imagined.

    Arwen swallowed hard and tensed, wondering if she could swallow it all.

    ¡°Arwen.¡±

    ¡°Uh, huh?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll slip it in now.¡±

    At the mention of taking her virginity, Arwen immediately pushed aside the thoughts she had just been having.

    Okay.

    What¡¯s the big deal about the length when there¡¯s more important things toe.

    Even if I can¡¯t swallow it all, at least I can force myself to.

    So for now-.

    ¡°Yes, please put it in¡­.¡±

    so that the cock of the man I love can enter me more easily.

    ¡°I want Isaac¡¯s big, glorious cock in¡­¡±

    as I were taught by teacher (Cecily).

    ¡°Please put it inside me¡­¡­.¡±

    to stimte his lust.

    Arwen opened her pussy wide with both her hands and said just as Cecily had taught her.

    There was no shame. Lust was all she had left, having alreadye once.

    Soon, her pale pink inner flesh was fully exposed before Isaac¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°¡­really.¡±

    Why are these women soscivious on their first night with him?

    Isaac smirked, one corner of his mouth twitching upward, then grabbed his cock with one hand.

    He gently stimted her pussy with the ns before inserting it fully. Arwen felt like she was going crazy from just that light stimtion.

    Just as Cecily had told her, Isaac get really grumpy at night, which made him all the more endearing.

    ¡®That¡¯s why I love him so much, he knows so well how to please a woman.¡¯

    ¡°Hmmmm¡­.¡±

    Mmmmmm¡­

    The ns entered Arwen¡¯s opening, slowly widening it. It was a thrill to see the cramped hole widen with pration.

    When the ns was nearly all the way in, Isaac paused, hugging Arwen tightly.

    She squirmed in his embrace as he gently touched her ears.

    ¡°Arwen.¡±

    ¡°Ye, yeah¡ª¡ª¡±

    ¡°I love you.¡±

    ¡°Me¡ª¡ª¡±

    <em>Swish!</em>

    Before Arwen could respond, Isaac was in, his big cock disappearing into her vagina.

    It would only hurt if he went in slowly anyway, so it was better to be quick.

    ¡°Mmph!!!¡±

    Arwen let out a lustful moan of pleasure as the pain that had stolen her virginity was quickly followed by a rush of pleasure.

    All the while, Isaac¡¯s cock was still pushing inward.

    Arwen mped her mouth shut as she felt it slide across her vaginal walls.

    If she didn¡¯t stop it, she would moan again.

    <em>Thud.</em>

    Something hit. Isaac¡¯s ns collided with her uterus.

    Arwen gasped for air as her lower belly felt like it was filling up.

    Atst, she was one with him.

    It was a cramped hole, but the holy water and her juices made it easy to enter.

    It was blissful.

    Arwen shuddered, feeling the cock filling her from below. Having a hot, hard shaft inside her filled her with immense pleaure.

    Isaac, meanwhile, had taken Arwen¡¯s first, and was still grimacing.

    ¡®I expected it, but¡ª¡ª¡®

    Despite hitting the uterus, too much space was still left.

    When ites to sex, size matters a lot. The bigger a man¡¯s penis is, the more pride he has and the positions he can try also increases.

    It¡¯s just a matter of whether she can take it all.

    So far, there are three women who have made it through the first night: Marie, Cecily, and Adelia.

    Cecily and Adelia were taller and had wider pelvises, so they were able to swallow Isaac¡¯s entire cock, while Marie had no problem with a little bit of room at the base.

    Marie even likes the feeling of her uterus being pushed out, so she¡¯s eager to get off.

    Anyway, right now, all three women have adapted and are spending a hot night.

    Isaac, for his part, was able to move his hips wildly and let his lust run wild.

    ¡®I guess even a wide pelvis has its limits.¡¯

    But Arwen is a different story: she¡¯s at least 10 centimeters shorter than the other women.

    Even a national treasure pelvis is only big in proportion, not in size.

    If her pelvis was only slightly wider, she would have half of her column left, but now she has about a third.

    I can¡¯t put more in because the ns and the uterine orifice are hitting. It would be too much for me.

    I¡¯ve long since given up on the idea that sex should be like a fantasy world.

    A woman¡¯s body should be treated with respect, and not just for the first night.

    ¡®It¡¯s Arwen¡¯s first night.¡¯

    Rather than fulfill my own desires, I should help Arwen experience more pleasure.

    It¡¯s inconsiderate to go any further. At the very least, it¡¯s a priority to make sure she gets engrossed in his cock.

    In response, Isaac wrapped his arms around Arwen and gently moved his hips.

    Creak! Squeak! Creak!

    ¡°Aaangh¡­¡±

    The cock that filled her lower belly slowly slid downward. Arwen hugged Isaac¡¯s broad back.

    Her legs lost their grip, so she grabbed his waist. The only thing she could do now because she had already given herself to him.

    Isaac moved his hips hard in return.

    Thud! Thud!

    ¡°Mmph!¡±

    The cock that had been scraping down the walls of her vagina mmed into her womb once more.

    Arwen groaned, her arms and legs bucking.

    Isaac gently stroked her ears to respond to the woman who was clinging to him.

    The ears, one of the most sensitive areas for elves.

    Allowing someone to touch the ears, which are almost a symbol of pride, is the same as offering everything to the other person.

    Creak! Squeak! Creak!

    ¡°Aang! Aang! Haang!¡±

    The weight difference between them was so great that Isaac¡¯s huge cock bounced back and forth with the slightest movement.

    In addition, the holy water applied to his cock was smeared all over her vagina, and the moisture from her juices made it easier for him to slide in and out.

    This made her cramped hole feel pleasure instead of pain.

    Mmph.

    ¡°Mmph?!¡±

    Isaac bit down on Arwen¡¯s ear while she was still riding the wave of pleasure.

    Not with his teeth, but with a light kiss and a flick of his tongue. He tantly teased her ears, which he advertised as a weakness.

    Arwen¡¯s lower belly tingled at the stimtion, and it was driving her crazy that his cock was amplifying the tingling.

    On top of that, Isaac¡¯s big hands were teasing her nipples and then taking them in his mouth, and more.

    He poured every caress he could into Arwen.

    Creak! Squeak! Snap!

    ¡°Aaannhhhhh!¡±

    Arwen¡¯s moans grew louder and louder. At the same time, the walls of her vagina began to tighten around his cock.

    Isaac realized that she was slowly approaching her climax and raised his spurts.

    Thump! Thump! Thump!

    His ns pounded against her womb, but Arwen didn¡¯t mind. Instead, she hugged Isaac tighter, as if she wanted more.

    Isaac responded in kindness, pushing in a little further, ever so slightly, until he felt the uterus give way.

    ¡°Hmmm, ooohhh!¡±

    And then Isaac kissed her as a surprise move to bring her to full climax.

    <em>Psshhh!</em>

    ¡°Mmmm! Mmmm! Mmmm! Mmmm!¡±

    Arwen squirted again, reaching her second climax. A climax unlike anything she¡¯d ever experienced with a hand.

    Arwen flopped around like a fish, feeling her entire body turn into an erogenous zone, while Isaac¡¯s cock continued to bounce back and forth.

    Arwen¡¯s mouth exploded into a cacophony of gibberish as Isaac removed his covering lips.

    The queen¡¯s bedchamber is basically soundproofed, but it was loud enough to be heard outside.

    ¡°Hmph..mhmph¡­..hmph¡­..mmph¡±

    It wasn¡¯t long before Arwen was resting, feeling the afterglow of her climax. Her moderately swollen breasts bobbed up and down, radiating color.

    But Isaac wasn¡¯t satisfied. To be honest, it was not even close.

    Sex requires a matching weight ss to reach climax, and in this case, Arwen would be the first to go.

    So he sneaked up on her face. His cock, covered in her juices, remained rigid.

    ¡°Arwen.¡±

    ¡°Hah.. huh?¡±

    Arwen squinted at his call. Through her blurry vision, she could make out his hard cock.

    She couldn¡¯t believe that big thing was prating her pussy.

    But the night is still long. Lust took over her brain and she jerked her upper body up.

    ¡®I know I didn¡¯t have a lot of luck earlier, but¡ª¡ª

    Let¡¯s do what Cecily taught me now.¡¯

    Arwen gripped his pole with one hand.

    But one hand was not enough, and she had to use both. Isaac braced his upper body with his arms as she began the act.

    ¡°Hmmm.¡±

    Arwen gulped down the ns in her tiny mouth. Even with only the ns in, it filled up her entire mouth.

    But only in her mouth, not in her throat. She ran her hands eagerly over the pole and slowly lowered it into her mouth.

    She almost gagged when she identally touched the uv, but it wasn¡¯t too much.

    She pushed it in, inch by inch, and before she knew it, half of it had disappeared into Arwen¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°Oomph. Mmmm. Chuupp. Oof.¡±

    Arwen¡¯s hands didn¡¯t stopped working as she pushed it in as far as she could.

    Part of Arwen wanted to shove the whole cock down her throat, but even Cecily had convinced her that was only possible in a musical cycle.

    Instead, this was enough to bring Isaac to climax.

    The mix of holy water and her juices didn¡¯t feel strange.

    Smooch. Hwoop. Chwoop.

    <em>Chomp chomp chomp chomp chomp-</em>

    Her mouth sucked eagerly on the cock, while her hands skimmed the shaft and stimted the testicles below.

    As if applying holy water, Arwen closed her eyes and immersed herself in the act.

    Isaac couldn¡¯t take it anymore as she licked, sucked, and even shoved his cock down her throat.

    Eventually¡ª¡ª

    Blup! Blurrp! Gulp! Gulp!

    He spurted out pure white cum into Arwen¡¯s tiny mouth. Whether it was because of Hirt¡¯s blessing or the holy water, there was more than the usual amount spurting out.

    When he had been with other women, it felt like he was turning the faucet on and off repeatedly. But now, it felt like he hadpletely turned the faucet on.

    ¡®The speed at which I squirted was also much different than before.¡¯

    ¡°Ugh! Hhmm!¡±

    Arwen didn¡¯t pull his cock out even as his cum spewed into her mouth. Instead, she eagerly shook the pole with both hands, as if to squeeze out more.

    Issac couldn¡¯t help but moan in pleasure as her hand literally squeezed him.

    ¡®I don¡¯t know who taught her this, but I have to hand it to her.¡¯

    For now, she was no longer the graceful and wise Elf Queen, but merely ascivious Eroph, consumed by desire.

    ¡°Gulp¡­ Gulp. Hah, delicious¡­..¡±

    Arwen murmured softly as she savored the cum that filled her mouth.

    Cecily had said it was delicious, even if it was slightly bitter, because it was Isaac¡¯s, but it wasn¡¯t bitter at all, on the contrary, it was sweet.

    Just enough to make her want to keep going. Arwen stared at Isaac¡¯s cock with blurry eyes.

    As if one stroke wasn¡¯t enough, his cock was as hard and erect as ever.

    ¡°You like it?¡±

    Isaac asked, stroking her hair, and Arwen nodded her head vigorously.

    ¡°Yep. It¡¯s so delicious, I want more, give it to me quickly~¡±

    Before long, she shed her usual formal speech and adopted a tone full of charm. On top of that, she gently swayed her raised hips, luring him in with subtle seduction.

    Isaac raised the corners of his mouth at the sight of her already drowning in color, and thenid back down.

    As hey there, his cock stood tall and proud.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you do what you want this time, Arwen, and I¡¯ll just help you.¡±

    As he said it, Isaac anticipated Arwen¡¯s behavior. Thest time he¡¯d seen her, her lower body was trembling.

    Unlike the others, she has a rtively low level of physical strength.

    During his first night with Marie, they had stayed upte into the night because they were both inexperienced, but Arwen was exhausted.

    So he decides to let her y with his stuff until she recovers.

    ¡°You¡¯re mischievous¡­ that¡¯s why you¡¯re even more adorable¡­¡±

    Arwen crawled away, oblivious to his devious thoughts.

    Then she lightly kissed and stroked his towering cock with her cheek. It was an arousing behavior, and it made his cock even harder.

    ¡°Isaac really is a¡­.devil.¡±

    ¡°Am I?¡±

    ¡°Mmhmm¡­ I saw it in a book. It said that incubus are like this¡­¡±

    Incubus¡ª¡ª Isaac smirked at Arwen¡¯s words.

    An incubus, as everyone knows, is a demon that possesses women. A demon that drains their energy and corrupts them sexually, just like a subus.

    In a way, it was true. There were plenty of beautiful women around him.

    Moreover, having even triumphed over Cecily of the ck Cycle, he might just be something even greater than that.

    Creak-

    While Isaac was distracted, Arwen did something unexpected.

    He expected her to y with his cock until her stamina returned, but no, she was already consumed with lust.

    She aimed the cock at her vaginal opening, hoping to relive the pleasure she had just experienced.

    Isaac realized it toote and tried to restrain her in surprise.

    Snap.

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    Arwen winced as she forced herself to sit up. The ns was already halfway inside her vagina.

    So as Arwen hesitated, the whole cock entered her pussy.

    Pfff!!

    ¡°¡­.!!¡±

    Isaac¡¯s big cock, which gravity would never allow to enter, was all the way in.

    ¡°Mmmmmh¡­!!¡±

    Arwen tilted her head back, feeling as though lightning had struck her head, then covered her face with both hands.

    She slowly turned her head back, ncing downward.

    Her face remained hidden by her hands, but she confirmed the situation through the gaps between her fingers.

    And what she saw through those gaps was a shock to both her and Isaac.

    Because¡­n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    And what she saw through her fingers shocked both her and Isaac.

    ¡°Oh, Isaac¡¯s cock¡­.¡±

    her lower belly like an adult cartoon.

    ¡°It¡­ it¡¯s all in¡­¡±

    was sticking out.

    ¡°Hehe¡±

    Still, Arwenughed viciously, not showing any sign of pain.

 Chapter 352: Under the blanket (2)

    Chapter 352: Under the nket (2)

    There are as many different kinds of literature in the past life as there are sex-rted ones.

    Starting with the famous AV, then Western pornography, then anime and manga that people create themselves, and finally novels.

    The former are real people doing real things, so there are clear limits to fantasizing, but thetter are not.

    You¡¯ll be able to fulfill all kinds of weird sexual desires and even marvel at the fact that such crazy behavior is possible.

    But let¡¯s be clear. There is a difference between sex fantasies and real sex.

    You can try different positions depending on your fetish, but it¡¯s almost impossible to have your stomach bulge out from a penis that¡¯s too big.

    Even if it were possible, it would be painful for the woman and not good for her body. A woman¡¯s body is precious.

    So it¡¯s right to treat fantasies as fantasies, but¡ª.

    ¡°Look, Isaac. Did I swallow all of Isaac¡¯s cock?¡±¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Normally it would hurt, but¡­.it feels strangely good.¡±

    It indeed is possible because this is a fantasy world, I wondered, as Arwen swallowed all of my cock.

    My huge cock disappeared, and Arwen¡¯s lower belly bulged out.

    I don¡¯t know if it was because she had a smooth stomach with no fat, or if it was because she was an elf.

    Whatever the case may be, the fact that it was an ident didn¡¯t change. I spoke to her in a slightly urgent voice

    ¡°Oh, Arwen, you might want to take that out, it could be dangerous¡­..¡±

    nk-

    Before I could finish, Arwen lifted her waist. Slowly, an object of unknown size was revealed.

    At the same time, her lower belly, which was slightly protruding, was pulled back out.

    At this point, I could have carefully backed away and removed it, but Arwen¡¯s next move was far beyond my expectations.

    Poof!

    ¡°Kyah?¡±

    Arwen pushed the root back in again. Her lower belly bulged out again, and she let out a moan of pleasure.

    I could feel it vividly, unlike the fleeting moment before.

    I could feel her cervix pushing out and my ns pushing up. I couldn¡¯t help but open my mouth slightly at the new pleasure that twisted my insides.

    A sensation I¡¯d never felt with women before, a sensation no normal person would ever feel.

    Swish- Swish- Pffft-

    ¡°Aah ? I love it ? Aah¡­!¡±

    Arwen wrapped her hands around her face and moved her hips as the pleasure overcame the pain.

    As she moved her hips up and down, her lower belly bounced in and out. I swallowed hard at the sight.

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°Hmmfh¡­¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    ¡°Arwen?¡±

    ¡°Aah ? Aang ?¡±

    That¡¯s wrong. Arwen is already so overwhelmed by pleasure that she¡¯s unconscious

    I decided to respond to her as best I could. If this endangered Arwen, Hirt would have warned me.

    With that thought, I sped my hands around her slender waist. It was so thin, I could almost feel it in my hands.

    Chrk!

    ¡°Hmfh ?¡±

    I flicked her waist once, and Arwen¡¯s head snapped back. The sharply protruding lower belly was a bonus.

    I didn¡¯t stop there, though, and gently stroked the bulge to satisfy my curiosity. I could feel my cock clearly through the thin skin.

    ¡°Ahh¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤! Hah¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤!¡±

    I flicked my hips once, and I wondered if it was the pleasure that brought me to the edge. Arwen¡¯s tilted head didn¡¯t turn.

    Her tongue was hanging out, and her eyes grew paler. Her body shuddered intermittently.

    It was a cock I¡¯d left for her to y with, but it had lost all meaning. I lifted my upper body, one corner of my mouth quirking up.

    Then I hugged Arwen, who was on the verge of falling backward, and pressed her close. A final stroke to her back.

    Thwack! Thwack!

    ¡°Aahng. Aang.¡±

    Of course, her hips didn¡¯t stop; her pussy, as if she wasn¡¯t already full enough, was ravenously devouring my cock.

    I moved my hips weakly, whimpering against Arwen¡¯s ear.

    ¡°Arwen. Can you hear me?¡±

    ¡°Heeung¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Haaung¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    She didn¡¯t answered, just gently rocked her hips. I grabbed her coveted ass and gently bobbed it up and down.

    Then, her moans slowly grew louder. At this point, I asked the question again.

    ¡°Answer me or we¡¯ll stop here.¡±

    ¡°No don¡¯t¡­.give me more¡­¡±

    ¡°Then just give me this answer. Can I be rough, like I was before, until your stomach pops out.¡±

    Of course, I¡¯m just talking, I don¡¯t really mean it. What just happened was an ident, and it was her first night.

    Being rough can be controlled, and that¡¯s enough. However, this was clearly an ident, so there is a need to be more careful.

    But since I am a man, I couldn¡¯t help but add ament. The visual effect is so overwhelming that it¡¯s hard to just give up.

    ¡°Yeah¡­you can be rough with me¡­¡±

    ¡°What if you get hurt?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m wearing holy water, I¡¯m an elf¡­¡±

    And Arwen.

    ¡°I¡¯m an elf¡­.we don¡¯t all want it mild¡±

    She looked like she¡¯d already had sex.

    ¡°You understand, right? I am a gift for you¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    She grabbed my face.

    ¡°You can indulge as much as you want ?¡±

    I¡¯ve properly stimted this woman¡¯s desire.

    The elf, with her simple nature and avoidance of desire, haspletely disappeared, leaving behind the ¡®eroph¡¯ all alone

    Originally, I would have treated her like a precious artifact, but with the holy water here, there¡¯s no longer any reason to hold back

    Even though it¡¯s our first night, let¡¯s be true to my desires just for today. Arwen wants that too.

    <em>Squish!</em>

    ¡°Anngh!¡±

    I flicked my hips hard, and Arwen let out a squeal of pleasure.

    My cock was already fully inserted into Arwen¡¯s pussy. Her lower belly was also protruding slightly.

    I gently rubbed my hand over the area and then lowered Arwen onto the bed.

    She then spun herself around so that only her ass was sticking up.

    ¡°Wow¡­..¡±

    What a beautiful, luscious ass. Arge pelvis contrasting with a slender waist.

    And finally, the pussy with the cock inside. It¡¯s a sight you can¡¯t resist.

    Just looking at her breasts makes me feel magnificent, but how about her bottom?

    ¡°Hmph¡­ the cock is getting bigger¡­¡­¡±

    Arwen¡¯s words were true, my cock was even harder now. The close proximity of her national treasure pelvis filled me with desire.

    I cupped her ass with my hands, then pulled her waist back.

    Then I thrusted forcefully!

    <em>Thud!</em>

    ¡°Kyah?¡±

    My pubic bone and Arwen¡¯s ass collided hard, the sound echoing.

    I decided to take care of my own lust first, whether Arwen was in pleasure or not. She¡¯d want this anyway.

    <em>Thrust! Thud! Thrust!</em>

    ¡°Ugh! Kyah! Aaah!¡±

    Arwen let out a near-scream as I reciprocated hard enough to get to the root.

    Thanks to the holy water, she didn¡¯t feel any pain, only pleasure.

    I grinned as I used her moon-like ass as a handle.

    A much better support than the handle was right in front. Just to rify, it was definitely not the ear.

    If the ears were to get damaged even slightly, it would be a huge problem. For elves, the ear is more important than life itself.

    So, I grabbed both arms and pulled them forcefully. Still, the back-and-forth motion didn¡¯t stop.

    <em>nk! nk! nk! nk!</em>

    ¡°Ugh! Heh! Hah! Ugh! Hehe!¡±

    Arwen couldn¡¯t even moan properly from the intense sex.

    <em>Whoosh!</em>

    ¡°Ahhh!! Ughhh!!¡±

    I reached my climax here, and once again, my juices spurted out in a cool stream.

    But I have no intention of stopping here.

    Although her body was already weak from her climax, my cock was still hard.

    The pressure in her pussy has also been released, which was just right for me.

    <em>nk! Thud!!Thrust!</em>

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    It must have been the pleasure her brain couldn¡¯t take, because Arwen didn¡¯t even moan as I pounded into her.

    She must have passed out because her head dropped down. The vaginal walls around my cock rxed, relieving the pressure.

    Perhaps we should take a break here. I gave onest spurt for ejaction.

    <em>Slrrrp! Swoosh! Spssh!</em>

    Spurt after spurt of semen let out into the Elf Queen¡¯s womb. Thanks to the holy water, a huge amount shooted out, even though I only ejacted once.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    If exaggerated a bit, it filled her womb like the erotic doujinshis from my previous life.

    With effects like this, I wonder why elves have such a low birth rate.

    I filled Arwen¡¯s womb with my seed to thest drop.

    ¡°Haah¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±

    <em>Thud-</em>

    Her body copsed onto the bed as I let go of the arm I¡¯d used as a handle. She had indeed passed out.

    Well, Cecily and Adelia are both stamina monsters, so they must have been able to withstand my virility.

    Marie was a virgin, even for me at that time.

    So there¡¯s no way Arwen could have handled my prodigious virility from the first night.

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    Still, Arwen was quick to recover, and after fainting for a moment, she came to her senses with a muffled whimper.

    I jumped on top of her as she slowly regained her senses.

    <em>Whoosh!</em>

    ¡°Hhiiick?!¡±

    Arwen cried out in surprise as I stuck my erect cock into her without dy.

    But with me on top, it was a futile protest.

    ¡°Ah, Isaac?¡±

    ¡°Arwen. You know what?¡±

    Squeak!

    <em>Creek!</em>

    ¡°Hahng?¡±

    ¡°It hasn¡¯t even been 30 minutes yet.¡±

    Indeed, it hadn¡¯t been half an hour. It took nearly 20 minutes just to caress her, and less than five minutes for her to pass out.

    ¡°If you pass out, I¡¯ll still keep going, okay?¡±

    Arwen squirmed under my not-so-hard hold, then slowly rxed.

    She then ced her hand gently on her stomach, pressing down on her slightly pronounced lower belly and spoke quietly.

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤Yeah. Because I¡¯m a gift.¡±

    The night was long.

    ¡°Indulge as much as you want?¡±

    Not to me, but to Arwen.

    <em>Thud- Thud- Thurst-</em>

    ¡°Haang! Ahng! Kyaang!¡±

    The night was just beginning.

    ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï

    The night was long, and Isaac¡¯s stamina was strong enough tost the entire night.

    The problem was Arwen, she couldn¡¯t keep up with Isaac¡¯s stamina and would pass out every time.

    But when Isaac suggested that he could stop halfway through, she stubbornly refused.

    His cock was still standing up, and he intended to get up again and again, at least until it showed signs of softening.

    <em>Choo-up! U-goop! U-uk! Choo-eup!</em>

    <em>Gulp! Gulp! Gulp!</em>

    Isaac ejacted into Arwen¡¯s increasingly skillful mouth. Arwen spit out his cum as it poured into her mouth, then quickly waved her hands in the air.

    The pure white cum then sshed over her beautiful face. There were traces of how many times he had already ejacted on her face.

    But Issac didn¡¯t care. He just wanted to make sure his balls were empty somehow.

    ¡°Haah¡­¡­Slurrp.¡±

    Arwen scooped up the cum sttered on her face and popped it into her mouth. But she had no idea that the act was only stimting Isaac.

    Isaac¡¯s cock was now hard and erect. Arwen stared at the cock on her face and shook her head.

    ¡°¡­..Why isn¡¯t it shrinking? I think I¡¯ve cum at least five times already.¡±

    She was actually passing out and waking up, squeezing it somehow. But I didn¡¯t lose any strength.

    Now the fatigue was building up, and Arwen felt like she was about to pass out for real.

    As much as she wanted to please Isaac, her female pride wouldn¡¯t allow it.

    ¡°I think I¡¯ll just take one more shot.¡±

    Isaac said, gently stroking her silver-gray hair.

    His cum had dried on her hair, but he didn¡¯t care.

    ¡°R-Really?¡±

    ¡°Yep. So let¡¯s just wrap up and clean up. I won¡¯t touch you if you pass out.¡±

    So far, sex while being passed out had never stopped him from hardening up, a fact he¡¯de to realize in hindsight.

    Unaware of this, Arwen readily epted Isaac¡¯s offer.

    It was a shame that the long night wasing to an end, but there was always another day.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s make thest one what Isaac wants. What do you want to do? As expected¡­ that?¡±

    Arwen flicked her tongue out and rubbed her lower belly gently.

    The spot where Isaac¡¯s cock bounced as it slid in to the root.

    Exactly the spot.

    At first, she¡¯d been too dazed to feel it, but she¡¯d gotten the taste of it through repeated sex.

    It¡¯s apletely different kind of sex, where the uterus is pushed to the limit and the lower belly is pushed out.

    It¡¯s an act that would be impossible for a man of Isaac¡¯s size and stiffness. And the pleasure it delivered was unlike any other position.

    ¡°Um¡­¡­excuse me for a moment.¡±

    ¡°Kaaaah~¡±

    Isaac looked around, found a suitable ¡®thing¡¯, and scooped Arwen up into his arms.

    Arwen let out a girlish sound at his sudden action and, like a cicada clinging to an old tree, wrapped her arms and legs around him.

    She could still feel his erect cock against her ass. It was good enough to put in as it was, but¡ª¡ª

    ¡°Mmm.¡±

    ¡°Hmph. Huh?¡±

    The anticipation quickly turned to embarrassment. Again, this is the queen¡¯s bedchamber.

    Naturally, there¡¯s a full-length mirror. The problem is that it¡¯s a naked reflection of herself and Isaac.

    Instead of facing each other and embracing, they¡¯re both facing the same direction.

    Arwen then realizes why Isaac has been so quiet.

    ¡°Uht-cha.¡±

    ¡°Hmm? Huh?¡±

    Isaac¡¯s cock was now inserted to the root. Arwen¡¯s body was currently weak from the afterglow.

    Gravity took over, and Arwen¡¯s lower belly rose noticeably.

    ¡®This, this is¡­.¡¯

    Dangerous. Really dangerous.

    He was not worried about hurting Arwen¡¯s womb. This was the most stimting pleasure she¡¯s ever tasted.

    The full-length mirrors allowed her to see what she looked like at all times and, most importantly, to see the nakedness of her pration.

    The protruding lower belly, in particr, stimted all of Arwen¡¯s senses.

    ¡°Are you going to do it now?¡±

    ¡°Wait, wa¡ª!!¡±

    <em>Poof! Thwack! Thwack!</em>

    ¡°Ah¡­! Aaah! Aah! Haah!¡±

    Before she could tell him to stop, Isaac sprang into action.

    He doesn¡¯t even have to move his hips. All he had to do was move Arwen up and down.

    Arwen¡¯s small size was especially convenient for him to manipte.

    It felt like using an onahole. But the pleasure was even more iparable to that of an onahole.

    <em>Thud, thud, thud, thud!</em>

    ¡°Ugh! Aaah! Hwaanh! Kyaah!¡±

    Arwen somehow managed to cling to Isaac, relying on him.

    Tears streamed down her face like a flood, and saliva dripped from her mouth.

    Even her vision was getting blurry, and she was about to reach a climax.

    ¡°Arwen, you¡¯re a pervert. You like this kind of thing.¡±

    ¡°Hmm! Ugh!¡±

    ¡°You have to answer, you know?¡±

    <em>Kwaak!</em>

    ¡°Kyaang ?¡±

    Isaac¡¯s uncharacteristic snarl came out. He grabbed Arwen¡¯s breasts, even though he knew she couldn¡¯t answer.

    He even nibbled on her ear, the pride of the elves.

    His entire body was already an erogenous zone, driving him crazy with the mere touch, and he gave it no time to rest.

    But the body is always honest. This is no different from the mouth.

    ¡°Yeeh¡­ Arwen is a pervert¡­¡±

    ¡°Is it okay for the Queen of Alvenheim to be like this?¡±

    ¡°Ugh? It doesn¡¯t matter! So stop biting my ear¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤!¡±

    <em>Thwack!</em>

    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤!!¡±

    Arwen¡¯s silver-gray eyes widened. Before she could respond, Isaac gave her a surprise punch.

    Arwen¡¯s mouth jerked open like a goldfish at the sudden stimulus. Her reflection in the mirror was nothing less than a sex ve.

    Her lower belly protruded, and a puddle of her juices formed.

    Is this really the Queen of Alvenheim? No, she¡¯s just a ve.

    ¡®Ah, Isaac¡¯s ve¡­.. that might be okay¡­.¡¯

    Arwen, who had such a thought for a moment, couldn¡¯t hold onto it for long.

    <em>Thud! Thud! Thrust!</em>

    ¡°Hoo-ugh! Aa-angh! Huuu-uek!¡±

    After Isaac went back and forth a few times, she reached her peak once again.

    There was no longer any fluid left to release, and nothing happened. Only her bodypletely lost all strength.

    Isaac realizing that Arwen had passed out again, made his way to the bed.

    <em>Creak-</em>

    He pulled his cock out of her cunt and pushed her onto the bed. His cock was still erect.

    Isaac quickly scanned the pole as he looked at Arwen¡¯s body, which was now covered in all sorts of secretions from his cum.

    <em>Pshh- Grp! Grp!</em>

    Pure white semen sprayed over the beautiful queen¡¯s body.

    Perhaps because he thought it was thest time, the amount of semen was sorge that it wasparable to the first time.

    One might say it was too much for the first night, but this was what Arwen wanted.

    Even if she passed out, she wanted Isaac to spray it all over her.

    Even Cecily, with her masochistic temperament, hadn¡¯t asked for this, but this was more than lust.

    ¡°Whoa.¡±

    After Isaac had a thorough release, he let out a sigh and looked at the bed.

    The bed was a mess, a testament to their battle, and he felt a little sorry for the maid who had to clean it up.

    ¡®It¡¯s time to clean up.¡¯

    As much as I want to lust more, I think I should stop.

    In fact, it seems unrealistic to do this on the day I took her virginity.

    Cecily and Adelia are physically strong, but Arwen is not.

    ¡®But how should I clean her?¡¯

    Now that he thought about it, Isaac didn¡¯t know how to help her. He pondered for a moment, unsure of what to do, when suddenly an item caught his eye.

    It was holy water. Arwen had packed some extra holy water.

    Maybe he could use it to wash instead. It¡¯s holy water, and at least it wouldn¡¯t be dirty.

    He turned Arwen¡¯s body, which had fallen into a deep sleep.

    She is so beautiful, sleeping without a care in the world.

    ¡®¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤This won¡¯t do.¡¯

    The thing jerked awake again. I feel like a criminal, viting a sleeping woman.

    But Arwen will understand, and I want to fulfill my sexual fantasies now.

    After double-checking that she¡¯s still asleep, Isaac aimed his cock at Arwen¡¯s throbbing, semen-covered pussy.

    <em>Swish!</em>

    ¡°Mmmmm¡ª¡ª¡±

    Arwen moaned upon pration. Luckily, she doesn¡¯t seem to have woken up.

    Isaac, feeling strangely nervous, circled her waist to make sure she didn¡¯t wake up.

    <em>Creak- Creak- ng-</em>

    ¡°Ah¡­ Aah¡­ Hng¡­¡±

    The night continued as Arwen had never known it.

    ¡°Aah! You, you wicked person! Hng! Troublemaker! Pervert! Pervert!¡±

    ¡°So you don¡¯t like it?¡±

    ¡°I do! Do more! Aah!¡±

    Having woken up in the middle, there was no sign of the nighting to an end.

 Chapter 353: Divulging a secret (1)

    Chapter 353: Divulging a secret (1)

    The gift that Alvenheim gave me was truly satisfying.

    The packaging was excellent, and the contents were beyond words.

    Although there was an ident during the exchange of the gift, creating a dangerous moment, it was resolved well.

    On the contrary, thanks to that, I was able to awaken Arwen¡¯s hidden desires and have a much hotter first night.

    To the point where I even thought about my first night with Mari, you can imagine how satisfied I was, and how excited I got.

    However, due to the huge difference in our physical builds and strength, it was a one-sided affair where I pushed forward.

    She fainted whenever there was a gap, and even when I woke her up, she would faint again, making it hard to keep in sync.

    Arwen was well aware of this, so she begged me to treat it as a ¡°gift.¡±

    She said her pride wouldn¡¯t allow her to be satisfied alone.Thanks to that, we were able to have a night where both of us were fully satisfied.

    ¡°So now, am I being treated like a national document?¡±

    The night¡¯s affairssted until the early morning, and by the next day, I was still sleeping through the morning.

    Even by the afternoon, nothing changed.

    Arwen, still lingering from the first night, dozed off repeatedly.

    She couldn¡¯t even get up, so she stayed in bed all day.

    I couldn¡¯t even walk properly, let alone handle any official duties, so I nned to take a break for a while.

    ¡°You can do as you wish. I was a gift for you. In fact, it could be said that you are higher than me, the queen.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Since I gave you Alvenheim. Do you want to be treated like a national document?¡±

    Arwen, who had been lying in bed, asked me with sparkling eyes.

    There was a hint of expectation in her silvery gaze.

    It seemed like a personal wish.

    ¡°Well¡­ Honestly, I¡¯m fine. The fact that we didn¡¯t have a wedding ceremony is a bit of a w, but I¡¯m sure everyone will overlook that.¡±

    ¡°R-really?! Then, immediately¡­!¡±

    ¡°But do you think other people will overlook it? Especially Cecily, who will probablye charging at me with fiery eyes?¡±

    For a moment, Arwen looked pleased, but as soon as Cecily was mentioned, her expression immediately dropped.

    For Arwen, Cecily was her greatest enemy, both personally and politically.

    If I were treated like Alvenheim¡¯s national document, Cecily would probably unleash another bombshell.

    ¡°¡­I see. It¡¯s unfortunate, but it can¡¯t be helped. This was my personal request, so please pretend you didn¡¯t hear it.¡±

    ¡°Since we¡¯ve already had our first night together, it¡¯s only natural to have such a wish.¡±

    ¡°Mm¡­¡±

    As I gently touched her long ears, Arwen made a pleasant sound.

    It sounded like a kitten purring.

    Lying in bed like this made it feel like we were a newlywed couple.

    I wondered when Arwen would be able to get up.

    The meals were brought by attendants, so that was fine, but the real problem was when she had to bathe.

    Being the queen of Alvenheim, or perhaps due to the outdated elf traditions, the distance between the bedroom and the bathroom was far apart.

    When I asked why theyout was like this, they exined that the water from the bathroom was connected to the Fountain of Life.

    This was the same Fountain of Life I had bathed in just before the first night.

    If it wasn¡¯t for the elves¡¯ obsession with tradition, this connection might seem unusual.

    ¡®I was really embarrassed when I carried her there.¡¯

    So, I personally carried Arwen to the bathroom.

    The attendants couldn¡¯t carry her, so it was only something I could do.

    As we headed for the bathroom, I recalled the looks from Elodia¡¯s servants.

    As I mentioned before, it wasn¡¯t Arwen who made the gift choice; it was Alvenheim¡¯s initiative.

    Also, Arwen¡¯s inability to walk was proof that we had spent the night together, meaning I had received a gift.

    Though they must have been delighted, I couldn¡¯t help but feel somewhat embarrassed under their gaze.

    ¡°Mm¡­¡±

    Meanwhile, Arwen, while I gently touched her ears, was making adorable sounds.

    Touching an elf¡¯s ears, like touching a demon¡¯s horn, is something only a person who has fully opened their heart to you can do.

    Also, since it¡¯s considered a weak spot, it¡¯s easy to elicit satisfaction from small stimuli, as all the sensory feelings are concentrated there.

    ¡°Arwen.¡±

    ¡°Mm¡­ speak.¡±

    ¡°How do you think things will go from here?¡±

    The elf, the very symbol of Alvenheim, was given to me as a gift. Simply put, she belongs to me.

    Of course, I would never treat her like a ve. Just the fact that we are connected is enough.

    I became curious about what would happen to Arwen¡¯s future.

    Would she lead a morefortable life now that we had spent our first night together, or would aplicated future unfold?

    ¡°Since we are connected, I guess it will be dered that I am Zenon¡¯s woman. That alone will make things easier, and there shouldn¡¯t be any issues.¡±

    ¡°What about the demon worshipers? They might threaten you.¡±

    ¡°Ha. Do you think I¡¯ll lose to those demon worshipers?¡±

    Indeed, Arwen¡¯s physical strength may becking, but her magical abilities are deep.

    With just a flick of her fingers, she can teleport, and items can appear from thin air.

    Who could harm her?

    Besides, she has a strong Dark Elf by her side, so there¡¯s no immediate threat.

    I looked at Arwen, who answered confidently, and smiled.

    A sudden mischievous thought came to me.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been losing to me all this time, though.¡±

    ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­! That¡¯s apletely different matter!¡±

    At my teasing, Arwen iled, but her lower body didn¡¯t cooperate, so only her upper body was moving.

    In reality, Arwen¡¯s stamina is quite low.

    Even though she¡¯s an elf chosen by the gods, her natural specs are only at a human level.

    Her mana training and magical abilities make up for it, though.

    This is true for Arwen as well.

    If she were a warrior, it might be different, but as a mage, her stamina is naturally low.

    As a result, she fainted several times during our first night together.

    She always woke up, but kept fainting, which was somewhat awkward.

    Ah, of course, it was only awkward for me, not at all tiring.

    ¡°Still, shouldn¡¯t you build up your stamina?¡±

    ¡°Hmph. If I were to build up my stamina, I¡¯d rather read a book.¡±

    That¡¯s such a typical mage mindset.

    When I saw Arwen blushing and sulking, I smiled.

    I didn¡¯t intend to give her any advice on building stamina.

    She must have her own routine, so I couldn¡¯t tell her what to do.

    More importantly, she should be more worried about me.

    I¡¯m the one who needs to build stamina, and I¡¯m also the primary target of the demon worshipers.

    I gently touched Arwen¡¯s ears and then looked to the side. On the pillow she was lying on, a golden seed was lying there.

    As everyone knows, it¡¯s assumed to be a seed from the World Tree.

    I decided to leave that in Arwen¡¯s care.

    I wasn¡¯t going back to my domain immediately, and I hadn¡¯t figured out who to entrust the management to.

    ¡®Hirt-sama really knows how to make things difficult.¡¯

    But it was a sign that she was showing favor to me, so I didn¡¯t feel bad about it.

    After all, who couldin when the goddess of nature, the creator deity, had blessed me?

    It was a wise decision to mediate between the remaining conflicts between Luminous and Mora.

    ¡®But wait, there was a question I wanted to ask. What was it again?¡¯

    I tilted my head while looking at the golden seed.

    There had been a question I wanted to ask her, but I couldn¡¯t remember what it was.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    If I can¡¯t remember it, it probably wasn¡¯t that important, so it should be fine.

    If it had been a truly important question, I would have written it down in my notebook, but there wasn¡¯t even that.

    Given my personality, if it were something interesting or serious, I would have jotted it down immediately.

    ¡®Let¡¯s think about itter.¡¯

    What¡¯s important now is how long this moment willst.

    I looked down at Arwen, who was lying on her stomach, getting her ear massaged.

    She had pulled the nket up to her neck, but right now, she waspletely naked.

    I suggested she wear something light to avoid catching a cold, but she said elves don¡¯t catch colds.

    It was actually true, and I knew what Arwen wanted, so I agreed without hesitation.

    ¡°Arwen.¡±

    ¡°Mm?¡±

    ¡°Do you have a rough idea of when I should head back?¡±

    Mari, Cecily, and Adelina had the break, so I could take my time with them.

    But in this case, since I came during the semester, I wasn¡¯t sure how to manage my time.

    Of course, even if I returned, I wouldn¡¯t immediately go back to being a teaching assistant; I¡¯d be training under my father.

    That¡¯s why I asked first¡ªwhen would be a good time for me to return.

    Perhaps Arwen understood my intent, and after some hesitation, she slowly poked her head out.

    Her silver-gray eyes showed a mix of regret and subtle expectation.

    ¡°If I could, I would want you to stay by my side. I want to see your face every morning when I wake up, and at night, kiss you and share affection.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s probably too much to ask. More than that, there¡¯s not just you by my side. I also need to attend to state affairs as queen. And¡­¡±

    Arwen hesitated a little before saying what she truly wanted.

    ¡°Would it be greedy if I asked for just a little more?¡±

    ¡°How much more?¡±

    ¡°One week. One week would be enough. Anything more would be greedy.¡±

    One week¡­ I honestly expected about a month, so this was surprisingly short.

    Maybe she had never been greedy personally, or maybe she was simply exercising restraint, but I felt a bit sorry for her.

    In a week, she would have to return as the queen of Alvenheim.

    I gently stroked her head, not her ear, and spoke.

    ¡°One week is enough? Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re busy too. But¡­ after that, will you visit often?¡±

    ¡°You can contact me, can¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯ll want to do it every day.¡±

    Arwen¡¯s face, just peeking out as she spoke, was so cute.

    I pinched or stroked her soft cheeks affectionately, smiling.

    ¡°Alright. Then, until then¡­¡±

    ¡°Ahem.¡±

    As I trailed off, Arwen cleared her throat. At the same time, her pale skin flushed red.

    Of course, we wouldn¡¯t do anything tonight due to the aftereffects of our first night together. That wasn¡¯t consideration, it was just releasing desire.

    Things would change after that. Arwen blushed, her cheeks turning rosy, and then quietly spoke.

    ¡°I¡¯m just asking, but¡­ did you do this with other women?¡±

    ¡°Mari was simr to you. Cecily and Adelia were both physically strong, though.¡±

    ¡°I see. But I don¡¯t n on training my body.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean you just don¡¯t like exercising?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m weak, but don¡¯t you think you¡¯re abnormally strong? You even received the blessing of Hirt yesterday.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    Come to think of it, I did have a lot of divine energy already, and with Hirt¡¯s blessing, I might have be even stronger.

    ¡°Anyway, for just one week, I¡¯ll make it a moment you¡¯ll remember for the rest of your life.¡±

    ¡°I think yesterday will be the most memorable for me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll make an even more unforgettable memory.¡±

    At that time, I didn¡¯t know yet.

    ¡°Can you call Siris for me?¡±

    ¡°Siris? Why him?¡±

    ¡°I have something I left with him.¡±

    What effect the World Tree seed, which I left by the bed, would have on us.

    ¡°He brought the draft of the 27th volume of Zenon¡¯s biography. He said it¡¯s to keep me from peeking.¡±

    ¡°What? Really? No, wait, why did you think I would peek?¡±

    ¡°Because you were interested in it?¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    What kind of change Hirt¡¯s blessing would cause.

    ¡°So how do you n to announce it? Like, as if you and I are involved?¡±

    ¡°No. I¡¯ll leave room for interpretation. If we do it that way, it might cause problems for you. People who know will understand, though.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m curious how Cecily will react.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t need to worry about that. We met before and settled things.¡±

    Lastly, how much potential the elf blood in her had.

    ¡°When did you meet her?¡±

    ¡°Huh? What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡­!¡±

    ¡°Wait¡­ did Cecily tell you everything yesterday?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    At that point, I had no idea.

 Chapter 354: Divulging a secret (2)

    Chapter 354: Divulging a secret (2)

    Arwen¡¯s short but intense life in Alvenheim continued as she desired.

    One day, she decided to rest, both to recover her shaky legs and to read some of the Zenon Chronicles.

    She imed that the outside of the bed was dangerous, so I stayed with her, either rolling around in bed or looking around the room.

    We spent time together that wasn¡¯t boring, and I asionally had conversations with Arwen.

    ¡°Then, does that mean you couldn¡¯t decide on a name for this world?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not this world, but the world in the Zenon Chronicles.¡±

    Especially after reading all the drafts I had given her,

    Arwen started asking various questions. The first one was about the name of the world that Zenon would shout out.

    Originally, I had thought of naming it after Hirt¡¯s real name, but it was rejected.So, a different name had to be chosen.

    ¡°Do you think others will think the same, even if it¡¯s not your idea? I don¡¯t think so at all.¡±

    ¡°Then we have no choice. Do you have any suggestions? It¡¯d be great if it were rted to the earth.¡±

    ¡°There are books rted to ancientnguages in the sanctuary. You should read themter; they¡¯ll be helpful.¡±

    ¡°That would be fine. Ancient texts are extremely rare and hard to find. Over time, many of them have been lost.¡±

    ¡°Besides, I¡¯m more interested in history, specifically event-based history, rather thannguage.¡±

    ¡°By the way, Lucifer spread his wings¡­ even though he borrowed the power of a demon, could it really be¡­?¡±

    Arwen looked at me with eyes full of expectation and curiosity. It seemed she was thinking about Cecily¡¯s demonization incident.

    I shook my head with a wry smile. Cecily¡¯s demonization and the elf¡¯s angelization were different matters altogether.

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not the case. Even the gods concluded that it couldn¡¯t happen. A transcendent being like an angel can be lowered to a mortal, but the reverse is impossible.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because of their origins.¡±

    To be a transcendent being, one must be born as a transcendent. It¡¯s impossible for a mortal to be a transcendent.

    Though I felt a bit disappointed after hearing this, my perspective changed after experiencing reincarnation.

    So, dying as a mortal and being reborn as a transcendent¡ªcouldn¡¯t that be eptable?

    A god¡¯s body, not a human one, that is.

    There is a record of Hercules from Greek mythology doing something simr.

    ¡®It¡¯s the story of Jin dying and being resurrected as an angel¡­ Hmm¡­¡¯

    It would be possible, but the thought of a demon bing an angel feels off.

    It¡¯s not like the elf, a descendant of angels, but a demon ascending to the heavens.

    I thought this might need to be ast resort, as there could be bacsh from Alvenheim.

    Moreover, Jin became one with Diabolos, aplete entity. The soul was the same.

    Could the gods purify a soul tainted by evil and separate out Jin¡¯s personality?

    It might be possible to bring a version of myself from another dimension and reincarnate, but this was a delicate matter.

    ¡®I should ask about it.¡¯

    I left Arwen alone for a moment and stepped out of the room.

    As I had mentioned before, Elodia also serves as a sanctuary.

    Normally, elves worship Luminous, and dark elves worship Mora. However, since the dark elves were exiled, the elves now worship both.

    ording to Arwen, their rtionship with the dark elves has also notably improved.

    Perhaps, in the near future, the much-anticipated fusion with the dark elves would happen, and Arwen thanked me for making it possible.

    Anyway, I headed toward Elodia¡¯s worship room to ask the gods a few questions¡­

    [A mortal¡¯s soul can be revived in the vessel of a transcendent¡­ It¡¯s not impossible. We¡¯ll just have to create a new vessel, which will take a lot of effort.]

    ¡®So, you¡¯re saying it¡¯s possible?¡¯

    [It¡¯s not impossible.]

    I asked Mora, not Luminous. Since I hadn¡¯t talked to her recently, I was a bit disappointed, so I went to find her.

    Mora¡¯s worship room in Elodia was dark, like the temple of Helium, with only candles lighting the room.

    Even though Alvenheim had exiled the dark elves, they hadn¡¯tpletely rejected them due to their respect for tradition.

    If they had, Mora might have truly been angry. I thought this as I asked her the question.

    ¡®What about souls that are tainted? Is it impossible to purify them?¡¯

    [It¡¯s possible, but it¡¯s incredibly difficult, like trying to separate ink mixed with water.]

    ¡®So it¡¯s not impossible?¡¯

    [Yep.]

    That was reassuring. However, I was still concerned about the elves¡¯ discontent, or more precisely, their dissatisfaction.

    Though they might not openly rebel, I worried that the idea of a demon ascending to be an angel might cause dissatisfaction.

    Moreover, the heroes from both the elf and dark elf sides sacrificed their lives to destroy the World Tree. If they hadn¡¯t, Diabolos would have been resurrected much sooner.

    There have been countless heroes who sacrificed their lives to save the world, but reviving Jin as a transcendent through resurrection seemed unfair.

    [Hehe.]

    Just as I was deep in thought, Mora chuckled yfully.

    Herughter snapped me out of my contemtion.

    ¡®Why are youughing?¡¯

    [I saw an interesting future.]

    ¡®Is it a good future or a bad one?¡¯

    [Just an interesting future.]

    She clearly didn¡¯t want to share. I chuckled at Mora¡¯s yful attitude.

    Seeing an interesting future meant I¡¯d probably find myself in a difficult situation.

    If I had known this, I would have gone to Luminous instead.

    Unlike Mora, Luminous would have been kind enough to tell me everything.

    [What? So, are you saying I¡¯m not kind?]

    ¡®It¡¯s not that, it¡¯s just that you¡¯re very yful.¡¯

    [Hmph. Do as you please. It¡¯s alreadyplicated because of my mom, and now you¡¯re being mean. I won¡¯t give you any divine power from now on.]

    That¡¯s a bit troublesome. I gave Mora a wry smile as she pouted like a child whose toy was taken away.

    Not receiving divine power would be a major risk. I had to calm her down somehow.

    ¡®Why can¡¯t you give me blessings like Hirt did?¡¯

    [It¡¯s not about giving or not giving. The problem is that you¡¯ve been stamped.]

    ¡®Stamped?¡¯

    [Yes. When my mom gave it to you, she said, ¡°I¡¯ll give you the Blessing of Pure Nature.¡± It¡¯s not a regr blessing; it¡¯s a pure one.]

    What¡¯s the difference? Since I¡¯m not a priest, I didn¡¯t quite understand what she meant.

    Perhaps sensing my confusion, Mora grumbled a bit but exined patiently.

    [The Blessing of Purity is like giving you part of the divine power.]

    ¡®Divine power?¡¯

    [Yes. A priest can pray to grant strength to others, or to cause harm to an enemy.

    Or, they canpletely merge with darkness, making it nearly impossible to detect by magic.

    Both of these are blessings, and if you have enough faith, they¡¯re possible. But divine power is different. It¡¯s like being able to perform a ¡°miracle.¡±]

    ¡®¡­¡¯

    Just hearing the word ¡°miracle¡± left me speechless.

    Since the existence of gods is clearly established, this world also contains miracles that are scientifically impossible.

    But why do we call them miracles?

    Clearly, it¡¯s something that seems impossible, yet for some reason, it bes possible.

    That¡¯s what wemonly refer to as a ¡°miracle.¡±

    [If Luminous oppa performs a miracle, he could save someone on the brink of death or restore a severed body part. Otherwise, he might even help recover lost senses.]n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    ¡°Can¡¯t Kate do that too?¡±

    [She can only ¡®stitch¡¯ the severed parts back together. But oppa¡¯s miracle is more like a new body growing, like a sprout. The same goes for the senses.]

    It¡¯s truly a miracle, I thought as I listened to her exnation, then immediately asked another question.

    ¡°Then what about Mora?¡±

    [Unlike oppa, I¡¯m not focused on the external, but more on the internal. My miracles mostly deal with the mind. For instance, I can restore people who have be vegetables or senile.]

    At first nce, it might not seem like much, but that is definitely worthy of being called a miracle.

    Especially in the previous life, dementia was a disease that should never be contracted, a disease called the devil¡¯s illness.

    A tragic mental illness that makes people unable to recognize even their own family.

    Both gods perform miracles ording to their symbols, so I wondered what kind of miracle the goddess of nature would show.

    [As you know, mom represents nature. So, wherever you go, you¡¯ll be loved by animals. Plus, you can talk to them.]

    ¡°Talk to them? But I couldn¡¯t speak with the bird yesterday?¡±

    [That¡¯s because you didn¡¯t properly connect with it. Even if you¡¯re given power, how you use it matters. Oh, and do you know about ¡®spirits¡¯?]

    ¡°Of course, I do.¡±

    In this fantasy world, spirits exist. However, they are so rare that they are hardly ever found.

    Spirits aren¡¯t limited to animals, but nts can also be spirits.

    A prime example is the centuries-old ginseng.

    Once discovered, their rarity makes it something a country would personally seek out, and their effects are that remarkable.

    [If the divine power is sufficient, even ordinary nts and animals can evolve into spirits.]

    ¡°¡­Is that really possible?¡±

    [That¡¯s the pure blessing given by the goddess of nature. Also, when you¡¯re in danger, nature will help you.

    No matter how strong a demon worshiper may be, if nature stands in the way, it would be impossible for them to chase you.

    So, do you understand how great the blessing you received is?]

    I did.

    It was far beyond the level of simply elevating a regr human to a druid.

    I understood very well how mighty nature is.

    No matter how strong humanity grows, it could never defeat nature.

    The thought of nature helping me didn¡¯t quite sink in, though.

    ¡­You¡¯re really showing me a lot of affection.

    [How could I not? Look at everything you¡¯ve done for me.]

    ¡°Haha.¡±

    Her sincere praise made me embarrassed.

    It wasn¡¯t something I was used to, being praised by a god.

    To shake off this awkwardness, I quickly moved on to another question.

    ¡°Then, what about the World Tree¡¯s seed? Should I just nt it in the territory?¡±

    [¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤]

    I asked about the World Tree¡¯s seed, but there was no response. Only heavy silence.

    Feeling something was off, I asked again.

    ¡°Mora?¡±

    [Hm? What is it?]

    ¡°How about the World Tree¡¯s seed¡­¡±

    [Do whatever you want.]

    ¡°Do whatever I want?¡± That vague answer left me puzzled.

    Did she mean I could smash the seed with a hammer? Or was she actually telling me to nt it in the territory?

    As I was pondering her cryptic words, Mora¡¯s voice became slightly urgent.

    [Is there anything else?]

    ¡°Well¡­ no, not really.¡±

    [Okay, then. See youter. Goodbye!]

    It seemed like she had something urgent to attend to, and she quickly ended the connection.

    As the connection was cut, I slowly opened my eyes.

    Before me, Mora¡¯s statue remained, devoid of any divine presence. It seemed she had left hastily.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Why wouldn¡¯t she talk about the World Tree¡¯s seed? What kind of future awaits that even she won¡¯t tell me about?

    Still perplexed by her reaction, I stood up and thought to myself that Luminous would probably have a simr reaction. The seed of the World Tree definitely holds some significance.

    ¡°I can¡¯t just smash it with a hammer.¡±

    For now, I decided to leave it be until I returned.

    Sorting out my confused thoughts, I walked back to the room where Arwen was waiting.

    She was sitting on the bed, holding a seed the size of her face.

    It wasn¡¯t so much surprising as it was adorable, and I couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    Arwen grinned at my question and gave a really cute reply.

    ¡°Well¡­ it seemed lonely sitting there all by itself, so I thought it would get cold¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°It was a gift from Hirt, right? So I thought I should take care of it a bit more¡­¡±

    It was such a sweet and endearing thing for someone over a hundred years old to say.

    Hearing that, I chuckled and cautiously climbed onto the bed, sitting next to her.

    Then, I gently patted the golden seed she was holding and quietly said, ¡°Shall we hold it together?¡±

    ¡°To- together?¡±

    ¡°Why, you¡¯re embarrassed to hold it with me?¡±

    Arwen blushed, embarrassed by my suggestion, and I smiled gently, pulling up the nket.

    It wasn¡¯t yet time for sleep, but it would be enough to make asting memory.

    I pulled the nket up to my chest, cing the seed between us, and slowly embraced Arwen.

    ¡°My dear.¡±

    ¡°Shh.¡±

    Just as we were about to drift into a peaceful nap, a strange sound reached our ears.

    <em>Crack!</em><em></em>

 Chapter 355: Divulging a secret (3)

    Chapter 355: Divulging a secret (3)

    If I were to pick the most embarrassing moment in my life, it would obviously be the unexpected sess of the <em>Zenon Chronicles</em> and the incident with the <em>Eiwa Jin</em>.

    The <em>Zenon Chronicles</em>, which I had published as a hobby, unexpectedly became a huge hit,pletely changing the perception of the demon race.

    And then there were the <em>Eiwa Jin</em>, who started emerging one by one, beginning with the corruption of the World Tree¡¯s roots.

    At the time, I wasn¡¯t just embarrassed¡ªI was also utterly baffled.

    So, aside from the sess of <em>Zenon Chronicles</em>, there¡¯s been very little true embarrassment in my life. But today, it seems like that¡¯s going to change.

    Would you believe that the seed of the World Tree, a gift from the goddess of nature, Hirt, has split in half?

    No. Not only is believing it secondary, but if something like that happened, how should I even deal with it?

    Should I take the punishment from the heavens for neglecting the gift I received from Hirt, or should I ask what the hell happened?

    Right now, I¡¯m too flustered to even think about those things.¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    Arwen and I stared at the seed of the World Tree, carefully ced on the bed.

    The seed had been glowing with a brilliant golden light since the moment it was given to me.

    <em>Crack!</em> A foreboding sound echoed from the seed as it began to change. If you just heard it, you¡¯d think it had split in half.

    As feared, it wasn¡¯t fully split, but there was a noticeable gap between the halves.

    Even so, just this much would be a major catastrophe, and I wouldn¡¯t be able to argue if punishment were toe.

    But what if a cute little sprout had started growing from that gap?

    A green sprout symbolizing nature¡¯s color.

    Arwen and I couldn¡¯t say a word as we looked at the sprout.

    Normally, for a sprout to emerge from a seed, you have to nt it in the ground.

    After nting it, you water it, and the sprout grows by absorbing the nutrients from the water and soil.

    But this golden coconut¡­ no, this seed had sprouted without any of that.

    No water, no soil, nothing!

    It¡¯s a fantasy world, but I thought even basicws like this would apply.

    But looking at Arwen¡¯s expression, it seemed like she wasn¡¯t sure either.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Her pupils were shaking as she, like me, had no idea what was going on.

    I¡¯m sure she, like me, had all kinds of worries running through her mind.

    ¡°Arwen?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Arwen?¡±

    ¡°Huh, huh?¡±

    She answered flustered as I cautiously called her name.

    I shyly looked at the green sprout and asked.

    ¡°What were you doing while I was gone?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ I just held it. I figured it¡¯d be weak to the cold, no matter what kind of nt it was¡­¡±

    ¡°And nothing else?¡±

    ¡°My dear, I haven¡¯t even reached 200 years yet.¡±

    In other words, she¡¯s still young and wants to live longer. Of course, I wasn¡¯t doubting her.

    I just wanted to know why the seed had split and why a sprout had emerged from it.

    Even if this was a phenomenon that ignored thews of nature, it wouldn¡¯t be strange for a sprout to grow if the right conditions were met.

    However, one thing remains true for any seed: it needs water.

    I know this because I once grew beans in cotton as an elementary school student in my past life.

    ¡®¡­It can¡¯t be.¡¯

    Suddenly, memories of the intense first night and what followed shed in my mind, but I quickly shook them off.

    That was a dangerous time, so I had hidden it in a safe ce.

    After all, this isn¡¯t just any seed¡ªit¡¯s the seed of the World Tree. It probably doesn¡¯t need water in the same way.

    The real question is, what did I give it instead of water to make it sprout? Scratching my head, I turned to Arwen.

    ¡°When you held it, how exactly did you hold it?¡±

    ¡°I just carefully embraced it. That¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°Did you give it any mana?¡±

    ¡°I did.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    It still doesn¡¯t make sense.

    Even if she had embraced it right after I left for the temple, it¡¯s been less than three hours.

    In that short time, the seed absorbed Arwen¡¯s mana and grew a sprout?

    This is a phenomenon I just can¡¯t understand.

    Unable to think of a reasonable exnation, I stood up from the bed.

    In times like this, it¡¯s best to ask the person directly involved.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go see Mora for a bit.¡±

    ¡°What should I do with this?¡±

    As I stood up from the bed, Arwen pointed to the seed and asked. Since the sprout had just appeared, leaving it alone would be a terrible idea.

    I had to figure out what to do with it, whether I should nt it in the ground or hold it like before.

    I spent a moment considering the options beforeing to a temporary decision.

    ¡°For now, just keep holding it like you did before. It won¡¯t take long. Got it?¡±

    ¡°I will hold it carefully, so it doesn¡¯t get hurt.¡±

    She said this as she embraced the sprouted seed in her arms.

    The image of her holding it was so gentle, like a girl cradling a baby, that I couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    After waving my hand to her, I headed back to the temple. This time, I wasn¡¯t going to see Mora, but Luminous.

    Luminous is probably aware of this situation, and unlike Mora, I knew Luminous would answer kindly.

    That doesn¡¯t mean I think Mora is unkind, but at times like this, I trust Luminous¡¯s more mature approach.

    [That cannot be told.]

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    And with that, my trust was thoroughly betrayed.

    When Luminous gave a negative answer, I was left dumbfounded.

    No reason, just ¡°I can¡¯t tell you¡±? This went beyond baffling¡ªit made no sense at all.

    After all, she¡¯s a god.

    A god who can reveal the future of the world and individuals through divine prophecy.

    There are conditions for divine power and qualification, but I¡¯m the exception.

    I have more than enough conditions to learn about my future at any time.

    But even I, with all those conditions, couldn¡¯t be told about the World Tree seed?

    I just couldn¡¯t understand.

    ¡°You can¡¯t tell me? Why not?¡±

    [That¡¯s something I can¡¯t reveal either.]

    ¡°No¡­¡±

    The most frustrating and bewildering phrase a Korean can utter.

    I sighed deeply in a situation where I could do nothing but let out my frustration.

    Mora said I could do whatever I wanted, but Luminous is outright saying she can¡¯t tell me.

    It was a contradiction that made my head ache.

    What is it about this seed that even the gods can¡¯t freely speak of its future?

    Could it be that Hirt told them not to reveal it? As the goddess of nature, it¡¯s not out of the question.

    But why? Why? I couldn¡¯t understand the reason for the secrecy.

    ¡°¡­So no matter what I suggest, I can¡¯t know?¡±

    [Yes. Have you ever heard of <em>Cheongi Nuseol</em>?]

    <em>Cheongi Nuseol</em> (????) ¡ª This refers to a secret of heaven leaking out, a huge disaster if it were to be revealed.

    Usually, that¡¯s just a metaphor, but when a real god mentions it, the impact is much more serious.

    Thanks to that, my irritation was somewhat alleviated, but now I felt a deep sense of unease.

    If it¡¯s called <em>Cheongi Nuseol</em>, it means that something significant will happen in the future. So I asked in a more cautious tone.

    ¡°Am I going to face something serious in the future?¡±

    [Not right now.]

    Not right now. But in other words, something big ising in the future.

    But there¡¯s no need to use the term <em>Cheongi Nuseol</em>.

    I had already predicted something like this when I revealed Zenon and was threatened by demon worshipers.

    Besides, there¡¯s no reason to connect this with the seed of the World Tree.

    Unless¡­

    ¡°Does the future change depending on what happens with this seed? Is it something so significant that you can¡¯t tell me?¡±

    [That¡¯s right.]

    ¡°Even though the sprout¡¯s already grown?¡±

    [Well, you could smash it with a hammer, can¡¯t you? Ah!]

    Luminous screamed in the middle of her sentence. I jumped in shock and urgently called out.

    ¡°L-Luminous?¡±

    [Sorry. My mother told me not to say unnecessary things.] Ouch¡­

    Last time, Mora got scolded, and now it looks like Luminous is getting her turn.

    Sometimes, despite showing the authority of a god, they also show such human sides that it¡¯s impossible not to feel a sense of affection.

    [Anyway, handle the seed carefully. As I mentioned earlier, don¡¯t smash it with a hammer.]

    ¡®You think I¡¯m crazy enough to do that? So, I can nt it in the ground or just leave it as it is, and it¡¯s entirely up to me, right?¡¯

    [Right.]

    ¡®Is there anything I need to watch out for?¡¯

    [Just grow it with love.]

    Grow it with love. It was such a vague answer that I couldn¡¯t help but tilt my head in confusion.

    In any case, I realized that the gods have no intention of revealing the future.

    I don¡¯t know how that seed will change the future, but as Luminous said, the key is to grow it with love.

    ¡®I understand for now. So, it¡¯s really okay for me to grow it however I want, right?¡¯

    [Right.]

    ¡®Then¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¯

    [No matter what you do with it, as long as you don¡¯t break it, it¡¯s fine. It probably won¡¯t even get scratched to begin with.]

    It seems the seed is tougher than steel. It looks like a coconut, so it must be that tough.

    I should be careful not to identally hit the seed with my head.

    After chatting about other things, I ended the connection and returned to the queen¡¯s chambers. When I got back, Arwen was holding it very carefully.

    ¡°I¡¯m back.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re back. Can you tell me what the gods said?¡±

    ¡°They said I can do whatever I want. It¡¯s a special seed, so I don¡¯t need to nt it in the ground.¡±

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll keep it safe for a short time. I¡¯ll hold it so the seed won¡¯t be cold.¡±

    ¡°Alright. Before that¡­¡­¡±

    I walked slowly to Arwen, who was lying on the bed, wearing a sly smile.

    She turned red when she saw my smile and ced the seed she was holding beside her.

    Then, I climbed onto the bed as if to pounce on her. Right below me, Arwen was sitting quietly, her hands folded, staring up at me.

    ¡°Is it okay?¡±

    ¡°As I always say, I¡¯m a gift for you. So¡­¡±

    With those words, Arwen spread her arms and weed me.

    ¡°You can do whatever you want.¡±

    We hadn¡¯t even had dinner yet.

    ¡°Then, shall I open it again?¡±

    ¡°Open it anytime you want¡­¡­¡­ Ha!¡±

    The hot night was about to begin.

    ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï

    The affair that had started in the early evening did not end until dawn.

    The bed, which the servant had painstakingly arranged, was now aplete mess, and the sheets, including the nket, were soaked with various liquids.

    Both Arwen, who had awoken to new sensations, and Isaac, who had exhausted his strength to satisfy her, fell into a deep sleep.

    There was one being that remained, glowing like amp¡ªnone other than the seed of the World Tree, neatly ced beside the bed.

    I had put it on the desk far away, fearing it might get damaged during the act of intimacy.

    Especially when Luminous mentioned that it was tougher than steel, I had ced it even farther away.

    Startled¡ª

    However, a change urred in the seed.

    To be precise, it started moving. Despite no contact, the seed trembled once.

    Between the cracks, a tender sprout shyly revealed itself.

    Rolling¡ª

    Surprisingly, the seed that had trembled once started to move on its own. It rolled as though it were a ball.

    Thud¡ª

    Eventually, the seed fell beneath the desk, with a heavy sound, hinting at its weight.

    For a while, the seed swayed left and right like a pendulum before starting to roll again.

    Its direction was none other than towards the bed.

    The bed where Arwen and Isaac, having just fought a fierce battle, were now fast asleep.

    In the dim bedroom, the seed, glowing alone, rolled on its own, and it felt quite mysterious to witness.

    The queen¡¯s chambers were a ce where no one could intrude.

    Even Arwen¡¯s hidden knight, Siris, could not enter, so no one could stop the seed.

    Leap¡ª

    As surprising as it was that the seed was rolling on its own, something even more astonishing happened.

    The seed jumped, as though it were a flea.

    It jumped so high that it lightlynded on the bed. Arwen and Isaac, deep in their slumber, could not have sensed the tiny disturbance.

    The seed then spun around on the bed, which had been drenched in various fluids¡­

    Sluuurp¡ª Sluuurp¡ª Sluuurp¡ª

    It began to absorb the fluids, as if it had a mouth on its surface, cleaning up the mess on the nkets and sheets.

    Though some time had passed since the affair, and most of the mess had dried, a few spots remained.

    The seed was absorbing it all.

    If the two had seen this scene, they would have surely dismissed it as a dream, for it was simply too absurd.

    ¡°Ugh¡ª¡±

    How much time had passed since then? Despite being a seed, a satisfied burp echoed from it.

    Was it really just a seed? After finishing its ¡°meal,¡± the seed continued to roll around the bed.

    Eventually, it nestled between Arwen and Isaac, as if it had found its ce.

    Fortunately, there was an empty space for it to fit in.

    Crack¡ª

    As soon as it settled, a strange sound came from the seed.

    Crack¡ª Crack¡ª

    Slowly, very slowly, the sound of something breaking could be heard.

    Snap!

    A tiny ¡°arm¡± sprouted forcefully right next to the sprout.

 Chapter 356: Spirituality (1)

    Chapter 356: Spirituality (1)

    <em>Knock knock¡ª</em>

    ¡°Mm¡­¡±

    <em>Knock knock knock¡ª</em>

    Who is it? I was having the sweetest sleep in the world.

    I squinted my eyes as a small hand poked my cheek.

    Could it be Arwen getting up first and ying around?

    It¡¯s just her and me in the bed right now, so it¡¯s definitely her.

    As expected, it seems like something Arwen would do, acting cute first thing in the morning.

    I let out a softugh and hugged her with both arms.<em>Squeak¡ª</em>

    ¡°Umm?¡±

    Arwen let out a cute sound like a baby as I hugged her. Her small frame fit perfectly into my arms¡­

    ¡®¡­Hmm?¡¯

    Wait, no, this isn¡¯t just a perfect fit.

    It¡¯s not a metaphor.

    Arwen¡¯s entire body is nestled into my embrace.

    It¡¯s not just her upper body either, but her whole body, literally.

    No matter how small she is, it shouldn¡¯t be this small.

    I didn¡¯t even dare open my eyes, but I began to feel her body.

    Starting from her back, moving to her little head, and all the way down her legs¡­

    ¡­So small. Too small. It felt like her whole body had shrunk, with both her top and bottom being unusually short.

    I even felt something on her back that almost seemed like a mist or vapor brushing past my hand, as if I were touching steam or fog.

    But this isn¡¯t Arwen. She¡¯s not this small. This is literally the body of a child.

    And she doesn¡¯t smell like Arwen either.

    She doesn¡¯t have that sweet body lotion scent. I remember her scent being subtle, like lilies.

    ¡®Who is this?¡¯

    I shook my eyes open a bit and started to lift them slowly. The queen¡¯s bedroom doesn¡¯t allow anyone in without Arwen¡¯s permission.

    But if there¡¯s someone else here¡­ in my bed, this could turn serious.

    As I opened my eyes, I saw¡­

    <em>Blink¡ª Blink¡ª</em>

    Golden eyes that sparkled like they were holding pumpkins, and red hair just like mine.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    ¡°Umm?¡±

    A small sprout shyly blossomed from the top of their head.

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    I¡¯ve heard that when people are too shocked or confused, they can¡¯t even speak. That¡¯s exactly how I feel right now.

    I blinked a few times while staring at the child with a sprout on their head, who looks strangely simr to me from the past.

    I couldn¡¯t even begin to understand what was going on. I looked behind me, and Arwen was fast asleep.

    Afterst night¡¯s passionate events, it seemed like she¡¯d be asleep for most of the morning.

    ¡°Ugh.¡±

    While I was looking at Arwen, the child began to whimper. It felt almost like a request to look at them.

    I turned back to face the child. Their golden eyes were filled with curiosity.

    ¡®So, to summarize¡­¡¯

    Last night, I spent a hot, passionate night with the woman I love, and the next morning, a child who looks just like me is lying between us.

    Even soap operas or novels wouldn¡¯t take a plot this wild.

    My mind started to whirl. It was hard to figure out how to react.

    At least, the one thing I could be sure of was that sleep hadpletely disappeared.

    Whether this was a dream or reality was still unclear, but it¡¯s definitely real.

    <em>Swoosh¡ª</em>

    I slowly propped myself up to get a better grasp of the situation.

    I covered my lower body with the nket so the child wouldn¡¯t see anything inappropriate.

    The child, who had been lying down because of my embrace, followed suit and got up too.

    Now that I could see clearly, their hair was long, much like mine.

    Between their hair, I saw pointed ears. Elf-like, elongated ears.

    That alone was enough to give me a sense of unease, but what truly startled me was what was on their back.

    ¡°¡­What is this?¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    It was hard to make out, faint and translucent, but I could see it clearly when I squinted my eyes.

    Just like how demons are symbolized with horns and bat wings in the literature, angels have their own symbols.

    A halo floating above the head, and pure white wings.

    Angels, though extinct now, have been described in literature this way, at least.

    And the child, instead of a halo, had a small sprout on top of their head, and instead of white wings, they had translucent wings on their back.

    Something so strange and cute that it felt fitting¡ªtruly, a mysterious and adorable sight.

    ¡®What the hell is going on here.¡¯

    I couldn¡¯t help but let out an expletive. I was still too confused to understand anything. I blinked a few times, then shifted my gaze.

    The seed of the World Tree, which I had ced on the desk, was nowhere to be seen.

    There were brown crumbs scattered across the bed.

    Looking at the sprout on the child¡¯s head, I could guess where it came from, but there was no longer any trace of it¡­

    ¡°Ugh.¡±

    As I was processing this, the child suddenly burped. I jumped at the sound and stared at the child.

    Upon closer inspection, I noticed brown crumbs around their mouth, as if they had eaten some kind of snack.

    At that moment, I quickly came to a conclusion. The circumstances pointed to this.

    Like the story of King Hyeokgeose¡¯s birth, this child must have been born from the seed of the World Tree, and either ate the seed while being born or ate it aftering out.

    What strong teeth and gums this child must have! I heard Luminous¡¯s steel was harder than regr steel, but this child ate it all¡­ one bite, and it¡¯d be over.

    Thinking this, I gently wiped the crumbs from the child¡¯s mouth. I just felt like I needed to do something.

    ¡°Uhh.¡±

    The child epted my touch without any resistance.

    The translucent wings on their back pped weakly.

    What is this child¡¯s identity? Why do they have wings and a sprout on their head?

    It¡¯s too early to call them an angel because of the sprout. If they had a halo like in the literature, I would have been shocked.

    ¡°Hey there¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    I cautiously called out, and the child blinked before babbling.

    They looked exactly like a three-year-old.

    And a girl, too. I could tell just by looking at her features.

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    ¡°Did youe from the seed that Lord Hirt gave us?¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    The child only babbled in response. I scratched my head in frustration and looked back behind me.

    It seemed like Arwen hadn¡¯t noticed yet, or maybe she was still recovering fromst night, because she was deep in her sleep.

    If it were any other situation, I might have left her alone. But now, I needed to wake her up.

    ¡°Arwen.¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    ¡°Arwen, wake up for a second.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    I gently shook her awake, and just like I did, she squeezed her eyes shut before slowly opening them.

    Her beautiful silver eyes gradually became visible, and she rubbed them with both hands.

    I waited quietly with the child until she fully woke up. The child stayed quiet too.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    <em>Swish¡ª</em>

    Arwen pulled the nket up to her chest as she got up, her bare skin making me feel a bit light-headed.

    ¡°Yawn¡­¡±

    After a big yawn, she stretched and opened her eyes, still groggy.

    Despite being half-asleep, she saw both me and the child reflected in her eyes like a mirror.

    She blinked and alternated nces between the child and me.

    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±

    As expected, she reacted with disbelief.

    ¡°When did we have a child?¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    She said somethingpletely unexpected.

    ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï

    It took Arwen a little while to get a handle on the situation.

    She hadn¡¯t woken up on her own; I had to forcibly wake her, so she couldn¡¯t tell whether she was dreaming or awake.

    She even seemed to think it was still a dream, as she tightly hugged the child and gently stroked their head.

    The child, without any resistance, snuggled up to Arwen.

    On top of that, the child even rubbed their face against Arwen¡¯s chest.

    ¡°W-who is this child? And what¡¯s with the wings on their back¡­?¡±

    Of course, the moment she realized it wasn¡¯t a dream but reality, she was horrified.

    Especially when she saw the translucent wings on her back, her reaction was priceless.

    She rubbed her eyes several times, as though trying to confirm what she was seeing.

    To be honest, I had kept myposure, but Arwen¡¯s response was more of the usual.

    Because angels are like demons¡ªbeings that only appear in legends.

    There¡¯s practically no record of angels appearing on Earth before the Demon War.

    But here, a little angel who looked just like her husband was lying in the bed.

    And, on top of that, it had a little sprout growing from its head.

    ¡°Paaa!¡±

    Ignoring that, the child tugged at Arwen¡¯s nket.

    If they managed to pull it off, Arwen¡¯s naked body would be fully exposed.

    Arwen, knowing this, was doing everything she could to stop the child.

    But, to my surprise, the child had an incredible amount of strength for someone so small, and Arwen was being pushed back.

    ¡°What kind of strength is this?! Let go, now!¡±

    ¡°Paaa!¡±

    The child had a rebellious streak, it seemed.

    As soon as Arwen started panicking, the child started pulling with even more force.

    I figured we wouldn¡¯t get anywhere if this kept up, so I decided to step in and help Arwen.

    First, I slipped my hands under the child¡¯s armpits and gently lifted them.

    At that, the child let go of the nket and looked up at me.

    ¡°You can¡¯t do that. Arwen doesn¡¯t like it.¡±

    ¡°Uung?¡±

    I wasn¡¯t sure if the child understood, or just couldn¡¯t hear me, but they tilted their head.

    The sprout on their head shook slightly.

    I sat the child down between my legs and gently stroked their head.

    Their hair was far softer and shinier than mine, and it even sparkled as if sprinkled with golden dust.

    For a moment, I thought this might be an angel from the legends.

    ¡°Amnyamnyam.¡±

    The child, who had been enjoying my petting, now began chewing on my long hair.

    They must have been hungry, but stopping them was the priority.

    ¡°Ah, no. You can¡¯t eat my hair. Come on, spit it out.¡±

    ¡°Uum?¡±

    ¡°Spit it out quickly.¡±

    As I tugged on the hair the child had in their mouth, they obediently opened their mouth.

    And then, I was left speechless.

    As if it had been done by a sharp tool like scissors or a knife, chunks of my hair were cleanly cut off.

    Normally, it would be impossible to cut hair without scissors, but this child had managed to do it with just their teeth.

    What in the world is this child?

    With the wings, they seem like some sort of angel, but the sprout on their head says otherwise.

    And then there¡¯s the other thing.

    ¡®What am I supposed to do with this?¡¯

    Setting aside the mystery of their identity, how am I supposed to deal with this child? That¡¯s the real dilemma.

    If I stand side by side with them, anyone would assume we¡¯re father and child.

    The red hair, the golden eyes. It would be impossible to believe we weren¡¯t family.

    Their ears are pointy like an elf¡¯s, there¡¯s a sprout growing from their head, and they have translucent wings¡ªbut I suppose that doesn¡¯t matter.

    They resemble me so much that anyone would think it¡¯s my child.

    Honestly, even just the pointed ears would make people think they¡¯re an elf¡¯s¡­

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡±

    An elf is standing right in front of me.

    Moreover, elves are widely known to be descendants of angels.

    If, by some chance, this child inherited that bloodline, then the translucent wings make sense.

    The sprout¡­ well, that might be from the World Tree¡¯s seed. That makes sense, in a way.

    Anyway, this much is clear.

    The child¡¯s parents are likely Arwen and me.

    But I have no idea where, when, or how we passed on our gic information.

    ¡°¡­Hey?¡±

    ¡°Uung?¡±

    ¡°Do you know who your mom is?¡±

    The child didn¡¯t seem to understand, but I asked anyway.

    At my question, the child blinked their golden eyes and turned to look at Arwen, then pointed at her with a tiny hand and cheerfully said:

    ¡°Mamma!¡±

    ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°Mamma!¡±

    Despite being freshly born, the child is already calling Arwen ¡°mamma.¡±

    While Arwen was still stunned, I moved on to the next question.

    This one was a bit unnecessary, though, since, no matter how you look at it, the child looks just like me.

    ¡°¡­Then, who¡¯s your dad?¡±

    ¡°Appa!¡±

    The moment I asked, without any hesitation, the child pointed directly at me.

    I nodded, as I had expected.

    I was nning on going to the temple to find out what exactly was going on, but one thing was certain.

    ¡®This is a mess.¡¯

    If I showed this to Mari, I could already imagine the situation that would unfold.

    ¡®This is really a mess.¡¯

    I could see it clearly, but honestly, I felt a little wronged, too.

    This was the gods¡¯ doing, making things soplicated for me.

    Iughed to myself quietly as I patted the child¡¯s head. I guess I¡¯d have to sort things out and try to convince Arwen slowly.

    Even though it¡¯s still a mess.

    ¡°So¡­ so¡­¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°So bad?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Somehow, it feels like things are even worse now.

 Chapter 357: Spirituality (2)

    Chapter 357: Spirituality (2)

    Leaving the child, who could read even my innermost thoughts, behind, I quickly grabbed my clothes and rushed to the temple.

    For now, I entrusted the child to Arwen.

    This might take a while, but figuring out the child¡¯s identity was the priority.

    The fact that the child resembled both Arwen and me was troubling, but the wings on their back were the most pressing issue.

    If this were revealed to people unprepared, the impact would be catastrophic.

    Unlike demons, angels were only known to exist through records and were now considered an extinct race.

    It¡¯s a widely known myth that their descendants are elves.

    But suddenly, an existence with angelic wings appears? And it¡¯s a child who resembles both me and Arwen?

    The very presence of such a being would cause upheaval, andbined with everything else, it could be a disaster.Even setting aside the fact that Marie might half-kill me, we needed to clearly understand what the child was.

    [If we¡¯re talking about their race, they are indeed an angel.]

    When I asked Luminous, the answer was clear: an angel.

    Hearing this, I let out a hollowugh, overwhelmed by the implications.

    Honestly, the moment I saw the translucent wings on their back, I had a hunch they were an angel. But then, what was the sprout on their head?

    As cute as it was, calling it a mere decoration didn¡¯t feel right. It wasn¡¯t some half-animal, half-nt hybrid either.

    [This will require some exnation. Do you know how angels are born?]

    ¡°Um¡­ no.¡±

    Even I, someone who reads a lot, only vaguely understood the origins of angels.

    Some say they are directly created by gods, while others im they are born naturally.

    Because so little is known about angelspared to demons, various theories exist.

    [Angels are beings born from immense divinity. Since they must assist us gods, they are born with strong divine power from the start.]

    ¡°I find it hard to understand. Are they just born, unlike humans?¡±

    [To exin further, divinity serves as a kind of seed. Angels are born from that seed.]

    I nodded at this exnation, but my doubts only deepened.

    If angels are beings born from the divinity of gods, why are there no angels now?

    The idea that angels broke their own wings and descended to be elves is categorized as a ¡°myth,¡± meaning it happened eons ago.

    Moreover, during the Demon War, there wasn¡¯t even a trace of angels, let alone their help.

    We barely managed to defeat the demons by borrowing the power of the World Tree.

    Looking at all this, the conclusion is clear: the current godsck the power to create angels.

    Why? Why can¡¯t the gods create angels anymore?

    Was it to honor the angels who broke their wings to atone for their sins? Thatcks usibility.

    No matter the reason, the gods would have prepared some form of insurance when the Demon War erupted.

    ording to records, each angel was immensely powerful.

    Then¡­

    [That child, therefore, was born through a kind of shortcut. Over 3,000 years, the divinity concentrated within the World Tree was transformed into a seed with the help of your mother.

    That¡¯s why the sprout atop their head exists. It¡¯s more urate to call the child a ¡®divine being¡¯ than an angel.]

    As my thoughts spiraled, Luminous spoke urgently, breaking through my musings.

    This brought my focus back to the child¡¯s circumstances.

    ¡®So, are they an angel or not?¡¯

    [It¡¯s like they¡¯re not a pureblood, if we¡¯reparing to humanity. But since they were born from divinity, they are undeniably a transcendent being. Strictly speaking, it¡¯s more urate to call them a child of the World Tree.]

    ¡®They look just like me, though?¡¯

    [Do you know what¡¯s needed for a seed to sprout?]

    ¡®¡­..¡¯

    Of course. Water, soil, and plenty of nutrients.

    [Because you were blessed by your mother, nutrients and soil were unnecessary. Just being near you provided the nutrients needed.]

    ¡°Then what about water?¡±

    [Wateres from your body and the child¡¯s.]

    Oh, my goodness.

    Hearing this, I felt faint.

    Even if water was necessary, replenishing it like that makes me feel incredibly sorry for the child.

    Hygiene aside, it¡¯s just¡­ apologetic.

    But at the same time, it makes sense.

    There¡¯s no liquid more effective for embedding definitive gic information than something like that.

    Perhaps that¡¯s why they look so much like me. Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t add up.

    ¡®Is this simr to Aphrodite¡­?¡¯

    Everyone knows the story of Aphrodite¡¯s birth from Greek and Roman mythology.

    At Gaia¡¯smand, Cronus severed Uranus¡¯s genitals, and the blood fell into the sea.

    Foam arose in the blood-sttered sea, and from that foam emerged Aphrodite.

    With simr myths existing elsewhere, it¡¯s not entirely iprehensible¡ªjust a bit unsettling when I think of the child.

    ¡®¡­What if I had nted the seed in the ground instead?¡¯

    [It would¡¯ve grown into an ordinary sacred tree like the World Tree.]

    ¡®If that¡¯s all, why didn¡¯t you tell me beforehand?¡¯

    [Whether a sacred tree grows in your domain or an angel is born as now, both would split the world¡¯s trajectory in two.]

    ¡®Ah.¡¯

    I understood immediately.

    The difference between the two oues was so vast I couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine it.

    So, this is what they meant by divine secrets.

    As I nodded in agreement, I asked Luminous another question.

    Now that the mystery of the heavens was solved, the issue was how to treat the child.

    One thing is clear: their teeth are strong enough to chew through a seed of the World Tree.

    Plus, their strength is immense, despite being a newborn.

    Just thinking about it is daunting.

    Suddenly finding myself raising a child at this level, what can I do?

    But this is a gift from Hirt, so I must embrace it with love. Even if Marie ends up killing me for it.

    As Iughed wryly, imagining the tidal wave of troubles ahead, a thought struck me.

    ¡®So, does this mean Jin can¡¯t reincarnate as a transcendent?¡¯

    The World Tree from <em>The Chronicles of Zeno</em>n exploded gloriously thanks to the elves¡¯ heroic sacrifices, so Jin¡¯s reincarnation as a transcendent seems impossible.

    Of course, if Jin reincarnates as a mortal, it doesn¡¯t matter.

    By the way, Kair will return like that and reunite with Elisha.

    That might need slight adjustments, too.

    Also, since divine power extends lifespans, including Lily in this seems reasonable.

    ¡®To wait decades for a lover to be reborn¡­!¡¯

    It¡¯s not bad. But as I mentioned before, this is a kind of insurance.

    First, I n to go with the storyline where the great demon¡¯s soul merges and has no choice but to perish.

    I thought this to myself and returned to the main topic.

    The main topic being, of course, the treatment of the child.

    ¡®Is there anything I should be careful about?¡¯

    [Not particrly¡­ but as you know, the child is inherently very strong, so you¡¯ll need to be cautious.]

    ¡®I already figured as much. What about anything else?¡¯

    [It¡¯s fine to raise the child as a normal one.]

    I asked because I didn¡¯t know.

    Suddenly having a child when I wasn¡¯t even prepared for it is awkward in many ways.

    If I leave this to my parents, it would be the ultimate burden. What¡¯s worse, the child sees me and Arwen as their parents.

    At first, I considered leaving the child with my parents, but I quickly discarded the idea when I realized I wasn¡¯t ready for such a responsibility.

    It¡¯s a ridiculous situation, but since this is a gift from the goddess of nature, there¡¯s no way to argue. I¡¯ll just ept it quietly.

    [From now on, give the child lots of love and care. It will definitely be a great help to you and those you love.]n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    ¡®Of course, I will. By the way, I think the child has telepathy. Is that something all transcendent beings have?¡¯

    [You¡¯ll understand if you see how we can read others¡¯ minds. The child also has various abilities, but they likely have a ¡®power¡¯ simr to yours. They can gain affection from animals and even make nts grow rapidly.]

    I nodded as I listened to the child¡¯s potential. Even if they¡¯re a hybrid and not pure-blooded, it seems they are born with the power.

    The immediate concern is whether to announce the child¡¯s existence or hide it until the end. Once the identity is revealed, all sorts of troubles wille.

    But if I leave it to Arwen, my conscience won¡¯t allow it, and I¡¯m bound to feel troubled.

    ¡®Let¡¯s return to the dorm first. And then¡­ I need to prepare for getting beaten up by Mari.¡¯ I sighed deeply, overwhelmed by the situation.

    She¡¯s the one who would lose her mind the most in this situation. After all, I had made the sacrifice of sending my beloved man away, only to return with a child?

    It would be hard to avoid a deration of divorce, even if she did lose her mind. This is, at best, the worst scenario, but it¡¯s notpletely impossible.

    [Sorry, your mother must have given you the gift with the intention of loving you¡­]

    ¡®It¡¯s okay. Mari will understand.¡¯

    She¡¯ll probably understand with her mind. But her heart will be a different story.

    As I was nning the future little by little, I was about to cut offmunication with Luminous when a thought suddenly popped into my head.

    Since the topic of angels came up, I wondered about something.

    ¡®Luminous. You and Mora are both the biological children of Hirt, right?¡¯

    [Hmm? Y-yes.]

    ¡®And angels are not biological children but beings born through faith.¡¯

    [¡­That¡¯s right.]

    ¡®Then, you two are¡­!¡¯

    I tried to ask but stopped halfway, narrowing my brow.

    What was I about to ask again?

    Everyone has had moments where they forget what they were about to say. This tends to happen especially when I search the inte in my past life.

    That¡¯s exactly how I felt now. There was definitely something I was going to ask, but I couldn¡¯t remember.

    It felt like my entire memory of it had disappeared. It even gave me a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu.

    [Hey?]

    ¡®¡­Never mind. I¡¯ll askter. Sorry.¡¯

    [Do you have any other questions?] Okay.

    ¡®Yes.¡¯

    Themunication with Luminous ended there. I pressed the ufortable feeling deep down in my heart and returned to my chamber.

    And when I returned to my room, what I saw was¡­

    ¡°Whoooosh~!¡±

    ¡°Kyaaahahaha!¡±

    Arwen had the child floating in the air with magic, and the child was pping their wings, flying joyfully.

    Both of them had bright smiles on their faces, clearly having a great time.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re back?¡±

    Arwen greeted me warmly as I entered. I smiled at her, who looked so happy.

    Honestly, I knew I¡¯d be dragged around by the child, but the oue waspletely the opposite.

    She then canceled the magic and gently set the child on the soft bed.

    The child, noticing me, blinked their golden eyes cutely before smiling brightly.

    ¡°Appa!¡±

    The child called out and, with determination, climbed off the bed. I told her to be careful and slowly approached.

    The cute child had alreadypletely recognized me as their father.

    Although I had unexpectedly taken on this role, as Luminous had said, raising them with love would be the way to go.

    Moreover, Luminous had prophesied that this child would be a great help to me and those around me, so they wouldn¡¯t be a burden.

    The child was running toward me with a transparent pair of wings pping behind them, clearly fond of me.

    I bent my waist slightly and opened my arms. I couldn¡¯t resist the child¡¯s cuteness.

    But at that moment, I had no idea how strong the child¡¯s transcendent powers were.

    It was foolish to hope that a newly born child would be able to control their strength.

    Jump!

    The child lightly jumped and shot toward me like an arrow.

    Boom!

    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±

    A pain that I couldn¡¯t describe began to rise from below, and that¡¯s when I realized what had happened.

 Chapter 358: Spirituality (3)

    Chapter 358: Spirituality (3)

    The greatest pain a person can experience is, first, burns, and second, cuts.

    From the third ce onward, the ranking varies, but most people tend to prioritize the pain of childbirth, and after that, it differs depending on the statistics.

    However, when a man is hit in the testicles, the pain definitely ranks within the top 10. If we limit it to just men, it would definitely be in the top three.

    Even though they are exposed outside, testicles are still organs. If an organ is directly struck, the pain is beyond words.

    Sometimes, there may be people who are fine after getting hit in the testicles, but those people aren¡¯t trained¡ªthey are just ustomed to pain.

    Anyway, if an ordinary person gets hit properly, they will be incapable of moving for about five minutes, and in severe cases, they might end up as the famous figure in that viral clip.

    Even just flicking with a finger can send a horrible pain surging, so what would happen if a stronger shock came?

    It¡¯s not just awful pain; the stars would start spinning in front of your eyes. What¡¯s worse, this pain doesn¡¯te instantly; it slowly creeps up on you.

    That means you shouldn¡¯t rely on luck, like fainting. In other words, you need to feel the waves of pain that gradually build up.¡°Are, are you okay now?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I couldn¡¯t even respond to Arwen¡¯s concerned question. Right now, I was in a state where I couldn¡¯t even scream.

    Cold sweat streamed down, and saliva dripped from my open mouth onto the floor.

    I tried to wrap my arms around my stomach to alleviate the pain, but it didn¡¯t help at all.

    If I had topare, it felt like someone had stabbed a knife into my belly and was twisting it around.

    ¡°Appa?¡±

    A cute child¡¯s voice clearly pierced my ears. The one responsible for me experiencing this pain.

    I quickly processed that thought and barely lifted my head.

    The pain was still there, but I wanted to at least see the child¡¯s face.

    As soon as I lifted my head, I saw two pairs of eyes looking at me. One pair had silver-gray pupils, and the other had golden eyes.

    The silver-gray eyes were filled with deep emotion, while the golden eyes were sparkling with innocence.

    It seemed like the child didn¡¯t even realize what they had done wrong. Well, I suppose that¡¯s to be expected.

    I wanted to smile for their sake, but the pain was so intense that I lowered my head again.

    I couldn¡¯t even get to the bed. I would have to wait like this, holding my stomach for a while.

    ¡°Hu¡­¡±

    About five minutes had passed. I let out a deep breath as the pain gradually eased.

    Thankfully, the impact wasn¡¯t as concentrated as a baseball; otherwise, I would never have been able to have children again.

    I wiped off the cold sweat that had dripped like rain during that short time and lifted my head.

    I looked up and saw Arwen and the child¡¯s faces. I smiled weakly and tried to act like I was fine.

    ¡°¡­I think I¡¯m okay now.¡±

    ¡°Really? If it still hurts, we should call a doctor or a priest¡­¡±

    ¡°No, really, I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°If your testicle burst, we would¡¯ve called for a doctor or a priest right away. But I checked, and my precious testicles are perfectly fine.¡±

    Besides, I had just been talking to Luminous, who would have warned me if something was wrong. The gods would care about my offspring as well.

    I wiped my forehead, which was drenched in cold sweat, again and looked at the child.

    The child, who had just been born, looked sad, as if they understood their mistake.

    Moreover, the little sprout that had been standing up was now drooping. It seemed that, like F¡¯s ears, this sprout expressed emotions.

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh.¡±

    ¡°From now on, when you run, try to run slowly. And don¡¯t jump on people like you did to your daddy. Understand?¡±

    ¡°Uh?¡±

    The child tilted their head and blinked at my words. I stared nkly at that reaction and then chuckled weakly.

    Now that I think about it, the child was so new that it made more sense they didn¡¯t understand than that they did.

    I made a mental note to exin things gradually when I had the chance, then pushed myself up with some effort.

    Though my abdomen still ached like it had been stabbed, it wasn¡¯t to the point I couldn¡¯t bear it.

    ¡°Uht-cha.¡±

    ¡°Uh?¡±

    I lifted the child into my arms and adjusted my posture so she could lean on me.

    I met the child¡¯s golden eyes, which were wide and bright. She blinked at me, staring back.

    How could such a cute being exist? Her wings were adorable, but the little sprout on top of her head was especially charming.

    ¡®But what should I name her?¡¯

    Putting the treatment aside, I needed to figure out the most important thing¡ªthe name. I couldn¡¯t keep calling her ¡°the child¡± forever.

    It seemed that the child picked up on my thoughts, as she blinked a few times and then cheerfully shouted:

    ¡°Name?¡±

    ¡°Yes, a name. We¡¯re going to choose your name now.¡±

    ¡°Name!¡±

    It was clear she didn¡¯t know what ¡°name¡± meant, but I couldn¡¯t help butugh at the adorable response.

    I looked at Arwen.

    When our eyes met, she gave a helpless smile, perhaps agreeing with the idea of choosing a name.

    ¡°Do you have a good name?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Arwen didn¡¯t respond immediately, looking awkward. At first, I thought she might be embarrassed to suggest a cheesy name.

    ¡°Baby?¡±

    ¡°Uh?¡±

    Just then, the child spoke with a puzzled tone. Both Arwen and I looked at her immediately after hearing that.

    Her little sprout was standing up straight, and her eyes were sparkling as she stared at Arwen.

    Then, the child put her thumb in her mouth, sucking on it, and clearly said one word at a time.

    ¡°Issac.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s your daddy¡¯s name¡­¡±

    ¡°Me and Isaac. Baby. Name?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    As everyone knows, the child has telepathy.

    As soon as she read my thoughts, she blurted out those words in her awkward speech.

    In other words, she had read Arwen¡¯s thoughts and repeated what she had been thinking.

    After processing that, I began to slowly piece together the words the child had said.

    ¡®Name of the baby born between me and Isaac¡­?¡¯

    This is just my guess, but it seemed like Arwen had already decided on a name in advance.

    Here I was, holding this child who had been born from the pain in my abdomen, and already, she was picking a name for the second generation.

    It hadn¡¯t even been a week since the first night, but here we were, deciding on a name for our child. It was such an Arwen-like thing to do.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Of course, when she realized that her thoughts had been fully exposed, her face turned bright red.

    I smiled weakly as I watched Arwen, her face burning like a sunset. She must have been so embarrassed.

    And before long, her feelings were reflected in her actions.

    She threw herself toward the bed, looking like she was about to cry, hiding her face in the pillow.

    Whenever Arwen felt embarrassed, she would react this way¡ªburying her face in the pillow to avoid showing her face.

    ¡°Er¡­ Er¡­ El¡­¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°El¡­ Risha! Elisha!¡±

    That¡¯s the name of the Elf Queen from the Zenon Chronicles, right? Could it be that they were thinking of naming the child Elisha?

    I immediately turned to look at the bed, where Arwen was iling around like a freshly caught fish.

    Her legs were kicking wildly as if to express her feelings.

    All her hidden emotions were now exposed.

    She probably wanted to hide in a mouse hole right about now.

    During the grand confrontation with Cecilyst time, herments about Elf-stylemunism were extreme, but this time, her own desires were on full disy.

    ¡°Am I crazy¡­ I want¡­ to die?¡±

    ¡°Heh.¡±

    She kept reading. After lightly scolding the child, I walked over to Arwen.

    I needed to calm her down quickly, for the sake of the child¡¯s emotions.

    ¡°Arwen.¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    ¡°The name we give our child will be just that, so don¡¯t worry. Let¡¯s focus on naming the child first.¡±

    Even though the name hadn¡¯t been decided by Mary, if Arwen was set on one, it would be a death sentence if anyone found out.

    Arwen, finally calming down thanks to myforting words, stopped wriggling around like a fish.

    She turned her face towards me and the child, her ears turning bright red¡ªshe must have been terribly embarrassed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone.¡±

    ¡°If you do, I¡¯ll die.¡±

    ¡°Appa, huh?¡±

    ¡°Not right now.¡±

    But soon enough, I¡¯d probably be dead. I held back the rest of my words and gently ced the child on the bed.

    She was surprisingly calm, and it was a relief. At least she wasn¡¯t a hyperactive little potato-head like some toddlers. If her personality had been that way, it would¡¯ve been hell.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ what name would suit you?¡±

    I stared at the child, deep in thought. Arwen also cautiously raised her body.

    Meanwhile, the child continued to look at both of us alternately with her signature nk expression.

    The translucent wings on her back fluttered slightly, and the small sprout on top of her head remained firmly upright.

    Her appearance was so unique that choosing a name was proving difficult.

    While Zenon Chronicles is fictional and I could name her however I liked, this situation required more care.

    Since she was a girl, I was sure we¡¯d choose a girl¡¯s name. However, finding the right one for this child was far from easy.

    ¡°Uhm¡­¡±

    ¡°Heave-ho.¡±

    While I was deep in thought, the child suddenly stood up on her own two feet.

    Seeing that, I had no choice but to pause my thinking. I was concerned it might be something odd, so I kept an eye on her.

    She then walked over to me on her two legs¡­

    ¡°Appa.¡±

    She immediately snuggled into my arms.

    I blinked, surprised at the suddenness, before wrapping my arms around her.

    ¡°Hehe.¡±

    The child giggled happily as soon as I embraced her. She rubbed her face against my chest, clearly enjoying the warmth of my embrace.

    I smiled at her, feeling overwhelmingly affectionate. It was almost maddening how adorable she was.

    As the gods had said, I¡¯d raise her with love, but it was clear she would be loved no matter what, even without me.

    ¡°¡­Ariel.¡±

    ¡°Uhm?¡±

    ¡°Ariel seems like the best name.¡±

    In my past life, there was a famous angel known as Ariel, one of the seven archangels.

    Though she wasn¡¯t part of that group, Ariel herself was a powerful being.

    What symbolized her was nature. She was an angel who particrly loved animals and nature.

    Since the child was born from the World Tree¡¯s seed, I felt this name would be the most fitting.

    I looked at her again, those radiant golden eyes glowing brightly.

    ¡°Your name is Ariel, okay?¡±

    ¡°Ariel?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Ariel.¡±

    ¡°Ariel!¡±

    The child seemed to like it, shouting her name with energy. Just as I smiled with contentment¡­

    <em>sh!</em>

    The translucent wings on Ariel¡¯s back suddenly flickered with light, and a change urred.

    I widened my eyes and watched the wings closely.

    They had been wrapped in white light, but it gradually faded. And then, I realized what had happened.

    What had once been translucent wings was now more distinct, with colors that were noticeably brighter.

    It seemed that, by giving her a name, she had established her true identity.

    Though the sprout on her head was still there.

    ¡®Maybe the sprout will grow as her body develops?¡¯

    I watched Ariel, who now seemed closer to an angel than before, and patted her head in silence.

    Whether she was an angel or not, I would raise her with all my love.

    That wouldn¡¯t change.

    I might get a bit scolded by Mary, but I was willing to bear it. If it came from Hirth, she¡¯d probably ept it, though reluctantly.

    ¡°Ariel.¡±

    ¡°Uhm?¡±

    ¡°My name is Isaac. Isaac.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ Saac?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Appa!¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Just call me ¡®Appa.¡¯ It¡¯s easier.¡±

    I smiled softly and turned the child in my arms so she was facing Arwen.

    ¡°The elf¡¯s name in front is Arwen. Do you know who she is?¡±

    ¡°Mamma!¡±

    ¡°Yeah. You can call her that too.¡±

    ¡°Uhm¡­¡±

    As soon as Arwen responded, Ariel stared at her intently. The sprout on her head even leaned slightly towards Arwen.

    It seemed like she could read her emotions. What exactly was Arwen thinking?

    ¡°Dead?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±

    ¡°Fuck. What should we do?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    It seems like you¡¯re only bringing up the bad things.

 Chapter 359: Spirituality (4)

    Chapter 359: Spirituality (4)

    Now that I¡¯ve even given her a name, the remaining task is to make sure Ariel is clearly understood and given basic training until it¡¯s time to return.

    What I know about Ariel so far is that she¡¯s a mixed-blood angel, not pure-blood.

    She can read minds, and she recognizes Arwen and me as her parents.

    Aside from that, she seems to be around 4-5 years old, and she¡¯s so cute that it almost hurts my heart.

    Every time she says ¡°Appa!¡± in her baby voice, my heart aches.

    Is this what it¡¯s like when Lily grows up and calls me ¡°Oppa¡±?

    ¡®By the way, what should we do about Lily?¡¯

    I looked at Ariel, who was receiving instruction from Arwen.

    Arwen was teaching her one word at a time, and Ariel was repeating them.Ariel recognizes me as her father and Lily as her younger sister.

    Last time, Marie jokingly said that if she were to get pregnant, the family tree might get messed up.

    That unexpected situation hade to pass, so it was no surprise that things felt awkward.

    I don¡¯t know how Ariel will grow up, but ording to the family tree, she would be her niece.

    ¡°Repeat after me. I went to the sea.¡±

    ¡°I, went, to the, sea.¡±

    ¡°The sea was blue.¡±

    ¡°The sea, was, blue¡­¡±

    ¡°Good job. Our Ariel.¡±

    Meanwhile, Ariel was gradually picking up thenguage of this world.

    Since she¡¯s a descendant of angels, a race often depicted in myths, it didn¡¯t even take her 30 minutes to learn how to speak.

    Now, she just needs to learn words for identifying objects.

    Even that, she¡¯s absorbing at an incredible rate, like a sponge soaking up water.

    When the learner is brilliant, the teacher feels proud, and Arwen was genuinely pleased by Ariel¡¯s amazing ability to learn.

    ¡°Who does our Ariel take after to be so smart?¡±

    ¡°Appa!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think you should say ¡®Mom¡¯ instead?¡±

    ¡°Appa!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Sometimes, it scratched at my heart, but seeing Ariel¡¯s bright answers, Arwen quickly grew gloomy.

    Arwen, who had remained unshaken despite all the pressure from the council, seemed to have her mental state shattered like fragile ss by that one response.

    ¡°Umm¡­ is Ariel a bad child?¡±

    ¡°Uh, yes?¡±

    ¡°Did Mommy get mad?¡±

    ¡°No, no! Mommy¡¯s not mad.¡±

    Here, I need to be careful of her mind-reading abilities.

    Unintentionally revealing my thoughts, I have to be cautious even with what I think.

    Iy on the bed, quietly watching the mother and daughter ying together, and I slowly approached.

    Though education was important, I wondered if it would be best to solve the most pressing issue first.

    ¡°Ariel?¡±

    ¡°Appa!¡±

    As soon as I called her name, Ariel jumped up and flew toward me.

    Again, she didn¡¯t run but flew, pping her wings.

    The wings were not just for decoration.

    Though they were small and didn¡¯t seem to be able to carry her, this was a fantasy world, so I didn¡¯t think too much about it.

    I gently hugged Ariel and smiled softly before speaking.

    ¡°Have you been learning well from Mommy?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°What words did you learn today?¡±

    ¡°With Mommy and Appa, and¡­ red, yellow, blue¡­¡±

    Ariel pointed to each word she learned, one by one, with her little fingers.

    It was so adorable that words couldn¡¯t even capture how precious she looked.

    Even though she wasn¡¯t my biological child, the resemnce to me made me feel paternal affection without even trying.

    Moreover, the unique auraing from Ariel made my heart soften.

    ¡°Appa. Appa.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡±

    I looked at her as she said she was hungry.

    Ariel put her hand on her stomach to indicate where she felt it.

    Ariel is an angel, but since she¡¯s a hybrid, she has basic human needs.

    She needs to sleep at night and eat when it¡¯s time.

    While Arwen could ask a servant to prepare meals, the real issue is sleep.

    Not the sleep itself, but the timing.

    Newborns usually start sleeping through the night around 50 days, but as you can see, Ariel is closer to 4 or 5 years old.

    She can sleep through the night, but since we¡¯re in the same room, there¡¯s no way for me to get any privacy.

    Wouldn¡¯t using soundproofing magic solve this?

    Surprisingly, when I used soundproof magic, Ariel would wake up immediately.

    As I always mention, elves are descendants of angels, and Ariel is no exception.

    They are naturally sensitive to mana, so even if she falls asleep, any magic used will wake her up right away.

    ¡®First, I should feed her.¡¯

    Hearing her say she was hungry, I looked at the sprout above my head.

    Was she really hungry?

    The sprout, which had been straight up, was now drooping.

    It was very convenient to check Ariel¡¯s condition through the sprout.

    If I¡¯m as hungry as I am now, the stem will droop, and if I¡¯m tired, it¡¯llpletely sag.

    ¡®How long are they going to hang on like that?¡¯

    I looked at Arwen while thinking about the future of the sprout. She understood the meaning of my gaze and nodded before lightly snapping her fingers.

    Snap!

    As soon as Arwen snapped her fingers, a table appeared in the air, set up for a meal.

    Various delicacies were arranged, and they felt warm as if freshly made.

    The queen¡¯s chamber is Arwen¡¯s private space, and even meals are transported through magic.

    Of course, it¡¯s not done every time; usually, they are delivered in person.

    But for our private space, magic is used to transport it.

    ¡®Magic really is great for times like this.¡¯

    There¡¯s no need to worry about poison in the food.

    Again, unless it¡¯s in the queen¡¯s chamber, the eyes of the gods are everywhere.

    The gods are watching closely, so there¡¯s no way to do anything unnecessary.

    If such a thing happened, they would have been punished by divine wrath.

    I licked my lips, looking at the delicious-looking food and slowly walked over.

    Living here, food is second only to Arwen in what I enjoy the most.

    Every time, various dishes were served, making my mouth happy.

    Food from Helium was also impressive, but it was too limited.

    They¡¯ve just begun exchanging with others after being isted for so long, so it¡¯s understandable.

    ¡°Shall Ariel eat too?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Yes!¡±

    Ah, and one more thing.

    ¡°Yum yum yum yum!!¡±

    Ariel really ate well. It wasn¡¯t just eating; she almost inhaled the food.

    Even though I¡¯m working out and can easily eat three servings, it seems like she eats even more than that.

    But I have no intention of stopping her. If a child eats well, what¡¯s wrong with that?

    However, I must give this one serious warning.

    ¡°Ariel.¡±

    ¡°Uh?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t eat with your hands, use utensils. Want to try copying me?¡±

    I had to stop her from eating like a barbarian with her hands.

    Her hands and face were already covered with sauce and various foods, but I was nning to teach her slowly, even now.

    Anyway, Arwen would use magic to clean everything up in no time.

    ¡°Nom nom nom!¡±

    ¡°Eat slowly,¡± I told her.

    Of course, it had no effect.

    It was like handing a stone knife to a barbarian who was already good at hunting.

    Still, seeing her eating so determinedly brought a smile to my face.

    I can now understand how parents feel when they see their child eating. It¡¯s like you get full just by watching.

    ¡®Parents¡­¡¯

    Suddenly, I thought of my parents from my previous life, not the ones from this life.

    The people who taught me the value of family in the most painful way.

    They were just ordinary parents you could find anywhere, so the memories are very clear.

    Even in ackluster environment, they showed me boundless love and devotion without a singleint.

    It was only after my parents passed away in an ident that I truly began to appreciate being born into this world and to have no regrets from my past life.

    I was watching Ariel enjoy her meal without paying attention to anything around her, when I subtly reached out my hand.

    Swish¡ª

    ¡°Uh? Daddy?¡±

    ¡°I told you to eat slowly. You got it all over your face.¡±

    Instead of a napkin, I wiped off the crumbs with my fingers. Afterward, I put them in my own mouth to clean up.

    While Ariel stared at me nkly, I picked up a fork and grabbed some food.

    It was one of the rare mushrooms, a truffle.

    ¡°Do you want to try this? It¡¯s a delicious mushroom.¡±

    ¡°Yum!¡±

    As soon as I offered it, Ariel grabbed it and stuffed it into her mouth.

    She chewed with her mouth full, her cheeks puffed out like a hamster.

    How cute and lovable she was.

    ¡°Is it tasty?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Yummy!¡±

    ¡°Good, good. Then¡­¡±

    I pulled the fork out of Ariel¡¯s mouth. But something was wrong.

    The front part of the fork, which was definitely made of metal, hadpletely disappeared.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    There was a clear bite mark on it, as if she had bitten it exactly.

    I was stunned as I realized what had happened.

    I remember how I had eaten the seed of the World Tree, which was as tough as steel, when I was hungry.

    I quickly nced at Ariel, who was almost finished with her meal, and then saw that she was about to grab more food.

    ¡°Ah~¡±

    Was she unable to reach the food because her arms were too short?

    Ariel grabbed the dish itself with both hands, even stacking it.

    She looked like she was eating a burger, and for a moment, I froze, but quickly regained myposure.

    ¡°Ah? You¡¯re not eating that! Put it down right now!¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s more food here!¡±

    Fortunately, there was no disaster of her eating the dish itself.

    But it reminded me of Leona, who had once chewed on bones.

    Though she only ate the bones, she never thought about eating the whole dish.

    How strong must her teeth be to do that?

    I couldn¡¯t even understand why she would think the dish itself was food.

    Perhaps, being so young, she didn¡¯t know the dish wasn¡¯t food. That seemed the most likely.

    ¡®Still a long way to go¡­¡¯

    I had forgotten that before teaching hernguage, I needed to teach her basicmon sense. Ariel, in terms of age, was like a newborn baby.

    After a turbulent meal time, Arwen moved the table through magic again.

    Ariel, seeming content with the abundant meal, let out a little burp and was enjoying her full stomach.

    ¡°Did you enjoy your meal?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°d to hear that. Now¡­¡±

    What should we do? Ever since Ariel came, my range of actions has been very limited.

    If I take her out, everyone¡¯s attention will definitely be on us, and if we stay inside, it¡¯s too restrictive.

    I¡¯d love to take her out, but I have no idea what kind of effect that would have.

    It would surely cause more of a stir than Zenon¡¯s biography, and I can¡¯t go outfortably.

    On the other hand, leaving Ariel behind while I go out is even worse.

    ¡®I need to trust someone reliable to watch her¡­¡¯

    Just as I was thinking this, a sudden knock sounded at the door.

    Knock knock knock¡ª

    I was startled and looked at the door.

    I wasn¡¯t the only one surprised; Arwen seemed to be thinking the same thing.

    If Ariel¡¯s presence is discovered here, it would cause a massive headache.

    While I was thinking that, the attendant who had knocked quietly spoke.

    ¡°Your Majesty, there are guests who wish to see you and Zenon.¡±

    This voice¡­ is it Keir? I recognized the voice clearly because he was one of the elves I had met often.

    Keir was now Arwen¡¯s bodyguard and secretary, so it was only him who would be knocking on the queen¡¯s chamber door.

    ¡°Guests? As you know, I¡¯m having a pleasant time with Zenon. But guests?¡±

    Arwen answered calmly after a brief moment of panic.

    As she said, they must know we¡¯re having a good time right now.

    But the fact they knocked on the door meant the guests must be important.

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    Ariel mumbled with a babyish lisp. I immediately held her in my arms to prevent any outbursts.

    ¡°Yes. Normally, I would turn them away, but they are people I cannot treat lightly¡­ and they havee out of concern for Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Can you tell me who they are?¡±

    Keir paused for a moment before speaking cautiously.

    ¡°Lady Requilis, Zenon¡¯s fianc¨¦e¡­ and¡­¡±

    I was really shocked.

    ¡°Princess Cecily of Helium.¡±

    I was really shocked.

    ¡°Shocked?¡±

    Yeah. I think Dad is in trouble.

 Chapter 360: Itâ€™s Unfair (1)

    Chapter 360: It¡¯s Unfair (1)

    The reason Marie and Cecily made a surprise visit to Alvenheim isn¡¯t anything extraordinary¡ªit was out of concern for Arwen.

    It wasn¡¯t a lie; they were genuinely worried and came to check on her.

    While they joked about giving Isaac a hard time or that they wouldn¡¯t sleep tonight, their demeanor was quite the opposite.

    Isaac, typicallyposed and mild-mannered, transformspletely when ites to more intimate matters.

    He bes like a wild beast, relentless until the one who initiated things is utterly spent.

    Moreover, Isaac possesses incredible patience and a mischievous streak.

    Along with his deep sense of care and exceptional physical prowess, his approach is always to satisfy his partner first, only tending to his desires afterward.

    This left the women he loved not just content but utterly enraptured to the point of addiction.

    No matter how often it happened, it never got old.Concerned about the toll it might take on their bodies?

    No need¡ªIsaac wields divine power that rivals, or perhaps surpasses, that of a cardinal.

    And the most effective way to channel this divine energy and ¡°vitality¡± is through physical intimacy.

    This is why women connected to him often experience revitalized skin and lustrous hair.

    Far from harming their bodies, the opposite urred.

    Marie, Cecily, and Adelia, in particr, benefited immensely, their beauty flourishing alongside their stamina.

    If their stamina hadn¡¯t improved, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to keep up with Isaac¡¯s vigor.

    Naturally, this is why there¡¯s considerable concern for Arwen.

    Unlike Cecily or Adelia, who are warriors, or Marie, who had aligned with him from the beginning,

    Arwen is more of a mage with frail stamina.

    More worrisome is her petite frame.

    While she has a proportionally wide pelvis, her short stature minimizes its advantage.

    ¡°Do you think they¡¯re still asleep from, you know¡­ all that?¡± Marie mused aloud while waiting for permission to enter.

    It wasn¡¯t entirely a joke¡ªafter all, even Marie and the others had spent several sleepless nights after their first evenings together with Isaac.

    Especially in the honeymoon-like atmosphere, the thrill blurred the lines between day and night.

    ¡°Who knows? The queen might be struggling a bit more than we did. But Keir did say they haven¡¯t left their chambers except for bathing, so it¡¯s possible.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so jealous. When will I get to enjoy my honeymoon?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the most likely to marry first, yet you¡¯reining? You¡¯re teasing me on purpose, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Hehe.¡±

    Marie chuckled at Cecily¡¯s yful jealousy, her mind filled with rosy visions of her future with Isaac.

    She imagined herself in a pristine white wedding dress, greeted by Isaac in a sharp ck tuxedo.

    Their honeymoon would be filled with passion, maybe even leading to the conception of their first child.

    Thoughts of children had never particrly excited Marie before, but after seeing Lily, she changed her mind.

    A child with Isaac¡¯s striking red hair and golden eyes?

    She¡¯d heard daughters often resemble their fathers, and given how much she¡¯spared to her own father, she found the idea quitepelling.

    ¡°How many children should I have? Four, like my maternal family? Naming them will be quite the challenge¡­¡±

    Marie smiled blissfully, lost in thought, while Cecily eyed her with a mix of jealousy and admiration.

    Although Cecily had half-yielded the position of Isaac¡¯s primary spouse to Marie after thest big deration, she hadn¡¯t entirely given up.

    From time to time, she made provocative remarks, hinting that while Marie might marry first, Cecily could very well bear Isaac¡¯s child first.

    ¡°What if an ident happens?¡± Cecily asked suddenly, pulling Marie out of her daydream.

    ¡°Huh? What kind of ident?¡± Marie asked, confused but intrigued. Cecily smirked mischievously before responding in a sultry tone.

    ¡°What if someone other than you has Isaac¡¯s child first¡­ what would you do?¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s unlikely, but with four women involved and the possibility of forgetting to be careful, it could happen¡­¡±

    Marie¡¯s eyes twitched at Cecily¡¯s bold provocation.

    While it was an obvious jab, it also served as a warning.

    After all, there were already four women sharing intimacy with Isaac, including Arwen, and that number could very well increase.

    Moreover, Isaac, while meticulous as a writer, was full of human ws.

    Cecily¡¯s point was simple: could someone like Isaac avoid making a mistake in his rtionships with women?

    ¡°Are you being greedy?¡± Marie managed to keep her temper in check and asked coolly.

    Cecily, however, met her gaze with unflinching honesty.

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m a little greedy. He¡¯s the man I love and the savior of my people. I¡¯ve been ready from the moment he saved us.¡±

    She brushed her hair back elegantly as she spoke, her words revealing her unwavering devotion.

    Marie twitched again but eventually scoffed.

    ¡°Hmph. That¡¯s ridiculous. Let me remind you¡ªIsaac¡¯s first will always be me. Got it?¡±

    ¡°Sure, sure. I was just saying, in case of an ident. You know how crazy this world can be.¡±

    Marie stayed silent, realizing that Cecily¡¯s words, though pessimistic, carried a certain truth. The world was indeed unpredictable.

    You don¡¯t need to go far to understand when you see Cherry and Kate.

    These two are actually quite mild.

    If someone even more intense were to target Isaac, they mightmit something unforgivable as a human.

    ¡®And if, in that situation, a child were born¡­!¡¯ It wouldn¡¯t just harm Isaac but would have a major impact on everyone. That must be prevented at all costs.

    Of course, even that would only be the lesser evil.

    The worst case is none other than Isaac¡¯s death.

    Marie pondered deeply before letting out a smallugh.

    Having considered the worst and the lesser evil, shouldn¡¯t she now think about the opposite?

    ¡°I must do my best to ensure that never happens. The same goes for idents of another kind.¡±

    ¡°idents of another kind? Like breaking up with Isaac, perhaps¡­¡±

    ¡°Are you insane? For whose benefit?¡±

    ¡°Tch.¡±

    Cecily clicked her tongue in disappointment at Marie¡¯s firm response. Seeing that, Marie smirked, raising one corner of her mouth.

    She truly is like a wildcat¡ªpretending to step back but always watching for an opening to pounce on her prey (Isaac).

    ¡°Hm¡­ Still, it¡¯s unsettling. Birth control pills aren¡¯t perfect, after all.¡±

    ¡°Right? Then¡­¡±

    ¡°Should we just put a chastity belt on him?¡±

    ¡°Come to think of it, do they even make chastity belts for men?¡±

    Cecily was left speechless, her mouth hanging open in shock at the outrageous suggestion. How could anyone evene up with such an idea?

    As everyone knows, chastity belts were historically used to prevent a wife from being unfaithful while her husband was at war or to curb a husband¡¯s wandering tendencies.

    Luckily, modern culture has progressed, and such inhumane practices have mostly been abolished, though not entirely eradicated.

    But if anyone would actually try it, it would be Marie. Her jealousy regarding Isaac was immense, to say the least.

    ¡°Why? I¡¯m simply exercising my rightful authority as the primary spouse. If anyone else wants to be with Isaac, they need to get my permission first.¡±

    ¡°And Isaac¡¯s opinion doesn¡¯t matter?¡±

    ¡°Why would I care about the opinion of public property? If he can¡¯t keep his lower half under control, then I have to do it for him.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re joking, right?¡±

    ¡°Am I?¡±

    Marie maintained herposure as she elegantly lifted her teacup, her expression inscrutable.

    Cecily, staring nkly at her, soon let out a dryugh.

    Truly, the goddess of jealousy was present.

    Of course, Marie probably wouldn¡¯t go so far as to actually use a chastity belt. But she would certainlye up with some equivalent solution.

    ¡°Well, if something like that actually happens, I¡¯ll congratte you, even if begrudgingly. But from that day on, all the birth control pills are going straight into the trash.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Can I join in, then?¡±

    ¡°Get lost.¡±

    ¡°Hmph. Fine. Take everything, then.¡±

    Marie chuckled at Cecily¡¯s grumbling. Despite being her greatest rival, Cecily was also a close friend.

    Especially when it came to their feelings for Isaac, they were pure and genuine, without ulterior motives, which earned Marie¡¯s trust.

    The same was true for Adelia.

    As long as their feelings for Isaac were sincere, she was willing to ept any woman.

    At first, she thought she could handle Isaac on her own.

    But over time, she realized how utterly wrong she was.

    ¡®I can¡¯t manage him alone.¡¯

    With the physical strength inherited from Hawk, divine power rivaling that of a pope, and the fiery energy of youth, it was impossible.

    If Isaac were a knight on the battlefield, he would have expended his strength and divine power there. But as a writer, all that energy was spent elsewhere.

    Realizing that handling him alone was an impossibility, Marie began seriously considering her options.

    Even jokingly calling him ¡°public property¡± felt like an understatement¡ªit was like managing a rotation schedule for efficient energy use.

    ¡®I just hope his stamina doesn¡¯t increase even further¡­ I need more time to prepare.¡¯

    Marie was genuinely worried about Isaac¡¯s stamina increasing. Though he hadn¡¯t yet received a ¡°blessing¡± or ¡°grace,¡± it seemed only a matter of time.

    Once that happened, his divine power would increase dramatically, and the effects would be profound.

    ¡®Just thinking about it makes me dizzy. Even Adelia says it¡¯s tough to handle.¡¯

    Cecily could only keep up with Isaac during her ¡°special periods.¡± Outside of those, she was on par with Marie.

    So when Isaac was at his peak, Adelia always had to apany him, as no one else could match her stamina.

    But after training under Hawk, the situation changed.

    His training wasn¡¯t just physicalbat but also mana refinement, adding ¡°software¡± to his already formidable ¡°hardware.¡±

    ¡®Guess I¡¯ll have to rely on Leona.¡¯

    In the end, Leona was her best hope. With her unique beastfolk resilience, she might just be able to handle Isaac.

    As for Arwen? She wasn¡¯t even considered. Among the women, she was arguably the weakest.

    While Marie was contemting the absurdity of the situation, Cecily observed her with pity.

    Even as the primary spouse, the stress didn¡¯t change.

    Isaac had never actively pursued women; they were simply drawn to him.

    ¡®It¡¯s tough, but you chose this, Marie.¡¯

    Cecily sipped her tea, adopting a detached mindset as if watching a fire from across the river.

    Then, a knock at the door interrupted them.

    ¡°Ladies, Her Majesty has granted you entry.¡±

    At those words, Marie and Cecily immediately stood up. Whatever had caused the dy was no longer a concern¡ªthey had a guess.

    ¡°Let¡¯s assess the situation and give some advice to Queen Arwen.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    ¡°Let¡¯s.¡±

    At this point, their intentions were pure as they headed to the Queen¡¯s chambers, enjoying the sights of the Elodia interior along the way.

    But when they arrived¡­

    ¡°Uh¡­ hello?¡±

    ¡°W-Wee.¡±

    They were greeted by a nervous Isaac and Arwen.

    ¡°Mama! Mama!¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±

    ¡°There are so many mamas!¡±

    And standing before them was a small, angelic child who looked just like Isaac.

    Marie¡¯s mind nked out.

    Was this a dream or reality? The only thought in her head was:

    ¡°Holy¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡­Ariel?¡±

    ¡°Papa, what does ¡®holy¡¯ mean?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    That little angel, Ariel, was already repeating Marie¡¯s words.

    Marie barely managed to steady her voice and asked, trembling.

    ¡°What¡­ is this?¡±

    Ariel tilted her head and murmured.

    ¡°Chastity belt?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Chastity belt. Should I really prepare one? Hmm? What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Isaac shivered from head to toe.

 Chapter 361: Itâ€™s Unfair (2)

    Chapter 361: It¡¯s Unfair (2)

    Before we delve into the situation, let¡¯s take a moment to think.

    Here, we have a man and a woman who have found harmony and promised a future together. Their rtionship is steady, unbroken, and thriving in mutual affection.

    However, as time passes, numerous women start approaching the man.

    The woman, facing the ovepping circumstances, has no choice but to ept it reluctantly.

    Despite this, the woman emphasizes that she remains his top priority, and the man respects her by showering her with unwavering love.

    As time goes by, even when the man finds other romantic partners, the woman reaches a point of indifference, simply letting it pass.

    To others, this makes the man appear no better than a shameless jerk, juggling rtionships with over three partners.

    Historically, it wasn¡¯t umon for nobles and kings to have mistresses or concubines, especially kings, who were expected to produce numerous heirs.

    Take Friedrich of the Kingdom of Teres as an example¡ªlet¡¯s consider why he was called a romanticist.Beingbeled a scoundrel varies depending on status and context.

    In any case, it¡¯s fortunate the woman understood the situation.

    If the man had recklessly increased the number of his lovers without consideration, a significant fracture in their rtionship would have been inevitable.

    But that¡¯s not the end.

    What if the man¡¯s child,pletely unknown to the woman, suddenly appeared?

    Worse still, what if this child, not a newborn but around three or four years old, arrived with another woman?

    Needless to say, the man would escte from beingbeled a jerk to being called an utter scoundrel, and the woman¡¯s patience would wear thin.

    ¡°Therefore¡­¡±

    Marie, seated on the bed, pressed her fingers against her furrowed brows as her voice trailed off.

    It seemed she had much to say but struggled to organize her thoughts, leaving her with a headache.

    I stood silently across from her, waiting for her to speak.

    After a long sigh, she extended her index finger and began toy out the situation slowly.

    ¡°So, you went to the World Tree, met Lord Hirt¡¯s incarnation, and received their blessing. Upon receiving the blessing, you found a seed the size of a coconut at the base of the tree, and from that seed, an angel named Ariel was born?¡±

    ¡°Yes, exactly.¡±

    ¡°A child born outside marriage¡­ well, considering she has wings, doubting that would be sphemy.¡±

    If I had a child Ariel¡¯s age, it would mean I became a father at fifteen.

    That doesn¡¯t make sense no matter how you look at it.

    Still, given the era we¡¯re in, it¡¯s not entirely unheard of. People who awaken to their desires too early or receive poor education sometimes end up that way.

    Typically, such a trajectory is associated with scoundrels, but I wasn¡¯t one of them.

    And if it had happened, I¡¯d have taken responsibility from the start.

    In summary, it¡¯s a situation born from the favor¡ªor so-called favor¡ªof the gods.

    ¡°Oooh~ So soft andfy!¡±

    ¡°Do you like it?¡±

    ¡°Yes! It¡¯s softer than a bed!¡±

    Meanwhile, Ariel, the root of all thismotion, was nestled in Cecily¡¯s arms.

    She had practically buried her face in Cecily¡¯s ample bosom, using it as a pillow.

    Cecily, wearing a ck dress that exposed much of her chest, seemed even more voluptuous with Ariel leaning on her.

    She gently stroked Ariel¡¯s head, finding her adorable.

    ¡°Where are you looking? Not over here?¡±

    As a fleeting sense of envy passed through me, Marie¡¯s cold voice pierced my ears.

    Startled, I whipped my head around sharply.

    Her expression showed restraint, though I could tell she had plenty she wanted to say.

    I¡¯d likely feel the same if our roles were reversed.

    ¡°At least it¡¯s a relief¡­ that she¡¯s not another woman¡¯s child.¡±

    ¡°Marie?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. Please, speak.¡±

    Arwen, standing by my side as a sort of aplice, hesitantly broke the silence.

    She cautiously nced at Marie before asking in a small voice,

    ¡°This is purely hypothetical, but if another woman were to bear Isaac¡¯s child¡­ what would you do?¡±

    ¡°Why? Are you nning to make that hypothetical a reality?¡±

    Marie, folding her arms, responded in a sharp tone, her voice brimming with edge and intensity.

    Her presence was somanding that Arwen, the Queen of Alvenheim, flinched visibly and shook her head vigorously in denial.

    Though Marie¡¯s reaction could be seen as rude, Arwen maintained her respectful demeanor, likely understanding Marie¡¯s feelings.

    ¡°Of course not! I¡¯d never do such a thing. I was simply curious. After all, it could happen with someone else¡­¡±

    ¡°For now, there¡¯s no n to separate, so you can rest assured. With a fox eyeing my position at every turn, why would I make it easy for her?¡±

    ¡°Are you referring to me, by any chance?¡±

    ¡°Who else would I mean?¡±

    Unexpectedly targeted, Cecily shrugged nonchntly, as if unbothered by the usation.

    Marie¡¯s expression, however, slightly contorted, her stress evident.

    ¡°Anyway, even if such an event were to ur, I wouldn¡¯t go as far as forcing an abortion or kicking them out. Isaac would be heartbroken, after all.¡±

    ¡°I-I see.¡±

    ¡°But!¡± Marie¡¯s voice sharpened. ¡°Only if the woman involved has reached an agreement, like Queen Arwen here.

    If Isaac were to secretly father a child with someone else, I wouldn¡¯t show any mercy.¡±

    Although the words ¡°That would never happen¡± rose in my throat, I swallowed them back.

    I wasn¡¯t oblivious enough to miss how saying that could make things worse.

    For now, silence was the best response.

    Simultaneously, a sense of guilt welled up within me.

    Marie and I usually got along well, rarely having conflicts.

    The fact that she brought this up showed how much inner turmoil she had endured.

    epting Cecily was already a major decision for her.

    ¡°So, Your Majesty, you can rest easy. Just focus on the matter at hand for now, all right?¡±

    ¡°I appreciate your generosity.¡±

    ¡°As Xenon¡¯s fianc¨¦e, I should have this much magnanimity. And Isaac?¡±

    ¡°Y-yes?¡±

    Marie called my name, and I straightened up, meeting her gaze.

    With her arms crossed and her legs elegantly crossed, she exuded poise and authority.

    Looking at her now, I realized how much she had grown from a lively girl into a mature young woman.

    ¡°When I think about it, this incident isn¡¯t entirely your fault, so I¡¯ll let it slide. It¡¯s not like you could reject a gift from Lord Hirt, could you?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ true.¡±

    ¡°I even considered locking you up with a chastity belt, but on second thought, that¡¯s a bit too much.¡±

    Her lips smiled, but her eyes didn¡¯t. She was lovely even in this prickly state, like a rose with thorns.

    ¡°Honestly, I understand why she feels anxious. There are just too many women around me, and now Ariel has appeared to exacerbate her worries.¡±

    ¡°Still¡­ if I¡¯m being honest, not using protection all week is exhausting. Maybe we should¡¯ve worked out together to build stamina for this¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°And remember this, Isaac. If you ever make another woman pregnant before me, everything I¡¯ve said wille true. Understood?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Oh, by the way, if you¡¯re raped and the woman ends up pregnant, that¡¯s an exception. Like Cecily said, the world is full of crazy people.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s actually a very realistic problem. Not to be sarcastic, but I can immediately think of two people: Cherry and Kate. They¡¯re fanatics, though rtively mild ones.

    And since this world has a fantasy setting, there are plenty of strong women.

    You don¡¯t have to look far¡ªthere¡¯s Nicole, Adelia, and Kate.

    They possess immense strength despite being human, and in Kate¡¯s case, she¡¯s the High Inquisitor.

    Cecily and Arwen are simr.

    Their race is inherently overpowered, so you need to be cautious.

    ¡®Now that I think about it, aside from Marie and Cherry, every woman around me is stronger than me.¡¯

    I¡¯m not sure about Leona, but since she said she¡¯s been trained, she must be strong. Beastfolk have physical capabilities that are just unfair. I need to improve my own strength as quickly as possible so I won¡¯t be a burden to them.

    ¡°Now, the only one left is Ariel.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    Marie turned her head and brought up Ariel. Ariel, hearing her name mentioned, widened her eyes and looked at Marie.

    For a moment, the two¡ªMarie and Ariel¡ªstared at each other. Golden eyes and crystal-clear eyes, like a sereneke, met.

    As a subtle tension filled the air, Ariel was the first to break the silence.

    ¡°Am I cute? Do you want to have a baby like me?¡±

    It seemed Ariel had read Marie¡¯s mind and spoken her thoughts aloud.

    Normally, Marie might have been flustered, but she was too engrossed in staring at Ariel.

    ¡°If they were all like you, I¡¯d be¡­ ha¡­ happy. How many¡­ should I have? Five?¡±

    ¡°Hmm. Hmm.¡±

    Marie coughed awkwardly and looked away, embarrassed that her true feelings had slipped out.

    But once spoken, words couldn¡¯t be taken back.

    Cecily, hearing Marie¡¯s inner thoughts, chuckled and joined the conversation.

    ¡°Five, huh¡­ Times like this, I envy humans. I wish I could have that many too.¡±

    ¡°How many would you want, then?¡±

    ¡°Five sounds good to me, too.¡±

    ¡°And you, Lady Arwen?¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯d say about three¡­¡±

    Does no one care about my opinion?

    Just hearing this conversation makes me feel like I¡¯ve reached enlightenment.

    If I really ended up with that many children, I¡¯d probably go down in history as the man with the most kids ever born.

    It could be seen as an honor (?), but I doubt I¡¯d enjoy it much.

    Childcare aside, my back wouldn¡¯t survive.

    ¡°Anyway, we should be careful on our way back. Can¡¯t you hide it with magic?¡±

    ¡°Ariel is very sensitive to magic. Plus, she has high resistance, so most spells won¡¯t work on her.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Didn¡¯t you make Ariel fly with magicst time?¡±

    That was when we had just returned from speaking with Luminous. Back then, I clearly saw Arwen use magic to make Ariel fly around.

    ¡°That time, I directly asked her not to resist the mana and to ept it.¡±

    ¡°I see. Didn¡¯t she also wake up before the sleep spell even activated?¡±

    Arwen nodded at my question.

    Since Ariel was born, Arwen and I hadn¡¯t been intimate even once at night.

    Marie, noticing this quickly, asked us in a suspicious tone.

    ¡°What? So you haven¡¯t done it even once since the first night?¡±

    ¡°We did on the second night. But then Ariel was born on the third¡­¡±

    ¡°Me?¡±

    Yes, you. Our adorable and precious little angel.

    If anyone¡¯s as frustrated as Marie, it¡¯s Arwen.

    Not only did she almost end up on Marie¡¯s bad side, but her once-happy life was entirely upended by Ariel.

    Still, she couldn¡¯t resent her.

    After all, Ariel was a gift directly from Lord Hirt. Who knows what kind of punishment would follow if she dared to hold a grudge?

    ¡°Hmm. That¡¯s certainly frustrating. But you can¡¯t just leave her behind either.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask. Ariel?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Daddy?¡±

    ¡°Would you be okay without Daddy?¡±

    Ariel tilted her head, the sprout atop her head leaning with her. She didn¡¯t seem to understand my question, so I exined further.

    ¡°Would you be okay not seeing Daddy for a while? Daddy has work to do.¡±

    ¡°What about Mommy?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°What about Mommies?¡±

    Ariel answered in the plural, not the singr.

    Now that I think about it, she¡¯s referred to Marie and Cecily as her mommies since she first met them.

    To confirm, I asked another question.

    ¡°Um¡­ Ariel?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Do you think thisdy is your mommy and thisdy too?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Mommy! Lots of mommies!¡±

    Was she happy to have so many mothers, or was there another reason? Ariel nodded vigorously, her wings pping in excitement.

    But how could she recognize Marie and Cecily as mothers when they weren¡¯t even present at her birth?

    Curious, I asked her step by step.

    ¡°Why do you call them Mommy? Remember the book we read earlier? It said there are other words for people who aren¡¯t your mom.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but I can feel Daddy in them.¡±

    ¡°You can feel me?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Daddy¡¯s feeling. It¡¯s in them too.¡±

    Her answer baffled me. How could she feel me in them?

    Marie, seemingly on the same wavelength, suggested a hypothesis.

    ¡°Maybe Ariel thinks anyone who¡¯s been intimate with Isaac is her mom?¡±

    Her theory made sense, and everyone, myself included, nodded. But it was just a theory for now, nothing to take too seriously.

    What mattered most was whether Ariel could handle being separated from me. Speaking gently, I asked again.

    ¡°So Ariel, would you be okay without Daddy?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want Daddy gone¡­¡±

    Understanding my words, Ariel looked downcast, the sprout atop her head drooping.

    Seeing her reaction hurt, but I couldn¡¯t give up.

    Both Ariel and Arwen were equally precious to me.

    If I let this slide, I wouldn¡¯t know when I¡¯d have the chance to create good memories with Arwen again.

 Chapter 362: Unexpected Encounter (1)

    Chapter 362: Unexpected Encounter (1)

    Until the very end, Ariel left a striking impression of her presence.

    While Ariel herself was quite the spectacle, the reactions of others were even more dramatic.

    Some people gazed at Arwen with sympathetic eyes, as if to say theypletely understood, or lightly patted her shoulder.

    It was a situation so absurd it was impossible not tough¡ªturning one person into a viin in mere moments.

    Of course, Arwen spent that entire day trapped in guilt.

    It wasn¡¯t just that Ariel had uncovered her true feelings; the very fact that she had entertained such thoughts made her feel utterly despicable.

    In the end, Ariel departed with the two women back to the Minerva Empire.

    She mentioned she would head straight to the dormitory to exin everything to her father and Adelia.

    I can¡¯t predict how those two will react, but they¡¯re bound to be shocked. After all, it¡¯s not every day you see an angel showing up out of nowhere.In the meantime, Arwen and I could finally spend the remaining days enjoying ourselves.

    Though we lost two days due to the unexpected Ariel incident, it looks like our stay will be extended.

    Honestly, a week was never going to feel long enough to fully enjoy this ce.

    The reason for visiting Alvenheim wasn¡¯t just to bond with Arwen, but also to explore various institutions.

    Having already visited the World Tree and Elodia, our next stop was the ¡°Sanctuary,¡± home to the world¡¯s first library¡ªa collection of every book known to exist.

    Today was the day we decided to visit this sacred ce.

    ¡°Wow¡­¡±

    When Arwen and I arrived, I couldn¡¯t help but gasp at the breathtaking view before us.

    Libraries are meant to be silent, but the sight of the Sanctuary made me forget even that basic rule.

    Soaring ceilings stretched endlessly upward, with towering bookshelves reaching to meet them.

    These shelves were crammed with books, yet the musty scent often associated with libraries was absent.

    Instead, the air was filled with the fragrant aroma of flowers.

    If this alone wasn¡¯t enough to earn the title of ¡°the greatest treasure trove of knowledge,¡± what stood out even more were the floating bookshelves scattered throughout the Sanctuary.

    Whether by magic or some other means, enormous bookshelves hovered gracefully through the space, adding to the fantastical scenery.

    ¡°If the World Tree is the gods¡¯ blessing and gift, this Sanctuary is a prideful creation of us elves,¡± Arwen said with a hint of pride, leaning slightly against me.

    I noticed she was relying on me to support her weight, likely still feeling the aftereffects ofst night.

    If I were to let go even slightly, she¡¯d probably copse to the floor.

    Of course, staying in bed every day wasn¡¯t an option.

    Thankfully, she seemed to be adapting to the strain and could walk a bit better now.

    With no one watching, this made for a perfect opportunity to enjoy a quiet date.

    The fact that it was in a library was a minor drawback, but it was more than enough for me.

    ¡°How are the books organized here?¡±

    ¡°Basically, they¡¯re categorized by centuries. The floating shelves up there contain ancient texts from when civilizations were just beginning.

    However, since they¡¯re written in ancientnguages, they require trantion.¡±

    ¡°Wow! And what about other topics?¡±

    ¡°Your favorite¡ªhistory¡ªis divided by eras and species. The books you¡¯ve received through Sirius are just a fraction of what¡¯s here.¡±

    Her detailed exnation made my heart race.

    Just seeing the floating bookshelves was thrilling, but the elegant designs and sheer size of the ce were even more captivating.

    The Sanctuary¡¯s dimensions exceeded those of any stadium, and its pristine white decor emphasized its cleanliness.

    Despite its age, no signs of wear or discoloration were visible.

    Preservation magic had likely been used, which would be easy for elves who treated magic as second nature.

    ¡°Was the Sanctuary designed to be this grand from the start?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Given the blessings we¡¯ve received, we elves are certain that no outside force could ever destroy us. If such an event were to ur, it would mean the end of the world.¡±

    ¡°Come to think of it, Alvenheim maintained its strength even during the Demon War, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but that came at the cost of immense sacrifices from humans and beastkin,¡± Arwen said.

    Indeed, during the Demon War, humans and beastkin acted as the frontlines, while dwarves provided desperate support.

    Elves also suffered losses, but humans and beastkin bore the brunt due to their rapid reproduction rates andrger poptions.

    Schrs often specte that if the World Tree hadn¡¯t emerged when it did, humanity and the beastkin might have faced extinction.

    ¡®Still, this ce feels livelier than I expected for a library.¡¯

    Although libraries are traditionally quiet, the Sanctuary seemed different.

    People were scattered around, actively engaging in discussions. It seemed less like a library and more like a hall of academic exchange.

    Only those authorized could enter the Sanctuary, and with its strict admission policy, the schrs here were likely some of the best.

    ¡°How do you retrieve books from the floating shelves?¡± I asked.

    ¡°We elves can fly up and grab them using magic. Humans like you can simply ask a schr for assistance,¡± Arwen replied.

    ¡°Ah, right. Human schrs often visit here, don¡¯t they? Do they face any discrimination?¡±

    Despite my concerns about potential bias¡ªespecially from elves¡ªArwen shook her head firmly. She gestured toward a group engaged in a lively debate nearby.

    Looking closer, I noticed the group included a mix of humans and elves. Their numbers were about equal, and everyone actively participated in the discussion.

    ¡°As you can see, there¡¯s almost no discrimination when ites to academia.

    Setting foot in the Sanctuary means you¡¯ve contributed to knowledge in a way that transcends race. Discrimination has no ce here.¡±

    ¡°I see. Still, don¡¯t elves have more influence? Humans have shorter lifespans, so their umted knowledge must pale inparison.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true, but humans possess something elvesck.¡±

    ¡°Which is?¡±

    ¡°Innovation.¡±

    With that single word, everything clicked.

    While elves have vast memories and long lifespans, their conservative nature often holds them back.

    Humans, on the other hand, are bold and innovative, constantly seeking new challenges despite the risks.

    ¡°That spark of ingenuity has, on asion, revolutionized entire fields of study.

    Astronomy, for example, is particrly remarkable. It turns out this orbits the sun, not the other way around,¡± Arwen said.

    ¡°Wait, what?¡± I blinked at her in disbelief.

    Her statement referenced the heliocentric model, a theory that, in my previous life, wasn¡¯t widely epted until the modern era.

    It seemed odd that this world, with its myths and divine beings, had already embraced such advanced knowledge.

    ¡®That doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡¯

    In my past life, heliocentrism was only proven after the advent of Newton¡¯sw of universal gravitation.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Yet here it was, treated asmon knowledge.

    And then there was the existence of the gods, representing celestial entities like the sun, moon, and earth itself.

    It should logically follow that this world¡¯s mythology supported a geocentric view.

    Yet, reality seemed to defy those expectations.

    The reason why people in this world could not help but firmly believe in the geocentric theory over the heliocentric theory isrgely due to the existence of gods.

    ¡°Regardless, wouldn¡¯t the church have strongly opposed it? Was there any trouble?¡±

    ¡°Oh, plenty. Too much, in fact. The first person who proposed it was immediately executed for sphemy. But that human never wavered in his ims to the very end.¡±

    ¡°And despite that, the heliocentric¡­ no, that theory was adopted?¡±

    ¡°There was an elven schr who delved deeply into the im. That individual, after 300 years of research, uncovered many truths. For example, why objects fall straight down even as the world spins, why we cannot perceive the rotation of the, and so on. Particrly, the schr studied lunar and sr eclipses for 300 years and even calcted the distances involved. As a result, everyone came to ept it.¡±

    What kind of entric elf would do such a thing? I was too dumbfounded for words, but their sheer determination deserved a thumbs-up.

    The courage to pursue research despite knowing the risk of being executed for sphemy after the first proponent was killed¡­

    Although elves are known for their conservative mindset and stubbornness, in this case, their inherent traits seemed to work in a positive direction.

    As I stood there, impressed and unable to hide my expression, a question suddenly came to mind, so I asked her.

    ¡°Then what about theology? Theology must have been upended too, right?¡±

    ¡°They began to separate symbolism from scientific facts. Even that schr did not deny that gods assist mortals.¡±

    ¡°I imagine there must have been a lot of conflict.¡±

    ¡°That is why the religious and scientificmunities dislike each other so much.¡±

    It was simr yet different from the path taken in my previous life.

    In times when science wascking, people would tremble in fear, iming the gods descended whenever lightning struck the sky.

    But as science advanced and one by one these phenomena were exined scientifically, religion lost much of its influence.

    This brought religion closer to its true purpose of faith.

    People could believe or not believe as they chose, and unlike here, atheists were abundant in that world.

    Here, however, things are different.

    The religious and scientificmunities will likely continue fighting until the end of time, even if the world copses.

    ¡°In the sanctum, knowledge you might find intriguing is stored. This includes studies on how the brain controls our organs and body, as well as discoveries of invisible tiny entities that threaten our lives. There is so much that you¡¯ll have trouble deciding where to start.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine with just history.¡±

    ¡°Hehe, that is so like you.¡±

    At my precise response, Arwen gave a soft smile as if to say, ¡°Of course.¡± I returned her smile.

    In truth, I¡¯d love to read every book in the sanctum, but realistically, that¡¯s impossible.

    This library has been maintained since the founding of Alvenheim.

    So, instead of reading everything, it¡¯s better to focus on my favorite subject¡ªhistory. I can asionally delve into other topics too.

    ¡°Will you stay with me?¡±

    ¡°If you wish, I can leave you to it for a bit. I, too, feel like reading a book after so long. Ah! You need not worry about any potential attacks. Magic is strictly forbidden in the sanctum, and the gaze of the gods watches over it.¡±

    That means I can read in peace.

    The sanctum¡¯s security is likely much tighter than the magical wards set up at Halo Academy.

    Moreover, the gaze of the gods signifies that violence is impossible here.

    Anyone attempting it would not merely be expelled but punished by divine wrath.

    Nodding at her exnation, I moved toward the section where history books were stored. It was a bit of a walk.

    ¡°Hm? Look over there. Is that¡­?¡±

    ¡°Judging by the red hair, it must be him. And with Her Majesty by his side, it¡¯s certain.¡±

    ¡°Has hee to tour the sanctum?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps he¡¯s here for research, as they say he¡¯s a schr.¡±

    The murmurs, which had been sporadic since entering the sanctum, increased in frequency.

    Arwen drew attention as Arwen, but this damned red hair of mine made me even more conspicuous.

    Still, the others, likely distinguished schrs, did not dare approach me directly.

    They either focused on their tasks or resumed paused discussions.

    This is normal, of course.

    Schrs are usually indifferent to anything outside their areas of interest.

    Especially those who have achieved significant breakthroughs in their field¡ªthey are true monsters, wholly absorbed in their research.

    ¡®I hope they don¡¯t misunderstand or see me as some sort of research subject.¡¯

    Ignoring the gathering gazes as best I could, I continued toward the history section.

    With Arwen as my dependable shield, they wouldn¡¯t dare approach me first.

    They likely also understood the purpose of my visit to Alvenheim.

    This realization made me feel more at ease. For now, let¡¯s dive into the history books.

    ¡°Whoa.¡±

    The moment I reached the history section, a sense of awe escaped my lips. The sheer number of books was overwhelming.

    Typically, history books focus on modern and contemporary events, with only brief mentions of ancient and medieval periods.

    But here?

    The books are meticulously categorized by era, from texts written thousands of years ago to thetest publications.

    ¡®Incredible!¡¯

    What a magnificent repository of knowledge!

    And it¡¯s not just simple history books¡ªthey¡¯re further subdivided into categories like races, culture, politics, society, religion, arts, and sciences.

    I stood there, foolishly gaping at the towering shelves of books, before quickly regaining myposure.

    Sneaking a nce at Arwen, I saw her standing proudly, her chest puffed out with satisfaction.

    ¡°Do you like it? These are books you may borrow freely.¡±

    ¡°Can I really take them as I please?¡±

    ¡°Of course. But do not forget to return them. Even if you are Zenon, the loss of knowledge is a sensitive matter for schrs.¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t happen. Still, what should I start with¡­¡±

    The quantity is staggering, but the variety makes deciding where to begin a real challenge. I decided to skip books written in ancient times.

    The older books are in ancientnguages, making them nearly impossible to read.

    Unless they¡¯re tranted, this library is full of ¡®originals.¡¯

    Even if the <em>Zenon Chronicles</em> had a draft, it would only make sense for the first edition to be stored here.

    If such a deration were made, it could even spark a war with Helium.

    ¡®I need to think carefully about where to store the drafts.¡¯

    This is something I must rify to prevent unnecessary conflicts.

    ¡°Look around while I fetch a book for myself.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    With that, Arwen left to find her book, and I began browsing on my own.

    Starting with the most recent publications, I soon realized something surprising.

    ¡®I¡¯ve already read most of these.¡¯

    It turns out I¡¯d already covered a lot of ground through the books Sirius provided. Despite the sanctum having everything, it seems I¡¯ve already devoured much of it.

    I skimmed through thetest releases before moving to older works.

    ¡®Books on the Racial Wars¡­¡¯

    The most intriguing topic is undoubtedly the Racial Wars¡ªthe epitome of historical conflict and the grandest of wars.

    The war¡¯s portrayal varies depending on perspectives and races, sparking endless debates. Today, I decided to focus on the Racial Wars.

    ¡®Not from a human perspective, though. Let¡¯s find an elven ount¡­ Hmm?¡¯

    While searching, a particr book caught my eye. Its title seemed ordinary, but the author¡¯s name was familiar.

    [Iker Lightsinger]

    Iker Lightsinger was an elvenmander during the Racial Wars, imprisoned for actions deemed against ¡®thew.¡¯

    Many schrs agree that if not for his imprisonment, the elves might have won or at least avoided a humiliating defeat.

    The tragedy of such a hero writing a history book piqued my interest.

    The title even seemed to explore the arrogance unique to elves.

    ¡®Does this have anything to do with history?¡¯

    Curious, I decided to take a look.

    Pulling the book from the shelf, I noted how pristine it was¡ªno dust at all.

    Carrying it to a nearby table, I noticed a burly elf who looked like ¡®Thor¡¯ reading quietly but chose to ignore him.

    Finally, I opened the book with anticipation¡­

    [¡°Damn these pointy-eared bastards. I wish they¡¯d all just drop dead.¡±]

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    A sentence filled with shock, horror, and intense self-loathing greeted me on the first page.

 Chapter 363: Unexpected Encounter (2)

    Chapter 363: Unexpected Encounter (2)

    As I may have mentioned before, the most racially discriminatory term you can use against an elf is ¡°pointy ears.¡±

    Elves¡¯ elongated ears are believed to serve as a sacred means of deepermunication with the gods.

    Making a mockery of them naturally strikes a nerve. Imagine the extent of this insult: even if I casually joked about it with Arwen, it could spell the end of our rtionship. Initially, it might be dismissed as a slip of the tongue or a joke, but after that, there would be no forgiveness.

    If this is enough to ruin a romantic rtionship, what do you think would happen if it were said to a stranger?

    It would not be surprising if the person insulted responded by killing the offender on the spot and was granted leniency for it.

    This term is arguably as offensive to elves as the ¡°N-word¡± is to ck people in human history. ¡°Pointy ears¡± is the ultimate insult and wound to elves.

    However, there is an exception for dark elves.

    Since they detest their elven heritage to the point of cutting off their own ears, they arergely indifferent to the term.

    On a side note, humans are surprisingly less sensitive to racially discriminatory remarks.This is likely because they are keenly aware of their own status as one of the weakest races.

    Anyway, let¡¯s turn to the history book authored by Eiker.

    Right from the opening line, he hurled the harshest insult at his fellow elves.

    Despite being an elf himself, he chose to include such a racially offensive term at the very beginning.

    How much resentment must have been festering within him to do so?

    ¡®I¡¯d be furious too.¡¯

    Honestly, I can¡¯t me him.

    Given the humiliation Eiker endured, it¡¯s understandable.

    Their allies underestimated their opponents, only to suffer repeated defeats.

    Desperate to change course, Eiker proposed alternative strategies, but the Elders found fault with him instead.

    Worse yet, they imprisoned him for allegedly viting thew, resulting in a humiliating defeat for Alvenheim.

    Although the nation wasn¡¯t overthrown and peace was eventually negotiated, the terms of the treaty were tantamount to aplete loss.

    If they had followed Eiker¡¯s suggestions, Alvenheim could have avoided the unfavorable uses in the treaty.

    These included opening their holy sites to outsiders, teaching magic to others, andmitting to unconditional openness for the next 100 years.

    [300 years ago, humans revered Alvenheim as thend of the gods. We treated them like livestock within our domain, believing it was only natural.]

    [But look at the present. Are they still mere livestock? These beings are intelligent creatures, capable of rebuilding their civilization from the ruins of the Demon War.]

    [Furthermore, they survived the Demon War without going extinct. Even when they fall, they never surrender. Even when they kneel, they do not bow. Even if they bow, they do not break.]

    [In contrast, we elves have never knelt to anyone except the gods. Our confidence turned into arrogance, and that arrogance eroded us from within. The results were made clear in the war.]

    [If humans were still as weak as they once were, it wouldn¡¯t matter. But I realized that demons had taught humans magic.]

    [Yet those pointy-eared fools in the Elders¡¯ Council refused to believe me. They didn¡¯t even try to understand why demons would help humans. Instead, they focused solely on how my actions vited their antiquated ws.¡¯]

    The overall content reads more like a memoir than a history book, filled with criticism of the elves.

    While Eiker asionally speaks favorably of humans, it is tempered by his experiences in war.

    Still, he raises questions about how humans managed to stand on equal footing with elves, what fuels their resilience, and why they are so determined. Eiker presents hypotheses based on his observations, creating a history book that transcends mere record-keeping.

    [I protested vehemently. Human tactics were bing more sophisticated, causing significant damage to us. I suggested preemptive strikes or, if killing felt too barbaric, using magic to disrupt their supply lines.]

    [But those pointy-eared bastards rejected the idea, calling starvation one of the most barbaric acts. They insisted that Alvenheim had no need for ¡®tactics¡¯ and demanded we stick to pure defense.]

    [But did they know? Alvenheim had never fought a true ¡®war¡¯ among ourselves, aside from expelling the dark elves, which was more of a political maneuver. Meanwhile, humans built their civilization through countless wars, honing strategies far superior to ours.]

    [Sometimes fools say, ¡°If you imitate your enemy, you be like them.¡± The pointy-eared ones said the same, iming that we, blessed by the gods, should never stoop to such base tactics. We must always act with noble intentions.]

    [What nonsense. This is war¡ªa ce where swords, spears, and deadly magic are exchanged without a shred of nobility. Yet my superiors, and even some of my subordinates, spouted this nonsense.

    My only saving grace was my lieutenant, but even he couldn¡¯t change much under such leadership.]

    Eiker¡¯s frustration is palpable, filled with biting profanity.

    It¡¯s surprising to see such earthy expressions from someone like him, especially in a world where he has adapted to the customs.

    Until now, I had seen Eiker as a tragic hero¡ªa patriot who loved his homnd but was betrayed by it.

    Heroes like this are often stoic in public but keep their personal anguish buried deep.

    In this memoir, however, he pours out his emotions unabashedly.

    This makes it feel more like a personal diary than a publishable book.

    Perhaps that¡¯s why it ended up stored in a sacred archive rather than widely distributed.

    After all, as an elf, Eiker¡¯s work aligns with the archive¡¯s mission of preserving all written knowledge.

    ¡®Does that mean very few people have read this?¡¯

    Records about Eiker are sparse, with most texts merely noting that he was imprisoned for cutting off supply lines.

    Works focusing on his personal struggles are virtually nonexistent, aside from this one. Eiker even inspired a character named Luden in <em>The Chronicles of Zenon</em>.

    Luden, a hero of the dark elves, merges with Eir to annihte the demons and sacrifices himself alongside the World Tree, which had be tainted by Diabolus.

    Calm andposed, Luden represents the ideal hero.

    ¡°In contrast, Eiker was theplete opposite.¡±

    In his memoir, Eikeres across as aid-back, jovial man who was fiercely disciplined only in matters of militaryw.

    This wasn¡¯t because he was an elf, but because he was a soldier¡ªa progressive thinker for his time.

    Still, one must take parts of the memoir with a grain of salt.

    People, regardless of race, tend to be lenient with their self-portrayals.

    In any case, Eiker was a hero born in the wrong era.

    Had he lived in the current age, he would undoubtedly have been a great asset to Alvenheim.

    ¡®Such a pity.¡¯

    I clicked my tongue in genuine regret.

    What¡¯s even more tragic is that despite the frequent use of the term ¡°pointy ears,¡± Eiker never once speaks ill of Alvenheim itself.

    This suggests that his loyalty wasn¡¯t to individuals but to the nation itself¡ªa true patriot.

    Furthermore, his curiosity about humans led him to study them extensively, making him an irreceable talent.

    I heard you¡¯re currently staying in your mansion in seclusion, but I hope we can meet someday.

    Of course, if I asked to meet you, you¡¯d probably reluctantly agree.

    But I don¡¯t want to force someone who doesn¡¯t want toe out to do so.

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    Just as I was about to focus on my book again, I suddenly felt a strong gaze from the side.

    I hadn¡¯t noticed earlier because I was so engrossed, but with how intense it felt, it must be someone tantly staring at me.

    I turned my head to see who it was.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    It was an elf.

    A tall, long-eared elf was staring at me.

    He had sideburns that connected to a beard, deeply set eyes, a sharp nose, and blue eyes filled with curiosity.

    His shoulder-length hair made him resemble a Viking warrior, or perhaps the thunder god from a past life¡¯s movie.

    This elf, who looked just like that god, was staring straight at me.

    Elves, whether male or female, are usually known for their strikingly beautiful appearances.

    However, this one wasn¡¯t conventionally beautiful but had a ruggedly masculine look instead.

    Not unattractive by any means¡ªhe had the aura of a strong man, the kind you¡¯d imagine wielding an axe in both hands.

    ¡°¡­ Hello?¡±

    Feeling awkward under his heavy gaze, I greeted him simply.

    At that, the elf nced back and forth between my face and the book I was holding before speaking quietly.

    ¡°Are you, by any chance, Zenon?¡±

    Wow.

    That voice. So deep and sultry.

    It resonated in my ears like a low rumble in a cave, perfectly matching his appearance.

    Usually, when someone looks like that, their voice doesn¡¯t fit, but this elf¡ªno, this Thor-like figure¡ªhad a voice that was a perfect match.

    I couldn¡¯t help but feel envious.

    ¡°Well¡­ Yes, that¡¯s me.¡±

    ¡°As I¡¯ve heard, your red hair is quite striking. And you have a remarkable appearance as well.¡±

    ¡°Th-thank you.¡±

    Though I¡¯ve received suchpliments countless times, hearing them directly still made me feel bashful.

    It felt doubly ttering to hear it from an elf.

    Scratching my head in embarrassment, I nced at the book he was holding.

    ¡°A history book¡­ but why does it look so small?¡±

    The book the elf was holding seemed oddly small in his hands.

    Either the book was genuinely small, or hisrge frame made it appear so. It felt surreal, like he was holding a pocket diary.

    Even though I¡¯ve always considered myself to have a sturdy build, this elf could rival my father¡¯s physique.

    ¡°Are you interested in history?¡±

    Just as I was estimating his impressive build, that deep voice resonated again.

    His speech, with a slightly archaic tone, perfectly suited the atmosphere.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s not just an interest¡ªit¡¯s my favorite subject.¡±

    ¡°What era fascinates you the most?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m particrly interested in the Race Wars. It was a monumental turning point when humans first challenged the elves, signaling the start of significant change.¡±

    ¡°Change, you say¡­ That¡¯s a fair perspective.¡±

    The elf nodded, showing his agreement.

    Despite his warrior-like appearance, he seemed deeply interested in history.

    ¡°By the way, just so you know, I¡¯m not some odd fellow. I was simply curious because a renowned figure like you was reading right beside me.¡±

    ¡°I understand. Are you very interested in history?¡±

    ¡°Not so much history itself, but the races that make it. Especially humans.¡±

    ¡°Humans?¡±

    ¡°Yes. A race born weak but with no path but to rise.¡±

    He sinctly summarized humanity¡¯s innate frailty and their aplishments in spite of it.

    I admired his eloquence and nodded.

    ¡°And what about elves?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re a race born at the highest point, unable to see below.¡±

    ¡°An astute observation.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    When I praised his insight, the elf smiled softly.

    Though he had seemed stern while expressionless, his smile made him appear unexpectedly amiable.

    ¡°Is that book interesting?¡±

    He gestured toward the book I was holding.

    It was an autobiography by Eiker, a historical figure.

    To be honest, it was fascinating. While critical of elves, it provided a deeper understanding of the man himself.

    ¡°Yes. As you know, Eiker is remembered as a tragic hero.

    But most ounts focus on the events surrounding him, rarely delving into his personal thoughts. This book does, and I think it¡¯s fantastic.¡±

    ¡°I see. Then what¡¯s your assessment of him? Coming from the renowned Zenon, I¡¯m curious.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t finished it yet, but¡­¡±

    Though I hadn¡¯tpleted the book, I¡¯d long since grasped the essence of who Eiker was. Recalling the powerful opening sentence, I answered the expectant elf.

    ¡°A patriot. That one word sums him up.¡±

    ¡°A patriot?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Alvenheim may have abandoned him, but Eiker never abandoned Albenheim.

    Even while cursing the elves who scorned him, he never spoke ill of his homnd.

    He remained loyal to his country despite its betrayal¡ªa true patriot in every sense.¡±

    ¡°A patriot¡­¡±

    The elf seemed lost in thought, gazing upward as if pondering the weight of the word. Taking this moment, I cautiously asked something that had crossed my mind.

    ¡°By the way, I just realized I don¡¯t know your name. May I ask what it is?¡±

    ¡°Hmm? My name?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    The elf looked at me for a moment, then let out a soft chuckle. In his distinctive deep voice, he enunciated his name clearly.

    ¡°Eiker.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see. Wait¡ªwhat?¡±

    ¡°Eiker Lightsinger. The author of that book.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    The very subject of the book I was reading was standing before me.

 Chapter 364: Unexpected Encounter (3)

    Chapter 364: Unexpected Encounter (3)

    The <em>Race War</em>, as you know, was the great conflict that broke out 300 years ago.

    If you¡¯re struggling to grasp just how long 300 years is, think of it this way: it¡¯s the equivalent of the time when the Industrial Revolution first began in Ennd.

    Two centuriester, World War I erupted, and not long after, World War II followed, bing a major turning point.

    If even a decade can bring significant changes to and, imagine what 300 years could do.

    Such a span of time should unquestionably belong to the annals of history, rather than being considered part of the present.

    When we speak of ¡°living witnesses to history,¡± we usually refer to elderly individuals who have seen much in their lifetime, though even they rarely live beyond 100 years.

    ¡°To think that Zenon is reading something I¡¯ve written¡­ This feels rather surreal.¡±

    And now, before me sits not just a living witness to history, but someone who <em>is</em> history itself.

    He is an elf who bears a striking resemnce to Thor¡ªa tragic hero, Eiker Lightsinger.Eiker is a figure described in records from the <em>Race War</em> 300 years ago, yet here he is, sitting right in front of me.

    It¡¯s difficult to process.

    I¡¯ve met many elves before ande to understand that their ages often far exceed my own.

    Yet, these encounters rarely felt tangible¡ªthey were simply characteristics of their species that I acknowledged in passing.

    Eiker, however, is different.

    He is a figure clearly documented and repeatedly mentioned in history.

    I may one day be recorded in history books myself, but I can¡¯t guarantee I¡¯ll still be around 300 yearster, alive and well, as Eiker is.

    ¡°Are you really <em>the</em> Eiker¡­?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am.¡±

    ¡°The one who fought in the <em>Race War</em>?¡±

    ¡°If you can call cutting off supply lines ¡®fighting,¡¯ then yes. Though after that, I was imprisoned by the damned pointy-ears.¡±

    ¡°¡­..¡±

    I stared at him, dumbfounded.

    To be honest, it¡¯s hard to believe.

    Even including the years from my past life, I¡¯m not yet 40, but Eiker is a figure from 300 years ago.

    In other words, he¡¯s at least 300 years old.

    Considering elves reach societal maturity around the age of 50, and Eiker was already a ¡°Commander¡± during the war, he must be over 500 years old.

    ¡®¡­That¡¯s an overwhelming gap.¡¯

    It hit me again just how long-lived elves are.

    Standing before this living piece of history left me awestruck.

    But that wasn¡¯t the only thing on my mind¡ªI couldn¡¯t help but wonder why Eiker was here.

    By all ounts, he was supposed to be living in seclusion at his home.

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you living a reclusive life at your residence? That¡¯s what I¡¯ve heard.¡±

    ¡°What good would it do to hole myself up at home? My lifespan is already ridiculously long¡ªI need to keep busy. Reading is one of my hobbies, you see.¡±

    His deep, resonant voice filled the air. I nodded at his response.

    Though it still didn¡¯t quite feel real, it seemed certain that the elf in front of me was indeed Eiker.

    Especially given his casual use of the term ¡°pointy-ears.¡±

    Most elves wouldn¡¯t dare utter such a term, yet Eiker used it so nonchntly it seemed second nature to him.

    No doubt, it carried anger and resentment in the past, but now it seemed like little more than a habit.

    ¡°It¡¯s truly fascinating. Reading a book, only to find its author sitting right beside me¡ªan author who¡¯s a historical figure, no less.¡±

    ¡°The feeling is mutual. Zenon himself is reading my book beside me. It¡¯s embarrassing, yet oddly gratifying.¡±

    Eiker wiped under his nose and let out a softugh, seemingly equally amused by the unexpected encounter.

    It truly was a meeting by chance¡ªone that neither of us could have anticipated.

    I met someone I¡¯d only ever read about in history books, and Eiker met the famous Zenon.

    What a strange and serendipitous event. Eiker rarely ventured outside of Alvenheim, let alone to a ce like this.

    Yet here we were, crossing paths in such a vast world. Truly, it made one think the world was small after all.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    ¡°Did youe to the sanctuary to read as well?¡±

    ¡°Partially, yes, but my wife also came here for research. She¡¯s currently on a field assignment, so I follow her whenever she¡¯s back.¡±

    ¡°Your wife¡¯s a schr, I take it?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. And the most beautiful one at that.¡±

    Thatst part didn¡¯t seem necessary, but his devotion to his wife was already apparent.

    Since we had the opportunity, I decided to make the most of it and ask him about various topics.

    There had always been things I wanted to know about Eiker.

    I¡¯d already learned through his books that he was far from solemn or distant; rather, he was a patriot who loved Alvenheim deeply.

    Moreover, he wasn¡¯t the typical elegant elf but had a rugged, Viking-like aura that made him all the more intriguing.

    ¡°Are you aware of how you¡¯re depicted in books?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Most ounts focus on the events, though, which I find disappointing. At least they do a decent job of detailing the council¡¯s blunders.¡±

    ¡°Between then and now, who do you think is worse?¡±

    ¡°The only good council is a dead council. Not that it matters anymore; they¡¯ve all been rounded up.¡±

    His deep voice,bined with such biting words, carried a heavy impact.

    It was clear his hatred for the council still burned strong.

    ¡°There¡¯s something I don¡¯t quite understand, though. May I ask?¡±

    ¡°Ask away. It¡¯s been 300 years since the <em>Race War.</em> The council is gone, and all that remains for me is leisure.¡±

    His straightforward tone reassured me that I could proceed without worry.

    I hesitated, unsure if it might touch on old wounds, but it seemed he¡¯d long since moved on.

    The mere thought that someone like him was imprisoned because of the council¡¯s corruption made me furious all over again.

    ¡°Was the Human Alliance really that powerful? No matter how united they were, it¡¯s hard to believe Alvenheim could lose.¡±

    ¡°And why is that?¡±

    ¡°Because Alvenheim is and of milk and honey¡ªa prosperous, self-sufficient nation that now supplies food to the world. The elves¡¯ strength goes without saying.¡±

    In war, the defender often has the advantage.

    If the defending nation is both economically thriving and militarily strong, breaking through is nearly impossible.

    No matter how formidable the Human Alliance, even with magic taught to them by demons, there should have been limits.

    For Alvenheim, simply holding the line should have sufficed.

    So why did they end up agreeing to such unfavorable terms?

    Even if the council made grave mistakes, it still seemed odd that Alvenheim crumbled so suddenly.

    ¡°Did Alvenheim really bring about its own downfall?¡±

    ¡°As you said, Alvenheim destroyed itself. The price of underestimating humans was too great.¡±

    ¡°Was the Human Alliance really that strong at the time?¡±

    ¡°Not particrly strong by my standards. But they were cunning and ruthless. They fought¡­ like absolute bastards.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    For a moment, I doubted my ears.

    Such profanity from someone with such a dignified appearance was shocking.

    Hearing it directly from a hero who fought during the Race Wars made the impact even stronger.

    Moreover, Eiker¡¯s expression was dead serious.

    He wasn¡¯t exaggerating¡ªit seemed humans really fought in despicable ways.

    Crossing his arms, he appeared to be reminiscing, then began to vividly recount those days.

    ¡°It was a truly difficult war. With almost no chance of winning directly, they resorted to all kinds of underhanded tactics. They¡¯d fling barrels filled with filth and rotting corpses into our camps using catapults, trying to spread disease. They also insulted the pride of the elves to lure us into traps. Warriors who fell into those traps rarely fared well.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ that¡¯s¡­ horrible. Was there any time they fought honorably?¡±

    ¡°Plenty of times they fought dishonorably with confidence.¡±

    Dishonorable confidence?

    What kind of strategy even is that?

    The more I heard about human tactics, the more appalled I became.

    At the same time, I understood. Facing elves head-on gave them no chance of victory, so they had no choice but to use such despicable methods.

    After all, war is war¡ªwinning is all that matters.

    ¡°But the humans must have suffered heavy losses too, right?¡±

    ¡°At the start of the war, yes. They were utterly defenseless against magical bombardments and were cut down en masse. But then they learned magic from the demons and began to fight back. From that point, they confronted us with confidence.¡±

    ¡°How did you know the demons taught humans magic? That¡¯s almost unheard of in historical texts.¡±

    Before Cecily told me, I had also believed humans had learned magic from the elves.

    It was a secretive transfer of knowledge.

    If it had been done openly, public opinion would have turned hostile.

    After all, demons were universally regarded as enemies at the time.

    However, Cecily mentioned that the demons had received materialpensation in return, making it a win-win for both sides.

    ¡°Ah, that? My lieutenant infiltrated the human camps and brought back the information. It turned out the demons were teaching humans magic. The Council, of course, refused to believe it.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t they believe it? That alone could have swayed public opinion.¡±

    ¡°Do you think those arrogant elf elders cared about public opinion? Even if they did, they probably believed victory was inevitable. These are the same fools who were duped into signing a one-sided treaty.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    What was that supposed to mean?

    I blinked in surprise. ording to records, Alvenheim ended the war with a humiliating treaty with the Human Alliance.

    While reasons for proposing the treaty remain debated, it is clear Alvenheim initiated the process, and the Human Alliance eagerly epted.

    If the treaty hadn¡¯t satisfied the humans, the war likely would have continued.

    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®duped¡¯? I¡¯ve never heard that before.¡±

    ¡°Are you familiar with the terms of the treaty?¡±

    ¡°Yes. For the next 200 years, Alvenheim agreed to provide food, magic, mana training, and knowledge to the Human Alliance. This allowed the humans to enter a golden age.¡±

    ¡°They left out tariffs.¡±

    I blinked at his response, then let out a dryugh.

    Even basic food supplies would have had enormous tariffs, but they waived them all.

    As Eiker put it, Alvenheim had essentially been conned on a national level.

    The Human Alliance must have banded together to easily acquire Alvenheim¡¯s goods and resources.

    ¡°It was a diplomatic defeat, then.¡±

    Come to think of it, the records barely mention any military victories.

    All they talk about is the humiliating treaty, which essentially marked Alvenheim¡¯s defeat.

    You could me the elves for being fools, but it¡¯s also important to note how insr Alvenheim had been.

    By the time they noticed the rapid progress humans were making, it was toote.

    Elf arrogance, self-destruction, and human strategy had synergized to lead to Alvenheim¡¯s humiliation.

    Combine that with the elves¡¯ significantly longer lifespans, and you get aplex war.

    ¡°Hearing it from someone who lived through it gives me a new perspective. No wonder Alvenheim lost in such a strange way.¡±

    ¡°Lost, indeed. No offense, but humans swarmed like a pack of wolves. Even skilled elf knights couldn¡¯t handle it. Especially with a few outstanding individuals among them, the damage was significant.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    By the time I chuckled at his remark, Eiker was looking at me thoughtfully.

    ¡°Come to think of it, may I ask you something?¡±

    ¡°Ah, sure. Go ahead.¡±

    ¡°What do you think will be of Alvenheim in the future?¡±

    Despite being betrayed by his nation, he still seemed patriotic. Without hesitation, I answered.

    ¡°It has nothing but bright days ahead. As long as Arwen remains on the throne.¡±

    ¡°A convincing answer. With you alive, there won¡¯t be much political instability either.¡±

    ¡°¡­So what about you, Eiker? Do you have any ns? Perhaps¡­¡±

    I was about to ask if he nned to return to the military, but he shook his head before I could finish.

    The Council that constantly hindered him was long gone, but he seemed to have no intention of returning.

    ¡°Iid down my sword 300 years ago. Others have taken my ce. Returning now would only cause confusion.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a shame. You could be a great help to the nation.¡±

    ¡°Haha. That¡¯s a bold suggestion. Well, unless something like the Demon Invasion from <em>The Zenon Chronicles</em> happens, I have no ns to pick up a sword again. I¡¯ve decided to enjoy the rest of my days.¡±

    It was a carefree answer, yet it suited him.

    Just as we were chatting, a familiar voice interrupted.

    ¡°Honey, I found those documents you asked for¡­ Oh?¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    I turned to see who it was.

    The woman who entered was familiar¡ªtoo familiar. With light green hair tied back, sses, and an elegant ck suit that highlighted her slender figure, it was¡­

    ¡°Professor Elena?¡±

    ¡°Isaac? What are you doing here¡­ Ah, that¡¯s right. You mentioned you¡¯d being.¡±

    Professor Elena, my history advisor. She looked at me with surprise before nodding in realization.

    But wait¡­ what did she just call Eiker?

    I turned to look at him. He smiled faintly, as if enjoying my reaction.

    ¡°What an interesting coincidence. The student Elena spoke so highly of¡­ is you? Impressive.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ Professor, are you really¡­¡±

    ¡°My beloved wife,¡± Eiker said matter-of-factly.

    ¡°Stop embarrassing me in front of him!¡± Elena lightly smacked his shoulder, flustered in a way I¡¯d never seen before.

    More importantly, I tried to calcte her age.

    As a younger-generation elf, she wouldn¡¯t be older than 300. She mentioned she was about 200 not long ago¡­

    ¡°Um, Eiker? How old are you, if you don¡¯t mind me asking?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen 681 springs.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Why that face?¡±

    What a cradle robber!

 Chapter 365: Book 27 (1)

    Chapter 365: Book 27 (1)

    Today feels like a series of surprises. Not only did I meet a legendary figure recorded in history, but it turns out his wife is my academic advisor.

    The most astonishing part, however, is their age difference¡ªa staggering 400 years.

    Arwen and Cecily are about a century older than I am. However, as a human, my shorter lifespan makes that difference rtively reasonable.

    But Eiker and Elena? Four centuries apart. That¡¯s an extraordinary span even for elves.

    ¡°Don¡¯t elves care about age? A 400-year gap seems excessive, even for your kind.¡±

    ¡°It is a significant difference, even for elves. If you were to trante it into human terms, it¡¯d be like a 40-year age gap.¡±

    ¡°When Eiker was off fighting in the racial wars, I hadn¡¯t even been born yet.¡±

    Elena¡¯s added exnation gave me a sense of the enormity of their age gap.

    A 40-year difference isn¡¯t just a father-daughter dynamic¡ªit¡¯s more akin to a grandfather-granddaughter rtionship.How, then, did these two even meet? My curiosity got the better of me.

    ¡°How did you two meet?¡±

    ¡°I confessed to him because I liked his face. You know, elves generally have smooth, delicate features regardless of gender.

    But rugged, bold-looking elves like Eiker are rare, so I snatched him up. Just looking at him makes me feel secure.¡±

    It was refreshing to hear Elena candidly exin their story. Indeed, rugged elves like Eiker are nearly unheard of, especially with such a uniquely grown beard.

    ¡°And what about the age gap? That must have been a major concern.¡±

    ¡°At first, it was. But I realized that loving someone meant getting at least 300 years to spend together¡ªthat¡¯s more than enough. Plus, age isn¡¯t a big deal for elves.¡±

    ¡°I did protest at first, saying she could find someone better than me, but she insisted, saying she wanted to study me as a schr. So I relented.¡±

    It figures¡ªElena¡¯s schrly side yed a role even in their romance.

    Eiker is more than just a living piece of history; he¡¯s practically a fossil, making him an irresistible research subject.

    Add to that his striking appearance and open-minded nature, and it¡¯s clear they¡¯re a match made in heaven.

    I decided to shelve my thoughts about their age gap and simply wished them happiness. They¡¯re so in love¡ªwho am I to interfere?

    ¡®¡­Yeah, I really shouldn¡¯t.¡¯

    Especially considering how many women I¡¯m already entangled with. Interfering would be downright hypocritical.

    If Eiker is a saintly thief in the purest sense, I¡¯m nothing short of a rogue collector.

    He¡¯s faithful to Elena, whereas I¡ªlet¡¯s just say my track record is far lessmendable.

    ¡°By the way, Isaac, where¡¯s the queen? You wouldn¡¯t havee to this sacred site alone.¡±

    ¡°Arwen went to browse some books. She should be back soon.¡±

    ¡°Oh my, are you on a first-name basis with her now?¡±

    Elena teased, her knowing smile adding to her yful tone.

    I merely smiled back.

    News of my rtionship with Arwen has long since spread across Alvenheim.

    After spending three uninterrupted days together (except when bathing), it was bound to happen.

    Thankfully, no word of Ariel reached anyone¡¯s ears. Mary and Cecily must have handled everything discreetly upon their return.

    ¡°Well, yes. When Alvenheim offers a gift, there¡¯s no reason to refuse.¡±

    ¡°Good for you. And how about your fianc¨¦e? Have you spoken with her?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    ¡°That¡¯s been resolved as well.¡±

    ¡°Then when do you n to return?¡±

    ¡°That¡­ might take some time.¡±

    With the threat of demon worshippers, I needed to bolster my strength.

    And then there was the matter of handling Ariel¡¯s situation. Not to mention <em>The Chronicles of Zenon</em> nearing its conclusion.

    Returning to my teaching position felt like a distant goal.

    ¡°I see. It must be difficult to answer. Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ll wait. If worsees to worst, I could even arrange an early graduation for you.¡±

    ¡°Really? But I still have so much to learn.¡±

    ¡°Graduation would just be a formality. You could still visit theb anytime. Your case is exceptional, after all.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°In return, I have one question for you. It¡¯s not about you being a prophet or anything like that.¡±

    Elena adjusted her sses and spoke softly as I nodded my assent.

    Judging by her tone, it seemed like a personal curiosity.

    ¡°In <em>The Chronicles of Zenon</em>, there¡¯s an elven hero named Luden¡ªthe one who merged with the Dark Elf hero to destroy the World Tree.

    Was he perhaps inspired by Eiker? The resemnce is uncanny, especially the betrayal by the Council of Elders.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡±

    I answered immediately.

    There was no need for hesitation; Luden¡¯s character was undoubtedly based on Eiker.

    While I hadn¡¯t anticipated Eiker¡¯s cheerful and bold demeanor, the inspiration was unmistakable.

    Eiker¡¯s patriotism and self-sacrificial nature for Alvenheim were evident from our conversations.

    ¡°See? I told you! You¡¯re the real Luden.¡±

    ¡°I never thought I was, given how different we are¡­ but this is embarrassing.¡±

    ¡°You should be proud. Zenon not only based Luden on you but also gave him a truly heroic ending. If I ever meet the Dark Elf hero, I¡¯ll make sure to thank them too.¡±

    Elena patted Eiker¡¯s sturdy back with a grin, clearly delighted. Eiker, however, could only smile awkwardly, seemingly unused to her exuberance.

    It was touching to see how well theyplemented each other.

    Their happiness was infectious, and I found myself smiling along.

    ¡°Ah, onest thing. Has Eiker faced any trouble because of this? I imagine some people might bother him, knowing he¡¯s the inspiration for Luden.¡±

    ¡°Not at all. I¡¯ve stayed out of the public eye since the racial wars. As you know, I¡¯m a figure confined to history. Dragging me into the present would be both unwise and impractical.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡±

    ¡°Well, there were a few curious individuals, but they mostly teased me, so it never escted beyond lighthearted banter.¡±

    ¡°Do they still call you Luden, the one who perished with the World Tree?¡± Elena teased, prompting Eiker to shiver in mock horror. Judging by his reaction, he must¡¯ve been pestered quite a bit about it.

    ¡°Your bond is admirable. Forgive me if this is too personal, but do you have children?¡±

    ¡°Not yet, but we n to¡ªperhaps in 30 years?¡±

    Ah, the elven concept of time. Thirty years to them is like three years to us humans.

    ¡°We initially nned to after my current assignments, but it¡¯s been dyed. With all the hidden histories uncovered thanks to <em>The Chronicles of Zenon</em>, there¡¯s no time to rest.¡±

    ¡°¡­Is that my fault?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault¡ªit¡¯s my duty as a schr. Though, I suppose you share some responsibility.¡±

    ¡°Isaac?¡±

    A familiar voice interrupted us. I turned to see Arwen, bncing a towering stack of books that reached her chin.

    Without hesitation, I got up to help her.

    ¡°Good to see you, Your Majesty. Have you been well?¡±

    Eiker greeted her with respectful politeness.

    While it wasn¡¯t an official setting, his reverence for her as queen was evident.

    ¡°I¡¯m well, thank you. Are you here with your wife?¡±

    ¡°Yes, we happened to run into Zenon during our visit to the sacred site.¡±

    ¡°I see. Did you discuss anything of note¡­? No, never mind.¡±

    Arwen seemed to catch herself mid-thought and quickly shook her head.

    Smiling warmly, she turned her gaze toward Eiker and Elena.

    ¡°Being seen with me might bring you undue trouble. Isaac?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s take these books elsewhere. Just as we have our joys, they should have theirs.¡±

    I understood her meaning.

    Eiker had already withdrawn from public life, and being seen with us could lead to unnecessaryplications.

    ¡°Understood. It was a pleasure meeting you both, Eiker and Professor Elena.¡±

    ¡°The pleasure was ours.¡±

    Just as we were about to part ways, Eiker called out.

    ¡°Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯ve found a wonderful partner.¡±

    Eiker¡¯s sincere smile carried the warmth of genuine blessing. Arwen, too, seemed to sense the authenticity, her cheeks glowing as she leaned closer to me.

    ¡°Haha!¡±

    Eiker¡¯s heartyugh followed us as we departed, his amusement carrying the weight of a benevolent elder watching over a younger generation.

    While Isaac was enjoying a few blissful days in something akin to a honeymoon in Alvenheim, his work on <em>The Chronicles of Zenon</em> did not cease.

    The 27th volume had beenpleted even before his journey to Alvenheim, with the only dy being caused by indecision over the¡¯s name.

    A few days passed, and the long-awaited manuscript likely reached the publisher.

    ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Musk let out a deep sound as he read the ¡°letter¡± that came with the manuscript.

    He fiddled with his impressively grown gray mustache, a clear sign of his deep contemtion.

    Normally, the arrival of a manuscript would leave him beaming, but with the letter apanying it, his thoughts naturally grew moreplicated.

    The contents of the letter were as follows:

    ¡°Hello, Mr. Musk. Along with the 27th volume, I have some news to share. As I mentioned earlier, <em>The Chronicles of Zenon</em> is steadily approaching its conclusion. I estimate the series will likely end with volume 30.¡±

    The conclusion of the century¡¯s masterpiece, <em>The Chronicles of Zenon</em>. This revtion weighed on his mind as if a heavy scale had been tipped.

    Even though the series¡¯ end wouldn¡¯t mean the loss of all readers¡ªthe poption was, after all, steadily increasing¡ªthe thought still burdened him.

    Moreover, the profits generated by the series were so vast that even nobles could scarcely fathom their magnitude.

    <em>This was no longer just a goose thatid golden eggs; it was a literal goldmine.</em>

    His secret storeroom was already piled high with gold ingots.

    <em>He did mention he¡¯d work on another series after this.</em>

    Though Musk had no idea what the new project might be, it was Isaac¡¯s work, so sess seemed inevitable.

    Perhaps it wouldn¡¯t rival the impact of <em>The Chronicles of Zenon</em>, but it would undoubtedly still hold immense value.

    By notifying Musk of the final volume count, Isaac was essentially telling him to start preparing now.

    This preparation should suffice.

    Yet, Musk¡¯s attention was drawn not just to the impending finale.

    <em>Questions and answers, huh¡­</em>

    This was an event where readers could ask questions, and the author would address them within the book¡ªa Q&A of sorts.

    It was an activity Isaac had long wanted to do but had been too busy to organize.

    Now, confined to the dormitory due to recent issues with demon worshippers, the timing seemed ideal.

    He had already prepared manuscripts in advance, and with free time on his hands, it was the perfect opportunity.

    Of course, a part of Isaac¡¯s intention was to dy the series¡¯ conclusion as much as possible, though his sincerity toward his fans remained genuine.

    <em>Avoid questions unrted to the work.</em>

    But even if they announced this restriction upfront, chaos was inevitable. Lobbyists would surely pull every string they could.

    Even before Isaac¡¯s identity was revealed, there had been countless attempts at bribery or threats. Now, the situation was no different.

    Isaac¡¯s social circle was famously small, but what little connections he had were extraordinarily strong.

    Out of them, Musk was the most essible person. He wasn¡¯t royalty or nobility¡ªjust a wealthymoner.

    <em>This man has a habit of acting without thinking, doesn¡¯t he?</em>

    Though Musk hadn¡¯t interacted with Isaac often, his assessment was spot on.

    Isaac saw the event as a simple gesture for his fans, not considering the potential storm it might bring.

    Or, if he did, he was grossly underestimating it.

    Still, Musk couldn¡¯t just tell him not to do it. Sighing, he looked up from the letter to see his secretary, Matthew, standing there.

    ¡°Anything else delivered with this?¡±

    ¡°Yes, the manuscript for Mary¡¯stest work also arrived. Volumes 2 and 3, sent together.¡±

    ¡°Oh! Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    The news that the up-anding author Mary (also known as Cherry) had finally sent her manuscripts brightened Musk¡¯s mood.

    Though not as monumental as <em>The Chronicles of Zenon</em>, her warm writing style and unique settings had won widespread acim.

    Her work was especially popr among women and, given its intriguing premise, attracted many male readers as well.

    Recently, there had been dys in her releases, but with two volumes arriving at once, there was no room forints.

    ¡°Excellent, excellent. I can already hear the money rolling in. Send them straight to the printers.¡±

    ¡°Sir, there¡¯s something I didn¡¯t get to mention¡­¡±

    ¡°Hm? What¡¯s that?¡±

    Matthew hesitated before cautiously responding.

    ¡°About the printing press in the Duchy of Velua¡­¡±

    ¡°What about it? Something happened?¡±

    Musk¡¯s unease grew.

    The Duchy of Velua was a neutral state, serving as a key hub for global trade.

    Any disruption there could severely impact worldwidemerce.

    Knowing this, Musk had invested heavily, setting up a printing press there to save on shipping costs.

    ¡°It copsed due to a terrorist attack.¡±

    As expected, Musk¡¯s fears were confirmed.

    Hearing this, his head throbbed, but he knew he needed to get the full story. With a trembling voice, he asked:

    ¡°Who did it?¡±

    ¡°A demon worshipper detonated themselves.¡±

    ¡°¡­Ha.¡±

    It was too obvious to evenugh at. Unable to target Isaac directly, they were likely trying to disrupt the spread of <em>The Chronicles of Zenon</em>.

    This setback was Musk¡¯s burden to bear. A hit to the Velua branch, of all ces, gave him a severe headache.

    ¡°What about the staff there?¡±

    ¡°There were five casualties. Two, unfortunately, didn¡¯t make it¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­Send three gold ingots aspensation along with a letter.¡±

    Money could solve many problems, but not all. No amount of gold could bring back the dead.

    The real concern was that this might not be thest. Other branches could face simr attacks. If they couldn¡¯t strike the head, they¡¯d aim for the limbs.

    This was nothing short of a deration of war. Musk stood abruptly, issuing orders to Matthew.

    ¡°Prepare the carriage. We¡¯re heading to the estate. I can¡¯t handle this alone.¡±

    ¡°Do you have any ns in mind?¡±

    ¡°None.¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    Seeing Matthew¡¯s bewilderment, Musk smirked reassuringly.

    ¡°But we have money.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    ¡°So just follow me.¡±

    Though Matthew had no idea what Musk was plotting, he silently followed.

 Chapter 366: Book 27 (2)

    Chapter 366: Book 27 (2)

    <strong>¡°Chronicles of Zenon¡± Volume 27</strong> unfolds as a full-scale war between the Human Alliance and the Demons, where every race showcases their unique strengths and personalities on the battlefield without reservation.

    The elves and demonkin make a dramatic entrance via teleportation, while dark elves and demon huntersunch surprise attacks.

    Beastfolk charge fearlessly at a singlemand, and humans fulfill their role as stalwart tanks, disying unmatched resilience and unity.

    Notably, humans are the only race that can hold their ground numerically against the demon horde.

    Should they fall, the other races would inevitably be overwhelmed.

    The dwarves, however, bring their masterstroke to the fray: the <strong>Golem</strong>.

    This tactical weapon, with its steel body fashioned after humans and powered by an energy core at its center, moves ording to its user¡¯smands.

    Thanks to its sturdy build, it serves a variety of purposes.

    My detailed illustrations of its appearance made it easier for readers to visualize, and I described how it functions and is utilized with my full creative capacity.For instance, the golem has a high resistance to magic due to its anti-magic properties and is primarily deployed againstrge monsters like ogres.

    The most striking feature is its autonomous will, enabling it to act independently without requiring a pilot or controller.

    This autonomy baffles the demons, who are unustomed to facing such a foe.

    As lifeless constructs, golems can be mass-produced in factories given sufficient resources, blueprints, and funds.

    In the Chronicles, the dwarves prefer to take a supporting role rather than fight directly on the frontlines.

    While there are exceptions¡ªlike a dwarf charging in with a hammer in one hand and an axe in the other¡ªsuch cases are rare.

    The golem, however, became an instant hit among readers.

    [A tactical masterpiece born from the dreams and passion of the dwarves.]

    [If a steam engine could be created through the sheer determination of one dwarf, the golem is even more usible.]

    [A self-moving steel doll with autonomous will¡ªcould this be achieved through magic?]

    The arrival of the golem sparked excitement, particrly among male readers, who enthusiastically spected about its potential applications.

    [What if Machina is secretly developing these?]

    [It¡¯s a Zenon invention, so it might actually be possible.]

    Machina, known for developing magical engines and even iplete automobiles, was naturally suspected.

    Their official statement?

    [Machina: No such project exists, but the concept is intriguing.]

    The dwarves¡¯ innate love for invention makes the development of golems a usible future endeavor.

    If sessful, such an invention could greatly advance civilization, especially during peacetime.

    Labor is invaluable in any society, and golems could serve various roles¡ªfrom farming to defense.

    For instance, they could fend off ogres, which ordinary soldiers cannot handle, ensuring both a sessful harvest and protection from monstrous raids.

    However, granting autonomous will to inanimate objects stirred ethical concerns:

    [The theory of imbuing inorganic matter with autonomous will is fascinating, but it could be misused.]

    [It¡¯s akin to necromancy and requires caution.]

    Necromancy raises the dead, a clear vition of morality, while golems are created from scratch.

    Still, the parallels prompted heated debates, dying their development.

    Ultimately, the decision to pursue the golem invention came after thorough deliberation.

    Beyond the golems, <em>Chronicles of Zenon</em> delivers numerous highlights, particrly the climactic battle between Zenon and the prideful Lucifer.

    Empowered with ck wings granted by Diabolos¡¯ ¡°blessing,¡±

    Lucifer boasts that he will ascend to the heavens and mocks his ancestor, who tore off his wings and descended to earth, as a fool.

    Yet, his pride leads to his downfall, a fitting irony that resonated with readers:

    [A perfect end for a sinner consumed by pride.]

    Even the elves of Alvenheim publicly disassociated themselves from Lucifer, reflecting his universal disdain.

    His defeat brought the Human Alliance close to victory, but one final challenge looms: the rebirth of Diabolos, the fake final boss and catalyst of tragedy.

    As Diabolos emerges from his cocoon, all eyes turn toward the site of the World Tree, setting the stage for the final volume.

    Everyone who had been fixated solely on the war felt it.

    A monstrous evil had been born, one that should never havee into existence.

    The 27th volume concludes with a giant hand crushing greed like an insect.

    ¡°The Chronicles of Zenon¡± is reaching its climax. What lies ahead?¡±

    ¡°Will there be a sequel, or will the author take a break?¡±

    Readers, sensing the story was approaching its end, began to specte about the author¡¯s next steps.

    Some predicted a new series, while others believed a well-deserved rest was in order after such a long serialization¡ªnearly 30 volumes.

    Most leaned toward thetter, arguing that after such a lengthy project, a significant break would be necessary.

    Additionally, given the threats posed by demon worshippers, many thought it wise for the author to lie low for the time being.

    Amidst these discussions, here I am¡­

    ¡°Hello, Mr. Musk. It feels like it¡¯s been a while since west met.¡±

    ¡°Haha, thank you for granting me this meeting.¡±

    I was meeting Musk, not at the dormitory, but at my family¡¯s estate. He greeted me with his usual warm smile.

    Having enjoyed a peaceful time with Arwen in Alvenheim, I hade to the estate briefly before returning to the dormitory to visit my mother.

    Coincidentally, Musk had chosen this moment to visit.

    If I had been at the dormitory, where Ariel was, I might have had to decline the meeting, so the timing was fortuitous.

    Moreover, my brief visit to the estate had already beenmunicated to the dormitory, which meant my knights, Adelia and Kate, were by my side.

    They hadn¡¯t apanied me to Alvenheim due to the need for privacy with Arwen, but that was no longer the case.

    My honeymoon-like days were over, and it was time to resume my regr responsibilities.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    ¡°Here you go, Young Master.¡±

    ¡°Ah, thank you.¡±

    Adelia served tea and cookies she had prepared in advance, and I expressed my gratitude.

    I picked up a cookie studded with chocte chunks and took a bite.

    The rich, buttery vor of the cookie mingled with the sweetness of the chocte, filling my mouth.

    ¡°So, what brings you here today?¡± I asked Musk while chewing.

    Though it¡¯s polite to finish eating before speaking, Musk didn¡¯t mind such things.

    With his usual pleasant smile, he sped his hands and spoke.

    ¡°It concerns <em>The Chronicles of Zenon.</em> Specifically, it¡¯s a distribution issue.¡±

    ¡°Distribution?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    It seemed more a business matter than an issue with the story itself.

    As everyone knew, I had long delegated all publishing matters. I didn¡¯t care much even if Musk skimmed a few gold bars off the top, as I was making far more profit anyway.

    Most importantly, the trust between us was worth more than any sum of money.

    Still, for him toe directly to me about publishing matters suggested something unusual. After swallowing the rest of the cookie, I leaned forward slightly.

    ¡°Has there been a problem?¡±

    ¡°In short, it¡¯s due to the demon worshippers. A suicide bombing by their followers destroyed the printing press in the Duchy of Vellua.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    At the mention of demon worshippers, Kate, who had been about to pick up another cookie, froze mid-motion.

    She put the cookie back on the te and, in a chilling tone, said,

    ¡°Those vermin did this?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Not only the printing press but also five casualties, two of whom lost their lives. I¡¯ve already sent letters of condolence along withpensation to their families.¡±

    ¡°Luminous, grant peace to the innocent,¡± Kate murmured, crossing herself in prayer.

    I, too, couldn¡¯t hide my sorrow. After all, people had suffered because of me.

    ¡°The Duchy of Vellua is known as the world¡¯s gateway,¡± I said. ¡°That means¡­¡±

    ¡°If they can¡¯t target the head, they¡¯ll sever the limbs. Rebuilding the printing press isn¡¯t the issue; it¡¯s that the demon worshippers won¡¯t stand idly by. Moreover, other branches could be at risk.¡±

    It was like cutting off supply lines in a war.

    I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle bitterly. Fortunately, with Kate by my side, such threats were unlikely to seed.

    However, Musk was right: the demon worshippers had likely shifted their strategy, attacking what they could since direct assaults had failed.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I came to you, Sir Isaac. Money can buy many things, and rebuilding the printing press is no big task. But neither money nor time can rece lost lives.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Though Musk¡¯s words were admirable, I couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy, knowing his ambitions.

    Still, at least he wasn¡¯t as obsessed with money as some.

    ¡°The more this happens, the more desperate the demon worshippers will be. People will grow afraid to work at the printing press.¡±

    ¡°I understand your point, Mr. Musk. So, what¡¯s your proposal?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s about the question-and-answer letters you¡¯ve been doing¡ªwhat if we incentivize efforts tobat the demon worshippers?¡±

    ¡°Incentivize? How?¡±

    ¡°For example¡­¡±

    After a pause, Musk gave me a meaningful smile and said,

    ¡°An exclusive, private meeting with Sir Isaac in an empty room?¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    While I blinked in confusion at the bizarre suggestion, Kate let out an impressed, ¡°Oh¡­¡±

 Chapter 367: Book 27 (3)

    Chapter 367: Book 27 (3)

    Kate¡¯s genuine amazement beside me didn¡¯t quite resonate with me.

    Instead, I felt more bewildered. I clearly understood Musk¡¯s intent: to grant a private audience with me to the person who defeats the most demon worshippers.

    At first nce, it seemed like a straightforward concept, but it was far from an ordinary event¡ªit involved staking one¡¯s life.

    Frankly, there are numerous events where someone could have a private audience with me without such stakes. With a hint of caution, I voiced my thoughts.

    ¡°Um¡­ Mr. Musk? Is meeting me in private really worth that much? It doesn¡¯t seem like something worth risking one¡¯s life for¡­¡±

    ¡°Then, Lord Isaac, could you suggest an alternative type of event?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    I pondered over his question. First, I considered my position and authority.

    In my previous life, there was a nickname for the U.S. president: ¡°World President.¡±Though mostly a joke, it aptly represented the influence and authority of the U.S. globally.

    Historically, no empire has ever matched the strength of the U.S., and nations like the Soviet Union that challenged its supremacy eventually crumbled.

    And yet, I hold authority and influence even greater than a U.S. president.

    It¡¯s aparison, but it speaks volumes about the magnitude of my position.

    Even Arwen, despite her personal feelings, once treated herself as a gift to me.

    While her people yed a role in this decision, they went so far as to offer their queen as a ¡°gift,¡± underscoring my elevated status.

    ¡°To have a private audience with someone like me¡­¡±

    One must either save an entire nation from peril or bring such honor to their country that they are immortalized in history.

    And I am someone who saved the world from catastrophe simply by writing a book. This isn¡¯t just public perception¡ªit¡¯s an undeniable fact.

    I preemptively stopped the corruption of the World Tree¡¯s roots, exposed the hidden existence of demon worshippers, and contributed significantly to cultural development, among other aplishments.

    ¡°¡­There really is no easy way to meet me, is there?¡±

    Perhaps if this world had a sport I was passionate about, it would be a different story.

    I could personally request to meet someone under such circumstances.

    But this worldcks even the simplest forms of sports, let alone the Olympics.

    The most notable activity is jousting, and while there may eventually be Olympic-style events introduced in Animars, I hold little interest.

    Given the era, there¡¯s virtually no opportunity for someone to bring glory to their nation, and unless one ys a dragon like my father, it¡¯s nearly impossible to meet an emperor or king.

    In this world, unless you are born a noble, you quite literally must risk your life to meet someone of high status.

    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think there are any alternatives.¡±

    ¡°Lord Isaac, you must carefully consider the position you hold. Even the elves look up to your aplishments.¡±

    ¡°Such high praise makes me a little embarrassed.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m merely stating the truth,¡± Musk replied with a kind smile, nodding.

    Watching him, I couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly.

    Honestly, I would prefer to have a different kind of event.

    But if I did, those around me would probably argue that it diminishes my value.

    They¡¯d insist that true power lies in using it properly, and that even with absolute power, I¡¯m still stuck in the same routines.

    ¡°So, is the n to focus on defeating demon worshippers?¡±

    ¡°I merely offer suggestions. The choice is entirely yours, Lord Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­¡±

    I trailed off mid-sentence, feeling a piercing gaze beside me.

    When I turned my head, I saw Kate fidgeting like a restless puppy, her anticipation and nervousness mixing in her deep blue eyes, even darker than Adelia¡¯s.

    She seemed eager for me to decide, silently urging me to choose the path of eradicating demon worshippers.

    ¡°¡­I assume you have ns in mind, given your suggestion?¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    As soon as I gave a positive response, Kate let out a sigh of relief for reasons I couldn¡¯t quite grasp.

    I briefly wondered if she intended to participate in the event herself, but my conversation with Musk took precedence.

    The event Musk proposed would undoubtedly have significant impact, but with that woulde proportional consequences.

    ¡°Of course. While the number of demon worshippers eliminated is important, not all demon worshippers are mere underlings. Isn¡¯t that right, Cardinal Kate?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct. Just as insects grow into mature forms, demon worshippers also have distinct tiers.¡±

    In response to Musk¡¯s question, Kate, as usual,pared demon worshippers to insects.

    Her expertise in this area was undeniable.

    Even before meeting me, she had been cracking their skulls, and recently, she apprehended a corrupted cardinal.

    ncing at me briefly, she continued speaking in her soft, signature voice.

    ¡°Demon worshippers bear distinct markings. While underlings only have nes or rings, those of higher rank engrave sigils on their bodies.

    However, these marks are not visible under normal circumstances, making them hard to identify at a nce.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ But wouldn¡¯t such sigils be insufficient as proof?¡±

    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s no need to worry about that. You can simply y the skin off.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Kate¡¯s matter-of-fact tone made her suggestion sound as simple as ughtering a pig.

    Both Musk and I were left momentarily speechless.

    For someone like Kate, who had spent her days enthusiastically exterminating demon worshippers, it made sense.

    But for someone like Musk, or myself, who had little experience with violence, the suggestion was unsettling.

    ¡°Is there¡­ no other way?¡±

    ¡°If ying the skin is too troublesome, you could always bring back their heads or extract their hearts¡­¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    Before Kate could finish, Musk shuddered and shook his head vigorously.

    I instinctively shifted ufortably in my seat, equally unsettled.

    For Kate, who had grown used to such practices, it was no big deal.

    But for people like Musk and me, just imagining it was horrifying.

    That said, it wasn¡¯t that Kate was a psychopath or a sadistic killer.

    She simply viewed demon worshippers as pests. Her intense faith made her actions extreme, but at her core, she remained a virtuous person.

    ¡­Probably.

    ¡°At any rate, we could implement a point-based system depending on the rank of the worshippers defeated. It would be better if this were handled by the Church rather than a nation.¡±

    ¡°Of course. The Luminous Church has already dered a holy war, so we¡¯re more than willing to take this on. Ah! And we¡¯ll need to inform the Mora Church as well.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    ¡°Who will you inform? While I¡¯m familiar with the Luminous Church, I don¡¯t know much about the Mora Church.¡±

    There is Princess Cecily, someone who directly receives Isaac¡¯s light.

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    Hearing Kate¡¯s response, Musk looks at me with a subtle expression.

    He seems to have a lot to say but decides against it.

    I can roughly guess what he¡¯s thinking, so I just shrug. At this point, saying anything would only sound like an excuse.

    ¡°I see. Then I think the two orders can coordinate to determine the exact ranking. While at it, you can also share your know-how and precautions.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to listen carefully.¡±

    ¡°The remaining issue is potential side effects¡­ What will we do if, heaven forbid, innocent victims are harmed?¡±

    That¡¯s the biggest concern. While the intention is good, the process has a high risk of causing unfortunate incidents.

    Even in my previous life, there were countless people who would sacrifice lives for profit. This world is likely worse, not better.

    Especially when ites to something like a ¡®witch hunt,¡¯ where innocent people might bebeled as demon worshipers.

    There¡¯s also the chance of torturing or executing even those remotely associated with such usations. The risk of spiraling into madness is high.

    It got so bad in the past that Luminous had to personally intervene, which says it all.

    History has a tendency to repeat itself, and even the best intentions can lead to disasters.

    ¡°We¡¯ll do everything in our power to prevent innocent casualties. But if such a tragedy does ur¡­¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll cancel everything immediately.¡±

    As Kate trails off, unable to find a better solution, I step forward to address the matter.

    All eyes turn toward me. Meeting their gaze, I speak in a calm tone.

    ¡°Losing ten demon worshipers is far less painful than sacrificing an innocent life.

    Whether by mistake or intent, if something like that happens, we will cancel this initiative immediately.¡±

    ¡°But what if the demon worshipers we let slip cause greater harmter on¡ª¡±

    ¡°Then feel free to scold me for being naive. Demon worshipers mostly hide in the shadows; they rarely step into the light.

    Even if they disguise themselves, doesn¡¯t a simple touch of divine power reveal their true nature? If we kill people without such evidence, aren¡¯t we just murderers?¡±

    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re right. That was a careless statement on my part.¡±

    My rare disy of a firm stance causes Kate to flusteredly concede.

    Musk also looks at me with a surprised expression.

    There¡¯s nothing more tragic than innocent people shedding blood just because someone is determined to find me.

    If that happens, I will take full responsibility.

    With this direction set, we decided that further discussions between the orders would suffice.

    The key is not to punish people simply for any slight connection to demon worshipers. Their reach extends far and wide.

    For instance, there have been asional reports of neighbors secretly being demon worshipers or mercenaries and adventurers turning out to be involved.

    ¡°One of the mercenaries I hired turned out to be a demon worshiper. It gave me a lot to think about.¡±

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t that incredibly dangerous?¡±

    ¡°If it hadn¡¯t been for the potions I always carry, I wouldn¡¯t be alive today.¡±

    Musk himself is a survivor of such an incident.

    The mercenary he hired for protection turned out to be a demon worshiper. He barely survived thanks to his potions.

    ¡°Now that everything else is sorted, let¡¯s discuss the most important matter¡ªrewards.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t meeting me in person already enough?¡±

    Honestly, this event involves risking lives, so a private meeting feels a bitcking as a reward.

    I was considering adding extras, like a signed book or light physical interactions, but even that seems insufficient¡­

    ¡°No, it¡¯s more than enough. A private meeting with Isaac could be a once-in-a-lifetime honor.

    How could it possibly be ¡®just enough¡¯? You really ought to recognize the significance of your position.¡±

    ¡°¡­Fine. So, what exactly would these rewards be?¡±

    ¡°In addition to private meetings, there will be rewards for those who achieve significant aplishments. For example, signed books.¡±

    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll think about it.¡±

    Even the idea of a private meeting is overwhelming, let alone signed books as rewards. It¡¯s both understandable and hard to fully grasp.

    Musk didn¡¯t seem too concerned about the rewards either, focusing more on getting my approval.

    Besides, they n to spend significant sums of money, which is something the orders will manage, not me.

    As things graduallye together and I ept Musk¡¯s proposals¡­

    ¡°Isaac? May I ask you for a favor?¡±

    ¡°A favor?¡±

    Kate¡¯s sudden request takes me by surprise.

    She rarely asks for anything, so I can¡¯t help but be curious.

    And the request that follows is enough to leave me utterly speechless.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to step down from my escort duties temporarily so I can join in hunting demon worshipers.¡±

    ¡°¡­You want to participate too?¡±

    ¡°Of course. How could I miss an opportunity to meet Isaac in person?¡±

    ¡°No, I mean¡ª Hah.¡±

    I had a feeling, but to think that feeling would be reality. I run a hand down my face, caught off guard.

    She¡¯s the type to be absolutely stubborn about specific things.

    Even if I tell her not to, she¡¯d likely insist it¡¯s unfair.

    But even so, I can¡¯t allow her to step down from her escort duties. Adelia might be here, but someone as reliable as Kate is almost impossible to find.

    Sure, I could hire Helium¡¯s elite group, the Reapers, but they wouldn¡¯t have Kate¡¯s level of divine power.

    ¡°I refuse. No matter the reason, I won¡¯t allow it.¡±

    ¡°Why? As a faithful servant of Luminous, I want to meet Isaac.¡±

    ¡°And if I say you already qualify for such a meeting?¡±

    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be fair to the others.¡±

    I knew she¡¯d say that. Letting out a hollowugh, I respond in a calm voice.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not fine if you¡¯re not by my side, Kate.¡±

    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡±

    Kate blinks in shock at my answer. Seeing my chance, I press on quickly.

    ¡°I said I need you by my side. So I¡¯ll give you all the private meetings you want¡ªjust don¡¯t step down from your duties. Understood?¡±

    ¡°Kate?¡±

    ¡°Haah¡­¡±

    What¡¯s with this person?

    Why are her eyes suddenly zed over? And what¡¯s with the heavy breathing?

    As I stand there bewildered, Kate gazes at me with softened eyes, then slowly covers her face with both hands.

    Momentster, her face flushes, and she murmurs softly, with an oddly sensual tone.

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll protect Isaac¡­ forever.¡±

    I never said anything about forever.

    ¡°Hahaha! Well, I¡¯ll be going now. Goodbye!¡±

    Why are you running away now?

 Chapter 368: Event (1)

    Chapter 368: Event (1)

    Before the full extent of the atrocitiesmitted by the demon worshippers was revealed, they kept themselves hidden in the shadows, carefully concealing their true identities.

    The exact origins of their existence remain unknown, though many schrs specte that their activities predate the Demon War.

    After all, without their influence, the Demon War might never have urred, marking them as a group with a history as long as it is sinister.

    Over 3,000 years, interest in demons gradually waned, creating opportunities for demon worshippers to expand their influence.

    Their power grew, particrly through control of the ¡°Four Major ck Market Commodities¡±: drugs, human trafficking, weapons, and monster byproducts.

    Extending their reach into the underworld, they amassed immense wealth, sometimes involving not only the wealthy and nobility but even clergy.

    Cases like the infamous corrupt cardinal scandal that rocked Savior revealed that the hands of demon worshippers extended across the entire world.

    Had the <em>Chronicles of Zenon</em> not exposed their existence, a second Demon War might have erupted, plunging the world into even greater chaos.

    Conversely, this demonstrates the unimaginable influence of the demon worshippers, as they left no trace despite their vastwork.Yet, such secrecy is now irrelevant. Following the ¡°divine punishment¡± of the corrupt cardinal in Savior, open war has erupted.

    At the same time, they sought to target Isaac, the one at the center of these events, but even that has not gone as nned.

    As a result, the demon worshippers shifted strategies: if they couldn¡¯t strike the head, they¡¯d aim to sever the limbs.

    Whether by prophecy or coincidence, their goal became clear: to disrupt the <em>Chronicles of Zenon</em> by cutting off its distribution at the source.

    Their first target? The printing press in the Duchy of Vellua.

    ¡°This ce is utterly wrecked.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it really is.¡±

    A man and a woman stood before a partially destroyed building, conversing casually.

    The man¡¯s skin was tanned from time spent under the harsh sun, his muscr arms and the scars visible on them leaving an impression.

    The woman, with her short-cropped hair, bore her own marks of hardship, a deep scar etched across her cheek.

    Both were reasonably attractive, and they shared amon feature¡ªa pendant around their necks.

    The pendants, reflecting the golden sunlight, marked them as adventurers.

    ¡°They said it was a suicide bombing by demon worshippers. What¡¯s the n from here?¡±

    The woman crossed her arms, her gaze fixed on the ongoing reconstruction of the building.

    There was a hint of unease in her voice.

    The man nodded in agreement, understanding her concern.

    After all, the structure being rebuilt was no ordinary building; it was a printing press established by Musk at great expense solely for publishing the <em>Chronicles of Zenon</em>.

    However, it had beenpletely destroyed in a suicide bombing orchestrated by demon worshippers, resulting in the deaths of two employees and severe injuries to three others.

    ¡°Maybe the government will step in, like they did for the mint? Or the church might send in holy knights to protect it.¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t be enough. They say some of the demon worshippers are demons themselves and could attack from afar with magic.

    And apparently, this bombing wasn¡¯t even a coordinated effort but the work of a lone individual.¡±

    The woman¡¯s logical concerns made the man nod in agreement.

    Demon worshippers were an evil force that influenced the entire world.

    Naturally, their organization was structured in isted cells, with most members being mere pawns unless they were high-ranking leaders like the corrupt cardinal.

    Although Savior had dered an official holy war against them, a group that had evaded detection for over a millennium wouldn¡¯t be easily eradicated.

    Without the <em>Chronicles of Zenon</em>, their existence might have remained undiscovered, highlighting their meticulous nning.

    ¡°This is just the first signal re. You can bet that every printing press in the world is going to be targeted soon. The Duchy of Vellua was likely hit first due to its strategic location.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re smarter than I thought.¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯re just dumb. Anyone who reads the news could figure this out.¡±

    The woman mocked the man sharply.

    She nced at him, scratching his head awkwardly, before offering him a backhandedpliment.

    ¡°Well, I guess that attitude of yours got you what you wanted.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°You know, <em>that</em>.¡±

    Whatever it was, the woman found it difficult to say directly, resorting to indirect hints.

    She even nced around to make sure no one was eavesdropping.

    At first, the man didn¡¯t catch on, but her reaction made him realize what she was referring to.

    ¡°Oh, the autograph? You mean the one I got from Zenon?¡±

    ¡°Shh! Quiet! What if someone hears you?¡±

    The woman panicked, pressing her index finger to her lips in a gesture to silence him.

    Indeed, the man had been the one who broke through the security cordon surrounding Isaac during his return to the academy just to obtain an autograph.

    It had been a life-threatening situation, and had Isaac not responded, the man¡¯s life could have ended then and there.

    Fortunately, he managed to secure the autograph, and as a skilled adventurer, he continued to live a carefree life.

    ¡°So what? Let them try to steal it. I¡¯ll just take them down.¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­ You have no idea how much trouble that thing has caused us.¡±

    The woman shook her head, imagining the chaos that could ensue.

    After rumors of the autograph spread, many had tried to take it from the man.

    From near-miss pickpocket attempts while walking through the streets to confrontations at inns, the autograph had be a target.

    Some even tried to outright rob him, leading to dangerous altercations.

    If the man weren¡¯t exceptionally skilled, the autograph would have been lost long ago.

    ¡°Selling it at an auction isn¡¯t even an option¡­¡±

    The woman sighed inwardly again as she watched the man smiling contentedly.

    To be honest, she was insanely jealous of him. After all, she was also a fervent fan of <em>The Chronicles of Zenon</em>.

    But she couldn¡¯t just hit him on the back of the head and run off with it.

    Considering the immense value of the autograph, that would be something no decent person should do.

    If it were put up for auction, surely wealthy people and nobles who heard the news would swarm in like ants. Of course, the man had no intention of doing such a thing.

    Not out of respect for Zenon (Isaac) but because even if it were sessfully auctioned, it would undoubtedly lead to chaos and bloodshed.

    This was his way of preemptively preventing that.

    ¡°Let¡¯s head back to the guild. Hanging around here won¡¯t bring us any new requests, right?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    ¡°Good idea.¡±

    The two turned their steps away from watching the rebuilding of the printing press and headed back to the guild.

    The adventurer¡¯s guild they belonged to had branches in the capitals and major cities of each country.

    The Duchy of Vellua was no exception.

    In fact, Vellua was a nation overflowing with variousmissions, including merchant escort requests.

    Naturally, the influence of adventurers and mercenary guilds was immense, and many people passed through them.

    <strong>Murmur, murmur¡ª</strong>

    ¡°Hm? What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Why¡¯s there such a huge crowd?¡±

    On their way back to the guild, the two caught sight of an unusual scene¡ªa ce where people were inexplicably gathering in droves.

    As frequent visitors to Vellua, they knew exactly what was there: arge announcement board officially set up by the nation for everyone to see.

    It was where public notices issued by the state or the church were disyed.

    The board was now swarming with a massive crowd.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°Looks like an official notice has been posted. Let¡¯s go check it out.¡±

    The woman, sensitive to political affairs, led the man toward the board.

    Although they couldn¡¯t get close because of the sheer number of people, the woman had just the right tool for situations like this¡ªa bit pricey but incredibly useful.

    She pulled it out from her backpack.

    It was a telescope.

    Typically used in the military or at theaters, it was a prohibitively expensive item due to its intricate manufacturing.

    But its utility made it worth carrying around.

    ¡°Roy, give me a lift.¡±

    ¡°Alright, up you go.¡±

    Without hesitation, Roy hoisted the woman onto his shoulders.

    From her elevated vantage point, she held the telescope to her eye with satisfaction.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see here¡­¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    As the woman scanned the notice through her telescope, Roy looked around.

    Whenever the state issued a notice, people always gathered.

    Most of the time, it was about taxes, which evenmoners paid close attention to.

    But the size of today¡¯s crowd was far beyond normal.

    At just 20 years old, Roy¡¯s experiences had taught him to recognize when something was out of the ordinary.

    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±

    Meanwhile, the woman seemed to have finished reading the notice.

    Her reaction was one of great shock.

    She kept adjusting her telescope, double-checking what she had just seen.

    ¡°Wow¡­ this person really means business.¡±

    ¡°What does it say?¡±

    The woman, Anne, didn¡¯t immediately answer Roy¡¯s question.

    She climbed down and put the telescope back in her backpack before rying what she¡¯d seen.

    ¡°From what I can tell, it seems Zenon¡¯s quite upset about recent events. He¡¯s serious this time¡ªhe might even wipe out the demon worshippers entirely.¡±

    ¡°So, what does the notice actually say? You know I hate waiting.¡±

    ¡°Fine, you¡¯re so impatient. The notice isn¡¯t from the Duchy of Vellua. It¡¯s a letter from Zenon himself.¡±

    ¡°A letter?¡±

    Roy blinked in surprise.

    The idea of Zenon¡¯s letter being posted on a public announcement board seemed strange at first, but considering Zenon¡¯s influence, it made sense.

    However, the content was what mattered most¡ªafter all, it was significant enough to be disyed publicly.

    As Roy¡¯s expression grew more serious, Anne nodded and exined further.

    ¡°Yeah. It looks like Zenon heard about what¡¯s been happening. He¡¯s taking things very seriously.¡±

    ¡°You mean¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll need to confirm the details at the church or the guild, but apparently, anyone who makes the greatest contribution to eliminating demon worshippers will get a chance to meet Zenon in person.¡±

    ¡°In-person? Did I hear that right?¡±

    Roy couldn¡¯t believe it.

    Meeting Zenon was something people risked their lives even to attempt, yet now there was a promise of a private audience.

    Anne, also struggling to fully believe it, nodded.

    Her heart was pounding just as much as Roy¡¯s.

    She wasn¡¯t as reckless as him, but as a devoted fan of <em>The Chronicles of Zenon</em>, she shared his enthusiasm.

    In fact, their friendship had started because of their mutual love for the series¡ªeven before it became a global sensation with its first volume.

    ¡°You heard right. The person who contributes the most to defeating the demon worshippers will get the chance to meet Zenon.

    Of course, if they prefer something else, the church or the state will probably offer support instead.¡±

    Roy¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement. ¡°Then we¡¯ve got to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Wait.¡± Anne cut him off, her tone cautious. ¡°Zenon doesn¡¯t want any unnecessary sacrifices. If even one innocent person gets hurt, the whole deal is off.¡±

    Just as Anne tried to keep Roy calm, a loud, defiant voice erupted near the announcement board.

    ¡°Who do they think they¡¯re scaring with this nonsense?!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°What the¡­¡±

    <strong>Rip!</strong>

    Someone violently tore down Zenon¡¯s letter (a copy, to be precise) from the board.

    The unexpected act left everyone stunned, but the next shout sent the crowd into a frenzy.

    ¡°For the Father of All! We will never fall!¡±

    ¡°Who the hell is that?!¡±

    ¡°A demon worshipper!¡±

    ¡°Get him! Take him down!¡±

    Chaos erupted as the crowd swarmed the presumed demon worshipper.

    Anne, watching the scene, realized that the situation had officially begun. This was likely to send shockwaves across the entire world.

    Realistically, meeting Zenon seemed unlikely, but just the fact that he had motivated people to fight against the demon worshippers was an incredible achievement.

    ¡°So it¡¯s really starting, huh? Let¡¯s focus on gathering more details¡ª¡± She paused mid-sentence, realizing Roy was nowhere to be seen.

    Startled, Anne looked around, only to spot him amidst the chaos.

    ¡°Out of my way! I¡¯m taking this guy in!¡±

    ¡°And who do you think you are? I caught him first!¡±

    ¡°Have you no shame?!¡±

    Roy was fighting his way through the crowd, trying to drag the demon worshipper away.

    ¡°¡­I can¡¯t even admit we¡¯re acquaintances,¡± Anne muttered, covering her face with one hand.

 Chapter 369: Event (2)

    Chapter 369: Event (2)

    It¡¯s a question thates to mind at this point, but how does one be a demon worshipper?

    Given how long demon worship has persisted since the Demon War, people havee to follow this path through various means.

    As repeatedly mentioned, demon worshippers have their influence spread across the underworld and are often involved in illegal activities.

    As a result, nine out of ten people deeply tied to crime are demon worshippers.

    However, to be frank, they aren¡¯t particrly dangerous.

    Most of them are mere pawns ormon criminals. While they may be associated with demon worship, they aren¡¯t directly connected.

    Even if they leave traces of their involvement, no one suspects the acts to be those of demon worshippers.

    People are more likely to me powerful crime syndicates rather than considering demon worshippers.

    The truly dangerous individuals are those who have been <strong>¡°</strong>brainwashed¡± from a young age.While criminalsmit acts out of various desires or reasons, those who are brainwashed act with deliberate intent.

    History has shown just how impactful brainwashing can be, especially when it urs on a collective level.

    In such cases, it can even lead to catastrophic wars.

    Demon worshippers have extensively utilized this brainwashing, refining their techniques to such a degree that people often fall victim to it even while being aware of the risks.

    Especially in a world like this, unlike Earth, where the exchange of information is severely limited, people are more prone to falling for specific ideologies due tock of information and environmental factors.

    At this point, you might wonder: <em>¡°How can people fall into demon worship in a world where gods exist and divine authority is so powerful?¡±</em>

    You might also think it¡¯s strange that even after the Demon War, there haven¡¯t been any noticeable warnings or signs despite the passage of time.

    However, a deeper dive into history reveals why.

    After the Demon War, all civilizations, except for Alvenheim, regressed to the point of being nearly reset.

    Additionally, the birth of the new race known as the ¡°Demonic Beings¡± and the subsequent incidents that followed left people too preupied to address other issues.

    Of course, demon worshippers haven¡¯t beenpletely unscathed during this time.

    For instance, when the Savior lost himself to fanaticism and wreaked havoc, demon worshippers also suffered significant losses.

    While it might have been a case of ¡°a blind cat catching a dead rat,¡± this incident unfortunately led to demon worshippers bing more meticulous and cautious.

    They adapted to avoid detection by groups like the ¡°Inquisition,¡± which Kate belongs to, acting as ordinary individuals on the surface and revealing their true colors only when the inquisitors were absent.

    Only two individuals in the Luminous Church possess the ability to dere a ¡°sanctuary¡±: the Pope and the Grand Inquisitor, Kate.

    Before the onset of the Racial Wars, humans were embroiled in conflicts among themselves, and the elves faced internal turmoil.

    As for the beastfolk, who had yet to establish a proper civilization, they were hardly a consideration.

    The demonic beings, on the other hand, were treated as no different from demons themselves.

    Even the dwarves, who were rtively stable, paid little attention to demon worshippers, as they were too busy supplying weapons for the humans¡¯ civil wars.

    Finally, with the eruption of the Racial Wars, all conditions were met for demon worshippers to run rampant without interference.

    Entire viges with little external contact fell into demon worship, nobles and clergy were corrupted, and the tendrils of demon worship began to spread worldwide.

    Though they failed, demon worshippers even attempted to summon demons, demonstrating just how dangerous they had be.

    Thanks to the Chronicles of Zenon, their existence has been exposed, but it will take a long time to eradicate thempletely.

    A Peaceful-Looking Vige

    ¡°Mom.¡±

    ¡°Ah, is my little Laura awake?¡±

    ¡°Mm-hmm.¡±

    In an ordinary house in a small vige, a young girl greeted a woman.

    She had brown hair and brown eyes, a color palette that wasn¡¯t particrly striking.

    Still, her adorable appearance hinted at a bright future for this pre-teen girl.

    The woman, who seemed to have passed down her features to her daughter, smiled lovingly at her child.

    ¡°Breakfast will be ready soon, so wait at the table, okay?¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Laura, a well-behaved girl, obediently made her way to the dining table.

    When she arrived, her eyesnded on a sturdy-looking man sitting there.

    The man, presumably her father, was engrossed in a newspaper, obscuring his face.

    ¡°Dad, Dad!¡±

    ¡°Hm? Oh! Did my little girl wake up?¡±

    Hearing his daughter¡¯s voice, the man immediately set the newspaper aside, a warm smile spreading across his rugged face.

    His square jaw, unkempt beard, and short-cropped hair left a strong impression.

    ¡°Hold me!¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡±

    Her father, utterly charmed by her morning affection, hugged her tightly. His happiness was evident, needing no further exnation.

    While in her father¡¯s embrace, Laura caught a glimpse of the newspaper he had been reading.

    The partially folded headline stood out to her.

    ¡°Zenon deres war¡­ A full-scale confrontation with demon worshippers disguised as an event?¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    Thud!

    The moment Laura read the title aloud, her father¡¯s face turned pale, and he hastily threw the newspaper to the floor.

    He was so flustered he didn¡¯t even bother folding it properly.

    Confused by his strange behavior, Laura tilted her head, her young mind unable to grasp the situation¡¯s oddity.

    ¡°Dad.¡±

    ¡°Y-yeah?¡±

    ¡°What does ¡®event¡¯ mean?¡±

    Shifting his gaze downward to meet her curious brown eyes, he swallowed hard and carefully began exining.

    ¡°¡­¡¯Event¡¯ is a word used in many contexts. It can mean a festival or a celebration, but it can also describe something unexpected happening. Generally, it¡¯s used for positive urrences in your life.¡±

    From the outside, it seemed like a normal, harmless exnation.

    ¡°Got it. So, offering sacrifices to the Father of All is also an event?¡±

    ¡°Of course. But keep in mind, ¡®event¡¯ has a broad meaning, so it¡¯s notmonly used in that sense.¡±

    Had it not been for Laura¡¯s mention of the Father of All, the man might have simply smiled in relief.

    Instead, the joy on his face seemed to stem from something far deeper.

    Laura nodded at his exnation, satisfied. If her dad said so, it must be true.

    The seemingly mundane family exchange continues as the narrative subtly reveals their sinister allegiance.

    A simple breakfast scene highlights the contrast between their outward normalcy and the dark reality of their beliefs and practices.

    I couldn¡¯t quite grasp what the topic was, but from the serious tone of voice, it seemed to be a grave matter.

    However, relying on the ¡°sense¡± I had honed over the years, I realized it was a matter I dared not meddle in. Right now, food was more important.

    ¡°Laura.¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    While Laura was hurriedly eating, the woman softly called her.

    Startled, Laura looked up at her.

    The woman gently wiped the sauce from Laura¡¯s lips with her finger and spoke in a cautionary tone.

    ¡°My dear Laura, you must never read such wicked books. Always remember, the most important thing is the word of the Father of All Things. Understood?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Good girl, my daughter.¡±

    When the woman affectionately stroked Laura¡¯s hair, she smiled blissfully.

    It was the kind of smile that unmistakably belonged to a girl raised with abundant love.

    Thus, the harmonious breakfast came to an end.

    By the time the woman began clearing the dishes from the table, the man spoke.

    ¡°Laura.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Dad?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget your lessons today.¡±

    The man, who had been skimming through the newspaper, spoke in an offhand tone.

    However, Laura¡¯s reaction to his words was far from ordinary.

    As soon as she heard the word ¡°lessons,¡± her face turned pale in an instant.

    Her already paleplexion now had a sickly blue hue.

    Sweat began to bead on her hands, and cold sweat trickled down her temples.

    In a trembling voice, she hesitantly replied.

    ¡°Lessons? I thought¡­¡±

    ¡°You were supposed to have them today, weren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°But¡­ but didn¡¯t you say I wouldn¡¯t have to if I memorized all the prayers¡­¡±

    Swish¡ª

    At her protest, the man lowered the newspaper, revealing his eyes.

    The moment Laura saw them, she gasped sharply.

    The kind father from before breakfast was no longer there. All that remained was the visage of an ¡°instructor.¡±

    When Laura lowered her gaze, intimidated by his fearsome re, the man ced the newspaper on the table and spoke heavily.

    ¡°Laura.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes?¡±

    ¡°Are you defying the word of the Father of All Things?¡±

    ¡°N-no.¡±

    ¡°Then why?¡±

    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t want to.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°It¡­ it hurts¡­ I don¡¯t want to¡­¡±

    As she spoke, Laura instinctively held her arm, as if protecting an injured spot.

    Noticing this, the man smirked indifferently and replied.

    ¡°That¡¯s how lessons are meant to be. Pain is a stepping stone to growth. It¡¯s a trial you must endure to uncover the truth.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Other children are undergoing lessons too. You¡¯re not the only one. Our entire vige exists for the Father of All Things.¡±

    ¡°¡­Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I went through the same as a child. So did your mother.¡±

    Hearing his exnation, Laura held her aching arm and averted her gaze.

    When she did, she saw her mother nodding in agreement with her father.

    Pain was unpleasant.

    Yet, her parents exined that it was normal.

    The vigers were no different.

    They all revered the Father of All Things, and no one voiced dissent.

    If anyone dared to dissent, they would face unbearable pain.

    She herself had been severely punished with the rod when she once tried to protest.

    That meant her father was right. The more she resisted, the greater the pain.

    With a resigned expression, Laura nodded weakly.

    ¡°¡­Okay.¡±

    ¡°Good. I believe my daughter will grow into a fine ascendant. Didn¡¯t the Lord say as much in His revtion?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Now, go to the basement first. I¡¯ll join you soon¡ª¡±

    Bang! Bang! Bang!

    Before the man could finish his sentence, a loud pounding echoed through the house, catching everyone¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Who could it be at this hour?¡±

    ¡°Maybe Mr. Jake is here, hungover and looking for soup?¡±

    ¡°Ha, that guy. Does he think this is some kind of diner?¡±

    The man, used to such interruptions, stood up without much concern. Laura watched his back for a moment before moving her own feet.

    She headed toward the basement, a ce with a special purpose.

    It wasn¡¯t unusual for houses in the vige to have basements. Laura thought it was normal.

    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡±

    ¡°Ah, pardon me. Would this be the residence of¡­¡±

    Laura barely registered the sounds behind her as she descended the stairs.

    The deeper she went, the darker it became, but the pitch-ckness posed no obstacle.

    She was too ustomed to it¡ªso much so that she could navigate the stairs with her eyes closed.

    ¡°This is how it¡¯s supposed to be¡­¡±

    She muttered to herself as she reached the bottom of the stairs. Before her stood a heavy iron door with a small window for peering inside, reminiscent of a prison for sinners.

    Creak¡ª

    Laura carefully pushed the door open. The hinges, poorly oiled, emitted an unpleasant noise.

    Beyond the door, the room came into view, filled with ¡°educational tools,¡± including what appeared to be toys.

    A coiled whip hung on the wall, and there was even a skewer that seemed designed for torture rather than instruction.

    These were anything but suitable for lessons or y. They were tools of torment. Yet Laura remained unaware of this truth.

    Her parents and the vigers had taught her otherwise: these were all stepping stones for her ¡°growth.¡±

    Swish¡ªn/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Before her father arrived, Laura began to remove her clothes, starting with her top. To receive her lessons, exposing her upper body sufficed.

    Soon, her torso was fully exposed, revealing a body just entering puberty. However, it also disyed the scars and marks inflicted by ¡°lessons.¡±

    Bruises adorned her arms, and her back bore severe scars, likely from untreatedshings.

    There were even burn marks, evidence of a red-hot skewer pressed against her skin.

    Thud. Thud. Thud.

    ¡°He¡¯sing¡­¡±

    The sound of footsteps beyond the door reached her ears.

    Laura shivered in anticipation of the forting lesson.

    However, lost in her fear, she failed to notice two critical details: there was more than one set of footsteps, and her father had not carried a torch earlier.

    ¡°Seriously, these people are insane. The whole vige seems to be under the grip of some cult.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like it. I heard they call <em>Zenon¡¯s Chronicles</em> a wicked book.¡±

    ¡°Unbelievable. But what is this ce¡­ oh, no.¡±

    These voices didn¡¯t belong to her father.

    Confused, Laura opened her eyes and turned around.

    There, holding torches and wearing astonished expressions, stood strangers she had never seen before.

    They weren¡¯t vigers¡ªno one in the vige carried such equipment.

    ¡°Who¡­ who are you?¡±

    ¡°Why is a child here¡­ and what are those wounds?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a whip hanging here. And, damn it, skewers too?!¡±

    ¡°This is sick. Call the priest right away. This is serious.¡±

    The strangers muttered among themselves, their words iprehensible to Laura.

    Where was her father? Why were they here?

    As she struggled to make sense of the situation, one of the torchbearers slowly approached her.

    ¡°Are you okay, little one? Can you stand?¡±

    ¡°Who¡­ who are you, mister?¡±

    The man seemed momentarily stunned by being called ¡°mister,¡± but he quicklyposed himself.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get you out of here first, okay?¡±

    ¡°But¡­ but my dad¡¯sing for my lesson¡­¡±

    ¡°Lesson?¡±

    The man frowned at the word.

    To Laura, his stern expression seemed frightening, causing her to shrink back.

    After surveying the room filled with instruments of torment, he asked in disbelief.

    ¡°¡­Is that what your lessons involve?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°When did they start?¡±

    ¡°When I was seven¡­¡±

    ¡°And how old are you now?¡±

    ¡°Twelve¡­¡±

    ¡°Unbelievable.¡± He muttered a curse under his breath before extending his hand.

    ¡°Come on, stand up.¡±

    ¡°But my dad¡­¡±

    Laura, deeply indoctrinated, refused to move, her brown eyes clouded with confusion.

    The man looked at her scarred body with pity before draping his cloak over her.

    Then, softly stroking her head, he said with a reassuring smile:

    ¡°Think of it as ying hooky for a day.¡±

 Chapter 370: Event (3)

    Chapter 370: Event (3)

    The event initiated at Musk¡¯s suggestion had an overwhelming impact, just as expected.

    Savior officially dered a ¡°holy war,¡± but the demon worshippers, armed with meticulous cunning, were difficult to deal with.

    On top of that, they were unhesitant about suicide bombings, making it impossible to act recklessly even with obtained intel.

    Meanwhile, this dy gave the demon worshippers more time to escape.

    But as Musk pointed out, if the rewards are so great that even life itself feels expendable, then none of it matters.

    After all, there are plenty of people who value honor more than their own lives.

    That said, public opinion at the start of the event wasn¡¯t entirely favorable.

    As repeatedly emphasized, this event required risking lives.

    Questions arose¡ªwas meeting with me truly worth risking one¡¯s life? And despite the stakes, people argued that human lives shouldn¡¯t be put on the line for the sake of an event.[An entire vige in the hands of demon worshippers¡­]

    [Horrific traditions continued under the guise of heritage.]

    [Currently, inquisitors from various religious orders have been dispatched to the vige, and the children, who had suffered emotional abuse and torture there, are now under the orders¡¯ protection¡­]

    However, public opinion shifted 180 degrees when news broke that an entire vige had sumbed to demon worship and that even children had been brainwashed and tortured.

    Across all times and cultures, children are seen as needing protection.

    Those who harm children are universally condemned, even among criminals. Naturally, such news came as a profound shock.

    [Viges isted from outside contact are the most vulnerable.]

    [Rural, underdeveloped areas are prime targets for demon worshippers.]

    In this world, information flows solely through newspapers.

    Consequently, remote or isted areas are often cut off entirely.

    Thisck ofmunication has led to ces where very and human trafficking flourish, with victims frequently sold to mines or brothels.

    There are even cases where lords collude with traffickers to sell their vigers.

    Safety is a privilege confined to the capital or major cities.

    Given this grim reality, it¡¯s hardly surprising when an entire vige falls into such depths.

    [The lord of the Liris region, Baron Berk, is suspected of involvement in human trafficking¡­ While he vehemently denies the usations, vigers im he ignored missing person reports¡­]

    [Viges not officially registered as part of the territory are at the greatest risk, as even higher authorities remain unaware of their plight.]

    [ve traders bribing nobles to turn a blind eye¡­ Miners treated like livestock were rescued, but even they worshipped the demon worshippers fanatically¡­]

    The event¡¯s impact went far beyond saving a single vige.

    Like a treasure hunt, it uncovered hidden corruption across various regions.

    As a result, numerous lords¡¯ crimes were exposed, and people treated like animals were rescued.

    Along the way, shocking incidents came to light one after another, surpassing even the discovery of an entire vige of demon worshippers.

    [Among the rescued ves were not just humans but beastkin, dwarves, and even elves. They had been rendered powerless, with severed tendons and blocked mana.]

    [Elves, regarded as ¡°high-quality goods,¡± were primarily used as sex ves, alchemical materials, or sacrifices for summoning demons¡­]

    [Dwarves were exploited for theirbor, while beastkin catered to those with peculiar fetishes¡­]

    The revtion that elves, revered as the chosen of the gods and paragons of beauty, had fallen prey to demon worshippers was especially shocking.

    While elves are formidable, even they are vulnerable to traps.

    Moreover, their characteristic arrogance often leads tocency, which the demon worshippers exploited to abduct them.

    With the involvement of militant demons among the worshippers, capturing lone elves was an easy task.

    [The culprit targeting elves in coboration with demon worshippers is still under investigation, but their widespreadwork will make it a long process.]

    [Alvenheim¡¯s fury is palpable, with search teams dispatched to track down the perpetrators immediately.]

    [Alvenheim urges its citizens to avoid traveling alone and to not overestimate their strength¡­]n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Unsurprisingly, Alvenheim erupted in outrage.

    Their citizens were not only enved in foreignnds but also used as ¡°materials.¡±

    The fury was justified. While elves had been enved during past wars, it was wartime and thus somewhat excusable.

    But this was peacetime, making the situation intolerable, with severe diplomatic repercussions.

    Despite Helium¡¯s rising influence, Alvenheim remained a hegemonic power¡ªa status long recognized before Arwen¡¯s connection to Isaac.

    The situation wasparable to the U.S. expressing outrage in a previous life, prompting other nations to tread carefully.

    The Minerva Empire, where the incidents urred, faced the most pressure.

    Its vast territory had already been gued by bizarre crimes, and the emergence of elf very further tarnished its reputation.

    Even without considering elves, could the demons have remained untouched?

    Everyone knew that demon worshippers had militant demons in their ranks.

    [Demons were subjected to ¡°demonization,¡± used as materials or sacrifices, or even caused harm to neighboring nations¡­]

    [Sex ves were deemed unsuitable due to their transformation into demons, ording to ve traders¡¯ testimonies¡­]

    [Fortunately, Helium¡¯s former istion spared it from significant harm, but asional demonization incidents have been linked to demon worshippers¡­]

    Before <em>The Zenon Chronicles</em>, demonization incidents contributed significantly to the demon race¡¯s tarnished reputation.

    The Minerva Empire¡¯s Princess Rina was even caught in one such incident, causing a massive stir.

    However, most of these incidents were now linked to demon worshippers.

    Already busy purging high-ranking officials colluding with the cultists, Helium had further cause for anger.

    [How far-reaching is the demon worshippers¡¯ influence?]

    [We were far toocent. Reality is much worse than <em>The Zenon Chronicles</em> portrays.]

    [The true holy war has begun.]

    [The Minerva Empire, possessing thergest territory, has granted neighboring nations the right to conduct joint investigations¡­]

    Faced with mounting public outrage, the Minerva Empire decided to cooperate with neighboring nations, bypassing the usual bureaucratic procedures to allow foreign troops to assist.

    Despite its vastnd, even the Minerva Empire had its limits in eradicating the cultists.

    It was fortunate that these revtions surfaced now; had they been dyed, the demon worshippers might havepletely overrun the empire.

    If the Teres Kingdom faced a crisis previously, the Minerva Empire was now in a simr predicament.

    ¡°You look exhausted.¡±

    ¡°I feel like I¡¯m dying.¡±

    Sitting before me was Rina, visibly worn out.

    Her dark circles were prominent, and her once-radiant skin had dulled slightly.

    Though her silky, golden hair remained as lustrous as ever, the umted fatigue was evident.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to do this. I just want to sleep. I feel like I¡¯m going to die.¡±

    A cheeky, girlish voice chimed in at that moment.

    Its owner was nestled in my arms¡ªa unique angel, Ariel, who spoke aloud the inner thoughts she gleaned from Rina.

    With her sprouting bud-like antenna atop her head, translucent wings, crimson hair like mine, and golden eyes, Ariel was truly one of a kind.

    ¡°¡­Who¡¯s that? She looks like you, but she¡¯s got a sprout on her head and wings.¡±

    ¡°Will you believe me if I exin?¡±

    To Rina¡¯s question, Ariel nodded, answering in my stead.

    Her adorable demeanorpelled me to hug her tightly, eliciting a delighted giggle.

    Rina, watching us with tired eyes, let out a faint chuckle.

    ¡°To think I¡¯d live to see an angel. You really are something else.¡±

    ¡°You probably have a lot of questions, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Later. My mind¡¯s too full right now. Yawn¡­¡±

    Clearly exhausted, Rina yawned elegantly, even in her fatigue.

    As she gathered herself, I looked down at Ariel, who was intently observing Rina.

    Her curiosity reminded me of when we first returned to the dormitory.

    ¡®It¡¯s been a while since Fatherughed so openly.¡¯

    The memory of my father joyfully holding Ariel and ying with her brought a smile to my face.

    A man who genuinely loved his family, his delight at having an adorable granddaughter was palpable.

    Thanks to Mari¡¯s prior exnations, there was little for me to rify.

    All that remained was to return to our everyday lives.

    ¡°Ariel?¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    ¡°What are you going to call Rina from now on?¡±

    ¡°Unni.¡±

    As expected, I nodded at the word ¡°Unni¡± used to address Rina.

    For reference, Adelia is called ¡°Mom,¡± Kate is called ¡°Unni,¡± and Rina is also called ¡°Unni.¡±

    With this, it was confirmed. Ariel calls the women connected to me ¡°Mom,¡± and if not, she calls them ¡°Unni.¡±

    ¡°That just leaves Lilin¡­.¡±

    Let¡¯s think about that slowly. Unlike Ariel, Lily is a newborn.

    She can¡¯t even crawl, let alone walk.

    At least she can turn over.

    When she struggled to flip over in the mansion, it was so adorable I almost fainted.

    Lily and Ariel, they¡¯re nothing short of unexpected blessings to our family.

    I imagined their future growth with a fond gaze, looking forward as I sipped tea to ward off sleep.

    Rina, looking visibly tired, caught my eye, her lids half-closed as she fought fatigue.

    ¡°Rina.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re really tired, you can head back.¡±

    Currently, the Minerva Empire is facing the greatest crisis since its founding.

    Although Savior¡¯s fall as a corrupt cardinal nearly ruined its prestige, Kate¡¯s heroic efforts salvaged it.

    But the empire remains unaffected by such things.

    So much so that it¡¯s on the verge of being branded a haven for demon worshippers.

    Vast territories symbolize national power, but if you can¡¯t manage them, they¡¯re nothing but hollow shells.

    Fortunately, the Minerva Empire maintains control through its strong military, but this isn¡¯t just a national issue¡ªit¡¯s a global threat.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. There¡¯s also some news I must share with you.¡±

    ¡°News?¡±

    ¡°His Majesty the Emperor wishes to meet you.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    I blinked at the sudden revtion. However, there¡¯s only one person Rina would refer to as ¡°His Majesty the Emperor.¡±

    The most powerful figure in the Minerva Empire, the Emperor himself.

    And he wants to meet me.

    As I processed this abrupt proposal, Ariel, nestled in my arms, looked up and asked,

    ¡°What¡¯s an emperor, Daddy?¡±

    ¡°Hmm? An emperor?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ it¡¯s hard to exin, but they¡¯re the most important¡­ no, the most powerful person in a country. All matters rted to the country need the emperor¡¯s permission.¡±

    ¡°Even Daddy?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    I didn¡¯t answer immediately, ncing at Rina for her reaction.

    If she weren¡¯t here, I¡¯d have replied right away.

    But with her present, it felt awkward.

    She knows full well that my authority has surpassed the emperor¡¯s, but it¡¯s impolite to say it outright.

    Sensing my difort, Rina responded gently¡ªnot to me, but to Ariel.

    ¡°Your name is Ariel, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°Your daddy is an extraordinary man. There¡¯s no one greater than him except the gods.¡±

    ¡°Wow¡­ really?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Ariel¡¯s eyes sparkled as she looked at me, impressed by Rina¡¯s words. I could only offer an awkward smile in response.

    She probably doesn¡¯t even know what a country is, but she seems to understand ¡°great.¡±

    Well, at least that deflected the topic.

    ¡°Hmm, hmm. So, His Majesty wishes to see me?¡±

    ¡°Oh, just to rify, this isn¡¯t an order but a request. If you refuse, that¡¯s the end of it.¡±

    ¡°Why does he want to meet me?¡±

    To be honest, there¡¯s little to do at such a meeting.

    At most, it would involve avish meal and light conversation.

    Of course, he¡¯ll try to win me over during that time. And for that, he¡¯ll probably use¡­

    ¡°You can guess, can¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°An arranged marriage?¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    Of course. I nodded, watching Rina sip her tea nonchntly.

    As mentioned before, the Minerva Empire would propose an arranged marriage to ensure I remain tied to them.

    Even though I¡¯m engaged to the Requilis Ducal family, they¡¯d want a firmer bond.

    Moreover, rumors about me and Arwen have been spreading quietly, and my rtionship with Cecily will soon be announced publicly.

    Given this, the royal family has no choice but to exert considerable effort to link me and Rina.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this a bit rushed? Wouldn¡¯t it make more sense to handle it after announcing your rtionship with Cecily or marrying Marie?¡±

    ¡°That would be ideal, but ever since the event started, a series of incidents have been unfolding. The demon worshippers have deeply infiltrated the empire, leaving the people uneasy and distrustful. Recently, a lord even sold his subjects to demon worshippers.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ shocking.¡±

    At my sinct response, Rina simply nodded.

    I fell into brief contemtion.

    Since the event began, the pace of purging demon worshippers has elerated.

    But the faster it progresses, the more horrifying atrocities buried below surface.

    And we can¡¯t simply cover them up, as I¡¯m the one who initiated this event.

    From the empire¡¯s perspective, they can¡¯t stop it now, so ensuring internal order is likely their wisest course of action.

    ¡°Of course, this doesn¡¯t mean the marriage would happen immediately. Pushing for it could sideline Marie. It¡¯s mainly about shaping public opinion.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s reasonable. What¡¯s the timeline?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re agreeing to it?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see a reason to refuse. But keep in mind, if something happens during the event, it could be dyed. Make sure to remember that.¡±

    The event, while started with good intentions, could result in unforeseen idents. Above all, innocent casualties must be prevented at all costs.

    On the other hand, the demon worshippers might exploit this situation, so canceling it outright isn¡¯t an option.

    Hearing my response, Rina¡¯s expression brightened, and she thanked me with a relieved smile.

    ¡°Thanks to you, I feel at ease. Again, the marriage won¡¯t happen immediately, so there¡¯s no need to worry.¡±

    ¡°Then, it¡¯s confirmed that you and I will get married?¡±

    ¡°In a way, yes.¡±

    ¡°¡­I guess we¡¯ll have to do <em>that</em> too?¡±

    My yfulment left Rina frozen with her teacup in hand. Her neck turned red, and soon her entire face followed.

    She must¡¯ve understood what I meant despite my vague wording. I chuckled, picking up a cookie.

    Realizing my teasing toote, Rina put down her teacup and began fanning herself.

    Soon, she swept her hair back, maintaining her elegant tone as she replied,

    ¡°¡­If we marry, it¡¯s inevitable. It¡¯s tradition, after all.¡±

    ¡°Are you really okay with that? If you don¡¯t want to, we could limit it to a political marriage¡­¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯d rather marry you than be handed to some random man. Besides¡­¡±

    Rina trailed off, ncing at me with her flushed face.

    Her hands, previously fanning herself, now gripped her dress tightly. She seemed oddly tense.

    While I was puzzled by her behavior, she took a deep breath and spoke.

    ¡°Hah¡­ Never mind. I¡¯ll talk about thister. For now¡­¡±

    ¡°Who will you ask?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Before Rina could finish, Ariel interjected, drawing our attention to her.

    Looking at Rina with wide, curious eyes, Ariel mischievously asked,

    ¡°Marie? Cecily? Or Gash? Who are you going to ask first?¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    Herment was baffling, leaving me tilting my head in confusion.

 Chapter 371: Things I was worried about (1)

    Chapter 371: Things I was worried about (1)

    The overall theme of the event is the extermination of demon worshippers and, as a result, a private meeting with me.

    The question, then, is: how many demon worshippers need to be dealt with for this private meeting to take ce?

    This is the central focus.

    Points are awarded for either eliminating demon worshippers or bringing them into the order.

    This is the most basic principle.

    However, due to their nature, demon worshippers move without leaving any trace, making even detecting them a challenge.

    Therefore, the value of information is highly significant, and the person reporting a worshipper may be credited with a greater contribution than the one who directly deals with them.

    Additionally, points can also be earned through actions such as reforming those who have been brainwashed into bing demon worshippers or rescuing ves who were on the verge of being sacrificed.

    Even without direct extermination, people can earn points, and everyone utilizes their own strengths to the fullest.Reports suggest that while many have dealt with demon worshippers directly, those providing information significantly outnumber them.

    The situation has escted to such an extent, with bizarre and horrific incidents urring, that national-level support has begun.

    Demon worshippers are far beyond the level of mere heretics or pagans; they are a malignant cancer on society, which has united everyone with amon purpose.

    There was some concern that demon worshippers might resort to desperate measures, but so far, no such tendencies have been observed.

    Lastly, the most important aspect of the event: its duration.

    There is no set end date. If the event were to end, people would likely stop pursuing demon worshippers.

    Human nature is fickle; without rewards, they would cease almost immediately.

    Only a small number act purely out of conviction or a sense of duty.

    To address this, rewards will be given unpredictably, and the event is intended to continue indefinitely.

    ¡°Dad, what are you doing?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m working.¡±

    ¡°Work?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    While answering Ariel¡¯s question, I didn¡¯t stop typing.

    Though the event was in full swing, I couldn¡¯t dypleting <em>The Chronicles of Zenon</em>.

    Moreover, I had to handle Q&A sessions, so it was better to work in advance.

    Ariel, hearing my response, remained still for a moment before slowly approaching me.

    ¡°Up we go!¡±

    As expected, she climbed onto myp with a spirited effort.

    I carefully ensured she wouldn¡¯t fall, having anticipated this.

    Sitting on myp, Ariel blinked curiously at the typewriter.

    I chuckled softly at her adorable actions and continued writing.

    <em>Click-click-click.</em>

    ¡°Wow.¡±

    Ariel¡¯s eyes sparkled with fascination as she watched letters appear on the holographic screen with each keystroke.

    She reached out her tiny arms, waving them excitedly, which was endearing yet precarious.

    I spread my thighs slightly to secure her.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ ¡®Zenon gazed at the vessel containing the soul of Diabolos. Tentacles, resembling octopus limbs, were attached to its face¡­¡¯ Zenon? Diabolos? Soul?¡±

    Perhaps the terms were unfamiliar to such a young child.

    Ariel tilted her head, puzzled.

    Even the small sprout atop her head swayed with the motion.

    I wondered when that sprout would grow and what purpose it served. My curiosity distracted me, and I reached out to lightly tap the sprout.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Ariel looked up at me with her golden eyes, curious about the sudden touch.

    Meeting her gaze, I said nothing for a while, then yfully squeezed her chubby cheeks.

    Her soft, marshmallow-like skin was irresistibly addictive.

    If I could, I¡¯d keep touching it forever.

    Ariel seemed to enjoy the affection, closing her eyes and smiling contentedly.

    After a while of bonding, I gently set her down and spoke softly.

    ¡°Ariel, Daddy¡¯s busy right now. Can you go y for a little while?¡±

    ¡°With whom?¡±

    Just then, the bathroom door opened with a click, and Adelia stepped out.

    Seizing the opportunity, I pointed toward her.

    ¡°You can y with Adelia, your mom. Go on.¡±

    ¡°Okay! Mom! Mom!¡±

    ¡°Huh? Oh?¡±

    Ariel ran to Adelia, calling out cheerfully.

    Adelia, initially startled, soon smiled and weed her warmly.

    I had nned to train with Adelia today, but since her father was handling estate matters, the timing wasn¡¯t ideal.

    Besides, protecting Mother and Lily was also a priority.

    Teleportation allowed us to travel back and forth easily, and if worse came to worst, the whole family could relocate. It wasn¡¯t a big issue.

    ¡°Mom, y with me!¡±

    ¡°Sure. What should we y today?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ What¡¯s knight y?¡±

    ¡°¡­You¡¯ve been reading my mind again, haven¡¯t you? You shouldn¡¯t do that.¡±

    Adelia smiled wryly as she patted Ariel¡¯s head, seemingly amused by her innocent curiosity.

    Holding Ariel¡¯s hand, she led her out of the room, ensuring they wouldn¡¯t disturb me.

    Reflecting on Adelia¡¯s past, I couldn¡¯t help but recall her difficult upbringing.

    Born to a prostitute and raised in harsh conditions, she often doubted whether she could be a proper mother.

    Ariel¡¯s presence likely made things even moreplicated for her.

    But in my eyes, Adelia was more than capable of being a great mother.

    The very fact that she worried about it spoke volumes about her character.

    She had vowed to use her troubled past as a lesson, and I was confident Ariel would be in good hands.

    ¡®Time to get some writing done.¡¯

    As soon as Adelia left with Ariel, I focused on writing. It might seem irresponsible, but honestly, I¡¯ve been exhausted since this morning.

    There¡¯s a saying that parenting is the hardest job in the world, and Ariel¡¯s energy seemed almost infinite.

    From the moment she woke up, she whined to y, and to make matters worse, we couldn¡¯t even go outside.

    So, I substituted with education.

    Although Ariel looked like a child, she was essentially a newborn.

    Naturally, she knew fewer words than she didn¡¯t, so I¡¯ve been teaching her basic vocabry and general knowledge.

    ¡®It¡¯s a relief she prefers literature over illiteracy.¡¯

    Perhaps taking after me, Ariel seemed to favor literature over ignorance¡ªnot that she disliked thetter, just that she preferred the former.

    Her basic strength wasparable to that of an adult, and her bite force was no joke.

    She chewed on everything she could put in her mouth, even relishing the shell of the World Tree seed, which was as hard as iron.

    As such, controlling her strength was essential, and both Adelia and my father focused intensely on this aspect.

    My father, in particr, devoted significant attention to teaching her restraint, saying unchecked strength was the most dangerous thing of all.

    In any case, Ariel had many shorings, so I and those around her showered her with love to nurture her.

    ¡®When will I be able to take her outside?¡¯

    I couldn¡¯t keep Ariel cooped up in the dorm forever.

    Children need to y with friends to develop social skills.

    Growing up surrounded solely by adults wouldn¡¯t be good for her. For Ariel¡¯s future, she needed friends.

    While I nned to reveal her existence soon, I needed to finish my work first.

    ¡®To do that, I need to wrap this up as quickly as possible.¡¯

    I ced my hands on the typewriter, staring at the sentences disyed on the hologram.

    This was volume 28 of the <em>Chronicles of Zenon,</em> the climax and the true beginning of the tragedy.

    It focused on the battle between Zenon¡¯s party and the resurrected Archdemon, Diabolos, through a vessel created by greed.

    The vessel¡¯s design was inspired by Cthulhu mythology¡ªa monstrous figure with an octopus-like face.

    ¡®Since Kraken exists in this world, this should resonate deeply.¡¯

    Everyone knew about the Kraken, the fearsome octopus-like sea monster, which, in this world, was a real creature.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    ording to records, the Kraken was born when demonic blood seeped into the sea. The same applied to other sea monsters.

    Back on Earth, sailing often meant risking one¡¯s life, but in this world, every departure was a life-or-death gamble.

    Perhaps that¡¯s why veteran sailors being as strong as knights wasn¡¯t surprising here.

    Butparing them directly was a mistake, as they were more akin to ¡°specialists.¡±

    ¡®I¡¯ll have to nerf the vessel a bit.¡¯

    Even with the vessel fueled by greed, Diabolos couldn¡¯t unleash his full power without destroying it.

    But even with restrictions, he remained a formidable foe, a cmity capable of overwhelming Zenon¡¯s party without Lily¡¯s support.

    Other races,cking Lily¡¯s aid, were forced to retreat under the shadow spread by Diabolos.

    Merely touching it caused demonic transformation, sowing chaos.

    This alone spoke volumes about his strength¡ªa walking catastrophe.

    ¡®Honestly, he¡¯s not the mostpelling character.¡¯

    Diabolos, as a character, wasn¡¯t particrly appealing.

    Even as his creator, I could admit that. His overwhelming power and influence were fitting for an Archdemon, but his sole purpose¡ªbringing ruin¡ªwas one-dimensional.

    Readers might feel disappointed when he¡¯s defeated anticlimactically, especially after nearly 30 volumes of buildup.

    ¡®And that¡¯s when I hit them with a twist: the final blow isn¡¯t dealt by Zenon but by Lily.¡¯

    Diabolos strikes Lily in a surprise move, setting up hints for his eventual return.

    Readers would be shocked.

    ¡®Why? After the first night together, wasn¡¯t this supposed to be a happy ending? Does this mean Lily and Jin can¡¯t end up together?¡¯ they¡¯d wonder, utterly confused.

    Just imagining the reactions excited me.

    If this were my past life, thements section would be flooded with question marks, or people would be too stunned toment.

    This worldcked even the concept of clich¨¦s, let alone established tropes.

    Unlike Greek and Roman myths, which often ended in tragedy, stories here only ever showed hopeful conclusions.

    ¡®Then again, it¡¯s not even a clich¨¦ if there¡¯s nothing to begin with.¡¯

    With a grin, I dove into writing the battle scene with Diabolos.

    Though Mom might scold meter, Luminos once said: ¡°Fallen souls can be purified, but it¡¯s a challenging task even for them.¡±

    If worstes to worst, I can just release a side story. For now, I¡¯ll write at my own pace.

    ¡®Better finish quickly so I can y with Ariel.¡¯

    With that thought, I continued writing in peace.

    [The dreaded event has be a reality¡­ with innocent casualties.]

    [A phenomenon bordering on madness. Was this truly the right thing to do?]

    [The victims¡¯ families demand ountability from Zenon, iming he is ultimately responsible¡­]

    [Investigations confirm the victims and their families were not demon worshippers. As such, the event must be brought to an end¡­]

    And then, disaster struck.

    [Does the ¡®vessel¡¯ truly exist? Adventurers chasing demon worshippers into an underground cave give vivid ounts.]

    [The site resembled a grand temple, featuring a statue of a creature with an octopus-like head. The statue appeared so lifelike it seemed ready to move.]

    [Just looking at it felt maddening, forcing an immediate retreat. Only one survivor.]

    [Is this ount credible?]

    ¡°?????¡±

    What the hell is this now?

 Chapter 372: Things I was worried about (2)

    Chapter 372: Things I was worried about (2)

    Recently, Kate felt as if she were soaring into the heavens with happiness.

    As a devoted servant of Luminous, she had always been content with her life, even before she understood the concept of desire.

    But after meeting Isaac, she awakened to physical longing and, more profoundly, discovered what love truly was.

    The feeling of wanting to be by his side every day.

    The sensation of something swelling within her heart simply by being near him.

    Especially when they held hands¡ªit wasn¡¯t just swelling; it felt like a bubbling heat coursing through her entire body, igniting her from within.

    It was then that Kate realized: this was the love that Luminous had spoken of.

    While the connection between gods and their followers was also a form of love, the love between a man and a woman was far more intense and visceral.

    Luminous had referred to this as ¡°desire,¡± exining that it was not strange at all but, in fact, perfectly normal.Humans, after all, are naturally prone to desire, and Kate had simplye to understand this truthter in life.

    It wasn¡¯t a problem at all.

    Even her first experience of selffort had brought her such overwhelming pleasure that she could hardly move afterward.

    How ecstatic, then, would it be to share such an experience with Isaac?

    Her heart longed to receive his seed immediately, but she did her best to suppress her desire.

    Forced actions would be a crime.

    This was a principle firmly ingrained in Kate¡¯s mind.

    However,tely, even that restraint was bing difficult to maintain.

    The words Isaac had once said to her kept circling in her mind.

    ¡°I¡¯d like you to always stay by my side. I can¡¯t do without you. If you stay with me every day, I¡¯ll give you my seed.¡±

    ¡­Though it seemed like he might have added more to that, to Kate, it all sounded the same.

    The thought that someone she revered as much as Luminous acknowledged her filled her days with happiness.

    ¡°Dare they¡­¡±

    But today, that happiness was on the brink of being shattered¡ªnot because her rtionship with Isaac had soured, but due to her rage at the foolish people who dared to disobey his instructions and cause trouble.

    Specifically, the emergence of innocent victims.

    Isaac had emphasized this repeatedly to the point it was etched in her ears: it was far better to let ten demon worshippers go free than to allow even one innocent person to suffer.

    Kate, being somewhat extreme herself, didn¡¯t fully understand his insistence but chose to respect his decision.

    Even if she didn¡¯tpletely grasp it, the idea that innocent people shouldn¡¯t be harmed was undeniably correct.

    Moreover, since Isaac had stressed this point, Kate had no reason to do otherwise.

    The path Isaac pursued was her path, her conviction.

    ¡°So, Kate, I¡¯d like you to go there. Honestly, I¡¯d prefer to go myself, but it might be a trap set by demon worshippers.¡±

    The one Kate revered, Isaac, spoke to her with a somewhat weary expression.

    Having had two incidents erupt back-to-back, he was understandably drained.

    One was somewhat expected, but the other hadepletely out of nowhere, leaving Isaac visibly fatigued.

    Of course, Kate believed his exhaustion was entirely due to those bastards who ignored his words and caused trouble.

    ¡°Understood. But if it really is a trapid by those pests, then¡­¡±

    ¡°Ahem.¡±

    Kate stopped mid-sentence as Isaac lightly reprimanded her for her harsh words. After all, sitting on Isaac¡¯sp was Ariel.

    With her appearance a spitting image of Isaac¡¯s and her endearing charm amplified by the sprout atop her head and wings on her back, Ariel was utterly captivating.

    Though Kate had been astonished to the point of shock when she first met her, she was now ustomed to the sight.

    Besides, Ariel was a gift personally entrusted to Isaac by Hirt, making her a figure worthy of reverence in Kate¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Oh, I-I¡¯m sorry! I didn¡¯t mean to¡­¡±

    ¡°Daddy, Daddy, what¡¯s a pest?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll exinter. For now, would you mind getting off Daddy¡¯sp?¡±

    ¡°Nope. Nope.¡±

    Despite Isaac¡¯s suggestion, Ariel clung to him like a cicada, showing no intention of letting go.

    At her insistence, Isaac could only smile wryly as he patted her head.

    Normally, he would leave her in the care of Adelia or Mari, but Adelia was currently training with Hawk, and Mari was attending a ss.

    Given that Kate was already aware of Ariel¡¯s existence, this arrangement seemed most practical.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Kate stared nkly at the tender father-daughter interaction.

    For some reason, she felt something boiling up inside her chest.

    It¡¯s hard to tell whether she wanted to throw a tantrum like Ariel or wished for a child like Ariel.

    Either way, it was certain that this inexplicable emotion was deeply connected to her.

    ¡®Soon¡­ I too¡­¡¯n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    If Ariel could read Kate¡¯s inner thoughts, she would have flinched at the dark emotions lurking there.

    Fortunately, Ariel was too busy burying her face into Isaac¡¯s chest.

    Isaac chuckled at Ariel¡¯s adorable antics before resuming the conversation that had been interrupted earlier.

    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll leave this entirely up to you, Kate. If it¡¯s a trapid by the demon worshippers, handle it as you usually do. If it¡¯s not, I¡¯ll still leave it to you.¡±

    ¡°Then, what about the event? Are we ending it as nned?¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t n to end it. It¡¯s just a warning. Something like, ¡®Having innocent victims is no different from aiding the demon worshippers.¡¯ I believe you¡¯d handle this best, Kate.¡±

    Ordinarily, he would have stopped the event without a second thought.

    However, the reason he didn¡¯t do so immediately was due to Musk¡¯s persuasion.

    As the saying goes, ¡®Patience avoids disaster.¡¯

    Ending it abruptly might lead the arrows of me toward innocent parties¡ªsuch as the families or associates of the victims.

    People tend to feel better when they shift me to others. To prevent that, this opportunity was being given, and Kate was the perfect person for the job.

    Arresting the wrong person might allow the real perpetrator to evade judgment.

    ¡°If it¡¯s not led by demon worshippers, arrange for the used to confess their sins. But if it <em>is</em> led by demon worshippers¡­ well, you know what to do, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry for giving you such troublesome tasks. Right now, you¡¯re the only one I can trust, Kate.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the only one¡­?¡±

    Was it those words¡ªthat she was the only one he trusted¡ªthat resonated in her heart?

    Kate, feeling strangely dazed, gently sped her hands over her chest.

    <em>Thump! Thump!</em>

    Her heartbeat grew faster, and her face gradually flushed with warmth.

    It was a feeling simr to what she¡¯d experiencedst time. She stared nkly at Isaac, who was softly smiling at her.

    How great and lovely could a person be? For the first time, every word he spoke felt like sweet fruit.

    If the oracle of Luminous quenched her thirst like the water of life, Isaac¡¯s words were like sweet honey.

    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±

    Meanwhile, Ariel, peering into Kate¡¯s thoughts, blinked slowly.

    It was so bright.

    What in the world was she thinking to have her inner thoughts filled entirely with light, devoid of anything else?

    While she could easily read others¡¯ thoughts, Kate¡¯s thoughts were exceptionally difficult to decipher.

    Rubbing her eyes, Ariel looked at Kate again, only to see a radiant, golden curtain.

    <em>What is this?</em>

    Just moments ago, everything had been clear¡ªwhy had it suddenly turned like this?

    As Ariel tilted her head in confusion, the little sprout on her head mirrored the motion.

    Unaware of any of this, Isaac spoke in a somewhat fatigued tone.

    ¡°Then, let me know when you¡¯re ready, and you can set out. I¡¯ve heard the victim and the culprit are heading to the temple in the capital, so it shouldn¡¯t take long.¡±

    ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll deliver divine punishment to those who dared ignore Lord Isaac¡¯s words.¡±

    ¡°Divine punishment, huh? Just do as you always do.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­¡±

    Kate trailed off, hesitating. Isaac gave her a puzzled look.

    While she hesitated, the light dimmed slightly, allowing Ariel to chirp in her characteristic sly tone.

    ¡°A request?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Do you have a favor to ask?¡±

    Ariel¡¯s recently learned vocabry was spoken with deliberate rity. Her gaze was fixed squarely on Kate.

    Isaac, briefly casting a stern look at Ariel for intrusively reading thoughts, opened his mouth as soon as he realized what Kate wanted.

    ¡°Do you have a favor to ask?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes, I do.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s Kate, I¡¯ll grant you anything¡ªexcept giving you a seed.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that. Actually, the favor is¡­¡±

    ¡°Ki¡ªtzu!¡±

    Ariel interrupted midway. While her pronunciation had improved, it still wasn¡¯t perfect.

    But ¡°ki-tzu¡±¡­ Isaac, alternating nces between Kate and Ariel, felt a growing sense of unease.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct. Just that one thing is enough.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°The process before receiving a seed is a kiss between a man and a woman. I wish for that sacred act.¡±

    Should he call it shameless or bold?

    Isaac, stunned by Kate¡¯s unabashed deration of her desire, let out a hollowugh.

    Despite Ariel¡¯s mind-reading fully exposing her thoughts, Kate remained unbothered.

    She even used it as a springboard to state her wishes.

    Is this what a true formidable opponent looks like?

    Isaac was at a loss for how to respond and kept silent.

    ¡°After the kiss¡­ holding hands?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°And then Daddy strokes her hair?¡±

    ¡°Correct.¡±

    ¡°Me too, Daddy.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    Isaac¡¯s mind went nk.

 Chapter 373: Things I was worried about (3)

    Chapter 373: Things I was worried about (3)

    The matter concerning innocent victims was delegated to Kate, leaving the recently discovered underground temple as the main concern.

    The temple¡¯s statue, said to resemble the form of the fake final boss and the soul-imbued vessel of the Archdemon Diavolos, bore a striking resemnce.

    It was crafted with an octopus-like head reminiscent of the Cthulhu mythos, so lifelike it seemed as if it could spring to life at any moment.

    The underground temple itself was also rigged with traps to deter intruders and even harbored monsters that had never been seen before.

    All of the abovees from the testimony of the ¡®survivors.¡¯ A team of five pursued fleeing demon worshippers, only to encounter such results.

    The location, unsurprisingly, was the Minerva Empire, where demon worshippers are most numerous.

    Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the empire formed an investigation team with support from neighboring countries.

    This was not the first discovery of an underground temple.

    When the great upheaval first broke out, even altars suspected to have been used for demon-summoning rituals were found.The information that demon worshippers are connected to a particr religion has long since spread widely.

    Most people specte that the object of their worship is a demon.

    However, I know that the being they worship is the ¡°Father of All Things.¡±

    This is something I can¡¯t forget, as the demon worshipper shouted it when I narrowly avoided being attacked in an act of terror.

    ¡®So, is this Outer God trying to devour this world?¡¯

    It¡¯s a usible theory, yet I cannot fathom why demon worshippers call this entity the ¡°Father of All Things.¡±

    If their goal was to seize control of this world, they would likely refer to it with a different title.

    While the incident bes increasingly enigmatic, the great upheaval¡¯s urrence takes precedence for me.

    Fortunately, it happened just before the publication of my book. This is quite different from Kate¡¯s spoiler scandal.

    If necessary, I could still change the external design and deny everything¡­

    [Zenon, who even predicted the vessel for the soul. There¡¯s no escape now.]

    [So, who is the creator of the vessel? And before that, is the statue truly the vessel?]

    [There have been signs of sacrifices made for demon summoning in the past. Why, then, has no demon been summoned?]

    ¡­Forget it. It¡¯s best to give up. They¡¯re already specting wildly; whatever I say will go in one ear and out the other.

    I merelyughed hollowly as I observed the flood of news pouring in.

    As if the innocent victims weren¡¯t enough to give me a headache, the great upheaval is driving me to my limits.

    I¡¯d love to meet the survivors directly to hear a detailed ount, but that¡¯s not an option.

    In Kate¡¯s case, it was easy to trust her with the issue since there¡¯s a high chance the demon worshippers¡¯ antics were to me.

    This situation, however, is somewhat different.

    I might ask Rina about itter, but until then, I¡¯m unsure what to do.

    ¡®Still, I¡¯m really curious. Why have all the demon summoning attempts failed? At least one should have seeded by now.¡¯

    As I mentioned earlier, summoning circles and altars for summoning demons have been discovered before¡ªrecently as well.

    Thanks to therge-scale purging event, the hideouts of demon worshippers are being unearthed one after another, revealing hidden altars in the process.

    The altars, in particr, are said to be indescribably horrific.

    Not only are human skulls scattered around them, but there are also signs of human sacrifices.

    Additionally, demon worshippers have resorted to necromancy to revive the dead, which has inmed public opinion.

    ¡®I¡¯ll set aside the great upheaval for now¡­ and start by addressing the matter of innocent victims.¡¯

    I tried to untangle the mess of thoughts in my head as much as possible. In the end, time will sort things out.

    I n to continue with the depiction of the vessel¡¯s design in <em>The Chronicles of Zenon.</em>

    Since it was released first, I can simply im that they took inspiration from it.

    ¡®When Kate returns, I¡¯ll head to theb first.¡¯

    Elena would know the most about the great upheaval.

    Not only is she a schr, but she is also an archaeologist who has explored many parts of the world.

    She might have a general understanding of the temple.

    Visiting her isn¡¯t a bad idea.

    But since they have their own work to do, I feel bad calling them to the dormitory.

    Most importantly, there¡¯s Ariel.

    If I went to them, I might end up in danger again, likest time. For now, it¡¯s best to proceed with caution.

    ¡®So frustrating.¡¯

    I looked around the vast dormitory.

    It had everything one could need, and books and newspapers were delivered from outside, so it wasn¡¯t boring.

    Still, it felt suffocating, like being trapped in a cage.

    Until the demon worshippers arepletely eradicated, I¡¯ll have to live under constant threat.

    This applies not only to me but to everyone else as well.

    Luminous and Mora assured me that such incidents wouldn¡¯t happen anytime soon, but I¡¯m still uneasy.

    <em>Knock, knock.</em>

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Dad. Are you feeling frustrated?¡±

    As I stared out the window aimlessly, Ariel tugged at my arm.

    Her golden eyes shone brightly with concern, as if she had read my innermost thoughts.

    I thought there was a distinction between reading emotions and reading minds, but perhaps not.

    Seeing her face, which seemed to dispel my frustrations just by looking at it, I chuckled softly.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not frustrated. Seeing my Ariel has made all those feelings disappear.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Really.¡±

    ¡°Hehe.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    At my words, Ariel smiled brightly and stretched out her arms wide¡ªa sign she wanted to be hugged.

    I picked her up as she wished and looked at her face. She smiled radiantly just from looking at me.

    This must be why fathers adore their daughters so much.

    Having a son would also be delightful, but a daughter as adorable as this doubles the joy.

    ¡°Ariel.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°What kind of person will you grow up to be?¡±

    I¡¯m genuinely curious. Ariel may look like an angel, but with Hirt¡¯s blood flowing through her veins, she¡¯s akin to a demigod.

    I wonder what kind of impact this child will have on the world when she grows up.

    Although I intend to raise her like an ordinary child, no one can predict how the world will turn out.

    Moreover, as the saying goes, ¡°a gem will shine no matter how deeply it¡¯s hidden.¡± Someday, her true value will inevitablye to light.

    In response to my question, Ariel blinked her eyes and then replied brightly, matching my expectations.

    ¡°An adult!¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be an adult!¡±

    ¡°Yes, you will.¡±

    Unable to hold back a smile, I patted her head.

    It was a peaceful moment, despite the great upheaval and the disasters I had feared.

    ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï

    After Isaac¡¯s event announcement, the busiest groups became adventurers and mercenaries.

    Most of them have encountered <em>Zenon¡¯s Chronicle</em>, and some have even been inspired by it to pursue the path of adventure.

    However, various incidents arose due to this influence, though the situation has now somewhat stabilized.

    Additionally, as the supply of adventurers surged, their quality naturally improved, making them stronger than ever, essentially at their peak.

    Thus, if the adventurer profession benefited the most, the Minerva Empire, on the other hand, suffered the greatest damage.

    This is because most incidents rted to demon worshippers began to ur within the Minerva Empire after the event started.

    Although it possessed thergest territory, much of it remained underdeveloped, making it an easy target for demon worshippers to operate freely.

    The situation was so dire that the empire nearly earned the stigma of being a ¡°haven for demon worshippers,¡± illustrating how severe the crisis was.

    Fortunately, the empire had enough military power to cover its vast territory, allowing it to handle incidents as they arose.

    Without this, international opinion would have plummeted.

    ¡°Hah¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have criticized the Kingdom of Teres so much. Still, it¡¯s a relief we realized this now.¡±

    ¡°You look very tired, brother.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s riching from you?¡±

    The crown prince, Leorte, let out a dryugh at his sister Rina¡¯s concern as she sat across from him.

    His current state could hardly be called healthy, despite being in a position of privilege.

    He was practically a walking corpse.

    Even before the event, his workload had been overwhelming, but since it began, he had been swamped with tasks, working overtime nearly every day.

    The moment he closed his eyes for a brief rest, his attendants would arrive with incident reports. If he tried to catch a break, another crisis would erupt.

    Due to this, Duke Requilis was also shuttling back and forth to the imperial pce, facing simr hardships, and Rina was no exception.

    ¡°How many nobles have been confirmed guilty of collusion with demon worshippers?¡±

    ¡°Currently, five. The Count of Kerrison¡¯s family is also under investigation, but nothing¡¯s been confirmed yet.¡±

    ¡°Considering the empire¡¯s financial resources essentially flow through the Kerrison family, could they be implicated?¡±

    ¡°Hard to say. They¡¯re in a rather unfortunate position themselves. Managing such a massive treasury single-handedly is nearly impossible. But we¡¯re investigating.¡±

    The Minerva Empire, particrly the nobility, is undergoing extensive scrutiny.

    Anyone found even remotely connected to demon worshippers is dealt with immediately.

    The atrocities of the demon worshippers were unforgivable, ranging from brainwashing entire viges to unspeakable evil, leaving execution as the only answer.

    The empire had no choice but to enforce harsh punishments, as the stigma of being a ¡°haven for demon worshippers¡± was too much to bear.

    Already under criticism from neighboring nations, any leniency toward its own would lead to significant diplomatic losses.

    The only silver lining was that their rival, the Kingdom of Teres, was too preupied with its internal issues to act.

    Though the empire had gained much from Isaac, the same de now turned against their throats.

    ¡°This might be a chance to clean out the corrupt nobility. Time will take care of the rest. The real problem is the underground temple discovered recently.¡±

    ¡°Was there anything significant found there?¡±

    Leorte mentioned the ¡°underground temple,¡± sparking Rina¡¯s curiosity.

    He rarely summoned her, but today, he had called her to his office.

    It was clear this was privileged information meant only for royalty or high-ranking officials.

    Leorte pulled out a small orb from his pocket and ced it on the desk.

    It was a magical item designed to prevent eavesdropping, ensuring their conversation remained private.

    ¡°It¡¯s safe to say there¡¯s evidence. That temple isn¡¯t just any temple. It¡¯s an altar for summoning rituals.¡±

    ¡°An altar? Then¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s very likely the statue mentioned in <em>Zenon¡¯s Chronicle</em> was used as a vessel. But that¡¯s just a theory.¡±

    Rina frowned deeply at Leorte¡¯s exnation. Once again, Isaac¡¯s so-called ¡°prophecies¡± hade true.

    Although Isaac himself denied being a prophet, Rina already regarded him as such. Denying it seemed stranger at this point.

    Her goal now was to get closer to Isaac without revealing her intentions.

    Acquiring knowledge of the future through him would be an unparalleled advantage¡ªjust look at the magic engines.

    For now, though, the underground temple took precedence. Cautiously, Rina asked:

    ¡°¡­Could it be that a soul is contained in that vessel or something simr?¡±

    ¡°No. Apart from ritual materials like human bones scattered around the temple, there¡¯s nothing else. There were also rusted weapons, suggesting a battle urred just before the summoning.¡±

    ¡°So, someone or some group recognized the presence of demon worshippers even before <em>Zenon¡¯s Chronicle</em> was published?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct. But that¡¯s not the critical issue.¡±

    Leorte let out a long sigh and, in a somber tone, delivered shocking news:

    ¡°The summoning seeded.¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    ¡°It was activated.¡±

    ¡°Y-you mean¡­¡±

    ¡°ording to the investigation, the summoning waspleted. Although interrupted by someone, the summoning circle itself had already been activated.¡±

    Rina¡¯s face turned pale.

    If Leorte¡¯s words were true, an impending crisis was inevitable.

    If it was something akin to the Diabolos from <em>Zenon¡¯s Chronicle</em>, a living cmity, the chaos would have already erupted.

    Yet, since there had been no signs so far, it was clear this was something else¡ªanother problem in itself.

    ¡°Yes, as you suspect, the summoning was performed, but we have no idea what was summoned.

    Given demons are beings from a different dimension, it must have been something from another realm.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we inform the church immediately? Keeping this to ourselves¡­¡±

    ¡°But what if it turns out to be a frog from another dimension? Compared to the chaos that would ensue, wouldn¡¯t that be anticlimactic?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± Rina closed her mouth. He had a point.

    Unless it was a truly malevolent being akin to a demon, revealing the summoning could lead to unnecessary panic.

    Even the mere sess of the summoning ritual could throw not just the Minerva Empire but the entire world into turmoil.

    While burying this information would be ideal, the question remained¡ªcould this truth stay buried?

    ¡°So, what should we do? This isn¡¯t something we can decide on our own.¡±

    ¡°For now, let¡¯s monitor the situation. The mages are conducting multiple reviews, and we might uncover the summoned entity¡¯s identity.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    ¡°Good. But I think we should inform Isaac. If anyone knows something, it¡¯s him.¡±

    Indeed, Isaac knows.

    ¡°Why is my ear so itchy?¡±

    ¡°Want me to clean it for you?¡±

    ¡°No, thanks.¡±

    The problem is, he knows too well.

 Chapter 374: Things I was worried about (4)

    Chapter 374: Things I was worried about (4)

    As before, ever since I started receiving special training from my father, my daily routine has be simple.

    I wake up in the morning, do some light exercises, and then train with my father. During that time, Ariel either watches me or gets taken around by Adelia.

    Following this pattern, time flies by in no time, and soon it¡¯s time for dinner¡ªapanied by the aches and pains thate with it.

    Thanks to my particr focus, which makes it easy to immerse myselfpletely, concentrating on training is effortless. But the real problemes afterward.

    My father also mentioned that my focus isn¡¯t entirely a good thing inbat. Since life-or-death battles hinge on even the smallest variables, it¡¯s crucial to remain aware of your surroundings.

    However, this habit has been ingrained in me since childhood, making it nearly impossible to change.

    For that reason, my father advised me to make the best use of it instead.

    Anyway, this is more or less how my daily life goes: training with my father, writing, ying with Ariel, and so on.

    Although life in the confined space of the dormitory can feel stifling, I still manage to live quite efficiently.¡°Did you also train with your father back in the day?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I even sparred with my siblings.¡±

    Sometimes, I spend time doing something a bit different, like now, when I¡¯m brushing Leona, the beastkin.

    Every time I ran the brush through her, clumps of her chestnut-colored hair came loose, which I casually gathered and tossed on the floor.

    As Leona¡¯s mother, Lucia, mentionedst time, beastkin shed fur excessively, but it also grows back just as quickly.

    As a result, fur maintenance is essential, and while other areas can be self-managed, hair requires someone else to care for it to maintain cleanliness.

    Originally, Lucia took care of Leona¡¯s hair, but now that responsibility has fallen to me, so Leona visits the dormitory every three days.

    ¡°Purrr, purrr.¡±

    Perhaps feeling pleased by my brushing, Leona started purring in a way typical of cats.

    Her animal ears on top of her head twitched, and her tail swayed back and forth.

    It really felt like taking care of a pet, which gave me a strange feeling.

    ¡°Did you ever get hurt while sparring with your siblings?¡±

    ¡°I got hurt a lot. Broken bones were the basics, and there were times when my internal organs almost spilled out.¡±

    ¡°¡­You didn¡¯t die?¡±

    ¡°Beastkin recover quickly, so that¡¯s just a minor injury. For other races, injuries that severe might be fatal, but for beastkin, it¡¯s just a serious wound.

    Since we¡¯ve lived in harsh environments since ancient times, we¡¯ve evolved this way.¡±

    Hearing such gruesome words spoken so casually, it became clear that Leona was indeed a beastkin.

    Truly a race that fits the description of a bat species.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m weaker at recovery than my siblings. As you know, I¡¯m only half beastkin. But I make up for it with intelligence, so I¡¯ve mastered techniques instead.¡±

    ¡°Techniques¡­ Do you not use weapons? I¡¯ve heard that while beastkin didn¡¯t use weapons in the past, they do now.¡±

    Until King Hic founded Animers, beastkin fought solely with their bare bodies.

    There was no need for weapons when they already possessed ws harder than steel and teeth capable of chewing through rocks.

    They also had a solid physicality that negated the range advantages of weapons.

    However, to build a civilization, Hic personally took up a weapon, which history records as a massive double-edged axe.

    No weapon was more suited to harness the immense strength characteristic of beastkin.

    ¡°Not me. I¡¯m far from inheriting any rights and prefer using my head over my body, so I don¡¯t use weapons. Besides, I¡¯m not as strong as my siblings.

    That¡¯s why I prefer grappling techniques over striking.¡±

    ¡°Grappling techniques¡­ That does seem fitting.¡±

    ¡°Want to spar with me?¡±

    Leona turned to me and gave a sly smile.

    It was clearly yful, not serious.

    I chuckled at her suggestion and gently turned her head back into position with both hands.

    Sparring with my father was already more than enough. Every session left mepletely drained, so I couldn¡¯t imagine doing it with anyone else.

    ¡®In that sense, Nicole and Adele are amazing.¡¯

    As martial arts instructors, they serve as sparring partners for students every weekend.

    Thinking about how they do this tirelessly, despite their immense stamina, naturally filled me with respect.

    The closer I got to them, the more distant they seemed¡ªa feeling I deeply understood right now.

    ¡°How are your sses these days? Managing well?¡±

    ¡°Other than physics and math, I¡¯m doing fine. I just can¡¯t make sense of those.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s normal. If you could understand them, you¡¯d already be a wizard.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you understand them? Aren¡¯t you a prophet?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s much more I don¡¯t know than I do. And no, I¡¯m not a prophet.¡±

    In this world, physics and math are derived from magic.

    These subjects were born from efforts to analyze magic, which is why most physicists and mathematicians are also wizards.

    These individuals are so exceptional that even the term ¡°genius¡± feels inadequate to describe them.

    With such people exining these concepts, how could ordinary folks possibly understand? It¡¯s practically impossible.

    This is why students who grasp their teachings often end up bing wizards.

    ¡®Come to think of it, there isn¡¯t yet an institution dedicated solely to training wizards.¡¯

    Ideally, the sciences and humanities should be separate, but that¡¯s not the case at Halo Academy.

    It¡¯s simply divided into martial arts and literature, with no further distinction.

    Despite the advancement of academia, thisck of categorization shows there¡¯s still a long way to go.

    ¡®Not that it matters to me, since I¡¯m in the humanities.¡¯

    I continued brushing Leona¡¯s hair diligently. Since it was summer,rge clumps of fur came out every time, which was slightly concerning.

    Although her fur was said to grow back as much as it shed, it still felt like too much.

    Regardless, Leona seemed pleased by my attention, her purring growing louder.

    ¡°Have you ever thought about cutting your hair?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll grow back in a month.¡±

    ¡°It grows that fast?¡±

    ¡°This is nothing for summer. Winter is even worse. It¡¯s actually manageable right now.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like you¡¯ll need some strict grooming.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. So please take care of me, my dear husband.¡±

    Leona teasingly rubbed her head against my chest as she made her request. It truly felt like caring for a pet.

    I smiled softly at her yful demeanor and gently stroked her hair, making her purring even louder.

    ¡°Oh, right. Leona, can I ask you something?¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m curious¡ªwhat do beastkin think about demon worshippers?¡±

    ¡°The bastards. Not only did they enve us, but they also used us as sacrifices. Even our country lodged a formal protest.¡±

    As Leona mentioned, the Animers were also furious about the current situation.

    Especially since they were victims of genocide during the Species War, they were highly sensitive to such issues.

    Moreover, the fact that the Animers, who were still politically unstable, expressed outrage signified the gravity of the situation.

    ¡°Bastards?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Mm?¡±

    As Leona grumbled, another voice interjected. It carried the lisp typical of a child¡¯s speech.

    The moment I heard that voice, I stoppedbing and turned my gaze. Leona did the same.

    When we turned, we saw Ariel staring at us with her index finger in her mouth.

    ¡°Oh, Ariel? Weren¡¯t you asleep?¡±

    ¡°I just woke up.¡±

    Ariel replied as she toddled over to us. She then noticed clumps of hair scattered on the floor.

    She picked up one of the clumps of hair and stared at it nkly.

    With a curious expression, she gazed at it for a while before opening her mouth wide¡­

    ¡°Hey, hey! You don¡¯t eat that! Yucky, yucky!¡±

    ¡°Yucky?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yucky.¡±

    I barely stopped her from putting it in her mouth.

    No matter how good her appetite was, eating something like that would make even Ariel sick.

    Following my direction, Ariel stared at the bundle of chestnut-brown hair before setting it down on the floor.

    In the meantime, Leona, who had been watching her, muttered quietly.

    ¡°¡­She¡¯s really cute.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. Forget it. By the way, she really is an angel, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°She was born from the seed Lord Hirt gifted you?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    I had already exined everything about Ariel to Leona long ago.

    However, since Ariel had been asleep at the time, this was their first meeting.

    Ariel, fascinated by the beastkin she was seeing for the first time, looked at Leona with wide, sparkling golden eyes.

    To make her morefortable, I pausedbing her hair. It seemed more important to focus on their meeting for now.

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    I carefully lifted Ariel and brought her to eye level with Leona. Even as I held her, Ariel¡¯s gaze remained fixed on Leona.

    The same went for Leona, whose golden eyes¡ªsimr in hue¡ªmet Ariel¡¯s.

    Amid the sudden silence, I softly spoke.

    ¡°Ariel, say hello. This is Leona, who will be another one of your moms in the future.¡±

    ¡°Mom?¡±

    ¡°Yep, mom.¡±

    It felt like an odd introduction, but no better words came to mind.

    Although Leona¡¯s mating season was still a little ways off, it didn¡¯t hurt to let Ariel know in advance since it was a settled matter.

    ¡°But Daddy seems down.¡±

    ¡°¡­He¡¯ll feel better soon. Not yet, though, so you can call her ¡®sister¡¯ for now.¡±

    ¡°Got it. Then Leona-sister?¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh¡­¡±

    ¡°H-Hey, can I hold her for a moment?¡±

    Utterly captivated by Ariel, Leona pleaded with me in a desperate tone. She extended her arms and bounced on her feet, clearly eager.

    Seeing her so earnest, I gently handed Ariel over to her.

    Ariel, seemingly unbothered, nestled into Leona¡¯s arms without resistance.

    ¡°Ssss¡­ Haah. She really is Lord Hirt¡¯s child. The scent of nature is so strong.¡±

    The moment Leona held Ariel, she sniffed at her and focused on the little sprout on top of her head.

    ¡°You can even smell things like that?¡±

    ¡°Even as a hybrid, my senses are close to that of a beastkin. But when does this sprout grow?¡±

    ¡°That, I don¡¯t know. Probably as she grows?¡±

    Before I even finished my reply, Leona did something unexpected. She suddenly licked Ariel¡¯s cheek.

    I knew that was a strong expression of affection for Leona, but I wasn¡¯t sure how Ariel would react.

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    Fortunately, Ariel neither liked nor disliked it. She simply looked puzzled, wondering what had just happened.

    Seeing her expression, Leona seemed delighted and began licking her cheeks repeatedly.

    Ariel¡¯s soft, mochi-like cheeks wobbled under Leona¡¯s grooming.

    Normally, any human would¡¯ve recoiled at such an intense show of affection, but Ariel was an angel.

    And since she could read emotions, I guessed she already understood Leona¡¯s feelings.

    Swish, swish¡ª

    As Leona continued showing her affection, her tail swayed over to Ariel.

    Momentarily forgetting the grooming, Ariel¡¯s gaze shifted to the tail.

    Fixated on the swaying tail, she grabbed it with her tiny hands.

    ¡°Wow.¡±

    ¡°Lick. Interesting?¡±

    It seemed Leona deliberately dangled her tail for Ariel to touch. She paused her grooming to speak, watching Ariel¡¯s reaction.

    Regardless, Ariel examined the tail curiously and slowly brought it to her face.

    At first, I thought she wanted a closer look. But that was entirely our mistake.

    ¡°Nom.¡±

    Opening her mouth wide, Ariel bit down on the tail.

    ¡°Chomp!¡±

    Crunch!!

    Leona let out a ferocious yowl, like a cat caught off guard.

    ¡°Kyaaang!!!¡±

    ¡°Ariel! Spit it out! Spit it out now!¡±

    ¡°Mm?¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    ¡°Don¡¯t eat it! You¡¯ll get scolded! Spit it out!¡±

    An unexpected disaster had struck.

    ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï

    At that moment, Kate, who had been dispatched on Isaac¡¯s orders, was facing¡­

    ¡°Are these the ones? The ones who dared to ignore hismand?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡±

    She stood before the very perpetrators who had caused the innocent sacrifices.

 Chapter 375: Total (1)

    Chapter 375: Total (1)

    Following Isaac¡¯s request, Kate set out to investigate the case of an innocent victim.

    The innocent victim and the main culprit behind their demise had already arrived at the temple in the imperial capital.

    This was as Isaac had insisted multiple times¡ªbringing them directly for his judgment.

    Although public opinion leaned in favor of this approach, everyone knew: Isaac would not show up easily.

    Even though an innocent victim had surfaced, there was a possibility it was a trapid by demon worshippers.

    More importantly, the situation had escted far beyond expectations.

    Thework of the demon worshippers was much broader than anticipated, so they likely already knew about it.

    Thus, instead ofing in person, Isaac decided to send Kate to deliver his intentions.

    However, there was one aspect Kate had not anticipated at all.¡°Can a priest even act this way?! Huh?! A priest, who should save lives, is killing people¡ªhow does that make sense?!¡±

    ¡°Ma¡¯am¡­ please calm down for a moment and try to rx¡­¡±

    ¡°Rx?! Rx?! Do you know how I raised my child?! Go tell Lord Luminous! Tell him to save my child! Hurry! Do you even know how I raised my child?! Waaahh!!¡±

    The cries of a woman echoed through the temple. Her wailing surpassed even the anguish of a beast mourning its lost cub.

    Her wrinkled skin and hands worn from gruelingbor revealed how much hardship she endured to raise her child.

    Now that her family had been utterly destroyed, it was only natural for her to curse the world.

    ¡°Who is this damn Zenon that my son had to die for?!¡±

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, it would be best not to say such things here¡­¡±

    ¡°Why?! Afraid of divine retribution? Why would I be punished?! Those bastards who killed my son should be the ones punished!¡±

    Her logical outburst left the temple priests at a loss.

    They wanted to remove her from the premises, but her stubborn resistance made it impossible.

    Eventually, she copsed from exhaustion after crying herself hoarse, and only then could she be taken away.

    Among the silent witnesses to the entire scene was none other than Kate.

    She hade to see the victim¡¯s family, yet the overwhelming sorrow left her unable to speak.

    The anger she felt toward the culprit who caused the innocent victim¡¯s suffering also surged within her.

    Kate closed her eyes tightly, controlling her breathing topose herself.

    The mere fact that Isaac¡¯s orders had been ignored was enough to make her furious. Seeing it firsthand only stoked her wrath further.

    ¡°Cardinal Kate, everything is ready.¡±

    At that moment, a priestess cautiously approached and spoke to Kate. Kate opened her closed eyes and looked ahead.

    Though the victim¡¯s family was gone, the situation still required action to soothe their grief.

    Even if it meant facing public criticism, the cause was more than worth it.

    ¡°I understand. Let¡¯s proceed.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but¡­ are you sure you want to go through with this?¡±

    ¡°I have received permission from Lord Luminous. This issue is deeply tied to heresy. It is my duty.¡±

    Kate¡¯s firm response left the priestess silently nodding. Indeed, this matter involved heresy.

    As Kate stepped forward, the priestess followed close behind.

    ¡°What is the culprit doing right now?¡±

    ¡°They are waiting as you instructed, Your Eminence.¡±

    ¡°Do they show any remorse?¡±

    ¡°They insist they¡¯ve done nothing wrong, iming they were only dealing with a demon worshipper.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    Kate nodded.

    Outwardly, it appeared as if their worst fears hade true, but the deeper implications wereplex.

    While she could empathize with the grief of a mother who lost her only child, what if her son truly was a demon worshipper?

    Alternatively, could this have been a setup by the demon worshippers to halt the proceedings or tarnish Isaac¡¯s reputation?

    If thetter were true, then the used were indeed innocent, but if not, the case would be a tangled web.

    Bringing both the family and the used to the temple was necessary because lies would not be tolerated there.

    Praying that the situation would resolve favorably, Kate moved forward with determination.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯m innocent! I only captured a demon worshipper! I even verified it with a priest to be sure!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t make meugh! You¡¯re the real demon worshipper! You did this to get closer to Zenon!¡±

    ¡°What nonsense! I¡¯ve read <em>Zenon¡¯s Chronicles</em> Volume 1! Do you want me to pray to Lord Luminous to prove how sincere I am?¡±

    ¡°Because of you, the event might get canceled, and you don¡¯t even feel any guilt?!¡±

    The loud shouting reached Kate¡¯s ears even before she arrived. It seemed arguments had been erupting while they waited.

    Determined to resolve the matter quickly, Kate strode toward the entrance.

    Upon reaching it, she was greeted by a space resembling a courtroom.

    Unlike interrogation rooms hidden away in dark basements, this was a hall designed to judge heresy.

    At the center sat the culprits behind the current situation, while onlookers hurled criticisms at them.

    Taking a deep breath, Kate surveyed themotion and quietly asked the priestess behind her.

    ¡°Are these the ones who dared to disobey his orders?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Eminence.¡±

    Though their conversation was hushed, their voices echoed through the hall, amplified by mana.

    The attention of everyone in the courtroom shifted toward Kate, and the chaotic noise instantly gave way to silence at her presence.

    It was to the extent that the exmations over Kate¡¯s breathtaking beauty were the loudest in the courtroom.

    As the courtroom quieted, Kate directed her gaze toward the main culprit seated at the center before walking to her seat.

    ¡°Is that Cardinal Kate?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡±

    ¡°Cardinal Kate! I swear I¡¯m innocent! This is all a trap set by demon worshipers!¡±

    Despite the suspect¡¯s protests, Kate remained silent, responding only with a cold re.

    The man, however, was no pushover.

    Most people would have been overwhelmed by Kate¡¯smanding aura, but he stood firm, maintaining hisposure.

    Kate, surprised by his unwavering confidence, showed a hint of curiosity as she took her seat¡ªdirectly across from him at the opposite table.

    As the Inquisitor, it was only natural for her to sit there, as she had the authority to deliver immediate judgment based on the interrogation¡¯s oue.

    ¡°Your name.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    ¡°Start by stating your name.¡±

    Since nothing had been confirmed yet, Kate maintained a polite tone, though inwardly she felt like addressing him as a pest.

    Still, given theplexity of the situation, she decided to proceed cautiously.

    The man was initially startled but soon let out a long sigh and replied.

    ¡°Roy. Roy Hendenson.¡±

    ¡°Are you an adventurer?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re aware of the reason you¡¯re sitting here, correct?¡±

    At Kate¡¯s question, the man¡ªRoy¡ªnodded vigorously, exuding confidence with every gesture.

    Kate stared at him for a moment before averting her gaze. Next to Roy sat a young clergyman connected to the case.

    The clergyman, surprisingly youthful and gentle-looking, hinted at his character through his demeanor.

    ¡°Brother, may I have your name?¡±

    ¡°My name is Baegis Hall.¡±

    ¡°Could you exin the situation in detail?¡±

    At Kate¡¯s request, Baegis nodded. However, he nced briefly at Roy, seemingly uneasy about the matter.

    Roy, meanwhile, maintained his upright and confident posture, his expression implying he had done nothing wrong.

    After some hesitation, Baegis sighed deeply before beginning to speak.

    ¡°First, as a servant of Luminous, I swear that everything I say is the truth. Should I speak a single lie, I will dly ept divine punishment.¡±

    ¡°Understood. As a sword of Luminous, I will hear your testimony in full.¡±

    ¡°Here¡¯s what happened¡­¡±

    Baegis exined that Roy was a distinguished adventurer who had achieved great feats since the event began, even uncovering an entire brainwashed vige.

    Further, though it wasn¡¯t his ce to defend Roy, he emphasized Roy¡¯s genuine enthusiasm for <em>The Chronicles of Zenon</em>.

    Kate listened silently, observing Roy as a vague sense of familiarity crossed her mind.

    Though she hadn¡¯t recognized him earlier due to the heat of the moment, she felt as though she¡¯d seen his face somewhere before.

    ¡°You said your name was Roy?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡±

    ¡°You look familiar. Could it be that¡­¡±

    ¡°Ahem, ahem.¡±

    Before Kate could finish her thought, Roy cleared his throat awkwardly.

    Stealing a nce at the audience, he spoke cautiously in a much softer voice.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    ¡°You may not remember, but¡­ I was the person who got Zenon¡¯s autographst time.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that person?¡±

    Finally remembering, Kate let out a small gasp, the prejudices she¡¯d held just moments ago nearly dissipating.

    Someone willing to risk their life for an autograph from Zenon wasn¡¯t likely to disobey Isaac¡¯s orders. Clearly, something else was at y.

    While Kate was deep in thought, Roy checked the reactions around him again.

    As expected, the courtroom began murmuring as soon as they heard that Roy had received Zenon¡¯s autograph.

    ¡°Just to rify, what¡¯s going to happen to my belongings? You¡¯re not going to confiscate them, are you?¡±

    ¡°That will depend on the trial¡¯s oue. However, considering your character, I expect there¡¯s an exnation for all this.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. I swear, all I did was capture a demon worshiper.¡±

    Roy¡¯s plea was filled with genuine indignation, and Kate responded positively.

    However, this only made the situation involving the victim¡¯s family even more tragic.

    To the world, the victim might have been a kind and cherished child, but in reality, they were a demon worshiper contributing to unimaginable atrocities.

    Kate, growing more somber, turned her gaze to Baegis.

    Despite the favorable turn of events, Baegis still wore a hesitant expression.

    ¡°Brother, do you have anything more to add?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ I do. But¡­ sigh¡­¡±

    Baegis let out another long sigh, clearly troubled.

    Kate regarded him with a puzzled expression as he nced at her hesitantly before speaking again.

    ¡°As I said earlier, every word I¡¯m about to say is the truth. Please keep that in mind.¡±

    ¡°This is getting more intriguing. What is it?¡±

    ¡°The best way to identify a demon worshiper is through divine power. However, this method has its limitations.

    A cleric¡¯s divine power might not be strong enough, or a demon worshiper who hasn¡¯t fully corrupted their soul might show no reaction at all.

    That¡¯s why interrogations are typically conducted in a dedicated chamber.¡±

    Divine power wasn¡¯t all-powerful. Depending on the circumstances, it could detect demon worshipers¡ªor fail entirely.

    For instance, if Kate infused someone with divine power, a demon worshiper would disintegrate, while an ordinary cleric would endure it without issue.

    Most demon worshipers, however, feigned innocence, leveraging years of umted expertise to avoid detection.

    ¡°Furthermore, Sir Isaac has stated that it¡¯s better to let ten demon worshipers go free than to sacrifice one innocent person.¡±

    ¡°I understand that. Please continue.¡±

    ¡°So, we interrogated the demon worshiper that Roy captured. Based on the evidence, they were undeniably guilty¡ªa ve trader involved with powerful figures. But then¡­¡±

    Baegis hesitated briefly before continuing in a doubtful voice.

    ¡°With just a light touch¡ª¡±

    Then came the shocking testimony.

    ¡°They died.¡±

    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡±

    It was a baffling statement.

    The entire courtroom was frozen, expressions of disbelief etched on their faces as they processed Baegis¡¯s words.

    ¡°K-Kate, Cardinal Kate!¡±

    Suddenly, a woman¡¯s urgent voice echoed through the courtroom.

    Everyone, including Kate, turned toward the source of the voice.

    It was a female priest who had apanied Kate earlier. Her face was as pale as a ghost, and her panic was unmistakable.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Kate asked, rising from her seat.

    ¡°The victim¡¯s mother¡­!¡±

    ¡°The mother? Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡±

    Kate began to worry that the mother had sumbed to the shock of losing her child.

    ¡°No! She fled! She¡¯s currently running away from the temple!¡±

    ¡°Excuse me? Fled¡­¡±

    Not just left but fled.

    Kate felt a chill run through her entire body as the implications sank in.

    Baegis¡¯s testimony¡ªthat a light touch had killed the person¡ªechoed in her mind.

    No one could die from such minimal force¡ªunless their soul had already left their body.

    What if the victim had sacrificed themselves to orchestrate this event?

    What if their soul had attached itself elsewhere? Necromancy existed; surely possession wasn¡¯t impossible.

    ¡°And the mother¡­!¡±

    The priest¡¯s next words confirmed Kate¡¯s worst fears.

    ¡°She¡¯s a demon worshiper!¡±

    Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, Kate sprinted out of the courtroom.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 376: Total (2)

    Demonic worshipers are shrouded in mystery, possessing abilities that defy the world¡¯smon sense.

    One of the most notable examples is necromancy.

    Even necromancy itself was treated as top-secret until it became publicly known.

    Necromancy does notpletely resurrect the dead, but it is a deeply hical practice.

    Schrs are divided on whether it should be ssified as magic or sorcery.

    While rituals, akin to sorcery, are required to practice necromancy, its systematic structure resembles magic.

    Thus, necromancy has be a hallmark of demonic worshipers, and its dangers are widely recognized.

    However, necromancy is not merely the ability to animate corpses.

    While that is the publicly known aspect, it epasses a variety of abilities.For instance, necromancy can summon the dead to converse with their spirits or temporarily transfer the practitioner¡¯s soul elsewhere.

    Mastery of necromancy can even allow the practitioner to transfer their soul into a new body upon the expiration of their current one.

    Consequently, some demonic worshipers have used this method to extend their lifespans, leading to their involvement in human trafficking.

    This trade serves not only to offer sacrifices to the ¡°Father of All Things¡± but also to find suitable bodies for themselves.

    However, this heinous method was so exclusive that only a tiny fraction of demonic worshipers practiced it, leaving its existence virtually unknown.

    ¡°Mother! Stay with me! Someone, get a priest, quickly!¡±

    ¡°Why did she suddenly copse? What did you do to her?¡±

    ¡°What could I have done? She just fell over as I reached out to stop her rushing in!¡±

    Chaos erupted at the entrance of Halo Academy, where knights stationed at the gate scrambled in confusion around an elderly woman lying motionless on the ground.

    They shook her body and attempted first aid, but the woman showed no signs of life.

    [That¡¯s because she¡¯s dead.]

    Overlooking the frantic scene was a man whose lips curled into a smirk.

    At first nce, he might be mistaken for a wizard, but his appearance was strikingly peculiar.

    His entire body was pitch ck, as if stained, and his features were unnervingly in.

    He waspletely naked, yet devoid of reproductive organs, resembling an unfinished sculpture.

    His face was smooth like an egg, with only a mouth present, creating an eerie impression.

    [I must move before <em>she</em> arrives.]

    Muttering to himself, the man slipped past themotion into the academy.

    The elderly woman had been nothing more than a decoy to buy time.

    His true target was within the academy: Isaac, his greatest adversary.

    [No matter how favored he is by false gods, he cannot guard his soul.

    I¡¯ve gone to great lengths for this moment, through countless nuisances.

    All to aplish this grand endeavor.]

    The man reflected on his efforts to eliminate Isaac.

    Normally, he would have transferred into new bodies like changing clothes, but the exposure of his human trafficking operation had rendered such practices nearly impossible.

    The Minerva Empire, once his haven, hadunched an extensive crackdown, supported by neighboring nations.

    Should the operations be fully dismantled, the ve trade would be eradicated.

    Thus, he had personally intervened.

    [Living in that body won¡¯t be so bad.

    I¡¯ve heard there¡¯s no shortage of beauties around, including the Elf Queen.

    I should¡¯ve done this sooner, haha.]

    The man¡ªor rather, the soul¡ªlet out a lecherous chuckle as he advanced toward Isaac¡¯s location, filled with anticipation.

    Although the revtion of demonic worshipers¡¯ existence was a significant blow, the specifics of their abilities remainedrgely undisclosed.

    Even when possessing the elderly woman earlier, the church¡¯s priests failed to detect him, not even the Grand Inquisitor, Kate.

    Only in his exposed spiritual form might they notice him, but while possessing a host, special measures were required to identify him.

    [Know your enemy and know yourself, and you will be victorious.

    Nothing¡¯s changed since the past.]

    He had gathered every piece of information avable about Isaac, including his divine favor.

    Attempting possession without preparation would have been futile, given Isaac¡¯s powerful divine protection.

    However, he had offered numerous sacrifices to breach that divine barrier.

    Once that was ovee, seizing Isaac¡¯s soul would be a trivial matter.

    Divine protection was merely a shield; it could not alter the essence of a soul.

    Years of switching bodies had taught him this, leading to important revtions.

    [Good thing he¡¯s human.

    If he were another species, this wouldn¡¯t even be possible.]

    For possession to seed, the host had to be of the same species and gender.

    A human soul attempting to inhabit an elf or demon¡¯s body would likely copse under the strain, as the shorter lifespan of humans would cause severe mental dissonance.

    While beastfolk were somewhatpatible, their animalistic instincts often caused issues in daily life.

    Thus, his necromantic possession required a host of the same species and gender.

    Though it was possible to possess a different gender temporarily, it would notst long.

    Over centuries, he had sought suitable hosts, even using the elderly woman¡¯s body for this grand endeavor.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    [Is that the ce?]

    Finally, he arrived at the dormitory where Isaac resided.

    The dormitory boasted luxurious architecture and imprable security, but it was no match for a soul.

    His abilities, closer to sorcery than magic, allowed him to infiltrate with ease.

    Smiling grimly, he entered the dormitory.

    No one could see or sense him, and even walls posed no obstacle.

    [Once I take his soul, the rest is mere y.]

    When a body is taken, its original owner either ascends to the afterlife or wanders the mortal realm.

    For all intents and purposes, the original owner dies.

    The man would then simply find a new host as needed.

    He began searching the dormitory room by room, starting with the first room in the hallway.

    [Not here.]

    It turned out to be the room of Isaac¡¯s fianc¨¦e, Marie, who was currently away at ss.

    He passed through the wall to the next room, only to freeze at the sight before him.

    ¡°Stand up! You must not copse from something so trivial!¡±

    ¡°Huff¡­ huff¡­¡±

    ¡°There are many stronger than me in this world!

    Get up, now!¡±

    ¡°Y-yes¡­!¡±

    A booming voice like a lion¡¯s roar resounded, directed at a female knight copsed on the ground.

    It was Hawk and Adelia. While Hawk hardly broke a sweat, Adeliay t on the ground, gasping for breath.

    Even so, she never let go of the sword in her hand. Her grip symbolized an unyielding determination that refused to give up.

    The man alternated his gaze between the two of them and instinctively realized he was in the right ce.

    [Red hair and golden eyes. A young man, they said, so this isn¡¯t him.]

    Though his appearance bore simrities to Zenon, he wasn¡¯t young. As the man moved to pass by them¡ª

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Was Hawk aware of the man¡¯s presence? He stared intently in the man¡¯s direction.

    Hawk, who generally had an impression of boldness, now had a scowl so fierce it exuded an overwhelming sense of intimidation.

    Even the man, who knew they couldn¡¯t see him, felt himself shrink under the oppressive atmosphere.

    Despite being in a spirit form, he felt like a herbivore before a lion, his blood running cold.

    ¡°Hah¡­ hah¡­ what are you looking at?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. It must¡¯ve been my imagination.¡±

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll continue.¡±

    ¡°Carry on.¡±

    Fortunately (or perhaps not), it seemed to have been a misunderstanding. The man stood frozen in ce as Hawk resumed the training session.

    Could this be what people meant by ¡°my knees are weak¡±?

    He had merely locked eyes with him, but it felt like he had stuck his head into a lion¡¯s jaws.

    [What kind of bloodline is this¡­?]

    The man hurried out of the room. A lion truly begets lions; even the father was extraordinary.

    Perhaps there was something peculiar about this lineage. Shivering, the man moved to the living room.

    [There he is¡­]

    As soon as he entered the living room, he spotted the source of all thismotion¡ªIsaac.

    Isaac was napping on a small bed set in the living room. His long, vibrant red hair, now untied, gleamed.

    [¡­Annoyingly handsome.]

    The man grumbled at the sight of Isaac, sleeping soundly, oblivious to the world.

    With sharp features, a high nose bridge, a sleek jawline, and perfectly proportioned eyshes of just the right length, Isaac possessed an annoyingly stunning face.

    His long hair even made the man momentarily mistake him for a woman.

    Despite having possessed numerous bodies over the years, it was rare to encounter someone as striking as Isaac.

    He had gained fame and fortune through Zenon¡¯s chronicles and even attracted beautiful women, including his fianc¨¦e.

    More than being a formidable foe of demon worshippers, Isaac was an infuriating existence.

    The man nodded, satisfied that his decision to carry out this grand undertaking had been right.

    Once he took over Isaac¡¯s body, everything Isaac owned would belong to him. Even if he was caught, it wouldn¡¯t matter.

    If necessary, he could harm Isaac¡¯s body to make threats, and as ast resort, he could simply escape.

    Just imagining people sobbing over the empty shell of Isaac¡¯s body sent a thrill through him.

    [But¡­ who¡¯s this?]

    Before seizing Isaac¡¯s body, the man looked at the figure Isaac was holding like a doll.

    The individual had red hair like Isaac and an appearance so beautiful it was difficult to determine their gender.

    What stood out most were the sprout on their head and the wings on their back.

    Judging by their appearance, they were undoubtedly an angel from the records, but the man dismissed the idea as impossible.

    In his centuries-long life that transcended human lifespans, he had never encountered an angel.

    Perhaps Isaac had a hidden child, and he had given the child wings. Of course, those wings had to be fake.

    [But wasn¡¯t he said to be under 20? Then who is this?]

    While the man was puzzled by this unexpected detail, it happened.

    sh¡ª

    The figure sleeping in Isaac¡¯s arms, Ariel, suddenly opened her eyes. Her golden irises, resembling Isaac¡¯s, glowed brightly.

    She turned her gaze directly at the man in his spirit form, staring straight at him.

    If Hawk¡¯s earlier nce had been a coincidence, Ariel was unequivocally looking at the man.

    [W-what¡­]

    As the man flustered, Ariel wriggled out of Isaac¡¯s embrace.

    Even as she moved, Isaac remained fast asleep.

    Given how mentally exhausted he had been, he clearly needed this rest.

    Ariel climbed down from the bed and stretched her tiny hand toward the air.

    Grab!

    [W-what?!]

    She had caught him¡ªor rather, he had been caught.

    The man panicked as Ariel held onto his spirit form.

    In his centuries of existence, there had only been a handful of beings who could even see his spirit form, let alone touch it.

    And those beings had only been able to see him, not physically interact with him.

    But Ariel had physically grabbed him.

    What on earth was going on? As the man reeled in shock, Ariel, clutching his leg, blinked and made her move.

    ¡°Ahh.¡±

    Nom¡ª

    Ariel put the tip of his spiritual foot into her mouth. She didn¡¯t stop there.

    ¡°Slurp, slurp, slurp.¡±

    Like someone savoring a delicious treat, she began sucking him up, starting from his foot.

    She moved past his knees, then his thighs, and eventually reached his groin.

    [Aaagh! L-let me go!]

    Though he was in spirit form, he seemed capable of feeling pain, screaming and struggling.

    No matter how hard he tried to escape, it was all futile.

    He even reached for Isaac in ast-ditch effort to take over his body, but it was useless.

    Just as he almost touched Isaac, his hand slowly pulled away as Ariel started consuming his torso.

    [W-what¡­ what is this girl?!]

    ¡°Slurp.¡±

    [This¡­ wasn¡¯t¡­ part of the n!]

    Swoop¡ª

    Finally, Ariel devoured thest bit of his spirit, including his head.

    Following Isaac¡¯s teachings, she chewed thoroughly before swallowing it down.

    ¡°Burp.¡±

    A satisfied belch escaped her lips.

    Pfft¡ª

    Followed by an adorable little toot.

    As Ariel let out a cute fart, she turned around.

    Unlike the ominous dark spirit from earlier, a pure white aura floated up into the air, dissipating into the ceiling.

    Ariel watched quietly until the aura disappeared before turning her gaze back to Isaac.

    Through it all, Isaac remained sound asleep.

    ¡°Yawn¡­¡±

    Ariel yawned and wriggled her way back into Isaac¡¯s embrace, snuggling against him.

    Isaac instinctively wrapped his arms around her as if nothing had happened.

    The father and daughter duo continued their peaceful slumber, as if the chaos never urred.

    ¡°Isaac! Isaac! Open the door, quickly!¡±

    Outside, Kate banged on the door, arriving toote to witness the spectacle.

 Chapter 377: Total (3)

    Chapter 377: Total (3)

    ¡°Then¡­ you¡¯re saying that both the innocent victims and the two surviving family members were demon worshipers, and they staged this to tarnish my honor and get close to me?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°And that grandmother was found dead at the entrance.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±

    Kate nodded in response to my question, though she looked uncertain.

    It was understandable¡ªwhile the beginning, the progression, and even the crisis were solid, there was no climax or conclusion.

    It felt like the story had been cut off midway.

    I understood the intentions of the demon worshipers, but their execution felt sloppy.Moreover, I couldn¡¯t figure out how they carried out their ns.

    Just to be sure, Kate had dered a sanctuary, but nothing unusual was detected.

    I was still slightly groggy, having woken up in the middle of a nap.

    Compared to the urgency earlier, the resolution felt somewhat anticlimactic.

    <strong>Pooof!</strong>

    Amid this perplexing situation, a noise too peculiar to ignore caught my ears.

    It was loud enough that I didn¡¯t need to check who made it.

    After all, it came from Ariel, who I was holding in my arms.

    I turned my head to look at her.

    She was staring into the air with her head tilted back, as though looking at something I couldn¡¯t see.

    ¡°Ariel?¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Did you just fart?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Ariel tilted her head in confusion at my question.

    Now that I thought about it, Ariel didn¡¯t pass gas¡ªor perform most basic physiological functions, for that matter.

    Given her nature, I¡¯d always dismissed it, but I had conducted detailed examinations out of concern.

    The results showed that while she had all the human organs she should, most were practically non-functional.

    Even when she ate more than an average adult, she didn¡¯t need to defecate, with only the asional burp to show for it.

    So naturally, I was a bit surprised to hear her fart.

    ¡°You know, the sound you just made. It was like a ¡®pffft¡¯ and felt like something inside emptied out.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s called a fart?¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    <strong>Pffft!</strong>

    ¡°Like this?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    She didn¡¯t need to demonstrate it again.

    I chuckled awkwardly at Ariel¡¯s innocent response.

    What could she have eaten to start farting?

    Could it be the snack she ate before bed?

    That thought led to a wave of concern.

    Ariel, who could chew through rocks, could seriously hurt herself if she ate the wrong thing.

    Last time, she nearly tried eating a te, so I couldn¡¯t help but worry.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t eat anything strange while I was asleep, did you?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    It seemed my question hit a nerve.

    Ariel avoided eye contact and looked away, confirming my suspicions.

    So what did she eat?

    There wasn¡¯t anything dangerous in the dorm that she could¡¯ve gotten her hands on.

    At most, there was some dough in the fridge, but Ariel had taken one bite of that before spitting it out and receiving a stern scolding.

    <strong>Pooof¡ª</strong>

    How much had she eaten?

    She kept farting like some little fart machine, and I couldn¡¯t help butugh in disbelief.

    Interestingly, there wasn¡¯t any odor.

    For the record, I had no intention of scolding her¡ªmy question came purely out of concern.

    ¡°I¡¯m just worried, Ariel. Can you tell me what you ate?¡±

    ¡°Umm¡­ cloud chocte cookies?¡±

    ¡°Cloud chocte cookies?¡±

    Cloud chocte cookies?

    That didn¡¯t sound like an ordinary snack.

    Was it something Adelia had baked, or was Ariel just naming something on a whim?

    Ariel began exining with animated gestures.

    ¡°I woke up because I felt something weird. Then, there were cloud chocte cookies floating in front of me. So I ate them.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    Kate and I exchanged nces, our expressions showing we were both on the same page.

    Ariel¡¯s vague exnation didn¡¯t make any sense.

    Floating cloud chocte cookies?

    I decided we needed more detail.

    Grabbing a notebook and a magic pen from my bedside, I prepared to draw.

    Perhaps a sketch would help us understand better.

    ¡°What did these cookies look like?¡±

    ¡°They looked like people.¡±

    ¡°Like people?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. But they didn¡¯t have eyes or noses, just a mouth. And no clothes, either.¡±

    The more Ariel described them, the more my brow furrowed.

    Could she really have seen something like that?

    When she finished her exnation, I showed her the sketch I¡¯d made.

    Both Ariel and Kate leaned in to look at my notebook.

    ¡°Did it look like this?¡±

    ¡°Yeah! That¡¯s it!¡±

    Her cheerful response confirmed it¡ªI¡¯d drawn the right thing.

    Tilting my head in confusion, I checked my sketch again.

    A disembodied mouth on an egg-shaped figure¡ªit was best described as a faceless ghost.

    ¡°Uh¡­ Miss Kate?¡±

    ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡±

    ¡°Do evil spirits usually look like this? From what I know, they¡¯re supposed to be more grotesque.¡±

    In this fantasy world, ghosts, spirits, and even malicious entities like evil spirits existed.

    Evil spirits, in particr, were dealt with through exorcism by the church, while ordinary ghosts were either appeased or sent to rest through rituals.

    But I¡¯d never heard of a ghost that looked like this faceless figure in my notebook.

    Most spirits had distinct facial features, but this one resembled an egg ghost with nothing but a mouth.

    Its identity remained a mystery.

    ¡°No. Evil spirits are those who have be malevolent due to deep grudges in life. They usually look much more terrifying and can even exert physical force.¡±

    ¡°I see. In any case, Ariel, you ate something like this?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    <strong>Pfft¡ª</strong>

    The cute, mischievous sound of a fart echoed again.

    It seemed digestion was still underway.

    ¡°Isaac, I have a theory. May I share it?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes. Please go ahead.¡±

    ¡°I believe the demon worshipers were attempting to possess you.¡±

    <strong>¡°Possession, huh¡­¡±</strong>

    I nodded at the rather credible hypothesis. Possession refers literally to being overtaken by a ghost.

    When possession urs, the host¡¯s body is taken over. However, it¡¯s not permanent, and with proper measures, it can be reversed.

    The problem lies in the fact that it¡¯s impossible to know if possession has urred. If one were to brush it off as acting, it could lead to disastrous consequences.

    ¡°So, Ms. Kate, you¡¯re saying that the demon worshiper first possessed the human trafficker, then moved on to possess the bereaved, all to get close to me?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°And then, in their spiritual form, approached me before Ariel devoured them?¡±

    ¡°That appears to be the case.¡±

    ¡°Is that even possible?¡±

    Spirits are beings tied to unresolved grudges in their past lives, wandering aimlessly in the present world. In other words, their grudges have to be strong enough to defy the ¡®natural order.¡¯

    Can that even be called ¡®willpower¡¯? Absolutely not.

    But the demon worshiper approached me as a spirit purely by their own volition.

    Thanks to Ariel devouring them, a catastrophe was avoided, but even so, their abilities are incredibly dangerous.

    ¡°As I said earlier, this is purely spection. It¡¯s a situation I¡¯ve never encountered before¡­¡±

    <strong>Poof¡ª</strong>

    Amid the serious atmosphere, the sound of tulence broke through. Kate nced at Ariel before continuing her exnation.

    ¡°¡­since it¡¯s my first time encountering this, I can¡¯t be certain.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t there an expert on this topic in your order?¡±

    ¡°Not among the clergy. Spirit-rted matters are better handled by shamans¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I can only perform exorcisms, not help spirits pass on.¡±

    ¡°Not even you, Ms. Kate?¡±

    ¡°Correct. Sorcery is the power to interfere with the ¡®natural order,¡¯ including nature. Even the most potent divine powers can¡¯t deviate from the naturalws created by the gods. That¡¯s why necromancy leans closer to sorcery.¡±

    I had assumed it was a simple ability like praying for rain, but clearly, it¡¯s far moreplex.

    Then again, humans relied on sorcery before they learned magic, so its effects are undeniable¡ªalbeit risky.

    If magic expends 50 units of energy to achieve 50 results, sorcery might yield 30, 100, or even 0.

    ¡°I need to investigate this further.¡±

    I¡¯ve barely delved into sorcery. It¡¯s a skill rarely used today, and there¡¯s too much uncertainty surrounding it.

    But this incident has given me a reason to research it.

    Ariel handled the situation this time, but there¡¯s no guarantee she¡¯ll be able to do so next time.

    ¡°Understood. You¡¯ve done well today. Now, let¡¯s¡­¡±

    <strong>Poof¡ª</strong>

    Could she have indigestion from consuming something foul?

    I looked at Ariel, who seemed to have no control over her sphincter.

    She was clutching her stomach with a distressed expression.

    Considering the malicious nature of the spirit targeting me, it must have been quite taxing.

    Still, I couldn¡¯t prescribe medicine for her; this wasn¡¯t a real stomachache.

    ¡°Ariel, does your stomach hurt a lot?¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­ A little.¡±

    ¡°Lie down for a moment. Daddy will make it better.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you trust Daddy?¡±

    At that, Ariel quicklyy down on the bed. Her red hair, inherited from me, spread across the sheets.

    I smiled at her adorable reaction and gently lifted her shirt, revealing a small belly button and a round tummy.

    I ced myrge hand on her tiny stomach, covering itpletely due to its size.

    The ¡®mommy¡¯s hand is a healing hand¡¯ method¡ªa universal remedy for children. Anyone who grew up in Korea has experienced this loving gesture at least once. There¡¯s a belief that its effectiveness depends on the amount of love put into it.

    ¡°Daddy¡¯s hand is a healing hand. Ariel¡¯s tummy is a happy tummy.¡±

    I gently rubbed Ariel¡¯s stomach while making eye contact and smiling warmly.

    For the record, this method does work in real life.

    It helps disperse intestinal gas and, more importantly, reassures the child with love, which eases their difort.

    Ariel seemed to feel my affection and burst into giggles. I smiled back and continued the soothing motion.

    After a while¡­

    <strong>Poooof!</strong>

    Ariel let out a loud expulsion of gas¡ªor rather, expelled the remaining spirit.

    ¡°Ahh¡­¡±

    Her expression suggested she had finally rid herself of everything inside. I rubbed her stomach a bit more before removing my hand.

    ¡°Feeling better now?¡±

    ¡°Yeah! It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore!¡±

    ¡°Good to hear. Up we go.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    I lifted Ariel, who fit snugly in my arms. A small, delicate girl.

    The gods once said there would be no crises for a while. It¡¯s probably because Ariel is with me.

    But I can¡¯t keep her by my side forever. Even as a transcendent, she deserves the freedom to live her life.

    ¡°I need to grow stronger quickly.¡±

    At least enough so she won¡¯t be a burden to anyone and can protect herself.

    As I pondered this, gently patting Ariel¡¯s back, I noticed a piercing gaze ahead.

    Looking up, I saw Kate staring nkly at us. Her mouth was slightly open, and her eyes were unfocused.

    The sight made me uneasy. In a hesitant voice, I asked her, ¡°Um¡­ Ms. Kate?¡±

    ¡°Yes? Yes?¡±

    ¡°Do you¡­ have something to say?¡±

    ¡°No, nothing.¡±

    Nothing? That¡¯s a relief¡­

    ¡°Sigh¡­ Sigh¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    ¡°Sir Isaac¡¯s healing hand¡­¡±

    Wait, why was she rubbing her stomach?

    ¡°Ms. Kate?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir?¡±

    ¡°Feel free to speak.¡±

    ¡°I think¡­ my stomach hurts a little too¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t give healing hands to liars.¡±

    It bes something entirely different if done to an adult.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 378: Dice (1)

    A few days have passed since it was revealed that the recent incident was a scheme orchestrated by demon worshippers.

    People felt both relieved and outraged upon hearing my promation, and naturally, their anger toward the demon worshippers has only intensified.

    Although it was known that demon worshippers regarded human lives and rights as less valuable than worms, this incident added to their infamy with the inclusion of innocent victims.

    [Demon worshippers used necromancy to target Zenon¡¯s life.]

    [Not merely simple necromancy, but a power akin to soul-stealing sorcery.]

    [The hidden powers of the demon worshippers¡ªwhat exactly do they possess?]

    Ariel didn¡¯t forget to disclose the abilities of the demon worshippers she had found particrly intriguing.

    Although her statements were spective, her testimony,bined with the presence of malevolent spirits in this world, meant they couldn¡¯t simply be dismissed as nonsense.

    Even though magic is hard toprehend, sorcery is so vast in its scope that even schrs find it perplexing.There is a saying: ¡°I don¡¯t understand magic because it¡¯s tooplicated, and I don¡¯t understand sorcery because it¡¯s too broad.¡±

    As such, there are very few races that predominantly use sorcery, aside from the beastfolk.

    Among humans, it is asionally practiced, but only in ces untouched by civilization.

    [The principles of necromancy align more closely with sorcery than magic, as it defies naturalws.]

    [If so, is the main ability of demon worshippers sorcery?]

    [Elves have used magic, not sorcery, from the beginning, as their powers were granted by the gods. Who, then, passed down the origins of sorcery?]

    With the revtion that the power targeting my life was sorcery, public interest surged.

    Previously, sorcery had been more akin to the folklore my grandfather shared, but this incident spurred many to question its origins.

    Particrly, the beastfolk¡ªAnimers¡ªwere now the focus of attention, for better or worse.

    On the positive side, schrs began visiting them to delve deeper into sorcery.

    On the negative side, there was suspicion of whether they were secretly supporting the demon worshippers.

    The former offered an opportunity to fill the gaps in the Animers¡¯ knowledge, while thetter was a rather insulting usation.

    [After humans, the group that suffers the most damage is us, the beastfolk.]

    [Demons are believed only by the weak. Beastfolk are confident in themselves and do not entrust their self-worth to others.]

    [Sorcery is merely a form of respect and hope directed toward the divine. Nature cannot be controlled by anyone¡¯s will.]N?v(el)B\\jnn

    [I¡¯ve heard that the majority of those who believe in demons are humans.]

    So, I delivered a solid rebuttal.

    In truth, most of the races who worship demons are humans.

    Though a few extreme demonkind are included, even Helium has disowned them due to their out-of-control behavior.

    Amidst this uproar about sorcery, events continued to unfold.

    If anything, public sentiment against demon worshippers is now reaching its peak, proving that even the bottom has its depths.

    It¡¯s no longer mere rejection¡ªit has escted to outright disgust, akin to looking at vermin.

    Even a slight defense of demon worshippers could lead to being ostracized entirely.

    [Why did they fall for the demon worshippers? We must investigate the root cause.]

    [Those deeply devoted to demon worship, almost to the level of a religion, are mostlymoners. The majority are in viges far from cities or outside noble domains.]

    [Over 90% of those living in slums are mesmerized by demon worshippers¡­ They crave material desires rather than the love and affection of the gods.]

    As the events progressed, more truths began to emerge.

    While ie inequality exists everywhere across history, this case was particrly severe.

    A survey revealed that nine out of ten people raised in the slums are likely to be demon worshippers.

    The slums, where death at any time and ce isn¡¯t unusual, are a primary target for the demon worshippers.

    ¡°Adel, when did you say you first went to the royal pce in Ters?¡±

    ¡°Was I eleven? Maybe twelve? It must¡¯ve been around then.¡±

    ¡°Did anything strange happen while you were living in the slums?¡±

    Adelia, who was born and raised in the slums before going to the pce, came to mind, so I asked her.

    She paused herundry folding, gazed upward, and seemed to think deeply.

    In the past, her traumatic associations with the slums might have made her reluctant to speak, but now, with most of that resolved, she willingly shared.

    ¡°Well¡­ I didn¡¯t actually live in the slums. I was born in the most famous red-light district of the Teres Kingdom. Do you think royalty would ever visit the slums in the first ce?¡±

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not suspecting me of being a demon worshipper, are you?¡±

    Adelia jokingly asked, to which I yfully and calmly replied:

    ¡°I was just marveling at how a beautiful flower bloomed in such a ce. Considering what you endured in the royal pce, maybe you¡¯re just born for hardship.¡±

    ¡°Hmph, hmph. You¡¯re getting cheekier by the day.¡±

    Adelia blushed, clearing her throat while brushing her hair behind her ear, a sign that she wasn¡¯t truly upset.

    I chuckled softly and pressed the typewriter¡¯s print button.

    A buzzing sound apanied the printing of the final pages of <em>The Chronicles of Zenon Volume 28</em>.

    It had been less than two weeks since Volume 27 was released, and I had alreadypleted writing the next volume.

    ¡®Ariel must be sleeping right now.¡¯

    As I neatly organized the thick manuscript, I nced toward the bed.

    Ariel was fast asleep, basking directly in the zing sunlight streaming through the window.

    Normally, I would draw the curtains, but given Ariel¡¯s nature, I left them open.

    Judging by the sprout atop her head, she was clearly photosynthesizing, a fact I had discovered over several days of observation.

    ¡®When it rained, shezed around all day.¡¯

    Ariel¡¯s condition heavily depended on sunlight.

    And now, with the rainy season approaching, it was clear that I would soon need to care for her more closely.

    On rainy days, she clung to me all day, so I might not be able to continue writing for a while.

    ¡®Rina also said she has something to talk about soon¡­¡¯

    Maybe it wouldn¡¯t hurt to take things a bit slower.

    I carefully ced the manuscript into an envelope.

    ¡®I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡¯

    How will readers react to the conclusion of Volume 28?

    The day to roll the dice isn¡¯t far off now.

    Even when the world is in turmoil due to events and the atrocities of demon worshippers, there are still ces of tranquility.

    Isaac¡¯s hometown, where the Marshal family¡¯s mansion is located, is one such ce.

    No matter how chaotic the world bes, the Marshal mansion continues to enjoy a normal daily routine.

    Of course, the estate is developing rapidly, and the poption influx has caused an increase in administrative workload.

    However, this burden falls mainly on Hawk, the head of the family.

    Moreover, Dave and Nicole are currently enlisted in the military, keeping them away from any administrative tasks.

    In other words, Hawk is left to work overtime regrly.

    Recently, even Hawk has left for the academy, leaving almost no one to manage the affairs.

    He asionally visits the mansion, but his time is barely sufficient to sign off on pending tasks.

    ¡°Leaving such difficult work to someone as delicate as Mom¡ªyour dad is so heartless. Right, Lily?¡±

    ¡°Uung?¡±

    ¡°See? Only Lily understands my struggles. Still, it¡¯s fortunate your dad has the energy he does; otherwise, things would have been even harder.¡±

    ¡°Woong.¡±

    Anna muttered herints while baby Lily, lying in her cradle, suckled on her finger and babbled in response.

    Even though Anna wasn¡¯t sure if Lily truly understood, the sight of her bright golden eyes cleared away all of Anna¡¯s exhaustion.

    Anna gently stroked Lily¡¯s cheek, marveling at her adorable reaction.

    In response, Lily beamed brightly at her mother¡¯s familiar and loving touch.

    ¡°How can all of my children be so beautiful?¡±

    <em>Grasp!</em>

    As Anna spoke, Lily¡¯s tiny hand sped her finger tightly, disying surprising strength for a newborn.

    ¡°¡­She¡¯s strong too.¡±

    ¡°Ouch!¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright. Mommy will be back after working for a bit. Nanny?¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±

    After entrusting Lily to the nanny, Anna returned to Hawk¡¯s office to resume her work.

    When the head of the household is absent, it¡¯s customary for thedy of the house to take over, making Anna the current decision-maker.

    Hawk had given her his seal in case of emergencies, so Anna was in charge of the estate¡¯s administrative tasks.

    ¡®Honestly, it¡¯s not too tough.¡¯

    In truth, the workload wasn¡¯t overwhelming. Officials dispatched from the royal pce handled most of it.

    Hawk¡¯s exhaustion stemmed from his meticulous personality and his distrust of higher-ups due to past experiences.

    Having spent decades as a knight, he had directly encountered military corruption more than once.

    His naturally detail-oriented naturebined with his mistrust meant he scrutinized every document with extreme care.

    Fortunately, the pce had sent reliable officials to curry favor with the Marshal family, ensuring no issues arose.

    Thanks to this, Anna had been able to manage rtivelyfortably, despite therge volume of work.

    ¡®Still, the sheer amount is a bit daunting.¡¯

    Today¡¯s workload would only take about an hour. While things were busy now, it would gradually ease as the foundation stabilized.

    As she hurried to finish her tasks and return to Lily, she heard a voice.

    ¡°Lady Baroness?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Oh, yes, Jace.¡±

    She encountered a clean-cut young man in the hallway¡ªone of the officials sent from the pce.

    Despite his tidy uniform, his deep dark circles betrayed his exhaustion.

    Jace handed Anna an envelope, speaking politely.

    ¡°A letter has arrived from Lord Zenon.¡±

    ¡°Really?!¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Anna sped her hands in joy, looking as excited as a young girl.

    A letter would¡¯ve sufficed, but judging by the thick envelope, it was clear.

    Insidey the long-awaited manuscript of <em>Chronicles of Zenon</em>, Volume 28.

    The story was nearing its conclusion, and the happy future of Jin and Lily wasn¡¯t far off.

    ¡°Thank you. Is there anything you¡¯d like as a token of gratitude?¡±

    ¡°Nothing, ma¡¯am. I¡¯ll take my leave.¡±

    ¡°Take care!¡±

    Anna cheerfully waved at Jace as he departed, holding the envelope tightly to her chest.

    ¡°My son truly knows how to distract me from work.¡±

    Gazing at the envelope in her arms, Anna murmured in delight.

    Though she was supposed to send it directly to the publisher, tomorrow would be fine¡ªit was the weekend after all.

    Musk, the publisher, always respected holidays, no matter how busy things got.

    ¡®Might as well read it now. Besides, I can proofread it too.¡¯

    Skipping refreshments to avoid idents with the manuscript, Anna hurried to the office with the precious volume in hand.

    ¡®Let¡¯s see how the protagonists will deal with Diabolos.¡¯

    Diabolos had made his grand appearance at the end of Volume 27, leaving readers eagerly anticipating the next volume.

    Anna¡¯s excitement quickly faded as she read.

    The final battle was underwhelming¡ªDiabolos¡¯s vessel couldn¡¯t withstand his power, cracking under the strain.

    Zenon¡¯s team exploited this weakness, aided by Lily¡¯s seemingly limitless support.

    Thebat scenes were vibrant and disyed great teamwork, but Diaboloscked the charisma of the Seven Deadly Sins.

    ¡°How anticlimactic.¡±

    Anna sighed, disappointed by the simplistic progression.

    Still, the prospect of Jin and Lily¡¯s happy ending offered some constion¡­

    But as Anna turned the page, her expression froze.

    Diabolos¡¯s shattered vessel unleashed one final, devastating blow¡ªaimed straight at Lily.

    Jin¡¯s desperate attempt to shield her was in vain.

    The narrative ended abruptly, with Lily struck in the heart.

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    Anna flipped through the pages, stunned.

    There were no more pages. That was the end.

    ¡°¡­Seriously?!¡±

    Anna¡¯s shocked expletive echoed in the office.

 Chapter 379: Dice (2)

    After sending the manuscript for <em>Chronicles of Zenon</em><em>Vol. 28</em> to the mansion, my heart was filled with tension.

    The dice haven¡¯t been cast yet. <em>Chronicles of Zenon</em><em>Vol. 28</em> is merely the process of forging the dice.

    It will only be properly cast when Jin fully evolves into the final boss at the climax of Volumes 29 or 30.

    Volume 29 will focus on post-war arrangements and the process of restoring Alvenheim.

    Although Zenon and hispanions are important, the aftermath of a battle that determines the world¡¯s fate is essential to include.

    Additionally, I need to detail Lily¡¯s condition, which means the story will be longer than expected.

    ¡°Will Mother be able to hold on until then?¡±

    As everyone knows, my mother¡¯s favorite couple is Jin and Lily.

    This couple has thergest fanbase due to their unique, heart-wrenching love story.Although the Zenon and Mary couple is just as solid, Jin and Lily¡¯s story is far stronger.

    To be precise, it¡¯s more poignant.

    Compared to other love lines, the Jin-Lily pairing is designed to evoke deeper emotional empathy, making it inherently powerful.

    And my mother has been an ardent fan of the Jin-Lily couple since before <em>Chronicles of Zenon</em> became a sensation.

    ¡°I just hope she doesn¡¯t chase me down likest time.¡±

    She will undoubtedly know about the scene where Jin is pierced through the chest during the battle with Gluttony, leading to his awakening.

    As soon as my mother saw that scene, she came straight to Helium to find me¡ªsummoning Gartz, no less.

    Although I was worried she might do the same this time, I reassured myself that she had already been strongly inocted against such shocks and might hold back.

    Of course, if she were to see Jin emerge as the final boss and then perish under Zenon¡¯s decisive blow¡­

    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll deal with that when the timees.¡±

    Again, this is merely the process of forging the dice.

    While I might be able to cate her for now with reassurances to wait,ter on, there will be no leeway.

    It¡¯s no exaggeration to say I might have to flee elsewhere. I¡¯m already brainstorming where to escape.

    But what can I do? The ending has been nned that way from the beginning.

    Even if I show a happy future in an epilogue, it won¡¯t be considered canon.

    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±

    ¡°Just thoughts about the future.¡±

    ¡°You must have a lot on your mind.¡±

    Rina, who sat across from me, spoke quietly as she held her teacup. Every movement of hers exuded elegance.

    I nodded silently in response.

    While her thoughts might differ from mine, there was no need to borate.

    In any case, Rina¡¯s visit to my dormitory today wasn¡¯t for any particr reason.

    It was simply prearranged.

    Living in the dorms means being disconnected from outside news unless I have ess to newspapers.

    In fact, when innocent victims first appeared, it was Rina who informed me before anyone else.

    Afterward, Kate went to the Church to verify it.

    Currently, there¡¯s hardly anyone around me who serves as a reliable source of information like Rina does.

    ¡°Cecily and Arwen are also options, but¡­ they¡¯re not always avable.¡±

    Cecily is busy purging noble families allied with demon worshippers, and Arwen is on a brief holiday but is usually upied.

    That¡¯s not to say Rina isn¡¯t busy. The Minerva Empire is so overwhelmed with crises that they could use all the help they can get.

    Especially Leorte, the crown prince and next in line for the throne, seems to be under immense pressure.

    It¡¯s been nearly a month since hest appeared at the Academy.

    The empire¡¯s upper echelon is nearing paralysis as more details of the demon worshippers¡¯ atrocitiese to light.

    ¡°So, what about the matter of the innocent victims? While this time it¡¯s a staged act by the demon worshippers, actual innocent casualties could still arise.¡±

    ¡°The Church has assured me they¡¯ll handle it. If it happens more than three times, the event will be immediately halted.¡±

    ¡°Well, if the Church says so, they¡¯ll probably handle it. Though I¡¯m not fond of it.¡±

    Rina grumbled in a slightly dissatisfied tone. The event is managed not by the state but by the Church.

    The state only ys a supporting role, which is why the Minerva Empire is facing such a tough time.

    Meanwhile, for the Savior Church, this is an unprecedented opportunity.

    Their prestige has hit rock bottom, and this is their chance to recover.

    Of course, even if the event concludes sessfully, it will be very difficult for the Savior Church to regain its former stature.

    ¡°And what about the Mora Church?¡±

    ¡°The Mora Church is tracking a major lead. You know the incident where an entire vige was brainwashed? That was uncovered by the Mora Church.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that. So, what¡¯s the empire¡¯s current state?¡±

    Flinch¡ª

    At my question about the empire¡¯s situation, Rina visibly flinched.

    For someone who usually remainsposed, such a reaction indicates things are worse than I imagined.

    Rina carefully ced her teacup down, her face clouded with distress rather than her usual smile.

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s bad. Really bad. Have you heard of the term ¡®sanctuary for demon worshippers¡¯?¡±

    ¡°I read about it in the papers.¡±

    ¡°At first, I thought it was just because of the empire¡¯s vast territory. But that¡¯s not the case. Haah¡­¡±

    Rina brushed her hair back. If even she sighs like this in front of others, the situation must be dire.

    She used to seem like nothing more than a haughty princess pressuring me, but that image has changed.

    Now, she feels more like an overworked civil servant buried in an avnche of tasks.

    I¡¯m not sure when my perception of her shifted, but it might have been when her secret preferences were revealed.

    Though Rina is a revered princess, she¡¯s ultimately just like any other person.

    ¡°Far better than Teres, at least.¡±

    She truly is better. If this were the Kingdom of Teres, they would have used every underhanded method before I gained my reputation.

    I waited quietly for her to speak. There¡¯s a reason we¡¯re able to have this conversation.

    Ariel is asleep on the bed, basking in the sunlight streaming through the window.

    ¡°¡­To start with something rtively minor, there¡¯s the Stavirk region issue. You know what the problem is there, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course. What did they say?¡±

    ¡°Obviously, they im they have no intention of bing a sanctuary for demons.¡±

    As if there weren¡¯t enough crises, even the Stavirk region has started stirring.

    However, the Minerva Empire has no bandwidth to deal with them.

    Independence issues, particrly between nations, are alwaysplex.

    Moreover, the Stavirk region has sufficient justification for their demands.

    During the racial wars, the human alliance recognized their craftsmanship and aided them, leading to the creation of present-day Stavirk.

    The locals, who were living as indigenous tribes at the time, greatly benefited from this.

    The problem lies in what came after.

    For variousplicated reasons, they continue to cry for independence.

    ¡°Well, since this is ultimately a national matter, I¡¯ll leave it at that. Next is the Kerrison Count family.¡±

    ¡°The Kerrison Count family? Jackson¡¯s family, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. That brat who made absurd proposals to Cecily and me on the first day of the semester.¡±

    Rina¡¯s disdain for Jackson was clear in her words. He truly was an eyesore back then.

    But for there to be trouble with the Kerrison family¡­ this isn¡¯t something that can be brushed aside like Stavirk.

    The Kerrison family is essentially the Minerva Empire¡¯srgest financial resource.

    Their territory is far superior to others in terms of wealth.

    Situated by the sea, it functions as a port city and serves as a vital trade route.

    If trouble arises there, it could be a critical blow to the empire¡¯s economy, which relies heavily on such resources.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with the Kerrison family? Are they colluding with demon worshippers?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s still under investigation. However, the Kerrisons have sharp instincts in matters ofmerce. You know how demon worshippers generate funds, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I do¡­ Ah.¡±

    ¡°Exactly what you¡¯re thinking.¡±

    It seems I understand what Rina is saying.

    Whether or not the Kerrison Count¡¯s family colluded with demon worshippers doesn¡¯t matter.

    They can simply be executed without trial.

    From the imperial perspective, it¡¯s an excellent way to eliminate a thorn in their side.

    However, the main point is that funds from the Minerva Empire have been leaking extensively to the demon worshippers.

    As I¡¯ve repeatedly mentioned, the Minerva Empire is a country with an insane amount of wealth, where economic power underpins everything.

    The Kerrison Count¡¯s family is a significant financial artery of the empire.

    Even a small hole would be catastrophic, but with the extent of parasitism involved, the situation is even worse.

    ¡°Most of the funds for the demon worshippers probably originated from our empire.

    In this world, there¡¯s no shortage of people who will do anything for money, so it wouldn¡¯t have been difficult for them to expand their influence.¡±

    ¡°Then why haven¡¯t they taken more active steps?

    Demon worshippers have existed since before the empire¡¯s founding.

    By now, they could have established their own nation.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the issue.

    We don¡¯t know where they¡¯re spending their money.

    We¡¯re tracking it, but¡­ it¡¯s not easy.¡±

    This situation is moreplex and severe than I had thought.

    As Musk said, money can¡¯t solve everything, but it can resolve a lot.

    Their targeting of slums is likely part of this n.

    With a little money thrown around and some preaching, people would believe anything.

    I don¡¯t know what the true purpose of the demon worshippers is, but based on the news that keeps emerging, this is something that must be addressed.

    ¡°So, what happens to the Kerrison Count¡¯s family?¡±

    ¡°If evidence of collusion is found, their entire family will be eradicated immediately.

    If no proof is found, it¡¯s still problematic, so they¡¯d face demotion at best.

    This is far more severe than simple treason.¡±

    ¡°The Kerrison Count¡¯s family might find it a bit unfair.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s their fault for not properly managing their finances.

    Even if it¡¯s not them, simr measures are being implemented across the board.

    Someone from our imperial family could also be colluding with the demon worshippers.¡±

    They¡¯ve really sharpened their knives.

    I nodded as I observed Rina, who looked visibly fatigued.

    If the Minerva Empire lets this situation slide, it will copse from within.

    A nation that falls due to external factors can be rebuilt, but if it crumbles from the inside, there¡¯s no hope.

    In fact, the Kingdom of Teres almost suffered such a fate, barely recovering, with even its royal family now fearing its people.

    ¡°First, reassure the general public.

    What if the demon worshippers incite a rebellion?

    A copsed empire only benefits the demon worshippers.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true, but spreading news about your marriage will quickly calm things down.

    Issues rted to the nobility can be resolved on our end.

    Whates after is the real challenge.¡±

    ¡°Is there something more serious than this?¡±

    ¡°If there weren¡¯t, I wouldn¡¯t havee to you.

    I absolutely need your opinion on this matter.¡±

    What on earth could it be?

    I listened more attentively, my curiosity piqued.

    For her to need my input, it must be something rted to the <em>Chronicles of Zenon</em> or one of its events.

    Rina took a deep breath, then spoke in her characteristic elegant tone.

    ¡°You¡¯re aware of the underground temple we discovered recently, right?¡±

    ¡°I am.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t just a simple temple.

    It was an altar.¡±

    ¡°An altar?¡±

    ¡°Yes, an altar where sacrifices are made to gain special powers.

    The statue there is likely a ¡®vessel.¡¯¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    This cursed world strikes again.

    I was no longer surprised, merely nodding my head.

    It¡¯s not like this is directly rted to me¡­

    ¡°And ording to the mage we dispatched, there¡¯s evidence that the ritual was sessful.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    What in the world does she mean?

    I widened my eyes in shock.

    If the ritual seeded, it means they summoned a demon from another dimension, akin to the <em>Diabolos</em> in the <em>Chronicles of Zenon.</em>

    I don¡¯t know how strong these demons are, but based on the demonized demons I¡¯ve seen, they¡¯re walking disasters, no exaggeration.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    If a demon was indeed summoned, the situation is beyond dire.

    ¡°Based on the surrounding artifacts and human remains, the ritual seems to have been carried out about 20 years ago.

    However, it wasn¡¯t entirely sessful.

    There¡¯s evidence that someone interrupted the ritual midway.¡±

    ¡°So, the ritual was only partially sessful?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct.

    However, demons are beings from other dimensions.

    Since they connected dimensions, it¡¯s likely that something from another dimension crossed over.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Wait a minute.

    Something about this feels off.

    The ritual was conducted 20 years ago but was only partially sessful due to interference.

    ¡°We¡¯re still investigating, but honestly, it¡¯ll be difficult to figure out everything.

    My brother even mentioned a rumor about a frog from another dimension, which makes it hard to go public.

    That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking you¡ªwhat do you think it is?¡±

    ¡°Why are you asking me?¡±

    ¡°I think you might know.

    Just give me your opinion.

    We¡¯ll investigate based on that.¡±

    She thinks I¡¯m a regressor too.

    But I had to keep quiet.

    Based on the circumstances, it really does seem like me.

    Even Luminous mentioned that a failed dimensional connection by demon worshippers is how I ended up in this world.

    The details are so absurd that I can¡¯t decide whether tough or cry.

    Though it might not be me¡­

    ¡®But it really seems like me.¡¯

    The timing is too coincidental, pulling me toward that conclusion.

    Still, to avoid confusion, I had no choice but to lie¡­

    ¡°What do you mean, me?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    A cute and cheeky voice suddenly chimed in.

    Both Rina, who had been sipping her tea, and I, lost in thought, turned our heads.

    Standing there with wide, curious eyes was Ariel, who must¡¯ve woken up at some point.

    Her petite figure and our focus on the conversation had made it easy to miss her.

    ¡°What do you mean, me, Daddy?¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    She hit the nail on the head.

    Daddy loves his daughter dearly.

    At that moment, my heart sank for just a moment before I chuckled helplessly.

    There¡¯s no escaping this now.

    If even I feel this way, how will Rina react?

    I cautiously turned to look at her.

    Drip¡ª

    Like a scene from a drama, Rina was ck-jawed, tea dripping from her mouth.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 380: Dice (3)

    Rina, the princess of the Minerva Empire, grew up enduring numerous tumultuous events.

    From a young age, she learned the conduct, etiquette, and expression management required of royalty, and she gained political awareness early on.

    Her early political awakening strained her rtionship with Marie, but they have since resolved their issues, so there¡¯s no need to dwell on it.

    Her most memorable experience thus far would likely be the time she was attacked by a demonized being during an outing.

    Although it was a safe area and a frequently traveled road, the attack left her with a deep trauma.

    This trauma instilled in her the habit of constantly being aware of her surroundings and checking for safety, and it also led her to adopt a highly rational approach to everything.

    In hindsight, she suspects that demon might have been part of a plot by demon worshippers, given the negative perception of demons at the time.

    After <em>The Chronicles of Zenon</em> emerged, perspectives shifted, but Rina¡¯s workload as a princess only increased with time.

    Recently, an event orchestrated by Isaac has been giving her headaches, though she believes it¡¯s a matter that can be resolved eventually¡ªit¡¯s just taking too long.The issue that concerns her the most is the underground temple.

    Despite clear traces of a ritual, they can¡¯t determine who or what was summoned.

    Or rather, they <em>couldn¡¯t</em> figure it out¡ªuntil now.

    ¡°The summoned being¡­ is Isaac?¡±

    Rina stared at the young man before her, unable to close her gaping mouth.

    Tea dribbled from her lips, staining her dress, but she was too shocked to care.

    The young man awkwardly smiling in front of her was Isaac Ducer Michelle, the author of <em>The Chronicles of Zenon</em>, regarded as either a prophet or a regressor, and now even venerated as a saint who saved the world.

    That¡¯s not to say he¡¯scking as an author.

    Even before <em>The Chronicles of Zenon</em> was hailed as a prophetic text, it had caused a global sensation.

    His writing skills are so exceptional that it¡¯s said he advanced the literary world by several steps.

    <em>The Chronicles of Zenon</em> is an easy read for people of all ages and sses. Justst year, the number of new students enrolling in the Halo Academy¡¯s literature department nearly tripled.

    ¡°Then¡­ all that knowledge¡­?¡±

    <em>The Chronicles of Zenon</em> is a meticulously crafted novel, so detailed that it¡¯s said to have created another world.

    In fact, there are plenty of novels that create worlds¡ªmyths and fairy tales could also be seen as creating new worlds.

    But <em>The Chronicles of Zenon</em> is on a different level.

    Its vividness makes you feel as though you¡¯re there, and its unforgettable scenes resonate deeply.

    And above all, the introduction of something as extraordinary as a steam lotive¡ªit¡¯s hard to believe such an idea came from a single person, let alone a young man under 20.

    For Rina, it¡¯s not just improbable¡ªit¡¯s absolutely impossible.

    ¡°Rina?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Snapped out of her thoughts by Isaac¡¯s voice, Rina looked up in surprise.

    Seeing him offering her a handkerchief, she nced between him and the handkerchief before carefully epting it.

    Her hands trembled slightly, still shaken by the shock.

    ¡°Aria?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Could you go enjoy some sunlight for a while? I need to talk with my friend here.¡±

    ¡°Yawn¡­ Okay.¡±

    Isaac gently sent Ariel off as Rina wiped her dress.

    Thankfully, Ariel seemed drowsy and toddled back to bed, curling up in the sunlight like before.

    With the immediate situation settled, Isaac turned his gaze back to Rina.

    Her hands, still wiping her dress, were trembling like a leaf.

    ¡°Phew¡­¡±

    After hastily tidying her dress, Rina ced the handkerchief on the table and exhaled deeply.

    The stains were unavoidable, but at least the stickiness was gone.

    Rina patted her chest to calm her racing heart, but her thoughts kept swirling, leaving her unable to fully regain herposure.

    She finally decided there was no point in hiding anything after what she¡¯d just revealed.

    Resolutely, she lifted her head and met Isaac¡¯s gaze.

    His golden eyes, always mesmerizing, now carried a hint of unease.

    ¡°Are you feeling a bit calmer now?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Rina nodded at Isaac¡¯s question but hesitated as she reached for her teacup, remembering it was empty from her earlier blunder.

    She had met countless people through social events and received shocking news before, but never had she been so visibly shaken.

    ¡°What you said earlier¡­ is it true?¡±

    Her voice trembled as she asked a question that encapsted all her thoughts and emotions.

    Isaac gave a bitter smile and reluctantly nodded.

    He hadn¡¯t nned on revealing this, but Ariel¡¯s presence had forced his hand.

    Of course, he could have denied it to the end, but Rina wasn¡¯t a fool.

    She was likely piecing everything together in her mind.

    ¡°Indeed¡­ it wouldn¡¯t make sense otherwise. The only reason you could deny being a prophet or time traveler is that this truth is undeniable. But really¡­ from another world? Like a demon from another dimension?¡±

    As she untangled her thoughts, everything fell into ce like pieces of a puzzle.

    Isaac¡¯s open-mindedness was something she had dismissed before.

    Even Marie, after all,cked an authoritarian attitude.

    Though Rina didn¡¯t stay close to Isaac like other women, she prided herself on her keen observation.

    ¡®If he came from another world, everything would make sense. But there are two crucial questions¡­¡¯

    What kind of world did hee from? And how did he realize he was from another dimension?

    Was it truly a world inhabited by demons, or apletely unknown one?

    And above all, was this young man truly Isaac Ducer Michelle?

    By all biological ounts, Isaac was indeed the son of Hawk Ducer Michelle and Anna Ducer Michelle, with their family¡¯s signature red hair and golden eyes.

    But whether the soul within him was originally Isaac or another from a different dimension¡ªshe had no way of knowing.

    ¡°I won¡¯t ask you to prove it. But can I ask a few questions?¡±

    ¡°Sure. Since you¡¯ve already figured it out, there¡¯s no point in refusing. But if my father or Adele shows up, I¡¯ll stop immediately.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. This is sensitive information that could affect the entire world.¡±

    Rina knew it was reckless to discuss this in such an open space, but her curiosity got the better of her.

    After taking another deep breath, she fixed her gaze on Isaac and asked,

    ¡°How did youe to know this?¡±

    ¡°That I came from another dimension?¡±

    ¡°No. That you were summoned here through a demon worshipper¡¯s ritual. How did you realize that?¡±

    Isaac answered without hesitation, despite the profound nature of the question.

    ¡°Luminous told me.¡±

    ¡°L-Luminous did?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Luminous said the demon worshippers¡¯ summoning ritual failed, causing my soul to end up here. It¡¯s probably the ritual you¡¯re referring to.¡±

    As he spoke, Isaac casually popped a cookie into his mouth. Rina could only stare at him in shock as he crunched away.

    If Luminous vouched for it, there was no room for doubt, but the truth was still hard to process.

    There were indeed signs of someone disrupting the ritual at the temple.

    That disruption led to Isaac¡¯s soul being transported to this world.

    ¡®And then <em>The Chronicles of Zenon</em> was published¡­¡¯

    Demon worshippers are beingpletely exterminated.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    It¡¯s their just deserts, a trap of their own making.

    Surely, they must have attempted to summon a demon.

    But what¡¯s this?

    Instead of a demon, they summoned Isaac, who ughtered everyst one of the demon worshippers.

    A once-in-a-lifetime gamble turned into the worst possible oue.

    What are the odds of such a thing happening?

    If the demon worshippers knew, they would be so overwhelmed with frustration that they¡¯d faint.

    ¡°R-Really? Does Cecily and Queen Arwen know about this too?¡±

    ¡°No. They really think I¡¯m someone from the future.

    It¡¯s better for them to hear it directly.

    They¡¯ve overthought it quite a bit.¡±

    ¡°Alright.

    If you think about it, you¡¯re also a victim of the demon worshippers, right?

    You died suddenly, after all.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true, but I don¡¯t have many regrets.¡±

    No regrets.

    What kind of life did he live in that world to react so nonchntly?

    That single response changed how Rina looked at Isaac.

    He was clearly someone who had lived an extraordinary life.

    Isaac¡¯s past life could indeed be described as tragic, but it wasn¡¯t quite as dire as she imagined.

    Losing his parents in an ident was undeniably tragic for any individual, but there were plenty of others who had suffered worse.

    Rina looked at Isaac with pity, then quickly moved on to another question.

    ¡°So, your soul is really that of Isaac Ducer Michelle, right?

    It didn¡¯t get swapped with someone else along the way?¡±

    ¡°Want me to tell you how it feels not to know when to go to the bathroom as a child?

    I can describe it vividly.

    I still can¡¯t forget it.

    I don¡¯t remember anything from when I was a newborn, but from age three, my memories are clear.¡±

    ¡°Sorry.¡±

    A second life truly doesn¡¯t start out ordinary, Rina thought to herself.

    Now that she understood how Isaac ended up here, the most important question of all remained.

    Perhaps the answer to this question would rify exactly who Isaac really was.

    <em>Ba-dump! Ba-dump! Ba-dump!</em>

    As Rina prepared to ask, her heart began pounding furiously again.

    She frantically patted her chest to calm herself down.

    After steadying her breath, she slowly opened her eyes and looked at Isaac.

    He wore a somewhat relieved expression, as if ready to answer any question she might have.

    Atst, Rina licked her pink lips and asked cautiously, her voice tinged with curiosity:

    ¡°Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°What kind of world did you live in before this?¡±

    This single question would reveal how Isaac managed to write <em>The Chronicles of Zenon.</em>

    What kind of world would one have to live in to possess such imagination?

    And what kind of life would one have to lead?

    People fear the unknown yet are simultaneously curious about it.

    That duality is one of the reasons humanity advances.

    But Rina¡¯s curiosity was on another level¡ªshe was eager to hear about the life of someone who had lived in another dimension.

    ¡°Before I answer, there¡¯s one thing I¡¯d like you to understand.

    I lived a very ordinary life in my world¡ªnothing like what you might imagine.

    I didn¡¯t have any great authority like you.

    I was more like amoner.

    I didn¡¯t have the ability to build a steam lotive like the one described in <em>The Chronicles of Zenon.</em>

    I was just a writer you could find anywhere.¡±

    He had told others the same thing before.

    Isaac firmly believed he was far from a genius.

    He was just a writer who enjoyed history and was decent at storytelling¡ªbut not someone at the pinnacle of his field.

    He likened himself to a pebble on the roadside: neither exceptional nor a threat to the world.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine.

    While you¡¯re important, what really matters is the world you lived in.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°You said you were ordinary, right?

    If Zenon was ordinary in your world, could that world possibly seem ordinary to us?¡±

    Isaac was convinced by Rina¡¯s logic.

    From this world¡¯s perspective, his might indeed seem extraordinary.

    So how should he exin it?

    Isaac thought and thought.

    The Earth he came from was far more advanced culturally and scientifically than this world.

    However, Earth had neither magic nor mana.

    There weren¡¯t even monsters that threatened humanity.

    Exining all this one by one felt daunting, and there was no guarantee Rina would understand it.

    ¡®Ah, this might work.¡¯

    If he framed it the right way, he could give her a satisfying answer.

    With that, he turned to Rina, who was visibly nervous.

    ¡°You might find this a little strange.

    The world I lived in had only humans.¡±

    ¡°Humans¡­ only?

    What do you mean, only humans?¡±

    ¡°No beastfolk, elves, dwarves, demons, angels, or even monsters.

    No mana or magic either.

    The existence of gods wasn¡¯t even clear, so there was no divine power.

    Just humans, vast naturalndscapes, and the nts and animals that lived there.

    That¡¯s all.¡±

    Rina¡¯s reaction to his answer was priceless.

    ¡°What kind of ridiculous world is that?

    It sounds incredibly boring.

    And with only humans, how could it advance?

    Without elves, could humans even establish civilization on their own?¡±

    Her expression screamed disbelief, as though she thought he was lying.

    Isaac understood how she felt from the perspective of someone living in this world.

    ¡°In that world, do humans live over 100 years?

    Like elves living up to 1,000 years?¡±

    ¡°No.

    In the distant past, living beyond 50 was rare.

    Even in my time, surpassing 100 was difficult.¡±

    ¡°How¡­

    I just can¡¯t understand.

    What kind of world is that¡­¡±

    ¡°Well, if I had to exin it¡­

    Rina.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°What do you think of the sky?¡±

    Isaac¡¯s sudden question about the sky caught Rina off guard.

    She furrowed her brows momentarily but remembered who was asking.

    Isaac never asked useless questions, especially not in situations like this.

    Surely, he had a reason.

    After thinking for a while, Rina answered as best as she could.

    ¡°It¡¯s where the gods reside, a ce only the chosen can reach.

    That¡¯s why angels have wings, right?¡±

    ¡°True.

    And?¡±

    ¡°From a religious perspective, all life begins on the ground and ascends to the sky upon death.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.

    I see where you¡¯reing from.¡±

    A ssic mindset, typical of someone from the past.

    But for someone like Rina, this was normal.

    Isaac pondered her response for a moment before speaking again, this time in a tone reminiscent of reciting poetry.

    ¡°A ce where humans soar through the skies in their own creations.¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    ¡°A ce where humans sail vast oceans without wind, in their own creations.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°A ce where humansmunicate with others across the world using their own creations.

    And finally¡­¡±

    Isaac paused before continuing slowly.

    ¡°A ce where humans, with their own creations, can destroy the world.¡±

    He was referring to airnes, ships, the inte, and,stly, nuclear weapons.

    Rather than going into detail, he chose this poetic approach to make it easier to understand.

    Isaac looked at Rina, who seemed utterly bewildered, and smiled faintly.

    ¡°That¡¯s the kind of world I came from.

    What do you think?¡±

    Rina¡¯s response was¡­ unexpected.

    ¡°Pfft.

    Don¡¯t make meugh.¡±

    She outright rejected it.

    ¡°What kind of nonsensical world is that?

    Humans did all that?¡±

    Her reaction came from deep disbelief, rooted in the inherent limitations she saw in humanity.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!